Daily Intelligence: From Water Snake to Jinghe Dragon King

Speeding along at breakneck speed, the fire wings almost forming a ball of flame, Liu Qing pushed his speed to the limit.

Before long, they flew five or six hundred miles, and below, instead of towering mountains, appeared a small plain. On the plain, a human race had established a kingdom, and not far from the border, there was a manor. The "double happiness" characters and red lanterns still hung on the manor.

The people inside the manor all wore worried expressions, and they would occasionally steal glances at the pavilion in the backyard of the manor, sighing softly.

With the help of the plants and trees, Liu Qing thoroughly investigated what had happened at the manor below.

So this is Gao Lao Zhuang.

Some time ago, a transformed pig demon infiltrated Gao Village, deceived the village lord, won his favor, and was recruited as his son-in-law.

Unexpectedly, during the banquet, the pig demon drank too much wine and revealed its true form as a black pig, frightening the guests into fleeing in panic.

In a panic, the manor owner hurriedly invited a famous sorcerer from across the country to exorcise the demon. However, the black boar demon was incredibly powerful and swallowed the sorcerers who came to exorcise it whole.

It then announced that it was determined to marry Miss Gao Cuilian of the Gao family, and that the manor lord, Master Gao, should no longer resist and happily accept it as his son-in-law.

For the next few days, the black boar demon would come every night and playfully torment Miss Gao, only returning to its lair, Yunzhan Cave on Fulin Mountain, at dawn.

Several dozen days later, a Buddhist monk from the Eastern Sui Dynasty arrived on his pilgrimage, accompanied by a monkey disciple. Upon learning this, the monk helped Master Gao subdue the black boar demon.

Although the Black Pig Demon was subdued and became the second disciple of the Great Sui Monk, he declared before leaving that he would rekindle his love with Miss Gao Cuilian after returning from the pilgrimage.

This terrified Miss Gao.

For the past few days, she had been tormented by that black boar demon, with no rest every night and being put in all sorts of shameful positions. She could still endure that, but the boar demon had apparently cultivated some kind of battle technique and was using Miss Gao as a vessel. In just a few days, Miss Gao's vital essence was completely depleted by the battle, and her blood essence was dried up. If the boar demon were to return, wouldn't she be drained of her life force?

After hearing a lot of gossip, Liu Qing finally stopped using his plant-based auditory and visual abilities.

The pig demon must be that lecherous Pigsy.

The Jade Emperor of Heaven arranged for him to be sent down to the mortal realm under some pretext, so that he could join the pilgrimage team and seize the destiny of the Journey to the West.

Liu Qing flapped his fiery wings and left Gao Laozhuang, arriving at Yunzhan Cave on Fulin Mountain. He scanned the cave with his divine sense and, sure enough, found no trace of the black pig Zhu Bajie.

Inside the cave, there was only a small mound of earth, and in front of it, a crooked wooden tombstone was stuck, which read "Tomb of my beloved wife, Sister Mao Er".

This Mao Erjie, it is said, was originally the head of the Yunzhan Cave in Fulin Mountain. Later, she married Zhu Bajie, thinking she could enjoy a carefree life. However, Zhu Bajie's fighting skills were so powerful that even Mao Erjie, the demon queen, could not withstand them.

Sure enough, in just a few decades, Sister Mao was drained dry by Pigsy's relentless battles, leaving only a handful of yellow earth.

This led to Pigsy, unable to bear the loneliness, descending the mountain to Gao Village in the human world, where he became infatuated with Miss Gao Cuilian. In the end, he was subdued by the monks of the Sui Dynasty and 'Sun Wukong' and joined the pilgrimage team.

Now, the team members destined by Heaven for the pilgrimage, the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, the Great Sui Dynasty monk, the Jade Dragon Prince of the West Sea, Sun Wukong from the Five Finger Mountain, and Zhu Bajie from Gao Village have all gathered together.

Only General Rolling Curtain of Liusha River has not yet returned to the ranks.

If the Curtain-Rolling General were to join the pilgrimage team, it would surely respond to the will of Heaven, gain its approval, and truly begin the Journey to the West.

Unexpectedly, Buddhism and the Heavenly Court joined forces and devised a plan to openly repair the plank road while secretly advancing the Chencang pass, openly sending five hundred Arhats to assist Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng.

Liu Qing mistakenly believed that Buddhism intended to promote Li Jiancheng as the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty, but secretly, he began the Journey to the West ahead of schedule.

If Liu Qing hadn't suddenly decided to go to Wuzhi Mountain to see the monkeys, he wouldn't have discovered the truth.

Although Liu Qing has been chasing after them all the way, he is still a step behind due to the hidden forces arranged by the Heavenly Court and Buddhism. The pilgrimage team is only missing General Curtain-Raising to be assembled.

We must not allow that Curtain-Raising General to join the pilgrimage team again. Otherwise, once Heaven approves, even if Liu Qing and the Jie Sect have extraordinary abilities, they will find it difficult to stop the journey to the West.

They could only watch helplessly as Buddhism and the Heavenly Court successfully orchestrated the Journey to the West, acquiring the fortune of the journey and greatly advancing the spiritual power of the Buddha and the Jade Emperor.

It should be noted that the Buddha and the Jade Emperor were only half a step away from reaching the Primordial Dao Fruit, and after achieving the Primordial Dao Fruit, one becomes a sage.

When that time really comes, let alone the fact that Master Yu Yu Dao Ren is just a fragment of the Tongtian Sage's soul, even if the real Tongtian Sage descends to the mortal realm, he will be powerless against the Tathagata Buddha and the Jade Emperor who have broken through.

Let alone settling accounts for the karmic consequences of the Investiture of the Gods, he probably couldn't even protect his own disciples. Take Liu Qing, the most active disciple of the Intercepting Sect, for example; he would definitely be slapped to death by the Buddha.

Even if they feared Liu Qing's power over the Jinghe River basin, which involved hundreds of millions of lives, they would definitely suppress Liu Qing for eternity if they didn't kill him.

When I read Journey to the West in my previous life, I always heard that the fortune of Journey to the West could help Buddhism flourish. And it was pretty much the same later on. But if this fortune of Journey to the West were not used for the prosperity of Buddhism, but instead used to help the Buddha break through, there is a high possibility that the Buddha could break through to the Hunyuan Dao Fruit.

Thinking of this, Liu Qing shivered.

We must not allow the Journey to the West, secretly plotted by Buddhism and the Heavenly Court, to succeed.

The River Demon's Curtain-Lifting General of the Flowing Sand River must not be allowed to join the pilgrimage team. Anxious, Liu Qing unfurled his fiery wings and took to the air, following the guidance of the Scent-Smelling Insects, continuing his westward flight.

After flying for only a few hundred miles, another mountain range appeared, with dense demonic energy emanating from it. Judging from the ferocity of the demonic energy, the great demon dwelling here must also possess the cultivation of a demon saint.

Recalling the order of the eighty-one tribulations in the Journey to the West he had read in his previous life, Liu Qing guessed that this mountain range was probably Huangfeng Ridge.

As expected, a figure soared into the air and blocked Liu Qing's path.

This figure, dressed in patchwork Buddhist robes and straw sandals, with a compassionate expression, was also a Buddhist master.

He held a precious staff in his right hand, with a flying dragon coiled around its shaft. This staff was the sacred treasure of this Buddhist master, known as the Flying Dragon Staff.

In addition, a yellow-haired weasel sat on the shoulder of this Buddhist bodhisattva. The weasel's eyes were fixed on Liu Qing, and occasionally flashed with naked murderous intent.

Among the eighty-one tribulations on the journey to the West, the Yellow Wind Monster of Yellow Wind Ridge was arguably the most powerful demon in the early stages.

This Yellow Wind Monster was originally a yellow-haired weasel that attained enlightenment at the foot of Mount Ling. Because it stole the clear oil from the glass lamp, it feared that the guardian Vajra would catch it, so it secretly fled to the mortal world to become a demon.

This action, however, fulfilled the wishes of Buddha and Guanyin, who used the Yellow Wind Monster as an obstacle on their journey to the West.

This Yellow Wind Monster has a special talent called "Samadhi Yellow Wind," which can darken the heavens and earth, make ghosts tremble, and even blow away the incense and bodies of guardian deities with a single breath, making it extremely terrifying.

Later, the monkey was no match for the monster, so the Bodhisattva Lingji came to help. He used the Wind-Fixing Pill given by the Buddha to freeze the Yellow Wind Monster's Samadhi Yellow Wind and subdue it.
Judging from the attire of the person blocking the way, Liu Qing already had a guess in his mind.

It turns out that the pilgrimage team had already passed the trial at Huangfeng Ridge.

Liu Qing secretly transmitted the situation on his side to his two senior brothers, Golden Hoop Immortal and Pilu Immortal, in the lower realm through the Intercepting Sect disciple token.

In addition, they were instructed to hurry to the Flowing Sand River and to make sure that the Curtain-Rolling General did not join the pilgrimage team.

Otherwise, once the selection of the chosen people for the pilgrimage team begins, it will be recognized by the Heavenly Dao, and the journey to the West will begin, but then it will be too late.

As for the Holy Mother of Wudang, Liu Qing didn't need to inform her. Her cultivation level was almost equal to that of the Buddha, so she naturally kept a close eye on the Buddha.

"May I ask if it was the Bodhisattva Lingji in person?"

"Indeed. Benefactor, this road is blocked. Please return the way you came."

The Bodhisattva Lingji had a dark, thin face like an ascetic monk, filled with compassion, unlike the Five Directions Protectors who immediately shouted for Liu Qing to be killed upon seeing him.

This Bodhisattva's character and actions do not live up to the title of Bodhisattva.

He was a Buddhist ascetic who was not well-known in Buddhism and did not seek fame or profit. He devoted his days to practicing Buddhism and helping believers escape suffering. He was a true Buddhist.

Buddhists are kind and compassionate, but they should not obstruct Liu Qing's journey. Even if Liu Qing has some respect for Bodhisattva Lingji, that is not a reason for him to stop Liu Qing from going west.

Neither side is inherently good or evil; they simply belong to different camps. Lingji Bodhisattva, for the sake of Buddhism, tries to stop Liu Qing, while Liu Qing, for the sake of the Jie Sect, insists on going west and disrupting the Journey to the West.

"Further words are useless, Bodhisattva. Let's have a fight instead. If you win, you can do whatever you want with me. If I win, please make way."

Bodhisattva Lingji sighed and chanted a Buddhist prayer: "Approved!"

After speaking, Bodhisattva Lingji circulated the Buddhist power within his body. This Buddhist power and divine power are similar in nature, only the names are different.

As the Buddha's power circulated throughout his body, Lingji Bodhisattva's body faintly shone with gold. Liu Qing's eyelids twitched; Lingji Bodhisattva's cultivation level had actually reached the Golden Body Realm.

It makes sense when you think about it. The five hundred Arhats, disciples of the third generation of Buddhism, are equivalent to the Five Directions Protectors, who are already at the Divine Realm.

As a second-generation disciple of Buddhism, it is only natural that Bodhisattva Lingji attained the Golden Body Realm in his spiritual practice.

Compared to the other eight great Bodhisattvas of Buddhism who were also second-generation disciples, such as Sunlight Bodhisattva, Moonlight Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, his spiritual attainment was already much weaker.

They are far inferior to Guanyin, Manjushri, and other Bodhisattvas. This is because these Bodhisattvas were already skilled in their own arts when they came to study under a master, and their spiritual attainments were already high.

As the Buddha's power surged, Lingji Bodhisattva prepared to fight. The yellow-haired weasel that had been perched on his shoulder squeaked and jumped off.

With a flick of his wrist, he transformed into a gaunt, short man with a pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks, yellow hair on his head, and a three-pronged fork in his hand—the true form of the Yellow Wind Monster.

The Yellow Wind Monster exuded a rampant and powerful demonic aura, and also possessed the cultivation of a god.

Liu Qing's expression turned serious. He wasn't afraid of the Yellow Wind Monster, but with the Golden Body Realm Bodhisattva Lingji blocking their path—a Bodhisattva and a demon saint—it seemed a fierce battle was brewing today. (End of Chapter)