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

Chapter 337 The Heavenly Ruler: Evil Must Be Punished (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Meanwhile, the immortal rode a deer, led by the Ox King, and the two headed towards a small country on the road to Xiniuhezhou. As they approached the city, they saw that the city walls were mottled and somewhat dilapidated. This small country did not have the appearance of prosperity and was a dilapidated little country.

The Bull Demon King peeked forward and saw that banners were flashing and spears were shining at the city gate, where two groups of strongmen were fighting.

The Bull Demon King laughed and said, "My lord, we have come at a bad time. There seems to be a change of flags here, and I fear that the small country will change its ruler. My lord, what should we do?"

Jiang Yuan said, "Let's wait here until things settle down before entering the city."

The Bull Demon King accepted the order without daring to say more. He swung his Black Dragon Spear with both hands, ready to teach anyone who dared to approach and disturb the True Man that his bravery as the Bull King was far beyond that of ordinary people.

The two waited for a long time not far from the city. The two groups of bandits decided the outcome of their battle, changed their flags, and entered the city, leaving behind many corpses at the city gate. No one cared for them, and many wild dogs were watching them intently, wanting to devour the corpses.

Upon seeing this, the immortal sighed softly, flicked his sleeve, and a gentle breeze came, burying all the corpses under the city gate. He said, "King of the Ox, let's go into the city."

The Bull Demon King had just led the deer, guiding the immortal towards the city.

Before long, the two entered the city, and the scene inside came into view. It was a place where "the streets and alleys were overgrown with weeds and the doors were closed in the daytime; white bones were used as chopping blocks and meat as wine vessels; iron hooks hung from the moon and butchers laughed; abacus beads were scattered and rats left their marks; palm-leaf fans with red ears gnawed human tendons; cunning thieves climbed over the walls and startled the sleeping crows." The whole city was filthy and unbearable to look at.

The Bull Demon King said, "My lord, this city is indeed rife with chaos!"

Jiang Yuan said, "Ignore it and head north of the city; the immortal is there."

The Bull Demon King said, "Please take your seat, my lord. I will now proceed to that place."

The Bull King wielded his Black Dragon Spear, looking majestic and awe-inspiring.

Those who passed by along the way saw the magnificent white deer under the immortal's mount and were eager to seize it. However, seeing the Bull King's imposing figure and demonic appearance, wielding the Biyue Spear with awe-inspiring presence, they were filled with fear and dared not act rashly.

Upon seeing this, the Bull Demon King laughed and said, "My lord, I do have some power. They may have the guts, but they dare not come forward."

Jiang Yuan laughed and said, "You little ox, how can you say such things? If you can't even intimidate this place, wouldn't your cultivation have regressed greatly?"

As the two talked, they headed north of the city.

In a short while, the two arrived at the north of the city. As soon as they arrived, they saw a large group of bandits wielding weapons surrounding a man. The bandits were surrounding a man who seemed to want to rob him of his belongings. Upon closer inspection, the man being surrounded was a burly man with an extraordinary face and a celestial appearance. A sword hung at his waist, gleaming with a precious light, which showed that his sword was a rare treasure.

The Bull Demon King said, "Master, that fellow's sword is a treasure. This group of bandits is probably after this sword, which is why they have surrounded him. Master, should we lend a hand?"

Upon seeing this, Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "This is an old friend; I should certainly help him."

Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King was somewhat surprised and asked, "What does my old friend say?"

Jiang Yuan pointed ahead and said, "Don't ask any more questions, just go."

Upon receiving the order, the Bull Demon King dared not disobey. He swung his Black Dragon Spear and headed towards the front.

Before long, the Bull Demon King broke into the group of bandits. Seeing the Bull Demon King's imposing presence, the bandits were wary and dared not fight him.

The thugs shouted, "Where did you come from? How dare you block our way? Have you never heard of us?"

The Bull Demon King remained silent, wielding his Black Dragon Spear. He thrust it forward, and immense divine power erupted from his hand, instantly knocking the group of strongmen to the ground, unable to get up. Fortunately, the Bull Demon King had held back; had he used more of his power, the group of strongmen would surely have been killed.

The Bull Demon King said, "You demons and monsters, retreat at once! If you don't, I, the old bull, will surely take your lives!"

Seeing the Bull Demon King's divine power, how could that group of bandits dare to linger? They were terrified and scattered in all directions, but we will leave that aside for now.

The Bull Demon King dispersed the group of bandits and was about to turn around and call the True Man over, but when he turned his head, he saw that the True Man had already approached and was walking towards the man.

The immortal bowed and said, "True Lord Tianpeng, it has been a long time since we last met. I never expected to see you here today."

Upon hearing his name, the Bull Demon King was greatly alarmed. He had never expected it to be this evil god, which made him somewhat fearful. However, when all the demons and evil spirits in the world heard his name, even those who were good would inevitably feel a bit of fear, because this master only killed and never saved.

Tianpeng Zhenjun returned the greeting and said, "I never expected to meet you here, but I had to descend to the mortal realm for some reason and used a disguise. However, I could not hide it from your discerning eyes. Thank you for dispelling my troubles."

The Master said, “There’s no need for thanks; it’s selfless. With your abilities, you can easily dispel any troubles. Now that we’ve met again, would you be willing to come with me for a drink?”

Tianpeng Zhenjun said, “It is certainly not inappropriate for a True Man to invite me, but we have not seen each other since the birthday celebration. Now that we have met, we should drink and make merry together to reminisce about our old times.”

The master asked, "Will this cause any problems?"

Tianpeng Zhenjun shook his head and said, "It's not a big mistake, it's alright."

As they talked, the two headed towards a tavern in the city. Before long, they entered a tavern and ordered some wine and food. However, the tavern owner looked at them strangely, as if they were strongmen. Fortunately, Niu Wang was standing behind them, which prevented the tavern owner from offending them.

The two chatted in the tavern, reminiscing about old times and enjoying each other's company. They clapped their hands in admiration at the insightful points they discussed. Both of them had compassion in their hearts, but their compassion and their paths were different. The True Man believed that compassion was "it is better to rely on oneself than to seek help from others, and it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish." The True Lord, on the other hand, believed that compassion was "to kill without saving, and to stop killing with killing."

Although they are different, they both ultimately come down to 'compassion'.

After a long while, Tianpeng Zhenjun stood up and said, "I am very happy to have talked with you today, but I have important matters to attend to. I will talk with you again when I have time in the future."

Jiang Yuan saw him off and asked, "What is the purpose of your service, True Lord? Is there anything I can do to assist you?"

Tianpeng Zhenjun shook his head and said, "It's just a small matter. How can it trouble you, Master? This matter concerns one person's heart. If you wish to know, I can speak with you."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "I would like to hear the details."

Tianpeng Zhenjun took out a foot from his waist and asked, "Does the True Man know what this is?" Jiang Yuan looked down and said, "It is one foot and two inches long, corresponding to the Yin-Yang calendar; one inch and two-tenths wide, representing the eight solar terms; and eight-tenths thick, corresponding to the four seasons. Legend has it that Tianpeng Zhenjun possesses many treasures, but one treasure is called the 'Tianpeng Ruler,' which has immense divine power. It can split mountains with its touch and dry up seas with its touch. It also has the power to measure ghosts and exorcise demons. Without any power, one can hold the Tianpeng Ruler and measure evil spirits. For every foot measured, the evil spirit shrinks by one foot until it disappears. This treasure must be the Tianpeng Ruler in Tianpeng Zhenjun's possession."

Tianpeng Zhenjun nodded with a smile and said, "You have a good eye, Master. This treasure is indeed the Tianpeng Ruler. To be honest, my journey here is related to this Tianpeng Ruler."

Jiang Yuan was puzzled and asked, "But what do worldly affairs have to do with this celestial treasure?"

Tianpeng Zhenjun said, “You may not know this, but in the past, when I carried this treasure among the people, I saw the suffering of humanity and the evil spirits causing trouble. Cultivators found it difficult to overcome them and often set up altars, but these altars were destroyed by the evil spirits. Seeing that there was no suitable way, I taught all the cultivators in the world how to make the Tianpeng Ruler. However, when they carved the Tianpeng Ruler, they had seven parts cultivation, and I had three parts spiritual connection. I channeled my power into the Tianpeng Ruler to help them subdue demons and exorcise evil spirits. With the power of the Tianpeng Ruler, all the cultivators in the world who wield it will be no match for ordinary demons and evil spirits. Even if there are those who are not strong enough, they can use the Tianpeng Ruler to suppress the altar and be protected from harm. But later, I saw someone using the Tianpeng Ruler to do evil deeds, so I said that if anyone uses the Tianpeng Ruler to do evil deeds, I will personally come to punish the evildoer. There is someone in this city who uses the Tianpeng Ruler to do evil deeds, so I have come here to punish him.”

Jiang Yuan said, "I never imagined it would be like this. I was unaware that people all over the world could wield the Heavenly Ruler."

Tianpeng Zhenjun laughed and said, "Your Excellency possesses profound magical powers. The Tianpeng Ruler is of no use to you, so it is normal that you do not know it."

The Bull Demon King suddenly said in a low voice, "Master, Zheng Yuan has no treasures to rely on. If we can make a Tianpeng Ruler, it will be enough for Zheng Yuan to rely on."

Upon hearing this, the True Man suddenly remembered the Mysterious Iron that his ancestor had given him. However, before he could speak, True Lord Tianpeng, upon hearing the True Man's words, laughed and said, "If the True Man needs the Tianpeng Ruler, I can personally make one. Zheng Yuan, if I remember correctly, is the True Man's disciple. I saw him at the birthday celebration years ago, and he needed this treasure to protect himself. I will certainly do my best to help him."

The True Man bowed deeply and said, "If the True Lord wishes to obtain it, that would be wonderful, but I fear it would cause the True Lord trouble, and I feel deeply ashamed."

Tianpeng Zhenjun shook his head and said, "It's just a small matter. But if you want to make the Tianpeng Ruler, you must use something to support it. What do you need, True Man? Just tell me, and if I have something, I will give it to you."

The Master said, “I have something that I hope you will take a look at. If it is feasible, I will use it to make the Heavenly Canopy Ruler.”

Tianpeng Zhenjun asked, "What is it?"

With a flick of his sleeve, the True Man retrieved the Xuan Iron and presented it to the True Lord.

Upon seeing the Xuan Tie, Tianpeng Zhenjun laughed and said, "This is indeed a rare treasure. If you use it as the Tianpeng Ruler, its magical power will far surpass that of other Tianpeng Rulers."

Jiang Yuan bowed and asked, "I wonder if using this black iron to make the Heavenly Ruler will delay True Lord's time?"

True Lord Tianpeng shook his head and said, "It won't delay much. Keep this Xuan Iron with me for now. I will make a Tianpeng Ruler after this matter is settled. However, the weight of the Tianpeng Ruler is not in the forging process, but in responding to the heavens and earth. At that time, I will still need the help of a True Man."

Jiang Yuan said, "This is my business, so why should I offer any help? If the True Lord needs it, please just give the order."

Tianpeng Zhenjun laughed and said, "That's very good. Please wait a moment, Master. I'm going to deal with that fellow."

Jiang Yuan said, "I will go with the True Lord."

Tianpeng Zhenjun readily agreed.

The two then went out together.

The Bull Demon King, holding a deer in one hand and the Biyue Spear in the other, followed closely behind.

After traveling for a long time in the city, the three of them entered an abandoned local temple.

Tianpeng Zhenjun pointed to this spot and said, "That fellow is right here."

The Bull Demon King was somewhat surprised and said, "But according to what the True Lord said, that fellow is an evildoer. How could he be in this local temple?"

Tianpeng Zhenjun said, "Having committed many evils, when faced with imminent disaster, one seeks divine protection by praying to gods and Buddhas."

The Bull Demon King laughed and said, "But you've gone to the wrong temple. How dare the Earth God stop you, True Lord? Besides, this temple is abandoned, so there's no point in worshipping there."

Tianpeng Zhenjun said, "Let's go inside and see what kind of audacity he has to do evil with the Tianpeng Ruler."

The three of them headed towards the Earth God Temple. Upon entering the temple, they saw a person kneeling on the ground in front of the Earth God statue, holding a wooden ruler in his hand, looking trembling with fear.

Tianpeng Zhenjun paused, pointed at the man, and said, “This is the man, named Wang Hui. He once obtained the Tianpeng Ruler and relied on its wondrous uses to exorcise evil spirits. However, he cultivated his mind but not his spirit. After learning of the Tianpeng Ruler's wondrous uses, he used it to cause chaos. He once saw a wealthy family and used the Tianpeng Ruler to cast a spell, causing the family's only son to fall ill with demons. He then coerced the family head to spend a large sum of money to have this man remove the demons. Wang Hui entered the family, removed the demons, and obtained a considerable sum of money. If this matter had ended there, I would not have personally descended to the mortal realm. However, seeing that the family's matriarch was beautiful and intelligent, he harbored evil thoughts and used magic to bewitch her into having intercourse. Unexpectedly, halfway through, they were discovered. Wang Hui, without hesitation, used the Tianpeng Ruler to kill the entire family. I have come to know of such deeds, how can I tolerate him?”

Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King became furious and said, "My lord, True Lord, you two don't need to go; I can go myself."

The man smiled and nodded, without saying anything more.

Upon hearing this, Tianpeng Zhenjun said, "If the True Man approves, then there is nothing wrong with it."

Seeing this, the Bull Demon King said no more and got up to enter the temple.

When Wang Hui saw the Bull Demon King enter, he was greatly alarmed and asked, "Who are you?"

The Bull Demon King spoke bluntly, scolding, "Wang Hui, your crimes are known to all. But those who use the Heavenly Canopy Ruler to commit evil will surely be punished by the Heavenly Canopy True Lord. Now that you have committed evil, I have come to capture you on the True Lord's orders. Why don't you surrender now!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Hui trembled and said, "There is a misunderstanding! There is a misunderstanding! There are things that are unknown to others. I have not done anything wrong. I beg the divine lord to investigate!"

Upon seeing Wang Hui's appearance, the Bull Demon King asked, "What misunderstanding is there? Please tell me."

Wang Hui panicked and said, "But I have not done anything evil. I only obtained the Heavenly Canopy Ruler to exorcise evil spirits. However, when I passed through a city, I saw someone causing trouble. So I drove away the evil spirit, but I did not expect that the evil spirit was raised by a clan in the city to make money. I drove away the evil spirit, which ruined their plan. Therefore, the clan wanted to kill me. I relied on the divine power of the Heavenly Canopy Ruler and dealt with them all. I did not expect that the clan had a past relationship with the Heavenly Canopy True Lord in the heavens. They said they would sue me. The Heavenly Canopy True Lord will surely punish me. But I am truly innocent. I beg the immortal lord to investigate."

Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King remained unmoved. He was no ordinary person, and he could easily see that Wang Hui's flustered appearance concealed cunning in his eyes, and that he could discern the truthfulness of her words at a glance.

But Wang Hui, showing off his limited skills in front of an expert, was unaware that the True Lord Tianpeng was right outside. He thought Wang Hui was some minor celestial official who didn't know right from wrong, and used this opportunity to get away with it and find a way to avoid disaster, but he underestimated the Bull King.

(End of this chapter)