Violet Spider Yaoguai Kings
Description
Upon reaching a cluster of huts in the forest, Tang Monk decided to seek alms for food. As he approached the village, he saw several women playing with balls under a pavilion. Invited by them into their home, he was suddenly thrown to the ground, tied up with ropes, and hung from a beam in the most uncomfortable manner.
While climbing trees and branches, Sun Wukong turned back and saw a glimmer of light, realizing that his master must have encountered yaoguais. He summoned the local keeper for details and learned that the glimmer was from the celestial bathing spring, which had been taken over by seven spider guais. Knowing that they bathe three times a day, Sun Wukong transformed into a eagle, swooped down, and stole all of their clothes from the rack.
Bajie, seeing so many women’s clothes, persistently inquired and learned that seven guais were bathing. Overjoyed, he rushed to the spring. Without any hesitation, he stripped off his black garb and jumped into the water, transforming into a catfish guai. The spiders tried to catch him yet none of them succeeded.
Recognizing one of them as an old acquaintance, Bajie mischievously swam around her legs. He floated and dived around her until he was out of breath and hazed.
The guais, retreating to their cave, fetched some old clothes and called upon their seven adopted sons to guard the house while they headed to the Temple of Yellow Flowers to seek aid. Meanwhile, Bajie retraced his steps and reunited with the fellowship. Together, they defeated the insect sons and freed their master. Without delay, they hurried to the Temple of Yellow Flowers. The temple master, who had practiced alongside the seven spider guais, learned that Tang Monk was a monk of ten lifetimes’ merits and that his fellow spiders were humiliated, prepared four cups of poisoned tea, intending to exact revenge on the fellowship and ultimately consume Tang Monk.
However, Sun Wukong saw through the ruse, overturned the tea cups, and defeated the spider guais, frocing them to retreat. The Daoist master then engaged in, prompting Wukong to order Bajie to eliminate the seven spider guais in his stead. Following his command, Bajie wielded his rake and struck down each of the spiders, sparing only the last one. Remembering their brief affair in the water, he hesitated and, with a final thrust of his rake into the ground, told her to flee for her life.
Poetry
Once she rode the cloud chariot to the high terrace,
Now she dwells in a secluded cave by the mountain base.
The breeze by the frail bridge chills her delicate frame,
Spring arrives, another bridal gown newly made.
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