Chapter 29

With the help of the Earth Gods spread throughout the mortal realm, Zhuang Yan swiftly delivered his decree to the various righteous gods across Guangci Prefecture.

Over the following months, righteous gods from every region came one after another to Lingtai Divine Manor to pay their respects to Zhuang Yan and register their names. Once no more gods arrived, Zhuang Yan led Fire Spirit True Immortal, Chi Ling, and Vanguard Hu on an inspection of the entire territory, ensuring that no one had been overlooked.

Half a year later, Guangci Prefecture's divine system was entirely under Zhuang Yan's control. He issued regulations for the Divine Manor, ordering Chi Ling and Vanguard Hu to take turns patrolling the territory twice each month, while Fire Spirit True Immortal conducted an inspection once every three months, focusing on spirits and cultivators to prevent them from bringing calamity upon the mortal realm.

In the third month, news came from the True Palace of Great Mystery that the Four Great Demon Sages who had defected to the Great Black Yaksha had been executed at the Demon Slaying Platform. On Spirit Mountain, the Asura Tribe was implicated because of Jie Hanli. Rahu was stripped of his kingship, and the Buddhist Sect installed Pazhi as the new Asura King. All clan members involved were executed. The Peacock King was reprimanded by Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva for the misdeeds of his mount, Kong Ling, and had 100,000 merit stripped away. Thus, the Heavenly Sin Blade affair was completely settled.

Time flew, and ten years passed in the blink of an eye. In his retreat, Zhuang Yan examined his 720 points of Heavenly Dao Power and decided to add six new "status" functions, each costing 20 points.

The new functions were as follows:

After spending 120 points, Zhuang Yan put away the remaining 600 points of Heavenly Dao Power. Pinching his fingers to calculate, he sighed softly at the swift passage of time. He activated "Search Heavenly Secrets" and caught one crucial piece of information amid the countless messages. He could not help but smile. "At last, the moment has come."

Rising to open the door, he saw that Hu Lailai and Hu Ququ had already grown into adolescent tiger demons and were standing guard outside his cloud chamber. Their tiger heads swayed slightly, yet their bodies remained utterly still.

Upon looking closer, Zhuang Yan discovered that the two brothers had actually fallen asleep while leaning against the door of his cloud chamber.

The corners of his lips lifted slightly. Without disturbing them, he left the small courtyard alone and entered the Mountain God Hall, the main hall of the Divine Manor.

At that moment, Fire Spirit True Immortal was arranging the divine altar inside the hall. When he suddenly saw Zhuang Yan appear, he hurried forward to bow. "Lord Prefect, you have emerged from seclusion?"

Zhuang Yan gave a slight nod. "Have there been any major events in recent years?"

Fire Spirit True Immortal replied, "Thanks to your blessings, Lord Prefect, Guangci Prefecture has remained peaceful these past years. There have only been trivial matters."

"That is good." Zhuang Yan then asked, "Has Sun Wukong come by?"

Fire Spirit True Immortal pondered for a moment. "After losing to Vanguard Hu and Chi Ling six years ago, he has not set foot on Danchi Ridge again. Perhaps he suffered one setback after another and left in a fit of pique?"

Zhuang Yan smiled. "He is not the sort to sulk. He must have returned to devote himself to cultivation."

He continued, "Where are Vanguard Hu and Chi Ling?"

Fire Spirit True Immortal pointed outside the hall. "They are competing in martial arts outside."

Zhuang Yan stepped out of the Divine Manor. Ten years had made the peach grove before its gates even more luxuriant. It was late spring, and the peach blossoms blazed across the branches like flames. Booming clashes rang out in the distance. He transformed into a streak of light and swept toward a gentle slope outside Danchi Ridge, where the grass was lush and green. A tiger-headed, human-bodied Demon General wielding a broadsword was locked in fierce battle with a Red-Scaled Giant Python.

They were Vanguard Hu and Chi Ling. The Heavenly Sin Blade in Vanguard Hu's hand glinted with chilling light, its shrieks through the air unceasing. Whenever its edge struck Chi Ling, sparks flew from her red scales with the clang of metal.

Chi Ling repeatedly tried to coil around her opponent with her body, but the Heavenly Sin Blade forced her back each time. Vanguard Hu had not used the Great Sin Art—one of the divine abilities recorded in the <True Formula of Refining Methods and Dispelling Sin>. If he used the secret art to drive the Heavenly Sin Blade, a single strike would likely have severed Chi Ling in two.

Even so, the might of an Immortal Artifact was no small matter. After taking ten strikes, Chi Ling could no longer endure and repeatedly cried for them to stop. Vanguard Hu withdrew his momentum and stepped back, resting the long blade on his shoulder. When Chi Ling returned to human form, her body was covered in bruises, and several places on her cheeks had swollen.

"I'm not fighting anymore." She rubbed her arm and complained, "Your blade is too powerful."

Having watched the battle, Zhuang Yan was certain that this woman was not the python demon from the Journey to the West. What ordinary snake demon could take ten blows from an Immortal Artifact head-on? Though Chi Ling had not become immortal, her red scales were harder than refined iron. Such talent was truly rare.

Seeing the two stop, he called out, "Vanguard Hu, Chi Ling, come here."

The two immediately turned at the sound, delight appearing on their faces. They flew over and bowed. "Greetings, Lord Prefect."

Zhuang Yan asked with a smile, "Which of you is stronger now?"

Chi Ling pointed at her companion and said bluntly:

Vanguard Hu grinned. "Lord Prefect, when it comes to weapon techniques, I am stronger than Chi Ling. But if we fight barehanded, the outcome would be hard to say."

Chi Ling gave a soft snort. "Without weapons? One sweep of my tail followed by a coil, and you would not be able to withstand it."

Zhuang Yan smiled faintly and said to Chi Ling, "A powerful body is certainly important, but magical treasures and weapons cannot be neglected either. If your methods are too limited, your opponent will easily find your weakness."

Chi Ling twisted the corner of her clothes and said softly, "But I have neither magical treasures nor weapons to use."

With a sweep of Zhuang Yan's sleeve, immortal light flowed, and a resplendent golden halberd appeared in his palm. "The Heavenly King Golden Halberd, also an immortal treasure."

Chi Ling's eyes lit up as she stared fixedly at the long halberd, her gaze filled with delight.

"This halberd shall be given to you," Zhuang Yan said with a smile.

Overjoyed, Chi Ling immediately dropped to her knees and kowtowed. "Thank you, Lord Prefect, for granting me this treasure!" Rising, she accepted the halberd and lovingly stroked it.

Zhuang Yan reminded her, "Refine it properly when you return."

Chi Ling nodded heavily. Her red eyes flickered as she knelt again and knocked her head against the ground three times. "Lord Prefect, your great kindness is beyond measure. This halberd suits me perfectly!"

Zhuang Yan smiled and patted the top of her head three times. He then said to the two, "I am making a trip to Mount Fangcun. Guard the mountain gates well."

The two answered in unison, "We shall obey your command, Lord Prefect."

Mount Fangcun, outside the Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars.

The moment Zhuang Yan arrived at the mountain gates, he heard Patriarch Bodhi sharply rebuke, "Wukong! Did I teach you divine abilities so that you could show off before others?"

Sun Wukong hurriedly fell to his knees. "I know I was wrong. I beg Master for forgiveness!"

Patriarch Bodhi flicked his sleeve. "Enough. You may leave."

Tears streamed down Sun Wukong's face. "Master, where are you going?"

"Return to where you came from."

Sun Wukong sobbed uncontrollably. "I have cultivated under Master for more than ten years and have yet to repay Master's grace. How could I dare leave?"

Patriarch Bodhi said indifferently, "What grace is there to repay? So long as you do not cause trouble in the future and do not implicate me, that will be enough."

With a sweep of his whisk, he said, "Go at once! From this day forth, you may not mention my name. The bond between master and disciple is at an end."

Sun Wukong trembled all over. When he looked up, he saw only his master's back disappearing into the cave. He could only hold back his tears and kowtow three times, retreating from the mountain gates while looking back at every step.

Just outside the gates, Sun Wukong spotted Zhuang Yan and hurried forward to bow. "Lord Prefect! My master has expelled me from his sect. I beg you to plead for me! I have yet to repay Master's grace—how can I leave just like this?"

Zhuang Yan smiled. "Wukong, you and Fellow Daoist Bodhi were destined to be master and disciple for only ten years. You cannot force it."

"I was just about to enter and pay him a visit. Wait here for now."

Sun Wukong nodded repeatedly. "I beg Lord Prefect to put in a good word for me!"

Zhuang Yan smiled faintly, patted Sun Wukong on the shoulder, and turned to enter the Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars.

Sun Wukong watched his back vanish into the distance. Wiping away the tears at the corners of his eyes, he silently walked to a bluestone by the cliff and sat there in a daze.

When Patriarch Bodhi saw Zhuang Yan come to visit, he happily ordered a young attendant to prepare a banquet and serve fruit. Smiling, he asked, "Little friend, have you completed your work and emerged from seclusion today?"

"Indeed." Zhuang Yan smiled. "I have come especially to catch up with you, Fellow Daoist."

Patriarch Bodhi stroked his beard and nodded. "You were in seclusion for many years. Did you gain anything?"

"My cultivation and magical power have increased slightly, but apart from that, I gained nothing," Zhuang Yan replied frankly.

"Cultivation depends on opportunity," Patriarch Bodhi consoled him. "Sometimes, even sitting in meditation for a hundred years brings no progress."

Zhuang Yan suddenly asked, "How many years have you cultivated until now, Fellow Daoist?"

Patriarch Bodhi shook his head and smiled. "Since descending into the world at the creation of heaven and earth, I have sought the Dao from the Three Pure Ones, sought teachings in the Western Heaven, studied Confucianism under Kong Qiu, learned farming from farmers, practiced fishing with fishermen, sought instruction from hunters, and studied military strategy under the God of War... Wherever there was someone specialized in a path, I would assume a form and seek instruction."

Zhuang Yan exclaimed in amazement, "Such diligence in study is truly unmatched in the world. Could it be that you have already integrated the strengths of every school?"

Patriarch Bodhi said proudly, "I have drawn upon the strengths of all schools, discarded the false and preserved the true. There is nothing among the three teachings and nine schools that I do not understand."

After praising him, Zhuang Yan changed the subject. "I encountered Wukong at the mountain gates just now and heard that you expelled him from your sect?"

Patriarch Bodhi dismissed the young attendants around them. Only after confirming that no one was nearby did he smile mysteriously. "Little friend, you once asked about the connection between this poor Daoist and Venerable Subhuti beneath Tathagata?"

Zhuang Yan's eyes immediately brightened.

"That Venerable Subhuti," Patriarch Bodhi said as he stroked his beard, "was the Dharma body I created when I sought teachings from Tathagata in those days."

"So that was it!" Zhuang Yan was filled with respect. In pursuit of Buddhist teachings, this man had actually divided off an incarnation and entered the Buddhist Sect, eventually becoming one of Tathagata's top ten.

Zhuang Yan pressed on, "Is Venerable Subhuti still serving Tathagata on Spirit Mountain?"

"Since it is a Buddhist Dharma form that has already been cultivated," Patriarch Bodhi said leisurely, "it is fitting enough for it to remain in the Western Heaven."

"Did you leave behind an incarnation in the Daoist Sect, Fellow Daoist?"

"I did not." Patriarch Bodhi smiled. "When I studied the Dao under the Three Pure Ones in those years, I went in my original form. After my studies were complete, I bid them farewell and descended the mountain."

Zhuang Yan came to a realization and said seriously, "For you to reveal such a secret to me, Fellow Daoist, truly fills me with admiration."

Patriarch Bodhi smiled. "First, it is because of the friendship between you and me. Second, it concerns Wukong's matter."

Zhuang Yan listened intently.

"There are three reasons for driving him down the mountain," Patriarch Bodhi explained at length. "First, to avoid disaster. Second, because he has a great destiny of his own. Third, because the fate between him and me as master and disciple is limited to only ten years."

Zhuang Yan frowned. "I can understand the latter two points, but this talk of avoiding disaster... Could there truly be danger to one's life even within your cave mansion, Fellow Daoist?"

Patriarch Bodhi smiled meaningfully. "Ever since this poor Daoist began teaching disciples here, someone has been watching in secret."

Patriarch Bodhi looked toward Zhuang Yan and said slowly, "Wukong is unruly by nature and loves to show off his strength and compete with others. I taught him spells and divine abilities, yet he flaunted them everywhere. It is inevitable that he will bring disaster upon himself. Little friend, if a powerful but ungovernable spirit came to Spirit Platform Mountain, could you tolerate him?"

Zhuang Yan nodded. "But if you expel him from your sect and he loses your protection, would that not make him even more vulnerable?"

"Leaving this place will instead keep him safe. The Daoist methods I taught him are enough for him to roam the Three Realms. If he continues being my disciple, he will surely suffer calamity. Besides, he has other fated encounters ahead of him. Once he leaves here, there will naturally be an expert to protect him," Patriarch Bodhi explained.

Zhuang Yan understood inwardly. This so-called expert was naturally Tathagata of the Western Heaven.

Now that Patriarch Bodhi had severed his master-disciple relationship with Sun Wukong and driven him down the mountain, it happened to comply with the will of heaven and allowed him to escort Tang Sanzang westward to obtain the scriptures in the future.

If Sun Wukong had remained in the Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars, someone would instead have gone to every length to force him down the mountain. By then, things would likely not have been so simple.

After all, escorting Tang Sanzang to obtain the scriptures was the decree of fate. In the end, it could not be avoided.

"So that was it." Zhuang Yan nodded in agreement.

Patriarch Bodhi suddenly changed the subject. "Little friend, your Daoist methods are quite peculiar. I cannot discern their origin. Though I know you are an Innate Being, your divine abilities do not belong to any school within the Three Realms?"

Zhuang Yan replied with a smile, "My Daoist methods and divine abilities were all innate. They were not acquired through later cultivation."