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

Chapter 433 Taking Jingding and Entering Yangzhou

As they walked along the Baitang River, Sun Wukong and Zuo Liang arrived at this spot. They looked at the murky waters of the Baitang River and exchanged bewildered glances.

Sun Wukong, with his discerning eyes, looked down and said, "Nephew, there are no demons in this river. They must have scattered and fled after seeing that the River-Turning Demon escape. Now you can enter this water and search for the Thorn Cauldron."

Zuo Liang, puzzled, asked, "Uncle-Master, won't you come inside with me?"

Sun Wukong scratched his head and said, "Nephew, you don't know this, but I don't like water, so I don't want to go into the water. Now that all the monsters have been eliminated, I believe that you alone are capable of finding the Jingding. I will wait for you on the shore. Once you find the Jingding, tell me where it is, and I will go and get it."

Zuo Liang shook his head and laughed, “Uncle-Master, you don’t like water, but you shouldn’t have let me go into the water alone. Although the Bai Tang River is not as great as some other rivers, it is still magnificent and quite large. If I were to go into the water alone, it would probably take a long time to find the Jing Ding.”

Sun Wukong pondered for a moment and said, "Junior Nephew Zhengyuan is right, but even for you and me, finding this Thorn Cauldron would be difficult. What should we do? Perhaps I should ask some earth spirits to help us?"

Zuo Liang said, "How can the local earth gods and mountain gods know the location of the divine cauldron? Why don't I compose a prayer to the divine cauldron and make it appear? This way, we won't have to go and search for it. What do you think, Uncle-Master?"

Sun Wukong said, "Nephew, do you really have such a mysterious method to make the divine cauldron appear? If so, it would save us countless troubles."

Zuo Liang laughed and said, "The divine cauldron has a spirit, but when we explain our purpose and use the sacrificial ceremony to learn it, it will naturally appear. My senior brother did the same thing in the past."

As he spoke, he looked at the Yu Ding at Sun Wukong's waist and said, "The Yu Ding at Uncle-Master's waist contains Master's energy. Master probably meant this, so this is acceptable."

Sun Wukong looked at the Yu Ding at his waist, took it out, and presented it to Zuo Liang, saying, "Since that's the case, Zheng Yuan, I will teach you here. Firstly, I am not good at the ways here, and secondly, you are the son of the senior brother, so you can make the Jing Ding appear."

Zuo Liang accepted the order, took the Yu Ding, and walked back to instruct his followers and disciples to come forward and help him set up the altar in front of the Bai Tang River. He then took paper and pen and began to write documents on the ground.

He wrote on the inscription: "Xiniuhezhou Lingtai Fangcun Mountain Xieyue Sanxing Cave, the second disciple of Guangxin Zhenren, Zhengyuan, bows in reverence."

"I humbly submit that the Nine Cauldrons uphold Heaven, arranging the mysteries to govern the eight directions; the primordial chaos nurtures all things, embodying the spirit of the earth and permeating both the visible and invisible realms. Now, your disciple Zheng Yuan, reverently obeying my master's command, respectfully holds the Divine Cauldron of Yuzhou as my pledge, and receives the profound primordial qi of the True Man of the Vast Mind in the Heavenly Cave as my spiritual inspiration. I hereby inform the Divine Cauldron of Jingzhou, and respectfully request that it return to its rightful place..."

Zuo Liang wrote down the document in a long and fluent manner; such documents were something he could write with ease.

A short while later, he wrote down the document, washed his hands and burned incense, and went to the altar that had been set up. He then opened the altar, burned the document, and informed the Jingzhou Ding.

However, not long after Zuo Liang obtained the document, before he had taken any other action, five-colored divine light appeared in the middle reaches of the Baitang River, which could not be concealed by the turbid river water.

Sun Wukong pointed to the spot and said, "Nephew, the Jingzhou Divine Cauldron is right there!"

Zuo Liang said, “The divine cauldron has a spirit. Now that we have arrived, it has naturally appeared. Please use your divine power to take out the divine cauldron so that it can be returned to its place. If we are any later, the divine cauldron may lose its brilliance again.”

Sun Wukong said, "That's how it should be. Nephew, please stay here for a while. I'll go and fetch the Jingzhou Cauldron."

Say it.

Sun Wukong rode his somersault cloud and swam towards the Baitang River.

In an instant, Sun Wukong arrived above the five-colored divine light. He recited a water-avoidance spell and disappeared into the Baitang River. He saw a divine cauldron at the bottom of the river, from which five-colored divine light was emanating.

Sun Wukong landed at the bottom of the river and carefully observed what was in front of him. He saw that the divine cauldron was eighteen feet tall, with three legs standing upright, symbolizing the three powers (heaven, earth, and man). Its two handles pierced the sun, representing the pivot of yin and yang. He also saw that the belly of the cauldron was domed like the marshes of Yunmeng, and its walls were as steep as the Jing Mountains. The four symbols on the belly of the cauldron corresponded to the constellations of the celestial regions. It was truly the divine cauldron of Jingzhou.

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "It really is the divine cauldron of Jingzhou, but I wonder what its effects are."

He knew that each of the nine tripods had its own power. He had heard a master say that five of the tripods in his body had the ability to suppress the five elements. What kind of divine power this tripod in Jingzhou should have was something that no one could know.

Sun Wukong stepped forward and bowed to it. Jing Ding seemed to know that Sun Wukong had come, so it withdrew its five-colored light and remained still.

Sun Wukong knew that the Thorn Cauldron was there to teach him how to retrieve it. He grasped the cauldron with both hands, and with a single effort, he lifted it. He raised the cauldron above his head and thought to himself, "This Thorn Cauldron is indeed heavy! If I weren't different from before, I really wouldn't be able to lift this cauldron. Even with the magic power I had when I went to the Western Paradise to retrieve the scriptures, I wouldn't have been able to obtain it."

Sun Wukong, carrying the Thorn Cauldron, swam out of the Baitang River. Once he left the Baitang River, he met up with Zuo Liang.

Zuo Liang was tidying up the altar when he saw Sun Wukong carrying the cauldron. He breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "Uncle-Master, it's good that you brought the cauldron. I was worried that something might have happened here, but now I see that there has been no change."

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "As long as I go, nothing will change."

Say it.

He put down the Jingding, and it landed silently, as if connected to Jingzhou, their energy as one, hence the silent landing. It was also like the divine power of Sun Wukong, subtle yet effortless.

The surrounding disciples all looked at the Jing Ding with curiosity. They had learned from Zuo Liang that this cauldron was one of the nine cauldrons cast by King Yu in the past. The nine cauldrons were lost and their whereabouts were unknown. They never expected that they would be able to see the Jing Ding today. It was truly a great blessing.

Sun Wukong, seeing the appearance of these followers and disciples, laughed and said, "If you want to see them, then come forward and get closer."

The disciples who were following him remained silent and looked toward Zuo Liang.

Zuo Liang smiled and said, "If you want to come closer, then just come over. There's no need for further words, but just don't be disrespectful to the divine cauldron."

Upon hearing this, the disciples dared to approach and examine the divine cauldron. They all discussed it animatedly. Even though the cauldron did not emit any light, its appearance still shocked them. Seeing the cauldron was like seeing the heavens and earth, majestic and magnificent.

One of the attendants exclaimed, "This is indeed a divine cauldron!"

Another disciple of the Demon Subduer said, "I have often heard of the story of Yu the Great controlling the floods. It is said that he passed by his home three times without entering and used many supernatural powers to control the floods. Only then was he able to cast the Nine Tripods. From one of the Nine Tripods, one can see the divine power of King Yu. If I am fortunate enough to meet King Yu in this life, I will die without regret."

Sun Wukong listened to what his disciple said and laughed, "But if you cultivate diligently, you might have the chance to meet him again someday, who knows?"

The disciples who subdued the demons were puzzled, but Sun Wukong did not explain further.

Zuo Liang stepped forward and said, "Uncle-Master, now that we have obtained the Jing Cauldron, shall we return to our residence and give this treasure to Master?"

Sun Wukong shook his head and said, "We are not yet ready to return to our palace."

Zuo Liang asked in confusion, "Uncle-Master, are you still going back to your residence? Is there something important you need to do?"

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Eldest Brother has a deep connection with the Nine Cauldrons. However, this place is considered to have six cauldrons. I want to find the remaining three cauldrons for Eldest Brother."

Zuo Liang asked, "Does Uncle-Master know the location of the Three Cauldrons?" Sun Wukong replied, "I asked my eldest brother, and he told me roughly where the Three Cauldrons were, so I could go and find them. However, seeing my eldest brother's expression, I thought I couldn't find them, but I didn't believe him, so I will go and find them myself."

Zuo Liang said, "Could my uncle tell me where the other three cauldrons are?"

Sun Wukong said, “The remaining three tripods are the Yanzhou Tripod, the Xuzhou Tripod, and the Yangzhou Tripod. My eldest brother once said that the Yanzhou Tripod is located in the east of Yanzhou, the Xuzhou Tripod is located in the west of Xuzhou, and the Yangzhou Tripod is located in the south of Yangzhou. I will go and find them in accordance with this.”

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang remained silent for a long time before replying, "Uncle-Master, if what you say is true, these three cauldrons are located in a very wide area. How should we find them?"

Sun Wukong said, "I don't know. I will only know after I go and see for myself. However, according to my elder brother's observation, I cannot find it. I do not believe this and will definitely go and search for it."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang understood that if his master said he couldn't find it, then his uncle-master probably couldn't find the Three Cauldrons either. Helpless, he bowed and asked, "Uncle-master, is there anything I can do to help you?"

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "If my junior brother can help me, I will be happy to do so. I know that my junior brother has supernatural powers and makes friends with people all over the world. If my junior brother helps me, I don't know how we can find the three cauldrons."

Zuo Liang said, "It's not that I'm disturbing you, but since you've said that we can't find them, I'm afraid we really can't find the Three Cauldrons."

Sun Wukong said, "As the saying goes, 'Man proposes, God disposes,' but if we do our best, we will surely succeed. Don't be discouraged."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang pondered for a moment, then bowed and said, "What you say makes sense, Uncle-Master. I have learned a lot. I will follow you now."

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Don't worry, we'll send the Jing Cauldron to your residence first, and then go out to find the other three cauldrons. The Jing Cauldron will be safe and sound while it's temporarily stored in your residence."

Zuo Liang said, "That's right."

Sun Wukong replied, "Come with me and I will deliver the Jing Ding to your residence, and then we can discuss the matter of your journey."

Zuo Liang responded and immediately began to pack up the items on the altar with his followers and disciples, as they were about to return to their residence.

Sun Wukong lifted the thorn cauldron with both hands and was about to move forward. Many of his followers and disciples saw that he was carrying the cauldron alone and, fearing that he would get tired, offered to help him carry it.

Sun Wukong smiled and gently put down the thorn cauldron, instructing his followers and disciples to catch it.

The disciples and followers were eager to lift the cauldron, each putting all their strength into trying to move it. However, the cauldron remained unmoved, and no matter how hard they tried, their faces turned red.

Before long, all the followers and disciples were exhausted and collapsed to the ground, dumbfounded. How could they have imagined that this cauldron was so heavy?

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Do you still need any help?"

All the attendants and disciples shook their heads and said, "We are weak and unable to help you. Please forgive us, sir."

Sun Wukong said, “This cauldron cannot be lifted without the strength to lift the sea. You are all unable to lift it. Make way for me, and I will lift it. You should cultivate diligently. Perhaps one day you will have the strength to lift the sea and be able to lift it. Do not be discouraged. I am teaching you to lift the cauldron today so that you can see its weight and understand its advantages and disadvantages. In the future, you should strive to cultivate and have a humble heart. You must know that the vastness of heaven and earth is beyond the reach of the eye.”

All the attendants and disciples bowed and said, "We have learned a lot from your teachings."

Zuo Liang also bowed to Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong walked over with a smile, easily lifted the thorn cauldron, and then instructed Zuo Liang and the others to lead the way back home.

The group departed from Baitangjiang.

……

Time flies, and several days passed in the blink of an eye.

After Sun Wukong brought the Jing Ding back to Zuo Liang's residence, he left the Jing Ding there and rested for several days before going out with Zuo Liang to find the remaining three cauldrons.

The two emerged from the mountains, riding the clouds and mist, preparing to head to Yangzhou, first to find the Yangzhou Ding (a type of ancient Chinese bronze vessel).

Zuo Liang rode the clouds and mist, took a map to look at, which was a map of the entire Yangzhou area. He took a stroke and drew a line on the map, dividing it into north and south.

He pointed to the southern area and said, "Uncle-Master, come and take a look."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong, who was standing beside Zuo Liang, immediately moved the clouds closer to him and asked, "Nephew, what is the matter?"

Zuo Liang replied, "Uncle-Master, we wish to go south of Yangzhou, but the area south of Yangzhou is quite vast, encompassing four prefectures: Danyang, Wu, Kuaiji, and Yuzhang. Where should we go to find the Yangzhou Cauldron?"

Sun Wukong took the map from Zuo Liang and studied it carefully. After a long while, he shook his head and said, "Even I, this old Sun, do not know where to go. Why don't we go to Danyang County first and ask the local ghosts in Yangzhou where the five-colored light and the light of treasures are? Then we can make a plan. Where there is divine light, the divine cauldron is very likely to be there. Even if we do not find the divine light, we can still ask where there are evil spirits causing trouble. Perhaps there are evil spirits trying to seize the divine cauldron. Even if we do not find it in the end, what we have done can still resolve the disaster in this area."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang bowed and said, "What you say, Uncle-Master, is very reasonable. We should act as you say."

Sun Wukong returned the map to Zuo Liang and said with a smile, "In that case, let's head to Danyang County."

Zuo Liang responded.

The two then rode on the clouds and headed towards Yangzhou.

In less than half an hour, the two of them leisurely traveled to the territory of Danyang County in Yangzhou. They landed on a mountain. It was early morning, and as day turned to night, the mountain was filled with miasma, making it impossible for them to see the road ahead.

Sun Wukong blew a breath of immortal air forward, which instantly turned into a whirlwind, dispelling all the miasma.

Sun Wukong said, "This place, Yangzhou, is shrouded in miasma. It does not harm us, but if we were ordinary people, we would probably be harmed by it."

Zuo Liang nodded and said, "This is due to the geographical conditions, and there is no way to fix it."

Sun Wukong scratched his head and said, "It is precisely because of the geography that I cannot deal with it. Oh well, oh well, oh well. I don't need to think about it so much. I will summon the local earth gods and mountain gods. Nephew, let me show you my method of summoning gods and see if you are more skillful or if I am more skillful."

Zuo Liang smiled and replied, "I will wait for my master to perform the spell. I will observe it carefully."

(End of this chapter)