Journey to the West: Cultivation Begins at Jindou Mountain

Chapter 263 Daoist Lord Healing Tree
"I have failed to greet you properly since you have come to visit, Daoist Lord."

"This humble Taoist has met the Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi. You are too kind, Great Immortal."

At the gate of Wuzhuang Temple, the Divine Physician Daojun, Zhenyuanzi the Great Immortal, and the Three Star Gods of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity, were greeted by Tang Sanzang and his disciples.

In retrospect, he had some connection with all of these people in front of him. The God of Longevity and the Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi, one gave him the Sun Essence and Moon Dew Technique by chance, and the other gave him a Great Earth Origin Pill. Both were excellent helpers on his path to enlightenment.

The Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi should know about his divine avatar, and the old man, the God of Longevity, probably knows as well, though he can't be sure.
Regardless, he was quite pleased to have met these individuals and to have reached a level comparable to theirs, unlike when he first came to Wuzhuang Temple and met the two immortal boys, Qingfeng and Mingyue.

Daojun, Zhenyuanzi the Great Immortal, and the Three Star Gods of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity greeted each other, and then came together with Sun Wukong to stand before Tang Sanzang and his companions.

When Tang Sanzang saw the Divine Physician Daojun approaching, he quickly put his hands together in prayer and bowed to Daojun with his two disciples.

"Daojun~"

Daojun returned the greeting with a smile.

"Holy Monk, you're too kind. It seems we have a special connection."

Tang Sanzang naturally knew that the person in front of him had been protecting him since he was a child.

Tang Sanzang raised his head, looked at the Daoist's face, and respectfully said:
"I am truly sorry to trouble you, Daoist Lord. I never imagined that the trouble caused by my eldest disciple would require you to come in person."

Before Daojun could reply, Zhu Bajie, with his large belly, quickly walked over and looked at the divine physician Daojun with a big smile.

"Hehe~ Daojun~ Do you still recognize me~"

"Of course I recognize you, Marshal Tianpeng."

"It's good that you recognize me. Look at you here~ Do you know any way to make my nose and ears look nicer? Back when you went to fetch water from the Milky Way, I was the one who let you pass~ Tell me!"

Sun Wukong, unable to bear it any longer, grabbed Zhu Bajie by the ear and pulled him aside to make way for Daojun.

"Go away, you idiot!"

"I invited Daoist Lord here because I have important business to discuss!"

At this moment, the Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi also came over and waved his whisk.

"Daoist, is there a way to heal my ginseng fruit tree?"

Daojun nodded with a smile.

"I have a method; please guide me, Great Immortal."

"Okay, okay, please~"

The Divine Physician Daojun followed the Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi to the backyard, with the Three Star Gods of Fortune, Prosperity and Longevity and Tang Sanzang and his entourage following along. Before long, Daojun saw the ginseng fruit tree that had fallen to the ground.

This ginseng fruit tree was not enormous, only about five zhang tall. Its leaves were withered and yellow, and its roots were twisted and gnarled. Even when it collapsed to the ground, it was still surrounded by an indescribable aura of immortality.

This tree is indeed extraordinary.
Daojun admired in his heart. Although his Golden Gourd Mountain was full of spiritual root fruit trees, this ginseng fruit tree was an ancestral spiritual root, born at the beginning of creation. It was truly incomparable.

There is only one tree of this kind of spiritual root in the world.

Perhaps he will have to pay more attention to this spiritual root fruit tree in the future. Not to mention spiritual roots and fruits like the peaches of immortality and the herbal pills, even if he could plant two more of the fire dates and pears, he wouldn't have to worry about the little bull demons on his mountain.

Daojun slowly stepped forward and came to the root that protruded from the ground, sensing it slightly.

Fortunately, although Sun Wukong knocked the ginseng fruit tree to the ground, its roots were not completely severed, otherwise it would have been difficult to deal with. In its current state, his nectar would be more than enough.

As Daojun lightly tapped the ground with his green bamboo staff, the fruit tree trembled and slowly rose up with a rumbling sound.

Just then, Daojun flipped his hand, and the Heavenly Treasure Bottle appeared in his hand. As Daojun chanted an incantation, a crystal-clear, radiant stream of water continuously flowed from the mouth of the Heavenly Treasure Bottle and floated in front of Daojun. It was the nectar that Daojun had refined.

As the Daoist Lord watched the ginseng fruit tree gradually rise, the crystalline stream of water in front of him poured down from above onto the roots of the ginseng fruit tree, disappearing into the ground.

"boom"

As the dew fell, the ginseng fruit tree straightened up, and suddenly, a burst of celestial energy and vibrant life force burst forth from the tree, spreading outwards and quickly permeating the entire Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain.

The ginseng fruit tree's withered leaves quickly turned lush and green, and the broken branches slowly healed, leaving no trace.

When the Daoist Master saw this scene, the Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi and the others all showed admiration and big smiles. Even Sun Wukong excitedly scratched his cheek, thinking to himself that he had invited the right people this time!
In just a short while, as the sweet dew from Daojun's Heavenly Treasure Bottle seeped in, the fruit tree was completely restored. Its green branches and leaves were lush and verdant, and among the leaves, twenty-three ginseng fruits shaped like infants were scattered, emitting bursts of immortal energy.

"One, twenty-six, twenty-three! Junior brother, that's exactly twenty-three!"

Seeing that Qingfeng and Mingyue had determined the quantity, Sun Wukong leaped in front of them and chuckled:

"See? I, Old Sun, didn't lie to you. I said I took three, and I really took three."

It turns out that when the ginseng fruit tree ripened and the garden opened, the Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi and many lesser immortals in the temple shared two ginseng fruits. Later, when Tang Sanzang and his party came here, they knocked down two more and presented them to Tang Sanzang.

However, Tang Sanzang, being a mere mortal, could not recognize the celestial treasures, so he let Qingfeng and Mingyue eat them.

After that, Sun Wukong used his golden mallet to knock one of the ginseng fruits into the ground and make it disappear. He then knocked three more ginseng fruits for his fellow disciples to eat, which made Qingfeng and Mingyue count twenty-two fruits.

Now that the fruit trees have recovered, the fallen ginseng fruits have returned to the trees, and the numbers have finally matched up.

Seeing the fruit trees recover, Zhenyuan Daxian was equally delighted and laughed heartily:

"Hahaha~ Excellent, excellent, Daoist Lord's methods are truly miraculous!"

"Gentle breeze and bright moon".

Qingfeng and Mingyue, who were standing nearby, quickly stepped forward and bowed.

"Master."

"Go, fetch the golden mallet and knock down ten ginseng fruits. Your master wants to hold a ginseng fruit feast with the Daoist Master, the Holy Monk, and all the immortal masters and friends~"

"Yes, Master."

Following the instructions of the Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi, Qingfeng and Mingyue retrieved the golden mallet and knocked down ten ginseng fruits. Daojun and the others then returned to the front hall with the in high spirits Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi, where the immortal prepared a banquet to entertain them.

Soon, Qingfeng and Mingyue delivered the ten ginseng fruits. Daojun, Tang Sanzang, and the three gods of fortune, prosperity, and longevity each ate one, Zhenyuanzi the Great Immortal ate one, and the lesser immortals in the temple shared one.

As Daojun ate the ginseng fruit, he found it sweet and refreshing. Each bite cleansed his very soul, and his divine avatar also benefited greatly. By evening, the Three Star Gods of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity took their leave. Sun Wukong thanked them for coming on his behalf, which had granted Zhenyuan Daxian more time and prevented Tang Sanzang from reciting his headband spell. He then personally escorted them back to Penglai.

Samsung bid farewell to Zhenyuan Daxian, Tang Sanzang, and Daojun one by one outside the gate of Wuzhuang Temple.

At this moment, the old man with the cane came before the Daoist Master, cupped his hands and smiled:

"Daoist Master, if you have some free time in the future, please come to Penglai Island for a chat. I have long admired your medical skills."

Daojun looked at the very kind old man in front of him, nodded very seriously, and returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

"If I have the time, I will definitely go to Penglai to pay my respects to the three star lords."

The old man smiled and nodded, without moving his lips, but he transmitted a message to the Daoist Lord's primordial spirit, and then turned and left.

"Daoist Lord, my deer has run away again these past few days. Although he is my mount, he is not a very stable person and may cause trouble. If you see him, please do not let him take his life for the sake of this old man."

Upon hearing this, Daojun nodded subtly.

Clearly, this old man knew that he was in charge of the journey to the West to obtain the scriptures. He was telling him about it to curry favor with him. This always smiling old man probably knew more than he thought.

Sun Wukong ran over at this moment, looked at Daojun, and chuckled:

"I'm really sorry to trouble you this time, Daoist. Now that you're returning to the palace, I'd like to take you back on my way to express my gratitude."

Just as Daojun was about to speak, he suddenly heard the voice of Zhenyuan Daxian from the side.

"Haha~ Daoist Lord, there's no rush. Daoist Lord and I hit it off immediately. Daoist Lord also promised me at the banquet that you would stay at my Wuzhuang Temple for a while longer."

Sun Wukong glanced at Zhenyuan Daxian, who was walking over, and then at Daojun, who was nodding with a smile. He had no choice but to give up and personally escort the Three Star Gods of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity back to Penglai Island.

Sun Wukong's somersault cloud was extremely fast, and he returned in no time. At this time, Zhenyuan Daxian arranged for food and wine, and according to the previous agreement, he became sworn brothers with Sun Wukong.

Afterwards, the four pilgrims stayed overnight at Wuzhuang Temple with the Daoist Master. Early the next morning, the four set off again and continued their journey westward.

Daojun was invited by the Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi to the backyard where the ginseng fruit tree was located.

At this moment, Daojun had just entered the backyard when he saw Zhenyuan Daxian holding a whisk, stroking his beard, and looking at his own precious tree.

"senior."

There were only the two of them there, and since this senior must know that he is an incarnation of a god, there is no need for him to hide it.

Hearing the voice behind him, Zhenyuan Daxian turned around, looked at the Divine Physician Daojun in his purple robe, nodded slightly, and looked at him with admiration in his eyes.

"Daoist, there's no need to be so polite. It's just that I never expected that I, who was just a novice Daoist back then, could grow to this level in just a few hundred years."

Daojun stepped forward and bowed to Zhenyuan Daxian in thanks.

"I must thank you for that Earth Origin Pill, senior. Without it, I would not have been able to comprehend the Great Dao of Earth so quickly."

Zhenyuan Daxian shook his head and said:
"You don't need to thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank your master. It was I who made a bet with him. If you pass by my Wuzhuang Temple and treat me with great respect, I will give you the Earth Origin Pill as a gift."

"Unexpectedly, I was invited to the South China Sea as a guest at that time, so I had no choice but to ask Qingfeng and Mingyue to wait for you here."

"The Earth Origin Pill was something he specifically asked me to give to you. Actually, he had already given Qingfeng and Mingyue two gifts as a greeting gift, so the Earth Origin Pill can only be considered a return gift."

Daojun's expression froze slightly; he hadn't expected his master to be behind all this.
Master
Daojun seemed to see the figure of Bodhi Patriarch again, with Bodhi Patriarch smiling and nodding gently at him.

Daojun closed his eyes, suppressing his longing, and bowed respectfully to Zhenyuan Daxian before him.

"Regardless, the Earth Origin Pill from you, senior, has helped me a great deal. This pill was made by you for your own disciple, yet you still gave it to me. I should be grateful."

Zhenyuan Daxian, seeing Daojun in this state, accepted the bow with composure, but a look of regret and pity appeared in his eyes.

"Alas, why don't I have a disciple like you? How did you end up becoming a disciple of Patriarch Bodhi? It seems that all the good disciples have been taken by that Bodhi."

Although what he said was true, he didn't reveal that this last Earth Origin Pill was actually prepared for a disciple who would become his student a thousand years later.

When Patriarch Bodhi asked him for this precious elixir, he initially refused. After all, this elixir was not easy to refine; even for him, it would take ten thousand years to gather enough for one batch. If it were given to Bodhi's disciple, then that disciple would have no use for it.

However, when Zhenyuan Daxian heard that Bodhi Patriarch's disciple cultivated Taoism and belonged to his own Taoist sect, he relented. But he still made a bet with Bodhi Patriarch that he would only give the Earth Origin Elixir to the disciple if the disciple showed him enough respect.

Now, Zhenyuan Daxian looked at this Bodhi disciple before him, and the more he looked, the more satisfied and appreciative he became. Unfortunately, the disciple had already entered Bodhi's tutelage, and the bond between master and disciple was clearly strong; Zhenyuan Daxian had no chance of winning him over.
Good teachers are rare, and good students are even rarer. What a pity!
Zhenyuan Daxian sighed softly, composed himself, and looked at Daojun with a smile:

"When Tang Sanzang, the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, came this time, I was an old acquaintance of Jin Chanzi. Considering our past friendship, I had Qingfeng and Mingyue give him fruit. Who would have thought that so many twists and turns would be added to the process?"

“That monkey is indeed someone who doesn’t suffer losses. Pushing down my precious tree was completely unexpected. I thought he would go to Guanyin Bodhisattva to resolve this matter, since he has also entered the Buddhist order. I never thought that the monkey would end up calling you here.”

"You two are from the same master, but your personalities are completely different."

As Zhenyuan Daxian finished speaking, he reached into his sleeve and took out a golden mallet. He then handed it to the fruit tree above, and the mallet flew into the tree, knocking down three ginseng fruits before slowly flying to Zhenyuan Daxian.

The three ginseng fruits were then wrapped in a silk handkerchief by the immortal and presented to the Daoist Lord.

"Regardless, you saved my ginseng fruit tree and addressed me as a senior, so how could I not express my gratitude?"

"Senior, this..."

"Take it."

Zhen Yuanzi, the Great Immortal, smiled and said:

"I see that you now have a large and prosperous family, so I will give you three coins, which you can use as you see fit."

"My sworn brotherhood with Sun Wukong was partly to provoke him, and partly to be his sworn brother. It's not like he's climbing the social ladder."

"His talent is even three points less than yours, and now he has the great fortune of Buddhism to bless him. Perhaps within a few years, he will reach my level."

"But this time is far too short for our existence."

"As for you, you've taken a more prudent path. You two each have your strengths. In any case, just focus on your cultivation. I'll wait for you to reach my level, and one day, you'll be able to address me as your fellow Daoist."

(End of this chapter)