“I was wondering why you were dressed like that,” said Pig forcefully, “you're a Taoist turned local god.”
“Tell me why I need to find the Strongarm King,” said Monkey, only half-convinced.
“He's Raksasi's husband,” the local god said. “He's abandoned her now and gone to live in the Cloud-touching Cave in Mount Thunder Piled. A fox king there who'd lived for ten thousand years died leaving an only daughter, Princess Jade, with property worth a million but nobody to manage it. Two years ago she visited the Bull Demon King and found out about his tremendous magical powers. She decided to give him her property if he'd come to live in her cave as her husband. So the Bull Demon King abandoned Raksasi and hasn't been back to see her for ages. If you can find him, Great Sage, and persuade him to come here you'll be able to borrow the real fan. First, you'll be able to blow the flames out to take your master across the mountains. Second, you'll put an end to this disastrous fire so that the land here can come back to life. And third, I'll be pardoned and allowed to go back to Heaven and return to live under Lord Lao Zi's command.”
“Where is Mount Thunder Piled, and how far is it from here?”
“Due South,” the local deity said, “and over a thousand miles.” Once he knew this Monkey told Friar Sand and Pig to look after the master and ordered the local god to stay with them. There was then a roaring like the wind as he disappeared.
In less than an hour he saw a high mountain that touched the sky. Bringing his cloud down he stood on the peak to look around, and this is what he saw:
Was it tall?
Its peak touched the azure sky.
Was it big?
Its roots went down to the Yellow Springs.
While the sun warmed the front of the mountain
The winds behind the ridge blew cold.
On the sun-warmed front of the mountain
The flowers and trees never knew what winter was;
In the cold winds behind the ridge
The ice and frost did not even melt in summer.
From a dragon pool a river flowed in gullies;
Flowers bloomed early by the tiger's cave in the crag.
The river split into a thousand jade streams;
The flowers bloomed together like brocade.
On the twisting ridge grew twisted trees;
Beside the knotted rocks were knotted pines.
Indeed there were
A high mountain,
Steep ridges,
Sheer precipices,
Fragrant flowers,
Fine fruit,
Red creepers,
Purple bamboo,
Green pines,
Turquoise willows.
It looked the same throughout the seasons;
Changeless forever, like a dragon.
After looking for a long time the Great Sage walked down from the towering peak to find his way through the mountain. Just when he was feeling bewildered a slender young woman came towards him holding a spray of fragrant orchid. The Great Sage slipped behind a grotesque rock and took a good look at her. This is what she was like:
A ravishing beauty to enchant a nation
Walking so slowly on her little lotus feet.
Her face was like Wang Qiang or the woman of Chu.
She was a talking flower,
Scented jade.
The hair was swept down from her coiffure like jade-blue crows;
The green of her eyes made one think of autumn floods.
Her silken skirt showed a glimpse of tiny feet;
From her turquoise sleeves came long and elegant wrists.
She would put anyone into the mood for love;
Red were her lips, and white her pearly teeth.
Her skin was as smooth and her brows as fine as the Jinjiang beauty;
She was more than a match for Wenjun or Xue Tao.
As the young woman slowly approached the rock the Great Sage bowed to her and said, “Where are you going, Bodhisattva?” Before he spoke she had not noticed him; but when she looked up and saw how hideous the Great Sage was she was petrified, unable to move forward or back.
All she could do was shiver and force herself to reply, “Where are you from? How dare you question me?”
“If I tell her about fetching the scriptures and borrowing the fan,” the Great Sage thought, “this damn woman might be some relation of the Bull Demon King's. I'd better pretend to be some kinsman of the Bull Demon King come to invite him to a banquet.”
When he would not answer her questions the woman turned angry and shouted, “Who are you and how dare you question me?”
“I'm from Mount Turquoise Cloud,” Monkey replied with a bow and a forced smile. “I don't know the way as it's my first time here. Could I ask you, Bodhisattva, if this is Mount Thunder Piled?”
“It is,” she replied.
“Where might I find the Cloud-touching Cave?” the Great Sage asked.
“What do you want to find it for?” the woman asked.
“I've been sent by Princess Iron Fan in the Plantain Cave on Mount Turquoise Cloud with an invitation for the Bull Demon King,” Monkey replied.
The moment the woman heard him speak of Princess Iron Fan sending an invitation to the Bull Demon King she flared into a rage and went crimson from ear to ear.
“She ought to know better, the low bitch. It's less than two years since the Bull Demon King came here, and goodness only knows how much jewelry, gold, silver, fine silk and brocade I've given her since then. I send her firewood every year and rice every month. She's doing nicely thank you. So what's the shameless hussy doing, sending him an invitation?”
When the Great Sage heard this and realized that she was Princess Jade he deliberately pulled out his iron cudgel and shouted at her, “You're a damned bitch, using your wealth to buy the Bull Demon King. You could only get him to marry you for your money. You ought to be thoroughly ashamed of yourself instead of being so insulting.”
At this all of her souls sent flying, and she fled trembling with terror, stumbling and tripping over her shoes, while the Great Sage ran after her, shouting and roaring. Once they were out from under the shade of the pines they were at the entrance to the Cloud-touching Cave. She ran inside and the doors slammed shut behind her. Only then did Monkey put his cudgel away and take a good look:
A thick forest,
Sheer precipices,
Luxuriance of creepers,
Fragrance of orchids.
The spring washed over jade and through bamboo;
Grotesque and cunning rocks held precious stones.
The distant peaks were wreathed in mists;
Sun and moon lit up the cloudy crags.
Dragons howled, tigers roared,
Cranes called and warblers sang.
Fresh and lovely was its elegant peace,
And the scenery was radiant with precious flowers.
It was a match for Tiantai's magic caves,
And finer than the Peng and Ying islands in the sea.
We will say nothing of how Brother Monkey admired the view but tell how the young woman, dripping with sweat after running and her heart beating wildly from terror, went straight to the study where the Bull Demon King was quietly perusing a book on cinnabar alchemy. She threw herself into his arms feeling thoroughly put out, scratched and tugged at his face and ears, and howled aloud.
“Don't upset yourself so, my lovely,” said the Bull Demon King, all smiles. “What do you want to tell me?”
She then began to prance and jump about in her fury as she said abusively, “You're killing me, damned monster.”
“What makes you say that?” he asked, all smiles.
“I brought you here to look after me and protect me because I'd lost my parents and people who'd been around all said that you were a tough guy,” she said. “But you're just another henpecked hack.”