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

Chapter 362 Wang Chongyang, the Eight Immortals
As Zuo Liang and Lü Yan descended the mountain, they saw a child who had been born with extraordinary signs. The villagers at the foot of the mountain all revered Zuo Liang and, upon learning his intentions, led the way for him.

Before long, Zuo Liang and Lü Yan arrived at a Wang family's house and saw the child.

Upon seeing the swaddled infant, both men could see a spiritual light in his eyes. This child was extraordinary, a natural candidate for cultivation. If he were to enter the path of cultivation in the future, he would surely achieve great things.

The two looked at the child for a long time, then left, intending to return to the mountains.

But as they walked along the mountain path, Zuo Liang's entourage went back ahead, while he and Lü Yan walked slowly and talked.

Lu Yan asked, "Senior brother, can you tell what kind of deity this child is descended from heaven?"

Zuo Liang shook his head and said, "I don't know. But I can ask a local earth god to inquire, and he will surely know."

Lü Yan naturally complied.

Zuo Liang then summoned a local earth deity and asked the child from the foot of the mountain where he came from. The earth deity accepted the order and went to inquire about the child's origins.

Before long, the local deity returned, bowed before Zuo Liang, and said, "Master Zhengyuan, you left to receive the decree, and now you have returned."

Zuo Liang said, "Earth God, there's no need for such formalities. Have you found out where the child came from?"

The Earth God said, "I, a minor deity, carried out the Master's decree and traveled between the Yin and Yang realms. I inquired in the Yin realm and learned about the child's origins. The child's origins are closely related to the Master."

Lü Yan looked at Zuo Liang with some surprise.

Zuo Liang, puzzled, said, "What does this have to do with me? What do you mean?"

The local deity replied, "The child is the reincarnation of the eldest disciple of the Guangxin Zhenren of the Xieyue Sanxing Cave on Lingtai Fangcun Mountain in Xiniu Hezhou. The Dharma Master is the second disciple of the Zhenren, and this is indeed closely related to the Dharma Master."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang was overjoyed and said, "That child is actually the reincarnation of my senior brother? Earth God, is that really true? You must not be lying to me."

The local deity said, "I dare not deceive the sorcerer; it is indeed so. But I have gone to the underworld and confirmed it is correct."

Zuo Liang was overjoyed to hear this. He bowed to the Earth God to express his gratitude for the favor done for him, and said that he would offer incense, candles, fruit and other offerings to him the next day.

Upon hearing this, the land deity initially intended to refuse, but after Zuo Liang's persuasion, he had no choice but to accept it, bowing repeatedly before departing.

Zuo Liang turned to walk back, saying, "Junior brother, if that were my senior brother, I should go again."

Lu Yan said, "Since he is the master's eldest disciple, he is also my senior brother, so I should go."

Zuo Liang laughed and said, "If that's the case, then let the two of us go together."

The two then continued down the mountain.

Halfway through the journey, Lü Yan asked, "Senior brother, but why must our master's eldest disciple be reincarnated so many times?"

Zuo Liang said, "Senior Brother pursues the true path of the Golden Elixir without regret until death. However, because his worldly ties were not severed, he was reborn to sever them. This is his last life. Once he succeeds in this life, Senior Brother will be able to be reborn to cultivate the Great Dao of the Golden Elixir."

Lü Yan remarked with emotion, "To be reborn in pursuit of the Dao is no ordinary act."

Zuo Liang smiled and said, "Junior Brother is right, but Senior Brother's desire for the Dao is far beyond what I can compare to."

As the two talked, they reached the foot of the mountain. The villagers were surprised to see Zuo Liang return, but they still respectfully invited him inside.
Zuo Liang then went to the Wang family's house and saw that the head of the family was over forty years old. He smiled and chatted with him, saying that his son would be extraordinary in the future.

Upon hearing this, the head of the Wang family beamed with joy and said, "It is my child's good fortune to receive the words of the Celestial Master. My child will surely achieve great things in the future, but I may not have the blessing to meet him."

Lü Yan asked, "Why do you say that?"

The head of the Wang family said, “Sir, I am now forty-three years old and I don’t know how many more years I have left to live. I know that my child was born extraordinary, but I had him late in life and I am afraid I will not have the fortune to accompany him as he grows up.”

Upon hearing this, Lü Yan remained silent, unsure how to respond to the patriarch of the Wang family. However, having lived his life, he knew that most people, even those in their thirties or forties, were nearing the end of their lifespan. For ordinary people, living to fifty was considered a sign of advanced age.

The patriarch of the Wang family is forty-three years old, and his lifespan is already visible. One day, when his lifespan ends, he will be summoned to the dead, and that will be his death.

Zuo Liang stared at the child for a long time before asking, "Did the parents give him a name?"

The parent said, "We are all ignorant people since we haven't named him yet. In my opinion, we should wait until we have some money and go to the city to hire a tutor to name him. That would be prestigious and would be a good match for my child."

Someone beside him laughed and said, "But how can that gentleman compare to the Celestial Master? Why go to such lengths? With the Celestial Master right here, you can ask him to name your child. That would be true prestige. Asking those poor, pedantic scholars to name your child is just a false prestige."

Upon hearing this, the parents felt uneasy and said, "But how can I face the Taoist priest to name my child?"

Zuo Liang smiled and said, "I can name your child, but you must be willing. If you are not willing, I will give up. If you are willing, I will name your child."

Upon hearing this, the parents were overjoyed. They bowed repeatedly to Zuo Liang, tears streaming down their faces, and said, "Please, Heavenly Master, bestow a name upon my child! I thank you on behalf of my child."

Zuo Liang pondered for a moment and said, "How about we name him Chongyang?"

The parent immediately knelt down and agreed. In his opinion, whatever name Zuo Liang bestowed, it would be a good name. He said, "From now on, my child will be called Wang Chongyang."

Zuo Liang smiled and nodded, and chatted with the parent for a while. After the others left, he and Lü Yan were about to leave as well. Before leaving, he took out one or two taels of silver and gave them to the parent, saying, "This child is extraordinary. You should take good care of him and teach him to grow up safely. If there is anything you cannot do, you can come to the mountain to find me."

Upon seeing this, the parent knelt on the ground and kowtowed countless times, deeply grateful for Zuo Liang's kindness.

Zuo Liang smiled and shook his head, glanced at the baby in the swaddling clothes, said nothing more, and got up to leave with Lü Yan.

Before long, the two returned to the mansion in the mountains, where they discussed Wang Chongyang in the main hall.

Lü Yan asked, "Senior brother, is there any meaning behind the name Chongyang?"

Zuo Liang laughed and said, "This is my senior brother's third incarnation. He should be returning in this life. I gave him the name Chongyang, hoping for his early return. Chongyang was my senior brother's secular name in the past."

Lü Yan said, "I see. When this senior brother returns, I will definitely pay him a visit to express my gratitude."

Zuo Liang said, "If our senior brother returns, he will surely be happy to talk to you, since you are all those who have mastered the true path of the Golden Elixir."

Upon hearing this, Lü Yan was about to say something.

Suddenly, an attendant came and bowed, saying, "Gentlemen, someone outside is requesting an audience. This person is here to see Mr. Lü."

Lu Yan was puzzled and said, "I am with my senior brother, why is someone looking for me?"

Zuo Liang shook his head and said, "I don't know."

Lu Yan suddenly seemed to remember something and said, "But I once told several accomplished cultivators that I travel around and if they want to find me but cannot, they can come to my senior brother's place. Or those accomplished cultivators can come and find me."

Zuo Liang laughed and said, "If that's the case, then I should go out with my junior brother to meet him. Someone who can be called a accomplished cultivator by my junior brother must be extraordinary." Lü Yan laughed and said, "In that case, please come with me, senior brother."

Zuo Liang nodded with a smile.

The two of them headed outside and soon arrived at the front of the mansion.

Zuo Liang looked outside and saw an old man standing outside the mansion. Upon closer inspection, he realized that this old man was no ordinary person. His body was hunched over, his back was like an ancient pine covered in snow, his gait was slow and steady, his eyes were bright and piercing, he held a fish drum in his left hand and a bamboo cane in his right, and a white donkey followed behind him. He had the air of an immortal and was truly 'his form is decayed but his spirit is immortal, his appearance is old but his way is eternal'.

Upon seeing him, Lü Yan laughed and said, "Zhang Guo, what are you doing here!"

As he spoke, he turned to Zuo Liang and said, “Senior brother, this is a good friend of mine. He is a highly accomplished cultivator. His surname is Zhang, and his given name is Guo. People call him Zhang Guo Lao. He often travels among people to cure diseases and solve problems. He is very skilled.”

Say it.

Lü Yan then spoke with Zhang Guolao about Zuo Liang's affairs.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Guolao was greatly surprised and bowed, saying, "I never expected to be the Celestial Master in person. I have heard of the Celestial Master's name many years ago while traveling in the mortal world. It is my good fortune to be able to meet you today."

Zuo Liang smiled and chatted with Zhang Guolao. After a brief conversation, they had a good understanding of each other. Zuo Liang enjoyed talking with Zhang Guolao because Zhang Guolao was also a compassionate person who helped the people.

Seeing that the two were about to talk, Lü Yan felt helpless and said, "Zhang Guo, senior brother, let's go inside first and talk slowly later."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang finally came to his senses and said, "Zhang Guolao, please come inside with me to my humble abode so we can have a brief chat."

Zhang Guolao bowed and said, "Since I have been invited by the Celestial Master, I will certainly go."

The group then said no more and entered the mansion. They went to the main hall, where Zuo Liang had prepared a feast to welcome them. The three of them talked about cultivation and were very happy.

They talked like this for two or three days before they left.

One day, an attendant came in and served tea, rice, and other dishes. He also told Zuo Liang that incense had been burned for the local earth god, and then told the three of them to enjoy the food.

Zuo Liang laughed and said, "Having talked with Master Guo today has made me very happy. Master Guo is indeed compassionate."

Zhang Guolao rose and bowed, saying, "Today, after talking with the Celestial Master, I realized that my compassion is far inferior to that of the Celestial Master. Talking with the Celestial Master has taught me a lot, and I thank the Celestial Master here."

Zuo Liang said, "We have both gained something from our discussion, so there is no need for thanks."

The two talked for a while longer.

Zhang Guolao seemed to remember something and said, "Brother Chunyang, I have come to find you because of something important. I couldn't find you outside, so I came here."

Lu Yan asked, "Zhang Guo, what brings you here?"

Zhang Guolao said, "Brother Chunyang, I came here on Brother Quan's orders."

Lu Yan asked, "Zhongli Quan? What does he want with me?"

Zhang Guolao said, "I have heard that he has obtained a karmic connection. There is an island overseas called Penglai Immortal Island, where immortals reside. The Penglai Immortals have invited Zhongli Quan to a banquet. If you can attend the banquet, you will receive a great karmic connection. However, Zhongli Quan may bring seven people with him. But when crossing the sea, you must not use clouds or mist. If you can cross the sea and reach the Immortal Island by your own abilities, the Penglai Immortals will grant you the karmic connection."

Lu Yan was puzzled upon hearing this and asked, "Immortals of Penglai? Fate? Why would Zhongli Quan go there for such a reason?"

Zhang Guolao said, “This karmic connection is very profound. I have heard the words of the immortals of Penglai. This karmic connection can grant us corresponding things, such as magic treasures, spiritual fruits, wealth, power, methods to become immortals, methods to save all living beings, and so on. We only need to go there to obtain the karmic connection and ask him about it.”

Upon hearing this, Lü Yan said, "If that's the case, then we should go. Elder Guo, since you've come for Zhongli Quan, you should already be following him."

Zhang Guolao nodded.

Lu Yan asked, "What purpose do you have in going to Penglai Immortal Island?"

Zhang Guolao laughed and said, "I would like to ask about the method of saving all living beings."

Lü Yan laughed and said, "If that's the case, then count me in. Who has Zhongli Quan invited so far?"

Zhang Guolao said, “I knew you would go. Now, besides Brother Quan, only you and I should follow. However, I have learned from Brother Quan that I still need to find a few people. You also know these people, Brother Chunyang: He Xiangu, Lan Caihe, and Han Xiangzi.”

Upon hearing this, and seeing Zuo Liang beside him, Lü Yan explained the ins and outs of several of them to Zuo Liang.

Zhongli Quan was a general in the Eastern Han Dynasty. After his defeat in battle, he abandoned his military career to cultivate Taoism and wandered among the people for many years. He was an extraordinary true cultivator.

He Xiangu was a woman who, through a karmic connection, was fortunate enough to eat a peach from the heavens and entered into cultivation. Holding a lotus flower, she saved the world.

Lan Caihe was a man who rescued a crane and was enlightened by an immortal. After experiencing various trials, he entered the path of cultivation and often saved lives. He had the heart of a child.

Han Xiangzi was also enlightened by an immortal, thus cultivating himself to save the world.

All four were true cultivators.

Zuo Liang nodded upon hearing this, but did not say anything more.

Lu Yan said, "Zhang Guo, with you and me, plus Zhongli Quan and the others, there are only six of us. We are still short two people. What should we do? Perhaps we don't need to make up the full number?"

Zhang Guolao said, "But I heard Zhongli Quan say that there might be dangers crossing the sea, so it would be best to gather everyone together. Therefore, Zhongli Quan heard that there were rumors of Tieguai Li traveling around Yangzhou, so he went to invite him. If that's the case, then there will be seven people."

Upon hearing this, Lü Yan asked, "I have heard of Tieguai Li before. He is a famous person who has been around for a long time. I heard that he has already become an immortal. How come he would associate with us?"

Zhang Guolao shook his head and said, "There is no other way, so we have no choice but to try."

Zuo Liang laughed and said, "If you need Tieguai Li's help, I might be able to assist you in doing something."

Upon hearing this, Lü Yan was puzzled and asked, "How can Senior Brother help us achieve this?"

Zuo Liang said, "Junior brother, you don't know this, but years ago when I was traveling with my master, I met Tieguai Li and had some dealings with him. At that time, I had no magic power at all, but it is different now. I talked with him for a while and thought that he would give me an opportunity."

Upon hearing this, Lü Yan was overjoyed.

Zhang Guolao was also pleased to speak, but then he suddenly thought of something and said, "If Tieguai Li is really willing to join us, that would be excellent, but we are still missing one person."

Lu Yan was about to say something when he suddenly saw Zhang Guolao staring at Zuo Liang, and he immediately understood.

Zhang Guolao rose, bowed, and said, "Celestial Master, I wonder if you might be able to travel with us. I do not know how others obtain that karmic connection, but I wish to seek a method to save all sentient beings. I hope you will assist me, Celestial Master."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang smiled but did not say much. Instead, he agreed, saying that if there truly was a method to save all living beings, he would like to hear about it.

(End of this chapter)