Bull King#

Renowned as the mighty king, his life was far from plain, His spirit spanned the three realms, his fame touched four domains. Among the guais, a hero grand, wild and untamed, The sudden arrival of dharma left his homeland forever changed. With shadow as his companion, true enlightenment within him lay.

In days of yore, the Bull King converted to Buddhism and, within a century, completed his practice and returned to the Flaming Mountains. Overjoyed, Rakshasi and Pingping loudly celebrated his return and hosted a grand banquet in his honor.

During the banquet, the Keeper of the Flaming Mountains asked, "My king, why did you return so hastily?"

The Bull King replied, "An old friend, with whom I had some misunderstandings in the past, helped me achieve a great merit. The Bodhisattva then pleaded with the Buddha on my behalf, granting me the grace to return. From now on, I will stay in the mountain and go nowhere else."

From that day on, the Bull King's temperament changed drastically. His former wild and unrestrained nature was no longer seen. He declined all invitations, ceased his travels, and instead stayed in Flaming Mountains, helping Rakshasi with household affairs and training the bull soldiers, living a very peaceful life.

Several decades later, Red Boy received instructions from the Bodhisattva and returned to Flaming Mountains to serve his parents. The family of four enjoyed a period of peace.

However, Rakshasi gradually noticed something unusual about the Bull King. He became increasingly thin, his face showing signs of aging, and he ate less, as if weighed down by heavy worries. More strangely, the Bull King sometimes transformed into his original form, retreating to the mountain peaks, retching.

The furry celestial maidens serving Rakshasi said, "The King might be suffering from a rare bovine illness."

The fox maidens serving Pingping said, "The King, aware of his past sins, might have learned an ascetic practice in Mount Lingshan and is now undergoing it."

The Keeper of Flaming Mountains said, "The King's mind is trapped in the past intertwines with his old friend, unable to break free. Those past events have become an invisible shackles, and from which, he never escape."