Journey to the West: The Great Sage's Guide

Chapter 27 The Tightening Hoop

Zhong Xuan was standing in the middle of the long street, his wrists shackled heavily.

The firelight reflected on his face, illuminating only a pair of calm, expressionless eyes.

He gazed at the rain of light filling the sky, then at the kneeling crowd, his eyes sweeping over them one by one.

His face remained calm and composed, like a clear mirror reflecting nothing, neither adding nor subtracting anything.

Finally, as he gazed at the figure in plain clothes, Zhong Xuan's expression changed slightly. He was very curious about the magical power and spell he had just witnessed.

At this moment, Abbot Jingchen also activated one of the six supernatural powers of "telepathy".

Although it is only a rudimentary introduction to supernatural powers that must be used rudimentarily and actively, it is still very powerful.

He listened to the simple thoughts around him and understood the whole story.

Following Master Jingyuan's gaze, she saw the boy's reaction.

Jingchen slowly stepped forward, stood before the young man, and bowed with his hands clasped in respect.

Zhong Xuan nodded slightly in return, the shackles on his wrists rattling.

The chief's gaze fell on his face, and after a moment, he asked:

"Since you have committed the sin of killing, you should be unable to escape the karmic consequences. However, if you are willing to reveal the whereabouts of the monkey demon's companions, you may receive good karma. What do you say?"

His tone was gentle, yet every word was sharp and piercing.

Zhong Xuan raised his head and met the gaze of the person in charge.

Her eyes remained warm and gentle, yet they seemed to be scrutinizing the past.

"What crime have you committed with those words," he began slowly, enunciating each word clearly.

The head of the group was slightly taken aback.

Zhong Xuan continued, "What is your intention in making someone reveal the whereabouts of their companion?"

Upon hearing this, everyone around was taken aback.

Those people who had just recovered from the miracle, those who had been kneeling in worship.

They all looked up and gazed in their direction.

The officials looked at each other, wondering why the young man was so bold.

What right do you have to question the abbot of Jin Guang Temple?!

The guardian monk frowned, stepped forward, and shouted sternly, "How dare you! The abbot, out of compassion, showed you a way out, and you dare to speak so disrespectfully!"

Before he could finish speaking—

Whoosh!

The sound of the iron shackles snapping was crisp and piercing!

All the crowd saw was that the boy shook his arms, and the heavy iron shackles on his wrists broke like rotten wood!

The two shackles fell to the ground with a thud, hitting the bluestone slab and sending sparks flying!

Before anyone could react...

Snapped!

The boy had already snatched the red-tasseled spear from the waist of the officer next to him!

The officer felt a lightness at his side, and before he could see what was happening, the gun was already in the boy's hand.

Zhong Xuan held the gun in one hand, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground, standing ramrod straight.

The coarse linen clothes were still stained with blood, but they couldn't hide his calm and composed demeanor.

The guardian monk's expression changed, and he waved his hand, shouting, "Surround him!"

More than ten monks stepped forward and surrounded the boy, raising their clubs and aiming them at the figure in the center.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

The kneeling people cried out and retreated, keeping their distance, yet they couldn't help but crane their necks to look.

The officers gripped their swords, unsure whether to step forward or remain on the sidelines.

Zhong Xuan stood in the encirclement, his expression calm, the tip of his spear remaining perfectly still.

The head monk Jingchen raised his hand to stop the martial monk who was about to move, his gaze fixed on Zhong Xuan, with a hint of solemnity and scrutiny.

He said slowly, "With just this one move, my disciples' defeat was not unjust. However, since you have such skill, why did you willingly submit to being bound and beaten just now?"

Zhong Xuan did not answer, but simply looked at him quietly.

The abbot did not press further, but only sighed, "It's a pity. Since you are willing to bear the burden of three lives alone, even the Buddhist compassion emphasizes cause and effect. Killing and creating karma requires repayment."

He looked at the gun in the boy's hand: "You're still holding onto this gun, which means your obsession hasn't subsided—come back to the temple with me."

Although Buddhism emphasizes the concept of predestined relationships, it also values ​​cause and effect.

As he spoke, Abbot Jingchen raised his hand, intending to order the martial monks to take Zhong Xuan back to the temple to be punished.

Or perhaps he already had other ideas in mind.

Just then, a clear, cool voice rang out.

"Please wait, Your Excellency."

Master Jingyuan stepped forward slowly, and the crowd automatically parted to make way for her.

She walked up to the young man, her gaze lingering on his face for a long time.

A pair of eyes, warm and gentle like jade, clear as a mirror.

A slight thought stirred within her, and a strange idea arose in her mind.

"What you just said," she said softly, "seems to indicate a aptitude for Buddhism. May I ask if you have ever read Buddhist scriptures?"

Zhong Xuan looked at her, his gaze remaining calm.

"Having read thousands of books."

After thinking for a moment, he added, "Or ten thousand volumes, the exact number is no longer specified."

These words caused an uproar among those around.

"Thousands of volumes? Tens of thousands of volumes?" someone exclaimed. "How old is he?"

"Even if you started studying from the womb, you still couldn't read ten thousand books, could you?"

"Bragging! It's definitely bragging!"

A portly merchant standing at the front of the crowd couldn't help but shout, "If you've read so many Buddhist scriptures, why did you rescue that monkey demon and kill Master Yang? You've wasted your time reading those books!"

This remark drew a chorus of agreement.

"Exactly! How could someone who studies Buddhist scriptures be so cruel?"

"Is he just bragging?"

Abbot Jingchen also looked puzzled, frowning as he asked, "Since you are well-versed in Buddhist principles, why do you lack compassion?"

That's a harsh question.

The surroundings fell silent instantly, everyone staring at the boy surrounded in the center, waiting for his answer.

Zhong Xuan's gaze swept over the crowd before he slowly spoke.

"Buddha guides those who are destined to be saved."

These five words, though spoken softly, were clearly heard by everyone.

Someone scoffed, "Anyone can say that. A destined person? Does that mean the rich man has no destiny with you and deserves to die?"

Zhong Xuan ignored him and continued:

"Compassion breeds disaster, and convenience leads to depravity."

The answer remains simple, just eight words.

But this time, even the few people who had been scoffing were stunned.

These words sounded somewhat brief and strange, but they seemed to contain some kind of truth.

Master Jingyuan's eyes flashed, and her lips moved slightly, as if she had realized something.

"Then I'll tell you something."

Zhong Xuan's hand holding the gun remained perfectly still, his movements unhurried and his voice clear and bright:

"Once upon a time, there was a shrewd merchant who led five hundred merchants to sea in search of treasure."

The story begins with just this one sentence, which is like the tolling of an ancient bell, drawing everyone's attention.

"One of the merchants, harboring ill intentions, wanted to kill his companion and take the treasure for himself."

"The shrewd merchant learned of this man's plot and was caught in a dilemma—"

He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"If this man's plot is exposed, the five hundred merchants will surely be filled with murderous intent and kill the conspirator."

"Five hundred people were condemned to evil paths because of this killing."

"If we do not investigate, the lives of five hundred people will be in danger, and the conspirators will surely fall into hell."

The story immediately enters a phase of dramatic tension.

Someone couldn't help but ask, "What can we do then? We're going to die either way?"

Zhong Xuan looked at the man and nodded slightly.

"After careful consideration, the wise merchant made a decision."

"I would rather strike first, kill the conspirators, and save the five hundred merchants."

"May I alone commit this act of killing and be sent to hell."

After he finished speaking, a long street fell silent.

Zhong Xuan continued, "So the merchant killed the conspirators."

"Those who plotted but failed to carry out their plots were reborn as celestial beings because of their past good deeds."

"Five hundred merchants were thus saved."

He put away his gun, the tip of which lightly touched the ground, making a soft "ding" sound.

"Tell me, does the merchant lord who is good at managing merchants have any mercy?"

Zhong Xuan then asked the crucial question.

Everyone was stunned.

Someone opened their mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin.

Some people were deep in thought, their brows furrowed.

Some people's eyes gleamed, as if they had realized something.

The fat merchant scratched his head and muttered, "Then... this murderer is being treated as merciful?"

An old man beside him pondered, "If we go by this story... he killed one person to save five hundred, that's... that's..."

He couldn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

In the crowd, someone let out a soft "ah," as if struck by something.

Some people had a dazed look in their eyes, their lips moving as they repeatedly muttered those eight words: "Compassion breeds disaster, convenience leads to depravity..."

Many ordinary people looked at each other, not fully understanding the deeper meaning, but vaguely feeling that there was a profound truth hidden in these words.

Originally, Jisa Kingdom was regarded as a Buddhist kingdom on earth because of the Buddhist treasures of the Golden Light Temple.

The residents of the city, in every household, inevitably worship Buddha, much like the people of Muxian near Lingtai Mountain.

Now, when I hear stories related to Buddha, I am more easily moved by them.

Master Lian Jingyuan looked at the young man before her, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

She softly chanted a Buddhist prayer, murmuring, "Excellent... excellent..."

Abbot Jingchen also looked moved, and after a long while sighed, "Such insights and such eloquence, if not due to innate wisdom, then one must be born with a karmic connection to Buddhism."

His gaze fell on the boy, then on the gun in his hand. "Unfortunately, given the bloodshed before us, even if you have some reason to your actions, or if the rich man is heartless and the Taoist priest is aiding and abetting evil, this humble monk still has no choice but to punish you—come back to the temple with me and await your judgment."

He raised his hand again, as if to order the monks to make their move.

"Please wait, Master." It was Master Jingyuan's voice again.

She walked to the head monk's side and whispered, "Head monk, this humble nun has something to say."

The head nun turned slightly to the side: "Please speak, Abbess."

The nun looked at Zhong Xuan with undisguised admiration in her eyes: "In my humble abode, Shuiyue Nunnery, there is a treasure bestowed by Guanyin Bodhisattva, called the 'Tightening Hoop'."

"This item can be worn on the head to bind evil attachments, calm the mind and spirit, and lead one back to the right path."

She stepped forward, gazing at the boy, her voice gentle yet firm:

"If you, benefactor, are willing to return to the nunnery with me to cultivate yourself, to resolve the karma of killing through Buddhism, and to restrain your mind with the golden headband, it may become a beautiful story in the future—what does the head monk think?"

Master Jingyuan turned around and looked at the head of the table.

But her words shocked everyone around her.

Someone exclaimed in a low voice, "Why would a Bodhisattva save an evil person?"

Someone whispered, "She's not a Bodhisattva, she's the abbess of Shuiyue Nunnery, a famous nunnery for thousands of miles around!"

"A treasure bestowed by Guanyin Bodhisattva herself? What immense blessings that must be!"

"This nun actually wants to take him in? What incredible luck this young man has!"

There are many different opinions, and surprisingly, many people are both puzzled and envious.

Upon hearing this, the head monk Jingchen frowned almost imperceptibly.

He pondered for a moment and said:

"Master, you have come from afar as a guest, how could we dare to trouble you? Besides, Shuiyue Nunnery is far from here, and if those monkey demon's accomplices attack us on the way, it will only cause trouble."

He then changed the subject, saying, "However, what the nun said makes sense. How about this—"

Jingchen turned to Zhong Xuan, his gaze authoritative yet impartial:

"Since you possess magical powers, this humble monk will not use his power to oppress you."

"Then let the chief protector of this temple fight you."

"If you can stand for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, I will accept you as a disciple of the temple, and you will stay by my side day and night to chant sutras and atone for your sins."

"If not—"

His voice deepened: "Then they will be taken back from Jin Guang Temple to atone for their sins through labor and listening to sutras. If they repent and understand in the future, there is still hope for a righteous path."

Upon hearing this, a strange expression flashed across Zhong Xuan's face.

Everyone around was stunned by what they heard.

Someone whispered to the person next to them, "Is this...is this a kidnapping?"

The person next to them widened their eyes: "Haven't you realized? The head nun and that abbess are both vying for this young man!"

One of the rescued guards murmured, "My God... one wants to take him to a nunnery, the other to a temple... who is this young man?"

The plump merchant said sourly, "Look at his appearance and demeanor, his speech is extraordinary, who wouldn't like him? If I had that kind of talent, I would also..."

He couldn't continue speaking; his face was filled with envy and jealousy.

One of the officials whispered, "Our country of Jisa is a Buddhist country, and Jin Guang Temple is the state temple. I've heard that the head monk is a prince..."

Those nearby gasped: "What if this young man were taken in by the Chief..."

"That would be a meteoric rise! They'd be able to do whatever they want here!"

"But that nun is no less impressive; she even brought out a treasure bestowed upon her by Guanyin Bodhisattva..."

The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves, and the way they looked at the young man changed.

The initial hatred and doubt have turned into horror, envy, and jealousy.

Some people also felt a sense of awe.

Zhong Xuan stood in the encirclement, listening to the discussions around him and looking at the gazes of the two Buddhist masters in front of him. His expression remained calm, and he only found it amusing.

He simply twirled the gun in his hand, the tip drawing a half-arc on the ground.

"One incense stick?" Zhong Xuan asked curiously.

He really wanted to test the limits of his physical combat ability and was not opposed to such a contest.

The head monk, Jingchen, nodded: "One stick of incense."

"Okay." Zhong Xuan nodded and said no more.

His fingers, gripping the gun, paused slightly, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the shadows at the end of the long street.

Three figures stood silently in the shadow cast by the eaves.

The monkey was still frozen in place, but it wasn't as angry anymore. It stared curiously at the scene of people being healed with magical spells on the street, feeling somewhat envious; it also looked at the human brother being surrounded by martial monks and couldn't help but worry.

Finally, I saw two figures who seemed to be kings in the crowd, as if they were vying for the position of brother.

It didn't detect much malice, only the eagerness in the two people's eyes.

As the monkey watched and pondered, a strange mix of joy and displeasure welled up within it.

Zhang Chengming stood beside it with his hands behind his back, taking in the scene in the distance.

"Interesting." He spoke calmly, his eyes mocking. "I originally thought this little Taoist priest was doomed, but unexpectedly, he's become a hot commodity."

The expression on the face beneath the Rakshasa woman's veil had changed several times.

She looked at the figure in the distance, then at the unfathomable Taoist beside her.

Zhang Chengming glanced at her sideways, then suddenly changed the subject: "You've come from Cuiyun Mountain, haven't you? What's your relationship with that new mountain god I've heard about?"

The Rakshasa woman's heart stirred, but she maintained a casual expression: "I am a Taoist practitioner in the mountains. As for the young man and this monkey who are traveling with me temporarily, they are here to offer incense to the mountain god."

"Temple keeper?" A chill flashed across Zhang Chengming's eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

The Rakshasa woman keenly noticed this and reached for the soft sword at her waist: "Daoist Master, what's wrong?"

Zhang Chengming had returned to normal and chuckled, "It's nothing."

He looked at the monkey, or more precisely, at the immobilization talisman he had previously affixed.

The light was dimming at a visible speed, and even tiny cracks appeared at the edges, indicating that the monkey had never given up struggling and resisting.

"As expected of uncivilized beasts, only interested in the pleasure of killing!"

Zhang Chengming frowned slightly, his eyes filled with disgust.

If it weren't for that boy, they would have already used a magic talisman to rip out the monkey demon's soul.

Zhang Chengming then took out another talisman from his sleeve and blew on it gently.

A second golden light touched the back of the monkey's neck, and the dim talismanic light shone again, even brighter.

The monkey glared at him, its eyes burning with fury.

Zhang Chengming didn't care and turned to Rakshasa Woman, saying, "I see you care about that boy too, don't you?"

The Rakshasa woman's expression turned cold, and she did not answer.

Zhang Chengming didn't care: "Then you should know that in the Heavenly Court, even a minor official position is guaranteed to grant immortality, and you don't have to worry about the three calamities and nine tribulations. But only the mountain and water gods in the mortal realm... if they have no background, they are the lowest of the lowly enslaved gods."

The Rakshasa woman replied coldly, "Of course I know."

Zhang Chengming scoffed: "Therefore, if we are thinking of the boy, we shouldn't let him become some ridiculous temple keeper, and we don't need to protect such a beast."

As he spoke, he lightly stomped his foot, issuing a decree to summon.

In an instant, the land of the Kingdom of Jisa was summoned.

The old man observed the situation carefully, but since he was not allowed to speak, he didn't even dare to open his mouth.

He was treated as if he were just a display tool, and Zhang Chengming stepped on his head.

The Rakshasa woman looked at it with a strange expression.

Zhang Chengming stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze deep and unfathomable: "Actually, I spared this monkey's life only because of his exceptional comprehension. If he can overcome this current hurdle, and then harden his heart to kill this monster to prove his resolve?"

He looked at Zhong Xuan in the distance, his tone revealing undisguised arrogance:

"I will accept a disciple under my name and allow him to join my Celestial Masters righteous path and worship the Three Pure Ones."

The Rakshasa woman's heart stirred, and she subconsciously glanced at the monkey beside her.

The monkey remained immobilized, but stared intently at Zhang Chengming's back, its hatred almost solidifying into a tangible form.

Zhang Chengming seemed to sense something, glanced at it, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips: "What? You're not convinced?"

He withdrew his gaze and stated in a detached tone, "The founder of the Dragon Tiger Celestial Masters sect is one of the Four Celestial Masters of the Heavenly Court and a close minister of the Jade Emperor. My Zhengyi sect's founder is the Grand Celestial Master, and there are countless ascended immortals in the Thunder Department. For them to be willing to accept that young man as a disciple is already an immense favor."

Upon hearing this, the Rakshasa woman's heart stirred, and she couldn't help but look up at the sky.

Although she longed for the carefree life of an immortal, what good would it do if she had the chance to become a high-ranking official in the Heavenly Court?

At this moment, Zhang Chengming watched as the prelude to the gambling battle that had already begun in a circle on the street.

"I originally planned to wait until you were driven to the brink before rescuing you and taking you in as a disciple. But now it seems," he looked at the handsome young man with a hint of regret, "that if he really becomes a bald monk, it will be difficult for me to intervene."

Zhang Chengming shook his head, showing little regret.

By giving that young man a chance, the Zhang family will lose one more chance.

If a young boy doesn't know how to kneel down and be grateful, and voluntarily become an adopted son, he has no right to be easily lifted up.

Even if he achieves success in his cultivation in the future, he will only be fit to be a sword-bearing Taoist disciple at the ancestral temple of Longhu Mountain.

Zhang Chengming was lost in thought.

The monkey beside him remained motionless, but its eyes were fixed on Zhang Chengming's back.

It remembered that silhouette vividly.

Given the chance, we'll beat them to a pulp!

In the distance, in the middle of the official road, torches reflected the cold glint of weapons.

Zhong Xuan stood with his spear in hand, while the guardian monks opposite him had already taken their stances.

The duel is about to begin.