In the country of Wuli, Jiang Yuan listened to the old man's words.
This country was far from the sea, and he did not pay much attention to it; he only intended to enter Wuli.
Jiang Yuan rode the White Deer through Wuli, wandering through the narrow alleys.
His celestial demeanor naturally attracted many people to follow him, surrounding him as he walked.
The True Man was indifferent, only concerned with moving forward.
After two or three days, he arrived at a marketplace and suddenly heard the sounds of weeping and wailing.
Jiang Zhenren made the White Deer stop, feeling something in his heart.
He looked towards a house and saw a young man, stamping his feet and beating his chest, mourning over a coffin, indicating that there was a death in the family.
Jiang Yuan suddenly understood how he had come to this place; it was because this young man had a karmic connection with him, and the White Deer had unintentionally wandered here.
However, he thought to himself that his understanding was shallow, and this was not the time for him to open a door to accept disciples.
He had a karmic connection with this young man, but the timing was not right.
This karmic connection could not bear fruit, hence there was no master-disciple bond.
A master and disciple require karmic connection and timing; neither can be absent.
If the master has not completed his cultivation, and the disciple arrives, there is nothing to pass on.
If the master has completed his cultivation, but the disciple has not arrived, there is still nothing to pass on.
Jiang Yuan sighed inwardly, "My understanding is shallow; how can I teach a disciple without misleading him? Alas, alas! Let me see what is causing this person such sorrow."
He dismounted the White Deer and walked closer, stopping an old man to ask, "Old brother, old brother! I am a cultivator, and I have wandered here today. I see this family is in mourning, and the son is stamping his feet and beating his chest. I do not know what has happened, so I stopped you. If I have disturbed you, do not blame me."
The old man, seeing Jiang Yuan's celestial appearance, bowed and said, "Master, there is no disturbance, no disturbance. This family is the Liu family of Wuli. It is said that they are a distant family that fled here, having settled for two or three generations. Today, Liu's mother has passed away, hence her son is crying. The son is a filial gentleman, truly rare."
Jiang Yuan supported the old man and said, "Old brother, there is no need for such courtesy. Life and death are fated; one cannot force it. This son, in such a state, fears he may wish to take his own life to follow his mother. Why is there no one in the family to stop him?"
The old man replied, "Master, you do not know; this family has only one remaining son, and there is no one to stop him. Moreover, Liu's mother should not have died; it is truly unknown why."
Jiang Yuan tied the White Deer nearby and said, "What do you mean she should not have died?"
The old man said, "On the day Liu's mother died, someone claimed to have seen the Grim Reaper come, saying 'Where is Lao?' That Lao was a seriously ill person, yet Liu's mother was healthy. I do not know how it happened, but Liu's mother died, while that Lao did not die, and his illness improved. They all say it was a case of mistaken identity."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan recalled various past events.
In those years, the Underworld also made a mistake and nearly took him away, but it was his master who protected him, allowing him to remain unharmed.
He held a grudge against the Underworld.
When he had the time, he must visit the Underworld.
He said, "So it is. I might as well go in and advise him, so that this son does not suffer too much."
The old man said, "Master, please go, please go!"
Jiang Yuan gently patted the White Deer, instructing it not to cause trouble, and then he walked into the house, saying, "Life and death are fated; do not let sorrow occupy your heart and harm your spirit."
The Liu family son looked up and saw the True Man's celestial appearance, tears streaming down his face as he said, "Master, my mother has died today; my sorrow arises from my heart."
Jiang Yuan said, "You have been filial to your parents, fulfilling your duties while they were alive, and preparing the coffin and burial clothes after their passing; you have done enough."
The Liu family son said, "Master, I have heard that my mother was taken by the Grim Reaper by mistake. If my mother had died of natural causes, how could I not be sad? As a son, if my mother is wrongfully taken by the Grim Reaper, I am powerless; this is unfilial. For someone like me, I should quickly die and go to the Underworld to protect my mother."
Jiang Yuan said, "Whether it was a mistake or not is not certain. It would be better for me to summon the local land deity to ask; then we will have a clear understanding."
The Liu family son, hearing this, bowed down to the ground and said, "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!"
Jiang Yuan helped him up and recited a spell, summoning the land deity of Wuli to ask.
After a short while, the land deity appeared, entered the house, and bowed, saying, "Immortal, I am here. I do not know why you have summoned me."
Jiang Yuan said, "You are the land deity of Wuli. Do you know about this Liu family's affairs? Have you heard that Liu's mother was taken by mistake?"
The land deity bowed again and said, "Indeed, there is such a matter! I could not stop it; that Grim Reaper took the wrong person and returned to the Underworld."
Jiang Yuan said, "Is this not your fault?"
The land deity, feeling fearful, bowed and said, "Immortal, that Grim Reaper had documents; I could not stop him. I did not know it was a mistake until it was too late. Because I am of low status and my words carry little weight, I could do nothing. I hope the Immortal will forgive me!"
Jiang Yuan said, "Enough, enough, enough! I will not make it difficult for you; you may go."
The land deity bowed and said, "Thank you, Immortal! I shall take my leave!"
After saying this, the land deity vanished into the ground, disappearing from sight.
The Liu family son approached, kneeling on the ground, and sorrowfully said, "Now that I have heard my mother was taken by mistake, she should not have died. If the Underworld took her, as a son, this grudge cannot go unavenged.
I know the Master possesses great powers, but I know 'there are no relatives or friends' in the Underworld, so I do not dare to trouble the Master. But please point me in the right direction; how do I go to the Underworld?
I will scatter my family wealth and buy weapons in the marketplace to go to the Underworld and protect my mother."
Jiang Yuan said, "Do you truly not need my help?"
The Liu family son said, "This has nothing to do with the Master; how could I ask the Master to help me?"
Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "You are truly a gentleman. I will not hide it from you; I have a karmic connection with you, making us master and disciple, but not in this lifetime. The timing is not right.
Now that I have heard of your mother's death, you are in great sorrow. However, since your mother was wrongfully taken by the Underworld, it is often said, 'People have a lifespan, and so do deaths.' I suspect your mother is still in the Underworld.
I will go to Mount Luojia, and if I return and your mother's body is still intact, I will help her return to life. If it is not intact, then I cannot save her."
The Liu family son said sorrowfully, "Master, in the scorching summer, how can my mother's body remain?"
Jiang Yuan said, "I have my own methods to ensure your mother's body is not affected by the four seasons. However, if other matters cause harm to her body, I cannot help you."
The Liu family son knelt down, bowing countless times, and said, "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!"
Jiang Yuan said, "This journey may take many years. Whether your mother lives or not depends on you."
After saying this, he blew a breath of celestial energy into the coffin, exited the house, and led the White Deer away, intending to leave Wuli and head towards the South Sea.
As Jiang Yuan rode the White Deer out, about ten young men knelt on the road, wanting to follow Jiang Yuan to cultivate.
Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "The path lies beneath your feet; why must you learn from me?"
The True Man ignored the ten young men and rode the White Deer towards the sea.
...
Meanwhile, the Monkey King in the Three Star Cave was invigorated, showing off his skills, driving his master away, and declaring that he would never allow him to stay in the cave.
He further stated, "I will not allow anyone to say it was from the Three Star Cave. If anyone utters even half a word, I will personally come and skin the Monkey King, grind his bones, and cast his soul into the Nine Hells, ensuring the Monkey King can never rise again."
The Monkey King left the Three Star Cave, wanting to pay respects to his senior brother but could not, so he returned to the Eastern Victory Divine Continent and went back to the Water Curtain Cave in Flower Fruit Mountain.
Upon returning, the Monkey King defeated the Chaos Demon King, practicing martial arts daily, and teaching the monkeys and their offspring.
He utilized the military strategies learned from the Three Star Cave's collection, setting up camp, raising flags, and training them as soldiers.
Seeing the monkeys and their offspring forming an army, and thinking of the weapons in his hands, which were ordinary items, while the monkeys mostly used bamboo poles and wooden swords, he suddenly thought of Jiang Yuan and secretly said, "In the past, when I tried to test my powers with my senior brother, he had a robe and a tripod, both of which were extraordinary items.
If I had obtained a divine weapon back then, the outcome would have been uncertain. Now I need a divine weapon; if I have a divine weapon, when I meet my senior brother again, I will surely win."
The Monkey King was pondering this when he did not know where to find a divine weapon.
He waved his hand and called over four old monkeys to explain the situation.
The four old monkeys, upon hearing this, bowed and said, "Great King, if you seek weapons, there are some in the neighboring Aolai Country of Flower Fruit Mountain. However, those are mostly ordinary weapons. You, as a divine being, cannot use ordinary weapons; they are not suitable. But under the Iron Plate Bridge of the Water Curtain Cave, there is an entrance to the sea. There is a Dragon Palace in the East Sea with countless treasures. Why not ask the Dragon King for a weapon? That would surely be suitable."
The Monkey King was overjoyed and said, "That is exactly right! I have heard that I possess the ability to transform into seventy-two forms, achieving eternal life and immortality. With a single somersault, I can travel eighty thousand miles. There are paths to heaven and doors to the earth; I can walk without leaving a shadow and enter gold and stone without obstruction. Few can surpass me in the Three Realms; I shall wield a divine weapon."
The Monkey King was excited and was about to enter the sea to find a way.
...
Indeed, time passed quickly, and before he knew it, half a month had gone by.
Jiang Yuan rode the White Deer to the shores of the South Sea.
He no longer rode but used a sleeve to store the White Deer.
He then rose on a cloud, traveling twenty-four thousand miles to the depths of the South Sea.
He saw that in the depths of the South Sea, "Layers of snow waves roared to the blue sky, countless smoky waves surged in the daylight."
The True Man did not know where Mount Luojia was.
He rode the cloud, focused his qi, and looked around.
He then saw a five-colored light rising in the south, just as his master had said, "Where the five-colored light rises is Mount Luojia."
He then leaped towards that bright spot.
After traveling for a while, he took a closer look.
What a beautiful Mount Luojia! The five-colored light enveloped the mountain peak, various auspicious grasses swayed in the sunlight and moonlight, the Glazed Tile of the Guanyin Hall sparkled, and the entrance of the Tide Sound Cave was paved with tortoiseshell.
In the Purple Bamboo Forest, spirits often appeared; it was truly a good place, a blessed land for immortals.
As Jiang Yuan approached, a protective deity appeared and asked, "Who comes here?"
Jiang Yuan, riding on the cloud, said, "I am Guangxin, the eldest disciple of the Bodhi Patriarch of Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, from the Xieyue Three Star Cave. I have come here at the invitation of Guanyin Bodhisattva to attend the Dharma assembly. My master is in quiet cultivation and cannot come, so I was sent to attend the assembly. If there is any offense, please do not blame me!"
The protective deity, holding a heavy iron staff, bowed and said, "I did not expect it to be True Man Guangxin! I am Huian, the eldest disciple of Guanyin Bodhisattva."
Jiang Yuan returned the greeting and said, "So it is Huian the Practitioner; I am honored."
Huian said, "True Man, it is my failure to welcome you. Please follow me into the mountain."
After saying this, Huian led Jiang Yuan towards the Purple Bamboo Forest of Mount Luojia.
Upon entering the Purple Bamboo Forest, they saw that a banquet was set up, and it was quite lively.
There were Arhats, Bodhisattvas, Vajra, monks, nuns, and many others present, with immeasurable light shining.
The Dharma assembly had not yet concluded, and the various Buddhas were discussing the Dharma.
Huian said, "True Man Guangxin, please follow me to meet my master."
Jiang Yuan said, "That is exactly right."
Huian led Jiang Yuan through the forest, and after a short while, they arrived at the entrance of the Tide Sound Cave, where they reported to Guanyin Bodhisattva.
When Guanyin Bodhisattva called him in, Jiang Yuan entered the cave, walked to the lotus platform, and bowed, saying, "Guangxin pays respects to the Bodhisattva."
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "Please rise. Has Bodhi Dao brother not yet arrived?"
Jiang Yuan said, "My master is in quiet cultivation and has not found the time, so he sent me to attend the Dharma assembly."
The Bodhisattva said, "Guangxin has already attained the Dao; you may attend the Dharma assembly. I remember when I first met Guangxin, your heart was still restless, and the Dao was far from completion. After several hundred years in the mortal realm, you have achieved success."
Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "It is due to my master's efforts."
The Bodhisattva said, "Bodhi Dao brother has many disciples, but none are like you."
Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "I am merely an ordinary person."
The Bodhisattva smiled and said, "Guangxin is humble; someone like you is hard to find in the Four Great Continents."
Jiang Yuan did not speak much at this moment.
Such praises, if heard too often, might lead to arrogance.
He was fond of cultivating his heart and was most averse to such things.
He asked, "Bodhisattva, this is my first time participating in a Dharma assembly, and I do not know the ways of it. I hope the Bodhisattva will teach me."
The Bodhisattva said, "Since that is the case, Guangxin, just listen; there is no need for you to speak. When you participate in various Dharma assemblies in the future, you may discuss the Dharma then."
Jiang Yuan said, "Thank you, Bodhisattva."
The Bodhisattva then called Huian to come forward and took Jiang Yuan to the Purple Bamboo Forest.
Before long, Huian and Jiang Yuan left, and the Dragon Maiden, serving by the lotus platform, frequently looked over.
When the two had walked far away, she said, "Bodhisattva, is this person truly a True Man? He indeed has the demeanor of an immortal, possessing the aura of a celestial being. But has he truly comprehended the Zen teachings? His appearance does not show even a trace of Buddhist teachings."
Guanyin Bodhisattva looked at the Dragon Maiden and said, "You are being attached to appearances."
The Dragon Maiden shook her head and said, "Bodhisattva, I do not understand."
The Bodhisattva said, "Do you see any difference between a Buddha and a demon?"
The Dragon Maiden replied, "Buddha is the supreme true law, while demons are obstacles to evil; there is a great difference."
The Bodhisattva said, "It is merely a thought. If we discuss the essence, they are both nothingness. The Mystical Gate and the Buddhist Gate need not be elaborated upon. Guangxin speaks of the three teachings; his understanding of the Buddha's Zen teachings has been long established, and his rituals are complete. You should not speak of him in such a manner. I speak to you this time; you must remember, when you understand, you will no longer have demonic obstacles."
The Dragon Maiden did not understand.
...
In the Purple Bamboo Forest.
Huian led Jiang Yuan to a seat, where there were distinctions of upper and lower, left and right.
Jiang Yuan sat in the upper seat, which was where the Bodhi Patriarch would sit.
As his eldest disciple and an accomplished Daoist, he was thus seated here, and there was no one who would not accept it.
After Jiang Yuan took his seat, Huian left.
The True Man looked at the fragrant tea on the table and then at the Buddhas in the forest.
As he looked, he saw someone approaching.
This person came forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "True Man Guangxin."
Jiang Yuan returned the greeting.
He focused his qi and saw that this person was surrounded by immeasurable light, indicating he was a profound practitioner of the Buddha's teachings.
He asked, "May I ask the elder's Dharma name?"
This person smiled and said, "I am Jinchanzi. Today, I am the second disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha. I have long heard of the True Man's name and the profundity of your Zen teachings. I have never had the chance to meet you until now, in the Purple Bamboo Forest; it is truly a karmic connection."
Jiang Yuan said, "So it is Jinchan Elder; I did not expect my name to be known to you."
Jinchanzi said, "True Man Guangxin's name is well-known in the Western Cowherd Continent. In the past, when the True Man attained the Dao, clouds traveled for ninety thousand miles, and many knew of your attainment. I do not know how many people congratulated you on your success at the immortal mountain and ancient cave; this is something you may not know."
Jiang Yuan, upon hearing this, smiled and said, "I did not know that so many people knew my name."
Jinchanzi said, "True Man Guangxin is humble. Maitreya Bodhisattva also counts as your disciple. Your abilities are remarkable. If the Purple Bamboo Forest Dharma assembly concludes, I would like to discuss Zen teachings with you."
Jiang Yuan, hearing this, smiled but did not speak, neither agreeing nor refusing...
(End of Chapter)