The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 324 - 285: The Mosquito Taoist Converts to the Buddhist Sect

Chapter 324: Chapter 285: The Mosquito Taoist Converts to the Buddhist Sect

It so happened that Wukong was about to slay the Mosquito-Slaying Daoist, but he was obstructed by Acala.

Knowing Acala to be an incarnation of Tathagata, he dared not neglect him and hurriedly bowed in respect, "Vidyaraja, Your Holiness, your disciple pays his respects!"

Acala gave a slight nod. He had sensed the will of Amitabha Buddha descending upon the world, which was why he had appeared. Just as he arrived, he saw Wukong about to kill the Mosquito Taoist and immediately intervened to stop it.

"Vidyaraja, Your Holiness, this Mosquito Taoist was born in the Netherworld Blood Sea and bit the Meritorious Lotus Platform of Amitabha Buddha once, creating significant karma with our Buddhist sect. Moreover, he has now killed eighty thousand people from my governed states! His sins are grave, and he cannot be tolerated by the heavenly way! I wish to act on behalf of heaven to execute this evil demon. Why does Your Holiness intervene?" Wukong inquired.

The relationship between Acala and Tathagata was much like that between Daoist Equal to Heaven and himself, possessing a kind of compatible wisdom. It was said that Acala was transformed from the Buddha Ancestor’s righteous anger.

Acala had intervened because he felt the will of Amitabha Buddha and coincidentally saw Wukong fighting with the Mosquito Taoist; hence, he stopped them to inquire about the truth.

"This Mosquito Taoist, having bitten the Meritorious Lotus Platform, has also established a profound connection. Now, he is willing to lay down the butcher’s knife and convert to Buddhism. How can we still strike him down?" said Acala.

In this world, knowledge of The Two Saints of the West was generally held by some old beings. Wukong was aware of this and found it unsurprising. It was unlikely that Acala found it strange. If Wukong had sincerely chanted "Amitabha Buddha" just now, he probably would have been executed on the spot.

"How do you know of Amitabha Buddha?" Acala suddenly asked.

"I have heard of him before. The Buddhist sect was established by The Two Saints of the West. Later, Our Buddha continued this will, and upon his birth in the West Cow He State, attained Supreme Right Enlightenment and became the Respectful Ruler of the World. It seems these two perished in the great wars of the Middle Ancient Times. Just now, when I seized the Mosquito Taoist’s Third-Grade Lotus Platform, the will of Amitabha Buddha descended and stripped it from his flesh, enabling me to subdue him," Wukong stated respectfully.

He naturally had to speak without revealing any loopholes; Acala had the cultivation of a Semi-Saint, and for him to slay Wukong would be as simple as turning over his hand to inspect it.

"It seems Acala’s mana has become more refined. However, in this world, he belongs to an alien race and cannot become a Saint!" Wukong thought to himself. "He will never be able to grasp the laws of sainthood, possessing only the power of a saint at best. But when faced with a true Saint, he is still no match."

The Mosquito Taoist, having been severely injured by Wukong, also dared not escape and simply knelt to the side, bowing his head, "Vidyaraja, Your Holiness, I wish to convert to Buddhism!"

Wukong snorted coldly, raising the Third-Grade Lotus Platform in his hand, "Vidyaraja, Your Holiness, this is the Third-Grade Merit Lotus Platform absorbed by the Mosquito Taoist. Just now, for some reason, the will of Amitabha Buddha materialized and forcibly separated it from inside the Mosquito Taoist."

In truth, it was Wukong who had recited the Sutra of the Other Shore and connected with the will of Amitabha Buddha, allowing him to separate it. Moreover, he was of Supreme Right Enlightenment himself, a Buddha Ancestor, and the Meritorious Lotus Platform was a sacred relic of the Buddhist sect. Using it to slay a Buddha Ancestor would naturally provoke a force of resistance.

Acala took the Third-Grade Lotus Platform from Wukong’s hand and after a glance, said, "This is indeed the Merit Lotus Platform, but it is only third-grade and of little use to me."

He returned the Third-Grade Merit Lotus Platform to Wukong, not coveting the magical treasure. If it had been ninth or twelfth grade, he might have been tempted, but third-grade was far too little, and he possessed not a few Primordial Magical Treasures himself.

Wukong breathed a sigh of relief. The Third-Grade Lotus Platform might not mean much to Acala, but for him, it was significantly beneficial. He had a karmic connection with the Merit and Rebirth Lotus Platform. Now having acquired this third-grade platform and refining it into his being, he could resolve this karma and enhance his mana.

Upon reaching the Karmic Realm of Daluo Golden Immortal First Heaven, one begins to comprehend the karma between heaven and earth and seeks to resolve and avoid them. Otherwise, the higher one’s cultivation, the more they are bound by karma, making advancement extremely difficult.

Now, in the Law Realm, one understands the Heavenly Dao even more profoundly and avoids karma all the more.

Wukong glanced at the Mosquito Taoist, saying, "This scoundrel has committed atrocities against heaven’s laws. Are we truly to let him go? Moreover, he has significant karma with us."

"Although the Mosquito Taoist has committed many evils, now that he is willing to convert, let him be spared," Acala said. "Even an ant clings to life, let alone one with attained cultivation. Since you have already stripped the Merit Lotus Platform from his body, that karma is naturally resolved. Victorious Fighting Buddha, even though you once caused Havoc in Heaven and perpetrated tremendous disasters, compare your deeds with those of the Mosquito Taoist, and they are not dissimilar. Yet, are you not now of True Fruition?"

Wukong sighed and with his hands together said, "Heaven cherishes all beings. Since you, Mosquito Taoist, truly repent, then I will spare you. However, should I see you committing more evil deeds and taking lives again, do not blame me for being ruthless and slaying you! Though the Buddhist Law is compassionate, it is, after all, the Law and cannot indulge sentimentality!"

To save his life, the Mosquito Taoist, who was inherently submissive, wept bitterly and said, "I dare not, I dare not do it again! I wish to enter the World Honored One’s sect and cultivate the Buddhist Law."

Acala had just checked the Meritorious Lotus Platform and found that the will left by Amitabha had completely dissipated. Otherwise, he would never have returned the platform to Wukong. Acala believed that Amitabha had purposefully left that will, to end the karmic tie with the Mosquito Taoist.

Acala said, "Mosquito Taoist, follow me to Mount Meru to await the World Honored One’s judgment!"

The Mosquito Taoist replied, "Yes! Thank you, Vidyaraja World Honored One, thank you, Vidyaraja World Honored One!"

Wukong nodded and said, "Since this trouble has been resolved, it’s time for me to send the people of Xi Qie Mi Country back to their homes, and I shall take my leave first!"

Acala thought to himself: "This Mosquito Taoist is really foolish, to use the Meritorious Lotus Platform to confront someone from the Buddhist sect. The Meritorious Lotus Platform is a sacred artifact of the Buddhist sect; how could it harm its own? However, his mana is not weak. Sending him to Mount Meru to become a Vajra and to diligently cultivate could be beneficial, as he may be of use in the future."

Thieves don’t leave empty-handed, and although Acala is not a thief, he certainly couldn’t leave without any gain. Saving the Mosquito Taoist’s life and gaining a capable assistant was a very good thing.

Wukong summoned his VLOOKUP(A1025,[1]Sheet1!$A:$B,2,0) and, after paying respects to Acala, rode the cloud away.

With a wave of his sleeves, Acala led the Mosquito Taoist to Mount Meru in the Western Heaven to meet the Tathagata and await his verdict.

Wukong returned to his mountain gate, where the people were still kneeling on the ground. Descending, he said, "My friends! The demon has been brought to justice; you all can now safely return to your homes."

He dared not tell them the demon had converted to Buddhism and was thus spared; that would stir up excitement and lead to unrest. The Mosquito Taoist had committed too many murders, and these people had likely lost countless loved ones to his cruelty. How could they easily let go of such hatred?

The people couldn’t help but be overjoyed and said, "Thank you, Victorious Fighting Buddha, for advocating on our behalf! In the coming days, we shall certainly offer incense to the Victorious Fighting Buddha."

Wukong replied with palms pressed together, "As a monk, I do not seek rewards for doing good. It’s better to rely on oneself than to depend on others. For major issues, you may seek my help to dispel calamities; for minor ones, you must resolve them yourselves."

This appearance of the Victorious Fighting Buddha inspired a lot of hope amongst them. They thought about asking for help with any future troubles. However, Wukong’s words disheartened many who had such plans. These mortals each followed their own path, such is the Human Path. The Red Dust is too profound, and Wukong dared not delve too deeply; otherwise, karmic entanglements would ensue, and he might inadvertently oppose the Heavenly Dao and face the Nine Heavens’ retribution.

Guanyin is known for her great compassion and for relieving suffering in difficult times. She might lend a hand in matters unconnected with karma, but when it comes to issues related to karma, she would refrain from intervening.

There was a woman who, facing hardship, came to seek Guanyin’s aid, pleading for a long time. Guanyin, moved by pity, appeared but said, "It’s better to rely on oneself."

The saying that "man can conquer heaven" may not be possible. The power of the Heavenly Dao is insurmountable, but it still reflects the mindset of the ancient sages: better to rely on oneself, believe in oneself, and strive hard. A gentleman fortifies his own strength and can certainly overcome everything!

"Yes, Buddha Ancestor," replied the people, relieved that Wukong had resolved their troubles. Otherwise, the Mosquito Taoist could have slaughtered the entire nation of Xi Qie Mi.

Wukong entered the Buddhist Temple, and a Little Novice Monk came to inquire, "Buddha Ancestor, may I ask what demon has befallen Xi Qie Mi Country to cause such distress?"

Wukong replied, "It was the Mosquito Taoist from Ancient Times. Born in the Netherworld Blood Sea and favored by fortune, he bit the Meritorious Lotus Platform, a sacred artifact of our Buddhist sect, and drained the Tortoise Spirit Holy Mother, a disciple of the Sect of Interception. His mana was incredibly strong, and it took a lot of my strength to subdue him. However, the Mosquito Taoist has now converted to Buddhism and laid down his butcher’s knife. It seems he may be able to achieve True Fruition in the future."

The Little Novice Monk said, "Namo Amitabha Buddha! Sin, such sin! The Mosquito Taoist has committed grave sins by killing so many people. However, he has thoroughly repented and converted to Buddhism, which is very good."

Inwardly, Wukong sneered. It seemed as if the entire Buddhist sect had been brainwashed, with everyone’s thoughts seemingly distorted and even their souls twisted.

"No wonder the Buddhist Law is affecting the fate of the Southern Toad Continent! The destiny of the Southern Toad Continent is the most profound and can even influence the fate of the Heavenly Dao. Tathagata is indeed crafty," thought Wukong. "I must focus on my cultivation, striving to become the creator as soon as possible while also searching for traces of The Two Saints of the West."

His infiltration into the Buddhist sect and gathering intelligence was paramount, but finding The Two Saints of the West was also crucial. Although Zhunti had reassured him there was no need to worry, the absence of the two for so long was concerning.

To find out what happens next, please wait for the following installment. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, I welcome you to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Starting Point (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)