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

Chapter 320 Chenxiang's Heart is in Turmoil, Bajie Offers Advice

In the Guanjiang Estuary area, the streets are bustling with people, and there is much chaos in the world. However, there is a temple dedicated to Erlang Shen, the True Lord of Manifestation, which prevents evil spirits from causing trouble. The local officials are afraid that the True Lord will manifest himself, so they dare not cause any harm. As a result, this place is a rare pure land in the world.

Chenxiang carried an axe on his back and walked down the street, followed by dozens of people who admired his martial arts and followed him to cultivate.

Seeing the bustling surroundings, the group asked, "Master, where should we go?"

Chenxiang said, "I have heard that Erlang Shen's temple is here. I can't do anything to him, but I must avenge this grudge. So I should go and smash his temple to vent my anger."

Upon hearing this, everyone hurriedly tried to dissuade him, saying, "Master, you mustn't do this, you mustn't do this."

Chenxiang asked, "Why are you stopping me?"

The group said, “Master, but this is the mouth of the Guanjiang River. The Erlang Temple has great prestige here. If we openly smash the temple, we may not be able to leave the temple and will be surrounded and killed by the local people.”

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang felt that what everyone said made sense. After pondering for a while, he said, "What you all say makes sense. If that's the case, then let's go and smash the Erlang Temple tonight."

The group was somewhat apprehensive, but dared not disobey Chenxiang's orders, so they had no choice but to comply.

Someone asked, "Master, it's still early. Why don't we find a place to rest? We're getting tired from traveling like this."

Chenxiang said, “We should find a place. You’re right. But where do you think would be a better place to rest?”

Someone pointed to a luxurious restaurant ahead and said happily, "Master, why don't we go there to find some food and rest there?"

Upon seeing this, Chenxiang hesitated, for he did not have much money and feared he could not afford to go to such a place.

One of the disciples said, “Master, if it’s for the money, there’s no need to be afraid. We have the skills to do so. We can eat and drink our fill and then leave. If the shopkeeper tries to stop us, we can use our skills to make him back down.”

Chenxiang asked, "What should we do if the government sends someone?"

The disciple said, "Master has such martial arts skills. If the government sends people, just kill them. With your skills, Master, what is there to fear from others?"

Chenxiang said, "We can kill one or two, but we can't kill all the hundreds or thousands of people. If we do that, what will I do if the court sends an army of 10,000?"

The disciple said, “Master, there is a saying that ‘to become a general, one must first rebel.’ With your abilities, even if the court has a large army, it cannot do anything to you. Perhaps you will eventually be granted amnesty and become a general.”

The agarwood teacher said something that piqued my interest.

Another disciple said, "Master, if you can become a general and hold a position in the imperial court, perhaps Erlang Shen will not dare to make things difficult for you and will release your parents. At the very least, you can obtain an imperial edict from the emperor to order Erlang Shen to release them. If he does not release them, it will be considered disobeying the imperial edict and he will be beheaded."

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang's eyes lit up. He felt that what this person said made sense. He had never thought that there was such a way to deal with Erlang Shen.

He was about to say something.

Suddenly a sound reached my ears.

“My disciple, go ahead on your own and enter the alley ahead.”

This is the voice of Sun Wukong.

Chenxiang recognized it and his eyes lit up. If his master had helped him, there would be no need for such trouble. His master could defeat Erlang Shen.

He spoke with his disciples for a while, telling them to wait where they were. Then he got up and left, heading forward. He walked into a small alley and there he met his master.

His master was serving before a white deer, upon which sat an immortal, and beside the deer were several other attendants.

Upon seeing the person riding the deer, Chenxiang felt a sense of peace and involuntarily felt that this person was an immortal.

Seeing Chenxiang's expression, Sun Wukong asked, "Chenxiang, why are you lost in thought?"

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang hurriedly went to Sun Wukong, bowed deeply, and said, "Disciple greets Master."

Then he looked at Zuo Liang and called out, "Senior Brother."

Zuo Liang nodded, without saying anything more.

Sun Wukong said, "This is your grandmaster uncle, you should pay your respects."

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang was startled. His grand-uncle was none other than the legendary immortal, the one known as the Zen Ancestor. It was said that he possessed great supernatural powers and profound magical abilities, far surpassing Erlang Shen. Even the Buddha could not defeat him in a contest, and the Jade Emperor could not invite him twice. He was a renowned immortal in the Three Realms.

His heart burned with excitement. If he could get his senior uncle to back him up, who in the Three Realms could stop him from saving his father and mother?

Chenxiang bowed deeply and said, "Disciple Chenxiang greets Grand Master Uncle."

Jiang Yuan sat on the deer's back, smiling. With a flick of his sleeve, a gentle breeze came and helped Chen Xiang up. He said with a smile, "Chen Xiang, there's no need for formalities. Just calm your mind and don't have any other thoughts. Everyone here is family. There's no need to be on guard or plot against us."

Chenxiang was startled. He never expected that his senior uncle would have the ability to see through his thoughts. He dared not think any further and bowed, saying, "This disciple dares not, this disciple dares not."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "Get up. Now that you're here, why don't you travel with me for a while? What do you think?"

Chenxiang bowed and said, "Senior Uncle, I have some disciples who might be able to travel with you and Master?"

Jiang Yuan smiled and did not reply.

Sun Wukong asked, "Do you have disciples? How many?"

Chenxiang bowed and said, "Master, there are thirty-two people."

Sun Wukong stared in disbelief and asked, "Why do you take on so many disciples?"

Chenxiang smiled and said, "Master, I will take anyone who is willing to learn as my disciple."

Sun Wukong said, "You haven't even tested their hearts yet, how can you accept them all as disciples? Thirty-two disciples, can you teach them all? Even I, Sun Wukong, can't teach them all, let alone you."

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang hesitated, unsure how to respond.

Jiang Yuan suddenly said, "Don't worry about your disciples, just follow us."

Chenxiang asked, "Senior Uncle, how can you do this? But since I have taken him as my disciple, I cannot ignore him."

Jiang Yuan pointed outside and said, "Go outside and see if your disciples are still waiting for you."

Upon hearing the master's words, Chenxiang quickly stepped out, but upon closer inspection, he found the area where his disciples had stood completely deserted. Chenxiang was greatly alarmed. He rushed to the empty space, stopped a vendor, and asked, "Have you seen my disciples?"

The vendor, puzzled, asked, "You've always been alone, talking to yourself. How can you have any disciples?"

Chenxiang asked in surprise, "You really haven't seen any of my disciples?"

The vendor said, "If you don't buy anything, then go away. You'll just be talking to yourself here. But go ask someone else on this road."

Chenxiang was somewhat skeptical, so he turned around to ask the others beside him. But all the people he asked said that he was the only one speaking there, and there was no one else. He was greatly shocked. Who were the thirty-two people he had taken in?

He turned and went back into the alley. Upon seeing the group of masters, he knelt down and asked, "Master, Grand Master, but I do have many disciples following me. Why have I not seen anyone else?"

The man smiled but said nothing.

Sun Wukong suddenly realized the reason why Chenxiang was in this state. He said, "Chenxiang, since you left the mountain, have you cultivated your mind?"

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang panicked and replied, "Master, I have not forgotten; I am constantly cultivating my mind."

Sun Wukong asked, "But if you are always cultivating your mind, how could you have been so deceived by the two gods that you couldn't even distinguish whether those disciples were human or demons? If it weren't for your senior brother being here and telling the two gods to back down, wouldn't you have made a grave mistake?"

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang knew perfectly well that his cultivation had gone awry. He immediately kowtowed and said, "This disciple is guilty and dares not deceive Master. Since leaving the mountain, I have not cultivated my mind. I only felt that my cultivation had been greatly accomplished, so there were omissions."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong was exasperated and said, "With such meager skills, how can you talk about achieving great success in cultivation? Today, you have forgotten the way of cultivating your mind, hence this great calamity."

Chenxiang pleaded, "Master, I know I was wrong, but please save me!"

Sun Wukong said, “You are quite lucky to have your senior brother here, and I am here as well. Otherwise, if it had been later, you would have committed a heinous crime, just like I did in the past. But I was born of heaven and earth, so no one can hurt me. You are different.”

Chenxiang was trembling with fear, remaining silent and not daring to utter a word.

The master pondered for a moment and said, "But in Chenxiang's situation, no one can help him except himself. If he has not awakened to the truth, it will be useless for anyone to help him, and he will never find the right way. But if he awakens to the truth, it is not too late to uphold the precepts and cultivate his mind. How to choose is up to him."

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang kowtowed and said, "I am willing to listen to the words of my senior master and uphold the precepts to cultivate my mind."

The master said, "But you should focus on your cultivation. There's no need to mention your determination again. It's easy to deceive others, but difficult to deceive yourself."

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang remained silent and followed the group without saying another word.

Pigsy put down the carrying pole, saw Chenxiang, and stepped forward, saying, "You, Chenxiang, have not cultivated your mind. You are a disciple of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, yet you are so bewitched by demonic obstacles. This is wrong, this is wrong."

Chenxiang lowered his head, feeling overwhelmed with shame.

Pigsy patted his belly and said, “Back then, we helped you and guided you to cultivate. At that time, you had a pure heart and said that you were doing it to save your father and mother. Your father has died in the underworld and your mother is trapped under Mount Hua, both suffering from torment and pain. How can you not cultivate your heart now and wander around aimlessly? This is not right. If you continue to cultivate like this, when will you be able to save your father and mother?”

Chenxiang remained silent, his fists clenched, unsure of what to do.

Pigsy kept babbling on, saying, "Could it be that you're trying to trick me?"

Chenxiang said, "When have I ever lied to you, sir?"

Pigsy said, “But you are using the excuse of saving your parents to deceive me, hoping to soften my heart and allow you to cultivate your spiritual path so that you can live a carefree life. Your tricks can no longer fool me.”

Chenxiang said urgently, "I did not lie, I did not lie, please do not blame me, sir."

Pigsy said, "If you didn't lie, why are you making a scene here instead of going to save your father and mother?"

Chenxiang said, "But I don't know where to save my father and mother, so I came here first to seek revenge on Erlang Shen."

Pigsy said, “With your meager abilities, how can you possibly defeat Erlang Shen? You say you don’t know where to save your father and mother, but your father is suffering in the underworld, and your mother is suffering on Mount Hua. If you want to save your father, you should go to Mount Tai. There is a saying, ‘The soul returns to Mount Tai, and the spirit returns to Mount Song.’ If you want to find your father in the underworld, you can go to Mount Tai. As for saving your mother, it’s even simpler. Just go to Mount Hua and use your axe to split the mountain. Mount Hua is difficult to split, but if you are determined to split it, one day you will be able to split it. Even the Foolish Old Man knew how to move mountains over ten thousand generations. You have an inexhaustible lifespan, so why can’t you?”

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang felt even more ashamed and bowed, saying, "I know I was wrong and will no longer be suspicious. My main goal is to save my father and mother and defeat Erlang Shen."

Upon hearing this, Pigsy chuckled and said, "It would be very difficult for you to defeat Erlang Shen. Have you ever fought him?"

Chenxiang replied, "I have fought with Erlang Shen before. Erlang Shen's skills are not that great. His only advantage is his cloak. If it weren't for that cloak, I would definitely have been able to defeat him."

Upon hearing what Chenxiang said, everyone burst into laughter.

When Chenxiang saw this, he was puzzled and wanted to ask, but no matter how he asked, no one would tell him, which made him very depressed.

The group walked inside the mouth of the Guanjiang River.

……

In the underworld's Yama Palace, Erlang Shen, the True Lord of Manifestation, gathered all the grass-root gods in the temple, along with the Six Saints of Meishan, and personally descended upon the Yama Palace.

When the ten Kings of the Underworld learned that Erlang Shen had come in person, they all appeared to pay their respects. No one dared to offend him, as they all knew of Erlang Shen's abilities. Moreover, he was the nephew of the Jade Emperor, so no one dared to act rashly.

The group of Hades bowed and said, "But we do not know why the True Lord has come. Does the Great Heavenly Venerable have any instructions?"

Erlang Shen arranged for troops to be stationed outside the Yama Palace. He went inside and met with Hades and others. He shook his head and said, "I am not here on official business."

Hades and the others asked, "True Lord, is there any private matter that requires our assistance? If so, True Lord, please speak freely, and we will certainly do our utmost to help you."

Erlang Shen said, "Years ago, I sent the soul of one person to the underworld to teach you all how to hone yourselves. How is he now?"

When Hades heard of Erlang Shen's words, he sent people to investigate the matter. After a long time, a judge came to report that Liu Yanchang's soul was still living in a certain place in the underworld, where he had to suffer every day as a form of tempering.

Upon hearing this, Erlang Shen immediately said, "Bring him here."

Hades had no one who would disobey, and quickly dispatched men to bring Liu Yanchang's soul to him.

Before long, Liu Yanchang's soul arrived, but he was somewhat bewildered, not knowing why he had been brought there. When he entered the Yama Palace and saw Erlang Shen, he was terrified and knelt on the ground, trembling with fear, unable to speak for a long time.

Erlang Shen glanced at Liu Yanchang, but seeing his appearance, he snorted without saying a word, and waved for the Six Sages of Meishan to come out and talk to Liu Yanchang.

The Six Sages of Meishan then spoke with Liu Yanchang, instructing him to enter a dream and tell Chenxiang about his suffering in the underworld, so that Chenxiang could cultivate himself properly and stop fooling around.

Liu Yanchang wanted to refuse, but seeing the imposing presence of the Six Sages of Meishan, he dared not say anything more and had no choice but to agree.

(End of this chapter)