"The fairy Tianyu of Yaochi greets Guanyin Bodhisattva and Peach Blossom Hermit."
It turned out that the two were Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals of the Upper Cave from Heaven, and Tianyu, the youngest of the Jade Emperor's seven daughters, also known as Xiaoqi. After announcing their names, they bowed to Guanyin, who nodded in return. Guanyin also glanced at Mo Mo, who nodded in return and gestured for them to sit down.
This wasn't Lü Dongbin's first time visiting Mo Mo, so he wasn't at all reserved. If Guanyin hadn't been there, he would have sat down without Mo Mo inviting him. Xiao Qi, on the other hand, was a bit reserved. After Mo Mo gestured for her to sit down, she didn't sit on the only remaining stone bench. Instead, she looked at Lü Dongbin nervously. Seeing this, Lü Dongbin glanced at Guanyin, and after Guanyin smiled and nodded, he smiled and said to Xiao Qi, "He asked you to sit, so just sit down. There are no rules here, so don't be so formal."
Upon hearing Lü Dongbin's words, Xiao Qi cautiously glanced at Mo Mo and Guanyin. Only after seeing them both smiling at her did she blush and sit down. This wasn't out of shyness or timidity, but rather a difference in status. Although she was the Jade Emperor's daughter, Guanyin was a renowned figure in Buddhism. Even her father, the Jade Emperor, dared not treat her lightly and would respectfully address her as Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Although Mo Mo's origins are unknown, she is said to be even more powerful than Guanyin Bodhisattva. In the Three Realms, strength reigns supreme. Although she is the daughter of the Jade Emperor, many gods and immortals in the Heavenly Court do not care much about her, and some even disregard her father, the Jade Emperor, maintaining only a superficial respect. While Mo Mo does not have any special status, few in the Heavenly Court are willing to offend her. Moreover, her purpose in coming here is to carry the Heavenly Court's decree to appoint Mo Mo as a regional emperor. Because Mo Mo does not belong to any other power, she is the most likely candidate to be won over by the Jade Emperor. Therefore, although Mo Mo's current status may seem low, she dares not be disrespectful in the slightest.
After Xiao Qi sat down, Mo Mo opened the teacups on the table and poured a cup of immortal tea for each person. As a clear, emerald-green tea was poured from the teapot, a faint fragrance instantly filled the air. However, the four people present were all of extraordinary status, and they had seen and tasted such immortal tea before, so they were not surprised. After pouring the tea, Mo Mo sat quietly. Although he knew that the three people had come to see him for something, he was not in a hurry at all. So he slowly sipped his tea. Guanyin did the same. As a result, the room became quiet, with only the faint fragrance of tea and the subtle scent of peach blossoms quietly spreading around.
Mo Mo and Guanyin remained calm. Lü Dongbin, as the leader of the Eight Immortals of the Upper Cave, also possessed extraordinary cultivation and a remarkable state of mind, so he was not in a hurry. However, Xiao Qi was anxious. Unlike Lü Dongbin, she was not calm. Although she also possessed the cultivation of a Xuanxian, this cultivation was not something she had cultivated little by little, but rather something directly bestowed upon her by the Heavenly Dao. Therefore, although she possessed the cultivation of a Xuanxian, she did not have the state of mind of a Xuanxian. In fact, because she had lived in the Heavenly Court for many years, her state of mind was probably not even comparable to that of an ordinary wandering immortal.
Therefore, she was a little anxious at this moment, burdened with heavy responsibilities. However, seeing that everyone else was calmly drinking tea, she did not dare to speak casually. She could only glance at Lü Dongbin from time to time, hoping that he would speak. Unfortunately, Lü Dongbin remained unmoved and continued to drink tea on his own.
(End of this chapter)
2017/11/8 17:39:19|44784100
Chapter 450 Winning Over
Speaking of this, we must mention another matter. In fact, the Queen Mother of the West was not the Jade Emperor's wife. The two were actually of equal rank. One was the head of all male immortals, and the other was the head of all female immortals. The Seven Fairy Maidens were born to the Jade Emperor and his mortal wife when the Jade Emperor descended to earth to undergo tribulations. In the end, after the Jade Emperor achieved his goal, he took his entire family and ascended to the Heavenly Court.
As the saying goes, "When one attains enlightenment, even one's chickens and dogs ascend to heaven," they too rose from ordinary mortals to become daughters of the Heavenly Emperor, while their mother became the Queen Mother of the West. For some unknown reason, the Queen Mother of the West, who was already low-key, gradually retreated into the background after her family's ascension, fading from the sight of the immortals. However, the Peach Garden did indeed belong to the Queen Mother; it was a reward bestowed upon her by the Heavenly Dao, or perhaps a perk of being the Queen Mother.
Of course, the Queen Mother's past was not simple either. It is said that she was a female Daoist disciple under Hongjun. But whether this is true or not, probably no one but those involved can know for sure. After all, this matter is of great importance and cannot be spread casually. But the fact is that the Queen Mother's background is extraordinary. Her seven daughters are also quite talented. Otherwise, they would not have been able to rise from True Immortals (True Immortal Realm in the Primordial World) to Profound Immortals in just over a thousand years. However, their lack of experience has always been their biggest weakness. It is precisely because of this that she appears so nervous at this moment.
However, she was, after all, a celestial being from Heaven. With a sip of the celestial tea, she gradually relaxed. Lu Dongbin, sitting opposite her, chuckled lightly and nodded almost imperceptibly. He then continued to savor the faintly fragrant celestial tea. However, a cup of tea could only be drunk in a few sips, and it was finished in just a few breaths. After finishing their tea, Mo Mo and the other two put down their teacups one after another. Xiao Qi also quickly finished her tea in one gulp and put down her teacup. She knew that the main course was about to begin.
Sure enough, after Mo Mo and the others noticed the teacup, they didn't continue pouring tea. Instead, they all looked at her, which made her momentarily confused. "Did she do something wrong?" Just as she was at a loss, Lü Dongbin said with a smile, "Seventh Princess, didn't you bring the Jade Emperor's decree? Hurry up and take it out, so you won't feel uneasy while drinking your tea."
"Oh, right, Peach Blossom Hermit, I've come to deliver the Jade Emperor's decree to you." Reminded by Lü Dongbin, Xiao Qi suddenly realized what was happening and quickly took out a jade letter from her sleeve and handed it to Mo Mo.
Mo Mo smiled slightly and said, "Seventh Princess, don't be shy. I don't have many rules here, and I have a pretty good temper. You don't have to worry about offending me. Of course, I should correct one thing: I am not Peach Blossom Hermit. My Taoist name is Forget-Dust, not Peach Blossom."
After hearing Mo Mo's words, the Seventh Princess Xiao Qi asked in surprise, "Then, why does Immortal Lü call you Peach Blossom Hermit?"
"So that's how it is. No wonder I suddenly had the title 'Peach Blossom Hermit.' It was all your doing. I was thinking of inviting you for a drink, but now it seems I'll have to enjoy my century-old Peach Blossom Wine all by myself." Mo Mo said with a sigh, while Lü Dongbin's expression changed instantly upon hearing Mo Mo's words. As a connoisseur of fine wine, how could he let such a fine wine slip through his fingers? So he decisively knelt down.
"Brother Dao, Brother Wangchen, I only said it casually because I saw how much you love peach blossoms. Who would have thought they would take it seriously? I'll drink with you and then go back to clarify things." Lü Dongbin pleaded. Mo Mo shook his head and chuckled when he saw him like this, saying, "I'll let you off this time. If there's a next time, don't come looking for me to drink. After all, I don't have much wine left."
"I say, have you forgotten that I'm still here?" Guanyin's eyes flashed with a strange meaning as she looked at Mo Mo and Lü Dongbin, sending a chill down their spines. They had indeed forgotten that Guanyin was still here. Moreover, Guanyin was a Buddhist, and Buddhists abstain from alcohol. Yet, they were discussing drinking in front of her. They dared not think any further and quickly stopped the conversation. To divert attention, Mo Mo hurriedly looked at the jade tablet in his hand, while Lü Dongbin picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea for each of them.
The jade tablet didn't have many words, but Mo Mo lingered on it for a long time. He really hadn't expected the Jade Emperor to go to such lengths to win him over. The tablet was written in a long and splendid style, about two or three hundred words, but most of it was just nonsense. It was mostly praising Mo Mo's profound cultivation and virtue, saying he was a true immortal. The only truly useful sentence was the last one: "This Emperor wishes to grant Xiao Qi the honor of marriage to you, and congratulates you on becoming a regional emperor." The Jade Emperor was trying to use the position of regional emperor as a condition to bring Mo Mo into his camp.
The Jade Emperor's reward was incredibly generous. This title of Regional Emperor was equivalent to a king in the mortal realm. As long as this honor was approved by the Heavenly Dao, Mo Mo would be a Regional Emperor, and even the Jade Emperor could not interfere too much within his territory. Moreover, this Regional Emperor was not considered a subordinate of the Jade Emperor, who did not have direct jurisdiction but could at most offer suggestions. His position was extremely high. Furthermore, as a bond for the alliance, he would send his youngest daughter to Mo Mo's side. It was truly a grand gesture. If it were someone else, such generous conditions might have been accepted, as they represented countless resources, merits, and good fortune. However, unfortunately, he was trying to win over Mo Mo, so these conditions suddenly seemed somewhat insufficient.
In the end, Mo Mo handed the jade token to Lü Dongbin. To this world, he was just a passerby, so he didn't want to get involved in such a struggle. Moreover, he always hated such battles because they were tiring and annoying, and he was someone who disliked trouble. Lü Dongbin had come with Xiao Qi, and the jade token had been previously sealed, so Mo Mo guessed that Princess Xiao Qi was probably unaware of it. Therefore, Lü Dongbin, who had come with her, must know something. So he returned the jade token to Lü Dongbin.
Lu Dongbin accepted the jade token with a complicated expression, but finally couldn't help but say, "Wangchen, shouldn't you reconsider? I know you don't like being restricted, but although this emperor is nominally under the Heavenly Court, the Heavenly Court's control is not strict. Besides, Xiao Qi is indeed quite good."
Mo Mo glanced at him without saying a word. Seeing this, Lü Dongbin said no more. He knew that Mo Mo's mind was made up, so he did not try to persuade him further. Xiao Qi, who was standing to the side, did not understand what had happened, but she had a feeling that Mo Mo had probably refused the Jade Emperor's reward. In fact, this was not the first time she had seen such a situation. She had seen the same situation before, but she did not expect to encounter it directly this time.
Just then, Guanyin suddenly spoke up, "Wangchen, would you be interested in organizing a Journey to the West with me, or participating in one of the eighty-one tribulations?"
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 451 Rejection
"Wangchen, would you be interested in organizing a Journey to the West with me, or participating in one of the eighty-one tribulations?" As soon as Guanyin said this, Lü Dongbin's heart jumped. Although Mo Mo had never actually made a move, no one questioned his strength. Therefore, both the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist sect were trying their best to win him over.
The Heavenly Court initially thought Mo Mo was a Buddhist master, but after getting to know him, they realized that Mo Mo's ideas were actually more aligned with Taoism. He pursued the Tao, emphasizing naturalness and not focusing on the afterlife, only respecting this life. This contradicted the tenets of Buddhism. Therefore, although Mo Mo resided on Mount Luojia, Buddhism had no intention of recruiting him. Of course, it's also possible that they had already failed. This is why the Heavenly Court was willing to go to such great lengths to recruit him.
However, as soon as Guanyin uttered these words, Lü Dongbin secretly cried out in alarm. The Journey to the West was related to the eastward transmission of Buddhism and the flourishing of Buddhism, and no mistakes could be tolerated. Therefore, not only them, but even the Jade Emperor had to fully cooperate. Ordinary immortals and gods would not only be unable to participate, but probably would not even know the specific details.
However, Guanyin has now promised Mo Mo a position to lead the Journey to the West, which shows her great sincerity. If the Journey to the West succeeds, as the leader of the Journey to the West, he will gain a huge amount of merit, which is enough to make even a quasi-saint city envious. Moreover, even if Mo Mo agrees to this condition, he will not need to join the Buddhist sect. Although he will be marked with the mark of the Buddhist sect, he will not belong to the Buddhist sect. He will still be a free man, which is what Lü Dongbin is most worried about.
Because he understood Mo Mo, he knew that compared to power, Mo Mo cared more about freedom and being unrestrained. He preferred a free and unfettered life. Therefore, Lü Dongbin was secretly anxious, but he could only worry helplessly, because they had no more capital to bet on. This could be said to be the greatest sincerity that the Jade Emperor could offer. So he could only wait quietly for Mo Mo to make his final decision.
In fact, Mo Mo was also a little surprised to hear Guanyin's words. Mo Mo knew much more about the importance of Journey to the West than Lü Dongbin did. Moreover, the importance of Journey to the West to Buddhism was far greater than Lü Dongbin and the others had imagined. It can be said that Journey to the West was the cornerstone of the prosperity of Buddhism. Without Journey to the West, without the eastward transmission of Buddhism, there would have been no Buddhism that has flourished for thousands of years in later generations.
A thousand miles of orioles sing amidst the green and red, wine flags flutter in the wind of waterside villages and mountain towns.
Four hundred and eighty temples of the Southern Dynasties, how many pavilions and terraces are shrouded in mist and rain.
The flourishing of Buddhism can be glimpsed from the poem "Spring in Jiangnan" by the great Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu. However, the fact that Guanyin has invited Mo Mo to co-preside over such an important event shows how highly Buddhism values him. Of course, Buddhism likely also intended to use the Journey to the West to bring him onto its grand ship, but unfortunately, they've chosen the wrong path.
Undoubtedly, Mo Mo will definitely participate in the Journey to the West, but certainly not as the leader. Moreover, Mo Mo really doesn't care about that little bit of merit power, because if he really wanted it, he could go to a disaster-stricken world and save it and get just as much merit power. Therefore, this thing doesn't really have much appeal to him.
Most importantly, he dared not preside over the Journey to the West with Guanyin, because according to his personality, he was afraid that he might accidentally mess things up. At that time, the two big shots behind the scenes, Zhunti and Jieyin, would definitely not be able to resist coming out to criticize him. And he was not good enough to criticize these two big shots at the moment. So he decisively rejected Guanyin's suggestion.
Mo Mo's refusal was exactly what Guanyin expected, and she even felt a strange sense of relief upon seeing it. In fact, she had opposed the Buddha's suggestion, because she knew Mo Mo quite well. Based on her interactions with Mo Mo over the past hundred years, she was certain that if Mo Mo were to become the leader of the Journey to the West, Tang Sanzang and his companions would be tortured to the point of ecstasy within a month. Moreover, rumors might even circulate that Tang Sanzang or Zhu Bajie had found their soulmates. Given Mo Mo's temperament, this was highly likely to happen.
Then something miraculous happened. After Mo Mo rejected Guanyin's suggestion, not only did Lü Dongbin and Xiao Qi breathe a sigh of relief, but Guanyin also breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, after the four chatted for a while, Guanyin left first, as she still had to tell Buddha about this matter. After Guanyin left, Princess Xiao Qi also returned to Heaven with the jade token that Lü Dongbin had set up a restriction on again. Lü Dongbin, on the other hand, stayed behind, still thinking about Mo Mo's jar of wine.
Seeing Lü Dongbin's eager urging for him to bring out the wine, Mo Mo couldn't help but laugh and scold, "You don't look like the Pure Yang Sword Immortal, the leader of the Eight Immortals of Shangdong at all. You're clearly just a drunkard with a wine craving."
"What drunkard? I'm a deity, so this shouldn't be called a drunkard, it should be called a wine immortal. Besides, isn't this wine brewed for people to drink? Hurry up, stop talking nonsense and tell me where you buried this wine? I recently killed a vicious dragon, so hurry up and make some dishes to go with it. Good wine deserves good food, otherwise it would be a waste of such beautiful scenery and such fine wine." As Lü Dongbin spoke, he flipped his right hand and took out a dragon that he had shrunk to the thickness of a finger using his immortal magic, and handed it to Mo Mo.
Mo Mo casually took the shrunken dragon and put it away. Then he pointed to a peach tree not far away and said, "Look, the wine is buried under that peach tree. But you can only take one jar of Peach Blossom Wine. Don't touch the wine next to it; that wine isn't suitable for you." After saying that, Mo Mo ignored Lü Dongbin and headed straight for the bamboo house. As for whether this guy could find the wine, he wasn't worried at all, because this guy often came here to ask for wine and had almost made this place his home.
This wasn't the first time Mo Mo had processed an ingredient like a dragon, so he was quite skilled at it. He bled it, skinned it, and deboned it. In less than half an hour, he had processed the huge dragon, which was a hundred feet long and nearly ten feet thick. Afterward, Mo Mo selected the most succulent parts of the dragon and cooked a few side dishes with vegetables picked from his garden. When Mo Mo carried these side dishes out the door, he found two empty wine jars lying at Lü Dongbin's feet.
"As expected, I knew you wouldn't be able to resist. But Dongbin (Lu Dongbin, whose given name is Yan, courtesy name is Dongbin, and Taoist name is Chunyangzi, and he calls himself Huidaoren), some wines are not suitable for everyone. For example, you can't drink the jar of wine you're holding right now." Mo Mo walked to the table, put down the snacks, and looked at Lu Dongbin with a strange expression, reminding him.
"Wangchen, you're so stingy. Is there any wine in the world that I, the Wine Immortal, can't drink? But to be honest, ever since I drank your wine, I always feel like something's missing when I drink other wines, even the finest nectar." With that, Lü Dongbin casually picked up a jar of wine and tossed it to Mo Mo. Then he picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of the steaming hot celestial dish, and savored it with a satisfied expression.
"With fine wine and delicious food before me, plus a connoisseur who understands wine, this is the life I, the Taoist, pursue!" After saying this, he raised the wine jar and took a big gulp of wine.
(End of this chapter)
2017/11/9 22:15:19|44840722
Chapter 452 The Shocking Lü Dongbin
Seeing Lü Dongbin happily drinking with the snacks on the table, Mo Mo ultimately decided not to tell him the name and effects of the wine for the time being. After all, it would be quite impolite to spoil someone's enjoyment. So Mo Mo decided to tell Lü Dongbin about the wine's effects after he finished drinking. Besides, Lü Dongbin was a master of the Great Luo Golden Immortal level, so it shouldn't be a problem. Although he had drunk a bit too much, and Mo Mo had aged the wine for over a thousand years, making it very potent, it was still just a medicinal wine to enhance yang energy. Moreover, his Daoist name was Chunyangzi, so he should be fine, right? Hmm, it should be fine, so Mo Mo took the wine jar and sat down as well.
As expected of a powerful being of the Great Luo Golden Immortal level, Lü Dongbin drank three jars of medicinal wine that would have an effect on ordinary immortals and gods without changing his expression. However, judging from his appearance, he was already a little tipsy. As he chatted with Mo Mo, he started talking about the stories between the Eight Immortals and his love history, such as how he had once pursued He Xiangu but was rejected, something he thought had never been mentioned before.
Hearing Lü Dongbin mention his past immediately piqued Mo Mo's curiosity. After all, he had heard the legends of the Eight Immortals, and the love story between Lü Dongbin and He Xiangu was a major focus. So Mo Mo asked with a smile, "Why is that? As far as I know, He Xiangu is only a Golden Immortal, still some distance from becoming a Taiyi Golden Immortal, while you are a Daluo Golden Immortal. Moreover, with your status, the Heavenly Court's rules cannot hinder you at all. Why would she reject you?"
Indeed, this was the case. Not only had Lü Dongbin's strength reached the Great Luo realm, but more importantly, he was also a disciple of a sage. That's right, Lü Dongbin was actually a disciple of Tongtian Jiaozhu of the Jie Sect. Although he only received a small portion of Tongtian Jiaozhu's inheritance, and Tongtian Jiaozhu never explicitly stated anything, there was no doubt that Lü Dongbin was a disciple of the Jie Sect. Therefore, although he held a position in the Heavenly Court, the Heavenly Rules might not be able to control him, because he could leave at any time, and there was nothing you could do about it, since his backing was so powerful. Moreover, because of the Investiture of the Gods, most of those holding positions in the Heavenly Court were from the Jie Sect, so even the Jade Emperor generally did not want to offend him. Therefore, Mo Mo was quite curious about He Xiangu's rejection of Lü Dongbin.
After listening to Mo Mo's words, Lü Dongbin took a big gulp of wine, feeling somewhat depressed, before saying, "Sometimes you can't force feelings. If someone doesn't like you, they just don't like you, and there's nothing I can do about it. But so many years have passed, and I've let go of it. It's just a pity that although they truly love each other, they can't be together because of the heavenly rules. I'm willing but unable to help them. But it's alright, at least they can still see each other often, which is not bad."
Perhaps because he had kept these words in his heart for too long, Lü Dongbin's mood improved considerably after he finished speaking. However, it was clear that he hadn't completely let go of the past. Therefore, after he finished speaking, he paused and suddenly laughed, "Let's not talk about those things anymore. Come, come, let's drink. Let's live for today and be merry."
An hour later, Lü Dongbin, drunk, left Luojia Mountain on a cloud carrying a jar of wine. Mo Mo, after tidying up, returned to the small world. He had also drunk quite a bit of medicinal wine and was currently feeling hot-tempered, so he needed to cool down. A dozen minutes after Mo Mo entered the small world, the little black dragon, blushing, dragged Xiao Rou out of the small world and slipped into Guanyin's purple bamboo forest. Guanyin happened to be away at the time, so the purple bamboo forest suffered. The entire forest was swept clean by the little black dragon, and every bamboo shoot that had sprouted was dug up, leaving practically none behind.
Three days later, Guanyin finally returned, bringing with her astonishing news: Lu Dongbin, the leader of the Eight Immortals of Shangdong and a pure Yang sword immortal, had left Luojia Mountain three days prior and, under the influence of alcohol, had barged into the Hundred Flower Garden in Heaven and brazenly assaulted the Hundred Flower Fairy. This news shocked the entire Three Realms. When Mo Mo heard this news, he almost couldn't help but swear, but he managed to hold back. He secretly gave Lu Dongbin a thumbs up and muttered "Awesome!" Guanyin, on the other hand, looked at Mo Mo with a strange expression.
Even Mo Mo felt a little uncomfortable under Guanyin's gaze, so he touched his face and asked Guanyin in confusion, "Is there something on my face? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Don't tell me you didn't know about this. You were just about to drink before I left, and when Lü Dongbin barged into the Hundred Flowers Garden, he was reeking of alcohol and was even a little drunk. Moreover, according to the immortals and gods present, there was something wrong with the wine. Otherwise, even if he was drunk, Lü Dongbin shouldn't have done such a thing." Guanyin looked at Mo Mo with a half-smile and said.
"I really didn't know, but there was definitely something wrong with that wine. People without a Daoist partner shouldn't drink it. I warned him before that he shouldn't drink it, but he wouldn't listen. Now, sure enough, there's a problem. Besides, I drank it too, and I was almost drunk at the time, but I didn't have any problems. So it's not the wine that's the problem, but the person who drank it. So I'm not responsible for this." Mo Mo explained with a serious face. He didn't know if Guanyin believed him, but he did believe her. He did remind Lü Dongbin, but he got a little drunk and Lü Dongbin left in a hurry, so he forgot to remind Lü Dongbin about the special nature of the wine.
Guanyin rolled her eyes at Mo Mo. She knew Mo Mo very well; she didn't believe he had nothing to do with this matter. Moreover, the truth was certainly not as simple as Mo Mo claimed. However, this matter didn't concern her much, so she didn't want to get too involved. Remembering the Buddha's special instructions before her return, the smile on Guanyin's face gradually faded, replaced by a solemn expression. Taking a deep breath, she solemnly said to Mo Mo, "Fellow Daoist Wangchen, what do you think of my Buddhist sect?"
Seeing Guanyin's solemn expression, Mo Mo also put away his smile. After seriously considering Guanyin's words, he slowly said, "To be honest, I don't really like Buddhism. Buddhism emphasizes the emptiness of the four elements, the law of cause and effect, and the cultivation of the next life. It focuses more on the next life than this one. But humans are born with seven emotions and six desires, which is the most fundamental difference between humans and beasts, or even iron and stone. Yet Buddhism makes people abandon these emotions, which I cannot accept. Moreover, compared to the next life, I value this life more. To me, I am who I am, not in the past, nor in the future. I am only in this life. For me, no matter how glorious or brilliant the next life may be, it belongs to someone else. He is him, and I am me."
"So you dislike Buddhism that much?" Guanyin looked at Mo Mo with a rather complicated expression.
"On the contrary, I don't actually dislike Buddhism, or rather, I have a certain fondness for it, especially since your Buddhist tradition emphasizes equality for all beings and encourages people to do good. So I don't really hate Buddhism. Of course, I dislike it even less after meeting you." Mo Mo looked at Guanyin with a mischievous smile.
(End of this chapter)
2017/11/9 23:28:46|44845303
Chapter 453 Mo Mo Digs His Own Hole
"On the contrary, I don't actually dislike Buddhism, or rather, I have a certain fondness for it, especially since your Buddhist tradition emphasizes equality for all beings and encourages people to do good. So I don't dislike Buddhism at all. Of course, I dislike it even less after meeting you." Mo Mo's ambiguous words surprised Guanyin, who then fell into deep thought.
"Could it be that he really likes me? Otherwise, why would he leave and pack his things to come back with me as soon as I opened my mouth? And I always feel that he's not very wary of me, and he doesn't shy away from me in many things. Is he revealing his feelings to me? If so, this is truly a tragic love affair!"
After a moment's thought, Guanyin prepared to refuse Mo Mo, even if it was a joke, because she was Guanyin. However, the words were already on the tip of her tongue when she suddenly stopped. She suddenly remembered something the Buddha had said when she left Mount Ling. The Buddha had told her through a telepathic message that the Sage Zhunti had calculated Mo Mo's origins, but all he saw was chaos. Moreover, when Mo Mo's fighting power was mentioned, Guanyin could clearly feel the Buddha's deep fear of Mo Mo. What made Guanyin hesitate was the Buddha's sigh as she turned to leave, "If only he were willing to join the Buddhist sect, I would gladly give up my position as Buddha."
"My Buddha is merciful. He has sacrificed so much for the prosperity of Buddhism, and now he is willing to give up his position as Buddha to save all sentient beings. I was able to give up the opportunity to become a Buddha to save the lives of a city's people. Can't I give up everything for the people of this world now? I am Guanyin Bodhisattva. If I don't go to hell, who will?" At this moment, Guanyin was shrouded in a holy radiance that was unbearable to look at.
Mo Mo had intended to continue teasing Guanyin with his words, but Guanyin's sudden and unusual change made him abruptly stop what he was about to say and wait quietly. Mo Mo discovered that Guanyin had entered a state of enlightenment. At this moment, her primordial spirit was rapidly strengthening, and her cultivation was also soaring at a rocket-like speed. Less than three breaths had passed since the holy light appeared on her body, but her cultivation had already advanced from the late stage of the Great Luo realm to the peak of the Great Luo realm. Moreover, with a little more effort, she could break through to the Quasi-Saint realm. However, just as she was about to break through to the Quasi-Saint realm, she forcibly suppressed it herself. Finally, when the light on Guanyin's body dissipated, she had completely consolidated her realm at the peak of the Great Luo realm.
After the light on Guanyin's body dissipated, Mo Mo chuckled softly, "Congratulations. It seems that soon there will be another quasi-saint level powerhouse in this world. Don't forget me then, I'm counting on you to be my backer."
Guanyin rolled her eyes at Mo Mo, utterly speechless. She had never seen such a shameless person. He was already a late-stage Quasi-Saint, yet he still had the nerve to ask her to be his backer. Taking advantage of the wondrous feeling she had just experienced during her breakthrough, she finally sensed Mo Mo's true cultivation level: late-stage Quasi-Saint. Frankly, she had almost doubted her own perception, because she simply couldn't imagine that the usually unreliable Mo Mo possessed such power. No wonder Buddha said that if Mo Mo was willing to join Buddhism, he would relinquish his position as Buddha. With Mo Mo's strength, let alone taking over Buddhism, he could easily establish his own sect.
Thinking of this, she hesitated for a moment, then said solemnly, "Fellow Daoist Wangchen, please don't tease me. You are about to become a saint, why would you need me as your backer? I'm the one who wants you as my big backer. Also, were you serious about what you just said?"
"Wh...of course I'm serious. You're so beautiful, your cultivation is high, and you have such a kind heart. You're an excellent candidate to be a Daoist partner. But to be clear, I'm only at the mid-stage of Quasi-Saint, and I'm still a long way from becoming a Saint." Mo Mo said seriously. He would have almost forgotten about this if Guanyin hadn't brought it up. Of course, what Mo Mo said was true, but Mo Mo really hadn't thought about taking Guanyin as his partner. So, he was just teasing Guanyin, and he didn't think Guanyin would agree.
Guanyin stared into Mo Mo's eyes for a long time, and finally sighed, "Wangchen, I am a Buddhist and it is impossible for me to become your Daoist partner. However, you have treated me well, and I am not a heartless person. Therefore, I can practice a Buddhist technique with you. But you must promise me that you will treat Buddhists kindly in the future and work with me to save all sentient beings."
A flash of lightning struck Mo Mo's mind. He never expected Guanyin to say such a thing. Judging from her tone, this Buddhist technique would require a huge sacrifice for her; otherwise, she wouldn't have made such a demand of Mo Mo. Quick-witted as he was, he immediately thought of a technique that fit the current situation. But if he agreed, things would get really complicated. If he did agree, he would be severing his ties with Buddhism. However, he couldn't refuse, since he had proposed it first. If he went back on his word now, Guanyin would definitely fight to the death with him, severing all ties. Mo Mo didn't want that. He felt he could still try. So he swallowed hard and cautiously asked Guanyin, "What kind of technique is it? Can I not practice it? Saving all sentient beings is too troublesome."
"Joyful Zen," Guanyin said calmly, glancing at Mo Mo indifferently. However, while Guanyin remained calm, he was anything but. It was exactly what he feared. He didn't want to get involved with Buddhism, because the waters of this world were still very deep, and he didn't want to be entangled in them. But it seemed he couldn't escape now, because he didn't want to hurt this person who was wholeheartedly dedicated to saving all sentient beings. However, saving all sentient beings was out of the question, because according to the methods and practices of Buddhism, they probably wouldn't be able to save them all even until the world was destroyed.
"Guanyin, are you really sure? You must know that once this begins, there's no turning back. And I can tell you clearly, I will not go with you to save all sentient beings. Because I firmly believe that the people of this world don't actually need any kind of salvation. They have the ability to live happily in this world on their own. So I will not accompany you to bring them into Buddhism. They have their own way of living, and they don't need us to interfere." Since the matter was already settled, Mo Moyi wouldn't say anything more about it, but he would still stick to what he believed in.
“Of course I know that, but it’s not as serious as you think. Otherwise, Buddhism wouldn’t have preserved this technique. Although Buddhism prohibits lust, it’s only to prevent disciples from becoming addicted and developing various distracting thoughts. With my current cultivation level, I’ve long since become indifferent to matters between men and women, so as long as it doesn’t spread, it won’t have any impact. However, this is still considered breaking the precept, so to make amends, I will leave Luojia Mountain to save all sentient beings. I won’t return until the Journey to the West begins.” Looking at the faint smile on Guanyin’s face, Mo Mo couldn’t help but sigh softly, “Why bother?”
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 454 Why bother?
"Why bother!"
Upon hearing Mo Mo's sigh, Guanyin's body trembled slightly. After a long while, she said softly, "Saving all sentient beings is my path. What's the point of pursuing the Great Dao? Besides, don't forget that Buddhism has the concept of giving one's own body as alms."
What is physical almsgiving? Legend has it that Guanyin often gives alms in her physical form, appearing in a beautiful woman's rosy hue to have intercourse with lost souls. At the moment of great joy, she suddenly reveals her skeletal form, signifying that after great joy comes great extinction. "She uses her physical form to guide lost souls, preventing them from sinking into the desires of the flesh." In short, physical almsgiving means first transforming into a beautiful woman or handsome man to have sex with you, then suddenly turning into a skeleton to scare you half to death, and finally telling you that no matter how beautiful the appearance, its inner essence is still a skeleton. Don't be deceived by appearances, and don't become addicted to them.