Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

Inside the Zen Room, a campfire burned brightly. Jiang Liu, closing the door of the Zen Room, took out a skewer, sprinkling it with salt, chili powder, and cumin powder as he did.

Soon, the rich aroma of meat mixed with the spicy scent spread throughout, causing Daoji's eyes to light up. His nose twitched continuously, and drool almost spilled from the corners of his mouth!

"Brother, you, you…" Licking the corner of his lips, Daoji also stared at Jiang Liu with a look of astonishment.

Clearly, as a disciple with twelve scars of precepts, the venerable Holy Monk set to meet the Tathagata in the Western Heaven, could his brother actually be eating grilled meat!? This completely overturned Daoji's image of him.

"Hmm, not bad! Here!" Jiang Liu didn't intend to reprimand him just because Daoji was younger. He divided the skewer of meat evenly into two parts, handing one over to Daoji.

Then, Jiang Liu also took out a jar of aged liquor.

Drinking alcohol and eating skewers, and to top it off, sneaking meat in the Zen Room, the experience was not just a feast for the taste buds but also a psychological thrill!

"Delicious, brother, your grilled skewers are really tasty. Have you been practicing the skill for a long time?"

For the first time having skewers seasoned with chili powder and cumin powder, Daoji wished he could swallow his own tongue. His mouth was coated with seasonings and oil as he questioned Jiang Liu.

"Hmm, me? I've always drunk and eaten meat!" Nodding, Jiang Liu affirmed as he watched Daoji's appearance.

He still remembered when they were in the Demon-Suppressing Hall, how Daoji had rigidly adhered to rules and precepts, but it didn't take long for Jiang Liu to lead him astray.

Unexpectedly, that deviation seemed to have affected this lifetime as well!

"I never expected that you and I would share the same likes, brother—drinking and eating meat!" Liu commented as he sipped his drink and devoured the skewer, a wise air about him despite being only three years old.

Although Jiang Liu's demeanor completely overturned the image Daoji had of him.

Yet it cannot be denied that this down-to-earth nature made Daoji feel much closer to him, with no sense of distance at all.

"Yes, I remember in your previous life, you were quite strict about following the precepts. But then, it seems after I said 'Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but the Buddha stays in the heart,' I led you down the wrong path!" Seeing Daoji's demeanor, Jiang Liu laughed and recounted the past to him.

"What!? That phrase was said by you, brother!?" Daoji remembered that sentence very clearly from his fragmented memories. He asked in surprise and delight.

"Yes! Indeed, it was something I said to you back then!" Jiang Liu nodded in confirmation.

"Then brother, did I know you in my previous life? What was I like before?" Upon hearing Jiang Liu's confirmation, Daoji eagerly asked.

"You? Speaking of which, our first meeting wasn't very pleasant…" Jiang Liu's eyes carried a hint of reminiscence as he began to recount.

He didn't conceal anything, narrating everything that happened when he first met Daoji and the events that followed, without omitting a single detail.

Daoji listened intently.

For someone with inherent wisdom and memories of his past life, naturally, he was very eager to understand his previous life's memories.

From Jiang Liu, Daoji learned that at their initial meeting he had been beaten up by him.

Then, they stayed at the Great Buddha Temple to cultivate, fighting side by side within the Demon-Suppressing Hall.

In the end, there was a battle at Foutu Mountain and his brother ran away with a woman to live in seclusion.

And finally, after his True Spirit awakened and he became the Dragon Subduing Arhat, he was very ruthless towards his brother...

"So, that's how it was? That's what I used to be like?"

After hearing about the Dragon Subduing Arhat leaving the Mortal World and returning to the Spirit Mountain of the Western Heaven, Daoji murmured softly with a dispirited look.

"I'm sorry, brother, I... I owe you an apology!" After a long silence, Daoji stood up, knelt down in front of Jiang Liu, and kowtowed deeply.

"Get up, what are you doing? Daoji is the Dragon Subduing, but Dragon Subduing is not Daoji. It was Dragon Subduing who was heartless towards me, not you!" Jiang Liu did not accept Daoji's apology, instead helping him to his feet and responding.

"Yes, brother, you're absolutely right! Daoji is the Dragon Subduing, but the Dragon Subduing is not Daoji!" Nodding, Daoji's young face showed a maturity beyond his years.

Then, he tried to kneel again.

"What are you doing again?" Jiang Liu had just helped Daoji to stand and now he tried to kneel again, naturally Jiang Liu stopped him.

"No, brother, the previous kneel was to apologize, but this time, I'm asking for your help!" Daoji spoke earnestly, looking at Jiang Liu as he asked for help.

"Asking for my help? What for?" Jiang Liu asked back.

"For salvation!"

"Salvation? What's wrong with you? Are you in any danger?"

"Hearing what you've said, after I became Dragon Subduing in my past life, I completely changed, virtually vanished. I don't want to become the Dragon Subduing again, I'm begging you to save me!" Daoji pleaded with Jiang Liu for help.

Daoji's words left Jiang Liu in silence.

In fact, Jiang Liu was not surprised when Daoji made those remarks.

Originally, it was after seeing the contrast between Daoji and Dragon Subduing that Jiang Liu thought of his relationship with Master Golden Cicada and decided to journey westward to achieve self-salvation!

Now, after Daoji had heard what happened in his past life, it made sense that he would seek self-salvation and not want to become the Dragon Subduing Arhat.

Why did Jiang Liu tell Daoji all this? Was it really just because Daoji wanted to know about his past life, so Jiang Liu told him everything in great detail?

In fact, by revealing the events of the past life, Jiang Liu was also trying to guide Daoji toward the idea of self-salvation.

Firstly, Jiang Liu wanted to use Daoji as a test case to see if he could truly break free from the control of the Dragon Subduing Arhat.

Secondly, there was a genuine friendship between him and Daoji, so he wanted to help him!

When considering their friendship and his own benefits, he should help Daoji.

Hence, Jiang Liu purposefully led him on.

"Junior brother, we have a life-and-death friendship. How could I stand by idly if you are asking for help?" Faced with Daoji's plea for help, Jiang Liu had no intent to refuse and after thinking it over, he replied.

"As far as I know, there's a Divine Skill that is the treasure of the Great Buddha Temple, called the Heavenly Dragon Zen Sound. You practiced it in your past life too. I will impart the first level to you right now," said Jiang Liu.

As he spoke, he took out paper and pen, and silently wrote down the first level of the Heavenly Dragon Zen Sound cultivation technique, handing it over to Daoji.

"The first level? Will you impart the subsequent levels after I reach a certain realm of cultivation?" Daoji asked, taking the Heavenly Dragon Zen Sound cultivation technique from Jiang Liu's hands.

"Uh, that's because I only remember the first level of the cultivation technique," said Jiang Liu with a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth and shaking his head.

Although Jiang Liu had reached several levels of the Heavenly Dragon Zen Sound in the past, in reality, he only got the first level of the technique. The subsequent levels were all forcibly elevated by dumping Skill Points into them.

After the reset, Jiang Liu only remembered the first level of the technique, and any knowledge of the rest had vanished.

It was like knowledge that was learned long ago but forgotten over time.

"Ah? You only remember the first level!?" Daoji was caught off guard by Jiang Liu's words.

"Yes, if you want to practice more advanced levels of the Heavenly Dragon Zen Sound in the future, you should visit the Great Buddha Temple. With your nine Scar of Precepts and my imparting of the first level, given that we were master and disciple in our past life, Master Longhai will not refuse you!" Jiang Liu nodded as he spoke to Daoji.

"Alright, I've got it!" Hearing what Jiang Liu said, Daoji nodded emphatically.

Indeed, even if it wasn't for the technique of the Heavenly Dragon Zen Sound, Daoji still intended to make a trip to the Great Buddha Temple. After all, he wanted to verify for himself what Jiang Liu had said!

Having said almost everything there was to be said, and having discussed all that needed to be talked about, with the last few skewers of meat also finished, Jiang Liu tidied up the campfire on the ground and, together with Daoji, opened the door to the Zen Room and walked out.

The moment Jiang Liu and Daoji exited, Master Puhui, who had been entertaining Sun Wukong and the others, hurried over.

Arriving at the edge of the Zen Room, he sniffed a few times, detecting the strong scent of roasting skewers.

Smelling the aroma of the skewers, Master Puhui also secretly swallowed.

However, Master Puhui quickly collected his thoughts and his face fell somewhat.

"Alright, my disciples and I are heading to the main hall to burn incense and worship Buddha. You don't need to attend to us, Master Puhui," Jiang Liu said as he exited the Zen Room.

"Please go ahead, Holy Monk!" Hearing Jiang Liu was going to burn incense and worship Buddha without needing his company, Puhui naturally wouldn't persist and nodded in agreement.

Jiang Liu nodded slightly and, without saying much more, headed towards the main hall of the Great Luo Temple.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch..."

However, just as Jiang Liu left, suddenly, Puhui reached out and grabbed Daoji's ear, eliciting a cry of pain from Daoji.

"Master, Master, what are you doing!? Go easy, my ear is about to come off!" Holding his ear, Daoji quickly begged for mercy.

"Hmph, what did I tell you before we went in? But you, you actually ate roast meat and drank inside, didn't you? I could smell both the meat and the alcohol!" Master Puhui rebuked him, clearly displeased.

Furious at the wasted potential!

Alone with the Holy Monk of Great Tang, with the Holy Monk seeming to think highly of him, yet what does this fellow do? Get drunk and eat meat at their very first meeting?

Clearly, the Holy Monk must have a bad impression of him now, right?

"Master, you're mistaken, the meat was roasted for me by my senior brother! He also drank and ate meat!"

"No, that's impossible! How could a Holy Monk drink alcohol and eat meat!? It must be you who ate it all by yourself!"

Daoji: "..."