Teaching Disciples in Jade Flower Prefecture (7)

Meanwhile, the three Prince, each armed, stormed out of the palace, demanding of the palace officials, "Where is that so- Journey to the West monk?!"

The palace official dared not offend him and quickly said, "We'll have our meal in the pavilion outside."

The three Prince burst into the pavilion, shouting, "Are you human or monsters?!"

Startled, Tang Sanzang put down the India vegetarian cake and said, "This humble monk is a Buddhist monk from the Tang Dynasty Journey to the West; I am a human being!"

The Eldest Prince shouted, "You're at least human! The others are clearly monsters!"

Bajie just kept eating and ignored everything else.

Wukong couldn't stand these words and shouted, "We are all celestial beings descended to Heaven to protect the Holy Monk from the Eastern Land on his Journey to the West the West. Who are you three, daring to speak such nonsense here?"

A cook standing nearby Your Highness, "These are our country's three Prince!"

The Second Prince, impatient as ever, drew his rake and exclaimed, "Several Yaoguai, disguised as humans, have deceived my Father King and dare to utter such arrogant words! Take this rake!"

Having said that, he swung a Nine-Toothed Rake at the crowd.

Fearing he would ruin the Buddhist vegetarian meal, Bajie took out his rake from his waist, waved it, and it emitted Combat Skills Golden Light; when he threw it, a thousand auspicious wisps of Auspicious Qi appeared. He said:

Your palladium is no Sun Tzu for mine!

The Second Prince was so frightened that his hands and feet went numb, and he dared not compete.

The Eldest Prince stepped forward with his staff, Wukong, seeing this, took out his Golden Cudgel, slammed it into the ground, and said, "This staff is yours!"

The Eldest Prince went to take it, using all his strength, but could not budge it.

The Third Prince stepped forward carrying a black oil stick.

Sha Wujing took out his Demon-Subduing Treasure Staff, which shone brightly and glowed with radiant light.

The three Prince were so frightened that they all bowed down and said:

"Divine Master! Divine Master! We Mortal are ignorant of you, we beg you to display your Supernatural Ability so that we may learn from you!"

Wukong, who loved to show off, said upon hearing this, "This place isn't enough; let Old Sun, go and have some fun in Heaven!"

Having said that, he took the Golden Cudgel, leaped onto the clouds, and displayed his Combat Skills, performing a dragon and phoenix dance.

Seeing this, Bajie also went to play.

Sha Wujing followed.

The three brothers were showing off their Supernatural Ability, creating a sky full of Golden Light and colorful clouds, causing all the people in the city to kneel and chant Buddhist prayers.

After a long and arduous journey, we finally came down and continued our vegetarian diet.

The three Prince hurriedly ran back and reported to their Father King, saying, "Father King, they were not Demon, but three Immortal!"

Old King said, "Just now I saw the sky outside filled with colorful lights, was that the work of Immortal?"

The three Prince exclaimed, "Indeed! Indeed! It was those three ugly disciples of Tang Sanzang who used those Supernatural Ability!"

Old King. He immediately went out with his three Prince, put down his royal carriage, walked to the pavilion, and knelt down to apologize.

Tang Sanzang dared not accept the gift and quickly bowed in return.

After the ceremony, the Old King hosted another banquet, inviting everyone to the palace for a feast.

Tang Sanzang gladly went.

Taoist Baoshan still followed with his goat.

The three Prince wanted to say something, but seeing that the Taoist had come with the Holy Monk, they were afraid of spoiling the Holy Monk's mood, so they held back for the time being.

The group arrived at the palace and took their seats.

Old King offered to drink first.

Everyone drank a glass with him.

After drinking, the Old King said, "Holy Monk, I have been in this city for five generations now. I have no long-term worries, only immediate concerns."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang asked, "What worries Your Majesty?"

Old King said, "Humans are born, grow old, get sick, and die; this is the natural order. Now, my teeth and hair are thinning, and I am like a decaying tree. I deeply feel that my time is coming, perhaps within the next two or three years. Of my three sons, I wonder which one will inherit the throne."

Tang Sanzang said, "The eldest son should be chosen to inherit the throne."

The Eldest Prince was delighted upon hearing this.

Old King said, "This is the way of China. However, I have heard that the King Tang was not the eldest son of the legitimate wife, yet he was very virtuous and lived to a ripe old age."

The Second Prince smiled upon hearing this and glanced at the Eldest Prince.

Tang Sanzang, however, could not say anything.

Old King said, "Now that my three sons are all adults, I should choose the most virtuous one. I wonder which one the Holy Monk thinks is the most virtuous?"

Tang Sanzang said, "This is His Majesty's family matter. This humble monk is new to this place and dares not speak presumptuously."

Old King nodded and said, "Holy Monk, just now I saw the sky filled with Rosy Radiance, which was the Supernatural Ability of the three elders. I wish to have my three sons take the three elders under your Holy Monk as their masters to learn some martial arts and compete to see who is the best. What do you think?"

Tang Sanzang hesitated for a moment after hearing this, and looked at Wukong.

Wukong laughed and said, "Master, what's the big deal? If we take in three disciples, you'll have three more grand-disciples. This is the meaning of our monastic tradition!"

Upon hearing this, the three Prince immediately stepped forward and vied to pay their respects.

Wukong then took the Eldest Prince as his disciple.

Bajie took the Second Prince as his disciple.

Sha Wujing took the Third Prince as his disciple.

Old King and ordered people to decorate with lanterns and light incense. He then invited Wukong and his two companions to sit on high seats and taught the three Prince the proper etiquette for becoming his disciples.

Upon seeing this, the Taoist Baoshan said, "Wait a moment."

Upon hearing this, Old King asked, "May I ask what advice you have for me, Master?"

The Taoist Baoshan, "My mountain goat can foresee good and bad fortune; now it speaks of misfortune."

Old King asked, "What calamity?"

The goat approached the king and spoke in a human voice, saying, "Your Majesty is doomed to Prisons!"

Old King laughed heartily upon hearing this, saying, "Today is a joyous occasion; the Daoist priest is just putting on an act with me!"

All three Prince laughed.

The Taoist Baoshan shouted, "Who is putting on an act for you? You, King, only believe in the supernatural Supernatural Ability monks and do not heed the teachings of my Daoism; you will surely suffer a terrible calamity!"

Upon hearing this, the three Prince slammed their fists on the table and exclaimed, "How dare this audacious Daoist slander my Father King!"

Old King gestured for the three Prince to sit down, and asked, "Is there any basis for the Daoist priest's words?"

Taoist Baoshan, "I, this goat, do not lie."

Old King laughed and said, "How can you believe the words of a mere goat? As the saying goes, 'Things are divided into different classes, and people are divided into noble and lowly.' I am a member of the India royal family. Even if I kill a few people, it will not be a crime. Why should I be Prisons?"

Upon seeing this, Tang Sanzang quickly said:

"Your Majesty, the Daoist priest and I are old acquaintances, and he possesses Supernatural Ability. He would never speak carelessly. We met outside the palace just now, and he spoke of impending doom for Your Majesty. Your Majesty must not take this lightly!"

Old King pondered for a moment and asked, "Does the Daoist priest have any other prophecies?"

The Taoist Baoshan asked the goat, "Do you have any prophecies?"

The goat looked at Wukong and the other two and said, "The monk is in danger of losing money; he must be careful!"

Wukong and his two companions were taken aback for a moment.

Sha Wujing said, "Elder Brother, we monks have nothing of value, how could we possibly suffer financial loss?"

Wukong said, "Bajie has ten taels of silver hidden away; perhaps you're referring to Bajie!"

Upon hearing this, Bajie was so frightened that he quickly hid his private stash, fearing it would be stolen.

Old King laughed and said, "It's alright, it's alright. Ten taels of silver is nothing to me. The three elders will pass on their teachings to my son, and I will give him the entire fortune of the city!"

The Second Prince said, "Master, if you come to my residence, I will build a house of gold and a hall of Silver, and serve you wholeheartedly!"

Bajie was delighted to hear this.

Seeing this, Taoist Baoshan shook his head, rose from his seat, and said, "This humble Daoist takes his leave."

Old King rose to persuade him to stay, saying, "Daoist Master is an old friend of the Holy Monk. Please take a seat at the table, but please refrain from mentioning any more calamities, lest you become a laughingstock."

The Taoist Baoshan ignored him, sat cross-legged on the sheep's back, and left shortly afterward.

Queen his words, saying, "They really have Supernatural Ability! I shouldn't have laughed and made that comment!"

The Eldest Prince said, "Why should Father King worry? This Daoist may have some Supernatural Ability, but he is no match for our three masters. The city's Prisons were all set up by Father King, so how could Father King possibly suffer Prisons?"

Old King nodded.

Wukong wanted to remind him, but he was too embarrassed to say that the Daoist's Supernatural Ability were superior to his own, so he only said, "You children don't know, the Daoist's supernatural Supernatural Ability are no less than Old Sun!"

The Prince took it as mere words of protection and did not take it to heart.

The day was filled with singing, dancing, music, and a banquet, and Tang Sanzang and his disciples were invited to stay at the mansion.

Meanwhile, Taoist Baoshan returned to the mountain and told Taoist Taiqian about what had happened on his way down.

The Taoist Taiqian retorted angrily, "What a King! How dare you value Buddhism so much while belittling Daoism?"

The next day, the three Prince formally performed the apprenticeship ceremony, first paying respects to Tang Sanzang, and then each recognizing their own master.

After the ceremony, the Eldest Prince said, "Master, please show me the weapon you used yesterday."

Wukong took out his Golden Cudgel and stuck it into the ground again.

The Eldest Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince tried to lift it together, but they couldn't move it.

The Eldest Prince said, "Master, this weapon is truly Divine Weapon. I wonder how heavy it is?"

Wukong laughed, "This treasure of mine weighs thirteen thousand five hundred catties!"

The three Prince were all astonished and exclaimed, "How can it be so heavy?"

Wukong said, "How could you know that this is no ordinary iron? It is the treasure of the Yu the Great who controlled the floods. It was lost in the East Sea and was obtained by me, Old Sun. It can grow big or small, and its length can be changed at will. It is called the Ruyi Golden Cudgel)."

All three Prince were full of admiration.

The Second Prince and Third Prince then asked Bajie and Sha Wujing to each bring out their treasures.

Bajie took out his Rake, and Sha Wujing took out his Precious Staff.

The Second Prince and Third Prince each asked how many kilograms it weighed.

Both Bajie and Sha Wujing said that there was a treasure trove of it, which weighed 5,048 catties.

The Eldest Prince was delighted upon hearing this.

The Second Prince and Third Prince were filled with sorrow.

The three of them thought that Wukong's weapon was heavy, so his supernatural Supernatural Ability must be great.

Bajie and Sha Wujing's weapons are light, so their Supernatural Ability are naturally limited.

Wukong asked, "What martial arts do you three wish to learn?"

The Eldest Prince bowed and said, "Master, if you wish to teach us martial arts, please come to my residence and teach us privately. The three of us will each take our own roles: one will use a staff, one a rake, and one a cane. Let's not make a mess of things."

Wukong laughed and said, "You, as the elder brother, are quite shrewd, still wary of them!"

The Eldest Prince said, "Master, you are unaware that Father King taught the three of us to learn skills, and this competition was intended to test our abilities. Therefore, we cannot easily give in."

Upon hearing this, Wukong separated from Bajie and Sha Wujing, and the three of them each taught a disciple.

The Eldest Prince asked, "Master, what Supernatural Ability do you possess that you can teach me?"

Wukong said, "Teaching you is easy, but you are Mortal without divine power. I fear you won't learn it well and will end up with a dog instead of a tiger! I will first impart some Immortal Breath to you so that you can be reborn."

The Eldest Prince was extremely grateful upon hearing this.

Wukong then instructed the Eldest Prince to find a clean room, Paying Homage Heaven and Earth, draw the Big Dipper, recite True Words, and blow Immortal Breath into the Eldest Prince's heart and abdomen, circulating it Heavenly Cycle, thus transforming him and granting him immense power.

The Eldest Prince was overjoyed and practiced the next day. The Second Prince was astonished by the Eldest Prince's strength and asked him why.

The Eldest Prince said, "This was taught by Master Sun; it is the merit of our Buddhist!"

The Second Prince hurriedly went back to Bajie and cried about it.

Since Bajie couldn't transmit Immortal Breath, he took out the Mani Pearl, which Jewel Light, and transmitted its divine power to the Second Prince.

On the third day, the Eldest Prince and Second Prince practiced, and each of them was in high spirits, strong and powerful, able to wield weapons weighing thousands of pounds, displaying great power and prestige.

Upon seeing this, the Third Prince hurriedly went to find Sha Wujing.

Since Sha Wujing neither possessed the Immortal Breath nor any special treasures, he could only impart a breathing technique to the Third Prince, teaching him to practice it so that he could increase his strength in the future.

The Third Prince had no choice but to practice every day.

The three Prince, having gained power, still found it inconvenient to use the Golden Cudgel, Nine-Toothed Rake, and Subduing Demons Staff that were used by Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wukong. Ordinary weapons were too light, so they asked their father, the Father King, to purchase ten thousand catties of steel, summon Artisans from across the kingdom, borrow weapons from Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing, reduce their weight, and forge them in the same manner.

After Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing's three weapons left their bodies, each emitted a Rosy Radiance.

The Yellow Lion Spirit resided on Leopard Head Mountain, about seventy miles from the city. He had missed an opportunity earlier and was filled with regret. Upon seeing the Rosy Radiance, he rode a cloud to observe and discovered three weapons, which filled him with immense joy.

If these three treasures are taken, and one is given as a gift to the Immortal, while he keeps one for himself, wouldn't that be his destiny?

So he conjured up a gust of wind and collected all three weapons.

Returning to the cave, he saw that the Rake and the Precious Staff were Rosy Radiance, while the Iron Staff was heavy and dull. So he leaned the Iron Staff against the frame on the east side, tied red flowers to the Rake and the Precious Staff, and instructed the Little Demon to build a frame so that he could present it to the Immortal as a gift the next day.

The next morning, the Yellow Lion Spirit, accompanied by many Little Demon, carried a treasure stand and delivered the two weapons to the mountaintop, saying:

"Immortal! Immortal! I have two treasures to offer!"

Taoist Taiqian glanced at them and asked, "How did you obtain these two weapons?"

The Yellow Lion Spirit said, "It was obtained from Jade Flower Prefecture."

Taoist Taiqian, "It's probably stolen!"

Yellow Lion Spirit was startled and trembled, unable to utter a word.

Taoist Taiqian, "Return it immediately!"

The Yellow Lion Spirit said reluctantly, "This..."

Taoist Taiqian, "This is a monk's weapon. You stole it and brought it to me, making me a laughingstock! If you truly have the power, return it to me and then steal it back. Only then can you uphold the reputation of my Daoism, and I might reluctantly accept you as a disciple."

Upon hearing this, the Yellow Lion Spirit hesitated for a moment, then led his Little Demons down the mountain and returned to his cave. There, he invited the five lions— the Nao Lion, the Snow Lion, the Suanni, the Fuli, Tuanshiang— to discuss the matter.

The lions had differing opinions and couldn't reach a conclusion for the time being.

Meanwhile, the Artisans in the city lost their weapons and immediately reported it.

The three Prince assumed their master had taken it, so they each went to ask, only to find that Wukong and the others hadn't taken it. They then realized it had been stolen.

They then searched the neighborhood, but found no trace of him.

Wukong said, "Today Daoism said was true. Indeed, their words came true, and the three of us brothers have suffered a financial loss!"

Bajie said, "The Artisans must have stolen it and hidden it. Confess immediately, or we'll all kill them!"

The Artisans were so frightened that they all knelt down, kowtowed, and swore an oath to the heavens.

Seeing that the Artisans were all Mortal and didn't seem like they had stolen the goods, Wukong went to find the King and asked if there were Demon in the area.

Old King said, "North of the city, there is a Leopard Head Mountain, and inside the mountain is a Tiger's Mouth Cave. People often say that there are immortals in the cave, as well as tigers and wolves, and even Demon."

Wukong said, "No need to say more, it must be that the Demon there saw the three of us emitting a radiant glow on our treasures and had evil intentions, so they stole them in the dead of night!"

Upon hearing this, the Old King immediately ordered his three Prince to personally Troops, saying:

"My three sons, each of you will lead your Troops. Whoever helps the Holy Monk reclaim the weapons, eliminates the Demon Evil, and quells the calamity will be virtuous and will be worthy of inheriting the Throne."

The three Prince were overjoyed upon hearing this, and each led three hundred soldiers to follow Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing out of the city.

Tiger's Mouth Mountain is only about seventy li away from the city, and the group arrived in less than half a day.

The Eldest Prince said, "Master, everyone says there are Demon in the mountains. Now that we have no Divine Weapon, we are afraid we cannot launch a direct attack. Do you have any brilliant plan?"

Wukong laughed and said, "It's alright, Master has plenty of treasures!"

Having said that, he took out a precious alms Alms Bowl from his bosom, emanating Auspicious Qi and emitting a seven-colored, Golden Light, and said:

"This Alms Bowl of mine can trap Demon. You lead your men up the mountain from the front, armed with guns and nets. If you encounter Little Demon, catch them in the nets. If there are any large demons, I will be on the clouds, and I will use the Alms Bowl to trap them!"

The Eldest Prince was delighted upon hearing this and obeyed the order.

The Second Prince, seeing this, anxiously said, "Master, my Big Brother has already gone up the mountain, what should I do?"

Bajie took out the Mani Pearl from his robes, which radiated a dazzling Golden Light light and said:

"Take your men and go up the mountain from the back. Bring plenty of bows, crossbows, and tinder. If you encounter Little Demon, capture them, find out their caves, and set them on fire. That will be a great achievement. If there are any large demons, I'll use the bead to hit them!"

The Second Prince was delighted to hear this and asked, "If we set fire, wouldn't Master's weapons also be burned?"

Bajie said, "Our weapons are all Divine Weapon, and they are not afraid of ordinary fire."

The Second Prince was relieved and immediately ordered the preparation of bows, crossbows, and other fire-starting materials before heading towards the Back Mountain.

Seeing that his Second Brother Big Brother brothers were ready, the Third Prince couldn't help but look at Sha Wujing and said, "Master..."