Chapter 413: Encounter at the Dharma Assembly

Take care! Come again next time!

With Sun Wukong seeing him off, Yu Lin finally left the Ling Shan realm.

It just feels… weird..........

Yu Lin shook his head, rode a cloud and flew toward the Tusita Palace.

He couldn't help but wonder: what exactly will his future self have done in the Journey to the West?

He guessed it must be something extraordinary… never mind, thinking about it now is useless; when the time comes, he'll know naturally.

Yu Lin dispelled these stray thoughts and increased his flying speed.

Before long, the familiar Tusita Palace appeared before his eyes.

Today, no Golden Boy and Jade Girl were seen riding an ox outside the palace gates, but two young attendants were guarding the elixir chamber.

One attendant, dressed in golden robes with a sky‑piercing braid, squatted beside a dazzling Golden Light Dan Furnace, furrowing his brow, snapping his fingers, muttering as if calculating something;

The other, clad in silver attire with twin buns, lounged lazily beside a shimmering Silver Light Dan Furnace, legs crossed, squinting at the drifting clouds above, looking utterly content.

They were the two attendants, Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao.

Seeing Yu Lin descend on his cloud, Jin Jiao, who had been squatting on the ground, sprang up and gave Yu Lin a proper bow:

"Greetings, big brother Yu."

Hearing the voice, Yin Jiao, who had been lying down, rolled up as well, bowed similarly, his face still bearing a half‑asleep bewilderment.

"Hmm." Yu Lin gave a slight nod, replying, then casually asked, "Lao Jun, are you there?"

Both quickly nodded; Jin Jiao answered, "He's here, he's here. The Lord isn't refining elixirs today, he's meditating inside."

Yin Jiao added, "Yes, the Lord said that if big brother Yu arrives, just go straight in."

"That's fine, you keep to your duties, I don't need you to mind me." Yu Lin said nothing more, gesturing them to continue guarding the Dan Furnace, and he stepped over them, heading straight toward the interior of Tusita Palace.

Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao, still where they stood, scratched their heads, exchanged a glance, both a bit curious about Yu Lin's purpose, yet asked nothing further.

Jin Jiao returned to his golden furnace to snap his fingers, while Yin Jiao reclined again by the silver furnace, resuming his leisurely routine.

Entering the main hall of Tusita Palace, the swirling elixir smoke of old was nowhere to be seen.

Tai Shang Lao Jun was lounging leisurely on a chair, a set of plain tea ware placed on a low table beside him; the pot's tea was boiling, steam curling, and fragrance filling the air.

His eyes were half‑closed, as if taking a short nap or perhaps wandering the heavens in spirit.

Hearing footsteps, Lao Jun didn't open his eyes, but said lightly, "Arrived?"

"Hmm." Yu Lin walked to the chair beside him and sat, saying, "It seems Lao Jun already knows I'm coming."

"What do you mean?"

Lao Jun still didn't rise, merely waved his hand casually, "You may act as you wish."

It seemed he was merely adding a bit of chaos, with no other intent, hmm, perhaps he was just too lazy to think of anything else.

"Alright." Yu Lin nodded, asking nothing further.

For the next while, Yu Lin sat in Tusita Palace, sipping several pots of clear tea with Lao Jun, chatting about trivial matters.

When the time was right, he rose and took his leave.

Leaving Tusita Palace, passing through layers of cloud sea, Yu Lin's figure appeared over the bustling city of Xia Guo.

In a flash, he was silently back at the familiar dormitory doorway.

He could still hear the shouts of Dragon Lord gaming and the clatter of keyboards from inside.

"These guys, you really never get tired of them........... Good, good."

Yu Lin said nothing to them, and went straight into his own bedroom.

Lying on the bed, he opened his phone, cleared his mind, and immersed himself in the online world.

Time flows like a river.

The past passes like this, unrelenting day and night.

After lying for a long while, Yu Lin prepared to set out again.

As he silently whispered a word of entry, he instantly turned into a flash of WhiteLight and vanished.

And the fish in his mind plunged into the long river of time, swimming upstream.

【Mission: Turn the Eighty‑one Trials into Eighty‑two Trials, and duplicate a copy of the Great Vehicle Buddhist Dharma】

【Reward: Merit Golden Body】

Historically, Xuanzang's pilgrimage occurred in the third year of Emperor Tang Taizong's Zhen Guan era (629 AD).

Xuanzang once submitted a petition to the court requesting permission to travel west for the Dharma, which was denied; taking advantage of a year of disaster, the court allowed civilians to scavenge for food, so he blended into the refugee ranks, set out from Chang'an, and began his solitary westward journey.

In Journey to the West, however, it is: the thirteenth year of Zhen Guan, the year of Ji Si, September, third day of Jia Xu, Gui Mao auspicious day.

Now.

It is indeed the thirteenth year of Zhen Guan, September.

In Chang'an City, before Huasheng Temple, an unprecedented Water‑and‑Land Dharma Assembly is about to commence.

One thousand two hundred eminent monks gather, banners and treasure canopies flutter, Brahma Sound murmurs, awaiting the Son of Heaven's imperial carriage to arrive and select the great virtue who will journey west for the scriptures.

Yu Lin stood quietly atop the elegant tiled roof of a small building, his gaze crossing the streets and settling on the incense‑filled, crowd‑packed temple.

The appointed hour approaches.

Suddenly, from the long street below came the orderly clatter of armor and faint shouts; the previously packed crowd split like a tide, yielding a wide, solemn passage.

The ceremonial guards led the way, golden gourds, halberds and axes gleaming, reflecting the autumn light.

Soon, an ornate sedan slowly approached, its curtains lowered, it being the carriage of the Son of Heaven Li Shimin.

Inside the carriage, Li Shimin sat with eyes closed, concentrating, pondering the selection of eminent monks and the westward quest for the sutras—a matter crucial to the nation's destiny and the eastward transmission of the Dharma.

This assembly must find a truly steadfast and wise Holy monk…

Just as the carriage was about to pass the intersection in front of Yu Lin's small building, Li Shimin felt an unannounced stir in his heart, a sudden strong premonition rising, as if a voice from the void whispered:

If we just let it pass like this, we might miss something...

He suddenly opened his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Stop."

The guards driving the carriage were well-trained; hearing the order, they halted immediately, and the procession fell silent and stopped.

Although the guards didn't understand, none dared to speak up and ask.

Li Shimin reached out to lift the carriage curtain and stepped down.

Looking around, the townspeople by the street had already prostrated themselves on the ground, and the surrounding buildings and shops were all silent.

His gaze, following intuition, slowly rose and finally settled on the roof of the elegant small building nearby.

The two gazes, under the autumn sky of Chang'an, met squarely.

Li Shimin's heart suddenly tightened.

Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped forward a few paces, toward the roof direction, and solemnly clasped his hands in salute:

"I... Li Shimin, pay my respects to you, sir."

"It's been many years; you still have that immortal bearing."

Yu Lin slightly nodded, his voice transmitted directly into Li Shimin's ears; the surrounding guards and townspeople noticed nothing:

"No need for much ceremony; I'm just here to have a look."

Li Shimin realized, his astonishment grew even more, but he showed nothing on his face; instead he revealed a sincere smile and looked up, saying:

"So it is. Since you, sir, have come to observe this grand event, would you be willing to move your steps and accompany me to the Dharma assembly to observe the rites?"

Yu Lin thought for a moment, then still shook his head, his voice again transmitted into Li Shimin's ears:

"No, I have some things to do. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."

Li Shimin's attitude is good, so his attitude toward Li Shimin naturally won't be bad either; calling him "Your Majesty" is no matter.

But Li Shimin's eyes flashed a hint of obvious regret, yet he didn't insist further, only saying:

"It was my impertinence; sir, please do as you wish."

Having said that, he again clasped his hands in salute, then turned and remounted the carriage.

The Son of Heaven's procession once again set off, slowly heading toward the Huasheng Temple.

Only then did the street townspeople dare to lift their heads slightly, all wondering in their hearts: just now, who was the Emperor paying his respects to?

Yu Lin saw the carriage depart, then turned; his figure flickered, disappearing from the rooftop, and in the next moment he appeared at the stairway leading downstairs.

He was about to step forward when, from below the stairs, a person happened to come up.

It was a nun dressed in gray monastic robes, her face compassionate and gentle, holding a pure water vase and willow branch, her steps light, her whole body seeming to have a faint, pure radiance.

Yu Lin's steps halted, his eyebrows slightly raised; he had already recognized the person.

"Guanyin Bodhisattva?"

The nun also stopped her steps, lifted her head to look at Yu Lin, the corners of her mouth holding a smile, her palms together, she gave a slight bow:

"I have met you, benefactor."