Journey to the West: Cultivation Begins at Jindou Mountain

Chapter 214 Sweet Dew
Besides the banks of the Tongtian River, numerous Daojun Temples sprang up like mushrooms after rain throughout the Southern Continent.

The area near the mouth of the Guanjiang River is particularly well-developed.

It was only because Erlang Shen Zhenjun had instructed many of his subordinates to help spread the three books, "The Classic of Herbs and Elixir" and "Acupuncture and Moxibustion," that this medical art, which could benefit the world, became a classic work that all medical students must read.

As a result, some doctors and physicians, undeterred by the long journey, traveled all the way from Nanzhanbuzhou to Daojun Mountain in Xiniuhezhou for pilgrimage. The medical clinics at the foot of Daojun Mountain were also considered sacred places by many doctors.

Putting aside everything else, anyone who has studied at this clinic will become a distinguished guest from all sides and a top doctor after graduation.

However, very few of the doctors who emerge from clinics become renowned practicing physicians. Instead, most follow the path of the legendary healer, becoming itinerant doctors who travel far and wide to treat and save lives.

Once they felt they had mastered enough skills, they would return to the clinic and leave behind all their knowledge without reservation. This led to the continuous improvement of the "Hundred Herbs Elixir Classic" and the compilation of the three volumes of "Acupuncture".

Inside the Daojun Temple outside Wuxing Mountain.

The Daojun Temple has undergone several renovations and is no longer the simple little temple it once was. It has become a large temple with flourishing incense offerings. In addition to the expansion of the main hall, there are also additional buildings at the back and side halls on both sides.

Below the Daojun Temple, a sizable village has sprung up in recent years, thanks to the miraculous intervention of Yuanze a few years ago, who drove away demons for the villagers, attracting many people from the mountains to make a living.

The people who were rescued back then also personally sculpted a statue of General Yuan, which was placed under the seat of Daojun in Daojun Temple. It was very majestic and extraordinary, and the incense offerings for General Yuan were very prosperous.

At this moment, the Five Directions Protectors came to visit together. They talked with Yuanze outside the door for a while, offered some fruits, and then left again.

Yuanze carried the fruits back to the temple and saw Niu Ping sitting at a wooden table, looking at the book in his hand.

In Yuanze's view, the four generals surnamed Niu under Daojun were all exceptionally capable, but only General Ping, who was well-versed in etiquette and loved reading the classics, and General Feng, who was pure of heart, were the easiest to get along with.

Yuan Ze walked over, placed the fruits directly on the table, and said:
“Brother Niu Ping, these were sent by the Five Directions Protectors from the Five Elements Mountain next door. They are meant for Dao Lord and us.”

Niu Ping looked up from his book, smiled, nodded, and said:

“These five guardian deities are our neighbors. They often come to bring us fruits and vegetables, but they don’t ask us to return the gifts, nor do they allow us to go near the Five Elements Mountain.”

Yuan Ze also looked curious and said:
"They say this mountain is the work of Buddha, and what is pressed beneath it is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven who caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace decades ago."

"Speaking of the Heavenly Palace, I have been there twice with the Dao Lord. It is indeed like a dreamlike fairyland. It is the place where all the gods of the heavens live. This Great Sage Equaling Heaven actually had the ability to cause a great disturbance in the Heavenly Palace, but in the end he was only suppressed here. I am really curious, who is this person?"

Niu Ping nodded and said:
"The Daoist also said that this matter is true. But the Five Elements Mountain has its own wonders, and if you and I do not get close, we will not be able to see what the Great Sage Equaling Heaven looks like."

"Regardless of the circumstances, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven must be an extraordinary person to be named after him."

"Hey~ I heard from Daojun that in a couple of days, Guo Yun, who is in heaven, will be coming down to earth. Guo Yun was there when the Great Sage Equaling Heaven made a ruckus in the Heavenly Palace."

"We'll ask Guo Yun about it then."

“Brother Yuanze is right.” At the summit of Jindou Mountain.

Niu Yi sat cross-legged on the grass, and around him, black and white life and death energy flowed continuously. Strangely, the flowers and plants on the grass were constantly changing between vibrant life and withering.

The Heavenly Treasure Bottle in front of Niu Yi was radiating a crystal-clear luster, constantly absorbing the life and death energy. The cloud patterns on the Heavenly Treasure Bottle seemed to be slowly flowing and trembling.

A moment later, the Heavenly Treasure Bottle stopped absorbing the life-and-death energy and ceased trembling. A series of crystal-clear nectar slowly flowed out of the Heavenly Treasure Bottle, dancing around Niu Yi.

Niu Yi sensed the wonder within the nectar and a smile appeared on his face.

"This nectar can now be considered complete."

Thirty years have passed. With the Heavenly Treasure Bottle as his treasure, and with Niu Yi having developed the idea of ​​refining this nectar, coupled with his various insights into the Great Dao and his accumulation of knowledge from pharmacopoeias and medical books, this nectar has now been completely refined.

From the very beginning, he had tried countless times to refine the nectar using the Heavenly Treasure Bottle, and finally succeeded in refining it.

Based on his numerous calculations, he was nine-tenths confident that his sweet dew could revive the side branches of the Jianmu tree.

"I wonder how the nectar in the jade bottle in Guanyin Bodhisattva's hand appeared. Although the jade bottle is miraculous, the nectar shouldn't appear out of thin air. Perhaps it's related to the merits of heaven and earth."

Niu Yi pondered, "Buddhist practice also places great emphasis on accumulating merit."

After all, in Buddhism, self-cultivation is Hinayana Buddhism, while universal salvation is Mahayana Buddhism. Beings like Guanyin Bodhisattva must have accumulated immeasurable merit.

Niu Yi himself didn't have much experience with the miraculous power of merit, but after refining his own nectar, he discovered that the merit of heaven and earth could also serve as a catalyst for the nectar.
"Perhaps I should study merit properly in the future. After all, the incarnation of the gods has accumulated a lot of merit over the years, and now he receives merit almost every day."

He has only managed to condense a merit wheel behind him to illuminate the way. It would be a waste not to make good use of such a large amount of merit.
Niu Yi shook his head, stood up, flipped his hand, and collected the surrounding nectar and the Heavenly Treasure Bottle, preparing to head to Fangzhang Immortal Mountain.

He stayed on that immortal mountain for several days and clearly sensed that the Eastern Emperor knew a lot about him.

But it makes sense. Although the Emperor seems very easy to get along with, he has close relationships with the Queen Mother, the Jade Emperor, and the Buddha of Mount Ling. It's normal for him to know about my affairs.

Since that's the case, there's no need to trouble the divine incarnation to go through the trouble; his true body can go and pay the visit on its own.

Niu Yi summoned Niu Li and explained some things to him.

“Niu Li, I am leaving this time to visit friends in the Southern Continent. It may take a few years or even several decades. I will entrust the affairs of Jindu Mountain to you.”

"If you need to find me, just use divine means to find my divine incarnation."

Upon hearing this, Niu Li immediately bowed and agreed, watching his leader transform into a golden light and fly eastward.

(End of this chapter)