Soul Ferry: My master is Uncle Jiu

Chapter 459 Reason
As we got closer, the busy figures of the monks came into view.

Tang Sanzang frowned subconsciously.

Although it is early spring, the weather is still a bit cold. However, those people are all ragged, pale and thin, and look very embarrassed.

At that moment, he was confused. Could it be that these monks had committed some crime?
Just when Tang Sanzang was suspicious.

Two young Taoist priests walked out from the city gate with a swagger, and passers-by made way for them.

The man with a star-shaped crown on his head, a brocade dress on his body, and a face like a full moon formed a sharp contrast with the monks who were working, as if they were from two different worlds.

Moreover, the monks' reactions after seeing the Taoist priest were also very strange.

Everyone was terrified and started working twice as hard, and the heavy car, which had been moving at a snail's pace, suddenly sped up.

It seemed as if what he saw was not a Taoist priest, but an overseer.

Sun Wukong saw it and understood immediately, "These monks are afraid of those two Taoists! I thought the rumor was false, but it turned out to be true."

Red Boy, who was still young and curious about everything, grabbed Sun Wukong's tiger-skin apron and looked up and asked, "Hey, Monkey, what's the rumor?"

"Stop pulling, you naughty boy." Sun Wukong angrily knocked away the hand that was tightly holding his apron, then pinched Red Boy's chubby face and pulled it, "Want to know? Call me grandpa and I'll tell you."

The Bull Demon King, who was kicking his hooves out of boredom, immediately glared at him and said, "Stinky monkey, don't try to take advantage of my son!"

"Lululu, I won't be fooled by you!" Red Boy also slapped the furry hand away, made a face, and ran away.

If he called Sun Wukong his grandpa, wouldn't his father become Sun Wukong's son?
He would never do such a useless thing that would only betray his father and get him beaten.

"Hehe, let's just play. If you don't want to shout, then don't shout." Sun Wukong was not annoyed, he just smiled.

"Master, Master, do you know?"

Red Boy came to his master An Yan, looked up and asked politely without daring to speak rashly.

Obviously, Red Boy can still tell who can be provoked and who cannot be provoked.

Seeing that Red Boy was so well-behaved, An Yan would have believed it if he hadn't known that he was Red Boy.

He smiled and touched Red Boy's head, "Master, of course I know. It is said that there is a place on the road to the west where Taoism is respected and monks are destroyed. I think this is the place."

Hearing the words "Respect Taoism and Eliminate Monks", Tang Sanzang was obviously a little bit unbelievable, "How could such a place exist?"

Along the way, I have seen many places that advocate Buddhism, but this is the first time I have seen such an extreme place of exterminating monks.

"There may be some hidden secrets that we don't know about. We can find out if we go up and ask."

Seeing Sanzang’s unhappy expression, Anyan immediately smiled.

To be honest, he was also very curious about the three monsters of Chechi Kingdom.

Do they truly believe in Taoism, or are they using the name of Taoism to enrich themselves?

The dragon energy of a country is a good thing!
In the world of A Chinese Ghost Story, wasn’t the evil monk Cihang Pudu transformed into a national master just for a breath of dragon energy?

Tang Sanzang nodded upon hearing this, but hesitated and looked at his own appearance, "An Yan, do you think I should change my image to avoid unnecessary trouble?"

"No need to change. Even if the monks here really committed an unforgivable crime, it has nothing to do with you, Sanzang. If we change it, won't it make us look guilty?"

An Yan waved his hand, then rode up on the cow, with the first one leading the way.

After hearing this, Tang Sanzang also thought this was true, so he followed on his white horse.

on the sky.

The Dharma Protector Jialan and the Five Jiedis looked worried.

"What do you think? Will An Yan bend the law for personal gain? Will he favor the three demons of Chechi Kingdom?"

"If he does that, wouldn't it be a torture for us to protect the lives of these five hundred monks day and night?"

"I think that although An Yan behaves eccentrically, he is a virtuous person after all. I don't think he will do that."

Jia Lan and Jie Di, who were talking, did not notice the strangeness in the eyes of Fo Nu and Guang Mu.

After the discussion failed, they all looked down to observe the development of the situation.

"My two Taoist friends, please stay."

An Yan called out to the two young Taoists.

The two young Taoists also noticed An Yan riding a cow and his strange team early on.

When the people around saw the appearance of Xiong Bin, Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, they all retreated away with fear on their faces.

The same goes for the two Taoists.

But unexpectedly, their target was actually himself.

The two young Taoists trembled and replied, "I wonder if you have any advice for me? We will tell you everything we know."

"This is not the place to talk. Can you take us to the Taoist temple to discuss it in detail?" An Yan glanced at the frightened people around him and shook his head.

"You are fine, my friend, but the monk behind you..."

Seeing the bald Tang Sanzang, the two young Taoists seemed very embarrassed.

"It's okay. Sanzang is not from your Chechi country. If you are punished for this, you can ask your teacher to come to me."

Looking at the two young Taoists in front of him who were beaten to death by Wukong in Journey to the West, An Yan waved his hand.

Although the two people in front of me have sinned, it is not enough to kill them.

When the two young Taoists heard this, they saw that An Yan had an extraordinary demeanor and did not dare to say anything else. They quickly led the group into the city.

The monks outside the city gate breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the two Taoists leading their men away. They slowed down their efforts and began to whisper to each other.

"Is that master the holy monk from the Tang Dynasty in the East mentioned by the Dharma Protector Jialan Wufang Jie Di?"

"It should be. Look, there are monkeys and pigs, white horses and people carrying loads."

"But why are you hanging out with Taoist priests?"

"Who knows? I hope he can really save us! Living like this is worse than death!"

"My two fellow Taoists, can you tell us what the situation is in Chechi Kingdom?" An Yan asked on the way.

His gentle demeanor made the two young Taoists dare not neglect him, and they explained the situation of Chechi Kingdom in detail.

Tang Sanzang and the others suddenly realized.

It turned out that twenty years ago, Chechi Kingdom was hit by a sudden severe drought. There was no rain, the ground was dry, the rivers were dry, and all the crops died.

Moreover, unlike today when people respect Taoism and punish monks, in the past, every household in Chechi Kingdom, from the king and nobles to the common people, worshipped Buddha and Bodhisattva.

Therefore, when drought strikes, every family, regardless of size, will bathe, burn incense, and pray to the heavens for rain.

However, these monks, who were well-fed and well-equipped on a daily basis, failed to deliver when it came to praying for rain.

Not only did his prayer for rain fail, but he also said something about suffering in this life and happiness in the next.

They only recite scriptures but cannot do anything about it. Moreover, they spread lies to confuse the people, causing confusion among them.

Just at this time, three Taoist priests appeared.

The eldest master is called the Great Immortal Tiger Power, the second master is called the Great Immortal Deer Power, and the third master is called the Great Immortal Sheep Power.

These three people can call the wind and rain, turn water into oil, and transmute stone into gold. They possess great magical powers.

Seeing that his country was about to be destroyed and his race was about to be extinct, the King of Chechi placed his hopes on these three people.

The result was that the monks chanted for three years but no rain fell, but the three men just performed a ritual and summoned heavy winds and rain, thus preventing the people from suffering.

"So, the king was furious and demoted all the monks of Chechi Kingdom to slaves?" Tang Sanzang asked. The two young Taoists looked down on Tang Sanzang, even disdained him, but for the sake of An Daoyou, they still replied: "Not really, at the beginning, they just said those monks were useless, but there was no substantial punishment."

"A few years later, the king suddenly ordered the demolition of the monks' mountain gate, destroyed the Buddha statues, recovered the ordination certificates, and gave the monks to our family for use."

"That's what they deserve. When I was the king of Drill Head Mountain, I always responded to the requests of all the mountain gods and hunters who offered sacrifices to me."

"How can there be a way to eat for free without working in this world?"

Red Boy has a relatively simple mind, doesn't go into too many circles, and speaks his mind directly.

You know, this is a world where gods, Buddhas, demons and monsters coexist. Isn't the purpose of worshipping Buddhism, Taoism or other beliefs to get the protection of gods when disaster strikes?

Knowing that Red Boy was Daoyou An's disciple, the two young Taoists praised him, "As expected of Daoyou An's disciple, he is indeed smart. This is exactly the truth."

"Ever since the king appointed my three teachers as state teachers, Chechi has enjoyed good weather, the people have lived and worked in peace, and there have been few demons causing trouble."

Indeed, although the three great immortals Huli were very harsh on the monks, there had never been any reports of them cannibalizing people, and they were very respectful to the king.

If we look back and compare it with the Black Chicken Kingdom, we will realize that no matter how bad the three people of Huli Daxian are, they can't be that bad.

Moreover, even in Journey to the West, what were the reasons for the deaths of the monks who were captured and killed in the royal city?
Unable to endure the pain, the cold, the climate and water, most of them commit suicide.

It is obvious that he was used to a life of luxury and his life was suddenly turned upside down.

"Amitabha!"

Tang Sanzang didn't know what to say for a moment, so he could only chant the Buddha's name to hide his guilty conscience.

Suddenly, he began to doubt the idea of ​​afterlife advocated in Buddhist scriptures.

Is this really right?

If that is the case, then those monks who suffered so much can also be said to enjoy happiness in the afterlife? Then what suffering is there to speak of?

But this is not right!

Tang Sanzang knew it, but he didn't know how to use Buddhist scriptures to understand it all.

Believers are asked to overcome tribulations, but when tribulations befall them, they have a completely different attitude. How can people be convinced?
No wonder the king here hates monks so much!

Tang Sanzang was silent.

Such situations and such doubts have troubled him more than once along the way.

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva once said that Tathagata Buddha said how bad the southern continent was.

But he believed that no matter how bad the life of the people in the Tang Dynasty was, it was still better than the people of the kingdoms he met along the way. On the contrary, the people he met on the journey to the west admired the Tang Dynasty.

What's the point of this?

Can the Mahayana Buddhist scriptures from Lingshan really save all sentient beings?

Tang Sanzang once again felt that perhaps An Yan was right and true knowledge comes from practice.

While they were talking, Sanqing Temple appeared before their eyes.

It was a high palace in a spiritual area, a blessed place.

The imperial carriage was placed outside, and the imperial guards were on guard.

When they saw An Yan and his group, they couldn't help but make a commotion. Fortunately, they all recognized the clothes of the two young Taoist priests leading them. They were disciples of the Sanqing Temple's national master.

Thinking about the fact that the state teacher had great powers and that the people he interacted with were not ordinary people, he came back to his senses.

The two young Taoists knew at a glance that it was His Majesty who came to burn incense and pray for blessings, so they turned to An Yan and said, "Your Majesty has come to pray for the country today. Please allow me to report to our respected teacher first, and then invite fellow Taoist An to come in."

An Yan nodded in understanding, "Thank you for your help, both of you."

Seeing that his master and his disciples were being ignored, Zhu Bajie couldn't help but pessimistically said, "Master, it seems that we can't get the customs clearance documents and can't leave Chechi Kingdom."

"You idiot, you keep saying these depressing words all day long. Master, don't listen to him. With An Ge'er here, we are sure to get through this."

Sun Wukong patted his chest.

Are you kidding? Who is An Ge'er? But he is the person appointed by the old man Taishang. Don't all Taoists in the world have to give him some respect when they see him?
An Yan smiled and said, "Bajie, you can rest assured about this."

"Haha, I think he just doesn't want to go on a journey to obtain the scriptures." Red Boy said gloatingly.

When Zhu Bajie heard this, he immediately glared at Red Boy.

You damned kid, what nonsense are you talking about all day?

Tang Sanzang felt relieved when he saw everyone playing around. He suppressed his emotions and scolded with a smile, "Bajie, look, even Red Boy can see through your little tricks."

"Tsk! What does this little brat know?"

"Lululu! I understand a lot now!"

Red Boy raised his little face proudly and looked very proud.

The man's mischievous look made An Yan and the others laugh.

In the Taoist temple.

After praying, the King of Chechi was listening to three national masters explaining the "Tao Te Ching". He was so fascinated by the lecture that he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps.

The four of them looked outside the hall and saw the two young Taoists waiting respectfully outside.

"Qingyun, Qingsong, what's the important matter between the two of you? Don't you see that the teacher and others are giving a lecture to His Majesty?"

The Great Immortal Yang Li said calmly, without much blame in his tone.

Qingyun and Qingsong quickly replied, "Report to the master, the disciples met a Taoist who claimed to be from the Tang Dynasty in the East. It is said that he is going to the West to teach scriptures and Taoism, and his disciples are even more extraordinary."

"He wants to come and see the three masters. I am undecided, so I came to report this."

"Oh? A Taoist priest from the Eastern Tang Dynasty?"

Before the three of Huli Daxian responded, the King of Chechi Kingdom became interested and turned to the three national masters and said, "I really want to meet this Taoist from the Tang Dynasty in the East. What do you think, the three national masters?"

"this!"

The three of Huli Daxian looked at each other, and seeing that they had attracted the attention of His Majesty, they had no choice but to follow suit and said, "Then please invite him and his disciples in together."

"Qingyun, Qingsong, did you hear that?"

"I understand, Master. But..." Qingyun and Qingsong thought of Tang Sanzang who was accompanying them, and became hesitant again, not knowing whether they should say it or not.

"If you have anything else to say, tell us all." Yangli Daxian said when he saw this.

"Yes, Master!"

"Traveling with Daoyou An are Tang Monk and his four disciples. They also came to the Tang Dynasty in the East together."

"Are there any monks coming with you?"

The King of Chechi Kingdom's face suddenly fell. Ever since he knew that those monks were good-for-nothings, he no longer trusted monks.

Now, when he heard that the Taoist priest and the monk were traveling together, his interest suddenly dropped.

The three of Hu Li Daxian had a gleam in their eyes, and said in unison: "Your Majesty, since they are from the Eastern Land Tang Dynasty, why don't we call them over to have a look? It will also broaden our horizons and see what the differences are between the monks and Taoists from the Eastern Land Tang Dynasty."

The King of Chechi heard the three state masters say so and nodded reluctantly, "Then let's announce it."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Qingyun and Qingsong quickly retreated.

(End of this chapter)