From Under One Person: Sincere Journey Through the Heavens

The swordsman squatted down, wanting to reach out and pinch his son's cheek, but the boy dodged him, puffed out his cheeks, and shook his head, saying, "Dad, don't pinch me, I'm all grown up now."

"Ha ha!"

The swordsman laughed loudly, stood up, and made way for Jiang Liu.

Just one glance.

Jiang Liu had already figured out the situation with the knife. His body was still affected by the yellow wind, but he was fine now. It was just that he had drunk the wine, which temporarily stabilized his essence, energy, and spirit. Once he stopped drinking the wine, it would definitely relapse, or even become more serious.

Therefore.

Without delay, he drew a nine-aperture talisman in the air and pressed it into the nine apertures of the knife, forming a cycle of energy and completely stabilizing his essence, energy, and spirit.

After receiving the talisman, Dao'er did not develop any Qi or embark on the path of cultivation, but his eyes became brighter. This was because the effect of the Nine Apertures Talisman was to completely stabilize his essence, Qi, and spirit.

The swordsman was skilled in martial arts and knew some techniques for sensing auras. He was overjoyed to find that his child's aura had completely stabilized, and he bowed to Jiang Liu to express his gratitude.

"It's no trouble at all, it's just a small favor."

Jiang Liu patted Dao'er's head and helped Dao Ke up. "Let's go, it's time to get down to business."

"it is good!"

The swordsman's eyes narrowed. "When should we make our move?"

"Midnight (11 PM - 1 AM)".

Jiang Liu gave a time.

"night?"

The swordsman was puzzled but could only agree. He was about to go and gather the members of the Desert Blade Faction as a precaution when Jiang Liu stopped him, saying, "Don't go."

Why?

The swordsman didn't doubt Jiang Liu's abilities, but a hero needs two helpers, and more helpers mean more strength.

The village chief also didn't understand.

Jiang Liu said, "If the fact that there is a demon in the village is exposed, it will surely cause panic among the people in the village."

This is one example.

Secondly.

Your son, Dao'er, believes that the tiger demon is the tiger god spoken of by the people of Dingfeng Village. He is young but not ignorant. If he knew about this, he would surely have a falling out with you, his father.

After you've dealt with that tiger demon, tell your child that the Tiger God has returned to Crouching Tiger Temple to fight the other tiger demon who stole his sacred space...

This can be considered as fulfilling one of the tiger demon's dreams.

Seeing how thoughtful Jiang Liu was, both the village chief and the swordsman were deeply grateful.

It was midnight.

Jiang Liuming, with the help of Fude, inspected the horses and, along with Liang Luzhen, found the door of the swordsman's house.

The swordsman, carrying a long sword, had been waiting for a long time. When he saw Jiang Liu and Lu Zhen arrive, he nodded and led the way towards the well in the village.

“There’s only water in the well, how could there be any cave?” Liang Luzhen looked down and saw that the walls in the well were only slightly wider than the well opening, his eyes full of doubt.

"Did you bring the person?"

Just then, a deep tiger's roar came from inside the well, like the howling of wind and sand.

Jiang Liu gestured to the swordsman, who nodded and said in a low voice, "Tiger God, open the door quickly. I've brought the 'villagers' who want to pay their respects to the Tiger God."

The moment the words left his mouth, the water at the bottom of the well rippled on its own, revealing a wide underground cavern.

By the moonlight, Liang Luzhen saw a small pool of water below, and nearby was a rocky area. A tiger demon with orange fur covered in dust, standing upright, was looking up at the well.

Jiang Liu grabbed Liang Luzhen by the back of the neck and leaped down, his toes lightly touching the pool, creating ripples that made the surface of the pool as smooth as a mirror.

With a flick of his hand, he sent Liang Luzhen to the rocky ground, then reached out to pull the swordsman who had jumped down, and brought him to Liang Luzhen's side, where they confronted the tiger demon.

You betrayed me!

Seeing that Jiang Liu could walk on water without sinking, the tiger demon's scarlet eyes flashed with a murderous aura. It glared at the swordsman and roared viciously, "Humans are truly despicable!"

"mean?"

The swordsman angrily said, "You tiger demon, impersonating the tiger god, have disturbed my mind and used my son as a bargaining chip to turn me into your accomplice and serve you!"

You're the despicable demon!

Chapter 1409 Rectifying the Mind and Cultivating Zen Together

Upon hearing such insults, the mad tiger was enraged. Baring its teeth and brandishing its claws, it decided to pick on the weak and attacked Liang Luzhen and the swordsman.

The swordsman was enraged, and Lu Zhen was furious. They brandished their swords and axes, unwilling to show weakness, as if they were telepathically connected and fought together against the enemy.

But we see:

A wolf who cultivates Taoism, a martial artist who practices martial arts, and a mad tiger blessed by Buddha. Two of the three teachings have already merged into one; yet, the foolishness of Zen nature still needs to be subdued.

The axe, with its two blades, displays strength; the knife, with its single blade, embodies bravery. When the axe and knife meet, they combine earth and metal, concealing their brilliance while revealing their power to pave a clear path. The two forces unite in fierce combat, determined to destroy demons and bring forth the Buddha. Capturing the tiger and subduing the demon, thunderbolts abound; bringing the wolf back to goodness, compassion prevails. With a willing heart, the path will naturally be achieved; with mind and spirit united, the three poisons will be eradicated.

Shouting wildly, pleading desperately, two soldiers, two claws, howling in the wind. Knives and axes fall with ill intent, claws like a net, their moves precise and methodical.

The fighting continued unabated, shaking even a corner of the cave!

The man, the wolf, and the tiger fought for fifty rounds without a clear victor. The swordsman, freed from his demonic thoughts and filled with high spirits, swung his long sword. Taking advantage of the tiger's claws being blocked by the double-edged Xuanhua axe, he let out a shout, and smoke billowed from every acupoint of his body. Seizing the opportunity, he swung his sword, and a white light streaked out like a bolt of lightning, just like a great river rolling eastward.

Swah——

Just one cut.

The tiger's waist was torn open, revealing white bones, and foul-smelling blood gushed out, splattering all over the ground. The giant tiger staggered back three steps, slumped against the wall, clutching its wound, seemingly in disbelief: "After so many years of cultivation, I'm actually no match for a mere mortal?"

"Tigers often roar in the mountains and forests, but where would a tiger hide at the bottom of a well?"

Jiang Liu waded across the water to the shore, stopping Lu Zhen and the swordsman who wanted to take the mad tiger's life. He observed the mad tiger, saw through its past, and explained to it, "You are not the tiger god of the Crouching Tiger Temple, but merely its brother. It is only because you deceive yourself that you are not as good as your elder brother."

"What did you say?"

Mad Tiger's eyes were bloodshot. "How am I not as good as my brother?"

Let me ask you:

You've been cultivating diligently at the bottom of this well for many years, all to defeat that yellow-haired weasel and stop the yellow winds in this mountain range.

Or is it because your elder brother, after Tang Sanzang and his disciples went west, imitated your father, Tiger Vanguard, by controlling the monsters in the mountains, making them each fulfill their duties and not wantonly harm living beings, and following the custom of 'devouring the lost and wicked and escorting the good people,' he was revered and built the Crouching Tiger Temple, where he is often worshipped, that you feel jealous and overshadowed by him?"

Upon hearing this past event revealed, Mad Tiger was momentarily dazed, and a chill ran through his soul as he looked at Jiang Liu.

This supernatural power to see the past and future is something even the Bodhisattva Lingji did not possess!

"Is he the tiger god's twin brother?"

The swordsman stared at the mad tiger in disbelief, "It turns out that the brothers are at odds... Alas, demons and humans, apart from their outward appearances, are truly no different."

"I intend to travel westward, vanquishing demons and monsters. If you are truly willing, would you be willing to journey westward with me?"

Although this mad tiger was deeply obsessed, he deceived himself, using his jealousy of his brother as an excuse to "cultivate his skills and quell the yellow wind" to hide in the well.

I don't know.

Even if you spend ten thousand years cultivating in this well, you still won't be able to compete with that yellow-haired fellow.

Not to mention.

This mad tiger is only one step away from "madness," otherwise why would it bewitch the swordsman, using the excuse of healing his child to lure people in to eat them in order to increase its cultivation?

This has already abandoned the ancestral precept of "devouring the lost and wicked, and escorting the good people who pass by," and even tried to reverse cause and effect, forcibly making people "lost" so that they would be defined as "wicked" by this tiger brother, so that he could eat them with a clear conscience and continue to deceive himself.

"Westward?"

Mad Tiger raised his head, sized up Jiang Liu, and couldn't help but ask, "You're not going to kill me?"

"At least, you haven't completely fallen into demonic ways yet."

The implied meaning.

This mad tiger has never truly devoured a kind-hearted, ordinary villager.

otherwise.

No matter how difficult the situation, Jiang Liu would not spare his life.

after all--

In Journey to the West, Guanyin Bodhisattva said that killing demons was his achievement.

And Mad Tiger...

According to Jiang Liu's definition, it is not a demon yet, but a kind of mountain spirit, at most it can be said that it has one foot in the ranks of demons.

The foot that had stepped in was slashed by the swordsman because of Jiang Liu's appearance, and it had to be pulled back.

therefore.

There's still hope for this mad tiger.

Upon hearing this, Mad Tiger drooped his eyes and sighed, "Alright, alright, I'll go with you. What difference does it make where we go? Even if it's terrible, it's just death."

Seeing that he had no spirits at all, Jiang Liu smiled.

Admitting one's own incompetence is far better than deceiving oneself.

This is the beginning of spiritual practice!

"Dingfeng Village, a place within a well, where there are no frogs croaking but tigers roaring. One mountain cannot hold two tigers as masters, and the yellow wind blows away the brothers' hearts."

"Brother Tiger had no choice but to eat the mouse, and the cat and mouse scurried into the courtyard. Brother Tiger sought Buddha and hid at the bottom of the well, but a demon arose in his heart and he could not extricate himself."

"Fortunately, with the help of the Monkey King, I was able to return to the world and enter the mountains and forests."

Just then, a familiar Shaanxi folk song rang out, and a gust of sandstorm swept in, transforming into a headless monk in front of everyone, playing the sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument), looking extremely dashing.

The swordsman, on guard, exclaimed, "A headless demon?"

"Bodhisattva Lingji!"

Upon seeing the headless monk, the mad tiger knelt down with a thud and kowtowed.

The headless monk put down his sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument), helped the mad tiger to his feet, and said without any concern for his image, "Please get up quickly. This old monk is now nothing more than a headless monk."