Ya greeted them and they sat down in the tent. They first discussed the reasons for breaking the formation. Randeng said, "We only need to wait for our commander to arrive; he will have a reason." Everyone sat in silence.
Meanwhile, within the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, the Golden Spirit Mother saw the Three Flowers appear atop the head of Daoist Ran Deng and ascend into the sky, knowing that the Daoists of the Jade Void Sect had arrived. She then unleashed a clap of thunder, activating the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, and a cloud of smoke dispersed, revealing the formation itself. The immortals on the reed-roof, upon seeing this, opened their eyes wide and examined it closely several times. They saw that the Jie Sect members, high and low, were gathered in clusters, all wandering Daoists from the Five Sacred Mountains, Three Mountains, and Four Seas—strange and unusual individuals. Ran Deng nodded and sighed to the Daoists, "Only today do I realize that the Jie Sect possesses so many virtuous individuals. Our sect has only a handful."
Among them, Huanglong Zhenren spoke first: "Fellow Daoists, since the beginning of time, the Dao has been revered. However, we are unaware that the Jiejiao sect has been spreading its teachings indiscriminately to all kinds of scoundrels. It is truly a pity that we have wasted our time and energy. We do not know that cultivating both nature and life has been a waste of our life's potential, and we cannot escape the suffering of the cycle of birth and death. It is truly lamentable!"
Xing Tianzun said, "This gathering is a tribulation we have faced every fifteen hundred years, a rare and precious opportunity. Shall we descend from the tent and take a look?"
Randeng did not want to go, saying only, "We don't need to go. We will wait for our master to arrive, and then the meeting will be held."
Guang Chengzi, however, disagreed with Randeng and said, "We're not going to argue with him or break his formation, so what's wrong with observing from afar?"
Most of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect were led by Guang Chengzi. Upon hearing Guang Chengzi's words, they all said, "Guang Chengzi's words are very true."
Seeing that he couldn't stop the crowd, Ran Deng was unhappy, but he had no choice but to step down from the tent and join them in observing the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation. They saw overlapping gates, exuding a chilling aura of killing intent. The immortals shook their heads and said, "How formidable! Everyone is different, each with a fierce appearance, showing no intention of cultivating the Dao, but instead filled with a desire to fight and kill."
Randeng said to the crowd, "Fellow Daoists, look at them, they are immortals who have attained the Dao!" After the immortals looked at them, they were about to return to their tents when a bell rang from the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation. A Daoist came out singing, "People laugh at Ma Sui for being a foolish immortal, but the foolish immortal has true mystery within his belly."
The true path to enlightenment is paved, yet no one treads it; only I, the Peach of Immortality, have gone to seek it out thousands of times.
After Ma finished singing, he shouted, "You disciples of the Jade Void Sect, since you've come to spy on my battle formation, dare you challenge me to a duel?"
Ran Deng sighed, “You are only interested in the evil formation, which has caused this trouble.” Huanglong Zhenren did not take it to heart and stepped forward instead, saying, “Ma Sui, do not be so arrogant. I will not argue with you now. We will wait for the sect leader to arrive and then we will break the formation. Why do you have to rely on your strength to commit violence and destroy the sect?”
Ma Sui leaped forward, sword in hand, to strike. Huanglong Zhenren hastily met him with his own sword. In a single exchange, Ma Sui unleashed his golden hoop, binding Huanglong Zhenren's head. Huanglong Zhenren's headache became unbearable, and the immortals rushed to his aid, returning to their thatched hut. Zhenren hurriedly tried to remove the golden hoop, but to no avail; it only caused Samadhi True Fire to erupt from his eyes. A commotion ensued. (This is not described further.)
Now, it is said that when the Primordial Celestial Venerable arrived to convene the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, he first sent the Antarctic Immortal with a jade talisman ahead. The Antarctic Immortal arrived riding a crane, amidst ethereal clouds. Ma Sui looked up and saw it was the Antarctic Immortal, so he quickly rode his cloud to mid-air and blocked his path. The Immortal laughed and said, "Ma Sui, don't be so arrogant, the Master has arrived." Ma Sui was about to argue when he saw celestial music and strange fragrances spreading behind him. Knowing that he could not argue, Ma Sui descended from the clouds and returned to his own formation.
The Antarctic Immortal arrived first at the thatched hut, leading the immortals to welcome the phoenix and seat him aboard. After the disciples finished their bows, they stood in attendance on either side. Yuanshi, expressionless, said, "The Yellow Dragon Immortal is afflicted by the Golden Hoop." He quickly called out, "Come here." The Yellow Dragon Immortal walked before him; Yuanshi pointed, and the Golden Hoop came off. After the Immortal thanked him, Yuanshi said, "Today you should all resolve this affliction, return to your caves, guard your nature and cultivate your mind, sever your three corpses, and never again entangle yourselves in worldly troubles." The disciples all said in unison, "May our Master live a long and prosperous life!"
As they sat in meditation, they suddenly heard a strange fragrance and celestial music drifting in from the sky. Yuanshi knew that Laozi had arrived and, along with his disciples, went to greet him. Laozi dismounted from his blue ox and, hand in hand, boarded the tent. After the disciples had finished their greetings, Laozi clapped his hands and laughed, "The Zhou family's reign lasted only eight hundred years, and I, too, have come to this mortal world three or four times; it is clear that fate is inescapable, so why fear gods and Buddhas?"
Yuanshi also laughed and said, "The calamities of the mortal world are something even immortals cannot escape, let alone us disciples, who are the ones who have been affected. We are merely experiencing this tribulation." After the two masters finished speaking, they sat silently. At the second watch of the night, auspicious clouds and jewels appeared above the heads of the sages, surrounded by divine light, and the sky was filled with boundless auspicious mists that soared straight to the heavens. (The text then continues with a description of the two masters and their disciples sitting silently in the reed hut.)
Meanwhile, within the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, the Holy Mother of Golden Spirit saw auspicious clouds and mist, knowing that her two senior uncles had arrived. She thought to herself, "Since the head of the sect has arrived today, my master must also arrive soon." At dawn, celestial music filled the air, and the sound of bells and chimes never ceased. The immortals, following the Tongtian Sect Leader, left Biyou Palace and came to the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation. Upon learning this, the Holy Mother of Golden Spirit led the immortals to welcome the Sect Leader, entered the formation gate, and sat down on the Eight Trigrams Platform.
After all the immortals had paid their respects, the Holy Mother Jinling stepped forward and reported, "Both of my senior uncles have arrived."
Upon hearing this, the Tongtian Sect Leader was somewhat displeased and said, "Enough! The moon is waning and cannot be full. Since we have set up this Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, we must settle the score with him to determine the supreme position. Today is the gathering of all immortals to complete our tribulation." He then ordered Chang'er Dingguang Xian, "Go to the thatched hut and see your two senior uncles to deliver this letter."
Dingguang Xian accepted the order and went directly to the reed hut, where he saw Nezha and the others standing on either side. Nezha asked, "Who comes here?"
Long-Eared Immortal Dingguang said, "I am here on orders to deliver a letter to my master. May I ask you to inform him?" Nezha stepped forward to inform him. Laozi said, "Let him in." Nezha stepped down from the canopy and announced.
Dingguang Xian ascended the awning and saw twelve generations of disciples standing to his left and right. Dingguang Xian prostrated himself on the ground and presented the book. Laozi finished reading the book and said to Dingguang Xian, "I understand. Come tomorrow to break the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation." Dingguang Xian descended the awning and went to the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation to report back to Tongtian Jiaozhu. The next day, the two Jiaozhus led their disciples to see the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation. They descended the awning and arrived at the formation. What a magnificent Ten Thousand Immortals Formation! How so? A eulogy testifies to it: A strange mist, a few gusts of cold wind. Colorful clouds shimmer with five-colored golden light, auspicious clouds rise in a thousand clusters of vibrant colors. In front and behind stand mountain-climbing Taoist priests and Quanzhen masters; to the left and right stand wandering ascetics and reclusive scholars. To the east: Nine-flowered turban, Water-bound robe, Tai'a sword, sika deer—all are extraordinary individuals of high moral character; To the west: Double-bun hairstyle, pale yellow robe, Ancient Ding sword, eight-pronged deer—all are reclusive hermits riding the clouds; To the south: Crimson robe, yellow-spotted deer, Kunwu sword—this is none other than the Five Escapes and Three Extinctions Intercepting Sect Master; To the north: ?-colored robe, lotus-seed headband, Bin Tie Tong, riding a deer—all are mighty warriors capable of overturning seas and moving mountains. Azure banners, swirling with blue clouds; white flags, fluttering with colorful aura; crimson flags, shrouded in fiery clouds; ?-shaped canopy flags, spreading with black mist; beneath the apricot-yellow banners, thousands of strange golden rays conceal priceless treasures, unparalleled in heaven and earth, priceless treasures created from the very beginning. Again, there were the Immortals Wuyun, Jinguang, and Qiushou, their divine light gleaming; the Immortals Lingya, Kunlu, and Jingu, their bearing imposing; the Seven-Fragrance Chariot carried the Holy Mother Jinling, each with their own distinct lineage; the Eight-Tiger Chariot carried Shen Gongbao, overseeing all the immortals; the Holy Mother Wudang carried her magical treasures; and the Holy Mother Guiling encompassed all things. The golden bell tolled, shaking the universe; the jade chime struck, startling heaven and earth; the incense burner was raised, its smoke curling into the dragon-like mist; the feather fan waved, and a colorful phoenix gracefully departed from the Jade Pool. Seated atop the Kui Ox was the Tongtian Jie Sect Master, a disciple of Hongjun, existing before the separation of chaos and beyond the darkness of heaven and earth. There stood the Long-Eared Immortal, holding firmly the divine book, the profound and boundless Daoist teachings, the banner of the Six Souls of Extinction and Destruction.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
