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

Chapter 352 The Three Demons of Lion Camel Devour a Country, Ignoring All Gods and Buddhas

"Brother, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding..."

As the golden cudgel drew ever closer, the Bull Demon King spoke faster and faster: "I am here on the orders of the Goddess Yuanjun to help you achieve your goal!"

Swish!
The golden cudgel that was about to strike the old bull's head stopped abruptly, and then Wukong was seen staring at the Bull Demon King with suspicion.

"You old ox, are you telling the truth?"

Faced with the traveler's questioning, the old ox quickly replied, "Absolutely true. The goddess once said that you would experience eighty-one tribulations on your journey. Rather than letting others interfere, you should do it yourself."

"That does sound like something my martial uncle would say."

Seeing Wukong's reaction, the old ox quickly added, "That's exactly right, that's exactly right. Even if I, the old ox, had the guts of a bear and the courage of a leopard, I wouldn't dare to impersonate the decree of the Primordial Mother."

“Brother, don’t you want to eradicate the Flaming Mountain? I will go with you and extinguish it.”

A fawning smile appeared on Old Niu's face.

Upon hearing this, the monkey glanced at the old ox, then threw the banana leaf fan toward the ox, who quickly caught it.

Fortunately, the old ox encountered the current Sun Wukong. If it had been the Monkey King from back then, it probably wouldn't have been so easy to get the Banana Leaf Fan back.

……

Forty miles outside the Flaming Mountains, in the village houses.

A flash of golden light appeared, and the figures of Wukong and the Bull Demon King materialized.

"Master, the banana leaf fan has arrived."

Wukong said something to Tang Sanzang, then looked at the old ox and said, "In that case, I will trouble you, brother, to save the people in this land who have been suffering for hundreds of years."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang also clasped his hands and recited a verse: "May this merit adorn the Buddha's Pure Land, repay the fourfold kindness above, and relieve the suffering of the three lower realms below..."

The Bull Demon King, unwilling to listen to the old monk chanting sutras, said, "Brother, come with me."

"As it should be."

Immediately, the two great saints rode on clouds and stood tall in the sky.

The old ox silently chanted an incantation, and the banana leaf fan in his palm manifested the power of the boundless Yin, fanning the mountain forty-nine times.

Immediately, a torrential downpour began on the mountain, extinguishing the fire in an instant.

A refreshing coolness swept across the land, and countless people within a radius of hundreds of miles excitedly welcomed the heavy rain, repeatedly bowing to the two great saints on the clouds.

On the cloud, the Bull King looked at Wukong and said, "Brother, return the treasure bestowed upon me by the Goddess Yuanjun. I need to return to the mountain to report back to her."

Upon hearing this, the traveler readily agreed. He immediately flipped his right hand, and a black star appeared, deep and boundless.

The Bull King accepted the treasure and bowed to the monkey in gratitude. He then returned to the Emerald Cloud Cave to see the Rakshasa Woman again.

"My husband, I'm so glad you're alright!"

Princess Iron Fan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just now, a little demon came to report that Sun Wukong had defeated the Great King and left. She wondered how the Great King was doing now, which made her uneasy.

"Madam, I am going to Taiyi Heaven again to report the imperial decree. Please come with me."

The Rakshasa woman hesitated, unsure whether she was willing to give up her family business in the mountains.

The Bull Demon King continued, "Since you miss your child but cannot visit him, now that you have entered the Taiyi Sect, you will have a proper status, and the Bodhisattva of the South Sea will have no reason to stop you."

Upon hearing this, the Rakshasa woman immediately said, "In that case, my husband, please allow me to change my appearance."

It is said that when the Rakshasa woman re-entered the cave, she removed her hairpins and ornaments, took off her colorful clothes, tied her black hair up like a Taoist nun, and dressed in white like a Buddhist monk, thus taking on the appearance of a practitioner.

Immediately afterwards, the couple rode on a cloud towards Mount Taiyi.

……

Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

Now, the pilgrims, after crossing the Flaming Mountain, continued on their westward journey, subduing the Nine-Headed Insect, clearing the Thorn Ridge, and passing through the Lesser Thunderclap Temple... It can only be said that they encountered disasters everywhere they went.

In the blink of an eye, several years have passed. Just then, a sudden rainstorm cleared away the last vestiges of summer heat, and a single sycamore leaf startled the heart of autumn. It was late autumn once again.

The pilgrims then saw another high mountain, a majestic and precipitous peak that reached the sky.

Having gone through so much, Tang Sanzang felt a pang of unease upon seeing this towering mountain. He said, "Wukong, look at that mountain. It is truly extraordinary. Could there be demons or evil spirits occupying it?"

Upon hearing this, Wukong laughed and said, "Master, don't worry. I, Old Sun, am here and will surely keep you safe."

"In that case, thank you for your trouble, Wukong."

Tang Sanzang was still frightened, but he said nothing more, only telling the traveler in front of him to stay close.

However, after walking only a few miles, they saw an old man standing on a distant earthen slope, with disheveled temples and sparse hair and beard.

The old man seemed to spot Tang Sanzang and his group in the distance and hurriedly called out, "Elders who are heading west, do not go any further. There is a group of demons on this mountain who have devoured all the people in the world. If you enter the mountain, you will surely be harmed."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang was so shocked that he fell off his horse, completely bewildered.

Upon seeing this, Wukong couldn't help but frown. They had already traveled more than halfway on their journey to the West, yet this monk still had such a mindset. How could he possibly achieve great things?

Tang Sanzang hurriedly grabbed Wukong and said, "Wukong, go and ask that old man if it's true that the monster in the mountain has eaten everyone in the world?"

The traveler finally couldn't hold back any longer and asked helplessly, "Master, if there really are monsters that have devoured all the people in the world, why are we still alive?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang calmed down somewhat.

There must be monsters in the mountains, but the old man's words were vague and he was exaggerating.

"Bajie and Sha Wujing, protect our master. I, Old Sun, will return now."

“Brother, you can discipline them yourself. We will take care of the master.”

With a flash of golden light, Wukong appeared in front of the old man.

"You old star deity, why are you in human form to scare my master? He's just a mortal with mortal eyes. If you frighten him, how will he go to the West?"

The traveler recognized the old man's identity the moment he first saw him.

The visitor was none other than Venus.

Once Venus's identity was revealed, he transformed into his true form and pulled Wukong onto the clouds.

"Great Sage, please forgive me. This matter was urgent, hence my behavior. If I have been impolite, please forgive me." Venus chose to patiently coax the Monkey King first.

The pilgrim then asked in surprise, "Old Star Lord came to deliver the message, and I, Old Sun, am naturally very grateful. How could I possibly blame you?"

These words surprised Venus, who glanced at the traveler and said, "Great Sage, you are truly virtuous."

The traveler then laughed and said, "Stop, stop, old star lord, don't bother with such platitudes. Let's get straight to the point. This monster is so special that it has to make you come all this way. I wonder whose pet or mount has descended to the mortal realm to cause trouble?"

Seeing Wukong speak so frankly, Taibai Jinxing only coughed twice in embarrassment before explaining.

"This place is Lion Camel Mountain. There were originally two great demons in the mountain, namely the Green Lion and the White Elephant, who devoured the people of an entire country."

"In recent years, another great demon joined the group, the first Golden-Winged Roc in the world."

"What did you say? You ate the people of an entire nation?"

Wukong was genuinely startled and couldn't help but ask, "Are all the gods and Buddhas in the sky blind?"

Venus lowered his head and did not answer.

Wukong then asked, "I have heard of the Golden-Winged Roc. It is said to be the descendant of the Phoenix?" "That's right, that's right. The Phoenix had two sons, the elder being the Peacock and the younger being the Roc."

Venus came back to life and hurriedly explained to Wukong the origin of the Roc.

“When Shakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment, he was swallowed by a peacock. After the peacock split open its back, it emerged. The Buddhas persuaded him to accept the peacock as the Buddha Mother Peacock King Bodhisattva. As for the Garuda, it remained on Mount Ling, but was not granted any title.”

"It seems that the roc suddenly caused trouble this time because it was resentful."

Upon hearing what Venus said, Wukong immediately understood the cause and effect.

"So it turns out they came to ask the Buddha for a position, which is why they went around in circles to stop me here."

Wukong couldn't help but retort, "Then isn't the Roc afraid of being killed by me here?"

"That Roc is quite capable, which is why he harbors such wild ambitions and came to make trouble for the Great Sage," Taibai Jinxing subtly reminded Wukong.

Wukong laughed and said, "In that case, these three demons have committed many evils, so I will send them to their deaths! I apologize to the old star lord for not seeing them off further."

Venus repeatedly said he dared not, and then rode away on a cloud.

Wukong descended from the cloud and landed back in front of Tang Sanzang, saying, "Master, I have inquired and found out that there is a wicked demon on the way who has devoured an entire country. I, Old Sun, wish to subdue the demon and the monster. I wonder what teachings Master has for me?"

"Eat, eat the people of an entire nation?"

Tang Sanzang was terrified.

Pigsy was so frightened that he started talking about dividing the luggage again, only admitting that he had been hit on the back by Monkey King a few times before he finally behaved himself.

"Disciple, is it possible to subdue such a demon?" Tang Sanzang asked Sun Wukong timidly.

Sun Wukong said, "These kinds of demons can be subdued, of course. If they cannot be subdued, I, Old Sun, will invite all the gods and Buddhas in heaven and earth to come and subdue them together."

"If this still fails to subdue them, I, Old Sun, will kneel outside the Great Luo Heaven and beg the Primordial Emperor, the Heavenly Venerable of Salvation, and the Ancestor Taiyi to descend to the mortal realm!"

Seeing that Wukong was about to call for reinforcements, Tang Sanzang felt relieved.

Tang Sanzang naturally knew what level of deity the Grandmaster Taiyi was.

In the Southern Continent of Jambudvipa today, countless people worship the tablets of the Grand Master Taiyi and the Great Emperor Juntian.

“In that case, disciple, go forth and subdue this demon, so as to comfort the countless souls of the dead.”

Wukong bowed and then rode away on a cloud.

He only said that he had transformed into a little demon to first investigate the truth.

Upon entering the cave, he saw an upside-down bottle with its mouth facing him.

"Shh!"

With a flash of Yin-Yang divine light, it directly absorbed the unsuspecting Sun Wukong.

"Hahaha, my brother is truly brilliant. You only said that you forbade little demons from entering the manor, but if any of them do enter, it must be that Sun Wukong. Just put him away."

The old demon of the green lion laughed heartily, looked at the white elephant and the roc beside him, and said, "In that case, we can share Tang Sanzang's flesh."

The white elephant said, "In that case, I'll capture Tang Sanzang here, and we brothers will divide him up and eat him!"

At this moment, the silent Dapeng spoke up: "Brothers, don't be anxious. Tang Sanzang is just a mortal, and Tianpeng is just a farting, wind-blown fellow. It's easy to capture them. Why don't we wait a while and wait until Sun Wukong turns into pus before we go?"

Da Peng said that, but that wasn't what he really thought.

These two old demons have been wreaking havoc and eating people here all these years, but the Great Roc has never been involved.

He could simply kill the monkey, take its place, travel west to obtain the scriptures, ascend Mount Ling, and become the Buddha. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Those two old devils are truly foolish; no wonder they're destined to be mere mounts.

"My brother is right!"

"In that case, we'll wait until Sun Wukong turns into pus before we go."

……

Once inside the bottle, Sun Wukong was taken in and immediately unleashed all sorts of supernatural powers, transforming into a being that resembled the heavens and the earth, yet it was still not as vast as the world within the bottle.

Immediately, Wukong pulled the golden cudgel from his ear, but no matter how he swung it, he couldn't touch the bottle wall.

No matter what supernatural powers or abilities Sun Wukong used, he could only hover in the center of the bottle, never touching the opening.

"Have it!"

Sun Wukong's eyes lit up, and he used a spell to turn his golden cudgel into a drill, which he used to drill directly into the bottom of the bottle beneath his feet.

After drilling for a long time, the bottom of the bottle remained completely unmoved.

"What kind of treasure is this, that it's so sturdy?"

Sun Wukong hesitated, then immediately unleashed his Hunyuan power, spitting out the Six Ding Divine Fire that could burn anything.

This divine fire was indeed extraordinary, as it directly ignited the bottle.

But the bottle was incredibly heat-resistant. Even after a long time, there was still no obvious change. It was like the fire brick in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, as if it had become the source of the flame and had become one with it.

Just as Wukong was pondering this, the Six Ding Divine Fire inside the bottle suddenly went out of control, raging fiercely and threatening to burn him.

Sun Wukong's expression changed drastically. He quickly used a transformation spell, turning himself into a ball of divine fire so that he would not be burned.

But before Wukong could feel any joy, nine fire dragons emerged from the boundless sea of ​​fire.

These nine fire dragons are truly extraordinary.

Three fire dragons were specifically designed to burn away Wukong's vital energy and spirit; three fire dragons were specifically designed to burn away Wukong's insights and cultivation; and the remaining three fire dragons were designed to burn away Wukong's heart.

In just a short while, the traveler indeed felt weak all over, and his two canes were about to turn into soup.

"How could I, Old Sun, be so ambushed today, and be about to lose my life?"

Wukong couldn't help but shed tears: "In this way, I have failed the expectations of the Patriarch."

As he lamented, Wukong raised his hand to wipe away his tears, and suddenly the ancient characters that had been hidden in his palm began to shine brightly.

“Alas, how could I, Old Sun, have forgotten this supernatural power? Master Boyang once said that he would only accept living creatures, and nothing else.”

It is said that Wukong opened his palm and recited the incantation.

Then, the divine fire that could burn away even the Primordial Dao Fruit instantly landed in Wukong's palm, shrinking countless times, like a candle flame, flickering on and off.

In an instant, all the heat inside the bottle was gathered into Wukong's palm.

This precious bottle, which was originally in harmony with water and fire, and in balance with yin and yang, suddenly lost its equilibrium and began to freeze, turning into an ice bottle.

Wukong simply stomped his foot out of curiosity, and the entire treasure bottle shattered instantly.

"You vile devil, die! Die!"

As soon as Sun Wukong jumped out, he saw three old demons drinking wine. With a flick of his right hand, he produced the Golden Cudgel.

The three old demons were terrified and quickly used their supernatural powers to escape.

Speaking of the Roc, it had some skill, and Wukong couldn't control its energy. On the contrary, the Green Lion and the White Elephant were different.

With a single swing of the golden cudgel, even if the two demons fled to the ends of the earth, it would still smash them directly on the head, instantly shattering their primordial spirits and killing them both!

(End of this chapter)