Three times she came to the pilgrims, and three times she was defeated.

The White Bone Demon was the most cunning of all the creatures that haunted the western road. She could wear any face, speak any lie, and had spent centuries perfecting the art of deception.

First, she appeared as a village girl bringing food to the monk. Sun Wukong saw through the illusion and struck her down with his staff. But her spirit fled before the blow could land.

Second, she returned as the girl mother, weeping and accusing the pilgrims of murder. Wukong struck again, and again she escaped.

Third, she came as the girl father, an old man bent with grief. This time, Wukong was ready. He called upon the local earth god, who helped him encircle the demon in a binding spell. When his staff connected this time, the White Bone Demon could not escape.

But Tripitaka, seeing only a dead old man, was furious. "You have killed an innocent!" he cried, and used the Headband Sutra to punish Wukong with crushing pain.

"Master," Wukong gasped through the agony, "you see with mortal eyes what I see with golden ones. She was a demon. I swear it."

Tripitaka, his heart hardened by what he thought was senseless violence, banished Wukong from the pilgrimage.

The Monkey King flew away, tears streaming from his golden eyes. It was the darkest moment of their journey. And it would nearly cost Tripitaka his life.