The story of Lingbao Dafashi

Lingbao Dafashi lived in the Yuanyang Cave on Mount Kongtong, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of Yuxu Palace. After Wen Zhong set out the Ten Absolutes he came to Western Qi at Yuanshi’s order and lodged at the reed pavilion with his fellows.

The Ten Absolutes began to fall one after another, with men entering the Heaven Absolute and the Earth Fierce formations in turn. Lingbao Dafashi stayed at the pavilion with the other Golden Immortals, waiting for Randeng to assign each formation.

After the Earth Fierce Formation had been broken, Randeng said that the Wind Howl Formation held three evil winds of earth, water and fire and could not be entered without the Wind-Stilling Pearl. Lingbao Dafashi remembered Du’e Zhenren of the Baobao Yunguang Cave on Mount Jiudingtiecha, wrote to him at once, and asked San Yisheng and Chao Tian to fetch the pearl.

When the Wind-Stilling Pearl reached Western Qi, Randeng gave it to Cihang Daoren, who stilled the black wind with it and took Dong Quan away in the pure crystal vase; the Wind Howl Formation fell, and the borrowed pearl was returned.

When Zhao Gongming was beating the Chan immortals with the Sea-Stilling Pearls, Lingbao Dafashi went out to fight him too. The five-coloured light came down on him, and he, Yuding, Daoxing and the others were wounded one after another and withdrew together to the pavilion.

In the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation, Lingbao Dafashi entered with the Twelve Golden Immortals, was taken by the Hunyuan Golden Dipper, and had his cave treasures confiscated. After Laozi and Yuanshi broke it he woke with the rest and recovered what had been his.

Before the Zhuxian Formation, Lingbao Dafashi came in rank with the Yuxu disciples, walking opposite Taiyi Zhenren. The four sect-heads pressed Tongtian Jiaozhu together, and the Zhuxian Formation was broken.

When the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation opened, Lingbao Dafashi went in with the other immortals and supported his Chan fellows in breaking it.

As the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation came apart, the Jie disciples were killed or scattered. Lingbao Dafashi stayed on the ground with the Chan immortals until Tongtian Jiaozhu gathered what was left and withdrew, and the immortals dispersed.

Investiture of the Gods gives Lingbao Dafashi no disciple and does not write him killing any master of a formation single-handed. When the Investiture war was over he was not enfeoffed from the roll, and the book says nothing of him after the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation.