Chapter 49: The Havoc in Heaven

Upon returning to the Celestial Palace, Sun Wukong gazed at the bountiful, ripening peaches filling the entire orchard, and the sight delighted him beyond measure, making his mouth water with anticipation. His hard work exterminating pests had not been in vain—without his efforts, how could the Peach Garden have borne such luscious fruit?

With a whoop of joy, Sun Wukong unleashed his wild nature and leapt about the orchard like an untamed child. Here he plucked a three-thousand-year-old peach, there a nine-thousand-year-old one, chomping left and right with relish, thoroughly enjoying himself. Day after day, every tree in the garden yielded its delights to him. Eat, sleep, wake and eat again—such were the carefree, joyous days the Monkey King passed, utterly oblivious to the passage of time.

As the date of the Queen Mother’s Peach Banquet drew near, the days remaining dwindled rapidly. One day, the Seven Fairies arrived bearing baskets, having received the Queen Mother’s order to gather peaches for the grand event. The moment the gate swung open, all seven stood frozen in collective shock.

The orchard was strewn with peach pits from end to end, the ground littered as far as the eye could see. Looking up, they found scarcely a single ripe peach left on the trees—only a few sparse, unripe fruits clung forlornly to the branches.

“Oh, sisters! What dreadful thing has happened here? Where are the peaches? Not a single one left from the bountiful harvest we expected!”

“Exactly! Without peaches, how can the Queen Mother’s banquet proceed? The honored immortals who received invitations are already flocking eagerly to the palace!”

“This is a disaster! With no peaches to pick, how can we answer to the Queen Mother? We’ll surely be punished!”

The Seven Fairies chattered in panic, all of them frightened out of their wits. Some were so shocked they collapsed on the spot, while others hurried away in alarm to make their report. An orchard once brimming with ripening peaches—now not one remained. What on earth had happened?

As it turned out, the Monkey King had caused a great calamity, devouring every last peach in sight. When the Queen Mother learned of this, she flew into a rage and ordered the celestial soldiers and generals to arrest the monkey and bring him to justice.

As soon as the two sides met, swords were drawn and battle erupted without delay. The heavenly host was defeated, and in the end, the Queen Mother had no choice but to seek help from the Jade Emperor.

Upon hearing that the monkey had consumed the entire orchard, the Jade Emperor was incensed. Without a word, he summoned the Celestial General Erlang and Heavenly King Li Jing, who, with the celestial army in tow, loudly proclaimed they would capture the monkey at all costs.

Yet faced with a force of a hundred thousand celestial soldiers, Sun Wukong showed not the slightest fear. He swung his golden staff with abandon, shaking heaven and earth with every blow.

Who could have imagined that the hundred thousand-strong heavenly host could do nothing to subdue the Monkey King? Even with the addition of Erlang Shen, Heavenly King Li Jing, and Nezha the Third Prince, they were all defeated in turn.

The more Sun Wukong fought, the fiercer he became—one monkey against a hundred thousand, yet he held his own, thrashing them like dogs driven into the water. What sorrow!

In the end, Sun Wukong stormed into the Jade Emperor’s Grand Hall, seated himself as an equal, and declared himself “The Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong,” claiming immortality and rank on par with the Jade Emperor himself.

The Jade Emperor was beside himself with fury, yet powerless to act. He had no choice but to send envoys to the Southern Sea’s Bamboo Grove to seek the help of Guanyin. Unfortunately, Guanyin was away visiting an old friend, and the envoys returned empty-handed.

Subsequently, one courtier suggested seeking aid from the Buddha of the West. Surely the venerable Buddha, with his unfathomable powers, could subdue the unruly monkey. Thus the Buddha was invited to intervene.

By now, Sun Wukong had been driven to desperation, rampaging through the Celestial Palace, smashing and destroying everything in sight. The celestial soldiers and immortals had all scattered in terror, not a single one daring to face the Monkey King head-on.

Sun Wukong’s might was far beyond anything the high and mighty immortals could withstand.

“Haha! Old Jade Emperor, open your eyes and take a good look—so these are your hundred thousand celestial soldiers? Pathetically weak! Bah! I say they’re nothing but a heap of mud, as feeble as chickens.”

The Celestial Palace was in utter chaos, battered and broken by Sun Wukong’s relentless assault. Everywhere was deserted, the immortals having fled in fear, hiding who knew where. At his ease, Sun Wukong rode his somersault cloud, carousing wherever he pleased.

Suddenly, a dazzling radiance burst forth from the West. A golden light enveloped the rampaging monkey, trapping him in an instant.

A towering Buddha appeared in the western sky, radiant and resplendent, his brilliance blinding.

Ah, so it was the Buddha of the Western Paradise. Interesting.

Sun Wukong immediately ceased his antics and soared toward him.

“Well now, Buddha, what brings you here? Why aren’t you in your Western Paradise chanting scriptures? What wind has blown you to these parts?”

He slung his golden staff over his shoulder, speaking with utter impudence.

“Amitabha. Sun Wukong, you defy all law and order. You have wrought havoc in the Celestial Palace, committing a grave crime. Do you acknowledge your guilt?”

The Buddha’s question was gentle, as if discussing an everyday matter.

“Haha! Buddha, are you trying to play the good man? Shouldn’t you be in your Western Paradise, beating your wooden fish and chanting away? What brings you to the Celestial Palace? Guilty, you say? What crime have I committed?”

Sun Wukong soared higher on his somersault cloud, drawing closer to the Buddha.

But before he could act, the Buddha’s radiant hand swept forth, summoning a mighty wind that sent Sun Wukong tumbling down.

“Ah! Cursed Buddha, trickery!”

“Somersault Cloud, come to me!”

But as he fell, Sun Wukong’s desperate cry went unanswered—the somersault cloud had been confiscated by the Buddha himself.

In the end, Sun Wukong crashed down into the Buddha’s brilliant golden palm.

Breathless, he demanded, “Buddha, just say what you want. I bear no grudge against you, so why do this?”

“Sun Wukong, you must know that every nation has its laws, and Heaven its rules. Both Heaven and Earth require order. You are but a monkey—had you not awakened your spirit and apprenticed yourself to a master, you would still be a mindless beast.

“It was good fortune that you gained wisdom and studied the arts, but your unruly monkey nature resists all discipline, which is why you have brought such disaster upon yourself and others.”

“Sun Wukong, I ask you again: do you acknowledge your guilt for these crimes?”