Tiger Subduing Arhat Arrives, Mirror

King Ziqi refused to melt down Bai Bing's golden body, opting instead to use the gold for the nation's welfare and its people's livelihood. Bai Bingxue understood her grandfather's longing for his daughter.

Bai Bingxue looked at the golden Bodhisattva statue and thought to herself, When Mother was alive, she married someone she didn't love for the safety of the people of Ziqi Country.

Now, Su Xue wants her to return to the mortal world in the golden body of the Great Compassionate Guanyin, and she still thinks only of the safety of Ziqi Country's people.

Since I can't convince Grandfather right now, I'll have to find another way.

After noon, Hong Yun took Bai Bingxue to Alu Restaurant for a meal. She also sent for Sixi.

The three of them ordered a table full of delicacies and discussed opening a pharmacy. Bai Bingxue said, "The one thousand taels of silver my third uncle gave me can barely support it. For long-term operation, I think we still need to melt down that golden Bodhisattva."

Sixi saw the situation and asked for the reason, and Bai Bingxue explained everything. Although Sixi was young, he had grown up in a temple since childhood and was familiar with Buddhist teachings.

Sixi took a sip of tea and said, "This young monk once heard his master lecture on the scriptures. Perhaps I can persuade the King."

Hong Yun smiled and said, "You're just a young monk, not even as old as me. Why would grandfather listen to you?"

Sixi smiled and said, "If this young monk can't persuade the King, I'm willing to leave the monastic life, return to secularity, and work as a medicine boy in the new pharmacy opened by the two County Princesses."

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

As the three of them were talking, walls have ears, and the matter of the golden Bodhisattva was overheard.

In the afternoon, Bai Bingxue and the other two wandered through the streets and alleys of Milu City for a while. When night fell, they returned to the royal palace and heard a servant report that King Ziqi was in the main hall looking at the Bodhisattva statue.

Sixi walked to the door and first announced, "Amitabha," to get their attention, then recited:

"The body is a Bodhi tree, the mind like a bright mirror. Constantly wipe it clean, do not let dust alight."

King Ziqi heard this and walked out of the room. He looked at Sixi and said, "Little master, your Buddhist teachings are profound."

Sixi, neither pleased nor displeased, said, "Your Majesty, the previous four lines were composed by Master Shenxiu, a disciple of the Fifth Patriarch Hongren of the Chan sect."

King Ziqi cupped his hands in salutation and said, "Constantly wipe it clean, do not let dust alight. This accurately describes my current state. It seems I have also deeply understood the Dharma."

Sixi heard this and said, "Your Majesty, the Sixth Patriarch Huineng also has four lines of verse. Please listen carefully."

King Ziqi nodded in agreement.

Sixi recited:

"Bodhi originally has no tree, the bright mirror is not a platform. Originally there is nothing, where can dust alight?"

King Ziqi was greatly shocked upon hearing this. The latter four lines resonated even more deeply with him, leaving him speechless for a moment.

Sixi paused and said, "Master Shenxiu's verse is indeed profound, but the Fifth Patriarch did not see the true nature through this verse, and thus passed on the robe and bowl to the Sixth Patriarch Huineng."

"Not knowing one's own mind, studying the Dharma is useless. If one knows one's own mind and sees one's own true nature, then one is called a hero, a teacher of heaven and man, a Buddha."

King Ziqi clasped his hands together and bowed to Sixi, saying, "Since I saw Bai Bing's golden statue, my longing has clouded my mind day and night."

Sixi calmly said, "Your Majesty, since you worship Buddha, why not worship the true Buddha? What is the use of facing a golden Buddha?"

King Ziqi heard this and asked, "Where is the true Buddha?"

Sixi replied, "In the hearts of all the people of Milu City, there is only one true Buddha, and that is you, my King."

King Ziqi laughed heartily and said, "Since the Buddha has sent a monk to enlighten me, tonight I shall melt this golden Bodhisattva statue. I will have Bingxue turn the gold into medicinal herbs for healing and saving people, to cure diseases for the people of Ziqi Country."

Sixi replied, "The Bodhisattva gave up its golden body to save people. This is great merit. Amitabha."

King Ziqi uttered a Buddhist phrase in response and left on his own.

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

Sixi, sweating profusely, said, "The dispute between Shenxiu and Huineng for Buddhist authority is known throughout the Buddhist world. How could King Ziqi, a founding monarch, not know this?"

He continued, "I've heard in recent days that although there are many of the thirty-seven tribes, few pay taxes and grain. However, many come to beg for alms. It is the tribes of the three princes that are supporting them. Turning these five thousand taels of gold into medicinal herbs will be a great act of kindness for the people of Milu City."

Bai Bingxue and Hong Yun nodded after listening.

Sixi immediately knelt before the Bodhisattva statue and said, "Sixi is an orphan with no parents. Fortunately, my master took me in and raised me in the temple, feeding me with Buddhist food. First, I betrayed my master, and today I have persuaded the King to destroy the Bodhisattva's golden body. I have no face to remain in the Buddhist order." He finished with a kowtow.

Then he turned and knelt, saying, "Sister Bai, you are benevolent and your medical skills are superb. Sixi shamelessly begs to become your disciple and learn medicine. I hope you will take me in." He then looked at Bai Bingxue with tears in his eyes, his gaze pleading.

Bai Bingxue was at a loss for what to do. She was only a girl of sixteen, and had never taken a disciple before.

Hong Yun saw this and said, "Cousin, Sixi has no one to rely on. Why don't you recognize him as a junior brother? We can inform Master when we return to Nine Dragon Valley."

Bai Bingxue then reacted. "In that case, get up. My sect's ancestors were surnamed Chen, and my senior brother is also surnamed Chen. You shall be called Chen Xi, and from now on, call me Senior Sister Bai."

Chen Xi happily said, "Chen Xi greets Senior Sister Bai." He then said to Hong Yun, "Chen Xi thanks County Princess Hong Yun for your kind words."

The three left, smiling. Bai Bingxue looked back at the golden Bodhisattva statue, feeling as if her mother was smiling at her.

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

Chen Renfeng saw True Martial Great Emperor searching in the mirror, wondering if it was the origin of the Great Dao.

Suddenly, a tiger's roar echoed from the sky. The Tiger Subduing Arhat arrived, treading on clouds.

His face was resolute, his brows like carved knives, and his eyes shone with brilliance. Although he rarely smiled, he exuded an aura of majesty.

His kasaya fluttered in the wind, and the Zen staff in his hand gleamed. A vast, righteous energy of subduing dragons and tigers emanated from him.

The most eye-catching was the divine tiger beneath him, its fur pure white with ink-like markings, its eyes like lightning.

Ancestor Lu and the assembled immortals rose to greet him upon seeing this. Ancestor Lu stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Arhat, your arrival from afar brings glory to this humble abode."

The Tiger Subduing Arhat clasped his hands in return, his voice like a booming bell, "The Queen Mother of the West said this place was lively, so I came to see."

The Arhat's divine tiger went off on its own to find a spot under a tree to rest.

Chen Renfeng stood behind the crowd, thinking to himself, 'How did another Arhat arrive!'

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

The moon rose above the treetops, the autumn wind rustled, and the Milu City smelter was brightly lit.

Bai Bingxue could see the thick smoke billowing from the smelter's chimney from outside the building. As she got closer, she heard the continuous crackling sound of the flames burning fiercely.

Bai Bingxue walked into the smelting room and saw a huge stone furnace in the center of the building. The golden Buddha statue was tied with iron chains and suspended above it.

The flames from the stone furnace rose seven feet high, turning from red to green, then from green to white, making a "poofing" sound around the golden Buddha statue.

Beside the furnace, four burly men with bare chests worked large bellows, fanning the flames into the furnace with a "huala huala" sound.

The room was intensely hot. Bai Bingxue, Hong Yun, and Chen Xi took one look and went outside to sit at a stone table, waiting for the Buddha statue to melt and be cast into gold coins.

Since they had nothing else to do, Chen Xi casually asked, "Princess Hong Yun, with this five thousand taels of gold, if you could command it as you pleased, what would you want to do most?"

Hong Yun pondered for a moment, then stood up and replied, "Establish a fearsome assassin's alliance to act on behalf of heaven.

First, to kill corrupt officials; second, to kill traitors;

Third, to kill the ungrateful; fourth, to kill those who repay kindness with enmity;

Fifth, to kill upstarts; sixth, to kill treacherous villains;

Seventh, to kill heartless prostitutes; eighth, to kill unfilial descendants;

Ninth, to kill outlaws; tenth, to kill those who are debauched and immoral."

Chen Xi listened, both shocked and frightened. He touched his own neck and whispered, "You'd kill everyone in this world."

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