The Battle in Journey to the West-Chapter 38 - 0 Cultivating the Blood God Child in
Chapter 38: Chapter 038: Cultivating the Blood God Child in Seclusion
Chapter 38 -038: Cultivating the Blood God Child in Seclusion
Ancestor Minghe suffered a defeat under Laozi, feeling secretly terrified inside. The Saint’s methods were truly fearsome; despite giving his all, the opponent had defeated him without even using a Magical Treasure.
Returning to the Netherworld Blood Sea, he met with Wukong and said, “Have you had enough of being a guest here?”
Wukong, sensing someone had probably come to Ancestor Minghe asking for help or that Ancestor Minghe was frightened, replied, “Yes, enough! Your realm is full of surging blood energy; it’s quite uncomfortable for me. It’s better I leave sooner.”
Ancestor Minghe nodded slightly, feeling somewhat reluctant, for he was coerced into releasing him; having been thoroughly defeated by Laozi, he naturally did not dare to cause further troubles.
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Wukong thought to himself, “Now that I’ve established this karmic connection with such a formidable figure as Ancestor Minghe, if a Heavenly Decree arrives one day, it’s going to be troublesome. However, apart from the five major heavenly decrees during the Ancient Times and one during the Middle Ancient Period, it seems that there were no more decrees. I hope that when I grow stronger, I can face any future decrees; otherwise, I will surely turn to ashes.”
When the heavenly decree descends, those connected by karma are involved, whether good causes lead to good effects or bad causes to bad ones, whether to repay a favor or engage in combat, all depend on the nature of the cause planted, which determines the effects.
The connection Wukong just made with Ancestor Minghe was surely an evil cause, involving even the Ksitigarbha King, making him an unwitting participant in Ancestor Minghe’s sneak attack. Eventually, Ksitigarbha King would inevitably seek out Ancestor Minghe to resolve this karma. However, Wukong still felt that he was perhaps overthinking; heavenly decrees are not so easily ignored, and as he could predict 500 years into the future, there were no decrees within these years which provided him ample time to cultivate diligently. By then, with heightened mana, he would naturally fear no karmic retribution and could crush any challengers into mush.
Ancestor Minghe said, “Then that’s settled. I will escort you out.”
Wukong responded gleefully, “Thank you, Ancestor!”
With a wave of Ancestor Minghe’s large sleeve, Wukong instantly felt a chill throughout his body and exclaimed loudly. When he opened his eyes again, he had already found himself back in the Water Curtain Cave, the prior events seeming like a distant dream. However, Wukong knew it was not a dream, but actual reality. He was secretly overjoyed that he had truly escaped from death this time, thinking that if Indra had had some free time and used the Asura Mirror to refine him, he might have actually died.
Recalling the “Blood God Sutra” he had deceitfully obtained from Indra, Wukong sat down cross-legged, silently chanting the spell.
Shortly, he felt the qi within his body tremble due to the spell, its circulation speed seemingly increased noticeably, and in a brief moment, Wukong felt a growing heat throughout his body.
“The first principle of the ‘Blood God Sutra’ is to strengthen one’s own blood energy, then peel it off to form a Blood God Child as an avatar. If the avatar is destroyed, it still doesn’t harm the core — it’s incredible!” Wukong thought. As long as there is sufficient blood energy continually regenerating, he could keep refining the Blood God Child avatars.
However, it would be best to let a strand of Primordial Spirit enter into the avatar for better control, making it an extension of his own will. Naturally, stronger souls and Primordial Spirits from others could also be used, which is precisely why Ancestor Minghe occasionally raids the Underworld for his Blood God Child avatars. Born in the Blood Sea, Ancestor Minghe had remarkable advantages, refining four hundred and eighty million Blood God Children to hide amongst them, making him difficult to locate. In other words, as long as the Blood God Children live, the original self could regenerate through them; one would have to kill him four hundred and eighty million times to succeed.
“Blood God Sutra” was created by Ancestor Minghe through his enlightenment of the mysteries of the Netherworld Blood Sea. Especially when cultivated within the Netherworld Blood Sea, it had distinct advantages where abundant blood energy could be absorbed to strengthen one’s own blood and manifest Blood God Children.
Wukong contemplated within, “Currently, the Daoist Equal to Heaven carries the Seventy-Two Transformations and the ‘Sutra of the Other Shore’, though the scriptures had yet to be cultivated. Should I cultivate the ‘Blood God Sutra’ directly with my original Primordial Spirit or use the Third Primordial Spirit instead?”
The Third Primordial Spirit was still too fragile; although cultivating the “Blood God Sutra” wouldn’t harm it and could even strengthen the Primordial Spirit, Wukong felt it was still unwise; better wait until the Third Primordial Spirit fully matured before seeking more powerful techniques for cultivation. Perhaps the Third Primordial Spirit should first cultivate the Seventy-Two Transformations, gathering all one hundred and eight transformations of the Heavenly Bead and Earthly Fiend.
Until the Third Primordial Spirit matures, all is but idle talk.
Just then, the Ox Demon King and the Jiao Demon King barged in, complaining, “Wukong, is your alcohol tolerance really that poor? You’ve been asleep for two days.”
As Wukong was cultivating the “Blood God Sutra”, their sudden entrance shocked him, causing his blood energy to flow backward almost causing his blood vessels to explode. He cursed, “You two fools! I was in the middle of cultivation, and your intrusion almost led me to deviation into madness.”
The Jiao Demon King and Ox Demon King, seeing Wukong’s face turn red, asked, “What are you cultivating? It seems intense?”
Wukong snorted coldly and paid them no heed, focusing instead on continuing to circulate his blood energy. Finally, he opened his mouth and expelled a cloud of blood-red energy, into which a wisp of his Primordial Spirit was injected. They watched as this bloody mist began to solidify, forming limbs and growing about seven feet tall with proportionate girth, yet with long fingernails and a ghastly face that appeared fearsome and terrifying.
“Blood God Child avatar!” recognized the Ox Demon King, who, having dealt with masters from the Netherworld Blood Sea, instantly recognized it.
“What, big brother, you recognize this Blood God Child too?” Wukong couldn’t help but boast proudly.
“Brother, where did you get this ‘Blood God Sutra’? I never saw you leave! Could it be that your master is Ancestor Minghe?” the Ox Demon King couldn’t help but ask.
Wukong then recounted how Black and White Impermanence had captured him and taken him into the Underworld, and how Indra had taken him away with the Asura Mirror. The Ox Demon King and Jiao Demon King were astounded when they learned how Wukong had deceived Indra and obtained the ‘Blood God Sutra’ in Laojun’s name.
The Ox Demon King gave a thumbs-up and said, “Brother, you’re incredible, daring to deceive the disciple of Ancestor Minghe about the cultivation method. If Minghe finds out, I wonder what you will do!”
Jiao Demon King also raised his thumb, saying, “Brother, you’re even bolder than Old Bull, daring to impersonate a sage’s disciple and deceive others. If the sages find out, I don’t know if, for the sake of their reputations, they will kill you or not.”
Dragon Whale, not knowing when he had arrived, put his thumb up and added, “Great Saint, you truly have guts, daring to cause a great uproar in the Underworld, carelessly tampering with the Book of Life and Death. I wonder if the Heavenly Court finds out, will they send someone to kill you.”
Wukong’s Blood God Child clone spun around in the air and then returned to his body.
“When armies come, we block, when floods come, we cover with earth. We are not afraid of trouble!” said Wukong.
The Ox Demon King replied, “I like that saying—anyone dares to come, we beat the hell out of them!”
The group burst into laughter and went to continue drinking, but Wukong declined, stating that he needed to familiarize himself with the ‘Blood God Sutra’ and wanted to refine several more Blood God Children. The Ox Demon King and the others then went out to continue drinking, while Wukong sat down alone to contemplate the ‘Blood God Sutra’.
“My true self should not be too similar to the Daoist Equal to Heaven; if it wasn’t for the fact that Daoist Equal to Heaven has no magical treasures or divine powers, I would have taken the ‘Sutra of the Other Shore’ to cultivate long ago, which is a supreme scripture of the Buddhist sect!” Wukong thought to himself.
He couldn’t have too many similarities with the Daoist Equal to Heaven, to prevent Tathagata and others from noticing. He had only to take the ‘Sutra of the Other Shore’ for himself to cultivate, relying on his two Divine Whips and the Thirty-six Heavenly Transformations, he feared nothing. This time, Daoist Equal to Heaven was trying to stop the spread of Buddhism to the east, and needed some support on his journey.
Divine skills are all cultivated through the Primordial Spirit. Wukong’s abundance of Primordial Spirits, however, was also a drawback, for it required him to constantly seek out cultivation techniques and divine powers.
The Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Transformations were unpredictable and mighty, their full power manifesting only in a saint’s body, especially the “Manipulate Creation” technique, which even Goddess Nu Wa had used to reverse the cosmos and mend the heavens.
Ancestor Minghe was born a great mystic and was uniquely blessed. In the Netherworld Blood Sea, he realized this ‘Blood God Sutra’. However, the Asura clan has always been low-profile, their murderous nature notwithstanding, because too many killings in ancient times—like the Heavenly Opening, Dragon and Phoenix, and Witches and Goblins massacres—caused them to keep the Netherworld Blood Sea deeply hidden. Its power, accumulated over many years, might already be terrifying.
Wukong thought, “Soon, that Old Dragon King and the Ten Kings of Hell will probably present a memorial to the old Jade Emperor about me, and the White Gold Star, Li Changgeng, might come to the lower realm to invite me up as the Protector of the Horses! Heh, Protector of the Horses, these immortals really know how to scheme.”
Wukong decided not to ponder further and concentrated fully on the ‘Blood God Sutra’.
This ‘Blood God Sutra’ is not only used for cultivating Blood God Children but also fortifies vital energy and physical strength.
However, as stated in the ‘Blood God Sutra’, the Blood God Child avatars that kill are heavily tainted with karmic forces and karmic deeds, frequently attracting heavenly thunder. Heavenly thunder, being an inherently pure and righteous force, will cleanse the avatars of karmic dirt if they withstand it. If they do not, they will be reduced to ashes. Of course, thanks to the unique conditions of the Netherworld Blood Sea, where heavenly thunder cannot penetrate, there is no worry over thunder strikes.
Wukong was terrified as he read, no wonder the Ox Demon King had a strange face when he saw him cultivating this ‘Blood God Sutra’ and did not ask for it himself, clearly knowing that people who cultivate the ‘Blood God Sutra’ are likely to be heavily tainted with karma. Eventually, excess karmic forces could lead to divine retribution or being dragged into the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Though the divine powers cultured from this scripture are extremely robust, they come with great risks. Ancestor Minghe is indeed a remarkable person!
“One must not hesitate; once resolved, one must follow through. Isn’t it just thunderous blows from heaven?” Wukong now had a mindset of total commitment; without learning some real abilities, how could he possibly challenge Tathagata and not end up killed by him.
Wukong sat there for several days, his body constantly rumbling with vital energy. Opening his mouth, he exhaled, and a large mass of blood energy coalesced into a shadow, forming another Blood God Child avatar.
However, these Blood God Child avatars were still very fragile and required continuous refinement using the methods in the ‘Blood God Sutra’ to grow stronger and become capable of contaminating magical treasures and extinguishing human vital energy.
To find out what happens next, please tune in to the next episode.
