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

Ning Chen looked up and saw the legendary Fangcun Mountain before him.

The mountains are beautiful and the peaks and rocks exude a sense of elegance. The clouds and mist swirl around them, making it seem like the gateway to a fairyland.

In the mountains and forests, the woods are deep and secluded, with ancient trees reaching for the sky, their verdant greenness almost dripping.

The sound of clear spring water could be faintly heard in the woods, adding to the sense of tranquility and depth.

This sacred mountain, though lacking magnificent palaces and dazzling light, seems to blend seamlessly with heaven and earth, exuding an endless, ancient, and profound Taoist charm.

This is perhaps why ordinary people down the mountain find it unremarkable.

The greatest truths are the simplest, and cannot be easily understood by ordinary people.

it is good!it is good!it is good!

What a wonderful fairyland, Fangcun Mountain!

As soon as this thought arose, the clouds and mist surged, and a mountain path worn into the ground before Ning Chen's eyes meandered into the depths of the clouds and mist. If he was not mistaken, that was the path leading to the Bodhi Patriarch's dojo, the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave.

Ning Chen was overjoyed. Could it be that Bodhi Patriarch sensed his arrival and specially revealed the path to guide him to become a disciple?

It seems I have a special connection with Fangcun Mountain's Xieyue Sanxing Cave!

But soon, Ning Chen realized he was wrong!

Something tugged at his collar a few times, and a shrill voice rang out behind him.

"Young man, could you tell me if there are any immortals living in these mountains?"

Ning Chen turned around and saw a monkey with a hairy face and a thunder god's mouth, covered in golden fur, and taller than a person, standing behind him with its eyes full of anticipation.

A talking monkey, which I encountered at the foot of Fangcun Mountain...

Hiss! Ning Chen's pupils contracted slightly. If he wasn't mistaken, this monkey must be the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong, from the future!

He immediately realized that the strange movement of the clouds and mist that revealed the immortal path was not for him.

By sheer coincidence, he and Sun Wukong came to Fangcun Mountain to become disciples and learn skills!

Ning Chen felt much more at ease. Now that he had encountered Sun Wukong, the matter of becoming his disciple was almost certain!

We must hold on tight to the powerful and influential Sun Wukong, the Monkey King!

He gave a kind smile.

"Yes, yes, I've come here to learn from a master. You and I can go together and keep each other company."

The monkey blinked repeatedly, scratched its ears and cheeks, and did a somersault.

After leaving Flower Fruit Mountain, this monkey first drifted at sea for decades, and then searched for more than ten years in the human world.

It took more than thirty years in total to finally learn that there were immortals on this mountain.

The monkey was overjoyed and exclaimed repeatedly.

"Let's go together! Let's go together!"

Ning Chen and the monkey continued along the mountain path.

Soon, an ancient cave came into view, hidden among the pines and cypresses, with the eight characters "Fangcun Mountain, Slanting Moon, Three Stars Cave" carved above the cave entrance!

The calligraphy is vigorous and powerful, imbued with a Taoist spirit!

As the two were observing, the cave door quietly opened, and a boy in green robes stepped out, his gaze sweeping over them as he spoke in a loud voice.

"The Patriarch already knows your purpose and has instructed me to lead you inside!"

Sure enough, it makes things easier to get things done by clinging to the monkey's thigh. Ning Chen felt much more at ease!

The boy led them through a deep, dark cave to a quiet, secluded grotto.

On the high platform, an old man with a flowing white beard and an ancient appearance sat cross-legged on a futon.

He was surrounded by pure energy, exuding a natural Daoist charm, as if he had merged with the world around him.

The boy bowed.

"Master, the person has been brought."

The old man slowly opened his deep eyes, which contained the birth and death of the universe and the movement of galaxies.

Ning Chen and the monkey immediately bowed down.

"I, Ning Chen and Shi Hou, sincerely pay homage! Sincerely pay homage! Please accept me as your disciple, Master!"

Bodhi Patriarch's gaze first fell on the monkey, then glanced at Ning Chen. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He then stroked his long beard and asked with a smile.

"Where are you from? State your hometown and name clearly, then bow again. This monkey, you go first!"

The monkey hurriedly stepped forward and kowtowed, recounting its origins in detail.

"This disciple is from the Water Curtain Cave of Flower and Fruit Mountain in Aolai Country, Dongsheng Shenzhou. I have traveled across oceans and wandered the world for decades, and have come here specifically to seek a master and pursue the truth!"

Bodhi Patriarch chuckled upon hearing this.

"Although you are a monkey in human form, you have great wisdom. In that case, you shall become my disciple."

The monkey said respectfully.

"Thank you for your favor, Master. I am a stone monkey from the mountains, without father or mother, without name or surname. Please grant me a name, Master!"

Bodhi Patriarch smiled and nodded, then made a hand gesture for a moment before speaking.

"My disciples are numbered according to the twelve characters: Guang, Da, Zhi, Hui, Zhen, Ru, Xing, Hai, Ying, Wu, Yuan, Jue. Your generation is the Wu generation, and since you are a monkey, let's call you Sun Wukong!"

The monkey was so happy that it scratched its ears and cheeks and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Good! Good! Good! From now on, he shall be called Sun Wukong!"

The patriarch then turned to Ning Chen, but did not ask any questions. He simply pondered for a moment, scrutinizing him with deep eyes for a long time.

Ning Chen was startled. If the patriarch asked about his origins, how would he answer?

Could it be that I should really tell the patriarch, "I am not from this world, I have crossed over?"

If I say that, I'm afraid the patriarch will mistake me for an extraterrestrial demon and suppress me on the spot.

But if Ning Chen were to lie, he feared he wouldn't escape the discerning eyes of Patriarch Bodhi.

Who was Bodhi Patriarch? Even if he didn't reach the level of a saint, he was definitely at least a quasi-saint.

Perhaps it is an incarnation of a sage who set up the Fangcun Mountain Dojo here to guide the monkey, in order to lay the groundwork for the Journey to the West five hundred years later.

Fortunately, the patriarch did not inquire further about Ning Chen's background, but simply said...

"Since you also aspire to the Way, then first become my disciple and let me observe you!"

After saying this, Patriarch Bodhi said no more, and simply instructed the boy to settle the two of them in.

........

As night deepened, in the guesthouse of the disciples of Xieyue Sanxing Cave, a single oil lamp flickered dimly.

Sun Wukong sat cross-legged on the stone bed, scratching his ears and cheeks, his face still glowing with the excitement of being taken in by Patriarch Bodhi.

Seeing Ning Chen with his head down, busy making the bed to rest, looking somewhat dejected, a thought stirred within him.

If it weren't for Ning Chen's guidance today, he might have missed Fangcun Mountain.

Today, he was overjoyed to have been accepted into the sect, but he overlooked Ning Chen's feelings.

Thinking of this, Sun Wukong jumped off the bed and whispered to Ning Chen.

"Brother Ning Chen, do not be discouraged! Although the Ancestral Master has not formally accepted you as a disciple today, the fact that he has allowed you to stay and listen to his lectures is an immense opportunity!"

"I see you're an honest person. Stay put and behave well. You'll definitely have a chance in the future, and I'll put in a good word for you before the patriarch!"

Ning Chen looked at the Monkey King, who would one day wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace, now comforting his roommate, and felt a warmth in his heart.

The three most inseparable bonds in life are: studying together, fighting together, and visiting prostitutes together.

Now, he can be considered to have studied with Sun Wukong, and he even owes Sun Wukong a debt of gratitude.

What is there to worry about? Once the monkey has mastered his skills, ascended to the Heavenly Palace, descended to the Underworld, and become the famous Great Sage of the Plains, his name will probably no longer appear in the Book of Life and Death.

Ning Chen smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Thank you for your concern, Brother Sun. I know that I am dull-witted. It is already a great fortune that I can stay on the immortal mountain to listen to the Great Dao. I dare not hope to enter the path immediately."

"Moreover, having Brother Sun as a companion and being nurtured by the spiritual energy of the sacred mountain every day is a blessing that is rare even in a thousand years."

Seeing that he looked calm and composed, not like he was faking it, Sun Wukong felt relieved and chuckled.

"It's good that you think that way! It's getting late, so get some rest. You'll be listening to the Patriarch's sermon tomorrow!"

After saying that, he somersaulted back onto his bed, and soon began to snore evenly.

Ning Chen also lay down. The cave was quiet, with only the faint sound of pine trees and insects chirping outside the window.

He was relaxing and preparing to fall asleep when suddenly a light blue notification popped up in front of him.

[The Westward Journey Mutual Aid Group invites you to join: Group Owner, Luo Zhantian, do you accept?]