Tripitaka and Wukong continue west through the freezing mountains of Serpent Coil Mountain. Eventually they reach the deep and dangerous Eagle Grief Stream.

As Tripitaka looks over the water, a dragon suddenly bursts from the stream and charges toward him.

Wukong immediately pulls his master away to safety, but the dragon turns upon Tripitaka’s white horse and swallows the animal whole, harness and all, before disappearing beneath the water.

Tripitaka is devastated. The journey to the Western Heaven still stretches across countless mountains and rivers, and without a horse he fears he will never be able to complete it.

Wukong searches the surrounding region with his Fiery Eyes and Diamond Pupils and confirms that the horse has not simply run away.

The dragon has eaten it.

Tripitaka becomes frightened about what will happen if Wukong leaves him alone to recover the horse.

At that moment, a group of hidden divine protectors reveals itself. They explain that Guanyin assigned them to protect the scripture pilgrim throughout the journey.

With divine guardians watching over Tripitaka, Wukong is finally free to confront the dragon.

Wukong approaches Eagle Grief Stream and loudly demands the return of Tripitaka’s horse.

The dragon emerges from the water and attacks.

A fierce battle follows. The dragon fights with claws and jaws while Wukong attacks with the Golden-Hooped Rod.

After fighting for a long time, the dragon realizes that he cannot overcome the Monkey King and retreats beneath the stream.

Tripitaka questions why Wukong, who once boasted that he could tame dragons and subdue tigers, has failed to defeat this one.

Provoked by the challenge, Wukong returns to the stream and uses his supernatural power to churn the clear water into violent muddy currents.

Unable to endure the disturbance, the dragon emerges again.

This time he admits that he swallowed the horse and cannot return it.

Wukong declares that if the horse cannot be restored, the dragon’s own life will become the payment.

They fight again.

Overmatched, the dragon finally transforms himself into a tiny water snake and escapes into the marshes, disappearing from Wukong’s sight.

Unable to find the transformed dragon, Wukong summons the local spirit and mountain god.

They are astonished to learn that the once-unruly Great Sage now serves a human master and is travelling west to obtain Buddhist scriptures.

When Wukong asks about the dragon, the gods reveal something important.

Several years earlier, Guanyin herself brought the dragon to Eagle Grief Stream. She had saved him from execution and ordered him to remain there until the scripture pilgrim arrived.

The dragon was specifically forbidden from committing evil.

Wukong now realizes that the creature must somehow be connected with the pilgrimage.

The local deities explain that if Wukong wants the dragon to surrender, he should summon Guanyin.

Tripitaka worries about being abandoned again while Wukong travels all the way to the South Sea.

Before Wukong needs to leave, however, the Golden-Headed Guardian volunteers to fetch the Bodhisattva.

Wukong leaves the mountain god, local spirit, and other protectors with Tripitaka while he remains near the stream awaiting Guanyin’s arrival.

The Golden-Headed Guardian reaches Potalaka Mountain and tells Guanyin what has happened.

Guanyin explains that the dragon is the son of Aorun, Dragon King of the Western Ocean.

After setting fire to the palace and destroying precious pearls, the prince was condemned to death by Heaven. Guanyin personally petitioned the Jade Emperor and obtained a pardon for him.

She then stationed him at Eagle Grief Stream for one purpose:

He was to become Tripitaka’s means of transportation on the journey to the Western Heaven.

Guanyin travels to the stream and finds Wukong still angrily trying to force the dragon from hiding.

Wukong complains that Guanyin has caused him endless trouble—not only with the Tight-Fillet, but now with a dragon who has swallowed his master’s horse.

Guanyin explains that an ordinary mortal horse could never cross the thousands of mountains and rivers separating China from Spirit Mountain.

The pilgrim needs something far stronger.

The condemned dragon was always intended to become that horse.

At Guanyin’s command, the dragon prince finally emerges from Eagle Grief Stream and assumes human form.

Only now does he realize that the monk whose horse he swallowed is the very scripture pilgrim he has been waiting for.

Wukong and the dragon discover that much of their conflict resulted from neither properly identifying the purpose of the journey.

Guanyin even warns Wukong that future supernatural beings may already have connections to the pilgrimage. When confronting them, he should first mention that he is escorting the Tang Monk west to obtain scriptures instead of immediately relying on force.

Guanyin removes the shining pearls from the dragon prince and sprinkles him with sweet dew from her willow branch.

With a command, she transforms him.

The dragon becomes a powerful white horse, matching the color and appearance of the mortal horse he swallowed.

Guanyin tells him that he must faithfully carry Tripitaka through all the ordeals ahead.

If he completes the journey and earns sufficient merit, he will eventually obtain the true fruit of a golden body.

The dragon humbly accepts his new destiny.

Even after the horse is restored, Wukong suddenly complains about the immense difficulty of the journey ahead.

He tells Guanyin that the road to the Western Heaven is filled with dangers and wonders how he can possibly protect a mortal monk through every ordeal without eventually losing his own life.

Guanyin reminds him that enlightenment cannot be achieved without perseverance.

She assures him that when true danger comes, he may call upon Heaven or Earth for assistance, and in extreme circumstances he may even summon Guanyin herself.

She then gives him another extraordinary protection.

Guanyin plucks three leaves from her willow branch and places them at the back of Wukong’s head.

The leaves transform into three lifesaving hairs.

She tells Wukong that if he ever finds himself trapped in a situation from which there seems to be no escape, he may use these hairs according to his need.

Wukong finally accepts her instruction.

Guanyin returns to Potalaka, while Wukong leads the transformed dragon-horse back to Tripitaka.

The pilgrimage now has both its protector and its destined mount.

Tripitaka is delighted when Wukong returns with the white horse.

Wukong explains that Guanyin transformed the dragon of Eagle Grief Stream into the pilgrim’s new mount.

Because the horse has no saddle or reins, Tripitaka initially wonders how he can ride it. They eventually cross the stream with the help of an old fisherman, whom Wukong recognizes as the local Water God.

That evening, master and disciple reach the Lishe Shrine and ask for shelter.

The elderly caretaker hears how Guanyin transformed the dragon into Tripitaka’s horse and offers them a magnificent saddle, reins, bridle, and other riding equipment.

The next morning he also gives Tripitaka a whip.

Then both the caretaker and the entire shrine suddenly disappear.

A voice from the sky reveals that the old man was actually a local spirit of Potalaka Mountain, sent by Guanyin to equip the new dragon-horse.

Tripitaka bows repeatedly in gratitude, while Wukong laughs at his master’s excessive reverence.

Fully equipped at last, Tripitaka mounts the White Dragon Horse and continues west with Wukong.

They travel peacefully for two months before another monastery appears ahead, setting the stage for their next ordeal.