Chapter 414: How About I Take You as My Master

"Bodhisattva, what is it?"

Yu Lin sat opposite the nun manifested by Guanyin Bodhisattva, watching her plain hands brew tea, and asked offhand.

Guanyin Bodhisattva lifted her eyes, gently shook her head: "I merely happened upon you, benefactor Yu, and came to pay a brief visit."

A chance meeting? I don't believe you, ghost.

Yu Lin showed his disbelief, but did not say it out loud; he merely gave a slight nod, his eyes turning toward Huasheng Temple, and reminded:

"The assembly is about to begin; Bodhisattva, aren't you going to deliver the treasure?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva calmly poured boiling water into the teapot, and the fragrance of tea filled the air.

She poured a cup of clear tea for Yu Lin, handed it over: "No rush, no rush. Benefactor Yu, please try my tea—does it suit your palate?"

She was unhurried; Yu Lin was even more unhurried.

After all, the duty of escorting the scripture‑seeker was not his.

He took the cup and took a light sip.

The tea entered crisp and sweet, and a gentle spiritual energy flowed, capable of calming the spirit, dispelling distractions, and greatly benefiting Cultivators.

For ordinary immortals or Cultivators, this was already a rare treasure.

But for Yu Lin, who treats Tai Shang Lao Jun's elixir as a snack, this effect was almost negligible.

He set the cup down and gave an honest appraisal: "The taste is fine. Thank you for your kindness, Bodhisattva."

"If Benefactor Yu likes it, that's enough," Guanyin Bodhisattva said with a smile, nodded, and after that said nothing more, simply quietly poured a cup for herself and sipped daintily.

The two sat facing each other; the room held only the elegant tea fragrance and occasional faint clink of cups.

Time slipped silently in this tranquility until the teapot was empty.

Guanyin Bodhisattva set down her cup and rose:

"The time has come; I shall take a step ahead and not further disturb the benefactor's serenity."

Yu Lin did not rise to see her off, merely nodded and said, "Bodhisattva, travel safely."

Guanyin Bodhisattva performed the eleven bows, turned, and gracefully descended the stairs.

Yu Lin's gaze through the lattice window saw her emerge from the pavilion and meet a monk who had long been waiting outside.

It must have been Hui'an Wanderer Mu Zha.

The two gave a slight nod, then their forms began to shift, finally manifesting as two ragged, scabby wandering monks.

As they moved forward, they vanished into the crowd in the blink of an eye.

Yu Lin's sight returned to the assembly at Huasheng Temple in the distance.

At that moment, Xuanzang, who presided over the assembly, was delivering sutras: the Shou Sheng Du Wang Jing, the An Bang Tian Bao Zhuan, and the Quan Xiu Gong Juan.

In an instant, Brahma Sound roared, celestial petals rained, the ground surged with Golden Lotus, truly a splendid scene of the Buddhist Sect.

Suddenly, a commotion rose among the crowd.

Two ragged, scabby wandering monks, ignoring the guards' blockades, stormed straight toward the altar, loudly proclaiming "Hinayana teachings cannot elevate the departed" and other reckless words.

The guards immediately stepped forward and seized the "mad monk" disrupting the assembly.

They were then brought before Li Shimin.

Li Shimin looked and thought, "Weren't these the two monks who delivered the kasaya and meditation staff a few days ago?!"

He immediately asked why they were causing trouble today.

After some questioning, the scabby monks spoke freely, pointing out the limits of Hinayana Buddhism and elucidating the virtues of the Mahāyāna Tripitaka True Scriptures.

Li Shimin listened, found it reasonable, and was about to inquire further when the two monks suddenly rose into the air, auspicious clouds sprouting beneath their feet, their bodies radiating brilliant light!

When the light faded, there were no scabby monks left.

In mid‑air, a Bodhisattva holding a pure bottle and willow, dignified and compassionate, and a guardian ascetic wielding a heavy iron staff, majestic and awe‑inspiring, suddenly appeared—Guanyin Bodhisattva and Hui'an Wanderer Mu Zha!

Below, the multitude was terrified, immediately kneeling and repeatedly calling "Bodhisattva" and bowing.

Guanyin Bodhisattva left in the air a simple plaque inscribed with verses like "Salute the Tang emperor, the West holds wondrous texts…" and together with Hui'an Wanderer, transformed into a golden Buddha light, vanishing within a moment above the nine heavens.

Yu Lin, upon seeing this, lost interest in further observing Li Shimin's excitement or Xuanzang receiving the decree.

The grand curtain for the westward journey has already been drawn; the protagonists are about to take their places.

He stood, lazily stretched, and his joints emitted a faint click.

The next step, he vanished into the pavilion.

When he reappeared, the surroundings were entirely different.

No longer the bustling streets of Chang'an, but a wilderness.

Before him rose a massive peak shaped like five fingers, beneath which rested a furry head—Sun Wukong.

"Yu Lin! You've arrived?!"

Sun Wukong's sharp eyes instantly spotted the suddenly appearing Yu Lin; his Golden Eyes and Fiery Eyes brimmed with delight as his monkey head strained outward,

"We haven't met these years; where have you been? You've made old Sun miss you so!"

"Did you refine and absorb that Golden Core?"

Yu Lin walked to his side, sat unceremoniously on the ground, waved his hand, and a heap of steaming delicacies and jade‑like nectar materialized before him.

"I went to another 'place' and did some things."

"Thanks to the Great Sage's Golden Core, my cultivation surged, and now it's fully refined."

He replied casually, picking up a golden, dripping roast leg and handing it to Sun Wukong: "But Great Sage, you're about to break free; whether I come or not doesn't really matter."

Sun Wukong, unreserved, opened his mouth, took the leg, chewed heartily, and mumbled, "From now on I'll be someone's disciple, a laborer."

"Where is there any joy being together with Yu Lin?"

He swallowed a big bite, a sly yet helpless grin on his monkey face, "Fine then! If I can gain freedom, more masters are better."

"As long as that person doesn't annoy old Sun, I'll accept him as my master; consider it buying my freedom!"

Just.

He turned his words and looked at Yu Lin: "If you take me as a disciple, I'd be willing."

"From now on we each go our own way; you call me Great Holy, I'll call you master!"

"Who doesn't go on a pilgrimage? But when Lao Sun follows someone on a pilgrimage… that's not the same as following just anyone!"

"Ha ha, Great Holy, that suggestion isn't bad, but I have no such intention." Yu Lin heard this, only gave a slight nod, without further comment.

He, while accompanying Sun Wukong in food and drink, silently pondered the crucial task of this journey: where should the extra difficulty fall?

Hey! How about…

Just as several good ideas raced through his mind, an unannounced Transmission from Lord Dragon sounded at his ear:

"Come quickly!"

"We have found the Xuzhou Cauldron!"

Hearing that, Yu Lin rose and said, "Some matters need to be done, so I'll take a step forward first."

"Great Holy, take your time enjoying."

Sun Wukong, seeing him about to leave, quickly shouted:

"Hey, how about helping Old Sun with something?"

"But it's fine to say."

"Go see master for me."