The Battle in Journey to the West

Liu Bei had just been visited by Right Assistant Zhang Fei, and soon after, Left Assistant Guan Yu arrived. However, Ancestor Chen Tuan sensed something amiss and swooped down, striking this Guan Yu and then capturing him to bring him up to the heavens.

Chen Tuan said, "This man is not Guan Yu, but merely a White Tiger Demon with a Signboard who had just become a Demon Immortal! He possesses a Buddhist Magical Treasure, which is why none of you could recognize him."

No sooner had Chen Tuan waved his hand than the man known as the White Tiger Demon with a Signboard began to convulse. He opened his mouth and expelled a golden Sharira, which Chen Tuan caught in his hand, and said lightly, "I wonder which high monk left this Sharira after his nirvana; it’s very precious indeed. The Buddhist sect is truly generous to part with such a thing."

Sharira is the essence of a person’s spirit, formed by studying Buddhist or Daoist scriptures, which strengthens their spirit and coalesces into something that can preserve the flesh from decay. Even some old scholars can preserve their flesh undecayed because they have touched the essence of their studies and almost comprehended the Heavenly Dao. If they advanced further, they might become Human Sages. However, this step is a chasm, and countless people are stuck at this barrier.

For instance, the Legalist Shang Yang, who had thoroughly studied Legalism but fell just short of the last step and was torn apart by chariots; and Dong Zhongshu, who almost reached the learned state between heaven and human but missed that step and thus turned into dust; and Su Qin of the School of Diplomacy, who deeply inherited the teachings of Ghost Valley but also fell short. As for those in the Buddhist sect, these monks who read only Buddhist Scriptures without cultivating Divine Skills, if they could break through this step, they might instantly attain Supreme Right Enlightenment, or so-called instant Buddhahood.

This Sharira was, therefore, from a high monk of the Buddhist sect nearing instant Buddhahood; had it not been for Chen Tuan, others present might have truly been deceived.

Daoist Equal to Heaven asked curiously, "Chen Tuan, how did you know this person was not Guan Yu?"

Chen Tuan immediately took out a Bagua mirror from his bosom and said, "This is an artifact from Ancient Times, which I happened to procure. It can see through everything."

Daoist Equal to Heaven was slightly startled—could this be something left by Fuxi? However, this Bagua mirror was slightly damaged, with markings all over it. Even a master of the Dao of Immortals was unable to repair it, which was rather perplexing.

"Hmph!" Chen Tuan flipped the Bagua mirror and sharply exclaimed. The light from the mirror fell on the red-faced man, immediately revealing his true form.

This was a white tiger, ten feet tall, but now it meekly crouched in the clouds like a domestic cat, daring not to move. It seemed to have a trace of the bloodline of the Four Symbols’ White Tiger, but obviously, it was very diluted; otherwise, its cultivation wouldn’t be so limited.