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

Chapter 628 The Case of Real and Fake Gold

The Western Pure Land.

The Lingshan Scenic Area is shrouded in mist and clouds.

The precious buildings and pavilions are arranged in a pleasing and orderly manner.

And there were those golden tiles with overlapping mandarin ducks, and those bright flower bricks paved with agate. It was truly magnificent and grand!
Speaking of "Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven".

Ananda stood before the Yellow-Eyebrowed King, his expression solemn, a hint of worry in his brows, and continued:
“I recall that day at the An Tian Assembly, when I was serving the World-Honored One, I personally witnessed the World-Honored One exchanging words with Sun Wukong.”

"At that time, the World-Honored One was secretly observing Sun Wukong's nature while chatting and laughing with him."

"However, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong, is arrogant, disrespectful to his elders, and still wild. He is not an easy person to tame."

"If we do not punish Sun Wukong and give him a good talking-to, I'm afraid he will be difficult to use for our Buddhist sect and serve our sect."

"Moreover, Sun Wukong is brave and fearless. He once fought against 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals of the Heavenly Court. Like the Eastern Emperor, he is not someone who is easy to deal with."

"At that time, the World-Honored One Tathagata was fighting against the Eastern Emperor."

"In the battle of magic, although the World Honored One ultimately prevailed, his magical power was severely depleted, and he has already passed away. He has not yet recovered his strength."

Therefore, the World-Honored One is neither able nor has the time to completely subdue this demon monkey.

"Therefore, the matter of our Buddhist sect subduing the Monkey King will be temporarily put on hold until the right time."

Say it.

Ananda paused slightly, looked around, and seeing no one else, lowered his voice and said mysteriously to the Yellow-Eyebrowed King:

"Later, Guanyin Bodhisattva recommended another person to the World Honored One, namely Ao Lie, the third prince of the Jade Dragon of the Western Sea."

"Guanyin Bodhisattva said: The Dragon Clan is the head of all water gods in the world. They control the water veins of the world, control the clouds and rain, and have a profound influence in Jambudvipa and even the four continents. They also have a deep foundation in the human world."

"The people of Jambudvipa mostly worship the Dragon God, and their emperor calls himself the 'Son of Heaven,' to demonstrate that he is ordained by Heaven."

"The people of Jambudvipa also call themselves descendants of the dragon, which shows the high status of the dragon in their hearts."

"Our great undertaking of obtaining the scriptures is a benevolent act for all living beings, aiming to save all sentient beings from suffering and distress. How can we do without the assistance of the dragon clan?"

"Without the help of the dragons, I'm afraid our journey to the West would be much less influential and we would not be able to accomplish this great feat of saving all living beings."

"I have recently heard that the Western Sea Dragon Clan and the Eight Immortals of the Daoist Sect have had a falling out. The two sides are locked in a bitter dispute and are now at odds with each other, neither willing to give in."

"This perfectly embodies the principle of 'when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits'!"

"In this struggle, the Dragon Clan and the Eastern Taoist sects are the snipe and the clam, while we, the Western Buddhist sects, can be the fishermen who reap the benefits."

"Guanyin Bodhisattva said: In the past, when the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods began, the Taoist sects of Chan and Jie fought incessantly. Many talented people with profound roots and virtues were converted to Buddhism in the West during the chaos. From then on, they took refuge in Buddhism, achieved enlightenment, and attained great freedom."

"I still remember the three thousand red-clad guests in the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation. They were all destined people who entered the Western Paradise and escaped the sea of ​​suffering to enjoy ultimate bliss."

"This great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods is a crucial opportunity for our great cause in the West, which has led to the magnificent scene we see today."

"This conflict between the Dragon Clan and the Daoist sect is a golden opportunity. If we do not seize it, we will be missing a great chance."

"We can seize this opportunity to make a difference."

"The Western Sea Dragon Clan, so that's how it is..."

Upon hearing this, Huang Mei's mind immediately became as clear as a mirror.

This is exactly:
"Outsiders know how to chant sutras."

That is, everyone felt that monks from other places chanted scriptures better than local monks.

Consider the Buddha Tathagata, who was once Duobao Daoren, a disciple of the Jie Sect. He cultivated within the Jie Sect for a long time before turning to Buddhism, where he ultimately attained the supreme fruition, becoming the most revered figure in Buddhism and the ruler of the Western Paradise.

The same applies to Guanyin Bodhisattva. She was once Cihang Daoren, one of the twelve Golden Immortals under the Yuanshi Tianzun of the Chan Sect, and practiced Taoist magic within the Chan Sect.

Later, by chance, Cihang Daoren turned to Buddhism. With great compassion, he relieved suffering and saved all sentient beings, becoming a highly respected Bodhisattva whose name spread throughout the four continents.

Jin Chanzi was originally a primordial beast called "Six-Winged Golden Cicada," who was wild by nature. He was later subdued by the Buddha, converted to Buddhism, and became the second disciple of the Buddha.

……

The Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Jin Chanzi... they all became monks later in life and belonged to the Buddhist order, thus being called "monks who became monks later in life".

They can be considered "latecomers" to Lingshan.

Maitreya Buddha is a direct disciple of the two Western Saints. He has been practicing in the Western religion since childhood and can be considered a "local monk sect" of Mount Ling.

Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes.

Where there are rivers and lakes, there are grudges and feuds.

Whenever two or more people are in the same place, a conflict will inevitably arise.

Even a family of three can easily have internal conflicts and disagreements in the midst of daily trivial matters.

Moreover, what about the powerful and influential Lingshan Buddhist Domain?
……

In this sacred mountain.

The internal strife between the "halfway monks" and the "local monks" factions was extremely severe.

The struggles within the imperial court have always been extremely brutal and intense.

The struggles in the imperial court are straightforward and cruel. Their core essence is nothing more than to overthrow the faction that is different from oneself, so as to achieve the prestigious status of one's own faction.

"The Supreme Ruler of the World" is a core title in the Buddhist system, specifically referring to the Buddha who governs the world and possesses supreme power.

In *Journey to the West*, Sun Wukong refers to the Buddha as "the supreme ruler of the world," saying:
"The Buddha is the supreme ruler of the world..."

Indeed, this is the case. As the current leader of Buddhism, the Buddha Tathagata governs Xiniu Hezhou, oversees Buddhist affairs, maintains order in the Three Realms, and is the supreme ruler of the world.

However, there is the "Little Thunder Temple" (also known as Little Western Paradise) on the westward journey.

When the Yellow-Eyebrowed King was subdued.

When Maitreya Buddha met Sun Wukong, he asked him directly:

"Wukong, do you recognize me?"

Facing Sun Wukong, Maitreya Buddha spoke frankly, claiming:

"I am the supreme ruler of this world!"

There is no room for two tigers in one mountain.

A country cannot have two rulers.

How can one sacred mountain have two rulers?
The Buddha is the supreme ruler of the world.

Maitreya Buddha also called himself "the supreme ruler of the world".

So who exactly rules the world, and who is the most respected?

Both the "halfway-trained monks" and the "local monks" wanted to monopolize the prestigious position and control the power of Lingshan.

therefore.

These "halfway-born monks" naturally distrusted the "local monks" of Lingshan.

The current situation.

It's not that there aren't powerful dragons available in Ling Mountain.

In reality, those who "came to the sect later in life" harbored suspicions about the native dragon race of Lingshan and found it difficult to trust them.

Therefore, he intended to seek opportunities outside to convert dragons in other places and make them his allies.

Moreover, when people are led to the Western Paradise, the "one who guides others" and the "one who is guided" naturally become allies, their interests intertwined, and they share weal and woe.

These dragons, immortals, and demons who joined the sect later in life had no foundation in Mount Ling and were isolated and powerless. They naturally attached themselves to the "latecomers" such as Jin Chanzi, Guanyin Bodhisattva, and Tathagata Buddha.

This was a natural position, and the two sides immediately agreed.

Venerable Ananda continued:

"Therefore, Senior Brother Jin Chanzi may have already set off for the Western Sea, intending to first establish a good relationship with Ao Lie, the 'Third Prince of the Jade Dragon of the Western Sea,' as preparation for protecting the Dharma on the journey to the West in the future..."

"Again..."

"besides……"

After receiving the money from King Yellow Eyebrows, Venerable Ananda and Venerable Kasyapa no longer had any sense of modesty.
It is difficult to guard against domestic thieves.

Ananda and Kasyapa revealed to King Yellow Eyebrows all of Jin Chanzi's and Guanyin Bodhisattva's plans, down to the smallest detail.

They completely betrayed Jin Chanzi, their "beloved friend and fellow disciple," without any scruples.

……

Huh?
You might ask, how noble and illustrious were Ananda and Kasyapa, who were the attendants of the Buddha?

They should have been holy monks, pure of mind and free from worldly desires. How could they be so greedy and ungrateful, even daring to obstruct the great cause of spreading Buddhism to the East and betraying such important information to the ambitious Huang Mei?
For money, they completely disregarded their brotherhood with Jin Chanzi.

The reason for this is a long story, but it is closely related to a "mystery of real and fake gold" and cannot be separated from it!

The source of this matter actually lies with Xiao Chen (King Golden Horn), who once stirred up trouble in Chechi Kingdom.

This "unsolved case of real and fake gold" is, in fact, deeply connected with Xiao Chen (King Golden Horn).

……

It turns out that the Buddha once attained a golden body of sixteen feet tall by practicing asceticism on the summit of a snow mountain. This body is indestructible and impervious to water and fire.

Kasyapa and Ananda, as close attendants, often accompanied the Buddha and were also taught profound skills by the Buddha, practicing the method of the "seven-foot golden body".

As the saying goes:
"To adorn oneself with gold is to adorn the Buddha; to cover the Tathagata is to cover oneself." However, cultivating this golden body requires the power of real gold, and even more so, it requires believers to cast a golden Buddha statue for it, thereby absorbing the power of sentient beings' thoughts, in order to achieve success.

Mount Ling needs gold.

The believers in Xiniu Hezhou mostly worship the Buddha, and they devote their entire fortunes to casting a golden statue for him.

However, in this world, there are still fewer wealthy families and more poor families.

Not all believers in Xiniu Hezhou are wealthy.

The numerous devout men and women, who poured out their entire fortunes, naturally made their primary offerings to the "sixteen-foot golden body" of the World-Honored One, Tathagata.

The Buddha statues cast for him were all covered with thick gold leaf and had a solemn and dignified appearance.

When it was time to cast the golden statues for the Venerable Kasyapa and Venerable Ananda.

Believers often have the will but lack the means, and are short of money.

Therefore, the statues of the two Venerables Kasyapa and Ananda that believers sculpted were mostly made of clay and grass, with only a thin layer of gold leaf on the outside, or even just a few pieces of gold paper hastily pasted on, as a token of their respect.

The offerings of incense to the two Venerable Ananda and Kasyapa were also sparse, far less than one ten-thousandth of those to the Buddha.

In this regard.

Kasyapa and Ananda were naturally unhappy.

How could they not feel resentment when they saw how simple their golden statues were?
How can one achieve the profound mystery of a seven-foot golden body when one's own golden body is simple and one's spiritual power is weak?
However, Kasyapa and Ananda dared not compete with the Buddha for the golden body.

With the World-Honored One Tathagata above them, even if they had a thousand grievances, they dared not overstep the World-Honored One Tathagata in the slightest.

Over time, resentment slowly builds up.

Ananda and Kasyapa then hatched a crooked plan to "make their own way to make money".

The monks from Lingshan would go down the mountain to perform rituals and chant sutras for people, and each time they could earn a little gold.

But when it comes to gold, no one ever thinks they have too much.

Before becoming a monk, the Buddha Tathagata studied under Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun (the Tongtian Sect Leader of the Jie Sect), and was known as "Daoist Duobao".

Daoist Duobao was extremely skilled at crafting weapons.

Later, after Daoist Duobao entered the Buddhist order, he did not lose his skill in crafting weapons. He remained adept at crafting weapons and was known as a "master crafter" in Buddhism.

Ananda and Kasyapa, who were disciples of the Buddha, often accompanied and served the Buddha.

Under their influence, the two monks, Ananda and Kasyapa, also learned a lot of weapon-forging techniques from the Buddha.

later.

Ananda and Kasyapa, using their identities as Venerable Lingshan, secretly ran a weapon-refining business called "Buddha's Fate Pavilion" in Xiniu Hezhou, using it to amass wealth.

Although the Buddha had heard of this, considering the hard work of serving him and that his actions were still under control, he turned a blind eye and did not investigate further.

Under these unspoken rules, the two monks, Ananda and Kasyapa, became increasingly unscrupulous, making their "Buddha's Affinity Pavilion" a thriving business with abundant wealth.

……

then.

Just at this time.

Xiao Chen also runs a weapon-refining business in Xiniu Hezhou.

In the land of Xiniu Hezhou, the art of weapon crafting is rife with undercurrents, and various forces are intertwined in a complex and tangled web.

Behind "Lingyunxuan" is the Golden-Winged Roc, the maternal uncle of the Buddha, whose power should not be underestimated.

Behind the "Heavenly Craft Pavilion" lies the Heavenly Court and the Taoist sect, representing the authority of the Heavenly Realm and the power of the Taoist sect.

The Heavenly Craft Pavilion holds a pivotal position in the weapon-refining world of Xiniu Hezhou.

Behind the "Buddha's Affinity Pavilion" are actually the two Venerable Ones, Ananda and Kasyapa.

These two, as attendants and disciples of the Buddha, were always by his side and deeply benefited from his grace. Through the Buddha's supreme prestige, they cultivated many good relationships in the Western Continent of Niuhe.

……

Caught between these multiple forces.

Xiao Chen's "Four Strengths Abode" faces numerous difficulties in its struggle to survive in Xiniu Hezhou.

Despite his many skills and schemes, Xiao Chen was squeezed into a difficult situation by the "Buddha's Fate Pavilion".

Fortunately, Xiao Chen "turned his enemy into his wife" and married the scorpion demon.

Later, Xiao Chen also gained the help of various demon kings, such as the Bull Demon King and the Ten Thousand Saints Old Dragon King.

Moreover, the business of "Sili Zhai" is mostly carried out in countries far away from Lingshan, avoiding the direct sphere of influence of Lingshan, and thus gaining a temporary respite.

In this way, the "Four Powers Abode" was able to barely survive.

Even so, after developing in Xiniu Hezhou for some time, Silizhai could not continue.

After all, Xiniu Hezhou is the territory of Mount Ling, and the two Venerables, Kasyapa and Ananda, as disciples of the Buddha, have a natural advantage and influence here.

With numerous disciples and a wide following, he enjoys great advantages in acquiring raw materials for weapon crafting and controlling the market.

Despite her formidable reputation as a scorpion demon, she ultimately could not contend head-on with Kasyapa and Ananda.

then.

After weighing the pros and cons, Xiao Chen decided to expand the business of "Si Li Zhai" to the Eastern Continent and the Northern Continent.

……

Back in the day, in the land of Chechi Kingdom, Xiao Chen racked his brains and exhausted all his schemes to compete with the "Buddha's Fate Pavilion".

With its profound background and extensive network, "Buddha's Affinity Pavilion" has become the leader in the weapon refining market, putting Xiao Chen's business under great pressure.

In search of a way to break the deadlock, Xiao Chen racked his brains and finally came up with a plan.

Xiao Chen ordered his subordinate, Tiger Power Immortal, to use the "Turning Stone into Gold" technique.

This "turning stone into gold" technique is full of hidden tricks; the so-called "gold" is nothing more than ordinary stones disguised by magic.

Although this method is not a long-term solution, it can temporarily deceive people and make it difficult for them to distinguish between the real and the fake.

Tiger Power Immortal followed the plan and used his supernatural powers to transform ordinary stones into glittering "gold".

Xiao Chen and Sun Wukong then took the opportunity to secretly switch things out, cleverly mixing a batch of "gold" transformed from stones into the "Buddha's Affinity Pavilion".

Xiao Chen's plan was intended to disrupt the business of "Buddha's Affinity Pavilion" and gain more market share for himself.

They also wanted to disrupt the foundation of "Buddha's Affinity Pavilion" and damage its reputation.

Later, Shu Wen, a mosquito demon under Xiao Chen's command, ate a large peach and evolved into many clones, greatly increasing his supernatural powers.

This mosquito demon was exceptionally intelligent and adept at reading people's expressions.

Xiao Chen then ordered him to find out the whereabouts of that batch of "stone gold".

The mosquito demon Shuwen transformed into the size of an ordinary mosquito and lurked near the Buddha's Affinity Pavilion day and night, carefully observing.

After several days of investigation, the mosquito demon Shu Wen finally made a discovery.

The mosquito demon Shu Wen discovered that most of the gold and money obtained from the "Buddha's Fate Pavilion" for refining weapons were transported to Mount Ling, with only a small amount circulating in the market to purchase refining materials.

When Xiao Chen heard this, he felt a sense of foreboding.

He knew that once this batch of "stone gold" was exposed, it would inevitably cause a huge uproar.

But what's done is done, and the matter is settled; we can only take it one step at a time.

In fact, that batch of "stone gold" eventually fell into the hands of Ananda and Kasyapa.

These two men were greedy for money. Seeing that "Buddha's Affinity Pavilion" was doing very well and that so much "gold" was being delivered to them all at once, they were overjoyed and accepted it all without carefully checking it.

later.

The "time bomb" of "stone gold" has finally exploded.

The "real and fake gold case" that Xiao Chen, Tiger Power Immortal, and Sun Wukong and other demons committed years ago has been exposed.

……

Saying.

previous years.

The weapon-refining business of Foyuan Pavilion suddenly boomed, selling a lot of weapons and magical treasures and making a lot of money.

Ananda and Kasyapa also received a large quantity of "stone gold" back then, and were overjoyed. They immediately ordered craftsmen to work day and night to melt the gold and cast statues for themselves.

Initially.

Inside the temple.

The statues of Ananda and Kasyapa, gleaming with gold and possessing dignified appearances, are enshrined in temples and worshipped devoutly by numerous believers, absorbing endless incense offerings and prayers.

Every day, Ananda and Kasyapa would sit in a quiet room and draw the spiritual power gathered from the Buddha statue into their bodies to nourish the supernatural powers of the "seven-foot golden body".

At first, Ananda and Kasyapa felt that their golden body cultivation was going very smoothly, their meridians were flowing smoothly, and golden light was faintly shining through their bodies.

The two were secretly delighted, thinking that at this rate, the mastery of the "Seven-Foot Golden Body" supernatural power was just around the corner!
By then.

When the "seven-foot golden body" achieves great mastery of supernatural powers, their magical strength will also increase, and their status in Buddhism will become more stable.

But good times don't last long, and misfortune strikes suddenly!
(End of this chapter)