Sun Wukong Clashes with Erlang the Divine

Now, the Jade Emperor’s nephew, Yang Jian—also known as Erlang Shen—resided at Guankou in Guanzhou. Possessing vast magical powers, he was summoned by the Emperor, who sent the Mighty Ghost King to dispatch him to aid in the battle against the Flower-Fruit Mountain. Yang Jian immediately gathered his forces: the Six Brothers of Plum Mountain, the four marshals Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li, along with Guo Shen and Zhi Jian. Leading his divine troops, he swept up a fierce wind and crossed the Eastern Ocean in an instant, arriving at Flower-Fruit Mountain.

Finding the Heavenly King Li Jing’s impenetrable heavenly net tightly encircling the mountain, Yang Jian announced his name and purpose. Layer by layer, the net opened, allowing him entry to meet with Heavenly King Li. "Open the top of the net," Yang Jian instructed, "but keep the sides tightly sealed. I will engage him in battle. I also ask you, Heavenly King Who Holds the Pagoda, to stand aloft with your demon-revealing mirror, lest he escape." The Four Heavenly Kings commanding the net then reformed their encirclement to the four sides.

Hearing the commotion, Sun Wukong emerged from his cave. Seeing Yang Jian—whose appearance was striking and attire refined—he laughed mockingly, "What little general are you, daring to challenge me?"
"You have eyes but fail to see!" retorted the True Lord. "I am the Jade Emperor’s nephew, Yang Jian, titled the Illustrious Sage and King of Compassionate Blessings."
"Ah," said Sun Wukong, "the one born after the Jade Emperor’s sister descended to the mortal world and married a Lord Yang? The child who once split Mount Peach with his axe? You’re but a youngster. Go back and tell the Four Heavenly Kings to come out themselves!"
Enraged, the True Lord struck with his blade. Sun Wukong dodged and struck back with his golden-hooped rod.

They battled fiercely for over three hundred rounds, neither gaining advantage. The True Lord then transformed himself—growing ten thousand feet tall, his face cyan and tusked, his hair crimson. Wielding his three-pointed, double-edged spear like the peak of Mount Hua, he brought it crashing down on Sun Wukong’s head. Sun Wukong responded in kind, matching Yang Jian’s immense height and fearsome visage. The sight of the towering Yang Jian terrified the monkey horde, scattering them in panic.

Seeing his troops flee, Sun Wukong grew flustered. He shrank back to normal size and fled towards his cave. The True Lord gave chase. Finding the entrance blocked by Kang, Zhang, Yao, Li, and the others, Sun Wukong shrank his rod to embroidery-needle size, hid it in his ear, and transformed into a sparrow, alighting on a treetop. The six generals searched in vain.
Yang Jian, his phoenix eyes wide and sharp, spotted the sparrow. He too shrunk his form and transformed into a hungry sparrowhawk, spreading its wings to dive upon its prey.

Sun Wukong saw this and took flight as an osprey, soaring skyward. Yang Jian swiftly changed into a great sea-eagle, piercing the clouds in pursuit. Sun Wukong plunged into a mountain stream, becoming a fish. Yang Jian reached the riverbank, transformed into a fish-hawk, and waited poised downstream. The fish-Sun Wukong swam with the current, spotted the hawk above, flicked its tail in a splash, and darted away. Yang Jian pursued, striking with his beak. Instantly, Sun Wukong became a water snake, slithered to the bank, and vanished into the grass. Yang Jian turned into a grey crane and stalked the snake. The snake leapt up, transforming into a bustard bird, perched on riverside reeds. Yang Jian then resumed his true form, drew his pellet bow, and with one shot, knocked the bustard tumbling down the cliff.

Rolling to the base, Sun Wukong transformed into a small temple to the local god: his gaping mouth became the temple door, his teeth the door leaves, his tongue the idol, his eyes the lattice windows. Only his tail proved troublesome—he erected it behind as a flagpole. The pursuing True Lord spotted it and laughed, "Trying to trick me again, ape? Since when does a temple have its flagpole at the back? I’ll smash the windows first!"
‘Ruthless!’ thought Sun Wukong, ‘Smash my eyes and I’m finished!’ He shot skyward like a beam of light and vanished.

Yang Jian soared into the clouds where Heavenly King Li Jing stood holding the demon-revealing mirror, with Prince Nezha beside him. "Heavenly King, have you seen the Monkey King?" Yang Jian asked.
Li Jing swept the mirror across the sky and chuckled, "The ape used an invisibility spell. He’s fled to your Guankou." Yang Jian raced in pursuit.

Arriving at Guankou, Sun Wukong transformed himself into Yang Jian’s likeness, descended by cloud, and strode into Yang Jian’s temple. The demon judges inside kowtowed in welcome. Seated upon the altar, he began reviewing the incense offerings and prayers—some for healing, others for sons. As he perused them, another Yang Jian stormed in, stunning the judges.
"Has a Sun Wukong come here?" demanded the True Lord.
"No," stammered a judge, "only one Yang Jian sits within."
The True Lord charged in. Sun Wukong shed his disguise, proclaiming, "No need to shout! This temple belongs to Sun now!" The True Lord swung his spear; the Monkey King drew his needle, shook it into a staff thick as a bowl, and the battle resumed.

High above, the Supreme Lord Lao Zi, sent by the Jade Emperor to observe, watched the stalemate. From his left wrist, he slipped off a circlet—the Diamond Snare or Diamond Noose—and dropped it. It struck Sun Wukong squarely on the crown as he fought, staggering him. He stumbled, scrambled up to flee, but Yang Jian’s sleek hound raced ahead and sank its teeth into his calf, dragging him down again. Pinned to the ground by Yang Jian, he was swiftly bound by Kang, Zhang, and the others with ropes.

Yang Jian delivered the captive to Heavenly King Li Jing. Li Jing escorted him to the Heavenly Court and reported to the Jade Emperor. The Emperor decreed: "Mighty Ghost King, take this creature to the Demon-Slaying Platform and hack him to pieces!" But whether the Monkey King survived or not... well, that must wait for the next chapter.