It was time for the Buddha to give a sermon, and Venerable Jiaye came to inform us.

Senior Brother Sun Wukong turned over in bed.

"I, Sun Wukong, can't wait. I'm not interested."

Second Brother also lay down.

"I, the old pig, have eaten too much and can't move."

Third Brother was dumbfounded:

"Master, what should we do?"

The master, rare without anger:

"If they are so indifferent, then let them be."

"Wujing, you guard them and don't let them run around and disturb the serenity of Ling Mountain. I and the White Dragon will go."

Third Brother nodded.

Go listen to the Buddha's sermon? Isn't that entering the demon's cave and risking my life?

I wanted to speak up and say I won't go, but I couldn't find an excuse.

Senior Brother spoke up, "Master, the White Dragon Horse will still carry you tomorrow, let him rest for a night."

The master's tone was indifferent, "It's fine, I'll go by myself tomorrow. Listening to the Buddha's sermon is a great opportunity, we must not miss it."

Helpless, I could only prepare to go with the master.

Once again, we arrived at the Great Hall of Xuanzang.

Still magnificent and resplendent, with Buddha's light shining everywhere, the Tathagata seated on a lotus platform, surrounded by countless Buddhas.

But I knew it was all an illusion.

The Tathagata's voice sounded, and instantly my mind was in chaos.

The dragon blood in my body boiled, warning me directly with a red temperature.

In my daze, I suddenly heard the voice of the master, which immediately woke me up.

In my eyes, the Great Hall of Xuanzang turned into a terrifying sight again, and the Tathagata's lotus platform was actually built with skulls.

I was instantly chilled.

Fortunately, the master's question attracted everyone's attention:

"Disciple still has one thing unclear, hoping the Buddha can enlighten me."

This voice was much more eerie than before.

Like a demon and a Buddha, as if the two were fighting and speaking at the same time. Listening carefully, it seemed that the demonic voice had gained the upper hand.

"What is it?"

The Tathagata stopped preaching.

"We, as disciples, should experience ninety-nine eighty-one hardships in order to attain Buddhahood. Now

the four of us have arrived at Ling Mountain, but we have only experienced eighty hardships and have not achieved completion. How can we seek the true scriptures?"

The Tathagata laughed lightly.

"Hahaha, let me ask you, what's the difference between eighty-one hardships and eighty hardships?"

The master persisted.

"Eighty-one hardships can be achieved to completion, while eighty hardships remain incomplete."

"What difference does completion make? What about incompleteness?"

"Well..."

"Xuanzang, do you remember greed and poison?"

The master seemed to have an understanding, with a hint of regret.

"In the realm of harmony, one clings to desires, and cannot be content without obtaining them, otherwise, the heart is unwilling and the feelings are reluctant."

"I have seen through my attachment. My cultivation is not enough, so I cannot listen to the Buddha's teachings here. I should go back and cultivate diligently."

The Tathagata took a moment to reply:

"Very well. You all should withdraw first and focus on studying the scriptures."

The master took me, who was gradually awakening, and left.

As we were walking, we heard a burst of fighting sounds, and the cottage where we stayed was engulfed in flames.

Senior Brother was facing Second Brother in the distance.

In an instant, Second Brother transformed into a giant pig and stood roaring in the fire.

This roar made my eardrums ache.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw that countless meditation rooms had collapsed from the shockwave.

Senior Brother was also blasted away.

The somersault cloud transformed several times in the air, and finally, I landed next to Senior Brother.

He was covered in dust, but his eyes were calm.

I asked him, "Senior Brother, what just happened?"

Senior Brother smiled bitterly.

"The Buddha's sermon is not what we imagined. It is a test, a test of our attachments and desires. Only by seeing through them can we truly attain enlightenment."

I was still confused.

"But why did Second Brother turn into a giant pig? And why did the cottage catch fire?"

Senior Brother explained, "Each of us is confronted with our own demons, our deepest fears and desires. Second Brother's attachment to food and indulgence manifested as the giant pig, and the fire symbolized the destruction of our attachments and desires."

It began to make sense to me, but I was still uneasy.

"Senior Brother, will we ever attain enlightenment?"

Senior Brother looked at me with kindness in his eyes.

"Enlightenment is a journey, not a destination. It is not about achieving a specific state, but rather about continuously deepening our understanding and freeing ourselves from attachments. As long as we persevere in our practice and cultivate diligently, we will continue to progress on the path."

His words brought me a sense of reassurance.

Although the journey ahead might be difficult, I knew that with the guidance of the master and the support of my fellow disciples, we would face our demons, overcome our attachments, and continue on the path towards enlightenment.