Chapter 397: Bodhidharma, the Tripitaka
Boom!
Sanle's words made Li Daoxuan and others change their expressions.
Even the Green-robed Lady and the old Taoist priest showed astonishment on their faces, while Taizhen showed curiosity and looked at Sanle carefully with a thoughtful look in her eyes.
"Master, this kind of thing can't be taken as a joke. Do you know what you are talking about?"
Li Daoxuan said with a serious expression.
Master Sanle once lived in Yuzhang City. He was Xuanzang's master. He was a free and easy-going person who lived in seclusion in the city. He once helped Li Daoxuan destroy the weasel's clone and avoided a disaster.
Later, the dragon in Wanshou Palace was released by Pan Dan, and a flood submerged Longyou County. Li Daoxuan used the Three Realms Gourd to stop the dragon from escaping, but Pan Dan took the gourd away.
If Master Sanle had not arrived in time and chased Pan Dan, Li Daoxuan’s magic gourd would probably not have been returned.
Li Daoxuan has always had a deep liking for Master Sanle, who has the cultivation level of a Yang God but is not greedy for fame or fortune, and is easy-going and friendly. However, he never expected that the other party would actually say that he is the deputy leader of Moro?
"Sanle, I don't need your pity!"
"You traitor!"
In the lotus in the palm of the Green-Robed Lady, Maha, who had been quietly waiting for death, suddenly became excited. He looked at Sanle with a very complicated expression, which included hatred, resentment, excitement, and even a hint of...admiration?
His attitude undoubtedly confirmed Sanle's words.
Sanle looked at Maha, sighed softly, and said: "It's a pity that the golden body condensed by Bodhidharma's lifelong practice was ultimately unable to save you, and instead made you obsessed and turned into a demon."
Maha snorted coldly and said mockingly, "What do you mean by salvation? I have worked hard for Buddhism all my life and have devoted my life to promoting Buddhism. But you, you obviously have a cultivation level far superior to mine, but you betrayed the religion and degenerated into a wandering monk, living a life of hunger. Oh, and I heard that you also adopted a little burden?"
Sanle shook his head, his voice suddenly firm, and said: "He is not a burden, his name is Xuanzang, and he is my only disciple."
Hearing this, Maha mercilessly sneered, "I heard that he has been practicing for more than ten years, but he is not even at the stage of Bigu. Haha, so you have been searching the world for so many years, and you only found such a waste?"
Li Daoxuan's face darkened. Although he didn't understand the situation, he immediately said, "Hey, that's too much. Xuanzang is my brother. If you say that to him again, I will ask the Queen to dig out your tongue."
Lady in green glanced at him.
Maha snorted coldly and said, "If you find a disciple like Li Daoxuan, then I will accept him. Although he is a little despicable and a bit of a bully, his talent is indeed better than mine. Xuanzang? Who is he!"
Li Daoxuan's expression froze. Was this a compliment or a scolding?
Master Sanle looked into the distance and seemed to see the little monk with ragged clothes but clear and firm eyes.
He was trekking across mountains and rivers towards Chang'an, carrying a bamboo stick and straw sandals, and carrying a bamboo basket with a lame little black dog in it.
Sanle showed a gentle smile and said, "It is my luck to be Xuanzang's master."
After a pause, he looked at the old Taoist priest and others who surrounded him, bowed deeply, and pleaded, "Masters, can you please let Maha suffer less and free him sooner? As for the matter of the Mara religion, I will tell you everything."
Hearing this, the old Taoist priest looked thoughtful.
Lady Qingyi and Taizhen did not speak either, both pairs of beautiful eyes looked towards Li Daoxuan.
"I trust the character of Master Sanle."
"Besides, no matter what, you are Xuanzang's master. Xuanzang calls me big brother, and I can't let him call me that for nothing."
Li Daoxuan had made the decision. He stretched out his hand and pointed at Maha's Yang Shen, and the unfair sword intent surged between his fingers.
The lady in green cooperated very well and unfolded the petals of the lotus. She was even afraid that Li Daoxuan could not kill him with one blow, so she deliberately burned him again with the Samadhi True Fire, burning Maha's residual soul until only the last bit of strength was left.
clang!
The sword intent penetrated Maha's yang spirit, strangling him completely and destroying his soul.
Maha did not resist, nor did he shout. He looked at Sanle quietly, with a hint of relief in his eyes, as if he had finally received the long-awaited liberation.
His last words echoed in the air.
"Sanle, I have been reading Buddhist scriptures for ninety years, but in the end I realized that what I like most is still the soft mud back then."
…
This sentence was so incomprehensible that Li Daoxuan and others could not understand it, but Sanle was shocked and his eyes were filled with mixed feelings of sadness and joy, as if he was sad for the passing of his old friend, but also relieved that his old friend finally let it go.
The "Book of Exorcising Demons" in Li Daoxuan's mind shone brightly, dazzling and eye-catching. It was obvious that the reward this time was very generous.
However, he had no intention of reading the words on the heavenly book. Instead, he looked at Master Sanle, wanting to hear him explain the cause and effect of all this, and why he claimed to be the deputy leader of the Moro religion.
"Sanle, I heard Qianyang mention you. He praised you as a true monk and admired your virtue and magical powers. I know you have saved many people, but if I don't explain it clearly today, I'm afraid you won't be able to leave peacefully."
The old Taoist tapped his cane and looked at Sanle quietly.
The green-clothed lady sighed and said, "Master Sanle, you have lived in Yuzhang City for seventeen years. During these seventeen years, you often collected herbs to treat the poor in the city for free. Even when you were bullied, you never used your magical powers. I admire your virtue, but why did you get involved with the Moro Cult?"
Sanle sighed and said, "This is a long story, let's start with Maha's Zen poem."
"He said in his poem that he was originally a mountain guest, staying by the Xuanshui River. This is true, because more than 90 years ago, Maha was originally a small snake beside Xiong'er Mountain and the bank of Luoshui River."
Maha was once a snake?
Li Daoxuan couldn't believe it. He touched his sleeve and the little white snake inside rubbed his fingers through his clothes very smartly. He had no idea what was happening in the outside world.
If Master Sanle did not lie, then why didn't his divine eyes see through the other party's demon body?
Even after Maha's death, his true form did not reveal itself. This is too abnormal.
Sanle continued, "It lived in the Luo River at that time. Whenever it snowed heavily, it would hibernate in the nearby Xiong'er Mountain. Day after day, year after year, because of its extraordinary bloodline, it gradually developed intelligence and lived a peaceful and happy life until a person appeared."
Li Daoxuan's eyes flashed, he seemed to guess who that person was, and was very surprised.
Sure enough, Sanle's voice continued to sound.
" That year was the second year of Datong, which was during the Southern Liang Dynasty more than 90 years ago. The South Indian monk Bodhidharma faced the wall in a cave in Songshan for nine years. He suddenly realized the truth of Buddhism, founded the Central Plains Zen Buddhism, and achieved a golden body."
"After that, he did not stay in Songshan, but realized that Mahayana Buddhism was incomplete, and wanted to travel west to find Lingshan, to seek the most critical Tripitaka in Mahayana Buddhism, so as to complete Zen Buddhism and promote Buddhism."
"However, when he reached the bank of Luo River, he was killed by a poisonous snake. His mission failed at the last moment, and his body was buried in Xiong'er Mountain. It was a pity that his wish to travel west never came true, but he was ultimately unable to leave the Central Plains."
Li Daoxuan immediately asked back: "That's not right. Bodhidharma has achieved the Golden Body, so his magical powers must be extraordinary. How could he be bitten to death by a poisonous snake?"
Sanle said solemnly: "Because he encountered not only a poisonous snake, but also a person."
"Who?"
"The former sixth heavenly demon king, Po Xun, is now Mara."
