Yuyixian

Yuyixian’s original form was that of the Golden-Winged Great Peng Eagle, cultivating immortality on Penglai Island. Incited by Shen Gongbao—who enticed him with the phrase ‘Fellow Daoist, please wait!’—he descended the mountain to confront Jiang Ziya in battle. Intent on annihilating the city of Xiqi, he planned to fly 90,000 li in a single wing-beat to the Northern Sea, suck up its waters, and transform them into blazing fire. At the critical moment, Randeng Daoren appeared, striking Yuyixian’s primordial spirit secretly with the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl and then manifesting Buddhist light to subdue him. Recognising Randeng Daoren as the saviour from his previous life, Yuyixian submitted wholeheartedly, becoming his disciple and accompanying him to Lingjiu Mountain for cultivation. Though Yuyixian did not appear on the Investiture of the Gods register, folk tradition distinguishes him clearly from the Buddhist Garuda (Great Peng Bird), venerating him instead as an independent, iconic Peng figure within the Investiture of the Gods cosmology—a legendary embodiment of a fierce, untamable raptor’s conversion to the righteous path.