Chapter 10: The White Dragon Horse, Hooves Toward the West

As Hu Rong and Tang Sanzang ventured deeper westward, the climate grew ever more frigid. After several more days’ journey, they had reached the biting cold of the twelfth lunar month. The north wind howled, the ground was slick with ice, and the path wound through sheer cliffs and rugged mountains, treacherous and steep.

Riding atop his horse, Tang Sanzang heard the distant rush of water and turned to call out, “Wukong, where does that sound of water come from?”

Hu Rong leapt onto a nearby tree, surveying the land ahead. He sensed the imposing mountains and perilous waters, faintly tinged with a demonic aura. With a chuckle, he replied, “I recall this place is called Serpent Coil Mountain, Hawk’s Sorrow Ravine. That must be the water in the ravine below.”

Just as he finished speaking, the white horse carrying Tang Sanzang drew near the ravine. Tang Sanzang reined in his mount and looked around. He saw a slender, icy stream threading its way through the clouds, its clear waves reflecting the red of the setting sun. The sound of the water reverberated through the valley like rain in the night; its colors dazzled beneath the morning glow. Thousand-foot waves crashed like shattered jade, the roar of water echoed with the whistling wind. The current swept away into a vast misty expanse, where gulls and egrets lost themselves in the haze, never again to encounter a fisherman’s line.

Hu Rong, knowing this was the very ravine where the little white dragon resided, made no move to stop Tang Sanzang from approaching. Instead, he quietly stepped aside—just enough to let the little white dragon devour Tang Sanzang if it wished.

Yes, if the little white dragon ate Tang Sanzang, wouldn’t that give him a legitimate reason to leave the pilgrimage and return to Flower-Fruit Mountain for a carefree life?

But... wouldn’t that doom the little white dragon? After all, he had promised the Dragon King Ao Run of the Western Sea to look after the little dragon. Hu Rong fell into a quandary.

As he hesitated, a sudden commotion erupted from the depths of the ravine. A white dragon burst forth, churning the water and raising waves, surging from the cliffs with jaws wide, lunging straight at Tang Sanzang.

Startled, Tang Sanzang tumbled from his horse, crying out, “Wukong! Wukong!” Hu Rong’s heart softened. In a flash, he drew his golden staff, instantly lengthening it to jab at the dragon. There was a resounding clang as the golden staff struck the little white dragon on the head, forcing it back.

Howling in pain, the dragon realized it faced a formidable opponent. Instead of attacking further, it bared its fangs, swept aside the staff, and gulped down the white horse with saddle and bridle in a single bite. Then it dove into the ravine and vanished without a trace.

Hu Rong retracted his staff and helped Tang Sanzang to a high knoll to sit. He then leapt onto a towering rock, opening his fiery eyes to peer into the depths of the ravine. There, at the bottomless depths, lay the white dragon.

“What a fine little white dragon,” Hu Rong murmured in admiration. He was about to call out to it, but then remembered that, as Sun Wukong, he shouldn’t know in advance that the little dragon awaited the scripture-seeker.

Thinking it over, Hu Rong returned to Tang Sanzang and recounted how the dragon in the water had devoured his horse. Knowing that Avalokitesvara’s guardians were already nearby, he deliberately raised his voice and declared:

“Master, your disciple would gladly dive into the water to subdue the evil dragon, but I fear for your safety without anyone at your side. If anything happened to you, I would be disgraced before all the world!”

Tang Sanzang, too, saw the difficulty of the situation. For the first time in his life, he felt the helplessness of not having enough hands. He considered trekking on foot to the Western Heaven, but reality taught him the cruelty of the road—without a mount, his own two feet would never carry him the entire way.

But with the white horse devoured by the dragon and his disciple unable to seek vengeance for fear of leaving him unprotected, all Tang Sanzang could do was stare helplessly at Hawk’s Sorrow Ravine, while Hu Rong sighed mournfully beside him, putting on a show of frustration.

Just as Tang Sanzang heaved a long sigh, a voice spoke out of the empty air: “We are the Six Ding Generals and Six Jia Generals, the Five Directional Revealing Deities, the Four Duty Officials, and the Eighteen Guardian Kalanas, each taking our turn to stand watch.”

Hu Rong was delighted within, but kept his composure and asked, “Then, who is on duty today?”

The deities replied, “The Ding and Jia Generals, Duty Officials, and Kalanas take their turns. Of the Five Directional Deities, only the Golden-Headed Deity remains ever at your side, day and night.”

Hu Rong nodded, “Very well. Those not on duty may withdraw. Let the Six Ding Generals, the Duty Official, and the Revealing Deities remain to guard my master while I seek out the wicked dragon and demand the return of my horse.”

The gods obeyed. Tang Sanzang, witnessing his disciple’s measured actions, was full of praise. Hu Rong returned to Hawk’s Sorrow Ravine but did not strike. Instead, he recited an incantation and stomped three times, summoning the local Mountain God and Earth Deity.

The local spirits appeared at his call, kneeling before him: “Great Sage, we, the Mountain God and Earth Deity, greet you.”

Hu Rong bade them rise and asked, “No need for ceremony. I am now the disciple of the scripture-seeker from the Great Tang of the East. We are passing through Hawk’s Sorrow Ravine, where a white dragon has eaten my master’s horse. Tell me, what is the origin of this dragon?”

The two gods understood at once and explained, “Great Sage, this ravine has always been free of evil. It is deep and clear, so much so that crows and magpies dare not fly across, for they see their reflections in the water and mistake them for kin, often plunging in to their doom—thus the name Hawk’s Sorrow Ravine.

“Years ago, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, while searching for the scripture-seeker, saved a jade dragon and placed him here, instructing him to await the seeker and forbidding him from doing evil.

“So, he only comes ashore to catch birds or deer when hungry. We know not why he was so reckless today as to offend you, Great Sage.”

Having heard this, Hu Rong realized that Avalokitesvara’s involvement had been revealed. Dispensing with pretense, he brought the Mountain God and Earth Deity to Tang Sanzang and explained the little white dragon’s situation, stating that only Avalokitesvara herself could resolve the matter.

Tang Sanzang asked uncertainly, “If we must seek out the Bodhisattva, how long will that take?”

“Master, with a single somersault I can travel one hundred and eight thousand miles. To reach the Southern Sea is but the blink of an eye!”

Hu Rong reassured Tang Sanzang, when suddenly the Golden-Headed Deity called out from the void, “Great Sage, you need not go. I shall fetch the Bodhisattva at once.”

With that, the Revealing Deity leapt upon a cloud and sped straight to the Southern Sea. The traveler instructed the Mountain God and Earth Deity to guard his master, sent the Duty Official to seek offerings, and himself circled the edge of the ravine.

Before long, Hu Rong sensed Avalokitesvara’s arrival in the sky. He drew his golden staff and plunged one end into the water, stirring vigorously as he shouted, “Third Prince of the Western Sea Dragon King! The scripture-seeker is here—come out and receive your guest!”

The little white dragon grew agitated from the disturbance, ready to fight, but then heard the words “scripture-seeker” and hesitated. He surged from the water, glimpsed Avalokitesvara from afar, and hastily transformed into human form, riding a cloud up to greet her with a bow: “Thanks to your mercy, Bodhisattva, I have long awaited here. But where is the scripture-seeker now?”

Avalokitesvara, seeing Hu Rong invoke the scripture-seeker’s name, gave it no further thought. She pointed to Tang Sanzang on the distant cliff, saying, “There he is. Go and greet him.”

Only then did the little white dragon realize he had eaten the scripture-seeker’s horse. Seeing Hu Rong’s imposing presence, he confessed his misdeed to Avalokitesvara.

“Well, well. Since you have eaten the scripture-seeker’s horse, you must now become his steed and carry him to the Western Heaven!”

With that, Avalokitesvara stepped forward, plucked the pearl from the dragon’s neck, dipped a willow branch in sweet dew, sprinkled it over him, breathed immortal energy, and commanded, “Transform!”

At once, the dragon became a white horse, more spirited and resplendent than the ordinary steed. Avalokitesvara instructed him, “Serve diligently to atone for your past. When your task is done, you shall transcend the common dragons and attain a golden, immortal body.”

The little dragon, holding the bit in his mouth, accepted her words and descended on a cloud to the ground. Hu Rong took the white dragon horse’s mane and led him to Tang Sanzang, explaining that the new steed was the very dragon who had once eaten his horse. Overjoyed, Tang Sanzang hurried to thank Avalokitesvara.

Seated in the distance upon her lotus throne, Avalokitesvara observed that Hu Rong bore no sign of a tightening fillet, displeased with Tang Sanzang’s hesitation. Yet, before the assembled company, she refrained from mentioning it, instead calling Hu Rong forward to probe his true intentions.