Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

Li Xiuyuan said, "Wukong, you have cultivated to the fourth stage, which is equivalent to the cultivation of a Golden Immortal. Now that you have cultivated to this level, you must learn magic and supernatural powers so that you will not suffer losses when you fight with others in the future."

A look of doubt appeared on Sun Wukong's face as he asked, "Magic and supernatural powers?"

Li Xiuyuan nodded and said, "I have thirty-six Heavenly Dipper Transformation Techniques and seventy-two Earthly Fiend Transformation Techniques here. I wonder which one you would like to learn, Wukong?"

Sun Wukong said, "This disciple is willing to learn more and master one of the Earthly Fiend Transformations."

Li Xiuyuan said, "Since that's the case, come up here and I will teach you the incantation."

Wukong stepped forward and came to the Heavenly Dragon Ancestor, who was actually Li Xiuyuan in disguise. Li Xiuyuan pointed his finger, and a character appeared in Sun Wukong's mind.

Feeling the words suddenly appear in his mind, Sun Wukong's face lit up with joy, and he said, "Thank you, Master."

Li Xiuyuan nodded and said, "Since you have already cultivated to this level, then I will give you another hand. I have a Nine-Turn Golden Pill here. You only need to take it to cultivate to the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal."

Sun Wukong was stunned. He looked at the golden, round pill that Li Xiuyuan handed him and hadn't even reacted yet. In an instant, his face lit up with joy and he said, "Thank you, Master."

Then he reached out and took the golden pill that Li Xiuyuan handed him, carefully hiding it on his person.

That golden pill was naturally obtained by Li Xiuyuan through the Holy Buddha System, which he exchanged from the Merit Mall so that Sun Wukong could break through as soon as possible.

As time went by, the influence he left behind in the human world grew ever larger, and at the same time, the merits he gained also increased.

One day, Li Xiuyuan, in disguise as the Heavenly Dragon Ancestor, was playing with his disciples in front of the cave entrance. The Heavenly Dragon Ancestor, in disguise, asked, "Wukong, have you taken the Golden Elixir?"

Sun Wukong said, "This disciple has already taken it."

Li Xiuyuan asked, "Have you broken through to the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm?"

A smug look appeared on Sun Wukong's face as he said, "Master, I've broken through!"

Chapter 438 Driving away Wukong

After saying that, Sun Wukong looked at Li Xiuyuan expectantly, like a child who had done a good deed and was waiting for praise.

Seeing the look on Sun Wukong's face, the Heavenly Dragon Ancestor, who was actually Li Xiuyuan in disguise, smiled and said, "Wukong, now that you have cultivated to the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, I wonder if you can ride the clouds?"

Sun Wukong replied, "This disciple has already mastered it!"

Having said that, Sun Wukong shuddered, did a somersault, and leaped five or six zhang off the ground, riding on the clouds towards the top of a distant mountain peak.

During the time it takes to eat a meal, Sun Wukong flew over from that mountain peak again and landed in front of Li Xiuyuan. He put his hands on his hips, jumped around on the ground, and said, "Master, how was my flying?"

The Heavenly Dragon Ancestor, who was actually Li Xiuyuan, laughed and said, "What you've done can't even be called flying through the clouds; it's just climbing them. As the saying goes, 'Immortals travel to the North Sea in the morning and to Cangwu in the evening.' In half a day, you couldn't even go three miles, so even climbing the clouds doesn't count!"

Sun Wukong asked, "How can it be 'traveling to the North Sea in the morning and visiting Cangwu in the evening'?"

Li Xiuyuan said, "Those who can ride the clouds start early from the North Sea, travel through the East Sea, West Sea, and South Sea, and then return to Cangwu. Cangwu is the language of Lingling in the North Sea. Only by traveling all over the four seas in a single day can one be considered to ride the clouds."

Sun Wukong gasped in astonishment, exclaiming, "This is difficult! This is difficult!"

Li Xiuyuan said, "Nothing is difficult in this world if you set your mind to it."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong kowtowed and said, "Master, 'one must be thorough in one's conduct,' so please spare me your great mercy and pass on this cloud-riding technique to me as well. Your disciple will never forget your kindness."

The Heavenly Dragon Ancestor, who was actually Li Xiuyuan, said, “All immortals rise up by stepping on their feet, but you are not like that. I just saw you go and you had to pull yourself up before you could jump. I will teach you the ‘Somersault Cloud’ based on your current form.”

When Sun Wukong saw Li Xiuyuan talking about the Somersault Cloud, his face was full of joy. He scratched his ears and cheeks, leaping up and down, and hurriedly said from the side, "Master! Master! This Somersault Cloud is just what I want. Please teach it to me quickly!"

After saying this, he bowed and pleaded, wanting Li Xiuyuan to teach him the Somersault Cloud technique.

Li Xiuyuan smiled and said, "You monkey, you're a bit too impatient. Alright, come here, I'll teach you the incantation for the Somersault Cloud."

Sun Wukong was already impatient and rushed forward. The Heavenly Dragon Ancestor, who was actually Li Xiuyuan, whispered in Sun Wukong's ear and taught him the incantation and key points of the Somersault Cloud.

After passing on the incantation to Sun Wukong, Li Xiuyuan said, "For this cloud, you must hold the incantation in your hand, chant the mantra, clench your fists, shake your body, and leap up. One somersault can cover 108,000 li!"

Sun Wukong was overjoyed and quickly stepped aside, beginning to ponder the incantation in his mind.

Looking at Sun Wukong, who was overjoyed by the Somersault Cloud, Li Xiuyuan sighed inwardly.

Once the Somersault Cloud was passed on to Sun Wukong, the day he drove Sun Wukong away was not far off.

Although he knew that nothing bad would happen to Sun Wukong on his journey, Sun Wukong was, after all, his disciple. The thought of Sun Wukong being imprisoned under the Five Fingers Mountain by Buddha for five hundred years was still unsettling.

Li Xiuyuan felt somewhat uncomfortable.

However, all of this was arranged by the two saints, Zhunti and Jieyin, so even if he felt uncomfortable, he could only keep it to himself.

Although he is now a quasi-saint and has severed both his good and evil corpses, making him arguably the strongest person below the saint level, he is still not a saint. He is no match for the two saints, Zhunti and Jieyin, and is far inferior to them.

If he resists, not only will Sun Wukong be punished, but he himself might also be suppressed, which would be a loss for him.

With that thought in mind, Li Xiuyuan sighed and went into the cave, ignoring the others outside.

In the blink of an eye, three or four months had passed. Spring returned to summer, the sky was clear, and large swaths of blue clouds drifted freely in the air. Sun Wukong and his fellow disciples were playing outside the cave.

Then his fellow disciples asked, "Wukong, we heard that you recently acquired Master's Seventy-Two Transformations. We wonder if you have mastered them all?"

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "To be honest with my fellow disciples, I have practiced diligently day and night, and I have mastered everything that Master taught me."

The fellow disciples standing nearby all showed a hint of envy on their faces. One of them said, "Since that's the case, Wukong, while we are all here, why don't you demonstrate? First, let me see how good the magic our master taught you really is, and second, let us broaden our horizons as well."

A smug look appeared on Sun Wukong's face as he said, "Then, fellow disciples, tell me, what do you want me to transform into?"

One of the senior disciples stepped forward from the crowd, glanced at the pine tree outside the cave, and said, "Wukong, why don't you transform into a pine tree? How about it? Let us see if you can resemble one."

Sun Wukong nodded, immediately formed hand seals, chanted incantations, and transformed into a pine tree tens of feet tall.

The pine tree was a vibrant green, its trunk standing tall and straight, seemingly reaching for the clouds. It showed no trace of the monkey's appearance; instead, the tree trunk bore the marks of time.

Upon seeing this, everyone was full of praise, clapping and laughing heartily.

Inside the cave, Li Xiuyuan heard the laughter of the crowd, sighed, and thought to himself, "Wukong, it's not that your master is heartless, but this is your destiny. Even if your master wanted to help you, I would be powerless to do so."

Fortunately, you now possess the cultivation of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, and with the Seventy-Two Transformations of Earthly Fiends that I taught you, as well as the Somersault Cloud, there are few beings in the Three Realms who can surpass you.

Li Xiuyuan, in his guise as the Heavenly Dragon Ancestor, went out and asked, "Who is making such a fuss here?"

The people outside the cave were still immersed in the wonder of Sun Wukong's transformations.

Chapter 439 Another Golden Core

When the Heavenly Dragon Ancestor, who was actually Li Xiuyuan, emerged from the cave, everyone hurriedly straightened their clothes, lowered their heads, and remained silent, as quiet as cicadas in winter.

While his fellow disciples were in a state of confusion, Sun Wukong quickly withdrew his magic, revealed his true form, and joined the crowd, saying, "Respected Master, we are having a discussion here, and no one is making a fuss."

Li Xiuyuan shouted angrily, "No noise? What was that laughter just now! You all shouting and yelling, it's not like a cultivator at all! A cultivator's spirit dissipates when they open their mouth, and trouble arises when they move their tongue. How dare you make a scene here?"

A disciple stepped forward and said, “I dare not lie to Master. Just now, Sun Wukong demonstrated the seventy-two transformations that you taught him. We taught him to transform into a pine tree, and it was indeed a pine tree, exactly the same as the pine trees outside our cave. Therefore, all the disciples praised and cheered, which is why we raised our voices and startled you, Master. Please forgive us.”

Li Xiuyuan said to his fellow disciples, "You all go and wait." Then he turned to Sun Wukong and said, "Wukong, come here! I ask you, what kind of spirit are you using to transform into a pine tree? Is this skill something to show off in front of others? If you see others have it, won't you ask them for it? If others see you have it, they will definitely ask you for it. If you are afraid of disaster, you will have to pass it on to them; if you don't pass it on to them, they will definitely harm you: and your life will be in danger."

Sun Wukong quickly kowtowed and said, "Please forgive me, Master. I will never dare to do it again!"

Li Xiuyuan waved his sleeve and said, "I don't blame you. You should leave Lingtai Fangcun Mountain and Xieyue Sanxing Cave. I can't keep you here!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's eyes filled with tears, and he said, "Master, where do you want me to go? I have always been by your side."

Seeing the tears on Sun Wukong's face, falling drop by drop like soybeans, Li Xiuyuan felt a pang of pity, but he suppressed it in an instant and said, "Go back to where you came from. Why ask me?"

Sun Wukong suddenly realized and said, "I come from the Water Curtain Cave of Flower Fruit Mountain in Aolai Country of Dongsheng Shenzhou."

Li Xiuyuan said, "Since that's the case, why don't you hurry back to save your life? Staying here is absolutely not an option!"

Sun Wukong, still clinging to a last glimmer of hope, pleaded: "I have been away from home for twenty years. Although I long to see my old children and grandchildren, I cannot repay your great kindness."

Li Xiuyuan said, "What kindness or obligation is there? Just don't cause trouble or involve me, that's enough!"

Seeing that Li Xiuyuan showed no sign of relenting, Sun Wukong had no choice but to stand up sadly, turn around and bid farewell to his fellow disciples.

Li Xiuyuan said, "Your journey will surely lead to trouble. No matter what mischief you commit, you are not allowed to say that you are my disciple. If you utter even half a word, I will know it, and I will skin you alive, grind your bones to dust, and banish your soul to the deepest hell, so that you will never be able to rise again!"

Sun Wukong said, "I would never dare to mention the word 'Master,' I will only say that it is something I know myself."

After saying this, Sun Wukong bid farewell to everyone, made hand gestures, chanted incantations, somersaulted, and rode his somersault cloud towards Flower Fruit Mountain.

The somersault cloud moved with incredible speed, and in less than an hour, Flower Fruit Mountain came into view. Sun Wukong thought to himself, "When I first went there, I was just a mortal with the body of a celestial being. Although I had the cultivation of a celestial being, I couldn't use it. It took me eight or nine years to travel through mountains and rivers to reach Xiniu Hezhou. But now, in just one hour, I have already traveled from Xiniu Hezhou to Dongsheng Shenzhou. The difference between us is simply immeasurable."

When Sun Wukong returned to Flower Fruit Mountain, to the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, to the Xieyue Sanxing Cave, Li Xiuyuan, who had transformed into the Heavenly Dragon Ancestor, flicked his sleeve, and the once bustling Sanxing Cave became much quieter.

None of Sun Wukong's fellow disciples were to be found.

Those people were conjured by Li Xiuyuan to avoid arousing Sun Wukong's suspicion. Now that Sun Wukong has been driven away, these people are no longer necessary.

After glancing at the empty Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave, Li Xiuyuan leaped up, about to take flight, when suddenly he felt a tremor in the void.

Then two figures emerged from the void.

Upon seeing the two figures, Li Xiuyuan quickly bowed and said, "Disciple Tianlong greets the two sages."

The two figures that emerged from the void were none other than the two Western Saints, Jieyin and Zhunti.

Jieyin said, "Tianlong, you've worked hard these past few days. Now that things are done, you should go into seclusion and continue your cultivation."

Li Xiuyuan nodded and was about to speak when Jieyin suddenly took out a golden, round pill and handed it to him, saying, "Tianlong, this is a golden pill that I finally managed to find from Laozi. Please accept it as a reward for your time."

Looking at the golden pill handed to him by the guide, Li Xiuyuan's lips twitched involuntarily. This golden pill was no longer of much use to him, and if he wanted it, he could simply exchange it for one within the Holy Buddha System.

For him, the Golden Core was nothing special.

However, one shouldn't refuse something given away for free. If he were to redeem it in the merit shop of the Holy Buddha System, it would require 500,000 points.

With the golden pill delivered by the guide, he can save those 500,000 points if he wants it again in the future.

Taking the golden pill from Jieyin's hand, Li Xiuyuan knew that this golden pill might not be anything particularly rare to him, but it was probably extremely valuable to the two saints, Jieyin and Zhunti.

After all, there are no experts in alchemy within the entire Buddhist community. If there were, someone skilled in medicine wouldn't be revered as the Medicine Buddha.