Crossing the Eastern Ocean, they arrived directly at Flower Fruit Mountain. Seeing the dense layers of the Heavenly Net, they couldn't advance further, so Erlang Shen called out, "Gods of the Heavenly Net, listen: I am Erlang Shen, the True Lord, sent by the Jade Emperor to capture the monkey demon. Open the camp gates and let me through." The gods passed the message layer by layer. The Four Heavenly Kings and Li Tianwang came out of the camp gate to greet him. After exchanging greetings and inquiring about the situation, Tianwang explained the recent events in detail. Erlang Shen laughed and said, "I must fight him and test his transformations. Arrange the Heavenly Net tightly around the four sides, but leave the top open for our duel. If I lose, I don't need your help; my brothers will support me. If I win, you don't need to bind him; my brothers will handle it. I only ask Li Tianwang to use the Demon-Revealing Mirror and stand in the air. In case he is defeated and tries to escape, the mirror will reveal his whereabouts and prevent his escape." The Heavenly Kings took their positions on the four sides, and the heavenly soldiers arranged themselves in formation.

Erlang Shen, leading the Four Commanders, Two Generals, and his six brothers, went out to challenge the enemy, instructing the soldiers to guard the camp tightly and keep the hawks and hounds in check. The grass-headed gods obeyed the order. Erlang Shen arrived outside the Water Curtain Cave and saw the monkeys neatly arranged in a coiled dragon formation. In the center stood a flag with the words "Great Sage Equal to Heaven" written on it. Erlang Shen said, "How can this demon dare to claim such a title?" The sixth brother from Meishan said, "Let's stop praising him and call for battle." A small monkey at the camp entrance saw Erlang Shen and hurriedly reported to the Monkey King. The Monkey King immediately grabbed his Golden Cudgel, donned his Golden Armor, put on his Cloud-Walking Shoes, adjusted his Purple Gold Crown, and rushed out of the camp gate. He looked intently and saw that Erlang Shen indeed had an extraordinary appearance and was elegantly dressed.

The Great Sage saw him and, with a smile, raised his Golden Cudgel and shouted, "Who are you, daring to challenge me here?" Erlang Shen shouted back, "You ignorant monkey! Don't you recognize me? I am Erlang Shen, the True Lord, the nephew of the Jade Emperor, appointed as the Manifesting King. I have been ordered to capture you, the rebellious Bimawen monkey. You don't know what's coming!" The Great Sage replied, "I remember that years ago, the Jade Emperor's sister descended to the mortal world, married Yang Jun, and gave birth to a son who once split Peach Mountain with an axe. Is that you? I feel like scolding you, but we have no deep enmity; if I strike you with my staff, it would be a pity for your life. You young lord, you'd better hurry back and send out the Four Heavenly Kings instead." Hearing this, Erlang Shen was furious and said, "You impudent monkey! Take this blow from my blade!" The Great Sage dodged swiftly and countered with his Golden Cudgel. The two of them fought fiercely:

Erlang Shen, the Manifesting King, and Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, faced off. One, confident in his strength, underestimated the Monkey King; the other, with a commanding presence, sought to subdue his rival. As they met, each tested the other's prowess. Never before had they known each other's depth and weight; today, they learned the true measure of their skills. The iron rod danced like a flying dragon, the divine blade moved like a dancing phoenix. They blocked and attacked, met and countered. On one side, the six brothers from Meishan cheered for Erlang Shen; on the other, the four marshals, Ma and Liu, relayed orders. Flags waved and drums pounded, all hearts united in the battle. Shouts and gongs added to the excitement. Their steel weapons clashed with precision, each move seamless. The Golden Cudgel, a treasure of the sea, transformed and soared, capable of victory. If one slowed, fate might be sealed; any mistake could lead to disaster.

Erlang Shen and the Great Sage fought for over three hundred rounds without a clear winner. Erlang Shen, summoning his divine power, transformed himself, growing to a height of ten thousand feet, wielding a three-pointed, double-edged divine blade. He looked like the peak of Mount Hua, with a blue face, tusks, and red hair, fiercely attacking the Great Sage. The Great Sage also used his magic to transform, matching Erlang Shen in size and appearance, wielding his Golden Cudgel like a pillar supporting the sky on Mount Kunlun. The sight terrified the marshals Ma and Liu, who trembled and could not wave their flags; the generals Beng and Ba were so frightened they could not wield their swords.

In the midst of the battle, Kang, Zhang, Yao, Li, Guo Shen, and Zhi Jian relayed orders, releasing the grass-headed gods to the Water Curtain Cave, unleashing hawks and hounds, drawing bows and arrows, launching a full assault. The four valiant monkey generals were scattered, and two to three thousand spirit creatures were captured. The monkeys threw down their weapons and fled, some running, some shouting, some climbing the mountain, and some returning to the cave. They scattered like startled birds at night, filling the sky like stars. The brothers achieved victory.

Meanwhile, Erlang Shen and the Great Sage, in their immense forms, continued their duel. Suddenly, the Great Sage saw his monkey army scattering in panic, felt a surge of anxiety, and reverted to his original form, withdrawing his staff and fleeing. Erlang Shen, seeing him retreat, chased after him, shouting, "Where are you running? Surrender now, and I'll spare your life!" The Great Sage, uninterested in further battle, ran towards the cave entrance. There, he encountered the four commanders Kang, Zhang, Yao, and Li, along with generals Guo Shen and Zhi Jian, who led their troops to block his path. They shouted, "Impudent monkey! Where are you going?" The Great Sage, flustered, shrank his Golden Cudgel into a needle, hid it in his ear, and transformed into a sparrow, perching on a tree branch. The six brothers, searching frantically, could not find him and shouted, "The monkey demon has escaped! The monkey demon has escaped!"

Other Stories

• The Journey Begins
• The First Encounter
• The Second Encounter
• The Third Encounter
• The Final Battle
• Sun Wukong Outsmarts the Red Boy
• Black Myth Series: Wukong Fights with God Erlang (part 1)
• Black Myth Series: Wukong Fights with God Erlang (part 3)
• Black Myth Series: Wukong Fights with God Erlang (part 4)
• Black Myth Game Related Filming Locations