"Holy Monk, remember: a mountain may change its shape, but a person's nature is hard to alter!" Bodhisattva Guanyin continued to caution Tripitaka.
"Not to worry!" Tripitaka countered confidently, "Persistence can turn an iron pestle into a needle!"
"My disciple has endured five hundred years of trials. His violent tendencies have long been worn away," he insisted, showing complete faith in Monkey King's transformation.
Bodhisattva Guanyin was at a loss. How could Tripitaka have such unwavering trust in Monkey King after just a single day? What had happened?
This new bond posed a dilemma. If Tripitaka trusted Monkey King so much, how could she convince him to place the Band-tightening Spellon Wukong? Without it, her plan for revenge and releasing her pent-up frustrations would fall apart.
Could it be that Tripitaka had somehow lost his senses? Why was he so willing to believe in this unruly monkey king?
Meanwhile, Monkey King had arrived at Tusita Palace in Leaving Hate Heaven.
Having anticipated his visit, The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord had already instructed one of his attendants to wait outside.
"Great Sage, The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord is in the alchemy room. Please, follow me!" said the attendant courteously.
"My thanks!" Monkey King replied politely, bowing slightly.
The attendant raised an eyebrow in surprise. This was by far the politest Wukong had ever been on any of his visits to the palace.
The first time Monkey King had come to Tusita Palace, he'd barged into the alchemy room without warning, stolen all the elixirs he could find, and caused a good deal of destruction in the process.
The second time, he'd been captured and thrown into the alchemy furnace, only to escape and wreak havoc all over again. But this time, he actually seemed respectful. Hopefully, nothing strange would happen this time, the attendant thought as he led Wukong to The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord.
"Rise!"
The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord called out as Monkey King entered the alchemy room, just as he was finishing a batch of elixirs.
"Elderly Lord, what kind of elixirs have you made this time?" Monkey King asked eagerly. The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord's elixirs were prized treasures, and even the Jade Emperor had to request them politely.
"You greedy monkey!" The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord chuckled, shaking his head. "Haven't you already devoured enough of my elixirs?"
Monkey King chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
Despite his words, The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord divided the freshly made elixirs into two portions, placing one set into a gourd, and handing it to Wukong.
"This is… for me?" Wukong asked, surprised.
"This batch of Nine-Turn Elixirs came from ingredients you procured. Naturally, you deserve a share. They'll help you in your cultivation."
"???" Wukong was dumbfounded, not expecting such generosity.
Back on Earth, Bodhisattva Guanyin continued her conversation with Tripitaka, trying to understand his perspective. "I'm curious, Holy Monk—what has led you to place so much trust in Monkey King?"
Tripitaka didn't hesitate, recounting the events of the previous night. He left out the part about eating meat, though. Best not to discuss that; monks of this world were meant to be strict vegetarians, after all. Yet, in the back of his mind, he thought, that chicken was truly delicious. I wonder if Wukong might bring more.
Lost in thoughts of food, Tripitaka failed to notice Bodhisattva Guanyin's growing bewilderment.
The group of bandits they'd encountered the night before had been placed there to provoke Monkey King into a rage, which would justify placing the headband on him to keep his temper in check, effectively turning him into a pawn of the Buddhist order.
Yet not only had the bandits survived, but Tripitaka had even gained a slight aura of merit from the encounter. Bodhisattva Guanyin was incredulous.
Buddhism's elaborate scheme to bring the dharma to the East had been meticulously planned to reap boundless merit. And here Tripitaka was, already earning his own merit! It was faint compared to the vast merit Buddhism would gain from flourishing in the East, but any gain was still significant.
Bodhisattva Guanyin felt a pang of envy—Tripitaka was accumulating merit, however modestly, while she herself couldn't earn any from this mission. But she quickly pushed that aside; her priority was ensuring Monkey King would follow Buddhist orders. After all, Buddhism had no intention of letting anyone else reap the rewards of its carefully laid plans.
Realizing Tripitaka's newfound loyalty to Wukong made her original approach futile, Bodhisattva Guanyin began devising a new plan.
"Holy Monk," she said finally, "You possess a strong heart for Tathagata, but you will face countless dangers on your journey. I have a magical artifact that can protect you."
Tripitaka, still lost in thought, suddenly grew suspicious. Why would this "village woman" offer him both food and a magical artifact? This wasn't normal behavior.
Without waiting for his response, Bodhisattva Guanyin revealed a small headband disguised as a Buddhist headdress. "This artifact is called the Golden Headband. Once worn, it takes root on the wearer's head and shields their true soul from harm, serving as a valuable form of protection," she explained.
Tripitaka, however, simply stared at her in silence, feeling a bit wary. Magical artifacts were hardly things that ordinary villager went around handing out.
Seeing his hesitation, Bodhisattva Guanyin realized her disguise wasn't working as planned. With a sigh, she revealed her true form, holding the Jade Pure Bottle and seated upon a lotus throne.
Tripitaka immediately dropped to his knees, bowing reverently. "Disciple Tripitaka pays his respects to Bodhisattva Bodhisattva Guanyin!"
Bodhisattva Guanyin smiled, finally feeling the satisfaction of being recognized. It hadn't been easy, but she was determined to complete her mission.
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