America: A Prodigy of Stereotypes

Li Qun asked the black bear spirit earnestly, as this was the very question he had come to ask today.

"This is something that can't really be explained."

"What can be understood by thought is the nature of things. What can be expressed in words is the essence of things. What can be sought by imagery is the form of things. What can be counted is the substance of things. As for application, it is the subtle expression of all things. It can be understood by thought, but cannot be expressed in words."

"Is this a translation of classical Chinese? I did understand the last sentence, though," Li Qun complained.

"If someone could explain the principles to people, there wouldn't be so many people suffering in the cycle of reincarnation, and all sentient beings could be saved," the black bear spirit said helplessly.

Liqun sorted out his thoughts.

The black bear spirit's implication was that this world was dying, that the gods and Buddhas had all departed, and that it would not perish with this world.

However, not everyone can leave whenever they want; one needs to cultivate to a certain level before they can depart in the form of "Nirvana Transcendence".

The Great Sage was almost there, but he was eventually able to transcend this world through Nirvana.

Many monsters were still unable to escape, so the Great Sage stopped and shared his insights, hoping that more people could leave. But the Great Sage wouldn't wait indefinitely...

He, Li Qun, the "chosen one" who crossed over from another realm wielding the Golden Cudgel, is essentially a living alarm clock. He came to wake the Great Sage, telling him that it was almost time to say goodbye, otherwise no one would have to leave.

Good heavens, the world is going to end!

But this time, he wasn't there to pass on the fire, nor to become the king of the borderlands; he was there to deliver a stick.

"Who is this person?"

Li Qun still had questions for the Black Bear Spirit, so he pointed to the white-robed monk and asked.

"The monk? He's your guide. He knows how to head west to find those four people. Great Sage, everything's been arranged," the Black Bear Spirit said.

"How should I address you, Master?" Li Qun turned around and politely bowed to the white-robed monk.

"I don't have a name, just call me Master."

"Okay, master."

"Remember, you must listen to me on the way. Do whatever I tell you to do, and don't ask so many questions," the monk said.

“Now we’re going down the mountain. This journey westward is long and may take five or six years,” the monk said.

"Five or six years? That's a long time!? Can't we just fly there on a cloud or something?" Li Qun asked in surprise.

"Five or six years? That's not long at all. For us cultivators, a single period of arduous practice can last for ten or even a hundred years."

"Eating in the wind and sleeping in the open is not considered too hard."

“Master, wait a minute. If some demons know I’m coming, won’t they ambush me on the way? Don’t they want the Great Sage to be awakened?” Li Qun asked.

"The Buddha's light has not shone from the top of the pagoda for several days. The news that the Mandate of Heaven has taken away the Great Sage's consciousness has already spread," the monk replied.

“You are now just like Tang Sanzang back then. Other demons will definitely have their eyes on you, but they won’t dare to make a move. Who told you to wield the Great Sage’s Ruyi Jingu Bang?” the Black Bear Demon laughed.

"Young man, beware of female demons."

"Remember this, there are no mortals on this land now. The beautiful women you see are all female demons."

Liqun nodded.

He has arrived on this land.

"Let's go down the mountain."

The monk walked in front with his hands behind his back, while Liqun walked behind, holding the golden cudgel as a walking stick in his hand.

Li Qun is very curious about one thing: how do monsters live now?

He didn't hear any birdsong or see any wild animals as he descended the mountain. Given that the black bear spirit said all mortals had died, it's reasonable to infer that a mass extinction event had also occurred among the animals.

How can we survive without food?

Do monsters eat monsters?

This is a bit scary.

Even after leaving the old site of Guanyin Temple and arriving at the foot of the mountain, one can still discern the traces of the old road.

"Master, what do you eat when you're hungry?" he asked curiously.

"Eat whatever you can find."

"are you hungry?"

The monk stopped, and Li Qun almost bumped into his back. The monk turned around and pointed into the woods.

“It’s the rainy season now, so we can pick some mushrooms to eat,” the monk said.

"Picking mushrooms! This is good!"

"Master, what kinds of mushrooms can we pick here?" Liqun asked happily.

"You're greedy, hurry up and get going."

“Master, I don’t actually need to eat anything, I’m just worried that you’ll go hungry.”

“This old road looks a bit roundabout, let’s just go straight and cross the mountain. With the Golden Cudgel in hand, cliffs and steep slopes won’t be a problem,” Li Qun said.

The monk stopped again.

"You said you wanted to go in a straight line."

So the two of them headed into the mountains.

This time, Liqun led the way, while the Golden Cudgel cautiously probed the terrain ahead.

Seeing a raised area under the fallen leaves, Liqun bent down and picked up a wild mushroom from under the leaves.

Li Qun took off his coat and put all the mushrooms he had picked inside.

Based on his experience from his previous life, Li Qun judged that this wild mushroom was edible. Recalling his memories of the old world, every year when the season came, his family would eat wild mushrooms several times a year.

"Master, there's a huge area over there!!"

Don't go!

Just as Li Qun was about to squat down and reach out, a large patch of white-stemmed, black-capped wild mushrooms under the tree stood up, their spores dancing in the air.

"That's something that has become a spirit."

The monk quickly retreated, keeping his distance from the scattered spores.

The golden cudgel instantly extended, and Li Qun shoved the mushroom monster away with a single blow.

“You’ve been poisoned,” the monk said to Liqun.

"Master, I have fungus on my body."

Liqun gradually faded and disappeared; he went back.

The monk sat cross-legged and chanted sutras on the spot, waiting for Liqun to return.

Chapter 2 Remember to answer the phone

"Awake? Dinner's ready when you're awake."

The old man unwrapped the insulated box layer by layer and placed it on the dining table. The steaming hot food and its aroma were comforting.

"You've been talking for a long time. Have all your doubts been resolved?" the old man asked Liqun.

Li Qun pulled out a chair and sat down at the dining table, while his father chuckled and picked up his chopsticks to eat.

"Dad, how did you get the Golden Cudgel?"

“One day, the Golden Cudgel fell from the sky and I picked it up,” Dad replied casually.

"The sky..."

"What did you find out today? Why did the Great Sage throw away his staff?" the old man asked after taking a bite of his food.

"The Black Bear Spirit told me that their world was going to be destroyed, and all the gods and Buddhas had left that world. Originally, the Great Sage was also going to leave, but some people couldn't leave, so the Great Sage came up with a plan to give those who couldn't leave hope of leaving."

“I understand. When the five aggregates are empty, one can transcend all suffering,” the old man said.

"Yes, that's the sentence."

Liqun picked up the bowl and shoveled the food into his mouth; it tasted familiar.

"Did my uncle bring dinner over?" Liqun asked his father.

“It’s your aunt,” Dad replied.

“Your dad is used to living alone and doesn’t really care about what other people think. Your aunt and you have a misunderstanding. Just talk it out and make things clear.”

"I don't know how to say it."

"They only found out I got my ears pierced the day before, and the next night I got drunk at your place, Dad. It's impossible for my aunt not to make the connection."

“Middle-aged women are most sensitive to emotions, so you have to choose a day when she’s in a good mood,” Li Qun said.

"Dad, have you ever been married?" Li Qun asked curiously.

"I've been married, but don't even think about my romantic history," the old man chuckled.

"Your phone has several missed calls, but I didn't answer them for you."

"Oops."

Li Qun took out his phone and glanced at it. Both Gwen and Peter had called, but Gwen had called more times than Peter.

Li Qun sighed.

At that moment, he suddenly realized the busyness of Spider-Man's double life.

At least Peter Parker continued to fight crime in New York after becoming Spider-Man and still had connections with his family and friends, while his consciousness had wandered off to another world, leaving him unable to care about things in the real world.

"Come back on your call as soon as you finish eating," Dad reminded him with a smile.

After dinner, Liqun went up to the rooftop, moved a chair over, and sat down to cool off in the night air.

Looking up at the sky, he couldn't see the stars twinkling in the night sky, but he could hear the sirens of police cars rushing past a few blocks away.

"Hi, Gwen, how was your day?"

"What are you busy with? Peter and I called you, why didn't you answer our calls?"

"My dad taught me a new meditation technique. When you called, my mind was in another world. I'm sorry I couldn't reply to you in time."