Chapter 5: The Western Regions
How prosperous and free the Western Regions used to be, the Silk Road passed here.
People trade with each other, have even wealth, are simple in their culture, worship Buddhism, and live in relative harmony and stability, although there are occasional disputes over water sources. But all in all, it is a blissful land away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
However, with the continuous infestation of the Arctic demons and the wanton trampling of the Datang Iron Horse. The prosperity and stability of the past are gone, and the small states in the oasis are nearly shattered and crumbling. Everywhere was the sorrow of the separation of wives, the collapse of broken walls, and the low sky filled with gunsmoke.
The people's wails of grief penetrated Bodhidharma's heart. He decided that he would give up the throne and become a monk, and he would use the broad mind and universal feelings of Buddhism to awaken the dirty heart of the world.
He was under a Bodhi tree, broke off his worldly relationship, and became a monk, and at that moment he felt that he was finally alive......
Holding a Zen staff in his right hand and a Zen bowl in his left hand, he began to walk east step by step, in the direction of Chang'an.
The scene of the fiasco on the road shocked him even more, the human skeletons left behind after being eaten by the demons, the soldiers with arrow feathers fell on the side of the road, insects and flies crawled all over the faces of the dead, and the stench came to his face.
With each step, his heart became more determined, he must reach Chang'an, and after that, everything will be over......
He passed by a small village and wanted to drink some water, but the villagers had been slaughtered, even babies.
In the dilapidated house not far away, there was the mournful sound of a woman's wail, mixed with the man's wild laughter from time to time. Bodhidharma walked over, and at a glance, several burly soldiers were raping a weak woman, her clothes were scattered everywhere, and her long hair was messy.
"Stop it for me, in broad daylight, rape a woman from a good family, do you still have a conscience?" Dharma yelled at the soldiers.
"Hey, which monk who is not afraid of death, Yaxing who dares to disturb the master." The soldier at the head turned around, drew the knife with blood stains left beside him, and walked towards Bodhidharma, and the others also approached step by step.
Bodhidharma is so helpless, no avenue can shake their pervert hearts, only bloodshed, and even destruction, can redeem their sins. He threw down the bowl, picked up the Zen staff and ran towards them, Bodhidharma was trapped in the heart, the weapons intertwined, bursting with sparks.
Bodhidharma's martial arts were thin, he was stabbed in the arm, he was stabbed in the waist, and then on the leg, Bodhidharma knelt on the ground, struggling to support. The soldiers led by Bodhidharma picked up their knives behind their backs, and at this critical moment, several darts were inserted into the necks of the soldiers in an instant, and they began to fall down one after another.
"Master, are you alright?" A young man in green clothes helped Bodhidharma up and asked with concern.
"It's just a skin injury, it's okay, just bandage it. Thanks to the donor's rescue, the girl was able to escape the hands of the tiger and wolf. Bodhidharma clasped his hands together and bowed slightly to the young man.
"It's easy, and the master doesn't have to worry about it." The young man humbly thanked him, and turned to see the woman in the house picking up her clothes and hurrying away from the door.
"Haven't you consulted the benefactor?"
"A small end, not enough to worry about, I don't know where the master goes?"
"East into Chang'an, Pudu sentient beings."
"Master alone, aren't you afraid, it was so dangerous just now."
"Don't be afraid, even if you die, you still don't regret it."
"The master is really a person in the Tao, but I still have a wish that has not been fulfilled, otherwise I will definitely go east with the master."
"Benevolent and righteous people, may the blessings be blessed."
"Master, take care all the way."
The young man spoke, clenched his fists, turned and straddled the horse.
Bodhidharma continued eastward, all the way to the border of the Tang Dynasty safely, and sat at the foot of a mountain to rest. The grass behind him suddenly squirmed, and Bodhidharma pushed aside the grass and unexpectedly found a wild monkey pressed in the hole under the mountain, unable to move.
"You're a demon, why are you crushed at the foot of the mountain?" Bodhidharma was full of doubts.
"In the past, it was, but now it is not, when the old grandson made a big fuss in the place of origin, he was injured by the Venerable Nuwa with a vitality cannon, and then pressed here, a pressure is 500 years, but my old grandson is suffocated. Master, who are you? Coincidentally, I passed by under this mountain, and I ran into my grandson. Sun Wukong replied with a mocking smile.
"I am a monk who entered Chang'an in the east, and I came here for all sentient beings." Bodhidharma clasped his hands.
"Since you're here for all sentient beings, why don't you take my grandson and save me from the bottom of this mountain?" Sun Wukong was excited, his face was full of longing, and his eyes were involuntarily overflowing with tears.
"I want to save you, how can the demon clan be a demon and cause trouble, isn't it a sin." Bodhidharma's compassion was born spontaneously.
"Never, my righteous brother Bull Demon King betrayed me, and my grandson has been inseparable from the demon clan since then. If the master rescues me, I will be an apprentice to the master to ensure that your Chang'an trip is safe, okay, okay? Sun Wukong was overjoyed.
"How can I save you, this mountain is thousands of feet high and weighs 10,000 catties?"
"On the top of this mountain, there is the Ancient Thunder Curse Mark of Venerable Nuwa, you can move the stone array under the curse seal to a position, and my grandson will be able to come out."
Bodhidharma really put down the Zen staff and bowl, rolled up the placket, and began to climb up, until the bright moon rose, then climbed to the top of the mountain, moved the stone henge, and after another night, until dawn, he returned to Sun Wukong.
Bodhidharma unleashed the stone spell, and Sun Wukong finally regained his freedom, worshiped Bodhidharma as his teacher, and continued to travel east.