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

Chapter 26: Yin Xi, the Commander of Hangu Pass

Jiang Tong'er walked on the golden road that led straight to the east. He experienced the scorching hot summer months, but also the frosty autumn months. After a year, he was close to Jambu Continent.

Jiang Tong'er was walking on the road, looking far away, and saw the end of the golden light. He knew that the master's Dharma had reached Hangu Pass and he was about to arrive.

"Fortunately, the purple aura is still here, and it has not yet passed."

Jiang Yuan looked at the purple air in the east and felt relieved, for he knew that Laozi had not yet traveled west to Hangu Pass.

During this year, he practiced continuously day by day, truly "taking the Heavenly Fire into the Lung Furnace and refining it to be as red as the Golden Crow". His practice made progress, and he was gradually becoming the Golden Crow.

Jiang Yuan walked towards Hangu Pass. When he reached the end of the road, the golden light under his feet dissipated, and it turned out that Jambu Continent was right before his eyes.

The boy turned around, kowtowed to the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, thanked the ancestor, and then walked into the Southern Continent.

Not long after entering the Southern Continent, we saw Hangu Pass again. However, Hangu Pass had changed. We saw a magnificent fortress in the pass of Hangu Pass. The fortress was built in the narrow pass of Hangu Pass. The gate of the fortress was only wide enough for one car to pass through. If the gate was closed, it would be really amazing to see the fortress with a sigh.

Jiang Tong'er smiled and said, "Master said in the past that a pass should be built here, so that one man could block the pass and ten thousand men could not get through. I wonder what Master would do if he knew that a pass would really be built here. This should be called 'Hangu Pass'."

After saying this, he rushed to Hangu Pass.

As he got closer, Jiang Yuan saw the entire Hangu Pass before his eyes. Suddenly, he saw a middle-aged man standing outside the pass with five or six servants waiting. The road under his feet was spotless.

Jiang Yuan looked at the middle-aged man, his Mud Palace shook violently, and his soul came to help. He saw that the middle-aged man had an immortal look and a hidden spirit in his body. His heart was at peace. He was indeed a wonderful person.

These people are not only those who practice cultivation, but are also great sages in the world.

When the middle-aged man saw Jiang Yuan coming, he led his servant forward, bowed and said, "Hangu Pass Commander Yin Xi pays homage to the Western Saint!"

Jiang Yuan was surprised and puzzled, and said, "Why do you need such courtesy? I am just a child, not a saint!"

This was actually Yin Xi, a name he had heard of in his dream. This person was revered as one of the founders of Taoism, called "Wenshi Zhenren", and was also revered as the ancestor of Louguan Dao, with a great reputation.

Why does this person worship him and call him a saint of the West?

Yin Xi bowed and said, "The sage does not know. I have been interested in the universe since I was young. I know a little about changes, divination, and the Eight Trigrams. I also know about Lianshan and Guizang. A year ago, I observed the sky at night and saw purple clouds coming from the east, as vast as a dragon. I knew that a sage was coming from the west. I also saw a bright golden light on the west road. I knew that a sage from the west was coming from the east. The two sages met at Hangu Pass."

Jiang Yuan asked: "How do you know that I am a saint from the West?"

Yin Xi said: "I observed the sky and knew that the Western Saint would arrive in the third autumn. I could see the stars of Yuzhou moving. The Saint's body must be connected to Yuzhou. I saw the Yu Ding tied around the Saint's waist. I also saw that the Saint was full of spirit and energy. He must be the Western Saint!"

Jiang Yuan was surprised. This man was really smart. He shook his head and said, "Master Guan is very talented! But I am definitely not a Western saint."

Yin Xi bowed again and said, "I will never admit my mistakes in front of the saint!"

Jiang Yuan was helpless and said, "Listen to me, Guan Ling. The saint from the West is my teacher. My family lives in the Three Stars Cave of the Slanting Moon on the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain in Xiniu Hezhou. My teacher's Dharma name is Bodhi. He is a good friend of the saint from the East. Now I see the saint coming from the East and he has appointed me to serve him. Therefore, I can follow the Dharma path, but I am definitely not a saint."

Yin Xi heard this and finally believed it. He said, "It's my fault. I didn't expect Master Xiantong to be a saint. I should make amends to the saint!"

Say it.

Yin Xi kowtowed nine times toward the west.

Jiang Yuan helped Yin Xi up and said, "If my master knew, he would not blame you. You can rest assured."

Yin Xi nodded and asked the servants to bring a sedan chair, but Jiang Yuan refused.

Jiang Yuan said, "I am waiting for the saint to come, so there is no need to do this."

Yin Xi stopped and said, "In that case, please let the master enter the pass. I dare not ask for the master's name."

Jiang Yuan replied: "Jiang Yuan, my Buddhist name is Guangxin."

Yin Xi welcomed Jiang Yuan into Hangu Pass and treated her well.

Jiang Yuan entered the pass without receiving any training. He just looked for a piece of land to sit cross-leggedly and practice. He did not need any grains or cereals. He exhaled heavenly fire every day to forge gold.

This scene naturally shocked the people inside the pass, who thought that a god had come to the pass, who did not eat or drink and was safe and sound.

Guan Ling Yin Xi was also surprised. He didn't expect Jiang Yuan to have such ability.

……

This practice lasted for three or four months, until spring came and flowers bloomed, and the reds became plump and the greens became thin. On this day, Jiang Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, and the mud palace shook violently. He looked far away and saw purple air coming from the east in the distant sky, like waves rolling in the sea.

Laozi is about to arrive at Hangu Pass!

Jiang Yuan stood up, feeling healthy and refreshed, and was ready to go meet Laozi.

Suddenly, Yin Xi came towards him.

Yin Xi saw Jiang Yuan, bowed and said, "Master! The saint is coming, can you please join me in welcoming him?"

Jiang Yuan said: "How do you know that the saint is coming?"

Yin Xi said, "I have been restless for days, and I have a hidden inspiration. I saw that the master has been sitting for two or three months without moving, and just moved today, so I feel that the saint is coming."

Jiang Yuan praised: "You are indeed smart. When I was practicing in the mountains, some of my fellow apprentices were not as smart as you."

Yin Xi shook his head and said, "I dare not! I am just an ordinary person, how dare I compare myself with the disciples of the Western saints."

Jiang Yuan saw that there was some food in the distance and guessed that Yin Xi sent people to deliver food every day. He had a good impression of Yin Xi.

He said, "I see the purple air coming, and I think the saint is coming, so I want to welcome the saint. Will Guan Ling go with me?"

Yin Xi was happy and agreed readily.

Jiang Yuan and Yin Xi came out of seclusion.

Yin Xi took his servants out of the pass and cleared the road. The area of ​​forty miles along the way was completely cleared and spotless.

Jiang Yuan saw this and thought to himself, "This boy is really a cultivator. He deserves to be famous."

He was waiting by the roadside forty miles away.

After Yin Xi cleaned the road, he followed Jiang Yuan and waited for the saint to come east.

……

They had been waiting for more than half a month. When Yin Xi and Jiang Yuan were waiting for the saint, many soldiers and servants of the pass followed them.

However, after five days, no one arrived, so the people in the pass left.

After ten days, seeing that no one had arrived, the soldiers left.

After another half month, no one came, and many of Yin Xi's servants left, leaving only three people waiting with Yin Xi.

On this day, Jiang Yuan had finished his practice of swallowing and exhaling heavenly fire. He suddenly felt something and looked up into the sky.

Wow! !

There were strange phenomena in the sky one after another, with colorful clouds overlapping and purple air lush and green.

"coming."

Jiang Yuan got up and walked to the side of the road.

Yin Xi and his three servants saw what Jiang Yuan did and followed closely.

While waiting quietly, I saw an old man appear in the distance, riding a green ox upside down. It was Laozi.

Soon the blue bull came closer, and Jiang Yuan walked to the middle of the road, greeted him and said, "Guangxin greets Mr. Boyang."

Yin Xi and others also greeted him.

The green ox stopped in the middle of the road. Laozi saw that it was Jiang Yuan, and said with a smile: "Why are you Guangxin? You are really smart and intelligent. You can teach the monkey mind to settle down. The golden man will become. When I saw you before, you had not yet entered the Tao and your monkey mind was not settled. Now I see you again, you have entered the Tao for a long time."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "Fortunately, Mr. Boyang helped me in the tripod. Now, I am following the master's order to lead the cow to protect Mr. Boyang and teach him to walk more easily."

I smiled and nodded, accepting his meaning...

(End of this chapter)