After regaining consciousness, High Patriarch Gao gathered the strong men of Gao Village and set out in search of the Pig Demon's whereabouts. They eventually found Lady Gao in the Cloudpath Cave on Fuling Mountain. However, she was in a disheveled state, her face flushed, leaving no room for doubt as to what had transpired.
High Patriarch Gao felt an intense wave of humiliation. Lady Gao was a recent addition to his household, his young concubine, whom he had not yet even had the chance to enjoy. Now, she had fallen into the clutches of the Pig Demon (Pigsy)! If word got out, he would lose all face.
The worst part was that what was originally supposed to be a marriage arrangement had instead turned into a public scandal. High Patriarch Gao's anger surged, and he decided to drag Lady Gao back, intending to drown her in a pig cage to restore his dignity.
Luckily, the Pig Demon wasn't in the cave when they arrived, or else High Patriarch Gao might not have made it out alive. But their brief respite didn't last long.
Just as High Patriarch Gao managed to return to Gao Village with Lady Gao, the Pig Demon showed up at their doorstep, though he only injured some men and didn't kill anyone. The Pig Demon's goal was clear: he wanted to be with Lady Gao. Despite the scandal, High Patriarch Gao had treated the Pig Demon, who was disguised as a human, with respect, even offering his daughter's hand in marriage. Yet, during the wedding ceremony, Pigsy couldn't take his eyes off Lady Gao. Her pained yet affectionate gaze stirred him, prompting his outrageous behavior.
Since then, the Pig Demon had intermittently tried to spirit Lady Gao away. She, too ashamed to show her face, had secluded herself in an attic at Gao Village. Fearing for her safety, the Pig Demon had cast a spell over the attic, preventing anyone from approaching her.
Now, High Patriarch Gao was torn between his desire to preserve his dignity and his growing fear of angering the Pig Demon, which could endanger his entire village. Resigned, he had nearly decided to let the two of them be.
At a loss for what to do, High Patriarch Gao was desperate when Tripitaka and his disciples arrived.
Tripitaka took in the situation with a speechless expression, inwardly questioning the Buddhist faction's motives. Did they really need to drag me all the way here for this?
"Elder Gao, what is it that you wish us to do?" Tripitaka asked, clearly perplexed.
"Venerable Monk, please break the Pig Demon's spell on the attic. Then, my daughter can deliver this letter of divorce to Lady Gao, severing our family's connection to her," High Patriarch Gao requested.
Tripitaka turned to the Monkey King for assistance. "Wukong?"
"Don't worry, Master. This small task is nothing for me," Monkey King replied confidently, giving a brief nod before casting a sly glance at Lady Gao's daughter, who was casting curious glances his way.
Monkey King had his reasons for arranging things as he had. Lady Gao might not be a great beauty, but she was young, barely in her twenties. Her potential fate as a young widow was unfair, and he felt that the Pig Demon's companionship was, in a way, a fair match.
"Bodhisattva be praised!" Tripitaka replied, satisfied. "Now, Elder Gao, what do you intend to do with the Pig Demon once subdued?"
"If it's possible, Venerable Monk, I request that you spare his life," High Patriarch Gao replied, somewhat unexpectedly.
"Oh? Elder Gao, might I ask why you'd make such a request?"
"Well, although that Pig Demon has humiliated me, he has held back from causing serious harm. He's struck out at others, but he hasn't taken any lives," Gao explained. "And in all the years he's been in these mountains, he's never terrorized nearby villages. He seems capable of distinguishing right from wrong, so I hope he need not be harmed unnecessarily."
Tripitaka fell silent, then looked to Monkey King, the real expert in handling demons.
"Master, you're actually more than capable of subduing this demon yourself!" Monkey King whispered in Tripitaka's ear.
"Truly?" Tripitaka's eyes sparkled. He was more than ready to take center stage for a bit.
"Indeed!" Monkey King nodded. "Once the Pig Demon returns, all you need to do is stand outside the attic and shout in a commanding voice. The Pig Demon will flee on the spot, and soon after, he'll come back here, seeking your forgiveness."
"Really?" Tripitaka glanced doubtfully at Monkey King, thinking that while scaring the Pig Demon off with a single shout seemed plausible, bringing him back to apologize sounded far-fetched.
"Absolutely!" Monkey King assured him. "Just follow my instructions, Master, and it's guaranteed to work!"
With a glint in his eye, Tripitaka thought to himself: Everyone, step aside. This monk is about to put on a show!
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