Finally, with Guanyin's protection, Sun Wukong ascended to the Lingtai Fangcun and paid homage to the Bodhi Patriarch at the Xieyue Sanxing Cave. It is worth mentioning that the woodcutter who guided him to the Xieyue Sanxing Cave was actually Guanyin in disguise.
Just like in the original story, Sun Wukong eventually became a disciple of Bodhi Patriarch. After accepting him as a disciple, Bodhi Patriarch named him Sun Wukong. While Sun Wukong was kneeling outside the cave of the Crescent Moon and Three Stars, Mo Mo and Guanyin were inside, enjoying fragrant tea and chatting with Bodhi Patriarch.
Bodhi Patriarch is actually an incarnation of the Sage Zhunti. Zhunti and Jieyin are the founders of Buddhism. Therefore, Sun Wukong has been controlled by Buddhism from beginning to end. He is just a pawn in the eastward spread of Buddhism, but he is unaware of it.
Of course, as can be seen from the original drama, he had already seen through the truth of the matter in the later part of Journey to the West, and completely understood that this was just a pre-arranged play. It was precisely because of this that he would go to heaven to ask the immortals and Buddhas for help whenever he was in trouble, so that the immortals and Buddhas in heaven could also share in the merit. Moreover, you can see that he was not in a hurry at all when he went to ask for help, because he was not worried about Tang Sanzang's safety at all. He knew that Tang Sanzang could not possibly be in any danger. After all, Tang Sanzang was a true disciple of Buddha, whose status was equal to that of Guanyin, and his cultivation was naturally not weak.
Who would believe that Jin Chanzi didn't leave behind some secret weapon when he was reincarnated? Moreover, in Journey to the West, Tang Sanzang is famous for one thing: his flesh. Legend has it that eating his flesh grants immortality. But where there's smoke, there's fire. If his flesh wasn't special, why would such a rumor exist? Mo Mo speculates that it's very likely that after his reincarnation, his magical power was sealed within his physical body. Therefore, Tang Sanzang in Journey to the West was essentially a walking ginseng fruit. Otherwise, why would so many powerful demons want to eat him? Let alone rumors, those powerful demons who have cultivated to such a level wouldn't be fools. If Tang Sanzang didn't have anything special, why would they risk becoming enemies with Sun Wukong, a powerful figure who dared to wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace, just to capture and eat Tang Sanzang? Therefore, Tang Sanzang must have something special about him.
However, Jin Chanzi has not yet begun his reincarnation, so Mo Mo is not very clear about the specifics. But Mo Mo estimates that it should be pretty close to the truth. Just as Mo Mo was making wild guesses, Bodhi Patriarch, who had just been chatting happily with Guanyin, suddenly turned around and smiled at Mo Mo, saying, "Fellow Daoist, you have an affinity with my Buddhist sect. Why don't you join my Buddhist sect?"
Upon hearing Bodhi Patriarch's words, Mo Mo paused slightly as he was about to put down his teacup. A glint flashed in his eyes, but he then said with a calm expression, "Joining Buddhism? No interest. I'm used to being free and unrestrained, and I can't stand the strict rules and regulations of Buddhism. So I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint the saint's good intentions."
When Bodhi Patriarch heard Mo Mo's direct answer, a stern light flashed in his eyes. He smiled and looked at Mo Mo, whose expression remained unchanged. Guanyin, however, changed her expression drastically. She knew these two men's personalities quite well. When this saint was conferring titles upon the gods, he used the phrase "I am destined to have something with this person or thing" to forcefully take many good things from the hands of several other saints. This had almost become his catchphrase. Once he said this, it meant that he had taken a liking to that person or thing, and those people or things he took a liking to rarely failed to be taken back to the West by him. Many of the great masters of Buddhism today were taken back by him in this way.
Although Mo Mo appears humble, gentle, and approachable, Guanyin knows that Mo Mo possesses an inner pride and strong principles. Although Mo Mo hides this very well, Guanyin has witnessed his decisiveness and ruthlessness in daily life. Moreover, Mo Mo exudes a majestic and domineering aura, even more so than that of the Jade Emperor. Considering Mo Mo's background, Guanyin understands that Mo Mo must have once been a powerful ruler, so he would never join the Buddhist sect, especially not under duress.
Therefore, Guanyin was very nervous, fearing that the two would fall out and eventually fight. In an instant, the hall was filled with a solemn atmosphere, and as time went by, the aura emanating from Bodhi Patriarch grew stronger and stronger. Gradually, beads of sweat appeared on Guanyin's fair forehead, but Mo Mo remained as if nothing was wrong, leisurely eating the immortal fruits on the table and occasionally taking a sip of tea.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but just when she was about to give up, the heavy pressure suddenly disappeared. Guanyin's body relaxed abruptly, and she almost collapsed into the chair. It took her a while to recover. Only then did she realize that her back was chilly. She guessed that if it weren't for the fact that the clothes she was wearing were also a kind of celestial artifact with various characteristics, she would probably have made a fool of herself today.
After tossing the core of the last immortal pear onto the table, Mo Mo calmly said to Patriarch Bodhi, "Thank you for your hospitality, Sage. If there's nothing else, we'll head back now."
Mo Mo's nonchalant words made the atmosphere in the hall, which had just eased up, tense up again. Under Guanyin's horrified gaze, Bodhi Patriarch stood up with narrowed eyes. With his movement, a world-destroying aura suddenly erupted. At the same time, Mo Mo also calmly left his seat, and an aura even stronger than Bodhi Patriarch's suddenly erupted.
"Perfect timing. I haven't exercised in a long time either. It's good to stretch my muscles after a good meal." Mo Mo's tone was calm, but Guanyin was filled with shock. Was this going to be a war? And how could he be so strong?
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 470 Settling the Matter
Faced with Zhunti's threat, Mo Mo remained calm and composed, not taking it seriously at all. His cultivation as a True Immortal, that is, a late Quasi-Saint, certainly gave him the right to do so. The Bodhi Patriarch at the head of the table, feeling the powerful aura emanating from Mo Mo, also put away his smile and revealed a trace of solemnity in his eyes.
However, to the astonishment of both Mo Mo and Guanyin, the Bodhi Patriarch immediately withdrew his aura and returned to his kind and amiable demeanor, smiling as he said to Mo Mo, "Fellow Daoist's strength is indeed extraordinary. With you by my side to protect me, Guanyin, I feel much more at ease."
Upon hearing this, Mo Mo's lips curled into a disdainful smile. He didn't believe that Zhunti was merely testing him. Although he wasn't afraid of Zhunti, he didn't want to provoke him either. While his current combat strength wasn't much weaker than Zhunti's overall power, he shouldn't forget that battles in the prehistoric world were never about who had the highest cultivation level, but rather who had the most powerful magic weapon. So, if they really fought, Mo Mo wasn't sure he could win. Mo Mo estimated that they would be evenly matched at best. Moreover, Zhunti had a good brother, Jieyin, who was even more powerful than him. Therefore, Mo Mo didn't refute Bodhi Patriarch's words but instead accepted the situation gracefully.
Seeing that Mo Mo had no intention of continuing the fight, Patriarch Bodhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He realized that he had been somewhat reckless, attacking without even knowing the other party's strength. Fortunately, the other party didn't hold it against him, otherwise, things would have been really difficult to handle. Although he wasn't afraid of Mo Mo, the Dao Ancestor had decreed that saints were not allowed to appear in the world. In other words, their true forms were generally not allowed to appear in the world. Even if he brought out his innate treasure, the Seven Treasures Tree, he might not be a match for Mo Mo in his current avatar. So, if a fight really broke out, he was destined to lose face. Moreover, what he feared most was that Mo Mo would interfere with the Journey to the West, which was the most important matter for Buddhism. If Mo Mo caused trouble during the Journey to the West or even directly attacked Mount Ling, he would have nowhere to turn. Therefore, he decisively backed down.
Seeing that the two had calmed down and had temporarily given up their plans to fight, Guanyin finally felt relieved. Although Zhunti had retreated, Mo Mo did not want to linger there any longer. So he glanced at Guanyin, and Bodhi Patriarch smiled at Mo Mo and said, "Fellow Daoist, I have some things to tell Guanyin. May I ask if you can wait a moment?"
Mo Mo did not answer Bodhi Patriarch's question, but instead quietly looked at Guanyin. Guanyin's face was filled with conflict, and after hesitating for a moment, she finally stayed. Mo Mo was neither surprised nor disappointed, because he understood that this was Guanyin's path. Therefore, he smiled slightly at Guanyin and said, "Since you still have things to discuss, I will return to Luojia Mountain first." After saying this, he nodded to Bodhi Patriarch and turned to leave.
Led by the young disciple of Bodhi Patriarch, Mo Mo gradually arrived at the entrance of the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave. As he stepped out, he immediately saw Sun Wukong kneeling outside the door, now transformed into a snowman. Sun Wukong had noticed him as soon as the door opened, but when he saw the young disciple and an unfamiliar young man, he lowered his head in disappointment. Mo Mo smiled slightly, walked over, patted Sun Wukong on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "You're not bad, just a bit too straightforward. Keep cultivating." After saying that, without waiting for Sun Wukong's reaction, he vanished without a trace.
After Mo Mo left, Sun Wukong remained in that turned-headed position, staring blankly at the spot where Mo Mo had just disappeared. After several seconds, he excitedly turned to the young Taoist and asked, "Was that a deity? Could he be immortal?"
The young Taoist was no less astonished than Sun Wukong. Having followed Patriarch Bodhi and seen many powerful beings, he had never witnessed such a miraculous escape technique before. He was momentarily stunned, only snapping out of his daze when Sun Wukong asked him a question. To conceal his shock, the young Taoist exclaimed to Sun Wukong with an amazed expression, "That one was a top-tier being among the immortals, possessing immense magical power. Someone like him could casually bestow a fruit upon you, and eating it could grant you immortality!" The young Taoist finished with an expression that said, "Young man, you've struck gold!" which greatly excited Sun Wukong.
It took Sun Wukong a long time to calm down. After he calmed down, the young Taoist helped him up and told him that Patriarch Bodhi wanted him to wait inside. At this time, in the main hall of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars Cave, Patriarch Bodhi was speaking earnestly to Guanyin: "Guanyin, I just secretly did some calculations, but I couldn't find any information about Wangchen. If I'm not mistaken, he shouldn't be from our world. And now he's showing you such kindness. This is a great opportunity that we all crave. So I hope you won't miss this chance. Also, I just had a bit of an unpleasantness with him, and now the Journey to the West is approaching, so I'm sorry to trouble you."
“This is Guanyin’s duty, so why should it be hard? Besides, this is my path. As long as I can save all sentient beings, what does it matter if I am shattered to pieces? As for opportunities, let them be.” Guanyin’s answer made Bodhi Patriarch look gratified. Afterward, the two chatted about the Journey to the West for a while before Guanyin left. She did not meet Sun Wukong when she left, but when she was about to cross the threshold of the Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars, her legs went weak and her pretty face turned red instantly. After cursing “bastard” in her heart, she quickly recovered and left on a cloud. Meanwhile, millions of miles away, in the bamboo house on Mount Luojia, spring was in full bloom.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, Sun Wukong had completed his apprenticeship. Mo Mo only learned this from Guanyin, as he rarely paid attention to such matters. Moreover, he was not very clear about how many years Sun Wukong had studied in the original story. During those years, he finally refined the last bit of the Black Dragon Quasi-Immortal Emperor's essence and successfully stepped into the peak of True Immortal. However, because the path he cultivated was different from that of this world, as long as he deliberately hid it, even saints could not accurately detect his true cultivation level. Therefore, no one knew about it except himself.
Since returning from Bodhi Patriarch that day, Guanyin had inquired about Mo Mo's cultivation level but had stopped paying attention to it. However, Yi Chen, due to her close relationship with Mo Mo, had noticed something, but since Mo Mo's cultivation level hadn't shown any signs of advancement, she couldn't figure out his exact level. What Guanyin didn't know was that Mo Mo's advancement wasn't without any noticeable movement; on the contrary, each of his advancements was quite significant. It was just that each time he advanced, he would choose an ordinary world to undergo tribulation. Mo Mo's favorite world for tribulation was a game-like world because such worlds possessed extremely strong restorative properties, repairing the entire timeline every so often, unlike other worlds where the traces left by his tribulations couldn't be restored even after thousands of years.
That day, Mo Mo was playing chess with Yi Chen when Diao Chan suddenly ran over and vividly described to Mo Mo the scenery she had seen in the Heavenly Palace. When she mentioned that the Heavenly Horse in the Heavenly Palace was actually raised by a monkey, Mo Mo suddenly had a thought: it seems that he is not far from causing havoc in the Heavenly Palace.
(End of this chapter)
2017/11/19 4:22:17|45736206
Chapter 471 Preview
"The sunset is infinitely beautiful, but it's only a short time before dusk. Tsk, what a pity, the sun has already set, and my sunflower seeds aren't dry yet. It looks like I'll have to wait until tomorrow to dry them." Looking at the fiery red clouds on the horizon, Mo Mo sighed with emotion.
Lu Dongbin, who had come with his Daoist companion, the Fairy of a Hundred Flowers, to freeload a drink, glanced at Mo Mo and said, "Wangchen, are you still half asleep? It's still midday, where did this sunset come from?"
"The middle of the day? That shouldn't be! How could there be fiery clouds at the middle of the day, and it's already dark?" Mo Mo said, pointing into the distance with a surprised expression. Lu Dongbin turned around and looked in the direction Mo Mo was pointing. Sure enough, as Mo Mo said, the sky in the distance was red, while the sky further back was dark and gloomy.
Just then, Mo Mo and Lü Dongbin exchanged a glance and said at the same time, "Flower Fruit Mountain!"
“That’s right, that direction is the direction of Flower Fruit Mountain. Judging from the situation, it seems that the Monkey King has clashed with the Heavenly Court. This good show is finally about to begin. Shall we…?” Lu Dongbin revealed a meaningful smile.
"Are you kidding me? Do you think I'm that kind of person?" Mo Mo said with an upright and righteous expression. After speaking, Mo Mo glanced around secretly before lowering his voice and whispering, "I still have some sunflower seeds and peanuts in stock."
Upon hearing this, Lü Dongbin lowered his voice and whispered to Mo Mo, "I still have a jar of fine wine."
"Enough, hurry up and go, or you won't be able to leave later." With that, the two sneaked out of the peach grove and quickly rode away on a cloud. Just after they left, the half-open door of the bamboo house was suddenly pushed open, and Yi Chen, the little black dragon, and Fairy Baihua came out. Fairy Baihua glanced in the direction the two had left, then turned to Yi Chen and said, "Sister Yi Chen, they left without even saying goodbye. We haven't even prepared the ingredients for dinner yet. Should we chase after them and bring them back?"
Yi Chen smiled slightly upon hearing this and said, "It's alright. If I'm not mistaken, they've probably gone to watch a play. And judging from the situation, this play will take at least several days to finish, so we'll have to fend for ourselves from now on. But we still have plenty of ingredients."
"Watch a play? What kind of play? What kind of play can last for several days? I want to see it too!" Diao Chan was quite curious. Besides Diao Chan, there was another person—no, there was a little fox—who had a similar reaction. The others were taken aback at first, then smiled slightly, which made the two even more curious. So the little fox used its trump card, "cuteness," and successfully won over a fairy. With the fairy's patient explanation, the two finally understood what was going on, and they clamored to go see it too. The others were already somewhat tempted, so they readily agreed to the little fox's request. After making some preparations, they followed Mo Mo and the others' trajectory and flew into the distance.
At this moment, Mo Mo and his companions had already concealed themselves and arrived above Flower Fruit Mountain. Beneath their feet were the heavenly soldiers and generals led by the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King. These heavenly soldiers and generals stood in a vast expanse of dark clouds, probably numbering no less than 100,000. Not far from them, Nezha, riding on his Wind-Fire Wheels, wearing the Universe Ring around his waist, holding the Universe Ring in one hand and the Fire-Tipped Spear in the other, was engaged in a fierce battle with a monkey wearing purple-gold chainmail and wielding an iron cudgel. Wherever the two passed, the clouds beneath their feet were dyed red by the light emanating from Nezha's Wind-Fire Wheels.
“It seems we’ve arrived at the perfect time. But Sun Wukong truly lives up to his reputation as a naturally born and raised monkey. He’s only cultivated for a few years, yet he has already achieved such cultivation. Although Nezha, the Third Prince, hasn’t used his full strength, only about 70%, even that 70% is not something an ordinary Golden Immortal can withstand. I didn’t expect this monkey to not only withstand it, but also to have a slight advantage.” Lü Dongbin looked at the two locked in battle, his words filled with shock.
Mo Mo smiled slightly upon hearing this, popped a peeled spiced peanut into his mouth, chewed it, and then said, "You underestimate Nezha too much. Although he used nearly 70% of his magic power, don't forget that he is a deity of the body-refining lineage. Anyone of the body-refining lineage must have something to offer in close combat, not to mention that he is one of the best among them. But look at his current moves and actions? Is there anything commendable about them? And don't forget his true identity."
Lu Dongbin was taken aback at first, then chuckled and said, "I almost forgot the true identity of Nezha, the Third Prince. He is the Spirit Pearl under the Empress's command. Although he was reincarnated into the family of the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King because of his involvement in that matter (Investiture of the Gods), he is still the Empress's attendant. For someone like the Empress, the least lacking thing is top-level techniques and secret manuals. As for magic treasures, the oil lamps in the homes of these great beings are probably well-known treasures, and the Third Prince is naturally not lacking in them either."
“Indeed, although Sun Wukong has amazing talent and is the destined protagonist of this era, you forgot one thing: Nezha and the others are Sun Wukong’s predecessors, and their backgrounds and talents are equally extraordinary. In addition, they came from countless battles back then, and you should know what kind of opponents they faced. So, if you want to fight them, Sun Wukong is still a bit green, at least for now.” Mo Mo finished speaking, glanced at Lü Dongbin, and continued eating peanuts and cracking melon seeds while watching the good show not far away. Lü Dongbin smiled slightly upon hearing this, and stopped talking, carefully watching the battle not far away.
The battle between the two was not earth-shattering; only sparks flew when their weapons clashed. This was not because they were weak; on the contrary, they were quite powerful. It was simply because they were both body cultivators, and body cultivators emphasize the power of the body. They could generally control every bit of their body's power perfectly. Therefore, it wasn't that their moves lacked power, but rather that their power did not leak out. Of course, this was also because the Heavenly Dao rules of this world were strong enough, making the world's heavens and earth sufficiently solid and difficult to destroy. If the two were to fight in a world with a lower energy level, even if they could perfectly control their body's power, the world would probably have already collapsed, because those smaller worlds simply could not withstand their immense power.
After a dozen or so rounds of fighting, Nezha was suddenly caught off guard by Sun Wukong. Under a fierce attack, Nezha was forced to retreat in disarray, eventually running back to the side of Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King. Seeing Nezha's defeat, Li Jing hurriedly sounded the retreat and hastily returned to the Heavenly Court. However, no one noticed that there was not a trace of panic in the eyes of Li Jing and Nezha, father and son. Instead, a hint of pity flashed in their eyes as they turned their heads. "Sometimes ignorance is a blessing, just like we were back then."
(End of this chapter)
2017/11/19 21:17:49|45794156
Chapter 472 The Upcoming Peach Banquet
Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, and Nezha slunk away. After his victory, Sun Wukong didn't chase after them but instead ran back to Flower Fruit Mountain in triumph to hold a grand feast. With the monkeys busy at work, the entire Flower Fruit Mountain was soon enveloped in a sea of joy. However, what they didn't know was that their every move was being watched. At this moment, Mo Mo and Lü Dongbin were drinking their fine wine in a depressed mood, while the snacks were taken over by the little black dragons who arrived later.
"That bull is pretty good. It's dark and shiny, and full of muscle. It would taste great braised or grilled," the little fox commented, pointing to the Bull Demon King with a pair of horns below.
"No, I think the best one is still the lion, braised lion's head, just thinking about it makes my mouth water." Diao Chan expressed her different opinion, and couldn't help but swallow after speaking.
“No, I think the dragon is still the best. As the saying goes, dragon meat in the sky and donkey meat on the ground, that’s the real delicacy!” Wu Qian also expressed her different opinion, and her sister Wu Yu couldn’t help but nod.
“You’re all wrong.” The little black dragon shook her head, instantly negating everyone’s opinions. Seeing their opinions rejected, they all turned their attention to the little black dragon, including Yi Chen and the others. The little black dragon was a complete foodie, and she was far ahead of them in the world of food. So, apart from Mo Mo, everyone turned their attention to her.
Seeing everyone looking at him with expressions that said, "Baby really wants to know, please tell baby the answer!" the little black dragon then said with a sacred look, "For us foodies, there is no best, only better. So, pack them all up and take them away, then let Mo Mo cook and taste them one by one. That's the true nature of us foodies." Just then, the demon kings who were drinking and eating heartily on Flower Fruit Mountain couldn't help but shiver, as if something ominous was about to happen.
"What you've said makes me a little tempted, but not now. These powerful demons have their own missions, and although they are powerful demons, not all of them are wicked. Besides, they are not our enemies, so it would be wrong to attack them rashly." In the end, Yi Chen's words completely dispelled the girls' thoughts. However, they also knew that Yi Chen was telling the truth, so they had no choice but to put aside their tempting ideas. Finally, they turned their grief and indignation into strength and quickly devoured the snacks they had plundered from Mo Mo.
"Tsk, what a misfortune for our family. We've made a fool of ourselves in front of you, Dongbin." Mo Mo said helplessly to the girls next to him who were angrily eating their snacks. After saying that, he pulled out a handful of shelled peanuts from behind his back as if by magic, and happily threw one into his mouth.
Lu Dongbin looked at the handful of peanuts in Mo Mo's hand, then at the small pile of sunflower seed shells in front of him. He was stunned for a moment, then said in a low voice with a look of delight, "Wang Chen, you actually have a hoard. Everyone gets a share. I want half."
Mo Mo tossed another peanut into her mouth before saying, "I didn't keep any for myself. I just got these from over there. If you want some, go over there yourself!" She then pointed to Yi Chen and the others, who were just two or three meters away from them.
No sooner had Mo Mo finished speaking than the little black dragon erupted with a roar. She leaped and pounced on Mo Mo, pinning him down. Then, sitting on his lower abdomen, she looked down at him and said, "You little devil, Mo Mo! So that's why half of the Incarnation Bone I painstakingly peeled disappeared. It turns out you stole it! Watch out for my dragon claws!" With that, the little black dragon clawed at Mo Mo's face with one hand, while the other quietly reached into his chest.
This was a real dragon claw, not some kind of move name, so even Mo Mo didn't dare to be careless. Although the little black dragon couldn't really use its full strength, and even if it did, it wouldn't be able to hurt him, it would still hurt a little. He knew that if he didn't dodge, the little black dragon's two hands would definitely land on his face in the next second and then wreak havoc on his face. So he tilted his head slightly, and at that moment, the little black dragon's other hand had already reached into his clothes and taken what she really wanted: a bag of spicy strips.
Every time, you read that right, it's spicy strips. And these aren't ordinary spicy strips. Mo Mo uses wheat that she has carefully selected and bred over a long period of time to grind into flour, then adds various immortal-grade ingredients, and finally, after forty-nine days of blending and processing, it is made into spicy strips. Due to the difficulty of production, there are very few of these spicy strips, less than fifty packs in total. Moreover, these spicy strips not only taste amazing, but also have all sorts of miraculous effects. They can not only improve cultivation, but also have miraculous effects on tempering the soul and improving the power of the soul. So these spicy strips are sold out as soon as they are made. She only got five packs, and she ate them all that day. She just smelled the spicy strips on Mo Mo and that's why she took action. Of course, although it has all sorts of miraculous effects, it is still spicy strips in essence.
After receiving the spicy strips, the little black dragon happily returned to her seat, causing Mo Mo to shake his head. Lu Dongbin, who was next to him, was already stunned by this sudden scene. Although he had a Daoist partner, he still found it hard to accept such a scene. Moreover, most importantly, Mo Mo and the little black dragon were not Daoist partners. Although the two had been quite intimate before, he had never seen them act like this before.
At this moment, Mo Mo also noticed Lü Dongbin's expression. Thinking back to the little black dragon's actions with him earlier, he instantly understood. So he smiled and explained to Lü Dongbin, "She was lured here by me with delicious food. She originally wanted to be my mount, but some things happened later, and she became my good friend. Then she turned into what she is now."
"I don't think you two are just friends!" Lü Dongbin gave Mo Mo a meaningful look, then swiftly snatched nearly half of the peanuts from Mo Mo's hand, happily popped one into his mouth, and then happily raised his wine cup to take a sip of the fine wine inside.
Seeing this, Mo Mo couldn't help but shake his head. At this moment, the banquet below Huaguo Mountain was also coming to an end. Just then, a white cloud descended from the sky and landed above Huaguo Mountain in the blink of an eye. The white-bearded old man holding a whisk on the cloud recognized the way and quickly flew towards the Water Curtain Cave.
Then, just like in the story, as soon as Taibai Jinxing landed, he was surrounded by the monkeys of Huaguo Mountain and pushed and shoved to Sun Wukong. Finally, after Taibai Jinxing's explanation, Sun Wukong finally agreed to go to the Heavenly Court with Taibai Jinxing, despite the persuasion of his sworn brothers. Sun Wukong also told them to wait, saying that if it was true, he would take them to heaven to enjoy happiness in a while.
After Sun Wukong left, Mo Mo and the others also left Flower Fruit Mountain and returned to Luojia Mountain. After Wukong ascended to heaven, the Jade Emperor truly appointed him as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven and assigned him to manage the Peach Garden. At this time, the Peach Banquet was still approaching.
(End of this chapter)
2017/11/19 22:24:41|45800190
Chapter 473 The Peach Banquet That Ended Before It Even Began
The 18th day of the seventh lunar month is the birthday of the Queen Mother of the West in Yaochi. Every year, a grand celebration is held in Yaochi to celebrate the Queen Mother's birthday. The main dish of the celebration is the "Peach of Immortality," a rare and precious delicacy that the Queen Mother possesses. Because there are different rules between the celestial and mortal realms, a day in heaven is equivalent to a year on earth (there is no difference in the flow of time, but a day in heaven is much longer than a year on earth). Therefore, the Peach of Immortality celebration in heaven is held only once every 365 years in the mortal realm.
Legend has it that the Queen Mother of the West's Peach Garden has 3,600 peach trees. The first 1,200 trees have tiny flowers and fruits that ripen once every 3,000 years, and those who eat them will become immortals. The middle 1,200 trees ripen once every 6,000 years, and those who eat them will ascend to heaven and live forever. The last 1,200 trees have purple veins and small pits that ripen once every 9,000 years, and those who eat them will live as long as heaven and earth and be the same age as the sun and moon.
Of course, while the peaches of immortality are indeed rare treasures of heaven and earth, their actual effects are certainly not as powerful as they are said to be. They are weaker than those in the legends. Peaches that ripen once every three thousand years can only greatly increase the wearer's magical power and extend their lifespan by a thousand years. Peaches that ripen once every six thousand years can grant the wearer the ability to become a wandering immortal, while peaches that ripen once every nine thousand years can grant the wearer the ability to ascend to the Heavenly Court (only true immortals in the primordial world are qualified to enter the Heavenly Court) and achieve immortality. Only peaches from the mother tree can grant the wearer the ability to live as long as heaven and earth and be as old as the sun and moon, which means that the wearer can be promoted to the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal. As far as Mo Mo knows, the mother tree of the peach tree has only produced less than twenty peaches since the beginning of time. When the Queen Mother obtained this peach tree, there were only two peaches on the tree that were not yet fully ripe, which shows how precious it is.
Meanwhile, the entire Heavenly Court was bustling with activity in preparation for the upcoming Peach Banquet. Invitations were being sent out, celestial fruits were being picked, wine and dishes were being prepared, and banquet venues were being set up. Every moment, busy fairies could be seen rushing by in the Heavenly Court. Mo Mo and Guanyin, being among the most precious immortals, were naturally among those invited. Moreover, both the wine and dishes, as well as the celestial fruits and peaches, were of the highest quality. However, both Guanyin and Mo Mo knew that this Peach Banquet was just a show, a show staged for the Journey to the West.
Of course, although it's just a play, the things are all real, whether it's the peaches of immortality or the elixir of immortality. However, neither the Queen Mother nor Laozi would feel sorry for them, because Buddhism had already paid the corresponding price. Otherwise, let alone Sun Wukong, even Mo Mo wouldn't have been able to sneak into Laozi's Tushita Palace to steal the elixir without anyone noticing.
However, if you're going to put on a show, you have to go all the way. So even though Mo Mo and his companions knew that this year's Peach Banquet wouldn't be held, they still decided to go. After all, such a good show is rare. Of course, not many people knew the details like Mo Mo and his companions, so many immortals and gods were still excited to go after receiving the invitations.
That day, before dawn, the sky quietly brightened. Surprisingly, the light did not come from the sun, but fell from the sky. Even more strangely, the light was golden. This change greatly surprised those who did not know the truth, but Mo Mo and his companions knew that this was a signal that the Peach Banquet was about to begin and that all the gods and Buddhas in the sky were preparing to enter. Mo Mo and Guanyin from Mount Luojia had already set off.
As for Yi Chen and the little black dragon, they are currently devouring peaches that are almost the size of a human head. These peaches were prepared to be used to entertain them at this year's Peach Banquet, while those still on the tree are naturally reserved for Sun Wukong.
While Mo Mo and Guanyin were still on their way to the Heavenly Court, the Seven Fairies arrived at the Peach Garden to pick peaches, as the "Peach Banquet" was about to begin. However, they were stopped by Sun Wukong, who was guarding the Peach Garden. Upon asking, Sun Wukong learned that they had come to pick fresh peaches for the immortals to eat at the Peach Banquet.
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong realized it was a major event for the Heavenly Court, so he immediately asked the fairy which deities would be attending the grand gathering. The seven fairy maidens didn't mince words and rattled off a long list of names, such as the Barefoot Immortal, the Eight Immortals of the Upper Cave, Guanyin of the West, Maitreya Buddha, and the 108 Righteous Gods. Finally, they summarized, "In short, everyone with a name in the Heavenly Court, except for the insignificant minor immortals, is on the invitation list."
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong was overjoyed and quickly asked, "Then did they invite me, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?"
Upon hearing this, the seven fairies covered their eyes and chuckled. One of them even teased him, saying, "Those who can participate in the Peach Banquet are all virtuous immortals with high magical power and profound merit. You are just a lowly fairy guarding the Peach Garden. The Queen Mother of the West probably has never even heard of you. How could she possibly invite you to the banquet?"
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong flew into a rage, shouting "This is outrageous!" and used his magic to freeze all seven fairies in place. After freezing them, he stormed back to the Peach Garden and picked all the ripe peaches in the garden. However, there weren't many left, since monkeys love peaches and he was the guardian of the Peach Garden. So, what happened next is self-evident.
After picking all the peaches, Sun Wukong gradually calmed down. However, thinking that the Jade Emperor had actually fooled him, he rode auspicious clouds straight to the Jade Pool. Upon arriving, he first used magic to subdue all the fairy maidens and warriors there. Then, he indulged in the celestial fruits and delicacies on the table, drinking celestial wine until he was completely drunk and staggered away from the Jade Pool. This entire scene was witnessed by Mo Mo and Guanyin, but Sun Wukong remained unaware of it.
In the original story, Sun Wukong wandered into the Tushita Palace in a drunken stupor. However, the truth is quite different. He did not wander into the Tushita Palace unconsciously. Instead, he was secretly guided by Laozi. Without guidance, it would have been impossible for Sun Wukong to wander into the Tushita Palace, because the Tushita Palace and the Jade Pool are not even in the same area.
The Heavenly Court is divided into thirty-three heavens, which are similar to floors. To enter a higher heaven, apart from some supreme beings, other immortals and gods must go through specific paths. Yaochi is in the thirtieth heaven, while Doushuai Palace is in the thirty-third heaven. Ordinary immortals and gods do not even have the qualifications to set foot in the thirty-third heaven. Moreover, there are layers of restrictions outside Laozi's Doushuai Palace, so the chances of Sun Wukong being able to visit Doushuai Palace without guidance are infinitely close to zero.
Now, under Laozi's secret guidance, Sun Wukong wandered into the Tushita Palace in a daze. What happened next was similar to the original story. Once in the Tushita Palace, Sun Wukong acted like a husky that had no one home. He not only ate all of Laozi's elixir as if it were candy, but also ransacked the alchemy room.