Volume 3: A Long Journey, Chapter 338: Three Questions to You

Wukong asked, “Could it be that Buddha didn’t intend for me to meet these two?”
Laojun replied, “That’s not possible. Back then, you already met them on Flower-Fruit Mountain. You could travel through the clouds without a trace, so there was no issue. It’s Tang Seng who has concerns.”
Wukong thought Laojun was unaware of the matter involving the divine ape. Hearing Tang Seng’s name, he was startled and asked, “What about Tang Seng?”
Laojun said, “Haven’t you noticed anything strange about Tang Seng throughout your journey?”
Wukong replied, “Even if there is something strange, how would you know?”
Laojun said, “You’re confused. My dear grandson must have mentioned something.”
Wukong felt ashamed. Red Boy had been with Tang Seng for so long that he had overlooked this. Laojun must have already planted such an informant long ago—how could there be anything he didn’t know?
Laojun continued, “You may not know who Jinchanzi is. In my opinion, Tang Seng might have remembered his past life, which is why he behaves so strangely.”
Wukong suddenly understood. Laojun was referring to this matter. He took the opportunity to ask, “What’s wrong with Jinchanzi?”
Laojun explained, “Jinchanzi is a rare and intelligent person in Buddhism. He’s always obedient and much loved by Buddha. For some reason, he mocked Buddha in the Great Hero Hall, so Buddha ordered Guanyin to send him to the Eastern Land to be reborn.” Wukong thought to himself, So it was indeed Guanyin who did this!
Wukong asked, “Since Jinchanzi was so favored, why would he act so abnormally?”
Laojun replied, “That’s beyond my knowledge. But if Tang Seng really can remember his past life, it might still be Guanyin who’s behind it.”
Wukong found Laojun’s guesses increasingly absurd and asked, “Laojun, what if Jinchanzi really remembers his past life?”
Laojun said, “He’s extremely talented. He can’t stand Buddha’s pretense. If he knew the truth, he wouldn’t even take another step westward.”
Wukong laughed, “Then wouldn’t everything be resolved?”
Laojun replied, “That’s why Guanyin follows closely—afraid that if things get difficult at Qitian Ridge, someone else might take advantage of the situation.”
Wukong thought of Ksitigarbha and asked, “When Ksitigarbha created obstacles with the Boundless Gorge, Tang Seng already had mental barriers. Why didn’t Buddha step in to stop it?”
Laojun said, “Ksitigarbha was just testing Tang Seng’s resolve, not trying to stop him forcefully. Besides… if Buddha dared to interfere with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, wouldn’t he incur everyone’s wrath?”
“Everyone’s wrath? Who would get angry?” Wukong asked.
“Many people. Even the Three Pure Ones wouldn’t stand by idly,” Laojun replied.
Wukong was amazed. He didn’t expect Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who had long resided in the netherworld, to have such great influence.

Wukong had several puzzles lingering in his mind. He organized his thoughts and asked, “Laojun, there are a few more things I’d like to ask you about.”
Laojun replied, “There’s no need for me to teach you anything. Just chatting casually can benefit both of us.” In terms of experience in this life, Laojun was certainly far stronger, but Wukong, through his relentless exploration and use of his unique abilities, had unknowingly earned Laojun’s respect.
Wukong asked, “Do you know about Lingtai Fangcun Mountain and the Three-Star Slanting-Moon Cave?”
Laojun chuckled and said, “You monkey are really patient. If you hadn’t asked, I would have told you myself!”
Wukong snapped, “Tell it then! Why care if I ask or not?”
Laojun said, “You’re asking who created that realm and who Buddha Patriarch Bodhi really is, right?”
Wukong confirmed, “That’s right!”
Laojun said, “You’re so clever. I’m sure you’ve already guessed it. Tell me.”
Wukong replied calmly, “Is it the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng?”
Laojun nodded. “If I had a disciple like you, what more could I ask for?”
Wukong said, “Your two disciples aren’t bad either!”
Laojun waved his hand. “Their abilities are mediocre. Enough about them. Tell me what you think.”
Wukong said, “All my skills are from Taoist martial arts, yet my name is ‘Wukong.’ How many people in the world practice both Buddhism and Taoism?”
Laojun asked, “Who else?”
Wukong replied, “In the country of Wuzang, there’s a Zen master named Wuchao. His voice is very similar to Buddha Patriarch Bodhi’s, and he once told me, ‘All five aggregates and the four great elements are impermanent; everything in the universe is empty!’”
Laojun asked, “Even if Wuchao is Bodhi, what does that have to do with Ran Deng?”
Wukong said, “The place where Zen Master Wuchao lives is called Futi Mountain. There’s also a Futi Pagoda on the Sacred Mountain in the Western Heaven. Laojun said that all three thousand Buddhas reside in that pagoda. It must be extremely important. Could the names Futi Mountain and Futi Pagoda be a coincidence? Although the Tathagata governs the three thousand Buddhas, it’s said that his rank in the Western Heaven is after Ran Deng’s. So I guess this Futi Pagoda was created by the past Buddha Ran Deng, right?”
Laojun smiled and nodded. “Anything else?”
Wukong continued, “Though I’ve never met Ran Deng in person, I know he once left a treasure with Zhenwu. Later, that treasure ended up in the hands of my past-life Bodhisattva Nagarjuna. With that treasure, Nagarjuna spread Buddhism widely. From this, it seems Ran Deng and I had a master-disciple relationship in my past life. In this life… haha, does this sound too far-fetched?”

Laojun said, “Indeed, it’s admirable that you thought of so much. Since Nagarjuna passed away, Zhenuan, Ran Deng, and I have been paying close attention to your rebirth. After searching for a long time, we finally found a peculiar rock on Flower-Fruit Mountain. Since your birth, the three of us have been watching over you constantly. Back then, when you accidentally entered the Great Sage Zen Temple, it was Zhenuan who rescued you. I then used the Sea-Submerging Dragon to take you away from Zhenuan and hand you over to Ran Deng to raise you.”

Hou Kong listened to these stories as if they happened to someone else; he had no idea at all. It turned out that his encounter with Bodhi Patriarch was not by chance—Laojun and the others had long planned it. The Sea-Submerging Dragon being a disciple of Zhenuan was a small surprise.

Hou Kong sighed, “My fate is truly full of hardships.”

Laojun smiled and said, “The past is gone. It’s already very difficult for you to have reached this point. Do you have any other questions?”

Hou Kong calmed himself down and asked, “Who is the master of the Divine Ape?”

Laojun replied, “You see him often—why don’t you ask him yourself?”

Hou Kong said, “I did, but he gave vague answers.”

Laojun said, “Since he won’t say, I can’t either. Perhaps that person has some peculiar habits.”

“Well, he’ll reveal himself when the time comes,” Hou Kong said. “One more question: How many great masters like the Indestructible Vajra Buddha are there in Buddhism, and do they all obey the Buddha’s orders?”

Laojun replied, “The most powerful faction in the Western Heaven is not the Buddha, but Ran Deng and Maitreya. Among the Buddhas in the Western Heaven… excluding those in the Stupa, there are about sixty or seventy notable figures. The Buddha can barely mobilize forty percent of them.”

Hou Kong calculated that forty percent meant twenty or thirty top masters, and even these would not be a match for Qi Tian Ling. He said, “By this comparison, Buddhism seems much stronger than Taoism.”

Laojun smiled and asked, “Is that so? Don’t you know about the Three Pure Ones in Taoism?”

Hearing Laojun’s confident tone, Hou Kong remembered that in the three realms, Laojun had once said the Qilin was stronger than him, almost on par with his senior brother, Lingbao Daozun. It seemed Laojun had been being humble back then.

Hou Kong asked, “Is Ran Deng Buddha a close friend of the Three Pure Ones?”

Laojun nodded and said, “Indeed.”

Hou Kong said, “Laojun once said that Ran Deng and he built the Western Liang Women’s Kingdom by imitating the Eight Trigrams pattern. But now that we see the Mother and Child River as the entrance to the Buddhist hell, would close friends hide such a major matter?”

Laojun laughed and said, “If you dare say such things, I’ll report you to your master.”

Hou Kong chuckled and said, “Laojun isn’t that kind of person.”

Laojun explained seriously, “My relationship with him is based on shared ideals. Even if he were to turn the heavens upside down, I wouldn’t be alarmed. Hiding this from me is pointless—what’s so extraordinary about it?”
Wukong was puzzled by Laojun’s great trust in the Buddha of Burning Lamp. “Shared ideals”? What were their common goals? But it was truly fortunate that the Buddha of Burning Lamp got along so well with the Three Pure Ones. On one side was his own master, and on the other, the Three Pure Ones who valued and cared for him greatly. If they really fell out, he would be in a very difficult position.
Laojun said, “My second brother sent the clever divine ape to replace you, so you wouldn’t be tied down by the quest for the scriptures. You’ll be able to do much more then.”
Wukong replied, “That’s undoubtedly good, but… I’m afraid someone might spot the trick.”
Laojun said, “There are very few people in the Western Heaven who know you well. Even figures like Guanyin and Manjushri don’t have such abilities. What are you afraid of?”
Wukong asked, “What if Buddha figures it out?”
“Hmm, that’s easy. I’ll find someone to keep Buddha occupied so he can’t leave the mountain,” Laojun said.
“Then I’m much more at ease.” Wukong then thought of something else and asked, “Has Laojun ever wondered why Buddha specifically sent Jinchanzi on the quest for the scriptures? Why not choose someone more obedient?”
Knowing Wukong wouldn’t ask this question for no reason, Laojun said, “Well, tell me—what’s the reason?”
Wukong didn’t answer and asked instead, “Does Laojun know where the Yin-Yang Divine Ape is?”
Laojun replied, “I have indeed seen the Yin-Yang Divine Ape.”
“Ah! Where? When?” Wukong asked in surprise.
Laojun said, “I only caught a glimpse of it. The Yin-Yang Divine Ape was killed by the ancient Taihao. After it was reborn, I never saw it again.”
Wukong was confused—why mention ancient events?
Laojun added, “From what I’ve seen, the Yin-Yang Divine Ape hasn’t shown up in all these years. It’s almost certainly in the Buddhist sect!”
Wukong asked, “Why so sure?”
Laojun replied, “If it weren’t in the Buddhist sect, you guys would have found it long ago. How could it remain hidden for thousands of years?”
Wukong couldn’t hold back any longer and said, “What if Tang Seng is actually the Yin-Yang Divine Ape?”
“What?” Laojun’s eyes widened like copper bells. “If you’re not the Creative Divine Ape, I absolutely won’t believe it.”
Wukong smiled bitterly. “I just found out too. Not only will you not believe it, but I feel like I’m dreaming right now.”
Laojun stood up from his chair, paced back and forth anxiously, and said, “Then what are we waiting for? Hurry and kidnap Tang Seng to Qitian Ridge!”
Wukong asked, “Why kidnap him? If we take him, will we still go on the quest for the scriptures?”

Laojun looked at Wukong with a strange gaze and said, “Do you truly not know, or are you pretending to be ignorant?”
Wukong replied, “Pretending to be ignorant about what?”
Laojun said, “Sigh, you are still in a dream.”