Chapter Five: Master Ruokong (2)

“What exactly is the Southern Transmission Pali Vinaya?”

Hua Sheng had been confined in a pitch-black room for three days.

He felt his days and nights had become completely reversed, leaving him utterly disoriented in time and space.

The reason for his imprisonment was that he had violated the “Southern Transmission Pali Vinaya” within the monastery, though he could never quite grasp what it entailed.

In short, it was some form of monastic discipline. Hua Sheng reflected that his actions in the Great Thousand Zen Temple were indeed impulsive. Even if they were deemed as “provoking trouble,” his detention was justified.

Yet, more baffling than the confinement itself was how Master Ruokong managed to seize the Ruyi Golden Cudgel.

That golden staff was no mere iron rod as Ruokong casually described. It was the legendary weapon that had caused upheaval in the heavenly palace ages ago, the divine armament that had turned the tide in the Battle of the Universe’s Guardians, shattering the Saturn Silk.

This was a weapon feared even by the Great Dao immortals. How could it have been reduced to an ordinary iron stick in the hands of a monk?

More astonishingly, how did that monk manage to “catch a blade barehanded”?

Not just that—he caught it with one hand, barehanded!

If Hua Sheng hadn’t witnessed it himself, he wouldn’t have dared to imagine such a thing.

“This is... the Ruyi Golden Cudgel... the weapon of the Victorious Fighting Buddha, Sun Wukong!”

He muttered to himself, “This isn’t a cheap imitation. Even the Saturn Silk could pierce through it. How could Master Ruokong catch it with his bare hand?”

But no matter how hard he pondered, the answer eluded him.

All he knew was that after the Ruyi Golden Cudgel was taken, Master Ruokong enveloped him in some kind of “Vajra Shield,” and the next moment, he found himself in this dark confinement.

There was no light in the cell. A magical restraining ring, similar to a “Linglong Ring,” was locked onto his wrist.

Unlike the one he had seen earlier in the Liyuan center, this Linglong Ring suppressed powers starting from the Illusionary level. Not even a flicker of firelight could be conjured. He was reduced to a mere ordinary prisoner.

The only thing left in the iron gold hoop chain across his chest was a flickering crimson flame. As for the Ruyi Golden Cudgel, no one knew where Master Ruokong had hidden it within the Great Thousand Zen Temple.

It seemed there was no escaping, so he might as well wait in this darkness.

The room was small, no larger than about three meters square. Hua Sheng groped along the wall like a blind man and sat down helplessly on the floor.

Suddenly, he thought of the Supreme Little Lord.

Whenever he faced difficulty, the Supreme Little Lord would appear. But at this moment, there was no sign of him.

The atmosphere felt lonely and desolate. He had thought that returning to Shengpingning meant resuming his life at the Arcane Academy.

But life moves only forward. Even if he returned to the Arcane Academy, it would no longer be as it once was.

At least, Weiyu was no longer there.

Weiyu would never be there again.

The Arcane Academy would never have Weiyu again, even in the “real world” he had imagined, Weiyu was gone.

Hua Sheng curled up into a ball; that familiar loneliness swept over him once more.

This déjà vu feeling was something he had only experienced during nights in the orphanage when he was a child.

As he grew older, Hua Sheng rarely recalled such memories, especially during the more than year he spent in Shengpingning.

He had almost believed that loneliness would fade with age, but in truth, it never disappears.

Loneliness can be forgotten for a time, but it ultimately accompanies one’s entire life.

He buried his head deep into the little world formed by his hands and knees, soon drifting into a drowsy sleep.

He couldn’t tell if it was day or night when a sliver of light appeared in the darkness.

Seeing this light, Hua Sheng knew another day had passed.

For it was the vegetarian meal that the little novice monk, Bu Xu, brought him.

He received one meal a day.

Every day, Hua Sheng could only rely on that brief light to see what he was about to eat in the darkness.

Through the faint glow appeared Bu Xu’s tender little hands.

Those small hands reached in and took away the tray from the previous day’s vegetarian meal. Perhaps Hua Sheng’s appetite was poor; these past days, he had only eaten a few bites of vegetables.

Bu Xu asked, “Benefactor, you only ate this little again?”

Hua Sheng answered, “Mm.”

He wanted to say something to let Bu Xu know he was still alive.

Bu Xu’s childish voice said, “Though you broke monastery rules, there’s no need to refuse food. Otherwise, even after leaving here, you’d have to lie in a sickbed.”

“How much longer will I be confined?”

“I heard it was ten days before. You should have about six days left.”

Hua Sheng sighed, “Then... after I get out, less than ninety days remain before I can leave.”

“Since you can’t leave now, why not settle your mind? This isn’t so bad. Those originally irritable and hot-tempered will become calm here.”

“Yes... the Buddhist path, right? A place of purity.”

The little novice monk said no more but placed today’s vegetarian meal tray in with the light. Just as he was about to close the light—

Hua Sheng said, “Bu Xu, wait!”

“Benefactor, what is it?”

“I want to ask you a question.”

“Please don’t trouble me, I’m only a novice doing chores.”

“Not... I’m not asking you to do anything, just a question.”

“You may ask, but I don’t know much.”

“I want to know—who exactly is Master Ruokong?”

“Master Ruokong is the abbot of the Great Thousand Zen Temple.”

“I know he’s the abbot. I mean, what kind of abilities does he have? How could he catch the Ruyi Golden Cudgel with one hand!”

Bu Xu replied, “The Golden Cudgel...”

“Yes. Do you know Sun Wukong?”

“Are you referring to the Victorious Fighting Buddha?”

Hua Sheng perked up, “Yes, yes! You should know the Victorious Fighting Buddha—he’s Sun Wukong. My Ruyi Golden Cudgel is his weapon.”

Bu Xu answered, “I see. Then it must be a remarkable weapon.”

“Yes. But why does the weapon lose its power in front of Master Ruokong? I mean, I have personally tested the might of the Ruyi Golden Cudgel.”

Hua Sheng voiced his doubts.

Bu Xu said nothing in response.

Hua Sheng guessed the little novice probably didn’t know much about mystical weapons and artifacts and might not understand the question.

“It’s nothing, I was just asking casually...” Hua Sheng tried to explain.

But the novice said, “I don’t know the specifics either. But I think there’s a reason. Do you know whose disciple Master Ruokong is?”

“Whose?”

“Master Ruokong is a disciple of the Sandalwood Merit Buddha.”

“Oh...”

Hua Sheng thought he should have guessed. To command such a vast temple at such a young age, he must be a high monk. It was no surprise whose disciple he might be.

Shengpingning was so large and had connections to the immortal realm; naturally, Buddhas might be involved.

“Do you understand now?”

“I get it. Master Ruokong is a disciple of some Buddha with profound powers, right?”

“Something like that.” Bu Xu added, “But do you know who the Sandalwood Merit Buddha is?”

“A very powerful Buddha?”

“You mentioned Sun Wukong earlier? Sun Wukong was the name of the Victorious Fighting Buddha before he achieved Buddhahood in the Western Heaven. Do you know the name of the Sandalwood Merit Buddha before he became a Buddha?”

“Could it be...”

The little novice slowly said, “He was called Master Xuanzang, also honored as Tripitaka.”

“Are you saying, Tang Sanzang?!”

“Master Ruokong is the last disciple Tang Sanzang accepted after becoming the Sandalwood Merit Buddha.”

After Bu Xu left, Hua Sheng’s heart remained unsettled.

If Master Ruokong had truly inherited Tang Sanzang’s teachings, how could he be a match? It was no wonder the Ruyi Golden Cudgel was taken.

Thinking this, resistance seemed futile. Trapped within the Great Thousand Zen Temple, escape was impossible for now. Hua Sheng quietly picked up his bowl and chopsticks and began to eat in silence.

These days in darkness, Hua Sheng spent his time meditating and recuperating—eating, meditating, eating, meditating, endlessly cycling.

Finally, on the tenth day, Hua Sheng was still meditating.

Suddenly, a dazzling golden light pierced the darkness. At first, he thought it was Bu Xu bringing his vegetarian meal again, but the light was extraordinary, stabbing into his eyes until they nearly blinded him. He shielded his eyes and, in the haze, saw the outline of a tall monk.

“Benefactor, how has your ten days of quiet cultivation gone?” came Master Ruokong’s voice.

“Master, could you please dim your Buddhist spotlight a bit!” Hua Sheng still bore some resentment.

“The Buddha’s light shines equally on all beings,” Master Ruokong said. “But you can wear a pair of sunglasses if you want.”

“My magical powers have been sealed by you...” Hua Sheng began, then suddenly realized the Linglong Ring on his hand had vanished. He quickly conjured a pair of sunglasses and indeed, he could see much more clearly.

The walls around him had disappeared; there was no sign of a cell. He was standing outdoors. No wonder the sunlight was so blinding.

Hua Sheng asked, “What happened to the prison just now?”

“What prison?”

“The place where I was confined?”

“Benefactor, do you know there is a kind of prison...” Master Ruokong bowed slightly, “called drawing a circle on the ground to confine oneself.”

“What does that mean...?”

“When you cannot understand something, you trap yourself in an invisible prison.”

Hua Sheng replied, “Even if I can’t understand it now, I have to.”

“Then come with me.”

“Where to?”

“To have some tea.”

The abbot’s room was no larger than three meters square.

When Hua Sheng entered Master Ruokong’s room, he was reminded of the stark emptiness of his own cell. The furnishings were extremely sparse. Not only was the room size comparable to his “drawn prison,” but the furniture was even more rudimentary than the guest room he had first slept in.

There was only a simple wooden single bed—without even a mosquito net.

Beside the bed was a single seat and a tiny wooden tea table that could barely hold a teapot and two cups.

“Please, sit,” Master Ruokong gestured toward the only wooden chair.

Since it was the only chair, Hua Sheng wondered how he could sit. He said, “Master, you sit. I’ll stand.”

“You are the guest, benefactor. I will stand.”

“No, no... I’m hardly a guest. I was just released from prison. You are too polite...” Hua Sheng thought for a moment and said, “How about I conjure a stool?”

With that, Hua Sheng conjured a simple chair in the tiny space of the room. To match the room’s austere style, he made the stool small and worn-looking, almost like a stool that would cause one to twist an ankle, perfectly fitting the room’s “decor.”

Master Ruokong said, “Benefactor, your magical skills are excellent.”

“Not at all, not at all. Master, are you teasing me?”