CHAPTER 704: 581 PORTABLE WITCH

Master Zun Sheng’s strength was undoubtedly the top among those in Shu Mountain, unmatched by any. Among the three monks and two nuns, he ranked first.

He had previously confronted Elder Shi Pi, engaging in a debate over Buddhist scriptures and Daoist techniques. Elder Shi Pi captured him and tortured him with various Demon Path Techniques, forcing the old monk to concede defeat.

The old monk did not resist; he allowed the magic to torture him and continuously chanted Buddhist scriptures day and night. His voice, penetrating powerfully, could not be sealed by Elder Shi Pi’s Demon Path Forbidden Technique. No matter where he was, the sound of the Buddhist scriptures directly entered the ears and hearts of others, annoying Elder Shi Pi immensely.

Later, Master Zun Sheng made a grand vow—he would not subdue Shi Pi with his powers but would save him at the critical moment of his destiny, converting his heart willingly to follow the Buddhist path.

Many years passed, and Elder Shi Pi felt that cultivating through the Demon Path ultimately brought him little joy. Being the Sect Hierarch of the Great Asura Sect, the best fate he could achieve was to become an Asura King among the celestial beings. Moreover, natural and human tribulations were increasingly imminent, and the evil causes he had set forth in the past were about to come to fruition.

As one of the Cosmic Six Strange, his powers were naturally immense, but with greater power came stronger tribulations.

He then thought to seek a way out within the Buddhist Law, meticulously creating a Demon Prison, sealing inside the twelve Heavenly Yin Yang Divine Demons he had cultivated over a thousand years, and then went to find Master Zun Sheng, only to discover that the master had vanished.

Like Elder Kuzhu back in the day, Shi Pi sought out Buddhist teachings to study, integrating them with the Asura Great Technique he had previously learned. His power kept growing, yet he still could not solve the fundamental problem.

In the original work, after Elder Shi Pi established his stronghold at Emei, because of the disastrous relationship between his daughter and Ruan Zheng, he captured many Emei Sect disciples, using magic to make them reward each other. This incited the Emei Sect and their allies to launch a massive attack, and in the final moments, Master Zun Sheng intervened, leading Elder Shi Pi to sudden repentance and conversion to Buddhism...

Currently, Elder Shi Pi had not yet reached the point of complete despair, and Master Zun Sheng had not found the right opportunity to convert him; hence, he remained delayed in the human world.

Master Zun Sheng’s only remaining task was to achieve rebirth into paradise. He usually remained hidden deep in the mountains for cultivation, unfindable by others. It was also the fate of Shaolin Temple that Master Fang Zheng chanted daily to the Buddha, imploring for compassionate intercession so that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas might come to Shaolin Temple, extensively spread the Buddhist teachings, enhance the Shaolin Dharma Collection, connect once again to the Tathagata’s magic vein, and restore the prosperous Zen era the same as when Dharma Ancestor was alive.

Master Fang Zheng had been imploring for several decades, and finally, Master Zun Sheng arrived, desperately pleading and bowing to request the teachings.

Monastic folks emphasize Dharma Giving. When someone requests teachings, it is vital to seize the opportunity and teach; one should not be stingy with the teachings.

Master Zun Sheng came to the temple to preach to the monks, and for over half a month, the monks in the temple benefited immensely.

Master Fang Zheng had previously intensely studied Dharma’s "Yi Jin Jing," and his foundation was solid. This time, having received "Desire Samadhi Breakthrough Achieving Six Powers Scripture" from Master Zun Sheng, which includes "Desire Samadhi Breakthrough Achieving Heavenly Eye Scripture" and "Desire Samadhi Breakthrough Achieving Heavenly Ear Scripture," followed by "Other Heart Sutra," "Karma Sutra," "Divine Power Scripture," and "Leaking End Scripture," he was cultivating the six spiritual powers of Buddhism.

The Dharma assembly was soon to conclude, but then this incident occurred.

Yu Xiangzhu, accompanied by her disciple Wei Yaozhi, was pursuing Yin Yang Elder Situ Lei. On their way, they encountered Shi Pi’s twin disciples, Tian Qi and Tian Yao, and without much discussion, they began fighting fiercely, battling to death.

Master Zun Sheng ordered them to stop and listen to his sermon. With his divine power, he could easily settle these conflicts, but the "Blood God Scripture" in the Evil Book proved challenging.

He held a red pill for a moment, removed the jade ring that tied his kasaya, and stuffed the red pill into it.

The next instant, the Red Flower Princess appeared behind him, her face ferocious, her eyes filled with murderous intent. Shooting blood-red rays from her fingertips, she aimed to pierce dozens of holes into Master Zun Sheng’s head.

The old monk had the Formless Buddha Light to protect his body, and her Blood Flame Divine Light naturally dissipated upon touching the Buddha Light.

She then stuck out her tongue, which kept extending out of her mouth, growing longer and longer, soon reaching over two feet long, attempting to lick the old monk’s nape.

Again, it touched the Buddha Light and made a hissing sound, producing golden Buddha Fire that scorched her tongue.

Red Flower Princess screamed and retracted her tongue.

Master Zun Sheng, without turning his head, said, "From now on, you will stay by my side, listen to my sermons and chanting day and night. Although your evil nature is hard to tame, it can still reduce some of your karmic obstacles, giving you a chance for redemption in the future."

The Red Flower Princess then fiercely conjured a blood-drenched iron nail, about a foot long, its edges sharp, with her right hand changing into a bloodied hammer. She attempted to hammer the iron nail into the old monk’s head with a tinkling sound like a stonemason splitting rock or a blacksmith forging metal, sparking fire as she hammered continuously. The old monk had Buddha Light to protect him, remaining unharmed, yet her relentless hammering made everyone in the courtyard’s skin crawl with fear.

The old monk looked at the assembly of monks and suddenly shouted in a loud voice, "Duh! All forms are but illusions! What worries do you have? What fears do you have?"

The monks hurriedly brought their palms together, chanting in unison, "Amitabha Buddha!"

He then spoke to the Tiger Head Monk, "From now on, follow me closely, learn the Buddhist teachings with diligence. When I pass away eventually, I will lend you my physical body to bear the evil curse within you."

The Tiger Head Monk thought to himself, ’When will you pass away exactly?’

However, the opportunity to study with such a revered monk was rare and not easily sought, despite the witch behind him making everyone uneasy.

He quickly prostrated himself and accepted him as his master, calling him "Master."

The old monk then addressed Yu Xiangzhu and her disciples, as well as Tian Qi and Tian Yao, "This death tribulation of yours can only be resolved by converting to Buddhism. Otherwise, your lives will be short-lived!"

Yu Xiangzhu continued to curse the old monk with increasing vulgarity.

The Tian brothers also held disdain for the old monk. They were disciples of Elder Shi Pi, disciples directly transmitted by the Sect Hierarch of the Great Asura Sect, one of the Cosmic Six Strange. Would a scrawny monk emerging from some unknown hole, even with some magic powers, deserve to compare with our master? Deserve to be our master?

They both mocked Master Zun Sheng relentlessly.

Master Zun Sheng did not get angry, but merely sighed and said to Yin Yang Elder, "Since that is the case, I will now shave your head and give you the precepts, and you shall enter under my tutelage."

Yin Yang Elder was overjoyed and hurriedly kowtowed to accept him as his master.

Master Zun Sheng, with the help of Master Fang Zheng, shaved Yin Yang Elder’s hair and explained the precepts, "Under my tutelage... we do not talk about seniority of Dharma names."

His qualifications were simply too old, having attained the Dao during the Eastern Han period. Even Buddhist monks from the Three Kingdoms and Jin period, as well as Master Xuanzang from the Tang Dynasty, came many years after him.

He then gave Yin Yang Elder the Dharma name "Qingliang."

"Desire constantly arises in your heart, burning your body, drying your mouth and thirsting your tongue, scattering your essence and spirit, as if you were in the flame hell. Therefore, you must possess the intent of coolness. Remember, remember, desire cannot be severed, nor can you escape the sea of suffering. You must be careful in the future to observe and cease thoughts and desires in order to attain coolness."

Yin Yang Elder bowed again, "Thank you, master, for bestowing the name!"

Master Zun Sheng had taken two disciples and also had a witch constantly trying to crack his skull by his side. He got up to take his leave, intending to head west from the Shaolin Temple.

Yu Xianzhu shouted loudly, "Hey, old monk! If you leave, what reason do you have to keep locking us up here? If you’re capable, you should kill us all! Otherwise, let grandma go!"

Master Zun Sheng sighed, "You trap yourself, when have I ever trapped you? If you want to leave, then go."

He turned around to bid farewell to Master Fang Zheng and others, took his two disciples, and left the mountain gate of Shaolin Temple, heading down the mountain.

Master Fang Zheng and others accompanied him a distance, but Master Zun Sheng stopped them, "Do not pass this mountain gate, or disaster will surely strike! Go back and meditate diligently, great prospects lie in the future!"

The monks then bid him farewell again inside the gate.

Yu Xiangzhu tried to cast a spell to fly up, only to find that indeed her mana had been restored. As she watched the emaciated old monk hastily making his way down the mountain path, anger surged in her heart, and malice rose to her gall. She waved her bamboo staff and lifted a giant rock from the adjacent Mount Taishi, supporting it with a blue light, and directly smashed it over Master Zun Sheng and his two disciples.

She even feared it might not succeed, thus she gathered three thousand self-cultivated Biji Water Needles and a large amount of Gui Water Divine Thunder behind the mountain peak and launched them all together.

If her attack were to succeed, not only would it pulverize the three people but also cause massive collapses on Mount Song, killing and injuring tens of thousands!

However, when these objects smacked down, just as they were about to hit Master Zun Sheng and his disciples, suddenly everything before her eyes blurred, and all three methods of attack disappeared.

Yu Xiangzhu suspected she had fallen into an illusion, quickly concentrated, and sternly observed. The three continued walking down the mountain road without turning their heads, only the bloody red-garbed witch floating beside the old monk turned to look at her, her eyes mocking.

Suddenly, she saw that the previously moved giant rock was still in its original place, connected to the bottom just as before, as if it had never been broken and lifted.

Yet if it was all an illusion, her painstakingly cultivated Gui Water Divine Thunder and three thousand Biji Water Needles had also vanished; no matter how she cast spells to summon them, there was no response.

Confused about what had happened, she felt both alarmed and frightened. Meanwhile, Master Fang Zheng and other monks paid no attention to her and turned back to the temple.

Suddenly, Tian Qi and Tian Yao burst into laughter.

Yu Xiangzhu raged, "What are you laughing at?"

Tian Qi replied, "We are merely laughing at the laughable, what does it have to do with you?"

Tian Yao chimed in, "Could it be that you consider yourself laughable?"

Tian Qi continued, "It seems so; this shrew is incomplete in limbs, ugly in appearance, pretentiously arrogant and foolishly ignorant, truly a laughable person."

Tian Yao added, "Yet such a laughable person refuses to let others laugh at her."

Tian Qi nodded, "That is precisely the most laughable aspect of such people."

...

Yu Xiangzhu nearly fainted from anger, she was intimidated by Master Zun Sheng’s tactics, initially intending to take her disciple Wei Yaozhi back to West Sea Island in the East Sea to report to her master, asking her master to intervene in Central Earth and severely deal with that old monk. But the Tian siblings’ words enraged her to breaking point, almost causing her to vomit blood, no longer capable of restraining herself, she released her Flying Sword again, "Today, I must behead you two little mongrels!"

The Tian siblings each released three Blood Flame Flying Forks, engaging in a swordfight with Yu Xiangzhu, "Ugly splash! We hadn’t finished fighting earlier, let’s continue!"

Tian Yao even said, "As if anyone is afraid of you!"

Tian Qi remarked, "You, ugly splash, lacked virtue in your past life, were born disabled in this life, and ought to cherish the remaining good hand and good leg, doing more good deeds."

Tian Yao continued, "Today, we will chop off your other good hand and good leg, letting you know the dangers of Jianghu!"