I'm Dreaming of a Journey to the West

Li Chen walked forward, bowed to the man, and respectfully asked, "Are you Gonggong, the ancient water god?"

"Yes, I am Gonggong, the ancient water god. Thank you for saving my body from evil thoughts just now!"

The man thanked Li Chen, saying that ever since he lost the battle for the throne with Zhuanxu, his body had been controlled by evil thoughts. It was not until Li Chen helped him break free from the control of his evil thoughts that he was able to break free and reach a higher level of cultivation.

"Great God Gonggong, when you were controlled by evil thoughts, you released water and flooded the entire Putuo Mountain. Please cast a spell to make the flood on Putuo Mountain recede as soon as possible!"

Li Chen pleaded, because the only people who could turn back the flood were the water god Gonggong and Guanyin Bodhisattva. Guanyin Bodhisattva could use her pure bottle to collect the flood from Mount Putuo. But no one knew where Guanyin Bodhisattva was sealed.

"What? I flooded Mount Putuo?"

After hearing Li Chen's words, Gonggong was horrified. He quickly used his magical powers and found that when he was controlled by the evil thoughts, he had indeed flooded Putuo Mountain, causing countless lives to be destroyed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it... I'll find a way to make it up to you..."

Gonggong spoke with remorse. He knew he had made a grave mistake and needed to remedy it quickly. So, he began to use his magical powers to try to recede the floodwaters from Mount Putuo. However, the waters were too turbulent, and he was unable to completely dissipate them immediately.

At that moment, a melodious Buddhist chant suddenly rang out from the sky. Then, a golden light descended from the sky, landing on Mount Putuo. When the light faded, a monk wearing a cassock and holding a Zen staff appeared. He was Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

"Li Chen and Fairy Hibiscus pay their respects to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva!"

Li Chen and Fairy Hibiscus knelt on their knees to welcome the arrival of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

"Amitabha, donor Gonggong, you have violated the laws of heaven by flooding Mount Putuo and should be punished. However, since you have regained your sanity, I will forgive you this time. However, you must immediately recede the floodwaters and go to the Western Paradise to confess your sins before the Tathagata Buddha."

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva spoke majestically, his voice as loud as a bell, resounding throughout heaven and earth.

"Thank you, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, for your mercy! I will definitely do as you say!"

"Thank you, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva!" Gonggong cried out in gratitude. He knew his sins were grave, and if it weren't for Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's intercession, he would have been severely punished by the Heavenly Court. So, he once again unleashed his magical powers, unleashing the full force of his own water laws, and finally succeeded in driving the floodwaters from Mount Putuo back.

"Farewell, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva!" Li Chen and Fairy Hibiscus said as they watched Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's figure going away.

As the floodwaters receded, Putuo Mountain gradually returned to its former tranquility. However, the lives lost were already irretrievable. On the ground of Putuo Mountain, the corpses of countless people, constantly submerged in the water, gave off a foul stench. Some fish, unable to follow the current and return to the sea, were also trapped on Putuo Mountain forever.

Li Chen and Gong Gong successfully arrived at the back of Putuo Mountain and found the ice prison that sealed Guanyin Bodhisattva. With the help of Gong Gong, the water god, they successfully broke the ice prison and rescued Guanyin Bodhisattva.

When Guanyin Bodhisattva emerged from the ice prison, her face was pale and her body was extremely weak. Obviously, the long period of freezing had caused her great harm. Li Chen hurried forward to support her and asked with concern, "Guanyin Bodhisattva, are you okay?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva shook his head and smiled, saying, "I'm fine, just a little weak. This time, thanks to you and Gonggong, otherwise I don't know how much longer I would have been trapped."

Li Chen breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "As long as Guanyin Bodhisattva is fine, it's fine. However, we should leave here as soon as possible to avoid encountering any danger again."

"Li Chen, can I call you that from now on?"

Gonggong asked with some concern: "Can I really still be your friend?" After all, his evil thoughts got out of control and killed so many people. He was very worried that he would become a lonely man, just like before. No one believed that he would be a good leader.

"Of course! We'll always be good friends!" Li Chen answered firmly. Upon hearing this, the water god Gonggong's eyes welled with tears, and he formed a ball of water-blue substance from his hands and placed it in front of Li Chen.

Li Chen sensed a very pure power of water element from it. He guessed that this should be the power of the water god Gonggong's natal divine water, Xuanming True Water!

"I'm leaving. I've committed such a great crime! This time I leave, I may never have a chance to come back. Life and death are unpredictable, but I must bear the consequences. This thing is a gift I want to give you! If you absorb it, you can control and use my natal divine water, the Xuanming True Water! I hope you can take it, and also take my wishes, to end this terrible catastrophe as soon as possible, so that all people in the world can live a stable life as soon as possible. This is my last wish!" After saying these heartfelt words, Gonggong handed the Xuanming True Water to Li Chen.

"Goodbye, my friend!"

After saying his final goodbyes, Gonggong, the water god, turned and walked towards the west, step by step. He walked slowly, as if carrying a heavy burden. He knew he had done something wrong and must pay the price for it.

Li Chen silently watched the back of Gonggong, the God of Water, leaving, with a complex emotion in his heart. He could feel the pain and helplessness in Gonggong's heart, but at the same time he admired him for his courage in facing his mistakes.

"Good boy, don't be sad. The Buddha is merciful and will forgive him. You will have the chance to meet again in the future!" Guanyin Bodhisattva gently stroked Li Chen's shoulder and said soothingly. Her eyes were gentle and firm, making people feel an inexplicable warmth.

Li Chen raised his head and looked at Guanyin Bodhisattva, his eyes flashing with gratitude. He knew that Guanyin Bodhisattva had always been their protector and guide, giving them endless care and help.

"Bodhisattva!!!" At this moment, the golden-haired tiger suddenly shouted excitedly. It saw the Bodhisattva and immediately ran towards her.

The golden-haired tiger ran to the Bodhisattva and rubbed the corner of her clothes affectionately, showing great joy. The Bodhisattva smiled and stroked the golden-haired tiger's hair, her eyes full of love.

Li Chen stood quietly by, watching this heartwarming scene, his heart filled with emotion. He understood that whether it was the water god Gonggong or the golden-haired lion, they both had their own stories and emotions. In this world, everything was so real and touching.

"Li Chen, thank you for saving the countless people in Putuo Mountain and me! Don't worry, I won't treat you unfairly. I will teach you even more powerful magical powers!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva said gratefully, her eyes full of respect and gratitude for Li Chen.

As she spoke, Guanyin Bodhisattva gently waved the willow branch in her hand, transforming it into a jade bottle as exquisite as the one she was holding, with a mysterious light shining on the bottle.

She smiled and handed the jade bottle to Li Chen: "This is a gift from me to you. I hope it can bring you more strength and wisdom."

Li Chen took the jade bottle and felt the powerful energy contained within it, and a sense of emotion welled up in his heart. He knew the preciousness of this gift and understood the importance Guanyin Bodhisattva placed on him.

"Thank you, Guanyin Bodhisattva. I will definitely cherish this gift." Li Chen replied respectfully.

Guanyin Bodhisattva nodded with satisfaction and continued, "Also, please stay a little longer so that I can thank you properly. I will prepare a sumptuous banquet for you and take you to appreciate the beauty of Putuo Mountain."

Guanyin Bodhisattva's invitation was full of sincerity and goodwill, and Li Chen felt her warmth and hospitality. Faced with such a generous offer, he found it difficult to refuse. So, he smiled and responded, "Well, I'm sorry to bother you, Guanyin Bodhisattva. I look forward to spending a wonderful time here."

A trace of relief flashed in Guanyin Bodhisattva's eyes, and she nodded gently in welcome. Then, she led Li Chen into her own training ground.