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

Chapter 446 Harmony between Uncle and Nephew, A Matter of Fate

Outside the cave of the Crescent Moon and Three Stars, Liu Chenxiang and his family were waiting.

Erlang Shen stood to the side, watching Liu Chenxiang chatting happily with the Third Holy Mother in front of the mansion gate, and a look of joy appeared in his heart as well.

Long before, under the persuasion of the Third Holy Mother, Liu Chenxiang had let go of his resentment towards Erlang Shen. Furthermore, Erlang Shen used his merits to atone for his sins in exchange for the release of the Third Holy Mother, which taught Liu Chenxiang to have respect for her. Thus, the uncle and nephew finally reconciled.

The purpose of this visit is to offer congratulations to the True Man, and also to express gratitude to the Third Holy Mother. The True Man is willing to teach Liu Chenxiang to cultivate in the mountains, and Sun Wukong is willing to accept Liu Chenxiang as his disciple.

The Holy Mother said, "When I go inside with you later, you should introduce me to your master."

Liu Chenxiang hesitated and said, "Mother, you don't know, but I am not allowed to go inside."

The Third Holy Mother, puzzled, asked, "Why do you say that? Is it because you are not a disciple of the True Man that you are not allowed to enter?"

Liu Chenxiang shook his head and said, "That's not it, that's not it."

Chenxiang said, "That's not how it is," but for a moment, he didn't know how to explain the situation.

The Holy Mother of the Three Kingdoms waited for a long time but still couldn't understand what was going on, so she simply asked Erlang Shen.

Erlang Shen, of course, did not hide anything and explained the matter of agarwood to the Third Holy Mother.

When the Third Holy Mother learned that Liu Chenxiang had kept his promise and therefore had not entered, she was speechless for a moment.

Liu Chenxiang bowed to the Third Holy Mother and said, "Therefore, please forgive me, Mother, that I cannot enter with you."

The Holy Mother said, "You were just joking, why are you taking it so seriously? But if you come inside with me, the True Man will not say anything."

Liu Chenxiang shook his head and said, “Mother, Confucius of the Southern Continent once had a discussion with his disciple Zigong. He said that there are three pillars of a nation: food, military strength, and trust. Zigong once heard Confucius ask, if one had to be given up, what would it be? Confucius answered, ‘Military strength.’ Zigong then asked, ‘If one had to be given up, what would it be?’ Confucius again answered, ‘Military strength and food.’ Therefore, since ancient times, death has been inevitable, but a people without trust cannot stand. Please forgive me, Mother, I cannot follow your advice.”

Upon hearing this, the Third Holy Mother hesitated for a moment, then sighed and said, "Chenxiang, your words are enough to show your virtue. I will not force you. In that case, I will go inside. You should wait for me outside the mansion."

Liu Chenxiang responded.

Erlang Shen, seeing this, was about to step forward and knock on the door. However, he did not wait for the knock to come.

Sun Wukong suddenly emerged from the Immortal Cave of the Crescent Moon and Three Stars.

Upon seeing Sun Wukong, Liu Chenxiang immediately bowed and said, "Disciple greets Master."

Sun Wukong stepped forward and helped Liu Chenxiang up, saying there was no need for such formalities.

Erlang Shen and the Third Holy Mother also worshipped him, referring to him as the 'Great Sage'.

Sun Wukong first returned Erlang Shen's greeting, then looked at the Third Holy Mother and said, "I have heard of the Third Holy Mother's name before, and we have long admired each other. It is only now that we meet."

The Holy Mother of the Three Kingdoms smiled and said, "I have also heard of the Great Sage's fame. The Great Sage's bravery and skill in battle are known to everyone in the Three Realms, but I have also heard of it at the foot of Mount Hua."

As she spoke, the Third Holy Mother bowed deeply again and said, “I am thanking the Great Sage. The Great Sage took my son Chenxiang as his disciple and taught him to become a talent. I do not know how to express my gratitude, so I can only bow deeply to express my gratitude.”

Sun Wukong dared not accept such a formality, and dodged aside, saying, "Third Holy Mother, there is no need for such formality. I only accepted Chenxiang as my disciple because of the words of the True Lord. Chenxiang's success is due to his diligent cultivation. I have not helped much, so there is no need for you to bow to me with such a grand gesture."

Hearing this from the side, Liu Chenxiang glanced at Erlang Shen, his mind unsettled. This uncle of his seemed to have done many things he didn't know about, all of which were in his help. Even his axe was Erlang Shen's treasure. He had repeatedly threatened to kill Erlang Shen, but Erlang Shen never remembered it.

Erlang Shen also knew what Liu Chenxiang was looking at, and with a calm gaze, he met Liu Chenxiang's eyes.

After a long silence, Chenxiang asked, "Uncle, why is that?"

Erlang Shen asked with a smile, "What do you mean by that?"

Chenxiang said, "I have been very rude and uttered many arrogant words. Why haven't you punished me, Uncle?"

Erlang Shen said, "How can there be any grudge between uncle and nephew that lasts overnight? There is even a saying in the human world, 'The mother is dear and the uncle is great,' how could I offend you?"

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang knelt down and kowtowed to him.

Erlang Shen helped Chenxiang up and said, "Get up. But all that I did to you in the past was to teach you to cultivate yourself properly, so that you will not be in danger of overthrowing the regime."

Chenxiang said, "I know, and I would never forget."

The group talked for a long time in front of the mansion gate.

Sun Wukong then invited the Third Holy Mother and Erlang Shen into his residence.

Liu Chenxiang insisted on not entering and waited outside the mansion.

Before long, the group had arrived at the Jade Terrace.

When the Holy Mother and Erlang Shen saw the real person in the Jade Terrace, they treated him with the utmost respect.

The True Man ascended to the high platform, waved his sleeve, and the two rose. He smiled and said, “Holy Mother Chahua, True Lord. I already know the purpose of your visit. There’s no need for words of thanks. True Lord and I have known each other for a long time and are good friends. There’s no need to mention this small favor. What do you think, True Lord?”

Upon hearing this, Erlang Shen knew that the True Man possessed great magical power and knew their purpose in coming. No matter what their intentions were, they could not escape his eyes. He smiled and nodded, saying, "Since the True Man has said so, I will not be so polite. However, I will feel uneasy if I do not express my gratitude."

The Master said, “If that is indeed the case, then there is no need for thanks. If you see any of my disciples in trouble in the future, please help them out; that will be your way of expressing gratitude.”

Erlang Shen naturally complied.

The immortal spoke with Erlang Shen and the Third Holy Mother for a while before letting them leave.

Before leaving, the Third Holy Mother said she wanted to take the agarwood away from the mountain and asked the True Man for his opinion.

The immortal smiled without saying a word, pointing at Sun Wukong. The meaning was crystal clear: Chenxiang was, after all, Sun Wukong's disciple, and whether he stayed or left was not up to him.

Sun Wukong scratched his head and said, "I understand what the Third Holy Mother means, but whether Chenxiang stays or leaves is up to his own heart. If he does not want to leave, we cannot force him. If he is willing to leave, even if I have great supernatural powers, I cannot keep him."

The Third Holy Mother understood what he meant and said, "In that case, I will go and ask about Chenxiang later."

Sun Wukong responded.

The True Man knew that Erlang Shen and the others had come to express their gratitude and to retrieve Chenxiang. Now that the matter was settled, there was no need to keep Erlang Shen and the others any longer. He then instructed Erlang Shen and the Third Holy Mother to leave.

Knowing that the True Man had just opened his residence and possessed great magical power, the two dared not delay. After paying their respects again, they left the residence.

The Immortal, atop the Jade Terrace, discussed the matter of establishing his own residence with Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and others, and also answered their questions regarding their cultivation. Before long, more than half a month had passed. Only then did the entourage on the Jade Terrace disperse.

After the True Man left the Jade Terrace, he received the Patriarch's order to escort the Supreme Lord Laozi out of his mansion.

Upon leaving the mansion, the Supreme Lord Laozi instructed the True Man to stop. He then looked up at the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain and saw ancient pines with gnarled trunks, resembling dragon scales and crane bones, growing ever more verdant with the sweet dew; rare flowers exuding fragrance, and jade-like herbs brimming with life, swaying gracefully in the spiritual breeze. Moss stains the jade-like surface, and the stone marrow is like solidified nectar. A secluded spring gurgles over the rocks, its tinkling sound like the gentle tapping of jade pendants; echoes reverberate through the empty valley, faintly like the first sounds of celestial music.

Since the True Man attained great magical power and proclaimed the Dharma, the aura of immortals in the mountains has increased day by day. Now, it is indeed a superior blessed land.

Laozi laughed and said, "This Lingtai Fangcun Mountain was originally an ordinary blessed land, not comparable to some heavenly caves. However, it came from Bodhi and was nurtured by the immortal energy, which caused it to change. Later, you attained enlightenment, which blessed the mountain. Now that you have achieved great magical power, you have made it an even better blessed land. This Lingtai Fangcun Mountain can be called a scenic spot."

The master bowed and said, "I dare not accept what you say, teacher."

Laozi shook his head and said, "This mountain remains unchanged throughout the four seasons, free from the invasion of heat and cold, and undisturbed by worldly affairs. Every speck of dust, every stone, every flower, and every tree is imbued with the Daoist spirit and breathes in the true essence. It is truly a sublime place."

The master said, "The mountain has some natural resources now, but if we talk about scenic spots, what I have seen is still insufficient."

Lao Tzu asked, "If what you say is the highest realm, then what is it?"

The immortal replied, "It is indestructible through countless eons, and its abode is filled with immortal spirits; it can be considered a supreme realm."

Upon hearing this, Laozi was taken aback for a long time. He pointed at the True Man and said with a laugh, "You dare to think like that. I won't say any more about this. You should stay here for a while."

The real person obeyed and stood beside him.

Laozi was also present, seemingly waiting for something.

About half an incense stick later, a green ox emerged from the back of the mountain, walked to the side of Laozi, and respectfully greeted him, then bowed to the True Man, behaving in a very proper manner.

Laozi pointed at the green ox and said, "Guangxin, tell me what this fellow is like. Has he caused any trouble while he's here? If he has, tell me, and I will take him away and punish him in the Tushita Heaven."

Upon hearing this, the green ox trembled with fear and dared not say a word, so it could only stand aside.

The Master looked at the Green Ox and smiled, “Master, the Great Rhinoceros is cultivating in my mountain in great peace and has not caused any trouble, but he has been of great help to me.”

Lao Tzu smiled and asked, "Is there anything this ox can do to help you? Tell me how it helps you."

Jiang Yuan pondered for a moment before replying, "But if I am in trouble and unable to attend to other matters, the Great King of the Rhinoceros will act on my behalf. Even when there is nothing to do, he will manage the back mountain for the manor. The back mountain is filled with lush trees, all vying for beauty, their verdant foliage like splashed ink. Countless fruits grow there, and many people at the foot of the mountain have also found these fruits by chance, thus gaining good fortune. The Great King of the Rhinoceros's contribution is evident in all of this."

Upon hearing this, Laozi pointed at the green ox and said, "I never imagined you had such merits."

The blue ox lowered its head, seemingly a little guilty, and said, "A little achievement, a little achievement."

Laozi said, “Since that is the case, I will not say any more to you, nor will I let you leave. You can play in the mountains and not cause trouble for Guangxin. Just stay here and cultivate well. If Guangxin needs help, you must do your best. If things cannot be done, you can send someone to Tushita.”

The green ox bowed deeply and said, "Master, I know my place and will certainly obey the Master's orders."

Lao Tzu smiled and said, "Excellent."

Say it.

Laozi then waved to the True Man, instructing him not to see him off and to stop there, before departing on auspicious clouds.

The immortal watched Laozi depart before turning his gaze to the green ox.

Seeing Laozi leave, Qingniu breathed a sigh of relief, quickly stood up, bowed deeply to the True Man, and said, "Thank you for your kindness, True Man. If it weren't for your righteous words, I'm afraid I would have been taken away by you, Master, and I wouldn't be at ease."

The Master waved his hand and laughed, “I cannot bear the weight of your words. You should call me ‘Guangxin.’ To you, I am but a child. How can I bear your calling me ‘Master’?”

Upon hearing this, Qingniu said, "How can you hold such a grudge, Master? I was just joking back then, how can you remember such a long time? I will not say anything more about it."

The Master said, “How can you speak so lightly? Back when I had not yet attained enlightenment, you were already the formidable King of the Rhinoceros. I was but a child before you, and there is no mistake about that.”

The green ox begged for mercy, saying, "I will never say such nonsense again. Please forgive me, Master. Don't make fun of me. If the master knew that I was a powerful magician acting as a child, I don't know how he would laugh at me."

The master waved his hand and laughed, "I won't say any more to you. Go and cultivate in the back mountain. But if you happen to encounter someone climbing the mountain in the future who is in trouble or doesn't know the way, you can help them."

Say it.

The real person is about to leave.

The green ox stepped forward to stop him and asked, "Master, please explain yourself. Why do you help a mountain climber? Is it because the climber has come to become your disciple?"

The real person smiled and nodded.

Qingniu then asked, "But why should all climbers be helped? Should I help those who stray into the mountain?"

The Master shook his head and smiled, “When I first established my residence, I said that ‘those who are destined will see the three stars guiding them, while those who are not will not be able to see the cave even if they are at the entrance.’ So you can rest assured. However, those who can enter the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain are all destined to be with me. If the climber is really in trouble, you can help him. This will be a trouble for King Si.”

The Green Ox said, “Those who climb mountains are all destined to meet. I will make a note of it. Please rest assured, if I do see any mountain climbers in trouble, I will definitely help them. As long as they can enter the mountains, I will protect them no matter what dangers they may face.”

The real person smiled and nodded.

The green ox dared not stop the immortal any longer, bowed to him again, and then headed towards the back mountain.

The True Man then entered the mansion and headed towards the patriarch's meditation room.

A short while later, the True Man arrived at the Patriarch's meditation room and saw that the door was wide open. He bowed before the door and then went inside.

In the quiet room, the patriarch sat on a meditation cushion, closing his eyes to rest, as if waiting for him.

Jiang Yuan entered the meditation room, bowed, and said, "Master, your disciple has arrived."

The patriarch opened his eyes and laughed, "How do you know I sent you here?"

Jiang Yuan said, "This disciple has a natural feeling. Furthermore, even if Master had not instructed me to come, I would still have come to tell Master about my success."

The Patriarch said, “You child. Since we, master and disciple, have a connection, I will not play tricks on you. I sent you here today because there is something I must tell you.”

Jiang Yuan immediately knelt down and said, "Please give your instructions, Master. I will handle any matter for you without hesitation."

The patriarch pointed at Jiang Yuan and said with a smile and a scolding tone, "I am not teaching you to handle anything. You have just achieved great magical power and even opened your own residence. How can you leave? What I am about to tell you is a matter of calamity for heaven and earth. You should listen carefully."

(End of this chapter)