Chapter 36

Although he had wreaked havoc in the Dragon Palace, seized the treasures of the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas, and committed grave crimes, he had ultimately taken no lives and still retained a trace of goodwill. It would be best to try reforming him through guidance first.

Emperor Shaoyang of the Purple Mansion pondered aloud, "Since the Divine Thunder Jade Mansion has ordered our Department of the Mortal Realm to enlighten the Demon Monkey, whom should we send?"

True Lord Xuandu and True Lord Wenshi exchanged glances. True Lord Xuandu said, "More than half of the Eight Immortals have fallen, and the remaining four have already gone to Spirit Platform Mountain. Though our Department of the Mortal Realm oversees the affairs of mortal immortals and gods, we currently have no suitable candidate to dispatch."

True Lord Wenshi continued, "Aside from the Upper Cave Eight Immortals, the other immortal officials of the Department of the Mortal Realm are too shallow in cultivation to reform this demon. Why not choose one of the three of us to descend?"

Emperor Shaoyang of the Purple Mansion remained silent for a long while before saying, "We each have important duties and cannot leave for long. Enlightening the Demon Monkey will not be accomplished in a day."

As they were discussing the matter, True Person Siming Xuji Chongying rose and reported, "This humble official has an idea."

"Speak quickly." Emperor Shaoyang of the Purple Mansion urged him.

True Person Siming Xuji Chongying offered his proposal. "There is no need to send a True Immortal down to the mortal realm. We can shorten the Demon Monkey's lifespan, have Underworld Emissaries seize his soul and take him through the underworld, where he may witness the horrors of the Eighteen Levels of Hell firsthand. Once he returns to life, he will surely repent and turn toward good."

True Lord Xuandu and True Lord Wenshi praised the plan in unison. "An excellent method! What one sees with one's own eyes surpasses a thousand words."

Emperor Shaoyang of the Purple Mansion nodded with a smile. "I shall leave this matter to you, True Person. Be sure to make thorough arrangements."

Within Guangci Prefecture City, Vanguard Hu and Chi Ling were conducting patrols under orders. Having just learned the Yin-Yang Fetal Observation Technique, they discovered that a fetus inside a pregnant woman's womb was sitting with its back toward the yin. It was clearly a Demonic Fetus.

"Report this at once," Vanguard Hu said.

Inside Lingtai Divine Manor, Zhuang Yan was having tea with Tieguai Li and the other three immortals at the Eight Immortals Tower. Upon receiving the message, his expression changed sharply.

He Xiangu asked when she saw this, "Prefecture Lord, has something happened?"

Zhuang Yan put away the message and explained the situation regarding the Demonic Fetuses to the four True Persons in detail.

He Xiangu asked worriedly, "How should these Demonic Fetuses be dealt with? We can't possibly... abort them, can we?"

Tieguai Li agreed. "There are so many Demonic Fetuses. If we truly aborted them all, the karmic sin would be immense."

Zhuang Yan smiled. "Abortion is the worst option, so naturally we will not use it. The solution is actually quite simple. We only need to find the corresponding source of each Demonic Fetus and destroy it. The Demonic Energy will disperse on its own, and the Demonic Fetus will return to normal."

Upon hearing this, He Xiangu's expression immediately eased considerably.

Zhongli Quan suggested, "In that case, we cannot stand by idly. We should help investigate the Demonic Fetuses and save those unborn children."

"Exactly." Lü Dongbin nodded. "We previously joked about eating and drinking for free, but we cannot truly do nothing. Before facing the tribulation, it is always good to do more good deeds."

The four rose and said to Zhuang Yan, "Prefecture Lord, the matter of the Demonic Fetuses is of great importance. Please teach us the Yin-Yang Fetal Observation Technique so that we may also contribute."

Zhuang Yan smiled. "No need to rush. Finish your tea first. Later, I will issue a decree and ask the four of you to convey it to the gods of Guangci Prefecture."

The four exchanged glances and sat back down.

After tea, Zhuang Yan brought them back to the divine manor. He first taught them the Yin-Yang Fetal Observation Technique, then issued an edict in the name of Lingtai Divine Manor regarding the handling of Demonic Fetuses, entrusting the four True Persons with delivering it.

Zhuang Yan did not stop the four True Persons from wanting to do good before facing their tribulation, allowing matters to proceed naturally. Moluo had now descended into the world, and this was the time of the Buddhist-Demon Tribulation. He, too, had important matters to attend to.

After seeing off the four True Persons, Zhuang Yan summoned the Fire Spirit True Immortal and instructed him, "From now on, you will temporarily take my place in guarding Lingtai Divine Manor."

The Fire Spirit True Immortal hurriedly asked, "Where is the Prefecture Lord going?"

Zhuang Yan smiled faintly. "Do not ask."

"Yes, sir." The Fire Spirit True Immortal bowed in acceptance.

Zhuang Yan added, "Come forward."

After the Fire Spirit True Immortal approached, Zhuang Yan continued, "Hold out your hands."

When the Fire Spirit True Immortal extended one hand, Zhuang Yan added, "Both hands."

Zhuang Yan circulated his divine power and wrote upon his left hand, then wrote upon his right hand.

Seeing the immortal-light characters gleaming in his palms, the Fire Spirit True Immortal asked in surprise, "Prefecture Lord, what is this?"

Zhuang Yan explained, "This is one of my divine abilities, lent to you for the time being. Use it against enemies and to heal wounds. Do you understand?"

The Fire Spirit True Immortal joyfully bowed in thanks. "Many thanks to the Prefecture Lord for bestowing this technique. This subordinate will remember it well."

"I leave the divine manor to you." With that, Zhuang Yan vanished in a flash.

Moluo stared at the earthen jar with a furrowed brow. This incarnation of his had already used every divine ability and spell available to him, yet he still could not break the jar.

Moluo demanded irritably, "What kind of seal is this?"

"Lian'er" was imprisoned within the earthen jar. She herself was not to be feared, but the child in her womb was the Manifestation of Worldly Dharma of the Buddhist demon. Only when the manifestation descended into the world and merged with the Primal Golden Body could its foundation in the present world be stabilized.

Yet Lian'er was trapped inside the jar. If the manifestation could not appear in the world on time, it would be effortless for the Buddhist sect to dissolve the great Buddhist-Demon Tribulation.

Just as Moluo was racking his brains for a solution, his expression abruptly changed, as though he had sensed something.

"They can actually identify Demonic Fetuses?" He was shocked and enraged. He had just sensed large numbers of Demonic Fetuses being destroyed, all because their golden bodies had collapsed first. The Demonic Fetuses in Guangci Prefecture were vanishing the fastest. Clearly, the monks there had already mastered a method for identifying and eliminating Demonic Fetuses.

"The Buddhist sect is moving so quickly!" Moluo immediately felt the urgency of the situation. "We cannot wait another ten months." He formed seals with his fingers at once. Demonic light flashed between his brows, and faint ghostly glimmers appeared on the foreheads of pregnant women everywhere.

His gaze fell upon the earthen jar again, and Moluo thought of the imprisoned Cundi Bodhisattva. "Perhaps these people can undo the seal?" He transformed into the manifestation of Cundi Bodhisattva and carried the earthen jar swiftly back to the Tianren Temple dojo.

The instant he stepped into the meditation chamber, the earthen jar in his hand suddenly turned incorporeal and fell through his fingers to the ground. Moluo bent down sharply and saw the jar shifting between reality and illusion. No matter how he drove his demonic power, he could not move it in the slightest.

"Moluo, why have you returned?" Cundi Bodhisattva opened her eyes. Catching sight of his stunned expression, she followed his gaze and could not help but laugh. "You actually dared provoke him?"

"Who?" Moluo asked urgently.

Cundi Bodhisattva stared at the earthen jar. "Its owner."

"The Mountain God of Lingtai?"

"You should call him Lord of Lingtai Dongming now."

Moluo snorted disdainfully. "A mere seventh-rank earth immortal. What is there to fear?"

Cundi Bodhisattva asked in return, "Then have you broken the seal?"

"I was just about to borrow your strength." Moluo narrowed his eyes. "If you are willing to help, I may spare your life."

"Wishful thinking." Cundi Bodhisattva smiled faintly. "This seal is beyond my ability to break—just like the one you look down upon, Lord of Lingtai Dongming, that seventh-rank immortal official."

Moluo's expression changed drastically, but he immediately denied it with absolute certainty. "Absurd! I can even imprison a Bodhisattva. How could I fail against the seal of a mere earth immortal?"

He declared with certainty, "This seal was absolutely not created by the Spirit Platform Prefecture Lord."

Cundi Bodhisattva asked, "Where did you obtain this object?"

"Inside the Mountain God Hall of Lingtai Divine Manor," Moluo answered.

Cundi Bodhisattva shook her head. "You took it from Lingtai Divine Manor, yet you refuse to believe that the Prefecture Lord set the seal. That is truly baffling."

Moluo sneered. "Stop playing dumb. There is another expert within Spirit Platform Mountain."

"You mean the one at Mount Fangcun?" Cundi Bodhisattva asked.

"Exactly." Moluo declared, "This seal must have come from that person's hand."

Cundi Bodhisattva laughed. "Moluo, you are simply forcing your argument."

"Hahaha!" Moluo laughed wildly and said with contempt, "Every word I said is true. As for you, Bodhisattva, you are the one whose life hangs by a thread now."

Before his laughter had faded, Moluo suddenly sensed something wrong—the cave had an echo. He abruptly stopped laughing, only to discover that another laugh was still continuing.

Moluo spun around in horror and saw a newcomer surrounded by divine light, dressed in the robes of a seventh-rank immortal official, with a shining jade belt at his waist and an extraordinarily handsome face...

"Spirit Platform Prefecture Lord?!" Moluo shouted, immediately unleashing the art of Delusions Bewitching the Heart.

Zhuang Yan's figure suddenly turned into a fading afterimage and vanished. Only delusional thoughts remained where he had stood, fleeting away in an instant.

Moluo was terrified and frantically looked around. By the time he located Zhuang Yan again, Zhuang Yan was already standing ten paces away, holding the earthen jar high as he gave a sharp cry:

In an instant, heaven and earth spun. When Moluo's vision returned, he was already in endless darkness.

He suddenly realized—he had actually been sucked into the earthen jar! Before he could consider how an earth immortal possessed such a divine ability, Moluo immediately revealed his true form and unleashed monstrous demonic power against the jar's walls.

Yet no matter what he did, the earthen jar remained utterly unmoved, without even the slightest mark left upon it.

Outside, Zhuang Yan put away the two jars and strolled over to Cundi Bodhisattva. Smiling, he cupped his hands in greeting. "Bodhisattva, what refined leisure. Are you meditating here?"

Cundi Bodhisattva said helplessly, "Prefecture Lord, do not mock me. Please help this poor monk escape."

"Gladly." With that, Zhuang Yan raised a hand and dispelled the technique placed upon the Bodhisattva.

The confinement vanished at once. Buddhist light burst forth around Cundi Bodhisattva, washing away every trace of remaining Demonic Energy.

She gave a solemn bow. "Thank you, Prefecture Lord, for saving my life."

Zhuang Yan smiled. "You are too courteous, Bodhisattva. Just give me a few more Suoluo Immortal Fruits."

Cundi Bodhisattva smiled. "When the immortal fruits ripen next time, I will certainly let the Prefecture Lord enjoy his fill."

Cundi Bodhisattva gazed at Zhuang Yan, her voice filled with amazement. "Prefecture Lord, how many abilities have you still hidden away?"

She was indeed shocked. Zhuang Yan had followed Moluo into her dojo without being noticed, which showed just how superb his concealment technique was. What surprised her even more was that, though they were both Grand Unity Golden Immortals, Zhuang Yan had effortlessly broken the restriction Moluo had placed upon her. Such methods were anything but ordinary.

Setting aside cultivation realm, these two abilities alone would have been enough to grant him the rank of Bodhisattva within the Buddhist sect. Yet this young man before her was merely a seventh-rank immortal official of the Heavenly Court. The thought flashed through her mind before she quickly suppressed it. After all, Zhuang Yan had been recommended by Grand Supreme Elder Lao and personally appointed by the Jade Emperor as Lord of Lingtai Dongming. He could not be recruited lightly.

Zhuang Yan smiled calmly. "There is not much left. I have used nearly all of it."

Cundi Bodhisattva nodded slightly and then asked, "Why did the Prefecture Lord come here?"

"I had been tracking this demon for some time. When I saw him heading toward Tianren Temple, I followed him all the way here," Zhuang Yan explained. "I did not expect that, by chance, I would help the Bodhisattva escape." He then revealed a puzzled expression. "With the Bodhisattva's cultivation, how were you subdued by this demon?"

Cundi Bodhisattva sighed softly. "This demon is an incarnation of the Buddhist demon, born from Buddha Heart. It is the most difficult thing for Buddhist cultivators like us to guard against. The slightest carelessness is enough to fall prey to it."

"I see." Zhuang Yan nodded in understanding. "So the Buddhist demon specifically counters Buddhist cultivators?"

"It is not yet a true nemesis, but as the Dharma-Ending Age approaches, its danger will grow increasingly severe," Cundi Bodhisattva replied.

Zhuang Yan nodded and cupped his hands. "In that case, I shall take my leave first."

Cundi Bodhisattva solemnly returned the gesture. "I owe my rescue this time to the Prefecture Lord. Once I report this matter to the World-Honored One, I will certainly visit personally to offer my thanks."

"You are too courteous, Bodhisattva. It was merely a small effort." Before his words had finished, Zhuang Yan had already transformed into a wisp of immortal qi and drifted away.

After leaving the dojo, Zhuang Yan took out the earthen jar sealing Moluo. Within it, Moluo had already exhausted his demonic power, yet he had failed to leave even the slightest mark on the jar's walls.