From Under One Person: Sincere Journey Through the Heavens

The group saw a Taoist temple appear in front of them, its spacious windows seemingly swallowing the universe, its towering buildings reaching the clouds.

“Brother, this is Yuzhen Temple. When I came here back then, it was just as grand. Its abbot is the Golden Peak Immortal, a nice man. Let’s go find him and catch up.”

Bajie suggested that they take a step forward and knock on the door of the temple.

The door opened.

A young Taoist boy emerged, dressed in brocade robes, waving a jade whisk, with a celestial scroll hanging from his elbow, and wearing shoes. He was none other than the Golden-Crowned Immortal.

This great immortal was granted a celestial register by the Heavenly Court and received incense offerings as his salary.

The Jade True Temple stands at the foot of Mount Ling, serving as a gateway connecting the Heavenly Court and Mount Ling.

Upon seeing Bajie Bajing, the immortal did not recognize him.

Pigsy's appearance is different from before; he now has the appearance of a real person.

And the Eight Pure Ones...

He had never seen the white dragon horse in human form.

But upon seeing Jiang Liu, he was startled and hurriedly stepped forward, saying, "Great Sage, you entered the cycle of reincarnation, yet you can return again. Congratulations! Congratulations!"

"It's been a long time, Golden Peak Immortal."

Jiang Liu did not correct him, but bowed and said, "We hope that the immortal will make some hot soup for us so that we can wash ourselves and go up the mountain."

"I'll go right now!"

The Golden Peak Immortal was quite familiar with the Monkey King from back then, so how could he dare to be negligent? He hurriedly led the three into the temple, served them tea and water, and personally chopped wood to heat the soup, so that the three of them could bathe and change clothes.

After the river flowed and washed away the dust, the Golden-Crowned Immortal looked him up and down and exclaimed, "Indeed, a refreshed and handsome Monkey King!"

After saying this, the Golden-Crowned Immortal asked again, "Great Sage, are you going to Mount Ling to become the World Honored One yourself?"

"You, so-called immortal, are quite bold to utter such words?"

Bajie joked.

"It's alright, it's alright, I don't consume the incense and spiritual essence from his sacred mountain."

The sage laughed heartily, appearing quite at ease.

"Sages will never die, nor will great thieves. As long as the World-Honored One is not destroyed, the cycle of reincarnation will never end."

Jiang Liu said something profound before laughing, “My body is inherently within the Dao, and my mind has already attained emptiness. I alone am supreme, I am the World Honored One, why need the word ‘as’?”

"Uh···"

The Golden Peak Immortal was puzzled.

Before he could ask any further questions, Jiang Liu pointed his finger, and a scripture appeared in his mind, called the Heart Sutra. It was different from the Heart Sutra practiced on Mount Ling, which focused on cultivating the human body and establishing the Three Realms and Nine Lands.

When he came to his senses, Jiang Liu, Bajie, and Bajing had already disappeared. He couldn't help but sigh, "The Great Sage has indeed comprehended the true essence of the Great Dao within the cycle of reincarnation!"

Jiang Liu and his group then arrived at Lingyun Ferry.

“Huh? Old Pig remembers there used to be a single-plank bridge spanning this river, which was eight or nine miles wide. The river was turbulent and surging, but the wooden bridge was only one pole, as thin as a bowl. Not to mention mortals, even immortals and Buddhas would have difficulty crossing it without using magic.”

Seeing that the log bridge across the river was gone, Pigsy muttered, "Could it have been dismantled?"

"Hey, you pilgrims from the East, look over here!"

At this moment, a boat appeared in the river, with a man standing on it, who ferried people towards the bank where the river flowed, shouting loudly, "Come on board! I'll ferry you across!"

Seeing that it was the Taoist priest who was guiding them, Jiang Liu boarded the boat, and Bajie and Bajing followed closely behind, also jumping onto the boat.

The Taoist priest rowed the boat, and the small boat moved forward steadily through the waves, without letting a single wave splash on it.

"Once you cross to the other side, what will you do?"

The guide asked.

"Seeking knowledge from the Buddha."

Jiang Liu did not hesitate.

The guide then asked, "What scriptures are you seeking?"

Jiang Liu replied again: "The true scripture is without words."

Jieyin was puzzled: "The scriptures have no words, what's the use of taking them back?"

Jiang Liu laughed and said, "It is precisely because it is empty that we know there is nothing outside the mind. Why should we seek externally in cultivation?"

Jieyin was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, took out a wisp of purple energy from his body, and gave it to Jiang Liu.

"The Holy One who grants immortality, does he not want it?"

Jiang Liu accepted it and asked with a smile.

"What kind of saint am I? When I was young and ignorant, I only regarded this thing as a treasure and only hoped that my religion would flourish. I am no different from those who are stubborn and deluded in the world."

The guide replied, "This item may be of greater use to you, or it may make this world less dark, so I will give it to you."

As the boat docked, Jiang Liu, Bajie, and Bajing bid farewell to the guide. Before they even saw the Leiyin Temple, they spotted another Taoist priest.

This Taoist priest had white hair and a youthful face, with compassionate eyes and eyebrows. He wore a lotus crown on his head, held a Bodhi seed in his hand, and had bright, piercing eyes. He looked at the river and sighed, "You scoundrel are indeed a bad guy. Are you planning to attack the Thunderclap Temple now?"

"Who are you, Taoist priest? How dare you stop us?"

Bajie didn't recognize the person in front of him, but he could tell that the man's cultivation was extraordinary, comparable to that of the Buddha who had just brought them across.

However, the Taoist priest ignored Pigsy.

Jiang Liu laughed and said, "The one who attacked Leiyin Temple was someone else, not me. You've come to the wrong person, sir."

When asked about the title "Master," the Taoist priest paused, his expression turning serious. He questioned, "You monkey have really grown some skills; you don't even recognize your master anymore?"

“Master? You’re not Tang Sanzang.” Ba Jing’s eyes were unfriendly, suspecting that this Taoist was just looking for trouble.

Jiang Liu stopped Ba Jing and said to the Taoist, "Sir, you are the master who taught Sun Wukong his skills, but not the master who taught me Gu Yue Yuan Jue. You have mistaken me for someone else."

In an instant.

Pigsy suddenly realized.

Eight-fold embarrassment.

The Taoist sighed, took out a wisp of purple energy, and handed it to Jiang Liu, saying, "You really are capable. Well, take this purple energy."

"Thank you for your generosity, sir."

Jiang Liu accepted the purple aura, thanked the Taoist priest, and then bid him farewell, heading up the mountain along the mountain path.

Is he really him?

The guide came to the side of this Taoist, his eyes flashing with an inexplicable light.

"It is him, but it is not him, or perhaps, this is the real, complete him."

The Bodhi Patriarch seemed to be deep in thought.

"You mean, Pangu?"

The guide looked surprised.

"Why does Senior Brother act like this? Since the fall of the Supreme Being and the birth of Guanyin, we who entrust our primordial spirits to the Heavenly Dao have all had our own speculations."

As Bodhi Patriarch watched Jiang Liu's figure disappear into the woods, he murmured, "I wonder where he'll be creating something new this time."

Jiang Liu, Bajie, and Bajing had already arrived at the Thunderclap Temple, and there they saw:

Its summit reaches the heavens, its roots connect to the veins of Mount Sumeru. Cleverly arranged peaks, strangely shaped rocks rise in jagged formations. Below the cliffs, rare herbs and exotic flowers bloom; beside the winding path, fragrant orchids and purple fungus thrive.

Again I see those golden tiles, like mandarin ducks, and those bright, gleaming bricks, like agate. East row, west row, all are palaces of jewels and pearls; south side, north side, there are countless precious pavilions and towers.

A rosy glow shines above the Hall of Heavenly Kings, and purple flames erupt before the Hall of Dharma Protectors. A pagoda stands prominently, and the fragrance of lotus blossoms fills the air. The land's beauty seems otherworldly, and the leisurely clouds make the day feel long.

"Such a scene can indeed be called the Thunderclap Temple."

Jiang Liu's eyes remained unmoved. Seeing a Vajra approaching, he said, "I hope you will inform Tathagata Many Treasures that a man of destiny has come to retrieve the scriptures."

Upon hearing this, the Vajra couldn't help but shout, "Where did you come from, you wild monkey? What scriptures have you obtained? And how dare you come here to obtain scriptures? What kind of place is this? How dare a wild demon like you come here to obtain scriptures?"

"I am the World-Honored One, how can I not come to obtain the scriptures?"

Chapter 1562 Returning from the Journey to the West and Meeting Old Friends

"Are you the World Honored One?"

King Kong sneered.

"I am the World-Honored One, what is wrong with that?"

After saying this, Jiang Liu walked towards the door.

"stop!"

Seeing that Jiang Liu didn't take him seriously, the Vajra was furious and reached out to grab him, but Jiang Liu flicked his finger and it vanished into thin air, returning to nature.

"As a monk, one should have a calm mind. If one breaks the two precepts of anger and ignorance, and one's mind is not calm, one should return to the world to start anew."

The words fell.

The last bit of Vajra's spirit was reincarnated.

At this scene, the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats in the Mahavira Hall were all dumbfounded, none of them able to see clearly what kind of magic Jiang Liu had used. It was as if he could manipulate the laws and instantly annihilate the Vajra with just a flick of his finger.

You must understand, that was no ordinary mortal, but a guardian Vajra, the most skilled in fighting. Apart from saints whose primordial spirits are entrusted to the Heavenly Dao, who could so easily annihilate a Vajra?

But this monkey—

Clearly, he has not yet achieved sainthood!

What profound truth did he comprehend during his cycle of reincarnation?

Amidst these false Buddhas' wild thoughts and restless minds, Jiang Liu led Bajie and Bajing into the Mahavira Hall to meet the Tathagata of Many Treasures.

When Manjushri Bodhisattva saw that they did not bow to the Tathagata, he couldn't help but blurt out, "Since you have seen the Tathagata, why do you not bow?"

“The Buddha said that all beings are equal, so why should I worship him?” Jiang Liu asked rhetorically.

"you!"

Manjushri Bodhisattva was shocked and angered.