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

Chapter 416 Red Boy Fights Pigsy, Meeting the Immortal on Double Ninth Festival
Meanwhile, at the Slanting Moon and Three Stars Cave on Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie led Wang Chongyang to the gate of the mansion.

Looking at the tall gate in front of him, Wang Chongyang felt even more emotional. He stood not far from the gate, looked back, but could not see the way he had come. Looking up, he saw a bright and dazzling light ahead.

Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, being sensible, did not disturb Wang Chongyang. Now, three lifetimes have passed, and they have returned to this place. It is only natural that they feel emotional. This place should belong to Wang Chongyang.

The two of them stood there with Wang Chongyang for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Suddenly, the mansion gates opened wide, and Red Boy walked in from outside.

Wang Chongyang looked in that direction and recognized Red Boy. He was filled with emotion. Red Boy's appearance had changed drastically. He saw that Red Boy was no longer a child, but a young man.

Her hair was formed from crimson flames, tied high with a horse-tail crown, her nose was straight and prominent, her lips were like cinnabar, her jade face reflected fire patterns, her delicate bones were adorned with gold ornaments, and she wore a Taoist robe, much like a Rakshasa woman. She was truly a 'jade lotus planted in fire'.

Red Boy stepped forward, bowed to Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, addressing them as Uncle-Master and Protector of the Cauldron. After the ceremony, he bowed deeply to Wang Chongyang, saying, "Junior Brother Zhengci greets Senior Brother! It has been many years since I last saw you, Senior Brother. Your demeanor is even more impressive than before. I admire you greatly!"

Wang Chongyang stepped forward and helped Hong Haier up. After observing him closely for a long time, he said, "Junior brother, you said that my demeanor is even more impressive than before. I should pass on this to you. When I left the mountain to be reborn and sever my ties with the mortal world, you were still young and impetuous. Now that we meet again, junior brother, you are calm and composed, and your mind is clear. You have truly achieved great success in your cultivation."

Red Boy laughed and said, "It is all thanks to Master's teachings. Eldest Brother, there is no need for further words. Today, Master instructed me to come here to welcome you. Eldest Brother, please come inside with me quickly. Master is waiting for you in the Jade Terrace."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang said, "In that case, I should go and see my master. Junior brother, if I have time later, I will come to find you to catch up."

Red Boy said, "That's how it should be. Please come in, Senior Brother, and head to the Jade Terrace."

Say it.

Red Boy made way for Wang Chongyang to enter.

Wang Chongyang said, "Junior brother, then I will go see Master first."

Wang Chongyang walked into the Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars.

Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie surrounded Red Boy. Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Nephew, since your elder brother sent you here, did he tell you where this old man and this fool should go?"

Red Boy said, "Master once instructed that Uncle and the Guardian Daoist could go to the quiet room to rest, and later go to the Jade Terrace to meet Master."

Sun Wukong said, "If that's the case, then I'll go and rest for a while."

Pigsy followed behind, keeping his head down and moving forward.

Red Boy suddenly stopped Pigsy and said, "Guardian of the Cauldron, please wait a moment."

Pigsy, puzzled, asked, "Zhengci, is there anything else? Did Master give me some instructions privately?"

Red Boy said, "It wasn't my master, but I who stopped you alone."

Upon hearing this, Pigsy was startled and said, "Could it be that Master Zheng Ci has come about the old grudge? Some time has passed since then. I was confused back then, but I have long since repented. Does Master Zheng Ci still hold a grudge against me? Besides, those things are long gone."

Red Boy said, "It's not about the past. As you said, the past is over. Now it's about other things."

Pigsy was finally relieved and asked, "How did he explain this? Please tell me clearly, Master Ci."

Sun Wukong stood to the side, smiling and looking around, ignoring the two's conversation, looking like he was watching a show.

Red Boy said, "Today I spoke with my master, who imparted the Great Dao to me and resolved many of my confusions. After our conversation, my master said that you have achieved success in your cultivation, have awakened, and your abilities have improved. However, I do not believe this, so I have stopped you here to test your supernatural powers."

Pigsy finally understood that Red Boy was somewhat unconvinced because he had heard the master praise him, or perhaps he didn't believe that Red Boy would improve, so he came to see his abilities and observe his supernatural powers.

Pigsy was overjoyed at the thought of his master praising him and said, "Since you are praising me, there must be a reason. My skills are far better than before, but I will not compare myself with you, Zhengci. If I were to compare myself and hurt you, I'm afraid you would blame me."

Red Boy said angrily, "You've made progress, but I haven't? You should compare yourself with me first. If you really hurt me, Master will never blame you."

Say it.

Red Boy took out a red-tasseled spear from behind the mansion gate, and with a fierce aura, grabbed Pigsy, wanting to have a match outside the mansion gate.

Upon hearing what Red Boy said, Pigsy was in high spirits and wanted to have a match with Red Boy.

There are three disciples under the Master's tutelage. Chongyang's temperament surpasses his, Zuo Liang's skills surpass his, and Hong Haier goes without saying, as his martial arts and all other skills surpass his. He cannot compare to any one of the Master's disciples.

Now that his cultivation has progressed, he should naturally be able to surpass the disciples of the True Man.

However, there are three disciples under the True Man. Chongyang has just been reincarnated and has a better temperament than him, but his skills are not as good. He cannot use this to deceive Chongyang. If he does, the Master may come down and compete with him personally.

Zuo Liang goes without saying; the Five Thunder Orthodox Method is no match for him, and even with his great abilities, he is no match for him.

Only Red Boy possesses both martial arts skills and the ability to "contemplate," making him the only one who can defeat a single opponent in a one-on-one fight.

Therefore, Pigsy was confident that he could defeat Red Boy in a fight.

Pigsy swung his nine-toothed rake, ready to fight Red Boy.

Red Boy also drew his spear, ready for battle.

Sun Wukong did not stop the two, but instead watched the battle from the sidelines.

……

Inside the Jade Terrace of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars Cave, the True Man sat upright on a high platform. His gaze fell upon the area outside the Jade Terrace, where Wang Chongyang was walking towards it and entering the Jade Terrace.

The master and disciple looked at each other; everything seemed to have changed, yet nothing seemed to have changed.

Wang Chongyang entered the Yaotai Hall, knelt before the True Man, and kowtowed countless times. With tears in his eyes, he said, "This unfilial disciple, Zhengwei, has now returned home to pay respects to my master. Master, I have not been able to serve you properly for many years. Please forgive me!"

With a flick of his sleeve, the Master summoned a gentle breeze that helped Wang Chongyang to his feet. He smiled and said, “Zhengwei, now that you have returned, there is no need for formalities. You have followed the righteous path of the Golden Elixir, enduring three lifetimes and suffering much hardship. How can you be guilty?”

Wang Chongyang bowed and said, "Master, I am acting for the sake of the Golden Elixir, which is for my own sake. Because of my own sake, I have not served you for a long time. How can I be without sin?"

The Master laughed and said, “You are working for the Golden Elixir, for yourself, for me, and for others. There’s no need for such formalities. Your return has brought me joy. Please don’t stand on ceremony. If you don’t follow those formalities, I will blame you.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang hurriedly rose, not daring to be overly polite, lest he offend his master. He looked up at his master, who was as before; after all, his master was a Daoist immortal, untouched by time and unmoved by the sun and moon. The True Man suddenly said, "Zhengwei, what are you observing?"

Wang Chongyang's haste led to his impolite remarks.

The master shook his head and said, "It has been many years since we last met. It is not impolite for you to look at me. Please come closer."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang immediately walked forward, went to the Jade Terrace, and stood beside the True Man.

The immortal gently stroked Wang Chongyang's crown and said with a smile, "Zhengwei, now that you have returned, all worldly ties have been severed, and you have no further connection with the mortal world. This makes me happy to say that you have finally obtained the opportunity to cultivate the Golden Elixir."

Wang Chongyang said, "This disciple should thank Master. This disciple knows that Master has helped me a lot in these three lifetimes, and even helped me to cross over to Mount Xiyi. This disciple is extremely grateful."

The master laughed and said, "You are my disciple. If I don't help you, what will happen? Now that you have returned, the day I establish my own academy is approaching. Are you aware of this?"

Wang Chongyang said, "I know that. Now that Master has established his own school, I will do my best to assist him, so that Master's school can be peaceful and your disciples can cultivate well."

The master smiled and nodded, then said, "It's good that you have this intention. As the head of my sect, there are many things I can do for you here."

As he spoke, the Master suddenly pointed to the side of the high platform, where there was another futon beneath his own. He said, “Zhengwei, from this day forward, when I preach, you may sit here upright; you need not sit in the ranks.”

Wang Chongyang was surprised and shook his head, saying, "Master, how can I do this? I will sit in the middle of the class and not overstep my bounds. I will sit beside you."

The master smiled and said, "You are my eldest disciple, the one who will inherit my mantle. You may sit down beside me."

Wang Chongyang still dared not refuse his master, but when he looked up and saw the master smiling at him, he remained silent for a long time before bowing to the master again and accepting the futon.

Wang Chongyang said, "Disciple Zhengwei thanks Master."

Jiang Yuan accepted his bow and said with a smile, "I don't need to tell you about the Golden Core here. You should remember that you can go back to your old quiet room today and cultivate the true path of the Golden Core there. Now that you have no more worldly ties and have severed all ties with the mortal world, this is the opportunity to cultivate the Golden Core. You must not overlook this."

Wang Chongyang said, "This disciple knows his own limitations. This disciple will now go to cultivate. I will certainly not disappoint my master here. I will enter the path of the Golden Elixir."

Jiang Yuan nodded, about to instruct Wang Chongyang to leave, when suddenly she felt something and looked outside the mansion with some helplessness, saying, "This Pigsy, why is he so impetuous again? He is not even at the right place to cultivate his mind properly."

Wang Chongyang, puzzled, asked, "Master, has anything changed? If so, I can help you."

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "It is Zhu Bajie and Zheng Ci fighting outside the mansion. Zheng Wei, you should convey my decree to tell Zhu Bajie and Zheng Ci to come in and summon Wukong, who is watching from there. Then you can go to the quiet room to cultivate."

Wang Chongyang bowed and said, "Your disciple obeys."

Say it.

Wang Chongyang then walked out of the mansion.

……

Meanwhile, outside the Cave of the Crescent Moon and Three Stars, Pigsy was fighting with Red Boy.

The two, each wielding a weapon, clashed fiercely. It was a truly bloody battle. The True Man's disciple, the Holy Infant King, and the Clean Altar Messenger, the True Bodhisattva, met their true rivals, encountering the source of all things. One was eager to fight and show off his power, while the other's heart was restless and uneasy. The red-tasseled spear was indeed fierce, and the nine-toothed rake was truly heroic. The two of them spewed clouds and mist that illuminated the heavens, and stirred up dust that obscured the Dipper constellation.

The two fought for eight or nine rounds, neither able to gain the upper hand. Seeing that Zhu Bajie's martial arts had indeed improved and that he could not defeat him in a short time, Red Boy naturally resorted to his supernatural powers.

Red Boy knocked Pigsy away with a spear, muttering incantations. A moment later, his face turned red, and he opened his mouth to spew flames at Pigsy, which surged and attacked him.

Pigsy saw that the fire was fierce and powerful, its flames blazing and filling the sky, turning the ground red with a terrifying display. It was like a fiery wheel flying up and down, or like embers dancing in the east and west. This was the Samadhi Fire, which was difficult to withstand.

Pigsy seized the momentum, turned and ran, greatly alarmed. If this fire were lit, wouldn't he become a roasted pig? But he was puzzled. In the past, Red Boy needed the Five Elements Chariot to help him make this fire, and only then could he create a fire. How could he be so powerful now, spitting out Samadhi Fire as soon as he opened his mouth? He had mastered this supernatural power.

Sun Wukong watched the fight from the sidelines. When he saw the two fighting to a great extent, he couldn't help but clap his hands and cheer. When he saw Red Boy using Samadhi Fire to chase and burn Pigsy, he laughed and said, "The outcome is already clear. This fool has many supernatural powers, but he is not proficient in many of them. If Zheng Ci burns him, he will be completely helpless."

"In terms of martial arts, this fool is no match for Zhengci. Zhengci's martial arts skills were passed down from his elder brother, and he was already quite skilled in his youth. However, he lost because of his strength. Now that he has grown up, he is full of strength. As the saying goes, 'Youth has the advantage in fists.' Bajie is no match for Zhengci. If they were to fight for a hundred rounds, this fool would definitely be defeated."

Sun Wukong was observing closely and couldn't help but feel a little itchy, wanting to find someone to fight to his heart's content. However, there were very few people in the mansion who could compete with him in martial arts.

As Sun Wukong was pondering, he suddenly saw Wang Chongyang walking out of the mansion. He immediately stepped forward and asked, "Nephew, how did you get out of here?"

Wang Chongyang stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Uncle-Master, Master has issued a decree instructing you and fellow Daoist to enter and go to the Jade Terrace to meet Master."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong laughed and said, "It must be that the two of them have disturbed our senior brother. I will inform them of this."

Wang Chongyang said, "My master said that my teacher uncle should also go."

Sun Wukong scratched his head and said, "I didn't fight with them, so why is my senior brother looking for me?"

Wang Chongyang shook his head and said, "This disciple does not know."

Sun Wukong shook his head and said, "Enough, enough, enough. Even if there were no such thing, I should still go to the Jade Terrace to pay my respects. Nephew, I already know about what happened here. You should go back and cultivate diligently. I will now send this fool and Zhengci to the Jade Terrace to pay their respects to our eldest brother."

Wang Chongyang accepted the order and entered the mansion.

Seeing Wang Chongyang leave, Sun Wukong quickly headed towards the place where the two were fighting. In a short while, he arrived and said, "Nephew, you fool, stop fighting. Your senior brother has issued a decree that you two should go and meet him."

Upon hearing this, the two stopped, looked at each other, and then looked at Sun Wukong, asking why the immortal had summoned them.

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "What is there to be confused about? Your two fighting so fiercely has disturbed the cave. Your senior brother taught you two to go and question him."

The two men were somewhat apprehensive after being intimidated by Sun Wukong's intimidation.

Pigsy stepped forward and said, "Brother, our fight hasn't lasted too long, so there shouldn't be much of a commotion."

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Eldest brother, you two are in harmony with the heavens. How can there be no commotion when you two are fighting so closely? Let's not say any more and go see eldest brother."

Say it.

Sun Wukong led the two of them into the mansion.

(End of this chapter)