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

Chapter 372 When people can always maintain a state of purity and tranquility, all things in heaven and earth will return to their proper place.
After leaving Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, the group of True Man and his companions headed straight for the main road to the west. Led by Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, they soon arrived at the Demon Mountain where Mo Luo was located.

Sun Wukong stopped his cloud, pointed to the mountain ahead, and said, "Elder brother, that demon is in that mountain ahead."

Jiang Yuan rode on auspicious clouds and looked in that direction. Seeing the heavy demonic energy in the mountains, he laughed and said, "Truly, it is a place where demons have fallen. The demonic energy in the mountains is so profound. Wukong, do you know the name of this mountain?"

Sun Wukong bowed and said, "Elder brother, I have inquired about this. This place was originally called Qinglong Mountain, named because its shape resembles a green dragon. However, recently the mountain has been damaged by demons, so it no longer has the shape of a green dragon."

Jiang Yuan said, "There are indeed many demons in this mountain. I will find that demon later, but the demons in this mountain need to be dealt with. You may all go."

Sun Wukong and the others all responded, saying they would definitely deal with the demons in the mountains.

Jiang Yuan pointed to the mountains and laughed, "You must not be careless. There are no such many demons in Xiniu Hezhou. These demons must have come from Beiju Luzhou. You must be careful, as Beiju Luzhou is full of ferocious demons."

Sun Wukong said, "Brother, please rest assured. I have some skills. Even the ferocious demons of Beiju Luzhou are not to be feared."

Pigsy laughed and said, "Brother Monkey is absolutely right. Master, please rest assured, we have our own methods, why should we fear such evil spirits?"

All of them responded. Those who came with the True Man were all accomplished cultivators. In terms of titles, they were the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, the Buddha of Meditation and Wisdom, the Bodhisattva of the Clean Altar, the Dharma Protector under the True Man, and the mount under Laozi. Each one was more impressive than the last.

Upon hearing this, the Master felt relieved and laughed, "In that case, you may go. There is no need to worry about Moro; he cannot harm you."

Upon hearing this, everyone responded and went into the mountains to subdue the evil spirits causing trouble there.

As they entered the mountains, Sun Wukong pulled his golden cudgel from behind his ear and said, "Gentlemen, there are many demons on this mountain. We should scatter and attack them. If we encounter any difficulties, we should shout out my real name. I will surely sense it and help you."

The green ox said, "You monkey, you're just putting on a show. We are all here and we all have our own magic powers. Why would we need your help? Don't boast about your own abilities. If you were to encounter someone like me with a treasure, you would suffer."

Sun Wukong was somewhat annoyed and said, "You Green Ox Monster, how dare you address me like that? You're asking for a beating."

The blue ox was about to say something more.

Zhenjian stepped forward and said, "You two must not act recklessly. The main task here should be to subdue the demon. King Si and Wukong mean well, but you must not speak like this."

Seeing that Zhenjian had come out, the two said no more, both responded, and went off in different directions into the mountains.

Zhenjian looked at the two of them, shook his head, and remained silent.

The Bull Demon King laughed and said, "Wise Buddha, you may not know this, but these two have always been like this. There's no need to worry about it. It's because when we were practicing martial arts, the Green Ox was often inferior to my brother, and there's some grudge between them. However, the two of them sometimes quarrel and sometimes get along. Their quarreling is just a habit."

Zhenjian said, "But both of them are accomplished individuals; just keep that in mind."

The Bull Demon King said, "Wise Buddha, we should go into the mountains to eliminate the demons."

Zhen Jian smiled and nodded.

The group then entered the mountains to find the demon.

……

Meanwhile, in mid-air, Jiang Yuan looked around on the clouds. With his divine eyes, he could see that after Sun Wukong and the others entered the mountain, the demonic aura in the mountain quickly receded, and an unparalleled power appeared in the mountain.

Sun Wukong and his companions were indeed highly skilled cultivators, and the ordinary demons in the mountains were no match for them.

In a short while, at least two or three of the mountain demons were eliminated, and very few could stop Sun Wukong and his group.

Jiang Yuan was on his way to find Mo Luo when he saw black smoke suddenly shooting up from a hillside in the mountains, heading towards Sun Wukong and the others. How could he not know that this was the work of Mo Luo?

He did not let Moro do as he pleased. He was struck by the Yu Ding and immediately fell downwards. The Yu Ding landed in the mountain, and the soaring black energy was immediately knocked back by the Yu Ding.

Jiang Yuan descended from the clouds and traveled into the mountains.

A short while later, he arrived at a hillside and saw a monk there, who was none other than Mara.

When Moro saw the real person, he did not retreat, but waited in place, as if waiting for the real person to arrive.

Jiang Yuan walked not far from Mo Luo when he suddenly saw a futon appear in front of Mo Luo, seemingly waiting for him to sit on it.

The master smiled knowingly and sat down on the futon.

When Mara saw the real man sitting on a futon, he also sat on a futon.

With his hands clasped together and his face compassionate, showing no trace of his Asura rage, Moro said, "I have long admired the name of Master Guangxin and have long admired him. However, I was cultivating in seclusion in Beiju Luzhou at that time and could not meet him. Now, however, I have the opportunity to meet Master Guangxin."

Jiang Yuan, holding a whisk in her hand, smiled and said, "We have already met, so why talk about having known each other for a long time?"

Mara seemed puzzled and asked, "I often cultivate in seclusion in the Northern Continent. When will I meet with the True Man Guangxin?"

Jiang Yuan said, "Those who hear the Dao can all be me."

Upon hearing this, Moro paused for a moment, then smiled slightly and said, "I have long heard that the True Man Guangxin has mastered the teachings of the three schools and received the true teachings of Patriarch Bodhi. What I see now is indeed true. Since the True Man is proficient in the teachings of the three schools, I have some questions. I wonder if the True Man could answer them for me?"

Jiang Yuan said, "You may speak freely."

Mara asked, "I have heard that the True Man Guangxin was born in the Western Zhou Dynasty of Jambudvipa. He loved the Dao from a young age. In order to seek immortality and sever his worldly ties, he traveled the world, sought out a famous teacher, and finally became a disciple of the Bodhi Patriarch. Is this true?"

Jiang Yuan said, "Few people know about my past, but you know a lot."

Moro said, "Master Guangxin is a rare rising star in the Three Realms, and he should teach me what he knows."

Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "My past is just as you described."

Mara asked, “I have heard that the beginning of the True Man’s cultivation was for the sake of immortality. However, the Diamond Sutra says that all forms are illusory. If the True Man cultivates for the sake of immortality, is he not clinging to forms? If one cultivates because of clinging to forms, it is wrong from the beginning. How can such cultivation have any results? It would be better to abandon it and start over.”

Jiang Yuan smiled and pointed to an old pine tree outside the hillside, saying, "The withering and flourishing of pine branches is the way of nature. How can you talk about clinging to appearances or emptiness? Do you know the principle of pine cones returning to life after being buried in the soil? Cultivating for longevity is never wrong."

Upon hearing this, Moro was startled. He took out a bamboo scroll from his sleeve, which was one of the scrolls of the "Tao Te Ching". He said, "Lao Tzu once said, 'Heaven and Earth are not benevolent.' Why then is he benevolent only to all living beings?"

Jiang Yuan laughed and said, "Years ago, when Laozi went west out of Hangu Pass, he left some writings with the pass's commander, Yin Xi, and instructed Yin Xi to memorize them. That's why you have the Tao Te Ching in your hand. I was by your side, leading the ox with Laozi. Why do you speak of this? The six dragons of the Qian hexagram each have their own nature and destiny; heaven and earth have their own order. You destroy benevolence and righteousness, which is no different from gouging out your own eyes and deceiving yourself. What is there to be confused about?" Upon hearing his words, Mo Luo already knew that the Daoist heart of Guangxin Zhenren was firm and could not be swayed by words. He put his hands together and said, "Does Guangxin Zhenren know about my past?"

Jiang Yuan said, "I know that Mara was once the Bodhisattva Kinnara."

Mara said, “In the past, I was proficient in Buddhism and believed that all beings were equal. I spread the teachings throughout the world, hoping that everyone would know about Buddhism. But what I ultimately saw was that Buddhism was unjust. It claimed to be equal for all beings, but in reality, it was not so and was all hypocrisy.”

Jiang Yuan shook her head and said, "You have bound yourself with scriptures, just like drawing a prison on the ground. If people can always be pure and tranquil, the world will return to its rightful place. Mara, you have been attached to appearances for so many years, do you really not understand?"

Moro said, "Our paths are different. Let's end our conversation here."

Jiang Yuan smiled and nodded in agreement. Although their paths diverged, he said, "I have come here today for Wukong's sake. You bullied Wukong in the past, and as his senior brother, I should help him find a way to get things done."

Moro nodded and readily accepted, saying, "Of course. Since that's the case, then let me witness the true master's abilities."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan said no more and got up to walk towards Mo Luo.

With a sway of his body, demonic energy burst forth, revealing his Dharma form. His Dharma form had three heads and eight arms, holding a human bone rosary in his left hand, a karmic fire steel whip in his right, and a Netherworld Mirror in his center. The mirror reflected the illusory image of the Book of Life and Death. Behind him unfolded a black lotus with sixty-four petals, each petal dripping with karmic fire.

Jiang Yuan simply took out the Seven Star Sword, pointed it north and south, and unleashed true fire and water to attack Mo Luo.

Water and fire fell on the black lotus, but the black lotus blocked them all, unable to harm them in the slightest. This black lotus is a rare and precious magic treasure.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Yuan knew that ordinary methods would be insufficient to subdue Mo Luo, so he took out several cauldrons from his body and surrounded Mo Luo.

All four cauldrons transformed into their original forms, each cauldron measuring eighteen feet in length, surrounding Mara.

The Qingzhou Ding is in the east, the Yongzhou Ding is in the south, the Jizhou Ding is in the north, and the Yuzhou Ding is in the west.

Seeing the four cauldrons surrounding him, Moro knew that the nine cauldrons would be difficult to deal with, so he dared not linger among them. He lashed out with his steel whip, intending to shake the Ji Cauldron and leave, but the steel whip landed on the Ji Cauldron and could not touch it in the slightest. Instead, the steel whip was damaged.

These four tripods surround Mara, resembling the four continents of the world standing before him, inspiring awe and fear in those who behold them.

Upon seeing this, Moro immediately unleashed a black lotus from behind him, attempting to envelop the four cauldrons and push them away. How could the True Man stand idly by? He took a ruler and struck Moro, startling him greatly.

The two engaged in a fierce battle. Jiang Zhenren and Demon Luo faced each other deep in the mountains. Jiang Zhenren was a renowned Daoist immortal, a disciple of the patriarch, known throughout the Three Realms for his profound and mysterious teachings. Demon Luo, a former disciple of Mount Ling, was driven by demonic thoughts. Once a senior and junior, they now fought each other out of enmity. Jiang Zhenren possessed the four cauldrons protecting him, his supernatural powers vast and impervious to all magic. Demon Luo, on the other hand, was a ferocious demon, wielding countless weapons, his Black Lotus Karmic Fire burning without end.

The two fought back and forth, using various supernatural powers and spells. They battled for more than twenty rounds, with the True Man consistently maintaining a slight advantage over Mo Luo. No matter how Mo Luo used his spells, he could not harm the True Man.

The True Man wields four tripods, making him impervious to all magic. In contrast, even with the Black Lotus's assistance, the Demon King cannot defend against the True Man's magical power.

After fighting for more than twenty rounds, the True Man suddenly used the Four Cauldrons to open the path, forcibly opening the Black Lotus. He then struck horizontally with the ruler, hitting the Demon King squarely in the chest. Instantly, the Demon King's avatars disappeared, revealing his true form, looking disheveled and breathless, a sign of injury.

Having succeeded in his attack, Jiang Yuan did not pursue. He looked at Mo Luo and said, "You once tried to injure Wukong, and now I repay you. Are you satisfied?"

Mara clasped his hands together in a bow and said, "This humble monk is convinced."

Upon seeing this, Jiang Yuan did not say much. He retrieved the four cauldrons, rode on a cloud, and said, "The main road to the west must not be haunted by demons. This has been forbidden for nearly a thousand years. You should consider this carefully."

Say it.

The immortal rode away on a cloud, thus sending a message to Sun Wukong and the others to depart.

Before long, Sun Wukong and the others rode on clouds and gathered with the immortal. They headed towards Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, and in a short while, their forms disappeared completely.

Moro watched the immortal leave, sighing deeply, and said, "What a true immortal! His magical power is so profound, and he is also skilled in battle. His Dao heart is unwavering, far surpassing that of ordinary people. I am no match for him."

He turned around and looked around, and saw a wolf demon walking towards him tremblingly.

The wolf demon knelt on the ground, panicking, and said, "Your Majesty, we have suffered heavy losses. That hairy-faced thunder god with a mouth, and that one with the leaf fan, they are all extremely skilled. We are no match for them and cannot defeat them."

Upon hearing this, Moro did not inquire about the extent of the losses. After pondering for a long time, he said, "Summon the troops in the mountains and have them withdraw from the main road to the west via the side paths. For the next thousand years, none of my troops shall dare to offend the main road to the west."

The wolf demon was surprised and said, "Your Majesty, we are here to attack Mount Ling. If we don't take the main road to the west, where should we go to Mount Ling?"

Moro said, “Let’s bypass the main road to the west and return to the Northern Continent of Julu to rest first.”

The wolf demon was surprised to hear this, but when he thought of the hairy-faced, thunder-mouthed monk wielding his golden cudgel and smashing things wildly on the mountain, he dared not say anything more. He truly dared not fight with that monk.

……

The story begins at Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, where the True Man and his entourage returned and entered the Three Star Immortal Mansion, arriving at Yaotai.

The immortal ascended the altar and sat high, while Sun Wukong and the others entered the Jade Terrace troupe.

Jiang Yuan asked, "Wukong, once you enter that mountain, how many demons will you be able to eliminate?"

Sun Wukong said, "We have eliminated more than 60% of the demons, but some of them have some tricks up their sleeves and are holding us back. Otherwise, we would have eliminated them all. But please rest assured, Elder Brother, I will go back to check the mountains later. If the demons have not retreated, I will use my magic to eliminate them all."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "Wukong, don't worry. I predict that Demon will retreat and dare not invade the westward route again."

Zhenjian, fanning himself with a leaf fan, said, "Senior Brother, when I was subduing the demon, I saw you fighting with that Demon Lord. I wonder how powerful that Demon Lord is?"

Pigsy patted his belly and said, "I reckon that Demon King won't last more than fifty rounds against you, Master."

Jiang Yuan looked at Zhu Bajie and said with a laugh, "Bajie, don't talk nonsense."

As he spoke, he looked at Zhenjian and said, “I have heard that the Bodhisattva Kinnara was once a man who was about to attain great magical power. However, when I fought him today, although his magical power was profound, it was not that great. His understanding of the numbers of heaven and earth was extremely shallow, and his magical treasures had some ability.”

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "That Mara still claims to be going to attack Tathagata, but his abilities are not enough to deal with Tathagata."

Zhenjian shook his head and said, "Wukong, it's not that Moro is weak, but that our senior brother is incredibly skilled. He's only a hair's breadth away from being a great master, and he's not someone to be trifled with."

Sun Wukong said, "My eldest brother has such abilities even before he has achieved great magical power. I wonder what it will be like if he does."

(End of this chapter)