#Also - this is the most 'ayy lmao' version of Erlang Shen I have ever encountered

[earl-of-221b]

驱魔录 Qū mó lù 3

(Part 3 translations of the comic. Final 2016 chapters.) Chapters 20-28

True and False Monkey King

—

Chapter 20

(The Buddha, surrounded by his many disciples.)

Disciple, upper right bubble: “Lord Buddha, I’ve heard that that demon monkey went to cause trouble in the Heavenly Kingdom again.”

“The seal you put over him, is it really…..”

Buddha: “That is not possible. Judging by that demon monkey’s ways, he doesn’t have the power to have broken the seal I placed upon him. But…”

(Buddhists sitting on lotus seats, hovering.)

Buddha: “My follower’s previous incarnation, ‘Jingchanzi’s’ memories are still sealed away. In addition to that demon’s uncanny creation by the sky and the earth.”

Buddha, looming over Jiang Liu’er: “It is true that the seal is becoming weaker and weaker. When the time comes, I fear that it will be very hard to control him again…”

(The Buddha reaches out a giant, gilded hand.)

Disciple: “Lord Buddha, then should we not…right now…?”

Buddha: “No. Unless it gets to the dire point where there are no more options, we cannot act so crudely.”

Buddha: “This present demon is similar to that demon monkey, in that they share the same roots…”

(A demon, haunched over and brutishly shackled down with rods in his back.)

Buddha: “If the day comes that that control cannot be implemented, the consequences will be catastrophic.”

(Rods stuck into the back of the demon, sparking.)

Buddha: “To keep that demon under control…the buddhist seal must not waver…”

(Another monkey demon bares his teeth, with six visible ears.)

Six Eared Macaque: “I…”

“I…am…Six-Ears.”

“Not…am not…”

“Sun…”

“Wu…”

“Kong…”

(Either Six-Eared Macaque is freed from his bonds, or he imagines staring at the back of — or standing in the shadow of — the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.)

Author notes: Looks like I dug myself into this hole. (At the start I said I was only doing quick one-shots of daily life.)

Translator notes: This is a spin on the existing 真假猴王 ‘True and False Monkey King’ story. In the original, Sun Wukong goes away and is replaced by a hostile and aggressive version of him who hurts Tang Monk. The fake has the exact same power-set and strength as real Wukong. When two Wukong’s show up, the crew has to figure out who is the real one and get rid of the fake, Six-ears. In the end the Buddha helps reveal the fake and Wukong kills him with his staff.

‘Jingchanzi’ is the name of Jiang Liu’er/ Tang Monk’s previous reincarnation, who was Buddha’s important second disciple. There are different interpretations of why the Buddha sent Jingchanzi back to the mortal world to get the scriptures, especially since the journey west is kind of a giant redemption arc for the demon disciples. The most popular one goes like this: during one of Buddha’s sermons, Jingchanzi fell asleep like a rebel. Thus, Buddha sent Jingchanzi back down to earth so he could appreciate his teachings better. The end.

‘Jiang Liu’er’ was the childhood name of Tang Monk/ Xuanzang/ Tang Sanzang/ Tang Seng (wow he has a lot of names I didn’t even realise…). It means ‘child who flowed down the river,’ referring to how he was found by the monks as a baby.

—

Chapter 21

(Wukong, perched on a ledge, his eyes glowing.)

(Jiang Liu’er reaches out his hand doing something uneasy.)

(He’s picking lots - a little game to make decisions. Whoever picks the straw with the mark on it is ‘it.’)

Jiang Liu’er: “Hoo…it’s not me.”

“Who’s turn is it to get food this time la….”

(The straw with the red mark says “food.”)

White Dragon, Xiao Bai, to Sa Yatou: “Told you not to play with them already…”

Zhu Bajie: “Sa Yatou, looks like you’re it.”

Sha Yatou: “It’s ok, I wanna go.”

Sha Wujing, crouched to see Sa Yatou, right bubble: “You have to be very careful going by yourself, alright, safety first…Remember when you cross the road you need to…”

Sa Yatou: “Uhuh. I know already.”

Zhu Bajie, right bubble: “Do your best and get heaps of meat back here. *Cough.* …Because you’re still in the growing phase….”

Sa Yatou, snickering: “Ok, Pig Uncle.”

Xiao Bai: “If anybody dares pick on you then you tell Xiao Bai immediately, you hear that? We’ll…”

Sa Yatou: “Uhuh, yeah.”

Sa Yatou: “Big Brother Monk, you want anything in particular?”

Jiang Liu’er, glancing back: “Nothing really……it’s just that…”

“Never mind. I’ll come with you, we’ll go together.”

Sa Yatou, left bubble: “But…this time I got picked…”

(The straw lot disappears out of Sa Yatou’s hand.)

Sun Wukong: “Getting some food isn’t complicated enough for you guys to chit-chat and push-pull over. With that amount of energy, I’d already be there and back.”

(Sun Wukong takes off, leaving wisps of cloud in his wake.)

Sa Yatou: “The Great Sage….is he angry…?”

Jiang Liu’er, bottom bubble in black background: “No. He’s currently happy in that heart of his.”

—

Chapter 22

(Flight trails streaked through the air.)

(Someone descends and lands.)

(The golden band sparks.)

Either Bajie or Wujing: “Head Brother, back so fast?”

Sun Wukong, suspicious: “…”

Zhu Bajie: “This time it’s not all peaches again is it?”

Jiang Liu’er, silhouette: “Hahah, who told you guys to leave it to him and not go yourselves. As long as we have something to eat, there’s nothing to complain.”

“Right, Great Sage?”

Sun Wukong: “Jingchangzi…”

Voice, middle bubble: “You….you’re not the Great Sage…”

“!”

(It’s Sa Yatou. She hides behind Jiang Liu’er.)

Jiang Liu’er, faded into the background as Sun Wukong grips his weapon: “What’s wrong? Sa Yatou? If he’s not the Great Sage who else would he be?”

Sa Yatou, beside him: “It’s just — not him.”

—

Chapter 23

(Sun Wukong raises his weapon, striking.)

(The rest of the pilgrims are startled.)

(The strike narrowly misses Jiang Liu’er.)

Zhu Bajie, bottom left bubble: “Dammit! Bimawen, Stable-boy — you’re crazy!”

Sha Wujing, right bubble: “Head…Head Brother.”

(It’s quite clear that this is the six eared macaque, not Sun Wukong.)

Six-ears: “Oh?”

(White dragon horse, Xiao Bai.)

Xiao Bai: “You — where did a imposter demon like you crawl out from? You dare masquerade as the Great Sage?”

Six-ears: “Heh, heh. Imposter?”

“Even if I’m an imposter, what can the likes of you do?”

(Bajie attacks.)

Zhu Bajie: “Old Sha…”

Sha Wujing: “Hm.”

(Jiang Liu’er and Sa yatou shield themselves from the impact.)

Zhu Bajie: “That damned monkey turns out to be an imposter?”

(The golden band seems to be sparking amidst the dust.)

(He attacks.)

Six-ears, right: “Little girl. How did you recognise me?”

Sa Yatou: “People you’re close with…the feelings you get around family.”

“You won’t understand.”

Six-ears, raising his weapon: “Maybe I really can’t understand it.”

“But…”

“You’re wrong.”

“I am him.”

(Translator note: It seems that Six-ears wears the golden band, but real Sun Wukong does not.)

(In canon, the golden band controls Sun Wukong’s behaviour by causing excruciating pain when one recites the ‘band-tightening’ mantra.)

—

Chapter 24

(The Jingou Bang, poised before Sa Yatou.)

Six-ears: “Little girl. You’re not afraid?”

Sa Yatou: “No. I trust the Great Sage. He’ll come to save us…”

Six-ears, bottom right bubble: “Heheh. Your precious Great Sage isn’t coming back. From now on I am…”

“Sun…”

“Wu…”

“Kong…”

“He can’t even save himself right now…..”

“Close your eyes. I won’t let it hurt.”

(Sa Yatou closes her eyes.)

(A huge blast of power, of gods descending, turns Six-ear’s attention.)

The god: “I’ve always hated owing people favours…”

“Since you’re not that monkey, looks like I can use this chance to return it.”

Six-ears: “Nezha. I’d advise you not to butt-in on my business. Not that you’re able…”

Nezha: “This business — is mine to butt-in.”

Six-ears: “You really think I don’t have the guts to take you?”

“Five hundred years ago you couldn’t win me, today, you can’t win all the same.”

(Image of the crew behind Nezha.) 

Six-ears: “Even if all of you come at me at once.”

“Take my word for it. As if the few of you have a chance…”

A Voice: “Shouldn’t make your word so final, don’t you think?”

“I’d advise that you hand the monkey back over to us…”

(The Howling Sky Dog, Xiao Tian Quan.)

“I couldn’t care less about other people’s business. But he has to at least give me back my post money.”

(Upon the god’s forehead is his closed third eye, the truth-seeing “Sky-Eye.”)

(Erlang Shen has landed in the mortal world.)

Translator notes: Erlang Shen was the god that did win Sun Wukong in an uneven match and apprehended him back to Heaven. (Uneven because Sun Wukong was fighting Erlang Shen one-on-one when his powerful dog and Laozi got the jump on him.)

Erlang Shen is referring back to Chapter 14 last chapter of first translation at the end of the White Bone Demon arc. Sun Wukong posts him bones labelled as ‘dog food’ but I guess he didn’t pay beforehand so Erlang Shen had to pay on his end. He’s here for his money back!

—

Chapter 25

(Heaven’s True General, Erlang Shen and the Marshal of the Central Altar, Li Nezha.)

Six-ears: “This…can’t be possible.”

“You two can’t possibly be this powerful……..”

(Erlang Shen looks at Six-ears through his truth-seeing eye.)

Erlang Shen: “It’s not us that has become more powerful, but you who’s become weaker……It seems I can’t discern what is off but…”

“You are not Sun Wukong. Or shall I say, you are not ‘that’ time’s Great Sage Equal to Heaven.”

(‘Great Sage Equal to Heaven is in red. Referring to the Havoc in Heaven.)

Nezha: “Elder Brother, what does that mean? Even the Sky-Eye can’t see through it?”

Erlang Shen: “Hm. Can’t see it. But — I can confirm he’s a fake.”

Six-ears: “IMPOSSIBLE! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE…”

(Six-eared Macaque flies away, the crew and gods brace in his wake.)

Zhu Bajie: “Ran…he ran away…”

Erlang Shen, pinky in his ear: “I…can’t catch up. If you want to chase, you chase.”

“Tch…”

Zhu Bajie: “Heh! Erlang! Why’d you let that demon get away?!”

Jiang Liu’er, silhouetted behind Bajie: “Wuneng, curb your rudeness.”

“Esteemed god, if you are able, I ask that you please help the Great Sage.”

Nezha: “Elder Brother. Think of some ideas. Because that monkey….”

Erlang Shen: “Even if I want to help him I’m all out of ideas. Don’t even know when that shitty monkey dropped off the face of the earth.”

Sa Yatou, leftmost bubble: “Just then — the Great Sage went to find food. He was gone for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.” (About an hour.)

“When he got back it was the fake one.”

Erlang Shen, right: “Oh? Like that…”

(Erlang Shen commands Xiao Tian Quan to follow the trail.)

“Then that’s something to go on.”

“You can’t have eaten all those dog treats for nothing, right, Xiao Tian?”

(Translator notes: Nezha refers to Erlang Shen as ‘cousin’ in the comic but they’re not...cousins. And they’re not related. So I opted to put ‘elder brother’ to show seniority etc.)

—

Chapter 26

(On the cliff of a mountain, Xiao Tian takes Erlang Shen and Jiang Liu’er to the find the real Great Sage.)

Erlang Shen: “Xiao Tian. The monkey’s here, is he?”

Xiao Tian: *Barks.*

Jiang Liu’er, probably: “This…this is a buddhist seal.”

(Probably Jiang Liu’er reading the mountainside seal.)

“Six words true from the heart…”

“To undo the buddhist seal.”

Erlang Shen: “Little Master. Looks like we really can’t do anything else. We’ve got our hands tied for this matter.”

Nezha: “What’s so high and mighty about it? Let’s break our way in and then talk…”

“Someone able to take down the monkey within the time of an incense stick burning to its end — I really do want see them.”

Jiang Liu’er: “Third Prince, please refrain.”

Jiang Liu’er, hands held together in prayer form: “For you two to escort this humble monk here, I am already grateful to no end. Since this business is from my own sect, and since your identities in Heaven are…”

“I simply cannot trouble you for this affair. Please forgive this humble monk’s discrepancies. I’ll go in alone…”

Nezha, right bubble: “Monk, but we…”

White Dragon, Xiao Bai: “Monk, you’re insane! You’re not doing anything but looking for death going in alone! We’ll go in with you….”

Jiang Liu’er’s silhouette: “I said…”

“Alone.”

Xiao Bai: “……..”

Zhu Bajie, right: “The little Monk’s a little different today.”

Sha Wujing, left: “A little…scary.”

The seals in red: ‘Oṃ’

‘Maṇi’

‘Padme’

‘Hūṃ’

(Image of a chained monkey’s hand.)

Sun Wukong: “Heheh. Buddha, you imprisoned this Old Sun for five hundred years…why this again?”

Buddha, black bubbles: “Sun Wukong, your demonic nature has yet to be cured. How are you to protect the pilgrim who goes to collect the sutras?

Sun Wukong, white bubble, left: “I don’t protect him because he happens to be the pilgrim.”

Buddha: “These affairs are no longer any of your concern. The Buddha has decided…”

(The real Sun Wukong, strung up upon a giant buddhist seal.)

Jiang Liu’er: “Da Seng!”

(‘Great Sage.’)

Sun Wukong: “Jiang…You, why are you….”

Jiang Liu’er: “Don’t you worry, I’m going up there to get you down right now.”

Sun Wukong: “Monk, just go. This time the seal isn’t so easy…”

Buddha: “Jingchanzi…”

“You have a great responsibility upon your hands. Do not be brash. The Buddha has already commanded the other half of this demon to aid you upon your travels…”

“Those who become one with the greater good enlightens oneself, but they cannot adhere to the rhythm and whims of the small, this is how the Mahayana doctrine comes to be…”

(i.e One must detach themselves from personal loyalty and individuals in order to serve a greater purpose.)

Jiang Liu’er: “I do not understand. What do you mean by his ‘other half…?’”

Buddha, left: “The day I subdued the demon beneath Five Elements Mountain, I split his spirit from one into two. The first half remains the demon you see before you. The second is ‘Six-ears.’

“And now the opportunity has come to command his use. He will help you finish your buddhist journey….”

“Even if you cannot fathom this, based upon the power you have, if you try to release the seal your own spirit will…”

Buddha, in red: “Smother like smoke and disappear.”

Six-ears, right bubble: “Smother and disappear? Sounds so scary.”

“The thing I want to know — If I originally was half of him, then how am I supposed to smother and disappear?”

Jiang Liu’er: “You….”

Six-ears, eyes glowing red behind Jiang Liu’er: “Step out of the way, little monk. Saving him is not up to you.”

(Six-ears, hearing the truth, leaps to save his original self.)

(The seal shatters.)

Sun Wukong: “…Spirit fragment…”

(Jiang Liu’er is now in possession of the part-spirit of Sun Wukong.)

Buddha, left black bubble: “Jingchanzi. His split spirit must not be returned into the hands of the original body…”

“It cannot be allowed for the Demonic King to return to the height of the power, to the days of…”

“The Great Sage Equal to Heaven.”

Jiang Liu’er, left: “Lord Buddha. Your enlightened ways and exalted words are wasted upon me. I cannot yet understand your greatness….”

“The greater good is of course of the highest importance. But doing smaller acts of good cannot be neglected. Human nature is spilt into potential for good and evil. I would rather live this life of good and evil.” (I think.)

(Image of Jiang Liu’er close up, under the straw hat.)

Jiang Liu’er, right bubble: “And one more point. Lord Buddha, my name is Jiang Liu’er. I’m a humble, simple monk…..”

“—Not your pilgrim, Jingchanzi.”

Sun Wukong: “Jiang Liu’er…”

(Jiang Liu’er returns Sun Wukong’s other half back to him.)

(Sun Wukong regains the body and soul of his heyday.)

—

Chapter 27

(Outside the mountain, the crew is startled by a shockwave.)

Zhu Bajie: “This is…”

Nezha: “So much demonic aura…!”

(Sun Wukong reclaims his Ruyi Jingou Bang staff, now exactly as he was when he took heaven five hundred years ago.)

Buddha: “Jingchanzi. Do you understand — the demon monkey has regained his vitality from the days where a sky filled with heavenly gods, and buddhist celestials, stood as his opponent?”

“Should he rise up and take the Heavenly Kingdom again, should he shake the Palace of the Underworld, can you shoulder this degree of sin?”

Buddha, lower black bubble:  “Make haste, crown him with the golden band, curtail calamity.”

(Sun Wukong lashes out, swiping the Jingou Bang staff above Jiang Liu’er.)

(The gargantuan image of Buddha is wiped away.)

Buddha: “The golden band is the only thing left in this world that can control his demonic nature….”

(Sun Wukong faces Jiang Liu’er.)

(Suddenly, Sun Wukong falls to his knees.)

Sun Wukong, bowing over the headband: “Should I become a buddhist, the world will see no monsters; should I become a monster, what now can buddhists do to me?”

“To be monster or to be buddha; it is your will by reciting the words.”

Jiang Liu’er: “Da…Seng…”

Sun Wukong, top bubble: “Okay la, okay la. Let’s go, stop crying your nose off…”

Jiang Liu’er: “Who said I was crying — I am not.”

Sun Wukong: “Look at you. Your snot is all getting onto my Jingou Bang staff…”

End.

Author notes: The art style and background looks I’ve now definitely got down. But I can’t promise that it won’t change.

Translator notes: The seals in chapter 27 show the band-tightening mantra ‘Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ.’ Sun Wukong trusts Jiang Liu’er so much he accepts the golden band and hands him the key to keep him in check.

Big thanks to @dorkshadows​ for translating the part about the Mahayana doctrine.  :D

—

Final Chapter, Chapter 28

(No dialogue until end.)

(A small village under a blood red moon.)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Erlang Shen: “Still want to play, Xiao Tian Quan?”

Xiao Tian Quan: “Uhuh <3”

End.

Author Notes: Now I can sigh out loud at the end. I can’t believe I stuck with it and drew so much. Of course my motivation comes from all of you readers and your support. It’s still that same line from me — as long as you like it, I’ll keep on drawing~~~

Translator notes: Xiao Tian is Erlang Shen’s loyal, deified dog. Thank you for reading and please support DENGANG on weibo. I’ll continue translating the 2017 chapters after a short break. Also, disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the author and this is not my work. I only do the english fan translations. 

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