Chapter 95: Exorcise Demons In Wuji Kingdom
Now speaking of Li Tianwang leading the crowd to Wuji Kingdom.
Li Tianwang could have directly taken the demonic Taoist away without alarming mortals, but he deliberately led the crowd to reveal their divine forms above the Imperial Palace, and knowingly asked the King of Wuji Kingdom about the demonic Taoist’s location.
Why was this?
It is only because immortals act with the principle of “acting uprightly and leaving a name,” and never do things in secret.
After Li Tianwang clarified the demonic Taoist’s location, he brought heavenly soldiers, flew to the top of the Buddhist Pagoda, untied the Green-maned Lion Spirit from the tower, and escorted it back to the Heavenly Court to report.
In the Heavenly Court, Lingxiao Palace.
The Jade Emperor issued a decree to escort the Green Lion to the Demon Slaying Platform and behead it at mao hour, inviting all the gods to watch together.
All the gods were delighted.
Wukong said: “Your Majesty, allow Old Sun to go down to the Mortal Realm first.”
The Jade Emperor said: “Wukong, what business do you have in the Mortal Realm?”
Wukong said: “One day in Heaven is one year in the Mortal Realm. Beheading at mao hour—I fear my Master is waiting anxiously in the Mortal Realm, so I will go report to him first.”
The Jade Emperor smiled and said: “Wukong, your filial piety is commendable. Go, go.”
Wukong exited the Lingxiao Palace, did a somersault, arrived in the Mortal Realm, saw Tang Sanzang and the King of Wuji Kingdom, and told the two in detail about the matters in the Heavenly Realm.
After hearing this, the King of Wuji Kingdom sighed endlessly, never imagining that a case no one had handled would now alarm so many immortals.
Tang Sanzang asked: “Wukong, how much longer until we go?”
Wukong said: “That Jade Emperor old official is too dilatory. The decree is for beheading at mao hour, but it will still take Half a Year to return.”
Ba Jie hid behind eavesdropping. Hearing it would take Half a Year to return, he couldn’t help but rejoice, thinking to himself that such comfortable days could last another Half a Year.
The King of Wuji Kingdom said: “Great Sage, this is already considered fast. Here, even if we catch someone red-handed, we still need to interrogate, record confessions, get approval, and even at the fastest, it takes two or three days to behead.”
Wukong said: “That’s true. Back when Old Sun was on the Demon Slaying Platform, they also issued a document.”
The King of Wuji Kingdom said in surprise: “Elder Sun was on the Demon Slaying Platform?”
Wukong smiled: “No need to mention it, no need. Those are old matters.”
Wukong said to Tang Sanzang: “Master, Old Sun will return to the Upper Realm first.”
Tang Sanzang said: “Go. Return early after the matter is settled.”
Wukong leaped up to leave, but suddenly thought of something and said: “Almost forgot.”
Wukong took out some pastries and fruits from his bosom and said: “Master, this is a gift from the Queen Mother, specially brought back for you and your junior brothers to taste.”
Seeing this, Ba Jie ran out to grab the pastries and fruits, saying: “Senior Brother! With such good stuff, why didn’t you bring it out earlier!”
Wukong said: “You idiot!”
Tang Sanzang said: “Ba Jie, how can you be so rude!”
Tang Sanzang took the pastries and fruits, opened them—there were exactly six portions in total—and said to the King of Wuji Kingdom: “Your Majesty, this is exactly six portions. Why not invite the Queen and Crown Prince to enjoy it together, to repay Your Majesty’s many days of generous hospitality.”
The King of Wuji Kingdom knew this was an immortal item and said delightedly: “Thank you, Holy Monk.”
The King of Wuji Kingdom immediately ordered a banquet, called the Queen and Crown Prince, and invited Tang Sanzang and his disciples to enjoy the immortal item together.
On the other side, after the Jade Emperor issued the decree, Ao Tu found Nezha, pulled him, and said: “Come with me.”
Nezha said: “Monk, where to?”
Ao Tu said: “Come first and we’ll talk.”
Ao Tu pulled Nezha and arrived at the Demon Slaying Platform to hide.
The Green Lion Spirit was tied on it with the Demon Binding Rope, surrounded by heavenly soldiers guarding it, to be executed when the time came.
Nezha said: “What are we doing here?”
Ao Tu said: “Waiting for someone to come rescue this lion.”
Nezha said: “No way. Who would dare come to the Demon Slaying Platform to rescue someone?”
Ao Tu said: “Hard to say.”
Nezha still didn’t quite believe it.
Ao Tu said: “If it were me and the monkey tied up there, would you come rescue us?”
Hearing this, Nezha turned his head and said: “Tch, I wouldn’t rescue you.”
Ao Tu pinched his little face and said: “Fine, you ungrateful Nezha, you actually wouldn’t rescue me!”
Nezha slapped away Ao Tu’s hand and looked at him suspiciously:
“You… why do I feel somewhat familiar?”
Ao Tu looked around, pretending nothing was wrong, and said: “Really?”
Not long after, Wukong returned to the Heavenly Realm.
Ao Tu called him over too, and the three hid together on the Demon Slaying Platform.
Around yin hour, when Heaven and Earth were obscured, a patch of blood cloud drifted from the horizon. The heavenly soldiers guarding the Green-maned Lion Spirit inhaled the blood mist and fell one after another.
Nezha shook Ao Tu beside him and said: “Monk, look quick—someone really came!”
Ao Tu looked and saw the blood cloud descend, revealing four people—tall in stature, cloaked in black robes, faces unclear, but their cultivation seemed not high.
Wukong said: “Watch Old Sun strike first with a blow to test the waters!”
Wukong leaped up, drew the Golden Cudgel, and struck the leader with one blow.
A clash of metal rang out. The black robe burst open, revealing an ugly man with four faces and four eyes, holding a Demon Subduing Pestle in hand to block Wukong’s Golden Cudgel.
Nezha said in shock: “Asura!”
The other three also shed their black robes: one with nine faces and a thousand eyes, emitting bloody light from its eyes; one with eight legs, spewing fire from its seven orifices; one with nine hundred ninety-nine arms, fearsome to behold.
Wukong wielded his cudgel to fight, heedless of how fierce their faces were. He twirled the Golden Cudgel, knocked away the Demon Subduing Pestle, and with a few blows broke the limbs of the four-eyed four-faced man.
Seeing this, the nine-faced thousand-eyed Asura unleashed bloody light from its thousand eyes to strike at Wukong.
Nezha leaped up, tugged the Hun Tian Ling to block the bloody light, and with his left hand hurled the Heaven and Earth Ring, smashing eight of its faces and shattering over eight hundred eyes.
The seven-orifice fire-spewing Asura spat bloody fire to strike at Nezha.
Ao Tu released the Alms Bowl from afar, trapping that one inside.
The nine hundred ninety-nine-armed Asura came to strike Ao Tu. Nezha wielded the Demon Slaying Sword and severed all nine hundred ninety-nine arms.
Seeing they were no match for the three, the four summoned blood cloud and fled.
Wukong swung the Golden Cudgel and struck down one.
Nezha kicked out the Wind Fire Wheels and smashed down one.
One remained. Ao Tu got up to chase, but since the Alms Bowl had trapped one, he couldn’t use other magic treasures in front of Nezha, so he had to act personally.
This played right into the opponent’s hands.
That last one originally had nine faces and a thousand eyes, but eight faces were smashed by Nezha, over eight hundred eyes shattered—now only over a hundred eyes remained, fleeing in disarray.
Ao Tu gave chase, and that one suddenly turned around.
A red streak shot from its shattered eyes, carrying endless killing power.
Ao Tu was greatly shocked. The red streak was too fast; he had no time to use any supernatural power or magic treasure.
The Purple Gold Red Gourd automatically protected its master, blocking in front of Ao Tu’s mud pill palace.
The red streak turned and pierced through Ao Tu’s heart.
The dragon scales and dragon bones on Ao Tu’s body couldn’t block it at all, easily shredded by the red streak.
It was a Blood-colored Long Sword.
The Long Sword didn’t stop and killed toward Ao Tu again.
Ao Tu didn’t dare linger and used the Rainbow Transformation Technique, his body vanishing from the spot.
Nezha was furious and wielded the Demon Slaying Sword to kill toward the Thousand-Eyed Asura.
Buddha’s Light descended, freezing Nezha.
“Third Prince, hold your hand!”
It was Manjushri Bodhisattva, riding the Green Lion descending from the sky.
Nezha angrily said: “Manjushri Bodhisattva, why do you stop me!”
Manjushri Bodhisattva said: “These are the Eight Heavenly Dragons of my Buddhism. This time they came by Buddha’s Decree to capture that demon dragon.”
Nezha said: “What demon dragon?”
Manjushri Bodhisattva said: “That little monk just now was the demon dragon in Transformation. The matter in Wuji Kingdom was also his scheme to sow discord. All this was plotted by the demon dragon. I hope the Great Sage and Third Prince do not believe his words.”
Wukong stepped forward and said: “So, this Green-maned Lion Spirit is the Bodhisattva’s mount?”
Manjushri Bodhisattva said: “Correct, this is a mount I keep In the mountains.”
Wukong said: “Then, Bodhisattva, did you know about this evil beast usurping the throne and occupying the country?”
Manjushri Bodhisattva said: “This was by Buddhist Dharma decree. Allow this poor monk to explain to His Majesty the Jade Emperor.”
Manjushri Bodhisattva raised her hand, unlocked the chains on the Green-maned Lion Spirit, turned and brought the four Asuras to the Lingxiao Palace to see the Jade Emperor, and explained the situation before all the immortals.
Originally, the King of Wuji Kingdom, in building his state and being fond of offering food to monks, accumulated much merit. The Buddha Ancestor sent Manjushri Bodhisattva to ferry him to Spirit Mountain to become a golden-bodied Arhat.
Because he could not meet in original form, Manjushri Bodhisattva transformed into a mortal monk, begged for food from the King of Wuji Kingdom, and asked a few Buddhist Principles.
The King of Wuji Kingdom was not versed in debating sutras and naturally couldn’t answer. Stumped by Manjushri Bodhisattva’s questions, he became angry from embarrassment and, on the charge of “offending the sacred, great disrespect,” tied up Manjushri Bodhisattva, threw her into the royal river, and immersed her for three days and nights.
Manjushri Bodhisattva returned to Spirit Mountain and reported to Tathagata.
Upon learning this, Tathagata issued a Buddha’s Decree, ordering the Green-maned Lion Spirit to descend to the Mortal Realm and make the King of Wuji Kingdom suffer three years of flood to repay Manjushri Bodhisattva’s three days of hardship.
Hearing this, Wukong hurriedly said: “No, Bodhisattva. The King of Wuji Kingdom died unjustly after five years, with no one to hear his pleas—how do you say it’s three years?”
Manjushri Bodhisattva said: “Because under my Buddha Tathagata, a source of calamity appeared. That demon dragon Ao Tu caused havoc in the Three Realms. To subdue this monster, he schemed in Wuji Kingdom, adding two days to the count.”
Wukong said: “Fine two days! With your two days added, that old king suffered fully two more years of Suffering of displacement!”
Manjushri Bodhisattva said: “This poor monk will personally establish a Buddhist lineage in Wuji Kingdom to Save all living beings, resolve their disasters, and atone for this fault.”
Wukong said: “Good, good, that can be overlooked. But Old Sun must ask the Bodhisattva: since it is your mount, why did it disguise itself as a Daoist Priest, claiming to be a perfected one who attained the Dao on Zhongnan Mountain, making Old Sun search so hard!”
Taishang Laojun, Tian Zun of the Nine Heavens, the Three Holy Maidens, and other gods looked over upon hearing this.
Manjushri Bodhisattva turned and said: “Evil beast, why did you falsely claim to be of another teaching?”
The Green-maned Lion Spirit looked up blankly at the gods and Jade Emperor: “Ah, I… from youth I admired Daoist Magic, so I took it upon myself.”
Manjushri Bodhisattva said: “This was this evil beast acting on its own, causing the Great Sage to misunderstand. This poor monk will deliver it to my Buddha for disposal.”
Outside the Lingxiao Palace, Nezha gripped the Demon Slaying Sword and hacked about in rage.
“Damn demon dragon! Filthy demon dragon! You dared to deceive me! You’d better not die from your injuries! When I see you again, hmph!”
Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the Jade Emperor said:
“Since it is so, let Buddha Ancestor Tathagata handle it.”
Manjushri Bodhisattva said: “Thank you, Your Majesty. This poor monk takes leave.”
“Wait!”
A voice came.
Nezha entered the hall, face pale, knelt on one knee, and said: “Your Majesty, your minister and the Great Sage were guarding the execution ground and were injured by evil demons. Please, Your Majesty, uphold justice for your minister and capture the evil demons.”
The Jade Emperor said: “Nezha, how is your injury? Is it serious?”
Hearing this, Nezha pulled open his collar, revealing a through-and-through sword wound before everyone.
The Jade Emperor said in shock: “What evil demon is so bold!”
