Chapter 1002
Executing the Tribulations of the Journey to the West
Chu Yang suddenly stepped forward, staring intently at Bodhisattva Samantabhadra: "With a mere 'not yet aware,' you think you can so easily wipe out the lives of the entire city's inhabitants? With a useless 'peace talisman,' you think you can dismiss me, the victim who almost lost my life? Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, isn't this a far too good deal?"
Sun Wukong sneered from the side, the golden cudgel in his hand scraping against the ground with a harsh sound: "Old man Puxian, did you understand what my brother said? His sword is broken, and his fire is out. At least old man Manjushri gave him a Nine-Turn Golden Elixir to save his life. You, one of the Four Great Bodhisattvas, if you can fool people with just a broken talisman, I, Old Sun, will not allow it! My golden cudgel hasn't tasted the golden body of a Bodhisattva in a long time!"
As Sun Wukong finished speaking, he suddenly unleashed the terrifying aura he had displayed during his rampage in the Heavenly Palace. That aura soared into the sky, forcing the sea of clouds surrounding the Golden Summit of Mount Emei back hundreds of feet.
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's expression changed drastically. He knew Sun Wukong's strength all too well. Although he was a Bodhisattva, if a real fight broke out, the Golden Summit would definitely be lost. Moreover, the other side held that fatal evidence.
"You...you're extorting me!" Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's voice carried an undisguised anger.
"Extortion? No, no, no, Bodhisattva, you've used the wrong words." Chu Yang shook his finger, his eyes flashing with the shrewdness of a businessman and the greed of a hungry wolf. "This is compensation. I'm a fair man; I'll compensate for whatever I break. I broke a sword and damaged my primordial fire. As long as you offer me a magic weapon that satisfies me, I'll leave immediately. Otherwise..."
Chu Yang shook the recording stone in his hand: "This stone will appear in the sky above Chang'an City of the Tang Dynasty in half an hour. I want to let those millions of people see what kind of thing the Bodhisattva they worship day and night has to ride!"
"How dare you!" Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's eyes widened in anger, and his robes fluttered even without wind.
"You'll see if I dare!" Chu Yang showed no sign of backing down, making no attempt to conceal his murderous aura.
Sun Wukong also raised his golden cudgel above his head, waiting for Chu Yang's order to smash the Great Hall of the Buddha.
A stalemate, a deadly stalemate.
The surrounding Arhats didn't even dare to breathe loudly.
A full incense stick's time had passed.
Looking into those two equally unruly and unyielding eyes, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva finally deflated like a punctured balloon, his Buddhist aura dimming. He knew that if he couldn't satisfy these two scoundrels' demands today, the future of Buddhism would truly be ruined in his hands.
"Very well... what a sharp-tongued mortal you are." Samantabhadra Bodhisattva gritted his teeth, practically forcing out the words, "You want a magic weapon, is that it? I'll grant your wish!"
Having said that, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva suddenly waved his wide sleeves.
Two extremely dazzling beams of light flew out from his sleeves and hovered in front of Chu Yang.
On the left is a three-foot-long sword, its entire body seemingly crafted from crystal. The blade is transparent, yet it faintly shimmers with a seven-colored Buddhist light. The space around the blade is slightly distorted, emanating a sharp aura that can sever all cause and effect.
To the right was an extremely ancient bronze lamp. There was no wick inside the lamp, but a bewitching red lotus floated in the air. The red lotus burned with dark red flames, and around the flames seemed to be countless wronged souls wailing, yet they were firmly suppressed by a supreme Buddhist force.
Chu Yang's eyes lit up at just one glance. He could clearly sense that these two magical treasures were definitely not ordinary, and were even more powerful than any magical treasure he had ever seen in the lower realm.
"This sword is called the 'Sword of Severing Karmic Ignorance'." Although Samantabhadra Bodhisattva took out the magic weapon, his face twitched with heartache. "It was forged by me when I was enlightened under the Bodhi tree, using the first ray of dawn's Buddha light mixed with ten thousand years of sky blue. This sword is indestructible and is used to sever demonic and karmic obstacles. It can even cleave through the hide of that yellow-tusked old elephant with a single strike!"
Then, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra pointed to the bronze lamp and said, "This lamp is called the 'Eight-Treasure Glazed Red Lotus Lamp.' What burns inside is the 'Red Lotus Karmic Fire,' which can incinerate all things in the world. Since Benefactor Chu is proficient in fire magic, with the blessing of this karmic fire, the power of your flames will be increased more than tenfold!"
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva stared intently at Chu Yang: "Benefactor Chu, these two magical treasures are the most precious artifacts in my temple. Take them as compensation. Now, can you destroy that recording stone?"
Chu Yang completely ignored the murderous gaze of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. He grabbed the 'Sword of Severing Karma and Ignorance'. The moment the hilt touched his hand, a cool and sharp sword intent surged into his mind, as if resonating with his soul. With a casual swing, a seven-colored sword aura instantly slashed out, silently cleaving a small mountain peak a hundred feet away in two!
"What a fine sword!" Chu Yang couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
Then, he reached out to the 'Eight Treasures Glazed Red Lotus Lamp'. With a thought, the 'Heaven-Burning True Fire' within his body, strengthened by the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, surged out from his fingertips and instantly merged with the red lotus karmic fire in the lamp.
"boom!"
A dark red pillar of fire suddenly shot up from Chu Yang's palm. The space around the flame was burned open with black cracks, and the terrifying heat instantly melted the surrounding white marble ground into lava.
Chu Yang put away the flames and the sword with satisfaction, storing them in his storage space. Then, he slowly tucked the recording stone back into his robes.
"Benefactor Chu! What do you mean by this? Are you going back on your word?!" When Samantabhadra Bodhisattva saw that Chu Yang had not handed over the recording stone, he was furious.
"Bodhisattva, please don't be hasty." Chu Yang patted his chest and said with a smile, "I, Chu Yang, always keep my word. I will never reveal the scene in this recording stone to any unrelated mortal. But..." Chu Yang's tone changed, and the smile on his lips became extremely wicked: "I have to keep this stone. After all, those three old monsters are still alive and kicking in Lion Camel Ridge. In case you, Bodhisattva, after descending to the mortal realm, are concerned about the bond between master and servant and are reluctant to deal with them severely, my brother and I will have proof to go to Leiyin Temple and ask Buddha for a judgment, won't we?"
"You!" Samantabhadra Bodhisattva trembled with rage, pointing at Chu Yang, speechless for a long time. He, a Bodhisattva, had been utterly dominated by a mere mortal—this was an utter disgrace!
Sun Wukong watched with great enjoyment, laughing heartily as he put his arm around Chu Yang's shoulder: "Brother, you're right! One can never be too careful! Old man Puxian, I'll accept the magic weapon. Now, it's time for you to keep your promise. Come on, let's go back to Lion Camel Ridge and deal with that troublemaking beast of yours!"
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva took a few deep breaths, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart. He knew that saying anything more would be useless now, and he could only swallow this bitter pill.
"I will depart now. You go ahead, I will follow shortly," said Samantabhadra Bodhisattva coldly, turning to return to the main hall.
"No, Bodhisattva." Chu Yang wasn't about to let him off so easily. "Your mount is fast. We'll fight tooth and nail ahead while you slack off behind. By the time you arrive, Tang Sanzang might not even be left with a bone fragment. Since we're going to go, let's go together!"
Sun Wukong understood immediately, and in a flash, he blocked the way for Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, slamming his golden cudgel across the ground: "Bodhisattva, please. If you find walking tiring, my somersault cloud is very large and can give you a ride. If you want to fly by yourself, I'll be watching you from behind, so please don't get lost!"
This is blatant extortion!
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's face turned pale and then red, but seeing Sun Wukong's posture of being ready to turn on him at any moment, he finally gritted his teeth and swallowed his anger.
"I can walk by myself!" Samantabhadra Bodhisattva flicked his sleeves, and a six-colored lotus platform appeared beneath his feet, rising into the air.
"Brother Monkey, let's go. Back to Lion Camel Ridge!" Chu Yang patted the newly acquired sword at his waist, feeling more confident than ever before.
Sun Wukong whistled, and the somersault cloud instantly appeared beneath his feet. The two leaped onto the cloud, flanking Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's lotus platform on either side, looking just like two bailiffs escorting prisoners.
"Manjushri Bodhisattva is probably already on his way. The real show will only begin when we reach Lion Camel Ridge." Chu Yang looked at the rolling sea of clouds ahead, his eyes flashing with cold killing intent.
"Hehe, with these two living ancestors stepping in, I, Old Sun, want to see if those three monsters still dare to be so arrogant!" Sun Wukong sneered, urged his somersault cloud, transformed into a golden light, and pushed Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, speeding towards the direction of Lion Camel Ridge.
The somersault cloud tore through the clouds, plummeting down like a golden lightning bolt, rapidly magnifying the outline of Lion Camel Ridge below. A fierce wind, carrying the pungent stench of blood and sulfur, swept in, black smoke still rising from the collapsed rock faces of the mountainside. Broken rocks and severed tree trunks littered the ground, like bones gnawed by a giant beast. Sun Wukong's toes touched the ground, and the cloud came to a steady stop before the precipice halfway up the mountain. The once lush vines outside the cave entrance had been whipped to shreds by the elephant's trunk, and the ground was littered with deep pits and scorch marks.
"Brother, we're here! Those three beasts are still causing trouble down there!" Sun Wukong, carrying his golden cudgel, turned to Chu Yang with a grin, and casually pushed the lotus platform of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva forward. "Bodhisattva, would you like to go first? Or shall I, Old Sun, clear the way for you?"
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's face was ashen, his six-colored lotus platform trembling slightly. He stared at the ravaged forest below, his Adam's apple bobbing, but he remained silent. Chu Yang jumped down from the cloud, patted the Sword of Slaying Karma at his waist, and said lazily, "Bodhisattva, don't be so quick to anger. When you see your precious mount later, you'll have to teach it a lesson. Didn't you say it was listening to the sutras on the back mountain at the Golden Summit? How come the whole mountain is covered in its footprints now?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a thunderous roar echoed from afar outside the cave: "Sun Wukong! You impudent monkey, you finally dare to come out! Watch me crush you into a meat patty!" The enormous body of the Yellow-Toothed Elephant Monster burst forth from the forest, its trunk whistling as it swung. Behind it followed the Green-Haired Lion Monster and the Golden-Winged Roc. The three men and one beast approached menacingly, their footsteps cracking the rocks beneath their feet.
The Golden-Winged Roc spread its wings and hovered in mid-air, sneering repeatedly: "Monkey, you brought reinforcements? This mortal brat thinks he can turn the world upside down? Today I'll devour you all, leaving not even bones behind!"
Sun Wukong laughed heartily, slamming his golden cudgel into the ground, causing it to tremble three times: "Swallow? You feathered beast, look behind you before you boast! I, Old Sun, have invited two distinguished guests today to give you three a good lesson!"
The blue-haired lion monster's eyes widened like copper bells. He brandished his axe, ready to pounce, but suddenly caught sight of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's lotus throne and Manjushri Bodhisattva's seven-colored lotus descending from the clouds. His face turned deathly pale, and he nearly dropped his axe: "This...this...Master? Manjushri Bodhisattva? Samantabhadra Bodhisattva? How could you..."
The yellow-tusked old elephant monster's trunk froze in mid-air, its massive body swaying as if struck by lightning: "Samantabhadra Bodhisattva... I... I was just... just searching the mountain..."
The Golden-Winged Roc suddenly folded its wings, nearly falling from the sky. It cried out shrilly, "Uncle... no, Buddha... Bodhisattvas, how did you get mixed up with this monkey? We are carrying out the Journey to the West tribulation!"
Chu Yang leaned on Sun Wukong's shoulder, slowly taking out a recording stone from his robes. He twirled it between his fingers, a cold smile playing on his lips. "A calamity? Three great kings, you didn't say that in the cave just now. Come, come, the Bodhisattvas are all here. Repeat your boastful words again. What 'Tang Sanzang's flesh is the most nourishing when stewed,' what 'It's only satisfying to eat all the people of Lion Camel Kingdom clean'—I've recorded it all in this stone. Want to play it for the Bodhisattvas right now?"
Manjushri Bodhisattva stood on a seven-colored lotus, his brows furrowed, and sighed but remained silent. Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's expression grew even more grim as he stared at the yellow-toothed old elephant monster, his voice low and strained, as if squeezed out from between his teeth: "You wicked beast, you...you really committed all sorts of misdeeds in the mortal realm? I clearly instructed you to abide by the rules before I went into seclusion!"
The old elephant monster with yellow teeth knelt down with a thud, its trunk touching the ground, its voice trembling: "Bodhisattva, please understand! I... I only thought that Tang Sanzang's flesh could nourish the body, so I was confused for a moment... Lion Camel Ridge is a remote place, no one cares, so I... so I ate a few more mortals..."
"How many?" Chu Yang suddenly burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the mountainside. He took two steps forward and pointed to the distant valley littered with bones. "How many? The skeletons piled up in that valley could probably build a city wall, right? What about all the people of Lion Camel Kingdom? Did they all end up in your bellies? Bodhisattva, your mount certainly has a big appetite; it can swallow tens of thousands of lives in one gulp. Manjushri Bodhisattva, your green-maned lion is the same; it just said it would swallow me, Brother Monkey, too. Listen to that! What kind of divine beast is this, listening to the sutras?"
Sun Wukong slung his golden cudgel over his shoulder, circled the kneeling yellow-toothed elephant monster, and clicked his tongue in amazement: "Brother, you're right! Bodhisattvas, these three were chasing me all over the place just now, almost strangling Master and me to death. Look at my chest, the blood hasn't even dried yet! If I hadn't been quick-witted enough to invite you here, Lion Camel Ridge would still be their canteen!"
The blue-haired lion monster knelt down the fastest, throwing his nine-ringed broadsword aside and pressing his head to the ground: "Manjushri Bodhisattva, I know I was wrong! I was originally your mount, and I only came down to the mortal realm to help the pilgrims overcome their tribulations, but I didn't expect... I didn't expect to go too far... Bodhisattva, please forgive me!" (End of Chapter)