Journey to the West: The Great Sage's Guide

Chapter 45 Nominal Disciple

Zhong Xuan showed no anger or helplessness, but simply winked at her.

She saw the young man again, and he gave her a faint smile.

It was a bit playful, which made Rakshasa's heart skip a beat.

His smile held a hint of indulgence and a touch of helplessness.

There was also a hint of knowing, "Look, you've dragged me into this mess."

The only thing missing was blame for her earlier impulsive argument.

That gentle smile was like a warm ray of sunshine in the morning.

It instantly pierced through the gloom in Rakshasa's heart, brightening her mood.

All her previous anger, confusion, helplessness and grievances.

All of that vanished in that one glance, that one smile from the other person.

The Rakshasa woman's lips curled up slightly involuntarily, and even the coldness in her eyes faded a bit.

Fortunately, they were all hidden under veils.

In that instant, she seemed to see a crack appear in the cocoon, letting in a sliver of light, only to give rise to new entanglements.

On the other side, the three people from Shuiyue Temple stood aside, watching the scene before them.

Holding Xiao Qingyue, Ye Quanzhen raised an eyebrow at Abbess Jingyuan and asked in a low voice:

"Master, is this what you meant by being born with the potential to become a Buddha?"

Ye Quanzhen's face seemed naturally aloof, and he always pursed his lips as he said, "He doesn't look anything special, just an ordinary boy."

Master Jingyuan smiled and shook her head, her gaze falling on Zhong Xuan. She praised him, saying, "This young man is extraordinary. As you get to know him, you'll see how clear-headed he is. His Dao heart is exceptional, unlike that of ordinary cultivators."

Xiao Qingyue nodded vigorously beside her, adding in her childish voice, "Senior Brother Ye, this benefactor is amazing! He can use his magic to lift me up and fly, and he can even draw talismans that can create wind."

Ye Quanzhen raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Seeing that Zhong Xuan remained silent, the man surnamed Zhou also knelt down on the ground.

He actually crawled on his knees to the boy, pleading pitifully, "Immortal Master! Please have pity on my wife and me, and give us some guidance. Where has that horse gone?"

Zhong Xuan finally raised his eyes and quietly looked at the couple.

His eyes were gentle and clear, yet they carried an inexplicable power.

When the couple met those eyes, the initial thought of coercing or intimidating him vanished instantly.

All that remained was resentment and a deep fear of having to pay the landlord's money in compensation.

Zhong Xuan observed the expressions on the two men's faces, blinked, and said loudly, "Losing a horse may not necessarily be a disaster."

These words caused an uproar in the room.

Dozens or even hundreds of neighbors, as well as the three practitioners from Shuiyue Nunnery, were all shocked.

The man surnamed Zhou's eyes instantly reddened; he abruptly stood up, grabbed his wife, and...

He roared angrily at Zhong Xuan, "You damned immortal!"

"If you don't want to help, then forget it!"

"They actually made fun of us suffering mortals."

"If it weren't for you, how could our family have ended up in this state?"

"You actually say that losing a horse is not a disaster."

Before he could finish speaking, his wife grabbed him tightly.

His wife gestured for him to look at the Rakshasa woman beside him.

The Rakshasa woman's eyes were already as cold as frost, clearly indicating that she was enraged.

The man surnamed Zhou shuddered at that look and immediately fell silent.

Zhong Xuan ignored the man surnamed Zhou's anger and simply turned around.

With a flourish of his sleeves, he strode towards the direction of Jin Guang Temple.

As he passed the Rakshasa woman, he paused slightly, turned his head, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Let's go."

Just those two words caused the Rakshasa woman's eyes to shift with a hundred different emotions in an instant.

There was joy, relief, and a subtle, barely perceptible emotion.

She remained silent, quickly catching up with Zhong Xuan, and said softly, "You still owe me a line of Daoist scripture from last night; you must make it up to me today."

Zhong Xuan turned around, smiled at her, and didn't answer, but kept walking.

The monkey turned its head curiously, wondering what was going on between the woman and the man.

Master Jingyuan watched the two figures walk away side by side, her expression worried.

Little Qingyue skipped and hopped along behind, calling out, "Big brother, Master, wait for me!"

The group headed towards Jinguang Temple.

At the entrance of Jinguang Temple, Abbot Jingchen was already quietly waiting.

……

Not long after, in the meditation hall of Jinguang Temple.

After hearing Zhong Xuan's words, Abbot Jingchen frowned slightly: "Does this mean that you have no intention of joining my Buddhist sect for the time being, and want to first accumulate enough incense offerings for that Cuiyun Mountain God, and even intend to convert the Qingyang Taoist Temple in the east of the city into a mountain god temple?"

Zhong Xuan nodded frankly, flipped his palm to reveal a small bell-shaped magic artifact in his hand: "Indeed, all things are empty. This 'emptiness' does not mean not seeking, but rather not forcing anything."

"I dare to ask for a position as a guest minister—it may take a few months or a few years, depending on the outcome. If one has a karmic connection with Buddhism, there is no need to say more; if not, it will be of no use in saying more."

Upon hearing this, Abbot Jingchen lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment before pressing his palms together: "Amitabha, well said, well said. Benefactor, your heart is not hindered by material things; on the contrary, you see things more clearly than this old monk."

Just as Abbess Jingyuan was about to speak,

Ye Quanzhen, the blue-clad female disciple beside her, suddenly said coldly, "It's just a waste of time. What kind of place is Cuiyun Mountain? You want to clear the way for that mountain god, but a mere mountain god probably can't even withstand two Five Thunder Techniques. How could such a sacred mountain and its cultivators be truly controlled by a mountain god?"

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the meditation room momentarily froze.

The Rakshasa woman, who was leaning against the window frame looking at the scenery, turned around and her eyes met Zhong Xuan's. The corners of her lips curled up slightly, as if to say: See, it wasn't me who said it.

Zhong Xuan withdrew his gaze, glancing at the crowd out of the corner of his eye.

The monkey was the first to object, jumping up and shouting, "Nonsense! Old man, you're very powerful! If that wicked Taoist priest had dared to go to Cuiyun Mountain last night, he would have been beaten to death long ago!"

Master Jingyuan, however, seemed intrigued and asked, "I have heard that those who serve as mountain and water deities are mostly spirits of the underworld—that is, the souls of the deceased. Only those spirits, free from the constraints of a physical body, can travel thousands of miles in an instant, appearing in dreams to manifest divine power... I wonder what is so special about the mountain deity behind you, benefactor?"

Yuantong scratched his bald head and said in a deep voice, "The guardian deities we enshrine in our temple need to be enshrined in a golden body to manifest their power. That mountain god... could he do the same?"

Zhong Xuan stood with his hands behind his back and smiled slightly: "Nothing special, just an old man who talks about metaphysics and the Dao. For various reasons, I have to run around in this mortal world for him—within twenty days, I must collect more than two thousand sticks of incense for him."

Upon hearing this, Abbot Jingchen sighed, "You are undertaking an impossible task... In that case, our Jin Guang Temple is willing to hire you as the martial arts instructor for three months."

"If you can help our temple's guardian monks make progress, I will take the initiative to ask the king for a formal document to allow the Cuiyun Mountain God to spread incense in this area, follow the righteous path, refrain from wrongdoing, and protect this region like a righteous god."

The Rakshasa woman suddenly spoke coldly: "There's no need to worry about that. That mountain god is the Cuiyun Mountain God, who has received an official decree from the Heavenly Court. He is a proper seventh-rank deity."

Abbot Jingchen and Abbess Jingyuan exchanged a glance, both showing surprise.

A deity officially appointed by the Heavenly Court is no longer a heretical follower.

Just then, a young novice monk rushed over, put his palms together, and said, "Master, the senior brothers who were burned by the Samadhi True Fire last night still haven't had all the fire poison removed from their bodies. Could you... could you ask that female benefactor for help?"

The head monk Jingchen turned his gaze to the Rakshasa woman, about to speak,

But then the Rakshasa woman's expression darkened slightly.

She had already taken a risk last night, and she really didn't want to expend her magic power to remove the fire poison now.

But she felt it was inappropriate to refuse in public.

Zhong Xuan spoke up at the opportune moment: "My companion's fan magic weapon is good at extinguishing wind and fire, but it's not good at removing fire poison from the body."

He turned his gaze to Abbess Jingyuan: "Perhaps the Abbess's miraculous technique of universal salvation is more suitable."

Upon hearing this, the Rakshasa woman felt a slight sweetness in her heart, but still let out a soft hum.

Master Jingyuan smiled bitterly: "This humble nun is also powerless to help."

"The key to the method of universal salvation lies in the nectar in the bottle—it must be collected from the lotus of the Water Moon Temple every day, morning and night, and refined over forty-nine days."

"I've exhausted all my energy last night, so I need to go back to the nunnery. If I have any left, I'll come back to help you."

Abbot Jingchen hurriedly said, "Master, you are merciful. This old monk thanks you in advance."

Master Jingyuan sighed, got up and took her leave.

Ye Quanzhen picked up Xiao Qingyue and followed his master out of the meditation room.

Reaching the downhill stone steps,

Ye Quanzhen glanced back at the eaves of Jinguang Temple, then looked at the few strands of white hair that had appeared at his master's temples. Suppressing his heartache, he said coldly, "Master, you spared no effort to deplete your own strength and shorten your lifespan, yet you saved such an ungrateful wretch."

Master Jingyuan shook her head, about to speak,

But then, a figure in a green robe appeared gracefully from above the slope.

With his long sleeves fluttering in the wind, the young man hurried up the stone steps and blocked the way for the three of them.

"You little brat, you don't say it to my face, but you talk about me behind my back—you must be saying bad things about me!" Zhong Xuan's smile was clean, his eyes were gentle, and his voice was clear.

But there was a hint of mischief in his smile.

Master Jingyuan smiled bitterly.

Ye Quanzhen's face stiffened.

Xiao Qingyue quickly waved her hands: "No, no! We didn't say anything bad!"

Abbess Jingyuan gently scolded, "Qingyue, a nun does not lie."

She then turned to Ye Quanzhen: "Quanzhen, apologize."

Ye Quanzhen gritted her teeth, her voice barely audible: "...I'm sorry."

Zhong Xuan waved his hand: "Although I didn't hear it, never mind."

He changed the subject, his expression becoming serious.

"Master, I have a request—I wish to learn magic from you."

Master Jingyuan was taken aback, her eyes filled with surprise.

Ye Quanzhen was also stunned. Her face, which had been flushed with anger, momentarily forgot her anger.

Zhong Xuan said sincerely, "As the saying goes, one should not let those who carry firewood for the masses freeze to death in the wind and snow. If it weren't for the Abbess's all-out effort last night, allowing that Master Zhang to go into a demonic rage, who knows how much more bloodshed would have been incurred."

"This is not to repay a debt of gratitude, but rather because I admire your magical powers, Master, and wish to become a lay disciple, like Lady Ye, on a nominal basis. If anything happens at the nunnery in the future, it will be a way of fulfilling our karmic bond of mutual protection. I wonder if you would be willing to accept me?"

Master Jingyuan never expected such a dramatic turn of events.

She thought of the lineage of Shuiyue Nunnery and was about to agree with a smile.

Ye Quanzhen suddenly widened his eyes, indignantly saying, "Why? The way you speak is as if you're bestowing charity upon your master! Is this the attitude of a disciple?"

Zhong Xuanqi asked, "This...isn't this beneficial to Shuiyue Nunnery?"

Ye Quanzhen coldly replied, "I don't care about any Shuiyue Nunnery! My master saved me back then, and I only recognize my master!"

She realized her mistake after she finished speaking and quickly looked at Xiao Qingyue.

Sure enough, she had a pout and teary eyes.

Ye Quanzhen quickly picked her up and comforted her, "There's also Qingyue! There's also Qingyue!"

Master Jingyuan originally wanted to say a few words of reprimand, but seeing this scene, she couldn't muster any anger.

She looked at Zhong Xuan helplessly: "When I first recruited Quanzhen disciples, I also put them through three levels of trials. It's only natural that she felt it was unfair, so please don't take it to heart."

Zhong Xuan cupped his hands and said respectfully, "Master Jingyuan, I'm afraid I don't have time to go back to the nunnery with you right now. I must stay here to accumulate incense offerings."

Master Jingyuan nodded: "Since you have made a promise, you should do your best—now that you are a junior brother of Quanzhen, let her lend you a hand."

Ye Quanzhen was shocked: "Master?!"

Master Jingyuan said gently, "Now that you have become the senior brother, you must have the responsibility of an elder brother. Help your junior brother to fulfill his duty of carrying on the family line, and at the same time, pass on the scriptures of Shuiyue Nunnery on my behalf and keep an eye on his cultivation."

Ye Quanzhen understood the deeper meaning in his master's words, his eyes lit up, and he immediately agreed.

She turned her head and looked at Zhong Xuan with ill intent, a slight smirk playing on her lips.

A smile, as cold as an iceberg lotus in bloom, appeared on her small face, yet it held a hint of cunning: "Junior brother, rest assured, your senior sister will definitely teach you properly on behalf of Master how to be a qualified monk!"

Zhong Xuan shook his head helplessly, bid farewell to Abbess Jingyuan, and turned to descend the mountain.

After walking several dozen steps,

At the gate of Jinguang Temple atop the slope, the Rakshasa woman and the monkey were waiting.

The Rakshasa woman caught sight of Ye Quanzhen following behind Zhong Xuan, and her face immediately darkened: "Why is she here?"

Ye Quanzhen was not to be outdone and raised his voice, "Junior brother, the first duty of a monk is to sever all ties with men and women! In my opinion, this female benefactor is not pure of heart and is probably not human, but a demon from somewhere in human form. You should be careful of this demoness."

The Rakshasa woman flew into a rage, her hand already on the green rope sword at her waist, gritting her teeth: "You lowly servant! How dare you insult me!"

With a thought, Ye Quanzhen unsheathed his sword and flew out, striking the Qing Suo Sword directly.

She had long disliked this woman and shouted, "You're definitely not a good person! I'll expose your true colors!"

The warlike monkey bared its teeth, looking on with delight, and was looking for a good spot.

But Zhong Xuan grabbed her wrist and started walking down the mountain without looking back.

Behind him, sword light and anger mingled, but Zhong Xuan pretended not to hear it.

……

Not long after, at the Jin Guang Temple, in the martial arts arena.

The afternoon sun shines through the branches and leaves of the ancient cypress, casting dappled light and shadow on the bluestone ground.

Several rows of weapon racks stood on the sidelines, their swords, spears, and halberds gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

When Zhong Xuan returned to the temple, he only saw Yuan Tong.

"And the chief?" he asked.

Yuan Tongdao: "The head monk has gone to do his daily practice and is also teaching the young novices to read. If you would like to take a stroll, I can lead the way."

Zhong Xuan shook his head: "Since you have agreed to the chief monk's request, let's start teaching now. Please invite all the martial monks here."

Yuantong's eyes lit up, and he quickly went to call for help.

Before long, nine people, all of them martial monks, gathered in the training ground.

The rest are all lying down recovering from their injuries; they were seriously hurt in last night's battle.

A young monk couldn't help but ask, "Sir, could you teach me that footwork from last night? It looked incredibly impressive!"

The others echoed this sentiment, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Zhong Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, pondered for a moment, and said, "I have a few ideas, please listen."

The monks quieted down.