Tiger Subduing Arhat Has Arrived, Mirror

King Ziqi refused to melt Bai Bing's golden body and decided to use the gold for the country and its people. Bai Bingxue could understand her grandfather's longing for his daughter.

Bai Bingxue gazed at the golden-body Bodhisattva and thought, When Mother was alive, she married a man she did not love for the sake of the people's safety.

Now that Su Xue has asked her to return to the mortal world in the golden body of Great Compassion Guanyin, she is still thinking of the people's safety.

Since I can't persuade Grandfather for the time being, I'll have to find another way.

After noon, Hong Yun took Bai Bingxue to Alu Restaurant for a meal, and she also sent someone to summon Sixi.

The three of them ordered a tableful of delicacies and discussed opening the medicine shop. Bai Bingxue said, "The thousand taels of silver Third Uncle gave us can barely get it running. To keep it operating long-term, I think we'll still have to melt down that golden Bodhisattva."

Seeing this, Sixi asked about the reason, and Bai Bingxue answered him in detail. Although Sixi was young, he had grown up in a temple and had been steeped in Buddhist teachings from childhood.

Sixi took a sip of tea and said, "This little monk once heard my master expound the scriptures. Perhaps I can persuade His Highness."

Hong Yun laughed. "You little monk aren't even older than me. Why would Grandfather listen to you?"

Sixi smiled. "If this humble monk can't persuade His Highness, I'm willing to leave the clergy and return to secular life, becoming an apprentice at the medicine shop newly opened by the two princesses."

Bai Bingxue paused, then said, "I'll take you to see Grandfather later. If he refuses, don't argue stubbornly with him, lest you anger him."

As the three spoke, someone was listening from the other side of the wall. The matter of the golden Bodhisattva had been overheard.

That afternoon, Bai Bingxue and the other two wandered through the streets and alleys of Milu City for some time. When night fell, they returned to the palace, where a servant reported that King Ziqi was in the Hall of Light looking at the Bodhisattva statue.

Sixi walked to the entrance and first called out "Amitabha," stealing the initiative, before saying:

"Your body is a bodhi tree, your heart a bright mirror stand.

Ever diligently wipe it clean, lest dust collect upon it."

After hearing this, King Ziqi walked out of the room. He looked at Sixi and said, "Little Master, what profound Buddhist teachings."

Sixi said without anger or delight, "Your Highness, those four lines were written by Great Master Shenxiu, a disciple of Hongren, the Fifth Patriarch of Zen."

King Ziqi made a one-handed Buddhist salute and said, "Ever diligently wipe it clean, lest dust collect upon it—that has been a reflection of my life these past few days. It seems I have gained a deep understanding of Buddhism as well."

Sixi replied, "Your Highness, Sixth Patriarch Huineng also had a four-line verse. Listen carefully."

King Ziqi nodded.

Sixi said:

"Bodhi is not a tree, nor is the bright mirror a stand.

There is nothing from the start—where could dust collect?"

After hearing this, King Ziqi was deeply shaken. The latter four lines struck even closer to his heart, leaving him tongue-tied and unable to speak for a time.

Sixi paused, then said, "Great Master Shenxiu's verse was indeed profound, but the Fifth Patriarch saw that it had not revealed one's true nature, and so he still passed the robe and bowl to Sixth Patriarch Huineng."

"Fail to recognize your original mind, and studying the Dharma is useless. Recognize your original mind and see your original nature, and you are called a man of virtue, a teacher of gods and men, a Buddha."

After hearing this, King Ziqi pressed his palms together and bowed to Sixi. "Ever since I saw Bai Bing's golden statue, my mind has been clouded by thoughts of him day and night."

Sixi steadied himself and said, "Since Your Highness worships the Buddha, why not worship the true Buddha? What use is it to face a golden Buddha?"

King Ziqi asked, "Where is the true Buddha?"

Sixi replied, "In the hearts of every person in Milu City, there is only one true Buddha—and that is you, Your Majesty."

King Ziqi laughed heartily. "Since the Buddha has sent a monk to deliver me, tonight I shall melt down this golden Bodhisattva and let Bingxue turn the gold into medicinal herbs that can heal the sick and save lives, driving disease from the people of Ziqi Country."

Sixi replied, "The Bodhisattva sacrifices his golden body to save people—this is supreme virtue. Amitabha."

King Ziqi answered with another Buddhist invocation, then left on his own.

After King Ziqi had gone, Bai Bingxue and Hong Yun jumped out from behind them. Both praised Sixi for his great wisdom.

At that moment, Sixi was drenched in sweat. He said, "The dispute over Buddhist orthodoxy between Shenxiu and Huineng is known throughout the Buddhist world. How could King Ziqi, a founding ruler of his generation, not know about it?"

He continued, "From what I've heard these past few days, although there are thirty-seven tribes, few pay taxes or submit grain. Quite a few come seeking alms instead, and everything depends on the tribes of the three princes. Turning these five thousand taels of gold into medicinal herbs will certainly be a great act of charity for the people of Milu City."

Bai Bingxue and Hong Yun nodded after hearing this.

Sixi immediately knelt before the Bodhisattva statue and said, "Sixi was originally an orphan without father or mother. Fortunately, my master took me in at the temple, and I grew up eating Buddhist food. First I fled my sect, and today I helped His Highness destroy the Bodhisattva's golden body. This disciple has no face to remain in the Buddhist faith." With that, he kowtowed.

He then turned around and knelt down. "Sister Bai, you are kindhearted and highly skilled in medicine. Sixi shamelessly begs to become your disciple and study medicine under you. I hope you will take me in." After saying this, tears filled his eyes as he gazed pleadingly at Bai Bingxue.

Bai Bingxue was at a loss. She was only a girl in her late teens—where had she ever taken a disciple?

Seeing this, Hong Yun said, "Cousin, Sixi has no one to rely on. Why don't you acknowledge him as your junior brother? Once we return to Nine Dragon Valley, you can report it to Master."

Only then did Bai Bingxue react. "Since that's the case, get up first. My sect's ancestors were surnamed Chen, and my senior brother is also surnamed Chen. You'll be called Chen Xi. From now on, call me Senior Sister Bai."

Chen Xi said happily, "Chen Xi pays his respects to Senior Sister Bai." He then said to Hong Yun, "Chen Xi thanks Princess Hong Yun for speaking on my behalf."

The three of them left laughing. Bai Bingxue looked back at the golden Bodhisattva once more and felt as though her mother was smiling at her.

In the garden of the White Jade Palace on Penglai Immortal Island, White Deer Immortal and the other immortals were moved by Chen Xi.

Chen Renfeng saw True Martial Great Emperor searching in the mirror. Could it be the origin of the Great Dao?

Suddenly, a tiger's roar rang out from the horizon, and Tiger Subduing Arhat came riding on clouds.

His features were stern, his brows sharp as blades, and his eyes shone with vitality. Though he never smiled, he naturally carried an imposing dignity.

His kasaya fluttered lightly in the wind, while the Buddhist staff in his hand gleamed brilliantly. An awe-inspiring righteousness that subdued dragons and tigers faintly radiated from his entire body.

Most striking of all was the divine tiger beneath him. Its body was pure white, its markings black as ink, and its tiger eyes flashed like lightning.

Ancestor Lu and the other immortals rose to welcome him. Ancestor Lu stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Arhat, your arrival from afar has brought glory to this humble place."

Tiger Subduing Arhat returned the salute with palms pressed together, his voice booming like a great bell. "Queen Mother of the West said things were lively here, so I came to take a look."

The arhat's divine tiger went off on its own to rest beneath a tree.

Chen Renfeng stood behind the others and thought, Why has another arhat come?

At the Milu City smelting works, Bai Bingxue, Hong Yun, and Chen Xi went to supervise the melting of the golden Buddha.

The moon hung above the treetops, and the autumn wind whispered. The Milu City smelting works was brightly lit.

Standing outside, Bai Bingxue saw thick smoke billowing into the sky from the smelting room's chimney. As they drew closer, the incessant thunderous crackle of the fiercely burning flames reached their ears.

Bai Bingxue entered the smelting room and saw a huge stone furnace in the center. The golden Buddha statue had been bound with iron chains and suspended above it.

The flames in the stone furnace rose seven feet high, changing from red to blue and then from blue to white as they curled around the golden Buddha with popping sounds.

Beside the furnace, four bare-chested men worked large bellows, whooshing air into the flames.

The room was unbearably hot. Bai Bingxue, Hong Yun, and Chen Xi took one look before going outside to sit at the stone table, waiting for the statue to melt and be cast into gold ingots.

With nothing else to do, Chen Xi casually asked, "Princess Hong Yun, now that you have these five thousand taels of gold and can spend them however you wish, what would you most like to do?"

After thinking for a while, Hong Yun stood and replied, "Establish a fearsome assassin alliance to uphold justice.

First, kill the corrupt and lawless; second, kill traitors who sell out the country;

third, kill the ungrateful; fourth, kill those who repay kindness with malice;

fifth, kill petty men who rise to power; sixth, kill treacherous and rebellious madmen;

seventh, kill heartless prostitutes; eighth, kill the unfilial;

ninth, kill madmen beyond the law; tenth, kill the depraved and immoral."

Chen Xi was both shocked and frightened. He even touched his neck and whispered, "You'll kill everyone in this world."

Bai Bingxue said calmly, "I don't want to kill that many people. I only want to kill a few."