"Amitabha. Black Bear Spirit, do you yield?" Guanyin asked calmly, halting her actions. She didn't intend to completely defeat him—this Black Bear Spirit was powerful and virtuous at heart, without any karmic burdens. He would make a fine mountain guardian if brought into the Buddhist fold.
"Yield? You only trapped me with a mere Brocade Cassock! Face me fair and square if you have the courage!" Black Bear Spirit scoffed defiantly.
Guanyin smiled, unfazed. Engaging in a raw display of strength with a demon would be beneath her, as one of the Four Great Bodhisattvas. She had no reason to indulge his bravado, and her goal was to subdue, not humiliate.
"I have a special ring here. Put it on, and if you can withstand it, I'll let you go free," Guanyin said, producing a restraint ring.
Black Bear Spirit eyed Guanyin with suspicion. A ring? He couldn't imagine how it would bind him.
"And I still get to keep this sacred Brocade Cassock!" he demanded, pushing his luck.
Abbot Jinchi's face fell. That Brocade Cassock was now his treasure! How could Guanyin even consider using it as part of the deal with a demon?
"Very well. Regardless of whether you can bear the ring, the Brocade Cassock will remain yours," Guanyin agreed. She gestured, and the Brocade Cassock, which had bound Black Bear Spirit, draped itself over him, showcasing her magnanimity.
"Bodhisattva, no! This sacred Brocade Cassock is my prized possession! How can it be handed to this demon?" Jinchi protested indignantly.
"Jinchi," Guanyin replied sternly, "you are a Buddhist disciple, yet you've exploited my name for deceit and selfish gain, violating the core precepts of Buddhism. Not only do you show no remorse, but you also continue to covet a sacred treasure. Your sins are severe."
With a single gesture, Guanyin pointed at Jinchi, who instantly transformed into a tbefore he could voice his outrage.
"In consideration of your service to the monastery, I spare your life. Reflect on your actions!" Guanyin intoned, sealing Jinchi's fate. Then, turning to Black Bear Spirit, she asked, "Now, will you wear the ring?"
Guanyin raised her left hand, and the ring floated before Black Bear Spirit, who now hesitated, his defiance wavering.
He knew Jinchi well enough—the abbot, though greedy, had always been devout, spending much of his wealth on grand restorations of the monastery's Guanyin statue. But now, seeing Jinchi's fate, Black Bear Spirit began to wonder if the old abbots parting words might have been true.
With the sacred Brocade Cassock in his possession, Black Bear Spirit felt bound to comply, though he couldn't shake his unease.
"Guanyin, if I manage to endure this, will you really release me?" he asked, seeking assurance.
"Amitabha. I always keep my word."
"Fine! I, Black Bear Spirit, accept your challenge!" With gritted teeth, he reached for the ring and placed it on his head.
"Amitabha..." Guanyin began to recite the incantation.
"Ahhh!" Black Bear Spirit cried out in pain, clutching his head as he fell, rolling and writhing on the ground.
"Do you yield, Black Bear Spirit?" Guanyin paused briefly to ask.
"Not… yet!" he gasped; teeth clenched.
Guanyin resumed her chanting.
"Ahhh—ROAR!" Black Bear Spirit howled in agony, his human form shifting back to his massive bear form, though even in his true shape, he found the ring's grip inescapable.
"Alright! I yield! I yield!" Black Bear Spirit finally submitted, unable to endure the excruciating constriction any longer.
"Amitabha. Black Bear Spirit, you have a heart inclined toward Buddhism. If you would accept, I invite you to join our order as a Guardian of the Mountains," Guanyin offered, finally revealing her intentions.
"I… I accept," Black Bear Spirit responded, bowing in submission. "But Bodhisattva, can the ring be removed?"
"This ring is known as the Restraint Ring. It merges with the flesh and cannot be removed. But if you sincerely devote yourself to Buddhism, the ring will eventually vanish," Guanyin explained with a measured tone.
Black Bear Spirit's face fell as he realized he'd been bound the moment he'd put it on. Jinchi had been right after all—Guanyin was deceptive, hiding her true intentions behind a veneer of compassion. But it was too late; he was now bound to the Tathagata's command.
"I understand," Black Bear Spirit muttered, his gaze downcast, concealing any trace of emotion.
Guanyin sighed softly. At least there was some gain from this mess. The original plan had been to use the sacred Brocade Cassock to spark greed in Abbot Jinchi, tempting him to set fire to steal it, which would have drawn Black Bear Spirit into the fray. Upon seeing the sacred Brocade Cassock, Black Bear Spirit would then covet it, leading to a clash with Monkey King. Guanyin could then appear, converting Black Bear Spirit while fulfilling two trials in Tripitaka's journey to enlightenment.
But things had taken an unexpected turn. In the end, only Black Bear Spirit was secured, and not a single trial had been fulfilled. Tripitaka and his disciples had already slipped away, leaving Guanyin scrambling to salvage what she could.
After tidying up the aftermath at Avalokiteshvara Monastery, Guanyin turned to the Five Directional Revelation Spirits and instructed, "Continue observing Tripitaka and his disciples, particularly Tripitaka. Report any unusual behavior to Spirit Mountain immediately!"
"As you command, Bodhisattva!" The Five Directional Revelation Spirits accepted their orders and hurried to catch up with Tripitaka.
Meanwhile, Guanyin made her way to the Great Thunderclap Monastery in the Western Heavens. She had to report everything to the Tathagata, especially with two of the eighty-one trials missing—contingency plans needed to be set in place.
And more importantly, she now had a growing suspicion.
Could the true variable in the journey be Tripitaka himself?
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。