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

Chapter 423 Can vegetables live without a heart, or can people live without a heart?
The story begins at the royal palace of Baoliang. Wang Chongyang followed the armored soldiers into the palace and saw the king's entourage and imperial carriage waiting in front of the palace gate.

When Wang Chongyang arrived, the king immediately came over and said, "Sir, I have prepared a farewell banquet. Please come with me and enjoy this banquet."

Wang Chongyang smiled and agreed, then walked into the palace with the king. As soon as he entered the palace, everything he saw and heard felt familiar, as he had lived here in the past.

However, compared to before, the palace is much more dilapidated, and many parts were renovated later, making it quite different from before.

Wang Chongyang asked, "Your Majesty, where in the palace will the farewell banquet be held?"

The king, who was traveling with him, heard what he said and replied, "It will be held in a garden in the palace, called 'Qixia Terrace'. It is a rare and beautiful place in my palace, so let's hold the farewell banquet there."

Wang Chongyang nodded and then walked towards the south of the palace.

The king was somewhat taken aback. This immortal master had never been to the palace before, so how did he know how to get to Qixia Terrace? Could this immortal master be a fortune teller? But the alchemist clearly stated that he was still a mortal.

The king was puzzled, but now that the die was cast, he had no choice but to act. Today, no matter what, he had to win the king's heart.

Thinking this way, the king gritted his teeth and followed behind Wang Chongyang.

After walking for a long time, the two finally arrived at Qixia Terrace.

Wang Chongyang looked ahead and saw the scenery of Qixia Terrace. Its terraces overlooked the blue water, with glazed steps and agate pillars. There was no sound of silk and bamboo instruments, but only the clear and melodious sound of jade chimes that reached into the clouds.

Upon seeing this, Wang Chongyang understood that Qixia Terrace could not withstand the erosion of time, and this Qixia Terrace was a renovated structure.

The king said, “Please come inside, sir. The farewell banquet will be held there.”

Wang Chongyang readily agreed and prepared to walk inside. He had walked halfway when he suddenly stopped. He could see inside that "armored soldiers were hidden beneath the glazed steps, and the shadows of agate pillars concealed the glint of swords."

Seeing that, he knew what the king was thinking, but shook his head helplessly and did not expose him.

Seeing that Wang Chongyang had stopped, the king thought that Wang Chongyang had seen through him and became somewhat flustered. He asked, "Sir, is there something wrong? Why did you stop?"

Wang Chongyang shook his head and said, "There is nothing wrong. Let us go inside."

Seeing that Wang Chongyang had not seen through his scheme, the king was relieved and bowed, saying, "Please come in, sir."

Wang Chongyang instructed the king to greet him and walk inside. Once inside, he saw many delicacies and the aroma of wine wafting through the air, but the air still betrayed the atmosphere of war.

The king invited Wang Chongyang to take a seat.

Wang Chongyang readily agreed.

The two took their seats, and a beautiful maidservant would occasionally pour water from a sandalwood teapot into Wang Chongyang's cup. The clear, cool aroma, like a thin mist, would rise from the spout of the teapot.

The king said, “Sir, this wine is a rare treasure of the kingdom. It is made from the sacred fruit picked from a sacred mountain abroad. The process is complex and it is no ordinary wine.”

Wang Chongyang smiled and said, "Thank you very much for treating me to such fine wine, Your Majesty. I am extremely grateful."

The king smiled and chatted with him. The two talked freely during the banquet. The king originally wanted to teach some dancers to perform for him, but Wang Chongyang declined several times before the king gave up.

The two talked for a long time, when the king suddenly put down his wine cup, took out a calligraphy scroll, and said, “I have heard that only those with great wisdom can understand the meaning of this calligraphy scroll. Sir, is that so?”

Wang Chongyang pondered for a moment and said, "If what you say is true, then it is not wrong. To understand it, one must have enlightenment."

If one does not attain enlightenment, how can one escape the sea of ​​suffering? Therefore, enlightenment is the boat to cross the sea of ​​suffering. Once one is enlightened, one can take the boat to escape the sea of ​​suffering. Thus, the king's words were not wrong.

The king said, “However, my comprehension is insufficient, which is an innate calamity that I cannot overcome. Sir, I cannot fathom this divine object. I wonder if you could bestow upon me some other methods so that I may be able to cultivate myself?”

Wang Chongyang shook his head and smiled, "The best method is already before Your Majesty. Your Majesty should know that the method is never hard to find; the difficulty lies in taking that first step. If you take that first step, the method will appear on its own. If you don't, seeking immortals or worshipping Buddhas will be useless. It's better to rely on yourself than on others."

The king was completely bewildered, not understanding what Wang Chongyang was saying. He only remembered that Wang Chongyang had said there was no method, and he had been somewhat hesitant. But after hearing what Wang Chongyang said, he hardened his heart. He absolutely did not want to die, so he would not blame Wang Chongyang for taking his life.

The king said, “There is no other way, but this divine object is beyond my comprehension. However, I once obtained a method that can make up for my lack of comprehension later in life. However, the object required for this method is extremely difficult to obtain. I have searched the whole country but have not found it. Recently, I heard that you have obtained this object. Therefore, today I am doing this to put it into practice and also to ask you to bestow the object upon me. Please grant my request.”

Wang Chongyang laughed and asked, "A gift? What gift?"

The king suddenly rose, bowed deeply to Wang Chongyang, and said, "This object is your heart, sir. I wish to borrow your heart to greatly enhance my understanding and safeguard the eternal foundation of my Baoliang Kingdom."

Wang Chongyang said, "You want my heart?"

The king said, "Indeed!"

Wang Chongyang laughed and said, "A vegetable can live without a heart, but can a person live without a heart?"

The king said, "A person cannot live without a heart."

Wang Chongyang said, "If that's the case, then the king has come to harm me, is that so?"

The king gritted his teeth and said, "Please, sir, grant me your heart!"

Say it.

He took a wine cup and threw it to the ground. At that moment, hundreds of armored soldiers filed in, their swords and blades flashing, and surrounded Wang Chongyang.

Upon seeing him, Wang Chongyang remained fearless and calm, saying, "You wish to borrow my heart, but the heart is originally empty. You bind yourself in iron shackles; how can you see enlightenment?"

The king said no more to him, and with a command, armored soldiers stepped forward with swords, ready to kill.

Wang Chongyang sat at the table, unmoved, seemingly unafraid of the weapons, letting the swords and spears come at him.

Five or six swords were thrust straight at Wang Chongyang's chest, intending to take his heart.

Wang Chongyang paid no heed, and the swords and blades pierced his heart, but were as hard as steel, unable to penetrate.

The armored soldiers looked at each other, at a loss. They raised their swords to strike again, but how could they harm Wang Chongyang? He was protected by the Yu Ding, which was not something that could be easily defeated.

Just as the soldiers were wondering what to do, a sudden gust of wind blew them all to the ground.

The Bull Demon King appeared in the hall, his anger palpable. He swung his Black Dragon Spear, ready to end the king's life. With a single swing of his spear, the entire Qixia Terrace trembled precariously, its divine power unfathomable, and no one could stop him.

The king was trembling with fear, his soul almost leaving his body. The hundreds of armored soldiers in the palace scattered in all directions, some walking, some standing.

The Bull Demon King swung his spear, ready to strike the king.

Wang Chongyang said, "Bull King, don't make a move yet." Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King had no choice but to stop and looked at him, somewhat puzzled.

Wang Chongyang said, "It is not worth it for this king to teach the bull king to fight and kill like this. This will only add more karma to the bull king. The bull king need not do this."

The Bull Demon King said, "This fellow is going to hurt you. How can I tolerate this? I am doing this for your sake, and I absolutely cannot tolerate such a person."

Wang Chongyang shook his head and said, "His actions today are enough to show his fate. There is no need to get entangled with him. He will not have a good ending in the future. Let's leave now and observe how things develop in the future. Ox King, listen to me and don't bother with him. Let's leave."

The Bull Demon King wanted to say something more, but seeing Wang Chongyang's resolute expression, he had no choice but to agree. He then led Wang Chongyang out of the palace.

Along the way, whenever they encountered anything that seemed to hinder their departure, the Bull Demon King showed no mercy. With a single swing of his Black Dragon Spear, he drove them all away. After leaving the palace and obtaining the White Deer, they headed towards the Southern Continent.

Meanwhile, in the palace, the king was still in a daze, which frightened the Bull Demon King so much that he was completely at a loss. It took two or three hours for a eunuch to come and bring him back to his senses.

The king said tremblingly, "What a fierce guardian deity! He is so powerful that I was almost killed by him! Where has that immortal master gone now?"

The eunuch replied, "Your Majesty, those two immortal masters have been gone from the country for quite some time now, and we do not know where they have gone."

The king said, “That sorcerer misled me! That sorcerer misled me! He actually taught me to take their hearts! Even if such a celestial being did not possess magical powers, I could not harm him. Now I have offended two people, which is truly unfortunate! I was almost killed by him. You should send someone to question him. That sorcerer deserves to die!”

The eunuch accepted the order and left.

A short while later, the eunuch returned, panicking, and said, "Your Majesty, that sorcerer has already left and his whereabouts are unknown. However, before he left, he instructed the palace soldiers to go to the countryside to collect the hearts of young boys and girls. Now, more than nine hundred hearts are in front of the palace gate, and the people are in an uproar, lamenting endlessly."

Upon hearing this, the king was terrified. How could he not know that the sorcerer had deceived him? He was furious and was about to go outside the platform to find someone to find the sorcerer and bring him back to be punished.

However, as soon as the king stepped out of the platform, followed by eunuchs and armored soldiers, guarding him, the earth suddenly groaned, and from the depths of the earth came a muffled thunderous sound, like a giant drum sinking into an abyss.

The king asked in bewilderment, "Why has the earth undergone such a change?"

Just as he asked the question, he suddenly felt the earth shaking violently, the sky spinning, and cries of alarm filling the air.

Protected by many armored soldiers, the king looked up in a daze, only to see smoke and dust obscuring the sun, darkening the sky, and many parts of the palace collapsing. Palace maids and servants cried out in terror, while eunuchs and guards ran about shouting. Some huddled on pillars, cowering on the ground like shrimp, while others staggered to escape, only to be struck by falling rocks.

Upon witnessing this scene, the king suddenly sensed that the fate of the Bao Liang Kingdom was nearing its end.

……

Meanwhile, in the Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars, in the patriarch's quiet chamber...

The True Man is currently in a quiet room, talking with the Patriarch. During this time, the True Man uses magic to deal with the Kingdom of Baoliang, which naturally cannot be hidden from the Patriarch's discerning eyes.

The patriarch designated a true man and said with a smile, "How can you, boy, predict the fate of this nation?"

The master said, “Master, since this king wanted to harm Zhengwei’s life and did not care, I am now his teacher, so I must stand up for him.”

The patriarch said, “In the past, I severed the dynasty of Jambudvipa because of my actions, and now you are imitating that.”

The master shook his head and said, "Master, Bao Liang Kingdom is a small country. Moreover, Bao Liang Kingdom's fate is about to end. I was just adding fuel to the fire. It's nothing. It's just a minor matter. It can't compare to what you have, Master."

The patriarch said, “In the past, didn’t I also add fuel to the fire? Enough, enough, enough. I won’t say anything more to you. Tell me, however, what should be done if it affects the fate of a nation?”

The master bowed and replied, “Master, all things exist within the Three Realms, and within the Three Realms, the numbers of Heaven and Earth are contained. No matter what, one can rely on the numbers of Heaven and Earth to do things. Therefore, when I move the fate of a country, I am also acting according to the numbers of Heaven and Earth. That is all.”

The patriarch sighed and said, "Laojun taught you many of these principles in the past, and I also taught you many of them. However, you have now realized many things for yourself, and you are extremely good at this path."

The Master laughed and said, "Master, it's all thanks to your and Laozi's teachings. It's nothing."

The Patriarch said, “I fear that when you surpass me in the future, you will still say that you are nothing. At that time, I will not know what to do. Let us not talk about this anymore. Let us stay here and watch how your disciple Zhengwei returns from Liangzhou with the tripod.”

The master asked, "Master, do you think there will be any difficulties in obtaining the cauldron from this location?"

The patriarch nodded and said, "There are difficulties. I'm afraid there will be some dangers in obtaining the cauldron here."

The Master said, “Master, why do you say that? But I have the Yu Ding to protect me, and I am accompanied by the Ox King and the White Deer. There are few in the world who can rival them. How could there be any danger?”

The patriarch smiled and said, "Anyone who can teach Liang Ding to change his ways is no ordinary person."

The real person was about to ask something else.

The patriarch smiled but said nothing, and gently shook his head.

The master then remained silent.

The master and disciple discussed cultivation matters for a while in the quiet room, then set up a chess game, which will not be discussed further for the time being.

……

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

Wang Chongyang and the Bull Demon King finally approached Liangzhou. As they walked along a small path, they encountered many ignorant little demons who tried to block their way, but the Bull Demon King dealt with them all without affecting their passage.

They traveled unimpeded into the Liangzhou area.

Wang Chongyang rode the white deer, no longer cultivating. He looked around and said, "King Ox, we have finally entered Liangzhou. The journey has been tiring for you, King Ox."

The Bull Demon King laughed and said, "Since I have come here on your orders, I will naturally protect you. But now that we have entered Liangzhou, we should find the Liangzhou Cauldron and go there. How should we proceed?"

Wang Chongyang said, “King Niu, my master once said that this divine cauldron is in the Hanzhong area, there is a mountain called ‘Golden Cauldron Mountain’, and the divine cauldron is in there. We are going to that place.”

The Bull Demon King said, "In that case, let's head to Hanzhong. I know a bit about the route and know how to get there."

With that, the Bull Demon King went and led the white deer away.

Wang Chongyang simply said, "Thank you for your trouble."

While leading the deer, the Bull Demon King looked ahead and said, "It's a bit strange. I heard that the three calamities in the human world had decreased a lot, but now it seems that the three calamities are on the rise again. But the human dynasties still exist and have been established for some years. There shouldn't be these three calamities."

Wang Chongyang laughed and said, "In the past, when I was walking in the human world, I felt that the three calamities would surely arise again. This is because the Song Dynasty has never recovered the Southern Jambudvipa. The area around Jizhou is still divided into two or three kingdoms that are fighting against it. If this continues, how can the three calamities not arise?"

Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King suddenly understood the reason for the chaos in the human world.

(End of this chapter)