txolops Chapter 140 Wuji Kingdom: Classic Show-Off and Face-Slapping Scene
Chapter 140 Wuji Kingdom: Classic Show-Off and Face-Slapping Scene
Having said that, the Monkey King picked up his staff and was about to enter the temple when Li Fa quickly stopped him, laughing, "Great Sage, please calm down. The elder is compassionate and does not wish to resort to violence. I will go instead."
The traveler asked, "You? What method do you have?"
Li Fa said, "I have my reasons."
He couldn't say anything, so he mounted the tiger and went inside the mountain gate.
He didn't dismount the tiger, but just touched its head. The tiger understood and let out a long roar that was like thunder, causing the tiles on the mountain gate to fall off in a rustling sound.
The Taoist priest who had just come out from behind saw that it was a Taoist riding a fierce tiger and was so frightened that he shrank back.
Li Fa laughed and said, "Daoist, don't be afraid. I am a wandering Daoist who is passing by your temple and would like to stay the night. Please inform the abbot."
Upon hearing this, the Taoist priest indeed ran inside trembling to report the news.
Before long, the monk official returned, cursing and swearing, saying, "Taoist, stop hitting me! Don't you know I'm a monk official? I only come out to greet scholars coming from the city to offer incense. You said you only sent a wild monk before, why are you saying someone else is coming?"
As he spoke, he came to Li Fa and saw that he was a Taoist priest dressed simply, without any air of wealth or nobility. He glanced at him and did not see the tiger between Li Fa's legs.
He stood there with his nostrils flared, shouting angrily, "Where did you come from, you wild Taoist priest? This temple is a monk's home; we don't accept Taoist priests! Go somewhere else!"
Li Fa laughed and said, "Abbot, monks are guided by compassion and by expediency. You won't even lend me lodging; is that how a Buddhist disciple behaves?"
The abbot flew into a rage, yelling, "You scoundrel, how dare you lecture me? Are you one of those wild monks? Get out of here! If you don't leave, I'll have your men thrown out!"
Upon hearing this, Li Fa was not angry. He simply patted the tiger's head lightly and said, "Go and invite the academy master to open his eyes."
Upon receiving the order, Xuanhu turned around abruptly and slapped the red-lacquered railings on both sides.
With a loud "boom," the red-painted railing shattered, sending wood chips flying everywhere!
Only then did the abbot see the fierce tiger beneath his crotch. Terrified, he stumbled and ran inside.
Xuanhu calmly strolled inside, and Li Fa sat upright on its back as if he were in an empty space.
The tiger unleashed its power, slashing its tail to the right. The golden statue of Vajra on the right was severed at the waist, its upper half crashing to the ground and shattering into several pieces!
Upon seeing this, the monks cried out for their parents and scattered in all directions.
The black tiger turned to the left, opened its mouth wide, and bit off the head of the Vajra statue on the left. It held the head in its mouth, shaking its head and wagging its tail as if playing with it.
Upon seeing this, the head of the monastery collapsed to the ground, trembling all over, repeatedly crying out, "Grandpa, spare me! Grandpa, spare me!"
Meanwhile, Sun Wukong, hearing the commotion outside, knew that Li Fa had made his move and laughed, "This old Taoist priest has some skills! I'll go join in the fun!"
Great Sage! In a flash, he transformed into a giant over two zhang tall, with a blue face and fangs, looking fierce and menacing. He carried a golden cudgel as thick as a bowl and strode into the temple.
He saw a stone lion in the courtyard, kicked it, and the stone lion rolled three zhang away and shattered into several pieces.
He then tossed the golden cudgel into the air. The cudgel fell down with a "thud" and stuck straight into the blue brick ground in the courtyard, with only a section about seven or eight feet long protruding. It was as thick as a basin!
Wukong jumped onto the top of the staff, sat cross-legged, and looked down from above with imposing presence.
The abbot looked up and saw a giant with a hairy face and a thunder god's mouth sitting on the pillar-like iron rod, its fiery eyes glaring at him. Terrified, he soiled himself and scrambled to his knees in the courtyard, kowtowing repeatedly: "Heavenly God! This humble monk was blind and offended you! Please, Grandfather, spare my life! Spare my life!"
Wukong shouted, "You bald monk! You were so arrogant just now, cursing my master and kicking him out! Why aren't you cursing him anymore?"
The abbot cried, "This humble monk deserves to die! This humble monk deserves to die! I didn't know it was a living Buddha descending, and I have offended you greatly! I beg you, Grandfather, have mercy! This humble monk is willing to offer up everything in the temple, just to beg for my life!"
Wukong said, "Spare you? Go and invite my master in, treat him well, and I'll spare you this time!"
The abbot kowtowed repeatedly, scrambled to his feet, stumbled out of the temple gate, knelt before Tang Sanzang, and kowtowed, saying, "Elder Master! This humble monk was blind and did not recognize your greatness, I have offended you! I beg your mercy, Elder Master, to allow me to enter the temple and rest! This humble monk has prepared a meditation room, I only ask that you take this opportunity!"
Seeing his initial arrogance followed by obsequiousness, Tang Sanzang felt a pang of pity and was about to help him up when Bajie said, "Master, don't pay him any mind! This kind of snobbish person should be made to kneel a little longer!"
Sha Wujing said, "Second Brother, let's be lenient when we can."
Tang Sanzang sighed, "Amitabha, well said, well said. Abbot, please rise. You and I are both disciples of Buddhism."
They then helped the abbot up and entered the temple together.
At this moment, Wukong had returned to his original form, put away his golden cudgel, and stood side by side with Li Fa.
The abbot said, "Sir, you are an imperial envoy from the capital, and this humble monk has failed to greet you properly. Now that we have arrived in this desolate mountain, I am sorry that my worldly eyes fail to recognize your esteemed presence, and we have met by chance. May I ask, sir, have you been eating vegetarian or meat-based meals along the way? We would like to prepare a meal for you."
Tang Sanzang said, "Eat vegetarian food."
The abbot breathed a sigh of relief and walked up to Wukong, saying, "This grandpa really likes to eat meat."
The pilgrim said, "Old Sun is also a vegetarian; he's been a vegetarian since birth."
The abbot exclaimed, "Grandpa, even this fierce man eats vegetarian food!"
He then walked up to Li Fa and asked, "Grandpa Daoist, would you like to eat meat?"
Li Fa said, "Thank you for your trouble, Abbot. I am also willing to eat vegetarian food."
A bold monk approached and asked, "Since everyone eats vegetarian food, why doesn't the tiger eat meat?"
Li Fa said, "My tiger is no ordinary tiger. It does not eat meat from the mortal world, but only feeds on ghosts and monsters. You do not need to worry."
The monk was relieved and asked, "Since you gentlemen are vegetarian, how much rice should we cook for you?"
Bajie said, "You petty monk! What are you asking! You only cook a bushel of rice for one family."
The monks panicked and went to wash the pots and stoves, arrange tea and meals in each room, light the lamps, and rearrange the tables and chairs to entertain everyone.
After everyone had finished their evening meal, the monks cleaned up their kitchens and cleared out several clean meditation rooms, laying out brocade rugs and hanging gauze curtains.
Tang Sanzang put his palms together and said, "Abbot, you are too kind. I am unworthy of such hospitality."
The abbot waved his hands repeatedly, "Of course! Of course! Elders, please just give the order if you need anything!"
That night, the moon was bright and the stars were few, and all was quiet.
All the disciples had gone to sleep, leaving only Tang Sanzang holding the scriptures. He sat there until the second watch of the night before putting the scriptures in his bag. Just as he was about to get up and go to sleep, he heard a loud rustling sound outside the door, followed by a sudden gust of wind.
Fearing that he might blow out the lamp, the elder hurriedly covered it with the sleeve of his robe. Seeing that the lamp was sometimes bright and sometimes dim, he felt a little frightened.
Remembering Li Fa's words about encountering ghosts, she felt a little scared and quickly knocked on the window next door, calling softly, "Taoist Master, Taoist Master, are you sleeping well?"
Li Fa was naturally awake, knowing that the Ghost King would surely visit Tang Sanzang at night, so he kept watch.
Hearing Tang Sanzang shout, he hurriedly replied, "Elder, do not be alarmed, a ghost has arrived."
Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang became even more frightened and hurriedly asked, "Master, what is your plan?"
Li Fa said, "Let's see what this humble Taoist has to offer."
He patted the tiger, and the tiger immediately understood, turning into a whirlwind and disappearing, returning shortly afterward.
Tang Sanzang had already arrived at Li Fa's house when he saw the tiger return with a person in its mouth. He was terrified, thinking that Li Fa had let the tiger harm people.
Li Fa laughed and said, "Elder, do not worry, this is a ghost."