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

Chapter 422 The feeling of subduing the restless mind: only with deep roots can one reap abundant fruit.
Meanwhile, at the inn in the Kingdom of Baoliang, Wang Chongyang and the Bull Demon King had decided to leave the next day, and the two were discussing cultivation in their room.

The Bull Demon King asked, "Zhengwei, you have now attained the Golden Core Dao and your mind is beginning to settle. You are focused on cultivation. I, the old bull, also once attained the Golden Core Dao, but I did not have the right opportunity, nor the perseverance and energy to cultivate it, so I failed. Now that you, Zhengwei, have attained the Golden Core Dao, I wonder if you could tell me about your initial state of mind and how you have progressed in your cultivation. Could you tell me about your journey so far?"

Wang Chongyang sat cross-legged on a futon. Upon hearing his words, he smiled and said, "If the Ox King is willing to listen, I will certainly say a few words."

The Bull Demon King said, "Please tell me, Zhengwei. I will listen to everything and will not forget anything."

Wang Chongyang smiled and nodded, then said: "The Golden Elixir must begin with five people. These five people are the Mind Monkey, the Will Horse, the Golden Lord, the Wood Mother, and the Yellow Woman. In the beginning, the first thing to do is to subdue the Mind Monkey."

"The mind monkey dwells in the palace of the mind, a madman of the spiritual platform. Its nature is the worst, climbing up the six windows, leaping in all directions, chasing sounds and colors, like a monkey climbing a tree. It runs when it encounters a situation, and gallops when it encounters a thought. It is sometimes angry and sometimes happy, sometimes startled and sometimes terrified, as if a hundred claws are scratching at the heart and ten thousand ants are gnawing at the marrow."

"Therefore, to subdue the restless mind, one should use skill or force. In the past, my master subdued it with force, and now I subdue it with skill. So I wait quietly for the restless mind to act, and when its old power has gone and its new power has not yet arisen, I soothe it and turn it into my own use, and subdue it in this way."

"When the mind is calmed, one feels the cacophony of sounds, as if sinking to the bottom of an abyss. A jumble of thoughts drifts away like catkins from a branch. The pent-up emotions in one's chest melt away like ice melting in spring, and the furrowed brows resemble the first clearing of clouds. One's mind is now constantly clear and pure. This is not the stillness of stagnant water, but the true tranquility of a vibrant wave."

Say it.

Wang Chongyang looked at the Bull Demon King and said nothing more.

The Bull Demon King suddenly realized and said, "As you said, Zhengwei, your mind is only just beginning to settle, not that it is already settled."

Wang Chongyang smiled and nodded, saying, "Exactly, exactly!"

The Bull Demon King said, "To tell you the truth, when I was cultivating in the past, I was in the stage of calming my mind, but I didn't take it seriously. I thought I had made progress in my cultivation, so I was arrogant and acted recklessly, which led to my failure. Now, I can't even be considered to have calmed my mind. I was misled by the Wood Mother's joy and lost my sense of proportion. I should have failed in my Golden Elixir cultivation."

Wang Chongyang laughed and said, "Every bite and every sip is preordained. The Ox King's skills are not low now, so there is no need to regret it."

The Bull Demon King smiled and nodded, saying, "Zhengwei is right. Old Bull's skills are not low now. Although I can't compare to Brother Xian's innate divine abilities, dealing with someone like Pigsy is a piece of cake."

Wang Chongyang was about to say something more.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. The Bull Demon King looked outside and asked, "Who is it?"

A voice outside replied, “The King sent me to speak with you, sir.”

Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King glanced at King Chongyang and chuckled softly, "I wonder what this king wants with you again?"

Wang Chongyang laughed and said, "It's nothing more than matters of magic; there's nothing else."

The Bull Demon King asked, "What do you think should be done?"

Wang Chongyang said, "The Dharma is already in my hands, why seek it again? Just ignore it. Tomorrow we should move on to Liangzhou and not linger because of this matter."

The Bull Demon King said, "That's how it should be. I'll let that man go inside and hear what he has to say."

Say it.

The Bull Demon King stepped forward and opened the door, where a eunuch was waiting.

The eunuch bowed deeply and asked the Bull Demon King to make way so that he could enter.

The Bull Demon King smiled and nodded, making way for him.

When the eunuch entered the room and saw Wang Chongyang, he immediately bowed deeply and respectfully.

Wang Chongyang returned the bow with propriety.

Upon seeing this, the eunuch was greatly alarmed and quickly turned away, saying, "Sir, you are a noble person from the celestial realm, while I am merely a servant. How can I allow you to return the greeting? This is absolutely unacceptable. Please, sir, do not bow to me."

Wang Chongyang laughed and said, "Etiquette has never distinguished between high and low status. If it were, wouldn't etiquette lose its true meaning? Therefore, if you bow to me, I should naturally return the bow to you. There is nothing wrong with that."

The eunuch was moved to tears and said, "I have been a servant since I was a child, and I am used to being bullied. This is the first time that someone has ever paid respects to me. I am even more grateful to the immortal master."

Wang Chongyang shook his head, not saying much more. He smiled and said, "I wonder what brings you here? Or perhaps, what brings Your Majesty here to discuss this with me?"

The eunuch replied, "His Majesty sent me here to invite you to a banquet at the palace tomorrow. His Majesty wishes to personally see you off. His Majesty has instructed you not to refuse, and that His Majesty will allow you to leave once you have arrived."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang smiled and said, "Since Your Majesty has such a kind offer, I certainly cannot refuse. In that case, please tell Your Majesty that I will definitely attend the banquet tomorrow."

The eunuch responded and turned to leave, but before he could leave, he couldn't help but stop and look back at Wang Chongyang.

Wang Chongyang asked, "Is there anything else?"

The eunuch remained silent for a long time, without saying a word.

The Bull Demon King was about to urge him to leave if he remained silent, but Wang Chongyang gently waved his hand, so he had no choice but to give up and remain silent.

After half an incense stick's time, the eunuch suddenly said, "Sir, I see that you are a highly accomplished person, and I cannot bear to deceive you. Recently, I saw the King in the palace mingling with that Taoist priest, discussing some alchemy, which seemed to be aimed at you. I should not have spoken of this, but I cannot bear to see you in danger. Sir, please do not attend the farewell banquet tomorrow. If possible, wait until midnight to leave the city. There is an alley three streets west of the city with an entrance that leads out of the city. You can take that opportunity to leave!"

Say it.

The eunuch bowed deeply to Wang Chongyang, said no more, and turned to leave.

Wang Chongyang listened to his words, but his expression remained calm and he did not react.

The Bull Demon King was somewhat annoyed. He closed the door and said, "This king is truly ungrateful. Listening to his words about diligently refining elixirs, he seems intent on harming you. You have helped him for so long, yet he shows no gratitude. Instead, he intends to harm you tomorrow. What kind of logic is this? I will take the Black Dragon Spear and go to ask him. If he doesn't reveal the truth, I, the Bull Demon King, will teach you a lesson about my power. I dare to provoke even us."

The Bull Demon King was about to go out, wielding his Black Dragon Spear, to the palace to demand justice.

Wang Chongyang stopped him and said, "King Niu, don't be in such a hurry. This is just one person's opinion and shouldn't be taken seriously. We should investigate it first."

The Bull Demon King said, "Zhengwei, tell me how you plan to find out the truth. Tell me and I will definitely help you find out the truth. If this matter is indeed as it is, I will not let that king off lightly."

Wang Chongyang said, "Please ask the local land god and mountain god if they know the answer. If they do not know, then please ask the Ox King to go to his home and ask his master. With his master's magical powers, he will surely know the reason."

The Bull Demon King replied, "In that case, I will go now."

As he spoke, the Bull Demon King was about to ride away on a cloud. After taking only a step or two, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked back, saying, "Zhengwei, if someone comes to harm you while I'm gone, what will you do? Why don't I leave my weapon here and cast a spell so that if anyone comes to harm you, the weapon will protect you? Would that be alright?" Wang Chongyang shook his head and said, "Bull King, there's no need for that. Don't forget, I still have the Yu Ding, bestowed upon me by my master, which can protect me and keep all evil from invading."

The Bull Demon King said, "I was overthinking it. In that case, please wait here a little longer, Zhengwei. I'm leaving now."

Say it.

The Bull Demon King flipped out of the window and rode a cloud towards the outside of the city.

Wang Chongyang sat on a futon, closed his eyes and meditated, trying to calm his mind and cultivate himself, hoping to one day transform his mind into his own.

He had just calmed down and was preparing to cultivate when he suddenly heard rustling sounds coming from below the inn.

Wang Chongyang got up and walked to the window. Looking down, he suddenly saw that there were many armored soldiers around the post station, patrolling and setting up defenses.

These soldiers are all elite troops. Compared to the city gate soldiers I encountered a few days ago, they are far inferior. They must be the elite troops of the royal palace.

Wang Chongyang already knew why there were so many elite troops here. It was probably true what the eunuch had said; the king wanted to harm him.

Wang Chongyang shook his head and said, "The Dharma is inherently contained within a small space; why bother with this?"

He stopped looking down, got up and returned to his meditation cushion, where he sat quietly to cultivate himself.

Wang Chongyang sat in meditation on the futon for less than half an hour when the Bull Demon King returned.

When Wang Chongyang saw the Bull Demon King arrive, he immediately went forward to greet him.

The Bull Demon King said, "Zhengwei, I have already obtained the information."

Wang Chongyang said, "King Niu, is what that palace servant said true?"

The Bull Demon King was somewhat surprised and asked, "Indeed. But how did you know, Zhengwei? I only found out from the Earth Demon. It's true that 'there are gods three feet above your head.' The Earth Demon happened to overhear and was just telling me. But you've been here the whole time, how could you know?"

Wang Chongyang said, “King Niu, have you seen the armored soldiers outside? Those armored soldiers must have been sent by the king because he was worried that I would escape, to guard against me there. What happened here is enough to prove that what the palace servant said is true.”

The Bull Demon King said, "Just as you said, Zhengwei, that king is indeed wicked. The ghost in the ground told me that he was a Taoist priest in the palace. He said that if we take the hearts of 999 young boys and girls and add the heart of someone as steadfast as you, we can refine them into a medicine that can reveal the secrets of the divine and grant immortality. Therefore, he is tempted and wants to use your heart to kill you at the farewell ceremony tomorrow."

Wang Chongyang shook his head and laughed, "How could this king believe such words? Such heretical and wicked words should not be believed by any clear-headed person."

The Bull Demon King said, "That king believed you and wanted to kill you. Such a person should not be let off lightly. Even if we don't kill him, we should teach him a lesson."

Wang Chongyang laughed and said, "King Niu, there is no need for that. If you go there with weapons, you may hurt many people, which will be detrimental to your cultivation. Tomorrow, just watch me deal with him for a while. There is no need to rush."

The Bull Demon King said, "Since you say so, I will not say anything more, but I will go to protect you tomorrow, whether openly or secretly, to ensure your safety."

Wang Chongyang bowed and said, "Thank you, Ox King."

The Bull Demon King returned the greeting with a bow.

Wang Chongyang said, “The Ox King can tell me in detail why the king would believe such heretical and wicked words. When I saw that king in the past, although he was somewhat muddle-headed, his mind was not corrupted by demons. How could he believe such words?”

Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King did not hide anything and immediately recounted to Wang Chongyang all the things he had learned from the local deity.

Upon learning this, Wang Chongyang shook his head and said, "In that case, it was mostly the Taoist priest's instigation and coercion, and the king's failure to keep his mind focused was also to blame."

The Bull Demon King said, "Their logic of using words and understanding as trees and the heart palace as roots, using the heart to nourish the heart and devouring the heart to strengthen itself, is full of flaws to us, but it can make a person like the king, who doesn't know anything, believe it without a doubt."

Wang Chongyang said, "It is true that enlightenment is the tree and the heart palace is the root. However, what they do not know is that enlightenment is the tree, the heart palace is the root, and the Niwan (the upper dantian) is the fruit. Only with deep roots can the fruit be abundant. Cultivating the mind is the foundation of enlightenment, and the Niwan is the pinnacle of enlightenment. The Niwan is outside the spiritual platform. Such fallacies and heresies as using the mind to supplement the mind only obscure the spiritual platform. How can one achieve enlightenment under such circumstances?"

The Bull Demon King said, "Let's not talk about that. Zhengwei, you must be careful tomorrow and don't fall into any traps."

Wang Chongyang smiled and reassured the Bull Demon King, putting his mind at ease.

The two talked in the house.

Before we knew it, the night had passed.

The next day at dawn, armored soldiers knocked on the door.

The Bull Demon King pushed open the door, and the armored soldiers entered, bowed, and said, "Sir, we have come on the King's orders to invite you to the palace. The King has prepared a farewell banquet and invites you to attend. There are carriages and horses outside; you may go out and ride them to the palace."

The Bull Demon King said, "May I come along?"

The armored soldier looked at the Bull Demon King's imposing figure with some fear and said, "His Majesty only invited one gentleman and did not invite you. Please forgive him."

The Bull Demon King laughed and said, "I am the Protector Zhengwei. Since you, the Great King, have invited Zhengwei to go, as the Protector, I must follow. I will just follow behind and will not disturb you."

The soldier hesitated and said, "The King truly did not invite you. He clearly stated that only immortal masters are allowed to enter the palace, so we cannot invite you in."

The Bull Demon King wanted to say something more.

Wang Chongyang walked over, waved his hand and laughed, "King Niu, there's no need to make things difficult for them. Since you only invited me, then I will go alone. You can pack your luggage here. After I return from the palace, we will set off."

Say it.

Wang Chongyang then got up, walked to several armored soldiers, and instructed them to lead the way.

Upon seeing this, the Bull Demon King had no choice but to respond and watch Wang Chongyang leave.

After waiting for Wang Chongyang to leave, the Bull Demon King retrieved his bundle, went outside the inn, instructed the white deer to follow him, and then rose into the clouds, hiding in the mist to secretly protect Wang Chongyang.

But if Wang Chongyang were in any danger to his life, he would protect him.

(End of this chapter)