no less a being than Wen-chu T'ien-tsun, whom T'ai-i Chen-jen
had sent in order that No-cha might receive a lesson. The Taoist,
with the aid of his magic weapon, seized No-cha, and in a moment he
found a gold ring fastened round his neck, two chains on his feet,
and he was bound to a pillar of gold.

Peace at the Last

At this moment, as if by accident, T'ai-i Chen-jen appeared upon the
scene. His master had No-cha brought before Wen-chu T'ien-tsun and
Li Ching, and advised him to live at peace with his father, but he
also rebuked the father for having burned the temple on Ts'ui-p'ing
Shan. This done, he ordered Li Ching to go home, and No-cha to return
to his cave. The latter, overflowing with anger, his heart full of
vengeance, started again in pursuit of Li Ching, swearing that he would
punish him. But the Taoist reappeared and prepared to protect Li Ching.

No-cha, bristling like a savage cat, threw himself at his enemy
and tried to pierce him with his spear, but a white lotus-flower
emerged from the Taoist's mouth and arrested the course of the
weapon. As No-cha continued to threaten him, the Taoist drew from
his sleeve a mysterious object which rose in the air, and, falling
at the feet of No-cha, enveloped him in flames. Then No-cha prayed
for mercy. The Taoist exacted from him three separate promises: to
live in harmony with his father, to recognize and address him as his
father, and to throw himself at his, the Taoist's, feet, to indicate
his reconciliation with himself.

After this act of reconciliation had been performed, Wen-chu T'ien-tsun
promised Li Ching that he should leave his official post to become an
Immortal able to place his services at the disposal of the new Chou
dynasty, shortly to come into power. In order to ensure that their
reconciliation should last for ever, and to place it beyond No-cha's
power to seek revenge, he gave Li Ching the wonderful object by whose
agency No-cha's feet had been burned, and which had been the means
of bringing him into subjection. It was a golden pagoda, which became
the characteristic weapon of Li Ching, and gave rise to his nickname,
Li the Pagoda-bearer. Finally, Yue Huang appointed him Generalissimo
of the Twenty-six Celestial Officers, Grand Marshal of the Skies,
and Guardian of the Gate of Heaven.

CHAPTER XIII

A Battle of the Gods

Multifarious Versatile Divinities

The _Feng shen yen i_ describes at length how, during the wars which
prec