The Western Paradise, the Great Thunderclap Monastery.
The Tathagata expounded the Great Dharma and proclaimed the True Scriptures, speaking of the supreme wondrous law and the Six Paramitas. Auspicious mists swirled, blessed clouds coiled about, the image of bodhi manifested, and golden lotuses spread across the realm, radiance answering from east to west.
One hundred thousand bhikshus, three thousand Jiedi, the Four Great Bodhisattvas, and countless holy Buddhas each held jeweled necklaces and pearl banners, rare treasures and precious wonders arrayed throughout the Great Thunderclap Monastery.
When the scripture lecture was finished, the Tathagata’s disciple Ananda rose and said,
“Reporting to the World-Honored One: yesterday, the dragon in charge of striking the bell, Ao Tu, fifth son of the Dragon King of Jing River, was negligent and remiss in his duties, missing the appointed hour. He ought to be punished.”
The Tathagata said, “Is Ao Tu present?”
A figure stepped out from among the monks. He had the appearance of a young man, dragon horns growing from his head, his golden eyes bright and clear. It was Ao Tu.
“Disciple Ao Tu pays respects to the World-Honored One.”
The Tathagata said, “Is what Ananda said true?”
Ao Tu said, “It is not true. Yesterday, Venerable Ananda deliberately cast a spell to make this disciple fall into a deep sleep, causing me to miss the hour for striking the bell. He then used this to threaten me, ordering me to descend to the lower realm and obstruct the scripture pilgrim. This disciple refused, and so Venerable Ananda reported me today.”
Seated high upon the lotus throne, the Tathagata’s expression did not fluctuate in the slightest. He said, “Did you miss the hour for striking the bell?”
Ao Tu said, “I did.”
The Tathagata said, “In that case, you are to be punished with three thousand blows of the incense board.”
Ao Tu stressed, “It was because Venerable Ananda cast a spell that this disciple missed the appointed hour.”
The Tathagata said, “Ananda will have his own punishment.”
Hearing this, Ao Tu drew in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said no more.
He was a transmigrator, having transmigrated into Ao Tu, fifth son of the Dragon King of Jing River. His father, the Dragon King of Jing River, had been schemed against and died; he and his brothers had nowhere to go, and in the end, under the arrangements of their uncle, the Dragon King of the West Sea, they were each assigned positions.
Some took posts in rivers, some guarded palace halls in the Heavenly Court, some tended the Heaven-Supporting Ornamental Pillars for the Jade Emperor. Ao Tu was steady by nature and was assigned to the Western Paradise to strike the bell for the Buddha.
As a transmigrator, he actually had a system.
[Journey to the West Roadblocker System]
[Newbie Gift Pack: True Dragon Essence Blood (issued)]
[Main Quest: Journey to the West Roadblocker (not activated; requires entry into the Journey to the West calamity to activate)]
[Content: Obstruct the scripture pilgrims and prevent the great flourishing of Buddhism.]
[Reward: Calculated according to the duration of obstruction.]
Ao Tu had not originally intended to use this system.
Because to activate the system’s quest, he had to involve himself in the Journey to the West calamity. Within a great calamity, heavenly secrets were obscured; the slightest carelessness could lead to the death of the body and the dissipation of the Dao. The system also had not clearly stated what rewards it would give.
He was of the dragon race, with a long lifespan. His days in the Western Paradise were peaceful and stable, and his cultivation improved day by day. There was absolutely no need for him to enter a great calamity and risk his life.
Alas, fate made fools of men. The newbie gift pack the system gave him was a drop of True Dragon Essence Blood. Ao Tu’s true body was a four-clawed yellow dragon; although his bloodline was close to that of a five-clawed true dragon, it was not pure. That drop of essence blood brought him tremendous benefits.
Ao Tu had failed to resist the temptation. After absorbing the essence blood, his cultivation broke through from the late Heavenly Immortal stage to the Mysterious Immortal realm.
The original Ao Tu had only been a Heavenly Immortal. His strength was too weak, and he had no qualifications to participate in the great calamity. But after breaking through to Mysterious Immortal, relying on the dragon race’s innate divine abilities, he could no longer be considered weak. In the water, he was even able to exchange a few moves with Sun Wukong.
As a result, Ao Tu was targeted by Ananda.
Ananda had schemed to make him descend to the lower realm and serve as one of the tribulations for the scripture pilgrimage. When the time came, Ananda would appear and subdue him, thereby gaining merit.
Ao Tu had thought the Tathagata would uphold justice for him, but from the looks of it now, the Tathagata was clearly more inclined toward Ananda.
Ananda was one of the two venerables who served at the Tathagata’s side, and he was also the Tathagata’s disciple. In terms of closeness, Ao Tu was obviously no match.
Since things had come to this, Ao Tu sensibly refrained from making any more futile resistance.
He knew very well that as a mere Mysterious Immortal, he currently had no room to resist at all.
Sun Wukong was so formidable, having cultivated to the undying Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, yet had he not still been easily suppressed by the Buddha and fitted with the golden headband? If one wanted to truly resist, one had to at least reach the Great Luo realm, where one attainment was eternal attainment.
The current him could only obediently submit.
He could only hope that the system’s rewards would give him a chance to transcend all of this in the future.
A trace of ambition flashed through Ao Tu’s steady eyes. His steadiness was merely helplessness born of insufficient strength. If one had strength, who would still choose to be steady?
Within the treasure hall, the Tathagata instructed, “Ananda, you shall be responsible for administering these three thousand blows of the incense board.”
Ananda showed delight and said, “I obey the World-Honored One’s decree.”
Ananda led Ao Tu away from the treasure hall, ordered Vajra warriors to bind Ao Tu to a pillar with Dragon-Binding Chains, and held the incense board wreathed in Buddhist light as he said,
“Ao Tu, do you know? This incense board is a Buddhist treasure. It can be as heavy as Mount Tai, or as light as a swan’s feather. If you know your error, three thousand blows will be nothing more than a light brush across your body, passing in an instant. If you remain stubborn and unrepentant, then never mind three thousand blows—even after a hundred or so, your tendons will rot, your bones will break, and your dragon body will be smashed to pieces.”
Ao Tu did not possess Sun Wukong’s indestructible body of diamond, so naturally he did not dare resist head-on. “This little dragon knows his error and is willing to obey the Venerable One’s command, descend to the lower realm, and obstruct that scripture pilgrim.”
Hearing this, Ananda beamed with joy. He dismissed the Vajra warriors, cast a spell to unbind Ao Tu, and said,
“You little dragon do have some perception after all. Wouldn’t it have been better if you’d listened so obediently from the start? Don’t worry. Even if you are accidentally beaten to death by that monkey when you descend to the lower realm, I do have some friendship with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. When the time comes, I’ll have him grant you a post ferrying souls.”
Hearing this, Ao Tu felt not the slightest bit pleased.
If it were someone else, being able to obtain a post in the underworld after death could count as a good thing.
But he was of the dragon race. After death, his dragon soul would not disperse, and he could discard his body and reincarnate. For Ananda to say this was clearly a threat, telling him that even if he died, Ananda would not let him off, and would make his dragon soul labor under Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva ferrying souls. It was truly hateful.
Thinking of how this man had framed him for his own selfish gain, Ao Tu wished he could flay him and pull out his tendons. Unfortunately, the circumstances were stronger than the man, and he could only agree.
Ananda said, “All right. Flee down to the lower realm. I have already greeted Great Master Guanyin. If you have the ability, obstruct them through a few more tribulations. In the future, when I subdue you, I will be able to gain more merit, and naturally there will be no shortage of benefits for you.”
Ao Tu once again had his understanding of Ananda’s greed refreshed.
One tribulation was not enough—he actually wanted him to obstruct them through several more?
After thinking for a moment, Ao Tu said, “Venerable One, this little dragon’s magic power is lowly. I fear it will be difficult to obstruct the scripture pilgrims. Might the Venerable One have any magic treasure to bestow, so that it would be more convenient for me to act?”
Seeing Ao Tu ask him for treasures, Ananda immediately shook his head again and again, saying impatiently,
“My Western World has always been barren. What treasures could there be? Your dragon race has many treasures. Why would you need to ask me for any? Hurry and descend to the lower realm, or don’t blame my incense board for being merciless.”
Ananda activated the incense board in warning.
Seeing this, Ao Tu looked deeply at Ananda, then turned and transformed into his dragon form. With a long cry, he roared away.
Ananda smiled contemptuously. A mixed-blood dragon with an impure bloodline dared ask him for treasures? Did he truly think himself a disciple of the Western Paradise?
Returning to the treasure hall, Ananda said to the Buddha,
“Reporting to the World-Honored One: Ao Tu feared punishment, broke free of his restraints, and privately fled to the lower realm.”
The Tathagata said, “Ananda, I command you to descend to the lower realm, subdue him, and bring him back to Spirit Mountain.”
Ananda said, “I obey the World-Honored One’s decree.”