A horrible premonition haunts San Zang as he and his disciples enter a land ruled by three brothers. San Zang kneels at the foot of three open graves. Weeping uncontrollably, the priest ponders existence and the fleeting nature of the relationships formed over a lifetime. Sobbing, San Zang throws dirt over the bodies in the graves, bodies belonging to Sun Wu Kong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wu Jing. San Zang determines that continuing the journey without his disciples would be hopeless and decides to kill himself. But he cannot bring himself to do it. Just then, he hears the voice of the Goddess of Mercy, who beseeches him to carry on in the memory of his disciples. The priest does so, outrunning countless monsters and crossing miles and miles of hostile terrain. As he slowly makes his way across an endless desert, he is swallowed by a pool of quicksand. As he sinks to his death, he cries out for Wu Kong to save him. San Zang startles awake from his nightmare, calling out Wu Kong's name. His disciples, still alive and by his side, have set up camp and were listening to the priest talk in his sleep. They tell him that the sleep-talk was gibberish and ask him to explain the dream, but San Zang refuses and goes bcak to sleep. Can Wu Kong, Bajie, and Wu Jing heed the warning of their master's dream? Or will this band of brothers unravel when the fate of the journey hangs in the balance?