Chapter 157: A Dream Remembered

That voice seemed to understand his thoughts and, knowing that Hua Feng had reached a crucial juncture, stopped disturbing him, simply allowing him to recall everything about the Great Sage Equaling Heaven on his own. Although much of this was merely content from mythological novels, some elements in the long river of time had gradually blurred into a mix of truth and falsehood, impossible to disentangle.

At White Tiger Ridge, the White Bone Demon transformed three times in her attempt to seize Tang Seng, but each time Sun Wukong saw through her ruse and ultimately beat her to death. Seizing the opportunity, Zhu Bajie sowed discord with malicious slander. Unable to distinguish truth from falsehood, Tang Seng drove Sun Wukong away.

Upon returning to Flower-Fruit Mountain, Sun Wukong used his magic to slay over a thousand hunters, then traveled to the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas to borrow sweet immortal rain, washing the mountain green. He planted elms and willows in the front, pines and nanmu trees in the back, alongside peaches, plums, jujubes, and apricots, thereby restoring Flower-Fruit Mountain to its former glory.

In the Black Pine Forest, Tang Seng was captured by the Yellow-Robed Monster. Fortunately, Princess Blushing Flower of the Baoxiang Kingdom rescued him. She set Tang Seng free and begged him to deliver a message to her father in the Baoxiang Kingdom so that troops could be sent to save her.

Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng were no match for the Yellow-Robed Monster; Sha Seng was captured, and Tang Seng was transformed into a tiger. Zhu Bajie wanted to return to Gao Village, but after bitter persuasion from the White Dragon Horse, he went to Flower-Fruit Mountain to fetch Sun Wukong back. They subdued the demon, and the four pilgrims continued their journey westward.

At Lotus Flower Cave on Flat-Top Mountain, the Gold-Horned King and Silver-Horned King desired to capture Tang Seng, wielding five supreme treasures: the Purple-Gold Red Gourd, the Yang-Refining Jade Pure Bottle, the Seven-Star Sword, the Plantain Fan, and the Golden-Horns Binding Rope, all possessing boundless divine powers. Sun Wukong engaged them in a battle of wits and courage, enduring numerous trials before finally subduing the two fiends.

The King of Uji Kingdom had been pushed into a well and drowned by the Lion Spirit because he showed disrespect to the Bodhisattva Manjushri. The lion spirit then transformed into the king. The ghost of the king appeared in a plea to Tang Seng for salvation; Bajie fished the corpse out from the well, and Wukong obtained an elixir of immortality from Lord Taishang Laojun to resurrect the monarch. Together with the crown prince of Uji, they exposed the true identity of the fake king—the Lion Spirit turned out to be none other than the azure-haired lion, the mount of Bodhisattva Manjushri.

The Red Boy, son of the Demon King of Excellence, guarded the Fire-Cloud Cave and sought to consume Tang Seng’s flesh. Because Wukong’s fiery eyes were sensitive to smoke, he could not withstand the Red Boy’s Samadhi True Fire. He went to invite the Bodhisattva to subdue the fiend. The Bodhisattva conquered the Red Boy, appointing him as the Good-Wealth Boy. In the Black Water River, the Alligator Dragon transformed into a ferryman, luring Tang Seng and Bajie onto his boat and dragging them down into his underwater palace.

Sun Wukong invited Prince Moang of the Xihai Dragon King to capture the dragon and take it back to the Western Sea. In the Chechi Kingdom, the Tiger-Power Immortal, Deer-Power Immortal, and Sheep-Power Immortal rendered great service by praying for rain during a severe drought and were appointed as state preceptors, leading the king to honor Daoism and persecute Buddhism. Wukong and his companions competed in magic against the three Daoist masters, defeating them one by one and forcing them to reveal their original forms.

A carp from the lotus pond before Guanyin’s throne had cultivated spiritual power and become a demon, styling itself the Miraculous King, demanding the annual sacrifice of young boys and girls in the Passing-Heaven River. Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie transformed into children and drove the Miraculous King back. The demon then used his sorcery to freeze the Passing-Heaven River, luring Tang Seng to walk upon the ice before dragging him into his underwater palace. The Bodhisattva arrived in time and took the Miraculous King back to the South Sea.

Lord Taishang Laojun’s azure-haired mount, taking advantage of the sleeping attendant, stole the master’s Diamond Jade and descended to the mortal world to cause mischief, capturing Tang Seng in the Golden Capped Cave. Wukong’s Golden-Hooped Rod was sucked away, so he invited the Deity of Fire, Li Jing, heavenly soldiers and generals, Heavenly King Deng and Xin, the God of the Yellow River, and the Eighteen Arhats, yet all their weapons were captured by the azure-haired monster using the Diamond Jade. Eventually, they sought the assistance of Lord Taishang Laojun himself, who finally subdued the green ox.

The four pilgrims continued westward. Tang Seng and Zhu Bajie drank from the Mother-Child River and became pregnant; Sun Wukong defeated the As-You-Will True Immortal, retrieved water from the Abortion Spring, and cured the two of their pregnancies. The Queen of the Women’s Kingdom desired to take Tang Seng as her husband, and Wukong and his companions craftily obtained the official travel pass while firmly resolving to proceed west, though Tang Seng was subsequently snatched away by the Scorpion Spirit of the Pipa Cave. Sun Wukong invited the Star Lord Mao Ri, who transformed into a magnificent double-crowned rooster, forcing the Scorpion Spirit to reveal her true form and die before the slope.

Taking advantage of the situation, the Six-Eared Macaque transformed into Sun Wukong’s appearance, seized the luggage and official documents, and turned minor demons into the likenesses of Tang Seng, Bajie, and Sha Seng, attempting to go to the Western Heaven and defraud the true scriptures. The true and false Wukongs fought from the heavens down to the underworld; Guanyin, Tang Seng, the deities of heaven, and Ksitigarbha were all unable to tell them apart. It was not until they reached the Buddha Tathagata at Thunder Monastery that their true nature was revealed by Tathagata, and the Six-Eared Macaque was slain by Sun Wukong.

The master and his three disciples reconciled as one. United in heart and strength, they pressed on toward the Western Heaven. At Flaming Mountain, they sought the Plantain Fan from Princess Iron Fan to extinguish the flames. Harboring deep resentment toward Sun Wukong for sending her son, the Red Boy, to Lingshan as an attendant, Princess Iron Fan refused to lend it. Sun Wukong engaged in several bouts of wits and courage with Princess Iron Fan and the Bull Demon King, ultimately enlisting the divine power of various gods and immortals to subdue the two fiends and fan out the blazing fire, allowing the four pilgrims to resume their westward journey.

In the Kingdom of Jisaishi, the pilgrims swept the pagoda to clear an unjust accusation. Aided by Erlang Shen and the Seven Sages of Meishan, Sun Wukong and his companions swept through the Emerald Wave Pond, killed the Myriad-Saints Dragon King and Myriad-Saints Princess, and wounded the Nine-Headed Worm.

At the Lesser Thunder Monastery, the boy who struck the chime by Maitreya Buddha’s seat took advantage of the Buddha’s absence to steal two treasures: the Golden Cymbals and the Human-Receiving Sack. Descending to the mortal world as a demon, he styled himself the Yellow-Browed King.

The Yellow-Browed King fabricated a fake Thunder Monastery to trick the pilgrims into falling into his trap, trapping Sun Wukong inside the Golden Cymbals. He then unleashed the Human-Receiving Sack, capturing all the reinforcements Wukong had summoned—the Twenty-Eight Mansions, the Five Dragon Gods, the Turtle and Snake Generals, Prince Xiao Zhang, and the Four Great Divine Generals. At this critical juncture, Maitreya Buddha arrived smilingly upon the clouds, instructing Wukong to lure the demon out of his lair. Maitreya transformed into an old melon vendor, tricking the Yellow-Browed King into devouring a watermelon that Wukong had transformed into. Seized by agonizing pain and begging for mercy in every way possible, the Yellow-Browed King was finally subdued, and Maitreya took the opportunity to retrieve the Human-Receiving Sack and other treasures.

In the Silk Cave and Yellow Flower Taoist Temple, Sun Wukong battled the Spider Spirits and the Centipede Spirit, ultimately subduing the fiends with the assistance of the Bodhisattva Pilanpo.

The Azure-Haired Lion Monster, Yellow-Toothed Elephant, and Golden-Winged Great Peng carved out a domain at Lion-Camel Ridge and the Lion-Camel Kingdom, holding immense power. After several contests of wits and courage, Sun Wukong managed to subdue the lion and the elephant, but proved no match for the combined might of the three demons. Hearing the rumor that Tang Seng had been eaten, and with no other recourse, Wukong traveled to the Western Heaven to beg Tathagata to lift the tight-filllet spell. Tathagata then revealed the truth and brought various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in person to the Lion-Camel Kingdom to subjugate the three demons.

The King of the Bilu Kingdom, enchanted by the state preceptor—who was actually a white deer transformed and serving as the mount of the Old Star of Longevity—sought to use the hearts and livers of one thousand and ten young children as medicinal ingredients. Sun Wukong rescued the infants and drove back the evil spirit. The Old Star of Longevity arrived and reclaimed the white deer.

The Golden-Hosed White-Haired Rat Spirit from the Bottomless Cave of the Sink-Kong Mountain transformed into a maiden to abduct Tang Seng and force him into marriage. After investigating the Bottomless Cave several times, Wukong discovered that the rat spirit was the adopted daughter of Li Jing. He went to the heavenly court to lodge a complaint, and Li Jing and Nezha escorted the rat spirit back to the celestial administration for sentencing.

The King of the Exterminating-Dharma Kingdom had vowed to execute ten thousand monks. Sun Wukong used his magic to shave the hair of the king, his queen, his consorts, and all civil and military officials, causing the king to repent and turn toward goodness, changing the name of his realm to the Honoring-Monks Kingdom. The Southern Mountain King of Hiding-Fog Mountain desired to eat Tang Seng’s flesh, but was put to sleep by Wukong using sleep-inducing insects, and a single rake-strike from Bajie ended the demon’s life.

When the four pilgrims arrived in the Kingdom of Tianzhu, the local magistrate had posted a proclamation seeking rain. Wukong investigated the cause, persuaded the magistrate to do good deeds, and sweet rain fell from the heavens. Reaching Jade Flower Prefecture, they taught martial arts to the princes, resulting in their weapons being stolen by the Yellow Lion Spirit. Wukong and his two companions retrieved the weapons, and the Yellow Lion Spirit fled to his patriarch, the Nine-Spirited Sage—the nine-headed lion transformed from the mount of the Supreme Unity Savior of Suffering. Wukong traveled to the Eastern Realm of Wonderful Yan Palace in the Qinghua Realm of Changile to invite the Supreme Unity Savior of Suffering, who subdued the Nine-Spirited Sage.

Arriving at the Prefecture of Gold Peace, Tang Seng was admiring the lanterns on the Lantern Festival night when he was seized by the three rhinoceros spirits of the Profound Shade Cave: Avoiding Cold, Avoiding Heat, and Avoiding Dust. Sun Wukong invited the Four-Wood Avian Stars to capture the three fiends, and their heads were severed and displayed publicly.

In the homeland of Tianzhu, the Jade Rabbit from the Moon Palace, transformed into a fake princess, struck Tang Seng with a embroidered ball, attempting to take him as her royal husband. Wukong saw through the truth, joined forces with the Lunar Deity to capture and subdue the Jade Rabbit, and rescued the real princess who had been wandering outside the city.

After begging for alms at the home of Patron Kou in the Earth-Spirit County of Copper-Terrace Prefecture, the Kou household was raided by bandits, and Patron Kou lost his life. The pilgrims were arrested as bandits and imprisoned. Wukong descended to the underworld to summon back Patron Kou’s soul, and the case was finally brought to light.

Having endured countless hardships, the four pilgrims finally arrived at the sacred realm of Lingshan to pay homage to the Buddha. However, because they had failed to offer gifts to the two venerable attendants, Anan and Kasyapa, they were given scriptures devoid of text. The primordial Burning Lamp Buddha dispatched the Venerable White-Xiong to remind the pilgrims, and they returned to Thunder Monastery. Presenting the purple-gold alms bowl given by the Emperor of Tang as a gift, they finally obtained thirty-five categories comprising five thousand and forty-eight scrolls of true scriptures and set off on their return to the Eastern Land. Unbeknownst to them, the eighty-one trials were still short of one, and at the Passing-Heaven River, the Old Turtle flipped the four of them into the water, dampening the scriptural scrolls.

Tang Seng delivered the Buddhist scriptures back to Chang’an, and his true form returned to Lingshan. For his immense contributions, Sun Wukong was enfeoffed as the Victorious Fighting Buddha, while Bajie, Sha Seng, and the White Dragon Horse were also bestowed titles. The Five Sages achieved true fruition, sharing supreme bliss together.

Hua Feng knew clearly that all these descriptions in Journey to the West pertained to Sun Wukong. Yet regarding the Journey to the West, there was far more than just this single version.

The Supplement to the Journey to the West comprises sixteen chapters, written by Dong Yue (styled Ruoyu, Buddhist name Nanqian) in the late Ming dynasty.

Among the sequel works to Journey to the West, The Supplement to the Journey to the West can be said to be the most distinctive. Lu Xun praised it highly in his A Brief History of Chinese Fiction, writing: "Its creation of events and choice of words are rich and varied, wonderfully illusory and phantasmagoric. The astonishing moments are often startling, interspersed with humor that is frequently supremely brilliant, quite beyond the daring of contemporary writers." Some scholars believe that The Supplement to the Journey to the West possesses the style of a Western stream-of-consciousness novel.

The synopsis of this book takes up the narrative right after the four pilgrims crossed the Flaming Mountain. It depicts Sun the Walker seeking alms, only to be bewitched by a mackerel spirit and stumble into the "Green-Green World" conjured by a monster styling himself the King of Little Moon.

In order to find Qin Shi Huang to borrow the Mountain-Driving Bell (which he hoped to use to drive away all the mountain-dwelling monsters blocking the road to the Western Heaven), and also to search for the whereabouts of his master Tang Seng, he ran back and forth, exploring both upward and downward, only to tumble into the "Terrace of Ten Thousand Mirrors." Through the mirrors on this terrace, he entered the "World of the Ancients," and later entered the "World of the Future."

At one moment he transformed into Lady Yu, maneuvering around the Hegemon of Chu in an attempt to discover the dwelling place of Qin Shi Huang; at another moment he acted as King Yama, sitting in judgment to try and punish Qin Hui, while taking Yue Fei as his third master. Following that, he leaped out from the mirror and experienced numerous adventures in the palace of the King of Little Moon and the "Green-Green World."

Finally, summoned by the Master of the Void, Sun Wukong was awakened. When he managed to extricate himself from the false realm of the "Green-Green World" and walked back onto the old mountain path, he happened to see that mackerel spirit, who had wanted to eat Tang Seng, transformed into a young monk and in the midst of deceiving Tang Seng. With a single swing of his rod, he struck down upon the young monk, revealing the corpse of the mackerel. The depiction of this entire process was filled with plots of the most bizarre and twisting fantasy.

Yet, deep down, Hua Feng knew that these two extensive occurrences revolving around Sun Wukong were bringing the identity of the person tied to the Flame Emperor imprint in his mind ever closer to the surface.