The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 125 - 122: Laojun Plans to Help Zhang Jiao

Chapter 125: Chapter 122: Laojun Plans to Help Zhang Jiao

Zhuang Zhou and Guanyin had a great battle, and in the end, it was Ksitigarbha who appeared. Only then did Guanyin escape with her life, otherwise her millennia of cultivation would have ended up as mere dust.

The Human Sage was truly terrifying. Even a master like Guanyin was no match for him, nearly losing her life.

However, this time Zhuang Zhou’s ascension to heaven was unobstructed, reaching the Thirty-Three Heavens without passing through the Heavenly Court. The journey was perilously dangerous, with fierce winds and thunderclouds above. Those with weaker cultivation would be directly obliterated.

Zhuang Zhou did not want to expend the effort to ascend due to his sufficient mana, yet passing through those layers of fierce winds and thunderclouds was indeed troubling. Thus, he chose to go through the Eastern Heavenly Gate.

At the Eastern Heavenly Gate, only a few soldiers were guarding, leaning on their spears and sleeping soundly by the gate. It turned out that the Daoist Equal to Heaven had shattered the Southern Sky Gate with a single arrow. Since the Southern Sky Gate was the main gate of the Heavenly Court, many immortals used it, and thus, the Jade Emperor had dispatched troops from all directions to repair it.

Zhuang Zhou passed the Eastern Heavenly Gate unnoticed, shaking his head silently, thinking, "These Heavenly Soldiers are truly negligent! Instead of properly guarding the gate, they are here sleeping deeply."

Guarding the Heavenly Gate was the most tedious task. At the Southern Sky Gate, it was somewhat better, but at the other gates, it was deadly boring. With hardly any people passing through all day, what else could they do but sleep?

Zhuang Zhou entered the Heavenly Court and did not linger. He soared upwards, passing more than thirty layers of heaven, and arrived at the Great Pure Sky.

Above the Thirty-Three Heavens, there were no defenses. Anyone could ascend, but whether they dared to was another matter. Roaming the domain of a sage without cause was akin to seeking death, unless one had urgent matters.

"Who is this old Taoist, and what brings him to the Great Pure Sky?" A Child halted Zhuang Zhou’s path.

"Ah! I am Zhuang Zhou, and I am here to seek teachings from Laozi. May I know in which heaven Laozi resides?" Zhuang Zhou bowed and asked.

"Ah! It turns out to be the esteemed elder Zhuang Zhou. Laozi is in the uppermost Great Pure Sky. You may proceed," the Child bowed and replied.

"Thank you, Immortal Child, I take my leave." Zhuang Zhou, having received an answer, ascended to the Jade Pure Sky.

Upon reaching the Jade Pure Sky, he met a Taoist, who was none other than Immortal Guang Chengzi, the leader of the Twelve Golden Immortals.

The Great Immortal was surprised to see Zhuang Zhou and asked curiously, "Ah, where have you come from, fellow Taoist, and where are you going?"

Zhuang Zhou replied, "I come from Luoyang in the Eastern Land, ascending to heaven to meet Laozi. Is this the Great Pure Sky where Laozi resides?"

Being a warm-hearted person and seeing that Zhuang Zhou had come from the Shangqing, evidently no ordinary figure, otherwise he would not have been allowed to ascend, Guang Chengzi said with a smile, "I am Guang Chengzi, a disciple of Yuan Shi Immortal Monarch. My great teacher is still one heaven higher. I will take you up."

Zhuang Zhou smiled and said, "That would be wonderful; I was afraid of losing my way. I appreciate your guidance, Immortal Guang Chengzi."

Guang Chengzi then led Zhuang Zhou up to the Great Pure Sky, pointing to the Doulu Purple Mansion, he said, "There lies my great teacher’s Taoist temple. Fellow Taoist, go on ahead! I have other matters to attend to."

Zhuang Zhou smiled and said, "Thank you, thank you very much!"

After Guang Chengzi descended from the Great Pure Sky, Zhuang Zhou adjusted his robe and walked towards Doulu Palace.

"Halt, old Taoist! State your name!" Golden Horn, seeing Zhuang Zhou from afar, shouted.

"I am Zhuang Zhou. Please inform Teacher Li Dan on my behalf," Zhuang Zhou bowed and said.

"Aha! This person is quite significant. It seems he is the great scholar who thoroughly studied the ’Tao Te Ching’ left in the mortal world by the old master, ranking as one of our Taoist Sect’s patriarchs," Golden Horn thought to himself, instructing Silver Horn to guard the gate well as he hurried inside to report.

Zhuang Zhou had no formal teacher, but he loved reading the ’Tao Te Ching’ and gleaned his own knowledge from the principles of the Taoist Sect, eventually writing ’Free and Easy Wandering’. His reputation was set to be everlasting. Indeed, it was fitting to call Laozi a teacher.

Soon, Laozi and Golden Horned Boy emerged, Laozi smiling, "I wondered who it was. It turns out to be Zhuang Zhou!"

Zhuang Zhou bowed and said, "Student Zhuang Zhou greets the teacher!"

Laozi said, "I haven’t taught you anything, so how can I deserve the title of your teacher?"

Zhuangzi hurriedly said, "You do deserve it, you do! If not for the teacher’s writing of ’Tao Te Ching’, Zhuangzi would hardly have achieved such success."

Laozi could not help but laugh heartily, stepped forward to help Zhuangzi up, and invited him into Doulu Palace. He ordered the child to bring tea and asked, "What brings you here to find me?"

Zhuangzi answered, "Confucius mentioned that the Spiritual Treasure Celestial Venerable’s sword terminated the Great Han’s fortune. He instructed me to engage with the world, and so I came to seek guidance from my teacher."

Laozi then said, "Hmm... the fortune of the Great Han Dynasty must end. My fellow disciple of Heaven-Penetrating struck that sword, transferring all karma to that shadow’s body. Although he severed the mortal dynasty’s fortune, he did not incur major karma. It was indeed an ingenious move that could also reduce future uncertainties."

Zhuangzi nodded and explained, "When I ascended to the heavens, two monks stopped me, whom I killed. Then came Guanyin, whom I also injured, and finally Ksitigarbha King Bodhisattva appeared. I knew of him as an upright and forthright individual, so I spared Guanyin."

Laozi’s eyelid twitched and he asked, "Whom did you kill?"

Zhuangzi said, "Those two were apparently called Kasyapa and Ananda, revered figures from the Buddhist sect. I was not very clear, initially I spared them, but they kept harassing me relentlessly, and I could not bear it any longer, so I killed them."

Laozi could not help but shake his head and smiled bitterly, "You’ve really caused a great disaster now. Those two were disciples of the Tathagata, and by killing them, you have essentially slapped Tathagata’s face. Tathagata’s powers are immense, and although I don’t fear him, it’s not wise to confront him directly. Such an action might trigger a domino effect, potentially destroying millennia of strategic setting. Your venture out might have inadvertently aided someone in navigating this calamity; it’s indeed time for you to descend to the mortal world."

Upon hearing this, Zhuangzi was shocked, "I have heard some about Tathagata but didn’t realize he was so powerful. What should I do, teacher?"

Laozi calculated for a moment and said, "The fortune of the Han Dynasty is nearing its end, indicating a hero who will create turmoil. I predict that a man surnamed Zhang, named Jiao, born in Julu Commandery of Jizhou, and his two brothers Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang, will align with the Heavenly Dao and utterly disrupt the Han Dynasty’s fortune. His life will not be long, as decreed by destiny. Descend to the mortal world, hide in the mountains, and guiding him will suffice."

"Teacher, I have compiled a book called ’Essential Arts for Peace,’ also known as ’Nanhua Sutra,’ which contains the principles and spells of our Taoist Sect. May I pass this book to him?" Zhuangzi asked.

Laozi took the bamboo slip from him, unrolled it for a look, and, clapping his hands in admiration, circled some parts, saying, "These spells can be passed on to him; the rest should not be, as they may alter the course of destiny."

Zhuangzi looked, nodded, and re-wrote the parts Laozi had circled, dividing them into three volumes titled ’Essential Arts for Peace.’

Laozi said, "Just pass these three volumes of scriptures to Zhang Jiao to adhere to the Heavenly Dao, hastening the downfall of the Han Dynasty."

Zhuangzi said, "Understood."

Zhuangzi put the three volumes of ’Essential Arts for Peace’ in his bosom, and when the right time came, he would pass them to Zhang Jiao.

"After all, you are a human sage. Tathagata tracing you would not be easy, even though those two were his disciples, it is not a severe issue. Now, with our restraint, he will not mobilize forces to find you. Go down to the mortal world, hide in Julu, and choose a Taoist name for yourself. When the time comes, just pass these three volumes of scriptures to Zhang Jiao," said Laozi.

"Good, then I will take the Taoist name ’Nanhua Old Immortal,’" Zhuangzi thought carefully and then decided.

"Hmm," Laozi nodded, "I have nothing more to instruct you. Here are volumes of ’Taiqing Alchemy Scripture,’ ’Nine Tripod Alchemy Scripture,’ and ’Golden Elixir Alchemy Scripture’, all transferable to you too, enabling you to learn my way of alchemy. If you encounter someone fated, you may also pass them on to promote our Daoist Sect’s alchemy, preventing our reputation from being spoiled by those charlatans in the mortal world."

Zhuangzi was overjoyed, taking the three volumes of scriptures, all discussing the ways of alchemy. With Laozi’s alchemy and artifact refining skills being the best in all Three Realms, possessing his alchemy scriptures would indeed make learning alchemy much more efficient.

Zhuangzi said, "I will surely study them diligently and not disappoint you, teacher."

Laozi smiled and said, "Good, in these troubled times, our Taoist Sect must contend for fortune, and we can certainly use you."

"I’m fully at your disposal!" Zhuangzi declared.

To find out what happens next, please follow the subsequent part.