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Once upon a time, there was an old lioness living on the outskirts of the eastern province. Too old to take care of herself, the lioness lived with her only son, who looked after her. Preferring to be on their own, they rarely ever saw anyone else in the pride. One day, when the son was out hunting for his mother, a monster came by and killed the male.

Stricken with grief, the lioness made her first appearance in the Eastern House in many years, calling for action to be taken. But few remembered who she was. Some called the lioness crazy, and asked for her to be sent away. Many believed that she herself had killed her son in a fit of madness, and now blamed the murder on a mythical creature to escape punishment. The magistrates could do little, since the lioness was not actually hurting anyone. Every day she cried out to anyone she saw, begging that the law bring the strange creature to justice. After many days of her lamenting, the magistrate, fed up with this lioness, offered her a solution. He explained that if the lioness could not provide proof of the monster, then she herself would be imprisoned for the death of her son. If the lioness could bring the monster to them, then they would hold a trial.

However, this only caused the lioness more grief. For how could she, one who was too old and frail, be able to capture this murderer and bring him in for trial? She pleaded for someone to be assigned to go after the murdered, but she was refused.

It was then that a young student, watching the spectacle in the crowd, spoke up. He could no longer watch the pain of the old female. He offered to go after the murderer himself, in place of the lioness. The magistrate conceded on the condition that the lioness would be detained in case she tried to run. With the blessings and thanks of the female, the student set out in search of the creature.

The student, at the time named Xuanzang, began his journey by traveling west, crossing through the rest of Tianxia’s lands. He explained his quest to everyone he met, asking for clues as to the creature’s identity or whereabouts. But the lion was often met with ridicule and laughter. Who in their right mind would embark on such a pointless quest? Surely, they believed, the lioness had killed her son on her own. Xuanzang was called a fool by most that he spoke to. Those that were sympathetic to his mission knew nothing about the monster. After searching the entire pride, the lion was ready to give up.

It was then that a God, having taken pity on the elderly lioness and the brave student, decided to assist him in his quest. The God went to a small monkey, a guenon by the name of Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong had been sentenced to serve the God under pain of death for defying mandates set forth unto his lands. A trickster and criminal of the vilest sort, the monkey knew of many things that would help Xuanzang. The God instructed Sun Wukong to aid Xuanzang in his journey and gave the monkey a message to pass on.

The monkey sought out the lion, finally finding him sulking near a lake. As the God had ordered, he told the student that he had seen the monster Xuanzang was searching for leave the pride naught but a week or two ago. He knew the where the monster was heading, and would be able to guide the lion there. Xuanzang was reluctant to leave the pride, but he had vowed to do anything to right the wrong of the murder. With the monkey riding astride his back, the lion left the boundaries of Tianxia.

The world outside of Tianxia was fraught with violence and danger. Xuanzang and Sun Wukong found themselves constantly being attack by criminals and thieves. Many days passed, and soon Xuanzang and Sun were barely able to move from the exhaustion of constantly fighting. Once again the God reached out to help the student. He sent Xuanzang a vision in his sleep of a small village not too far away. Strengthened by his vision, the lion and the monkey set out to find the village.

Only a day’s walk away, the village was nestled against a mighty river. There, they met a leopard, Zhu Bajie, whose appetite for women was second only to his appetite for meat. Zhu Bajie was plaguing the the local village by charming females from their mates and eating all of the food. The villagers called for the leopard’s death, but no one feline was a match for his mighty strength. The villagers planned to gang up on him and crush him underneath a boulder. Xuanzang took pity on him and offered a solution. The lion promised to take Zhu Bajie away with him on his quest, and that the leopard would never return. Honoured by the lion’s compassion, Zhu agreed to accompany Xuanzang and Sun Wukong.

The three traveled well together, easily fighting off any who came their way.
Weeks of journeying brought them to a large river, guarded by a hideously scarred hyena. Sha Wujing, as the hyena was called, demanded that Sun Wukong be handed over as a meal for payment to cross the river. Xuanzang refused, explaining his purpose in hopes that that could gain the hyena’s sympathy. But Sha Wujing carried no ounce of compassion or empathy in his bones. With a mighty snarl, the hyena attacked Xuanzang. Sun Wukong lept up and distracted Sha Wujing, protecting the lion. Zhu Bajie barreled into the hyena, knocking them both into the river. Now in the leopard’s element, Sha Wujing was helpless against Zhu Bajie. But just as Zhu Bajie was about to deal the final blow, Xuanzang ordered him to stop. The leopard dragged Sha Wujing out of the river and presented him to the lion.

The hyena said nothing, only stared at Xuanzang as he prepared to go for the lion’s throat. It was then that the God once again chose to help Xuanzang. He sowed the seeds of compassion and mercy into the hyena’s soul, making him grateful that Xuanzang had saved his life. Sha Wujing begged for forgiveness, and the lion gave it to him.

The hyena explained that across the river was a strange and dangerous world. Lions bigger than boulders and as red as blood roamed the sands. Fearsome lionesses, ruled only by one or two males, prowled the savannah. Entire packs of dogs could be heard howling in the night. It was a treacherous place, Sha Wujing warned, one that could not be navigated without a guide. With that, the hyena offered his service to Xuanzang. The lion accepted, and the party crossed the river into the unknown.

For many weeks the group traveled through the plains. Rogues crept up on them in the night, as silent and deadly as demons. Small coalitions and prides chased them between their borders, threatening death and torture. However, it was not only themselves that they were saving. Xuanzang insisted on helping any and all innocent creatures they came across, for good morals were a thing to be rewarded in such a dark, evil place. With Xuanzang as their fiery and passionate leader, the group crusaded across the savannah as an unstoppable force.

Months passed. After some time, Sun Wukong informed Xuanzang that they were close to the monster’s hiding place. The only obstacle left was a mighty mountain, towering into the sky. The monkey said that the monster was taking refuge in an abandoned altar at the top of the mountain. The group took a day to rest, and then began their ascension.

The climb was a long one. There were many times when a member of the group called for them to turn back, but Xuanzang kept pushing them forwards. Snow and frigid winds chilled them to their bones. Hunger gnawed at their bellies. Thirst drove them to eat snow, freezing them from the inside out. But Xuanzang never let his party give up.

At last, they reached the top. A small, shabby stone structure was outlined in the snow, dark against the grey, cloudy skies. As the group approached the temple, a small relic appeared on the door. It was a golden crown, fitted with tiny jewels of every variety. Heart filled with greed, Sun Wukong leapt from Xuanzang’s back and raced towards the treasure. Xuanzang, knowing the monkey’s past as a thief, cried out for him to stop. The monkey paused, his fingers just a hair’s width away from the crown. Sun Wukong demanded an explanation. The altar was abandoned. The crown was no longer needed for worship, or whatever purpose it served. For what reason should it not belong to him? Xuanzang scolded him. He answered that while no living body was here to worship in person, the spirits of long-dead followers could still be here, holding on to the crown in religion beyond the grave. To disrupt their peace by taking the crown would offend the spirits, and potentially doom them to an afterlife of unrest, searching for their lost relic. But Sun Wukong was not convinced. Xuanzang let out a great snarl of frustration. The lion told the monkey do to what he wanted, but to know that his actions would dictate whether the monkey would leave the mountain upon Xuanzang’s back, or treading behind, alone, only following his footsteps.

Immediately, Sun Wukong was filled with great dread. For all his life, the monkey had never felt the same companionship and friendship as he had during his travels with Xuanzang. He could not imagine life without his companion, and for once Sun Wukong valued the worth of a friendship over an object. The monkey drew his nimble fingers away and returned to his place on the lion’s back.

Xuanzang led his party through the doorway of the temple, calling for silence in respect to the ancestors past. Upon reaching the central shrine, Xuanzang was overcome with a desire to praise the gods for leading him to the monster’s hiding place in safety, asking for strength to defeat the murderous creature.

In a flash of blinding light, a figure appeared before the group. Xuanzang called for his party to be ready to attack, for he believed that the monster had finally shown itself. But it was not the monster that stood behind the altar when the light disappeared. Instead, it was the God who had helped Xuanzang along his journey. The God spoke to the group, telling them to not be afraid, for he had come in peace. Xuanzang asked where the monster was, for he had come from far away to right the wrong done to the lioness back in his home pride.

The God revealed that there had been no monster. The God himself, in disguise of a hideous beast, had killed the lioness’ son, for he had been an evil and wicked soul with horrendous plans in store for the Tianxia. However, the God had not been expecting for someone to step in and offer to avenge the murder for the sole sake of the mother. When seeing how passionately Xuanzang had wanted to help the lioness, the God could not let him pursue a shadow endlessly across the savannah.

He revealed how he had instructed Sun Wukong to help Xuanzang, how he had sent Xuanzang the dream of the city where Zhu Bajie was located, how he had bestowed compassion into Sha Wujing’s heart, all for the sole purpose of leading him here successfully. Then the God praised Xuanzang for his success, intending to reward him for his journey.

Xuanzang could not believe his ears. He demanded to know why he had been sent on such a pointless quest. How could he bring peace to the lioness and free her if there was no monster to bring back and present to the magistrates? How could his journey be successful if no such monster had been defeated?

The God told Xuanzang that he had slain many monsters along his quest, though perhaps not the monster Xuanzang had intended. Zhu Bajie’s greed for females and food had been tempered thanks to the lion’s example. Sha Wujing had learned the meaning of mercy and kindness. Sun Wukong had learned to value friendship. The group had saved countless of innocent lives along their path, slaying monsters of vice and cruelty. It hadn’t been physical monsters that Xuanxang was responsible for slaying, but rather ones of the mind.

Xuanzang understood what the God had meant, and thanked him for the opportunity bring peace and goodness to the world. But he asked for no other reward than some sort of proof to bring back in order to save the lioness from being wrongly imprisoned for her son’s fate.

The final test passed, the God was overjoyed to comply with Xuanxang’s request. He presented the lion with the skin of the creature that the God has taken form of during the murder. In addition, the God christened Xuanzang with a new name honouring the spiritual quest that the lion had undergone: Qilin Zhe. The God gifted the newly-named Qilin Zhe with an emerald and golden hairpiece, more valuable than anything the lion had ever owned.

All four members of Qilin Zhe’s party were granted wisdom. Zhu Bajie was offered a place in a collation of shrine keepers, and given a position of cleaning the sacrifices given at the individual altars. Sha Wujing became a minister of the God’s teachings, preaching justice and mercy to the ends of the savannah. Sun Wukong was made the God’s personal assistant, traveling across the skies on his back. Qilin Zhe returned to the Tianxia, and presented the pelt of the monster to the magistrates. The lioness was cleared of her charges, ever grateful to Qilin Zhe for his help. Qilin Zhe offered her a place in his home, for she would not be able to take care of herself. Qilin Zhe returned to his studies with a new sense of wisdom and knowledge. The two lived as mother and son until the lioness’ death, occasionally being seen with a strange monkey as a guest in their home.