Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Tathagata Takes Action to Subdue the Monkey Mind Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Tathagata Takes Action to Subdue the Monkey Mind Stone was trying to break through the encirclement with Zixia. With one strike, his divine soul was ablaze as a hundred million shadowy rods flung everything into chaos.

In his hand, the Golden Hoop transformed into several hundred zhang in length, dozens of zhang in thickness, akin to a colossal pillar propping up the heavens. With one sweep, it perfectly exemplified the phrase “One power breaks ten thousand laws,” pulverizing everything in its path—whether people, spells, or magical treasures—into dust, causing an explosion of peach blossoms so vibrant, it darkened the sky and obscured the three dimensions.

Forging a path of blood, Stone pushed Zixia forward and placed a Godspeed Talisman on her, sending her away like a swift gust of wind.

As Zixia left, she looked back with tears filling her eyes.

The Sea of Suffering churned up love and hate; in this world, one cannot escape fate…

To prevent the pursuers from catching up, Stone had no choice but to desperately hold off those deities.

He killed several hundred Heavenly Generals, but he himself was also starting to exhaust his strength.

Suddenly, a chant from Buddha resonated through the sky; a Sixteen-Foot Golden Body materialized, seated atop a lotus pedestal, clasping a Dharma Seal in hand, with a broad face, thick eyebrows, full lips, and ears that touched his shoulders. It was Tathagata Buddha, the august ruler of the Western Heavenly Buddha Land.

“The Buddha Ancestor has arrived!” Queen Mother stepped forward to greet Tathagata.

Although Queen Mother’s name ostensibly surpassed Tathagata’s, the latter’s true strength was unmistakable. In this world, only the powerful thrive! All privileges, wealth, and schemes are but illusions before true power, all can be shattered by one fist. Strength is what truly matters!

Seeing everyone stunned by the appearance of this Buddha, Stone seized the opportunity, somersaulted, and attempted to escape.

However, Tathagata said, “Where do you think you’re going, demon!”

After uttering those words, his palm came crashing down. Stone’s escape technique was formidable, yet Tathagata firmly caught him in his hand, trapping him in the center of his palm, unable to escape. This palm encompassed an area of a hundred li, a technique of Wester Heavenly Buddha Land from the Buddhist sect.

Tathagata deferred to Queen Mother, saying, “I apologize for not greeting you sooner, Queen Mother, due to dealing with that demon. Please excuse me.”

Queen Mother’s Jade Pool was in utter chaos because of Stone, and she was eager for Tathagata to handle it. Naturally, she wouldn’t shame him, saying, “Not at all, thank you for assisting, Buddha Ancestor. Otherwise, my Jade Pool would have surely been toppled!” Glancing at Monky trapped in Tathagata’s palm, she said, “You audacious demon! Seize that wretched maid Zixia for me.”

Stone yelled from Tathagata’s palm, “Queen Mother, if you dare harm Zixia, the day I become a Primordial Golden Immortal, I’ll reduce your Jade Pool to dust!”

Queen Mother’s heart skipped a beat. The Monkey was formidable; his Cultivation Level had clearly reached that of a Daluo Golden Immortal, and it was not impossible for him to achieve the realm of a Sect Founder of Primordial Golden Immortals. She glanced at Tathagata, who obviously understood her intentions, and said, “Our Buddhist sect values all life. Though Zixia has violated the heavenly rules, her intentions are sincere. Queen Mother, please pardon her this once. I will take this Monkey, and he can bear the punishment on her behalf.”

Seeing Tathagata speak appropriately, Queen Mother smiled, “Then I’ll leave it to the Buddha Ancestor.”

Tathagata hastily replied, “There’s no trouble at all!”

Stone, gripped in Tathagata’s hand, felt uncomfortable, and shouted, “You fat-faced old man, let me out, and let us fight it out!”

Tathagata smiled and said, “You wouldn’t win against me, but if you can fly out of my palm, you’ll have won. How about that?”

These words infuriated Stone so much that his Three Corpse Gods jumped violently, with chaos erupting within his chest as the Five Qi scrambled, Samadhi burning his throat, he exclaimed, “Fine, let’s put it to the test!”

With those words, he somersaulted into the air, but no matter how far he flew, Tathagata’s palm grew just as large, eventually spanning a hundred thousand li. His fingers closed together, once again catching Stone in his palm.

Tathagata said, “You lost.”

Stone couldn’t help but feel dejected. This Buddha’s abilities were too formidable; with just one hand, he completely controlled him. Realizing his own competence yet unable to escape Tathagata’s palm, his heart darkened.

Tathagata said, “You rescued Zixia, so her offenses will be borne by you, and the Queen Mother will not trouble her.”

Stone replied, “Fine, I’ll bear her punishment. Just don’t blame her anymore, or else I definitely won’t let you go!”

His statement was full of defiance; his eyes glowed red, and he looked fiercely murderous, giving even Tathagata a secret shock.

Queen Mother interjected from the side, “You ungrateful Monkey, since the Buddha and I have let her go and allowed you to bear the punishment, we surely won’t go back on our word! If you speak further, don’t blame us for withdrawing our mercy.”

Knowing Queen Mother was no trivial figure, Stone hastily bowed and pleaded, “I offended Your Highness just now, please don’t blame me, please don’t blame me!”

Queen Mother slightly nodded.

Tathagata smiled at Queen Mother, “This Monkey is no ordinary being. He is a stone from the Sky-mending Stone refined by the once-great Your Highness, named the Intelligent Stone Monkey. This Monkey is exceptionally favored by heaven, accumulating the merits of mending the sky, integrating the spirits of all things, and embodying the essence of heaven and earth. Killing him would likely harm the harmony of heaven, so rather than Queen Mother dealing with him, I will take him and enlighten him with our Mahayana Buddhism.”

Queen Mother, feeling Stone was a thorn in her side, was happy to hear Tathagata’s words and delightedly said, “Then I’ll leave it to the Buddha Ancestor to handle!”

Tathagata replied, “Amitabha Buddha, thank you, Queen Mother!”

Tathagata captured the stone with a spell and concealed it in his sleeve, so as not to keep clutching it in his palm, which would appear cumbersome.

Queen Mother invited Tathagata into the Jade Pool, offered him two peach fruits, and served him clear tea, completing all the formalities. After Tathagata had been sufficiently honored, he then took his leave.

Tathagata traveled towards the Western Heavenly Buddha Land, and after bringing the stone into the Mahavira Hall, he released it with a sweep of his sleeve.

The stone shouted angrily, “Take this hit from my stick!”

He swung the Golden Hoop Staff towards Tathagata’s crown, intending for the strike to bloom a myriad of peach blossoms, to shatter his Niwan Palace, and to extinguish his Primordial Spirit! But his spell power was still too inferior compared with Tathagata, who merely waved his hand and the stone was flipped onto the ground.

Tathagata exclaimed, “Halt! Hard to tame is the nature of this demon monkey! All Buddhas, use the Buddhist mantras to redeem him!”

Thus, three thousand Buddhas chanted in unison, and the six True Words hovered above the Mahavira Hall, pressing into the monkey’s head.

This mantra was recited for a full three days and nights. These Buddhas, with their profound spell power, naturally did not feel tired; normally when Tathagata held a Dharma assembly, they would chant for a year or two at a time. The stone, suppressed by these Buddhas with the profound teachings of the scriptures, turned pale, clutching his head and constantly rolling on the ground.

After the chanting stopped, the stone was finally able to catch his breath, he sat cross-legged and silently circulated his power.

Tathagata said, “I wish to use the Mahayana Buddhist teachings to universally redeem all beings. Currently, my disciple Golden Cicada is a righteous soul of nine lifetimes, reincarnated in the Great Tang of the Eastern Lands. Now, I grant you a name and surname; you are a macaque, so take a ‘Sun’ character to accompany the one beside you. I want you to enter Buddhist Sect and understand the essence of Emptiness. Thus, you shall be called Sun Wukong.”

Upon hearing this, the stone felt utterly bewildered, forgetting everything completely, and with his hands pressed together, he bowed deeply and said, “I thank the Buddha Ancestor for granting me a name and surname.”

“Wukong, the profound meanings of the teachings of our Buddhist Sect are created for the salvation of all people. Now, the Taoist Sect in the Eastern Lands is in decline, causing turmoil in the Divine Land. My disciple Golden Cicada has now reincarnated in the Great Tang. You must find him and take him on the Journey to the West. You must endure eighty-one hardships to obtain the profound teachings of the Mahayana Buddhist scriptures, only then can you achieve true enlightenment and redeem all sentient beings,” Tathagata slowly stated, his voice booming like a giant bell, suddenly making the moment feel as if flowers bloomed with his words and birds sang sweetly.

Wukong bowed and said, “I understand, I shall leave now!”

“Buddha shows great compassion!”

Three thousand Buddhas, countless Bodhisattvas, myriad Vajras, and eight hundred Arhats, along with tens of thousands of novice monks and holy monks, all pressed their hands together and uttered these four words simultaneously.

Wukong also said, “Buddha shows great compassion!”

Tathagata smiled and said, “Wukong, once you achieve true enlightenment, I will appoint you as Victorious Fighting Buddha.”

Wukong once more bowed and said, “I now go to the Eastern Lands’ Great Tang to find Golden Cicada.”

Tathagata said, “His name captures the profound meanings of the Three Collections of Buddhist teachings and is called Tang Sanzang. You may go now.”

At this moment, Wukong, having been subdued by the True Words of the three thousand Buddhas and then brainwashed, had forgotten many things that had happened to him, and could no longer remember even who Zixia was. Such were the overpowering ways of the Buddhist scriptures! His mind was now focused solely on understanding Emptiness, achieving true enlightenment, and redeeming all beings.

Bodhisattva Guanyin suddenly stepped forward from among the limitless Bodhisattvas and gave Wukong a headband, saying, “Wukong, this headband will keep you constantly alert. You should wear it.”

Wukong pressed his hands together and said, “Amitabha Buddha, I thank you greatly, Bodhisattva Guanyin.”

Guanyin smiled and said, “No need for thanks, the profound teachings of the Buddhist Sect are infinite, yet there are those who still wander lost in the mundane world, having lost their true self. This headband will keep you always alert and prevent you from losing yourself.”

Wukong thanked her again, then mounted the Somersault Cloud and departed.

He traveled towards the east, arriving in Chang’an City in the Eastern Lands’ Great Tang, to seek Tang Sanzang, the reincarnation of Tathagata’s disciple Golden Cicada.

Tathagata smiled and said, “With this journey, the Mahayana Buddhist teachings shall surely spread far throughout the Eastern Lands, and the grand fortune of the world will belong to our Buddhist Sect.”

The Buddhas smiled and said, “Buddha Ancestor’s insights are profound!”

Tathagata then said, “Who wishes to manage this matter of the Journey to the West?”

As soon as Guanyin finished speaking, she stepped forward and said, “I wish to go and also seek to achieve true enlightenment soon.”

Tathagata nodded and said, “Good, then you may go.”

Guanyin left to carry out her mission.

This Journey to the West, the circumstances of which are yet unknown…

To find out what happens next, please listen to the following part.