Chapter 619: Chapter 555, Guanyin Bodhisattva Descends
Sun Wukong harbored ill will, silently chanting the Tightening Spell in his mouth.
"Ah~" Tang Sanzang, who spoke with righteous indignation, suddenly let out a cry of pain, clutching his head and tumbling down onto the green stone, writhing in agony on the ground, as his Virochana Hat fell beside him. A Golden Hoop was clasped tight around his gleaming bald head, looking just like a golden thread, tightly strangling him, impossible to remove or tear off, having taken root in this life.
Enduring the soul-piercing pain, Tang Sanzang, feeling the Golden Hoop on his head, knew all too well what had happened and cried out in anguish, "Wukong, how dare you harm your master?"
Sun Wukong, with his Jingu Bang propped against his neck above the Prayer Beads, heard Tang Sanzang’s shouts and bellowed in anger, "Damned baldy, it was you who first intended to harm me!" He no longer called him the little monk.
Tang Sanzang immediately began to silently recite the spell in his mind.
"Ah~" Sun Wukong screamed miserably as the Jingu Bang slammed to the ground with a thud, pain causing him to leap like a dragonfly and flip somersaults, with reddened ears, crimson face, bulging eyes, and numb body, he hastened the chanting of the Tightening Spell in his heart.
"Ah~ It’s killing me!" Tang Sanzang bellowed tragically, writhing on the ground, head hung low and chest heaving, mentally accelerating the chanting of the spell.
"Ah! It’s the death of old Sun!" Sun Wukong also rolled on the ground, infusing even more venom into the incantations in his heart.
"Wukong, stop chanting, it hurts, so much pain! Your master is dying."
"Baldy, you shut up first! Ah! Hey~"
"Let’s... let’s both stop together."
"Stop!" Sun Wukong roared.
The two simultaneously ceased their chanting, lying on the ground drenched in sweat, gasping for air, turning their heads to glare angrily at each other.
Tang Sanzang pointed shakily at Sun Wukong, anger mixed with disbelief, shouting, "You... how dare you harm your master?"
Sun Wukong also shouted back in rage, "How dare you harm me, old Sun?"
"I am the master, and naturally you must accept punishment if you are wrong."
"Hehe! Old Sun has done no wrong, clearly you are the one at fault!"
The two stared each other down with furious eyes, wrath igniting from their hearts, and once again began to chant the spells.
"Ah~"
"Ah~"
...
Once again, cries of agony resounded, and both were reduced to rolling on the ground in torment.
Suddenly, an auspicious cloud appeared in the sky, upon which Guanyin Bodhisattva stood, holding the Suet Jade Flask in her hands.
"Xuanzang, Wukong, cease your clamor at once." A majestic voice echoed throughout Heaven and Earth.
Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang both stopped shouting, looking up to see above, eyes bloodshot and gasping heavily, with Tang Sanzang already in tears from the pain.
Sun Wukong sprang up, grabbed at the ground, and the Jingu Bang instantly flew up, landing with a bang in his palm. He furiously shouted, "How dare you, Guanyin Bodhisattva! That garment must be a gift you gave to the bald monk, daring to attempt to harm old Sun covertly. I will knock you from your Cloud Head."
Tang Sanzang urgently yelled, "Wukong, do not be disrespectful!"
Sun Wukong, paying no heed, charged straight onto the Cloud Head and struck down at Guanyin Bodhisattva with his cudgel, with a formidable presence.
Tang Sanzang quickly recited the Tight Bead Spell.
"Ah~" Sun Wukong screamed in agony above, clutching his head as he fell from the sky, and with a thud, he crashed to the ground.
"Ah~" Tang Sanzang also let out a scream, covering his head and kneeling on the ground with a thud.
Guanyin Bodhisattva’s lips twitched slightly, speechless in her heart, how did it turn out this way? How could Bai Jin and The Buddha both bestow the Confinement Technique at the same time? Could it be that they truly share a spiritual connection?
Guanyin Bodhisattva drew out the Willow Branch from the Jade Purifying Bottle, waved it in the air, and a beam of Green Light descended from the sky, enveloping both Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang within it.
Within the Green Light, the wails of the two diminished from loud to faint, gradually disappearing, leaving only a sensation of refreshing coolness piercing straight to their foreheads.
Sun Wukong leaped up from the ground, scratched his head, and reassessed Guanyin Bodhisattva. This woman was actually able to suppress my Tightening Spell? Her abilities are definitely not weak, probably even a tad stronger than mine.
Tang Sanzang hurriedly prostrated, exclaiming, "Disciple Xuanzang, pays respect to the Bodhisattva."
In sorrow he complained, "Bodhisattva, this monkey’s vicious nature is hard to eliminate. I beg you to take back your command and dispose of this monkey head." I have never suffered this much since I was born.
The grand voice of Guanyin Bodhisattva echoed Between Heaven and Earth: "Wukong, do you recognize your fault?"
Sun Wukong, planting his Jingu Bang on the ground with a thud, chuckled strangely, "What fault does your disciple have?"
Tang Sanzang quickly appealed, "Bodhisattva, as your disciple was Westward bound on his mission, we happened to seek shelter at a farmer’s house at night, but this impudent monkey killed their son and took the lives of six people in total. How can such a brutish demon ever reach the Western Heaven?
Now he’s even ambushing me, I beg you, Bodhisattva, to stand up for your disciple!" He bowed respectfully with a kowtow.
Guanyin Bodhisattva’s serene gaze watched over below, her grand voice echoing Between Heaven and Earth again: "Wukong, having taken a master, and entered the Buddha, you should harbor a heart of kindness and devoutly follow the Buddha, thereby obtaining the True Fruit."
Tang Sanzang nodded vigorously, what Bodhisattva said was about me! To sweep the ground fearing to hurt the ants, treasure the moths around the lamps, this is what a monk should do.
"Immortal Dao values life, boundlessly guiding beings, but I, old Sun, only guide those who should be guided. Those filled with blood on their hands, I send them to the Underworld for salvation. Where is the fault in that?"
"Wukong, all living beings have the Tathagata’s wisdom and virtues, but they fail to attain enlightenment due to their delusions and attachments. You’re no different from Xuanzang or the six people you’ve killed; all of you are Future Buddhas, only now blinded by karma, thus revealing greed, anger, and foolishness.
It’s easy to cut down a body, but it is your duty to save the inner spirits, the sea of suffering is boundless, turning back is the shore, by saving them, you also save yourself.
The ocean of karma is vast, turning back is the shore; lay down the butcher knife, instantly becoming Buddha."
Guanyin Bodhisattva looked down, speaking with earnest gravity, "Wukong, do you understand?"
Sun Wukong looked up at the sky, what nonsense is this? I’m not their parent, why should I save their inner spirits? With deep enmity comes endless grudges; how can repaying a grudge with virtue be considered good?
It seems that this Guanyin Bodhisattva intends to side with this little monk. Let me send him away first, then seek Emperor Gouchen for help.
Sun Wukong nodded repeatedly, smilingly said, "Understood, understood, I’ve got it, thank you for the teachings Bodhisattva."
Tang Sanzang also brought his hands together and bowed deeply, saying reverently, "Thank you for the teachings Bodhisattva!"
Guanyin spoke gently, "Wukong, to know your faults and be able to change is the greatest of virtues! Aren’t you going to quickly remove the Golden Hoop from your master’s head?"
Sun Wukong hurriedly stepped forward, helping Tang Sanzang to stand, guiltily said, "Master, it is all your disciple’s fault. I should not have secretly harmed you."
Tang Sanzang got up with relief, speaking contentedly, "Wukong, it gladdens my heart that you have seen the error of your ways, quickly take this Golden Hoop off your master’s head."
"Master ah! I also can’t remove this Golden Hoop; it’s a Divine Artifact from the Heavenly Court Judicial Temple. I only know the Tightening Spell, not the Loosening Spell.
However, don’t worry Master, once I learn the Loosening Spell, I’ll release it immediately."
Tang Sanzang’s expression gradually solidified, turning to seek help from Guanyin Bodhisattva above the Cloud Head.