Putting down the gruel and the paper money the woman returned Brother Monkey's bow and said, “Please forgive me. I didn't realize that you were a sufferer too. From what you've just said you don't know who that Taoist is. He's really the Demon King Hundred-eye, who's also known as the Many-eyed Monster. You must have tremendous magical powers to have escaped from the golden light and fought so long, but you couldn't get near him. I'll tell you about a sage you can send for who would be able to smash the golden light and defeat the Taoist.”

Monkey's immediate response was to chant a “na-a-aw” of respect and say, “If you know the sage's background, lady Bodhisattva, may I trouble you to tell me about it? If there is such a sage I'll fetch him to rescue my master and avenge your husband.”

“I'll tell you,” the woman said, “and you can fetch the sage, who will subdue the Taoist, but that will only bring revenge. I'm afraid the sage won't be able to rescue your master.”

“Why not?” Monkey asked. “His poison is truly lethal,” the woman replied. “When people are laid low by it the very marrow of their bones rots within three days. I'm afraid that by the time you've been to see the sage and come back again you'll be too late to save him.”

“I know how to travel,” Monkey replied. “However far it is I'll only take half a day.”

“If you can travel then listen to this,” the woman said. “About three hundred miles from here there's a mountain called Mount Purple Clouds, and in the mountain there's a Thousand Flower Cave where there lives a sage called Vairambha who will be able to defeat that demon.”

“Where's the mountain?” Monkey asked. “Which direction should I take?”

“It's due South of here,” the woman replied, pointing; and by the time Brother Monkey looked back at her she had disappeared.

Monkey quickly did a kowtow and said, “Which Bodhisattva was that? After all that burrowing you disciple was feeling too stupid to recognize you. I beg you to tell me your name so that I can thank you.” At this there came a shout from mid-air, “Great Sage, it's me.” Monkey quickly looked up to see that it was the Old Lady of Mount Li. Catching up with her in the sky he thanked her with the words, “Where have you come from to give me these instructions?”

“On my way back from Dragon Flower Assembly I noticed that your master was in trouble,” the Old Lady replied. “It was to save his life that I pretended to be a woman in mourning for her husband. Hurry up and fetch the sage. But don't tell her I sent you: she is rather difficult.”

Thanking her, Monkey took his leave and set off straight away on his somersault cloud. Once at Mount Purple Clouds he brought his cloud down and saw the Thousand Flower Cave. Outside the cave:

Blue pines masked the splendid view,

Turquoise cypresses surrounded the immortal's home.

Green willows were packed close along the mountain paths,

Rare flowers filled the watercourses.

Orchids grew all around stone buildings,

And scented blooms gave color to the crags.

Flowing water linked ravines with green,

While clouds enclosed the emptiness of trees.

Noisily sang wild birds.

Slowly strolled the deer,

Elegant grew the bamboo,

And all the red plums were open.

Rooks perched in ancient woods,

While spring birds chirped in the tree of heaven.

Summer wheat filled spreading acres,

And autumn millet grew all over the land.

No leaf fell in all four seasons.

And flowers bloomed throughout the year.

Auspicious rosy glows joined with the Milky Way,

And clouds of good omen were linked with the Great Emptiness.

The Great Sage was delighted as he went inside, seeing boundless beauty at every stage. He went straight on, but found it deserted and completely silent. Not even a chicken or a dog could be heard. “I think that this sage must be out.” Monkey thought. When he had gone a mile or two further on he saw a Taoist nun sitting on a couch. This is what she looked like:

She wore a five-flowered hat of brocade,

And a robe of golden silk.

Her cloud-treading shoes were patterned with phoenixes

And round her waist was a sash with double tassels.

Her face looked as old as autumn after a frost,

But her voice was as charming as swallows in the spring.

Long had she mastered the Dharma of Three Vehicles,

And she was ever mindful of the Four Truths.

She knew true achievement, that emptiness is empty,

And through her training had acquired great freedom.

She was the Buddha of the Thousand Flower Cave,

The illustrious Vairambha of great fame.

Monkey went straight up to her without stopping and said, “Greetings, Bodhisattva Vairambha.”

The Bodhisattva then came down from her couch, put her hands together to return his greeting and said, “Great Sage, it was remiss of me not to come out to greet you. Where have you come from?”

“How do you know that I'm the Great Sage?” Monkey asked.

“When you made havoc in Heaven the other year,” Vairambha replied, “your picture was circulated everywhere. That's why everyone can recognize you.”

“How true it is,” Monkey said, “that

While good deeds stay at home

Bad deeds are known far and wide.

Take my conversion to Buddhism, for example. You didn't know about that.”

“Congratulations,” said Vairambha. “When did that happen?”

“Not long ago my life was spared to escort my master the Tang Priest on his journey to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures,” Monkey replied. “My master has been laid low with poisoned tea by the Taoist of the Yellow Flower Temple. When I was fighting with him he caught me in his golden light, and I had to use magic to escape. I have come here to pay you my respects, Bodhisattva, and ask your help because I've heard that you are able to destroy his golden light.”

“Who told you that?” the Bodhisattva asked. “I have not left here since the Ullambana assembly over three hundred years ago. I've lived in complete secrecy and nobody has heard of me, so how is it that you know of me?”

“I'm an underground devil,” Monkey replied, “and I can make my own enquiries anywhere at all.”

“Never mind,” Vairambha said, “never mind. I shouldn't really go, but as you have honoured me with a visit, Great Sage, and as the great cause of fetching the scriptures must not be allowed to fail I'll go with you.”

Monkey thanked her and said, “It's very ignorant of me to hurry you along in this way. I wonder what weapon you use.”

“I have an embroidery needle that will put an end to that damned creature,” said the Bodhisattva.

This was too much for Monkey. “Old Lady, you've been wasting my time,” he said. “Had I known it was an embroidery needle I wouldn't have had to trouble you. I could have provided a hundredweight of them.”

“Your embroidery needles are all made of iron, steel or gold,” the Bodhisattva replied. “They're no use. My treasure isn't iron and isn't steel and isn't gold. It was tempered by my son in the sun.”

“Who is he?” asked Monkey. “He is the Star Lord of the Mane,” Vairambha replied.

This came as a shock to Monkey, who gazed at the golden light then turned to Vairambha and said, “The Yellow Flower Temple is where that golden light is coming from.” Vairambha then took from the lapel of her gown an embroidery needle about the thickness of an eyebrow hair and half an inch long. Holding it between her fingers she threw it into the air. A few moments later there was a loud noise and the golden light was shattered.

“That's wonderful, Bodhisattva, wonderful!” exclaimed a delighted Monkey. “Let's find your needle now.”