The Battle in Journey to the West-Chapter 61 - 0 Dragon Horse and Fragrant Elephant

Yang Jian considered King Bodhisattva to be a minor Bodhisattva with little fame and limited ability. Though he possessed a fruit position, who knew if it was through the backdoor of some Buddha Ancestor? Not just Yang Jian, even Shemoteng and Zhufalan did not recognize him.

However, despite being the least of Bodhisattvas, with low mana, as a battle-hardened figure, King Bodhisattva’s assistance was better than none.

Emperor Liu Zhuang inquired, “I wonder if the Bodhisattva is here to mediate or to compete in spells?”

King Bodhisattva replied, “Naturally, I am here to aid the disciples of my Buddhist Sect.”

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Emperor Liu Zhuang nodded in acknowledgment.

The Daoist Equal to Heaven spoke to Yang Jian, “Yang, please back me up. Let me have a duel with this King Bodhisattva; after all, we also have a karmic connection. It would be best if I can finish him this time!”

Yang Jian agreed, “Alright, I will back you up and see what other experts the Buddhist Sect has.”

Shemoteng and Zhufalan having met King Bodhisattva; thereafter, he informed them that he would take on the battle and told them to just watch from behind. There was no need to worry as more Buddhist experts would arrive soon. Shemoteng and Zhufalan finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat cross-legged on the ground to conserve their strength.

The Daoist Equal to Heaven stepped forward, “Who shall fight the first round with me?”

King Bodhisattva stepped up and said, “This poor monk seeks to experience the Taoist Arts of the Daoist master.”

The Daoist Equal to Heaven chuckled, “King Bodhisattva? You wish to engage in magic combat with me? Then choose, shall it be a contest of Formations, Mana, Primordial Spirit, Reasoning, or Divine Skills?”

After pondering for a moment, King Bodhisattva, thinking of how he had recently refined a multitude of masters from the Aquatic Tribes and his Primordial Spirit had become incredibly formidable, replied, “Then this poor monk will dare to challenge the Daoist master in a contest of Primordial Spirit!”

This suited the Daoist Equal to Heaven perfectly! His Primordial Spirit was initially Wukong’s Second Primordial Spirit, which had entered Yuan Hong through Fetal Transformation and Easy Shape-shifting, growing anew. His meridians, bones, and flesh were exquisitely cultivated, and his Primordial Spirit, nourished by this physical body, had grown significantly stronger, several times more potent than ordinary people. Furthermore, his Samsara Pen was exceptionally powerful and could afflict one’s Primordial Spirit with Karmic Force, damaging it. The fact that King Bodhisattva chose to contest Primordial Spirits was precisely what the Daoist Equal to Heaven wished for.

The Daoist Equal to Heaven nodded assertively, “Good, since you want to compete with Primordial Spirits, I will oblige. But this contest is extremely dangerous, and if there is injury, what then?”

King Bodhisattva said, “Magic combat naturally requires a verdict of superiority and the decision of life and death! Particularly with Primordial Spirit combat, a single misstep could result in obliteration. Since I have chosen this method, I have no objections. Whoever loses, it must be their fate.”

The Daoist Equal to Heaven exclaimed, “Excellent! Very well!”

King Bodhisattva spoke again, “The battle of Primordial Spirits is no trivial matter; we must take a moment to rejuvenate our spirits before commencing. I beseech Your Majesty to wait for half an hour, until our spirits are fully recharged, and then proceed with the magical combat.”

“Indeed, that is proper,” Liu Zhuang replied, “Daoist Equal to Heaven and King Bodhisattva, please take your time to recuperate. I will wait here.”

Knowing that a battle of Primordial Spirits was no small feat, Daoist Equal to Heaven dared not be negligent and immediately sat down cross-legged, his hands forming a spell above his knees, and his brow shone with bursts of radiance. Suddenly, from his crown, a dragon and a horse flew out. The dragon soared through the Nine Heavens, and the horse galloped across the sky, prompting awed exclamations from the onlookers. The Immortals seldom showed themselves in the mortal world, fearing the tainting effects of the mortal world’s karmic force. Thus, few in attendance had ever seen such Immortal Abode techniques. There were some minor cultivators in the mortal world, but their tricks were insignificant compared to those of the Daoist Equal to Heaven.

“Dragon Horse Vitality? This person’s spirit and Primordial Spirit must both be incredibly powerful. I didn’t expect him to also be so adept at cultivating the Primordial Spirit!” King Bodhisattva suddenly felt uneasy. This was his forte, yet the opponent was equally skilled, eliminating his advantage.

The courtiers exclaimed in surprise, even Liu Zhuang held his breath to watch the Daoist Equal to Heaven in meditation keenly. The dragon and the horse appeared extremely auspicious, which greatly delighted Liu Zhuang.

King Bodhisattva also refused to show weakness, sitting down cross-legged, hands joined in prayer, silently reciting a scripture before letting out a roar. A point of golden light emerged from his brow, and Buddha Light in golden streams burst from his crown, resembling a pouring river of gold. Within the light, the rumbling of dragons and trumpeting of elephants suddenly could be heard.

The commotion startled the crowd, who swiftly turned to look, only to see a dragon and an elephant appear above King Bodhisattva’s head.

Thus the saying goes:

Thirty years to serve as oxen and horses, sixty years to transform into dragons and elephants of All Buddhas.

The visions manifested by King Bodhisattva were naturally the Dragon Elephant of All Buddhas, another auspicious sign. Liu Zhuang couldn’t help clapping his hands and laughed, “Both esteemed masters are truly formidable. To behold such wonders in my lifetime is enough! If only these dragons and elephants, these dragon horses, were real, how wonderful would it be?”

The eunuch by his side chuckled, “If Your Majesty continues to rule with such dedication, surely the heavens have noticed. As a result, we have this monk and real person here to display magical combat and present visions to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty, for surely you are destined to witness the harmonious roar of dragon elephants and the galloping of dragon horses.”

Those in power always enjoy such auspicious and fortunate words. Liu Zhuang was no exception, especially since the Great Han was indeed thriving, a source of great pride for him. The eunuch’s words perfectly matched Liu Zhuang’s wishes.

The courtiers watched, dumbfounded, as the dragon horse galloped on one side and the dragon elephant roared on the other, making it difficult to determine a clear superior.

Daoist Equal to Heaven and King Bodhisattva both focused on revitalizing their spirits. Since the Primordial Spirit is closely linked to the spirit, having glimpsed a fraction of the other’s power, naturally, neither of them dared to take it lightly, aiming to put forth their best effort. Both were now meditating in silence.

Within his mind, Daoist Equal to Heaven visualized a great Buddha, none other than Amitabha Buddha, radiating Immeasurable Light and possessing Immeasurable Life, which caused his spirit to flicker and grow stronger!

Naturally, King Bodhisattva also used the Dharma of Zen to visualize a great Buddha—Siddhartha Gautama Buddha Tathagata, with a Six Zhang Golden Body, shining bright. King Bodhisattva felt as though he was immersed in a warm spring, his spirit gradually becoming buoyant.

Yang Jian witnessed this and thought to himself, “Although the Dharma of Zen is akin to poison for ordinary people, it is a treasure for those who pursue cultivation, especially in making the Primordial Spirit and spirit incredibly strong.”

Shemoteng and Zhufalan exchanged glances, each with their own contemplations. Shemoteng thought, “It’s no surprise that King Bodhisattva is truly worthy of his attained status; such a powerful spirit reveals his mastery of the Zen Methods. In this regard, we both fall short.”

Zhufalan pondered, “I never expected this Daoist Equal to Heaven to have such a profound understanding of our Buddhist Sect scriptures, to not only grasp the principles within, but to also, it seems, practice meditation and visualization. I wonder where did he acquire such profound teachings that allow him to cultivate his spirit to such strength.”

The Daoist Equal to Heaven, with his innately exceptional spirit, coupled with his cultivation of the “Sutra of the Other Shore,” was even more empowered.

At this initial display, the two venerable monks of the Buddhist sect felt astounded! Had King Bodhisattva not been able to hold his ground, the situation would have likely become one-sided.

Yang Jian watched as the dragon elephant and the dragon horse seemed more and more lifelike, internally shocked, he thought, “The spirits of these two are much stronger than mine! Although my Eighty-Nine Mystical Techniques are mysterious, they focus on cultivating the physical body, making me at a disadvantage against opponents with such strong Primordial Spirits and spirits.”

Yang Jian’s body was impervious to blade and spear, a testament to the power of the Eighty-Nine Mystical Techniques. However, his cultivation of the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends Transformations held back his progress. Since ancient times, given his talent, he had made little advancement, a vexing predicament. Yet starting anew to cultivate was now impossible; he could only continue to explore on his own.

Half an hour passed by quickly, and while the courtiers and the Emperor were growing weary with yawns, Daoist Equal to Heaven rose to his feet with a roar, resonating like a dragon’s chant and a tiger’s howl, deafening those nearby. King Bodhisattva, too, stood up and let out a roar, like the furious bellow of a lion, the very manifestation of the Buddhist Lion’s Roar.

Both sides were about to begin their magic combat.

As to the outcome—who would prevail—please listen to the next installment for the resolution.