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

Chapter 305 Laozi Can Be a Teacher, Emperor Ultimately Fails
The story begins at the Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars, in the ancestral master's quiet chamber, where the True Man offered the elixir to the ancestral master.

The Patriarch readily agreed, took the golden pill from the True Man's hand, and swallowed it with a smile. After a while, he said, "Child, your cultivation has indeed improved significantly. This golden pill is no less than that refined by Laozi, which is enough to show your ability."

Jiang Yuan bowed and said, "I dare not accept Master's words. I have some cultivation, but I dare not compare myself with Laozi or Master. I am filled with trepidation."

The patriarch smiled and said, “What is there to be afraid of? Your cultivation is truly remarkable, and you will surely become a person of great power. Please sit down and tell me your story before I leave to continue my cultivation.”

Upon hearing this, the True Man dared not make a mistake. He immediately sat down and spoke with the Patriarch about his cultivation in the Tushita Palace, the preparation of the Golden Elixir, Laozi's transmission of the Dao of Elixir, and so on. He told the Patriarch everything.

After listening to everything, the patriarch smiled and said, "Child, Laozi thinks highly of you and even intends to pass on all kinds of alchemy to you."

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "It is because Laozi is compassionate that he saw that his disciple was willing to learn the complete teachings, so he passed them on to me."

The patriarch gently stroked the child's head and said, "Child, there is no need for further words. If Laozi teaches you the Dao of Alchemy, then accept it. Laozi has shown you great kindness. If Laozi asks you for anything in the future, you should help him and not refuse."

Jiang Yuan said, "Master, I will always remember Laozi's kindness, but if Laozi asks me to do something, I will do my best to help him and dare not refuse."

The Patriarch smiled and said, “That’s very good. Child, although I am your teacher, Laozi has also helped you in many ways, and in some ways no less than I have. When you first started your cultivation, I helped you with the preparation of the cauldron and helped you succeed. When you were subduing the five people in your body, I helped you even more. When your golden elixir was about to be completed, I even gave you some pointers. The kindness I have shown you is countless. Laozi can also be your teacher.”

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "But my teacher is only Master. Master saved me from the sea of ​​suffering, took care of me for over a thousand days, treated me like his own son, and regarded me as his successor. I will always remember such kindness. Therefore, I only wish to respect Master as my teacher."

The Patriarch smiled and said, "I know of your filial piety, child. But I am not teaching you to change your allegiance, but to let you know the kindness of Laozi."

Jiang Yuan said, "Master, I know that Laozi's kindness is profound, and I dare not forget it. Please rest assured, Master."

The Patriarch nodded and said, “Since you know this and have not forgotten it, that is fine. However, Laozi has shown you great kindness, and it is not an exaggeration to call him your teacher. Therefore, when you meet him in the future, you may call Laozi your teacher. This is not an exaggeration.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan responded to the Patriarch, saying, "Disciple understands."

The Patriarch smiled and said, “Child, you have returned from the Heavenly Court and have been practicing alchemy for a long time. You must be tired. Go to your room and meditate for a while to nourish your essence and energy.”

Jiang Yuan said, "Yes, Master. I will rest for a few days before serving you again."

The patriarch pointed at Jiang Yuan and said with a smile, "You child, you are about to become a great master. How can you talk about serving others like this? You will be the head of a family, opening your doors wide and recruiting disciples. You should not say such things again, lest others find out."

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "Master, no matter what kind of cultivation I have or what kind of status I have, in front of you I am just a novice. This will not change now, nor will it change in the future."

The patriarch laughed and said, "How can someone with great magical powers be a Daoist disciple?"

Jiang Yuan said, "Why can't it be?"

The patriarch said, “Those with great magical power naturally have the appearance of becoming the patriarch of a sect. How can such a person be a novice Daoist?”

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "Master, you should know that those with great magical power were once Daoist children. Having received such deep kindness, even with all kinds of magical power, one should not show off in front of one's benefactor, and one's heart should remain unchanged."

The patriarch smiled and nodded, saying, "Alright, alright, alright. Do as you please, boy. I won't argue with you. Go and rest."

After paying his respects, Jiang Yuan bid farewell to the patriarch and returned to his quiet room to rest and recuperate.

……

Time flies. Since Jiang Yuan returned home to pay homage to the patriarch and entered the meditation room, more than seven or eight days have passed.

Seven or eight days later, the immortal finally left the quiet room, went to the mansion, found Sun Wukong, and pulled Sun Wukong to the Jade Terrace.

Sun Wukong bowed and said, "Elder brother, if you have anything to say, you can send someone to tell me. I will definitely go there. I am here to pay my respects to you personally. How could I trouble you to come looking for me in person?"

Jiang Yuan sat in the classroom and said with a smile, "Wukong, we are brothers, there's no need for such formalities. Please sit down. I've come to you today because I have some questions to ask you. I hope you can answer them for me."

Sun Wukong scratched his ears and cheeks, looking restless, and said, "If there is anything you wish to know, please tell me. Do not ask me such questions. It is too much for me! It makes me uneasy."

Jiang Yuan laughed and said, "No need to be nervous, Wukong. I went to the Tushita Palace to learn the complete Dao of alchemy, but I don't know what the human world is like now. Wukong, do you know anything about the human world?"

Sun Wukong pondered for a moment and replied, "I know a lot about myself. I learned quite a bit from the Manifestation Saint True Lord. I also once traveled through the Southern Continent. What does my eldest brother wish to know?"

Jiang Yuan asked, "But I wonder if the Ziwei Emperor's mission to save the mortals has been successful?"

Sun Wukong sighed and said, "If this is the case, I know that the Ziwei Emperor's life in this world has ended in failure. The Manifestation Saint True Lord has spoken of this matter, and my brother and I have also spoken of it."

Jiang Yuan said, "Tell me in detail."

Sun Wukong said, "Eldest brother, you may not know this, but since Empress Wu usurped the throne and replaced the Tang dynasty, only a few years have passed before her lifespan came to an end. Before her death, she passed the throne to the Ziwei Emperor."

Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "Your Majesty, having obtained this throne in the mortal realm, should use it to save humanity. What if you fail?"

Sun Wukong replied, “Eldest brother, since the Emperor obtained the throne of the mortal realm, he has worked diligently to govern and has indeed brought about a prosperous era. However, this prosperity only truly existed at the beginning of his reign. At that time, many stars were reincarnated and appeared to assist the Emperor, and the mortal realm seemed to be on the verge of collapse. The Three Realms were shaken, and many immortals said that the Emperor would succeed. But after more than ten years of prosperity, the Emperor’s reincarnation seemed to have been harmed by the Sea of ​​Suffering, and the mortal realm went from prosperity to decline. Many stars, unable to receive the Emperor’s reincarnation’s protection, were also trapped in the Sea of ​​Suffering, fighting each other. Many stars perished in their reincarnations, and now the situation is one of failure.”

Hearing Sun Wukong's words, Jiang Yuan sighed and said, "I never imagined that the Emperor's life would end like this."

Sun Wukong said, "When I first heard this, I was also shocked. I never thought that the Emperor would be harmed by the Sea of ​​Bitterness, leading to the failure of his efforts. The Sea of ​​Bitterness is truly a great difficulty for cultivation. However, if a cultivator enters the Sea of ​​Bitterness and his cultivation is insufficient, he will surely be blinded by the Sea of ​​Bitterness and will not know what he is doing."

Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "The sea of ​​suffering is hard to cross, and even crossing one person is difficult. I do not have the ability to cross all living beings."

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "My eldest brother doesn't have that kind of ability, let alone me. But there is someone in the mortal world, and I should go and personally guide him."

Jiang Yuan asked, "Who is it?"

Sun Wukong said, "It is none other than Li Changgeng, the Venus of the North."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan immediately understood and smiled, "If it is Venus, then I will go and ferry him across."

Sun Wukong said, “That’s right, that’s right. That Venus is someone who has been kind to me, and also kind to that fool. Now that I know he is in distress, I should help him. Speaking of which, Venus’s reincarnation is quite interesting.”

Jiang Yuan asked, "What's the interesting way?"

Sun Wukong replied, "The reincarnation of Taibai Jinxing, Li Changgeng, was known as the 'banished immortal' in the mortal world. He was exceptionally talented, but due to some events, his reincarnation was delayed by a few years. When the Emperor was reincarnated and ruled the world, he was still young. By the time he grew up, the world had declined from its peak, and he had nowhere to display his talents. This is both amusing and frustrating."

Jiang Yuan said, "I know that Venus was reborn a little late. At that time, he even asked me where he should be reborn, but I never expected it to lead to this." Sun Wukong said, "That Li Changgeng was not careful."

Jiang Yuan stood up and said, "In that case, I will go and see how the human world is now, and then cross over to Taibai Jinxing."

Sun Wukong said, "Eldest brother, if it is to ferry Taibai Jinxing, I can go. Although it is a bit difficult for me to ferry one person, I do have the ability."

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "I must also enter the world and experience life here."

Sun Wukong asked, "Why has my senior brother entered the mortal world?"

Jiang Yuan said, "Laojun once sent me to ferry someone across the sea of ​​suffering. Now that the time for the Dharma is approaching, I should go there and personally guide him to the Dharma so that he may be freed from the sea of ​​suffering."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Elder Brother, when we enter the mortal world, would you allow me to follow you?"

Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "If Wukong has time, he can come with me. I would be happy to do so, how could I refuse?"

Sun Wukong was overjoyed, saying that once the immortal went, he would definitely come and follow.

The immortal smiled and agreed, then bid farewell to Sun Wukong and entered the Patriarch's quiet room to discuss the matter with the Patriarch.

The Patriarch naturally permitted the True Man to go, knowing that the True Man's cultivation was still lacking in refinement before achieving great magical power. This lack of refinement lay in quiet meditation, in the workings of Heaven and Earth, and even more so in the True Man's own practice of cultivating his mind. Therefore, such a journey was perfectly reasonable.

Upon learning of this, the Patriarch said, "Child, since you have made up your mind to go, you should do so as soon as possible. When do you plan to enter the world?"

After pondering for a long time, Jiang Yuan said, "Master, I intend to go to the mortal world after more than a year."

The patriarch laughed and said, "Child, you still have a year before you enter the world, why are you talking to me so early?"

Jiang Yuan replied, "Master, a year is but a fleeting moment for us, but I am willing to serve you. Please grant me permission."

The patriarch shook his head and said, "Don't talk about serving or not serving. Since you are willing to stay by my side for a year, play a game of chess with me. After the game is over, you can enter the world to cultivate."

Jiang Yuan replied, "Yes, Master."

The master then took out a chessboard, and the two sat down at the table and placed the pieces on the board.

Summer came and winter went, and suddenly the New Year arrived. Before we knew it, a year had passed. The game of chess between the True Man and the Patriarch had finally come to an end. It was neither too fast nor too slow, but it was exactly a year. The game ended with the True Man's defeat.

The real man found this strange; his cultivation was far inferior to that of the patriarch, and there was no doubt that he had lost the game to the patriarch.

A year later, the True Man bid farewell to his Patriarch and, upon arriving at the entrance of his cave, summoned Sun Wukong to come with him to travel to the Southern Continent.

He had just sent Red Boy to deliver the message, while he himself summoned White Deer and Green Ox outside the mansion.

The immortal soothed the white deer for a while, then looked at the blue ox and smiled, "Great King Rhinoceros, how have you been lately?"

The green ox, wielding a steel spear, stepped forward to meet the master. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the master's body radiated even brighter light. He was secretly amazed at how quickly this fellow had cultivated. Without pausing, he returned the master's greeting and inquired about his well-being.

Jiang Yuan said, "As long as King Si is well, that's all that matters."

The green ox couldn't help but ask, "Master, what skills and supernatural powers did you learn at the Tushita Palace? How come your magical power has increased so much?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "I have not learned any supernatural powers. At that time, I was refining pills in the Tushita Palace and did not engage in any other activities. Now that I have returned, I have mastered one or two aspects of the Dao of Alchemy."

The green ox said, "The Dao of Alchemy? What is the Dao of Alchemy? How come you have greatly increased your magical power after I taught you the Dao of Alchemy?"

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "It is an external alchemy practice."

The Green Ox exclaimed in surprise, "I knew it! How could alchemy make your magical power increase so much? Back in the Heavenly Palace, I ate those pills like they were food, but I didn't see any increase in my magical power. How could ordinary pills make your magical power increase like this? But if it's external alchemy, then it makes sense."

Upon seeing the appearance of the blue ox, Jiang Yuan asked, "Does the Great King of the Rhinoceros know about external alchemy?"

The Green Ox said, "How could I not recognize it? Don't underestimate me. Although I have never personally refined pills, I usually consume a lot of pills, especially golden pills. I know more about external alchemy than ordinary people."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan was filled with admiration. As expected of Laozi's beast, it was completely different from ordinary beasts.

The immortal said, "Great King Rhinoceros, I am going to the mortal realm now. Will you come with me, or will you choose to cultivate in the mountains?"

The green ox said, “I will go with you, I will go with you! You don’t know, Master, these years you’ve been in the Heavenly Palace have been very vexing for me. The Bodhi Patriarch has been watching over me, but when I wanted to leave the mountain, he captured me and only told me the Dharma sutras and told me to memorize them. If I couldn’t memorize them, he wouldn’t even let me leave the cave.”

Jiang Yuan laughed and asked, "What are you doing going down the mountain, King Si?"

The green ox said, "Staying in the mountains for too long is bound to be boring, so I'm going down the mountain."

Jiang Yuan said, "Given your temperament, if you were to leave the mountain, you would probably find another place to gather a crowd and have fun. Now, come with me out of the mountain and let's not talk about the past anymore."

The green ox responded and followed behind the master, asking, "Master, who are you waiting for here today?"

Jiang Yuan said, "Wait until Wukong leaves the manor, then he can travel with me."

The Green Ox said, "We don't need that monkey. Why don't we proceed here, True Man? That monkey is useless to us. I can do the work of protecting the Dharma."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "Why do you say that? Do you have some grudge against Wukong?"

The green ox pointed to the back mountain and said, "I planted some orange trees on that back mountain, which the monkey found out and came looking for me. I intended to help him plant peach trees instead, but the monkey hit me with a stick, causing me great pain."

Upon hearing this, the master smiled broadly, finding it quite amusing that the two were fighting over the fruit tree.

As the two were talking, Sun Wukong suddenly appeared, followed by Zuo Liang, the Bull Demon King, Red Boy, and a group of others.

When the real man saw this, he was somewhat puzzled, but after listening to the crowd's words, he realized that they all wanted to follow him, leaving him speechless and unsure of what to do.

(End of this chapter)