There is a saying in Buddhism.
called: Left Wei Dedai, Right Qian Lan.
In Buddhism, the first guardian deity is the Bodhisattva Wei Dê.
He is one of the eight great generals under the Southern General of Growth.
He is the leader of the thirty-two deities, responsible for protecting the Dharma and safeguarding practitioners.
If one must compare with a guardian deity in Taoism, its status in Buddhism is similar to Wang Lingguan.
Guan Yu, as the Bodhisattva Qian Lan, being able to rival Bodhisattva Wei Dê, naturally will not differ much in divine power.
The story of how Guan Yu became the Buddhist Qian Lan is actually quite complex.
In the beginning, Guan Er Ya was not well-received in the folk image, and he was called "Guan Demon."
The main reason is that Guan Er Ya died violently and turned into a fierce ghost.
At that time, not long after Guan Yu's death, Cao Cao died of illness, and Lü Meng also died of a sudden illness.
These two were the key figures who caused Guan Yu's death.
According to the historical scholars' research, there might have been a plague outbreak in the Jingxiang region after Guan Yu's death.
Because historical records show that Lü Meng, Gan Ning, Sun Jiao, Jiang Qin, and other Wu commanders all died in the same year, folk tales attribute this to Guan Yu's revenge.
This further intensified the fear of the people of Jingxiang, who feared that after Guan Yu's death, he would harm humans and had to build temples for worship.
Indeed, Chen Yun has heard Guan Er Ya say that before he became the Bodhisattva Qian Lan, he was a famous "Ghost King," seemingly validating this point.
So, how did Guan Yu go from being a human to a "Guan Demon" and then transform into the Buddhist Qian Lan Bodhisattva?
This matter can be traced back to the Sui Dynasty.
At that time, the fourth patriarch of the Tiantai School of Chinese Buddhism, Zhizhi, a Buddhist monk who was considered to be the reincarnation of Sakyamuni Buddha. He was known as "Eastern Shakyamuni" by all.
In the twelfth year of the Kaihuang period of the Sui Dynasty, Master Zhizhi returned to his hometown Jingzhou and founded the Yuquan Temple on Yuquan Mountain in Dangyang County.
Guanling, where Guan Yu's body was buried, is located below Yuquan Mountain.
This gave Guan Yu the chance to become a guardian deity of Buddhism - the Qian Lan Bodhisattva.
According to the records in "The General Annals of the Buddha" written by the Southern Song Dynasty monk Shi Zhenqing: Master Zhizhi came to Yuquan Mountain and saw that the local scenery was beautiful, so he wanted to establish a hermitage and expound on Dharma there. After paying respects at Guanling, he went up the mountain and found a deep pond on the top. He needed to fill in the pond to build a temple, but he had no solution for this.
That night, Master Zhizhi was in meditation, and suddenly the sky turned dark and cloudy, with various demonic phenomena appearing. Moreover, sharp weapons and projectiles rained down like rain, accompanied by mournful screams: "Give me back my head...".
Such scenes continued for seven days, but Master Zhizhi remained unperturbed, knowing that it was Guan Yu appearing.
Later, Master Zhizhi spoke up and said, "All that you have done is sin. Relying on the remaining merit you have, clinging to all worldly things without repentance, what is the meaning of it? If you want your head back, then those whom you killed on the battlefield, to whom will they appeal for justice?"
After Master Zhizhi finished speaking, the various demonic beasts vanished, and Guan Yu appeared in his true form.
Guan Yu told Master Zhizhi that he had intended to restore the Han Dynasty but was betrayed and killed, feeling injustice, and turned into a fierce ghost after his death.
Upon learning that Master Zhizhi intended to establish a Dharma hall to propagate Buddhism there, Guan Yu instructed the master to continue meditating for another seven days, and that the construction would be completed in seven days.
During the seven days, Guan Yu broke through the mountain and filled in the pond, bringing sand, stones, wood, and establishing a magnificent and serene temple.
Master Zhizhi entered the temple, began to guide his followers to expound on the Dharma, and Guan Yu often came to listen to the lectures.
One day, Guan Yu said to Master Zhizhi, "Today, I have heard the teachings of transcendental methods. I wish to cleanse my heart and change my thoughts, and I wish to receive ordination, becoming the root of my Bodhi."
Master Zhizhi ordained Guan Yu with the Threefold Precepts and Fivefold Restrictions, making him a true Buddhist disciple and a great guardian of the Dharma.
With the spread of Buddhism, the image of Guan Yu as the Bodhisattva Qian Lan gradually spread from the Jingxiang region to the whole country and began to be widely known.
This is the process of how Guan Yu transformed from a human to a Buddhist Qian Lan.
That means, if Master Zhizhi truly was the reincarnation of Sakyamuni Buddha, Guan Yu was actually a disciple of the Buddha.
It is precisely because Buddhism provided Guan Yu with the opportunity to "rectify his name".
During the Sui and Tang dynasties, his reputation grew even better, and he was even officially recognized.
For example, during the Tang Dynasty, he was enshrined in the Temple of Military Culture, which affirmed his military talents and loyalty.
In a sense, today's Guan Yu may not have reached the ultimate level of fame as he later did, but he has already become a symbol of loyalty and righteousness in the hearts of people and become an "idol" for many.
For example, at this moment, Chen Yun, Guan Er Ya, and Guan Ping returned to the camp of the Qidan Advanced Guard and caused a huge sensation.
The generals and soldiers, such as Zhao Yankuai, Zhao Yanzhao, and others, all gathered around with looks of worship.
Outside the tent, there were many soldiers continually peeking their heads in to catch a glimpse of Guan Yu's dignity.
Even the local deities like He MaMa, Qi Shou Tian Ni, and Hu San Tai Ya would all bow in reverence and call him "Guan Gong" upon seeing Guan Yu.
Inside the central command tent.
Chen Yun watched Guan Yu, who was like a moon surrounded by stars, and for a moment, he couldn't help but feel a mixture of laughter and tears.
He never expected that even local deities would "follow the stars".
For instance, Hu San Tai Ya, sitting next to Guan Yu at this moment, looked eager and said, "In your youth, Guan Gong you flooded the seven armies and shook the realm of China. You are truly admirable."
Qi Shou hurriedly added, "Indeed, though I am a barbarian, I have long heard of Guan Gong's great name. Today, I am even moved. After the war is over, may I invite Guan Gong to visit our Khitan as my guest?"
Qi Shou had always disdained the identity of "barbarians," but today in front of Guan Er Ya, he actually referred to himself as a "barbarian," showing how humble he was in front of the great Guan Gong.
The generals and soldiers, such as Zhao Yankuai, Zhao Yanzhao, and others, all gathered around with looks of worship.
Only Nezha, Li Jing, and Guan Yu were familiar with the Buddhist door, so they did not show too much of a reaction.
They looked at Chen Yun in surprise, seemingly not expecting him to bring Guan Er Ya to help.
In terms of status, Vaisravana, as the Northern King of the Four Kings who is also known as the King of Great Wealth, has a higher status in Buddhism compared to Qian Lan.
For example, Wei Tuo Bodhisattva, who has the same status as Qian Lan Bodhisattva, works under the Southern King of Growth.
However, from the perspective of their attributes as Buddhist divine beings who act as the left and right guardians, Qian Lan and Wei Tuo are not far behind the Four Heavenly Kings, and in some aspects, they may even be superior.
Because in Buddhist mythological legends, the left and right protectors, as "Buddhist guardian deities," are generally directly under the jurisdiction of Buddha.
Guan Er Ya was very proud of his personality, and looked down on these barbarians. He paid almost no attention to them.
In fact, everyone, including Zhao Yankuai, Zhao Yanzhao, and Qi Shou himself, expected Chen Yun to stir up some thoughts in their minds.
As Guan Er Ya acted like this, the crowd became even more enthusiastic. He really couldn't help but feel speechless.
Seeing that the crowd was still trying to praise, Chen Yun interrupted, saying, "Today, I invited Guan General and his son Guan Xiaojun here for the purpose of preparing for tomorrow's battle. Gentlemen, why not let us talk to Guan General about the situation of today's battle?"
"Good."
"We won't disturb."
Zhao Yankuai, Zhao Yanzhao, and others only then took their seats.
Guan Yu sat in front of the table, while Guan Ping stood straight behind him.
"Someone heard from Mr. Chen that there are 18 star officials of the two constellations - Kui and Mao - of the Twenty-Eight Star Constellations, as well as General Zhao Da in Yeyang City?" Guan Yu asked.
Li Jing seemed to have a good relationship with Guan Yu, and he said with a smile, "Yes, that's exactly right. The Qian Lan Bodhisattva might be able to deal with them?"
Guan Er Ya pondered for a moment and said, "If it were just the two star constellations of Kui and Mao, I alone can deal with them. However, you can tell me about the current situation and let me analyze it."
"I'll tell you," Chen Yun took over, saying, "This morning, the eighteen star officials and General Zhao Da challenged us to battle……"
He described the entire battle in great detail.
During this period, Nezha, Li Jing, and Jiubo Xiongmou also added a few words of their own.
After a while, Guan Yu finished listening, and did not speak immediately, but instead thought for a moment.
Then he turned his head to look at Li Jing beside him and said, "General Li, you were once the military deity of the Tang Dynasty, and you also studied military tactics under the Empress Dowager of the Nine Heavens for a period of time. I suppose you must have some expectations already, right?"
Chen Yun, He MaMa, Qi Shou Tian Ni, and others all looked towards Li Jing.
Li Jing gently touched his long beard and said, "That's right. Today's battle, although it seems like we lost, they must certainly know that as long as they change their strategy, even if the Qian Lan Bodhisattva doesn't come, there is still a good chance of winning tomorrow. Therefore, I believe that Kui Mulang and Bao Risheng will definitely ask for help again."
Chen Yun did not think of a layer, otherwise he would not have only invited Guan Er Ya to help.
He MaMa frowns and says, "General Li's prediction is quite likely, but we don't know what kind of helpers the other side will bring to assist them."
Nezha, Qi Shou Tian Ni, and Hu San Tai Ya, who didn't understand the military tactics of the virtual and actual aspects, naturally couldn't guess who would be brought to assist on the side of Yiyang City.
Zhao Yankuai, Zhao Yanzhao, and others were proficient in military strategies, but as ordinary people, they knew little about the divine, and could not guess who it was.
Instead, Guan Ping, who had been standing silently behind Guan Yu, suddenly nailed the essence of the situation, "Grandfather, if I'm not mistaken, it's very possible that Yiyang City will call on the Sixty Jiazi gods to assist them."
"Oh?" Guan Er Ya seemed to deliberately let his son show his face, saying, "Tan Zhitai, why do you say that?"
Chen Yun, Li Jing, and Nezha all turned their attention to Guan Ping.
Guan Ping explained very carefully, "From the accounts given by Mr. Chen, General Li, the Third Prince, and Lord Niu about today's battle and the situation in Beizhou City before, it is clear that the Twenty-Eight Star Constellations cannot be summoned at will. Firstly, they are responsible for their respective star affairs; secondly, the Qidan army is not operating on a single front but is mainly divided into eastern and western lines. Each line also has several branches. I assume that besides performing their duties, the Twenty-Eight Star Constellations also need to guard against the divine beings of Guan Jiang Er Lang Temple. Therefore, having two star constellations' worth of officials here should be the limit."
After saying this, he paused for a moment and continued, "Since other star constellations cannot be summoned to assist in the battle, the only option left for Yiyang City is to choose human helpers. It just so happens that General Zhao Da is present, and I think it's very likely that he will go to invite the Sixty Jiazi gods. Of course, this is just my personal opinion. If others find it unreasonable, they can regard it as my random guess."
Li Jing spoke with approval, "Guan Xiaojun's analysis is thorough and detailed. I think it's very reasonable."
Even Li Jing, the military deity of the Tang Dynasty, approved of Guan Ping's analysis. The likes of Nezha, Jiubo Xiong Mou, He MaMa, and Qi Shou Tian Ni, who didn't understand military matters, naturally had no objections to come forward.
Chen Yun nodded slightly beside him, feeling that Guan Ping's analysis was very accurate.
To be honest, because "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" portrayed Guan Ping as somewhat "weak," he had always harbored a sense of "disdain" for him, not thinking he was very formidable.
As a result, after listening to Guan Ping's words, Chen Yun immediately discovered that his military talent was likely not ordinary.
In other words, if any further strategizing were to occur in the future, Guan Ping, who stayed by his side, might prove to be of great use.
It is easy to get a thousand pieces of gold, but hard to find a good general.
Even in the battle to become gods, a good general like Guan Ping who can accurately guess the opponent's situation can essentially discover potential threats for themselves in advance and prepare accordingly.
Chen Yun spoke slowly, "If the Sixty Jiazi gods all come, we may not be able to handle them. How about I go and invite some high-level masters to assist us?"
Guan Yu looked at Chen Yun with a half-smile, "Mr. Chen, you really do seem to have some disdain for Guan. If the Twenty-Eight Star Constellations were to come together, I wouldn't be confident of victory. As for the Sixty Jiazi gods, honestly, they're not something I take seriously."
Chen Yun's eyes lit up as he asked, "Can General Guan defeat the Sixty Jiazi gods?"
Guan Yu casually glanced at Li Jing, insinuatingly saying, "The Sixty Jiazi gods may all be at the late stage of the Immortal Realm, but there are strengths and weaknesses among the late-stage Immortals. The stronger ones are like the Third Prince, the King of Chicheng, and General Li. If they were to let loose, they could easily fight against the Twenty-Eight Star Constellations alone. Guan isn't a regular cultivator, but because of my position as the Qian Lan (Guardian of the Temple), I have obtained endless divine power. Although I'm not as strong as Wei Tuo who can compare to the early stage of the Celestial Realm, I also possess powerful divine power that is on par with approaching the Celestial Realm. Against the weaker Sixty Jiazi gods who are at a late stage in the Immortal Realm, it's not an easy task to say but at least it wouldn't be tiring. Well, if someone is just putting in effort without making any real effort, it would be different."
Li Jing knew that Guan Er Ya was addressing him, but he didn't get embarrassed at all. In fact, he even smiled a little, not sure what the meaning was.
Chen Yun, Nezha, and Jiubo Xiongmou all looked at Li Jing and all appeared somewhat helpless. What should they do if he refused to lend a hand?
After rebutting Li Jing, Guan Yu changed the subject and said, "Tan Zhitai's previous analysis had some omissions. Allow me to fill in the gaps for him."
Everyone turned their gaze towards him.
Guan Yu spoke at a leisurely pace, "It's true that General Zhao Da will invite the Sixty Jiazi gods to assist, but not all of them may actually come. For instance, some of them may be on duty and cannot attend the battle. Additionally, some of the Sixty Jiazi gods may not be fully aligned with the Twenty-Eight Star Constellations. Therefore, I believe that half of the Sixty Jiazi gods coming is already a good outcome. The only thing we need to be vigilant about is whether Qu Mu Lang or Bao Risheng will get impatient and summon one of the Four Astral Beasts."
Such a thing is not impossible.
Because the Twenty-Eight Star Constellations have a significant relationship with the Four Animals.
The Four Animals refer to the Eastern Dragon, the Southern Phoenix, the Western White Tiger, and the Northern Black Turtle.
The Seven Constellations in the Eastern Direction: Jue, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, Ji. These correspond to the Green Dragon.
The Seven Constellations in the Southern Direction: Jing, Gui, Liu, Xing, Zhang, Yi, Zhen. These correspond to the Red Phoenix.
The Seven Constellations in the Western Direction: Kui, Lv, Wei, Mao, Bi, Zui, Shen. These correspond to the White Tiger.
The Seven Constellations in the Northern Direction: Dou, Niu, Nü, Xu, Wei, Shi, Bi. These correspond to the Black Tortoise, also known as Wu Wei or the Northern Dipper.
Therefore, if the Twenty-Eight Star Constellations really cannot compete, it is possible to invite the Four Divine Beasts to assist.
The Four Divine Beasts are extremely powerful creatures, all possessing strength that can match those in the Celestial Realm.
Each one represents the power of a "Law of Heaven and Earth," which is even more powerful than that of the celestial realm!
Chen Yun, Li Jing, Nezha, and Jiubo Xiongmou were all startled. If the Four Divine Beasts were to come to assist, they would certainly be doomed in this battle.
