Chapter 68: The Victorious Fighting Buddha

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Passing through the thick crystal glass dome of the rooftop, the battered and bruised Hua Sheng arrived at the very top of the Shanghai Tower. Beyond the skyscraper’s edge stretched a city skyline six hundred and thirty-two meters high. Apart from the howling wind in his ears, Hua Sheng could hear nothing but the mechanical drone of the ventilation fans set atop the building.

He formed the appropriate mudras with his hands, raised the "Buddha’s Victory Summoning Talisman" in his palm toward the sky, and began to chant the incantation taught to him by the Grand Lord of the Dao:

"Heaven and earth, mysterious origin, root of all energies,
Through countless eons, I have cultivated divine powers;
Within and beyond the Three Realms, only the Dao is revered,
My form is sheathed in golden light, enveloping me in radiance.
Invisible to the eye, inaudible to the ear, encompassing the cosmos, nurturing all beings.
One recitation brings forth brilliance, the Three Realms’ guardians and the Five Emperors attend my arrival."

At the end of his recitation, Hua Sheng took from his chest the jade token of the Grand Supreme Elder Lord and held it in his hand. Instantly, the token became lighter than air, fluttering like a slip of paper, rising higher and higher until it became a bright point above his head.

In that instant, the sky around the luminous point changed dramatically. Winds howled, clouds surged, and thunder rumbled overhead. Hua Sheng looked around: only the sky above him was gathering billowing, mountainous clouds—thick and imposing. Suddenly, as if pierced by a divine blade, the clouds split, casting forth ten thousand rays of colored light.

The clouds amassed, growing ever denser, spreading across more and more of the city’s sky. Within them, a face formed from cloud and radiance, immense and serene.

It was a face different than Hua Sheng had imagined: kindly, wise, aged—a visage somewhere between man and ape, ringed by coarse hair. Could this be the legendary Sun Wukong?

Hua Sheng’s heart pounded uncontrollably, his hands trembling as he struggled to keep his composure.

Sun Wukong—the Victorious Fighting Buddha! The hero who once wrought chaos in Heaven, swept away all demons, and became a legend known to all! Now, he appeared as an old man, his once-arrogant pride and awe-inspiring presence seemingly faded with his ascension to Buddhahood.

Hua Sheng threw back his robe, knelt, and pressed his palms together in reverence. "Disciple Hua Sheng of the Daoist Academy pays homage to the Honored Victorious Fighting Buddha!"

A voice boomed from the sky, making the steel and concrete beneath Hua Sheng’s knees tremble.

"Little Daoist, for what purpose do you summon this Buddha?"

Hua Sheng bowed lower. "Disciple comes with utmost audacity to beseech the Victorious Fighting Buddha to lend me the divine weapon—the Golden Cudgel!"

"You dare ask this Buddha to lend you his weapon?" The Buddha’s voice thundered, making Hua Sheng’s ears ring, and even the glass walls of the skyscraper vibrated.

Hua Sheng could only imagine the expressions of those in the city below—surely all were left dumbstruck by the spectacle.

He looked up again at the Fighting Buddha in the sky. "Disciple seeks the divine weapon only to save all living beings!"

"For what reason do you say this?" asked the Buddha.

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"Tonight, the mortal world faces a great catastrophe. A disaster-star descends, wielding the Black Tortoise Serpent’s moon-controlling magic, intending to annihilate all life. The disaster-star is cloaked in the treasure Jupiter Veil—without the Sea-Calming Divine Treasure, nothing can harm it," Hua Sheng said. "Only by daring to ask the Buddha for compassion and the loan of this unparalleled weapon can I hope to repel the disaster-star and save the world. Once the calamity is averted, I will promptly return it. If I have offended the Buddha, I am willing to accept any punishment without regret!"

The Victorious Buddha pondered, then spoke: "This talisman and jade token you used to summon me—did they come from the Grand Supreme Elder Lord?"

Hua Sheng replied, "Yes, Honored Buddha. I am fellow disciple with the Elder Lord’s grandson at the Daoist Academy. The talisman was entrusted to me through him."

The Buddha laughed uproariously, nearly toppling Hua Sheng as he knelt. Hua Sheng braced himself with his hands, then straightened with utmost respect, afraid to make the slightest mistake.

"That Taishang Lord still remembers me, Sun Wukong? Is he still nursing a grudge for the furnace I overturned a thousand years ago? During the eighty-one trials of my journey, the Elder Lord was ever ready to make things more difficult. And now, he sends you, the next generation, to ask me for the Golden Cudgel," the Buddha mused. "As for ancient divine weapons, the Elder Lord is by no means lacking! The Seven-Star Sword, the Gold Bell, the Crimson Gourd, the Diamond Bracelet, the Golden Rope, the Banana Fan—were they not all his creations? Even the Nine-Toothed Rake was forged by his hand. Why not seek out the Messenger of Purity and borrow the Nine-Toothed Rake instead?"

Hua Sheng was left speechless. The thought of wielding the Nine-Toothed Rake was unimaginable. But the Buddha’s tone had softened; clearly, he did not intend to punish him. Sensing the opening, Hua Sheng pressed on, hoping to seize the moment.

"Forgive my ignorance," he said, "but I have heard that only the Golden Cudgel can pierce the Jupiter Veil. The battle is imminent. I implore you, for the sake of all beings and our shared Daoist kinship, to show compassion and lend your strength! I, Hua Sheng, shall be eternally grateful!" With that, he struck his forehead to the ground three times, each impact leaving a bloody mark.

The Buddha spoke: "Your cultivation is shallow. This ancient weapon is not only difficult to control, but may bring you endless suffering and trials. Do you understand, little Daoist?"

"I understand!" Hua Sheng replied without hesitation.

"Do not be so quick to agree. I grant you the time it takes for one incense stick to burn—think carefully before you answer."

Hua Sheng was about to reply when a wisp of blue smoke before him transformed into a tiny porcelain cup. In the cup stood a slender stick of incense, transparent as glass, just thicker than a strand of hair. The tip glowed faintly, filling the air with an enchanting fragrance.

Hua Sheng looked up. The tumultuous clouds remained, but the Victorious Buddha was nowhere to be seen.

Why hesitate? What is there to consider? Hua Sheng was puzzled. "In this world, who would ever refuse the chance to wield the real Golden Cudgel?" he muttered.

Could it be that Sun Wukong was reluctant to part with his companion of many years? No—if he had left the cudgel in this skyscraper, he had long since let it go. Besides, Hua Sheng was only borrowing it.

At that moment, Hua Sheng’s phone rang unexpectedly inside his robe. Startled, he glanced around to see if the Buddha had reappeared, then pulled out his phone. It was the Grand Lord’s grandson calling.

The Grand Lord’s grandson? Right, the Battle of Heaven and Earth must have begun. Was the situation that urgent that he was calling to hasten him?

Worried for his fellow students, Hua Sheng glanced at the still-burning incense, anxiety gnawing at his heart.

The Buddha hadn’t forbidden him from answering calls during his deliberation, had he?

Best to hear what the Grand Lord’s grandson had to say. Shielding the receiver, Hua Sheng answered in a low voice.

"Hello? I’m in the middle of borrowing the Golden Cudgel—now’s not a good time. I’ll call you back in ten minutes."

"Listen, Hua Sheng, this is urgent! You need to stay calm and hear me out!" The caller’s voice was hoarse with anxiety—something terrible must have happened.

"What is it? Why do you sound like this? What’s happened?"

"Stay calm. Listen to me," he said. "Wei Yu, she..."

Suddenly, Hua Sheng’s world spun. He felt utterly lost. A dreadful premonition overwhelmed him—Wei Yu, so important to him, something had happened to her! The caller’s tone made it clear.

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Hua Sheng grew frantic. "What happened to Wei Yu? Is she hurt?"

"Wei Yu! Our academy’s Wei Yu!" The other cried, "Wei Yu is Ming You!"

Hua Sheng felt as if struck by lightning. For a moment, he heard nothing but the ringing in his ears.

He didn’t know how long he sat in shock before the voice finally reached him again, distant and faint: "Hello? Hua Sheng? Can you hear me?"

"What nonsense are you saying?! Say it again!" Hua Sheng shouted. "Wei Yu! How could she possibly—?!"

"But she is Ming You!"

Hua Sheng was stunned. "How is that possible!? Do you know what Ming You has done? She’s about to destroy billions of lives!"

"We couldn’t believe it either," came the reply.

"You’re lying to me! Grand Lord’s grandson, I always saw you as a brother—no, as family! How could you lie to me? Why would you? Wei Yu is a good person! Why would she want to harm anyone? She wouldn’t! Anyone else could deceive me, but not you—not you!"

There was a sob in the caller’s voice. "Please, listen to me!"

Hua Sheng stared blankly at the incense before him. "Speak... I’m listening..."

"Today, just as my grandfather foretold, Ming You and the Black Tortoise Serpent appeared on the southeastern sea," the caller said. "Unlike before, Ming You revealed her true form to force the Daoist Academy to retreat. She is Wei Yu! So, during the Black Tortoise Festival, the one kidnapped might only have been her avatar. She remained hidden all this time, just to resurrect the Black Tortoise Serpent!"

"But she was at Saint Pingning for so long—if she were Ming You, how could no one have noticed?"

"She, like you, only arrived at Saint Pingning a year ago."

"She’s not of the spirit race?"

"Master Jueguang said she has all the traits of a spirit, but she isn’t, or not entirely."

"Then, besides humans, immortals, and spirits, is there a fourth kind in Saint Pingning?"

"No. I don’t know how to put it—Master Jueguang said spirits are beings that arise from animals, plants, even stones, transformed by the essence of heaven and earth. But Wei Yu is none of these."

"What do you mean?"

"Not only is she not born of Saint Pingning, but after investigation, the academy found she comes from the mortal world!"

"I don’t understand—my mind is in chaos," Hua Sheng stammered. "How could a being of such power come from the human world?"

"Hua Sheng, she comes from the mortal world. That means it’s very likely she was... created by humans!"