Journey to the West: Cultivation Begins at Jindou Mountain

Chapter 470 Entering the Tao
Daojun retrieved the Chaos Green Gourd and looked around.

The house seemed unchanged from before he entered the Chaos Green Gourd; there were wooden tables, chairs, and beds, and nothing else.

The difference is that only the oil lamp on the table is lit in this room, yet it illuminates the entire room.

The Daoist looked at the oil lamp and said with a smile:
"Junior brother, it's a bit of a waste to use your hair as a lamp wick."

"Hehe~ As expected, I couldn't escape my senior brother's discerning eyes~"

As a somewhat shrill laugh rang out, the oil lamp on the table suddenly turned into a wisp of blue smoke, and Sun Wukong's figure instantly appeared on the wooden table.

Sun Wukong leaped down from the wooden table, scratching his cheek with one hand and holding an oil lamp in the other, and greeted the Daoist with a grin.

"Senior brother, no wonder we didn't see you at Golden Gourd Mountain. Even the divine generals on Daojun Mountain didn't know where you were. Turns out you've taken on a disciple in this remote mountain village and are enjoying yourself here!"

Daojun chuckled lightly:
"What, Junior Brother Wukong, are you also thinking of taking on a disciple? If you have this idea, I do have a few good candidates I can introduce to you, but you'll have to wait a while."

Sun Wukong quickly shook his head.

"I don't have your refined tastes, Senior Brother. You know my personality; I'm definitely not cut out to teach disciples."

"Junior brother is too modest. I think you will definitely be a good master in the future."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong noticed that his senior brother seemed quite serious. He rolled his eyes and pondered for a moment, thinking to himself, "Could it be that I myself will have a master-disciple relationship in the future?"
"Junior brother, have you come to see me this time because you need my help with something important?"

Daojun's words brought Sun Wukong back to his senses, and he waved to his senior brother.

"Now that I have become a Buddha, why would I trouble you, senior brother? I simply wish to invite you to my Flower and Fruit Mountain for some fruit."

"However, since you have business here and have taken on a disciple, I won't bother you any longer. But please accept these three hairs; they are a small gift for my nephew."

As Sun Wukong spoke, he casually plucked three monkey hairs from behind his head and placed them in his palm. Then, he gently exhaled a breath of pure air onto the three hairs, causing them to flash with golden light, before handing them to the Daoist Lord.

Daojun smiled and nodded, then reached out and gently picked up the three monkey hairs.

"In that case, thank you very much, junior brother."

"Hehe~ Senior brother, you're too kind. However, I've been away from the mountain for quite some time, so I won't stay any longer and will take my leave now~"

As Sun Wukong spoke, he somersaulted inside the house, and in the blink of an eye, a gust of wind blew the door open, and Sun Wukong disappeared without a trace.

In the distance, beneath the starry sky, a golden light seemed to be rapidly disappearing into the distance.
Daojun looked down at the three hairs in his hand, then put them into his sleeve. Without making any other move, the door slowly closed, and Daojun's figure transformed into Jin Lingzi's appearance.

The next morning, many children from the villagers came to the school, including Chenxiang.

Baihua Village is not large, with houses next to each other. Jin Lingzi's school was built at the entrance of the village, so while the adults were busy with farm work, the children had to come on their own.

At this moment, many children gathered in twos and threes, chatting happily while bowing to the teacher standing outside the door.

There was only one exception among them, and that was Chenxiang. Chenxiang followed behind Liu Yanchang on the dirt road, while the other children kept their distance. It wasn't until they saw Jin Lingzi that a smile appeared on their faces.

Chenxiang was somewhat out of place among the other children, after all, he was indeed different, especially after becoming Jin Lingzi's disciple, he gradually came to believe this.

Jin Lingzi did not interfere with these matters, but let them develop as they were.

In Jin Lingzi's view, sometimes, a person appearing out of place isn't their fault, but rather that they are inherently special and haven't yet encountered a group of people they can integrate into. Furthermore, the more one intervenes, the more problems are likely to arise; he believes Chen Xiang can handle such matters on his own.

"Master! What are we going to learn today?"

Chenxiang looked at Jinlingzi with bright eyes, eagerly anticipating hearing his master say those words.

"Heh~ Don't worry, I won't let you down."

Jin Lingzi rubbed Chenxiang's head and said to Liu Yanchang beside him:

"I'll have to trouble you again today, Brother Liu. We've almost finished harvesting the old medicinal herbs on the back mountain. We're going to a rather far place to collect herbs this time, so we'll probably be back a little late."

Liu Yanchang looked at Chenxiang and nodded:

"Please rest assured, Master, I will take good care of the children."

A moment later, Daojun and Chenxiang walked up the mountain, but instead of heading towards the distant mountains, they arrived at the summit of the back mountain, which Chenxiang was already very familiar with.

"Master, aren't we supposed to be going to gather herbs in the more remote mountains?"

Chenxiang looked at the golden sun slowly rising from the horizon in the distance, and turned to look at his master with some curiosity.

Daojun shook his head slightly and pointed to the flat rock protruding from the mountaintop.

"Chenxiang sat cross-legged on the rock, facing the sun."

Although Chenxiang was somewhat puzzled, he quickly nodded, put down the small bamboo basket containing the bark book behind him, and hurried to sit cross-legged on the rock.

He usually liked to sit here with his master. This was the best spot. From here, he could see a lush green mountain and a birch village, and even the smoke rising from the chimneys of the neighboring village.

Daojun slowly approached Chenxiang from behind and said in a gentle voice:

"Chenxiang, empty your mind and body, and try to perceive everything in the world. Your master believes in you, you can do it."

Upon hearing this, Chenxiang nodded subconsciously. He looked at the mountains in front of him, unsure how to relax his mind and body or how to perceive them. But before he knew it, he heard gentle voices in his ears.

"The Great Dao is formless, yet it gives birth to Heaven and Earth. The Great Dao is without emotion, yet it governs the sun and moon. The Great Dao is nameless, yet it nurtures all things."

As these sounds reached his ears, Chenxiang felt his chaotic thoughts quickly calm down. A gentle breeze blew past his ear, and his spirit seemed to be carried away by this breeze, flying towards the distance.

In Chenxiang's eyes, he seemed to be carried by the wind across mountains and rivers, accompanied by white clouds and cranes, drifting between heaven and earth.

Chenxiang saw many bustling cities in the human world, the vast and boundless sea, the mysterious fairy mountains and towering trees on the sea, the majestic heavenly palace, and golden-armored gods.

At this moment, the world unveiled itself to him, and he was completely immersed in it.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he suddenly felt the breeze carrying him disappear, and he fell into the air. He was so frightened that he struggled to move, but to no avail.

"what----"

On the rock, Chenxiang, covered in sweat, shouted and suddenly opened his eyes, only to find that he was still sitting on the rock and had not moved at all.

(End of this chapter)