Chapter 40: Wuzhuang Temple Retains Friends
Ao Tu then came to Wuzhuang Temple and disguised himself as a Daoist priest.
You see him: wearing a purple gold mountain-flying crown, and a dragon-tiger robe. His waist is tied with the acquired Dragon-Binding Rope, and his feet tread on auspicious clouds, wearing heavenly boots.
【 Entered Mission Area 】
【 Current Side Quest: Befriending Friends at Wuzhuang Temple 】
【 Mission Requirement: Obstruct the pilgrims within the Wuzhuang Temple area and receive settlement rewards based on the duration of the obstruction. 】
【 Mission Reward: Three days/Magic Skill · Earth Evasion Technique, Seven days/Six-Revolving Golden Elixir, Half a Month/Grand Unity Purple Gold Elixir, One Month/Buddhist Dharma · Six-Character Mantra, One Season/Supernatural Power · Rainbow Transformation Technique, Half a Year/Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood, One Year/Innate Spiritual Treasure · Soul Scattering Gourd, Three Years/Innate Spiritual Treasure · River Diagram and Luo Book, Twelve Years/Chaos Bell, Sixty Years… 】
【 Current Progress: Six Days 】
The mission rewards are quite generous.
Among them, the Six-Revolving Golden Elixir and the Grand Unity Purple Gold Elixir are precisely the pills Ao Tu urgently needs to improve his cultivation and magic power.
As for the Six-Character Mantra, it is a versatile Buddhist Dharma skill that can be used in almost any situation.
It can be used for combat, healing, warding off disaster, and resolving misfortune.
The only drawback is that the power of this supernatural power is only strong when the user’s own magic power realm is sufficiently deep; otherwise, its effect will be quite ordinary.
In addition to the System’s rewards, there is another item to be gained from the Wuzhuang Temple trial.
The Ginseng Fruit, also known as the Grass Returning Pill, can grant three hundred and sixty years of life with a single whiff, and one fruit can extend life for forty-seven thousand years.
Ao Tu naturally wants to get his hands on a couple of these treasures.
Even setting aside the lifespan aspect, refining them would also be beneficial for increasing his cultivation.
Although Zhen Yuanzi is powerful, Ao Tu does not need to confront him directly.
He still possesses the Three Lights Divine Water obtained from Guanyin Bodhisattva, which he can use to heal the Ginseng Fruit Tree in place of Guanyin Bodhisattva and then claim two fruits as his reward.
Ao Tu transformed Tiger Vanguard into a young boy and entered the mountain gate.
To the left of the mountain gate stands a stele, inscribed with ten large characters:
Blessed land of Longevity Mountain, blessed cave of Wuzhuang Temple.
Upon entering, there is a couplet on the second gate:
Immortal abode of eternal life and longevity, Taoist’s home with a lifespan equal to heaven.
This is indeed the dojo of the Ancestor of Earth Immortals, Zhen Yuanzi, also known as Great Immortal Zhen Yuan, nicknamed Companion of the World.
Previously, Zhen Yuanzi received an invitation from Primal Celestial Venerable to attend a lecture on the Primordial Dao Fruit at Upper Clarity Heaven Miluo Palace.
Zhen Yuanzi has countless immortal disciples; currently, forty-eight disciples remain by his side. On that day, he led forty-six to the Upper Realm for the lecture, leaving the two youngest to guard the premises: one named Qing Feng, and the other named Ming Yue.
Qing Feng is thirteen hundred and twenty years old, and Ming Yue is twelve hundred years old.
As Zhen Yuanzi departed, he instructed the two boys: “You two must be diligent at home. An old acquaintance will pass by here soon; do not neglect him. Give him two of my Ginseng Fruits to eat, as a token of our past friendship.”
The two boys asked: “Master, who is your old acquaintance?”
Zhen Yuanzi replied: “He is the Holy Monk from the Eastern Land Great Tang, whose Dharma Name is Tang Sanzang.”
The two boys inquired: “We are from the Grand Unity Mystic Sect; how do we know that Monk?”
Zhen Yuanzi explained: “That Monk is the reincarnation of Golden Cicada, the second disciple of Tathagata Buddha. Five hundred years ago at the Ullambana Festival, he personally served me tea, which is why I consider him an old acquaintance.”
Upon hearing this, the two immortal children respectfully followed their master’s orders.
Zhen Yuanzi led his disciples to ascend, heading directly for the Heavenly Realm.
Currently, only the two immortal children, Qing Feng and Ming Yue, are in the temple; Zhen Yuanzi is not present.
Of course, even if Zhen Yuanzi were present, Ao Tu would not fear him, as Ao Tu was not there to steal fruits and had no guilt, thus he feared no one.
He knocked on the door, and two young boys rushed out in a hurry.
They had excellent appearances, as the saying goes:
Their bones were pure, their spirits clear, their faces beautiful; their hair was tied in topknots, their short hair fluffy.
Their Daoist robes naturally had collars adorned with mist, and their feather garments, in particular, had sleeves that billowed like wind.
Their belts were tightly fastened with dragon-head knots, and their straw sandals were lightly wrapped with silken thread.
Their demeanor was extraordinary, clearly not of common folk; they were indeed Qing Feng and Ming Yue.
Qing Feng and Ming Yue greeted Ao Tu and bowed, saying: “Daoist Priest, please forgive our lack of welcome. Please come inside and be seated.”
Ao Tu entered, and Qing Feng and Ming Yue offered tea and asked: “May we know the Daoist Priest’s immortal title, and from whence you come?”
Ao Tu replied: “My Daoist title is Fu Zhu Zhen Shi Tian Zun. I come from the West, seeking your master, Great Immortal Zhen Yuan.”
Upon hearing this, Qing Feng and Ming Yue did not know who Fu Zhu Zhen Shi Tian Zun was, and thus they said:
“Immortal Elder, our master has been invited by Primal Celestial Venerable to the Upper Clarity Heaven Miluo Palace to listen to a lecture on the Primordial Dao Fruit, and is not at home. If you have any matters, feel free to tell us two, and we will relay them on your behalf.”
Ao Tu said: “You two do not know. I have calculated that an old acquaintance will soon push down Great Immortal Zhen Yuan’s Ginseng Fruit Tree, and therefore I have specifically brought the remedy for the tree to cure it for the Great Immortal.”
Hearing this, Qing Feng and Ming Yue became angry and said:
“You Daoist priest, we treat you kindly, why do you curse our immortal tree?”
Ao Tu retorted: “You young boy, how ill-mannered! I have traveled thousands of miles to kindly help your family cure the tree, yet you blame me instead.”
Qing Feng said: “You mad Daoist, our immortal tree was a spiritual root born at the very beginning of Chaos and the separation of the primordial void, before heaven and earth were formed. In all the world, only our Wuzhuang Temple possesses this precious tree; who dares to harm it in the slightest?”
Ao Tu replied: “You young boy, how can you comprehend my divine calculations? Your spiritual root will soon face a catastrophe!”
Ming Yue exclaimed: “Still speaking nonsense! Hurry and leave, hurry and leave! Our immortal tree’s green branches are fragrant; it does not need a mad Daoist like you to heal it.”
Ao Tu said: “Very well, you two young boys do not know my abilities, so I will not blame you. I will be residing on the mountain outside the temple for these few days. If you need anything from me, just shout ‘Fu Zhu Zhen Shi Tian Zun’ three times, and I will come.”
Qing Feng and Ming Yue replied: “Who needs you? Hurry and leave!”
Ao Tu took Tiger Vanguard and left, randomly finding a tall mountain nearby to reside in, waiting for the arrival of Tang Sanzang and his disciples.
Tang Sanzang and his disciples, enduring the elements and traveling for many days, finally arrived in the area of Longevity Mountain and Wuzhuang Temple.
Upon entering the mountain, it was indeed a beautiful mountain.
The mountains were extremely steep, with majestic grandeur. Its roots connected to Kunlun, and its peak touched the sky. Sunlight illuminated the clear forest, and the wind blew from the shady ravines. Lush grass grew before the cliffs, and plum blossoms perfumed the mountain ridges.
Graceful, ten thousand streaks of colorful clouds flew, and brilliant phosphorescence generated auspicious energy.
Flowers bloomed and withered, painting the mountain scenery; clouds came and went, adorning the peaks.
Truly a blessed land for immortals.
Tang Sanzang joyfully said:
“Disciples, as I have journeyed west, I have encountered many treacherous and perilous mountains. Now that we have found this precious mountain, it must be not far from Spirit Mountain. Let us be solemn and reverent, so we may properly meet the World Honored One.”
Wukong laughed: “We are still far from it! Still far from it!”
Sha Seng asked: “Senior Brother, how much further is it to Spirit Mountain?”
Wukong replied: “One hundred and eight thousand li. We haven’t even covered one-tenth of it.”
Bajie asked: “Senior Brother, how many years will it take to arrive?”
Wukong said: “These roads, if you two junior brothers were to travel, you could reach it in about ten days; if I were to travel, I could go fifty rounds in a day, and it still wouldn’t be late; but if Master were to walk, forget it!”
Tang Sanzang asked: “Wukong, tell me, how long will it take for your master to arrive?”
Wukong replied: “From your childhood until old age, and then from old age back to childhood, even a thousand times of growing up and growing young would still be difficult; but as long as you see your true nature with sincerity, the moment you turn your mind back, you are at Spirit Mountain.”
Hearing this, Tang Sanzang recited Amitabha Buddha, and said no more.
The group ascended the mountain and arrived at Wuzhuang Temple, where Qing Feng and Ming Yue came to greet them again.
