All the brothers were willing and eager to go. They immediately mobilized their divine soldiers, rode on eagles, led dogs, loaded crossbows, and unleashed a fierce wind. In an instant, they crossed the Eastern Ocean and arrived at Flower Fruit Mountain.

Upon arrival, they encountered the dense layers of Between-Heaven-and-Earth Nets, blocking their way. The divine lord called out, "Listen, guards of the Heaven's nets! I am the Second Lord Erlang Shen, the Manifestation of Holiness. The Jade Emperor has sent me here to capture the monster monkey. Open the camp gates, and let us pass."

The message was relayed through the ranks of guards.

The Four Great Heavenly Kings and King Li came out of the camp to welcome them. After exchanging greetings, they spoke about the battle. The Heavenly Kings explained the situation in detail.

Erlang smiled and said, "When I come here, I must challenge him in a battle of transformations. Dear Kings, don't cover the top of the Between-Heaven-and-Earth Net, only tighten the four sides. Let me fight him one-on-one. You don't need to help if I lose; my brothers will support me. If I win, you don't need to restrain him; my brothers will take care of that. Please, King Li, use the Magic Mirror and keep it in the air. I'm afraid he might escape to another place if he's defeated. You must shine the mirror brightly on him to prevent his escape."

The kings positioned themselves at the four corners, and the heavenly soldiers took their battle positions.

The divine lord led the four commanders and two generals, his six brothers, out of their camp for the challenge. Then, he instructed the other soldiers to guard the camp tightly and gather all the eagles and dogs. The divine soldiers followed his orders.

Erlang went straight to the entrance of the Water Curtain Cave, where he saw a group of monkeys neatly lined up in a formation resembling a coiled dragon. In the middle of their camp, there was a flag with the words "Great Sage Equal to Heaven" written on it.

"How can this unruly monster dare to claim such a prestigious title?" Lord Shen wondered.

"Stop admiring him! Let's start the battle." The brothers urged him on.

One of the smaller monkeys at the camp's entrance quickly ran to inform the Monkey King.

The Monkey King brandished his golden-banded staff, donned his golden armor, stepped in the cloud shoes, adjusted his purple-gold crown, and rushed out of the camp's gate. He keenly observed Erlang's appearance, which was indeed unique and refined. He was dressed elegantly:

In grace and valor, stands a noble knight,

Radiant eyes and comely, fair and bright.

A Three-Mountain Flying Phoenix hat crowns his head,

In pale yellow robes, he's clothed and wed.

Golden boots with coiling dragons, he strides,

An eight-treasure sash, his waist it hides.

Across his waist, a new moon sling,

In hand, a trident spear, sharp and gleaming.

With an axe, he saved his mother from peril,

His sling took down twin phoenixes, with spirit immortal.

Eight monsters fell by his mighty hand,

With Six Saints of Plum Hill, he makes his stand.

In the face of heaven's kin, he defies,

An untamed heart, a godly rise.

Shrouded in myth, a hero's name,

Red Cliff's spirit, Erlang's fame.

The Great Sage saw him and merrily raised his golden-banded staff. "Who are you, little sage, that you dare to challenge me?"

"Can't you see who I am? I am the nephew of the Jade Emperor, the radiant and kind king known as Erlang Shen. Now, under his orders, I'm here to capture you, the mischievous monkey rebelling against the heavenly palace. You're in for a world of trouble."

The Great Sage said, "I remember years ago when the Jade Emperor's sister, came down to earth and married a Lord, giving birth to a boy. He was the one who wielded the axe to break Peach Blossom Mountain. Was that you? I had only planned to scold you a bit because I hold no grudge against you. But if I decide to swing my staff at you, it would be a shame to take your life. You, little fellow, better hurry back and summon your Four Heavenly Kings."."

The two engaged in a fierce battle: Erlang Shen, the radiant and kind king, versus Sun Wukong, the handsome Monkey King, and the Great Sage Equaling Heaven.

In realms above, where spirits soar,

Erlang, a deity to adore.

The Great Sage, Sun Wukong renowned,

Both destined to clash, their names profound.

One, with lofty pride, Monkey King crowned,

The other's presence, like pillars, astound.

As they cross paths, spirits ablaze,

A fierce contest, destiny's maze.

Yet, mysteries and depths unknown,

Revealed today, seeds of fate sown.

The Iron Rod, a dragon in flight,

Phoenix's grace, sharp and bright.

Blocking left, striking right, a dance so grand,

Meeting foes with fearless stand.

Flags wave, drums pound, a symphony's call,

Ringing through heaven, victory's thrall.

Flags wave, drums pound, a symphony's call,

Ringing through heaven, victory's thrall.

Two steel blades, swift and keen,

Moves seamless, like a dream.

Golden Rod, a treasure rare,

Transforming skies, through the air.

But should their speed waver and slow,

Disaster looms, their fate to sow.

Erlang and the Great Sage battled fiercely for more than three hundred rounds, and the outcome remained uncertain.

Displayed his divine power, Erlang transformed into a towering figure, tens of thousands of feet tall, wielding two three-pointed, double-edged divine blades. He resembled a peak on Mount Hua, with a fierce appearance, blue face, protruding teeth, and fiery red hair. He swung his blades menacingly, aiming to strike the Great Sage.

In response, the Great Sage also utilized his magical abilities, transforming into a mirror image of the lord with identical features. He wielded his Compliant Gold-Banded Rod, resembling the towering pillar that upholds the heavens on Kunlun Mountain, and stood his ground against the divine Lord.

The two red-bottomed horse monkeys, General Ma and General Liu and the were trembling in fear, unable to control their flags. The two humpbacked ape monkeys, Generals Beng and Ba, were hesitant and unable to wield their swords and knives.

On the battlefield, the Plum Hill brothers deployed the Grass Head Gods. They unleashed their hunting dogs and birds of prey, raised their crossbows, and drew their bows, launching a coordinated attack from outside the Water Curtain Cave. They captured two or three thousand monsters and scattered the monkey army's four mighty generals.

The monkeys abandoned their weapons, swords, and spears, fleeing in all directions, shouting and screaming as they returned to their mountain caves. It was as if startled night cats and nocturnal birds were scattering across the starry sky. The victory of the brothers is worth noting.

As Erlang and the Great Sage fought in their grand forms, the monkey army scattered in their main camp.

Feeling uneasy, the Great Sage abandoned his transformation, took back his staff, and swiftly fled.

"Where are you going? Surrender now, and I might spare your life!" Erlang screamed, but the Great Sage kept running.

Near the cave's entrance, the Monkey King ran into the Plum Hill brothers, who blocked his path. Panicked, he turned his rod into a tiny embroidery needle and hid it in his ear. Instantly, he transformed into a little sparrow and flew up to a tree branch.

The six brothers searched high and low but couldn't find him. They shouted, "The monkey monsters ran away! He escaped!"

As they were clamoring, Lord Shen arrived and asked, "Brothers, did you catch him?"

"We had him surrounded, but then he disappeared," the brothers replied.

Erlang transformed his eyes into the sharp eyes of a phoenix. Now he could see that the Great Sage had turned into a sparrow and was perched on a tree. He released his magical art, dropped his spear, but lashed his sling. He then transformed into a sparrowhawk, soaring to catch him.

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The Great Sage turned into a giant vulture and flew up higher into the sky.

Undeterred, Erlang transformed into a majestic crane and chased after him.

Diving down, the Great Sage turned into a fish and hid in the water.

When Lord Shen arrived at the stream's edge, he couldn't find any trace of the Monkey King. "This rascal must have gone into the water and transformed into a fish or a shrimp. Let me change again to catch him." So, he promptly transformed into a fish eagle, gliding over the rippling water's surface, waiting for his chance.

The Monkey King swam as a fish in the water, and suddenly, he spotted a flying bird.

It resembled a blue kite but lacked the blue spread.

It looked like a heron but had no crest on its head.

It also resembled a stork, but its legs weren't red.

"Could this be Erlang transformed, trying to catch me?" The Monkey King pondered. Immediately, he changed directions and dashed away.

Upon seeing this, Erlang realized that the fish looked strange.

Like a carp, but tail lacks crimson's hue,

Resembling a sturgeon, no floral scales to view.

Like a blackfish, no stars adorn its head,

Resembling a crucian, gills without a needle's thread.

"Why did he turn around as soon as he saw me? It must be that monkey transforming again," thought Erlang and pecked at him with his beak.

Hurriedly, the Great Sage transformed into a water snake and slithered to the shore, disappearing into the grass.

Failing to find the monkey, Erlang grew frustrated until he heard a splash in the water. Focusing on it, he saw a snake darting out and recognized it as Sun Wukong. Undeterred, Second Prince turned into a crimson-crowned gray crane with a long beak, similar to iron tongs, and tried to catch the water snake.

The snake jumped and transformed into a colorful kingfisher perched on a reed.

The Second Prince didn't want to spook the monkey. So, he revealed his true form, quickly grabbed his slingshot and pulled it taut. With a powerful shot, he hit the kingfisher, knocking him down.

Seizing the opportunity, the Monkey King rolled down the mountain cliff and transformed once again. This time, he turned into a small local temple with its mouth wide open, resembling a temple gate. His teeth became the door panels, his tongue turned into an image of the Bodhisattva, and his eyes transformed into the temple windows. Only his tail was hard to conceal, so he turned it into a flagpole.

As Erlang Shen reached the foot of the cliff, he couldn't find the defeated bird, but he spotted a small temple. He squinted his eyes and carefully observed, noticing the flagpole standing behind the temple. He chuckled, "It must be that monkey again. He's trying to deceive me once more. I've seen temples before, but never with a flagpole standing at the back. This cunning beast is up to no good. If I enter, he'll surely trap me."

Erlang Shen decided not to fall for the trick. "I'll strike the windows first with my fist and then kick the doors."

"How brutal! If he breaks my teeth and damages my eyes, what will I do?" The Great Sage murmured, taken aback.

In a swift motion, the Monkey King leaped into the air and disappeared once more.

As Lord Shen searched, he suddenly met the Plum Hill brothers again.

"Brother, have you caught the Monkey King?"

"That monkey just transformed into a temple to deceive me. I was about to strike the windows and kick the doors, but he vanished again.“ Erlang chuckled. „It's strange, really strange!"

Everyone was astonished and looked around, but there was no sign of the Monkey King.

"You all stay here to guard and patrol. I'll go up and find him." Lord Shen swiftly soared into the sky on a cloud. He saw Heavenly King Li holding the magical Mirror and standing with Nezha on a cloud. "Heavenly King, have you seen the Monkey King?"

"He hasn't come up here. I've been observing him with the mirror." King Li replied.

Erlang Shen explained how the Monkey King used his transformations and magical powers to escape, along with the incident of the group of monkeys. He added, "He transformed into a temple, and just as I was about to catch him, he fled."

Taking another look in the mirror, King Li said, "Erlang Shen, hurry up! That monkey used his invisibility technique and escaped the camp. He's heading to the Riverbank Guan, your home."

Upon hearing this, Lord Shen took his divine sword and rushed to the Riverbank to chase the Monkey King.

As the story goes, the Great Sage arrived at the Guan Riverbank, and with a wave of his hand, he transformed into the likeness of Erlang. Then, he landed gracefully and entered the temple.

The ghostly judges couldn't recognize him and greeted him with respectful bows.

Sitting in the center, Sun Wukong checked the offerings made by the devotees: there were offerings from Li Hu, blessings promised by Zhang Long, written prayers from Zhao Jia for offspring, and Qian Bing's plea for good health.

Just as he was inspecting, someone announced, "Another master has arrived!"

The ghostly officials quickly turned to look, startled by the news.

Erlang Shen, however, calmly asked, "Is there really a Great Sage here? Has he come?"

The ghostly judges replied, "We haven't seen any Great Sage, there's only you inside checking the offerings, master."

Without hesitation, Erlang Shen entered the temple, and upon seeing him, the Great Sage revealed his true form and said, "No need to fret, young master. This temple already belongs to me."

Raising his divine blade, Erlang slashed at the monkey‘s face.

The Monkey King used his agile body technique to dodge the divine attack. Swiftly, he drew out the embroidered needle from his ear, waved it with a flourish, and its thickness changed from that of a hair to a bowl. He rushed forward and faced his opponent.

The two of them were making a lot of noise and commotion as they fought their way out of the temple, disappearing in a mix of mist and clouds. They continued to battle while moving until they reached Flower Fruit Mountain.

The Four Heavenly Kings and the celestial army were alarmed and tightened their defenses even more, while the Plum Hill brothers and their forces welcomed the Great Sage by surrounding him.

After the Ghost King of Strength sent Erlang and his six brothers to capture the demon, he returned to the heavenly realm to report.

In the Lingxiao Hall, the Jade Emperor, along with Bodhisattva Guanyin, the Queen Mother, and other celestial officials, were engaged in a discussion. They were concerned about not receiving any news from Erlang Shen, who had gone to battle.

"It's been a day, and we still haven't received any report from Lord Shen about the fight." The Jade Emperor said.

"Your Majesty, may I suggest that we go outside the South Heaven Gate to see what's happening?" Guanyin said.

The Jade Emperor agreed and immediately proceeded with Laozi, Guanyin, the Queen Mother, and the celestial officials to the South Heaven Gate.

Upon arrival, they were met by heavenly guards and officers who were already observing the situation from afar. They admired the Between-Heaven-and-Earth Net surrounding the area on all sides. Heavenly King Li and Nezha were holding the Demon-Subduing Mirror, floating in mid-air. Meanwhile, Lord Shen was chasing the Great Sage Sun Wukong, engaging in intense combat.

The Bodhisattva addressed Laozi. "What do you think of young Lord Shen, whom I recommended? Although he has divine powers and managed to surround the Great Sage, he hasn't captured him yet. If we lend our support, we can ensure the Monkey King's capture."

"What kind of weapon will you use to help him?"

The Bodhisattva replied, "I will throw down the Pure Bottle Yangliu to strike the Monkey King. Even if it doesn't kill him, it will at least knock him down, allowing the Little Sage to capture him easily."

"Your bottle is made of ceramic, so if you hit his head, it's fine. But what if it clashes with his iron cudgel and it shatters?“ Laozi warned, "Don't act hastily; let me help first."

"What weapon do you have?" The Bodhisattva asked,

"I do have a good one." He rolled up his sleeve and removed a ring from his left arm. "This weapon is forged from fine steel and refined with alchemical pills. It cultivates spiritual energy, possesses transformative abilities, is impervious to water and fire, and can capture things. It's called the 'Adamant Chisel' or 'Adamant Snare.' When I passed through the Han and converted the Hu people to Buddhism, this tool proved invaluable. It's the best defense. I will throw it down and strike the Monkey King."

After finishing their conversation, Laozi made a graceful gesture. Like a droplet of water dripping down, the Adamant Chisel descended right on top of the Monkey King's head.

Preoccupied with his intense battle against the seven sworn brothers, the Monkey King didn't notice the weapon falling from the sky. The Adamant Chisel struck his heavenly spirit, causing him to lose his balance and stumble.

The Monkey King quickly got up and attempted to escape, but one of Lord Shen’s small hounds caught up to him and bit his leg, causing him to stumble again. He fell to the ground, cursing, "You wretched creature! Instead of bothering others, you come to bite Sun Wukong!" Desperate to stand up, he was swiftly surrounded.

The six Plum Hill brothers and Lord Shen bound him with ropes and pierced his pipa bone with the hook knife. Unable to transform anymore, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven was subdued.

Laozi put away the Adamant Chisel and invited the Jade Emperor, along with Guanyin, the Queen Mother, and other celestial beings, to return to the Lingxiao Hall.

Meanwhile, the Four Heavenly Kings and King Li, along with other gods, disbanded their troops and approached the Little Sage to congratulate him, saying, "This success is all thanks to you, Little Sage!"

The Little Sage humbly replied, "It is the blessings of the Heavenly Lord and the authority of all the gods. I can hardly take credit for it."

The Plum Hill brothers, Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li said, "Brother, there's no need for modesty. Let's take this fiend to the celestial realm to see the Jade Emperor and receive his orders."

"My worthy brothers, you haven't received the heavenly decree yet, so you cannot meet the Jade Emperor. Let the Heavenly Armor gods escort him. I will go with the Heavenly King and others to the celestial realm and bring back the emperor's orders. You all stay here, continue searching the mountains, and once it's thoroughly done, return to Guan Pass. After I receive the rewards and recognition, we'll come back to celebrate together." Erlang said.

The two Generals and the four Commanders accepted the arrangement.

Erlang and the others rode on their cloud platforms, singing victory songs as they ascended to the heavens. In no time, they arrived outside the Hall of Brilliance.

The Celestial Master announced, "The Four Heavenly Kings and others have captured the demon monkey, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and are here to listen to your judgment."

The Jade Emperor issued orders, instructing the Great Power Ghost King and the heavenly guards to escort the monkey to the Execution Platform and dismember his body.

Deceit now faces justice's harsh decree,

Heroic spirit, wait for the destined plea.

But wait! What will become of the Great Sage? We'll find out in the next chapter