Journey to the West: Beginning with the Apprenticeship of Bodhi Patriarch

Chapter 225: The Water Official Emperor, Go to Qingzhou
They left the temple and set out on the road. Sun Wukong led the way, followed by the Immortal Master riding a white deer, and Bull Demon King and Zuo Liang following closely behind.

The group walked on the mountain path for a long time. Time passed quickly and before they knew it, more than three or four months had passed and they arrived at a mountain in Yuzhou.

Sun Wukong swung his golden cudgel to clear the way, smashing the huge rock that was blocking the way in front of him. He turned around and said, "Big Brother, we are three or four months away from Qingliu Mountain. Do you think that the scholar named Liu will be able to get a good reputation when he goes to Beijing to take the imperial examination?"

Jiang Yuan rode on the back of the deer and shook his head, "How should I know?"

The Bull Demon King stepped forward and said with a smile, "In my opinion, that scholar Liu will never achieve fame."

Sun Wukong asked: "Brother, what do you mean?"

The Bull Demon King replied, "My dear brother, I have seen that Liu Yanchang. Although he looks like a scholar, there is no scholar's spirit in his eyes. I am afraid that he is a rote learner and will not be able to achieve fame."

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Is that so? Brother, do you think he can't achieve fame?"

The Bull Demon King said: "He doesn't look like a man of honor, so I just had this thought."

Jiang Yuan said, "Stop it, stop it. Don't talk to others too much, just keep on going."

Sun Wukong and Bull Demon King both accepted the order and walked forward.

After walking for a while, Sun Wukong asked, "Brother, are we still walking around today?"

Jiang Yuan said: "We should walk everywhere, but if there is a place of destiny, we will stop. But now we should go to a place."

Sun Wukong asked again: "Big Brother, which place should we go to? Please point it out to me so that I can lead the deer to the right path."

Jiang Yuan pointed to the front and said, "Let's go to the front. We will visit a few people."

Sun Wukong followed the direction pointed by the Immortal and looked into the distance. He saw auspicious clouds covering the sky and auspicious mist covering the sky. There must be immortals, gods and Buddhas there. He asked, "Big Brother, what is that over there?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "I don't know, but with the gods and immortals in front of me, I should go and pay my respects to them, so as not to be impolite."

Sun Wukong said, "Big Brother, I will lead the way."

Say it.

Sun Wukong led the white deer and walked forward.

After walking for two or three hours, the group went around the mountainside and reached the top of the mountain. There they saw "the birds singing beautifully on the mountain, and the plum blossoms blooming in front of the cliff with a strong fragrance". Even if one does not have a good eye, one can still see that the scenery on the top of the mountain is quite good.

When Jiang Yuan arrived here, he dismounted the white deer and walked up as a sign of courtesy.

Sun Wukong and Bull Demon King followed closely behind.

Zuo Liang led the white deer and walked slowly, but still followed Jiang Yuan.

The group walked up for a long time before they saw an old man in a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat sitting on the edge of the cliff, seemingly observing what was happening.

Jiang Yuan stepped forward and bowed, saying, "I am Guangxin, a disciple of Bodhi Patriarch in the Three Stars Cave of the Slanting Moon on the Lingtai Square Inch Mountain in Hezhou, Xiniu. I don't know your name."

The old man turned around and said, "I've heard of your name for a long time, Guangxin."

As he spoke, he lowered his head to look at the two tripods on the immortal's waist, and then said, "I have often heard that you have been traveling in the human world recently. Do you know if there are any flood disasters in the human world?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan replied, "I have been traveling in the human world for a long time, and there are very few floods in the human world. If there are floods, they are leveled."

The old man smiled and nodded, saying: "Since there is no flood in the world, I feel at ease. I came down to the world today just to see you. Now that I hear what you said, I can go back without any worries."

Sun Wukong stepped forward and said, "Big Brother, this is the Heavenly Water Official."

The old man pointed at Sun Wukong and scolded him with a smile: "You monkey, I remember I have never seen you before, how come I recognize you at first sight, you look like a ghost from the ground."

Sun Wukong said with a smile: "Water Emperor, although I have never met you, I have seen you from afar. I wanted to visit you, but many things happened, so I never met you. But I know you."

The old man said, "The monkey is really smart. I'll teach you how to recognize it. I heard that after you made a big fuss in the Heavenly Palace, you converted to Buddhism and became the Fighting and Victory Buddha. But the Great Heavenly Venerable has granted you the title of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven forever. Now you have achieved the right result."

Sun Wukong bowed and said, "I don't deserve the Water Emperor to speak like that."

The Water Official Emperor said, "Now that you have returned to the right path, why don't you practice cultivation with peace of mind and walk here?"

Sun Wukong said: "Today, I am walking in the human world with my elder brother, repairing the laws, which is also a kind of practice."

The Water Official Emperor smiled and said, "You are different now than you were before."

After that, the Water Official Emperor looked at Jiang Yuan and said, "Guangxin, I have heard of your name for a long time, but I have never met you. It is fate that I can meet you today."

Jiang Yuan bowed and said, "This junior pays homage to the Water Official Emperor. I have heard of his great reputation a long time ago."

The Water Official Emperor said, "You and I have a deep affinity."

Jiang Yuan asked, "Junior, I don't know where the law of fate lies."

The Water Official pointed at the waist of the real person and said with a smile: "You are wearing two tripods, which I cast in the past. They have magical powers and are rare treasures. It is rare for ordinary people to get one. The fact that you can get two is enough to show that you and I have a deep affinity." Jiang Yuan looked at the Yu Ding and Ji Ding on his waist. He bowed again and said: "Since the two tripods belonged to the Water Official, please forgive me for my stupidity and for not being able to remember them for the time being."

The Water Official stood up and helped Jiang Yuan up, saying, "In the past, when I was not yet the Water Official, I had cast nine tripods to control the nine states. Later, I failed and left. The nine tripods fell into the lower world and were scattered everywhere. No one knew where they were. But the Yu Tripod was the best, so I collected it and kept it in my hands. Later, I gave it to the Supreme Lord Lao. But later I heard that the Supreme Lord Lao gave it to Guangxin, but I never thought that Guangxin also got the Ji Tripod. Guangxin, can you tell me where the Ji Tripod came from?"

Jiang Yuan said, "The Ji Ding was found in the Huai River. In the past, there was a monster haunting the Huai River, called the Great Water Ape Sage. I went there and subdued it. I thought it was not easy for it to practice, and I also saw that the Huai River was difficult to stabilize, so I asked it to guard the Huai River and keep the area peaceful. The Great Water Ape Sage later told me that there was a Ji Ding under the Huai River, and I just got it."

The Water Official Emperor exclaimed: "It is indeed the law of fate."

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "I don't deserve it. I don't deserve it."

The Water Official Emperor said with a smile, "Guangxin has obtained two tripods now, I wonder if you are interested in taking the remaining seven tripods?"

Jiang Yuan said: "Such a treasure, I dare not steal it. If there is a destiny, I will get it."

The Water Official Emperor said: "I remember Guangxin was born in Jambudvīpa?"

Jiang Yuan said: "That's right."

The Water Official Emperor smiled and said, "The people of the Southern Continent happen to be in control of the Nine Cauldrons. I heard that Guangxin and Emperor Xuan are revising the laws. Guangxin might as well go east. I remember there might be a cauldron there, and there are also places where the laws need to be revised."

When Jiang Yuan heard that there was a place to practice law to the east, he agreed.

Sun Wukong stepped forward and said, "Since the Water Emperor said to go east, why didn't he tell me a place instead of asking my elder brother to look for it everywhere? That would be bad."

The Water Official Emperor laughed and scolded, "Great Sage, why are you unwilling to even go and look for it for a while? Forget it, forget it, forget it. Since you are asking for your brother, I will talk to you. Just go to Qingzhou."

Sun Wukong bowed and said, "Thank you for telling me."

The Water Official said: "I will be in the lower world for some time, and I will return to the heaven."

They all bid farewell to the Water Emperor and watched him walk away on the clouds.

When Sun Wukong saw the Water Emperor leaving, he asked, "Big Brother, should we go to Qingzhou?"

Jiang Yuan climbed onto the deer's back and said, "We will go there. Since the Water Official Emperor has said that there is no need to amend the law, there must be something going on. There is no need to deliberately look for the Nine Cauldrons."

Sun Wukong said with a smile: "If there is a chance, I will definitely find such a treasure for my elder brother."

Jiang Yuan pointed at Sun Wukong and asked with a smile: "You monkey, you don't have much treasure in your hands, why don't you want the Nine Cauldrons?"

Sun Wukong replied: "Big Brother, how can I not have treasures? Look at me."

As he spoke, Wukong shook the Yin-Yang Qi bottle on his waist, and then took out a set of armor and showed it to everyone.

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "Who would think it's too little, baby?"

Wukong said: "The Nine Cauldrons cannot be controlled by anyone other than the Great Master Brother."

The Bull Demon King laughed and said, "My dear brother, what you said is very reasonable. For something like the Nine Cauldrons, it is difficult for anyone other than me to control it."

Jiang Yuan said: "Don't talk nonsense, hurry up and get on your way to Qingzhou as soon as possible."

Sun Wukong and Bull Demon King both obeyed the order, one led the way and the other led the deer.

Jiang Yuan rode forward on the white deer, looking at Zuo Liang who was deep in thought behind him. He asked, "Zuo Liang, why do you look like this? Are you worried?"

Zuo Liang heard the Immortal's question and bowed, saying, "Sir, I saw the Water Official Emperor before, and he made me dazed."

Jiang Yuan smiled and asked, "What's the matter?"

Zuo Liang said: "Sir, you don't know that when I was in the human world, I often worshipped the Three Officials. It is said that 'the Heaven Official bestows blessings, the Earth Official forgives sins, and the Water Official relieves disasters'. Many people in the world worship them, but today I have the opportunity to see the Water Official, which makes me feel confused."

Jiang Yuan said: "Don't be alarmed, but if you practice with all your heart, you will see many immortals and gods in the future."

Zuo Liang bowed and said, "Sir, I understand."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "I remember that you often asked me how long I would walk. Why don't you ask me now?"

Zuo Liang replied, "Sir, there is no need to ask any more questions now."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "Zuo Liang, what do you mean by that?"

Zuo Liang said, "In the past, I was looking for freedom, but I didn't know where to find it. Now I am on the right path, so there is no need to ask again. There is no need to ask again."

Jiang Yuan smiled and nodded without saying anything more.

Seeing that the immortal said nothing, Zuo Liang bowed and followed the white deer in silence.

Seeing Zuo Liang's appearance, Jiang Yuan smiled and nodded, thinking to himself: "If Zuo Liang can follow me wholeheartedly, when I succeed and return to Fangcun Mountain, then I will have a true heart of Taoism. Now I am still three or four points short of the heat."

(End of this chapter)