Great Love for All Heavens Begins with Huang Yaoshi

Chapter 281 There was once a shepherd boy who cultivated the path of demons while in human form!

Since the beginning of time, the world has been divided into four major continents: East Sheng Shenzhou, West Niu Hezhou, South Zhanbuzhou, and North Juluzhou.

During the reign of Wang Mang, who usurped the Han throne, a mountain shaped like five fingers descended from the sky and pressed a divine monkey to the bottom of the mountain.

But this divine monkey was not afraid of the cold or heat, and did not eat or drink. However, the local earth god and the five guardian deities lived on this mountain and kept watch over it.

More than four hundred years have passed. People from the surrounding area often go up Wuxing Mountain to gather firewood and graze their livestock. They know that there is a talking, immortal monkey in a stone box at the foot of the mountain. However, they do not dare to approach it. They guess that the monkey has probably angered the Buddha and immortals, which is why it is suppressed under the mountain and suffers. They are afraid of being caught in the crossfire.

This day.

Just as a cowherd riding a bull was about to ascend the mountain, a shout came from a stone box at the foot of the mountain:

"Child! Child! Come quick, come quick!"

A hint of hesitation crossed the shepherd boy's face, as if he remembered his elders' instructions. But he clenched his fist, then made up his mind. He immediately jumped off the ox's back and walked curiously towards the stone box. There he saw a monkey peeking out, waving its hand wildly.

"Kid, I, Old Sun, am not some kind of monster that harms people. It's just that I've been eating iron pellets when I'm hungry and drinking molten copper when I'm thirsty for years, so I'm getting a bit craving. Could you help me pick a few peaches?"

He pointed to a peach tree not far from the mountain:
"Just pick a few right here."

"Aren't you a divine monkey? You shouldn't need to eat or drink!" the shepherd boy asked doubtfully.

“Child, you do not understand cultivation, you do not know the nature of Dharma, you will understand the source. After you have infused your spirit body, you must constantly temper the three treasures of essence, energy and spirit. I, Old Sun, have an indestructible body, I am not afraid of all kinds of knife and axe, fire and lightning. I can eat iron balls and drink copper juice to temper the three treasures of essence, energy and spirit.”

Having not seen a stranger for many years, Sun Wukong dared not speak to his local deities and the Five Directions Protectors. So when he saw that the shepherd boy showed no fear, he immediately started talking.

"You should know that from the gods in the heavens to the great demons in the land, after going through a fierce battle, they either eat elixirs and spiritual fruits or eat the three kinds of livestock and six kinds of animals."

He paused and continued:

"Of course, the most ferocious monsters like to eat human flesh to conserve their energy."

Upon hearing this, the shepherd boy showed no fear; instead, his eyes lit up. He picked a few peaches and quickly walked up to Sun Wukong.
"So, eating monsters is actually quite nutritious?"

As soon as Sun Wukong took the peach, his hairy face twitched, and he said with a slightly strange expression:
"Why aren't you scared at all? You even seem to want to eat monsters?"

"After I started practicing martial arts, my appetite increased day by day. I felt like I could never get enough to eat. I even secretly went to the mountains to hunt animals. A few days ago, I encountered a big tiger on the mountain and realized that my strength was greater than that of a striped tiger."

The shepherd boy touched his belly sheepishly and said:
"I was a bit hungry at the time, so I killed it with a few punches and kicks. That's when I learned what it really meant to be full."

"Furthermore, his strength surged, and he slammed his fist into a giant rock. After a moment of calm, there was a loud 'thud,' like stone hitting stone, and the giant rock shattered."

"It was also discovered to be extremely nourishing. If an ordinary large insect has such effects, what about a demon that has become a spirit?"

As he said this, he couldn't help but swallow hard.

Sun Wukong suddenly realized what was happening and stared at the shepherd boy:

"You were summoned here by me, Old Sun, not because you're thinking of eating monkeys, are you?"

The shepherd boy's eyes darted around, and he said somewhat guiltily:
"Not to mention that you're trapped under the mountain with only your monkey head showing, and you don't have any indestructible body, even if I wanted to eat you, I couldn't."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's eyes gleamed with golden light, and he activated his Fiery Eyes of Truth, a look of surprise appearing on his hairy face:
"Child, who taught you how to cultivate?"

"What is spiritual practice?" The shepherd boy scratched the back of his head.
“I just went up the mountain to herd cattle every day and observed their bodies day after day. I used this to exercise my muscles and limbs and practice boxing. I did it as a fun thing to do when I was bored. After a few months, I discovered that I had superhuman strength.”

Sun Wukong's expression grew increasingly strange:

"So you've discovered your own cultivation method. No wonder your muscles and skin are so well-developed, resembling a bull demon in human form."

"If you continue practicing, even if I, Old Sun, have fiery eyes, I won't know whether you are a human or a bull demon who has become a spirit."

The shepherd boy looked down at his hands and feet and said:
"I clearly have human hands and feet, how could I resemble a bull demon?"

"Right now we have enough manpower and resources, but who knows what will happen in a while?" Sun Wukong took a bite of a peach.
"Kid, how about we make a deal?"

"What kind of deal?" "I, Old Sun, will help you get back on the right path. In return, you will send me fruits and vegetables every day, how about that?"

"No."

The shepherd boy refused without the slightest hesitation.

"Why?"

Sun Wukong looked puzzled:
"Don't let my being trapped under the mountain fool you, I possess extraordinary powers."

The shepherd boy interrupted him directly:

"You were imprisoned under a mountain by the gods, which shows you committed a grave offense. How could you be on the right path? They might even be teaching you demonic magic."

"I might become a monkey demon. If I had to choose between a monkey demon and a bull demon, I would prefer to become a bull demon. At least bull demons are huge, strong, and have a big appetite. The more I eat, the more powerful I become."

Sun Wukong snorted coldly:
"You child are so ignorant. As long as I, Old Sun, am willing, I can be as big as I want, and my belly is a bottomless pit."

"Before he wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, he ate all the peaches of immortality in the Heavenly Court and all the elixirs in the Tushita Palace."

Upon hearing this, the shepherd boy's focus was entirely different, and he said:
"Havoc in Heaven? So you really did commit a serious crime. I guessed right, you were suppressed under a mountain by the gods in Heaven. Then I have even less to do with you."

"If the gods were to punish me, I wouldn't be able to explain myself no matter what I said."

As he finished speaking, he prepared to get up and leave, leaving behind the last sentence:
"Don't worry, since you're such a pitiful monkey, I'll bring you some wild peaches every three to five days."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong couldn't help but say:
"You really don't want me to give you some pointers?"

The shepherd boy did not turn around to reply, but simply waved his hand.

"What a strange kid. You'll regret this one day."

half year later.

At the foot of the mountain, a twelve or thirteen-year-old shepherd boy, with light steps, delivered a few peaches to Sun Wukong before being suddenly called back:
"Kid, what are you practicing again?"

The shepherd boy said with a completely innocent look:

"Although I haven't been to school, I've heard of the phrase 'the strength of nine oxen and two tigers.'"

"So, that's why you were observing the tiger?" Sun Wukong scratched his hairy face.
"If you keep practicing, you'll only turn yourself into a monster that's neither strong nor weak."

"It's because the ox form you're practicing is for body refinement, strengthening muscles, bones, and skin, and enhancing your physique. While the tiger form is for bone refinement and can help you fully unleash your divine power, it's also for refining your ferocity. Sooner or later, you'll fall into the path of demons!"

He solemnly warned:
“Child, you must know that the way of cultivation lies in guarding the essence, refining the qi, and protecting the spirit. The cultivation is the perfection of both nature and life, and the union with the Dao.”

The shepherd boy pondered for a while, his focus remaining the same as before, and said:
"Monkey, is your explanation so concise and easy to understand because you've taken into account that I'm illiterate and have never been to school?"

Sun Wukong, suppressing his indescribable emotions, reminded him:
"Kid, you're almost possessed by demons, so let's not talk about anything else."

"Don't worry, it's just about guarding the essence, refining the qi, and protecting the spirit. All I need now is to protect the spirit. I know what I'm doing."

The shepherd boy patted his chest confidently, as if he had discovered some new and exciting toy, and left excitedly.

"Kid, stop practicing recklessly!" Sun Wukong couldn't help but shout.

Ten days later.

In the depths of the mountains and dense forests, a long howl suddenly rang out, and a young shepherd boy transformed in an instant into a monster two or three zhang tall.

It has a pair of bull horns on its head, sharp and piercing the sky. Its white hair is wildly draped behind it. Its tall and strong figure is like an iron tower. Its skin is covered with extremely strange beast patterns, and it has a tiger tail like a steel whip.

His hands had transformed into tiger claws, and his feet into iron hooves, his entire body radiating an incredibly dense demonic aura.

(End of this chapter)