The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 250 - 233: Implementing a Clever Plan to Achieve Great Success

Chapter 250: Chapter 233: Implementing a Clever Plan to Achieve Great Success

It is said that Guanyin had imparted to Yuan Shoucheng the techniques of divination and, with her great magical power, bestowed spiritual wisdom upon him.

The next day, Yuan Shoucheng was in the divination hall performing divinations for people, and his interpretations were invariably accurate. Moreover, as Yuan Shoucheng was the uncle of Yuan Tiangang and the Yuan Family possessed extraordinary talent in divination, Yuan Tiangang held the prestigious position of head of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau in the Tang Dynasty, which made Yuan Shoucheng instantly famous.

He advised some fishermen on exactly where to cast their nets, and as a result, hundreds of fish were caught in a single haul. Consequently, the people of the Aquatic Tribes under the Jing River Dragon King suffered greatly.

Two fishermen were talking on the shore about Yuan Shoucheng’s incredibly accurate divinations, requiring only a carp each time, which when overheard by the subordinates of the Jing River Dragon King, greatly alarmed them, and they reported it to the Jing River Dragon King.

"Great King, a grave matter has arisen!"

"Why fuss over minor matters, what’s so grave?" the Jing River Dragon King replied with displeasure, feeling his subordinate was overly alarmed.

Then this person reported to him about Yuan Shoucheng’s divinations for the fishermen. Upon hearing this, the Jing River Dragon King, enraged, said, "If this man continues to divinate, will not all my Aquatic Tribes be preyed upon by those fishermen?"

"Exactly, Great King, please think of something quickly!"

The Jing River Dragon King then said, "Come, follow me to Chang’an City, let’s go to his divination hall and see what kind of Taoist strength this man has that he can harm my Aquatic Tribes."

This Jing River Dragon King was inflexible and stubborn. Guanyin had foreseen this and used him as leverage for her plans, intending to use the Jing River Dragon King to promote Buddhism and secure Emperor Taizong of Tang’s support for the Journey to the West. In the Guanlong Region, where Chang’an is located, the Daoist influence was the strongest. Only someone like Guanyin, who was full of clever ideas, could escape unscathed. If it were another Bodhisattva or Buddha, they might not have been successful. Naturally, Guanyin also demonstrated her great wisdom, and now the Jing River Dragon King had fallen into her calculation without realizing it.

Guanyin and her disciple Mu Zha, observing from the clouds, saw the Jing River Dragon King emerge from the river and transform into a scholarly young man. Guanyin smiled slightly, saying, "This Jing River Dragon King really cannot withstand Yuan Shoucheng. Now he has personally emerged from the Jing River. If he cannot restrain his anger and kills Yuan Shoucheng, Yuan Tiangang will certainly not tolerate him, and the Yuan Family is very powerful in Chang’an. And the magical power of Yuan Tiangang is also not negligible!"

The Yuan Family and Li Family, illustrious as the Imperial Astronomical Bureau in the Great Tang, Yuan Tiangang and Li Chungang were even able to create the famous "Tui Bei Tu" which predicted the next five thousand years. Because Yuan Tiangang nearly breached heaven’s secrets, Li Chungang gave him a push, an act that led to the creation of the "Tui Bei Tu." In the art of divination, both the Yuan Family and Li Family were truly outstanding. If the Jing River Dragon King were to kill Yuan Shoucheng, neither family would let him off easily.

Mu Zha said, "Bodhisattva, your calculations are impeccable; I greatly admire them! I just wonder how things will develop?"

With a slight smile, the Bodhisattva replied, "Just watch!"

Although Guanyin felt guilty about endangering the life of the Jing River Dragon King, it was the divine command of the Buddha Ancestor that brought her to Chang’an to spread Buddhism. She could not return without accomplishments, as that would diminish her standing in the Western Heaven, and the Buddha Ancestor would surely also be displeased. Known as the embodiment of great compassion and savior of the distressed, Guanyin was, in fact, also somewhat ruthless.

Guanyin thought to herself, "If the Jing River Dragon King doesn’t take the bait, I may have to act myself! However, if the Daoists capture this leverage, it might be difficult to emerge unscathed while Buddhism and Daoism are already fiercely contested and ready to erupt at any moment."

Guanyin was extremely cautious in her heart, concerned that any slip might be noticed by the Daoists, potentially igniting a fierce battle between Buddhism and Daoism, a situation the Buddha Ancestor wished to avoid.

Disguised as a scholar, the Dragon King entered and sat down. Yuan Shoucheng, seeing that the visitor was dignified and no mere mortal, asked, "What brings you here, sir?"

The Dragon King thought to himself, "If I directly attack and smash his divination hall, that would be too obvious, given that his divinations have been exceedingly accurate! Perhaps I should let him conduct a divination first. If he is wrong, then I will smash his signboard and burn down his divination hall, and see how he continues to divinate for others."

The Jing River Dragon King, having this in mind, thought, "Since I control the rainfall in the Guanlong Region, I will ask him about the rain."

"Could you divine the weather in the heavens for me?" asked the Dragon King.

Yuan Shoucheng scattered a handful of copper coins on the table and, after manipulating the counting rods, said, "Clouds shroud the mountain tops, mist wraps the treetops. If you ask about the moisture, it is set for tomorrow."

The Jing River Dragon King inwardly sneered and asked, "When will it rain tomorrow, and how much will it fall?"

After carefully calculating, Yuan Shoucheng answered, "Tomorrow during the Hour of the Dragon, clouds will gather; during the Hour of the Snake, thunder will strike; at Noon, it will rain; by the Wei hour, the rain will be complete. A total of three feet three inches and forty-eight points will fall."

The Jing River Dragon King, without a decree from the Heavenly Court, sneered and said, "Do not jest with such matters! If it rains tomorrow as you say, I will give you fifty taels of gold. But if there is no rain, or the rainfall is insufficient, or the timing incorrect, I will tear off your face, rip up your signboard, and chase you out of Chang’an."

Yuan Shoucheng replied with a smile, "Naturally, I accept your terms. Please, come back to my divination hall after the rain tomorrow."

The Jing River Dragon King took his leave, exited Chang’an, and returned to the Jing River.

The Jing River Dragon King laughed heartily, thinking Yuan Shoucheng was foolishly unaware of the situation, as he had yet to receive a divine decree about rain, making tomorrow’s victory seemingly assured. Suddenly, an angel arrived, proclaiming, "Jing River Dragon King, you have received a decree from the Jade