The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 96 - 094: Viewing Everything as It Is

Chapter 96: Chapter 094: Viewing Everything as It Is

Wukong left the Peach Garden only to see the entire world grievously wounded, with the heavens and earth shattered and the sun and moon damaged.

This realm was so utterly broken that it scarcely looked like itself anymore, with the essence of chaos seeping in everywhere, devoid of any living beings.

Guided by his memories, Wukong traveled to Dongsheng Immortal State. Flower-Fruit Mountain too had been destroyed in the great catastrophe of the world, now lying in utter ruin.

Wukong found it hard to believe that everything that had happened to him was merely a great dream of the Spring and Autumn period. All those grandiose words and crafty schemes, deceitful plots were nothing but emptiness. In the end, he had achieved Buddhahood, embraced the void in the principle of ’all is empty.’ Moreover, a sleep had spanned so many years, and now everything was no longer there.

Wukong then went to Mount Meru, which also lay in ruins, no longer resounding with the booming incense and the chanting of Buddhist scriptures, all destroyed during the great universal catastrophe. Previously, Buddhist light used to flicker here and constant sacred chanting was heard, deterring demons and ghosts, but now, only desolation and solitude remained.

"Da Xiong Palace."

The four characters on this plaque had rotted away, their divine light dimmed, not anymore as before, seemingly symbolizing the end of an era.

Wukong muttered softly, "Why has it come to this?"

He silently walked to where he remembered his lotus platform was placed and sat down cross-legged, beginning to channel his divine skills.

"All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow, like dew, or lightning. One should perceive them like this."

Suddenly, Wukong thought of many things, no longer able to distinguish between what was dream and what was reality. Even by channeling "Sutra of the Other Shore," he could not fathom it completely anymore.

Suddenly, a golden character dropped from the sky—it was "Jin."

Jin and Kun, Jin is heaven, and Kun is earth.

As he sat, it seemed he fell asleep again, not knowing how many tens of thousands of years had passed. Still, as he silently recited "Sutra of the Other Shore" again and opened his eyes, he found himself back in the Peach Garden.

"Sun Wukong, you’re awake! This sleep of yours was quite long again!" Tao Yao said with a chuckling smile, patting his shoulder.

Wukong was startled, having forgotten everything that just happened, and asked, "Wasn’t I supposed to be in Laojun’s Bagua Oven? How did I end up here again?"

Tao Yao said, "What are you talking about? You clearly obtained the scriptures in Western Heaven and became a Buddha; the incident in the Bagua Oven was many years ago!"

Wukong furrowed his brow, thought for a moment, and felt that it did indeed seem to be the case, then said, "I should return to Mount Meru, the Buddha Ancestor wants to see me."

Tao Yao unhappily said, "Go on, then! You, always so busy—rarely do you find time to visit me here, yet now you must leave again."

Wukong gave an embarrassed smile and said, "I’ll come to visit you next time!"

Tao Yao waved at Wukong, and under her gaze, Wukong left the Peach Garden.

Tao Yao sat down in front of a peach tree, bit open her finger, and gently wrote his name on the tree, murmuring, "Hurry back! I can’t hold on much longer."

Each time she wrote his name, her complexion paled a bit, looking extraordinarily painful, but she persisted in writing Wukong’s name on the peach tree over and over again.

As Wukong exited the Peach Garden, the local deity smiled and said, "Was the Buddha Ancestor’s sleep still peaceful?"

Wukong joined his palms and said, "Namo Amitabha Buddha. This time, it was indeed a refreshing sleep."

The local deity said, "Where does the Buddha Ancestor plan to go now?"

As Wukong was about to answer, a jade talisman fell from the sky—it was a decree from Tathagata, who said, "Victorious Fighting Buddha, the North Sea Jiao Demon King is causing trouble. Quickly go and slay him!"

Wukong muttered softly, "The Jiao Demon King? But isn’t he my brother? However, as I have attained Buddhahood, I must save all sentient beings. He causes suffering and is malevolent; it is right to slay him to show the compassionate nature of my Buddhist Law. Wukong, Wukong, all is empty. Jiao Demon King, our paths are different, not meant to conspire. I am the undefeated Victorious Fighting Buddha of the Buddhist sect!"

Wukong somersaulted into the air and travelled swiftly, soon reaching the North Sea.

There, he saw the Jiao Demon King wielding a spear, engaged in a fierce battle with a group of experts from the Sea Tribe, with the North Sea Dragon King commanding from the side.

"Namo Amitabha Buddha! Jiao Demon King, lay down your weapon and instantly attain Buddhahood." Wukong said emotionlessly, his heart equally untroubled.

The Jiao Demon King, however, laughed wildly and said, "Very well! Sun Wukong, you became the Victorious Fighting Buddha and, for the sake of the Buddhist sect, you killed the other five brothers. And now, you finally seek to kill me too? Come, although you realized the Bodhi, these years have not been in vain for me either! Let us settle our scores and determine who is superior. If I lose, I shall go to meet our brothers."

Wukong involuntarily furrowed his brows, pondered for a long while, and could not recall. Resigned, he simply ceased to think and said indifferently, "You are obstinately ignorant! If you were to submit to my Buddha, you could be granted a position in the Western Heaven and receive incense offerings from all under heaven."

The Jiao Demon King spat out disdainfully and cursed fiercely, "A treacherous, unfaithful cur, I, the Jiao Demon King, have been heroic all my life, how could I stoop to your level!"

Armed with his spear, the Jiao Demon King charged. Wukong merely shook his head lightly, tossed his Jingu Bang, and struck it squarely on the Jiao Demon King’s head, making a loud sound that knocked him from the sky to the ground, his head bleeding and powerless to continue fighting. The Jiao Demon King spat blood and glared coldly at Wukong, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"What meaning is there to your existence like a walking corpse?" the Jiao Demon King laughed wildly, "An endless slaughter is imminent, and the world will be destroyed by hands like yours, enslaved by Buddhism!"

Wukong, however, said little. He gently pinched a Dharma Seal, transforming it into a huge Hand Seal that he fiercely dropped onto the Jiao Demon King, instantly obliterating him to dust.

"I am the Victorious Fighting Buddha, compelled by my Buddha’s compassion to transform into a Wrathful Vajra and slay all rebels in the world. In this world, there is no one I cannot defeat!" Wukong spoke softly, and with a wave of his sleeve, he swept away the ashes, scattering them across the sky.

The Dragon King said, "Thank you, Buddha Ancestor, for intervening, or else we would still be at a loss with this Jiao Demon King."

Wukong replied, "Dragon King, there is no need for courtesy. This demon, murderous like hemp, deserved to be slain!"

"Are you still Sun Wukong?"

A voice arose in his heart, causing ripples like those on a lake surface on his otherwise tranquil heart.

"Am I Sun Wukong, or am I a Buddha? Sun Wukong should not look like this." It seemed Wukong had some enlightenment, as he took off his kasaya.

Riding a cloud towards Mount Meru, upon arriving, he strode into the Da Xiong Palace and looked at Tathagata with solemnity, "I am not your cur!"

Yet Tathagata just smiled faintly, a character appeared in his hand, falling in front of Wukong as he said softly, "You have realized."

Wukong suddenly awoke, "Am I dreaming again?"

Tathagata smiled without a word.

Wukong focused and saw a "Kun" character before him, from his brow shone a "Qian" character.

"All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow, like dew or a flash of lightning; thus should they be perceived."

Wukong brought his hands together and recited this passage of scripture.

"Sun Wukong, you have finally awakened! This sleep, how long it has been!" Tao Yao slapped his shoulder, speaking with a smile.

Wukong yawned, "Indeed, it has gotten dark. Is it time to finish up?"

Tao Yao laughed, "Finish what? Do you still think you are serving the Jade Emperor?"

Wukong frowned, "Then what am I doing now?"

"You really slept yourself confused! Aren’t you just a carefree pastoral idler now?" Tao Yao couldn’t help but tap him on the head with her hand.

"Is that so?" Wukong still felt something was off.

Suddenly, Wukong asked, "Tao Yao, why have you gotten white hairs?"

Tao Yao laughed and twirled the white hairs at her temples, smiling, "Don’t they look good? I dyed them myself!"

Wukong smiled helplessly, "I should head out now, I’ll come to see you another day."

He left the Peach Garden and Tao Yao crouched before a peach tree, her hair all turning white rapidly, muttering, "Come back soon! I can’t hold on much longer."

She began to write Wukong’s name over and over again... His name appeared in fresh red blood on the peach tree, then disappeared, forcing her to write it again.

Time and again, tirelessly writing it down. But with each iteration, her hair seemed to whiten a bit more.

To find out what happens next, please tune in to the next episode.