Chapter 74: Reward Settlement, Seeking First Subscriptions
It is said that Ao Tu summoned the Dragon-Binding Rope.
Nezha saw this and quickly wrapped the Hun Tian Ling around himself to block the Dragon-Binding Rope.
Ao Tu’s Five-Colored Divine Light flashed, sweeping away the Hun Tian Ling.
Nezha’s face turned ashen with shock, and in an instant, he was ensnared by the Dragon-Binding Rope.
After capturing Nezha, Ao Tu retracted the Zao Diao Banner, and the sun, moon, and stars reappeared.
Wukong, who was enjoying the fight, suddenly saw the heavens and earth brighten again and exclaimed, “Not good.”
Kui Mu Lang clutched his waist, got up from the ground, and quickly unfurled a formation diagram.
Seeing this, Wukong immediately used a somersault to retreat.
Li Tianwang and others, unable to dodge, were engulfed by the formation and captured shortly after.
In the palace’s backyard, the Nine Luminaries and the Fire Department Soldiers were all bound to pillars.
There were only a few pillars, so how could they possibly tie up so many people?
They could only tie several people together, binding them to the same pillar.
The pillar to which Sha Wujing was tied had an additional four people bound to it, packed tightly together, making them extremely uncomfortable.
Bajie laughed, “Junior Brother Sha, now you know my words were correct!”
Sha Seng sighed repeatedly and said, “I wonder when Senior Brother will be able to rescue us.”
As they were speaking, they saw Kui Mu Lang and others dragging Li Tianwang over.
In fact, some heavenly soldiers and generals were captured along with Li Tianwang, but those people were unimportant, mere underlings, so they were directly thrown away, and only Li Tianwang was brought here.
Kui Mu Lang looked around the area and saw that all the pillars were occupied, with no place to put Li Tianwang. Suddenly, he spotted Zhu Bajie.
That Zhu Bajie was truly conserving energy. While others were standing bound to the pillars, he had loosened his ropes with his snout and was sitting on the ground, making himself much more comfortable than others.
Seeing this, Kui Mu Lang walked over and kicked Zhu Bajie, saying:
“Zhu Bajie, get up for me!”
Zhu Bajie said, “I won’t get up, I won’t get up!”
Kui Mu Lang ignored him and lifted him up. After Zhu Bajie stood up, there was an empty space next to him. Kui Mu Lang shoved Li Tianwang in and then tied them both up.
Zhu Bajie cried out in misery, “Ai ya, it’s both painful and tight! Loosen my ropes for me!”
Kui Mu Lang said, “Stop the nonsense! If you keep yelling, I’ll gag your pig mouth!”
At this moment, Ao Tu entered, carrying Nezha.
Kui Mu Lang quickly said, “Senior.”
Ao Tu nodded and said, “You should go tend to your injuries first, and be wary of Sun Wukong.”
Kui Mu Lang nodded in agreement and then took his leave.
Ao Tu surveyed the situation and, seeing no place to tie Nezha, grabbed Nezha’s hands and feet, bound them together, and then hung him from the eaves.
Nezha struggled back and forth, but his magic power was firmly sealed. No matter how he struggled, it was all in vain, and he could only swing back and forth with the rope.
Ao Tu pinched Nezha’s small face and laughed:
“Little Nezha, you haven’t grown up yet, why are you still swinging on a swing?”
Nezha said, “Demon Dragon, if you have the guts, come out with me. No magic treasures, just a one-on-one fight!”
Ao Tu said, “Get down from there first, and I’ll agree to it.”
Nezha, enraged, swayed back and forth on the rope, unable to get down.
Ao Tu laughed heartily, turned, and left to rest in the back of the hall.
After days of battle, Wukong and Nezha, ascending to the Heavenly Court, visiting Gou Chen, and borrowing the Zao Diao Banner, a series of events had led Ao Tu’s system progress to one hundred and sixty-eight days.
Only twelve days remained until the reward of Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood after half a year.
It was basically a sure thing.
Even if Ao Tu released Tang Sanzang and the others to the West now, it would take Tang Sanzang and his disciples a considerable amount of time to leave Bao Xiang Kingdom, enough for Ao Tu to receive his reward.
Not to mention, this trial had not yet ended.
Ao Tu spread the Hun Tian Ling on the couch, planted the Zao Diao Banner beside it, and placed the Precious Pagoda on the desk before resting.
The Hun Tian Ling was truly a fine treasure, like celestial woven brocade. Lying on it was like being on the clouds, and it also had the scent of celestial lotus root, fresh and comfortable.
Poor Nezha, his own treasure was snatched away and used as a “cushion,” while he was hung from the eaves, unable to break free.
Bajie, on the side, for some reason, was overjoyed upon seeing Nezha and said to Sha Seng, “Junior Brother Sha, we’re about to get out of here!”
Sha Seng asked doubtfully, “Second Senior Brother, what makes you say that?”
Bajie replied, “Look, Third Prince Nezha is bound here, so we’re not far from getting out.”
In the outside world, after Wukong disengaged from the battle, he somersaulted to the Western Paradise, to Spirit Mountain Great Thunderclap Temple.
Upon arriving at Spirit Mountain, Wukong met the Buddha Ancestor and recounted all that had happened.
When Tathagata learned the whole story, he called out, “Venerable Guanyin.”
Guanyin Bodhisattva replied, “Your disciple is here.”
Tathagata said, “Go and subdue that demon dragon, and let Tang Sanzang and his disciples continue their journey west.”
Guanyin Bodhisattva replied, “Your disciple obeys your command.”
Tathagata opened his palm, and a precious pearl the size of a fist flew out, which he placed in Guanyin Bodhisattva’s hand, saying:
“This is a treasure of Candlemas Buddha. If you place this treasure on your head, it can manifest a world of heaven. That demon dragon has low magic power, and even if he has supernatural powers, he will not be able to subdue you.”
Guanyin Bodhisattva was overjoyed to hear this, accepted the magic treasure, and together with Wukong, rode auspicious clouds out of Spirit Mountain, arriving in the sky above Bao Xiang Kingdom in a short while.
Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. Qin Tian Jun and others, holding hammers and drills, struck intermittently.
Wukong said, “The Bodhisattva has arrived.”
Qin Tian Jun and others saw her, bowed slightly, and called out, “Bodhisattva.”
Guanyin Bodhisattva asked, “Has that demon dragon come out at any time?”
Qin Tian Jun replied, “It is cloudy, and we have not seen the scene below the clouds.”
Guanyin Bodhisattva asked again, “Have you heard any sounds?”
Qin Tian Jun replied, “The thunder is deafening, we have not heard any sounds.”
Guanyin Bodhisattva, finding she could not elicit any more information, said, “Wukong, go down and challenge him to a battle.”
Wukong heard this, descended from the cloud, and landed outside the palace.
Kui Mu Lang and others heard the commotion, came out to meet the battle, released their formation, and starlight fell, drawing Wukong into the formation.
Guanyin Bodhisattva stood in the clouds. Seeing Wukong being taken into the formation, she flicked the willow branch from her Jade Pure Bottle, which turned into a cyan divine chain that spanned heaven and earth, breaking the sky into two halves and intercepting the starlight. She then turned the Jade Pure Bottle upside down, mouth facing the ground, and aimed it at Kui Mu Lang and the other Star Constellations. With a single chant of “receive,” she captured the Twenty-Eight Mansions into the bottle.
The formation was shattered, and Wukong emerged from it.
Guanyin Bodhisattva descended from the clouds and transformed into Kang Jin Long.
Wukong said, “Bodhisattva, why are you transforming?”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said, “I fear that the demon dragon is cunning and might escape, so I have transformed to subdue him.”
Seeing this, Wukong also chanted “transform” and changed himself into Kui Mu Lang.
The two entered the main hall but did not see Ao Tu.
Walking further inside, they saw various immortal officials and divine generals bound to pillars in the palace’s backyard, Nezha hung from the eaves, and Tang Sanzang tied to a corner of the wall.
Wukong poked Nezha. Just as Nezha was about to curse, he saw Wukong change his monkey face and realized it was Wukong’s disguise.
Wukong asked, “Where is that demon dragon?”
Nezha replied, “This morning, for some reason, that demon dragon was suddenly in high spirits, drank some alcoholic beverages, and is now resting in the back hall.”
Bajie saw Wukong and cried, “Brother, quickly loosen my bonds! I’ve been tied up for so many days, my body is numb!”
Wukong said, “Idiot, keep your voice down! Wait a bit longer, Old Sun will get you out!”
Bajie then fell silent.
Wukong and the Bodhisattva walked towards the back hall.
Entering the back hall, they saw Ao Tu lying asleep on the couch, wrapped in the Hun Tian Ling.
Guanyin Bodhisattva walked forward, and with a flash in her hand, a hoop appeared, which she placed on Ao Tu’s head.
Ao Tu suddenly opened his eyes, and the hoop in Guanyin Bodhisattva’s hand immediately turned into a wine cup.
Guanyin Bodhisattva smiled and said, “Great King, please have a drink.”
Ao Tu looked up and appraised her. Suddenly, White Bone Spirit stumbled in, saying:
“Great King, something bad has happened! The Twenty-Eight Mansions have all been captured!”
Guanyin Bodhisattva saw this, knew she was exposed, and stopped pretending. She immediately revealed her true form.
With the precious pearl on her head, the net bottle in her hand, standing on a lotus platform, and holding a willow branch, she struck at Ao Tu.
Ao Tu ducked his head to avoid the blow, and his Five-Colored Divine Light manifested.
Guanyin Bodhisattva’s precious pearl on her head glowed, and she said, “Evil beast, from where did you learn this supernatural power? Yet you cannot display your might before me!”
Ao Tu did not reply. The Five-Colored Divine Light flashed, and Guanyin Bodhisattva was absorbed into it.
Wukong was greatly shocked to see this. The Buddha Ancestor had clearly stated that the precious pearl could manifest a world of heaven and could not be subdued. How could the Bodhisattva have been captured?
Wukong quickly turned and somersaulted away.
After Wukong left, blue veins bulged on Ao Tu’s forehead, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
White Bone Spirit saw this, rushed forward to support Ao Tu, and exclaimed with concern:
“Great King, what is wrong with you?”
Ao Tu said, “Leave quickly, go from the back, don’t mind me!”
White Bone Spirit still wanted to say something, but Ao Tu directly leaped up, smashed through the palace, transformed into a five-clawed golden dragon, and flew outside.
Outside, thunderclouds churned, and Ao Tu soared through the clouds, emitting dragon roars.
Upon closer inspection, his dragon scales were shattered layer by layer, his dragon eyes were bloodshot, and his roars were tragic.
This was because the precious pearl on Guanyin Bodhisattva’s head was the treasure with which Candlemas Buddha attained enlightenment. The pearl contained a complete world of heaven, an item of Grand Unity. How could Ao Tu, with his Golden Immortal body, possibly subdue it?
Let alone subduing it, just its weight alone was infinite.
An ordinary Golden Immortal could not even budge it.
Yet Ao Tu had forcefully absorbed it into his Five-Colored Divine Light.
Originally, Ao Tu’s strength was not enough to absorb it. It was only because his divine light contained a five-element treasure that its power was enhanced, thus allowing him to absorb both Guanyin and the precious pearl.
However, even though he had absorbed them, Ao Tu could not bear it, and his dragon body was crushed, scales falling off.
In the next moment, the Five-Colored Divine Light on Ao Tu’s back could no longer be maintained and shattered with a roar. Guanyin Bodhisattva fell out from it and sat serenely on Ao Tu’s dragon back.
Guanyin Bodhisattva held the net bottle in one hand, grabbed Ao Tu’s dragon horn with the other, and smiled lightly, “Evil beast, will you not convert? Come with me to the Western Paradise!”
The scene at this moment is poetically attested:
Thunder light stacks the heavens, divine generals arrayed in the profound firmament.
A golden dragon soars through the nine heavens, Guanyin sits upon the dragon’s body.
Star Constellations enter the net bottle, the Crown Prince is bound to the eaves.
The Great Sage flees afar, the Corpse Demon transforms into a dark wind.
Ao Tu looked back at Guanyin Bodhisattva on his back, blood overflowing from his mouth, and smiled, “Guanyin, we shall meet again!”
Then, a ray of sunlight pierced through the sky, and Ao Tu’s massive dragon body vanished from the sight of the gods.
Guanyin opened her hands in surprise, completely unprepared for the situation unfolding before her.
She was clearly sitting on the demon dragon, and to prevent it from escaping, she had even held its dragon horn with one hand, yet despite all that, the demon dragon had still escaped!
How did that demon dragon disappear?
Guanyin Bodhisattva did not know. This technique was precisely: Supernatural Power: Rainbow Transformation Technique.
