The story of Renjiao

After leaving Zixiao Palace, Taiqing Laozi founded the Human Sect at the Bajing Palace on Mount Shouyang. He took Xuandu Dafashi as a disciple, and for a long age the palace held only that single line of master and pupil.

When the Ten Absolutes opened in the Investiture war and Yao Bin drew Jiang Ziya’s soul into a straw figure, Chijingzi came to the Daluo Palace for help. Laozi had Xuandu fetch the Taiji Diagram and give it to him, and Chijingzi took back the figure across the golden bridge the diagram made.

When the Three Xiao set out the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation and drew the Twelve Golden Immortals, Yang Jian and Jinzha into it, Laozi came to Western Qi on his green buffalo, entered the formation with Yuanshi, broke the Hunyuan Golden Dipper and the formation, and freed the trapped disciples.

Before the Zhuxian Formation, Duobao Daoren barred Laozi’s way with drawn sword. Laozi had the yellow-scarfed strongmen spread the wind-and-fire mat and take him, and then with Yuanshi, Jieyin and Zhunti surrounded Tongtian on four sides.

Once four Chan disciples had taken the four Zhuxian swords, Laozi withdrew from the gate. When the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation opened he entered again with Yuanshi at the head of their disciples and went on fighting Tongtian and the Jie immortals.

Hongjun came down after the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation and made the Three Pure Ones swallow a pill and cease attacking one another. Laozi left the reed pavilion with Xuandu and his followers and returned to the Bajing Palace.

In the Journey mapping this archive uses, Taiqing Laozi afterwards lives in the Tushita Palace under the name Taishang Laojun. Sun Wukong broke into the palace and ate the golden elixir, and was later put into the eight-trigram furnace and burned for forty-nine days.

After Sun Wukong sprang from the eight-trigram furnace and fought his way into heaven again, Taishang Laojun had earlier thrown down the Diamond Bracelet above Guanjiangkou and knocked over the monkey while he was fighting Erlang Shen.

When the pilgrims passed Jindou Mountain, Laojun’s green buffalo stole the Diamond Bracelet, came below as the One-Horned Rhinoceros King, and snared the weapons of Sun Wukong and the heavenly soldiers. Laojun came to the hilltop, called the buffalo back and recovered the bracelet.

Later accounts such as Fo Ben Shi Dao carry the capture of Duobao by Laozi forward and connect the Human Sect with the founding of Buddhism; those continuations begin where the Investiture text leaves off.