Heaven-Defying Rebel Sage
Chapter 121: Five Villages Temple Seizes Ginseng Fruit

Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Five Villages Temple Seizes Ginseng Fruit

But what detained Wukong as he discussed with Guanyin, Manjushri, and Samantabhadra how to snatch the Ginseng Fruit from Zhen Yuanzi.

Zhen Yuanzi among the Daluo Golden Immortals was also a formidable character, not because his cultivation level was so high, but rather because his Spell of Sleeve Universe was nothing short of defying heaven. Guanyin and others dreaded exactly his Spell of Sleeve Universe, for if one were caught in his sleeve, the trouble would be serious.

Wukong spoke, "Since this is directed by our Buddha..."

Manjushri interjected, "Not at all, not at all! The Buddha Ancestor gave us three paths, but it was still up to us to choose, not his business."

Known for his great wisdom, Manjushri, naturally clever, immediately revealed the mystery planned by Tathagata.

Wukong quickly corrected himself, "Oh, right! The Buddha Ancestor pointed out three paths to Guanyin, and we are here to help. We chose this path after our discussion, the Buddha Ancestor does not know it."

Manjushri asked, "How exactly can we obtain the Ginseng Fruit?"

After a moment of thought, Guanyin suddenly said, "Do not forget, the Buddha Ancestor gave us three Magical Treasures when he came!"

These three Magical Treasures were the horsetail whisk, the Flying Sword, and seventy-two Steel Needles.

With a slight smile, Manjushri said, "The Buddha Ancestor’s mana is unfathomable. Granting these Magical Treasures, he must have meant them for a significant purpose."

With that, the three of them each began meditating and refining the treasures, while Wukong instructed the novice monk outside not to allow anyone to disturb them.

It took three days for the three Bodhisattvas to refine the treasures to their satisfaction. Since they originally came from the Taoist Sect, these three Magical Treasures were clearly refined using Taoist methods and now were wielded without any hesitation. The three speculated in their hearts that these treasures might have been personally refined by the Tong Tian Sect Master!

Tathagata was an enigmatic figure. If it hadn’t been for Laozi intervening to capture him back then, the Twelve Golden Immortals would have surely faced severe losses. Known as the "multi-treasured Taoist," his Magical Treasures were naturally numerous. Yet in the Battle of Conferred Gods, he had hardly used any treasures, and after taking a Sky-Overturning Seal from Guang Chengzi without flinching, one could glean a glimpse of his capabilities.

"My horsetail whisk is named Celestial Silk Horsetail Whisk... The whisk’s threads are forged with stellar sand and further refined with divine silkworm threads, its miracles are endless." Manjushri Bodhisattva opened his eyes and smiled as he spoke.

"This Flying Sword of mine is named the Slaying Immortal Flying Sword, modeled after the Slaying Immortal Sword, annihilating immortals and slaying deities in the blink of an eye," Samantabhadra said as he repeatedly toyed with the Flying Sword in his hands, clearly very pleased.

"This Magical Treasure of mine is named Earthly Fiend Steel Needles, forged from the essence of a cold sword and refined with the concept of the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends. It can merge into a sword or separate into needles, operating smoothly," said Guanyin after refining her steel needles, unable to hide her elation for acquiring such a powerful item, truly a blessing in disguise.

Wukong proposed, "Then let us disguise ourselves as Taoists and go acquire the Ginseng Fruit."

Guanyin nodded, "Good."

Wukong laughed and said, "Lately, I had the Medicine Buddha Ancestor refine the Immortal Binding Rope for me again, and this rope can now be used as a whip."

The four of them took out their Magical Treasures, resealed them with talismans to conceal their true forms, facilitating their actions.

After descending the mountain, they transformed into the appearance of Taoists, circled around, and arrived at the east side of Five Villages Temple.

Upon reaching the front of Five Villages Temple, they said to the Apprentice, "We are here to visit the Great Immortal Zhen Yuan, please inform him."

The Apprentice snorted through his nose and arrogantly said, "What brings you to seek my master?"

Samantabhadra replied, "Naturally, we have matters to discuss with Great Immortal Zhen Yuan."

The Apprentice said, "Is there any... hmm." He deliberately coughed a few times, "Any gifts?"

Guanyin couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly, thinking, "This Zhen Yuanzi truly is an arrogant frog at the bottom of a well, even his disciples act like this! If I don’t swipe all thirty of his Ginseng Fruits clean this time, I’ll eat my words!"

The Ginseng Fruits were even more precious than the Queen Mother’s peaches that ripen once every nine thousand years, there being only thirty of these fruits for the same period. When the Ginseng Fruits were ripe, Zhen Yuanzi would use them to ingratiate himself with high-status individuals, expanding his network... Now, there were only ten Ginseng Fruits left hanging on the tree.

"Here’s one, catch," said Samantabhadra, handing the Apprentice a Gathering Qi Pill, which was just an ordinary elixir pill.

After receiving the gift, the Apprentice finally said, "Please wait, I’ll go inform my master."

With that, he entered Five Villages Temple to find Zhen Yuanzi.

Manjushri said, "It would be nice to obtain the Ginseng Fruit peacefully, but if Zhen Yuanzi is stingy, then we’ll inevitably have to fight."

Guanyin nodded and added, "Exactly."

Shortly after, the Apprentice came out and said, "My master is currently in closed-door cultivation and is not receiving visitors. Please return tomorrow."

The four of them, all high-status figures in Western Heaven, were not accustomed to such a cold reception. Moreover, Zhen Yuanzi’s arrogance was excessive, merely sending the Apprentice out to deliver a brief message without showing his face! The four were considerably upset, truly boiling with frustration.

"Let’s go!" Guanyin declared.

The four employed the Invisibility Technique, leapt up, and entered Five Villages Temple, heading straight to the backyard where the Ginseng Fruit tree was located.

The Apprentice thought the four had left and grumbled, "Idiots, wanting to meet my master without any proper gifts!"

Suddenly, he heard Zhen Yuanzi bellow, "Who are these wild Taoists daring to steal my Ginseng Fruits?!"

Zhen Yuanzi had laid a Formation in the backyard, which would alert him if anyone stepped into it. The four cursed themselves for their carelessness in not thoroughly scouting the area before recklessly barging in.

Tong Tian Sect Master soared into the air and with a sweep of his large sleeve, he wrapped Guanyin within it.

Guanyin let out a soft shout, and from her hand, she produced a soft whip, transformed from the willow branch. With a flick of her whip, she conjured a series of powerful gusts that blew the sleeve aside. Tong Tian Sect Master had slightly underestimated his opponent, and Guanyin was not the Wukong of the past, easily captured; her strength was formidable!

"Go for the Ginseng Fruit! The three of us will hold off this scum," Manjushri commanded.

Guanyin nodded and then went to pick the Ginseng Fruit, lacking Tong Tian Sect Master’s jade ruler, making the task somewhat more challenging for her.

Tong Tian Sect Master shouted angrily, "How dare you come to my Five Villages Temple and cause trouble!"

Having said this, he waved his large sleeve fiercely as Mana surged, targeting Manjushri directly.

Manjushri, infuriated, raised the Immortal Binding Rope in his hand and displayed his Whip Technique. With it, he created a sound vacuum and forced the large sleeve to open.

"Tong Tian Sect Master, curb your arrogance! We came sincerely to ask for the Ginseng Fruit, yet you did not even show your face. Are you intentionally trying to humiliate us?" Samantabhadra also fumed, summoning the Slaying Immortal Flying Sword. Then, a myriad of Sword Qi burst forth, causing the entire Taoist temple to tremble.

Thousands of Sword Qi streaked through the air like shooting stars. Tong Tian Sect Master grunted, spread his sleeve to shred all the Sword Qi, and advanced toward Guanyin, flipping his wrist to shoot three throwing knives at her. At that moment, Guanyin was busy picking the Ginseng Fruit and could not spare her hands. Manjushri quickly shook his horsetail whisk and caught the three flying knives, feeling his arm grow numb with the effort. Tong Tian Sect Master indeed had some ability, as even catching the three knives was challenging for Manjushri.

Tong Tian Sect Master then used his Universe in the Sleeve technique, and the three saw his sleeve surge over them like the sky blocking the sun, leaving no room to dodge!

"Break it!" Samantabhadra fully invoked the Slaying Immortal Flying Sword.

The Magical Treasure given to them by Tathagata was specifically meant to break Tong Tian Sect Master’s Universe in the Sleeve Divine Skill, and the sword transformed into a hundred feet long Sword Qi, incredibly sharp, its fierceness transcending even the realm of a Daluo Golden Immortal! This Sword Qi, bestowed by Tathagata, was prepared without fault.

"Puff!"

With one strike, Tong Tian Sect Master’s Divine Skill was shattered, his sleeve torn apart, transforming into butterflies fluttering in the air.

Tong Tian Sect Master twisted a spell in his hand, and those torn sleeves instantly whirled around, generating a fierce wind that attacked Guanyin.

He was determined to protect the Ginseng Fruit, as Guanyin was about to pick the first one.

However, as the three had immense Mana and possessed the Magical Treasure specifically countering the Universe in the Sleeve spell, gifted by Tathagata, he grew more frantic and lost his composure.

Guanyin picked the first Ginseng Fruit and, without any hesitation, swallowed it immediately. She circulated her Mana to assimilate it, and then reached for the second fruit.

Tong Tian Sect Master exclaimed furiously, "Insolent!"

Manjushri chuckled lightly, "Calm your rage, Great Immortal Tong Tian!"

With that, he raised his horsetail whisk and struck down, scattering thousands of strands across the sky to block Tong Tian Sect Master’s path and entangle him.

The whisk strands, forged from cosmic sand, were extremely tough, sharp as knives. If touched, they were bound to draw blood.

Helpless, Tong Tian Sect Master swung his large sleeve left and right and shouted, "Quick, summon help!"

The Apprentice outside saw his master at a disadvantage and hurriedly rode the clouds to seek assistance.

Manjushri lashed at Tong Tian Sect Master’s back, causing him to stagger and cough up blood. Seizing the opportunity, Samantabhadra struck him on the forehead, resulting in a dizzying blow that sent him flying.

"Brother, let’s stop while we are ahead," Manjushri suggested.

Having obtained the second Ginseng Fruit and swallowed it, Guanyin felt rejuvenated, her vitality fully restored and no longer depleting. Satisfied, she said, "That’s enough, let’s go!"

Raising the seventy-two Steel Needles, she launched them all at once!

Tong Tian Sect Master kept swinging his large sleeve, deflecting the Steel Needles.

Guanyin quickly gathered the Steel Needles, and the group, unwilling to linger, deployed their Escape Technique and departed.

Tong Tian Sect Master dared not pursue and could only express his frustration by stomping his feet and pounding his chest, while the Three Corpse Gods within him raged thunderously, and he spat out another mouthful of blood.

The group returned to Spiritual Mount and entered Manjushri’s Taoist sanctuary directly.

"Tong Tian Sect Master truly is a figure too arrogant for his own good! Humph, if it were not the wrong time, I would have taught him a proper lesson," Samantabhadra said, unable to suppress his snort.

"He indeed deserves it. Back when he was on the Journey to the West, he was schemed against by the Three Pure Ones and suffered a great loss in silence, without daring to speak out. This fellow’s arrogance knows no bounds; he even boasted of not honoring the Three Pure Ones, but only himself. Hehe, no wonder the Three Pure Ones do not favor him," Manjushri said with a laugh.

Having ascended to being a Daluo Golden Immortal, Tong Tian Sect Master behaved with boundless arrogance, proclaiming himself the progenitor of the Earth Immortals. As such, how could someone who considered himself an ancestral figure worship another? Thus, he created his own statue in the shrine, only honoring himself. Plainly put, this self-proclaimed progenitor of the Earth Immortals was a joke in the eyes of others, merely a nouveau riche who rose abruptly due to the Ginseng Fruit.

As Guanyin assimilated the medicinal potency of the two Ginseng Fruits, she smiled and said, "Thank you all for your help! From now on, should you need assistance, I will certainly lend a hand whenever possible."

"Don’t mention it, don’t mention it!"

The group exchanged glances and couldn’t help but burst into laughter, as if rediscovering the camaraderie of old times.