txolops Chapter 33 Disguised as the Celestial Master Gao Zhuang
Chapter 33 Disguised as the Celestial Master Gao Zhuang
Meanwhile, Li Fa escaped along the stream, and after an unknown amount of time, his magic power was exhausted, and he collapsed into his original form, falling heavily into the withered grass on the riverbank, unconscious.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying on a wooden bed, with a simple thatched roof in the distance.
He struggled to sit up, but found his body weak, his hands and feet numb and sore. He felt dizzy and unable to move after exerting any effort.
No wonder.
The Starlight Divine Water of Guanyin Bodhisattva was indeed powerful. Li Fa only touched it and felt his six senses numb and his limbs weak. If it weren't for the Five Elements Great Escape, he would probably have already fallen into Guanyin's hands.
"Stop moving, stop moving!" At this moment, an old woman, about fifty years old, came in from outside, carrying a bowl of medicine.
"Thank you, Grandma," Li Fa said in a hoarse voice, but secretly he summoned the Merit Record. However, the record did not react to the old woman in front of him, so Li Fa was relieved and thought she was just an ordinary person.
"Young man, where are you from? Why did you faint on this riverbank?" The old woman placed the medicine bowl on the low stool by the bedside, stirred the medicine in the bowl with a wooden spoon, and then scooped up a spoonful and brought it to Li Fa's mouth. "These are herbs that I picked up from the mountain. They can heal injuries and dispel cold. Drink them while they're hot to replenish your strength."
The decoction is dark brown and has a bitter taste.
Li Fa's mind raced, and after confirming several times that there was no abnormality in the merit record, he finally felt relieved and drank the medicine.
After taking the medicine, I felt a warm sensation rising in my stomach and my spirits lifted slightly.
"Grandma, you have shown me immense kindness. My name is Li Fa, a merchant who was robbed by bandits on the road. I escaped with my life, but collapsed from exhaustion." Li Fa caught his breath and carefully crafted an identity. "May I ask where this place is?"
The old woman put down her medicine bowl, sighed, and said, "This is the border of Tibet, so it's not unusual for you to encounter bad people. In fact, these days, it's not peaceful at all, not only on the roads but also within the country."
"The Kingdom of Ü-Tsang?" Li Fa's heart skipped a beat, instantly remembering that Gao Village was located in this area. He immediately asked, "I've heard that the Kingdom of Ü-Tsang is a major power in the Western Regions. How come it's so turbulent?"
The old woman sighed, "Let's not talk about far away. Just take Gaojia Village, fifteen miles to the south, for example. Three years ago, a pig demon came and took the village head's daughter hostage, causing unrest for the surrounding twenty miles."
"Is the manor lord just going to put up with this?" Li Fa already had a plan in mind; this pig demon was undoubtedly Zhu Bajie.
The old woman said, "That's not true. Over the years, Master Gao has invited countless Taoist priests and monks to capture the demon, but they were either driven away by the pig demon or killed. In the end, no one dared to come to his door anymore."
"I see," Li Fa nodded, then asked, "Since there's a pig demon causing trouble nearby, why doesn't Grandma move away and find a safe place to settle down?"
As soon as he said this, the old woman sighed and cried, "I am a lonely old woman, my husband is dead, my children are gone, my parents are no longer alive, I have no relatives or friends, where can I go? I might as well stay in this dilapidated house and spend the rest of my life here."
Upon hearing this, Li Fa felt a pang of sorrow and sighed deeply. He then took out two gold ingots from his pocket, which he had casually taken from the room in Jinchi.
He placed the gold on the bedside table and said, "Grandma, don't be sad. Take this money and use it to buy some food, repair the house, and bring some peace of mind."
Unexpectedly, the old woman only glanced at the gold before waving her hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no! This old woman saved you; it's an act of kindness. How can I accept your money?"
Li Fa's heart stirred, and he asked, "Why is Grandma so insistent on accumulating merit and doing good deeds?"
The old woman wiped away her tears and said, "I don't understand any profound principles, but the head monk of the nearby temple said that if I accumulate good deeds in this life, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will guide me in the next life, allowing me to go to the Pure Land and no longer suffer like this!"
Upon hearing this, Li Fa suddenly sneered, "Seeking help from Buddha is not as good as seeking help from others, and seeking help from others is not as good as seeking help from yourself. Instead of relying on Buddha to save you, you should save yourself!"
Upon hearing this, the old woman was taken aback at first, then suddenly smiled, all the sorrow in her eyes vanishing.
The next second, her figure turned into a wisp of smoke and disappeared. The thatched hut, wooden bed, and medicine bowl around her also turned into gusts of wind and scattered with the wind.
Li Fa was shocked. He looked up and saw a piece of paper floating down from mid-air.
He knew he had encountered a deity, so he quickly reached out and took the note. It read:
She was once Rong Xuxuan's wife, and gave birth to a son named Zhongyu who guarded the western frontier.
In the Jade Pool, banquets are often held with abundant peaches; in the Fairy Garden, the sound of jade chimes can be heard occasionally.
Under Fuli's seat, he listened to profound verses, and the Primordial Heavenly Venerable bestowed upon him the Daoist canon.
The primordial energy transforms into the Dipper, and the stars and constellations throughout the heavens illuminate the world.
Suddenly, calamity clouds arose in the three realms, and boundless karmic miasma invaded the good.
She then transformed into a widow and lived in the wilderness, brewing medicine to aid her recovery and testing her resolve.
A smiling, benevolent face dispels illusions; a note left behind illuminates the hidden potential.
Young man, just focus on your own journey, and your wisdom will cut through your hesitation!
Li Fa then realized that the old woman was actually the Old Mother of Lishan. But shouldn't this old mother appear in the part about the Four Sages testing the mind of Zen?
Why are you here now, trying to enlighten him?
Moreover, and most importantly, the Record of Merits states that heavenly secrets are obscured and the divine cannot perceive them.
But how did the Old Mother of Lishan find herself?
Furthermore, the last sentence of the note clearly indicates that the Old Mother of Lishan is telling him to go all out and do his thing, as someone will naturally support him.
But who will stand up for me?
A host of doubts filled Li Fa's mind, leaving him utterly perplexed.
Just then, the Merit Chart was updated:
[The one who cannot be killed: Zhu Bajie (the chosen one)]
[Potential rescue target: Gao Cuilan]
[Unemployment Assessment]
Rewards for a successful rescue:
[Optional Reward 1: Five Jiazi of Mana from the "Creating Heaven and Earth Technique"]
[Optional Reward Two: Soaring Through the Clouds (Supernatural Power)]
[Optional Reward 3: Arhat Fist (Martial Arts)]
Li Fa stared at the three options that appeared on the merit chart, his heart filled with turmoil.
He already possessed five Jiazi of magical power; if he were to add another five Jiazi of magical power, it would be considered quite profound, which greatly tempted Li Fa.
As for the subsequent ability to ride the clouds, he has the Five Elements Escape Technique and the Wind and Cloud Transformation Technique, which seem to be optional.
As for the Arhat Fist, even if it's the Arhat Fist of a true Arhat, Li Fa doesn't think much of it.
He possesses the Black Gold Spear and the art of spear fighting; his martial arts skills lie entirely in spear techniques, not fist techniques.
As for rescuing Gao Cuilan, it was actually about stealing credit from the pilgrimage team. The most important thing was to accept Gao Yuanwai's commission before Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang arrived.
With this in mind, Li Fa decided to set off immediately.
According to the instructions of the Old Mother of Lishan, Gaojiazhuang is about fifteen miles south of here.
It's very close; it would only take a moment for it to fly over like a gust of wind.
So he got up and stretched, and found that a warm current was flowing through his body, and his injuries had healed by about 70-80%.
It seems that the medicine from the Old Mother of Lishan really worked.
Li Fa's figure flickered, transforming into a wisp of breeze. Instead of heading directly to Gao Family Village, he first drifted towards a nearby town.
He went to a cloth shop and bought a Taoist robe, a whisk, and a banner with the four characters "Celestial Master Descends the Mountain" written on it.
After dressing up, he transformed into an old man, holding a whisk and carrying a banner, and slowly walked towards Gaojiazhuang.