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

Chapter 453 The Nine Cauldrons Will Return to Their Position

In Bailongzhuang, one sees the magnificent residence of Old Master Chen, its glazed tiles and jade bricks, its nine-tiered eaves adorned with golden bells. The vermilion gate is studded with coiled dragon nails, and the stone steps are carved with lotus flower patterns. Two lion-shaped beasts stand before the gate, their eyes inlaid with bright pearls that radiate light. A three-zhang-wide sandalwood plaque bears the two characters "Chen Residence" in seal script.

Meanwhile, in the main hall, Chen Taigong was talking to a strange creature. This creature had a human head and body, looked like an old man, but had a fox tail on its back, which was very strange.

The old fox said, "Old Master Chen, have you finished thinking it over?"

Old Master Chen's face was like a withered tree that had stood for a hundred years, his wrinkles deep as if carved by a knife on a frosty cypress tree. He was very old and said, "But the thing you mentioned is really not easy to obtain. How can I have finished thinking about it so quickly?"

The old fox said, “Only four things are needed. The first is soil from your ancestral home, a handful of soil from your ancestral house. The second is the filth of a hundred animals, the dung of pigs, cows, and sheep. The third is the water of a hundred yin days, the blood from the hearts of a hundred girls born on yin days. The fourth is the blood of your closest relatives, the fresh blood of your direct descendants. These four things are within your grasp.”

Old Master Chen said, “One or two items are easy to deal with, and three items can also be obtained. After all, I can control everything in the manor, and obtaining the heart blood of a hundred girls born on yin days is very easy. But how can I do four items? To bleed my direct descendants like cattle and sheep, how can I face my descendants if I do this? Furthermore, if it were just direct descendants, that would be fine, but the direct descendants you want must be the eldest son and eldest grandson. How can I do this so easily?”

Upon hearing this, the old fox pointed at Chen Taigong and said, "How many years do you have left to live? In my opinion, you probably only have one or two years left! After one or two years, your time will surely come, and it will be too late to regret it then."

Old Master Chen said, "There is still one or two years left, no need to rush."

The old fox sneered, "Since you speak like this, I will no longer try to dissuade you. I hope you will not regret it. I am the elder of this manor, and I have been entrenched here for many years. I don't know how many evil deeds I have committed and how many lives I have taken from travelers. If you die, your soul will surely leave from your feet and fall into the realm of hungry ghosts and the realm of hell!"

Old Master Chen trembled, seemingly fearful, and said timidly, "Although I have harmed countless people, it was all for the sake of the village! The village's current prosperity is all thanks to me! Furthermore, I have spent half my life reciting Buddhist scriptures; surely all of this cannot atone for my sins?"

The old fox said, "Keep deceiving yourself. You know the evil you've done. If you can truly deceive yourself like this, I won't say anything more to you and will leave now."

Say it.

The old fox turned to leave.

Old Master Chen was startled. How could he let the old fox get away? He hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, saying, "Don't go, don't go."

The old fox said, "Since you say so, there is no use for me to stay."

Old Master Chen said, "I'm just talking nonsense. Don't leave yet. I'm going to make a decision."

The old fox said, "If you had made a decision sooner, all four items would already be ready. You have been thinking for too long."

Old Master Chen gritted his teeth and said, “Sir, you have told me about the four things. The last one must be of the direct line of descent, and it must be the eldest son and the eldest grandson. I wonder if the eldest daughter is acceptable? If the eldest daughter or the eldest granddaughter is acceptable, I can bring both of them.”

The old fox shook his head and said, "It must be the eldest son and grandson."

Old Master Chen sighed and said, "So be it, so be it. Since that's how it is, then bring my eldest grandson to make this fourth item."

The old fox smiled and said, "You should have made this decision long ago. If you can become a Bodhisattva, you can protect the Chen family for ten thousand generations. You can sacrifice one grandson to gain ten thousand generations. Why not do it?"

Chen Taigong said, "As you have said, I will have someone prepare these four items and deliver them to you within a few days."

The old fox said, "That's exactly right!"

The two were talking.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the gate of the mansion, and the noise was so loud that it could be heard even in the inner quarters of his residence.

Old Master Chen was somewhat annoyed and said, "Who is so rude as to knock on my door and be so uncouth?"

The old fox didn't take it seriously and said, "They're probably just some ignorant villagers. Send someone to take a look, and you'll know the truth."

Old Master Chen nodded and then sent someone to the gate to take a look.

After a short while, the servant came back to report, sobbing, "Grandpa, there's a man outside the gate wielding a weapon, demanding that you go out and confess your crimes and be executed. We were furious when we heard this and tried to drive him away, but the man is highly skilled in martial arts, and we are no match for him. He has broken into the mansion and is on his way here."

Old Master Chen roared, "Who is this madman who dares to break into my mansion with such disrespect!"

The old fox laughed and said, "Among those you harmed, some escaped and sought help to seek revenge, but those who were able to infiltrate the mansion must be quite skilled in martial arts."

Old Master Chen snorted, "What use is high martial arts skill? Sir, please take action and teach him a lesson so he knows that martial arts are utterly useless."

The old fox said, "That is indeed the case."

Chen Taigong said, "Let's go together and see what kind of person he is, and how he dares to act so presumptuously."

Old Master Chen and the old fox walked outside. As they left the inner courtyard, they saw many servants and clansmen carrying sticks, knives, and spears, heading out to surround and attack a man.

The man wielded a strangely shaped spear, moving with unparalleled ease. No matter how many servants there were, none could match him. With a mere swing, countless servants were knocked to the ground.

Upon seeing him, Chen Taigong exclaimed in amazement, "What a fierce general! I have never seen such a warrior with such skill. He is truly invincible."

The old fox squinted, examined it closely, and said, "This is not human! It is a monster, just like me."

Old Master Chen was startled and said, "When have I ever offended any monsters? Sir, could this be your enemy, who has come looking for you, but I have been implicated?"

The old fox said, "I don't know. Let me go up and ask him to see what his methods are."

Say it.

The old fox walked towards that direction.

When the servants and clansmen saw the old fox approaching, they quickly made way for him.

The old fox walked up to the man, who was none other than the Bull Demon King, and examined him closely, trying to discern the Bull Demon King's true nature. However, no matter how he looked, he could not see through the Bull Demon King's disguise.

He then said, "Who are you, and why have you barged into the Chen residence? But you are a spirit, do you recognize me and come to seek revenge?"

When the Bull Demon King saw the old fox, he laughed loudly and said, "Seeking revenge? What ability do you have to teach this old bull to seek revenge?"

The old fox was not angry, but simply asked, "Would you like to show me your true form?"

The Bull Demon King laughed and said, "What is there to be afraid of?"

Say it.

With a sway of his body, the Bull Demon King revealed his true form: "His form was as imposing as a mountain, sixteen feet tall, with horns like iron towers, and eyes as red as molten gold, flashing with lightning when opened and closed. He wore brocade golden armor, shimmering with the brilliance of the sun and moon; he wore an ochre-red robe of blazing flames, billowing and stirring up dust across the eight directions. He wielded a black dragon-shaped spear, weighing eighteen thousand catties, its imposing aura overwhelming; when he wielded it, truly the sun and moon lost their light, and the heavens and earth shattered."

Seeing the Bull Demon King's imposing presence, the old fox had no will to fight left. Trembling with fear, he panicked and asked, "You, what kind of great demon are you?"

The Bull Demon King laughed and said, "Great demon? I am not a great demon! I am the Bull Demon King, the protector of the True Man Guangxin of the Xieyue Sanxing Cave on Lingtai Fangcun Mountain in Xiniu Hezhou!"

Upon hearing the words "Master Guangxin," the old fox was so terrified that he lost all his composure and could no longer muster any power. He turned to flee, not daring to have the slightest thought of fighting.

A moment later, the old fox vanished from the house, disappearing without a trace. The Bull Demon King said, "Now I see how you can escape."

Say it.

The Bull Demon King summoned the wind and chased after the old fox.

When Old Man Chen saw the true form of the Bull Demon King, he was so frightened that he fell to the ground, at a loss. Only after the Bull Demon King left could he move, and he stood up shakily, just as he turned to run away.

But before they could leave, a sound came from behind.

"Then, Old Master Chen, please wait."

Old Master Chen looked back and saw several people walking towards him. Old Master Chen panicked, thinking that these people were monsters like the Bull Demon King.

How could Old Master Chen dare to linger? Ignoring the shouts, he turned and fled, escaping the house in a matter of moments.

The master and his entourage arrived, and upon seeing Chen Taigong leave, they looked at each other in silence.

Huian Xingzhe stepped forward and said, "Master, Immortal, shall I go and capture him?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva looked at the True Man, intending to inquire about his intentions.

The master shook his head and said, "I already know everything that happened here, and I am also aware of the evil deeds of this Chen Taigong. There is no need for you to go and capture him; just let him go."

Guanyin Bodhisattva smiled and asked, "What does the True Man intend to do?"

The immortal said, “Heaven and earth have their own order. Those who do evil may not be able to get revenge in the human world, but once they fall into the underworld, they will receive the punishment they deserve. I have a decree sent to the underworld, and the ten Yama Kings will certainly handle this matter impartially. Therefore, there is no need to stay with Chen Taigong for long. Let the Bull King capture that evil spirit.”

Guanyin Bodhisattva smiled and nodded, without saying anything more.

The group waited for a while, and then the Bull Demon King arrived. He arrived in a whirlwind, and upon seeing the real person, he bowed and said, "Master, I was a bit too heavy-handed and accidentally killed that evil spirit, but I did manage to find out its origin and purpose."

Then, the Bull Demon King told the True Man all the information he had gathered.

This old fox was a demon who had been cultivating in seclusion in White Dragon Mountain. During the Tang Dynasty, he fell into evil ways after eating a human and began to harm people. He became powerful and influential. He happened to see the Xuzhou Cauldron on White Dragon Mountain and had the idea of ​​stealing it. Because the cauldron was very powerful, he would be killed if he got close. At this time, Chen Taigong from White Dragon Village had evil thoughts, so he came to his door and proposed a way to help Chen Taigong become a Bodhisattva. He said that he would obtain four things to help him, but in reality, he would obtain four things to defile the cauldron and make it weaker so that he could use it for his own purposes.

Upon learning this, the True Man simply nodded without saying anything more. He looked at the Bodhisattva and said, "Bodhisattva, this matter has been settled. I shall go to retrieve the Xuzhou Cauldron. Will the Bodhisattva accompany me, or will I return?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "I will go with you, True Man. Now that we have taken the Xuzhou Cauldron, would you like to go and take the Yanzhou Cauldron as well?"

The master said, "We should go and collect the Yanzhou Cauldron again. These nine cauldrons should be returned to their rightful place."

Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "I will accompany you, True Person. Would you like to come with me?"

The Master smiled and said, "Why would I be unwilling? It is my honor to have the Bodhisattva accompany me on this journey."

The Bodhisattva responded with a smile.

The immortal then headed towards White Dragon Mountain.

The Bodhisattva and his entourage followed closely behind.

Before long, the group entered Bailong Mountain.

The immortal entered White Dragon Mountain, seemingly sensing something, and looked into the mountain, saying, "Now that I have arrived, why does the cauldron of Xuzhou not return to its rightful place? When will we ever get another chance?"

Say it.

Suddenly a gentle breeze blew, and boundless divine light emanated from the mountains, illuminating the heavens. The Xuzhou Cauldron, carried by the wind, floated down lightly like willow catkins before the True Man, as if its former weight of ten thousand jin was nothing but an illusion.

With a simple gesture, the Xuzhou Cauldron fell into his hand, transforming into a small, docile cauldron.

Upon receiving the Xuzhou Cauldron, the True Man immediately recognized its power: the ability to "give life and rest." This cauldron can nourish all things, soothe wounds, and calm the soul, possessing the power to quell strife; it is a gentle cauldron.

Upon learning of the cauldron's efficacy, the immortal smiled and said, "This cauldron is mild."

The Bodhisattva said, “Now the True Man has already obtained the Eight Tripods. If you go on another journey and obtain the Yanzhou Tripod, the True Man will be able to obtain the Nine Tripods. Since the time when King Yu returned to his position as the Water Official Emperor, the Nine Tripods have been scattered and have never been returned to their rightful place. Now they will finally be returned to the True Man’s hands.”

The Master smiled and said, "Since they have not yet returned to their proper places, there is no need to offer congratulations. We can speak of it when the Nine Cauldrons have truly returned to their positions."

The Bodhisattva said, “In that case, we should go there now and find the Yanzhou Cauldron.”

The Master said, “It is the Bodhisattva who will accompany me. The Yanzhou Cauldron is currently in a river in Yanzhou, but when we go there, it will surely appear.”

The Bodhisattva responded.

The group then rode on the clouds and headed towards the outside of White Dragon Mountain.

……

Meanwhile, in a house in Bailongzhuang, Chen Taigong, who had fled there, sent a servant to inquire about the whereabouts of the True Man and his group. After the servant reported back that the True Man and his group had already left, Chen Taigong was somewhat relieved.

However, Chen Taigong still dared not go there easily, fearing that the immortals and their companions might not have gone far. Therefore, he slept peacefully in a civilian's house at night and dared not leave.

At night, after Chen Taigong went to bed, he saw two people by his bedside. One of them was holding a document with the words "Chen Dan" on it.

The two men approached and examined him closely. One of them asked, "We have come with official documents. We mustn't have made a mistake and caused trouble. Are you sure this is the person?"

Another person said, "There is no mistake, it is this person."

The two said, "In that case, let's take this person away to the Yama Palace for a joint trial."

The two death-hunting men took away Chen Taigong's soul and staggered back to the underworld.

Old Master Chen was confused and unaware of his own situation. He had been too frightened today to know that the dead had taken him away. When he came to his senses, he saw a city gate in front of him with the words "Netherworld" written on it.

Old Master Chen was terrified and exclaimed, "Where am I? Who are you two? Why did you bring me here?!"

The man who had been hooked to death remained silent, but he tugged at the chain, intending to take Old Man Chen inside.

How could Chen Taigong possibly comply? He struggled fiercely, unwilling to enter the Netherworld, fearing that once he did, there would be no turning back.

(End of this chapter)