Heaven-Defying Rebel Sage

But when Bodhisattva Guanyin applied the Seven-Arrows Book with Nail Head to secretly harm Wukong unsuccessfully, it backfired, causing her lifeforce to drain continuously.

After meditating quietly on Mount Putuo for two days and cultivating through seated meditation, she still couldn’t control the draining lifeforce. Growing increasingly panicked, she rode a cloud towards the Western Heavenly Buddha Land, ascending Spiritual Mount and entering the Mahavira Hall to see Tathagata Buddha.

Seeing that Guanyin seemed to have unspeakable difficulties, Tathagata dismissed everyone around him and said, "What’s the matter? Speak."

Guanyin hurriedly prostrated herself on the ground, saying, "Some days ago, the Ancestor of Esoteric Buddhism lent me a Magical Treasure called the Seven-Arrows Book with Nail Head. I used this treasure to plot against Sun Wukong, but unexpectedly, it did not afflict him and instead backfired on me! Now my lifeforce is leaking away; I beg Buddha Ancestor to save me, Buddha Ancestor, please save me!"

Tathagata was also startled upon hearing this, as the Esoteric Buddhism Ancestor, Great Sun Tathagata, was one of the three corpses severed by the Taoist Lu Ya. The Esoteric sect was usually extremely low-key and refrained from worldly affairs. How had it come to seek Guanyin recently to lend her a treasure to plot against that Macaque? He pondered deeply, not knowing that Subhuti had failed to harm Wukong’s spirit and harbored resentment, leading to this incident.

Tathagata said, "Since this issue arose because of the Esoteric Buddhism Ancestor, you should seek him out."

Guanyin replied with a bitter smile, "Buddha Ancestor is joking. The Esoteric sect is hidden from the world; where could I possibly find him?"

Tathagata pondered for a moment and said, "The Esoteric Buddhism Ancestor lent you the Seven-Arrows Book with Nail Head and you still couldn’t kill that monkey?"

Guanyin nodded and said, "Yes. It’s precisely because he did not die that I suffered the backlash."

Tathagata furrowed his brows, pondering deeply, and said, "The Seven-Arrows Book with Nail Head is extremely strange; it’s capable of successfully plotting against individuals of the Patriarch Level. This monkey is merely a Taiyi Golden Immortal, yet you couldn’t plot him to death... With your lifeforce draining away, I fear that by the twenty-first day at midday, you may perish violently."

Guanyin prostrated again and said, "Please, Buddha Ancestor, have great compassion and save my life!"