Chapter 34: Chapter 34: The First Encounter with the Ullambana Festival, A Different Fiery Eyes and Golden Gaze
Shi Yue found himself refined by the True Samadhi Fire within the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield, thanks to Ne Zha's relentless manipulation of the flames, preventing death yet making life unbearable. Over time, under the relentless glow of the True Samadhi Fire, he gradually acclimated to it.
From the initial daze and lack of self-awareness to periods of consciousness, and finally reaching full awareness—despite the extreme pain—he developed resilience to the True Samadhi Fire, no longer forced to scream in agony like a beast.
Thus, he couldn't help but grit his teeth in anger, feeling as though he was treated like a wild animal. He mentally vowed revenge against Taiyi—"Just wait, you old rascal!"
At that moment, he suddenly heard Perfected Taiyi's voice from outside.
"Disciple, has the demon monkey perished?"
"Master, the demon monkey is still alive."
"Oh?"
"Hmph! That monkey's body is inexplicably strong. I've increased the True Samadhi Fire repeatedly, yet it hasn't been enough to refine him, possibly due to my lack of power."
"Then hand me the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield. This demon monkey cannot be allowed to live. I am about to attend the Ullambana Festival, and I need to deal with him before I leave, lest he becomes a great scourge."
Perfected Taiyi's subsequent words were clearly directed at Shi Yue.
"Monkey, it's not that I, Perfected Taiyi, am heartless, but you shouldn't exist in this world. Excuse my discourtesy."
Enraged, Shi Yue couldn't help but shout, "You wretched Taiyi, you ****!"
Outside, Ne Zha visibly frowned, and suddenly asked, "Master, what does **** mean?"
Perfected Taiyi also frowned, "I don't know, perhaps... Hmph! Demon monkey! Be arrogant no more. This will be your last words, and I'm not afraid to tell you that you, your brother, and your Flower Fruit Mountain will pay. You simply go first."
Initially intending to continue cursing, Shi Yue was momentarily taken aback by Ne Zha's ignorance—"You don't even understand that?" Then, the True Samadhi Fire intensified, tenfold compared to Ne Zha's manipulation.
Though still enduring severe pain, he managed to withstand it. The stimulation of the pain drove him to a mad resolve; he looked up at the nine dragon pearls in the sky, thinking: I no longer fear the True Samadhi Fire—it's time to swallow those pearls.
With this thought, his body suddenly surged upward, flying toward the nine dragon pearls.
Outside, Perfected Taiyi exclaimed, "Not good! The demon monkey truly fears the True Samadhi Fire no longer."
No matter how much he unleashed the True Samadhi Fire to deter Shi Yue, nothing could cause him to pause. In the next moment, the monkey, his body scorched red, opened his mouth wide and swallowed all nine dragon pearls inside the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield.
Outside, Ne Zha couldn't help but exclaim, "Ah! Master, that demon monkey..."
Perfected Taiyi's eyes flashed with urgency, but he then snorted coldly, "Don't worry. This demon monkey brought this upon himself. Those nine dragon pearls are not so easily swallowed and will surely turn him to ashes in no time! But now, the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield will have lost its greatest power."
Ne Zha quickly asked, "What should we do?"
Inside the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield, Shi Yue had indeed become engulfed in divine flames, his entire body set ablaze.
Perfected Taiyi replied, "Why so anxious? Don't you have plenty of other treasures? Besides, with me as your master, who in this world would dare harm you? Very well, I shall represent The Heavenly Court at the Ullambana Festival and expect to meet many powerful beings from both the Daoist and Buddhist realms; I may yet obtain a new treasure for you."
Ne Zha's voice brightened, "Master, could you get me some ginseng fruit? I have great need for it."
Perfected Taiyi's voice responded, "Without power, what use would you have for it? Alas! You're not still thinking about the Rainbow Princess, are you? It's not that I wouldn't get them for you, but her status is too lofty for you to aspire to, and she wouldn't lack for such treasures."
Ne Zha's voice wavered, "I... Master, I haven't..."
Just then, Shi Yue roared from within the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield, "You wretched Taiyi! Damn you! Is Ne Zha your son?"
Shi Yue had realized that the dragon pearls were not easily consumed. Even though he no longer feared the True Samadhi Fire, the nine pearls were the essence of nine primeval dragons, far beyond what his current demon body could withstand.
As he swallowed the nine dragon pearls, the divine fire's power surged from his belly into every part of his body. Overwhelmed by the unending divine fire, he could endure no longer. After cursing, he flashed into the space of the Measuring Sky Staff, instinctively feeling it would be safe there.
This action left both master and disciple outside visibly stunned. Ne Zha noted, "Master, the demon monkey..."
Perfected Taiyi frowned, "He was likely obliterated by the explosive divine fire. You should know, this rare treasure wasn't crafted by me but by my master using the essence of nine primeval dragons. However, the nine pearls must not touch, as they would explode. Such a pity; soon, the divine fire within the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield will dissipate."
Hearing this, Ne Zha hung his head in disappointment, "What a waste. But, Master, I've wondered about what the demon monkey said..."
Perfected Taiyi snorted, "Don't overthink it; it's impossible that such a thing could be true. Now that the demon monkey is dealt with, stay here and wait for me to return."
"Yes, Master."
Ne Zha nodded obediently, but once Perfected Taiyi left, he took out the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield, shaking his head in regret, "Such a waste, such a waste. I never imagined this treasure was so rare. I shouldn't have lent it for that monkey's refinement. Hmph! Having ruined my Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield, should the opportunity arise, I won't spare his brother, and I'll make sure both brothers face their doom together. Hmph!"
Saying this, Ne Zha tossed the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield aside, clearly overwhelmed with frustration.
As the saying goes, "Natural disasters can be forgiven, but self-inflicted ones cannot." Ne Zha's fate was sealed, yet Shi Yue had a thread of fortune, owing to the mysterious purple aura he once unknowingly cultivated.
Upon entering the space within the Measuring Sky Staff, he found these purple auras seemed sentient, emerging from the void and entering his body. He felt a cool sensation within, calming the furious divine flames covering him, and the fire disappeared almost instantaneously as if nothing had happened.
Time passed unknowingly, and when he awoke again, the torment of being burned was entirely gone.
Upon opening his eyes, rays of purple light shot out like beams, piercing into the void, reminiscent of the golden light from his eyes at birth that reached into the heavens and the netherworld. Now, however, it was a purple light, something he remained unaware of initially.
Stunned for a moment, he soon realized with joy that his internal power had increased tenfold! What happened? Realizing something significant had occurred, he understood at last—he had inadvertently advanced to the Taiyi Celestial level!
He thought, indeed, great risks come with great opportunities. Sun Wukong reached Nirvana in Lord Lao Zi's Eight Trigrams Furnace, ascending to Taiyi Golden Immortal and developing the Fiery Eyes and Golden Gaze, eventually storming the Celestial Palace. Similarly, he had advanced to Taiyi Celestial. He concluded that unlike Sun Wukong, he hadn't consumed countless heavenly materials and the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir prior.
Recalling Sun Wukong's Fiery Eyes and Golden Gaze, he discovered noticeable changes in his eyes, with purple glimmers within. Now, his vision revealed the essence of things when these glimmers were active.
Could this be a different Fiery Eyes and Golden Gaze? Overjoyed, Shi Yue felt he had gained a new ability, expressing gratitude to Master Bodhi and cursing Taiyi while planning retribution.
In the Measuring Sky Staff, he checked his body thoroughly; finding nothing amiss, he willed himself out of the space.
Back in the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield, the environment felt different. The flames had vanished, revealing a not-so-large space, clearly shattered after the disappearance of the nine pearls.
He recalled Perfected Taiyi mentioning the Ullambana Festival, likely hosted by Tathagata, attended by many celestial deities, aimed at planning the Journey to the West set five hundred years hence.
And the ginseng fruit—it was reportedly a treasure! He vowed to obtain it someday. That old Taiyi had plans for Flower Fruit Mountain, but Shi Yue intended to give him a surprise!
As he calmed down, it dawned on him that Perfected Taiyi was unaware of the Journey's true plan, hence the statement that Sun Wukong and Flower Fruit Mountain shouldn't exist. Clearly, the plan hadn't yet begun, leaving Flower Fruit Mountain as a mere thorn in The Heavenly Court's side.
Shi Yue felt defiance rising, thinking, "As long as I'm here, you won't succeed. Let's see who outsmarts whom!"
Resolute in his mind, Shi Yue observed the shattered space, spotting a hidden door in an instant.
Utilizing his newfound Fiery Eyes and Golden Gaze inadvertently, he noticed Ne Zha was absent and effortlessly transformed into a speck of dust to exit the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield.
Calculating the time, nearly twenty years had passed! Furious with Taiyi for imprisoning him, he wondered about Taiyin—was she pregnant? Often pondering over such things, he realized it might not be ideal, but if she had given birth, what then?
Grinning foolishly, his longing for Senior Sister Taiyin and Sun Wukong surged along with apprehension. Contemplation led him to return to Flower Fruit Mountain, knowing that if Taiyin were in trouble, she'd seek him there.
Some responsibilities needed to be faced, and he anticipated the possible birth of a "Flower Fruit Mountain prince."
Descending from the Thirty-Three Heavens without admiring The Heavenly Court's scenery, he soon reached Flower Fruit Mountain, entering the Water Curtain Cave with no delay, planning to surprise Sun Wukong. To his surprise, an unfamiliar glutton was inside.
He was particularly astounded when the creature reacted as if seeing a ghost, fleeing immediately. Using an escape technique, it turned into black smoke, which, with his purple gaze, Shi Yue discerned to be writhing in anguish within that smoke.
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