I start by accepting Sun Wukong as my disciple and reshape the Journey to the West

Chapter 135 Entering the Underworld

"Please stop, Guanyin!"

With a casual sweep of her willow branch, Guanyin Bodhisattva dispelled all the chains. Guanyin Bodhisattva coldly watched Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun.

"The Celestial Venerable is not in his own sacred ground, so why does he have time to come to this Southern Jambudvipa!"

"Recently, I have gained some insights into the Longevity Sutra. I went to the Purple Bamboo Forest but did not find Guanyin Bodhisattva. So I asked Jiu Ling'er to find out where Guanyin Bodhisattva was. Today, I have come here specifically to seek your guidance." Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun nodded slightly, his smile undiminished.

"Such an excuse is far too lame. Is the Celestial Venerable trying to obstruct the merits of our Buddhist sect?"

"What Guanyin Bodhisattva said is puzzling. This old Taoist doesn't know what Guanyin Bodhisattva is talking about," Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun continued to laugh it off.

Seeing this, Guanyin Bodhisattva said nothing more. Immediately, her Dharma form appeared behind her, and the eyes of her vast Dharma body were filled with murderous intent.

"Our Buddha is not currently on Mount Ling, and the future Buddha is confined to Vulture Peak. As the one currently traveling outside Mount Ling, I will kill all those who wish to obstruct the merits of my Buddhist sect!"

boom!
A terrifying aura erupted as Guanyin Bodhisattva finished speaking.

Nine-Headed Lion was about to reveal its true form when Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun pressed down on its head.

"Don't act rashly!"

Tensions were high here, and even higher in the imperial palace.

It is said that the Jing River Dragon King appeared in the void, crying out his grievances.

"Tell me your grievances, and if I can help you seek justice, I will do my utmost!"

The Jing River Dragon King descended even faster, his mouth moving incessantly: "This sinful subject is the Jing River Dragon King, in charge of the eight rivers. Not long ago I witnessed..."

"You wicked dragon, how dare you disturb the peace of the Imperial Star!"

Before the Jinghe Dragon King could finish speaking, auspicious light shone brightly in the void. It turned out that Guanyin Bodhisattva had unfolded her Dharma form, and the willow branch in her hand fell from the void, striking the Jinghe Dragon King and causing him to lose his senses.

The soul fell straight into the underworld through the void.

"Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, this wicked dragon has disturbed the emperor's heart and committed heinous crimes. Now, by imperial decree, I have ordered the execution of this traitor. Please take away the remnant soul of this wicked dragon," Guanyin Bodhisattva said loudly.

Upon arriving in the underworld, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva stood before the temple and immediately clasped his hands together, saying, "This humble monk understands!"

As soon as the echo faded, all the temples behind Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva opened their doors, and a violent suction force pulled at the remnant soul of the Jinghe Dragon King.

But just as the remnant soul was halfway there, ten more palaces suddenly descended from the void.

"The Dragon King of the Jing River has violated the Heavenly Laws. By order of the Jade Emperor, this matter must be thoroughly investigated, and no one else is allowed to interfere!"

As the ten Kings of Hell spoke simultaneously, an enormous net instantly imprisoned the Jing River Dragon King, and then headed towards the Hall of Kings of Hell.

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was completely stunned by what he saw. The Ten Kings of Hell openly challenged him—this was something he had never seen before.

By the time Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva regained his senses, the Ten Kings of Hell had already withdrawn their supernatural powers, and the remnant soul of the Jing River Dragon King had naturally been taken away as well.

“Bodhisattva, this…” Di Ting also came to his senses at this moment, looking at the stunned Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva with a questioning look on his face.

To fight or not to fight!?
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva took a deep breath: "Now my divine sense is in their hands, how can I fight back! Although I am willing to help Buddhism, I am powerless to resist."

The temple behind Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has returned to its normal size.

"How will you explain this to Guanyin Bodhisattva?" Di Ting asked a heart-wrenching question.

"If I can't beat them, I can't beat them. If Guanyin Bodhisattva thinks I'm better than her, then it's not unreasonable for me to give her my position." Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and said no more.

Di Ting lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to utter another word.

Meanwhile, in the mortal realm, by the Jing River, the Nine-Headed Lion looked at the Great Sage of Salvation: "Master, weren't we here to stop Guanyin? Why did we stop after just one encounter?"

"Fellow Daoist Xuantian only asked me to hold them off for a moment. Guanyin is clearly ready to fight to the death. We haven't received any orders to fight to the death, so why bother? Just make a show of it." Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun looked in the direction of Chang'an City and could see the remnant soul of the Jinghe Dragon King being sent to the underworld.

"Let's go. We've done what we needed to do. If we stay here any longer, Guanyin might keep asking us all sorts of questions."

Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun then departed on a cloud.

"Master, wait for me!" Nine Spirits Yuan Sheng wanted to continue watching the excitement, but when he turned around, he found that Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun had disappeared. He immediately leaped into the void.

Inside the Imperial Palace in Chang'an!
Looking at the Guanyin image in the void, Li Shimin immediately asked, "May I ask which deity you are and why you are obstructing me?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva looked down at Li Shimin and said, "You are the King of Tang. I am Guanyin Bodhisattva of the South Sea. I was passing by when I saw the evil dragon causing trouble, so I helped it. How could you say I was obstructing you?"

“The Dragon King of the Jing River has been wronged. His Majesty is benevolent and wishes to redress his grievances, but you, without distinguishing right from wrong, have cast him into the underworld. Is this not obstruction?” Wei Zheng stepped forward and said loudly.

"Oh? Is that so? It's just a wicked dragon. King Tang is taking it too seriously! Now that the wicked dragon has entered the underworld, King Yama will clear its name. Even if I try to stop it, what can King Tang do about it?"

"Bodhisattva, what a boastful tone! The Three Realms are distinct, and for you to presumptuously obstruct His Majesty's actions is utterly disrespectful." Changsun Wuji stepped forward and loudly questioned him.

"Knowing that there is a difference between immortals and mortals, how dare you be so presumptuous in front of me?" Guanyin Bodhisattva sneered.

Instantly, a surge of energy shot straight at Changsun Wuji, its killing intent almost tangible.

"Qin Shubao, Yuchi Gong!" Li Shimin shouted.

The two men, each wielding a weapon, attacked the silver light, striking dozens of times in succession, finally managing to block the energy.

Guanyin Bodhisattva paid no attention to this matter; her gaze was entirely fixed on Li Shimin.

"Your Majesty, I helped you stop the Dragon King of the Jing River today. This is a karmic debt you owe to Buddhism. In the future, you should choose a person to go to the Western Paradise to retrieve the scriptures, in order to settle this karmic debt. Otherwise, the fate of the Tang Dynasty will be lost."

Almost at the same moment Guanyin Bodhisattva finished speaking, twenty-four ministers stepped forward in unison: "How dare you!"

This outrageous shout was like a thunderclap, and it actually attracted a bolt of lightning that struck Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Huian Xingzhe emerged from the Bodhisattva's shadow, his iron cudgel striking directly at the bolt of lightning.

Crackling.

With a series of loud noises, the lightning bolt was finally and completely shattered.

Li Shimin stepped forward: "What if I disagree?"

"You have no choice but to agree. I helped you defeat the evil dragon, and you have already accepted this karmic debt, unless you don't care about the destruction of the Tang Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin let out a sneer: "I discovered that the Dragon King of the Jing River had a grievance, so I summoned him to inquire. The Bodhisattva intervened without cause; it is the Bodhisattva who owes my Tang Dynasty a debt of karma."

"But you have not been able to clear his name!" Guanyin Bodhisattva said indifferently.

Li Shimin looked at Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng: "Is it possible to summon the soul of the Jing River Dragon King again?"

"Your Majesty, with our combined strength, we can only summon him back once," Li Chunfeng said respectfully. "Look, King Tang, if you follow my advice and select a pilgrim to go to the Western Paradise to seek the true scriptures, this karmic debt can be settled. Otherwise, the Tang Dynasty will surely suffer immense devastation."

"The methods of Buddhism are indeed ruthless, always talking about the suffering of all living beings. But I have never believed in fate. Yuan Tiangang, Li Chunfeng, you two may be able to open the passage to the underworld."

Li Shimin's words stunned both Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng.

Opening a passage to the underworld was such a shocking and unsettling thing that the two of them...

"Is it possible or not?" Li Shimin urged.

"Okay!" Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang exchanged a glance and finally gave their answer.

"Open the passage to the underworld! I am going to the underworld to redress the grievances of the Jing River Dragon King!"

These bold words stunned everyone present into silence. Even Guanyin Bodhisattva looked at the Tang Emperor with a different gaze.

"A mere mortal daring to enter the underworld, I fear he may go but not return!" Guanyin Bodhisattva's voice was icy, her words sounding more like a threat.

"Then there's no need for the Bodhisattva to worry. What are you waiting for? Open the passage now!"

Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng immediately accepted the order, and their impressive footwork was dazzling to behold.

"By order of the Tang Emperor, open the Gate of Yin and Yang!"

The talismans in their hands flew out as if they were free, and suddenly, in the very center of the courtyard, a void gate slowly opened.

A chilling wind howled within, and countless vengeful spirits tried to escape, but the Great Cauldron of National Fortune above the palace emitted beams of golden light that shone on the void gate, instantly annihilating all the vengeful spirits that flew out, their wails echoing endlessly.

"King Tang, the underworld is not a place you can go to and return to as you please. You should think this through!" Guanyin Bodhisattva really wanted to take action and close that void gate directly.

But seeing the seven stars shining brightly in the sky and the beautiful moon, He finally gave up the idea.

"Where are the twenty-four ministers of Lingyan Pavilion!" Li Shimin shouted loudly, ignoring Guanyin Bodhisattva.

"Here!" Twenty-four people stepped forward in unison.

"Come with me to the underworld and see what it's like there," Li Shimin said, before walking straight into the gate of the void.

"Yes!" The twenty-four people responded and fell into it together.

When the last person entered, Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang were exhausted and collapsed on the ground, and the void gate closed.

Their faces were deathly pale, and even their black hair began to turn completely white.

"You were able to send the emperor to the underworld, but you are powerless to reopen the passage. Your emperor has been killed by you," Guanyin Bodhisattva coldly snorted.

With the help of the young Taoist, Yuan Tiangang slowly rose to his feet: "His Majesty only instructed us to open the passage to let them in, not to wait for their return. I believe His Majesty is blessed by Heaven, so there is no need for the Bodhisattva to worry."

Guanyin Bodhisattva stared at Yuan Tiangang for a long time: "The aura on you is repulsive! It's exactly the same as his, and it's strange."

Guanyin Bodhisattva then looked at Li Chunfeng: "You are the same!"

"It is our honor to be compared with a saint by a Bodhisattva," Li Chunfeng replied with a smile as he slowly rose with the help of the young Taoist boy.

The coldness in Guanyin Bodhisattva's eyes intensified; Li Chunfeng's words undoubtedly proved that the two of them were also related to Ye Xuantian.

"Since he wants to seize the number of those who will travel west, why is he hindering my efforts to advance the westward journey?"

"The sage said that all arrangements will be made to prevent the Buddhist sect from absorbing the merits."

Yuan Tiangang's response made Guanyin Bodhisattva tighten her grip on the jade bottle.

"That's quite an overstatement. I'd like to see how your emperor can return to the mortal realm without my intervention!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva began to meditate in the void, and it seemed that she really intended to sit and observe.

Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng didn't say much. They had already conveyed what they could, and without any further hesitation, they immediately sat cross-legged and began to recover.

Then, when the Tang Emperor and the twenty-four ministers of Lingyan Pavilion entered the underworld, dazzling golden light burst forth, like bright lamps in the underworld.

Li Shimin looked around and asked, "How are we supposed to find Yama, the King of Hell?"

These words revealed Li Shimin's current anxiety.

Wei Zheng stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, you spoke so righteously just now, but was there no method to your argument?"

"Hehe, it's not that I'm not going to steam buns, it's just that I'm trying to save face! That Guanyin Bodhisattva is too high and mighty, I just can't stand it anymore." This time, Li Shimin unusually didn't argue with Wei Zheng.

He also felt that he had acted too rashly this time, leading a group of virtuous ministers into this place without any guidance.

Strangely enough, despite Li Shimin's willful behavior, no one except Wei Zheng offered any objection.

Li Shimin and Wei Zheng also noticed something was amiss and immediately turned around to look, only to see that all twenty-three people had their eyes closed and were not moving.

"My esteemed ministers, do not frighten me! I acted rashly in a moment of anger. Wake up!" Li Shimin shook Changsun Wuji's body repeatedly.

Just as panic began to rise in Li Shimin's heart, a voice suddenly rang out.

"It was not Your Majesty who acted impulsively; it was I who used methods to make Your Majesty make such a bold statement and bring twenty-four ministers into this place."

Li Shimin and Wei Zheng both looked toward the source of the sound, where Ye Xuantian's figure slowly materialized.

"Your Majesty!" Li Shimin immediately bowed and paid his respects.

"I have met the Sage!" Wei Zheng also said.

In the past, when Ye Xuantian faced the spirit of the Heavenly Dao, he summoned the phantoms of Li Shimin and the twenty-four ministers of Lingyan Pavilion within the Taiji Diagram.

That heroic act of defying the heavens still lingers in the hearts of the twenty-four ministers.

This is why the Tang Dynasty is so prosperous today. Having witnessed the grand spectacle of conquering the heavens, the petty infighting of the secular world seems rather laughable.

Otherwise, Wei Zheng would not have revealed such information in his haste that day. However, the twenty-four people felt that the matter of attacking the heavens was of great importance, so no one had mentioned it much in the past, but they were already united as one.

"Having seen the Heavenly Palace, it's time to see the Underworld. I hope His Majesty won't blame me?" Ye Xuantian said with a smile.

"Your Majesty is too kind. It is our honor to have such a miraculous encounter. However, all of you ministers are now in a coma. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

"There are important matters to discuss here. Once these matters are settled, we will allow them to resume their duties. I request that Your Majesty and Wei Zheng accompany me to the Underworld. The Ten Kings of Hell have been waiting for a long time."

"it is good!"

Li Shimin and Wei Zheng naturally agreed and immediately followed.

The Ten Kings of Hell had been waiting for a long time!
(End of this chapter)