"Indeed." The deity in the golden light nodded and said, "By order of His Majesty, please send the True Man to the Netherworld."
Lin Yi smiled slightly and said, "I've been thinking these past few days that His Majesty Hongwu should take some action. Let's go, don't keep His Majesty Hongwu waiting."
"Please, Master." King Fuming said, waving his sleeve. A golden light flashed, and a golden chariot appeared in the courtyard.
Lin Yi and Fuming Lingwang boarded the carriage one after the other. The Netherworld Horse reared up and traversed the Yin and Yang realms, plunging the carriage into darkness immediately. This wasn't simply a matter of light; it was more due to the difference between the Yin and Yang realms.
The car was going very fast, and there was a whooshing sound of wind, but no wind was blowing in. After an unknown amount of time, the car slowed down.
The light gradually came on ahead, and a golden sun hung in the sky, dispelling the gloom.
In the distance, a majestic city, spanning hundreds of miles, was bathed in light.
Upon closer inspection, one sees lush vegetation, gurgling springs, and a gentle breeze, making one feel as if they have returned to the mortal world.
"This is the projection of the capital city into the underworld, which has evolved into a blessed land," King Fuming explained.
Lin Yi asked with great interest, "Is there a classification system for this blessed land?"
King Fumingling said, “Of course there are. Blessed lands are divided into three levels: white, red, and gold. The most direct manifestation of this is the color of the sun. But only the bright sun in the clear blue sky has the ability to illuminate all directions and nourish the vitality of all things. In Taoism, it is called a ‘grotto-heaven.’ It is an independent realm, not relying on external sources. It is ever-renewing and forms its own cycle.”
Just as Lin Yi and King Fuming were talking, the carriage entered the super-large blessed land evolved from the Great Ming Dragon Court.
A majestic purple pillar stands tall, surrounded by azure clouds that fill the four corners of the earth, upon which sits a sacred and solemn heavenly palace.
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the Heavenly Palace, and Lin Yi alighted. The palace gates were wide open, and several people in magnificent official robes emerged. Maids and guards flanked them, holding canopies, flags, and tokens, exuding an air of authority.
A man with a beautiful beard, who looked to be around forty years old, stepped forward and said, "I have been sent by His Majesty to welcome the True Man. Please follow me."
Lin Yi followed the man through the palace gates. He saw that the palace was magnificent, with white jade pillars, green jade steps, and a dazzling golden splendor that defied description.
As they walked to the Taiji Hall, the crowd that had come to greet them dispersed.
Lin Yi straightened his clothes and then stepped inside.
The main hall was very spacious, with only endless purple mist rising and surging.
Lin Yi walked to the center of the main hall, then bowed and said, "May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings. Qingxuan pays respects to His Majesty Hongwu."
Zhu Hongwu, shrouded in the purple aura of the human emperor, opened his eyes and looked at Lin Yi. After a brief examination, he said, "No need for formalities. A sage has descended from heaven to undergo tribulations in the mortal world. The fate of the Ming Dynasty will continue because of you, and my grand plan may also succeed. If you are willing, I can reserve a place for you in the future Heavenly Court."
Lin Yi shook his head and said, "The gods wield power and control creation, yet they cannot enjoy the carefree life of immortals, which is not what I desire."
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Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Ladder to Heaven, The Future Buddhist Kingdom
Faced with Zhu Hongwu's empty promises, Lin Yi decisively rejected them.
A dragon cannot be raised in shallow water. With the "Gate to the Other Shore" in hand, he can roam freely through all the heavens and myriad realms. Why would he give up an entire forest for a single tree?
Lin Yi took out a scroll and said, "I have been entrusted by several fellow Daoists to present something to His Majesty."
After saying that, he gently tossed the scroll in his hand upwards.
The scroll opened slowly without wind. Above it were mountains and rivers, netherworld paradises, and celestial realms, all forming a complete system.
Zhu Hongwu stared silently at the treasure map for a long while before sighing and saying, "What a pity!"
This painting is titled "Map of Heavenly Palaces and Underworlds." It records the flourishing of Taoism during the Tang and Song dynasties, depicting the creation of various blessed lands and grotto-heavens based on the earth's mountains and rivers.
In that era, many alchemical and Taoist texts clearly stated that earth immortals, weary of living in the mortal world, diligently cultivated themselves and thus attained transcendence, becoming what is known as divine immortals.
Earthly immortals, weary of dwelling on the three islands, spread their teachings to the human world. They achieve merit in the Way and perform good deeds in the human world. When their merit and good deeds are fulfilled, they receive a heavenly book and return to their grotto heaven; these are called celestial immortals.
As celestial beings, if they choose to reside in grotto-heavens and serve as celestial officials… they will have made great contributions to heaven and earth, and performed great deeds throughout history. Through promotions and appointments in the thirty-six grotto-heavens, they will eventually return to the eighty-one Yang Heavens, and ultimately to the realm of the Three Pure Ones, a state of emptiness and naturalness…
This is a complete system composed of numerous blessed lands and grotto-heavens, and the ascension and reincarnation of immortals, and their successive appointments as celestial officials, all take place within these blessed lands and grotto-heavens...
However, with the Mongol invasion and the transformation of the immortal path, this vast system eventually collapsed, and the Ten Great Grotto-Heavens, Thirty-Six Lesser Grotto-Heavens, and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands are now mostly just names without substance.
That's why Zhu Yuanzhang said, "What a pity."
Times have changed, and this map of the celestial palace and the underworld now only has some reference value; it is no longer possible to copy it exactly.
"What do they want?" Zhu Hongwu asked.
"Those fellow Daoists wish to accumulate more external cultivation in order to break through their limits. Therefore, they asked me to inquire with His Majesty whether the Five Emperors and Four Masters of the Heavenly Court could reserve a few positions for them," Lin Yi said.
“They have shown their kindness; I can grant their request,” Zhu Hongwu said.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Lin Yi said.
"In the past, the Heavenly Palace and the Underworld relied on blessed lands and grotto-heavens. I wish to transform the Dragon Court into the Heavenly Court, but there is no ladder to ascend to heaven. Does the True Man have a good plan?" Zhu Hongwu then asked.
Lin Yi said, "The grotto-heaven is an independent realm, ethereal and elusive, difficult to find. I know of a future Buddhist kingdom in this world that can serve as a ladder for Your Majesty to ascend to heaven."
The Buddhist Pure Land and the blessed land of grottoes may have different names, but they are essentially the same.
"Please, Master, speak plainly?" Zhu Hongwu said.
"Shambhala, also known as Shangri-La. The Tibetan Buddhist scripture Kalachakra Tantra says: In the degenerate age, when the Dharma is in decline and people's minds are in ruins, only the Shangri-La Heaven will remain forever."
"When the barbarian king conquers the world and is about to invade the Buddhist realm, the Buddhist kingdom will reopen, annihilating all heretical demons and monsters in the final war, breaking all karmic obstacles in the human world, ending the Dharma-ending Age, and establishing a Buddhist kingdom on earth, a supreme paradise!"
"By virtue of this immeasurable merit, Shangri-La will surely ascend to heaven and return to the Western Paradise."
After Lin Yi finished speaking, he waited for Zhu Hongwu's decision. He didn't know much about Tibetan Buddhism; most of his information came from the Quanzhen School.
The person who knows you best is always your enemy.