Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

Sun Wukong could no longer contain himself. He grabbed his ear, stepped forward, and said respectfully:

"Yesterday, Master struck his disciple three times in front of the altar, and then patted his senior brother on the shoulder."

It was clearly a teaching that the disciple should bring his senior brother to the back gate at midnight to receive the Dharma.

Though I am dull-witted, I have managed to decipher the hidden riddle within this dish!

Li Yan then bowed and said, "In my humble opinion, the four subjects of study that the Patriarch asked me about during the day were actually a test of my fundamental Daoist heart."

Techniques, whether still or moving, are merely branches and leaves; only longevity is the root and foundation.

However, branches and leaves protect the roots, and the roots contain the branches and leaves; they are two sides of the same coin.

The patriarch patted his shoulder, a gesture of enlightenment to his disciple: the Way lies in harmony, not in quantity.

The garden was quiet for a moment.

As the wind rustled through the pines, the patriarch slowly turned around.

Under the moonlight, his gentle face revealed no emotion, only his eyes, deep as the night, hinting at the birth and death of all things.

His gaze first fell on Sun Wukong, and he nodded slightly: "You monkey are quite clever."

He then turned to Li Yan, staring at him for several breaths.

"Your insights already contain some of the true meaning of the Tao. However..."

The patriarch's tone shifted, becoming increasingly somber:

The word "Tao" is easy to say.

Only when one truly practices and experiences the truth does one realize how difficult each step is.

You two, one seeks only the fundamental and despises all other methods.

One tries to embrace all rivers but fails to distinguish between primary and secondary matters.

None of these are the superior mindset for the Way.

Sun Wukong said urgently, "Master! Your disciple is willing to learn the true way!"

Li Yan also bowed: "Please enlighten me, Master."

The patriarch remained silent, only raising his finger to draw a line in the air.

As the fingertips passed, moonlight condensed, transforming into two lines of ancient seal script that hung in mid-air:

Difficult, difficult, difficult, the Dao is most profound, do not take the elixir of immortality lightly.

Without encountering a wise person to impart the secrets, empty words will only leave your mouth weary and your tongue dry!

Each word struck like gold and jade, resonating deep within the mind and spirit.

Li Yan felt the Dao tree in his Niwan Palace tremble slightly, and his primordial spirit opened its eyes and stared at the two lines of Dao text.

The tortoise shell, which carries the Dao, is slightly warm in my arms, and the patterns of the Eight Trigrams unfold on their own.

This is the manifestation of the Dao, which contains the true words of the Great Dao!

Sun Wukong's golden eyes shone brightly, and he scratched his ears and cheeks, as if he had figured something out.

The patriarch withdrew his finger, and the two lines of Daoist text slowly swirled, transforming into two vortexes of energy, one yin and one yang, intertwining and flowing.

Yin is like the cool, clear moonlight, while Yang is like the warm, gentle sunlight. Yin and Yang embrace each other, gradually forming the shape of Tai Chi.

"I have summoned you two here today not to reprimand you."

The patriarch's voice remained as gentle as ever, yet every word struck the heart of the Dao:

"Wukong, you are endowed with extraordinary talent, a spiritual being born of heaven and earth, and your cultivation progresses by leaps and bounds each day."

However, the stronger one's foundation, the heavier the calamities.

Have you been contemplating the wonderful technique I recently shared with you?

Sun Wukong immediately knelt down: "Disciple will remember!"

The true and wondrous secret of the perfect integration of exoteric and esoteric teachings lies in the cultivation of one's nature and life force, for there is no other way. It all comes down to essence, energy, and spirit; carefully guard and firmly store them, lest they leak away.

During these six months of seclusion, I devoted myself to enlightenment day and night, and only then did I achieve the fruition of the Five Elements Returning to Their Origin!

"Just remember that."

The patriarch nodded, then looked at Li Yan:

"Your Dao Seed is a primordial essence formed by the fusion of stars and earth, and its foundation is as solid as that of Wukong."

However, you are too cautious and lack the courage to face death.

Today, I will also impart a wonderful secret to you; listen quietly.

Li Yan's mind sharpened, and he immediately calmed himself down.

In the Niwan Palace, the primordial spirit sat upright, forming a hand seal, with nine petals radiating light.

The mirror of the heart hangs high, ready to reflect everything.

The patriarch spoke, but his voice did not come from his mouth; rather, it resonated directly in the mind and spirit:

"Mysterious, mysterious, the Dao is inherent; do not take the Jade Liquid lightly."

If you receive guidance from a true master, the void will shatter and your true face will be revealed.

Upon seeing her true face, her nature shines brightly; may she plant a golden lotus in her spiritual realm.

The moon reflects on a thousand rivers, and the rivers reflect the moon; the sky contains all things, and the things contain the sky.

If one can encompass all things and establish a firm foundation for the Way, then one can refine true lead in water.

By gathering and combining the four elements, one can achieve success and unlock the profound mysteries of the universe.

These few words, each one like a hammer blow, struck Li Yan's heart!

With each word heard, strange phenomena arose in the Niwan Palace.

"Profound, profound, profound, the Dao is inherently so."

The Dao Tree trembled, and starlight shone brightly among its branches and leaves. A phantom image of the Zhou Tian Star Chart appeared, and 365 main stars lit up simultaneously.

"Don't take this jade liquor lightly."

The primordial spirit opened its mouth and inhaled, its pores opening and closing, condensing into drops of jade liquid in the Niwan Palace to nourish the Dao Tree.

"If you receive guidance from a true master, you will see the true face of the universe as the void is shattered."

All three teams won top honors.

The tortoise shell and the eight trigrams are used to deduce the principles of the birth and death of emptiness.

The incomplete tortoise shell provides spiritual guidance, illuminating the origin of one's own Dao seed.

The fragments of the water vein harmonize yin and yang, stabilizing the body and soul.

The three forces combine into one.

"boom!"

Li Yan felt as if he had broken through his shackles and glimpsed a chaotic, undifferentiated void.

"To see the true face is to see the full radiance of one's nature."

In that void, a spark of primordial spiritual light suddenly appeared.

Although it was only for a moment, it caused Li Yan's primordial spirit to fully open its eyes.

His eyes reflected the mysteries of the heavens and the earth's veins.

"Plant a golden lotus in your mind's eye."

At the top of the Dao Tree, in the center of the nine-petaled primordial spirit flower, a point of golden light condensed and slowly transformed into a lotus seed phantom.

Though not yet in bloom, it already contains boundless vitality!

"The moon reflects on a thousand rivers, and the rivers reflect the moon."

My heart trembled violently.

The mirror no longer only reflects itself, but begins to reflect the outside world!

Bamboo shadows, moonlight, pine breeze, the five elements circulating around Sun Wukong, and the unfathomable Daoist aura of the Patriarch... all manifested.

Although blurry, it already reflects the rudiments of the universe.

"The heavens contain all things, and all things contain the heavens."

The Zhou Tian star chart has come to life.

Resonate with the real starry sky.

Li Yan could sense which direction the Big Dipper was pointing at that moment, and where each of the Twenty-Eight Mansions had moved to...

"Containing all things, the foundation of the Way is firm."

The Star Earth Seed began its third transformation.

Star power and earth virtue begin to contain and influence each other.

The power of stars gives birth to the profound virtue of earth, and the virtue of earth gives rise to the ethereal power of stars.

The jade-colored trunk of the Dao tree turned into chaos, and the star patterns on its branches and leaves evolved into the veins of mountains and rivers.

"Then one can refine true lead in water."

Within the kidney meridian, the phantom image of a tortoise and snake, transformed from the seven constellations of Xuanwu, chants a long lament.

The kidneys belong to the water element, store essence, and are the abode of true lead.

At this moment, the tortoise and snake intertwine, causing the essence in the kidneys to rise and complement the fire of the Vermilion Bird in the heart meridian.

This is a perfect example of water and fire in harmony.

"Gather the four symbols and use them together."

The illusory images of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise simultaneously manifested, intertwining and swirling to form a grand array of the four symbols around him.

The green wood of the East flourishes, the metal of the West is stern and deadly, the fire of the South rises upwards, and the water of the North flows downwards.

The four elements rotate in turn, corresponding to the four seasons, thus evolving the mechanism of continuous life.

"Once you've achieved success, you can then unlock the secrets of the universe."

All phenomena are unified.

Inside the Niwan Palace, the golden lotus seed at the top of the Dao Tree trembled.

A profound and mysterious Daoist aura spread out.

Li Yanfu suddenly realized that this was the opportunity to break through the mysterious gate and manifest the three flowers.

Although a breakthrough has not been achieved immediately, the door has been opened, and all that remains is for the right conditions to be met.

After the incantation was recited, moonlight flowed through the garden, and the pine breeze whispered softly.

Li Yan closed his eyes and concentrated, fully comprehending the meaning.

These few clever tips, though seemingly different from those obtained by Sun Wukong, actually originate from the same source.

All of these are the exoteric and esoteric paths that directly point to the fundamental principles of longevity.

The difference is that,

What Wukong gained was the refinement of the three treasures of essence, energy, and spirit, following the path of cultivating both body and mind through refining essence into energy, refining energy into spirit, and refining spirit into emptiness.

The saying goes that the moon hides the jade rabbit and the sun hides the crow, and the tortoise and snake intertwine, which is the essential method of internal alchemy for the harmony of yin and yang and the union of dragon and tiger.

What one gains is the harmony of Heaven, Earth, and Man.

It follows the path of harmony between heaven and man, where the stars and earth merge, the four elements gather, and all things are encompassed.

The saying goes, "The moon reflects in a thousand rivers, and the rivers reflect the moon; the sky contains all things, and the things contain the sky."

It is the righteous and profound teaching of the Xuanmen School, which uses the power of heaven and earth to nourish oneself and reflects one's own heart upon the vast world.

Different paths, same destination.

They all attain longevity and transcend the cycle of reincarnation.

After a long while, Li Yan slowly opened his eyes.

The image of the rising and falling stars in his eyes became increasingly clear, and a faint golden lotus phantom bloomed deep within his pupils.

He bowed in greeting:

"Thank you, Master, for transmitting the Dharma! This disciple... has understood."

This enlightenment is not complete enlightenment.

Instead, they glimpsed the direction ahead and understood the fundamental principles of the law.

True cultivation and verification still require the polishing of time.

The Patriarch stroked his beard, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes, but then turned to ask Sun Wukong:

"Wukong, listen to this wonderful technique. Is it different from the one you learned?"

Sun Wukong scratched his ear in deep thought, his golden eyes darting around.

After a long pause, the monkey said:

"Master! I can tell."

My senior's passage is fundamentally the same as mine!

They all teach people to uphold the fundamentals, harmonize Yin and Yang, and gather the Five Elements and Four Symbols!

He counted on his fingers as he explained:

"What I said back then was about 'vitality, energy, and spirit,' which taught me to refine the three treasures of the physical body, true essence, and soul into one, so that they wouldn't dissipate."

"Senior brother's passage about the moon reflecting on a thousand rivers and the river reflecting the moon, in my opinion, is about refining the individual self and the universe into one."

My heart is like the moon, and the world is like rivers. The moon shines in the rivers, and the rivers reflect the moon in turn.

You are in me, and I am in you!

"The part where I said that there is a tortoise and snake intertwined is to teach me to harmonize the kidney water (tortoise) and heart fire (snake) together, so that water and fire are in balance."

"What you said about refining true lead in water is the same principle."

True lead is the essence of the kidneys, refined through the method of harmonizing water and fire!

"And that last sentence."

My method involves gathering and reversing the five elements, while my senior brother's method involves gathering and combining the four symbols.

The Five Elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth) and the Four Symbols (Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise) are all part of the same set!

The Five Elements are the foundation, and the Four Symbols are the manifestations!

Sun Wukong became more and more excited as he spoke:

Master!

What you passed on to me and my senior brother is probably two sides of the same coin!

My approach focuses on internal cultivation, while my senior brother's approach focuses on external integration!

True perfection comes from cultivating both inner and outer qualities!

Li Yan listened from the side and nodded to himself.

This profound principle truly emphasizes the interaction between heaven and humanity, and the encompassing of all things.

Furthermore, it perfectly aligns with his own Star Earth Dao Seed and the foundation of the Zhou Tian Star Chart.

The patriarch nodded slightly:

"You do have some understanding."

Indeed, both of these wonderful techniques come from the general outline of the "Great Celestial Immortal Technique".

The General Outline, named the True and Wonderful Secret of the Perfect Union of Exoteric and Esoteric Teachings, is one of the supreme and fundamental methods of our Xuanmen (Taoist school).

What Wukong obtained was the first half of the general outline, which focused on cultivating both body and mind.

What Li Yan obtained was the latter half of the general outline, emphasizing the unity of heaven and humanity.

The tone deepened:

"However, what I am imparting to you two today is merely the general outline of the general principles. The complete and true 'Great Celestial Immortal Technique' cannot be given at this moment."

Sun Wukong asked anxiously, "Master! Why can't you teach me everything?"

Although Li Yan was also tempted, he remained calm and waited.

The patriarch's arrangement must have had a profound meaning.

Sure enough, the patriarch's gaze swept over the two of them, and he slowly said:

"The Great Celestial Immortal Technique is a method to seize the creation of heaven and earth and an art to invade the mysteries of the sun and moon."

Cultivating this path can lead to becoming a celestial being, but calamities will also follow.

"You two are not yet firmly established, and your hearts are not yet pure. If you rashly attempt to study the entire text, you will surely suffer three calamities."

"The dangers of the three calamities?" Sun Wukong's golden eyes widened.

Li Yan's heart stirred.

coming!

In the original story, after Wukong completed his studies, the Patriarch said that there would be five hundred years of thunder disasters, five hundred years of fire disasters, and five hundred years of wind disasters!

The patriarch rose, put his hands behind his back, and gazed at the moon:

"Cultivating immortality is going against the will of Heaven. Once the elixir is completed, even ghosts and gods will find it intolerable. Every five hundred years, a calamity will befall you."

"The first calamity is being struck on the head by lightning."

One must understand one's true nature and clear mind, foresee ominous signs, and take precautions in advance. If one can escape, one will live as long as heaven. If one cannot escape, one's body and soul will perish.

"The first calamity is being struck on the head by lightning."

One must understand one's true nature and clear mind, foresee ominous signs, and take precautions in advance. If one can escape, one will live as long as heaven. If one cannot escape, one's body and soul will perish.

"The second calamity is being consumed by yin fire."

This fire is no ordinary fire, but originates from the Yongquan acupoint and penetrates directly to the Niwan Palace, turning the five internal organs to ash and causing the four limbs to decay.

A thousand years of arduous cultivation, all in vain.

"The third calamity is the bone-eroding wind."

This wind enters through the fontanelle, passes through the dantian, pierces the nine orifices, causing the bones and flesh to dissolve, and the body to naturally dissolve.

"There are ways to avoid all three calamities."

I have summoned you two here today, firstly to impart the fundamental principles and secrets, and to solidify your foundation.

Secondly, he was to be taught supernatural powers of transformation in preparation for future tribulations.

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the garden suddenly became solemn.

The moonlight seemed to grow colder.

Li Yan's heart was heavy.

He had long known of the potential harm of the three calamities.

But hearing the patriarch speak with my own ears still sent chills down my spine.

The calamities of this world are indeed exceptionally dangerous.

Sun Wukong scratched his ear and said, "Master! Since you have a way to evade it, quickly teach me!"

The patriarch turned around, his gaze falling on the two of them:

"To avoid the three calamities, one must use supernatural powers."

There are two great methods of transformation in the world: the Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Dipper and the Seventy-Two Transformations of the Earthly Fiends.

"The Heavenly Dipper Numbers consist of thirty-six variations, which are transformations of the Dao body."

When cultivated to its highest level, one can transform the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth and unravel the mysteries of the universe.

It emphasizes the fundamental principles over mere techniques; though the variations are few, each one points directly to the origin.

"The Earthly Fiends number has seventy-two variations, which are the variations of the Dao."

When one cultivates to the highest level, one can understand the characteristics of all things and transform them into different forms without hindrance.

It emphasizes technique over principle, resulting in numerous variations and endless wondrous applications.

"You two, each choose one."

Without hesitation, Sun Wukong declared, "I'll choose the Seventy-Two Earthly Transformations! The more I try, the better!"

Li Yan, however, fell into deep thought.

The Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Gang emphasize the Dao Body and point directly to the origin.

The Seventy-Two Transformations of the Earthly Fiends, when applied according to the Dao, have endless wondrous uses.

According to conventional theory, the Earthly Fiends seem to be more practical.

With seventy-two transformations, it is convenient for fighting enemies, exploring secrets, and escaping.

But... I cultivate the path of the dead.

The path of cultivation does not seek numerous techniques, but rather a solid foundation to preserve one's life.

Although the Heavenly Dipper Transformation is few in number, it points directly to the origin.

Every change can be explored in depth, and it is more in line with one's own star-earth Dao seed and the path of unity between heaven and man.

Moreover, the secret technique that the patriarch just passed on emphasizes the inclusion of all things.

The evolution of the Heavenly Gang Transformation into the Mysterious Mechanism of the Heavenly Cycle perfectly aligns with this idea!

Thinking of this, Li Yan bowed and said:

"This disciple wishes to learn the Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Dipper."

A hint of appreciation flashed in the patriarch's eyes, but he asked, "Why not choose the Seventy-Two Transformations?"

Li Yan respectfully replied:

"This disciple has gained some insight from the Patriarch's teachings yesterday—"

The key lies in quality, not quantity.

Although the Thirty-Six Transformations are few, each one is worthy of in-depth study and is compatible with the disciple's Star Earth Dao Seed and the Zhou Tian Star Chart foundation.

Moreover, the essence of change lies in its spirit rather than its form.

The Heavenly Dipper Transformation points directly to the source, perfectly embodying the beauty of the moon reflected in a thousand rivers.

He added:

"Furthermore, in my cultivation, I only seek to be safe and secure."

While the Seventy-Two Transformations have endless uses, mastering them requires a broad understanding of the characteristics of all things, takes a long time, and can easily distract one's attention.

Focusing on the fundamentals within the Thirty-Six Transformations may allow for a faster entry into the path, preparing one for the Three Calamities.

This is the truth.

For those who follow the right path, time is precious.

Rather than trying to do too much at once and ending up with nothing, it's better to specialize in one thing and focus on survival first.