I'm already a Great Luo Golden Immortal, how come you're only Martial Saints?

Upon hearing this, the patriarch feigned anger, jumped down from the platform with a shout, and pointed at Ning Chen with a ruler in hand.

"You sly little thing, you refuse to learn this and that, what are you planning to do?"

He stepped forward, hit Ning Chen on the head three times, then walked inside with his hands behind his back and closed the middle door.

This action was exactly the same as how Sun Wukong was treated in the original story.

Ning Chen was secretly delighted.

"This is a hint of the secret teachings passed down by the patriarch! Striking three times is a hint that I should walk inside with my hands behind my back at midnight, close the middle door, and enter through the back door. The secret teachings will be passed on to me there."

Although he understood this meaning, he still had a doubt in his heart. Although his aptitude had been improved and he was no longer an ordinary person, his foundation was still shallow and far inferior to that of Wukong, the spiritual stone monkey.

Would the patriarch really pass on to me so easily that great celestial immortal technique that points directly to the Golden Immortal realm?

That night, around midnight, Sun Wukong, who was in the same room, was fast asleep.

Ning Chen quietly got up, put on his clothes, sneaked open the door, avoided the crowd, and went around to the back door.

Ning Chen saw that the door to the ancestral temple was half open and half closed. He was secretly delighted, stepped inside, and went straight to the ancestral master's bedside.

The patriarch was curled up and asleep facing inwards.

Ning Chen dared not disturb them and immediately waited by the bedside.

Before long, the patriarch awoke, stretched out his legs, and chanted to himself:

"Difficult! Difficult! Difficult! The Dao is most profound; do not take the Golden Elixir lightly. Without encountering a sage to impart the secret formula, empty words will only leave your mouth weary and tongue dry!"

Upon hearing this, Ning Chen immediately responded.

"Master, your disciple has been waiting here for a long time."

The patriarch, knowing it was Ning Chen, rose, put on his robe, sat cross-legged, and shouted.

"You rascal! Why aren't you sleeping in the front? What are you doing in the back?"

Ning Chen said.

"My master taught me his teachings through the back door at midnight, so I dared to go directly to your bedside."

Upon hearing this, the patriarch pondered to himself.

"This fellow is indeed clever, having discerned the hidden riddle in my dish. Although his constitution has been refined and transformed by the Tao Te Ching, making him no longer an ordinary person, he is still a few levels below that monkey's innate foundation. My Great Celestial Immortal Technique, a supreme and profound method, cannot be easily passed on to those without an innate Dao body and profound blessings. Forcing it upon him may not bring blessings but rather become a source of disaster. Without a solid foundation, it is difficult to achieve the Great Dao."

Having thought of this, the patriarch had already made up his mind and then said.

"Since you understand the mystery here, you are fortunate. I know your current talent and comprehension. However, the path to immortality is long and requires gradual progress. Only by laying a solid foundation can you build a towering edifice."

Upon hearing what the patriarch said, Ning Chen understood that he was probably not yet able to cultivate the Great Celestial Immortal Technique. He kowtowed and said.

"Disciple understands and is willing to follow Master's arrangements!"

The patriarch nodded and spoke slowly.

"Your foundation should first be strengthened and your vital essence cultivated to forge a pure Yang immortal body, only then can you bear the supreme Dao. I will now pass on to you the 'Purple Heaven Mysterious Truth Enlightenment Technique,' a righteous Daoist method that can refine essence into qi, refine qi into spirit, refine spirit to return to emptiness, and ultimately refine emptiness to unite with the Dao, achieving the rank of a celestial immortal!"

"This method can solidify your foundation, allowing you to proceed step by step with utmost care. It is the most reliable method. Upon mastering it, you can even ascend to heaven, achieve longevity, and naturally develop supernatural powers!"

Upon hearing this, Ning Chen felt a slight regret for not being able to receive the Great Celestial Immortal Technique, but he knew that what his ancestor said was the truth, and what suited him best was the best.

He was immediately convinced and bowed in reverence.

"Thank you, Master, for your long-term planning! I will diligently cultivate this skill and live up to your kindness in transmitting the Dharma!"

Seeing that Ning Chen looked calm and composed, without the slightest sign of reluctance or disappointment, the patriarch praised the boy for his clear mind, knowing when to advance and retreat, and understanding gains and losses. He then said...

"Come closer and listen carefully as I impart this wonderful secret to you."

Ning Chen stepped forward and listened attentively.

Bodhi Patriarch said:

"When the mind returns to emptiness and stillness, the body enters a state of non-action; when movement and stillness are forgotten, the three palaces naturally rise and fall, all the meridians flow freely, essence naturally transforms into qi, qi naturally transforms into spirit, and spirit naturally returns to emptiness. There is no need to set up a furnace or cauldron, gather medicinal ingredients, or observe the timing of the fire. The so-called Three Origins, Eight Trigrams, Four Symbols, and Five Elements are all contained within it..."

The patriarch explained in detail the formulas, cultivation methods, key points, signs and taboos of each stage of the "Purple Cloud Mysterious True Enlightenment Skill".

With Ning Chen's current level of comprehension, he quickly mastered it all.

This technique emphasizes gathering the pure Yang energy from the initial birth of the Purple Sun in Heaven and Earth to temper one's body. It consists of nine cycles, and upon completion of the first cycle, one reaches the realm of refining essence into Qi.

The second transformation is the attainment of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation!

By analogy, after nine cycles of cultivation, one can forge the Purple Heaven Immortal Body, ascend to heaven amidst the rosy clouds, and from then on be free from worldly defilement and fearless of evil spirits, possessing profound and enduring magical power.

After Ning Chen kept it firmly in mind, the patriarch continued.

"If you cultivate this method to the level of Celestial Immortal, you will need even more profound techniques to guide you in order to glimpse the realms of Golden Immortal and Great Luo. In the future, you need to accumulate merit and diligently cultivate the Great Dao. When your fortune is abundant and your foundation is solid, your master will naturally transmit to you the method that leads directly to Great Luo, so that you can glimpse the supreme Great Dao. Remember, the path is long and arduous, but you will reach your goal if you keep practicing. You must not let the difference in methods make you complacent or competitive."

Ning Chen bowed again.

"Your disciple will remember Master's teachings! I will always be diligent, solidify my foundation, patiently await the blessings, and never fail to live up to Master's virtue in transmitting the Dharma today!"

The patriarch nodded and smiled.

"Go ahead and practice diligently. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. But do not reveal it to anyone, especially your monkey roommate. I have my own arrangements. Do not let him practice this Purple Cloud Profound True Enlightenment Technique, otherwise it will do him no good!"

"This teaching came from my mouth and entered your ear; it cannot be passed on to six ears!"

"Furthermore, I prefer tranquility. I don't care how you found out the location of this mountain, but you are not allowed to tell anyone. Can you really do that?"

Ning Chen was taken aback. The method was not to be passed on, and the existence of Fangcun Mountain was not to be revealed. What exactly was the patriarch afraid of?

Despite his doubts, he thanked the patriarch and went out through the back door. Bathed in the bright moonlight, his shadow grew longer and longer, but his heart gradually became clear and joyful.

Although he has not yet received the Great Celestial Immortal Technique from his ancestor, the "Purple Cloud Mysterious True Enlightenment Technique" is currently the most suitable technique for him.

The so-called fundamental method of cultivation is a method that allows one to cultivate one's spiritual level, just like the Yi Jin Jing, which is the fundamental method of cultivating internal strength.

Ning Chen returned to his residence and saw that Sun Wukong was fast asleep. He did not disturb him and went to the bed to silently meditate on the essentials of the cultivation technique.

Waiting for dawn, when the purple sun rises, one begins formal cultivation.

........

The next morning, Ning Chen followed the method taught by his master and sat cross-legged on the summit of Fangcun Mountain, facing east.

At this moment, the distant sea was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn. A wisp of purple aura emerged from the chaos. As the sun rose, that pure purple aura suddenly became bright, piercing through the clouds and spreading across the world!

The time has come!

With a calm mind, Ning Chen circulated the "Purple Cloud Profound Truth Enlightenment Technique," causing his pores to open and his divine sense to probe the purest and most yang-inspired purple energy in the world.

Guided by a sudden inspiration, the purple yang energy between heaven and earth transformed into a warm current that was difficult to see with the naked eye but perceptible to the spiritual sense, and slowly flowed into him through the Baihui acupoint on the top of his head.

In an instant, the pure magical power transformed from Ning Chen's cultivation collided and merged with the introduced primordial purple yang energy.

The two blend together naturally, like water and milk.

The purple aura was like a king on a royal tour; wherever it passed, many passes and obstacles melted away quietly, like ice and snow meeting the sun.

The speed at which his internal magical energy circulated increased, following the trajectory of the "Purple Cloud Mysterious True Enlightenment Technique," forming tiny circulations throughout his body's acupoints.

With each cycle completed, the aura becomes purer and more solid, and it also carries a faint, magnificent aura that originates from the same source as the nascent purple aura.

As Ning Chen's cultivation progressed, strange phenomena began to occur around him.