Chapter 62- The Foretold Saviors

Have you ever thought about how some journeys, the really big ones, aren't just about, you know, getting from A to B, but there are also these incredibly deep internal shifts where the journey outward seems almost powered by what's happening inside. How the characters' inner work, their cultivation literally pushes their quest forward, and it leads them to find this, well, truly extraordinary place. Oh, absolutely. This part of the story is such a perfect example. You get this blend of deep philosophy, incredible descriptions of nature, and of course, the big adventure, the journey to the West is famous for. It really sets things up beautifully. So it kicks off with this poem, The Oup, or Near the River Immortal, and the core of it essentially is about spiritual practice. Getting that internal balance right, water and fire balanced, is the phrase used. Think of it like achieving this deep inner harmony, you know, where these opposing forces aren't clashing but flowing together. And this gets you to a cool nature, like a state of calm, clear wisdom. The text mentions this really intense practice, five years, and get this 108,000 cycles of cultivation. Wow, 108,000, that's a lot. It's huge, it signifies just immense dedication. And the goal, yin and yang harmony, perfect integration basically, to ascend to, well, almost heavenly levels. Okay, that's fascinating theory, but here's what really grabbed me. It's not just theory, is it? They get a fan, a Purian treasure fan. How does inner balance turn into a physical object that helps them? Exactly, that's the brilliant part. It's not just metaphor here. Inner mastery leads to actual tangible progress in the story. This fan, it lets them literally fan away dry fire. Think of that as dispelling negative vibes or distractions, and then boom, they can travel 800 lais super fast. 800 lais, how far is that roughly? Well, a lai is about half a kilometer, so that's around 400 kilometers, just like that. But all right, with that incredible inner foundation laid, they keep traveling. And what's cool is how the world around them starts to kind of mirror that inner state, right? The season's changing, late autumn, early winter, you get these details like wild chrysanthemums fading, but also new plum buds growing, villages harvesting the smell of fragrant soup. It paints a really vivid picture. It does, and those details aren't just window dressing. They connect right back to the spiritual themes. You see phrases like pure yin yang and talk about earth ki descends, heaven ki ascends, flourishing water, virtue. It's like nature itself is showing that harmony. And think about the pine and bamboo turning even greener in the cold. That's resilience, isn't it? Reflection of their own spiritual strength facing hardship. Yeah, that's a great point. So after all this journeying, they finally spot something huge on the horizon, a city. Tang Sanzang asks what it is, and Sun Wukong, you know, monkey, he knows immediately. Imperial city, he says. And he has to explain it to Zhu Bajie, Pigsy, right? Telling him it's way bigger than a normal town. It's got 10 plus gates on all sides. In a circumference of 100 plus li, that's massive, like 50 kilometers around, and these towers high with clouds and swirling. It's clearly meant to impress upon you that this is no ordinary place. The description in the source material is just incredible. It uses these really potent images like dragon coiling, tiger crouching. You really feel the power and majesty of the place. Like it's alive, almost. Exactly. And you picture these jade stone bridge railings with clever beasts carved on them, golden platforms with wise individuals. It's presented as this peak of civilization. It's a divine land metropolis, heavenly capital, that points to its immense importance, its prosperity. You get a sense of stability, too, with 10,000-line Rome firm and 1,000-year imperial rule. So not just big, but significant, like cosmically important, almost. Precisely. It feels like a destination almost preordained by their journey, both inner and outer. And then they actually go inside. What's it like? Oh, it just bursts with life. The text describes six streets, three markets, just buzzing with activity, goods circulating wealth. Scent busy. Very. You see prosperous attire, luxurious people. There are wine shops noisy with songs, flower houses full of joy. It's this picture of a thriving, vibrant, maybe even slightly decadent center of the world. And seeing this after their long, arduous journey and inner cultivation, it's quite the reward. Right off the bat, the source hits you with this incredible contrast. We find ourselves in what should be a grand, maybe even sacred place, right? But what we actually see is, well, just deep distress. Yeah, it's immediately unsettling. Bam, you see them, monks. But they're in this awful state, chained up, wearing those heavy, wooden kings. Terrible things. Their clothes are rags, and they're begging, just begging by the road. And the source notes It compares it to that idea of, like, the rabbit mourning the fox, feeling grief for your own kind. Ah, that deep empathy. It shows this isn't just bad luck, it's something fundamentally wrong. Yes. And Sun Wukong, well, he's never one to beat around the bush, is he? Hey, no. Straight to the point. She just steps up and asks, OK, who are you people? And why? Why this? Right. And their answer is simple, but, man, it's chilling. They say they're monks from Jingwang Temple. OK. And that they've been wronged. That specific word, but they're hesitant. You know, they say, basically, come back to our place, and we'll tell you. Which, of course, they do. And this is where that contrast just gets amplified, like tenfold. Oh, yeah. You get to the temple gate, and the nameplate is just magnificent. Imperially built protector of the nation, Jingwang Temple. Think about that name. Imperially built protector of the nation. Huge weight behind those words. Built by the emperor himself, meant to protect everyone. But then you step inside, and it's nothing like the name. Nothing. The source paints this picture, you know? Cold incense burners, empty lamps, windy corridors with just leaves blowing around. Yeah. Empty corridors, leaves swept by wind. Sounds so lonely. Totally. No visitors, cobwebs everywhere, the drum racks are empty, the bells just hanging there, silent. Faded murals covered in dust. It's pure desolation. Inside a place meant to be a stronghold. And then it gets worse. As they head towards the abbot's quarters, they see more monks, young ones this time, literally chained to the eaves of the building. Chained inside the temple. Yeah. And the source says, Tang Sanzang just finds it unbearable to look. Tears streaming down his face again. Can you blame him? Young monks shackled in the protector of the nation temple. What could possibly justify that? Exactly the question. But then, right in the middle of all this despair, there's this sudden twist. These suffering monks, they look at the travelers and they recognize something. They ask, hey, you guys look different. Are you maybe from the East? From Great Tang? Huh. How would they know? Get this. They say they all had the same dream the night before. The collective dream. Yeah. Predicting a holy monk from the East would show up, someone to save them, to right this terrible wrong. Wow. And they recognize the group by their unusual appearance there too, which matched the dream. So destiny, prophecy, that changes things, doesn't it? Instantly. It injects this massive surge of hope into this incredibly bleak scene. Suddenly they're not just travelers, they're potential saviors, foretold even. Right. And Tang Sanzang hears this and he's just filled with hope. Greatly pleased, the text says. Understandably. And that brings us right to the cliffhanger, pretty much. Tang Sanzang seizing on this, asks them straight up, okay, you're here, but what is this great wrong you've suffered? These monks, they describe their capital city. Jisai Kingdom. Major hub, apparently. Yeah, in the West. And these four other nations, South Yatou, North Kaohsiung, East and West Liang, West Pempo, they all brought tribute every single year. And not just token stuff, we're talking jade, pearls, horses, even concubines. Serious tribute. But the key thing, and the text really stresses this, is that Jisai didn't make them do it. They weren't forced. No, it says they came voluntarily, paid homage because they saw Jisai as like a superior state, not hard power. Right, it was perceived influence, maybe divine. That seems to be the idea, which leads Tang Sanzang to think, okay, must be a wise king, good officials. But the monks shoot that down fast. They say explicitly, nope, the king isn't wise, the officials aren't virtuous, none of that. Their whole point is, the only reason for the tribute, the only reason they were seen as heaven's capital, was this golden light temple. And it's pagoda, the treasure pagoda. And what a pagoda. They claim it just naturally gave off auspicious clouds, mists. Shone super brightly at night, right? Visible for miles. Yeah, dazzling light. And during the day, colorful energy that all four neighboring countries could see. So their entire international standing, their wealth, it all rested on this essentially a spectacular light show. And perceived omens from this one building. Not good government, not strong defenses. Talk about a fragile foundation. I mean, really fragile. And then, inevitably perhaps, it breaks. About three years before the monks meet Tang Sanzang, everything changes. Right. First day of autumn, midnight, a storm rolls in. Not just any storm, though. The text calls it. Chillingly, yeah. Blood rain. Blood rain. Imagine waking up to that. The city panicked. Officials rush to the king, totally bewildered. Why is heaven suddenly angry? So they do what people often do, right? Hold ceremonies, bring in Taoists, Buddhist monks. Yeah. Try to appease whatever force they think they've offended. It's fascinating how societies, even in stories like this, react to the inexplicable. Assume divine anger, look for a reason or someone to blame. And the blame, or rather the effect, it lands right on the source of their prosperity. The monks say the blood rain defiled the Golden Pagoda. Polluted it somehow. And the result, immediate. Devastating for the kingdom. The foreign nations just stopped coming. No more tribute. Poof. The divine favor, or the perception of it, vanished overnight. And with it, their wealth, their status, gone. So the king's first instinct. Predictable, maybe? Military force. Let's go conquer those nations. Yeah. Teach them a lesson for stopping the payments. Let his officials. Maybe they saw the reality of fighting four neighbors at once. They offered a different path. A different target for the blame. Much closer to home. They point the finger straight at the monks. They told the king, basically, hey, those monks in our temple, they stole the pagoda's treasures. That's why the lights went out. That's why the tribute stopped. That's such a convenient lie. Absolutely. Shifts all the blame away from the king, the court, the weird rain. And puts it squarely on the innocent monks. The text says corrupt officials rounded them up. And what happens next is just awful. The monks describe a thousand kinds of torture, 10,000 ways of persecution. Two whole generations of monks before them were tortured about these missing treasures. They couldn't take it. They died under questioning. So these monks talking to Tang Sanzang, they're the ones left. Facing the same fate, shackled, accused of something they didn't do. They're pleading, you know. We'd never steal. We're monks. Begging Tang Sanzang for help because he's also a monk. Maybe his status can save them. And Tang Sanzang's reaction. It's pretty somber. He sighs, calls it dark and hard to discern. He sees it's bad governance, but also the monk destined for terrible luck. He does ask them, though. Why don't you tell the king about the blood rain, the defiled pagoda, sooner? Before it got this bad. And their answer really shows how powerless they felt. We're just ordinary people, they say. How could we know heaven's will? Yeah, our predecessors didn't know. How could we? It highlights their helplessness within that system. Tripitaka hears the monk's story, right? But he doesn't just charge off to the king. No, his first move is, well, it's about fulfilling his own vow. Right. His vow to sweep pagodas he encounters on the journey. He seems to believe, you know, that by actually cleaning this tower himself... You might figure something out? Yeah, that cleaning it could somehow reveal the truth behind the stain, the lost light, before he even talks to the authorities. It's quite a unique approach. It really is. Humble, almost. And the monks, even in their awful situation, they're eager to help him. They are. They even offer a kitchen knife to, like, cut the lock off a young monk so he can help prepare things. Which is quite something. But then you get this classic moment. Pigsy finds it hilarious. He does. Because he knows there's a much, much easier way. Which is? Wukong. Turns out he's a master lock picker. The source mentions this specific lock opening method, Sanja. It's just a touch, apparently, and boom, all the locks spring open. Much better than a kitchen knife. Okay, so the young monks are freed up. They prepare food, bath water, look after their guests. Right. And then the sources give us this lovely sense of time passing. Evening comes, stars appear, you hear the city drums. Markets close, students are studying. It really sets the scene. And as night properly falls, Tripitaka gets ready. New brooms and everything. He thinks about going alone at first. Into the dark, stained pagoda. A bit risky, maybe. Well, that's what Wukong thinks. He insists on going along. He says, you know, there could be evil things lurking there in the dark. Plus, it's cold, lonely work. Practical Wukong. Good point. Safety in numbers, maybe. And Tripitaka agrees. Oh, completely. The source says, he replies, so-so. Like, excellent idea. Excellent. Okay, so off they go together. First up. The main temple hall. They light lamps, burn some incense, and they pray. And this is important. They tell Buddha exactly why they're there. Which is? They say they're sweeping the tower specifically to find out why it's polluted, why the light's gone, and to free the monks from these false accusations. They connect this specific task right back to their big quest for the scriptures. Making the small act part of the larger purpose. Okay. Prayer done. Then they open the actual pagoda door. What's it like? Oh, the descriptions in the sources are amazing. It's called the Five-Colored Glazed Tile Pagoda, or sometimes Sareera Peak. Sounds grand. It is. Described as towering, reaching the sky, ladders like caves, doors like cages, arched eaves. Sarah touches the clouds. Carvings of phoenixes, dragons. From the top, you'd feel like you were in the heaven, see for miles. Just magnificent architecture. Okay, sounds incredible from the outside. But, I sense a but coming. There is a huge but, because the sources immediately pivot to the state inside, and it's the complete opposite. Awesome. Total neglect. Lamps thick with dust, no fire. Railings grimy, covered in insects. Incense holders empty, spider webs everywhere, even mouse droppings in the furnace. The lamps have hardly any oil left. Yikes. The source frames the problem around this lost treasure almost immediately after describing the pagoda. It shifts the focus from just a weird stain to a potential crime. So, with their purpose clear, and this contrast noted, Tripitaka and Wukong start sweeping. Bottom layer first, working their way up. Tripitaka's really committed to this vow, isn't he? Oh yeah, he keeps at it. But by the time they reach the seventh layer, it's getting late. The sources mention the second watch, so maybe 9, 10, 11 PM. Late night sweeping. He must be getting tired. He is. He asks Wukong, how many layers does this thing have anyway? Good question. Wukong guesses maybe 13? Tripitaka's tired, but he pushes on because of the vow. Does he make it? He sweeps three more layers, gets up to the tenth, but by then he's absolutely wiped out. Completely exhausted. Understandable. So what happens? He asks Wukong, look, can you do the last three for me? Layers 11, 12, and 13. And Wukong, he's probably still got energy to spare. Totally. Full of beans. He zips up to the 11th and the 12th layer, and it's up there on the 12th layer that things take a sudden turn. Oh, what happens? Well, he's sweeping away, and now it's even later, the third watch, deep into the night, maybe midnight or so, and he hears something. Voices. Coming from the very top layer, the 13th. Voices. Up there. His first thought must be those evil things he mentioned. Exactly. So he decides to investigate, but quietly. Smart move. How does he do it? The source is quite detailed here. He hides his broom, tidies his clothes, slips out a door onto a platform, and then steps onto a cloud to get a look over the edge. Very Wukong. Classic Wukong move. And what does he see? Is it demons? Spirits. He sees demons, all right. Two of them. But they're not conjuring blood rain or looking menacing. Oh, no, they do? They're sitting there on the top level of this sacred pagoda, playing a finger-guessing game and drinking wine. You're kidding. Just hanging out, having a party. Pretty much, just chilling with their pot, ha, and bowl. Wukong pops up and calls them out immediately. You're the thieves! How do they react? They panic. Through their pot and bowl, trying to make a run for it, Wukong blocks them with his staff. Does he just clobber them? Here's where it gets strategic. The source specifically notes he doesn't hit them with full force. He holds back. Why? He could end it right there. Because he thinks, if I just kill them instantly, then we get no answers. There's no one to confess. They need information. Ah, smart. He needs to know about the treasure. Exactly. So he uses what the source calls a grabbing method. He grabs just one of them, pins it against the wall, captures it alive. Okay, you got one. Then what? He takes the captured demons straight back down to the tenth layer where Tripitaka is resting. Must have been quite an entrance. You bet. He announces, Master, I've caught the treasure thief. Tripitaka must have jumped out of his skin. But pleased, I imagine. Startled, yeah, but definitely thrilled. He asks, where did you catch it? And Wukong tells him. Says he found them drinking and playing games right on the very top layer. And crucially, he explains why he kept it alive so they could get a confession. Makes sense. He tells Tripitaka, Shura, I taka. Which means, you know, Master, you should question him. Find out where this demon is from, and the big one, where is the stolen treasure? Who are these unlucky individuals? The text identifies them quite clearly. Ben Borba, who's described as a catfish monster. A catfish monster, okay. And Bob Borben, a black fish monster. They were nabbed right there on the temple's pagoda. And the moment they're captured, they start talking, right? What's the first thing they confess? Well, their first story is that they were sent by the Wansheng Dragon King. Wansheng Dragon King? Yeah, he's from a place called Bipotan in Luanxishan. And their specific job, they were supposed to patrol the pagoda and like, listen for any news about Sun Wukong showing up. So basically, look out spies. Okay, spies, I get that. But then there's the big reveal, isn't there? They were involved in something much, much bigger that happened, what, a couple of years before? That's the real core of the mystery, yeah. They confess that two years before our group even got there, the Wansheng Dragon King and his son-in-law, a character known as Ninehead Fuma. Ninehead Fuma. Got it. They came to this very pagoda, and the sources say they used great magic to cause a blood rain. Whoa, blood rain. Yeah, apparently it visibly stained the building. And the whole point of this, this dramatic magic, was to steal the Sarira relics, the sacred Buddhist treasures that were kept inside. Wow, blood rain and stealing sacred relics. That is quite an operation. And it wasn't just the Dragon King and his son-in-law mixed up in this. There's like another family member doing her own stealing on the side. Right. The sources add this really intriguing detail about the Wansheng princess. She's the Dragon King's daughter, married to the Ninehead Fuma guy. Okay. And her crime was stealing the Nineleaf Lingzi grass. Nineleaf Lingzi grass. And get this, she didn't just steal it from around here. She took it from the Queen Mother's Lingxiao Hall. Basically, she stole it from heaven. From heaven itself. So where does she keep this incredibly valuable, probably powerful grass? At the bottom of the pool, you know, where the Dragon King lives. And the sources say it glows with this golden light day and night. Heavenly grass glowing underwater in a demon's lair. Wow. That detail really sticks with you, doesn't it? It really does. So when Sun Wukong hears all this, this confession, what's his reaction? Does he connect the dots? Oh, immediately. Sun Wukong sees a pattern. He notes that these demons with their bad deeds and their connections, well, they're linked to the one who recently invited the Bull Demon King to a party. He recognizes this whole group as just, you know, trouble. Major troublemakers in the demon world. And you know who else is right there on the scene? Bajie. Oh, yeah. And true to form. His first impulse is exactly what you'd expect. Oh, absolutely. Bajie, always practical, maybe a bit impatient. He hears the confession and his immediate thought is, great, we got him. Let's just kill these monsters now and be done with it. Grab the rake, basically. Pretty much. But Sun Wukong, always the strategist, he steps in. Why does he want to keep them alive? Wukong understands they're more valuable alive than dead right now. He insists they keep them alive for two key reasons. First, they are solid proof. Irrefutable evidence to show the king. Okay, proof. Makes sense. And second, they're a vital lead or chisel eye, as the text puts it. They know where the stolen treasure is. They can lead them right to it. Killing them means losing that chance. Smart. Very smart. And what about the poor temple monks? The ones who'd been blamed and, like, shackled this whole time. Oh, the sources describe just immense joy and relief from them. You have to imagine they'd been living under this horrible false accusation, suffering for something they didn't do. Yeah, terrible. So hearing the real thieves are caught, it's like, finally, justice. The promise of getting cleared. That's huge for them. So the monsters are secured overnight. How do they make sure they don't, you know, make a run for it? The text is specific. They use sturdy measures. Iron chains threaded through their collarbones that loll and locked up tight. Ouch. Okay. And the temple monks, who definitely have a vested interest now, they're put in charge of guarding them through the night. Meanwhile, the travelers get some rest. Okay, sets the stage perfectly. Yeah. Next morning, what's the first thing on the agenda for Tripitaka and Sun Wukong? They need to go to the royal court. Priority one is getting their travel document, the don, officially checked and stamped by the king. Standard procedure to pass through the kingdom. Right, the paperwork. Does Sun Wukong decide to drag the captured monsters along right away for dramatic effect? No, that strategic thinking kicks in again. Wukong tells Baji, look, we'll go to the court first, explain everything to the king. Then the king can issue the orders to have the demons brought over. It's more formal, more respectful of the process, maybe. Yeah, doing it by book. And the arrival at court. The sources make it sound pretty impressive. Oh yeah, the descriptions are quite vivid. Vermilion bird and yellow dragon, clear capital, crimson palaces. It really paints a picture of, you know, royal grandeur. But how do the officials react when Sun Wukong walks in with Tripitaka? I bet that caused a stir. Huge stir. Their reaction is immediate and pretty strong fear. The text says they're startled and afraid. They're whispering, calling him names like Monkey Monk or Thunder God Mouth Monk. They're so intimidated they can barely look at him. His appearance definitely freaks them out. Yeah, not exactly blending in. But despite that, Tripitaka keeps his cool and addresses the king properly, right? What does he ask for? He does. He presents himself, explains the mission monk from the Great Tang Emperor going west for scriptures, and he makes the standard request, permission to pass, please inspect and stamp our travel document. And how does the king take this initially before things get complicated? The sources say the king receives him warmly at first, reads the document, seems pleased, maybe impressed by the whole journey and the Tang Emperor's quest. Seems like smooth sailing for a second. But then the king shifts gears, right? He starts talking about his own problems. Yeah. What's the big issue weighing on his kingdom? This is where it all comes out. The king explains that his realm, which used to be this major power, getting tribute from all the neighbors, well, it's suffered a serious decline. Why? What happened? He blames the Golden Light Temple, the Jiyushu, specifically the fact that its pagoda lost its magical light three years ago, and his absolute conviction. The temple's own monk secretly stole the treasure that made it shine. Oh, wow. So he thinks it's an inside job. Totally. And because the light went out, he says, tribute from other nations completely stopped two years ago. He feels responsible. He's devastated. And he's been blaming these poor, innocent monks for this massive national crisis. It's a classic case of, you know, jumping to the wrong conclusion because you don't have the facts. That's a heavy burden for the king. And it's all based on a mistake. How does Tripitaka handle correcting the king? That seems delicate. Very carefully. Tripitaka explains that, Your Majesty, you're mistaken. The temple monks are innocent. Okay. Boom. That must have been a shock to the king. What's his reaction when he hears the real culprits are caught? Just immediate delight and eagerness. He wants to see these captured demons right away. You can imagine this problem has been hanging over his kingdom for years, and suddenly there's a solution. He needs to see the proof. And who does Tripitaka indicate actually did the capturing? Tripitaka points straight to Sun Wukong, who's just been standing there, probably making all the officials nervous already. Right. Which leads, inevitably, to the king getting a proper look at Wukong. What's his reaction to Wukong's unique appearance? It's pure shock. The king just looks at Wukong and basically blurts out, how can a holy monk like you, Tripitaka, have a disciple who looks like that? His immediate focus is just, boom, right on Wukong's looks. And Sun Wukong, well, he's not one to just stand there and take that kind of judgment, is he? What does he say back? No, he fires right back. Wukong delivers that absolute classic line. One cannot judge a person by appearance, just as one cannot measure the sea by the bushel. Powerful. Yeah. He directly challenges the king's superficial view. He basically asks, hey, is focusing on how someone looks the best way to catch demons or solve problems? It's a mic drop moment about substance over style. And that seemed to land, doesn't it? How does the king react to being called out like that? It really does hit home. The sources say the king actually turns his surprise into delight. He basically says, you know what? You're right. He agrees that finding the thief, getting the treasure back, that's what matters. He explicitly states that someone's appearance is way less important than their ability to get the job done. A total shift in perspective. That's pretty impressive for a king, actually. So he's convinced now, ready to move. What does he order next? He acts fast. The king orders immediate preparations for Sun Wukong, a grand sedan chair, the tea and a yellow umbrella. These are symbols of high status royal favor. Giving him the VIP treatment. Exactly. And he sends the imperial guard, the nair, to escort Wukong back to the Golden Light Temple to fetch the captured demons. The king wants to see them himself. And this whole procession. Wukong in a fancy chair with guards. How does the city react? Oh, it causes an enormous stir. Total commotion. The text describes crowds just gathering everywhere, packing the streets. They all want to catch a glimpse of this holy monk. Notice the change in how he's seen now. Yeah, good point. And of course, they want to see the captured demon thieves who are finally being brought to justice. It becomes this huge public spectacle. Sun Wukong heading back to the courier station. And he doesn't just stroll back, does he? He makes a bit of a show of it. Right. The text says he's in a sedan chair with a yellow umbrella held over him, no less. Quite the picture. And you can bet Pigsy has something to say about it. Oh, definitely. What's his line? He basically jokes that Wukong's regained his original position. You know, acting like the Grand Monkey King again. Classic Pigsy. So Wukong just ignores him. Pretty much. Jumps out, brushes it off. Now, there's a little moment before they go to the palace, right? Sha Wujing wants to tag along. Yeah, but Wukong tells him, No, stay here. Guard things. And the whores. But then the monks who were wrongly locked up, they offer to help guard things. Ah, the ones Wukong promised to help get released. Okay. So that frees up Sha Wujing. So Sha Wujing, Pigsy helps escort the captured demons. And Wukong... Gets back in the sedan chair. They head off to the palace. Okay, so they get there. Wukong now says, got the demon thieves. Yeah. King comes down from his throne, the dragon dead, to check them out. And everyone's there. Right. The officials, Tang Monk. The whole court, basically. First thing. The king wants a confession. He sees these creatures. And the source actually describes them. Even though they're trying to look human-ish. What do they look like? Well, one's got bulging cheeks, dark scales, sharp mouth, pony peeth. You know, fishy. The other, smooth skin, big belly, huge mouth, long beard. Not exactly blending in them. Not really. So the king just lays into them. Who are you? Where from? When did you steal the treasure? Accomplices. Names. Spill it. Now. He wants the full story. And they do. Even though they're caught, they just confess. This is where we get the really crucial stuff. They admit they're just low-level guys. Just foot soldiers. So not the ringleaders. Nope. They point the finger higher up. The main culprits, they say, are the Wansheng Dragon King. Okay. And his son-in-law, the Nine-Headed Prince. The Nine-Headed Prince. Okay, that guy sounds like a serious problem. Where do these villains hang out? They name the place Bibotan. That's two at Luanxi Mountain. Bibotan, Luanxi Mountain. And they even give directions. About 110 lines southeast of the capital. Very specific. Southeast, 110 lines. They're not holding back, are they? Yeah. Did they say how they did it? And when? Oh, yeah. Full confession. The plot apparently started three years back. On the seventh day of the seventh month. Two years. Okay. And their first move was weird. They caused a bloody rain. A bloody rain? Yikes. And then they grabbed the treasure. Then they stole the sariri, yeah. The pagoda's precious relic. And do the demons know where it is right now? They do. They say it's in the Dragon Palace. Yeah. And it's so bright, it lights the whole place up like daylight. Wow. The treasure itself is like a giant lamp for their underwater lair. That's quite a detail. Isn't it? And there's more to it. Another lair involving the Dragon King's daughter. The princess. What does she do? According to these fish demons, she also stole something. The Queen Mother's spiritual mushroom. Karen, the Queen Mother's spiritual mushroom. Why on earth would she steal that? To nurture the treasure, they say. Keep it safe or powerful while it's hidden in the pool. So let me get this straight. It's a whole family affair. The Dragon King, his son-in-law, the nine-headed prince, and his daughter, the princess, stealing magic mushrooms. All to nab the sarira using bloody rain three years ago. That's the story these two are telling, yeah. Yeah. It's quite the operation. And we get their names, too. The fish guys. We do. The king asks, and they tell him. Ben Borba. He's a catfish monster, man. Ben Borba. Got it. And the other one is Baba Urban. Tura, a blackfish spirit. Okay, catfish and blackfish. So, confession complete. What's the king's next move? Immediate action. Orders the two fish monsters locked up. Right. And does he remember Wukong's request about the monks? He does. Orders the release of those local monks who were wrongly imprisoned for the theft. Clears their names. Good. Justice served, at least for them. Then what? Them. The king decides it's time for a banquet. A banquet. Right now? Yep. At Kulin Hall, Umen. He says it's to thank the monks and, you know, plan the capture of the real thieves. Thank you banquet slash war council. Makes sense, I guess. And he sets up two separate menus. That's right. Thoughtful, actually. A vegetarian spread for Tang monk and the disciples. And a meat feast for himself and the court officials. He knows his guests. So, at this first feast, the king does the formal introductions. Asks Tang monk for his names. And the monk replies. Gives his secular name, Chan. Dharma, named Xuanzang. And the imperial name, Tang Sanzang. And introduces the crew. Yep. Gives the names Guanyin gave them. Sun Wukong. Zhu Wuneng. Sha Wujing. And then the names he called them. Wukong, Bajie, and Hishan for Sandy. Hishan, meaning monk. Right. And the seating's all formal, too. Oh, yeah. Tang monk at the head of the veggie table. Wukong to his left. Pigsy and Sandy to his right. Kings at the head of the meat section. Officials ranked below him. Proper court protocol. So, after the king makes a toast, which Tang monk politely declines, being a monk. Right. But the three disciples accept. And this is where one of them really shines. Or maybe indulges. Let me guess. Pigsy. You got it. The text goes all out describing him. Says he let loose his eating throat. Let loose his eating throat. Love it. And calls his eating tiger-swallowing, wolf-devouring aphim. Just inhaling everything. Wow. So he clears the plates. Completely. First round of fruits and veggies, gone. They bring more soup and rice. He demolishes that, too. Just everything. What about drinks? Every cup of wine offered, he takes it. No hesitation. This feast goes on for ages, apparently. Well past noon. Only Pigsy could turn a demon-capture planning session into an all-you-can-eat buffet challenge. Okay, so eventually the meal winds down. Tang monk thanks the king. Surely now it's time to go fight some monsters. You'd think. But no. The king proposes another banquet. Another one. Seriously. Yep. This time at Jansang Palace. Okay. He says it's specifically to finalize the plan. Tang monk must be getting impatient. He is. He suggests, very politely, that maybe they shouldn't delay. You know, maybe they should just go now. Sensible. But the king... The king insists. So off they go to the second banquet. And here, finally, the king asks the big question. Who's leading this mission? Tang monk assigns Wukong, obviously. Right. But then Pigsy pipes up. Loudly. And surprisingly confidently. Oh. What's he say now? Full of food and drink, I bet. Exactly. He basically shouts that they don't need any soldiers or weapons from the king. They can go right away. And he says this is great. They should go taking advantage of being drunk and full of food. Huh. Perfect Pigsy logic. Fight better on a full stomach and slightly tipsy. It's just so him. Even Tang monk seems pleased, the text notes. Calls Pigsy diligent lately. Maybe the food motivated him. So Wukong's on board with leaving immediately. Yeah, he agrees. Decides Sandy will stay to guard the master while he and Pigsy handle it. And Pigsy gets another dig in. Just a quick one. Yeah. Dismisses the king's weapons as useless. Because they've got their own magic ones. The king tries to offer them one last big cup of wine for the road. He does, yeah. A farewell toast. But Wukong's all business. Totally. Declines the wine. Says his only request is bring back those two captured fish monsters. Ah, he wants to use them as zwei. Kek? Guides, right? Exactly. Scouts, guides, whatever you want to call it. To pinpoint the dragon king's lair. Smart move. The king agrees. So Wukong and Pigsy grab their unwilling guides and head out. And they don't just walk out the door. They use wind and a spell. Right. They fly off. Instantly. Whoosh. Southeast. Straight towards Bebotan. It's such a contrast, isn't it? All the formal banquets, the seating charts, the toasts. And then bam, they're literally riding the wind. It really highlights the difference. The king and his officials see this. See them fly away. Yeah, disappearing into the wind and mist. Yeah. And it finally clicks for them. What clicks? They realize these aren't just respective monks visiting. They're holy beings. Supernatural. Way beyond normal human understanding. Took them long enough. Two banquets and a magical flight later. Better late than never, I suppose.