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

Chapter 382 Zuo Liang Invites the Divine Monkey King, the Appearance of a True Man

Meanwhile, in Zuo Liang's residence in Jingzhou, Zuo Liang heard that Zhu Bajie had allowed him to use the Five Thunder Orthodox Technique. He asked repeatedly, and Zhu Bajie always gave his permission.

Zuo Liang smiled slightly and didn't ask any more questions, saying, "Please be careful, Daoist Protector of the Cauldron."

Pigsy, wielding his nine-toothed rake, said, "Zhengyuan, stop with the nonsense. If you want to spar, then come at me and fight with your Five Thunder Orthodox Method. There's no need for all this talk."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang smiled and nodded. Suddenly, his expression turned solemn. He made a hand seal and chanted incantations, saying, "Zheng Yuan, a disciple of the Guangxin Zhenren of the Xieyue Sanxing Cave on the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain in Xiniu Hezhou, respectfully begs my uncle, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, to grant me mercy, protect my altar, preserve my body, and prevent me from being harmed."

Say it.

Zuo Liangqi's method is extremely effective and is a true Five Thunder Method.

Sun Wukong was watching the battle from the sidelines when he suddenly felt something in his heart. He looked at Zuo Liang in astonishment. How could he have imagined that Zuo Liang was actually using the Five Thunder Orthodox Method to summon him to help him in the battle?

But he was watching from the sidelines, and the fact that he was summoned from such a distance truly surprised him. He was also astonished that Zuo Liang was using the Five Thunder Orthodox Technique.

Indeed... not bound by circumstances.

The Bull Demon King patted Sun Wukong and laughed heartily, saying, "Brother, since Zheng Yuan has invited you with the Five Thunder Orthodox Method, why don't you go? That Pigsy said he would teach Zheng Yuan the Five Thunder Orthodox Method, so don't hesitate, hurry up and go."

Sun Wukong drew his golden cudgel and said, "Brother is right. I will go there now to help Zheng Yuan and deal with this fool properly."

Say it.

Sun Wukong chuckled to himself, then leaped into the center of the arena to face Zhu Bajie directly.

Sun Wukong turned his head and said, "Nephew, since you have used the Five Thunder Orthodox Method to invite me, I will naturally come to help you."

As he spoke, Sun Wukong looked at Zhu Bajie and said, "Fool, don't say that I'm deceiving you. Show me your skills, and I'll give you three moves before we fight."

Seeing this sudden turn of events, Pigsy was caught off guard and cried out, "Brother, how could this happen? I was clearly fighting against Zheng Yuan, how did it become you, Monkey King? What skills do I have? How could I possibly defeat you, Monkey King?"

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "You are currently fighting with Zheng Yuan, but Zheng Yuan has the Five Thunder Orthodox Method. He used the Five Thunder Orthodox Method to summon me here, so I am at his service. You are going to fight me."

Pigsy cried out, "Brother, you mustn't do that! You mustn't do that!"

Sun Wukong said, "Bajie, stop talking and fight with me first, then he can speak."

Say it.

Sun Wukong swung his golden cudgel, ready to strike Zhu Bajie.

Pigsy hurriedly dodged and said, "Brother Monkey, don't hit me. I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong."

But before Sun Wukong could answer, another person came up beside him and said, "Pigsy, since you don't want to fight with your virtuous brother, why don't you fight with me instead?"

Pigsy looked up and saw the Bull Demon King standing beside him, glaring at him menacingly.

Pigsy said, "Bull King, why are you fighting with me? What's the reason for this?"

The Bull Demon King pointed to Zuo Liang beside him and said, "Just now, Zheng Yuan used the Five Thunder Orthodox Technique to summon me, my virtuous brother, to help you fight against me. So I came here. Pigsy, come and fight me for a while."

Pigsy was horrified. He stared at the Bull Demon King, trembling with fear. He had a hard time dealing with Sun Wukong alone, so how could he possibly deal with both Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King? This would surely cost him his life.

He looked up and peered at Zuo Liang, seeing that Zuo Liang still had some kind of hand seal in his hand and was chanting incantations, as if he was about to summon a god to deal with him again.

Pigsy said urgently, "Zhengyuan, Zhengyuan! Stop chanting. I can't even handle two people, let alone others."

But he was about to step forward to stop him.

The Bull Demon King and Sun Wukong were already fighting.

Each of them used a move that easily overwhelmed Pigsy, forcing him to retreat repeatedly. If it weren't for the power of his nine-toothed rake, he would have been defeated.

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Fool, show me some skill. If you rely on this, you will surely be defeated and have no ability to fight anymore."

The Bull Demon King brandished his Black Dragon Spear, which whistled through the air, and said, "Pigsy, show me your skills. Since you claim to be superior to Zheng Yuan in cultivation, you must use your true abilities. If you rely on such methods, you will never be able to compare with Zheng Yuan."

Pigsy, with a mournful face, said, "How can this be compared? Zheng Yuan can invite all the gods and Buddhas of the heavens. No matter how capable I am, I am no match for him. As the saying goes, 'Two fists can't beat four hands.' Now that Brother Monkey and the Bull King have joined forces, I can't possibly withstand it."

Sun Wukong covered his mouth and laughed, "Don't say such things, you fool. Weren't you so imposing just now? How can you speak like this now? Let's not say any more and fight first."

Say it.

Sun Wukong did not want to say more to Zhu Bajie. He exchanged a glance with the Bull Demon King and then swung his golden cudgel at him, but with less force, and had no intention of hurting Zhu Bajie.

The Bull Demon King also swung his Black Dragon Spear, sweeping it towards Pigsy.

Pigsy was terrified and raised his nine-toothed rake to block the two men's attacks.

However, how could one person be a match for Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King? Even a casual strike from the two of them, with much less force, would be far beyond what Zhu Bajie could match.

Pigsy taught the two a lesson and they were driven back with one blow. It took him a lot of effort to regain his footing. He was panting heavily and was about to say something when the two attacked again.

Pigsy had no choice but to grit his teeth and rake and rak wildly in a fight.

The three fought fiercely, but in less than three or four rounds, Pigsy was defeated. The Bull Demon King used his spear to deflect the Nine-Toothed Rake, and Sun Wukong stopped him in front of the crown of his head with his staff, making him tremble with fear.

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Fool, you've lost."

Pigsy had to admit that he was inferior to Zheng Yuan, fearing that if he said anything more, Zheng Yuan would send troops to make things difficult for him.

The group then left and returned to their residence. They chatted for a while in the main hall before dispersing.

Pigsy walked toward the house, looking dejected.

Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King were behind him.

Sun Wukong grabbed Zhu Bajie and said, "You idiot, what's wrong with you? Are you dissatisfied with Zheng Yuan's victory over you?"

Pigsy remained sullen and did not reply.

The Bull Demon King laughed from the side, "Brother, there's no need to say more here. He must be dissatisfied with Zheng Yuan's victory over him. Zheng Yuan is a junior, while he is a senior. He can't bear the loss of face if Zheng Yuan defeats him so easily." Upon hearing this, Pigsy turned his head and said, "Bull King, how could I be dissatisfied? Don't talk nonsense."

The Bull Demon King laughed and said, "If you're not dissatisfied, why are you acting like this?"

Pigsy shouted, "I am somewhat resentful and feel that Zheng Yuan's victory was unfair, so I have sent Monkey King and Bull King to fight instead."

Sun Wukong pointed at Zhu Bajie and said, "Don't talk nonsense. Zheng Yuan has already given you face by not inviting someone like Tianpeng Zhenjun, but instead inviting us close friends. Even if you lose, it won't matter. He has also taken care of your face in advance by dismissing your servants so you don't have to watch. You don't know his kindness."

The Bull Demon King said, “What Brother Fang said makes perfect sense. You think his victory was unfair, so you invited a deity, a master of the Five Thunder Orthodox Method. But you never imagined that with such ability, he could invite all the gods and Buddhas in the heavens, gaining prestige throughout the Three Realms. What an amazing thing that is! Faced with all this, his heart remained as still as water, unwavering, humble and polite. What kind of cultivation is this? He defeated you, but he has his reasons.”

Upon hearing what the two men said, Pigsy remained silent for a long time before finally accepting that Zuo Liang had defeated him. He then apologized to Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King, acknowledging their mistake.

The two men laughed and shook their heads, then returned home with Pigsy.

……

Time flies, and more than a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

One day, the Master was about to leave. He summoned Zuo Liangxing to his house and told him about his departure.

Zuo Liang immediately knelt down, bowed, and said, "Master, is it time to leave? Is it because I have failed to entertain you properly and have offended you that you should leave?"

Jiang Yuan pointed at Zuo Liang and laughed, "You rascal, how can you say such things? I've been here for quite a while now, and it's time for me to leave. But you insist on keeping me here."

Zuo Liang said, "Master's presence at my residence makes my humble abode shine. I should keep you here, Master. Besides, by keeping you here, I can serve you more closely."

Jiang Yuan said, "I have important matters to attend to today and must leave. Zheng Yuan, there is no need to keep me here. But I have something to say to you that you should remember and never forget. Now listen carefully."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang immediately stepped forward, bowed deeply, and listened attentively to the true master's teachings.

Jiang Yuan said, “These days, I have been staying in your residence to cultivate tranquility. However, when my spirit wanders beyond the heavens, I occasionally see your residence. Although you have many followers, none of them have the way of cultivation, let alone the heart for cultivation. You should know this. Your close follower Chen Xian has some heart for cultivation, but he is unlikely to achieve great things. If he rashly gains success, there will surely be disaster. You must remember this. I will also use my magic to restore the balance of heaven and earth in this mountain. This mountain will then receive the best of heaven and earth and become a pure place for cultivation, where you can cultivate diligently.”

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang knew that although the True Man was in the mansion these days, he had not been idle but had been helping him all along. He was deeply grateful and bowed repeatedly.

Jiang Yuan flicked his sleeve, and a gentle breeze came to help Zuo Liang up. He smiled and said, "Zheng Yuan, there's no need for such formalities. You are my disciple, so I should protect you."

Zuo Liang said, "I have never heard of any other master who has shown such care. I am deeply grateful and feel ashamed that my cultivation is too shallow to repay my master."

Jiang Yuan laughed and scolded, "What's there to be ashamed of? Don't think like that. Just relax."

The master and disciple talked for a long time in the house. The master asked Zuo Liang if he had any questions about his cultivation. Zuo Liang hesitated for a long time, but still told the master about his questions about his cultivation.

The master answered all his questions about cultivation.

Zuo Liang then bowed and thanked the Master.

The immortal then did not linger there, and summoned Sun Wukong and the other two, who rode on white deer and left the mansion.

Zuo Liang, accompanied by a large retinue, respectfully saw the Master off as he left the mountain. He intended to continue the farewell, but the Master refused, so Zuo Liang could only watch from the foot of the mountain as the Master and his entourage departed.

After a long while, the master and the others had already left, but Zuo Liang waited there for half an hour before turning around and returning to the mountain with his followers.

On the mountain path, a follower asked, "Sir, why does your teacher seem so ordinary, without any outstanding qualities, and not as famous as you are?"

Another attendant said, "How can you say that your teacher is unremarkable? But his demeanor is that of a sage, a true master. Your eyes are utterly useless."

Another follower said, "Where does this talk of otherworldly grace and unremarkable appearance come from? But I see that your teacher is exceptionally brave and skilled, like a general adept at battle. I observe that you two are clearly ill in your heads and eyes, otherwise why would you speak such nonsense?"

Another follower said, "The master's teacher has the appearance of an elder, and his teaching is like a gentle breeze, unlike what you all say."

The group argued endlessly about this, each claiming that their own argument was the only valid one.

Zuo Liang watched the argument but paid no attention to it.

Chen Xian, who was standing beside him, asked, "Sir, why are they all speaking differently? Yet you only have one teacher. It's strange."

Zuo Liang shook his head and smiled, “My master is a divine being with profound magical power. However, when a thousand people see him, he has a thousand faces. What you see is my master, yet not my master; it is yourself, yet not yourself. There is a great truth in this.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Xian was puzzled, not understanding what Zuo Liang was talking about.

Zuo Liang said, "You don't understand now, but remember what I say. You'll understand in the future, so don't worry."

Chen Xian had no choice but to write down what he said and ask no more questions.

Zuo Liang returned to the mountains with his entourage.

Zuo Liangxing arrived at the front of the mansion, pointed inside, and said with a smile, "Chen Xian, what changes do you see in the mansion?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xian looked up and examined the situation closely, saying, "Sir, we have only been gone from the manor for a short time, how could there be any changes?"

Zuo Liang said, "Observe it carefully."

Chen Xian had no choice but to look again, and he saw that there were indeed changes in the mansion. However, he could not explain these changes. He only felt that the mansion seemed to be much more refined and pleasing to the eye.

Zuo Liang asked, "Have you figured out anything about it?"

Chen Xian pondered for a moment and said, "Sir, please forgive me if I have said anything wrong."

Zuo Liang said, "Speak up, and I will not blame you."

Chen Xian bowed and said, "But this place seems to have a more spiritual energy, which is pleasing to the eye. Although it was a good place in the past, it was not as wonderful as it is now."

Zuo Liang smiled and said, "This place was left to me by my master before he left. It gathers the essence of heaven and earth, making it more comfortable for you to live in this mountain. It also has the effect of prolonging life."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xian was greatly surprised and said, "Sir, is it so easy to prolong life? I have heard that many emperors have always desired immortality. Even if they could not achieve immortality, they still longed for longevity. But they have not obtained it."

Zuo Liang shook his head and said, "Longevity is easy to attain, but how can one not live a long life if one can restrain oneself internally and control one's desires externally? Furthermore, I have heard that many talented people in the world have techniques for prolonging life. After practicing for many years, they can also prolong their lives to some extent."

(End of this chapter)