Journey to the West: The roadblock!

Chapter 36, The Four Sages Test the Mind of Zen (Part 3)
The three women exchanged a glance, and Zhenzhen said:
"Don't worry, brother-in-law, I'll go and subdue Nezha!"

Ao Tu said, "Sister-in-law, don't be reckless!"

Manjushri Bodhisattva didn't say much, but rose up on a cloud and flew outside.

Seeing this, Ao Tu followed and stood guard for him.

Outside, Nezha saw Ao Tu flying out with a woman and laughed, "Demon dragon, you can't defeat me, so why did you bring a woman with you!"

Ao Tu said, "Nezha, don't be arrogant. This is my sister-in-law, who has great supernatural powers. Let's see her use her magic to subdue you."

Nezha said, "What tricks does this little female demon have? Watch me cut her down with three sword strikes!"

Manjushri Bodhisattva said, "Nezha, how dare you act so wildly in front of me?"

He then took out an object from his sleeve, named the Dragon-Hiding Stake, also known as the Seven-Treasure Golden Lotus, and threw it into the air.

The wind blew across the fields, clouds and mist filled the sky, dust was scattered and fell with a sound.

Seeing this from the heavens, Sun Wukong knew something was wrong and quickly pulled Li Tianwang away.

Nezha was too close to escape. He was dazed and disoriented; it was pitch black, and he couldn't tell east from west. A golden ring was around his neck, and two golden rings around his legs, binding him to a golden pillar. When he opened his eyes, he was completely immobilized.

Nezha roared, "Damn demon, how dare you steal my master's..."

Before he could finish speaking, Manjushri Bodhisattva used magic to seal his seven orifices.

Ao Tu grabbed Nezha's hair and tugged at it, saying, "Little Nezha, do you still dare to be arrogant?" Nezha was so angry that his face turned red, but he was helpless.

Manjushri Bodhisattva asked, "Brother-in-law, what about the marriage?"

Ao Tu said, "We haven't captured Sun Wukong yet, so it's not a good time to get married."

Outside, Sun Wukong and Li Tianwang, who had fled thousands of miles away, were still filled with lingering fear.

Wukong said, "Amazing, amazing! I wonder what kind of treasure it is. As soon as the golden mist appeared, the Third Prince was taken away. Heavenly King, do you recognize what kind of treasure it is?"

Li Tianwang shook his head and said, "I was too far away to see what kind of treasure it was."

Wukong grabbed his hand and said, "What should we do? The demons are so powerful, when will they be able to rescue my master?"

Li Tianwang said, "Great Sage, do not worry. Let me inform the Jade Emperor and send more troops to subdue the demons."

Wukong exclaimed happily, "Thank you, Heavenly King!"

The two then returned to Heaven and explained the situation to the Jade Emperor.

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor dispatched the Four Heavenly Kings, the four generals of the Thunder Department (Deng, Zhang, Xin, and Tao), and the Nine Luminaries of the Dipper Department, leading 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals to descend to the mortal realm to subdue the demons.

We arrived at the mountains again.

The Four Heavenly Kings laid a trap.

The Nine Luminaries Star Lord, along with 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals, surrounded and formed an array.

The four generals of the Thunder Department unleashed thousands of divine thunderbolts.

Ao Tu said, "This is terrible! We've provoked so many heavenly soldiers and generals. We'd better scatter and run for our lives!"

Master Puxian said, "Brother-in-law, what is there to fear even if there are 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals? Watch me use one method to subdue them!"

Having said that, he pointed a white light like a thread, which grew into a cloud of auspiciousness, covering the manor's pavilions. The pavilions had eight corners, with golden lamps on the corners, adorned with tassels and pearls, protecting the top.

The myriad divine thunderbolts naturally dissipated upon seeing the golden lamp, utterly unable to cause any harm.

Upon seeing this, the Four Heavenly Kings observed: Mo Liqing wielded the Qingyun Sword, which bore a talisman with four characters in the center: Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. When the sword was drawn, black winds and raging flames appeared, with thousands of spears and halberds within the black winds and golden snakes coiling within the raging flames.

Mo Lihong uses an umbrella called the Hunyuan Umbrella. The umbrella is adorned with the auspicious symbols of the Grandmother's Blessing, Grandmother's Seal, and Grandmother's Jade, as well as luminous pearls, jade dust pearls, jade fire pearls, jade water pearls, cooling pearls, nine-curved pearls, face-stabilizing pearls, and wind-stabilizing pearls. It also has pearls strung together to form the four characters: "Containing Heaven and Earth." When opened, it darkens the sky and obliterates the sun and moon; when turned, it shakes the universe, capturing both humans and demons.

Mo Lihai carries a pipa on his back with four strings, each representing earth, water, fire, and wind. Plucking the strings produces a captivating sound, unleashing wind and fire simultaneously, as powerful as the Qingyun Sword. Mo Lishou possesses a creature resembling a white rat, named the Flower Fox Sable. When placed in the air, it manifests as a white elephant with wings, devouring all living beings.

The four generals besieged the lamp, employing every means at their disposal, but for an hour, the lamp could not be broken.

The generals were all shocked and returned to camp to discuss the matter further.

Li Tianwang said, “Great Sage, that demon is incredibly powerful, and we cannot break his magic. If we report to the Jade Emperor again to send reinforcements, it may take too long and endanger our master. This journey to the West was originally arranged by Guanyin Bodhisattva. Why don’t you go to the South Sea and ask Guanyin Bodhisattva for help?”

Wukong said, "How could I not go? It's just that the Bodhisattva went out and is not in the South Sea, and no one knows where she is."

Li Tianwang said, "Since that's the case, why don't we go to the Western Paradise and ask the Buddha's soldiers to come and help us?"

Wukong said, "That's exactly what I was thinking. Please wait a moment while I go!"

Wukong rode his somersault cloud to the gate of Leiyin Temple on Mount Ling, seeking an audience with the Buddha.

The Buddha issued a decree ordering entry, and the Vajra granted permission.

Wukong entered the Thunderclap Temple and bowed in worship.

The Buddha asked, "Wukong, why are you here instead of protecting Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West? What has happened?"

Wukong bowed and said, "I have come to inform the Buddha. Since I came from the west with my master from the Tang Dynasty, I have encountered four female demons whose names I do not know. They are very powerful and forcibly captured my master and junior brother to marry the demon dragon Ao Tu."

The Jade Emperor sent Li Jing and his son to help, but the Third Prince was captured instead. The Four Heavenly Kings, the Four Thunder Generals, and the Nine Luminaries of the Dipper Department led 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals to besiege them, but none of them were a match for them.

Therefore, I hereby appeal to Buddha, hoping that Buddha will have mercy and send down Buddhist soldiers to capture this demon and rescue my master.

Upon hearing this, the Buddha looked into the distance with his all-seeing eye and, knowing it was the plan of the four sages, said:

“I already know this, but I cannot reveal the secrets of heaven. I will send eighteen Arhats with you to surround that demon’s abode. Do not make a move. Wait quietly for several days, and there will surely be a turning point.”

Wukong bowed in gratitude and, together with the eighteen Arhats, rode a cloud away from Mount Ling and hurried to the mountainside. Li Tianwang, upon seeing them, led his followers to welcome them and recounted the events of the past.

Wukong relayed the Buddha's decree, and Li Tianwang then ordered the gods to form an array, together with the eighteen Arhats, according to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, to surround the demon's residence.

When the three Bodhisattvas saw that the Arhat had arrived, they knew that the matter had alarmed the Buddha, so they came again to urge Ao Tu to get married.

Upon seeing this, Ao Tu knew that the matter should be concluded.

Ao Tu knew that the three men's patience had reached its limit, and with heavenly soldiers and arhats surrounding them outside, if he didn't agree soon, they would probably have to take action by force.

So Ao Tu agreed, saying, "We can get married, but before we do, I will first pay respects to my deceased father and inform him of the marriage."

Ao Tu's request was reasonable and justifiable, so there was no way to object.

Ao Tu set up a memorial tablet for the Jing River Dragon King, took out a string of paper money, and cried:

"Father! You died unjustly! I don't know who did this, plotting to take your life and causing you to die a wrongful death! I will definitely grind this person to dust in the future to avenge you!"

Upon hearing this, all the Bodhisattvas lowered their brows and closed their eyes.

Ao Tu then said, “Father! I am getting married today. My bride is a relative of the Western Dragon King Sagara, named Lianlian. She is a good match for my family! Lianlian, come quickly and burn paper money for my father to offer in worship!”

Guanyin Bodhisattva was stunned.

Ao Tu said, "What? Now that you are marrying me, and my father is your father, are you unwilling to offer sacrifices?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva hesitated.

Old Mother Lishan stepped forward, wiping away her tears, and said:
"My dear in-laws! I'm burning some paper money for you, hoping you won't worry in the netherworld. Since your son is my son, I will cherish, love, and care for him after he marries my daughter! My three daughters, come quickly and burn paper money to pay your respects!"

Seeing this, the three Bodhisattvas Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Avalokiteshvara had no choice but to step forward, bow slightly, pretend to wipe away tears, and burn a few pieces of paper money.

In the underworld, the official in charge of burning records was so frightened that he hurriedly reported:
"Oh no! Grandpa Yama, the Old Mother of Lishan, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and Guanyin Bodhisattva are all burning paper money for that Jinghe Old Dragon!"

(End of this chapter)