Chapter 190: Drinking Tea and Asking for Dharma at Midnight

However, the immortal Zhen Yuan arranged sake, fruits and vegetables in the temple, and he and Sun Wukong became sworn brothers.

Afterwards, Zhen Yuanzi ordered Qingfeng and Mingyue to pick ginseng fruits and give one to each of the gods present.

Present were Guanyin Bodhisattva, the three immortals Fu, Lu and Shou, Zhuang Yan and the immortal Huo Ling, as well as Tang Monk and his five disciples, a total of eleven people.

At this time, the Qingfeng boy stood in the hall and introduced: “My ancestor’s ginseng fruit is also known as the ‘Wanshoucao Huandan’. It blooms once every three thousand years, bears fruit once every three thousand years, and takes another three thousand years to ripen, and only takes ten thousand years to eat. In ten thousand years, only thirty fruits can be produced. If a person is lucky enough to smell the fruit, he will live for three hundred and sixty years. If you eat one, you will live forty-seven thousand years.”

After Qingfeng Tongzi finished his introduction, Mingyue Tongzi bowed and said, “Please enjoy the meal, all the holy immortals.”

After saying that, the two boys retreated to stand on both sides of Zhen Yuanzi, and everyone bowed and thanked him, “Thank you, Taoist Zhen Yuan.”

Zhen Yuanzi also bowed in return, then said with a smile: “Bodhisattva, fellow Taoists, please enjoy your meal.”

Zhuang Yan smiled and nodded, then picked up the ginseng fruit, covered it with his sleeve, and finished eating it after a while.

Turning his head, he saw that the Fire Spirit Immortal was using a jade dagger to cut the ginseng fruit into many small pieces, and then was eating them with the tip of the dagger.

Except for Sun Wukong, Xiao Bailong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng, everyone present covered their faces with their sleeves and slowly ate the ginseng fruit.

Sun Wukong’s four fellow disciples ate the fruit directly from the fruits in their hands, but only the Fire Spirit Immortal cut the fruit before eating it.

Zhuang Yan smiled faintly. This also showed the character of the Fire Spirit Immortal. He was organized in everything, decisive and capable, and was not swayed by external things.

But what Zhuang Yan didn’t know was that there was another reason why Fire Spirit Immortal ate ginseng fruit in this way. She was looking for the core and seeds.

After eating the ginseng fruit, Zhen Yuanzi toasted everyone again, and everyone toasted Zhen Yuanzi in return.

At this time, Zhuang Yan smiled and said to the three immortals of Fu, Lu and Shou who were sitting beside him: “Three old stars, Zhuang Yan offers a toast to you.”

The three gods of fortune, wealth and longevity quickly raised their wine cups and saluted Zhuang Yan, saying, “Thank you, Master. Please come in.”

Then Zhuang Yan toasted to Guanyin Bodhisattva and Zhen Yuanzi, and finally Tang Seng and others toasted them.

More than two hours had passed since the banquet ended, and the sun had already set in the west.

The three old star gods Fu Lu Shou stood up to take their leave first, followed by Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Zhen Yuanzi tried to persuade him to stay, but Guanyin Bodhisattva and the Three Stars of Fu, Lu and Shou all said that they had matters that had not yet been dealt with.

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi immediately stood up to see them off. Zhuang Yan, Tang Seng and others also stood up and sent Guanyin Bodhisattva and the Three Stars of Fu, Lu and Shou out of the Wuzhuang Temple. Guanyin Bodhisattva rode on a nine-colored auspicious cloud all the way to the South China Sea, while the Three Stars of Fu, Lu and Shou flew back to the sky with starlight.

After Guanyin Bodhisattva and the Three Stars of Fortune, Longevity and Happiness left, Zhuang Yan smiled and said to the Fire Spirit Immortal: “In that case, it’s time for us to go back.”

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi said, “Hey, why don’t you stay here for a few more days, Master?”

Just as Zhuang Yan was about to speak, Zhen Yuanzi spoke first, “Does the True Lord have some mundane matters to deal with?”

Hearing this, Zhuang Yan laughed and said, “That’s not the case.”

Zhen Yuanzi smiled and said, “Then please do me the honor of staying in the small temple for a few more days, how about that?”

Zhuang Yan thought about it, then nodded and said, “Then I’ll bother you, fellow Taoist.”

“Hey, don’t disturb me, there’s a breeze and a bright moon. Go quickly to clean up the cloud room for Master Lingtai.” Zhen Yuanzi said.

Qingfeng Mingyue bowed and accepted the order, then turned and left.

Then Zhuang Yan said to the Fire Spirit Immortal: “Then you should go back to the mansion first.”

The Fire Spirit Immortal bowed and said, “Yes, Master.”

After saying this, the Fire Spirit Immortal bowed and said goodbye to Zhen Yuanzi, Tang Monk and the others. Finally, he bid farewell to Zhuang Yan and rode his cloud straight up to the first heaven.

When they returned to Wuzhuang Temple, the disciples had already finished cleaning up the banquet, and Zhen Yuanzi asked them to serve tea.

While sipping tea, Tang Seng suddenly said to Zhen Yuanzi: “Thank you for your hospitality, Master. Although many misunderstandings arose this time, fortunately they have all been resolved satisfactorily. I would like to say goodbye to Master.”

“Oh?” Zhen Yuanzi was surprised when he heard this: “Elder Tang, are you going to leave tomorrow?”

Tang Monk nodded and said with a smile: “The journey to the West to obtain the scriptures is long and we cannot delay. I will bid farewell to the abbot tonight and set out with my disciples early tomorrow morning.”

Zhen Yuanzi asked, “Why don’t you stay a few more days? Lingtai Zhenjun is also a guest here, how about letting me stay a few more days, elder?”

Tang Monk smiled and said, “Thank you for your kindness, Master. However, I am eager to obtain Buddhist scriptures and cannot stay for long.”

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi could only nod and say, “Okay, since Elder Tang is determined to do so, I will not try to persuade you to stay.”

Tang Seng thanked them, then drank tea and chatted with Zhen Yuanzi and Zhuang Yan in the hall for a while, then stood up, said goodbye and went to rest.

When Sun Wukong and his companions saw that Tang Seng had returned, they also stood up, said goodbye, and turned to leave.

But halfway through the walk, Zhu Bajie suddenly turned around, took a deep breath, looked directly at Zhuang Yan and said with a smile: “Master Lingtai, thank you for what I did last time.”

Hearing this, Zhuang Yan also smiled and said, “Marshal Tianpeng has finally figured it out. Very good, very good. There is hope for a bright future.” When Zhu Bajie heard Zhuang Yan’s words, the knot that had been weighing on his mind for so long was finally untied.

It turned out that Lingtai Zhenjun was really enlightening him that day, not looking down on him. There is a huge difference between the two.

Zhu Bajie’s knot was resolved. He bowed to Zhuang Yan, then turned around and left with his fellow disciples with brisk steps.

At this time, only Zhen Yuanzi and Zhuang Yan were left in the hall. Zhuang Yan looked at Zhen Yuanzi and asked, “Did you just come back from Yuanshi Tianzun?”

Zhen Yuanzi nodded and smiled, “Exactly. As soon as I came back, I saw Wukong destroying my ginseng fruit tree.”

Zhuang Yan smiled slightly, and then asked, “Has that fellow Taoist seen fellow Taoist Bodhi?”

“Are you talking about the Wonderful Saint Tathagata, Patriarch Bodhi?” Zhen Yuanzi asked, his eyes lighting up.

Zhuang Yan nodded and said, “It is this fellow Bodhi.”

Zhen Yuanzi immediately smiled and said, “Yes, this fellow Bodhi is indeed extraordinary. This time I went to Miluo Palace to listen to the teachings and got to know this fellow Bodhi. He is a man of broad knowledge, and his magical powers are not inferior to mine. His attainments in the Three Teachings are even more impressive.”

Zhen Yuanzi couldn’t help but show admiration on his face as he spoke, “But I have been in the Three Realms for a long time, why have I never heard of this Taoist friend’s name?”

Zhuang Yan smiled and said, “Fellow Daoist Bodhi has always been indifferent and humble. If I had not become the god of Lingtai Mountain, I would probably not know that there is a Bodhi Patriarch in the world.”

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi nodded slightly and said, “This fellow Taoist is indeed too indifferent. With his great power, if it were someone else, he would have long been famous in the three realms and would not have revealed his identity only now.”

At this point, Zhen Yuanzi suddenly remembered, “This time in the Miluo Palace, I had several discussions with him on the Dao, and he was full of praise for you, Lingtai Zhenjun.”

Zhuang Yan smiled, thinking that what Zhen Yuanzi had said before about “heard of your great name a long time ago” must have been mostly heard from Patriarch Bodhi.

“No, Brother Bodhi, you are too kind to me.” Zhuang Yan shook his head and said.

Zhen Yuanzi smiled calmly, then asked, “True Lord, I have been troubled for a long time. May I ask True Lord Lingtai for advice?”

Zhuang Yan heard this and said, “I dare not. Just ask, fellow Taoist.”

Zhen Yuanzi asked, “My ginseng fruit tree is the spiritual root of heaven and earth, but I’m sure you know that it takes nine to ten thousand years for the tree to mature, and each time it matures, it only produces thirty fruits. It’s not that I’m greedy, but I have to be careful and calculating if I want to use it to do someone a favor. It’s really troublesome.”

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Yan immediately asked, “Fellow Daoist, do you want this tree to bear more fruit?”

“That’s right.” Zhen Yuanzi nodded and said, “I have been looking for a good prescription over the years, and I have also visited Buddha, Bodhisattva, Laojun Tianzun, but unfortunately there is no way to increase the fruit like this.”

As he spoke, Zhen Yuanzi smiled slightly, looked at Zhuang Yan and said, “This time I heard from fellow Taoist Bodhi that the True Lord has great magical powers. Do you know where in the world there is such a method?”

Zhuang Yan laughed when he heard this and said, “Daoyou Zhenyuan thinks highly of me. How could I have such a method?”

Zhen Yuanzi also laughed, and then shouted outside the palace: “Qingfeng, Mingyue.”

Qingfeng and Mingyue walked in side by side, and when they reached the hall, they bowed and said, “Master.”

Zhen Yuanzi asked, “How many fruits are left on my ginseng fruit tree?”

Qing Feng Ming Yue heard this and immediately replied: “Master, there are still eleven fruits on the tree.”

Zhen Yuanzi nodded when he heard this, then waved his whisk and said, “Take the golden hammer and hit all the remaining eleven fruits.”

Qingfeng and Mingyue were stunned when they heard this, and they looked at each other with some confusion in their eyes.

Zhen Yuanzi said, “Why don’t you go quickly?”

Qingfeng and Mingyue had no choice but to bow and say, “Yes.” Then they turned and left.

After the two men left, Zhen Yuanzi immediately said to Zhuang Yan, “Master, please have some tea.”

Zhuang Yan smiled and nodded, “Okay.” Then he picked up the teacup and took a sip.

Not long after, Qingfeng Mingyue returned to the hall. Qingfeng was holding a jade plate in his hand, and on the plate were the eleven ginseng fruits.

“Master, all the ginseng fruits have been harvested.” Mingyue said.

Zhen Yuanzi stood up and walked over, took the jade plate from Qingfeng, and then handed it to Zhuang Yan, “Master Lingtai, these eleven ginseng fruits are the last few fruits produced in the past ten thousand years. Please accept them.”

Zhuang Yan quickly stood up and said, “Fellow Daoist Zhenyuan, what do you mean? I really don’t have that method.”

Zhen Yuanzi smiled and said, “Whether you have it or not, compared to making friends with the True Lord, these eleven ginseng fruits are nothing. Now that the fruits have been picked, they can’t be hung back on the tree, so please accept them, True Lord.”

Hearing this, Zhuang Yan was helpless, but seeing Zhen Yuanzi’s sincere face, he had no choice but to wave his sleeves and collect all the ginseng fruits.

Then Zhuang Yan bowed and said, “Thank you very much, Taoist Zhenyuan. Although I don’t have the method to increase the production of fruits, I will help you pay more attention in the future.”

“Hahaha.” Zhen Yuanzi stroked his beard and laughed, “Then I’ll have to trouble Master Lingtai.”

(End of this chapter)