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

Chapter 92: Wukong vs. Jiang Yuan (Two chapters in one)

But in front of the Sanxing Immortal Cave, Jiang Yuan and Sun Wukong were trying out their magical powers, and it was Jiang Yuan who asked Sun Wukong what magical powers he had cultivated.

Wukong wanted to show off, so he said, "To be honest, Senior Brother, I have mastered the seventy-two transformations. Master will also teach me the 'Somersault Cloud'."

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan laughed and said, "I never thought that Wukong could master such magical powers. It's really amazing."

Wukong said, "Big Brother, first of all, Master taught me the secrets of Taoism, and secondly, I studied diligently day and night, so I was able to learn it completely."

Jiang Yuan asked, "In that case, Wukong, how are you going to test your magical powers?"

Wukong scratched his head and said, "What do you have to say?"

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "There are two tests, civil and martial. The civil test is for you and me to test our magical powers, such as moving mountains or flying clouds, and then we discuss a method, without weapons, water or fire. The martial test is a bet on winning or losing, and it measures the depth of Taoism, which is a bit dangerous."

Upon hearing this, Wukong thought to himself, "According to what Senior Brother said, the written test cannot determine who is better. Even if I win the written test, the senior brothers will say that I am not as good as Senior Brother. They are giving me the benefit of the doubt because they see that I am younger. It must be a martial arts test, it must be a martial arts test!"

After thinking about it, he said, "Martial arts test, it is better to do it."

Jiang Yuan said: "Since this is a martial arts test, it is like a gamble, Wukong, you must be careful."

Wukong said, "Brother, please be at ease. I will save you some trouble."

Jiang Yuan then left the place, holding the whisk in his hand, and said with a smile: "Wukong, let go of my hand."

Upon hearing this, Wukong said, "Brother, be careful." He used a trick called "disguise" to transform himself into a ferocious tiger, cutting off its tail and running with its hooves, and tried to pounce on Jiang Yuan.

When Jiang Yuan saw it, he was amazed and thought to himself, "What a monkey! He is a master of the Disha Fruit School."

After thinking about it, he used his magic and performed the art of transformation. He shouted "change" and transformed himself into an elephant with a nose like a long snake and teeth like bamboo shoots. He rushed forward to trample the tiger.

How can a fierce tiger fight against a weak elephant?
Wukong shook his body in panic, then changed into a sparrow, flapped his wings, flew into the cloud, and disappeared without a trace.

Jiang Yuan practiced all the 108 great techniques, so how could he not know Wukong's transformation? He used his technique again and transformed Lai Xiang into a Saker Falcon, which flew up with a whoosh and flew into the cloud's eye.

How could a sparrow compete with a gyrfalcon? After a while, the gyrfalcon caught up with the sparrow and tried to peck it. Wukong knew he had failed, so he transformed himself into a fish and dived into the Yuzhu Mountain Stream. How could he hide this from Master Jiang? He just let the gyrfalcon peck it away. Wukong shook his body and transformed himself into a water snake to confuse his fellow disciples. The master did not recognize him, but Master Jiang chased after him. He could not hide it.

The good Monkey King is good at transformation and is familiar with all 72 transformations. The Master Jiang has great magical powers and has 108 magical skills. The victory or defeat is determined by two or three magics, and the Monkey King is no match for the Master Jiang.

Wukong thought to himself, "My eldest brother is also very good at changing his ways. I can't hide it from you, I can't hide it from you! I can't hide it from you in the sky or in the sea. I have to use his magic. Look, I'm going to use the immobilization magic to immobilize my eldest brother."

Think about it.

Wukong waited for a while before the Saker Falcon transformed by Jiang Yuan came to the stream. Wukong revealed his true form, pointed at the Saker Falcon, chanted a spell, and said "fix", using his magic to fix Jiang Yuan.

Who knew that Jiang Yuan had all kinds of treasures on his body, revealed his true form, and was protected by the purple robe of the sun and the moon. Yu Ding could break the spell, but he would never be affected by this "immobilization" spell.

Jiang Yuan stepped on the clouds and used a backhanded 'Immobilize' move, targeting Wukong and shouting, "Stop!"

That Monkey King was lying in the water, gritting his teeth, with his eyes open and his hands spread out. He was unable to speak or move, and was fixed in place.

Jiang Yuan entered the stream, brought Wukong out, solved the spell, stepped on the clouds and said, "Wukong, what other magical powers you have, feel free to use them."

Wukong said, "Brother, I can't defeat you in the transformation method. Why don't I try the cloud-flying method?"

Jiang Yuan flicked his whisk and asked, "Junior brother, what do you say?"

Wukong said, "Brother, I have the 'Somersault Cloud'. With one somersault, I can travel a great distance. Why don't we try my flying cloud technique and then have a fight?"

Jiang Yuan said: "As you say, just go east."

Wukong was sincere, he pulled himself together, jumped up to Jiang Yuan's side, and said, "Brother, I'm leaving!"

Say it.

The monkey somersaulted and headed eastward, all the way in a cloud of light, invisible and formless, and finally stopped after two somersaults. The monkey lowered his head and saw the vast ocean, not knowing where he was coming from, perhaps the East Sea, perhaps the West Sea, he couldn't tell.

The monkey secretly rejoiced and said, "With one somersault I can travel a great distance. Senior brother can never catch up with me, but Senior brother's transformation is really amazing. I can't defeat him, so I just turn back by soaring in the sky. When I return to the mansion, I will have a basis for my speech and tell all the senior brothers that I am not inferior to the eldest brother, and my level is the same."

The monkey looked back and saw a human figure. He was secretly delighted, thinking that his senior brother could not catch up with him. Even if he continued to practice for a few more years, his senior brother would not be able to defeat him.

The monkey was filled with joy, and looked around, trying to find a place to take a nap and wait for his elder brother. Unexpectedly, a cloud of luck flew over the road ahead, scaring the monkey. When he looked carefully, the monkey was surprised to find that it was his elder brother on the cloud. How could his elder brother be in front of him?

The monkey was surprised and said, "Big Brother, why are you in front of me?"

Jiang Yuan descended from the auspicious cloud, pointed out the way ahead, and said, "I'm waiting for you on the road ahead, but I didn't expect you to stay here. What's the point?"

The monkey asked, "Brother, when will you go forward?"

Jiang Yuan said, "I got on a cloud and was halfway across the road, but I saw you doing somersaults in the clouds, so I went to the front to wait for you."

The monkey was annoyed, knowing that Tengyun was no match for him, he said, "Brother, I still have magical powers!"

The monkey was unwilling to accept the defeat, so he took a tuft of hair and exhaled some magical energy, causing a transformation. Thousands of monkeys appeared and wanted to fight with Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan recited the incantation, opened his mouth and spit out the Samadhi True Fire, the flames shot up into the sky, but the fire was black smoke, and there was no light in the sky. The red flames were rising, and there was a thousand miles of red light in the sea. This fire is not ordinary fire, not heavenly fire, not Yin fire, fire is Samadhi fire, it is the magic of the primordial spirit to adjust the five elements, wood can produce heart fire, heart fire makes spleen earth flat, spleen earth produces gold, gold turns into water, water can produce wood and turn into five elements, then this fire.

With a breath of Samadhi fire, thousands of monkeys were burned to ashes, and no one could get close to his real body.

Wukong was terrified and said, "What a fire! What a fire! If it burns me, I will be in trouble."

The monkey somersaulted back to the Sanxing Immortal Cave, how could he dare to compete with his senior brother for strength.

Jiang Yuan said with a smile: "Wukong, since you are testing my magical power, you haven't seen my magical power yet, why are you leaving?"

Say it.

The immortal used a trick called "the world in his sleeves". In the auspicious clouds, he spread out his sleeves to face the wind, and swept forward, caught the monkey in the cage, and put it into his sleeves.

Jiang Yuan rode on the auspicious cloud and returned to the Sanxing Immortal Cave.

……

After a while, the immortal returned to the Sanxing Immortal Cave, opened his sleeves, and took out the monkey like a straw man.

The monkey was surprised and said, "Brother, what is this trick? How can we get in? The hand is twisting the robe and it is soft. If you hit it once or twice, it will be harder than iron."

Jiang Yuan said with a smile: "It's a world in your sleeve. Wukong, do you want to try your magic?"

Wukong said, "I dare not. I dare not. Senior brother's Taoism is profound. I cannot compare with him."

Jiang Yuan said: "If there is nothing else, I will go."

Wukong supported Jiang Yuan with his hand and led him back to the quiet room. He left only after they returned to the quiet room.

Jiang Yuan sat on a cushion in the room and meditated quietly, not worrying about the monkey's affairs.

……

It was late that night, around midnight.

Jiang Yuan was meditating in seclusion when he was suddenly summoned by the master. He then went to the master's bedroom, but found the master waiting quietly in the room.

Jiang Tong'er stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Master, I am your disciple."

The master said, "No need to be polite. I called you this late at night for two reasons. One is for Wukong."

Jiang Yuan said: "What did Master say?"

The master sat on the bed and said, "I know you and Wukong were trying out your magical powers during the day. How is it?"

Jiang Yuan served in front of him and answered, "Junior Brother Wukong is amazing. But he is no match for me. There are two reasons for this. One is that my golden elixir is intact, while Junior Brother Wukong's golden elixir is defective. The other is that Master has taught him many magical powers. However, Junior Brother Wukong was born in heaven and earth, and ordinary people cannot compare with him." The master asked, "What is his mind?"

Jiang Yuan replied again: "The host and the guest are reversed."

The master nodded and said, "That's exactly the truth. Wukong is the master and the guest are reversed, one body with two minds, five people are causing trouble, six thieves are everywhere, and he doesn't know it. I want to let Wukong go."

Jiang Yuan asked, "Master, where should we teach Wukong to go?"

The ancestor said, "Go back to where you came from."

Jiang Yuan recalled the monkey's past courtesy and asked, "Master, can't you teach me?"

The master shook his head and said, "How can you teach when the host and the guest are reversed? Should you teach Liu Er or Wukong? I see that Wukong has a perverse personality and will definitely have bad luck. I am afraid that he will cause trouble. I originally wanted to teach you to guard your heart so that others can help you. I didn't expect this. This monkey will suffer a disaster one day."

Jiang Yuan said: "Master, let the disaster teach Junior Brother Wukong?"

The ancestor said: "What the heaven and earth created must go through catastrophes. Let's ignore this monkey and let it go."

When Jiang Yuan heard this, he knew that the master had made up his mind to expel Wukong, but Wukong also changed his mind. He bowed and said, "Master, it's up to you."

The master said, "My boy, please don't be unforgiving."

Jiang Yuan bowed and said, "Master, I understand."

The master nodded and said, "Have you mastered the Samadhi True Fire, boy?"

Jiang Yuan said: "I have mastered it."

The Patriarch said, "All the Dharma doors are taught to be refined?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "There are still some things I am not proficient in, the ones I am not proficient in are 'The Universe in My Sleeve' and the Hundred and Eight Great Laws of the Heavenly Gang."

The master said: "When you have mastered both, I will teach you other methods."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "Master, you have so many teachings, I can never learn them all."

The master said again: "Just keep learning. One day, when you attain enlightenment, you will have learned everything. But there is one thing you must do."

Jiang Yuan straightened his clothes and said, "Master, I will take care of it."

The master said, "Not long ago, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, who was practicing in Luojia Mountain in the South China Sea, sent someone with a letter to invite me to attend a Dharma Assembly. You can go on my behalf."

Jiang Yuan said: "Master, I am not very knowledgeable, how can I participate in the Dharma Assembly?"

The master shook his head and said, "You should listen more and talk less. You are my true disciple, so you can go."

Jiang Yuan agreed, and the master instructed him to go to the South China Sea to attend a Dharma Assembly three days later.

……

Before I knew it, three days had passed.

Jiang Yuan received instructions from the master and was told to go to Luojia Mountain in the South China Sea. The master told him when he saw five-colored lights rising in the sea that was Luojia Mountain. The master then took the order and left.

He left the Sanxing Immortal Cave, chanting some incantations and preparing to leave, but he saw a white deer walking towards him from between the cliffs and nudging him, with great joy.

Jiang Yuan looked at the white deer, stroked it with his palm, and said, "I am going to Luojia Mountain now. I originally taught you to go there on a cloud. Now that I see you here, you can help me with my legs. The journey is long, are you willing to go?"

The white deer cried, bowed its body, and invited the immortal to take a seat.

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "I don't know how far this journey is. Have you thought about it?"

The white deer did not move, but only asked the immortal to take a seat.

Jiang Yuan then got on the deer's back and said, "Well, I will teach you some Taoist scriptures on the way. If you understand, it is your fate. If you don't understand, don't blame me."

The white deer cried, as if answering Jiang Yuan, and walked down the mountain.

There is a saying that goes, "Let the white deer go among the green cliffs, and if you must go, ride to visit the famous mountains." This time we are heading to Mount Luojia, to visit the compassionate Guanyin Bodhisattva who saves people from suffering in the South China Sea.

……

Time flies so fast that half a month has passed without me noticing.

One day, everyone gathered inside the old cypress tree in the Sanxing Cave to talk.

Zhenjian was also among them, but he did not participate. He sat there fanning himself with a smile on his face, watching everyone discussing the Dao without saying a word.

The others asked Wukong, "Wukong, you said before that you would compete with the eldest brother in Taoism and measure the depth of our skills. What's going on now?"

Wukong said sullenly, "Don't mention it, don't mention it!"

Everyone asked, "Why don't you mention it?"

Wukong replied, "My eldest brother's Taoism is so profound that I cannot compare with him. I used the magic of transformation, but my eldest brother could also do it. I changed into a hungry tiger and he changed into a lazy elephant. I changed into a sparrow and he changed into a gadfly. I changed into a fish and a water snake, and none of them could be hidden from me. I originally taught my eldest brother a method of immobilizing his body, but I did not expect my eldest brother to be invulnerable to all kinds of attacks. I also have a somersault cloud that can fly a great distance of 100,000 miles, but I did not expect my eldest brother's method of flying in the clouds to be better than mine. I refused to accept the result and wanted to have a fight, but my eldest brother swept me away with one sleeve and brought me back to his mansion."

The others said, "As you said, you monkey, you can't do anything to the eldest brother."

Wukong said: "That's right, Master Brother's Tao is very profound."

Everyone asked, "I heard you say before that you have changed. I wonder what you can change into. Can you show us?"

Wukong smiled and said, "Please give me a question, and I will answer it with you."

Everyone asked, "Can you change into anything?"

Wukong said: "Of course, I can change into anything."

The others said, "Well, you turn into a cypress tree and show us."

Upon hearing this, Wukong chanted a spell and transformed himself into a cypress tree, no different from the old cypress trees under the other trees.

When everyone saw this, they were envious but dared not show it. They just applauded and laughed: "Great! What a great monkey!"

The commotion here alarmed the master.

But when the Patriarch came out, he wanted to chase the Monkey King away. Let’s not talk about this matter for now.

……

It is said that Master Jiang rode a white deer down the mountain. On the road, he did not know how far he had gone, nor how long he had been going. He only told the white deer that he was going to Mount Luojia, but he did not choose the way, leaving the white deer to go its own way.

During the day he walked with the white deer, and at night he taught the deer some tips on their cultivation.

After walking for more than half a year, they suddenly found themselves in the streets and alleys during the hot summer month. Jiang Yuan then realized that they had arrived in a country.

Jiang Yuan patted the white deer, not knowing how he had brought him to this country. He made the white deer stop, stopped the passerby, and asked, "Brother."

The old man saw Jiang Yuan was very graceful and had a warm and harmonious spirit. He looked like an immortal and was definitely not an ordinary person. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Master!"

Jiang Yuan said with a smile: "Brother, I stopped you because I want to ask you something. What country is this? It's my deer who has taken the wrong path."

The old man said: "Master, this is the 'Uri Kingdom'."

Jiang Yuan asked, "Is Wuli Kingdom far from the South China Sea?"

The old man was surprised and said, "It's very far! There is no sea in Wuli. If we want to go by sea, we have to cross 180,000 miles."

　I overestimated myself. I think the daily update time needs to be adjusted. I will post it around 11 o'clock. It takes a little time to write one, but 8,000 words a day will not change o(╥﹏╥)o
　　Asking for a monthly ticket~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)