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

Chapter 235 The Nine Cauldrons
The story goes that in the Quanshan Mountain, 800 miles away, the immortal subdued the Green Ox. Finally, the Green Ox admitted its mistake and dared not to act presumptuously again.

Jiang Yuan took the treasure back and put the diamond chisel between the nose of the Green Ox. However, it was difficult to take out the Panlong crutch because it had no magic spell and was as heavy as Mount Tai. Sun Wukong and others could not move it.

Finally, the immortal appeared and held the Panlong abductor, waiting to meet Laojun and then return it to him.

The Immortal, Sun Wukong, Zuo Liang and others walked to the Qingniu Cave in Liquan Mountain.

Jiang Yuan pointed at Qingniu and said, "Qingniu has surrendered now. You can't lift the Panlong crutch with you. I will go there myself and send Qingniu back to Tushita Palace."

The Blue Ox was led by the Bull Demon King, speaking human language, and said, "There is no need for the Immortal to go, there is no need for the Immortal to go. I have a spell, and if I recite it, the Panlong Cane will be as light as nothing. Just ask Li Xuan to take me back to heaven."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "King Si, you don't need to go. Are you thinking of asking Junior Brother Li to take you back to heaven, so that Junior Brother Li's magic power can't do anything to you and you can get away?"

Qingniu said, "How dare I do that?"

Jiang Yuan said: "King Si, don't be vague, and recite the spell to us."

Qingniu did not dare to disobey and immediately recited the spell.

Jiang Yuan made Sun Wukong learn the full spell, handed the Panlong crutch to Sun Wukong, and said, "Wukong, if Junior Brother Li wants to send King Si back to the Heavenly Palace by himself, I'm afraid you may not be able to do it. So please go and watch King Si return to the Heavenly Palace."

Sun Wukong took the Panlong crutch and said with a smile: "Big Brother, I was just about to ask Laojun why he keeps losing things all day. It's just right. I will send Qingniu back to the Heavenly Palace. But Big Brother, please don't delay your journey because of me. That would be my fault. When I return, I will definitely find you and protect you on your journey."

Jiang Yuan agreed.

Sun Wukong turned around and was about to lead the Green Ox and leave with Li Tieguai.

The Green Ox pushed Sun Wukong and said, "Master, please don't send me back to Heaven, please don't send me back to Heaven, and please show some mercy!"

Jiang Yuan heard this and said with a smile, "King Si, why don't you want to go back to the Heavenly Palace? Could it be that Laojun never treated you well?"

Qingniu shook his head and said, "No. The master treated me very well, but I feel a little bored and boring in the Heavenly Palace. It's better to have fun in the lower world."

Jiang Yuan said: "If it is because of this, I cannot allow you to stay in the lower world. Please go back to Tushita Palace, practice well, and stabilize your mind."

Seeing that the Immortal was unwilling to keep him, Qingniu said, "I, Immortal, but I have something to tell you. This thing is very useful and can teach you another treasure. Can I use this thing to exchange for the Immortal to stay in the lower world?"

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "The treasure you are talking about is one of the Nine Cauldrons?"

The blue ox was surprised, raised its head and asked, "How did you know? How could anyone know this news except me?"

Jiang Yuan said: "I knew this news a long time ago."

Qingniu said, "I have spent a lot of effort to get this news. I have walked into this mountain and searched for a long time in Qingzhou, but I can't find any trace of him. However, I have never heard of him. True man, can you tell me where you got the news from?"

Jiang Yuan smiled but did not answer.

Sun Wukong smiled and said, "Brother, if you don't want to say more, I can tell you that it was the Water Official Emperor who told you personally and asked you to come to Qingzhou to find the Nine Cauldrons and to establish the law, so you came here in person."

Qingniu said, "The Water Official? Did the Water Official tell it himself?"

Sun Wukong said, "That's right, that's right." Qingniu cursed, "Water Emperor is so unfair, how could you spread this news? I spent a long time just to learn this news, and I have been looking for the tripod for a long time, but I can't find any trace of it. I couldn't find the tripod at first, so I went to ask Water Emperor about it. I met Water Emperor, and he told me that he didn't know where the Nine Tripods were, and told me to look for them myself. He also said that although he forged the Nine Tripods, they were spirits and not under his control, so he didn't know where they were. How come you told me that they were in Qingzhou now?"

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "What use do you have for the tripod?"

Qingniu said, "It is very interesting to play with this tripod every day. Each of the nine tripods has its own uses. For example, the Yu Ding of the Immortal is thick and heavy, and it is used for the five elements of earth, which can suppress all things. The Ji Ding can also be used to control the water in the world. It has many uses, which are too numerous to mention."

Sun Wukong said: "Even if it is very useful and precious, you can't get it. Such treasures belong to people with virtue, and you can't take it."

Qingniu asked, "Is the Immortal a virtuous person?"

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Otherwise? My elder brother has two tripods, how can you say he has no virtue?"

Qing Niu was speechless, looked at the Immortal, and said: "Since the Immortal knows about the tripod, I will not say much, but I have heard that the tripod seems to be hidden in the mountains, either in Liquan Mountain or in the 'Two Hundred Li Lan Mountain' to the west of Liquan Mountain. But I have been looking for it for a long time and have never seen it. This is what I know."

Jiang Yuan heard this and nodded, saying, "I have written it all down. Thank you, King Si. King Si, don't worry. The old master has always loved you and will definitely not blame you."

Qingniu shook his head and said, "The protagonist won't blame me, so you can rest assured."

Jiang Yuan smiled and nodded when he heard this, as he knew Laojun's temperament.

Laojun has always liked the Green Ox, and he believes in "letting nature take its course". However, the Green Ox does not make mistakes and has not committed any sins, so Laojun will never blame it. He will usually just laugh and scold it once or twice and then let it go.

The Green Ox also has a pure heart and is clear-headed. Although it has been to the lower world, it has never done evil. It gathers soldiers and horses just for fun. It never eats meat, but only eats oranges and fruits. It is quite intelligent.

After Jiang Yuan finished talking with the Green Ox, he ordered Sun Wukong and Li Tieguai to take the Green Ox to the heaven.

The three of them left on the clouds.

Jiang Yuan and the other two watched Sun Wukong and the other two walk away. The Bull Demon King asked, "Master, where should we go? Should we rest in this mansion for a while, or leave and look for the tripod?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "To find the tripod, you need a method. Don't be impatient. If you have a method, the Nine Tripods will appear and you can take them at that time. If you don't have a method, it's useless to look for them, so there's no need to look for them. Let's rest in this mansion for a day or two, and then travel in Qingzhou."

The Bull Demon King replied, "Yes, sir. But please stay here for a while. I will go into the mansion to take a look. If there are any little demons in the mansion, I will send them away. If there are any evil demons, I will kill them. After I clean up for a while, you can go in again."

Jiang Yuan said, "You go in first."

The Bull Demon King took the order and walked into the cave, swinging a mixed iron stick.

Seeing that there was no one around, Zuo Liang stepped forward and asked, "Sir, was that blue bull the mount of Taishang Laojun?"

Jiang Yuan turned around and said with a smile: "That Si King is indeed Laojun's mount."

Zuo Liang said: "That blue bull has a peculiar appearance, it is not like any other blue bull."

Jiang Yuan said with a smile: "Don't underestimate the Great King Si. I have seen the Great King Si since the Zhou Dynasty. He has been following Laojun for who knows how long."

Zuo Liang did not dare to underestimate the Green Ox, and even said he did not dare, because he felt that the Green Ox's true appearance was strange.

(End of this chapter)