"We're almost at Lingshan."

In the evening, Daji said happily.

After passing through the East Sea, the Southern Continent, and crossing the Western Continent, they finally reached the borders of Lingshan.

As they neared Lingshan, everything on the ground changed, with rare flowers and grasses, ancient cypresses and pines, and monks walking on the great path were visible everywhere.

"Great King, what are those monks doing?"

Daji asked.

"A pilgrimage,"

Sun Wukong answered.

The group flew through clouds and mist, quickly catching sight of a towering peak glowing with auspicious light at the horizon, surrounded by a thick mist of endless good fortune, appearing just like the Immortal Realm.

Yet, this was the real Immortal Realm.

Daji, seeing Lingshan for the first time, eagerly flew ahead.

But before her, several streams of Immortal Light penetrated the clouds and fog, reaching Lingshan.

They were the Immortals from the Ten States and Three Islands, but they were halted by some Buddha Light before rushing into Lingshan.

Daji was no exception.

"Fairy, please wait."

A young man blocked her path.

It was Mu Zha.

"Who are you? Why are you stopping me?"

Daji asked.

"I am the attendant of the Bodhisattva Guanyin, my name is Mu Zha,"

Mu Zha replied, "The Buddha has commanded that before the grand assembly at Lingshan, everyone must first cleanse themselves of dust and dirt."

"What do you mean?"

Daji was a bit confused.

Immortal Zhenyuan caught up and said to her, "The Buddha wants us to bathe and wash away the dust."

"Bathe?"

Daji exclaimed in surprise, "You have to bathe to attend a dharma assembly?"

She had never heard of such a strange assembly.

"Great King."

Daji turned back to ask the approaching Sun Wukong, "Can we just barge in?"

"No, we cannot,"

Sun Wukong stopped and said, "Follow the host's lead."

Daji was a bit displeased, "I don't like bathing outside."

"Fairy, Lingshan is untouched by any filth,"

Mu Zha said, "The water here is purer than the heavenly river, gathering the essence of heaven and earth, allowing the fairy to rejuvenate."

Daji's eyes brightened, she said nothing, and pulled Sun Wukong along with Mu Zha to bathe.

Mu Zha led them to the foot of Lingshan, where the Bodhisattva Guanyin was waiting in the dao field.

She dismissed Mu Zha and instructed the maidens to serve tea and offer a vegetarian feast to receive the guests.

Sun Wukong and his companions sat for a while, during which Lord Lao Zi seemed to sense something and took leave, not returning afterward.

No one paid much mind.

About one incense stick later, Mu Zha returned.

"Bodhisattva, the bathing pool is ready,"

Mu Zha reported.

The Bodhisattva Guanyin nodded, "I ask everyone to follow Mu Zha."

Everyone stood up.

"What about me?"

Daji asked, "Where is my bathing pool?"

"I'll take you there,"

Guanyin stood and said, "It's nearby."

The group separated to bathe.

"This is really unnecessary,"

On the way to the bathing pool, Immortal Zhenyuan said, "We're all immortals, what's the point of washing?"

Sun Wukong shook his head, "It's no bother."

He was quite curious about what exactly the Buddha intended to do.

Arriving at the pool, everyone was surprised.

"This is a pool?"

Immortal Zhenyuan looked at the rushing large river ahead, "What kind of pool is this?"

The water in the river was swift enough to sweep away elephants.

He looked at Mu Zha, "Is this also the Buddha's arrangement?"

Mu Zha nodded, "You are all Immortal Lords, no need to worry about this river water."

Immortal Zhenyuan's face darkened.

"Brother, maybe we should go back..."

He was about to suggest to Sun Wukong to return, but Sun Wukong transformed into a human form and was the first to enter the river.

The torrential river did not affect him at all.

Sun Wukong found the river water not cold at all, instead as warm as a hot spring.

The water shimmered with scripture, seemingly cleansing the body.

"Not bad,"

Sun Wukong closed his eyes to rest.

The others, seeing this, hesitated for a moment, then followed him down.

"Brother, why become a human form?"

Immortal Zhenyuan felt the warmth of the river and then asked Sun Wukong.

"This form is suitable for bathing,"

Sun Wukong answered.

Suddenly, he sensed something, opened his eyes, and looked toward the riverbank, where figures were coming through the mist.

Leading them was Lord Lao Zi.

He was accompanied by Er Qing and Emperor Ziwei.

"Why did he bring them along?"

Immortal Zhenyuan was a bit surprised.

Sun Wukong watched as Lord Lao Zi, with a few others, entered the river to bathe, and the atmosphere became slightly awkward.

Emperor Ziwei found the Gouchen God.

"God,"

He looked at the Gouchen God, "Are you truly siding with Huaguo Mountain?"

"I am with Your Majesty,"

Gouchen said, "Wherever Your Majesty is, there I will be."

Emperor Ziwei received the answer he wanted and felt at ease.

After that, no one spoke again.

In this strange calm, only Qing Yuanzi was splashing around in the river, staring at the other side of the river, his eyes wide open.

"Qing Yuanzi?"

Immortal Zhenyuan couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"

"Miss Daji is over there,"

Qing Yuanzi raised a sign, "I think I heard her laugh."

If he could see Daji bathing, he would die content.

"She is indeed over there,"

Immortal Zhenyuan nodded, he also sensed Daji's presence.

"But I can't see anything, what can you see?"

Immortal Zhenyuan thought Qing Yuanzi was making futile efforts.

Qing Yuanzi refused to give up, taking a few steps toward the other side of the river, only to be swept away by the current.

Sun Wukong waved his hand, and a rope tied up Qing Yuanzi, pulling him back to the shore.

Then, he put on his clothes and got out of the river.

Lingshan's water was nice, but the chanting scriptures in the river were too noisy for Sun Wukong.

He waited at the riverbank for everyone else to finish bathing before returning to join Guanyin and Daji, successfully ascending Lingshan.

At Lingshan, all the Bodhisattvas, Vajras, and Arhat Great Divine Skills gathered beneath the Buddha's lotus platform.

When Sun Wukong arrived, thousands of Immortals and Buddhas had already gathered.

The entire Lingshan was surrounded by millions of auspicious clouds, arranged like seats layered in the air, with Immortals and Buddhas seated on them.

As Sun Wukong arrived, everyone's gaze fell on him.

"Where do we sit?"

Immortal Zhenyuan asked the Bodhisattva Guanyin.

"This way,"

The Bodhisattva led them toward the Great Heroic Treasure Hall.

Everyone watched their movements, whispering among themselves.

The Great Heroic Treasure Hall was where the Tathāgata resided, spacious and bright, as if it were another world.

The dharma assembly had not yet begun, and the Buddha inside was lecturing to the Buddhas.

During the recitation and reading, flowers fell from the sky in the hall, scattered in rich abundance, filling the air with fragrance.

The Buddhas listened, enraptured.

"Everyone, this way, please,"

The Bodhisattva wanted to lead them into the hall.

But Sun Wukong did not follow them.

"Great King, what's wrong?"

Daji turned back to ask.

"I will not enter there,"

Sun Wukong gazed at the Buddha high up in the hall.

He seemingly did not notice their arrival and was focused on his lecture.

*But how could that be possible?*

Sun Wukong turned and flicked his sleeve, where ethereal incense and auspicious mist swirled.

The Virtue Palace rose suddenly from the earth.

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