Journey to the West 029: The Flaming Mountain and the Iron Fan Princess

The Return to Flaming Mountain

As Tripitaka and his disciples continued their journey, they once again encountered the Flaming Mountain, a place they had crossed earlier in their journey. The intense heat and flames made it nearly impossible to pass, and they knew they would need help to overcome this obstacle once more.

Wukong remembered that the Iron Fan Princess (Tie Shan Gongzhu) possessed the Banana Leaf Fan, a magical artifact that could extinguish the flames of Flaming Mountain. However, their previous encounter with her had not ended well, and Wukong knew that obtaining the fan would not be easy.

Wukong’s Plan to Obtain the Fan

Determined to get the fan, Wukong decided to approach the Iron Fan Princess again. He knew that she still held a grudge against him for what had happened with her son, the Red Boy. Wukong decided to use his shape-shifting abilities to trick her into giving him the fan.

Wukong transformed himself into a likeness of the Bull Demon King, the Iron Fan Princess’s husband, and approached her with kind words and feigned concern. Believing that she was speaking to her husband, the Iron Fan Princess reluctantly handed over the Banana Leaf Fan.

However, as soon as Wukong got the fan, he revealed his true form and quickly fled. The Iron Fan Princess, realizing she had been tricked again, was furious and vowed revenge.

The Battle with the Bull Demon King

As Wukong returned to Flaming Mountain with the fan, the real Bull Demon King appeared, having learned of Wukong’s deception. Enraged by Wukong’s actions, the Bull Demon King challenged him to a battle.

The fight between Wukong and the Bull Demon King was intense and destructive. Both were powerful warriors with incredible strength and magical abilities. The Bull Demon King used his iron cudgel and shape-shifting powers to try and overpower Wukong, while Wukong fought back with his Ruyi Jingu Bang and quick reflexes.

Despite the Bull Demon King’s strength, Wukong’s agility and cunning gave him the upper hand. The battle ended with Wukong defeating the Bull Demon King, who was forced to retreat.

Extinguishing the Flames

With the Bull Demon King defeated and the Banana Leaf Fan in his possession, Wukong returned to his companions at Flaming Mountain. He used the fan to create powerful winds that extinguished the flames, allowing the group to pass through safely.

The successful crossing of Flaming Mountain marked another significant achievement in their journey, and the group continued westward with renewed determination.

Continuing the Journey

After overcoming the challenges of Flaming Mountain, the group pressed on, knowing that their journey was far from over. The experience had tested Wukong’s cunning and strength, but it also reinforced the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity.

This chapter highlights themes of perseverance, the clever use of strategy, and the power of determination—values that are central to Journey to the West and are reflected in modern adaptations like Black Myth: Wukong, where characters must rely on their wits and resilience to succeed.