Chapter 86: Seizing The Treasure In Lotus Cave
Yet the gods cast spells striking at Ao Tu.
Thunder Department divine thunder, Plague Department plague qi, Dipper Department starlight, Heavenly King Precious Pagoda.
Ao Tu flew in the air, with a Nine-Ranked Precious Lotus Platform manifesting beneath him, impervious to all spells.
Thunder Department divine thunder struck the lotus platform, causing no ripples.
Plague Department plague qi struck the lotus platform and dispersed in an instant.
Dipper Department starlight struck the lotus platform, its glow shattering.
Heavenly King Precious Pagoda transformed in the air into sixty-six zhang tall, with seven layers, radiant treasure light shining, covering the lotus platform.
Ao Tu summoned the Purple Gold Red Gourd and chanted the word “collect.”
Whoosh, it collected Li Tianwang’s pagoda, then collected Zhou Xin and Li Qi, then collected Juling Shen, then collected the thirty-six Heavenly Dipper Stars and seventy-two Earthly Fiend Stars.
Ao Tu aimed the gourd at the Thunder Department and others; Qin Tian Jun and the rest saw this and all hid in the clouds, not daring to show their heads.
Ao Tu then aimed at Li Tianwang.
Li Tianwang was terrified out of his wits and grabbed Sun Wukong beside him, saying:
“Great Sage, the demon is powerful! Quick, leave! Quick, leave!”
Wukong carried Li Tianwang, turned, and somersaulted away.
Ao Tu returned to the cave in triumph, locking all the heavenly generals in the prison cell inside Lotus Cave.
The Dipper Department Heavenly Dipper and Earthly Fiend 108 Star Gods separately found Ao Tu and spoke of the formation diagram matter.
Ao Tu repeated what he had said before.
The stars, hearing this, were endlessly grateful.
On the other side.
Wukong brought Li Tianwang back to Heavenly Court.
Li Tianwang met the Jade Emperor and knelt, saying:
“Your Majesty, this minister is incompetent. The five chief gods of the Fire Department, two envoys of the Plague Department, and the Dipper Department Heavenly Dipper and Earthly Fiend stars were all collected by the demon dragon!”
The Jade Emperor said in shock: “A mere demon dragon has such abilities?”
Wukong said: “Your Majesty, it’s not that the demon dragon is powerful; he has a treasure gourd. With one chant of ‘collect,’ no matter what it is, it gets collected inside—truly hard to defeat. Old Sun thinks it must not be a mortal object!”
The Jade Emperor said: “My dear ministers, do you know what treasure this is?”
The gods whispered among themselves, all saying they did not know.
Wukong saw Lao Jun and stepped forward, saying:
“Old Official, you have broad knowledge; do you know what that treasure is?”
Lao Jun said: “Let me think.”
After waiting half a quarter of an hour, there was no reply.
Wukong, anxious, scratched his ears and cheeks, saying: “Old Official, have you thought of it?”
Lao Jun said: “Monkey, don’t be hasty. I have thought of someone.”
Wukong hurriedly said: “Who?”
Lao Jun said: “I heard that Medicine Buddha has a Medicine Gourd; I don’t know if that’s it.”
Wukong said: “Medicine Buddha! Good, I’ll go right now!”
Wukong left Heavenly Court, somersaulted twice, and arrived at the Eastern Pure Land of Lapis Lazuli in the Buddha realm. He met Medicine Buddha and explained the reason.
Medicine Buddha smilingly brought out the Medicine Gourd, which was a yellow-orange gourd.
Wukong saw he had found the wrong one and hurriedly said: “This disciple bids farewell.”
Wukong left the Eastern Pure Land of Lapis Lazuli and returned to Heavenly Court, finding Lao Jun and saying:
“Old Official, wrong, wrong. The monster uses a Purple Gold Red Gourd; Medicine Buddha has a yellow gourd. Think again; is there anyone else?”
Lao Jun said: “Purple Gold Red Gourd?”
Wukong said: “Exactly, exactly!”
Lao Jun said: “Give me a moment to think.”
This thought took another half quarter of an hour.
Wukong, frantic and jumping up and down, said: “How about it? Have you figured it out?”
Lao Jun said: “I remember Nuwa seems to have a similar gourd.”
Wukong said: “Nuwa! Good, Old Sun is off!”
Wukong left Heavenly Court, somersaulted several times, passed beyond the thirty-three heavens, and arrived at Wa Huang Palace, requesting to see Nuwa.
Bixia Boy Servant of Nuwa came out and asked Wukong’s purpose.
Wukong explained the reason.
Bixia Boy Servant said: “You found the wrong one. My lady’s gourd is a golden gourd, not some Purple Gold Red Gourd.”
Wukong, hearing this, hurriedly took his leave.
Wukong left Wa Huang Palace and returned to Heavenly Court, finding Lao Jun and saying:
“Old Official, wrong again. Nuwa’s gourd is a golden gourd, not a Purple Gold Red Gourd.”
Lao Jun said: “Wrong again? Monkey, I’m old and my memory is poor. You just say it’s a Purple Gold Red Gourd, but I can’t recall. Like this: go back to the demon’s cave mansion, sketch that gourd’s likeness and form, so I can identify it.”
Wukong said: “Good, Old Sun will go!”
The Jade Emperor said: “Li Tianwang, lead some more soldiers and generals to assist Wukong!”
Li Tianwang received the decree and descended to the mortal realm again.
The two returned to the Flat-Top Mountain area; the heavenly soldiers and generals were still in the air, and Ao Tu had not troubled these little soldiers.
The twenty-four Heavenly Lords of the Thunder Department were also in the air; Li Tianwang demanded:
“Why did you not fight the demon dragon?”
Qin Tian Jun laughed: “One who abandons the army and flees dares to return and issue orders?”
Li Tianwang angrily said: “You!”
Wukong said: “Heavenly King, don’t be angry; Heavenly Lord, don’t be furious. It’s all Old Sun’s fault, implicating you all to this point. I’ll sneak into the demon’s cave mansion: first to probe the origin of that treasure, second, if there’s a chance, to rescue the captured gods.”
Qin Tian Jun said: “Great Sage, your righteousness is high. To be honest, this Heavenly Lord had no intent to target Li Tianwang. If there’s a chance, please, Great Sage, first rescue the Third Prince to fulfill the Heavenly King’s father-son bond.”
Li Tianwang, hearing this, broke out in cold sweat on his forehead and hurriedly said:
“No need to trouble the Great Sage. If there’s a chance, please bring out the Precious Pagoda, and I myself will wield the pagoda to fight the demon and rescue my son Nezha.”
Wukong said: “You two, no quarreling. Old Sun will do his utmost and exert all efforts.”
With that, Wukong leaped to outside Lotus Cave, transformed into a flying midge, and drilled inside.
Li Tianwang saw this, inwardly anxious, fearing Wukong would really rescue Nezha, not knowing how to explain.
Wukong flew inside the cave, circled twice, found Ao Tu’s room, and quietly drilled in.
In the room, Ao Tu sat cross-legged on the Nine-Ranked Lotus Platform meditating.
Guanyin Bodhisattva sat cross-legged beside Ao Tu.
Wukong saw this, landed on the hanging pearl atop Guanyin Bodhisattva’s head, and transmitted sound:
“Bodhisattva, why are you here?”
Guanyin Bodhisattva knew it was Wukong; she was not convenient to speak of her matters with Ao Tu, so she said: “Wukong, I lost a bet to that demon dragon and cannot leave.”
Wukong said: “Bodhisattva, I went to ask Tathagata to subdue the demon, but Tathagata sent me to invite you. Do you know the origins of those two demons and why their treasure is so powerful?”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said: “Wukong, beside Lao Jun there is a boy servant who watches the golden furnace and a boy servant who watches the silver furnace; go seek there.”
Wukong, hearing this, thought to himself: “That Old Official!”
He hurriedly flew out.
Ao Tu watched the little insect fly in, then watched it fly out, knowing it must be Wukong’s transformation.
The time was about right; he should leave too, or it would become inconvenient.
Up to now, he had obstructed Tang Sanzang and his disciples for over three months, plus the extra twenty-four days in Bao Xiang Kingdom; the current progress was 122 days.
Wukong going back to Heavenly Court would take some time, plus the 600-li radius around Flat-Top Mountain would take no short time to exit, so progress should increase much more.
But for Ao Tu, the sooner he left, the better.
Ao Tu stood up and set down the Nine-Ranked Lotus Platform and Precious Pearl.
These two items were others’ treasures for proving the Dao; he could not truly refine them.
Here, Guanyin had made a Dao vow, so he did not worry about her acting against him and could temporarily use these two treasures.
But if going out, these two treasures were not fully under his control and might backlash against him, so he dared not take them directly.
Better to do a favor and return them to Guanyin.
Ao Tu set down the two treasures and said:
“Bodhisattva, return things to their original owner. I only hope you embrace compassion; after I leave, do not exterminate these little demons—they are not yet mature in mind and have served you and me for a long time.”
Guanyin Bodhisattva opened her eyes, looking at Ao Tu with a fierce glint in hers.
“Demon dragon, you truly must oppose the Three Realms? Your father perished responding to the calamity as heavenly fate! Stubborn and ignorant, where can be your place of refuge?”
Ao Tu said nothing and transformed into a rainbow, departing.
Guanyin Bodhisattva stood and said: “Demon dragon, all beings here will be implicated by you and suffer heavenly punishment!”
No one responded; Ao Tu had already left.
On the other side, Wukong flew to Heavenly Court, originally intending to go to the Lingxiao Treasure Hall to reason with Lao Jun.
But he thought: “If I go directly, that Old Official might not admit it. To catch a thief, take stolen goods; while he’s away, first go to Dou Shuai Palace to find evidence.”
Wukong somersaulted to Li Hen Heaven, Dou Shuai Palace.
Just about to enter, Lao Jun appeared from nowhere, blocking him:
“Monkey, where to? Not trying to steal my elixirs again?”
Wukong said: “Old Official, Old Sun goes in to admire the scenery.”
Lao Jun said: “Not going on the Journey for Sutras, what scenery do you admire here?”
Wukong said: “Admire the scenery, then go on the Journey for Sutras.”
With that, he flashed and drilled inside.
Lao Jun followed.
Wukong entered Dou Shuai Palace and saw a golden furnace and a silver furnace flanking the two sides inside the palace, with rush cushions before them, but no boy servants guarding.
Wukong hurriedly said: “Old Official, where are your boy servants?”
Lao Jun stepped forward: “Hey! My pills!”
Lao Jun waved his fly whisk; the golden and silver furnaces opened, and from the two furnaces flew a black qi and a white qi, transforming in the air into two half-pills, one black and one white.
Lao Jun joined the two half-pills, yin-yang circulating, endless life, saying: “Good! Good! Just refined perfectly!”
Wukong said: “Never mind the pills first. Your boy servants descended as demons to eat my Master; you Old Official still protect them, saying no one from the palace went down—what reason is that?”
Lao Jun laughed on hearing: “Monkey, not my affair, don’t wrongly blame the good. This was Guanyin Bodhisattva borrowing thrice; only then did I send the two lads down to transform as demons to test the sincerity of you master and disciples on the Journey for Sutras.”
Wukong, hearing this, then understood why Tathagata had sent him to find Guanyin. Recalling his toilsome travels on this journey, he inwardly recited: “This Bodhisattva deserves a lifetime without a husband!”
Lao Jun collected the pills and said: “Alright, quick, go save your Master!”
Wukong and Lao Jun arrived at Flat-Top Mountain; Lao Jun stood in the clouds and said: “Lads, come home!”
Golden Horn and Silver Horn bowed their heads.
Lao Jun waved his fly whisk; the two shed their demon forms and changed back to Dao lads.
Silver Horn presented the rope and Precious Sword.
Golden Horn presented the pure vase and fan.
Lao Jun took back the treasures, brought the two lads, and leisurely departed. At the nine heavens above, he saw Ao Tu holding the gourd, standing in the clouds.
Ao Tu saw Lao Jun and bowed: “Many thanks for Dao Ancestor’s grace of salvation.”
Lao Jun dodged Ao Tu’s bow and said: “When did I ever save you?”
Ao Tu said: “Earlier, I held the gourd to comprehend the Great Dao, unfortunately got lost; thanks to Dao Ancestor saving me.”
