Desperate to please Chun-Shou, the woman he hopes to marry, the unhappy King of Unicorns promises to find a new toy for her spoilt brat son, little Chen. When he hears about Monkey's magic wishing staff, he decides this would be ideal. By capturing Tripitaka and using his all-powerful magic ring, the king plans to defeat Monkey and steal his precious wishing staff. While Monkey struggles to resist the king's magic ring, Pigsy finds it difficult to resist Chun-Shou.

The pilgrims arrive at the Kingdom of Red Hog, where pigs are sacred. The people hail Pigsy as their new King and God. Tripitaka discovers that the current king is a disguised demon, the Spirit of the Red Hog, and that he murdered the old king. Helped by rebels, Monkey and Sandy set out to save Princess Green Lotus and stop the evil swine before the whole country is converted to hog worship.

Forty years before the pilgrims' journey to India, two lovers Chun-Ying and Yu-Lee disobey the God of Fertility Ju-Lee by eloping together - love is forbidden in his country. As punishment, he separates them and turns the young Yu-Lee into an old woman, the Keeper of the Well of Small Blessings. To regain her youth and her man, she must make Tripitaka drink the magic water. Things get very strange indeed when Pigsy and Sandy drink the water and become pregnant.

The pilgrims enter a land where night never falls. For five hundred years, ever since the vulture demon Konsei-Maoh stole Dainichi Buddha's sun-mirror, as soon as one sun sets another one rises. Tripitaka offers the villagers their help and Monkey, who has an old score to settle with the demon, is more than happy to oblige. Things take a turn for the worse after Monkey bumps into a familiar face, and the demon sets his sights on Tripitaka.

Emperor Busoku, ruler of the country of Biku, is tormented at night by the ghost of Queen Seiko of Shitan, whose country he destroyed many years ago. Tripitaka and his followers arrive at Biku and hear of the Emperor's plight. After the ghost leaves behind a shoe, Monkey becomes suspicious and sends Pigsy and Dragon to investigate. They sneak into the women's dormitory at the palace in search of the shoe's owner. But Pigsy has other things on his mind.

A snobby princess has been kidnapped by a fish monster who wants to marry her, but she continually refuses because he's too common. She sends two little water sprites to get help from her parents. They meet Tripitaka and his disciples, who offer their help. Tripitaka and Monkey escort them to the king and queen, while Sandy and Pigsy go to rescue the princess. Things aren't looking good for Sandy when the fish monster captures him.

Monkey, Pigsy, Sandy and Tripitaka are on their way to the palace in The Land of Search for Understanding; the king insists on interviewing all pilgrims who pass. Following an argument, Monkey stays behind, and an evil magician turns him invisible. Posing as a Taoist priest, the magician persuades the naïve king to hold a contest between him and reluctant Tripitaka to determine which is better - Taoism or Buddhism. The magician plans to take over the kingdom - will he succeed?

A young goblin, Yung-Hu, is desperately in love with a married human woman called I-Ling. I-Ling and her husband, Kwo-Fong, are excited that the pilgrims are approaching, because they want to learn about Buddha. Tripitaka is deeply offended by I-Ling's awful Buddhist dance, and the pilgrims leave. The goblin father disguises himself as a priest and convinces Kwo-Fong to join Tripitaka's pilgrimage to India, to become a Buddhist. With Kwo-Fong out of the way, Yung-Hu goes to see I-Ling.

A gentle monster dresses up as a puppy dog and calls himself ""a good dog"" in an attempt to make friends. He desperately wants to be liked, but all the villagers are terrified of him. The pilgrims arrive at the monster's country, and Tripitaka tells his disciples to go ahead and make friends with him. After Pigsy, Monkey and Sandy fail, Yu-Lung befriends the good dog, and comes up with a plan to make the villagers like him.

Mt. Sekigutsu, famous for the flowers that bloom on its rocks, is ruled by a fearful demon called Seisai, who has the power to turn anything into stone. A young stonemason from Ushizokoku called Kokanshi climbs the mountain and falls prey to the demon's magic rays. Two years later, Kokanshi's overzealous fiancée Airen travels to the mountain to rescue him, and tricks Tripitaka's disciples into helping her fight the demon. Meanwhile, Seisai abducts Tripitaka and plans to eat him...