Chapter 84: Treasure-seizing In Lotus Cave
However, Wukong requested Nezha to descend to the mortal realm.
Nezha was utterly unwilling, but unable to resist Wukong’s sincere pleas, he still softened and agreed.
The two reported back to the Jade Emperor and together rode clouds to Flat-Top Mountain.
Nezha gazed at the rugged mountain range, a bad premonition arising in his heart, and said to Wukong, “As agreed, you go down to challenge to battle.”
Wukong laughed, “Don’t worry, when has Old Sun ever gone back on his word?”
Wukong descended the cloud, arrived at the Lotus Cave entrance, drew his staff and smashed the cave door, shouting:
“Monster, quickly return my Master and junior brother, release the Bodhisattva!”
The gatekeeping little demon hurriedly went in to report.
“Report to the Greatest Great King, that monkey has come and is smashing the door, calling for us to return his Master, junior brother, and the Bodhisattva!”
Ao Tu heard this and said to Golden Horn and Silver Horn, “Two virtuous younger brothers, you guard the cave, wait for me to go out and fight Sun Wukong!”
Golden Horn and Silver Horn said, “Elder brother, be careful!”
Ao Tu nodded, walked out of the cave, saw the cave door smashed by Sun Wukong, and said:
“Sun Wukong, how dare you smash my door, quickly compensate me with a new door, otherwise I will hang your Master and junior brother at the entrance to serve as the gate!”
Wukong said, “Demon dragon, take this!”
The two soared into the air for a fierce fight.
Nezha stood watching from a distant cloud, seeing Ao Tu fighting Sun Wukong for over a hundred rounds without falling behind, he was shocked, thinking to himself that this demon dragon’s martial skills had progressed at an astonishing speed!
At this time, Ao Tu used a treasure.
Nezha looked intently.
He saw a Nine-Ranked Lotus Platform appear under Ao Tu, with auspicious light diffusing, propitious vapors floating, waves of exotic fragrance, colorful mists swirling, connecting to the three luminaries above and the eight thoroughfares below, heaven and earth as its splendor, nurturing the pure and turbid.
Wukong drew his staff to strike the Lotus Platform, but the auspicious light blocked it, remaining utterly still.
Nezha felt it looked familiar, and upon close inspection, this was not Guanyin Bodhisattva’s Lotus Platform?
Unable to attack into the Lotus Platform, Ao Tu spat out a Precious Pearl, with Buddha’s Light manifesting, heavenly principles illuminating, striking at Wukong.
Wukong dared not receive it and could only hurriedly dodge, facing constant peril.
Nezha saw this, flew down, holding the Demon Slaying Sword in one hand and the Heaven and Earth Ring in the other, to aid Wukong.
Ao Tu relied on the Nine-Ranked Lotus Platform, letting Wukong and Nezha attack freely; he himself remained still, only controlling the Precious Pearl to strike at the two.
Nezha dodged while saying, “His treasures are the Bodhisattva’s Lotus Platform and the ancient Buddha’s Precious Pearl.”
Wukong said, “I know, he hasn’t used his real treasures yet!”
Nezha said, “Then don’t fight, let’s go first, this pearl is powerful.”
Wukong said, “Alright,” and left with a Somersault Cloud.
Nezha also wanted to leave, but his Wind Fire Wheels were not as fast as Wukong’s Somersault Cloud.
Ao Tu grabbed Nezha’s ankle, the Wind Fire Wheels spinning wildly in Ao Tu’s palm; Ao Tu’s flesh palm turned into a Dragon Claw, Dragon Scales flashing, unafraid of the Wind Fire Wheels’ flames.
Nezha was greatly shocked and used the Heaven and Earth Ring to smash at Ao Tu.
Ao Tu took out a purple-gold gourd with his other hand, chanted “collect,” and with a whoosh, sucked Nezha inside, then returned to the cave in triumph.
Golden Horn and Silver Horn congratulated, “Congratulations, elder brother, on your triumphant return!”
Ao Tu laughed, “It’s nothing!”
He shook the gourd, throwing Nezha to the ground, and bound him with the Golden Rope.
He carefully searched Nezha’s body and found the Dragon-Binding Rope.
Previously in Bao Xiang Kingdom, Ao Tu had bound Nezha with the Dragon-Binding Rope; later in battle with Guanyin Bodhisattva, he left in haste and didn’t recover the Dragon-Binding Rope.
Now it could be considered returned to its original owner.
Ao Tu also pulled out Nezha’s Hun Tian Ling and ordered:
“Little ones, the gate was smashed by that Sun Wukong, hang this at the entrance to serve as a wind-blocking door curtain.”
The little demons heard this and hung the Hun Tian Ling at the entrance.
Nezha struggled, “Demon dragon, how dare you humiliate me like this? One day I will repay you a hundredfold!”
Ao Tu heard this, chanted the tightening rope spell twice, and the Golden Rope immediately constricted around Nezha.
Ao Tu reached out, grabbed Nezha’s ear, and tugged it until it was bright red, laughing, “Little Nezha, dare to be arrogant again?”
He ordered the little demons to throw Nezha into the Prison Cell and lock him up.
Ba Jie in the Prison Cell saw Nezha thrown in and happily said:
“The Third Prince has come again, we’re getting out.”
Tang Sanzang said, “Amitabha!”
Nezha glared at Ba Jie, turned his head, and said to Tang Sanzang:
“Holy Monk, don’t worry, the Great Sage has gone to heaven for aid; the Jade Emperor will surely send heavenly soldiers and generals to descend, subdue that demon, and rescue you all.”
Tang Sanzang heard this and said:
“Amitabha, many thanks to the Third Prince for informing us. It’s just that my disciple Wukong has suffered hardships along the way, repeatedly encountering demons and toiling ceaselessly.”
Nezha heard this and thought this Tang Sanzang was not bad; in peril, he still cared for others, truly a High Monk.
Ba Jie said, “Then it seems we can’t get out for a while.”
Sha Seng said, “Senior Brother, why?”
Ba Jie said, “We have to wait for the heavenly generals to be locked up too.”
On the other side, Wukong returned to the Heavenly Realm.
The Jade Emperor said, “Wukong, why did you return alone? Where is Nezha?”
Wukong said:
“Your Majesty, the Third Prince and Old Sun descended to the mortal realm. Old Sun went to challenge that demon dragon to battle, but the demon dragon obtained the Bodhisattva’s treasure, and Old Sun could not defeat him. The Third Prince came to aid, we two fought the demon dragon together but gained no advantage.
The Third Prince said to retreat first, so Old Sun left; the Third Prince was a bit slow and was caught by the demon dragon and captured. I beg Your Majesty to send troops to exterminate the demons, rescue my Master, junior brother, Bodhisattva, and Third Prince.”
The Jade Emperor heard this and said:
“Bold demon dragon, daring to so despise heavenly might! Li Tianwang!”
Li Tianwang stepped forward, “Your subject is here!”
The Jade Emperor said, “I order you to lead the Four Great Heavenly Kings and 100,000 heavenly soldiers to descend and subdue demons.”
Li Tianwang said, “As decreed!”
Wukong hurriedly said, “Wait, Your Majesty, you’re being too stingy!”
The Jade Emperor said, “What?”
Wukong said, “The Four Great Heavenly Kings and 100,000 heavenly soldiers couldn’t even subdue Old Sun, how can they subdue that demon dragon? Why not send more soldiers and generals?”
The Jade Emperor said, “You brazen monkey, my decree is not finished, why are you impatient?”
Wukong heard this and hurriedly said, “It’s Old Sun being impatient, Your Majesty please continue, please continue!”
The Jade Emperor continued issuing the decree:
“Order the Thunder Department twenty-four Heavenly Lords to descend and exterminate demons; Fire Department Tail Fire Tiger, Room Fire Pig, Beak Fire Monkey, Wing Fire Snake, Jie Huo Tian Jun, these five gods to descend and burn the demons; Plague Department envoys Zhou Xin and Li Qi to spread plague and pestilence to punish demons; Dipper Department Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends to deploy Zhou Tian Xing Dou to suppress demons.”
The Jade Emperor issued the decree, and the gods immediately mobilized.
However, the Fire Department Tail Fire Tiger, Room Fire Pig, Beak Fire Monkey, Wing Fire Snake—the four gods arrived late, saying they were gathered in Dou Niu Palace and thus delayed.
The Dipper Department Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends, 108 Star Gods, arrived even later.
The Fire Department four gods were late by a quarter-hour, which was acceptable, but the Dipper Department Star Gods were a full hour late.
Li Tianwang questioned them, and the Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends each had excuses: some said meditating on the stars, some patrolling the mortal realm, some calculating star charts, some relieving themselves.
The heavenly generals protected each other, vouching for one another; Li Tianwang could not investigate each one and had to let it go, raising the command flag to send troops to the mortal realm.
The gods descended, all arriving at Flat-Top Mountain—a truly dense cloud cover, divine might obscuring the sky.
Li Tianwang ordered his heavenly soldiers and generals to first set up the heaven-earth net, surrounding the 600-li Flat-Top Mountain area.
Those heavenly soldiers and generals accepted the order and went down to set it up.
Qin Tian Jun however took his hammer and drill, striking a thunderbolt down.
Li Tianwang angrily said, “Qin Tian Jun, what are you doing!”
Qin Tian Jun said, “By the Jade Emperor’s decree, I descend Divine Thunder to slay rebels and eliminate demons!”
Li Tianwang angrily said, “I haven’t set the heaven-earth net yet, and you drop Divine Thunder first—won’t the demons see and flee?”
Qin Tian Jun said, “Li Tianwang, what right do you have to command me? You’ve descended multiple times without merit; in Bao Xiang Kingdom, you achieved nothing. Only I toiled to subdue demons and destroyed a Corpse Demon—what do you say to that?”
Li Tianwang heard this, his face flushing with anger, gripping the Precious Pagoda tightly, unable to speak.
The other heavenly generals saw this and hurriedly pulled the two apart.
That Divine Thunder from Qin Tian Jun made the group of monsters on Flat-Top Mountain cower; those that burrowed went underground, those that hid entered caves, none daring to show their heads.
The little demons in the Lotus Cave hurriedly reported:
“Report to the Greatest Great King, many heavenly soldiers and generals have come from the sky outside, standing in the clouds surrounding us!”
Ao Tu laughed, “Little ones, no need to fear, that’s just a few reinforcements the monkey called!”
Golden Horn and Silver Horn also said, “Exactly, mere heavenly soldiers and generals, nothing to fear!”
Outside, Li Tianwang commanded:
“Thunder Department twenty-four Heavenly Lords, I order you to drop Divine Thunder and exterminate demons!”
The Thunder Department twenty-four Heavenly Lords heard this; those with hammer drills took them, those with lightning mirrors took them, and wind-assisting gods helped from the side.
In an instant, thunder crashed, lightning flashed, wild winds howled, darkening the sky and earth.
Bolts of Divine Thunder struck the 600-li Flat-Top Mountain area, blasting pits in the earth and ridges; striking tall trees and dry grass into patches of firelight.
The momentum was immense, yet no demons were killed.
Li Tianwang angrily said, “I ordered you to exterminate demons—why didn’t you use your strength?”
Qin Tian Jun said, “How are we not using strength? You don’t know warfare! Without luring the demons out, how can our Divine Thunder exterminate them?”
Li Tianwang said, “Fine, I’ll lure the demons out!”
Li Tianwang ordered the heavenly soldiers and generals to use heavenly nets to hook the peak where the Lotus Cave was, and move the great mountain away.
Those heavenly soldiers and generals accepted the order, set heavenly nets, hooked the great mountain: 10,000 heavenly soldiers on the east, 10,000 on the south, 10,000 on the west, 10,000 on the north, all pulling together to tug the mountain.
Inside the Cave Mansion, the mountain shook and earth quaked.
The little demons were terrified, huddling on the ground.
Ao Tu said, “Don’t be afraid, I’ll go out and see.”
Ao Tu flew out of the Cave Mansion, saw the outside situation, shook his body and transformed into a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, opened his mouth spewing myriad Golden Light, shattering the heavenly nets on the mountain, and the great mountain steadied.
Ao Tu let out a dragon roar, shaking the eastern and southern heavenly soldiers to vomit blood, the western and northern ones falling from the clouds.
Li Tianwang saw this and hurriedly ordered, “Quickly drop thunder, exterminate the demon dragon!”
The Thunder Department twenty-four Heavenly Lords accepted the order and rained down Divine Thunder on Ao Tu’s body.
Ao Tu’s Golden Scales flashed, laws flowing; the Divine Thunder struck his scales but did not move them.
Ao Tu turned and returned to his mansion.
Li Tianwang said, “Why aren’t you using strength?”
Qin Tian Jun and others said, “The demon dragon fears no Divine Thunder; Heavenly King, find other heavenly generals to act!”
Li Tianwang said, “You only use thunder tools, not supernatural power or magic—clearly unwilling to exert yourselves. When I return to the Heavenly Realm, I will surely memorialize you before His Majesty!”
Qin Tian Jun said, “We have exerted full strength, but the demon dragon fears no Divine Thunder—nothing more can be done. As for the Heavenly King, holding the Precious Pagoda yet not acting, that is truly unwilling to exert!”
Li Tianwang: “You!”
