Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

"This disciple thanks Buddha!"

As he spoke, Li Xiuyuan bowed and paid his respects. Regardless of the nature of the two individuals, he still had to maintain appearances and let people know that Buddhism was peaceful.

"No need for formalities, do you all have anything else to say?"

As he spoke, the Buddha glanced at everyone. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas on Mount Ling did not stay here all day. Unless there was something important, they would not gather together.

Li Xiuyuan was highly regarded by Zhunti and Jieyin. All the Buddhas would come to witness his investiture ceremony. As for most of the other time, he stayed in his own temple to cultivate.

For example, Guanyin Bodhisattva is mostly in the South China Sea, while others also have their own temples.

After hearing Tathagata's words, the Buddhas did not speak again. Tathagata then said, "Since that is the case, you may leave."

He paused and then said, "Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva, you are now qualified to establish your own temple. Once the location of the temple is chosen, you can send someone to report to you."

Having said that, he revealed some of the privileges of a Bodhisattva.

Li Xiuyuan nodded after hearing this and replied, "Yes, disciple understands."

He paused and then said, "Buddha, these fat and thin celestial children have been reincarnated with me. They suffered hardships when they released the Golden-Winged Roc, but now it is over. I hope that Buddha will allow them to return to Mount Sumeru."

As he spoke, he didn't forget to speak up for the fat and thin fairy children, after all, the two were friends.

"allow!"

Upon hearing this, the Buddha did not object. To him, the two were insignificant figures, and he would not refute the Great Sun Dragon Bodhisattva in front of a large crowd.

Li Xiuyuan nodded after hearing this and said calmly, "And Buddha, I have already taken Ling Chanzi as my disciple. Now that I am going to establish a temple, I would like to take him away. I hope you will grant my request."

As he spoke, he went further. This Ling Chanzi was originally a person by the side of the Buddha, but now he was to be taken away, which naturally made people a little unhappy.

Sure enough, after hearing these words, the Buddha hesitated for a moment, but then thought that Ling Chanzi was not an important person and had been taken in as a disciple by Li Xiuyuan. If he kept him by his side, it would cause trouble. It would be better to let him go!

"allow!"

The Buddha responded calmly.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuyuan smiled and said, "Buddha, I am no longer the leader of the Eighteen Arhats. After I leave, the Eighteen Arhats formation will be vacant. I would like to recommend someone to take my place."

Having said that, he looked at the Buddha.

Ok?

Upon hearing these words, the Buddha's gaze sharpened like lightning as he coldly looked over. Although the status of these eighteen Arhats in Buddhism was not as high as that of Bodhisattvas or Vidyarajas, the eighteen of them combined were no less than that of a Bodhisattva.

Li Xiuyuan's recommendation to him appears to be out of righteousness and selflessness, but in reality, he wants to control the Eighteen Arhats. First of all, he is the leader of the Eighteen Arhats, and even if the Buddha and these people have a master-disciple relationship, it may not be effective.

If Li Xiuyuan were to seize the position of Subduing the Dragon among the Eighteen Arhats, it would be uncertain who the Eighteen Arhats would listen to.

"This matter is of great importance and cannot be discussed solely by your words. What do you, the Buddhas, think?"

After saying this, the Buddha Tathagata turned his gaze to the other Buddhas. In the main hall of Mount Ling, there was not only one Buddha, but also Dipankara, Maitreya, and the Buddha of Joy.

Before anyone could speak, the man with long ears shouted, "Jianglong was originally the leader of the Eighteen Arhats, so the person recommended by him is naturally the most suitable. After all, his understanding of the Eighteen Arhats Formation is second to none."

As he spoke, he took the initiative to flatter.

Many people, upon hearing the Buddha of Joy speak, immediately began to appease him.

"Yeah yeah!"

"How could the Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva recommend the wrong path!"

Meanwhile, there were also people watching Li Xiuyuan and the Buddha's battle of wits, such as Dipankara Buddha and three Bodhisattvas. They had always been at odds with the Buddha, and seeing that neither of them was doing well, they watched them fight without intervening.

When the Buddha saw that someone was interfering, he was a little annoyed. He then instructed his spies to object, and after giving them a look, someone spoke up.

"Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva, in the end you were just an Arhat, and now you want to recommend someone else to continue in the position of the Dragon-Subduing Arhat? Do you want to continue to control the Eighteen Arhats Formation?"

"Yeah yeah!"

..............

Many echoed this sentiment, saying that the Buddha was the master of Mount Ling and had many followers, which quickly drowned out the voices of those who helped Li Xiuyuan.

"Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva, in my opinion, this matter cannot be settled for the time being. Let's discuss it again another day!"

As he spoke, the Buddha tactfully declined Li Xiuyuan's offer.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuyuan nodded and replied, "Yes, I will obey the Buddha's decree."

After saying that, he thought to himself that with Bodhidharma's current strength, it would be very difficult for him to take the position of Arhat Subduing the Dragon.

It would be best to delay for a hundred or two hundred years, by which time Bodhidharma would have grown up, which would have a great chance.

As for Li Xiuyuan's suggestion, it was simply to let people know that he was somewhat envious of the position of the Dragon-Subduing Arhat.

In addition, he finally made an appearance. This time, he finally finished everything. Li Xiuyuan first obtained the position of Great Sun Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva, and then he arranged for the fat and thin immortal children.

Finally, he demanded Ling Chanzi back. Although he offended the Peacock Great Wheel King during this period, what did he have to fear?

"Alright! All Buddhas may depart on their own."

As he spoke, the voice of the Buddha resounded in the hall, leaving a lingering impression, while his figure had long since vanished.

Seeing the Buddha leave, everyone departed as well. Few people established temples on Mount Ling, with the Tathagata being the most prominent among them.

Chapter 394 The Eighteen Arhats

As for the Bodhisattvas, each had their own sacred site. When everyone went to Mount Ling, it was as if the princes were paying homage to the emperor, because on the surface, the Buddha was the elder brother of Buddhism.

After everyone left, Li Xiuyuan said indifferently, "Huiming, come with me! I will give you an immortal body. If I open a Daoist temple in the future, you can be my steward, and Ling Chanzi will help with the protection."

After saying that, he took the two of them into the world of the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl.

At this moment, Li Xiuyuan was strong enough that he was not afraid of Randeng at all. Even if he revealed the treasure, he would not let the other party snatch it, and might even snatch it back from him.

Li Xiuyuan thought to himself, and took the two of them inside. The fat and thin fairy children remained on Mount Ling. The two of them were just clowns, and he didn't think much of them. Given the position of the Buddha, there was no need to make things difficult for them.

Just as Li Xiuyuan was about to leave, suddenly all the other Arhats in the main hall walked towards him.

Upon seeing the seventeen Arhats, Li Xiuyuan called out, "Senior brother, junior brother!"

These people are all among the Eighteen Arhats, and I, as the former leader of the Eighteen Arhats, have a deep affection for them.

Li Xiuyuan inherited Jianglong's memories, so he was naturally familiar with them. These eighteen Arhats, excluding Jianglong, were: the Deer-Riding Arhat...

The first one is the Arhat riding a deer. He once rode his deer into the palace to persuade the king to study Buddhism and cultivate himself.

This Arhat was originally a minister of King Udayana of the West, wielding immense power, but he suddenly decided to become a monk. King Udayana personally invited him to return to his official post, but fearing the king's nagging, he retreated to the deep mountains to cultivate himself.

One day, a monk riding a deer appeared in front of the palace. The royal guards recognized him as Varadkar and immediately reported to King Udayana. The king came out to greet him and brought him into the palace, saying that the position was still vacant and asking if he would like to return to serve.

He said he returned to guide the king to become a monk. He used various metaphors to illustrate how detestable all kinds of desires were. As a result, the king abdicated in favor of the crown prince and followed him to become a monk.

The second is the Joyful Arhat, who clearly understands all the good and evil in the world. Long ago, he was an eloquent orator in the Western Paradise, and he always had a smile on his face when he debated.

Finally, the master of the Joyful Arhat was the Joyful Buddha.

The third is the Alms Bowl Arhat, who is a begging alms-seeker, so he always carries an alms bowl in his hand.

The fourth is the Pagoda-Bearing Arhat, who was the last disciple accepted by the Buddha. Because the Buddha missed the Buddha, he often held a pagoda in his hand.

He possesses a seven-tiered pagoda, is spiritually enlightened by Buddhism, and is dignified yet undaunted; his Taoist cultivation is extraordinary.

The fifth is the Meditation Arhat, also known as the Mighty Arhat, because he was born a warrior, so he is incredibly strong and can move any heavy object.

The sixth is the Arhat who crossed the river. He was a sage who crossed the river as lightly as a dragonfly skimming the water.

The seventh is the Elephant-Riding Arhat, who was Buddha's attendant and was originally an elephant trainer.

The Buddhist name for elephant is Kalika, which means "the person who rides an elephant." The elephant is a symbol of Buddhism, representing its great power, endurance, and ability to go far.

Kalika was originally an elephant trainer who became a monk and attained enlightenment, hence the name Elephant-Riding Arhat.

The eighth is the Laughing Lion Arhat, meaning Vajra Son. He was originally a hunter, but after studying Buddhism, he stopped killing. A lion came to thank him, hence the name.

The ninth is the Happy Arhat. Before becoming a monk, the Happy Arhat was a beggar who revealed his heart, making people realize that Buddha resides in their hearts, hence the name Happy Arhat.

The tenth is the Arhat Who Reaches Out His Hands. The Arhat Who Reaches Out His Hands was a roadside monk who often stretched his hands after meditation, hence the name.

The eleventh is the Contemplative Arhat, who was the biological son of Shakyamuni Buddha and ranked first in Buddhist practice among the Buddha's ten great disciples.

The twelfth is the Ear-Cleaning Arhat, meaning Dragon Army, commonly known as Nagasena Bhikkhu. He is famous for his discourse on the purity of the ear, hence the name Ear-Cleaning Arhat.

The thirteenth is the Laughing Buddha, named for his constant carrying of a cloth bag and his ever-present smile. He is also known as the Laughing Maitreya.

The fourteenth is the Banana Tree Arhat, because he often practiced under a banana tree after becoming a monk, and one day he finally attained enlightenment under the banana tree, hence the name Banana Tree Arhat.

Legend has it that when he was born, it was raining heavily, and the banana tree in the picture was rustling in the rain. Therefore, his father named him Yu (Rain). After he became a monk, he attained Arhatship. It is also said that he liked to practice under banana trees, hence the name Banana Arhat.

The fifteenth is the Long-Eyebrow Arhat, who, like the Elephant-Riding Arhat, is also an attendant of the Buddha. Legend has it that he had two long eyebrows since birth, hence the name Long-Eyebrow Arhat.

This Arhat is characterized by having two long white eyebrows from birth. It turns out that he was also a monk in his previous life. Because he practiced until old age, his eyebrows fell out. Even after shaving off his two long eyebrows, he still could not attain enlightenment and was reborn as a human after death.

After his birth, someone said to his father, "Buddha Shakyamuni also had two long eyebrows. Your son has long eyebrows, which is the appearance of a Buddha." Therefore, his father sent him to a temple to become a monk, and he eventually attained Arhatship.

The sixteenth is the gatekeeper Arhat, the younger brother of Panthaka, who is loyal and dutiful.

Venerable Chapanthaka was one of the Buddha Shakyamuni's closest disciples. When he traveled to various places to beg for alms, he would often use his fist to call people out of their houses to give alms. Once, because someone's house was dilapidated, he accidentally broke it and had to apologize and admit his mistake.

Later, he went back and asked Buddha. Buddha said, "I will give you a staff. When you go begging for alms, you don't need to knock on the door. Just shake this staff on people's doors. If they are destined to meet you, they will open the door. If they don't open the door, they are not destined to meet you. Go to another house instead!"

It turned out that the staff had several rings on it, which made a "tinkling" sound when shaken. When people heard this sound, they opened their doors and set out to sell their wares.

The eighteenth is the Arhat who subdues the tiger. He was called the Arhat who subdues the tiger because he often encountered a hungry tiger outside the temple and shared his vegetarian meal with the tiger.

Legend has it that outside the temple where the Venerable Subduing Tiger lived, a fierce tiger would often roar because it was hungry. The Venerable Subduing Tiger would share his food with the tiger, and over time the tiger was subdued by him and would often play with him. Therefore, he was also known as the "Tiger-Subduing Arhat".