Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

Sandalwood Merit Buddha, Fighting and Victory Buddha, Altar Purifier, Golden Body Arhat, Eight Heavenly Dragons... After one decree after another was issued, it was finally Wen Jiao's turn.

"Yin Wenjiao, you were originally a lady from Chang'an. In the mortal world, you envied immortality, sought the Tao in Wudang, and ascended to Wuliangyuan. You have the merit of slaying demons and eliminating evil, and you have also proved the way of fairness and justice. Your behavior is respectable and your aspirations are admirable. Now you are promoted to a high position and become the Protector of the World Buddha Mother and the Bodhisattva of Precious Appearance to Subdue Demons." Tathagata said.

Wen Jiao clasped her hands together, but did not thank Feng. Instead, she asked, "My disciple is confused. I hope the Buddha can guide me."

"You can talk as you like." Tathagata said.

"Xuanzang realized the eight sufferings, but I am trapped by cause and effect." Wen Jiao said, "Back then, the Buddha intended to grant me Buddhahood, but I was worried about my Taoist companion Yuan Tiangang, so I asked, 'Once I enter Buddhism, how will my Taoist companion deal with it?'"

Recalling the past, she felt like it was a dream, as if it were a lifetime ago: "At that time, the Buddha said 'no hindrance'. Was it because of this word that Yuan Tiangang suffered the curse of Luo Yantian and died before I was conferred the title?"

Is it because you said he is not a problem, so just as your words come true, he will really disappear on his own and will not become an obstacle for me to enter Buddhism?

This was almost like a question, but it was Wen Jiao's true thoughts at the moment. When one reaches the realm of Buddha, every word and action is infinitely mysterious. It was not until Wen Jiao reached the level of Golden Immortal and thought about it carefully that she realized one or two of the deep meanings.

For example, she once thought that it was because Tathagata sent two Bodhisattvas to protect Dapeng that she confronted the two Bodhisattvas to kill Dapeng, and then was recruited by Buddhism. But in fact, it was Tathagata's intention to recruit her that was the cause, so the two Bodhisattvas protected Dapeng and angered her to prove the way of justice.

Wasn’t it true that Yuan Tiangang’s death was caused by her involvement?

The Tathagata lowered his eyes, and there seemed to be endless compassion on his chin: "Sandalwood Buddha Mother, you are angry and stubborn, and your heart is trapped in a cage. Yuan Tiangang's death seems to be caused by you, Narayana, and my various causes and conditions, but in fact it has nothing to do with me, Narayana, or you. You have survived many deaths to achieve enlightenment, and he has sought death in this life to achieve enlightenment, that's all."

Wen Jiao shuddered: "But Luo Yantian's curse is still there, in the next life..."

"When I say there is no hindrance, then there is no hindrance." said Tathagata.

"No problem..." Wen Jiao murmured, as if she had realized something.

Time is like the long arrow that Houyi used to shoot the sun. Once it flies away, it will never turn back.

The world is like this too. We can only move forward with determination and leave no room for turning back.

After Yuan Tiangang passed away, Li Chunfeng tried to keep alive with elixirs, but he still fell seriously ill. After he recovered, he was gray-haired and no longer handsome. He devoted the rest of his life to publishing the results of his and Yuan Tiangang's deductions into a book, leaving behind another work of revealing the secrets of heaven, "Tui Bei Tu", for the Eastern Xuanmen after "Lian Shan", "Guizang" and "Zhou Yi".

In the 33rd year of the Zhenguan reign, Li Shimin passed away and the ninth son, Prince of Jin, Li Zhi, was made emperor. Princess Gaoyang had been on good terms with Prince of Wu, Li Ke, and planned to make him the successor emperor. The imperial teacher Wu Meiniang noticed his ulterior motives and plotted to kill Prince of Wu. Gaoyang fled Chang'an in a hurry and asked Princess Wencheng for help but was rejected. She was eventually captured and escorted back to Beijing.

On the eve of her death, facing the poisoned wine brought by Wu Meiniang, she angrily smashed the jade statue of the Demon-Subduing Goddess she was wearing: "What kind of Demon-Subduing Goddess who is compassionate and loves to bring peace to the world! Yin Wenjiao, you looked down on me from the beginning. You even accepted Wu Meiniang, the daughter of a timber merchant, and Ji Zun, that barbarian, as your disciples, and Wencheng, that fake princess, as your assistant. Only me, no matter how devoutly I worshipped and how much money I gave, you refused to help me. What did I do wrong that you always look down on me?"

Wu Meiniang took out a silk fan, waved it to the left, then to the right, and a light breeze suddenly blew: "What is there to understand? Master looks down on you, naturally because of this reason."

Gao Yang said angrily, "Bitch, don't think that I don't know you. What a master of Miaodao, a disciple of an immortal, a fairy-like person, you have been flirting with Zhinu in private under the pretext of refining elixirs for your father, and you have seduced him into obeying your orders. Go and fool Zhinu with those mysterious nonsense, I don't believe your nonsense!"

This princess is as stupid and arrogant as ever.

Wu Meiniang thought of her master's past, and a hint of frost appeared between her brows: "If you want to create a cool breeze, you must advance and retreat. If you just blow in one direction, you will get nothing. Just like life, if you want to gain something, you need to know what you need to give up."

Back then, she wanted a place to settle down, so she gave up the prosperity of the palace. Sister Ji Zun wanted to be remembered for generations, so she gave up love and wealth. Now Wu Meiniang also knows what she wants in her heart, and she also knows what to give up for it.

The master handed power to her, and she fell in love with this feeling, which also gave birth to a bigger void. And this void needed more power to fill it.

For this reason, no matter what she paid, no matter how much insults she endured, even if she had to serve as a knife to the feminine-looking emperor sitting on the dragon throne, she would not stop.

It’s just that the process needs to be gentler and the means cannot be too harsh, otherwise she can escape the law but not the punishment of her master.

Wu Meiniang looked back at Gao Yang. She sensed a similar fiery ambition and a completely different frivolous, naive stupidity in this princess. "Princess, you want too much, but you are unwilling to give up anything and pay nothing. You don't know how there can be anything perfect and satisfactory in the three realms."

Gao Yang failed to hear the sigh behind her words and continued to curse with disheveled hair.

In the first year of Xianqing, Wu Meiniang helped Li Zhi to depose the powerful minister Zhangsun Wuji with a prophecy of destiny. Queen Wang in the harem lost her protection and could not compete with Concubine Xiao Shufei's influence, so she had no choice but to become a nun. Concubine Xiao Shufei's success did not last long, as Li Zhi appointed Wu Meiniang as the Concubine Chen. In the same year, she gave birth to the prince Li Hong, and she was extremely favored. All the beauties in the palace were eclipsed. Concubine Shufei was defeated and had to become a nun. She became a nun with Queen Wang, who had become a nun earlier.

Thirty years later, Li Zhi passed away. The folk tradition of prophecy flourished. Buddhists preached the story of female Buddha everywhere, and Taoists preached the truth of heaven and earth that Yang declines and Yin prevails. In addition, the new emperor was mediocre, and the people hoped that a wise female ruler would take his place. In the first year of Tianshou, Wu Meiniang ascended the throne and called herself the Great Saint Emperor Zetian. She was both lenient and strict in her administration, and she made full use of all talents, regardless of whether they were male or female, noble or humble. At that time, the country became stronger and the world was convinced. In order to show her respect and remembrance for the Buddha, Empress Yin, she also issued an order to list Zhuxi Longfeng Tea, the Master's favorite tea in the mortal world, as tribute tea.

Twenty years later, Agongcuo died of illness. Her love affair with the two boys under the seat of the Demon-Subduing Goddess lasted for many years. In the end, Pixie, as the elder brother, could not bear to see his brother sad and withdrew sadly. Zhen'e voluntarily gave up his practice and stayed in the human world, accompanying Agongcuo until old age as a mortal. After the two of them passed away, the national teacher Jizun turned into an immortal. She was one of the incarnations of the eloquent god Saraswati who was lonely and devoted to the mortal world. After ascending to heaven, she realized her true nature, held the wisdom vase in her hand, and became the eternal attendant beside the throne of the Demon-Subduing Goddess.

A hundred years later, there were too many monks in the society, who occupied land and exempted themselves from paying taxes, which gradually damaged the national treasury. Emperor Wuzong hated this, so Li Deyu, the reincarnation of Queen Chiji, helped Emperor Wuzong to destroy Buddhism.

Three hundred years later, Yin Kaishan and his wife left Wudang Mountain and traveled far away. Their whereabouts were unknown. They only left a letter to Wen Jiao, which said: Mantangjiao, father and mother have gone to travel somewhere else. You better be good and don't come to look for us.