Interesting Journey to the Dharma-Extinguishing Kingdom (Twenty-Six)

Meanwhile, the Dharma-Extinguishing Kingdom merchants, having raised their Black Flag and gathered their local militia, set off from the city under the starry sky.

Upon reaching the Bandit Mountain, their advance was unstoppable.

Ao Tu and Wukong stood on the clouds watching.

Wukong laughed and said, "You Demon Dragon, if you want to subdue Hua Yunlong, just do it directly. Why are you dragging your feet? Aren't you deliberately making us, Old Sun disciples, wait for you?"

Ao Tu shook his head and said, "Great Sage, Hua Yunlong is actually easy to recruit, but Evil Person are hard to get rid of. I need to teach them how to eliminate Evil Person."

Below, the merchants and local militia climbed the Bandit Mountain.

One-Eyed Dragon Ground-Digging Tiger, leading his gang of thieves, stood before the cliff, Steel Saber in hand, blocking their path and shouting:

"Hey! My Big Brother, Hua Yunlong, is on the mountain. Neither the government nor the gods can subdue him. If you don't retreat now and dare to take another step forward, I'll make sure you all die without a burial place today!"

The merchant raised Black Flag and cried out, "Don't be afraid, everyone! It's a divine revelation; the wicked must be eradicated!"

Everyone responded and rushed up the cliff.

Although the Ground-Digging Tiger One-Eyed Dragon Hu" was skilled in martial arts, he was no match for thousands of people. He couldn't escape and was knocked down and captured by the crowd.

The two hurriedly called out, "Big Brother! Big Brother!"

The Patriarch Styx emerged from within.

Upon seeing this, Ao Tu asked Wukong for the Scripture Book and tossed it downwards.

The three volumes of True Scriptures transformed into boundless light, and the Patriarch Styx returned.

The merchants and common people knelt down and worshipped, hanging the thieves, including the Ground-Digging Tiger and the One-Eyed Dragon, on the mountain, piling up firewood, pouring kerosene on it, and setting it on fire to burn it to ashes.

The crowd exclaimed joyfully, "The calamity is gone! The calamity is gone!"

Above the clouds, Ao Tu said to Wukong, "Great Sage, now that this matter is settled, I'm taking him back to the Blood Sea."

Upon hearing this, Wukong looked at Hua Yunlong, who was standing with his head down behind Ao Tu, and it was as if he saw his former self in him, which made him feel even more melancholy.

At this moment, Wukong felt a mixture of joy and envy.

It's good that no one was suppressed under the Five Elements Mountain this time, and it's also enviable that no one was suppressed under the Five Elements Mountain this time.

Wukong thought for a moment and then said, "Hua Yunlong, I hope that after you go to the Blood Sea, you will quell evil and promote good, uphold your cultivation, and not let your master's teachings of such Supernatural Ability martial arts go to waste."

Upon hearing this, the Patriarch Styx chuckled, transformed back into his Original Form, and said, "Sun Wukong, do you know who I am?"

Wukong exclaimed in surprise, "Patriarch Styx!" He then looked at Ao Tu, realizing what was happening, and said, "Demon Dragon, it was you who orchestrated this again!"

Ao Tu naturally refused to admit it and laughed:

"Great Sage, I am doing this to help you attain enlightenment! You were able to persuade Hua Yunlong to 'cease evil and promote good, and uphold your cultivation,' which shows that you have already achieved perfect merit and rid yourself of your old evils!"

This is a lie. Ao Tu originally only wanted to obstruct the Journey to the West. It was because Wukong spoke recklessly that Ao Tu became slightly annoyed, so he devised a plan to make Wukong suffer back and forth.

However, Wukong was taken aback by Ao Tu's words, and after some thought, he even felt that what Ao Tu said made a lot of sense. He thought for a moment and said:

"So, you must be the Old Man, and the Old Granny is...?"

Ao Tu said directly, "It's Bodhisattva in disguise."

Guanyin Bodhisattva appeared beside them.

Wukong said, "So it was Bodhisattva! You two are truly cunning; you've kept this Old Sun in the dark for so long!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva asked curiously, "Wukong, who did you originally think it was?"

Ao Tu smiled and took Guanyin Bodhisattva's palm, saying, "Teacher, there's something I want to discuss with you."

Just as Wukong was about to speak, he stopped when he saw that Ao Tu had something to discuss.

Guanyin Bodhisattva asked, "What is there to discuss?"

Ao Tu said, "The reason Teacher gave Wukong the Tightening Fillet before was because Wukong was difficult to control. Shakyamuni used force to stop evil, but that only stopped it externally, not in his heart. Now Wukong has long since returned to goodness, and good thoughts arise from his heart. Teacher has also seen this with his own eyes. Can the Tightening Fillet be removed?"

Upon hearing this, Wukong was overjoyed. He jumped to their side, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and asked, "Is it true? Is it true?"

Upon seeing this, Guanyin Bodhisattva shook her head and chuckled, "Alright, Wukong! Go and ask your master. If he agrees, then remove it!"

Upon hearing this, Wukong couldn't wait any longer, and the four of them returned to the courtyard.

Upon meeting Tang Sanzang, Wukong explained the whole story.

After learning the reason for the incident, Tang Sanzang bowed deeply before Ao Tu and the Bodhisattva.

Guanyin Bodhisattva asked, "Tang Sanzang, are you willing to remove the Tightening Fillet from Wukong's head?"

Tang Sanzang clasped his hands and said:

"This disciple dares not conceal anything. Since the time in the Baoxiang Kingdom, the Buddha devised a way to make this disciple suffer greatly from headaches. This disciple has been deeply enlightened and no longer recites a single word of the Tightening Fillet. Instead, I teach Wukong with my sincere heart. Please, Bodhisattva, remove the Tightening Fillet!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "Good."

Having said that, he was about to remove the Tightening Fillet.

Wukong said, "Bodhisattva, please wait."

Guanyin Bodhisattva asked, "Wukong, what's wrong?"

Wukong walked up to Ao Tu and said with a smile, "I'll trouble Dragon Brother Long to do it!"

Upon seeing this, Ao Tu Ao Tu out, grasped Tightening Fillet Golden Ring, and gently removed it from Wukong's head.

Guanyin Bodhisattva said helplessly, "You Monkey! That Demon Dragon has been scheming against you in every way, yet you're not afraid of him, but you're still wary of me!"

Wukong didn't answer, but just chuckled, touching his head. Seeing that his head was smooth, he laughed even more happily.

Ao Tu held the Tightening Fillet in both hands, intending to squeeze it into a ball, but the band shimmered with Buddha-Light and seemed very unwilling.

Ao Tu then tapped a small bell nearby, and the hoop trembled and went limp. Ao Tu then kneaded it into a lump of Mixed Gold and put it away.

When Guanyin Bodhisattva saw this, she reached out her hand.

Upon seeing this, Ao Tu placed his hand on it.

Guanyin Bodhisattva angrily said, "The headband is mine; give it back to me."

Ao Tu laughed and said, "I didn't see any hoop, only a lump of gold, which I just picked up!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "You Demon Dragon! You said you'd remove the Tightening Fillet from Wukong, but you were just trying to trick me out of my treasure."

Ao Tu laughed and said, "That headband belongs to the Great Monk, it's nothing special. If Teacher want it, this treasure is yours."

After Ao Tu finished speaking, he placed a small bell in the palm of Guanyin Bodhisattva's hand.

Guanyin Bodhisattva felt a sudden heaviness in her waist as forty-nine streams of Great Dao energy pressed down on her, making it impossible for her to support. She hurriedly returned the bell, saying, "I cannot lift this treasure."

Ao Tu laughed and said, "I'll take it, as if you took it."

Just then, the merchants and common people returned from their campaign.

The nation celebrated, with everyone singing and dancing.

The merchants discussed contributing their own money to build a temple to worship the gods.

Upon seeing this, Ao Tu descended again with divine revelation, telling the believers that they could build temples, but they did not need to worship him. Temples could be used to help the poor believers, to serve as gathering places for believers to discuss matters, to preach and recite his own scriptures, and to teach newborn children to read and write. But the only thing they should not do was to set up statues of gods, burn incense, or offer sacrifices, as that would be a waste of resources and utterly useless.

The believers agreed and bought a piece of land in the country. The merchants provided the money, and the people provided the labor, and together they built the first temple without any statues in the Western Ox Continent.

In temples, respected believers preside over the ceremonies, gathering other believers to study scriptures and recite religious texts.

If there are believers who are too poor to afford food, they can receive food free of charge at the temple.

Children from poor families could learn to read there. Of course, they learned the classics bestowed by Ao Tu.

If members encounter difficulties, they will gather in the temple to discuss and unite to find solutions.

For example, burning the troublesome place to death with firewood and kerosene...