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

Chapter 381 Zuo Liang Receives an Audience, Pigsy Battles Zuo Liang

Upon learning of the arrival of the immortal, Zuo Liang hurriedly summoned his many attendants, dressed himself in formal attire, set up an incense table, and brought out sheng, xiao, drums, and other musical instruments for his entourage. He also brought out the mansion's most precious treasures before leaving the mansion to meet the immortal.

As Zuo Liang stepped outside the mansion, his attendants began playing the melodies of "Deer Cry" and "Crane Dance," their clear and melodious tunes startling the roosting sparrows. Just then, he saw Sun Wukong waiting there.
Zuo Liang stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Disciple Zheng Yuan greets Martial Uncle! May I ask if Martial Uncle has instructed that the family has arrived?"

Seeing Zuo Liang's serious expression, Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Since the elder has arrived, how could I, Old Sun, dare to conceal anything about this matter?"

Overjoyed, Zuo Liang asked, "Where is my master now?"

Sun Wukong pointed to the road behind him and said, "Look who's that?"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang looked in the direction Sun Wukong had pointed, and saw the immortal riding a white deer on the road, flanked by Pigsy on one side and Bull Demon King on the other.

Upon seeing this, Zuo Liang strode forward, and upon reaching him, prostrated himself and cried out, "Disciple Zheng Yuan greets Master!"

The immortal smiled and nodded, riding a white deer. When he arrived at the mansion, Pigsy and the Bull Demon King escorted him on either side.

Zuo Liang waited for the True Man to arrive, dismounted from the white deer, took a pair of cloud-patterned shoes, crawled three steps on his knees, and changed the shoes for his master.

The master readily agreed, and then he saw an incense table set up beside the gate of the mansion, on which were displayed pine soot ink, She inkstones, and Huzhou brushes, all of which were of high quality.

Zuo Liang then offered a teacup and said, “Your unfilial disciple Zheng Yuan is deeply ashamed that I have no way to greet you when I hear that you are coming. I beg you to forgive my sins. I will be eternally grateful.”

The master laughed and said, “I went to visit you, so I did not speak to you. What crime have you committed? Now that you treat me with such courtesy, there is no impoliteness at all. There is no need for me to bow. You should get up quickly.”

Say it.

With a flick of his sleeve, the master summoned a gentle breeze that helped Zuo Liang to his feet.

Zuo Liang bowed again in gratitude.

The master laughed and said, "There's no need for such a grand display. Quickly withdraw and come into my residence so I can talk to you."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang dared not disobey and dismissed his entourage. He then led the way, inviting the True Man and his entourage inside.

The master agreed and they went inside together.

Sun Wukong and the others followed behind.

Pigsy, leading the white deer, said, "Zhengyuan is very polite. Such a grand welcome for you, sir, is truly delightful."

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "You fool, my nephew Zhengyuan is naturally polite, why do you need to say more? Zhengyuan has become quite a figure now, and I have seen him, his cultivation is remarkable."

The Bull Demon King peeked out from the side and said, "Pigsy, in my opinion, Zheng Yuan's cultivation is now far superior to yours. Why is that? You are a senior cultivator, while Zheng Yuan is a junior. How can you expect Zheng Yuan to be superior to you? This is illogical."

Pigsy was somewhat annoyed and said, "Although I am not as skilled as Zheng Yuan in cultivation, I have cultivated for many years and have some martial arts skills. If we are to fight, I am far superior to Zheng Yuan."

The Bull Demon King said, "I don't believe it."

Sun Wukong chuckled and said, "I don't believe it either. Don't underestimate Zheng Yuan. Now that he has achieved his goal, his skills are far superior to before. If you were to fight him, I'm afraid it would be you who would lose, not Zheng Yuan."

Pigsy said, "Later I will seek out Zheng Yuan for a friendly spar, to teach Monkey King and Bull King not to underestimate me."

Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King smiled without saying a word.

Pigsy was furious but helpless.

……

Meanwhile, in the main hall, Zuo Liang welcomed the True Man to his seat, set out a feast, and brought out many treasures from his mansion, placing them on the table. He also allowed his musicians to lead the way with drums and flutes, playing songs to please the True Man.

After the banquet ended, the Master instructed Zuo Liang to dismiss the attendants, leaving only Zuo Liang in the main hall.

Zuo Liangxing walked up to the master and bowed to his master again.

The master smiled and said, "Your manners are enough to show that you have not forgotten your cultivation. I also carefully observed your spirit from within and your body from without with my Dharma Eye. Your cultivation is truly remarkable now."

Zuo Liang immediately said, "How dare I claim to be competent in front of my master? I really dare not, I really dare not."

The master shook his head and said, "What is there to be afraid of? You have now achieved enlightenment and made progress in your cultivation. I am very pleased to see this and say that you are very capable. Zhengyuan, I have three disciples, and if we talk about cultivation, you are the best now."

Zuo Liang shook his head and said, "But now my senior brother is also cultivating. This is the third generation. I am just taking the first place. When my senior brother returns to his position to cultivate the Golden Core righteous path, I will definitely not be able to compare with him. Therefore, I dare not accept the title of the best that Master said."

The master laughed and said, "You, Zhengyuan, have learned all the essentials of my etiquette."

Zuo Liang said, "This disciple dares not claim to have learned everything. Furthermore, this disciple has never made a mistake. With the eldest brother in front, this disciple dares not say that I am the best among Master's disciples."

The Master said, “The Golden Elixir is difficult to cultivate. Even if one dedicates one’s entire life, it is difficult to achieve success. It is precisely because of these three lifetimes that one returns to one’s original position and has the opportunity to cultivate the Golden Elixir. However, one only has the opportunity to cultivate the Golden Elixir. Whether one can succeed depends on one’s cultivation and mind. At present, I have only three disciples. Regardless of the future, you are now the most outstanding of my disciples. There is no doubt about that.”

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang knew that it would be inappropriate to continue to be modest, so he had no choice but to accept it, bowed and thanked him, and then asked, "Master, do you know where my eldest brother is now?"

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "I have come here for Zhengwei. Don't worry, I will definitely be able to help him escape from the sea of ​​suffering."

Zuo Liang said, "With Master's words, I understand that Master can guide my eldest brother."

Jiang Yuan said, "I am delighted to see you now, and I know that your cultivation has not gone wrong. However, I still need to go and guide Zhengwei. Therefore, I will rest here for two or three days before I go to find Zhengwei."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang said, "Master, if you leave after only two or three days, I will not be able to fulfill my filial duty. I hope you will stay here for a while longer. Firstly, I can fulfill my filial duty in your presence, and secondly, I can listen to your teachings. I hope you will grant me permission."

Jiang Yuan said with a smile, "If I stay here a little longer, I'm afraid Zhengwei will suffer. I know you fellow disciples have a deep bond, can you bear to see Zhengwei suffer?"

Zuo Liang bowed deeply and said, "Master, please rest assured. I possess some magical abilities, but since you are resting in my residence, I can use some of my shallow magic to teach the local earth gods and mountain spirits to protect my senior brother. I will ensure that he will not be harmed by villains before you arrive. Therefore, please rest assured, Master."

Jiang Yuan laughed and said, "With your abilities, could you possibly summon all the local earth gods and mountain spirits in Jingzhou to help you?"

Zuo Liang said, “Master, rest assured. Since I have lived here, I have been maintaining a good relationship with the local land and mountain gods. I may not be familiar with all the land and mountain gods in the world, but I am quite familiar with the land and mountain gods in Jingzhou. It will be easy for me to get the help of the land and mountain gods in Jingzhou and to find my senior brother to help me.”

Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "Alright, alright, alright. In that case, I will stay in your residence for a while, and that will be my trouble."

Zuo Liang was overjoyed and said, "Disciple thanks Master."

Jiang Yuan shook his head and smiled, "No need for thanks, go and arrange accommodations for Wukong and the others."

Zuo Liang responded immediately and went outside.

Before long, Zuo Liang had completed the task and arranged several rooms for Sun Wukong and the others. The Immortal instructed them to arrange a room in the center of the north, which was the most precious place in the mansion, as a sign of Zuo Liang's esteemed presence.

……

The True Man rested in his residence for more than half a month without realizing it.

The True Man has been resting in his residence without any change. Zuo Liang said he wanted to listen to his master's teachings, but he never disturbed the True Man's meditation.

One day, the true man was still in meditation.

Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King were in the mansion, but Zhu Bajie went to find Zuo Liang.

The group gathered in the central hall.

Zuo Liang served tea and said, "Uncle-Master, Ox King, and the Cauldron Protector. It's been a long time since we last met. I've missed you all dearly. Please enjoy your tea today."

Sun Wukong and the others readily agreed.

Everyone drank tea, and only after they finished did they begin their conversation.

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Zhengyuan's cultivation is truly remarkable now."

Zuo Liang shook his head and laughed, "Uncle-Master, I would never dare to say such a thing. I beg you to forgive your nephew and stop teasing him."

Pigsy said, “Zhengyuan, I won’t lie to you. Brother Monkey told the Bull King that your skills are superior to mine, but I’m not convinced. What do you think?”

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang paused for a moment, then said, "The Daoist Protector of the Cauldron has always been more skilled than me, which is undeniable."

Pigsy shouted, "Brother, Bull King, you two look! Even Zheng Yuan says he's not as good as me. How can you say he's better than me?"

The Bull Demon King laughed and said, "This conversation between the two of you is enough to show that Zheng Yuan is indeed far superior to you. Pigsy, just admit it and there's no need for further words."

Pigsy said, "I don't believe it. Zheng Yuan, I'd like to spar with you for a while. Are you willing?"

Zuo Liang said helplessly, "Guardian Daoist, my cultivation is shallow, how can I compare with you? It is impossible, it is impossible. There is no need for sparring, I admit that I am inferior."

Pigsy said, "No, Zheng Yuan, you must spar with me first. Otherwise, Monkey King and Bull King will not believe you. You must come out and spar with me quickly."

Say it.

Pigsy grabbed Zuo Liang and started to walk out, looking like he was determined to have a spar with Zuo Liang today.

Zuo Liang was both amused and exasperated. Why was someone so insistent on sparring with him? How could winning or losing be so important? But he was being dragged along by Zhu Bajie and had no choice but to follow him outside.

Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King watched the two leave. Sun Wukong asked, "Brother, what do you think of Zheng Yuan's sparring match with that fool?"

The Bull Demon King shook his head and said, "Pigsy is no match for Zheng Yuan. The two are now far apart. If they were to fight, Pigsy would probably be defeated in no time."

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Brother, why do you say that? That fool's nine-toothed rake is no ordinary treasure, and that fool is quite skilled. In a fight, it's still uncertain who will win and who will lose."

The Bull Demon King said, “Brother, don’t talk nonsense. I have some sense and know you’re here. You’re just spouting nonsense. The difference in cultivation between the two of you is vast. Look at Pigsy, he hasn’t even achieved enlightenment yet, while Zheng Yuan has already achieved enlightenment and cultivates the Five Thunder Orthodox Method. His Five Thunder Orthodox Method is extremely powerful, far beyond what ordinary people can compare to. If the two of you were to spar, Zheng Yuan would only need to recite the name of ‘Taishang Laojun’ and all the gods and Buddhas in the heavens would be at his service. How could Pigsy possibly be a match for him? Even if three or four more Pigs came, they would still be no match for Zheng Yuan.”

Sun Wukong smiled and nodded, agreeing with what the Bull Demon King said.

The Bull Demon King said, "Brother, come with me outside and watch the two fight."

Sun Wukong said, "Brother, please go ahead; I'll follow behind."

The two then went outside.

When they arrived at the old forest outside the mansion, they saw Pigsy and Zuo Liang standing facing each other, about to spar. There were many followers in the distance who wanted to watch, but Zuo Liang told them to retreat and not to come closer.

Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King approached and observed the two men with great interest.

Pigsy swung his nine-toothed rake and said, "Zhengyuan, you are a junior, while I am a senior. Therefore, you should attack first. I will give you three moves."

Zuo Liang shook his head and said, "Guardian Daoist, there's no need to be so accommodating. We can fight fairly."

Pigsy said, "I am a senior, how can I fight you fairly? No, no, you can't. Attack me, and I will give you three moves."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang asked again, "Is what the Daoist Protector of the Cauldron said true? But don't try to fool me."

Pigsy said, "This must be true. Attack me now. I'll give you three moves before I attack."

Zuo Liang said, "In that case, please be careful, Daoist Protector, I am about to attack."

Pigsy remained silent, carrying his nine-toothed rake, poised to await Zuo Liang's attack.

Upon seeing this, Zuo Liang immediately began chanting incantations, saying, "Zheng Yuan, a disciple of the Guangxin Zhenren of the Xieyue Sanxing Cave on Lingtai Fangcun Mountain in Xiniu Hezhou, is here. Please..."

Upon hearing what Zuo Liang said, Zhu Bajie hurriedly shouted to stop, saying, "Zhengyuan, don't use the Five Thunder Orthodox Technique to fight with me."

How could he not know that if Zuo Liang were to use the Five Thunder Orthodox Technique, he would likely be defeated without even a fight?

Zuo Liang is skilled in the Five Thunder Orthodox Method. He has the help of immortals, and even if he can defeat one or two immortals, he will be unable to defeat any more immortals. Therefore, Zuo Liang must never be allowed to use the Five Thunder Orthodox Method.

Zuo Liang, not understanding what Zhu Bajie meant, asked, "Guardian of the Cauldron, why can't I use the Five Thunder Orthodox Technique?"

Pigsy said, “Zhengyuan, if you use the Five Thunder Orthodox Method, then you are inviting a god to fight, not your own true self. Therefore, it is unfair to fight like that. You should fight by force and strength.”

Zuo Liang shook his head and said, "If that's the case, I am no match for the Protector of the Cauldron. I will admit defeat and there is no need to fight anymore. This is because I am good at the Five Thunder Orthodox Method. Apart from this method, I mostly have some minor spells that are hard to match. So I will consider this my defeat and there is no need to fight anymore."

Say it.

Zuo Liang turned to leave.

Pigsy said urgently, "Enough, enough, enough. If that's the case, then Zheng Yuan should use the Five Thunder Orthodox Method. Old Pig will definitely be able to defeat him."

Zuo Liang asked with a smile, "Is the Daoist Protector of the Cauldron truly willing to teach me the Five Thunder Orthodox Method?"

Pigsy said, "I am a senior, and even if you use the Five Thunderbolts, I can still defeat you!"

(End of this chapter)