Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

Needless to say, Zhen Yuanzi the Great Immortal was even more extraordinary. Even with Li Xiuyuan sitting there, Pigsy was thinking, "This Great Sage is comparable to the Three Pure Ones, Zhunti and Jieyin. Would he care about this ginseng fruit tree?"

So Pigsy was really suffering. Although he was supposed to be a ninja and didn't eat, it was because Li Xiuyuan was sitting there and he was afraid that Li Xiuyuan would think he was unruly and slap him away.

But it was still hard to hold back, and drool was streaming down his face, covering the whole table, making the children outside laugh so hard they couldn't stand up straight.

Looking at this, Li Xiuyuan couldn't help but laugh and said, "Great Immortal, let's start the feast quickly. Otherwise, Pigsy will really have to work hard."

Everyone burst into laughter. Zhen Yuanzi, the Great Immortal, didn't wait any longer and immediately called out, "Let's begin the feast. Please make yourselves at home. Don't be shy."

Immediately after Zhen Yuanzi finished speaking, Zhu Bajie grabbed the fruit and took a bite. Everyone else followed suit, eating with great care. It must be said that the ginseng fruit was indeed extremely delicious.

After eating the fruit, the boy served some vegetarian dishes and soup.

Everyone left a lot, after all, a ginseng fruit is quite substantial. However, Pigsy ate it all up. Sun Wukong was pleased and gave his to Pigsy. Pigsy immediately thanked Brother Monkey and buried his head in his food.

It's hard to believe for Pigsy. Back in Gao Village, he was treated to the best food and drink he could get as a son-in-law to the pig demon. But ever since he joined Tang Sanzang's group, he's been enduring hardship every day, eating in the open and sleeping in the wind. He's never had such a good vegetarian meal before.

After finishing their meal, the group returned to the ginseng fruit tree.

Li Xiuyuan chuckled, then, in a playful mood, leaped onto a branch of the ginseng fruit tree. Looking down at the two men standing side-by-side, he said with a smile, "Alright, this is a high spot. The little novice will stand here as a witness for you two brothers. Let's begin."

Incense burners and tables were already prepared, just waiting for the sworn brotherhood ceremony to begin.

Zhen Yuanzi and Sun Wukong each stepped forward and took three sticks of incense. They lit them together and said in unison, "Heaven above, Earth below. I, Zhen Yuanzi (Sun Wukong), today we become sworn brothers, bound by blood and death. We do not seek to be born on the same day, month, and year, but only to die on the same day, month, and year."

"The heavens are clear as day, and the Bodhisattva bears witness. If I break this vow, I will suffer heavenly punishment and die a terrible death."

Li Xiuyuan, standing on the treetop, was also satisfied and said, "Good, the ceremony is complete. Light the incense!"

The two then placed the incense sticks together in the incense burner. Zhen Yuanzi patted Sun Wukong and exclaimed, "Good brother!"

Sun Wukong couldn't stand idly by either. He called out "Elder Brother" and immediately knelt down. Zhen Yuanzi was about to stop him when Li Xiuyuan called out, "Elder brother is like father. You deserve this courtesy."

Since Li Xiuyuan had spoken, Zhen Yuanzi had no choice but to let Sun Wukong kowtow to him. Then, he helped Sun Wukong up.

Li Xiuyuan immediately jumped down from the tree and scolded, "A teacher for a day is a father for life. So you must listen to your teacher. However, you also have an elder brother who is like a father to you. You must also listen to your elder brother and not disobey him."

Sun Wukong smiled and said, "I will follow Master's teachings and will also follow Brother's teachings in the future."

Li Xiuyuan chuckled and said, "That's good. That's good. You go to the Western Paradise to retrieve the scriptures first."

Chapter 541 The Holy Infant King

With everything settled, Tang Sanzang and the others departed, and the four of them set off again for the Western Paradise.

Li Xiuyuan stayed at the Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi's place for several days before quietly leaving.

Before we knew it, more than half a year had passed.

On this day, atop a mountain, Sun Wukong was engaged in a fierce battle of magic with a child. The child was no match for Sun Wukong, and soon he was defeated.

Sun Wukong sneered, "My good nephew, quickly release Tang Sanzang. If you don't, I'll go and call my brother Niu and sister-in-law. They'll probably spank you. Hahaha."

The child was naked, wearing only a red bib. Yet he was wielding a red-tasseled spear; this was none other than the Holy Tassel King of this place.

As for this King Hongying, he was the son of the Bull Demon King, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, and Princess Iron Fan, who were sworn brothers of Sun Wukong before he wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace.

This child was entirely red, and stopped growing at the age of eight, but possessed extraordinary magical powers. He wielded a red-tasseled spear with remarkable skill.

Sun Wukong looked at the naked boy and laughed mockingly, which angered the boy.

At a single call from the Red-Tasseled King, hundreds of his henchmen arrived, pushing numerous small carts.

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Good nephew, what are you doing?"

King Hongying ignored him, held his breath, and suddenly exhaled.

Unexpectedly, what came out was a raging fire, with an extremely strong momentum.

Sun Wukong wasn't afraid of fire at all, so he just stood there and let it burn him. But at this moment, Zhu Bajie behind him shouted, "Brother Monkey, don't be so arrogant, quickly dodge!"

Sun Wukong, who was always arrogant, wouldn't listen to reason and remained unmoved, letting the fire burn him.

However, the flame eventually touched Sun Wukong, and only then did Sun Wukong cry out in alarm.

This flame is no ordinary fire; it is Samadhi Fire.

It was too late to dodge. In an instant, Sun Wukong turned into a human torch, screaming wildly.

Although Pigsy was usually gluttonous and lazy, he was still useful in a critical moment. He immediately shouted, "Brother Monkey, there's a river not far from where we came. Let's go to the river quickly."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong was not about to stop. He immediately transformed into a fireball and crashed into a large river ten miles away.

The Red-Tasseled King shouted, "Good, my children, we have won a great victory today! Close the gates and eat Tang Sanzang's flesh!"

Then, surrounded by a group of lackeys, they entered the mountain stronghold.

Pigsy and Sandy hurried to the riverbank to look for Monkey King, not knowing whether the monkey was alive or dead.

Sun Wukong was at the bottom of the sea. He couldn't be seen moving at all on the shore.

So, both Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie took off their clothes and went into the river to retrieve them.

Before long, Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie dragged Sun Wukong, whom they had found in the river, ashore.

Sun Wukong had no idea whether he was dead or alive; he had no breath left and was as still as a corpse.

And so, after all that, Pigsy suddenly said, "They must have drunk quite a bit of water."

He then made his move. He pinched Sun Wukong's philtrum, and after a while, Sun Wukong finally stirred.

A mouthful of river water gushed out, and Sun Wukong slowly opened his eyes, saying, "That child's Samadhi Fire is truly formidable."

Sha Wujing said, "Eldest brother, now that Master has been captured, what should we do?"

Pigsy chimed in, "Yes, Brother Monkey, if Master is captured and eaten by those kids, we won't be able to achieve enlightenment and will only be able to remain demons."

The Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva is incredibly powerful; why don't we go and ask him for help?

Sun Wukong sighed helplessly and said, "Alas, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble my master again."

Subsequently, Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie rode Sun Wukong together to find Li Xiuyuan.

Unexpectedly, Li Xiuyuan had already foreseen this calamity and appeared at the intersection immediately.

Sun Wukong quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Master."

Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie, knowing of Li Xiuyuan's great supernatural powers, immediately bowed and said, "Greetings, Great Sun Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva."

Li Xiuyuan slowly spoke, saying, "I had long foreseen that you would face this calamity today. That is why I came to help you."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong said, "It's all because we are useless."

Li Xiuyuan smiled and shook his head, saying, "It was all destined long ago. Sha Wujing, take good care of Wukong. Bajie, lead the way."

And so, Pigsy led the way for him. Behind him, Sandy helped Monkey King slowly walk over.

Before long, we reached the top of the mountain.

Li Xiuyuan smiled and said, "This Holy Infant King is also called Red Boy. Red Boy's skills are not bad, but he has a special skill, which is his Samadhi Fire."

However, I also need a pageboy. Watch as I cleverly captured him.

Then he shouted, "Bajie, go and challenge them!"

Upon hearing this, Pigsy exclaimed "Good!" and leaped into the air, arriving at the front of the mountain stronghold.

Pigsy gathered his strength in his dantian. With a roar, he shouted, "Red Boy! Release my master at once! We've invited the Bodhisattva to come and take you away!"

Pigsy's roar shook the entire mountain stronghold. No wonder, Pigsy was a practitioner of the Earthly Fiend Skill, so striking the mountain to intimidate the tiger was quite easy for him.

Before long, a group of children came running out with their bottoms naked.

Then, surrounded by many children, Red Boy emerged from the village gate.

Pigsy was also afraid of Red Boy's Samadhi Fire, and immediately retreated dozens of steps, fearing he might suffer the same fate as Monkey King.

However, at this moment, Red Boy sneered, "What a spineless pig-headed fool! As soon as I, the Great King, came out, you hid far away. Where is the Bodhisattva? Could it be you, this pig-headed Bodhisattva?"

Although Zhu Bajie feared the power of the Samadhi Fire, he still couldn't lose face verbally, otherwise the Great Sun Dragon Bodhisattva behind him might look down on him.

Pigsy immediately shouted, "If I don't deal with you, the Bodhisattva will! You little brats, you're always naked, it must be much more convenient for you to relieve yourself."

Pigsy's insult ignited righteous indignation throughout the entire mountain stronghold.

Chapter 542 Sudhana

Red Boy, young and impetuous, could not bear it any longer and immediately brandished his red-tasseled spear, thrusting it forward.

Pigsy wasn't stupid; he figured he was no match for Red Boy, so he turned and ran away.

Red Boy chased after him closely, but Pigsy was also running fast. In no time, he reached Li Xiuyuan's side. Li Xiuyuan stood there without moving, and Pigsy hid behind Li Xiuyuan.

Red Boy stopped listening and asked, "You're just a monk's ancestor, a Bodhisattva? Your Majesty, this is the first time I've ever seen a Bodhisattva in my life. Are all Bodhisattvas like you?"

Li Xiuyuan smiled and said, "That's not entirely true. Different Bodhisattvas will naturally appear in different forms."

Red Boy immediately became interested and asked, "Tell me, what kind of Bodhisattva are you?"

Li Xiuyuan smiled and said, "I am the Great Sun Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva."

Red Boy laughed and said, "I've never heard of this Bodhisattva. I've only heard of Guanyin Bodhisattva."

Li Xiuyuan scoffed, saying, "What do you know, child? Let alone Guanyin, even the Buddha himself would have to show deference to her."

Red Boy pointed at Li Xiuyuan and asked, "Bodhisattvas and Buddhas all have lotus seats, why don't I see yours?"

Li Xiuyuan pointed at Red Boy and laughed, "What's so difficult about that?" Immediately, a lotus seat appeared beneath his feet.