Volume 3: A Long Journey – Chapter 323: Hesitation in Words

Wukong always felt that the Western Liang Women’s Kingdom claimed to have existed since the dawn of time, which, though somewhat exaggerated, did indicate its ancient origins. The Tang Monk’s quest for the scriptures had only been in progress for a few hundred years at most. Even the ancient Buddha Ran Deng possessed extraordinary powers, but still couldn’t be considered on par with such an ancient realm. Even Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, as the judge of fate, could only say, “The future has not yet arrived, so I dare not speak rashly.” Thus, Ran Deng’s plan was merely a last-minute idea.

Only after hearing Laojun’s explanation did Wukong realize the brilliance of the plan. The people of the Western Liang Women’s Kingdom were all ordinary mortals, so the pilgrims would naturally lose their guard. Moreover, the queen of the kingdom had a purely yin nature, and upon meeting Tang Monk, who had a truly yang nature, the two might react like dry wood and fierce fire. Additionally, the queen held the kingdom’s seal—without her permission, how could Tang Monk set off westward?

Wukong grew restless, fearing that Tang Monk might lose control and end up in the queen’s bed. But then he thought it was still deep at night; even if the queen were passionately inclined, she would still observe propriety and not abduct Tang Monk in the middle of the night.

Wukong remembered that just as they deceived the queen and left the western gates of the kingdom to take Tang Monk westward on his quest, a scorpion spirit appeared and kidnapped him. It seemed Ran Deng had devised another plan after the first failed—this series of beauty traps were designed to seize Tang Monk’s vital energy at all costs. But since Zhu Rong was now in the Western Liang Women’s Kingdom, that scorpion spirit probably wouldn’t dare act rashly.

Wukong said, “Ran Deng Buddha’s plans are so intricate. Yet you show no concern at all. Do you really want to let the quest end here?”

Laojun smiled and replied, “If such obstacles could leave you helpless, you wouldn’t deserve the name of the wise divine monkey.”

Wukong retorted bluntly, “Of course not. If he has beauty traps, I have my own solutions.” He already had a plan in mind, but now that he had discovered such a huge secret in the River of Mother and Child, he really didn’t want to leave right away.

Looking at Prince Xiao Zhang, who appeared lifeless, Wukong asked, “Can you revive this man, Laojun?”

Laojun glanced at Xiao Zhang and said, “His soul is intact, and his appearance remains unchanged. His physical body is severely damaged, but saving him is a piece of cake.”

Wukong said, “Then I’ll leave it to you, Laojun.”

Laojun remained motionless for a moment before looking at Xiao Zhang and asking, “Who is this man? How can I waste a single immortal pill on him for nothing?”

Wukong smiled and said, “This man is involved in a shocking secret. If you’re unwilling to help, I’ll find someone else to save him.” With that, Wukong prepared to wrap Xiao Zhang up and leave.

Laojun coughed and said, “If I don’t allow it, will you be able to leave?”

Wukong momentarily forgot that he was in Laojun’s red gourd. He said, “If you won’t save him, why am I still here?”
Laojun replied, “Take your time. Who exactly is this man?”
Wukong chuckled and said, “Do you know why the forces in the Western Heaven can rival those in the Heavenly Court?”
Laojun thought for a moment and said, “Buddhism has spread far and wide. Buddhist temples can be found everywhere under the sky, with countless believers. That’s not surprising.”
Wukong asked further, “Why doesn’t the Tathagata fight for control of the land in Western Ox and Joy Continent but instead keeps retreating?”
Laojun said, “Now that Taoism is focused, the Western Heaven naturally knows its limits. The Tathagata has to maintain order at home, deal with the quest for the scriptures, and guard against Qi Tian Ling. How could he have the energy to fight?”
Wukong asked, “Is it more important to shape fate or to obtain the scriptures?”
Laojun was stunned and said, “Obtaining the scriptures brings fortune to the West. Well… ultimately, it’s still for the sake of shaping fate. How can they be compared?”
Since Wukong had come here, he intended to reveal this secret to Laojun. Apart from the Three Pure Ones, it seemed difficult for others to rival the Western Heaven. Knowing this wouldn’t be of much use. After probing several times, he found that Laojun truly knew nothing about this, indicating that Buddhism had kept this matter well hidden.
Since Ran Deng could devise strategies in the Western Liang Women’s Kingdom, he must surely know the secrets of the Mother and Child Rivers. Yet, despite his close relationship with Laojun, he never mentioned this either. What could be the reason?
At that moment, Wukong suddenly remembered a phrase said by Ksitigarbha King: “The deepest and most evil hells lie within people’s hearts. Go and search there!” At first, he had been confused, but now he understood a bit more. Ksitigarbha King already knew about the hells in Buddhism but never spoke of them to others.
Wukong also recalled how, after passing through the Wuji Kingdom, they encountered Manjushri ordering the Green Lion Spirit to ambush Qin Wuxian along with his disciples. Hou Tu suddenly appeared and asked the Green Lion Spirit one question: “Which bodhisattva is so bold as not to fear descending to Avici Hell?” Wukong vaguely knew that Avici Hell was a term from Buddhism; the netherworlds certainly didn’t use such a name. So, Hou Tu also knew about Avici Hell. As one of the Six Imperial Deities in Taoism, she should be responsible for providing fortune to the Heavenly Court. Why keep such an important matter to herself?
After thinking for a while, Wukong laughed and said, “Laojun is truly shrewd. Nothing can deceive you.”
Laojun snorted and asked, “Who exactly is this man?”
Wukong replied, “Just an old acquaintance.”
Laojun said, “It’s not that I’m stingy, but giving him my immortal pills is like using a sledgehammer to kill a chicken. Go and find some ordinary pills instead; they might save him.”
Wukong now only wanted to leave, so he said, “Enough. I’ll go look elsewhere.”

Laojun said, “Walk slowly! You asked me so many questions just now—why?”
Wukong replied, “I’m puzzled. Initially, the Tathagata spared no effort to expand the land of Western Ox and Joy Continent, yet now he doesn’t fight against Taoism. Isn’t that contradictory?”
Laojun smiled and said, “Attack and defense must be balanced; there’s no such thing as always reaping benefits.”
Wukong asked, “Laojun, there’s one more thing I don’t understand. Since the Lamp-Burning Buddha wasn’t on good terms with the Tathagata, why was he given the position of the Supreme Ruler back then? Why not the Buddha from the East?”
Laojun said, “I’ve asked about this too. The Lamp-Burning Buddha simply said, ‘This is a matter of great significance; no single person can decide it.’”
Wukong exclaimed in surprise, “Can’t even the ancient Lamp-Burning Buddha make decisions in Buddhism?”
Laojun replied, “From ancient times to the present, have you ever heard of a world ruled by one person? From a small family to a nation or kingdom, balance is always emphasized. In the Western Heaven, besides the Lamp-Burning Buddha, there are also the Buddha of Glassy Light, the Buddha of Pure Joy, the Buddha of Infinite Life… All these Buddhas are none easy to deal with.”
At that moment, Wukong remembered those three monks in gray robes and asked, “Laojun, do you know these Buddhas? Which of them like to wear gray robes?”
“Why do you ask this?”
Wukong replied, “Last year on Jinpao Mountain, Jumang and Rushou prevented me from crossing the mountain. The Western Heaven sent three monks in gray robes to help me, and they managed to hold their own against the Wood God Jumang. If it weren’t for beings at the level of Buddhas, who could be so powerful?”
“Gray robes? Did those robes have any dyes on them?” Laojun asked.
Not understanding, Wukong asked, “What do you mean by dyes?”
Laojun explained, “Were those gray robes solid in color, or did they have any other stains?”
It turned out that Laojun knew that Buddhism emphasized asceticism and rejected extravagance. There were many rules regarding monks’ robes—such as forbidding colored or solid-color fabrics—and dyes had to be made from tree roots, bark, sap, and flowers, to avoid uniformity in color and to prevent attachment to fine clothing. Along Wukong’s journey from the Eastern Land, many monks in temples did not follow these rules. But on the Spiritual Mountain in the Western Heaven, these rules were strictly observed. Who would dare violate them under the Buddha’s watchful eye?
Wukong recalled carefully and found that the gray robes worn by those three monks had no mixed colors at all. So he said, “They were all solid in color, with no stains.”
Laojun frowned and said, “That’s strange. Could you have seen it wrong?”
Wukong replied, “I watched the battle from start to finish until those three monks left. How could I be wrong?”
Laojun asked, “Could they not be from the Western Heaven? Were they brought in from outside?”
Wukong said, “They were brought by two of the Buddha’s main disciples, Ananda and Kasyapa.”
Laojun said, “I’ve heard that Buddhist monks in gray robes are all junior members. How could such powerful figures come from them?” Suddenly, his expression changed, and he exclaimed, “This is bad!”

Wukong asked, “Why?”
Laojun replied, “Could it be that you’ve moved the beings among the three thousand Buddhas?”
Wukong was also shocked—this matter was indeed serious. If the three thousand Buddhas could be used without restraint, the balance of the world would be immediately disrupted.
Laojun said urgently, “I must verify this at once. I’ll have to leave you for a while.”
Wukong replied, “Go ahead, Laojun.”
Laojun quickly put away his red gourd, and Wukong took back Prince Zhang. They left the Tushita Palace and headed to Qitian Ridge to find Hou Tu.
Hou Tu was sitting alone in a cave. Seeing Wukong, she was very pleased and said, “How did you find time to visit your sister?”
Wukong was taken aback—how could there be another sister?
Noticing Wukong’s expression, Hou Tu said seriously, “Have you not bowed to Queen Hou Tu upon seeing me?”
Wukong was speechless. Hou Tu was already quite old yet still so playful. Yet from the first moment he met her, he felt no sense of distance, finding her extremely kind and approachable.
Wukong said, “Queen Hou Tu, you seem in high spirits today.” He paused and added, “Perhaps it’s because of meeting Dayu that you’re happy every day?”
Hou Tu replied, “I’m so bored here all by myself. Ever since you last visited, Chang’e hasn’t come to talk to me either. I don’t know why.”
Wukong thought to himself, What does this have to do with me?
Hou Tu said, “I know you won’t come to see me if you have nothing to do. Go ahead, speak.”
Wukong said, “I’ve come today to ask about Avici Hell.”
Upon hearing “Avici Hell,” Hou Tu immediately dropped her teasing tone and asked seriously, “Who told you about Avici Hell?”
Wukong replied, “It was you—on the day you met Manjushri Bodhisattva—”
Hou Tu thought for a moment and then realized, “I just mentioned it casually, but you remembered it.”
Wukong said, “I only knew that there were the Nine Nether Realms and the underworld. I thought Avici Hell was just a fictional concept.”
Hou Tu replied, “Not only do you think it’s fictional, but even many Buddhist Bodhisattvas and Buddhas consider Avici Hell merely a story in the scriptures—something that doesn’t truly exist in the world.”
Wukong asked again, “So does it exist or not?”
Hou Tu looked at Wukong with her beautiful eyes and said, “Since you’ve asked me, I certainly can’t lie to you. Avici Hell does indeed exist.”
Wukong was deeply moved. For such an important matter, Hou Tu hadn’t hidden anything from him at all—truly showing complete honesty. So Wukong stood up, bowed deeply, and said, “Thank you, Queen Hou Tu. But first, I must confess a fault.”
Hou Tu asked, “What fault?”
Wukong replied, “I just came out of Avici Hell.”
Hou Tu was shocked, “You’ve been to Avici Hell and managed to come out unharmed?”

Seeing that Hou Tu did not blame him for testing, Wukong first worried about his own safety and felt even more grateful. He said, “The Avici Hell isn’t that bad; what’s the problem with coming out unharmed?”
Hou Tu sighed and said, “Perhaps you’re lucky and haven’t encountered Bodhisattva Nili.”