Mythology

Chapter 469 Five Hundred Years Have Passed (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
The three demons were only at the Innate Realm, and they wore Taoist robes in a rather incongruous manner.

Even its limbs were not fully transformed, resulting in an abnormally awkward walking posture. If it had just eaten a living person, it wouldn't be in such a sorry state.

In the original Journey to the West, the three demons were also kind-hearted.

The four travelers journeyed westward, encountering almost exclusively Buddhist towns. However, Chechi Kingdom was a Taoist kingdom, and the three demons even established a temple dedicated to the Three Pure Ones in the city, where they devoutly worshipped every day.

The main evil they committed was forcing monks to perform labor, while the common people lived in peace and prosperity.

Even when they wanted to harm the four members of the group, they would propose a contest of supernatural powers, such as a cloud ladder displaying divine abilities, guessing objects through a partition, or beheading and dissecting hearts...

In the end, it met a tragic end, its soul scattered and its body destroyed, before the Monkey King.

Yang He smiled without saying a word. If the three demons of Chechi Kingdom hadn't targeted the monk, he might have been spared. After all, which of the demons in Journey to the West wasn't more ruthless than these three?

Gulu.

As the three demons and one person stared at each other, the tiger demon couldn't help but swallow hard, but still maintained a sanctimonious appearance. The deer demon nervously rubbed his hooves, while the sheep demon kept scrutinizing Yang He.

"mortal!"

The tiger demon, with a stern face, shouted gruffly, "This is Sanqing Mountain, leave at once!"

As he spoke, he wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth.

"Eating the five pungent spices and reciting them is the first offense in the precepts. It is said that practicing and reciting them offends the gods, defiles the true realm, and will result in the retribution of a poisonous snake piercing the heart..."

The tiger demon tried his best to suppress his appetite, while the other two demons also seemed eager to devour it.

“Senior brother, even if we don’t eat this mortal, it will still cause a stir in a few days. Since he’s trapped in the mountains, we might as well pretend we didn’t see him.”

“Yes, yes!” the sheep demon replied, his eyes fixed on Yang He.

"This person exudes a sinister aura, with a dark complexion; he must smell terrible."

The three demons muttered to themselves, finding various reasons not to break the rules.

Yang He noticed that the three demons did not have a superior lineage of Taoist teachings at all. They were most likely raised by a Taoist priest in a temple and, under the influence of their surroundings, began to call themselves Taoist disciples.

Even the temple on the mountaintop was built by the three demons themselves. The statues of the Three Pure Ones inside were extremely simple, but they still retained their spirit, indicating that they had faced the statues of the Three Pure Ones for a long time.

Yang He had seen many demons, but very few could resist the urge to eat people.

The three demons, so single-minded, couldn't help but become interested.

"Let's go, let's go. He saw that the three of us brothers were not moving. He might be mentally impaired. If we eat him, it might affect our cultivation."

The order of the three demons is also quite interesting. Surprisingly, the sheep demon is in the lead, followed by the deer demon, while the tiger demon, who is at the top of the food chain, is at the end.

Just as they were about to leave, they heard Yang He yawn.

Followed by.

Yang He's body suddenly revealed a dark aura, forming an extremely dense fog that spread outwards. The three demons were caught off guard and almost fell off the cliff.

The three demons looked at each other, staring blankly at Yang He.

Yang He's Yin energy circulated through the Great Heavenly Cycle, with the Three Ghost Immortal Lords appearing and disappearing behind him.

The countless eyes of the Pupil Demon rotated simultaneously, the Thousand Hands of the Power Demon formed a hand seal, and the Nuo Xiang Demon sat cross-legged in the center, holding three artifacts.

thump!
The three demons knelt down on the ground in unison, kowtowing repeatedly.

The tiger demon was the strongest, its power causing the cave to vibrate and hum. "This disciple was blind to the greatness of Mount Tai! Today I have finally met... a true immortal!!"

The sheep demon trembled as he pulled out a tattered ordination certificate.

"Please, Great Immortal, accept us as your disciples! We are the guards of Xiaotan Temple, three hundred miles away. We have been cultivating with the old Taoist priest for thirty-five years. Not long ago, our master passed away peacefully, and the temple was occupied by a bald monk. So we came here together to establish a Taoist temple."

The deer demon quickly explained, "The bald monk is very wicked. Even when we said we wanted to follow the Buddha to cultivate, they wouldn't allow it..."

The sheep demon quickly covered the deer demon's mouth, saying, "Although we are dull-witted, we have never eaten people in the past three hundred years and have always followed our master's teachings."

He suddenly remembered something and quickly pulled out a crumpled copy of the Tao Te Ching from his pocket.

"Great Immortal, please see! We recite the scriptures twenty times every day before the statues of the Three Pure Ones."

Say it.

The three demons were like elementary school students who had made mistakes, reciting the Tao Te Ching on their own. Although their recitation was halting and clumsy, they did not actually make any mistakes.

Yang He couldn't help but chuckle; the intelligence of demons was indeed no less than that of mortals.

"Why do you three want to become my disciples?"

The tiger demon looked up, its face contorted with grief, and said, "Master, although we are demons, we are devoted to the Dao. However, we are dull-witted and have not been able to learn even a single transformation technique in the past hundred years."

"Yes, Master."

The deer demon shook its head helplessly, "Why is it that we strictly follow the precepts of Taoism, yet after a hundred years we are still just a lowly demon, while those of our kind can rise step by step while being fat and bloated?"

“It takes us three hours to walk down the mountain to buy incense and candles every time,” the tiger demon interjected.

Yang He estimated that once the three demons realized that eating people could help them cultivate, they would probably go and hunt down monks. In the end, they would follow the old path in the original work, offending Buddhism and still wanting to live.
He felt a pang of pity as he watched the three demons prostrate themselves in worship.

Yang He's cultivation of the Great Nuo Transformation Immortal Technique is derived from the Great Celestial Immortal Technique. It molts once every hundred years, and it's almost time for it to happen.

Having three disciples would make things more comfortable.

When the three demons saw that Yang He did not agree for a long time, the tiger demon immediately broke off two of its tusks, and the sheep and deer demons also painfully broke off their horns.

“Master, this is a demon’s life-bound item. Please use it to refine weapons and pills.”

The natal object glowed with a faint blue light under the moonlight. It was the key to the progress of the demon's supernatural powers. Once Yang He refined it, he would be able to control the life and death of the three demons.

"He does seem to have some sincerity."

Yang He rolled up his sleeves and swallowed the three items that were his life-bound treasures.

"I will accept you three demons as my disciples, and above you are two senior brothers, both of whom are powerful demons with profound cultivation."

Upon hearing this, the three demons trembled and almost couldn't help but shed tears.

Thinking about how he had cultivated for a hundred years but had only reached the Innate Realm, he finally became a disciple of a celestial sect. He thought that he could transform into human form soon and take back Xiao Tan Temple.

"Do you three demons have names?"

"Go back to Master, no."

The three demons bowed respectfully, and the deer demon, sheep demon, and tiger demon without horns looked extremely comical.

“Let us take the names Yangli, Luli, and Huli as our Taoist names. Next, travel three hundred miles to the west and find a valley where you can cultivate in seclusion with your master.”

Yang He didn't explain further. His body suddenly stiffened, and bluish-gray stone patterns spread from the soles of his feet upwards, instantly transforming into a twelve-foot-tall stone statue.

The stone statue's features are vividly depicted, its weight pressing down three inches into the soil.

"This……"

The deer demon pawed at the ground restlessly with its hooves.

Having only recently become Yang He's disciples, the three demons didn't even know his name, yet they now had to travel three hundred miles, leaving them completely bewildered.

The sheep demon suddenly knelt down and kowtowed three times to the stone statue.

"Master wants us to emulate the ancients who traveled far and wide to seek the Dao!!!"

After saying this, the sheep demon untied the straw rope from his waist and, with the help of the tiger demon, tied the stone statue securely, then placed it on his back.

The three demons worked together to lift the stone statue, panting heavily.

The tiger demon snarled, "Master's body is ten times heavier than the bronze cauldron at Little Tan Temple! Could it be that he ate..."

"Don't talk nonsense! Master is definitely a celestial being descended to earth!!"

In the deep autumn forest, three unsteady figures struggled to move forward.

Although it was only three hundred miles, the three demons spent five years on it, during which time they tried to avoid human habitation and lived a life of hardship.

Upon arriving at the valley, the stone statues remained lifeless.

They even suspected that everything before was an illusion, but they still made offerings patiently and built a Taoist temple for Yang He in the valley.

Time flies, and a hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Although demons have the same limited lifespan as mortals, once they reach the Innate Realm, they can generally live for three hundred years. However, if they do not eat humans, their cultivation progress will be extremely slow.

A hundred years is a long time for the three demons whose cultivation is still shallow.

The three demons still chanted scriptures every morning and knelt in worship at dusk, rain or shine.

For a century, their cultivation has regressed rather than progressed. Their once barely maintained human form has long since crumbled, their limbs have turned back into hooves and claws, their hair is mottled and gray, and their cloudy eyes are dull and lifeless.

The three demons still remembered that they were Yang He's disciples, but their intelligence gradually faded away.

If nothing unexpected happens, the three demons will be reduced to ashes in ten years.

This day.

The three demons lay beside the stone statue as usual, emitting low moans from their throats, as if in response, or like the unconscious murmurs of wild beasts.

Click.

A faint cracking sound.

The three demons stared intently at the stone statue, and a thin crack appeared on the surface of the statue.

Then the cracks spread like a spider web, and the stone skin peeled off in a rustling sound.

"Teacher...master?"

Huli's throat bobbed, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

boom!
The stone statue shattered completely, and two intact skins slid off lightly. Yang He still looked like he was in his early twenties, as if a hundred years had left no trace. The yin energy around him receded, and his cultivation had reached the peak of his Nascent Soul stage.

The moment Yang He opened his eyes, a divine aura flickered between his brows, and it seemed that the characters "corpse" and "puppet" were constantly intertwined within it.

He looked down at the three demons and said, "You three demons can be considered to have sincere hearts."

A century has passed, and the three demons have degenerated into wild beasts. Only a sliver of light remains in their eyes to prove that they still remember who they are.

"Master..."

They lay prostrate on the ground, emitting low, whimpering growls as they remained in worship.

"From this day forward, you will be my personal disciples, Yang He's disciples."

Yang He raised his hand and waved, and the three demons' natal objects—tiger fangs, deer antlers, and ram horns—flew out from his sleeve and hovered above their heads.

This item, which is my natal element, has been refined in the Eight Trigrams Furnace for a hundred years.

They have now attained the intermediate level of Yin treasures and are not far from the superior level.

“Though you are dull-witted, you have kept the precepts for a hundred years and have never eaten people.”

He said calmly, "Today, I will bestow upon you a great destiny."

As soon as he finished speaking, the three natal items shattered and turned into three beams of green light that entered the three demons' spirits, followed by three peaches with human faces.

Yang He retrieved the remains of the Yellow-Eyebrowed King, followed closely by the Heavenly Demon Blood.

Ho ho ho! !

Tiger roared to the sky, its body swelled, and its gray fur disappeared, turning into colorful tiger stripes.

The deer's four hooves seemed to produce clouds, its antlers were like jade, and its spirit shimmered.

Yang Li stood upright, his eyes were clear as stars, and a pure aura surrounded him.

The three demons transformed again, still sporting beast heads, but their bodies were no different from ordinary people, and they did indeed exude an air of otherworldly grace.

Their cultivation level had reached the Concentration Realm in a very short time.

Yang He had no intention of passing on the Daoist lineage to the three demons, as their aptitude did not reach Sun Wukong's level, and they could rely on their own innate abilities.

The item that is destined for one's birth year is already a mid-level Yin treasure, and it is not impossible for it to be upgraded to a supreme acquired treasure in the future.

Once the three demons become immortals, their natal possessions will naturally transform into their natal divine abilities, and with their celestial demon bodies, their strength will not be too weak.

The three demons felt the surging demonic power flowing within their bodies, and were both shocked and grateful.

Hu Li kowtowed deeply and said, "Master, I will never forget your kindness in saving me! I will brave any danger, even death, for you!"

Lu Li and Yang Li also choked up, saying, "Disciples are willing to follow Master to the death!"

Yang He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze distant. "Now that you have been transformed, your future cultivation will no longer be confined to this small valley."

"Master, rest assured! Your disciple will definitely practice diligently and live up to your expectations!"

Yang He glanced at the three demons with a half-smile and said, "After you have completed your training, would you be willing to advance and retreat together with your senior brother?"

"I'm willing! I'm willing!" Hu Li patted his chest, his spirit soaring. "If Senior Brother has any orders, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Yang Li was more cautious than Hu Li. He carefully looked up and asked, "Master, may I ask what the background of our eldest brother is?"

Yang He raised the corners of his mouth slightly, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes, and slowly said, "Your eldest brother was transformed from a piece of spiritual stone at the beginning of the world. He called himself the 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' and once commanded seventy-two demon kings, shaking the Three Realms with his might."

Upon hearing this, the three demons were immediately captivated.

Tiger Power let out an excited growl: "Our senior brother has such a prestigious reputation!"

Lu Li couldn't help but exclaim, "No wonder Master said that Senior Brother's cultivation was profound; he is actually such an extraordinary person!"

Yang He continued, "He once caused a great disturbance in the Heavenly Palace outside the Thirty-Three Heavens, defeating 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals and almost overturning the Lingxiao Palace."

Hu Li couldn't help but fantasize about following his senior brother in battles across the land.

However, Yang He's next words caused the three demons' smiles to gradually freeze.

"Later, the Lord of Mount Ling personally suppressed him."

The three demons froze instantly. "The Lord of...Ling Mountain? Is that the one from the Buddhist temple?"

Yang He said calmly, "Yes, it's the one you're thinking of."

The three demons: "..."

Tiger's high spirits instantly deflated, Deer swallowed hard, and Sheep wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, forcing a dry laugh: "Master, Senior Brother is truly all-powerful."

Yang He added, "Oh, so your senior brother has offended two factions."

"One side is the Heavenly Court."

The three demons: "..."

Yang He: "The other side is Lingshan."

The three demons: "..."

Tiger's paws trembled slightly, Deer's hooves went weak, and Sheep almost couldn't catch his breath. The three demons couldn't help but tremble.

Yang He couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Scared?"

The three demons were on the verge of tears, but since they had already made the boastful promise, they could only grit their teeth and say, "Master, your disciples swear to follow you to the death!"

Yang He said meaningfully, "Don't worry, I will only let you go to find the place where Senior Brother is sealed after I come out of seclusion."

He considered that if things followed the Buddhist script...

Once Sun Wukong leaves the mountain, he will likely be forced to wear the golden headband, leaving him with no choice in the matter. He will have to become the Victorious Fighting Buddha whether he wants to or not.

Yang He planned to rescue him ahead of time. Logically speaking, in the original work, it was the six-character spell on Five Finger Mountain that sealed Sun Wukong. Tang Sanzang could break free by removing it. He was least afraid of this kind of method.

No matter how mysterious the talisman is, just exchange it for spiritual vision.

"From now on, focus on your cultivation. If you don't digest the medicinal power of the Human-Faced Peach, you'll become a side dish for demons to enjoy with their wine once you leave the valley."

Yang He pointed and infused the three demons with the Great Celestial Immortal Technique, along with some content on alchemy, weapon crafting, and array formation.

The three demons dared not slack off and quickly followed suit, sitting cross-legged to cultivate.

Yang He opened his mouth and swallowed, and the two skin pouches not far away fell into the Niwan Palace, instantly completing the originally incomplete third Nuo flag.

The character 弗 was finally completed, transforming into a 砩 that was as graceful as a dragon and as beautiful as a phoenix.

Yang He sensed a strange stone Buddha before his eyes.

It was the Immaculate Buddha, more than two thousand years later.

Immaculate Buddha sits cross-legged in the darkness, his body is grayish-white, and his surface is covered with countless tiny Buddhas. It can be said that the Buddhas inside and outside his body are comparable to the entire Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Their shapes are distorted; some have three heads and six arms, some have compound eyes, and some have mouths all over their bodies, silently reciting scriptures.

In the breath of the Immaculate Buddha, three thousand four hundred Buddhas were exhaled, their birth and death occurring in the blink of an eye.

Yang He's pupils contracted slightly, and he heard countless overlapping chants in his ears. He couldn't help but activate the external avatar of the demon, which transformed into a three-headed, six-armed form.

Because of the third Nuo flag, the divine power and rhythm became increasingly solid.

The moment Yang He regained consciousness, he naturally stepped into the third tribulation of True Unity, having been in seclusion for only two hundred years.

Perhaps there really is hope for a Great Immortal!

Yang He looked excited, glanced at the valley and set up the Yin-gathering and life-giving stakes again. Then he devoted himself to seclusion, occasionally diverting his attention to give guidance to the three demons and giving them some wine as resources.

He Zhen wanted to build a small world within his body. Since he already had a Daoist temple, he planned to skip a step and directly integrate the divine power and rhythm into the Daoist temple.

Integrating is a big problem; we can only keep exploring.

Yang He was initially a little anxious, but as one wrong answer after another was rejected, he gradually found the thrill of climbing higher.

Time flies by like a flash.

The course of history has been disrupted, but the inertia remains. In less than three hundred years, Dai Viet lost its national destiny and began to compete for power again.

In the 423rd year of seclusion, the Tang Dynasty was established.

During the Zhenguan era, a secret circulated in Chang'an: before Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan launched his campaign, his two sons had encountered a celestial being.

The immortal, with white hair and a youthful face, claimed to be a descendant of Jiang Shang. He had lived alone in Zhongnan Mountain for over three hundred years, comprehending the mysteries of heaven and earth. He took out a scroll of "Secret Notes on Averting Disasters" from his sleeve and gave it to Li Yuan's two sons.

After Li Yuan's second son ascended to the throne, the court issued decrees.

The methods of warding off disasters taught by immortals were incorporated into folk customs.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, people wear sachets embroidered with the Big Dipper; at weddings, salt and rice are sprinkled to ward off evil spirits; even children sing specific rhymes to ward off evil during games…

The common people felt that the immortal's merits were no less than those of Jiang Sheng, but they did not know the immortal's real name.

All that is known is that Jiang Sheng's original name was Jiang Ziya. Although he was surnamed Jiang, he was also from the Lü clan. To distinguish him, the immortal was called "Lü Zu".

Unfortunately, with the rise of Buddhist temple worship, Lü Zu's secret commentary on warding off disasters is rarely mentioned, but fortunately, it has already been integrated into daily life.

Lü Zu did not care about outside opinions and returned to the mountains and fields.

He went alone to a desolate valley.

Lu Zu respectfully performed the disciple's salute, then closed his eyes and waited.

As the yin energy soared into the sky, the mist that had enveloped the valley dissipated completely.

"Disciple Jiang Qi respectfully welcomes the immortal upon his emergence from seclusion."

(End of this chapter)