Practicing Medicine in Zhu Zi Kingdom (29)

Meanwhile, the Empress Houtu instructed everyone to hand over their treasures as collateral.

Upon hearing this, Ao Tu took out Small Boat.

Empress Houtu looked at it and said, "This is a boat for ferrying people across the sea and transporting cattle, horses, and equipment. It is not for fighting. Take it back." Ao Tu listened and put the Small Boat away.

Guanyin Bodhisattva took out Jade-Cleansing Bottle.

Empress Houtu looked at it and said, "This is a vase for arranging flowers and growing plants, not for fighting. Take it back." Guanyin Bodhisattva then took back the Jade-Cleansing Bottle.

Upon seeing this, Wukong silently put the Golden Cudgel back into his ear and took out Ananda's broken alms bowl.

The Glazed Bowl had already been burned by Ao Tu. Later, Wukong used it several more times, and the cracks on the bowl became larger and larger. Wukong was a wandering monk and did not have the money to hire a mender to repair it, so he could only keep it and not use it. Now, it was rarely taken out, but it was used to prop up the jar.

When Empress Houtu saw this, she couldn't help but smile. With a wave of her hand, she summoned the Golden Cudgel from Wukong's ear and said:

"This was originally a treasure used by Yu the Great to measure the depth of rivers, lakes, and seas. Now that you have it, you often harm people. I will keep it for now and return it to you when I leave." Upon hearing this, the Patriarch Styx closed his eyes, turned his ears, and remained completely still.

In terms of seniority, he and Houtu were of the same generation, and perhaps he was even older. How could he possibly hand over his treasure as collateral?

Furthermore, he was not good with words, so he simply sat cross-legged on the Lotus Throne, gripping his Twin Swords tightly without moving an inch.

Upon seeing Empress Houtu smiled and stepped forward, calling out, "Brother Daoist, please hand over the murder weapon."

The Patriarch Styx ignored him.

Empress Houtu then raised her jade hand and grasped the sword blade.

The Yuantu and Abi Swords are treasures of Slaughter in this world; how sharp are they?

Even a Stars that falls on it will be instantly extinguished.

The Empress Houtu Jade Palm on it, yet showed no sign of injury.

Empress Houtu grasped the sword blade and gently tugged at it.

The Patriarch Styx gripped the sword hilt, secretly testing his strength.

One person held the blade of the sword, which was smooth and sharp, making it difficult to exert force; the other person held the hilt of the sword, which had edges and a handle, making it easier to exert force.

Even so, Empress Houtu still managed to pull the sword out of the Patriarch Styx's hand little by little.

No matter how much power the Patriarch Styx used, it was still not as strong as the Empress Houtu.

The other sword was quickly torn away, leaving only the crimson lotus beneath him.

The Patriarch Styx was so angry that his beard danced wildly, but fearing that this woman would disregard her dignity and take advantage of her strength to push him off the Lotus Throne and seize Lotus Throne, he could only say, "I return to the Blood Sea!"

Empress Houtu smiled faintly upon hearing this, returned the Twin Swords, and said, "Please, fellow Daoist."

The Patriarch Styx retrieved the Twin Swords and returned to the Blood Sea in the blink of an eye.

Empress Houtu turned to Ao Tu and said, "I already know why you've come here. Please follow me."

Upon hearing this, Ao Tu followed the Empress Houtu to the Emerald Cloud Palace.

Guanyin Bodhisattva and Wukong followed behind.

Before long, they arrived at the Emerald Cloud Palace.

When Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva saw the crowd, he was very surprised and quickly bowed to Empress Houtu, asking why they had come.

Empress Houtu rarely appears in public. The last time Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva saw her was when he had just entered Emerald Cloud Palace on the Buddha's orders. Empress Houtu said, "I have come today for those pitiful people."

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was very pleased upon hearing this and said:

"Can those Baleful Qi be converted?"

Empress Houtu shook her head and said, "Please, Bodhisattva, release them first."

Upon hearing this, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva opened a tiny gap in the Vow Power of his vows that he had been suppressing at all times. Instantly, endless Baleful Qi energy surged out, colder than the Land of the Nine Netherworlds. The malevolent wind swept through the Eighteen Levels of Hell, causing the most wicked ghosts to kneel in fear, and even the Ox-Head and Horse-Face demons to tremble with terror.

Ao Tu was unaffected; Guanyin Bodhisattva emanated a faint Buddha-Light; Wukong relied entirely on his Fleshly Body to withstand the attack, his hairs trembled slightly, and he shuddered, exclaiming, "How sinister!"

Ao Tu stepped forward to look, only to see that the endless evil spirits inside were deeper than the Four Seas, and even the Stars of the Celestial Cycle could not contain them. The yin energy released earlier was just a tiny bit of the outermost layer.

Ao Tu couldn't help but sigh, "Where did so many Baleful Qi come from!"

The Empress Houtu sighed, "These are merely pitiful people who have suffered the torment of the Dao Contention for countless generations and from all walks of life."

"The Dao Contention"

Ao Tu silently uttered these two words, then stepped into the crevice, revealing his Original Form.

Wukong was shocked and said, "Demon Dragon!"

Ao Tu did not answer; a pure White Lotus lifted him up and silently recited the true text.

A pure, radiant Buddha-Light illuminated the Heaven and Earth.

The malevolent spirit howled, and its murderous aura surged forth.

When Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva saw this, he straddled Diting and stepped forward, sitting to the right of Ao Tu, and recited the true text to cleanse away the Baleful Qi.

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva doesn't care whose Buddhist scriptures it is; he only cares about whether it can save Vengeful Souls and deliver Baleful Qi.

Guanyin Bodhisattva sighed, "If he could remain in the Buddhist Sect, he could attain true Buddha through this Buddhist Dharma."

Having said that, he stepped forward, sat cross-legged to the left of Ao Tu, and began reciting the true text.

Upon seeing this, Wukong hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, sat cross-legged behind Ao Tu, and began reciting the true text.

Compared to the other two Bodhisattva, Wukong had the opportunity to "hear the Dao within the cauldron," so he was more proficient in reciting the true texts than Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Guanyin Bodhisattva.

The two Bodhisattva gave Wukong a slightly strange look, but ultimately continued their chanting in silence.

Empress Houtu watched this scene, gently shook her head, and stood outside.

Time flies, and forty-nine days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Ao Tu had already purified countless vengeful spirits, but there were simply too many vengeful spirits here, and they were all old, malevolent souls. The Third-Grade White Lotus was only third-grade, and as the malevolent energy increased, it was starting to feel the strain.

The malevolent energy dissipated and returned to the purified souls.

Those purified evil spirits should have returned to goodness, but for some reason, as soon as they were tainted by Baleful Qi, they reverted to their former ferocity without any hindrance. Empress Houtu saw this, she was about to speak to warn him, but when she saw that Ao Tu also had accumulated Baleful Qi energy and was beginning to show signs of Evil Qi, she stopped speaking and waited silently. The ninety-nine eighty-one days have passed.

The Third-Grade White Lotus, unable to bear the burden any longer, let out a whimper and flew back into Ao Tu's body.

A heavy aura of malevolence instantly descended upon everyone.

The group had been undergoing extensive religious practices for many days, and their energy was already severely depleted.

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was caught off guard and collapsed directly onto Diting.

Guanyin Bodhisattva swayed, Ao Tu quickly helped her up.

Wukong collapsed to the ground, head down.

Only Ao Tu remained conscious.

His eyes were filled with malice, and his brows were no longer as gentle as before. He raised his hand to give Guanyin Bodhisattva a mouthful of immortal essence, and fed her a Taiyi Purple-Gold Elixir. Guanyin Bodhisattva regained some of her senses.

Ao Tu said, "Teacher, I have understood the principle behind it. Please assist me in the Dharma."

Upon hearing this, Guanyin Bodhisattva raised her hand and placed it on Ao Tu's lower back, offering her full assistance.

Ao Tu offered up the Third-Grade Black Lotus.

Upon seeing this, Guanyin Bodhisattva exclaimed in surprise, "Even the Blood Sea is you!"

Ao Tu scolded, "Teacher, focus on helping me, don't ask any more questions!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva was scolded by Ao Tu He, opened her mouth, but in the end she focused on helping him.

Ao Tu threw out the Black Lotus, thus altering his own interpretation of the scriptures.

During these eighty-one days, he had come to understand the truth: although the White Lotus has the power to Jingshi, it is not for converting Evil Person, but for converting good people. To convert evil spirits, one must use the World-Destroying Black Lotus.

Sure enough, as soon as the Black Lotus was thrown out, the Baleful Qi were immediately drawn to it.

When the White Lotus encounters Baleful Qi, it is suppressed and purified with precious energy. The more Baleful Qi there are, the weaker the White Lotus becomes.

However, when the Black Lotus encountered the Baleful Qi, it was attracted to, merged, and absorbed it.

The endless Baleful Qi was absorbed by the Black Lotus, Black Lotus rapidly grew to the fourth and fifth grade. Four lotus leaves sprouted beside the Black Lotus, and a section of lotus root grew below it.

Ao Tu also used this opportunity to perfect his own interpretation of the scriptures.