Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

As dusk settles, the mist over Lingtai Fangcun Mountain is at its most beautiful.

The fog was initially as light as a veil, but gradually thickened to the thickness of milk, enveloping the seventy-two peaks and thirty-six streams in a vast expanse.

Occasionally, a white crane's cry would pierce through the mist, its wingtip bringing up a sliver of clarity before being swallowed up by the milky white mist again.

Li Yan sat outside the Three Star Cave, having watched the fog for three whole years.

He had half a hard steamed bun tucked in his pocket, which he had saved from the dining hall at noon.

He rubbed the bread crust with his fingertips, but his mind was on something else.

During today's sermon,

The Bodhi Patriarch said, "The primordial spirit has an aperture; the clever can glimpse the path in three years, while the dull cannot find it even in thirty years."

These words sank in Li Yan's heart.

After all, he had been here for three years and three months.

The disciples in the Three Star Cave were divided into three classes:

Those who receive the true teachings are registered to follow and practice, while those outside the gate sweep and clean.

Li Yan was in the last place.

On ordinary days, he would chop wood and carry water, and in his spare time, he would listen to the patriarch talk about the superficial aspects of the "Huang Ting" and "Dao De".

The woodcutter's son who came with him had already condensed his first breath last autumn.

Last month, he was even bestowed with a scroll of "Daoyin Tu" (a type of exercise book).

But he was still just a mortal.

In the immortal cave, the word "time travel" has become the most useless label.

The past is like smoke; he only remembers that he should be dead.

When he opened his eyes again, he was in the border of Aolai Kingdom in Dongsheng Shenzhou, and had become a beggar who had lost both his parents.

Hearing that there were fairy mountains overseas, they tied their worn-out shoes together with straw ropes and bound wood together to make a raft.

They traveled all the way, asking about the name of Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, crossing oceans, enduring wind and rain, and spending two years and seven months there.

Along the way, he learned to tell directions by the sky and to avoid valleys filled with miasma...

When they were extremely hungry, they would eat potatoes from the fields, but they would always leave a few copper coins behind and hang them on low branches by the field.

These meticulous precautions were honed through two years of trials and tribulations, escaping danger time and time again.

When he arrived at the foot of Fangcun Mountain, he didn't rush to knock on the door. Instead, he stayed in a nearby village for half a month.

He chopped wood and carried water for others every day in exchange for a full meal, and incidentally, he told them the times when the outer disciples came and went.

After getting a general idea of ​​the deacons' appearances and temperaments and making some preparations, they went up the mountain.

On the day he met the Bodhi Patriarch, the old man was watching the clouds from the edge of a cliff.

His hair and beard were all white, and he wore a cloak with the eight trigrams on it. The dust from the whisk in his hand scattered in the wind, like drifting clouds that could not be contained.

He asked Li Yan, "Why do you seek immortality?"

Li Yan lay prone on the rock, forehead pressed to the ground: "I'm afraid of dying."

The patriarch smiled and waved his whisk: "He's an honest fellow. Stay here and learn how to live first."

So Li Yan learned to live.

Learn to recognize when the Ganoderma lucidum on the back mountain will bloom, and learn to use a bamboo tube to collect the water that flows freely at dawn.

Learning the skill to steady a bundle of firewood in a windy day... these are all easier than cultivating one's spirit.

He always felt that his soul was not at peace.

It's like two souls that haven't completely merged into one, separated by a layer of frosted glass, making everything look blurry.

Just as I was pondering this, a rustling sound came from deep within the fog.

Li Yan gazed intently at it.

A wisp of hair emerged from a gap in the mist.

It's a monkey with a thunderous mouth.

The monkey was wearing a large gray robe, the hem of which dragged on the ground and was covered with mud and grass clippings.

It hops and skips as it walks, and insists on mimicking people by bowing with their hands clasped, making it look comical.

But those eyes were unusually clear, like two pools of water that had not been disturbed by the world.

The monkey jumped in front of Li Yan, scratching its ears and cheeks:

"Excuse me, senior brother! I just started this sect today. Master told me to wander around for a while."

"I wonder... which way is the dining hall?"

Li Yan pointed out the way, then added, "At this hour, there's probably only scraps of porridge left."

"As long as there's food, that's good! As long as there's food, that's good!"

The monkey was so happy that it did a somersault, its robes billowing up to reveal a wooden plaque at its waist, engraved with the three characters "Sun Wukong".

The moment those three words caught my eye.

"boom!"

Li Yan only heard a roar in his mind.

The fog in front of me suddenly began to boil.

That wasn't the mountain mist, but rather a gray mist emanating from the depths of his eyes.

The air surged and rolled, revealing the phantom image of a scroll in mid-air.

There were no words on the silk, only the dark patterns of mottled bloodstains flowing across it.

The next instant, the dark patterns disintegrated and reformed into words he could recognize.

[Signs of divine mandate manifesting...]

Calamities and misfortunes intertwine, and fate is in chaos.

In this situation, you are but a lowly disciple of Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, your path to enlightenment obscured, and you have no chance to attain the true Dharma.

[Fate: Three years later, Sun Wukong will receive the Great Dao, and all the true disciples in the cave will be granted secret techniques to avoid calamity.]

Because of your dull aptitude, you did not enter the true lineage. The patriarch sighed and said that this child had no destiny, and sent him down the mountain.

On his way home, he encountered the evil miasma of Black Wind Mountain, and his soul dissipated, causing him to die.

Current Fate: Dust (Ash)

Li Yan felt ice-cold all over and didn't even notice the hard steamed bun falling to the ground.

It turned out to be the case.

It turns out that I wasn't lacking in talent; I was simply not written into the Book of Fate.

No, it's written in.

It was written in that small line of text three years later when he passed away.

The smog was still churning, and a few more lines of small notes surfaced:

【Micro Dust (Gray): You are the faintest stroke of ink in the painting of the immortal mountain, the chirping of cicadas outside the window when the patriarch was preaching, and the wind that swept by when the senior brothers flew on their swords.

Your existence is solely to highlight the brilliance of the true dragon as it soars through the heavens.

However, having witnessed destiny, one can steal a sliver of divine secret.

[By stirring up cause and effect, one can obtain the energy of karmic connection.]

Just as a tower is built from grains of sand, one might be able to reverse their fate and rewrite their destiny.

Just then, the gray air shifted, revealing a new chapter.

[Aura of Destiny: 0/5]

[Note: The accumulation of karmic energy requires stirring up cause and effect, and only after it has accumulated to perfection can it be dissipated.]

【Consumption Rules】

【I. Seeking Opportunities: This requires consuming more than half of your current Perfection level. The magnitude of the opportunity gained depends on the severity of the karmic consequences stirred up.】

[II. Breaking Through: Requires exhausting all current perfect energy.]

[III. Each time you complete a consumption, the amount of Qi required to accumulate subsequently will double.]

[When five strands of light are first accumulated, the Mingtang field (the eye aperture) can be opened, thus opening the door to spiritual cultivation.]

As soon as the words were written, a clear path emerged from the gray mist.

In Taoist cultivation, the nine orifices must first be opened. Only when the nine orifices are clear and bright can the primordial spirit be formed.

Only when all nine orifices are opened can one condense the primordial spirit seed and step into the gate of true cultivation.

Now, you haven't even opened the first aperture, the Mingtang field (eye aperture), so it's difficult to absorb spiritual energy, and embryonic breathing cannot arise.

Li Yan was shocked.

It turns out that there is such a clear path to spiritual practice.

I was in a daze for three years, simply because I didn't even know where the door was.

"Senior brother? Senior brother!"

Sun Wukong waved his hand in front of his eyes, and Li Yan's pale face was reflected in his golden eyes.

"Why do you look so pale? Are you hungry? I won't eat this dried fruit, you can have it!"

It took a fuzzy wild fruit out of its bosom and offered it to it solicitously.

Li Yan stared blankly at the monkey.

The Great Sage Equaling Heaven, who would later wreak havoc in Heaven and Earth, be imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain for five hundred years, and then protect Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West.

At this moment, it was just a hungry wild monkey that couldn't find the dining hall.

A thought flashed through Li Yan's mind.

Isn't this monkey a perfect example of cause and effect?

He took a deep breath, the cool mountain air filling his lungs and making him more alert.

His past experiences taught him that the more opportunities he saw, the more he needed to remain calm.

So he bent down, picked up the hard bread, dusted it off, and pushed the wild fruit from Sun Wukong's hand back to him.

"My name is Li Yan. Let me lead you to the dining hall."

"Good! Good!" Sun Wukong scratched his ears and cheeks, then couldn't help but ask:

"Senior Brother Li, do you really think our ancestor could teach people to live forever?"

Li Yan gazed into the depths of the mist, then recalled the answer to those two words, and couldn't help but say:

"Those who attain immortality are never taught by others."

These words were spoken.

Gray vapor billowed.

[Guiding the Spiritual Stone Monkey, he first encounters the karmic consequences of destiny. His affinity with fate increases by 1.]

Current time: 1/5

Li Yan was certain.

It worked!

From that day on, Li Yan continued to chop wood and carry water.

But whenever Sun Wukong wobbled over and asked questions...

Questions such as why the moon waxes and wanes, and what to do when your legs go numb during meditation.

Li Yan would always stop what he was doing and explain it in detail.

He knew that these trivial questions and answers could not change Sun Wukong's future fate.

But he can change his own.

With each answer, the gray mist rippled slightly, and the auspicious energy increased by a trace.

In three days, it has accumulated to four o'clock.

That evening, Li Yan was chopping firewood on the back mountain.

With each swing of his axe, he had chopped 3,599 pieces of firewood.

This has been my daily routine for the past three years, without interruption.

When the last axe fell.

A warmth spread through my palm.

A warm, gentle current seeped into his arm from the axe handle and flowed into his heart.

The gray mist spread out naturally before my eyes.

Day after day, you chop down a thousand pieces of firewood with an axe, without a single distracting thought.

Lingtai Fangcun Mountain is a blessed land, where every blade of grass and every tree contains spiritual energy.

You, in your mortal body, performed the deeds of immortals, completing three thousand six hundred axe strokes, and by chance, received enlightenment through the fire of enlightenment.

The illusory pages of the Book of Fate flipped with a rustling sound, and new characters appeared in the blank spaces.

[The path to enlightenment is found within the axe; the energy of destiny is full (5/5); one path may be chosen:]

[A. Exhausting all five strands, he opened his eyes and the gate to cultivation.]

(Note: After the acupoint is opened, ten strands of karmic energy must be accumulated before one can seek another opportunity or break through to a higher realm.)

[B. Consuming three strands (more than half), one can glimpse a near-term opportunity within two days (the magnitude of the opportunity is uncertain).]

[C - Do not consume for now, continue to accumulate.]

Li Yan stared at the three lines of text, his mind racing as he weighed the options.

Enlightenment is fundamental, but the cost is clearing out accumulated knowledge and doubling the demand next time.

This means that it will be difficult to get another opportunity in the short term.

Seeking opportunities is like gambling; you might end up empty-handed, or you might gain external aids to your spiritual practice.

However, it will also consume more than half of the accumulated resources, slowing down the enlightenment process.

With a three-year impending doom looming, time is of the essence, and there is no room for hesitation.

He recalled every step of his journey, observing, probing, and accumulating experience in inconspicuous places.

The path to immortality is slim; only by grasping the fundamentals and establishing a firm foothold can one be qualified to scheme for more.

Once the mind is made up.

"Choose A."

The five points of karmic energy were instantly cleared away, transforming into five strands of golden light that converged into his eyes.

In an instant, Li Yan felt as if his eyes were burning with charcoal.

With a muffled groan, he dropped the axe and covered his eyes with his hands.

Between my fingers, countless tiny specks of light wandered.

That was the spirit that wandered between heaven and earth, and now it finally lifted a corner of the veil for him.

It turns out that spiritual energy has color.

The spirit of wood is a serene, deep blue-green, seeping from the annual rings of ancient pine trees.

The earth's spiritual energy is a rich ochre color, rising from the crevices of the rocks.

The water elemental energy is a flowing, dark black, rising and falling with the mountain mist...

The colorful patterns intertwine to form a vast net, almost invisible to the naked eye, enveloping the entire sacred mountain.

And in this vibrant tapestry, Li Yan saw himself.

The true nature of the soul.

A translucent phantom sat cross-legged in the center of the sea of ​​consciousness, its body covered in thick dust.

Only in his eyes, two tiny flames had already ignited.

Mingtang Field.

The eye sockets are open!

Immediately afterwards, the Mind Mirror light screen unfolded in the sea of ​​consciousness.

【Li Yan】

[Destiny: Dust (Gray) → Fire Watcher (White)]

[Cultivation Level: Opening Stage (Eye Aperture)]

[Technique: None]

[Awakening Supernatural Power: The Mirror of the Mind Reflects All Things]

[Note: You saw the Dao while chopping wood, and your soul was awakened.]

This mirror can reflect the gains and losses of a day's practice, discarding the dross and retaining the essence, thus clarifying the path.

【Aura of Fate: 0/10 (This amount must be accumulated before it can be consumed again)】

Li Yan stared blankly at the mirror, then suddenly burst out laughing.

Laughter echoed in the back hills, startling a few crows returning to their nests.

Three years.

He finally drew the first stroke of his own brush in this world.

Not the main character, not a supporting character.

He was just an observer who saw the firelight.

At this moment, with his eyes opened, the world was transformed.

Li Yan stood in the pine forest behind the mountain, remaining motionless for a long time.

It turns out that Lingtai Fangcun Mountain is far more complex than what the naked eye can see.

Through the eye,

He saw that each of the seventy-two peaks had a spiritual vein rising from the ground, some green, some white, some purple, like dragons or jiaos, winding into the clouds.

The water of the Thirty-Six Streams shimmers with a faint blue light, a trace of the essence of water that has settled over thousands of years.

Even the stone platform beneath our feet has a subtle, earthy yellow energy flowing through its deep veins.

"So... this is what the aura of immortals is like."

Li Yan murmured to himself, reaching out to touch the ancient pine tree beside him.

When the palm touches the bark, the eyes naturally reflect the spiritual energy flowing inside the pine wood.

The growth rings overlapped, each ring shimmering with a faint blue aura.

At the very center of the growth ring, the spiritual light had condensed into a grain of wood essence the size of a grain of rice.

But he didn't move.

During his three years as an outer disciple, he witnessed many disciples being punished for greed for petty gains.

The inexplicable death of an ancient pine tree with an owner is no small matter in this sacred mountain.

When the senior brother in charge comes to investigate, if he uses magic to trace back, he may not be able to find any clues.

It's not worth risking your life for a single wood spirit.

after all,

Gou doesn't mean not to compete, but rather not to compete for petty gains or to stand under a dangerous wall.

We strive for the longevity of the Great Way, and for the safety of our lives.

While he was pondering, Li Yan had already picked up the axe and continued chopping wood.

This time, however, every axe blow landed on Lingji's weakest point.

"Snap!"

The axe blade cut in, and the firewood split open with a smooth cut.

The efficiency of chopping wood increases by 30%, and saves most of the effort.

What's even more wonderful is that as the firewood is split, a lot of wood spirit energy will dissipate.

He tried to use his eyes as a guide to absorb the energy into his body.

The aura of green enters the eyes, transforming into a cool, gentle stream that flows slowly along the meridians into the space between the eyebrows.

That is where the Mingtang Field is located.

One strand, two strands...

With each wisp of light absorbed, the light in the eye sockets brightens a little more.

The mirror of the heart reflects.

[Absorbs the spiritual energy dissipated from the pine wood, increasing the stability of the eye sockets by 1]

[Current visual acuity: 2/100]

"I see."

Li Yan understood immediately.

"Enlightenment is only the beginning; it still needs to be nurtured with spiritual energy to truly stabilize."

So he chopped with even more focus.

As the sun set, the woodpile grew higher and higher.

Just as Li Yan finished chopping the last piece of firewood, a familiar rustling sound came from the depths of the mist.

Sun Wukong hopped out, his gray robe covered in grass seeds.

But in his hands he was holding a handful of bright red wild fruits.

"Brother Li! The fellow disciples in the dining hall gave me some sweet cakes today, I'll share half with you!"

It leaned closer and handed Li Yan half a pancake wrapped in oil paper.

He then grabbed some wild fruit and stuffed it into his mouth.

Li Yan took the cake, thanked him, but his gaze fell on Sun Wukong.

Under the light of the eye sockets, the aura surrounding this monkey was simply breathtaking.

A golden pillar of fortune, as thick as an arm, shot up from the top of the head and pierced the heavens.

Thousands of runes flowed within the pillar of light, each rune containing immense Daoist wisdom.

But what alarmed Li Yan even more was the four-colored aura of calamity surrounding the golden light.

Gray mist is like a poisonous snake, black mist is like a chain, red mist is like a blood flame, and white mist is like frost.

The four elements intertwined, constantly tearing at the golden pillar of light, yet being shattered by the golden light.

Is this the fate of the protagonist of the Great Calamity?

They enjoy abundant good fortune, but also endure boundless calamities.

"Senior brother, why are you staring at me like that?"

Sun Wukong felt uneasy under their gaze and scratched his cheek.

Li Yan withdrew his gaze and took a bite of the pancake:

"You look quite well today. Has your cultivation made progress?"

"Hehe!" Sun Wukong's eyes lit up.

"Yesterday, while I was meditating, I suddenly felt a warm sensation in my stomach, which then climbed up my spine."

When it reached the back of its head, suddenly everything was bright!

It started gesturing wildly:

"The patriarch said that this is called opening the Jade Pillow Gate, which is the sixth of the nine orifices!"

Once this barrier is opened, you'll be able to sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth!

Li Yan was shocked.

Jade Pillow Gate...the sixth acupoint!

How long has this monkey been practicing?

In just over a month, six orifices have already been opened!

He practiced diligently for three years before finally unlocking the first secret with the help of a cheat code.

What is ordained by Heaven cannot be judged by ordinary standards.

But he didn't show it on his face, only smiling and saying:

"Congratulations. You've opened the Jade Pillow Gate; your cultivation will be much easier from now on."

"But I always feel..."

Sun Wukong suddenly scratched his head, confusion showing in his golden eyes.

"After the key points are opened, I can see things clearly and understand sounds, but my mind is even more confused."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"It's just... back when I lived in the mountains, I would pick fruit when I was hungry, drink water when I was thirsty, and sleep when I was tired. It was very simple."

Sun Wukong squatted down, picked up a twig, and haphazardly drew names on the ground.

"But now, when I close my eyes, my head starts buzzing."

One moment it was the sound of the patriarch preaching, the next it was the sound of the fellow disciples practicing swordsmanship.

Then came the sound of the mountain wind rustling through the treetops... a chaotic mess, impossible to quiet down.

Li Yan remained silent for a moment.

Is the sixth aperture, when opened, a divine connection with heaven and earth?

If that's the case, how complex and varied are the sounds of heaven and earth!

The wind whispers, the water surges, the insects chirp, the birds sing, the grass and trees grow, the rocks weather... If one lacks composure, opening this gate will only bring disturbance.

This monkey is too talented and quick to understand, but its temperament hasn't kept up.

Li Yan considered for a moment, then slowly said, "Do you know what it means to ignore something you've already heard?"

Sun Wukong looked up: "What do you mean?"

"Heaven and earth have a voice, you heard it, the Jade Pillow Gate has opened."

But whether you take it to heart after hearing it is up to you.

Li Yan pointed to a distant mountain stream.

"Listen to the sound of the water, it's so loud. If you listen carefully, it's deafening."

If you don't take it seriously, it's just background noise.

Sun Wukong was stunned.

Li Yan continued, "The key is a tool, not a master."

You use it, not the other way around.

If you find it noisy, just treat it like the wind blowing past your ear and don't take it to heart.

The words fell.

The gray gas surged violently.

[To resolve the doubts and obstacles in the heart of the chosen one, and to guide them on the key to their path. Aura of Destiny +3]

Current time: 3/10

Sun Wukong sat there blankly, not saying a word for a long time.

As the mountain wind blew, the golden pillar of light above its head trembled.

The swirling gray-black aura of calamity was dispersed by a wisp of it.

Although it was only a trace, Li Yan saw it clearly.

The aura of calamity had weakened by half.

"I...I think I understand."

Sun Wukong muttered, "Tools... don't take them to heart..."

It suddenly jumped up and bowed to Li Yan: "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother!"

Having said that, he turned around and leaped several times, disappearing into the depths of the mist.

Li Yan watched the direction it had gone, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

His words actually lessened the monkey's anxiety by a little.

What about one's own destiny?

Three years later, who will be able to guide us through the Black Wind Mountain's demonic miasma?

He shook his head, tidied up the woodpile, and prepared to return to his quarters.

It was at this moment.

Suddenly, his eye twitched.

Li Yan turned his head and looked into the depths of the pine forest.

There, a faint purple aura emanated from the roots of an old, ownerless pine tree, rising gently into the air.

The purity and brightness of that purple aura far exceeded that of ordinary wood spirit energy by ten times.

"This is... pine root marrow? It's formed from the accumulated spiritual energy of a century-old pine tree, and it has miraculous effects on nourishing the eyes!"

Li Yan was startled, but did not immediately step forward.

Observe the surroundings to discern good or bad fortune.

He activated his eyes to the fullest extent, scanning the area within a radius of three zhang.

unmanned.

Only a few tits were preening their feathers on the branches, and a squirrel carrying a pine cone hurriedly ran by.

He waited for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and only after confirming that there was no further movement did he slowly step forward.

During this time, he walked very lightly, landing without making a sound.

Then, he squatted down and examined it carefully.

The purple aura was seeping from a crack in the pine root.

The crack was very new, as if it had been dug open by some animal.

It seems that the squirrel accidentally dug up the pine root while foraging for food, allowing the purple marrow to see the light of day.

By sheer coincidence, it was meant to be for me.

Li Yan stretched out his finger and pressed it against the crack.

As the eye pores circulate, a wisp of suction arises from the fingertips.

The purple aura, like silk threads, was slowly inhaled into the body.

Cool, mellow, with the fragrance of pine... The purple aura enters the eyes, transforming into a warm current that nourishes the newly opened eye sockets.

The mirror of the heart reflects.

[Absorbing pine root marrow increases eye stability by 15]

[Current Target Ability: (17/100)]

A single strand is worth three days' worth of firewood.

Li Yan perked up and continued to absorb the information.

After half an incense stick's time, the purple aura was completely absorbed.

The light from the eye sockets was noticeably brighter, and the field of vision was clearer.

Now he can even see the dewdrops on a patch of pine needles trembling slightly ten feet away.

"Not enough."

Li Yan stood up and carefully covered the cracks in the pine roots with soil and moss, trying to restore them without leaving any trace.

"To avoid the calamity of death three years from now, one must at least open nine orifices and possess the power to protect oneself."

But to truly understand, one needs even more opportunities…

Thinking about it, he looked towards the direction of the Three Star Cave.

Tomorrow is another day for the patriarch to preach.

That night, Li Yan sat cross-legged on the bed in his dormitory, closing his eyes and concentrating.

The mirror of the heart unfolds, reflecting the gains and losses of the day:

What I've learned today:

1. Answer Sun Wukong's question, Fate +3 (cumulative 3/10)

2. The eye orifice absorbs purple marrow, stability +15.

3. Chopping wood three thousand six hundred times, one learns the principle of going with the flow.

Areas for improvement:

1. When giving pointers to Sun Wukong, the words seemed a bit forced. Next time, it should be more natural, like a casual conversation.

2. Although the absorption of purple marrow is concealed, it still requires more caution.

One can observe the patterns of animal activity in advance and use their unintentional actions as cover, or choose to act in windy or rainy weather to conceal the fluctuations of spiritual energy.

3. Before taking action, listen, observe, and wait. These three steps should become a habit. Today's execution was acceptable, but we could have been more patient while waiting.

Tomorrow's Plans:

1. Listen to the patriarch's teachings, observe the flow of Daoist energy with your eyes, and try to comprehend some of it.

2. If there is an opportunity, chat with Sun Wukong again to accumulate good karma.

3. Pay attention to the movements of senior disciples and true disciples, and try to glean any recent changes from their words so that you can take precautions in advance.

With the plan set, Li Yan focused his mind and entered a meditative state.

A faint light flickered in his eyes as he slowly began to absorb the free spiritual energy.

Although it is far less pure than the purple marrow, accumulating little by little is also a form of cultivation.

Silent all night.