Chapter 40 - The Great Sage Pressed Under the Five Elements Mountain, Within the Square Inch Lies Heaven and Earth
Chapter 40: The Great Sage Pressed Under the Five Elements Mountain, Within the Square Inch Lies Heaven and Earth
The Monkey’s words echoed through the Five Fingers Mountain, stirring feelings among the great cultivators of the Three Realms.
The Patriarch Bodhi of Fangcun?
Among the top cultivators of the Three Realms, this title was largely unfamiliar.
The events of the Journey to the West already attracted much attention across the Three Realms, and now with this unexpected turn, curiosity surged. Countless eyes gathered towards the Five Fingers Mountain.
Without the slightest warning—except for a slight flicker of the Buddha’s eyelid—no one present, including Qin Chuan, noticed.
Suddenly, an elderly immortal appeared beneath the Five Fingers Mountain. He wore an autumn-hued robe decorated with yin-yang fish and bagua trimmings, cloud patterns flowing across the fabric.
Looking at the Monkey, who only had his head exposed and looked rather miserable, the Patriarch Bodhi wore a bitter smile and gently shook his head.
“Master!”
Sensing something unusual in the Buddha’s expression, Qin Chuan belatedly turned around, delighted, and quickly bowed in respect.
The Patriarch Bodhi looked at Qin Chuan with a stern demeanor and said, “After this is over, return to the mountain to accept your punishment!”
Qin Chuan replied respectfully, “Yes, Master!”
Yet, inside, he breathed a long sigh of relief. Without the Patriarch’s arrival, not only the Monkey, but even he himself, would have found it difficult to leave safely.
“Master?”
The Monkey stared blankly at the Patriarch Bodhi, emotions swirling—fear? joy? shame?
Even he couldn’t clearly say. Unlike Qin Chuan, after learning his skills, the Monkey had lost all trace of the Patriarch Bodhi.
“Great Sage Equal to Heaven? Such a grand title. You, this monkey, went out and caused such a terrible disaster.”
“Have you forgotten what I told you before? If you dare reveal even a word, I will skin you alive, dismantle your bones, and banish your soul to the Nine Netherworlds!”
The Patriarch Bodhi slowly approached the Monkey, gently pulling weeds from his head, still speaking harshly.
At that moment, the Monkey’s eyes welled with tears and choked out, “Your disciple has failed and disgraced you, Master!” Then he bowed deeply, burying his head.
“Master, Wukong has thought of you many times over the years, dreaming even of returning to Fangcun Mountain!”
Qin Chuan gave the Monkey a sharp look from the side, but the Monkey’s back of the head had no eyes—so it was a silent message lost on him.
The Patriarch Bodhi sighed deeply and slowly moved before Qin Chuan, looking up at the Buddha in the sky. He said, “Taoist friend, might you show me some leniency?”
The Buddha glanced at the Patriarch Bodhi, joined his palms, and said, “Taoist friend, you wander freely across the heavens. Why trouble yourself with this messy business?”
“Taoist friend, you should know that this monkey has a connection to our Buddhist sect. I too have shown him much care. That matter also greatly benefits him!”
“The Jade Emperor, Laozi, and many great cultivators of the Three Realms have tacitly agreed to this. I hope you will reconsider carefully!”
The Patriarch Bodhi smiled and said, “You misunderstand, my friend. I do not wish to stop this matter, but after all, this monkey and I share a master-disciple bond.”
“He didn’t call me today, that would be fine, but he actually called me ‘Master’ once. So today, I want to help him find some peace.”
The Buddha remained silent, looking first at the Monkey, then at the Patriarch Bodhi.
As long as the Journey to the West was not disrupted, it would not cross his or the Buddhist sect’s bottom line. The Monkey’s foundation was intact, his potential vast. If he entered the Buddhist path later, he might become a great cultivator capable of stabilizing fate itself.
The Patriarch’s sudden appearance probably increased the Monkey’s resistance toward Buddhism.
Ultimately, would the Monkey recognize the Patriarch or accept the Buddhist path?
As one who experienced it firsthand, the Buddha roughly guessed that Laozi had not destroyed the Monkey’s foundation on purpose.
Was it to avoid repeating past mistakes… or did he have great confidence in this Monkey, even surpassing the many treasures of the past?
Thinking this, the Buddha smiled faintly. Interesting, very interesting—just a mere monkey, what kind of resolve could he really have? After the Journey to the West ends, he would bring the Monkey into his gate, making him take refuge in the Dharma.
“I understand your intention, friend. But this monkey has indeed violated heavenly laws. If I return like this, I fear I cannot easily explain to the Great Heavenly Lord.”
The Patriarch asked, “I wonder what your meaning is?”
The Buddha stretched out his palm and said, “I will use this palm Buddha kingdom to subdue the monkey. If you can step forward, then I will follow your wishes.” Upon hearing this, Patriarch Bodhi flicked his whisk and laughed, “What difficulty could there be? Please, my friend!”
The expression of the Tathagata Buddha suddenly turned serious. Above the Five Finger Mountain, dark clouds gathered swiftly, and an indescribable aura spread.
Qin Chuan, the Monkey, and Ananda Kasyapa all felt their breathing grow labored and closed their eyes to regulate their breath.
Patriarch Bodhi and the Tathagata Buddha seemed to have a tacit understanding, and their duel was shielded from the sight of other great cultivators of the Three Realms.
The Buddha slowly extended his palm. At that moment, between heaven and earth, the wind rose and clouds surged, and all sounds ceased.
The golden figure of the Buddha radiated dazzling light. Patriarch Bodhi, unknown when, was already in the palm of the Buddha.
Golden light overflowed, auspicious energies like countless strands. Within the Buddha realm, the sounds of Buddhist chants lingered, with myriad Buddhas praising in unison—a solemn and sacred scene.
Patriarch Bodhi smiled calmly, waved his whisk, and the Buddha realm in the palm instantly shrank to the size of a square inch. Taking a step, he walked out from the Buddha’s palm.
“What kind of divine power is this?” Asked the Buddha with curiosity.
Patriarch Bodhi replied, “The Mountain of the Mind’s Square.”
“Master, is it over?”
Qin Chuan and the others opened their eyes, curiously looking at Patriarch Bodhi and the Buddha.
Neither replied. Patriarch Bodhi approached the Five Finger Mountain and flicked his whisk again. The Monkey immediately felt his body loosen, and his head slowly retreated into the mountain.
Looking around, it was actually a stone chamber hidden inside the mountain, complete with tables and chairs.
The Monkey’s head extended from the mountain again, still seeming to be pressed down by the mountain.
As the saying goes: “Under the Five Element Mountain, the Great Sage is suppressed, yet within the square inch lies a whole world!”
“Wukong, you’ve caused great havoc this time. I order you to cultivate and reflect within this mountain. For five hundred years, do not leave without permission, or the master-disciple bond between us will be severed.”
Patriarch Bodhi said sternly to the Monkey.
The Monkey nodded repeatedly, “Master, rest assured, Wukong would never dare leave. I’ll serve my sentence fully for these five hundred years… But what about after five hundred years?”
The Buddha continued, “After five hundred years, a monk will pass by here. You are to become his disciple’s… guardian and escort, guiding him to the Western Heaven to pay homage to the Buddha and seek scriptures. Then the true result will manifest.”
Seeing Patriarch Bodhi nod, the Monkey said no more and obediently settled inside the Five Finger Mountain.
The Buddha looked at Patriarch Bodhi and said, “I must return to the Heavenly Palace to report to the Great Heavenly Lord, so I will not stay long. Friend, please proceed as you wish!”
Qin Chuan took a step forward with his right foot but had no chance to perform the Golden Crow Rainbow transformation technique before Patriarch Bodhi’s whisk tied him up tightly.
“You’ve dragged me into this mess, then we might as well have a good talk!”
“Master, Wukong asked me to help watch over his Flower-Fruit Mountain. Look at this…”
“Send your personal dragon girl first. After we finish talking, then we’ll discuss the rest.”
“Master, can we not talk?”
“What do you think?”
…