While stopping in Shache City (present day Yarkand), they come under attack by minions of the evil Tree Demon.

Tang Sanzang (Nicholas Tse) and his three disciples Sun Wukong (Bolin Chen), Zhu Wuneng (Kenny Kwan), and Sha Wujing (Steven Cheung) arrive triumphantly to a hero's welcome in Shache city.

He meets a young lizard imp Meiyan (Charlene Choi), who is more than a visual match for Quasimodo with her matted bushy hair and frightening teeth.

The region is one full of monsters, strange beings and creatures of unknown origins and among them are the beautiful Princess XiaoShan (Fan Bing-bing) and her army.

A benevolent Buddha is moved and pardons the two on condition that they embark on a journey to the West to accomplish the Eight-One Tasks to redeem themselves and save the world.