Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

The lotus seat was exceptionally beautiful. It resembled a fresh lotus flower in June by the river, but with this divine light emanating from it, it appeared quite sacred to onlookers.

Red Boy gazed at the lotus platform, momentarily mesmerized, and couldn't help but exclaim: "What a beautiful lotus platform!"

Hearing Red Boy's words, Li Xiuyuan smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment, Holy Infant King." Unexpectedly, Red Boy said, "Bodhisattva, I like this lotus platform, so give it to me."

Li Xiuyuan shook his head and said, "How can that be? Each Bodhisattva can only have one lotus platform. If I give it to you, what will I sit on?"

Upon hearing this, Red Boy shouted, "This lotus platform is mine today!" He then brandished his red-tasseled spear and charged at Li Xiuyuan.

Li Xiuyuan smiled and looked at Red Boy, but still didn't move.

Red Boy couldn't help but think to himself: What's with this Bodhisattva's tricks? I'll send him to the Western Paradise with one spear.

He then thrust his spear towards Li Xiuyuan's chest. But the next moment, Li Xiuyuan and Zhu Bajie behind him vanished.

The child was quite surprised. He looked around and found that Li Xiuyuan and Zhu Bajie were indeed gone, but a lotus platform remained there.

The child had his eye on the lotus platform from the first glance, and he wasn't about to give up. He immediately climbed up.

Red Boy climbed onto the lotus seat and sat up. He imitated the statues in the mortal temple, crossing his legs, putting his hands together, closing his eyes, and saying "Amitabha."

However, the moment he opened his eyes, he discovered that the entire lotus platform was covered in thorns, trapping him inside.

Red Boy naturally had to find a way, but even though he used all his skills, he couldn't get any thorns and ended up covered in wounds.

Having exhausted all other options, Red Boy unleashed his Samadhi Fire again, but it still couldn't harm the thorns, and he ended up covered in black smoke.

Red Boy was just a child, and when he was at a loss, he burst into tears. He was truly pitiful, with tears streaming down his face.

Just then, Li Xiuyuan appeared, followed by Sun Wukong, Sha Wujing, and Zhu Bajie.

Li Xiuyuan loudly proclaimed, "Red Boy, do you know your mistake?"

Red Boy immediately knelt down in the cage, kowtowing and begging for forgiveness, saying, "I know I was wrong, I hope the Bodhisattva will forgive me."

At this moment, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing all admired Li Xiuyuan's abilities. Li Xiuyuan smiled faintly and said, "Leave Red Boy to me. You should hurry to the village to rescue Tang Sanzang."

Li Xiuyuan gave the order, and they dared not disobey. Immediately, the three brothers went to the mountain stronghold to rescue Tang Sanzang.

The red boy in the cage was still pleading. Li Xiuyuan sighed and said, "It's a pity that such a handsome boy like you has to become a mountain king. Your temperament is so unruly. You are just like that monkey."

Red Boy said, "Please, Bodhisattva, release me and let me go home to reunite with my parents. I will never go out and cause trouble again."

Li Xiuyuan smiled and said, "Little one, I, the Bodhisattva, have calculated with my fingers and found that you and I are destined to meet."

Red Boy couldn't understand what Li Xiuyuan meant for a moment, so he asked, "Please explain, Bodhisattva."

Li Xiuyuan said, "I am short of a page. Child, do you understand what I mean?"

After Li Xiuyuan finished speaking, the child said, "To become an apprentice, one should first ask one's parents for permission. Please tell them first."

Li Xiuyuan shook his head and smiled wryly, "It's not about becoming my disciple, it's just about becoming one of my attendants. You don't need to ask your parents for permission."

Upon hearing this, Red Boy was in a dilemma. However, if he didn't agree to Li Xiuyuan's request, he feared that he, the Holy Infant King, would be trapped and die here today.

After a moment's thought, the child said, "I wish to be a servant boy of the Bodhisattva, serving tea and bidding farewell after my departure."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuyuan laughed heartily and praised, "What a fine child!"

Then, with a wave of his hand, he removed the thorns and released Red Boy.

Red Boy stared blankly at Li Xiuyuan, seemingly at a loss. However, Li Xiuyuan was a warm-hearted person and laughed, "Silly boy, what are you waiting for? Come up and pay your respects to me!"

Upon hearing this, Red Boy immediately rushed forward and stood before Li Xiuyuan.

Li Xiuyuan spoke again: "Alright, kowtow three times in front of me, and from now on you will be considered my disciple. Although you are not a formal disciple, I will treat you as my own son. Just don't be naughty in the future, or I won't let you off the hook."

Red Boy immediately knelt down and began to kowtow.

Li Xiuyuan spoke again, saying, "I'll give you a name, let's call you Sudhana. In the future, you'll be rolling in money, and countless mortals will worship you."

Chapter 543 Red Boy

Red Boy appeared quite submissive, placing his red-tasseled spear on the ground and kowtowing respectfully, just like an ordinary seven or eight-year-old child.

Li Xiuyuan was quite satisfied, nodded, and smiled, "Good, good."

He then raised his head, looked towards the distant mountain stronghold, and sighed, "Child, do you know that the journey of Tang Sanzang and his disciples to the Western Paradise to obtain the scriptures is a momentous event? Today, I, the Venerable One, have taken action because of our karmic connection, and have subdued you."

However, if it were someone else, they would probably have killed you long ago.

Red Boy nodded and replied, "Thank you for your grace, Bodhisattva." However, at this moment, Red Boy picked up the red-tasseled spear on the ground and suddenly thrust it into Li Xiuyuan's chest.

However, to Red Boy's horror, Li Xiuyuan disappeared inexplicably once again.

Red Boy knew something was terribly wrong. He turned and fled, thinking he should get out of this area as quickly as possible so that Li Xiuyuan wouldn't be able to find him.

Then he returned to the Bull Demon King's side. Although Li Xiuyuan was powerful, in his opinion, although he was no match for Li Xiuyuan, his father, the Bull Demon King, was also a powerful figure. If he could escape to the Bull Demon King's side, he might be able to avoid this calamity.

Red Boy immediately fled at top speed, but he heard Li Xiuyuan's voice from behind. Li Xiuyuan sighed, "Good Fortune Boy, where are you going?"

Upon hearing this, Red Boy ran even faster, not daring to waste even a moment.

However, what terrified him was that the next moment, Li Xiuyuan suddenly appeared in front of him, looking at him expressionlessly.

Red Boy was shocked and didn't know what to do. Then, he gritted his teeth, picked up the red-tasseled spear again, and stabbed it into Li Xiuyuan's heart.

Li Xiuyuan sighed deeply and said, "Red Boy, you have truly disappointed me."

Then, a finger was pointed out, and that finger was pointed out so quickly that Red Boy didn't even see it clearly. It touched his forehead.

As Li Xiuyuan continued to point, finally touching Red Boy's forehead, the red-tasseled spear in Red Boy's hand immediately fell to the ground. Li Xiuyuan laughed and said, "Dispel your fierceness, and from now on, be a good boy and a benevolent servant."

After Li Xiuyuan finished speaking, he withdrew his finger. Immediately, a red dot appeared between Red Boy's eyebrows, radiating Buddhist light and appearing very sacred.

Then, Red Boy suddenly changed his appearance, transforming from a naked Holy Infant King into a handsome and well-dressed Sudhana.

Li Xiuyuan looked at Sudhana and smiled, "That's good. His appearance is much better than before. He must not have any other thoughts in the future."

After receiving guidance from Li Xiuyuan, the Money Boy's magical power greatly increased, and he was no longer a monster. From then on, he became a celestial being and a Buddha. Naturally, he was extremely grateful. In addition, his violent nature was completely neutralized by Li Xiuyuan, so he naturally would not harbor any evil intentions towards Li Xiuyuan.

At this point, Sudhana finally knelt down before Li Xiuyuan with heartfelt admiration, kowtowed three times, then put his hands together and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Bodhisattva."

Li Xiuyuan looked at the current Sudhana and said, "Alright, get up quickly."

Then Sudhana stood up and stood behind Li Xiuyuan.

It was at this moment that Tang Sanzang and his disciples finally arrived.

Pigsy carried Tang Sanzang on his back and ran ahead, while Sun Wukong and Sandy brought up the rear. Then came thousands upon thousands of henchmen, all of whom came out in full force to chase after Tang Sanzang and his disciples.

Seeing this, Li Xiuyuan laughed and said, "Good Fortune Boy, why don't you hurry up and dismiss your bunch of lackeys? Otherwise you'll commit many sins."

Upon hearing this, Sudhana nodded and replied, "Yes, Bodhisattva. This disciple will immediately disband this stronghold." He then transformed into a ray of red light and flew forward.

A moment later, Pigsy, Sandy, and Monkey carried Tang Sanzang to Li Xiuyuan's side. However, Tang Sanzang was still unconscious, presumably having been teased by a group of children in the mountain stronghold.

Pigsy asked, "Bodhisattva, look, what's wrong with my master?"

Li Xiuyuan smiled and said, "It's just a bit of exhaustion, nothing to worry about." He then reached out and flicked a wisp of spiritual energy into Tang Sanzang's body.

At this moment, Tang Sanzang finally opened his eyes slowly, looked around at the crowd, and said with relief, "It was truly the Bodhisattva's blessing that I, Tang Sanzang, escaped the demon's den."

Pigsy laughed and said, "Master, you've really lost your mind. It's not that the Bodhisattva is protecting us, but that the Bodhisattva has come to save us. The Bodhisattva foresaw that we would face this calamity, so he came personally to help us."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang immediately stood up and said "Amitabha." Then he said to Li Xiuyuan, "The Bodhisattva's great kindness is truly beyond repayment."

Li Xiuyuan smiled calmly and said, "Holy Monk, you flatter me. We are both Buddhists. Why bother with so many mundane formalities?"

Tang Sanzang also smiled and said, "The Bodhisattva sees things clearly. However, there is one more thing. There are tens of thousands of children in this mountain stronghold. In addition, their king is also a child who is not yet old. I hope the Bodhisattva can take good care of them."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuyuan said, "Holy Monk, you are overthinking it. I have already subdued Red Boy and he is now my disciple, Sudhana. I just sent him to the stronghold to disband his many henchmen."

After Li Xiuyuan finished speaking, everyone congratulated him in unison: "Congratulations, Bodhisattva, on taking in the boy."

Li Xiuyuan laughed and said, "It's nothing, just a pageboy."

Sun Wukong, however, was puzzled and asked, "Master, why don't you just take him as your disciple? That way, Brother Bodhidharma and I would also have a junior brother. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Li Xiuyuan smiled and said, "There's no rush. Let's take him in as a disciple first, and if there's an opportunity in the future, we can take him under our wing and make him my little apprentice. However, Wukong, this Red Boy is the son of your sworn brother, the Bull Demon King, and you only call him your nephew now. But if I take Red Boy as my disciple, then he will become your junior brother, and the difference in seniority will be double."

Wukong waved his hand and chuckled, saying, "It's alright, it's alright. I, Old Sun, never care about these formalities. As long as Master is happy, then that's fine."

Chapter 544 Calabash Brothers Block the Way

Li Xiuyuan nodded in agreement, "Alright, you should hurry on your way. Red Boy is already my attendant, I will take him with me."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang and his disciples bowed to Li Xiuyuan again, and then continued their journey westward.

Li Xiuyuan remained still, waiting for Red Boy to arrive. After a short while, he saw Red Boy, now the Good Fortune Boy, riding on a fiery cloud, rushing towards him.

Li Xiuyuan smiled and asked, "Have you taken care of everything?"

Sudhana nodded respectfully and said, "I have already dismissed them all. Those who can go home have gone home. As for those who have nowhere to go, I have also made proper arrangements for them."

Li Xiuyuan nodded, quite satisfied, and said, "That's good. It's really not good for someone so young to become a bandit. Alright, now you have no more worries, so come with me."

Then, they saw Sudhana leaning against Li Xiuyuan, riding on a white cloud, and leaving.

After Tang Sanzang and his disciples had crossed several more mountains and traveled for three or four months, they finally arrived at the mouth of a canyon and had to continue their journey.

Unexpectedly, a large gourd suddenly fell from the sky and got stuck in the canyon.

The Tang Monk and his disciples were all very surprised that a gourd had fallen from the sky out of nowhere.

Well, perhaps it was accidentally dropped by a deity from heaven, but how could it have been so cleverly wedged in the canyon?

The canyon is quite narrow; if this gourd cannot be moved, it will be difficult to move forward.