Longevity Chronicles-Chapter 1008 - 644: The Demon Child Presents a Marvelous Gift, Eightfold Heavenly Dragon Group
The All Heavens Buddhism has always been a representative among the various Daoist lineages of the Source Sea known for "squeezing out and cleaning up everything," often seeking from the outside.
Today, however, it’s quite unusual; a Secret Demon Child arrives empty-handed, without gifts or pleasantries, demanding to borrow troops as soon as he opens his mouth, and it seems like there’s no way around it.
Jin Tuo Monk is also a clever person; after being stunned, he couldn’t help but laugh loudly.
Whether addressing Tao Qian or Golden Cicada, who is far away in the Nine Netherworld of Ming Country, he said:
"Good, good, good!"
"A fine teacher matches with a cunning disciple, most fitting indeed."
"Since you came wearing the [Merit Golden Hoop], it wouldn’t be proper to let you return empty-handed."
"However, what you seek is quite significant. The name [Headless Deity Lord] is known to me; his father is Xingtian. To save him would require the mobilization of many of our Spiritual Mountain’s tribes. Have you prepared enough offerings?"
Tao Qian had been waiting for this question and smiled upon hearing it.
He promptly took out another gourd from his bosom. Unlike the Ten Thousand Demon Gourd he usually used, this gourd was engraved with Buddha Patterns and emitted a sandalwood scent, bringing peace to the soul and looking nothing like a Demon Treasure.
In fact, this treasure was indeed a Demon Treasure casually refined by the Great Demon Tao.
The gourd itself was nothing special, merely a vessel.
The truly important thing was the demon contained within it.
Considered himself a "bright person," Tao Qian knew that although he came to Spiritual Mountain through the back door, he had to bring a gift; he couldn’t really arrive empty-handed, could he?
Giving gifts to bald monks is the hardest; after all, these monks always claim to have transcended the Five Aggregates, having no desires.
But challenges like this couldn’t stump the Great Demon Tao.
"With this gift, no bald monk in the world can refuse."
With this thought, Tao Qian simply pulled the cork from the gourd and gave it a shake. As Demon Fog billowed, rare demonic entities rolled out one by one.
Tao Qian took this moment to show off, proclaiming like announcing dishes:
"Take a look, senior. These Outer Realm Heavenly Demons are respectively the Six Thieves Demon, Buddha Fragrance Demon, Dharma Cakra Demon, Withering and Flourishing Demon, Vajra Demon, Heart Lamp Demon... each one is a rare find."
"These are the offerings I prepared."
Initially, Jin Tuo Monk had no expectations of the Secret Demon Child’s preparation.
Sly and shameless with average cultivation, that was Master Jin Tuo Monk’s first impression of the Great Demon Tao.
But as each demon appeared, the expression on this senior expert’s face showed surprise.
Sweeping a glance over them, he then praised:
"That Heavenly Demon Great Realm is indeed a mirror of the desires manifested from the Great Abyss Origin Sea, where everything under the heavens seeks to find its demonic counterpart. Our Buddha is no exception."
"Yet, our Buddhist Sect excels at collecting and restraining desires, making Heavenly Demons related to ’Buddha’ quite rare. And whenever a Buddha Demon tribe emerges, they possess extraordinary divine skills, making them extremely difficult to capture. Even cultivators specializing in refining and subduing demons generally avoid trying."
"Unexpectedly, your Buddha’s son has excellent methods. Although the demons in this gourd don’t represent all the Buddha Demons, it covers five or six out of ten."
"Especially this Heart Lamp Demon, an Upper Heaven Demon, naturally endowed with divine skills like Buddha Fire, Protective Buddha Light, Telepathy, Heart Light Escape, etc. Even some of our Ultimate Happiness Realm’s Buddha’s sons would lose in battle against it. More remarkably, it excels in preaching and debating about Buddhism, often masquerading as an eminent monk in various realms, deceiving all living beings, and waiting for the chance to devour them."
"You managed to capture it; indeed, it’s a deed of merit."
"Coincidentally, the Buddha Lamp in my Zen Room is quite old and needs replacing."
As he spoke, the old monk reached out.
He directly grabbed a strange-shaped demon, resembling a Lotus Fire Spirit, from the Demon Fog, smiled faintly, and before the demon could struggle or resist, he casually kneaded it, causing the Demon Thought to collapse and Buddha Light to surge. Its Demon Body solidified into a quaint Heart Lamp imbued with Buddhist Rhythms.
Tao Qian’s discerning eye immediately recognized it as an extraordinary Buddha Treasure infused with divine prestige.
Indeed, Jin Tuo Monk, casually refined it by hand.
Seeing this, a look of joy appeared on Tao Qian’s face, knowing the request to borrow troops was likely granted.
Sure enough, in the next moment, Jin Tuo Monk pocketed the Buddha Lamp into his robe and reached out to take the Buddha Demon Gourd.
With a smile, he called out loudly from outside the hall to summon eight novice monks and instructed:
"Each of you take a Buddhist Order from this poor monk and go to invite the tribes of Heavenly Beings, Dragon Group, Yaksha, Gandharva, Asura, Garuda, Kinnara, Mahoraga, each to dispatch dozens of soldiers to accompany this Buddha’s son to the [Golden Country] territory to protect and subdue demons, and to rescue all living beings."
The novice monks heard the command and went on their way.
Jin Tuo Monk then explained to Tao Qian, saying:
"The Eight Great Tribes often listen to the teachings of the Ten Thousand Buddhas; each possesses extraordinary divine skills, more is less important than precision. Combined, they can form the Eight Heavenly Dragons Great Array to subdue demons, more than enough to deal with the [Headless People] clan under the command of the Headless Deity Lord."
"However, that Headless Deity Lord, being a descendant of Xingtian, has unmatched divine might in his dharma body, comparable to ordinary Bodhisattvas, making him difficult to harm even in the Daoist Transformation Realm."
"But your luck is indeed good, as today a Bodhisattva has descended here in a manifested form."
"It is the very same Guangli Bodhisattva who leads the Heavenly Dragon Tribe. I have a slight acquaintance with him, and with your wonderful gift, this matter can be accomplished."
"Wait here a moment, I will personally go to the Dragon Transformation Pond to invite him on your behalf."
With that, the mysterious dharma body of the old monk turned around with a smile and left for the Dragon Transformation Pond.
...
Seeing how easily the matter of borrowing troops was handled, the evidently significant Jin Tuo Monk’s warm friendliness made Tao Qian’s heart sigh with gratitude once more.
"What a great master indeed!"
"Taking such backdoor favors makes even this Buddha’s son feel a bit embarrassed."
Clearly, Tao Buddha’s son knew that the smooth borrowing of troops was not due to his silver tongue, but because of the influence of the Golden Cicada behind the scenes.
He, a Secret Demon Child disguised as a "Buddha’s son," had unbelievably managed to borrow an entire Buddhist army from the Spiritual Mountain, composed of the Eight Heavenly Dragons.
If this were to be spread, it would drop many jaws, truly a miracle.
Before long, this absurd and wondrous matter indeed came to be.
One by one, non-human protectors with strange shapes yet imbued with Buddha nature came forward, exactly as the old monk had said, each possessing extraordinary divine skills.
Such as the Garuda, who feeds on true dragons, never missing a meal, truly ferocious.
However, they were clearly not as formidable as Jin Tuo Monk, unable to see through Tao Buddha’s son’s illusion disguise, only recognizing him as a True Buddha Son, the future chief disciple of the Merit Buddha.
Since they were to be future colleagues, after exchanging formalities, each protector offered words of praise.
"Worthy of being the first disciple of the Saint Monk, a natural Buddha’s son, we cannot compare."
"Whoever wears the Merit Golden Hoop must be a Buddha who sees one’s own nature."
"We heard the Buddha’s son invited us to suppress demons and cultivate, and even specially prepared gifts. Truly courteous, next time, just send word, we’ll all be willing to come."
"That Buddha Fragrance Demon is excellent, capable of detoxifying the billions of Evil Dragons within us, but we lack the means to capture it. The Buddha’s son sending such a great gift obliges us to give our utmost."
"Hahaha... what a first disciple of the Saint Monk, wearing the Merit Golden Hoop and the Joyful Kasaya, truly unrestricted and showing true nature, no wonder you will be called the Peach Blossom Pure Land Bodhisattva in the future. As it happens, I have some free time, I’ll accept these Vajra Demons you sent and accompany you to meet the Headless Deity Lord."
The last sentence echoed from outside the hall, and upon looking again, they were already in front of them.
Jin Tuo Monk walked in front, followed by a quite handsome and heroic young monk, whose whole body bore golden scales, and silver whiskers adorned his jaws and throat, with auspicious aura emanating from his being.
When Tao Qian looked seriously at him, light flashed in his eyes, instantly seeing the Buddha Light surge and the demon-suppressing power sweeping over.
Instantly, a realization dawned in his heart:
"This one must be the manifested form of Guangli Bodhisattva, seemingly walking the path of ’suppressing demons by force.’"
"When it comes to fighting, I’m afraid he’s still not a match for the Fish Basket Guanyin."
"But his expertise in hand-to-hand combat counteracts non-human evil demons, embodying the power of the Eight Heavenly Dragons, precisely suited to deal with that naturally powerful Headless Deity Lord."
With this thought, Tao Qian’s smile deepened.
He adjusted his kasaya and lifted the golden hoop on his head, giving a proper Buddhist salute to the Eight Heavenly Dragons, the manifested form of Guangli Bodhisattva, the White Dragon Venerable, and then said:
"With your assistance!"
"The tens of millions of people in the Golden Country are surely saved."
"There is no time to waste, shall we depart?"
"Yes!"
"Let’s go!"
"Off to suppress the demons."
...
Among familiar faces taking the backdoor route, the atmosphere was indeed harmonious.
As soon as Tao Qian finished speaking, he immediately received an enthusiastic response.
Moments later, those within the Sacred Land of Buddhism in Tang Country, Little Ling Mountain, witnessed a rare spectacle:
Led by the manifested form of Guangli Bodhisattva, the White Dragon Venerable, the Eight Heavenly Dragons were all assembled, escorting a Buddha’s son clad in a Joyful Kasaya, parading openly, riding the clouds and mist, heading towards an unknown country.
