Chapter 145: Tathagata sets a plan; the Liu Er Mihou

Heavenly Court, the Jade Emperor was resting in the Yaochi.

Just at this moment, an immortal official ran in hurriedly.

"Your Majesty!"

The Jade Emperor frowned and said displeasedly, "What is the matter that you are so flustered? What kind of decorum is this!"

That immortal official pointed outside the hall and said, "The Western Heaven, Tathagata Buddha has come!"

"What?" The Jade Emperor stood up from his chair at once.

Tathagata came in person? What is he here for?

The Jade Emperor's heart was full of questions, but he still ordered the immortal official to assemble the honor guard to go and welcome Tathagata Buddha.

He himself went straight to the Lingxiao Precious Hall to wait.

Not long after, surrounded by a crowd of immortal officials, accompanied by bursts of Sanskrit sounds, Tathagata Buddha, wearing a kasaya and with a solemn appearance, appeared outside the hall door.

The Jade Emperor stood up and went out to welcome him personally.

"The World-Honored One has come from afar; I have failed to welcome you from afar!" The Jade Emperor was full of smiles.

Tathagata Buddha put his hands together toward the Jade Emperor and bowed slightly.

"Amitabha, this humble monk has come uninvited and has disturbed the Great Heavenly Sovereign."

"The World-Honored One is too polite, please."

The Jade Emperor invited Tathagata into the great hall.

After the two sat down as host and guest, the Jade Emperor dismissed those on the left and right.

"I wonder what is the reason for the World-Honored One's personal visit today?" The Jade Emperor asked straight to the point.

Tathagata Buddha did not beat around the bush either and said, "I have come for that stone monkey, Sun Wukong."

Hearing this, the Jade Emperor's heart stirred, but his face showed a helpless expression.

"Sigh, World-Honored One, I have already told Venerable Guanyin that it is not that I am unwilling to exert effort. It is just that that monkey head is now..."

"The Great Heavenly Sovereign need not say more." Tathagata interrupted him directly, "This humble monk has not come today to urge the Great Heavenly Sovereign to send troops."

"Oh?" The Jade Emperor was somewhat surprised, "Then the World-Honored One is..."

Tathagata Buddha looked at him and said slowly, "This humble monk has come to discuss a solution with the Great Heavenly Sovereign."

"A solution?" Hearing this, the Jade Emperor asked, "Please speak plainly, World-Honored One."

"The Great Heavenly Sovereign should know that within the Zhou Tian, there are five immortals, which are Heaven, Earth, God, Human, and Ghost; there are five insects, which are the scaled, the feathered, the furry, the shelled, and the insects."

"These are the categories of the living beings of the Three Realms. However, there are four monkeys that do not fall into the ten categories and do not reach the names of the two spaces."

"Oh? Is there such a thing?" The Jade Emperor asked with feigned surprise; in fact, as the master of the Three Realms, he had heard of this long ago.

Tathagata nodded and continued, "These four monkeys, the first is the Lingming Stone Monkey, who understands transformations, knows the timing of heaven, knows the advantages of the earth, and moves stars and changes constellations. That Sun Wukong belongs to this category."

"The second is the Red-Buttocked Horse Monkey, who understands Yin and Yang, knows human affairs, is good at entering and exiting, and avoids death to prolong life."

"The third is the Arm-Armed Ape, who can grasp the sun and moon, shrink a thousand mountains, distinguish between good and bad luck, and manipulate the universe."

"And this fourth..." Tathagata's voice paused slightly.

"It is the Liu Er Mihou, who is good at listening to sounds, can observe principles, knows the past and future, and understands all things."

"If this monkey stands in one place, he can know the affairs of a thousand miles away; no matter what people say, he can know it all. Except for his ears, he is exactly the same in appearance and voice as that Lingming Stone Monkey, almost indistinguishable."

Hearing this, the Jade Emperor's heart stirred.

He had already guessed what Tathagata wanted to say.

"The World-Honored One means..."

A smile appeared on Tathagata Buddha's face.

"Since that Lingming Stone Monkey does not know the number of heaven and is unwilling to enter the tribulation, why not change to an obedient monkey to take his place and finish this journey to the West?"

"Use that Liu Er Mihou to take his place!"

The Jade Emperor thought to himself that it was indeed so; he had known what Tathagata was up to the moment he heard him mention the Liu Er Mihou.

The Jade Emperor was silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

"The World-Honored One's plan is very clever, but that Liu Er Mihou, although exactly the same as Sun Wukong, how can the World-Honored One guarantee that he will be obedient? What if, after he replaces Sun Wukong, he is even harder to control than Sun Wukong? Wouldn't we be drawing water with a bamboo basket and ending up with nothing?"

This was a very critical question.

Hearing this, Tathagata Buddha smiled confidently, "The Great Heavenly Sovereign can rest assured; this humble monk has already calculated this."

"That Liu Er Mihou, although possessing great supernatural powers, is not liked by others because he was born with six ears. Therefore, he is very jealous of the Lingming Stone Monkey, who is also one of the four monkeys of the chaotic world but is favored by luck. As long as we promise him a true fruit and a bright future, I am not afraid that he will not be used by us."

"This humble monk can promise that as long as he can replace Sun Wukong and protect the scripture seeker to arrive at the Western Heaven safely, after the matter is accomplished, he will be the real Sun Wukong, can enter my Buddhist Sect, and attain the true fruit."

"For a demon monkey like him to be able to replace the person he is jealous of and seize his true fruit is a great fortune. This humble monk believes he has no reason to refuse." Tathagata Buddha said.

"Even if he has different intentions, it does not matter." Tathagata Buddha was confident, "Since I dare to propose this plan, I naturally have a way to restrain him. As long as he dares to have the slightest unusual movement, I can make him unable to seek life or death."

"In that case, I can rest assured." The Jade Emperor nodded, and the last trace of concern in his heart was dispelled.

"Then what is the World-Honored One's plan?"

Tathagata Buddha said slowly, "This matter needs to be done in three steps."

"The first step is to find that Liu Er Mihou. This monkey is good at listening, knows the past and future, has an uncertain whereabouts, and is extremely difficult to find. This matter requires the Great Heavenly Sovereign and me to work together to deduce his whereabouts."

"The second step is to persuade the Liu Er Mihou. This matter can be left to this humble monk."

"The third step, and also the most critical step, is to let that Liu Er Mihou replace the stone monkey Sun Wukong. This requires the cooperation of the Great Heavenly Sovereign to make the living beings of the Three Realms believe that the one who has embarked on the journey to the West is the real Sun Wukong."

"Good!" The Jade Emperor patted the armrest and said, "Let it be according to the World-Honored One's plan!"

"Please wait a moment, Great Heavenly Sovereign, until I fetch the Haotian Mirror to deduce the heavenly secrets with the World-Honored One and find the traces of the Liu Er Mihou!"

"Good." Tathagata Buddha nodded.

Not long after, the Jade Emperor fetched the Haotian Mirror and worked with Tathagata Buddha to use the Haotian Mirror to deduce the heavenly secrets.

Around their bodies, Dao rhymes flowed, and Buddha light and immortal energy intertwined. In front of them, the map of the lower realm appeared on the Haotian Mirror.

On this map, mountains, rivers, the four seas, and the five continents were all included.

"Found him!"

I don't know how much time passed, but the Jade Emperor suddenly opened his eyes, and a flash of light passed through them.

He stretched out his finger and tapped lightly on the map in the Haotian Mirror.

I saw that on an island in the East Victory Divine Continent, a monkey wearing chain mail and a purple-gold crown was cultivating in the mountains.

Tathagata Buddha also opened his eyes at the same time. He looked at the figure in the Haotian Mirror, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Good, very good."

This Liu Er Mihou was born with the ability to explore information and hide heavenly secrets.

To find this Liu Er Mihou, the two of them joined forces to deduce the heavenly secrets, and it actually took several days of effort.

"Master, since we have already found him, then next..." The Jade Emperor looked at Tathagata.

Tathagata Buddha nodded and took over the conversation.

"Next, this humble monk will guide him onto the right path." ===== CHAPTER 146 =====