Chapter 38 - The Buddha Kingdom in the Palm? I’m Outta Here!
Chapter 38: The Buddha Kingdom in the Palm? I’m Outta Here!
The Monkey’s figure flickered unpredictably, his Golden Cudgel spinning like a flying wheel. Wang Lingguan moved agilely, his golden whip flying like a dragon.
The two exchanged blows back and forth, neither yielding.
Suddenly, the Monkey used his transformation technique, turning into a three-headed, six-armed form, wielding six Golden Cudgels, launching a fierce assault on Wang Lingguan. Wang Lingguan remained calm, swinging his golden whip, transforming into a beam of golden light that pushed the Monkey back.
After shaking off the dust and returning to his original form, the innate talents of the Spirit-bright Stone Monkey were fully awakened —mastery of transformations, awareness of heavenly timing, understanding of earthly advantage, capable of moving stars and changing constellations.
Transforming into a tiny form no bigger than a mustard seed, he dodged Wang Lingguan’s attacks, then flashed behind him, becoming a wild gust of wind that stirred the clouds and enveloped Wang Lingguan.
Wang Lingguan wielded his golden whip trying to resist, but the Monkey cleverly dodged or trapped him with divine powers. Occasionally, cudgel and whip clashed with metallic clangs like striking gold and jade, sparks flying. The Monkey bared his teeth fiercely, while Wang Lingguan’s arms went numb.
With his Broken-Delusion Golden Eyes and a complete Vajra indestructible body, the Monkey’s combat power was at least 10% stronger than in the original story.
Seeing Wang Lingguan fall behind, the thirty-six thunder generals closed in, each showing their divine powers. Thunder is the command of heaven, mighty and earth-shaking.
The thirty-six thunder generals combined their power to unleash the Five Thunder Laws of the Heavenly Gang Great Divine Power. For a time, lightning intertwined like a heavenly net, tightly trapping the Monkey.
The Monkey charged left and right, but under the combined siege of Wang Lingguan and the thirty-six thunder generals, he could not break free for a while.
Inside Lingxiao Hall, the Jade Emperor and Taishang Laojun sat facing each other in a solemn atmosphere.
The Jade Emperor looked surprised and asked Taishang Laojun, “Old Lord, what is the meaning of this?”
The Celestial Court was happy to see the Monkey’s Spirit-bright Stone Monkey foundation broken; the Jade Emperor didn’t want another Buddha like the Tathagata to arise from the Buddhist sect.
The Buddhist sect accepted this for the sake of a smooth Journey to the West and the merit from this calamity—this was the so-called unstoppable big trend, though small trends could still be changed.
Taishang Laojun shook his head, smiling, “Your Majesty, this monkey is the Spirit-bright Stone Monkey, nurtured by heaven and earth. If we destroy him, it would be wasting a treasure. I think it’s better to give him a chance!”
The Jade Emperor gazed thoughtfully at Taishang Laojun. What Taishang Laojun was doing now was something even the Many Treasures Buddha had failed at before. How could he repeat the same mistake?
Could it be because of Qin Chuan?
As the ruler of the Three Realms, the Jade Emperor knew of Qin Chuan’s threat to Li Jing to release the monkeys of Flower-Fruit Mountain and Qin Chuan’s solo journey to Doushuai Palace.
The first was a small matter, but the latter—Doushuai Palace was Taishang Laojun’s domain. The Jade Emperor didn’t know what they discussed.
Still, to have convinced Taishang Laojun, it seemed necessary to take Qin Shangxian more seriously.
Since Qin Chuan carried the Six Imperial Tokens and came and went through the Celestial Court like his own home, the heavenly immortals couldn’t help but respectfully call him “Shangxian” (High Immortal).
“Your Majesty, I think it’s time to ask that fellow to come settle this!” Taishang Laojun glanced outside Lingxiao Hall and smiled at the Jade Emperor.
The Jade Emperor nodded, “Issue the decree. Order Youyi Lingguan and Yisheng Zhenjun to go west and invite the Buddha to come and suppress the demon!”
…
At the Great Thunder Sound Temple in the West, majestic and magnificent, Buddhist chants lingered, and the bell tolled melodiously.
The Tathagata Buddha sat solemnly on his lotus throne, smiling gently. Bodhisattvas and Arhats stood respectfully, some kind, some stern, each with their own demeanor.
Below, Youyi Lingguan and Yisheng Zhenjun were delivering the decree.
The Tathagata said, “You two stay steady in the Dharma Hall here. Don’t disturb the meditation seat. I shall go refine the demon and rescue the court!”
Then, the Tathagata Buddha, accompanied by Ananda and Kasyapa, rode the wind through the void toward the Celestial Court’s thirty-three heavens. From afar, they saw golden light surging between the Dipper and the Ox, strange phenomena unfolding.
Fixing his gaze, it was clear that the Monkey was fiercely battling Wang Lingguan and the thirty-six thunder generals.
The Monkey was radiant with energy, golden light flashing from his eyes, his iron staff spinning like lightning streaking across the sky, swift as thunder and wind.
For a time, Wang Lingguan and the thunder generals found it difficult to get close—the Monkey held the upper hand.
A flash of doubt crossed the Tathagata Buddha’s eyes as he looked toward the Lingxiao Palace, thoughtful. Then, surrounded by the sound of Buddhist chants that shook the nine heavens, he declared:
“Thunder generals, cease your fighting and release the Great Sage. Let me ask him what power he wields.”
Wang Lingguan and the thirty-six thunder generals received the order from Yisheng Zhenjun and immediately withdrew.
The Monkey raised his staff to strike, but suddenly a golden light flashed behind him—a swastika symbol descended from the sky.
The Monkey was startled and tried to break free but found the golden swastika binding him like an iron hoop, impossible to escape. The golden light flickered, and the Monkey felt an invisible great force lifting him, soaring through the sky.
The sea of clouds churned. The Monkey seemed to be dreaming, and when he looked back, he had already left the Lingxiao Palace far behind, now above an endless sea of clouds.
Looking closely, a golden Buddha sat solemnly on a lotus throne, flanked by two arhats smiling kindly at him.
The Monkey’s eyes darted, and he pointed his Golden Cudgel at the Tathagata:
“Who are you to meddle in my business!”
“I am Shakyamuni Tathagata, once residing in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The Lotus Sutra holds profound mysteries; the wisdom of the Great Vehicle Prajna is boundless. All the saints and sages of the heavens respect me as the World-Honored One. I have heard of your extraordinary deeds, repeatedly defying the Celestial Court. Tell me, where are you from and when did you attain your Dao?”
The Tathagata smiled without anger, as if everything was under control.
The Monkey laughed heartily:
“Listen up, great monk! I, old Sun, was born on Flower-Fruit Mountain in the Eastern Victory Divine Continent. I met friends and teachers, mastered my skills, and because the mortal world was too small, I came to visit the Celestial Court, saw that old Jade Emperor’s chair was nice, and insisted he let me sit!”
The Tathagata’s tone changed sharply:
“You insolent beast born for the first time, the Jade Emperor has cultivated diligently, enduring 1,750 kalpas, each kalpa lasting 129,600 years, before finally attaining the boundless Great Dao.”
“What ability do you have? How dare you speak so arrogantly?”
The Monkey sneered coldly, “I have seventy-two transformations, an indestructible Vajra body that has survived countless kalpas, and a pair of Broken-Delusion Golden Eyes that see through all illusions. One somersault can carry me 108,000 li—how could I not aspire to heaven’s position?”
The Tathagata smiled and said, “Very well, then let us wager. If you can somersault out of my palm, I will ask the Jade Emperor to move to the West and let you have the Celestial Court. If you fail, descend to the mortal realm as a demon and cultivate for several kalpas before arguing again.”
The Monkey looked at the Tathagata:
“Can you become the master of the Jade Emperor?”
The Tathagata nodded firmly, “Yes! Yes, I can!”
Hearing this, the Monkey smiled, retracted his Golden Cudgel, leapt, and landed in the palm of the Tathagata.
Sitting cross-legged in the Tathagata’s palm, the Monkey said, “Great Monk, I just used a lot of energy fighting Lingguan and the thunder generals. Let me rest a moment before we start, and no cheating!”
Then he closed his eyes to meditate in the Buddha’s palm.
The Tathagata looked at the Monkey and sneered coldly, “You monkey, how dare you show off your tricks before me?”
No sooner had he spoken, the Monkey in his palm instantly turned into a single monkey hair.
Amidst the sea of clouds, the Monkey by now had done more than a somersault—without looking back, he dashed straight towards the mortal realm.