Man in the heavens, wins by lying down to prove the truth

Chapter 337 The Buddha Rows the Boat, the World Honored One Welcomes Him with Surprise

[This entire work is a fictional creation based on Journey to the West. The various immortals and Buddhas are literary figures, not religious figures, and have no relation whatsoever to the original work. Please be aware of this.]

To be honest, this capital city isn't particularly prosperous.

However, compared to other parts of this land that was just beginning to recover from the war, the capital was already extremely prosperous.

Wandering around the capital, Zhou Cheng and the laughing monk were quite leisurely.

"I say, Venerable One... are you just going to wander around aimlessly like this?"

The monk looked at Zhou Cheng and couldn't help but say something.

Zhou Cheng chuckled and said, "That's about enough, let's go take a look."

……

The style of the imperial palace was completely different from what Zhou Cheng had seen in his previous life; it was dull and oppressive.

At this moment, inside the emperor's palace, at Emperor Guangwu's sickbed.

Emperor Guangwu, who had just taken medicine and was recuperating, seemed to sense something and opened his somewhat cloudy eyes.

Though aged, its majesty remains, and it surveys the surroundings as if a tiger were crouching on the bed.

Is anyone here?

Emperor Guangwu seemed to sense something, and his voice, though somewhat hoarse, sounded weak.

An old eunuch who had been bowing and standing at attention quickly stepped forward: "Your Majesty, this servant is here."

"Get lost, I'm not asking you."

Emperor Guangwu frowned. Even though he was old, he was still the founding emperor. His angry gaze was filled with murderous intent, which frightened the old eunuch so much that he immediately knelt on the ground and begged for forgiveness.

At this moment, from the perspective of ordinary people, the bedchamber was already overflowing with people.

Besides Zhou Cheng and the monk, there were also rows of people carrying the dead lined up on both sides, led by one of the ten Underworld Emperors.

"This emperor seems quite extraordinary, as he can vaguely sense that there are people here who can kill."

The monk smiled and looked at Zhou Cheng beside him.

Whether it's a monk or Zhou Cheng, if they don't want to be seen, not only mortal emperors, but even the immortals in the heavens have no chance to see them.

"After all, he was the founding emperor, blessed by the Purple Star, and with great power at his disposal, he was no ordinary man."

Zhou Cheng said with a smile, and then looked at Emperor Guangwu.

"Your Majesty, do you still recognize me?"

As soon as Zhou Cheng finished speaking, Emperor Guangwu suddenly saw Zhou Cheng dressed in hemp clothing, with a tree branch as a hairpin in his hair, just like he had been back then.

Of course, besides Zhou Cheng, Emperor Guangwu also saw the smiling Maitreya and the ghostly soldiers and messengers filling the hall.

"Of course I recognize you. You are still the same as before."

The old emperor could never forget Zhou Cheng's figure from back then, let alone the fact that the current Zhou Cheng looks exactly the same as he did back then.

"May I ask, wise sir, what are these...?"

The old emperor pointed to the Laughing Monk, the Underworld Emperor, and many other assassins standing beside him.

The laughing monk laughed heartily and said, "Your Majesty, this humble monk is a cultivator from Xiniu Hezhou. Greetings."

The King of the Underworld dared not let the two powerful figures introduce him, and hurriedly said, "This humble king, the King of the Underworld, greets the King of the Mortal Realm."

"Oh, Underworld, it seems my time is drawing near."

Emperor Guangwu was somewhat moved, but did not utter any words of prayer for longevity.

Back then, his ancestor Liu Bang took life and death lightly, so he could naturally do the same.

At this moment, the old eunuch standing to the side was completely panicked.

“The nation, the nation… Who are you talking to? Your servant is here.”

The old eunuch knelt on the ground and crawled forward, approaching Emperor Guangwu.

Such a commotion naturally alerted the maids and eunuchs in the outer hall, who rushed in in an instant.

"What are the orders from the state?" The young eunuch knelt down and approached the old eunuch from behind.

Emperor Guangwu glanced down at the group of eunuchs and maids: "All of you, go out. Then summon all the princes and dukes to listen to the proclamation outside the palace."

Knowing his time was near, the old emperor used his last moments to complete the final transfer of imperial power.

"According to the order!"

A group of eunuchs, as if granted a pardon, hurriedly kowtowed and then left the hall with bowed backs.

At this point, the old emperor looked at Zhou Cheng, cupped his hands in thanks, and said, "Many thanks to the wise man for the millet he gifted back then."

Zhou Cheng smiled and said, "It's just icing on the cake, nothing special. I once said that you were destined for greatness, and that I would come to guide you when your destiny was fulfilled. Would you be willing to cultivate with me?"

"I cannot have obtained it, but I still have one question, and I would like to ask a wise person to enlighten me."

The old emperor cupped his hands in greeting, a look of worry appearing in his eyes.

"But there's no harm in talking."

After Zhou Chengyan finished speaking, he looked at the emperor and asked, "May I ask you, wise man, how many more years does the mandate of Heaven for our Han Dynasty last?"

"The Later Han Dynasty lasted for 195 years. The Han people's clothing and customs will be passed down for thousands of years."

Upon hearing this, the old emperor breathed a sigh of relief, but smiled and said, "I dare not dream of a thousand generations, for how can there be a thousand generations in this world?"

At this point, the emperor who had revived the Han Dynasty said no more, but simply closed his eyes to rest and await his death.

Seeing this, Maitreya, who had remained silent, simply smiled and said, "Such a temperament is indeed extraordinary."

People are afraid of death.

The richer and more powerful people are, the more afraid they are of death, while the common people are more fearless.

The logic is simple: those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have something to lose.

Therefore, many wise rulers throughout history couldn't help but pursue immortality on their deathbeds. Once they had enjoyed it enough, they couldn't bear to give it up.

People like Liu Bang and Liu Xiu, who took life and death lightly, are rare.

Before long, the princes and officials of the court poured in.

Liu Xiu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, finally opened them: "Listen, everyone! Crown Prince Zhuang is of noble character and closely resembles me. He will surely be able to inherit the throne. He is hereby appointed to succeed me and ascend the throne as Emperor. This is hereby proclaimed to the world so that all may know."

After saying this, Liu Xiu finally breathed a sigh of relief and took the Crown Prince's hand: "Zili, the world has just been settled. We should let the people rest and recuperate. We must not follow the example of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty."

Emperor Wu of Han was the first Emperor Xiaowu of Han.

In the Han Dynasty, posthumous titles all included the character "孝" (filial piety), to emphasize the idea of ​​governing the world with filial piety.

Of course, the Han Dynasty's rule of the world based on filial piety was not limited to filial piety alone, and it was different from the later dynasty's "I humbly submit that the holy dynasty rules the world based on filial piety".

"Father... I will remember."

Liu Xiu chuckled softly and slowly closed his eyes, then fell silent in an instant.

In an instant, the hall was filled with wailing and lamentation.

On this day, dark clouds shrouded Chang'an.

A line of underworld messengers lined both sides of the main road, and the King of the Underworld personally helped Emperor Guangwu out.

"Your Majesty, take this wooden hairpin. Let us journey through the six realms of reincarnation and wash away our destiny."

Zhou Cheng pulled the branch from his hair and handed it to the emperor's ghost.

The emperor bowed and said, "Your disciple thanks your master for his kindness."

"Go on, go on."

Zhou Cheng laughed heartily, watching the group enter the underworld, cross the eighteen gates of hell, step across the Bridge of Helplessness, and enter the cycle of six realms of reincarnation.

On that day, news spread that a baby was born holding a jade hairpin in a fishing village, which shocked the entire village.

Now, this child was extraordinary; he could speak in three days and walk in five, which astonished the entire prefecture. Such a remarkable phenomenon would naturally be a good thing if he were born into the royal family.

But if one is born into an ordinary fisherman's family, it is a terrible misfortune. All sorts of rumors and slander spread, stirring up the local area and causing unrest.

Fortunately, this commotion did not last long. When the child was a month old, a rainbow descended from the sky, and the image of the Great Emperor of Hongmeng Juntian appeared, saying that the child was a reincarnation of an immortal and that he was specially sent to the gate of Juntian.

In an instant, the house was enveloped in rosy light, and the entire household ascended to heaven, along with their chickens and dogs.

When such rumors reached the capital, Emperor Yongping immediately issued an edict honoring the Hongmeng Juntian Emperor as the Supreme God, adding a long string of honorific titles to his name, comparable to the full titles of the Four Emperors.

……

Above the auspicious clouds, Chuxiu, who looked like a child, surveyed the ground.

"I travel to the North Sea in the morning and visit Cangwu in the evening; Zhuangzi's words have indeed not deceived me." Chu Xiu spoke calmly, without the frivolity of an ordinary child.

Zhou Chengsui laughed and said, "It's just a minor trick to climb clouds; even the Nine Realms of the Human World can do it."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xiu couldn't help but say, "Master is joking again. How many Ninth Realm Grandmasters have there been throughout history?"

Jambudvipa is a paradise for humans, but not a pure land for spiritual practice.

Most of the immortals and Buddhas from all directions come from Dongsheng Shenzhou and Xiniu Hezhou.

If someone were to see through the illusions of the human realm and cultivate themselves into a celestial being, they would be no ordinary person. They are born to cultivate, and achieving enlightenment would not be a problem for them. For example, the Four Celestial Masters were all born in Jambudvipa.

“If you quietly recite the Yellow Court Classic for three years, you can also achieve this.”

Zhou Cheng touched the child's hair and looked into the distance.

Chu Xiu nodded, then asked, "Master, where are we going?"

Zhou Cheng pointed to the western horizon and said, "Have you ever heard of the Western Spirit Mountain?"

Chu Xiu nodded and said, "I have heard people say that there are Golden Immortals in the West, but I have never seen one."

Taoism does not have the concept of "Golden Immortals," but only the Five Immortals: Heaven, Earth, Man, God, and Ghost.

As for the Great Luo Immortal and the Taiyi Immortal, they are not in a certain realm.

Those under the Great Luo Heavenly Gate, that is, those under the Three Pure Ones, are Great Luo Immortals; the rest are all Taiyi Scattered Immortals.

As for the Golden Immortal, it is also known as the Greatly Awakened Golden Immortal.

The enlightened one is called a Golden Immortal, but that is actually an alternative way of saying that the enlightened one is a Buddha.

"Since we have never met, we should go and see him this time. The Western Buddha is holding the Ullambana Festival and has sent a Buddha from the East to invite him. We should go and attend."

In an instant, auspicious clouds crossed mountains and seas, reaching the depths of the Western Buddhist land.

The Ling Mountain was beautiful, bathed in the light of Buddha, and soared into the mountains.

At the foot of the mountain, one can see rare and beautiful flowers, ancient pines and cypresses, and strong bamboo and golden orchids. The people who live here are all virtuous monks who are generous and have plenty of money and food.

This scene of prosperity is a far cry from the barren land of Xiniu Hezhou.

“Even in this barren western land, there are places that are no less powerful than the lands of the Heavenly Dynasty.”

Chu Xiu looked around at the foot of the sacred mountain with considerable surprise.

As they rode the clouds all the way here, Zhou Cheng would sometimes deliberately slow down, which allowed Chu Xiu to see the differences between the two continents.

The kingdoms of Xiniu Hezhou are mostly small countries with a caste system, and their people are not yet civilized.

It is worth noting that as early as two hundred years ago, the people of the Southern Continent, in their paradise, uttered the famous question: "Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?"

"Have you not heard the saying, 'The land under the emperor's feet is the most virtuous place'? It is quite applicable here. If all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas entering and leaving Mount Ling were to see people dressed in rags, how could that be a sight to behold?"

"Even immortals and Buddhas care about face?"

Chu Xiu was greatly shocked. These immortals and Buddhas were high above, weren't they just like his own master?
"That's for sure."

As Zhou Cheng spoke, his figure landed in front of a pavilion at the foot of the mountain.

To enter or leave Mount Ling, everyone except the Buddha and the Taoist priest must pass through this Taoist temple.

In what appears to be the world of Journey to the West, the Buddha and Tao are supreme rulers, their influence far surpassing that of the Great Luo Heavenly Gate.

In fact, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas must pay homage to this Taoist temple before entering their own mountain gate. Even the Bodhisattvas of the sea and the Five Southern Elders are no exception.

Then, from the Taoist temple, a Taoist priest dressed in the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams robes, holding a whisk, stepped out with the Heavenly Gang Step.

"Greetings from the Golden Summit of Yuzhen Temple. May I ask who this sage is?"

The Golden Peak Immortal bowed and greeted Zhou Cheng.

Before Zhou Cheng could speak, the child beside him declared loudly, "My master is the old immortal from the outer realm of Taiyi Heaven, the First Venerable of the Great Emperor Juntian."

"I was unaware that the Celestial Venerable was in person. My apologies for my rudeness."

The Golden-Crowned Immortal hurriedly bowed and said, "I trouble you, Heavenly Venerable, to come to the temple. Please teach me to observe proper etiquette before I respectfully serve you on the mountain."

"Thank you for your help, Master." Zhou Cheng nodded with a smile.

The Golden Peak Immortal hurriedly said he dared not, and then led Zhou Cheng into the temple to serve tea. After the three rites were completed, he personally served Zhou Cheng and led him up the mountain.

Now, the road to Mount Ling passes through the back gate of the main hall of Yuzhen Temple. If Yuzhen Temple is closed, even the countless Buddhas cannot leave without an edict from the Great Heavenly Venerable.

Chu Xiu, who was entering Lingshan for the first time, looked around but didn't think there was anything special about the place.

"So this is the Buddhist land of Mount Ling... I wonder where the Great Thunderclap Temple is?" Chu Xiu's voice was somewhat childish, but her aura was terrifying as she looked at the Golden Peak Immortal beside her.

The Golden Peak Immortal quickly bowed, not daring to be higher than the child, and said with a smile, "Little Immortal, please let me guide you."

As he spoke, the Golden-Crowned Immortal pointed to a peak radiating Buddhist light: "That is Lingjiu Peak, where the Great Thunderclap Temple is located."

As they spoke, the group approached Lingjiu Peak, and suddenly a great river appeared before them.

That great river, about eight or nine miles wide, would be considered a well-known waterway in the Central Plains of China.

“Young Master, this is the Lingyun Ferry. You cannot fly across it; there is only one wooden plank to cross it.”

The Golden Peak Immortal pointed to the ferry crossing on the other side of the river, where the three characters "Lingyun Ferry" were written.

However, there was no boat at this ferry crossing, only a single log.

Just then, a boat horn sounded in the distance, and then a monk was seen sailing away in a boat.

"The initial true nature, the initial true nature... This humble monk will guide the initial true nature."

The monk shouted that the newcomer was none other than the Buddha who guides us to enlightenment.

“Little Immortal, do you know about the Buddha who guides us? Ordinary people who enter the Vulture Peak can save themselves, but only truly virtuous and accomplished people have the Buddha to guide them.”

The Golden Peak Immortal whispered something to Chu Xiu.

Seeing that Chu Xiu's expression remained unchanged, he said, "It is thanks to the blessings of the Patriarch that the Buddha is able to steer the boat today, so I dare not be the slightest bit presumptuous."

Zhou Cheng also smiled and said, "Thank you for your help, Buddha."

The monk put his hands together and said, "I dare not accept the high monk's courtesy. Please follow me onto the boat."

Beside him, the Golden-Crowned Immortal also bowed and said, "Heavenly Venerable, this humble immortal can only serve you here. I hope you will forgive me."

“Very well, thank you both.”

Once the boat had crossed, Zhou Cheng and his disciple reached the other side, where they saw boundless light emanating from the sacred mountain.

Five hundred Arhats and three thousand Vajras surrounded these Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who all emerged and filled the entire void.

"Honoring the First True King, the Primordial Emperor of Heaven."

The crowd first recited the name of Zhou Cheng Buddha, then the name of Zhou Cheng Tianlu, without mentioning the title of Great Luo Gate at all.

Surrounded by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the Western Buddha descended from his lotus throne and personally greeted them, saying, "Great Virtue, this is your first time here. I am honored to welcome you. Please take a seat."

Zhou Cheng held Chu Xiu's hand and said with a smile, "Venerable Buddha, you are too polite. You shouldn't be like this."

After exchanging pleasantries, Zhou Cheng entered the main hall and took his seat on the nine-colored lotus platform. Although it was the second seat, it was above the seven-colored lotus platform of the Buddha and Laozi.

(End of this chapter)