Journey to the West: Demon Emperor: Beginning as a Little Toad

Chapter 505 The Disposition of Emperor Donghua

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, auspicious clouds swirled, yet could not conceal the chilling atmosphere.

The atmosphere inside the hall suddenly became tense after the Jade Emperor proposed the decision to "spread Buddhism to the East".

All the immortals fell silent and held their breath, their eyes fixed on Laozi, anxiously awaiting the response from this leader of Taoism.

We hope that this Supreme Dao Ancestor can uphold justice for their Daoist sect.

The Jade Emperor sat regally on his cloud throne, his gaze sharp and unwavering, looking directly at the Supreme Dao Ancestor, and said in a deep voice:
"Today, I wish to promote the eastward spread of Buddhism to save more sentient beings in Jambudvipa."

"What does the Supreme Dao Ancestor think?"

Laozi was originally resting with his eyes closed, seemingly immersed in the profound realm of the supreme Dao, oblivious to all the disturbances of the outside world.

Upon hearing the Jade Emperor's question, he slowly opened his eyes.

In an instant.

In Laozi's eyes, it seemed as if stars were flowing, containing the mysteries of the primordial universe.

His hair was completely white, his white beard was flowing, and he held a Taiyi whisk in his hand. With a gentle wave, he stood up.

He wore a black Taoist robe, loose and flowing, moving even without wind.

Laozi bowed slightly to the Jade Emperor and said in a calm voice:
"Your Majesty, the Western Spirit Mountain has rendered meritorious service in rescuing you and deserves to be rewarded."

"Back in the day, I passed through the Hangu Pass and converted the barbarians to Buddhism."

"Buddha is the Tao."

"This Buddhist teaching also originated from the Taoist teachings."

"The spread of Buddhism to the East, to teach and enlighten sentient beings, is also a good deed."

"This is in accordance with the general trend of Heaven, and I have no objection."

……

"Converting the barbarians into Buddhas" is also known as "Laozi converting the barbarians".

Laozi was later revered as Taishang Laojun by Taoists.

According to legend, Lao Tzu once traveled west out of Hangu Pass to the Western Regions (including India) and transformed into the Buddha Shakyamuni, where he taught the people of the Western Regions and India.

The legend was later passed down in the form of the "Laozi Huahu Jing" (Laozi's Conversion of the Barbarians Classic), which records this legend in detail.

In the early Tang Dynasty, in order to consolidate their rule and enhance the authority and legitimacy of the imperial family, the Li imperial family honored Laozi as their ancestor and claimed to be his descendants.

In 620 AD, Emperor Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty officially recognized Laozi as his ancestor and built a temple for him at Yangjiao Mountain.

In 625 AD, Emperor Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty issued an edict ranking the three religions in order of precedence, placing Laozi first, followed by Confucius, and then Buddhism.

This edict from Emperor Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty formally established Taoism's priority in the Tang Dynasty, playing a guiding role in the development of Taoism during that period.

Later, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Laozi was directly honored as the "Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Origin," and Taoism became the state religion of the Tang Dynasty, which was vigorously promoted throughout the country.

In terms of talent cultivation, the Tang Dynasty even established the "Chongxuan School" to exclusively teach Taoist classics and incorporate them into the Tang Dynasty's "national education system".

Therefore, during the Tang Dynasty, the idea of ​​"converting barbarians to Buddhism" was once highly regarded.

……

In Journey to the West, Laozi once said to Guanyin Bodhisattva:
"This weapon... is called the 'Diamond Ring' or the 'Diamond Set'. When I passed through Hangu Pass, I 'converted the barbarians to Buddhism', and I owed it a great debt to it."

Guanyin Bodhisattva did not refute this.

……

"this?"

When Laozi said this, all the gods in the hall were stunned. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with astonishment and confusion.

Kui Mulang's brows were furrowed, like a tangled mess that couldn't be untangled, and the veins on his forehead bulged, as if he was trying his best to figure out the intricacies of the situation.

He muttered to himself:
"Will the spread of Buddhism to the East affect the status of Taoism in the future?"

"Why would Laozi agree so easily? Could there be another reason behind it?"

"This……"

Water Deity stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief. The water bowl in his hand trembled slightly, splashing out a few drops of water.

He was full of doubts:
"Will the eastward spread of Buddhism disrupt the balance between Taoism and Buddhism? How will the future structure of the Three Realms change?"

"The eastward transmission of Buddhism..."

Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun seemed to be deep in thought, lightly waving his whisk as if pondering the pros and cons.

His gaze was profound, as if it could penetrate the layers of palaces and see the future changes in the Three Realms.

He knew in his heart that the strategy of spreading Buddhism to the East was not as simple as it seemed on the surface, and there must be many complexities behind it.

……

For a while.

The Taoist deities displayed a variety of expressions, some worried, some astonished, and some deep in thought.

They originally thought that Laozi would strongly oppose the Jade Emperor's policy of spreading Buddhism to the east.

After all, the Southern Continent is the foundation of Taoism, and its incense offerings have been passed down continuously for countless years.

The eastward spread of Buddhism will undoubtedly have a profound impact on Taoism.

However, to everyone's surprise, Laozi so readily accepted the Jade Emperor's arrangement.

This sudden change left the immortals somewhat bewildered.

Tao follows nature.

Lao Tzu proposed in the Tao Te Ching, "I do nothing, and the people transform themselves," emphasizing following the laws of nature (the Way of Heaven) and avoiding human intervention.

The Taoist gods were caught off guard.

now.

Even in such matters, this Supreme Taoist Ancestor remained "following the will of Heaven and practicing tranquility and non-action."

The Jade Emperor nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. A slight smile played on his lips, as if he were quite pleased with Laozi's response. He slowly said:

"What Laozi said is absolutely right. I am also well aware of the merit of the Western Vulture Peak in saving me and the good deed of spreading Buddhism to the East. It is truly a good deed that saves all sentient beings."

however.

Suddenly, Laozi changed the subject, took a step forward, and lightly swept his whisk, as if drawing an invisible boundary, and said:

"However, the Southern Continent is the foundation of our Taoist sect, where the incense has been passed down for a long time."

"If the Western sacred mountain were to rashly transmit scriptures, it might cause many disputes."

"At that time, Buddhist and Taoist disciples may quarrel due to differences in their beliefs."

"The order of the Three Realms will inevitably be thrown into chaos, which will be detrimental to the stability of the Three Realms."

The Jade Emperor frowned slightly, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest. After a moment of thought, he said:
“What the Dao Ancestor said makes sense, but the eastward spread of Buddhism is the inevitable trend of Heaven and cannot be reversed.”

"If we give up eating because of a minor choking incident, we may go against the will of Heaven and incur divine punishment."

Lao Tzu smiled slightly and said:

"Your Majesty, this old Taoist priest has no intention of going against the will of Heaven."

"In my opinion, the time is not yet ripe. We should proceed with the transmission of Buddhism to the East gradually."

"We might as well try it out on a small scale in the Southern Continent first, and select a place where the influence of Taoism is relatively weak, so that Buddhist disciples can go there to spread the scriptures and preach the Tao."

"In this way, we can observe how Buddhism is adapted in Jambudvipa (the southern continent), and avoid large-scale conflicts with Taoism."

"We will promote it when the time is right."

"In this way, Buddhism can be promoted while avoiding unnecessary conflicts. What does Your Majesty think?"

He has always adhered to the principles of tranquility and non-action, and followed the will of Heaven.

In the past, during the great war of the gods, he "stood aside" and watched the Taoist sects Jiejiao and Chanjiao fight each other, while the Taoist sect Renjiao was able to preserve itself.

Those who defy fate never have a good ending.

In the past, countless powerful beings from the primordial era attempted to defy fate and change their destiny, but all ended up dying, their souls scattered, and their spirits dispersed.

These are all manifestations of the power of Heaven, and should not be lightly violated.

If the natural order is as it is, what good is it for human beings to try to stop it?
It was all in vain.

As the saying goes, the way of nature is to govern by non-action and follow the natural order, so as to be in harmony with the way of heaven and earth and avoid the disasters and drawbacks brought about by human coercion.

"The rise and prosperity of the Way will naturally come in its time."

Lao Tzu stroked his long beard, his gaze deep and penetrating the long river of time, discerning the future.

He calculated with his fingers and predicted that several hundred years later in the Southern Continent, there would be a dynasty with the surname Li, who would honor him as their ancestor and claim to be a descendant of Laozi (Li Er).

Taoism will also become its "royal religion," that is, the state religion, revered by all people, with flourishing incense offerings, and the influence of Taoism will surely reach an unprecedented level.

At that time, even though Buddhism had spread to the East.

Taoism is also capable of suppressing Buddhism.

It is truly said: "The Buddha is one foot tall, but the Tao is ten feet tall."

If the eastward spread of Buddhism is indeed an irreversible trend of destiny, then let nature take its course.

Therefore, the timing of promoting the eastward transmission of Buddhism is something that deserves careful consideration.

……

The Jade Emperor's gaze swept over the immortals in the hall, as if seeking their opinions.

At this moment, Venus stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said:

"Your Majesty, the Supreme Dao Ancestor's plan is brilliant."

"It both conforms to the general trend of Heaven and safeguards the stability of the Three Realms, making it a win-win strategy."

The Jade Emperor nodded slightly and said:
"What the Supreme Dao Ancestor said is absolutely right. I will weigh the pros and cons to ensure the stability of the Three Realms."

The Buddha, with his hands clasped in prayer and a halo of light shining behind his head, said:
"Laozi is merciful. Both Buddhism and Taoism take it as their mission to save all living beings from suffering and distress."

"This humble monk will certainly restrain his disciples to live in harmony with the Taoist sect and work together for peace in the Three Realms."

The gods in Heaven naturally had objections to this.

Some worried that the status of Taoism would be damaged, like a building about to collapse; others feared that their own interests would be affected, like cicadas chirping in despair.

But the Jade Emperor, the ruler of the Three Realms, and Laozi, the Supreme Dao Ancestor, both held the same opinion. What else could they say? They could only silently suppress their dissatisfaction and wait and see.

……

Then, the atmosphere inside the Lingxiao Palace suddenly became tense.

An invisible pressure spread out.

The Jade Emperor frowned, his expression solemn, and slowly spoke:

"There is one matter that I have summoned you all here today, which needs to be discussed urgently."

"This Donghua Emperor dared to defy Heaven, and has now been suppressed by the Buddha of the West and imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison."

"What do you all think we should do with this traitor?"

In fact, what the Jade Emperor most wanted to see was for the Buddha to directly destroy Donghua Dijun, both in body and soul.

In this way, the problem can be solved once and for all, and future troubles can be eliminated forever.

However, monks are compassionate and do not kill, so they must not break the precept against killing.

Therefore, although Donghua Dijun was suppressed by the Buddha of the West, he still managed to survive.

It is only a matter of time before the Heavenly Court discusses how to handle this.

The Jade Emperor had barely finished speaking.

Then the Moon Goddess appeared, her lotus-like steps light and graceful, as she stepped out of her ranks to present her report.

She had a graceful figure, a cold expression, and a cold voice.
"Your Majesty, Emperor Donghua dares to defy Heaven; this is a heinous crime."

"If this is not severely punished, more villains in the Three Realms will likely follow suit, and the order of the Three Realms will surely be thrown into chaos!"

"Take him to the execution platform and behead him immediately, as a warning to others!"

Followed by.

Then the Star Lord Kui Mulang shouted loudly:

"The Moon Goddess is absolutely right!"

"This Emperor Donghua has always been arrogant and disrespectful to His Majesty. Now he dares to defy Heaven. If I don't kill him, I won't be able to quell the hatred in my heart!"

"Your Majesty, what use is there in keeping such traitors alive? If they are not eliminated, the Three Realms will never have peace!"

Venus, holding a whisk, slowly stepped forward, bowed to the Jade Emperor, and said:

"Your Majesty, Emperor Donghua has committed such a heinous crime that he deserves to be executed according to the law!"

"If they are not severely punished, where will the laws of Heaven be, and where will His Majesty's authority be?"

Holding his exquisite pagoda, Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, stepped forward majestically and proclaimed loudly:
"Your Majesty, I second the proposal."

"Emperor Donghua's rebellion against Heaven is a blatant challenge to the majesty of the Heavenly Court. If he is not severely punished, how can the Heavenly Court maintain its dignity?"

How will the beings of the Three Realms view the Heavenly Court?

"This humble general suggests that he be taken to the Execution Platform to suffer the punishment of Execution, have his immortal bones removed, and let his soul be scattered and never be reincarnated, so as to deter the Three Realms!"

"Let those with ill intentions know that those who defy Heaven will surely be punished by Heaven and Earth!"

This is a crucial moment to state our position.

All the immortals in Heaven knew that this was a major event concerning their own interests and which side to take, so they all expressed their opinions, just like in a vegetable market in the mortal world.

For a while.

"Kill Emperor Donghua!"

"Let his soul be scattered!"

"Slay the Eastern Emperor!"

……

Most of the celestial beings in Heaven suggested that Donghua Dijun be executed directly, so that his soul would be scattered and he would never be reincarnated, thus eliminating any future trouble.

"In that case."

The Jade Emperor nodded slightly, stroked his beard, and seemed about to issue the execution order for the Eastern Emperor when he spoke:

"Then, let's escort Emperor Donghua to..."

suddenly.

Lao Tzu slowly spoke:

"Your Majesty, wait a moment."

The Jade Emperor frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure in his eyes, and shot a lightning bolt of light towards Laozi, saying:

"Does the Supreme Dao Ancestor have any objections?"

Lao Tzu, with a calm expression, spoke:

"What a coincidence."

"Just now, on a whim, I did some calculations and discovered that I have a master-disciple relationship with the Eastern Emperor."

"I dare to ask Your Majesty for leniency and to spare this Donghua Emperor. Perhaps he will have a chance to reform and serve the Heavenly Court in the future."

"A master-disciple relationship?"

"Is this Emperor Donghua a disciple of the Supreme Dao Ancestor?"

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor frowned, his face instantly turning cold, yet he still smiled and said:

"Laojun, are you joking? Such an important matter cannot be taken lightly."

"The crime of defying Heaven is unforgivable, how can you let him off so easily because of your fabricated master-disciple relationship?"

Lao Tzu also laughed and said:

"Whether it's true or false, His Majesty possesses the Haotian Mirror, which can see through the Three Realms and deduce the past and future."

"Why not deduce it and then we'll know for sure what's true and what's false?"

The Jade Emperor's gaze was fixed on Laozi.

Laozi, without flinching, looked at the Jade Emperor.

Firstly, he calculated that this Donghua Emperor was destined to join the Others Sect, and indeed had a connection with it, becoming a disciple of the Others Sect.

Secondly, if the Eastern Emperor were to die, Buddhism would spread eastward again, and the Jade Emperor, with the help of Mount Ling, would be able to control the Taoist sect.

So, in this Three Realms, the Jade Emperor doesn't completely have the final say.

The Jade Emperor can attack the Taoist sect if he wants, and he can take away the Taoist sect's benefits if he wants.

This situation is naturally not good.

By saving Emperor Donghua's life and holding Emperor Donghua in his hands, he was essentially holding a "hidden crown prince" in his own hands.

What this means is self-evident.

This can limit the Jade Emperor's thoughts and power, preventing him from doing whatever he wants and acting recklessly.

In short:
"If you do a good job, then keep doing it."

“If you, Jade Emperor, go too far or do not perform well, with the Crown Prince in our hands, we may consider replacing you.”

Thirdly... he has his own plans for wanting the Eastern Emperor.

……

In this complex situation, Laozi cleverly gave the Buddha and the Jade Emperor a huge "face".

On the momentous event of the eastward transmission of Buddhism, which has influenced the entire Three Realms.

Laozi did not utter a single word of objection or disagreement, as if he had tacitly approved of this established matter, thus removing a potential obstacle to the eastward transmission of Buddhism.

Within these three realms, various forces are deeply intertwined, and their interests are entangled in a complex web of relationships that are impossible to unravel or untangle.

The world of the Three Realms is not just about fighting and killing; it's about human relationships and interactions!
In this world, you give me face, I give you face, and we all come and go.

Otherwise, if neither side gives the other face...

Everyone just tore off the mask of civility and started fighting.

Having received such a benefit, the Buddha was fully aware of Laozi's "affection".

The Buddha, of course, also took advantage of this readily available "east wind" to further solidify his delicate yet interconnected relationship with the Taoist school.

Moreover, as the saying goes:
"When the birds are gone, the good bow is hidden; when the cunning rabbit dies, the lackeys are cooked."

In this power struggle within the Three Realms, if we compare the Eastern Emperor to a bird and a rabbit, then the Western Vulture Peak, represented by the Buddha, is like the Jade Emperor's fine bow and hunting dog.

When all the birds are gone, the good bow is put away.

If Emperor Donghua were to perish completely, the Jade Emperor would be rid of a major threat in the Three Realms.

Given the Jade Emperor's inherently suspicious nature, it's not entirely impossible that he would do something like "crossing the river and then dismantling the bridge."

At that time, at that time, wouldn't the Jade Emperor be able to summon the Western Paradise at will?
but.

If the Jade Emperor were left with a potential threat like the Eastern Emperor, the situation would be quite different.

This is like the Sword of Damocles always hanging under the Jade Emperor's scepter, constantly reminding him not to be careless.

In this way, the Jade Emperor would have to rely more on the Western Vulture Peak and the Western Buddha.

In this way, the Jade Emperor could cooperate more with the "Eastern Transmission of Buddhism" and provide more support and convenience.

And his Western Spirit Mountain can also take this opportunity to gain more benefits in the Three Realms.

then.

The Buddha, with his hands clasped in prayer and a solemn expression, slowly spoke:

“Monks do not lie, and this old monk has always been compassionate and guided the world with truth.”

"Just now, the old monk observed with his wisdom eye, discerning all phenomena in the three realms and deducing the cycle of cause and effect."

"What the Supreme Dao Ancestor said is true. Emperor Donghua did indeed have a master-disciple relationship with the Supreme Dao Ancestor!"

……

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's face instantly turned ashen, becoming terrifyingly gloomy.

(End of this chapter)