Journey to the West: Beginning with the Apprenticeship of Bodhi Patriarch

Chapter 113: The Difficulty of External Alchemy, Journey to the West is about to Begin (asking for monthly tickets)
It is too difficult to describe how difficult it is to get used to the temperature of the fire in the cauldron. Before I knew it, forty-nine days had passed in heaven, which corresponds to the number of seventy-nine days.

Laojun taught Jiang Yuan how to make the elixir three times. The first time, it should be 77 times, and the elixir will be successful. Jiang Yuan stood in the elixir room, recalling the process of Laojun making the elixir. It seemed that he had a unique understanding of the fire. Every time the fire changed during the elixir, it was difficult to control the air intake and exhaust.

Jiang Yuan watched it once, but he really hadn't learned it all. It was really difficult to learn the right technique, and it was a secret that was not passed on. It was extremely difficult for him to learn it all by watching.

Laojun ordered the fairy boy to put out the fire. Not long after, the fire in the cauldron gradually went down, and then the fairy boy took out the golden elixir.

I saw a bright red pill with a lingering fragrance that made people feel peaceful and clear-minded when they smelled it.

Laojun handed the golden elixir to Jiang Yuan and said, "Try it and see how it tastes."

Jiang Yuan took the golden elixir and said, "Laojun, this..."

Laojun waved his hand and said, "How can you make an elixir if you have never tasted it?"

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan could only thank Laojun again and again and swallow the golden elixir. The golden elixir entered his stomach and was burned by the true fire in his body. It melted in an instant. He only felt that his immortal body had grown stronger and his holy fetus felt refreshed.

Laojun asked, "Guangxin, how is it?"

Jiang Yuan pondered for a long time and said, "Laojun, the golden elixir is also beneficial to those who have achieved enlightenment."

Laojun said: "Of course it is beneficial. Otherwise, how could the monkey be invulnerable? Eating so many golden pills as food, and using the Samadhi Fire to forge one, he will definitely be invulnerable to all kinds of magic. You watch the whole thing, and I will refine the second pill and the third one."

Jiang Yuan bowed and expressed his gratitude, not daring to make any mistakes and concentrating his attention.

Laojun then instructed the Taoist, "Boy, please refine the second pill."

The Taoist boy who was lighting the fire and pulling the wind and watching the furnace was busy all the time, concocting the second golden elixir.

……

It takes 49 days to prepare one golden elixir. This recipe is used to prepare two golden elixirs in a row, which takes the full 77 days, or 98 days.

It takes time in heaven to refine two golden pills, but it takes countless generations on earth, and there is no time for cultivation.

In the Tushita Palace, in the alchemy room.

Jiang Yuan witnessed the successful preparation of three golden elixirs in succession. He seemed to be thinking about something and seemed to have some enlightenment.

After the three golden pills were completed, Laojun and Jiang Yuan returned to the central hall, sat down at a table, and gave the two golden pills to Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan couldn't refuse, so he thanked Laojun again and again and swallowed two golden pills.

Laojun asked: "Guangxin, you have just seen three golden pills become successful. What do you think?"

Jiang Yuan said: "Lao Jun, the theory of fire temperature is very difficult, but the difficulty is not just about fire temperature, there is also the theory of nine turns to make elixir."

Laojun asked with a smile: "How do you say that? How do you say that?"

Jiang Yuan said: "The difficulty of controlling the temperature lies in the weight. I don't know where to change the temperature. However, I am an expert in temperature. I have watched it three times and have some understanding. There are some unclear points in this nine-turn pill-making process."

Lao Jun said: "What is unclear? Tell me now."

Jiang Yuan asked, "The saying of nine turns to make an elixir means to refine it nine times with high temperature. I have seen a Taoist alchemist who would stop after refining it once and then use a low fire to warm it. When he had rested enough, he would refine it again. Isn't this nine turns done in one go?"

Laojun smiled and said, "This path is not as difficult as the inner alchemy path, but there is a time to rest. The fire in the cauldron cannot be stopped. Use a low fire to warm it, and the alchemist can rest for a while. When the fatigue is gone, it can be turned nine times. Before the nine turns, this golden elixir is raw, and it will be cooked after the nine turns."

Jiang Yuan said: "I will teach you."

Laojun asked: "Guangxin, do you understand? If you understand, I will give you some medicinal materials and you can make the elixir. If you can succeed in making the golden elixir, I will teach you the magical power of 'making the elixir'."

Jiang Yuan said: "Thank you, Laojun. I am willing to give it a try, but I hope you can send the two immortal children to help me. Besides, the way of alchemy cannot be accomplished by one person."

The external alchemy requires setting up the fire, drawing the wind, watching the furnace, and knowing the temperature and weight. It is difficult for one person to succeed. Once you are careless, you will fail.

Upon hearing this, Laojun took out a medicine box, handed it to Jiang Yuan, and said, "I told the two immortal children that this medicine box contains the medicinal materials for preparing five golden pills. You keep it. If you can't make it after five times of teaching, you must go to the lower world to look for medicinal materials."

Jiang Yuan expressed his gratitude.

The Lord Laojun then sent two fairy children to work with Jiang Yuan, teaching him to refine the elixir as soon as possible, and promised to give Jiang Yuan a thirteen-foot-six-inch Eight Trigrams furnace, an elixir room, and so on.

Jiang Yuan bowed and withdrew, then entered the alchemy room with the two fairy children.

The two fairy boys bowed and said, "Brother, we will do whatever you tell us to do."

Jiang Yuan returned the greeting and said, "Thank you two junior brothers. I wonder if you two junior brothers have a Dharma name?"

The two fairy boys said, "The master often calls us Golden Horn and Silver Horn. Brother, you can call us by these two names."

Jiang Yuan looked at Jinjiao and Yinjiao and said with a smile, "I'm going to trouble you two junior brothers today."

The second fairy boy said, "I don't deserve it."

Jiang Yuan said: "My two junior brothers, I will set up the furnace and the tripod, but please listen to my instructions, light the fire, and turn on the wind. When the fire is ready, I will tell you."

The second fairy boy said, "It's up to you, Senior Brother."

Jiang Yuan looked at the cauldron in the alchemy room, walked forward, set up the cauldron, and it didn't take long before he stood the cauldron up. His mind was as calm as water, so the cauldron was steady and motionless.

Jinjiao and Yinjiao praised: "Brother, your furnace and tripod setting are much better than those of other brothers in the palace."

Jiang Yuan said: "This step is very easy, so let's practice tranquility. If the mind is calm, the cauldron will be stable. If the mind is disturbed, the cauldron will be disturbed."

Jinjiao Yinjiao asked: "What is the difficulty of your achievement, brother?"

Jiang Yuan replied, "The difficulty lies in the temperature. To be honest with you, the temperature I practice is different from this temperature. I have observed it three times and have gained something, but the temperature theory cannot be understood by just observing it. Therefore, I often fail in refining the elixir. I hope you will not blame me."

Jinjiao and Yinjiao looked at each other and said, "If it's the right time, brother, we two might be able to help you."

Jiang Yuan asked: "How can you help me?"

Jinjiao and Yinjiao said, "Brother, we have been with the master for some years and know a little bit about the timing. If we can help you with the timing, you will definitely succeed."

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "I already know the good intentions of the two junior brothers. But this is my way, how can I take advantage of it?"

The Golden Horn and the Silver Horn had no choice but to give up.

Jiang Yuan set up the furnace and the tripod, and then he took off the lid and saw a little dust and frost inside the furnace. He swept the inner wall and found no dust or frost left.

He knew in his heart that this was most likely left there by Laojun on purpose, so he wanted to see if he had noticed this place.

The seven steps of external alchemy are to set up the furnace and the cauldron, clean the furnace and sweep the cauldron, warm the furnace and nurture the cauldron, collect and load herbs, light the fire and forge the elixir, form the elixir through nine turns, and extinguish the fire to complete the task.

Cleaning the furnace and sweeping the cauldron are also necessary tasks and should not be neglected. If the furnace and cauldron are not clean when teaching alchemy, alchemy will fail.

Jiang Yuan cleaned the cauldron and furnace, then ordered Jinjiao to light the fire and Yinjiao to pull the wind, starting a slow fire, accurate to the millimeter. Zhenren placed his palm not far from the cauldron, feeling the heat of the fire, and the holy fetus in the Niwan Palace moved secretly, helping Zhenren.

This step is called 'warming the furnace and nurturing the cauldron'.

Jiang Yuan paid careful attention to the simmering fire, and when he felt that he had accumulated enough true yang energy, he stopped the golden horn and silver horn, opened the medicine box, took out four herbs, opened a corner of the cauldron lid in turn to seal the true yang energy, and put the herbs in. There was a technique to loading the medicine, and the order and weight must not be messed up, and it could not be more or less.

He put the medicinal materials in, made the gold horn and the silver horn, and turned the fire to high. He paid attention to the conditions of the black essence and rabbit marrow.

But when you see the real fire being tempered, the black essence makes crackling sounds, the rabbit marrow makes gurgling sounds, the black essence sinks, and the rabbit marrow rises. Here Jiang Yuan lets Jinjiao and Yinjiao control the fire, turning the strong fire into a low fire, and letting the black essence and rabbit marrow gradually remain in the cauldron, neither going up nor down. This is the way to control the fire.

Jiang Yuan concentrated his attention on watching the furnace so as not to ruin the elixir.

I kept controlling the fire and watching the stove like this, and before I knew it five days had passed.

One day, Jiang Yuan saw a wisp of black smoke floating out from the Xun position of the alchemy furnace. He sighed in his heart, knowing that the elixir recipe had failed.

He said, "Two junior brothers, please stop and rest." Jinjiao and Yinjiao asked, "What's wrong, senior brothers? The fire is just right. Why do you stop?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "This method has failed."

Say it.

He gave up his seat, and Jinjiao and Yinjiao stepped forward to look, and they knew clearly that they had failed.

Jinjiao and Yinjiao asked, "Brother, the temperature is definitely right, how could it be wrong?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "Since the pill failed, there must be something wrong. Two junior brothers, let me think about it."

Jinjiao and Yinjiao did not dare to disturb them and rested aside.

Jiang Yuan thought for a long time, then asked Jinjiao and Yinjiao to refine the elixir and build a fire and pull the wind.

……

Time flies so fast that more than thirty days have passed without me noticing.

Jiang Yuan had obtained five portions of medicinal materials, and had already used four. He had reached the ninth stage of elixir refining. However, the ninth stage required time, and he had miscalculated the temperature, so the elixir failed.

After failing four times, Jiang Yuan gained some insights and decided to try again. He felt that this time he would surely succeed.

Jiang Yuan was waiting to make the elixir with Jinjiao and Yinjiao again.

Suddenly, a fairy boy knocked on the door.

Jinjiao stood up and pushed the door open. A fairy boy walked in and bowed, saying, "Master, Laojun wants to see you."

When Jiang Yuan heard that Laojun came to invite him, he had to put aside the alchemy and left the alchemy room with the fairy boy.

The golden horn and the silver horn bowed and sent each other off.

Jiang Yuan left with the fairy boy and walked to the central hall, where he saw Laojun waiting for him.

Jiang Yuan stepped forward and bowed to pay his respects.

Laojun smiled and said, "Guangxin, have you accomplished your mission?"

Jiang Yuan said: "No, I failed four times."

Laojun asked, "Can I use one more herb to accomplish my goal?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "I don't know."

Laojun asked again: "Why?"

Jiang Yuan replied: "The work is not yet complete, the mission is not yet accomplished, I dare not say more."

The old master pointed at Jiang Yuan and said with a smile: "You are so kind, if that monkey had a bit of your character, he wouldn't be like this now."

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "When Wukong's practice is complete, he will be like me."

Laojun said, "I won't tell you more about that monkey. I am calling you here because Bodhi has sent someone to ask you to go back."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan said goodbye and prepared to go down to the mortal world.

Laojun stopped him and asked, "Why don't you ask what's going on?"

Jiang Yuan said: "Since my master has called me, I will go there without asking any more questions."

Laojun said, "I thought Bodhi sent someone to tell you the story first. He thought you were eager to go home and would go without asking any questions. He wanted me to tell you the story first."

Jiang Yuan asked, "Since this has happened, may I ask, Master Lao, what is it about?"

Laojun pulled Jiang Yuan to sit down, and then said: "There is a Dharma Assembly in the West that will be held. This matter may be related to the transmission of Nirvana to the East. This matter has something to do with you. The Dharma Assembly will invite the Three Stars Cave of the Slanting Moon. If you participate, you will go to the lower world. If you don't go, you don't need to go home."

Jiang Yuan heard this and asked, "Laojun, can the Western Dharma Assembly be held in Lingshan?"

Laojun said: "It is Lingshan. This Dharma Assembly is called 'Yulanpen Assembly'. It is the Buddha from the West who preaches in person."

Jiang Yuan said: "My master usually doesn't like to teach the Nirvana Dharma. This time, since the Buddha from the West has personally invited me, if I don't go, my master will definitely go. But I can't make my master tired, so I will go."

Laojun smiled and said, "In that case, Guangxin, you can go to the lower world. I will leave this alchemy room with you. When you come back, you can go to heaven to make the elixir. While you are in the lower world, you can also try to make the elixir."

Jiang Yuan thanked Laojun.

Laojun said: "Since Guangxin is participating in the Dharma Assembly, you can ask your junior brother Monkey Head for some benefits."

Jiang Yuan heard this and asked, "What do you mean?"

Laojun said: "The monkey has some ability, but his mind is difficult to settle. He has been suppressed in the lower world for many years. Even if he has changed, it is difficult to appease the two gods. This ceremony requires someone to walk from east to west. There are countless disasters and obstacles. If the monkey can walk, he will be at peace when he succeeds. This is the good thing."

Jiang Yuan suddenly realized, "Old Master, I understand. If this is the case, it will be good for Junior Brother Wukong."

Laojun said: "That's right. Since you have descended to the mortal world, I will not keep you. I will send a soldier to accompany you and take you to the mortal world."

Say it.

The Lord Laojun sent a celestial being to escort Jiang Yuan to the mortal world.

Tian Ding took the order and asked Jiang Yuan to follow him and take him out of the heaven.

Tian Ding led Jiang Yuan out of Tushita Palace and asked, "Master, may I ask where are you going?"

Jiang Yuan replied: "It is Hezhou in the West Niu."

Tian Ding said: "Since this is Xi Niu Hezhou, we will escort the Immortal to the West Heaven Gate."

Jiang Yuan didn't know how to get to heaven, so he naturally listened to what Tian Ding said.

Tian Ding rode on a cloud and went with Jiang Yuan to the West Heaven Gate. After a while, they arrived outside the West Heaven Gate. Jiang Yuan thanked Tian Ding for seeing him off, then chanted a spell to gather auspicious clouds and used the "Qingyun Method". Together, they traveled 240,000 miles to the Xieyue Sanxing Cave.

……

Not long after, Jiang Yuan returned home and landed outside the Slanting Moon and Three Stars Cave. He saw Niu Wang dozing off not far away, leaning against the door and snoring like thunder.

When Jiang Yuan saw him, he walked up to him and took away the iron stick. He thought the Bull King would wake up, but he was still sleeping soundly.

He had no choice but to step forward and gently tap his Niwan Palace, which instantly woke the Bull King up. He asked, "Who is disturbing your Bull King?"

The Bull King looked around and saw Jiang Yuan. He was delighted and said, "Master, you have returned home after completing your mission. I haven't seen you for nearly two hundred years."

Jiang Yuan returned the iron rod to the Bull King and said, "It's not because I have accomplished my mission, but because I have something important to do, so I am going home. Why are you sleeping here, Bull?"

The Bull King said, "Master, I was tired from practicing martial arts, so I took a break. Unexpectedly, you saw me."

Jiang Yuan said, "You are snoring like thunder, as if you have been sleeping soundly for a long time. If you have free time, why don't you go home or practice? Why are you sleeping soundly here?"

The Bull King said, "Master, I have lived at home for a long time and have only been in the mountains for a short time. I took a nap today and did not sleep for long."

Jiang Yuan said, "I won't argue with you, you little bull. You need to practice hard. I will go to the mansion to meet the master and talk to you later."

The Bull King agreed, opened the gate of his mansion wide, and welcomed the immortal in, without causing any trouble.

(End of this chapter)