Heaven-Defying Rebel Sage -
Chapter 217 - 210: The Salvation of Peacock Great Bright King
Chapter 217: Chapter 210: The Salvation of Peacock Great Bright King
But in the battle at Mount Buzhou, Protector Mosquito was able to escape thanks to Kong Xuan’s intervention, yet Kong Xuan himself fell into a dire situation. His Five-Colored Divine Light couldn’t affect the Eastern Emperor Bell and was instead captured by Wukong using the bell. Wukong also placed a restriction constructed of Chaos Sword Qi within Kong Xuan’s Primordial Spirit. These past few days, he dared not make any rash moves and sat in a cave abode in meditation, searching for ways to break the restriction of the Chaos Sword Qi.
Kong Xuan thought to himself, "The restriction of Chaos Sword Qi under the Eastern Emperor Bell is incredibly powerful. Despite polishing it repeatedly with my Innate Five Elements Divine Light, it had no effect whatsoever. It seems that only Chaos Sword Qi can actually counteract Chaos Sword Qi! Born from Chaos, without limits, it is the mother of all things; there’s no such thing as mutual generation and conquest among them, all things originate from Chaos."
Kong Xuan was correct.
There were indeed great beings who split heaven and earth apart, and within a fragment of the shattered world, a single life remained, a worm. This worm, through endless years of cultivation, eventually became a Heavenly Dao Saint and, reaching the realm of a Heavenly Dao Saint, severed the Three Thousand Great Paths and ultimately became a Great Dao Sage. This person was Hong Jun.
As the saying goes, "Hong Jun came before heaven itself, with Pangu being the first to split heaven and earth." People regard Hong Jun as the creator of this world, but that is not the case. If one must speak of an originator for this world, it would be the Dao. What is the Dao? It is the mystery of mysteries, that is the Dao, indescribable, invisible, to be sought but never fully grasped.
Buddha originated from Dao, sharing the same root. Only their doctrines, cultivation techniques, and thoughts differ, hence the diversity of sects. But ultimately, they each pursue the supreme Dao of this world.
Chaos is born from the Dao, without origin, and thus to suppress Chaos, one must use Chaos or the Dao itself.
Kong Xuan lacked such ability. The Innate Five Elements were already an incredibly potent spell and talent—anything prefixed with "Innate" was extraordinary. But even after Kong Xuan repeatedly polished the restriction with his Innate Five Elements Divine Light, it didn’t budge in the slightest; instead, it seemed to become more stable, which was truly terrifying.
In the Chaotic World, there are many shattered worlds left behind by predecessors, all ultimately unable to withstand the might of the Dao and destroyed by the hands of Chaos Heaven Demons. The same was true for the Earth Immortal Realm—if it wasn’t protected with sufficient strength, it too would someday meet such a fate, with all living beings annihilated apart from Great Dao Sages.
Kong Xuan thought to himself, "Even if I were to escape, Amitabha Buddha and Teacher Zhun Ti would probably be helpless against this issue, as they lack the Pangu Banner of the Lord of Primordial Beginning or the Slaying Immortal Four Swords of Tong Tian Sect Master and cannot wield Chaos Sword Qi. This restriction is proving to be quite troublesome! Oh, Protector Mosquito, you’ve caused me, Kong Xuan, no small trouble."
Reflecting on his previous splendor and his current plight, Kong Xuan felt a profound sadness. Once, he had been formidable and made a name for himself, yet he failed to see the tide of events. He sided with the Jie Taoist and repelled many experts, but in the end, he was captured by Zhun Ti. Additionally, because of Daoist Duobao transforming into Tathagata and achieving Buddhahood, he became an equal to Zhun Ti, something Kong Xuan found unbearable. After all, Duobao was of a younger generation than himself—how could he be on equal standing? Enraged, Kong Xuan swallowed Tathagata, who then broke free from his spine. Although furious, Kong Xuan didn’t dare to kill him, as one must consider the master before beating the dog, thus he granted him the title of Buddha Mother and the name Peacock Great Bright King.
"Speaking of it, I too am a victim of the deification wars," Kong Xuan sighed in his heart.
He became alert, contemplating, "Why would I have such thoughts? I should be loyal to Buddhism. Why... every time I hear the Buddhist scriptures, I feel a deep devotion, as if the thoughts within my Primordial Spirit are being altered, one by one."
Indeed, Buddhist scriptures have the power to indoctrinate by planting certain ideas in the thoughts of one’s Primordial Spirit, turning them into zealous devotees of Buddhism, filled with fervor and enthusiasm. The Golden-Winged Great Peng King was one whose mind was washed in this way. Had Kunpeng not arrived in time to rescue him, he likely would have lost his life in the battle at Mount Putuo.
This time, Kong Xuan hadn’t listened to the scripture in the Mahavira Hall and was under restriction, so the Buddhist concepts in his Primordial Spirit thoughts naturally wavered. After all, who was Kong Xuan? Possessing the Innate Five Elements Spirit Root, he was a great demon who had yet to become a Bodhisattva, rebellious and unyielding even to Saints. How had he become so tame and obedient today? It was all due to the influence of these Buddhist teachings.
Nevertheless, since these notions were deeply ingrained, Kong Xuan brushed off these transient thoughts after a brief moment of contemplation.
Shortly after, Wukong stepped into the cave from outside. Kong Xuan’s eyelids lifted slightly before closing again.
With a slight smile, Wukong said, "Peacock Great Bright King Bodhisattva, as the saying goes, times change and fortunes reverse—sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down. It’s like taking turns being emperor. In the past, you chased me to desperate straits, and now it’s you who have been captured by my hand. Would you say this is what’s called the cycle of karma?"
Kong Xuan replied indifferently, "You reap what you sow."
Wukong nodded and said, "I agree with that. Sow evil and reap wickedness; sow goodness and reap virtue."
With a faint smile, Kong Xuan said, "That is why you should now release me."
Wukong didn’t respond to Kong Xuan but instead paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, talking to himself, "Your Buddhist sect speaks of past, present, and future, advocating the cultivation for the future. Ah, these hypocritical Buddhas leading people astray, do they think everyone is as talented as Tsangyang Gyatso? But even if everyone had Tsangyang Gyatso’s talent, it would still be an erroneous path."
In Buddhism, there is an emphasis on cultivating for the next life in order to attract believers. Wukong saw this as nonsense.
Kong Xuan snapped, "How is it wrong?"
Wukong laughed and said, "What does my previous life have to do with this one of mine? What does this life of mine have to do with the future? The riches of the future, the strength, the honor, all of the future’s aspects, what relevance do they bear to my present? If one does not grasp the present but chases after the illusory future, that is nothing but the way of mediocrity. If everyone could dream in daylight like Zhun Ti and become a saint through dreams, that would indeed be wonderful!" Wukong’s smile deepened, "The master of the Vajrayana, Tsangyang Gyatso, cultivated the Reincarnation Technique. His first life was known as Gedun Zhupa, the second as Gedun Gyatso, the third as Sonam Gyatso, the fourth as Lobsang Gyatso, the fifth as Losang Gyatso, the sixth as Tsangyang Gyatso, and now the seventh as Gesang Gyatso. So who is he really? Is he Gedun Zhupa? Tsangyang Gyatso? Or Gesang Gyatso? He continues to reincarnate, pursuing that illusory future, yet he loses his true self. How can one who has forgotten even who they are find the path worth striving for? The correct way out!"
Kong Xuan couldn’t help but ponder deeply. Wukong’s words made sense; perhaps the Reincarnation Technique was indeed a flawed path. The moment Gedun Zhupa underwent reincarnation as the second life Gedun Gyatso, he had already lost himself. How could one who has lost oneself find the true path? Is what the Buddha Ancestor preached about cultivating for the next life really wrong?
Kong Xuan felt his heart waver.
Wukong then said, "Buddha claimed that all beings are equal, so why do we only see the Buddha Ancestor seated high atop the Spiritual Mount, in the Mahavira Hall, giving orders at will!"
Kong Xuan remained silent. Indeed, the Buddhas sat high above, receiving the Incense Willpower from all beings but not taking action. They would occasionally help by casting spells when in good spirits, but that was very rare. They took but never gave back in return. If the divine Buddhas are selfless, why do they play with sentient beings as if they were mere pawns?
"Wukong, you are an Innate Five Elements Peacock with an extraordinary talent. You should have been a great demon of your generation, yet now you have pledged yourself to those deceptive Buddhas. Can you really say this is fair to the children of our Demon Tribe? Do you remember the battle at Mount Putuo, when our forebears of the Demon Tribe willingly sacrificed themselves, their Divine Thought into Thunder! Those who sacrificed their lives for righteousness weigh heavier than Mount Tai!" Wukong rebuked loudly, shaking Kong Xuan’s very core.
The battle at Mount Putuo had indeed made a profound impact on Kong Xuan. The powerful beings of the Demon Tribe had disintegrated their physical forms, their Divine Thought into Thunder, severely damaging the Buddhist Sect and averting the crisis for the Demon Tribe. As one of the Demon Tribe, witnessing this had naturally shaken him to the core. Indeed, he could be considered an ancestor of the Demon Tribe, yet now here he was serving within the Buddhist halls.
Wukong manifested a Victorious Fighting Buddha behind him. This time, the Victorious Fighting Buddha did not appear solemn, but instead wore a kind, benevolent expression, with hands clasped together, slowly saying, "Kong Xuan, my name is Victorious Fighting Buddha. The Immeasurable Light illuminates the Ten Directions Country. My will prevails across the cosmos, and I am unbeatable in battle. Hence, I am named Victorious Fighting."
Although Kong Xuan’s faith in the Buddhist Sect had been shaken, seeing a Buddha, especially one exuding a sense of intention and power unlike Tathagata and the rest, he couldn’t help but press his palms together, bow deeply, and say, "Peacock Great Ming King, at the sight of Victorious Fighting Buddha."
Victorious Fighting Buddha laughed, "Peacock Great Bright King Bodhisattva need not be overly formal. You have sought the Buddhist path for many years, but have you truly found the real Buddha?"
Kong Xuan was taken aback, shook his head, and said, "I have not. What, after all, is Buddha?"
Victorious Fighting Buddha continued to smile and said, "Buddha is the true heart. A person on the lotus pedestal, unmoving, that is Buddha; a Buddha amidst the worldly dust, in motion, that is man."
Kong Xuan asked, "What do you mean?"
Victorious Fighting Buddha said, "An old saying goes: ’People are inherently good at the outset.’ Buddha also said: ’Lay down the butcher’s knife and immediately become a Buddha.’ Even a murderous fiend, upon abandoning his knife and awakening the benevolent thoughts in his heart, can become a Buddha. How much more so for Peacock Great Ming King Bodhisattva? Buddha is the true heart, follow your true heart, awaken your benevolent thoughts, and that is Buddha!"
Kong Xuan murmured, "Follow my true heart... Over these many years, although I’ve learned much under Master Zhun Ti, haven’t I always yearned for those unbound days of pure joy? Is this my true heart? Who doesn’t esteem freedom? If one esteems the free flight, the esteem toward the sky, then why bind oneself, settling in the Mahavira Hall? Buddha, from this moment forth, I, Kong Xuan, am also a Buddha!"
Having spoken these words, Kong Xuan clasped his hands together, behind him manifested a Five-Colored Peacock, which unfurled its tail in an instant.
On Kong Xuan’s body, a gold-plated kasaya slowly appeared. Above his head, a Five-Buddha Crown was adorned with pearls, agate, colored glaze, and jadeite, extravagant and splendid in many colors. Around his neck hung a string of Zen beads. His entire bearing was majestic as though he had indeed become a Buddha on the spot.
Buddha and demon are but a thought apart.
Action is Zen, sitting is Zen, within a single dust an entire realm, within a single leaf a Buddha.
Victorious Fighting Buddha revealed a smile and nodded slowly.
Kong Xuan bowed, "The Buddha is merciful, I am the Five Elements Buddha, at the sight of Victorious Fighting Buddha."
Victorious Fighting Buddha laughed heartily, "Haha, haha! Have you now understood what a true Buddha really is?"
To find out what happens next, please join us in the next installment. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com), buy a monthly ticket, and your support will be my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
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