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

Chapter 36: When the elixir is ready, demons and evil spirits will be frightened, and ghosts and gods will be terrified
It is said that Jiang Tong'er had fought against two gods and found the location of the will horse in the kidney water. He was running non-stop, and his mind and spirit went into the kidney water in order to subdue the will horse.

When the mind enters the kidney water, one will see the kidney as black water, just like the waves of the sea, rolling and surging, extremely dangerous. There is a pavilion hidden in the water, and in the pavilion there is a dark shadow, which is the intentional horse.

If I can capture my mind, can I still conquer it?

How could Jiang Yuan believe it?

He has been searching for his ideal horse for more than forty years. He was able to glimpse the ideal horse because of his inspiration. Now that the ideal horse has revealed itself, how can he capture it?

Jiang Yuan knew that something must have happened, but he needed to see the ideal man before he knew how to invite him.

When the boy thought of this, he called the mind monkey over. He was about to call the mind monkey into the black water to meet the will horse, but suddenly he felt that the mind monkey was unwilling.

It is said that the 'five elements counteract each other', the monkey mind belongs to fire, and the will belongs to water. The monkey mind can control the will, but it is unwilling to enter the water.

"Mr. Jin, come quickly!"

Jiang Yuan had an idea and called Jin Gong over.

In front of the black water in his kidneys, the yin and yang beads came from the lungs and fell here, boosting the power of the black and white fish.

The black fish got a white pearl and was taught to spit it out. The white pearl swirled and the breath was clear, and the black water separated. This is because Jin Gong has the power to teach water and fire to stay away.

The entrance to the pavilion appeared in the water, and a dark shadow emerged.

The boy was able to concentrate and saw that the black shadow was actually a black snake with two wings on its back, which looked very strange.

When the black snake saw the black water separating, it pounced towards the black and white fish with a thunderous momentum, trying to swallow the two fish.

The black and white fish are fighting with the black snake, and they are fighting in the kidney water with the momentum of King Gold.

Jiang Yuan was shocked, as he didn't expect that Yi Ma had a violent temper and started fighting with Xin Yuan Jin Gong. Seeing that the fight had been going on for a long time, he recited the Taoist spell passed down by his ancestors to tame the fierce horse.

The black and white fish were blessed with the magic spell and became more powerful. They beat the black snake so hard that it became weak and disappeared into the black water.

Jiang Yuan withdrew his troops, called back his heart monkey, and asked Jin Gong to return to his position. He suddenly realized how to subdue his proud horse.

Among the five, the monkey in the heart needs to be calmed to temper its temper. The gold man needs to be burned to train it into shape. The willful horse needs to be beaten, and the fierce horse is impatient and admires the strong to be tamed.

He needs to constantly look for the will horse, and tame it day by day. After a long time, the will horse will have a bridle, and he can use it as his soul.

To subdue Yimali, both the Heart Monkey and the Golden Duke need to exert their strength. The Heart Monkey has the means to subdue dragons and tigers, while the Golden Duke has the power to subdue divine weapons and separate water and fire.

Jiang Yuan was overjoyed and danced with joy. Three out of the five people should return to their positions, how could he not be happy?

The ancestor said that when the five people return to their positions, they will be taught the correct method of making the golden elixir. When they become the golden elixir and attain true immortality, they will be taught not to suffer the pain of life and death, not to fall under the command of the King of Hell, and not to need the Taixuan talisman to live.

Jiang Yuan felt at ease, knowing that his path could be achieved.

……

Time really flies. Three years have passed. Jiang Tong'er spends every day looking for horses to tame and teaching them to help him as soon as possible.

In addition to training his favorite horses, he would listen to the master's lectures and scriptures during the day, and if his fellow disciples invited him, he would talk about Taoism with them.

On this day, spring returned and summer solstice arrived. Jiang Yuandezhen invited him to sit under the old cypress tree in Sanxing Cave to have a talk.

As soon as Zhen Jian sat down, he jumped for joy and said, shaking his head, "Brother, Master taught me the tricks, and I have learned them."

Jiang Yuan knew that this junior fellow was indeed practicing a side art, and had been practicing for more than a year. He smiled and said, "The master taught you the art that day, but I hadn't arrived yet, so what art did you practice?"

Zhen Jian smiled and said, "Master has taught me the true way, which is the way of the word 'art'. I have learned the art of spells. It's amazing, amazing!"

Jiang Tong'er could see that his junior brother wanted to show off his skills, so he asked, "Did you really succeed in cultivation?"

Zhen Jian smiled and said, "I have accomplished it! Now I have achieved great success. Please give me a topic and I will draw a talisman."

Jiang Yuan said: "How about drawing a 'life' symbol?"

Zhen Jianwen said that he returned to the quiet room to clean himself, took a Buddhist scripture, cinnabar, a fountain pen, a paperweight and other things, gathered some soil and burned incense under the old man's tree, danced and sang, and then he started writing.

After all the paintings were finished, half a day had passed. Zhen Jian took out a talisman and handed it to Jiang Yuan, saying, "Brother, this talisman has life-giving power. It can protect a person from illness for a year! It belongs to the category of 'life' talismans."

Jiang Yuan took it, nodded in appreciation and said, "Junior brother, you are amazing."

The method of the Shuzi sect is as effective as drawing talismans, which is indeed true.

Now that I have mastered the art, I am sure I cannot draw a Taixuan Qingsheng Talisman. It is rare to have such power to draw a talisman.

Zhen Jian smiled and said, "Brother, I haven't asked you what kind of cultivation you are doing yet."

Jiang Yuan said: "I am practicing the Golden Elixir Dao, but I have not yet succeeded and it is not yet effective."

After hearing this, Zhen Jian felt relieved and secretly happy. He thought that he had the talent, which his senior brother did not have. He would never listen to what the Golden Elixir Dao was all about.

He then said, "Brother, when Master gives a lecture next time, I will tell Master to go down the mountain."

Jiang Yuan advised: "Junior brother, you have just mastered the art, why don't you stay in Sanxing Cave for a few more years to cultivate?"

Zhenjian shook his head and refused to listen.

Jiang Yuan had no choice but to give up.

It is really like 'one's mind is restless, one's spirit is confused, how can one know the true and wonderful way to immortality, one's heart is only focused on the evil path'.

……

Within ten days, the master ascended the altar and summoned the disciples from the fairy cave to preach and recite the scriptures.

In addition to Jiang Yuan and Zhen Jian, there are two other disciples in Xiandong. One was born in Xiniuhezhou, whose Dharma name is "Zhenqing", and the other was born in Nanzhanbuzhou, whose Dharma name is "Zhenyang".

Wait until the master has finished preaching and reciting the sutra.

Zhen Jianuo knelt down and said that he had accomplished great things and was about to go down the mountain.

The master had taught countless disciples, and when he heard Zhenjian say this, he naturally agreed and allowed him to leave the mountain.

Zhenjian was overjoyed and kowtowed to express his gratitude before leaving the Yaotai.

The other two disciples also left.

There are only Jiang Yuan and Zushi in Taichung.

The master asked, "Boy, how good are your abilities in seeing the truth?"

Jiang Yuan nodded and said: "If you can cultivate your mind and achieve a positive result, it will be difficult to achieve it since you are so restless."

The master said: "Although the side door and unorthodox ways are like 'pillars in the wall' and 'mud bricks in the kiln', they can cultivate a positive result. If disciples cultivate unorthodox ways, their minds will be restless and they will easily use them for evil, so it is difficult to achieve a positive result."

There are 360 ​​side doors in the Tao door, and all the side doors lead to positive results. If a student can keep his mind calm, practice hard and do good deeds wholeheartedly, he may achieve positive results in the next life.

However, those who learn unorthodox ways often have restless minds and are prone to misfortune.

Jiang Yuan asked: "Master, practicing the side door is only to calm the mind, so there is no need for the other four people?"

The master nodded and said, "That's right! Why do you want to practice the side door? You have invited two people, and your mind will soon return to its place. If I teach you to practice the side door, you will easily get the side door's true fruit."

The unconventional methods are effective quickly, and after three to five years of practice, you will begin to see results.

It is difficult to invite the five righteous people of the Golden Elixir Path, as there are many disasters. Even if the five people return to their positions, they can only have small magical powers. Without the Tao, they cannot obtain true power.

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "Disciple only wishes to cultivate true immortality and achieve true perfection."

The master walked down from the altar and said with a smile, "The true way is difficult to achieve and cultivate. On the way to cultivation, demons and monsters will obstruct, two gods will block, and heaven and earth will not tolerate it, so it is easiest to abandon it. However, if you teach a child to cultivate it one day, when the elixir is ready, the Dharma nature will be proficient, the roots will be solid, and the evil demons will be frightened, the spirits will lose their forms, the ghosts and gods will be terrified, and their lifespan will be as long as the heavens."

Jiang Yuan bowed and said, "I will teach you, disciple."

(End of this chapter)