Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

Chapter 56, a high-energy chapter, is updated! Read it now: Four monkeys call themselves fellow Daoists, and the grotto-heaven transforms into a blessed land.

Li Yan did not immediately choose to comprehend it.

He opened his eyes and looked at the four monkeys.

The four monkeys were watching nervously, but when they saw him open his eyes, they quickly lowered their heads.

Li Yan said, "I have read this jade slip."

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

"I will not be your master."

The four monkeys were taken aback.

Li Yan continued, "I have only been cultivating for a little over ten years, and my cultivation is still shallow. How could I be qualified to be the master of you seniors who have been cultivating for thousands of years?"

"If you wish to stay, then stay on Flower Fruit Mountain and become my fellow travelers."

"If you do not wish to stay, take this jade slip and go find the one who can truly protect you."

I won't force you to stay.

The four monkeys exchanged a glance.

"Sir, your words remind me of my ancestor."

"That's what the patriarch said when he accepted us as his protectors."

He said, “I will not be your master. If you wish to stay, then stay. If you do not wish to stay, then leave.”

"As soon as we heard that, we knew we had met the right person."

"This stay lasted for thousands of years."

Li Yan remained silent.

The gibbon rose and bowed deeply to Li Yan.

"Since you are unwilling to be our master, then we will shamelessly address you as 'fellow Daoist'."

"From this day forward, whatever command you give, fellow Daoist, we will obey without hesitation, even at the cost of our lives."

The other three monkeys also stood up and bowed to Li Yan.

Li Yan looked at them and nodded slightly.

"In that case, I'll shamelessly agree."

"However, there is one thing that must be done first."

He looked towards the direction of the Water Curtain Cave.

"Tomorrow, I will take you to see the King."

"If he agrees, you may stay on Flower Fruit Mountain."

If he doesn't agree...

"Then I will send you out of the mountains and find another place to go."

The four monkeys exchanged a glance and said in unison, "We'll leave it all to you, Fellow Daoist."

The next day, at Chen Shi (7-9 AM).

Inside the Water Curtain Cave.

Sun Wukong sat cross-legged on the stone couch.

The smallest monkey, Little Drill, was perched on my lap.

This little thing now regards the king as its personal mount.

Aside from eating and sleeping, it just lies on the king's lap, wagging its tail.

Seeing Li Yan enter with four old monkeys, Little Drill Wind raised its head, its dark eyes full of curiosity.

Sun Wukong's golden eyes scanned the situation and immediately discerned the clues.

"Brother, these four old guys have finally decided to talk?"

Li Yan nodded and recounted the events of the previous night in detail.

After listening, Sun Wukong remained silent for a moment.

Then, he looked down at the little drill on his knee.

"Little creatures, tell me, should I take them in?"

The little drill blinked and made two noises.

Sun Wukong grinned.

"You're quite carefree."

He looked up at the four monkeys.

"You four, listen up!"

The four monkeys immediately lowered their heads.

Sun Wukong slowly said, "This Flower Fruit Mountain is my home."

"My children are my lifeblood."

"If you stay, you must promise me three things."

The gibbon said respectfully, "Your Majesty, please speak."

Sun Wukong raised one finger.

"First, you are not allowed to bully us kids."

"Their cultivation is shallow, and they can't withstand your abuse."

The gibbon quickly replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, we will treat you with sincerity and would never dare to bully the weak."

Sun Wukong raised his second finger.

"Secondly, you are not allowed to lay a finger on my brother."

"Since you gave him that jade slip, it belongs to him."

"If anything happens in the future, you can handle it yourselves. Don't drag my brother into it."

The gibbon was taken aback, then gave Li Yan a deep look.

This gentleman has indeed earned the king's deep trust.

It said respectfully, "Your Majesty, rest assured, we would never dare to cause you any trouble."

Sun Wukong raised his third finger.

"third."

A hint of seriousness flashed in his golden eyes.

"If those northerners come looking for you again, you must inform my brother immediately."

"No concealment, no delay."

"otherwise……"

He didn't finish speaking.

But even a sliver of that half-step Golden Immortal's pressure caused the four monkeys' souls to tremble.

"Rest assured, Your Majesty!"

The four monkeys responded in unison.

Sun Wukong nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright, I agree."

"You can stay wherever you want, just don't bother me."

After saying that, he lowered his head and went back to teasing the little drill.

The four monkeys exchanged glances, a hint of gratitude flashing in each of their eyes.

They bowed deeply to Sun Wukong, then to Li Yan, before retreating.

Li Yan sat down by the stone couch, gazing at Sun Wukong.

"Your Majesty, thank you."

Sun Wukong looked up and grinned.

"No need to thank me. My brother's business is my business."

"Besides, although those four old guys are of unknown origin, I can tell that they have no ill intentions towards us kids."

"If you want to stay, then stay. It's no big deal."

Li Yan smiled slightly.

"Your Majesty is magnanimous."

Sun Wukong suddenly stopped smiling.

"Brother, let me ask you something."

"Are those northerners really that powerful?"

Li Yan pondered for a moment and then slowly said:

"Even after the fall of a powerful figure like the Primordial Ancestor, he was still able to remotely control that mark and awaken the four monkeys."

"His rank is at least above that of a Great Luo Golden Immortal."

"even……"

He didn't continue.

A hint of seriousness flashed in Sun Wukong's golden eyes.

Above the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.

He murmured, "I, Old Sun, am now half a step into the Golden Immortal realm, but I'm still just one step away from becoming a Golden Immortal."

"If that person really comes, I'm afraid I'll..."

Li Yan shook his head.

"Your Majesty need not belittle yourself."

"Your Majesty is endowed with extraordinary talent and possesses profound knowledge of the Great Dao. Given time, you will surely reach the pinnacle."

"not to mention……"

His eyes sparkled like stars.

"Since the people from the north are only controlling things remotely and dare not take action themselves, they must have something to fear."

"His fear is our opportunity."

Li Yan nodded.

"Between heaven and earth, cause and effect follow a cycle."

"The higher one's rank, the heavier the constraints."

"If he dares to make a move lightly, he will surely be punished by heaven."

"Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent such a lowly soldier as the Mischievous Demon King to test the waters."

Sun Wukong scratched his ear, seemingly lost in thought.

"Brother is right."

"So, what's our top priority right now?"

Li Yan pondered for a moment.

"First, intensify your spiritual practice."

"May Your Majesty break through to the Golden Immortal realm soon, and may I evolve my grotto-heaven to the fourth level of blessed land."

"At that time, even if the people from the north come in person, they will have the ability to protect themselves."

"Second, conduct covert reconnaissance."

"Since those northerners have set their sights on Flower Fruit Mountain, they must have some ulterior motive."

"We need to figure out exactly what he wants."

"third……"

"Those four old monkeys are both a hidden danger and a clue."

"They have communicated with those people from the north across the distance, so perhaps they know something."

"But they themselves may not even know it."

Sun Wukong nodded.

"Then I'll keep an eye on them."

Li Yan shook his head.

"Your Majesty need not keep a close eye on him; simply be mindful during your daily interactions."

"Now that they have been honest with each other, they will not harbor any further disloyal thoughts."

"But that jade slip..."

He took out the gleaming white jade slip and handed it to Sun Wukong.

"Would Your Majesty like to take a look?"

Sun Wukong took the jade slip, examined it briefly, and then returned it.

"I don't understand these convoluted things."

"Brother, you can keep it."

"If you can understand this, you will have more confidence in the future."

Li Yan took the jade slip and put it into his sleeve.

"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony."

For the next few days, Huaguo Mountain remained calm and peaceful.

The four monkeys found a secluded cliff in the mountains, carved out a cave to live in, and lived just like ordinary old monkeys.

Only occasionally will monkeys come to ask for advice.

The four monkeys did not hold back, and taught each of them some basic methods of cultivation.

Li Yan saw this and nodded to himself.

They truly want to blend into this Flower and Fruit Mountain.

It's not about scheming for anything, just finding a place to settle down and make a living.

He was happy to see it happen.

After all, with the four monkeys around, the cultivation of those ordinary monkeys will be much faster.

And he could then free up his hands to study the jade slip.

This day, at midnight.

Deep within the Water Curtain Cave, Li Yan sat cross-legged in a stone chamber.

The jade mouse nestled in my arms, fast asleep.

Li Yan closed his eyes, his mind sinking into the Niwan Palace (a point on the back of the head).

Within the Mustard Seed Cave, the jade slip hangs suspended in the void.

The mirror of the heart hangs high, reflecting upon it.

Li Yan's mind raced.

[Consuming 1000 strands of karmic energy to comprehend the "Primordial Chaos Creation Diagram" (fragment)]

My heart trembled.

The jade slip then transformed into countless golden specks of light.

Points of light converged and slowly spread out in the void of the cave.

A vast scroll is slowly unfolding.

That picture was the one that flashed through Li Yan's mind when he first touched the jade slip.

In the beginning, when heaven and earth were first created, there was no distinction between chaos and order.

The yin and yang energies intertwined, like two giant dragons circling in the void.

It spirals and turns nine times, and yin and yang differentiate.

The pure air rises to become the sky, while the turbid air sinks to become the earth.

When heaven and earth were separated, the five elements appeared.

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

The five elements rotate, and all things are born.

In the center of this world, the figure sitting cross-legged slowly opened his eyes.

Those eyes seemed to see through endless time and space as they met Li Yan's gaze.

"Junior."

Its sound resembled the grand pronouncements of the Great Way.

"If you can see this picture, you are the successor of my lineage."

"My name is Hunyuan, and I am a cultivator at the ninth level of the Cave Heaven Dao."

"He devoted his entire life to deducing the great calamity of heaven and earth, and finally found a glimmer of hope."

"That vitality lies in this picture."

"Just watch and see."

Having said that, the figure raised his hand.

In the void, the yin and yang energies moved and transformed into a seed.

The seeds fall to the ground, take root, sprout, and bear fruit.

The fruit splits open, revealing a tiny world inside.

In the universe, there are mountains and rivers, plants and trees, and the sun, moon and stars.

The figure looked toward Li Yan.

"The Way of the Grotto Heaven uses Heaven and Earth as a furnace, Yin and Yang as charcoal, the Five Elements as medicine, and all things as copper."

"The first diagram of creation teaches you how to use your own grotto-heaven to evolve into a small world."

"Just watch and see."

He raised his hand and slowly moved it in the air.

Li Yan was terrified.

This is a supreme Taoist scripture!

He used the mirror of his heart to reflect upon it, imprinting every single stroke and line deep into his primordial spirit.

I don't know how much time passed.

The scroll slowly disappeared.

That figure gradually faded away.

Only one sentence remained, echoing in Li Yan's mind.

"Younger generation, a great calamity is imminent."

"You must evolve your grotto-heaven to the sixth level, the Lesser Thousand Realms, before the calamity begins."

"At that time, it may be possible to protect the lives of the people in the area."

"Remember this."

"Remember this."

The sound faded away.

Li Yan slowly opened his eyes.

In his eyes, the yin and yang energies flowed, the five elements circulated endlessly, and the eight trigrams evolved infinitely.

At that very moment.

Deep within the Water Curtain Cave, a sudden tremor occurred.

The vibration was both extremely slight and extremely powerful.

It was so light that only a few people could detect it.

The entire earth veins of Huaguo Mountain trembled for a moment at this instant.

In the Niwan Palace.

The Mustard Seed Cave is undergoing a tremendous transformation.

The tiny space suddenly expanded violently.

The Yin and Yang energies intertwined and differentiated in the void, like two ancient fish, head to tail, swirling and turning nine times.

The pure air rises.

The turbid air sinks down.

Heaven and earth were first separated.

The five elements arise from nothingness and each returns to its proper place.

The cycle begins, and life goes on endlessly.

In the center of that void, the golden lotus seedling began to tremble.

Faint golden veins appeared on the tender green stems and leaves.

Faint golden veins appeared on the tender green stems and leaves.

The patterns flowed and gradually converged, condensing into a single glimmer of light at the top of the stem.

A moment later, the light dissipated and scattered everywhere.

Immediately, the entire cave trembled violently.

Amidst the tremors, that small patch of empty space finally solidified, transforming into a true miniature world.

Between heaven and earth, there is a distinction between purity and turbidity, an order of the five elements, and a flow of yin and yang.

There were no sun, moon, or stars, no mountains or rivers, and no plants or living beings.

But from today onwards...

The grotto-heaven is no longer a vague and ethereal thing.

Rather, it is a truly blessed land that can sustain all living beings.

The mirror of the heart hangs high, reflecting this blessed land of new life.

On the mirror surface, lines of small golden characters slowly emerged.

[Completion of the fragment of the "Primordial Chaos Creation Diagram"]

[Understanding of the Dao of Grotto-Heavens has been greatly improved, and the evolution progress of Grotto-Heavens has increased by 30%]

[Breaking through from Mustard Seed Realm to Blessed Land Realm]

[Current Grotto-heaven: Blessed Land (15%)]

The golden lotus seed has grown significantly, transforming into a golden lotus sapling. Growth rate +15%, current: 20% (sprout stage)

[Comprehension: The First Form of Primordial Chaos - The Initial Separation of Yin and Yang]

This technique allows the Yin and Yang energies to evolve within the grotto-heaven, accelerating its evolution and enhancing its stability.

[Current Affinity/Dharma Energy: 1440/1280]

Li Yan exhaled a breath of stale air.

The breath that was exhaled carried a faint, chaotic hue.

It circled once in the stone chamber and slowly dissipated.

He opened his eyes.

The yin and yang energies in his eyes had disappeared.

Suddenly, the jade mouse in his arms woke up.

It raised its head, staring at Li Yan with surprise and doubt.

Just a moment ago, it sensed a strange aura emanating from Li Yan.

Li Yan lowered his head and gently rubbed its little head.

"fine."

"It's just a breakthrough of one level."

The jade mouse blinked, then lay back down, its tail swaying gently.

Meanwhile, outside the Water Curtain Cave.

Sun Wukong suddenly opened his eyes.

A hint of seriousness flashed in his golden eyes.

He looked towards the depths of the Water Curtain Cave, towards the stone chamber where Li Yan was in seclusion.

Just a moment ago, he sensed a strange aura.

The aura was extremely faint, so faint that it was almost imperceptible.

"Brother, what's going on...?"

He muttered to himself, then grinned.

"Wow, another breakthrough?"

"Faster than me, Old Sun? This is outrageous!"

Looking down at the little rascal on his knee, he said, "Little thing, your Uncle Li is amazing again."

The little drill winked.

Sun Wukong laughed heartily.

"Don't worry, no matter how capable he is, he's still my brother."

"I won't eat you."

In the distance, on the cliff where the four old monkeys lived.

The gibbon suddenly stood up and looked in the direction of the Water Curtain Cave.

His old eyes were filled with shock.

The other three monkeys also stood up and looked at each other in bewilderment.

"That is..."

"A blessed land?"

"No, it's not just a blessed land."

"Could it be that he has grasped the essence?"

"Has he truly grasped the essence?"

The four monkeys exchanged glances and all looked towards the direction of the Water Curtain Cave.

Inside the stone chamber, Li Yan closed his eyes and gazed inward at the blessed land.

This newly formed world, though only a few feet in diameter, is already taking shape.

He could clearly feel that this world was breathing.

With each breath, one draws a wisp of spiritual energy from the world.

The spiritual energy enters the blessed land, is refined by the Yin and Yang energies, and purified by the Five Elements.

Finally, it transformed into pure chaotic energy, nourishing the young golden lotus plant.

The young golden lotus swayed gently, scattering dappled sunlight.

Where the moonlight falls, the heavens and earth of this blessed land solidify a little.

"This is a blessed land."

Li Yan murmured.

"Use yourself as a furnace and heaven and earth as sustenance."

"Refine external spiritual energy to nourish the inner world."

"The stronger one's inner world, the stronger one becomes."

"The stronger one is, the more powerful external forces one can refine to nourish one's inner world."

"And so the cycle continues, endlessly."

Li Yan opened his eyes.

A faint smile played in his eyes.

The next day, at dawn.

In front of the Water Curtain Cave, a large group of monkeys gathered.

Li Yan stood before the waterfall and continued his sermon.

Today's topic is God.

"The spirit is the master of the heart. The heart houses the spirit, and when the spirit is complete, wisdom is clear."

"In your cultivation, first consolidate your essence, then replenish your vital energy, and finally concentrate your spirit."

"Only when the divine is complete can one speak of the Way."

Raise your hand, and it will evolve in the void.

The starlight coalesced, transforming into a pale golden point of light, suspended in the center.

The point of light slowly rotated, scattering dappled sunlight.

As the moonlight fell, the monkeys felt their minds clear and all their distracting thoughts vanished.

"This is God."

"A person with a complete spirit has a mind like a clear mirror; it reflects things when they come and leaves them empty when they go."

"Do not be attached to material things, do not be trapped by emotions, and do not be confused by desires."

"Only in this way can one speak of spiritual practice."

The monkeys listened intently.

Those four old monkeys have come today too.

They crouched at the edge of the crowd, listening to Li Yan speak.

As he listened, a complex emotion flashed in the eyes of the gibbon.

It recalled that back in the Spirit Ape Realm, the Ancestor had also preached in the same way.

Back then, they were young and thought they could follow their ancestor forever and achieve immortality.

But now...

It sighed.

The red-bottomed macaque beside him asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

The gibbon shook its head and did not answer.

After the sermon was finished, the monkeys dispersed.

Li Yan stood in front of the waterfall, gazing at the four old monkeys.

They didn't leave.

"Fellow Daoist."

The gibbon stepped forward and bowed deeply to Li Yan.

"I have a question I would like to ask you, fellow Daoist."

Li Yan nodded slightly.

"Please speak, sir."

The gibbon hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Fellow Daoist, did you comprehend that jade slip last night?"