Chapter 257 — Borrowing a Sword to Slay the True Dragon

The long-browed monk of the Arhat Hall stepped forward and said: "World-Honored One, the Hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult has done much evil. The Buddha-Child went to see him off, and was slain by him; several of Your Highness's attendants went to rescue the Buddha-Child and likewise lost their lives, their souls returning to the Pure Land."

Crown Prince Jingping was furious: "That fiend dares do such a thing? I did not go looking for trouble with him, and he comes instead to kill my men! My Buddha, this fiend even kills the Buddha-Child, truly reckless beyond measure. He must not be spared!"

Old Tathagata glanced at the Arhats of the Arhat Hall; the Arhats looked at their noses and their noses at their hearts, and said no more.

"Your Highness need not trouble yourself over this matter. Return to the capital as quickly as you can; Great Thunderclap Temple will deal with the Hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult."

Old Tathagata, mild of countenance, said to the long-browed monk: "Long-Brow, how long have you been in the Arhat Hall?"

"In reply to the World-Honored One, two hundred and nine years."

Old Tathagata said kindly: "You go and deal with the matter of the Hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult. I permit you to return to lay life."

The long-browed monk was greatly shaken, and raised his head to look at Old Tathagata; but Old Tathagata had already turned and was saying to Crown Prince Jingping: "When Your Highness returns to the capital, do not delay upon the road."

Crown Prince Jingping assented and hurried down the mountain, thinking: "This Buddha is truly unfathomable."

The long-browed monk likewise packed his things and went down the mountain, thinking: "Old Tathagata saw that I lied, and so, before I could even speak, he expelled me from Great Thunderclap Temple, worthy indeed of one of great wisdom and great enlightenment. I could never reach such a state in all my life; better that I make use of this still-useful body and do more for Great Thunderclap Temple!"

He had not gone far down the mountain when suddenly a voice came from the air: "Monk Long-Brow, why not come sit with me a while?"

The long-browed monk looked up and saw a splendid tower-ship halted in the air, the Crown Prince standing at its prow, inviting him.

His heart stirred slightly; at once he rose into the air and landed on the ship, and made his salute: "Your Highness, I am no longer a monk. My family name is Su, and my given name is a single character..."

He thought a moment, then laughed despite himself: "I have not used my lay name in over two hundred years; it is too long ago, I have forgotten it. Your Highness must excuse the laughter."

Crown Prince Jingping said: "Even returned to lay life, you are half monk and half layman; I shall call you Su Long-Brow."

Su Long-Brow thanked him and said: "Then let that be my name. For what matter has Your Highness kept me?"

"The Hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult," said Crown Prince Jingping. "This demon-cult sorcerer is full of cunning; he even secretly did away with Sun Nantuo, and no trace could be found! And then, at the Grand Academy's year-end holiday, he went back to the Desolate Ruins alone; I had word spread to draw out masters from every quarter to hunt him down and cut him off, and he is still alive. And I have received word that of the mighty ones who pursued him, Lu Wenshu of the Qiongli Sect, the Green Fish Hermit, the Arhat of Universal Goodness, the Withered Leaf Daoist, even the Green Mountain Daoist, all are dead! The power of the Dark Demon Cult is no weaker than Great Thunderclap Temple's! I fear that if you go after him, you will only be destroyed by him."

Su Long-Brow was shaken. Lu Wenshu, the Green Fish Hermit and the rest were all figures of ringing fame, and the Green Mountain Daoist especially was a mighty one of the orthodox path at the life-and-death realm; the Green Mountain Daoist's powers were in no way inferior to his own!

Even the Green Mountain Daoist was dead?

Crown Prince Jingping said: "I waited here for you precisely to remind you to plan for the long term. The one you mean to kill is no ordinary man, but the Hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult, the foremost holy ground of the demon path. Better that you come back to the capital with me and we plot it slowly."

Su Long-Brow nodded: "Your Highness, the Buddha-Child's death cannot go unavenged."

Crown Prince Jingping laughed: "What I want is not merely the head of a Hierarch of the Dark Demon Cult, but to tear the whole Dark Demon Cult up by the roots and wipe out this demon-path sect entirely; in this we and Great Thunderclap Temple are of one mind. Rest assured: though you are no longer an Arhat of Great Thunderclap Temple, once I ascend the throne I shall permit you to found your own sect, be your own abbot, become a Buddha and a patriarch!"

Mount Yuxu in Kunlun. The Daoist Sect.

A Daoist novice came running up in a fluster: "Sect Master, the Tathagata is here to visit!"

The old Sect Master said in haste: "How many people?" "One." The old Sect Master breathed a sigh of relief: "Then he has not come to fight. Invite him in quickly... no, never mind, I shall go to meet him myself!"

A while later, Old Tathagata and the old Sect Master were seated, their attendants dismissed. Old Tathagata wasted no words on pleasantries and said straight out: "I have met with Crown Prince Jingping."

The old Sect Master was slightly shaken, and said with deep meaning: "The Crown Prince is far inferior to His Majesty; he is no wise sovereign to govern a realm."

Old Tathagata said: "It is because His Majesty governs too well that this natural calamity has come instead. Brother of the Dao, you see how this snow disaster leaves the people with no means to live; would you have an even greater calamity descend? The Daoist Sect should have records of the Sorrow Emperor's Void Era, should it not?"

The old Sect Master pondered, then said: "You of the Buddhist gate call it the Sorrow Emperor, the Void Era, the Void Kalpa; we of the Daoist gate call it the Opening Emperor, the Opening Era, the Opening Kalpa. I have read the records of the Opening Kalpa. In those years the Divine Kingdom, at the height of its glory, was overthrown, and countless living beings perished, scattered to ash and smoke. I too have been anxious over this matter."

He said slowly: "A small state with few people; renounce the sage, discard wisdom. This is the lesson our Daoist gate drew from that Opening Kalpa. Let the state be small and the people few; put no trust in experience, wit, or sages, and thus one may live well, and everyone may live happily, free of care. Is that not splendid? It was good in the old days: small states, few people, all obeying the orders of the sects."

Old Tathagata said: "The emperor must be replaced. Better that one emperor die than that the myriad living beings die."

The Sect Master shot him a glance: "What benefit has the Crown Prince promised you?"

Old Tathagata shook his head: "I asked him for no benefit at all."

The Sect Master laughed: "I believe you." Then he rose and said: "That Dao sword of mine has not been used for a very long time. I wonder whether it has grown dull, whether it can still cut down a True Dragon, a Son of Heaven?"

Old Tathagata rose and saluted: "Thank you, brother of the Dao, for your aid!"