But being ordinary doesn't mean being useless. Being listed among the "Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends" means it's anything but ordinary.
Even the most ordinary techniques, when cultivated to a high level, can become a great supernatural power that leads to enlightenment.
The "Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Transformations" records the three thousand Great Daos explored by predecessors, masters, and even sages.
Jiang Liu observed, verified, and pondered each technique one by one. Although many were extremely simple methods, such as "Sitting in Fire," which is a fire-resistant technique or a fire-avoidance incantation, could ordinary fire-avoidance incantations evade the Samadhi True Fire? Could they withstand the Six Ding Divine Fire?
Seeing Jiang Liu deep in thought, Yang Chan continued to cultivate the path of the human immortal, absorbing the power of the ginseng fruit little by little.
After reading the "Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends Transformation", Jiang Liu's understanding of the Five Elements has improved by three points. However, having just entered the realm of ever-changing transformations, Jiang Liu naturally focuses on comprehending the Way of Change.
Among the "Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Transformations", there are three supernatural powers related to "a thousand transformations". One of them is the Transformation Technique, which can completely transform oneself into another biological form. It can transform into any form, including humans, beasts, birds, insects, stones, and trees, and there are no flaws in appearance or aura.
Of course, to achieve complete mastery, one naturally needs extremely strong physical cultivation. Unlike the "thousand transformations" of the Human Immortal body, this Transformation Technique not only changes appearance and aura, but also completely transforms the soul, recording cultivation methods for the transformation of the divine soul.
Even those with great supernatural powers, who can see through the essence of the soul and discern the transformations, will find it difficult to see through them after mastering this supernatural power.
This method, combined with the "ever-changing" physical cultivation, is most suitable.
The second method is the technique of transforming objects into forms.
This method can transform items refined with one's own vital energy and true essence into various life forms that are indistinguishable from real beings.
The ability of Sun Wukong to pluck a hair and transform it into a small monkey is precisely this kind of transformation technique.
As for why we use hairs, it's because hairs are part of the body and are constantly being refined by qi, blood, and true essence, making them the most convenient to use.
If Jiang Liu were to learn this spell, he could also use his hair and blood essence to perform various transformations. With his terrifying blood energy, he could summon a group of minions in an instant, and their strength would not be lacking.
The third method is the technique of creating clones.
The most basic thing is to tear the body apart. A more advanced method is to open the abdomen, remove the internal organs, clean them, and put them back in without any damage. They can even open the skull, remove the brain, clean it, and then put it back in.
Of course, Jiang Liu's physical cultivation is now terrifyingly high. By transforming into a speck of dust, he has reached the pinnacle of the "Clone Technique".
Cultivation is supposed to be timeless, but Jiang Liu was secretly calculating the time. Otherwise, it would be ridiculous if the Journey to the West ended and the two of them were still in seclusion.
After a short period of cultivation of over a month, the two broke through their cultivation barriers and continued their journey westward.
Chapter 443 King of Wuji Kingdom
After a month, Tang Sanzang and his companions still hadn't reached the White Tiger Ridge where the White Bone Demon resided. Although they had avoided the ordeal at Wuzhuang Temple, the journey to the West was still incredibly long, and Tang Sanzang, being a mortal, naturally couldn't walk very fast.
Jiang Liu and Yang Chan flew ahead of the five travelers on their westward journey, crossed the White Tiger Ridge, and arrived at the Kingdom of Baoxiang.
Baoxiang Kingdom was naturally the territory of the Yellow Robe Monster. However, Wanzishan Boyue Cave had been deserted for a long time. After his battle with Jiang Liu, the Yellow Robe Monster had already left, and no one knew where he went.
Further west of Baoxiang Kingdom lies Yalong Mountain, where fox demons have plagued the kingdom for centuries. Those fox demons who have achieved mastery transform into beautiful women, entering Baoxiang Kingdom to seduce strong young men and drain their blood to aid their cultivation.
According to statistics, no fewer than 10,000 people are harmed by fox spirits every year.
Fortunately, the fox demon knew to restrain itself and only sucked blood no more than three times. Although the person being sucked would suffer a great loss of essence and blood, losing at least ten years of lifespan, at least their life would not be in danger.
According to the historical records of Baoxiang Kingdom, the fox demons of Yalong Mountain existed since the founding of the kingdom and had cultivated there for countless years. Among them, the master of Yalong Cave, the fox demon mother, was known as the Nine-Tailed Fox.
Over the past century, countless cultivators have gone to exorcise demons, only to return defeated, some even perishing and their cultivation dissipating.
Nine years ago, the Yellow Robe Monster appeared and occupied the Wave Moon Cave on Wanzishan Mountain, which slightly restrained Yalong Mountain. However, since the Yellow Robe Monster disappeared without a trace a year ago, the fox demon has once again wreaked havoc on the human world.
Jiang Liu had no intention of fighting with the two fire-tending boys sitting down with Lao Jun. Those treasures—the Seven-Star Sword, Lao Jun's personal demon-refining sword; the Purple-Gold Red Gourd, Lao Jun's elixir-filled gourd; the Jade Bottle, Lao Jun's water-filled bottle; the Banana Leaf Fan, Lao Jun's fire-fanning fan; and the Golden Rope, Lao Jun's belt—were clearly not worth the time to possess.
Continuing westward, you'll reach the Kingdom of Wuji, where the monster is the castrated blue-maned lion that sits on the throne of Manjushri Bodhisattva. As for whether the Qiu Shou Xian of the Jie Sect is this castrated lion, it goes without saying that he is not; the blue lion of Lion Camel Ridge is.
"The Flaming Mountains are just west of here, why did we stop here?" Yang Chan, the Third Holy Mother, asked curiously.
"It's just to resolve a question in my mind, and it's on the way! It won't take much time."
As Jiang Liu walked through the Kingdom of Wuji, he saw that this country, which was much smaller than the Kingdom of Baoxiang, was well-governed and free from demonic invasions. It did not seem like a country surrounded by demons at all.
The story of the King of Wuji Kingdom is familiar to many:
The pilgrimage team arrived in the territory of Wuji Kingdom. One evening, Tang Sanzang, tired from reading documents, took a nap on the table. In his dream, he saw a deceased king asking him for help, claiming that he was the true king of Wuji Kingdom and that the current emperor was an imposter.
Five years ago, a nationwide drought had gripped Old Wu, leaving him worried sick and at a loss for what to do. Then, a Taoist priest appeared, claiming he could summon wind and rain. After performing a ritual, a torrential downpour indeed relieved the drought. Old Wu was naturally very grateful and lived, eating, and traveling with him, becoming like best friends.
However, one time while strolling in the Imperial Garden, the Taoist priest led him to a well and said, "Look, there's Lin Chi-ling in there!" He looked down, and the priest slapped him hard on the back, knocking him into the well. The priest then planted a banana tree on the well cover. Afterward, the priest transformed himself into a king and went to take his throne.
When Tang Sanzang awoke, he told Sun Wukong what had happened. Sun Wukong tricked Zhu Bajie into going to the well and had him retrieve the dead king. Sun Wukong then went to Heaven and obtained the Nine-Turn Great Rejuvenating Pill from Laozi, and the old crow was brought back to life.
Old Wu disguised himself as a lackey and followed the pilgrimage team to the palace, where he confronted the king. The fake king, seeing through the ruse, naturally fled for his life. Sun Wukong and his two fellow disciples pursued him relentlessly. Just as Sun Wukong was about to strike him with his staff, a shout came from the Heavenly Palace: "Spare his life!"
Without a doubt, the demon's master had arrived. Sure enough, Manjushri Bodhisattva appeared and told Wukong that this was his mount.
The ignorant Monkey King criticized his leader: "You've committed the crime of lax discipline!"
Unexpectedly, Manjushri Bodhisattva uttered some startling words.
This astonishing statement was the reason for Jiang Liu's doubts; he remained puzzled and became increasingly curious.
These astonishing words were spoken by Manjushri Bodhisattva himself: "You do not know, back then, this King of Wuji was kind and generous to monks. The Buddha sent me to guide him to the Western Paradise so that he could attain the Golden Body Arhat. Because I could not appear in my original form, I transformed into an ordinary monk and asked him for some alms. I challenged him with a few words, and he did not recognize me as a good person. He tied me up with a rope and threw me into the Royal River, where I was submerged for three days and three nights. Fortunately, the Six Armor Golden Body saved me and sent me to the Western Paradise. He then reported this to the Tathagata, who ordered this monster to be brought here and pushed into the well, where he was submerged for three years, to avenge my three days of suffering from the flood."
This passage has left many people puzzled: Old Wu was just a mortal, how could he possibly have submerged Manjushri in the river for three days and three nights? And Manjushri couldn't escape? Did he need the Six Jia Gods to save him?
Furthermore, among so many kings in the Three Realms, why would the Tathagata choose to convert this ignorant king into an Arhat? You see, Sha Wujing endured many setbacks and overcame eighty-one tribulations to successfully obtain the scriptures and was thus made an Arhat. What merit does this King of Wuji Kingdom possess that makes the Tathagata value him so highly?
To find out the answer, Jiang Liu naturally wanted to see for himself the King of Wuji Kingdom, who was capable of achieving the Arhatship. And the Arhatship, at the very least, was equivalent to a Celestial Immortal.
Even Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, didn't receive this kind of treatment when he ascended to heaven in one step!
Not long after, Yang Chan, who had gone to investigate the truth, returned and said, "You're right, that king is fake. If I'm not mistaken, it should be the blue-maned lion, the mount of Manjushri Bodhisattva, descended to earth as a demon. However, judging from how well this small country is governed and how peacefully the people live, it seems they haven't caused any harm to the world! It must have been arranged by the Bodhisattva. What are you looking for?"
"I want to see who the real king really is..."
"Who is the real king? Have you discovered something?"
As they were talking, a small bird flew over and landed in Jiang Liu's palm, transforming into a drop of golden blood. This was the technique of transforming a drop of blood into a life.
"Found it! Let's go take a look!"
"We actually found one, but he's just a mortal king. What's so interesting about him!"
Despite saying that, they followed anyway. Without disturbing anyone, the two ventured deep into the Imperial Garden, where they found an abandoned ancient well. Inside, they discovered a somewhat dilapidated dragon palace.
The sea has its Dragon King, the river has its Dragon King, and the lake has its Dragon King. This well, too, has a Dragon King.
"There's definitely something fishy going on. There's actually a dragon palace inside this little well. The real king you mentioned is inside. I want to see what's inside."
The Third Holy Mother Yang Chan knocked on the gate of the Dragon Palace, and an old dragon with white hair appeared. Looking at Yang Chan in astonishment, he said, "So it's the Third Holy Mother. This little dragon greets you..."
"You recognize me?"
"How could I not recognize the Third Holy Mother of Mount Hua!"
"Oh, since you recognize me, I've heard you have some treasures hidden here. I wonder if you could show them to me!"
"The Holy Mother is joking. Little Dragon is merely a well dragon king; he has no treasures whatsoever!"
"Oh, then can I at least see the king's corpse?"
The old Dragon King's face was full of bitterness. After hesitating for a long time, he finally said, "Third Holy Mother, this...where did you get this information? I received the Buddha's decree to guard the King's body. I have been trembling with fear for many years, not daring to slack off for a single day. You see, it's not impossible, but..."
"Don't worry, we're just taking a look. We won't make things difficult for you!"
"Thank you for your understanding, Holy Mother!"
The old dragon led the two to a crystal coffin, where a man wore a towering crown, a jade belt, a ochre-yellow robe embroidered with dragons and phoenixes, cloud-patterned embroidered shoes, and held a white jade tablet adorned with the stars of the Dipper. His face resembled that of the Longevity Emperor of the Eastern Peak, and his appearance was similar to that of the Enlightenment Lord of Literature.
Upon seeing this, Yang Chan frowned deeply and asked, "Who exactly is he?"
"The King of Wuji Kingdom!" the old Dragon King replied.
"What I'm asking is, who is he reincarnated from!"
"This little dragon is weak; I really don't know anything about him!"
"What do you think?" the Third Holy Mother asked Jiang Liu telepathically.
"I don't know, I can't figure it out, but its origins are definitely not simple!"
The true king of Wuji Kingdom has been dead for many years, yet he still possesses an extraordinary bearing, resembling the Longevity Emperor of the Eastern Peak and the Enlightenment Lord of Wenchang.
Who is the Emperor of Longevity of the Eastern Peak? He is the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak! He is also known as the God of Mount Tai, Lord of Mount Tai, and Lord of the Five Sacred Mountains.
Who is Wenchang Kaihua Jun? He is none other than the famous Wenquxing (God of Literature)!
It's certain that the King of Wuji Kingdom was a reincarnation of an immortal. Perhaps, like Tang Sanzang, he hadn't yet regained his magical powers, which is why he was bullied by Manjushri's mount, the Green-haired Lion. However, after the Green-haired Lion took his throne, he didn't dare to act recklessly. Not only did he govern the country well, but Manjushri also cruelly cut off his lower body, turning him into a eunuch. This was something Manjushri dared not do to give others a reason to criticize him.
It was precisely because of the King of Wuji Kingdom's powerful background that Laozi gave him a golden pill to save his life; otherwise, he would have simply died, so why waste a golden pill!
"Now that you've seen it, what are your plans?" Yang Chan asked.
"I have no intention of saving those whom the Buddha himself instructed me to save. Let's leave after we've seen them!" Jiang Liu pulled Yang Chan away without lingering.
Once they left Wuji Kingdom, Yang Chan asked, "Did you discover something?"
"Although I don't know who that person is, I think since neither of us can see through it, it's best not to get involved in this mess!"
"Then why are you still going to see it?"
"It's just a glance. Would Buddha really blame us for such a trivial matter... It also resolves one of my doubts. Although it's not resolved, you and I should both know that it's clearly impossible for that person to attain enlightenment in this lifetime. At most, he could only reach the Arhat level... Let's go! Never mind all this, let's retrieve the remains of the Nine Provinces Cauldron first..."
"Go to the Flaming Mountain? That Bull Demon King is not someone to be trifled with, and his preferred weapon will surely be inseparable from him. Are you prepared for a great battle? Don't count on my Lotus Lantern; this lantern cannot be moved lightly, and I can't help you with that!"
"If we can outsmart them, we will; if not, we'll have to resort to force. Let's go check on that Holy Infant King first..."
Chapter 444 The Holy Infant King
After passing Wuji Kingdom, there is the Six Hundred Li Drill Mountain. In the mountain, there is a canyon called Kusongjian, and in the canyon, there is a cave called Huoyun Cave.
Although it shares the same name as the cave dwelling of the Three Emperors of the Thirty-Three Heavens, it does not practice human ways and there are no humans inside.
This mountain range, spanning six hundred li, is the territory of the Holy Infant King, Red Boy.
His father was the Mighty Bull Demon King, and his mother was Princess Iron Fan; one was a demon, and the other an Asura. Naturally, their child was also a demon. Red Boy possessed both demon and Asura bloodlines, and was exceptionally gifted. Otherwise, Guanyin wouldn't have taken notice of him and gone to great lengths to keep him by her side as her attendant, Sudhana.
Red Boy was born into a demon family and lived near the Flaming Mountain. From the time he could remember, he played and frolicked on the Flaming Mountain, and thus developed supernatural fire powers. After three hundred years of cultivation on the Flaming Mountain, he attained enlightenment and mastered the Samadhi True Fire, thus possessing three hundred years of cultivation and power, and also being over three hundred years old, but his appearance remained that of an infant.
Cultivation knows no time. Although three hundred years have passed, his mind is not as cunning and treacherous as that of a three-hundred-year-old demon. On the contrary, he has the mind of a child.
Red Boy, the Holy Infant King, possessed superb demonic arts. Although he couldn't compare to those renowned old demons, he was still among the middle tier on the journey to the West. The Samadhi True Fire alone was something that ordinary old demons couldn't cultivate; it required extremely high talent and comprehension. Moreover, he was proficient in the transformation techniques of the Bull Demon King's "Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Transformations," as well as the Fire-Tipped Spear technique and other killing-related supernatural abilities.