Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

After listening, Sun Wukong remained silent for a long time.

"north……"

He murmured, a hint of seriousness flashing in his golden eyes.

"Brother, although I, Old Sun, am only half a Golden Immortal, the world is vast, and there are many people stronger than me."

"If there really is some powerful figure in the north eyeing my Flower Fruit Mountain, I'm afraid I can't protect it by myself."

Li Yan looked at him.

"Your Majesty, I am not an outsider."

Sun Wukong was taken aback, then grinned.

"Yes, yes, brothers are not outsiders."

"Brother, what do you think we should do?"

Li Yan pondered for a moment.

"Those four old monkeys wanted me to take on that dying mission."

"That dying wish concerns the lineage of their master, and also their life and death."

"But if I accept it, I will bear the consequences, and from then on, I will be at odds with those northerners until death."

Sun Wukong's golden eyes flashed.

"Brother, if you don't want to take it, I, Old Sun, will block it for you."

Li Yan shook his head.

"Your Majesty, this is not a matter of whether or not to block it."

"The northerners, since they can command the Demon King and communicate with the four old monkeys across the distance, are truly remarkable."

Their rank is at least above that of a Celestial Immortal, or even higher.

"Although Your Majesty is only half a Golden Immortal, the outcome of a battle against such an existence is uncertain."

Sun Wukong scratches his ear.

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

Li Yan's eyes sparkled with starlight.

"I have a plan."

"Your Majesty, please listen."

He explained his plans one by one.

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's golden eyes lit up.

"Brilliant! Brother, you're really good at scheming!"

Li Yan shook his head slightly.

"It's not that I'm good at scheming, it's that I have no choice but to scheme."

"Since those people from the north have set their sights on Flower Fruit Mountain, they will take action themselves sooner or later."

"Before that, we need to figure out what he's trying to do."

Sun Wukong nodded, then shook his head.

"I've wiped out all the demons in that Demon King's Cave, so doesn't that mean we've lost our trail?"

Li Yan shook his head.

"not necessarily."

He looked out of the cave in the direction the four old monkeys had gone.

"Those four old monkeys had a conversation with the northerner across time and space."

"These are our only clues."

Sun Wukong scratches his ear.

"But they won't say anything."

Li Yan smiled slightly.

"They will."

"Your Majesty, please wait two days."

Two days later, at midnight.

The moonlight was like water.

Li Yan sat cross-legged on the large rock.

The gray sable crouched beside my knees, inhaling and exhaling the moonlight.

The jade mouse nestled in my arms, fast asleep.

Four figures walked slowly along the mountain path.

They walked to a spot three zhang (approximately 10 meters) in front of the large rock and stopped.

The gibbon looked up at Li Yan.

Those old eyes, clear as water, now revealed a hint of unease.

"Sir, the two-day deadline has passed."

"Have you made up your mind, sir?"

Li Yan gazed at it, concealing the secret of heaven, and asked in return:

"Old man, there's something I don't understand."

"Speaking."

"Is the person behind that troublemaker the same group that chased you down back then?"

The gibbon was taken aback.

Then, a complex look flashed in his eyes.

"Sir...how did you know?"

Li Yan did not answer, but only said:

"Old man, just answer me, yes or no."

The gibbon remained silent.

After a long while, it nodded.

"Yes."

Another cloud of doubt in Li Yan's heart dissipated.

From the very beginning, the people from the north had set their sights on Flower Fruit Mountain.

However, for some reason, he was unable to take action himself.

They could only send a lowly pawn like the Demon King to test the waters.

As for the four monkeys, it was because of that person that they ended up in such a state.

Now that person has made a move again, how could they not be alarmed?

How could I not be afraid?

They sought him out of his dying wish, acknowledging him as their master, but it was nothing more than a search for refuge.

Li Yan gazed at them.

"Old man, you've come to me because you want me to protect you."

The gibbon shuddered.

The three old monkeys beside it also looked surprised.

Li Yan continued:

"The account of the will is true, but not entirely accurate."

"Your great being did indeed leave behind a dying wish, and he was indeed waiting for a successor."

"But the successor cannot be just anyone."

"We must help you escape the pursuit of those northerners."

"Is it right?"

The gibbon remained silent.

After a long while, it slowly knelt down.

The other three old monkeys also knelt down.

"Sir, your insight is truly remarkable."

"This old man... dares not hide it any longer."

It looked up at Li Yan.

Those old eyes were now filled with earnestness.

"Sir, I, the Fourth Monkey, was indeed a powerful protector back then."

"That great being, known as the Primordial Ancestor, opened up the Spirit Ape Realm and taught all the monkeys."

"We have followed him for thousands of years and are about to attain the Great Luo Dao Fruit."

"But just then, a man came from the north."

"That person's cultivation was unfathomable. He fought the ancestor for three days and three nights, and in the end..."

A flicker of pain crossed the eyes of the gibbon.

"In the end, the ancestor perished, and the Spirit Ape Realm collapsed."

"We four monkeys escaped at the cost of our lives, carrying with us a wisp of our ancestor's divine will before his death."

"That divine thought said that if anyone can break our seal in the future, he will be the successor of his lineage, and we four monkeys will serve him as our master."

"But that person also said that the successor must help us escape the pursuit of the northerners."

"Otherwise, even if he accepts the dying wish, he won't live more than three days."

Li Yan listened quietly.

"Why are those people from the north hunting you down?"

The gibbon shook its head.

"I don't know."

"Old man, you've cultivated for thousands of years and once followed a powerful figure like the Primordial Ancestor. Don't you even know why your enemies are hunting you down?"

The gibbon raised its head and looked at him.

A hint of bitterness flashed in those old eyes.

"Sir, you are unaware of this."

"The people of the North have never shown their true faces."

"When the ancestor was fighting him, he used his supreme supernatural powers to obscure the secrets of heaven, so we couldn't see his appearance at all."

"I only remember..."

As he spoke, a flicker of fear crossed his eyes.

"I only remember those eyes."

"Through the thick fog, it was eerily green like will-o'-the-wisps; just one glance at it sent shivers down one's spine."

Li Yan was shocked.

"And then?"

"Later, the ancestor perished, and the Spirit Ape Realm collapsed."

"The four of us monkeys fought our way out, thinking we were doomed."

"But those northerners did not pursue us."

"He just... just planted a mark on us."

The gibbon raised its hand and pointed to its heart.

"This mark is the root of our self-imposed sealing of our cultivation."

"If it is not sealed, the mark will reveal its presence and guide the people from the north to find it."

"If it is sealed, it will be like a stubborn rock hidden deep in the mountains, and perhaps it can be avoided."

Li Yan's eyes were slightly open, reflecting his inner thoughts.

There was a faint mass of gray-black energy hovering around the chest of the gibbon.

That aura was similar to the aura of calamity, but even more profound and eerie.

It lies dormant deep within the primordial spirit, motionless.

But it will awaken as soon as its host shows the slightest sign of life.

[Detection: Remnants of the Primordial Chaos Realm's restrictive effects]

[Source: Unknown powerful being, of extremely high status, possibly above the Great Luo Golden Immortal]

[Current Status: Hibernating; requires continuous sealing by the host to maintain hibernation]

If the seal is broken and the restriction is activated, the caster can instantly lock onto the host's location.

Li Yan felt a chill run down his spine.

Above the Great Luo Golden Immortal.

The man from the north was of a higher rank than he had anticipated.

Seeing his strange expression, the gibbon smiled wryly:

"Did you notice, sir?"

"This mark is the reason why we have not dared to act rashly for hundreds of years."

"If it weren't for the fact that you concealed the secrets of heaven with the chaotic energy, we wouldn't even dare to utter these words tonight."

Li Yan remained silent.

He was performing a simulation.

In the mirror of the heart, countless images flicker and fade.

Then, he remembered something.

"Old man, did that Primordial Ancestor leave behind any belongings before his death?"

The gibbon was taken aback.

It exchanged a glance with the other three monkeys, a hint of hesitation flashing in its eyes.

Li Yan saw it all, but said nothing.

He just waited quietly.

After a long while, the macaque took a deep breath.

"Since you have asked, sir, I dare not conceal the truth."

It raised its hand and slowly reached into its own heart.

That withered hand, as if it were nothing, pierced directly through the skin, fur, and flesh.

A moment later, it withdrew its hand.

A jade slip appeared in his palm.

The jade slip was only three inches long, pure white, with a faint golden light flowing through it.

The surface of the jade slip is engraved with four ancient seal characters.

【Hun Yuan Dao Canon】

Li Yan's eyes narrowed.

The gibbon held the jade slip in both hands and raised it above its head.

"Sir, this is the last thing our ancestor entrusted to us before his death."

"The ancestor said that this thing is related to a great calamity of heaven and earth, and to the safety of all living beings."

"One must find someone who possesses the innate Dao seed, has a calm and steady mind, and does not covet fame or seek prominence before entrusting him with this task."

"I, the four monkeys, have wandered for hundreds of years and have seen countless cultivators."

"Some are gifted with extraordinary talents, some have extraordinary cultivation, some are ambitious, and some are compassionate."

"But not a single person could understand the words of the ancestor on his deathbed."

"until……"

As he spoke, he raised his head and looked at Li Yan.

"Until the gentleman arrives here."

"The Master preached for seven days, and what he taught were the fundamental methods, the way to nourish life, and the techniques for self-protection."

"I do not seek quick results, nor do I admire the mysterious; I only teach those ordinary monkeys how to live longer, run faster, and hide more safely."

"I have lived for thousands of years and have never seen such a preacher."

"In his heart, there was no thought of fame or fortune, only compassion for the protection of life."

"Just as the ancestor said, he has a calm and steady mind, does not covet empty fame, and does not seek prominence."

Li Yan listened without changing his expression.

But a strange feeling lingered in my heart.

He didn't think he was as good as the old monkey made him out to be.

He was just a cowardly Taoist cultivator who feared death.

The monkeys spread the Dharma only to accumulate auspicious energy and incidentally make Flower Fruit Mountain even better.

But in the eyes of these ancient monkeys who have lived for thousands of years, it turned out to be compassion?

He couldn't help but recall the words his master had said before he left.

"You are walking the path to the celestial realm, cultivating the way of encompassing all things."

"Walking through the world is like being in a mirror, reflecting all living beings and the universe."

"The more you see, the more you reflect, and the faster the cave evolves."

It seems.

It's not that he's so great.

It was these old monkeys who saw what they wanted reflected in him.

Li Yan gazed at the jade slip.

He didn't reach out to take it.

"Old man, may I look at this jade slip?"

"But there are a few things that must be said beforehand."

The gibbon was taken aback, then respectfully said, "Please speak, sir."

Li Yan slowly stood up.

Under the moonlight, that slender figure stood on the large rock, his aura calm and composed.

But at this moment, there was an indescribable weight in those plain eyes and brows.

"First, there is only one king on Flower Fruit Mountain."

That's Sun Wukong.

"I am just his brother, temporarily residing here."

"If you want to serve me as your master, you must first obtain the king's approval."

The gibbon and the three monkeys exchanged glances and said in unison:

"Rest assured, sir, we will first pay our respects to the King and seek his permission."

Li Yan nodded and continued:

"Secondly, my acceptance of this jade slip does not mean that I accept that dying wish."

"If the will requires me to do something beyond my capabilities, I will absolutely refuse."

A complex look flashed in the eyes of the gibbon, but it still nodded.

"What you say is absolutely right, sir."

"The ancestor's dying wish is not to force anyone to do something against their will."

"I only hope that a successor can protect this lineage and not let our efforts be in vain."

Li Yan gazed at it.

"What exactly was that dying wish?"

Li Yan gazed at it.

"What exactly was that dying wish?"

The gibbon was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Our ancestor said that a great calamity is about to befall the world."

"When the calamity strikes, all living beings perish, and even immortals and gods perish."

"He devoted his entire life to deducing a glimmer of hope."

"That lifeline lies within this jade slip."

"If the one who obtains the jade slip can decipher its mysteries, he may be able to protect the lives of the people in the midst of a great calamity."

The more protection there is, the more vitality there will be.

"The longer you protect it, the farther the journey will be."

Li Yan was shocked.

Then I recalled the words my patriarch spoke before he left.

"After you descend the mountain, everything you see, hear, experience, and feel will be integrated into the cave and become resources for your evolution."

"However, even within resources there are impurities, toxins, and the fires of calamity."

"If your Dao heart cannot be like a bright mirror hanging high, constantly being wiped clean, then demonic obstacles and calamities will surely arise within your grotto heaven."

The patriarch is indeed the patriarch; he had already revealed the truth long ago.

However, his cultivation level was still too low at the time, and he was unable to comprehend it.

Li Yan suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

"third."

He gazed at the four monkeys, his eyes sparkling like stars.

"Since you have spoken with that northerner across the distance, you should know why he has his eye on Flower Fruit Mountain."

"I want to know what you said to him."

Upon hearing this, the four monkeys all changed color.

The gibbon opened its mouth, but no sound came out.

The other three old monkeys also looked terrified.

Li Yan watched them quietly.

"Don't be alarmed, sir."

"I'm not going to pursue this matter with you."

"Only by knowing yourself and your enemy can you win every battle."

"If you want me to accept this jade slip, you must tell me the truth."

The gibbon remained silent.

After a long while, it slowly knelt down on the ground, its forehead touching the stone.

"Please forgive me, sir."

"This old man...this old man did indeed speak with that person across distance."

"But it wasn't of my own free will."

"It was him...it was him who forcibly awakened the imprints in our primordial spirits using a secret method."

"The moment that mark awakened, we were like puppets, powerless to control our own destiny."

"We will answer whatever he says."

Li Yan's eyes narrowed.

"What did he ask?"

The gibbon looked up, a hint of pain flashing in its eyes.

He asked the stone monkey, "Has it returned?"

"Has that jade slip ever appeared in the world?"

"Has anyone taken over the lineage of that old scoundrel Hunyuan?"

The last wisp of fog in Li Yan's heart finally dissipated.

The northerners' target, from beginning to end, was Sun Wukong.

Li Yan's mind raced, and all sorts of guesses came to mind.

But now is not the time to delve into it.

He lowered his eyes and gazed at the jade slip.

"Old man, I'll keep this jade slip for now."

"But there is one thing that must be made clear."

The gibbon quickly said, "Please speak, sir."

Li Yan said slowly:

"When you were communicating with those people from the north, did you mention that this jade slip was on you?"

The gibbon shook its head.

"Never."

"The man asked about the stone monkey and the jade slip, but we simply replied that we did not know."

He seemed not to believe it, yet he was helpless.

"After all, that mark can only make us speak, but it cannot search our souls."

Li Yan nodded slightly.

"That's good."

As he spoke, he took the jade slip.

Get the jade slips.

Within the Niwan Palace, the Mustard Seed Cave Heaven trembled slightly.

The budding golden lotus seed suddenly emitted a faint golden light.

When the golden light touched the jade slip, the jade slip completely swallowed the golden light.

Immediately, the four ancient seal characters [Hun Yuan Dao Canon] on the surface of the jade slip slowly lit up.

Li Yan felt a vast amount of information surging from the jade slip, directly entering his mind and spirit.

That was a picture.

A picture of the beginning of heaven and earth, a world in chaos before separation.

Yin and Yang intertwine, the Five Elements rotate endlessly, and the Eight Trigrams evolve infinitely.

The stars are arrayed, mountains and rivers appear and disappear, and all things flourish.

There was another figure sitting cross-legged in the center of the chaos.

The figure was indistinct, its features obscured, yet it seemed immeasurably majestic, as enduring as heaven and earth, and as radiant as the sun and moon.

Li Yan was terrified.

What kind of jade slip is this?

This is the beginnings of a hidden paradise!

It is even more profound and vast than his Mustard Seed Cave.

[Detection of a Cave Heaven Inheritance]

[The Primordial Ancestor, a powerful figure in the Dao of the Grotto-Heavens, whose cultivation level is suspected to be: Primordial Grand Luo Golden Immortal (already fallen)]

The transmitted "Hun Yuan Dao Zang" is the supreme classic of the Dao of the Grotto Heaven.

Includes: One scroll of the Primordial Chaos Creation Diagram, Thirty-Six Methods of Grotto-Heaven Evolution, Key Techniques for Planting Golden Lotuses, Secret Techniques for Opening Blessed Lands, and Mysteries of the Evolution of the Lesser Thousand Worlds...

[Currently available material for study: Primordial Chaos Creation Diagram (Fragment)]

[Requirements for comprehension: The third level of the Grotto Heaven (Mustard Seed Realm) has been achieved, the Golden Lotus Seed has sprouted, and the Qi of Affinity is ≥1000]

[Have you grasped its meaning?]