Jigong Xuan

The Buddha once saved a black snake in the mortal realm. The snake was treacherous and ambitious, attacking the Buddhist realm in an attempt to rule the Three Realms. During the battle, the Eighteen Arhats used reincarnation to escape. The Dragon-Subduing Arhat was reborn as Li Xiuyuan, the Tiger-Subduing Arhat as a deaf-mute, and the Lotus Arhat as a woman who would become Li Xiuyuan's wife. Li Xiuyuan loved Buddhist scriptures from childhood, studied medicine, and enlightened ordinary people. On his wedding day, as thunder and lightning filled the sky, he remembered his past life and realized he still had to save the Buddhist realm. From then on, Li Xiuyuan became Ji Gong. Guided by famous figures, he sought seven relics to save the Buddhist realm and the Three Realms. As Ji Gong searched the mortal world for the seven relics, he enlightened ordinary people, reformed evildoers, upheld justice, and vanquished demons. The Tiger-Subduing Arhat was reborn deaf and mute. His parents despised him and abandoned him in the wilderness, but every wild animal kept its distance. The abbot of Guoqing Temple found him and brought him back to the temple, where he became a monk with the Dharma name Pumiao.

The Black Snake Demon first sent a fake Tiger-Subduing Arhat to infiltrate Ji Gong's circle. But the Black Snake Demon's underlings were all selfish, and they caused the fake Arhat's death. They also killed the Lotus Arhat, but kept it from the Black Snake Demon, who then sent out a fake Lotus Arhat. In the end, the Black Snake Demon tricked Ji Gong and stole the five relics he had worked so hard to find. Furious when he discovered the deception, Ji Gong did everything he could to get the five relics back.