Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

"Nine incense scars—this truly is an unprecedented Buddhist destiny for our Mingji Nation!" Master Puhui looked at Daoji standing before him, his heart brimming with joy, and his emotions greatly stirred.

"Abbot, in today's Incense Offering Ceremony, there is a monk from the Great Tang in the Heavenly Empire above, who has come seeking Buddha's blessings and scriptures in the Western Heaven..."

As the final Scar of Precepts was inscribed on Daoji's head, the Incense Offering Ceremony was nearly complete. A monk approached Master Puhui's side and murmured.

"Oh? Is that so? Someone from the Great Tang?" Hearing these words, Master Puhui's eyes lit up, and he felt a pleasant surprise.

His own disciple had just been bestowed nine incense scars; naturally, Master Puhui wished the whole world knew. It wasn't only a matter of personal pride but also a significant honor for the entire Great Luo Temple and all of Mingji Nation.

Now that a high monk from the Great Tang was present, could this get any better?

Could it be that, in the future, even the Great Tang would hear of the disciple from Mingji Nation who received nine Scars of Precepts?

Right, he is en route to the Western Heaven to seek Buddha's teaching?

Wouldn't that mean, once he reached the Western Heaven, a mere mention of this might leave an impression of me in the presence of the Western Heavenly Buddha!?

"Quick, where is the high monk from the Great Tang?" Thought racing, Master Puhui eagerly asked.

"Fellow devotees..." Overwhelmed with excitement, Master Puhui continued, "As the saying goes, 'Double happiness arrives at the door'. Today, our Great Luo Temple is blessed with two pieces of great news!"

"Oh? Two pieces of great news? What is the other happy news?" Curious after hearing Master Puhui's words, the crowd watching the ceremony turned their attention to him.

Seeing how his words had successfully captured the attention of everyone present, Master Puhui internally nodded with satisfaction.

He then announced, "Firstly, as you all have seen, my disciple Daoji has received nine Scars of Precepts during the Incense Offering Ceremony, which sufficiently proves his deep connection with Buddha."

"The second piece of great news is that a distinguished guest has arrived in our Mingji Nation! This honored guest is a highly revered monk dispatched by the Emperor of Tang, from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land, who seeks Buddha's blessing and scriptures in the Western Heaven! His visit to our Mingji Nation is indeed cause for celebration!"

"To receive the imperial dispatch and seek Buddha's blessings in the Western Heaven, to be able to meet the Tathagata in person, surely this monk must have profound Buddhist destiny and in-depth knowledge of Buddhist laws!"

Master Puhui spoke, lavishing praise on Jiang Liu's presence to the best of his ability.

Of course, this was also a way to indirectly prove his own disciple's Buddhist destiny!

Nine incense scars—such an event was unheard of in Mingji Nation and would be considered an extraordinary Buddhist connection even in the Great Tang above.

Although I don't know the extent of this high monk's Buddhist destiny, he surely couldn't surpass my disciple's, could he?

Now, by praising this Scripture Seeking monk lavishly, when he later reveals his own head, wouldn't it confirm that my disciple also possesses a worthy Buddhist connection?

This was Master Puhui's overt strategy—to use praise of Jiang Liu to elevate his own disciple's status.

Of course, should this Scripture Seeking monk bear only eight or even seven Scars of Precepts, wouldn't that prove my disciple even more exceptional?

That would be even better!

"Now, let's welcome the high monk Xuanzang from the Great Tang!" After extolling Jiang Liu's virtues, Master Puhui invited him forward.

It must be said that Master Puhui's speech was quite inspirational and successfully piqued everyone's interest.

Such eloquence, in another era, would have made him an excellent salesperson!

After the address, all those gathered craned their necks with curiosity, eager to catch a glimpse of this high monk from the Great Tang.

"Master Xuanzang, please! Grace us and the people of Mingji Nation with your presence!"

Following Master Puhui's words, a monk from the Great Luo Temple approached Jiang Liu to extend the invitation.

"Of course," Jiang Liu nodded slightly.

Although it was unexpected for Master Puhui to suddenly sing his praises so earnestly, Jiang Liu found nothing objectionable about showing himself and nodded in response, stepping forward.

"Amitabha, honored to meet the high monk from the Great Tang!" As Jiang Liu stepped forth, Master Puhui positioned his palms together and bowed as a sign of respect for his guest.

Yet seeing Jiang Liu's youthful face, no older than seventeen or eighteen, he inwardly marveled at just how exceedingly young this high monk from the Great Tang was.

"Amitabha, the honor is mine, Master!" Jiang Liu, too, placed his palms together and returned the gesture, his demeanor humble and courteous.

"This old monk has certainly struck it rich!" Sun Wukong muttered quietly to himself, observing Jiang Liu's bow. "Even Guanyin has not received such a salute from master many times."

"Indeed, yes!" Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing at his side nodded in agreement.

...

"This is the high monk from the Great Tang? Can it be true? It's not a deception, is it?"

"He's too young, isn't he? With such an appearance, can he truly possess profound Buddhist knowledge?"

"What do you think, could he be a swindler? After all, we are tens of thousands of miles away from the Great Tang..."

Although Jiang Liu was humble and polite, and extremely handsome, it had to be said that he looked too young.

Even though he had been on his journey to the West for three years and was now 18 years old, no longer the 15-year-old boy from before, for ordinary people, this 18-year-old appearance was still a bit too youthful.

To say he was a high monk on the journey to the West for Scriptures? It reflexively made people skeptical.

"Well said..." Hearing the buzzing discussions around him, Master Puhui secretly rejoiced in his heart.

Initially, praising this high monk from the Great Tang was meant to compare him with oneself and thus elevate the status of his own disciples.

Now, without even speaking, these people beside him were already questioning the monk's identity. Wasn't this even better?

Seizing the opportunity, he could use this reason to have him prove his Buddhist affinity, and everything would fall into place!

Master Puhui rejoiced internally, and at the same time, he looked forward with great anticipation to the scene that was about to unfold.

As for the identity of Jiang Liu? Of course, he would not doubt it like the spectators around; after all, the things like the travel permit plaque Jiang Liu carried had been personally verified by the other disciples in his temple. There couldn't be any mistake.

...

As for the low discussions of the people around him, Jiang Liu, who now possessed the cultivation level of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, naturally heard some of them.

However, he didn't care, his gaze instead rested on Daoji who was only three years old but had as many as nine Scar of Precepts on his head, and he greeted, "Daoji? Hello! Do you recognize me?"

"Who are you?" the three-year-old Daoji, though appearing much older than his age, looked at Jiang Liu with a somewhat blank expression in his eyes and asked.

"He doesn't remember me? Does he have no memories of Daoji, leaving only the memories from the time he was the Dragon Subduing Arhat? But that's not right, if he has the memories of the Dragon Subduing Arhat, he should also recognize me!" Jiang Liu pondered internally, feeling surprised that Daoji, who was said to possess inherent wisdom, did not remember him.

"Amitabha, honorable monk, although I don't know you, your appearance seems somewhat familiar, as if I have seen you somewhere!"

As Jiang Liu's heart silently pondered the situation with Daoji at the moment, Daoji looked at Jiang Liu for a moment and then said.

"Oh? You don't remember me, yet you feel some impression of me?"

Hearing this, Jiang Liu was slightly moved, thinking perhaps Daoji had not entirely forgotten him after all!

"Amitabha, I have heard others say you have inherent wisdom. I want to ask you, do you still remember your past life's memories?" After silently pondering for a moment, Jiang Liu did not beat around the bush and directly asked Daoji.

"Memories from my past life, I do have some, but they are just very vague memory fragments..."

The child of three, with a slight frown on his little brow, looked incredibly adorable and, without any intention of concealing, said, "Vaguely, I remember one night seeking shelter in someone's home, but that family was murdered and set on fire!"

"Then, I vaguely remember the name Daoji, it feels very close to my heart!"

"I also remember, there was a demon palace with a very powerful demon creature. Did I, in my previous life... maybe I died in that battle against demons and evil?"

"Right, I also remember a phrase, 'Alcohol and meat pass through the intestines, but the Buddha remains in the heart!'"

"Honorable monk, seeing your appearance, could you possibly know something about my past life?" After pondering for a moment with a furrowed brow, Daoji immediately asked Jiang Liu.

"As expected, he only recalls some vague fragments of memory!" Jiang Liu murmured to himself upon hearing Daoji's words.

He was getting to understand his situation bit by bit.

Of course, even if these were just meager memory fragments, Jiang Liu could already be certain that the Daoji before him was the same Daoji he had known before.

However, why has Daoji been reincarnated again? When the Dragon Subduing Arhat returned to the Western Spirit Mountain, shouldn't he have stayed?

Could it be... after returning to the Spirit Mountain, the Dragon Subduing Arhat was punished? Sent to be reborn in the cycle of reincarnation as penance?

"Esteemed monk? Monk?"

As Jiang Liu was internally pondering the issue of the Dragon Subduing Arhat, Daoji saw his silent and speechless appearance and couldn't help but call out twice.

"Oh, I apologize, I was just lost in thought!" Hearing Daoji's call, Jiang Liu returned to the present and said with a slight smile.

"You called me 'senior brother'? Good, good, quite astute!"

...

"This youngster is good, much more well-behaved than in his past life! In the past, he was always at the ready to call me 'junior brother'!"

"However, regarding the matter of the Dragon Subduing Arhat, I will have to find an opportunity to inquire further!"