Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

Li Yan pondered for a moment, then said slowly:

As Zhuangzi said, "The butcher Ding dissects an ox by using his spirit rather than his eyes; his senses stop, but his spirit moves on."

Dissecting an ox is movement, while spiritual encounter is stillness. When you meditate, your body is still but your mind is restless, therefore you cannot achieve stillness.

Why not do it the other way around?

"The other way around?" Sun Wukong's golden eyes lit up.

"Yes. Find stillness in movement." Li Yan pointed to a calming flower swaying in the wind by the garden.

"Look at this flower, its branches sway with the wind, and its leaves sway with the branches; this is the movement of form."

Yet its roots are deeply embedded in the soil, its spirit remains steadfast, unmoved by external winds and rains; this is true tranquility.

"For example, when you do a somersault."

Li Yan slightly raised his gaze, looking at the drifting clouds in the sky.

"The body transforms into a stream of light, covering several miles in an instant; this is the ultimate movement."

However, the mind must be focused on its destination, and the spirit must govern the entire body, lest it become lost; this is stillness within movement.

Sun Wukong listened intently, and the scratching of his ears gradually stopped.

Li Yan continued, "Your nine orifices are now open, and your true energy is flowing freely, which is why your body is moving."

A throbbing pain between the eyebrows and the frequent occurrence of unusual phenomena indicate a disturbance of the spirit.

"With both internal and external movements, how can one achieve stillness by forcing oneself to sit still?"

"Then, as you wish, Senior Brother..."

"Why not go with the flow?"

Li Yan took out the Shouzhuo sword and casually swung it.

The sword tip pierced the morning mist, bringing with it a gentle breeze that swept across the herb garden.

A few blades of grass swayed, dewdrops rolling from their tips but not falling.

"Watch me wield my sword, is it still or moving?"

Sun Wukong stared intently, and runes flowed within his golden eyes.

At first, all that could be seen was the movement of the sword and the rising of the wind, but gradually one began to understand its intricacies.

The trajectory of the sword tip subtly matched the rhythm of breathing.

The wrists rise and fall in rhythm with the heartbeat.

The true energy throughout his body flowed slowly and smoothly with the sword's momentum.

"It is... both movement and stillness!"

Sun Wukong suddenly exclaimed,

"Senior brother, your body moves, your qi flows, your sword moves, but your spirit remains perfectly composed, undisturbed!"

Li Yan sheathed his sword and smiled slightly: "That makes sense."

Since you find sitting still restless, why not find something you enjoy and immerse yourself in it, using physical activity to calm your mind?

"Things I like..."

Sun Wukong's eyes darted around, "I, Old Sun, love nothing more than somersaults, wielding my staff, and picking fruit!"

"Then let's go rummage, play, and pick," Li Yan said.

"When flipping through the pages, don't just rush; feel the rhythm of the wind and clouds passing by."

When practicing, don't just aim for power; you must also understand the smooth flow of energy.

When picking, don't just pick a lot; carefully observe the timing of when the fruit is ripe and falls from the stem.

"In the midst of extreme movement, maintain a conscious and clear mind."

Over time, restlessness will subside, the true spirit will manifest, and the seed of the Way will naturally grow.

The words fell.

Sun Wukong trembled violently.

A dazzling, clear light burst forth from those golden eyes.

The golden spot between his brows suddenly blazed brightly, transforming into a miniature phantom of the sun!

"I understand! I understand!"

Overjoyed, it did three somersaults in a row, its robes billowing, and its aura began to change dramatically.

At first, it was a chaotic flow of true energy, but gradually it developed a core.

The nine streams of spiritual energy that flowed from the nine orifices together surged from the limbs and bones towards the center of the forehead.

The golden spots grew brighter and brighter, and the rate at which the internal runes appeared and disappeared increased dramatically.

Li Yan observed it with his eyes open and was deeply shocked.

The golden spot was frantically devouring the spiritual energy of the nine orifices, and the essence of the sun and moon that roamed between heaven and earth.

Its internal structure solidifies rapidly.

First, the embryonic shape is outlined, and then roots and veins grow.

Then, leaf-like patterns evolved...

In just a few breaths, a Dao Seed, golden in color and covered with innate Dao patterns, had completely taken shape within the ancestral aperture between the eyebrows.

Once the seed of the Dao was formed, extraordinary phenomena suddenly appeared.

"boom!"

A golden beam of light, as thick as a bucket, shot up from the crown of Sun Wukong's head and pierced straight into the azure sky.

Within the pillar of light, one could hear the roars of dragons and tigers, the cries of phoenixes and the neighing of tortoises.

Countless tiny runes are created, destroyed, and flowed.

Each rune contains profound Taoist principles.

The spiritual energy of the seventy-two peaks and thirty-six streams, drawn by this, converges wildly.

In Li Yan's eyes, the entire network of spiritual veins of the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain clearly appeared.

The five colors of spiritual energy—blue, red, yellow, white, and black—flowed towards the golden pillar of light like rivers flowing into the sea.

The clouds in the sky were churned.

Beside the rising sun in the east, the illusory image of a bright moon appears.

The sun and moon shine together, and the rosy clouds radiate in countless rays!

At the top of the golden pillar of light, a colossal ape statue, towering between heaven and earth, faintly materialized.

Its eyes were like the sun and moon, its hair like the Milky Way, it roared to the sky, its fighting spirit soaring, yet it was also as unified as a primordial being.

The strange phenomenon startled the entire sacred mountain.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The sound of something cutting through the air continued incessantly.

Streaks of sword light and streaks of light rose from the peaks and streams, rushing toward the medicine garden.

The first to arrive were the true disciples who were patrolling the nearby mountains.

Three men and two women, suspended in mid-air on swords, stared in horror at the golden pillar of light that stretched from heaven to earth below.

"This is... a phenomenon of the condensation of the Dao Seed? How can it be so vast!"

A young man in a blue robe exclaimed in disbelief.

The jade pendant hanging from his waist was none other than Zhao Yuanqing.

His gaze fell upon Sun Wukong in the center of the pillar of light, and his pupils contracted sharply:

"Is that monkey? Wasn't it already exceptionally accepted as a true disciple by the Patriarch? So it hadn't even condensed its Dao Seed before?"

Another female cultivator in red frowned:

"That's precisely why it's so amazing!"

Before even condensing the seed of Dao, he had already ascended to the position of true successor; the patriarch's discerning eye is truly unfathomable.

Now, looking at the scale of this extraordinary phenomenon, with the sun and moon shining together and the Dharma arising spontaneously, it is clear that the phenomenal world is truly remarkable.

It's probably more than just a high-grade Dao seed; could it be a primordial Dao seed?

As they were speaking, more than a dozen streaks of light arrived.

Aside from the true disciples, two or three of them possessed particularly deep and obscure auras of escape light, subtly stirring up a spiritual energy within.

They were suspended at a higher place and did not gather with the true disciples.

That was the Dongxuan Protector from the Thirty-Six Streams.

The crowd gathered in mid-air, discussing the matter animatedly.

"The Dao seed is divided into nine grades and three levels."

The lowest three ranks are mortals, the middle three ranks are spirits, and the highest three ranks are immortals. This extraordinary phenomenon must be at least of the immortal rank, right?

"More than that!"

Look at that Dharma form, it is clearly a Dao form that fights against heaven and earth, one of the legendary innate Dao forms!

This seed is likely of a higher grade than immortal, born from innate essence!

"A primordial Dao seed... It's been three hundred years since one appeared on my Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, hasn't it? The last one was Master Qingwei..."

"No wonder the patriarch made an exception and included him as a true disciple, ranking him among the seventy-two peaks."

"Now that the Dao Seed has just begun to condense and already possesses such a grand presence, it is likely that it will also have a place among the Thirty-Six Streams in the future."

Li Yan stood in the herb garden, his ears catching all the conversations of the crowd.

I also have a clearer understanding of the realms of cultivation.

It turns out that after the enlightenment stage comes the seed stage.

Based on the opening of the nine orifices, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is drawn in to nourish it, and a Dao seed is condensed in the ancestral orifice between the eyebrows.

The seed of the Dao is the root of cultivation; its quality directly determines the upper limit of one's future path in the Dao.

While I was pondering this.

"Buzz!"

Higher up, the clouds parted.

The three figures stood side by side; they were none other than Master Lei Yan, Mr. Qing Zhu, and Fairy Shuang Yue, who had investigated the Cold Pool yesterday.

The three figures looked down, each with a different expression.

Master Lei Yan's bushy beard twitched slightly, and his voice boomed like a bell: "The sun and moon shine together, and the Dharma form arises spontaneously; it is indeed a seed of the innate Dao!"

This child's destiny is extraordinary.

Mr. Qingzhu stroked his beard, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes: "The patriarch has insightful eyes."

This monkey is simple and pure of heart, naturally innocent; it is only natural that it has acquired this seed of enlightenment.

The Frost Moon Fairy's cold and stern face softened slightly, and she nodded gently.

At this moment, the golden beam of light gradually receded.

The towering giant ape's image transformed into a ray of golden light and entered Sun Wukong's brow.

The illusory images of the sun and moon also faded away.

The sky returned to its clear state.

Sun Wukong slowly opened his eyes.

Those golden eyes were now as deep as an abyss, as if a galaxy were swirling within them.

His aura was harmonious and profound, subtly in harmony with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

It looked down at its hands, then touched its brow, and grinned:

"Hehe, it worked! The bloating is gone, and I feel so comfortable!"

Having said that, it looked at Li Yan and bowed respectfully:

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother! If it weren't for your pointers, I don't know how much longer I would have been wasting my time!"

This gesture was sincere and heartfelt.

In mid-air, everyone's gaze fell upon Li Yan.

Zhao Yuanqing's eyes narrowed slightly as he sized up this disciple he vaguely remembered.

The female cultivator in red seemed to be thinking: "This person... seems to be Li Yan, who manages the herb garden?"

He had also advised the monkey to report the incident at the cold pool.

A guardian from the Thirty-Six Streams, shrouded in a faint shimmer of water, murmured to himself:

"To be able to enlighten the primordial spirit with simple words, this child, though still shallow in cultivation, possesses extraordinary character and insight."

The other disciples also cast scrutinizing glances their way.

Li Yan felt a chill run down his spine, but remained composed on the surface, returning the greeting with:

"Junior Brother Sun is exceptionally talented, and his success came naturally. I was just speaking casually; how could I dare to take credit for it?"

The voice just fell.

The gray air surged, reflecting in the mirror of the heart.

[Enlighten the chosen one, helping them condense their innate Dao seed and touch the origin of the Great Dao. Affinity Qi +15]

[Current Affinity/Dharma Energy: 47/40 (Completed, available for selection)]

It filled up completely and even overflowed by seven points.

Li Yan was startled, but did not check the options at this moment.

Because they were at a higher vantage point, the gazes of the three immortals swept over them indifferently.

Master Lei Yan's voice boomed like thunder: "You are Li Yan?"

Li Yan bowed and said, "Disciple is here."

"You were instrumental in admonishing us regarding the matter at the Cold Pool. Today, you also guided our fellow disciples, helping them break through their current realm."

Master Lei Yan said calmly, "His temperament is acceptable."

Mr. Qingzhu said gently, "You have been in the mountains for three years, working diligently and conscientiously, and you have managed your medicinal garden in a very orderly manner."

How is your cultivation level now?

Li Yan truthfully replied, "This disciple is dull-witted and has only recently opened three of my orifices."

"Three orifices..."

Mr. Qingzhu nodded slightly.

"Your foundation is quite solid. Since you have a connection with Sun Wukong, you can interact with him more often in the future and encourage each other."

Li Yan understood immediately and bowed again, saying, "This disciple will remember."

Frost Moon Fairy said, "Diligence is good, but cultivation ultimately depends on oneself."

The monthly allowance for registered disciples is limited. If you intend to improve, you can take on more sect missions to accumulate contribution points.

Li Yan said calmly, "Thank you for your guidance, Fairy."

The three masters said no more.

Lei Yan Zhenren turned to Sun Wukong, raising his voice.

"Sun Wukong, now that you have condensed your innate Dao seed and established your foundation, you are officially considered to have entered the peak, been included in the lineage of true disciples, and secured a place among the seventy-two peaks!"

Having said that, he flicked his sleeve.

A deep purple token with hidden gold patterns flew out and landed in Sun Wukong's hand.

The token is neither gold nor jade; the words "True Inheritance" are engraved on the front, surrounded by cloud patterns of seventy-two peaks.

The back features an inscription of Sun Wukong and a phantom image of a towering peak.

The scale and aura of this token were clearly more substantial than those of ordinary true disciples.

"Although you have long been selected by the patriarch to be a true disciple, your Dao seed has not yet been formed, and your position is vacant."

From this day forward, you may truly enjoy all the rights and responsibilities of the true teachings, and choose a peak to open your own cave dwelling.

Master Lei Yan continued his teachings.

"With this token, you may enter the third floor and below of the Sutra Repository, receive the monthly allowance of true teachings, and choose a cave to cultivate."

The specific details will be explained to you by a steward later.

Sun Wukong took the token, played with it for a moment, and said happily, "Thank you, Master!"

Master Lei Yan then looked at the disciples and said, "The excitement is over, everyone can disperse now."

Those who are truly disciples of the Seventy-Two Peaks should diligently cultivate themselves and not slacken. Those who are fellow practitioners of the Thirty-Six Streams, please feel free to do as you please.

"I will obey the decree!"

All the disciples responded in unison and departed on their swords.

Before leaving, many people gave Li Yan a deep look.

From today onwards, this previously unknown disciple will likely come into the view of many people.

Li Yan stood respectfully with his head bowed, a slight ripple stirring in his heart.

Good fortune may be fraught with misfortune; today I have received a great deal of good fortune, but I am also standing at the crossroads of events.

We must be more cautious.

The three immortals transformed into streaks of light and disappeared into the horizon.

Only Li Yan and Sun Wukong remained in front of the herb garden.

Sun Wukong leaned closer, waving the token in his hand: "Senior brother, I'm a true disciple now! It'll be much easier to play with you from now on!"

Li Yan smiled and said, "Congratulations, Junior Brother."

However, true disciples are busy with their cultivation. Now that you have obtained the foundation of the Great Dao, you must devote yourself to your practice and not let down the ancestors' high expectations.

"I know, I know!"

Sun Wukong scratched his head.

"But senior brother, what you just said about finding stillness within movement is particularly good! From now on, I'll follow that when I do somersaults!"

As he spoke, he remembered something, took something out of his pocket, and handed it to Li Yan:

"Here, take this! Consider it a thank you gift!"

Li Yan looked down and saw a peach the size of a fist.

The peach skin is golden yellow, with a subtle glow, and has a wonderful fragrance.

[Sixty Years of Peach Blossoms]

[Note: Born on the sunny cliff top of Fangcun Mountain in Lingtai, it takes sixty years to mature after absorbing the morning glow.]

Consuming it can enhance cultivation and slightly improve physical constitution. It has remarkable effects on cultivators in the Qi Opening stage.

The mirror of the heart reflects information.

This gift is no small gesture.

Li Yan declined, saying, "This item is precious; Junior Brother should consume it himself."

"I still have some!"

Sun Wukong patted his belly,

"The peach tree bore seven peaches. I picked three, ate one myself, saved one for Master, and this one is for you!"

Without saying a word, it shoved the peach into Li Yan's hand and lowered its voice:

"Senior brother, when I was condensing my Dao seed, many images flashed through my mind, and a voice was speaking to me..."

Li Yan's heart skipped a beat: "What was that sound?"

"I can't hear clearly, it's just a buzzing sound, like some kind of spirit... stone monkey... primordial chaos..."

Sun Wukong scratched his face, "Anyway, it's really weird."

Li Yan understood.

This may be a harbinger of the awakening of destiny.

He said gently, "This is both an opportunity and a test."

Junior brother, remember this well, and do not speak of it to outsiders. If you have any doubts in your future cultivation, you may consult the Patriarch.

"I understand!"

Sun Wukong nodded, then looked up at the sky.

"Oh dear, it's almost noon! I need to go to the dining hall for a good meal to celebrate! Shall we go together, fellow disciple?"

"I still need to tend to the herb garden, junior brother, please do as you please."

"I'll be going now!"

Sun Wukong somersaulted onto a cloud, laughing heartily, "I'll find my senior brother to play with again another day!"

With a few leaps and bounds, the golden figure disappeared into the mountains and forests.

Li Yan held the radiant peach, feeling the surging spiritual energy within it, and was filled with emotion.

This monkey, though mischievous, is utterly sincere.

The more dazzling it is, the more low-key and unassuming it should be.

Returning to Courtyard No. 7 (Bingzi), I closed the door and activated the formation.

Li Yan sat cross-legged in the quiet room, his mind sinking into the mirror of his heart.

On the mirror surface, golden lettering flows.

【Aura of Destiny: 47/40 (Completed, available for selection)】

[Level A - Consumed 40 strands, breaking through to the next realm]

[B - Consumes 25 strands to glimpse a close-range opportunity within three days]

【C - Consume 30 strands to seek a specific opportunity (can specify direction, such as: protective magic artifacts, elixir recipes, fragments of cultivation techniques, etc.)】

[Ding - Do not consume for now, continue to accumulate (80 strands are needed for the next completion)]