The story of Yuding Zhenren

Yuding Zhenren lived in the Jinxia Cave on Mount Yuquan, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals under Yuanshi Tianzun, and often went to Yuxu Palace on Kunlun to hear him preach. Yang Jian entered his gate and studied the Eighty-Nine Arts with him.

After Jiang Ziya raised troops at Western Qi, Yuding Zhenren sent Yang Jian down to help Zhou, and Yang Jian came to the camp with the three-pointed double-edged blade and the howling celestial hound.

Once in the camp Yang Jian changed shape again and again to scout the Shang camp and the Ten Absolutes, and won a series of duels before the lines. Yuding Zhenren stayed in the Jinxia Cave and did not go to the Zhou camp with his disciple.

When Wen Zhong set out the Ten Absolutes at Western Qi, Yuding Zhenren came with the Twelve Golden Immortals to the reed pavilion. He and his fellows watched the formations each day, waiting for Randeng to assign who should break which, and watched Yang Jian carry word between the two camps.

When Zhao Gongming beat the Chan immortals one after another with the Sea-Stilling Pearls, Yang Jian went out to help several times. After Zhao Gongming’s death the Three Xiao set out the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation at Western Qi, and Yuding Zhenren entered it with the others.

The light of the Hunyuan Golden Dipper came down, Yuding Zhenren was taken inside, and the three flowers of his crown and the five breaths of his breast were stripped away together. Only when Laozi and Yuanshi broke the Yellow River Formation did he wake on the ground and recover his cave treasures.

When Yin Hong and then Yin Jiao turned against Zhou, Yang Jian recognised the Yin-Yang Mirror and the Sky-Overturning Seal in the field and went to Mount Taihua and Mount Jiuxian to warn their two masters. Yuding Zhenren stayed at the reed pavilion under Yuanshi’s orders.

After Tongtian Jiaozhu set out the Zhuxian Formation, Yuding Zhenren came with Yuanshi Tianzun to Jiepai Pass. While the four sect-heads surrounded Tongtian inside, Yuding Zhenren wore a talisman, charged the Xianxian gate, and took the Xianxian sword down from it.

When the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation was raised, Yuanshi gave the four swords to Guangchengzi, Chijingzi, Yuding Zhenren and Daoxing Tianzun, telling them to charge in together when the pagoda rose before the eight-trigram terrace. This time Yuding Zhenren was given Juexian.

When the pagoda rose, Yuding Zhenren raised the Juexian sword and charged in, and Yang Jian and the other third-generation disciples went in from every side with the rest, until the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation was broken.

When the Shang–Zhou war was over, Yang Jian did not enter the Investiture List. He took his leave of King Wu together with Li Jing, Jinzha, Muzha, Nezha, Weihu and Lei Zhenzi, and later attained sainthood in the body.

Yuding Zhenren was not installed in the Heavenly Court either. Investiture of the Gods says nothing of him after the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation.