We bear people have power

Seeing Gongsun Jing appear before him as his senior sister, Guan Bo felt incredibly frustrated, because he had gone through countless hardships to pass these three tests and become a disciple of Bodhi Patriarch.

However, Gongsun Jing quietly joined Fangcun Mountain, even though she was just enjoying herself in that theme park-like town not long ago.

The Bodhi Patriarch seemed to be able to see into Guan Bo's heart, and said to him, "The Taoist methods practiced by Gongsun Jing are the direct lineage of Fangcun Mountain."

It turns out that the Reversed Five Elements Sword Technique that Gongsun Jing practiced was a secret sword technique passed down in Fangcun Mountain, and it was extremely powerful.

The sword immortal's cave that Gongsun Jing inherited was left behind by someone from Fangcun Mountain. Therefore, after Bodhi Patriarch discovered it, he simply took it in as a disciple.

"Damn it, comparing yourself to others is just awful." Guan Bo was quite helpless, but he couldn't help it because the other person's fortune was just better than his.

Bodhi Patriarch said to Guan Bo, "You panda spirit, you have quite a talent, but what you've learned is disorganized and you need to start from scratch. Tell me, what is it that you've come all this way to learn?"

Guan Bo originally intended to answer that he wanted to learn the magic of bringing the dead back to life and restoring flesh to bones. But then he remembered that in Journey to the West, when Bodhi Patriarch was passing on his teachings to Monkey King, he mentioned that "there are 360 ​​side gates within the Daoist school, and all side gates lead to enlightenment."

Guan Bo thought to himself, "This Bodhi Patriarch didn't say that I could only learn one spell. If I don't learn more this time, all those hardships I've endured before will have been for nothing."

He then asked, "I've heard that among the unorthodox schools there's one called the 'Shu' school, which involves invoking spirits, divination, and using yarrow stalks to predict good fortune and avoid misfortune. I wonder what this kind of magic is like?"

The Bodhi Patriarch said, "This method cannot grant immortality; it will be of no use to you to learn it."

Seeing the Bodhi Patriarch's ambiguous smile, Guan Bo's heart skipped a beat, but he still asked again: "I heard that the Liuzi Sect includes Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Yin-Yang School, Mohism, and medicine. Some people study scriptures, some chant Buddha's name, and some even worship the gods and saints. The way of miscellaneous learning has its extraordinary aspects, and I feel it is quite suitable for a talented person like me."

Bodhi Patriarch glanced at Guan Bo, then said earnestly, "When I praised you for your talent earlier, I was just being polite. Don't take it to heart."

Guan Bo felt like a million alpacas were stampeding through his mind. Could they possibly cultivate together peacefully now? Could they please not be so hurtful with their words?

Bodhi Patriarch had no intention of comforting Guan Bo, and continued, "Moreover, the Flowing School is merely a way of placing a pillar within a wall. It may seem to lead to the Great Dao, but in reality, one is closely bound to that school. If that school perishes, one will perish with it. It cannot be considered longevity. Look at the Confucian school. Confucius was considered the founder and almost achieved immortality. Unfortunately, as Confucianism declined, it decayed along with it and could never rise again. It's better not to learn such a method."

Undeterred, Guan Bo continued to ask, "What about the Jingzi School? I've heard it involves abstaining from grain and guarding the valley, practicing stillness and inaction, meditating, observing vows and fasting, or practicing sleeping meditation or standing meditation, and entering a state of deep meditation. This kind of method only requires closed-door cultivation, which is most suitable for my personality."

Guan Bo dared not say this time that his talent suited him; the slap in the face earlier had been too painful.

"You seem to prefer quiet to activity, but you are actually naturally lazy. How could you sit in that arduous meditation for decades? Moreover, this method is like a kiln, where bricks and tiles are formed. Although they are already shaped, they have not yet been tempered by water and fire. Once a torrential rain comes, they will surely be ruined."

The implication is that while meditation and Zen cultivation can increase one's cultivation level and lead to the realm of immortality, it offers no means of combat. Furthermore, even an immortal cultivator would perish in the face of calamity.

Guan Bo smiled bitterly. There was only one "movement" gate left. Since the first three gates had already been mentioned, there was no harm in mentioning this last one. He decided to go all out and said, "What about the 'movement' gates like 'action and practice,' such as 'absorbing yin to replenish yang,' 'climbing bows and stepping on crossbows,' 'rubbing the navel to expel qi,' 'using formulas and processing,' 'burning thatch and beating cauldrons,' 'ingesting red lead,' 'refining autumn stones,' and 'consuming women's milk'?"

Just as Guan Bo had predicted, Patriarch Bodhi replied, "This method is like the moon in the sky reflected in the water; you can see it, but you can't grasp it, so it's all in vain. However... this method is most suitable for you."

Bodhi Patriarch's last gasp and one last sentence almost made Guan Bo chop out of his throat.

"Didn't the patriarch say that achieving immortality through this method is like trying to catch the moon's reflection in water?" Guan Bo asked curiously.

The Bodhi Patriarch explained: "If an ordinary person wants to cultivate this method of movement, they must first purify themselves with the five elements until they are free from impurities. However, since humans eat grains and other foods, the impurities they ingest every day are even greater than what they can cleanse themselves of. Therefore, this step alone requires decades of painstaking effort. How many decades does an ordinary person have available?"

"When one reaches the state of purity and cleanliness, one must consume rare and precious herbs to strengthen one's foundation and cultivate one's vitality. Even if an ordinary person is as wealthy as a country, could they possibly buy treasures like peaches of immortality or ginseng fruits? As for ginseng and other medicinal herbs from the mortal world, it would require decades of accumulation. This process is repeated, and the things one consumes are already difficult to find. Before mortals can even achieve immortality, they have already grown old and died."

Therefore, this attempt to grasp the essence of the word "movement" is like trying to catch the moon's reflection in water—it will never yield the desired result.

It turns out that this "movement" method is a cultivation method for foodies. Guan Bo felt a bit annoyed and then asked, "Then why did the patriarch say it was suitable for me?"

"You were originally a demon in human form, yet you were born with this flawless human body. Just the step of becoming pure and immaculate has already saved you decades of effort. And you must have consumed quite a few rare and precious treasures, so the step of strengthening your foundation and cultivating your vital energy is almost complete. You've already saved two hundred years of time. Moreover, demons have long lifespans, so even if you eat your fill all day without making any progress, you can still live for thousands of years. And with your lazy nature, this is naturally the most suitable method for cultivating this movement technique."

When Bodhi Patriarch uttered this last sentence, Gongsun Jing, who was standing nearby, burst out laughing.

This clearly means that Guan Bo is a lazy person who loves to eat, and is most suitable for this kind of method that can increase cultivation level just by eating.

Guan Bo wasn't embarrassed at all. As a panda, being a good eater and being cute were his natural talents. If it were in his previous life, if a panda didn't like to eat, it would implicate many people and get them held accountable.

However, although this method is suitable for me, the most crucial thing is whether, at a higher level of cultivation, I can bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded, and reshape the physical body of others.

Guan Bo directly voiced his doubts. If Patriarch Bodhi said that this method could not be implemented, then Guan Bo would have no choice but to choose another method.

"A magic technique that brings the dead back to life, restores flesh and bones, and reconstructs the physical body? Why did you decide to learn this?" Patriarch Bodhi asked curiously.

Guan Bo then recounted in detail how he got to Luojia Mountain and how he met Yingcao.

"I see, but do you know that this is going against the will of Heaven?" Bodhi Patriarch asked sternly.

"Of course I know, and I have already witnessed what happens when one goes against the will of Heaven."

Guan Bo saw a scene in the underworld: the tragic plight of all living beings under the boundless fiery hell. This was exactly what he had experienced during the few days he had spent in the underworld.

"The Great Dao has three thousand paths, but they all lead to the same destination. No matter which one you cultivate to the extreme, you can bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded. It is not difficult for you to learn this magic, but throughout history, very few people have succeeded. Do you know why?"

"Please enlighten me, Master." Guan Bo knew that it was not easy to bring someone back to life, but he did not know why.

"Because the Six Paths of Reincarnation is the Heavenly Way. If you go against the Heavenly Way, you will naturally be hindered by it. Even if you learn this magic and everything is ready, you will often fail at the last minute for various reasons."

"But can't the Great Sage also easily bring people back to life?" Guan Bo asked, unconvinced.

"Firstly, the monkey's act of bringing people back to life was done with their physical bodies intact, so it wasn't too much of a blunder. Secondly, his act of protecting Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West was a great act of merit. With the merits and demerits offsetting each other, Heaven would naturally show leniency."

"Huh, Master, are you saying that to bring someone back to life, one needs to accumulate merit to guarantee success?" Guan Bo felt he had grasped the key to the matter.

"That's right. If you want that person to be resurrected successfully, you need to accumulate enough merit to buy life from the Heavenly Dao."

Bodhi Patriarch's words enlightened Guan Bo. Both Nezha and Yuantong said that bringing someone back to life was not easy, and the difficulty lay in accumulating merit.

If you want to defy fate, even doing something as simple as helping an old lady cross the street a million times wouldn't be enough.

Seeing that Guan Bo seemed to be deep in thought, Patriarch Bodhi continued, "This 'Movement' technique is a method. Now I will pass on to you the fundamental Dao of Fangcun Mountain. Listen carefully."

Guan Bo listened intently, and all he could feel was a shower of flowers from the sky and golden lotuses blooming from the ground.

It skillfully expounds the teachings of the Three Vehicles, encompassing all the subtle and profound dharmas.

Slowly swaying its whisk, it sprays pearls and jade, its sound like thunder shaking the heavens.

They talk about Taoism for a while, and Zen for a while; the three schools of thought naturally complement each other.

The single word "enlightenment" leads to the truth of sincerity, guiding one to the profound mystery of non-birth and the nature of enlightenment.

The Bodhi Patriarch chanted eloquently: "The true and wondrous secret of the perfect union of exoteric and esoteric teachings, the only way to cultivate life is through this. It all comes down to essence, energy, and spirit; guard them firmly and do not let them leak out. Do not let them leak out; keep them within your body. You who receive my teachings will prosper. Memorizing these oral instructions will bring many benefits; banish evil desires and attain coolness. Attain coolness, and your light will be pure and bright; then you can admire the bright moon on the altar. The moon hides the jade rabbit, the sun hides the crow, and naturally, the tortoise and snake intertwine. Intertwined, life is strong, and you can even plant a golden lotus in the fire. Gather the five elements and use them in reverse order; when the work is complete, you will become a Buddha or an immortal."

The verse contained profound truths. Guan Bo felt as if a skylight had opened in his mind after hearing it only once, and endless radiant light poured down, condensing his soul.

This profound and mysterious incantation was directly imprinted in Guan Bo's mind. His previously ignorant cultivation methods were now clear and organized, and the great Dao was right before his eyes. The miscellaneous skills he had previously cultivated piece by piece also appeared in Guan Bo's mind like puzzle pieces.

Guan Bo began to understand how he should cultivate himself next, how to fill in the missing parts, and complete a perfect picture.

This is the fundamental Taoist principle of Fangcun Mountain, and Guan Bo also enjoyed the same high-level treatment as Monkey King.

Then, the Bodhi Patriarch said, "Your foundation-strengthening and vitality-cultivating stage is almost complete. I will now lend you a helping hand."

With a flick of his sleeve, Bodhi Patriarch presented Guan Bo with a jade plate bearing a lifelike infant, adorned with several tender green leaves that exuded a refreshing fragrance.

Just one breath of that fragrance and Guan Bo felt all the pores on his body open up, releasing a lot of mixed aromas.

"This is... a ginseng fruit?" Guan Bo asked excitedly.

"Indeed, but this fruit needs a medicinal ingredient to exert its full effect," said Patriarch Bodhi.

"What kind of medicine leads to it?"

"Meng Po soup".