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

After finishing their dinner, Ning Chen and Sun Wukong returned to the inn. Just as they made up their beds and were about to rest, there was a knock on the door.

The monkey was agile and nimble. When he opened the door, he saw the boy in blue robes who had greeted them standing outside.

He held a simple, ancient bamboo scroll in his hands. The scroll had a warm, jade-like luster, and a faint aura seemed to flow over it.

"The Patriarch has decreed that he bestows upon his disciple Sun Wukong a scroll of the *Tai Xuan Shang Qing Jing*, hoping that you will diligently study it, tame your restless mind, and calm your wandering thoughts to solidify your foundation in the Dao!"

The boy's voice was clear and bright as he handed over the bamboo slips.

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong quickly straightened his clothes, respectfully accepted the gift with both hands, and repeatedly said...

"Thank you, Master! Thank you, Senior Brother!"

The boy nodded slightly, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

The monkey, carrying the bamboo slips and grinning, happily returned to the house. By the light of the oil lamp, it carefully spread the bamboo slips out on the stone table.

Ning Chen felt a pang of sadness. The Bodhi Patriarch had specifically named the monkey, indicating that he was excluded...

However, after only a few glances, the joy on the monkey's thunderous face froze.

He immediately scratched his head and looked very agitated.

"Brother Ning Chen, Brother Ning Chen!"

Sun Wukong moved closer to Ning Chen, pointed to the ancient seal script on the bamboo slips that resembled cloud patterns or insects and birds, and said with a worried expression.

"What...what is written on this? I...I can't read!"

This monkey was born of nature and played with other monkeys in Flower Fruit Mountain. It went out to sea to seek the Dao with its spirituality and perseverance. It has never learned human language.

Even if he has extraordinary comprehension and has grasped some of the text on his own.

However, he had just become a disciple of Patriarch Bodhi and had not yet had time to study in depth, let alone learn such classical Chinese.

The text in the Tai Xuan Shang Qing Jing was so profound that it was like a heavenly book to him.

Sun Wukong's eyes darted around, and he looked at Ning Chen with expectation and pleading in them.

"Brother, since you are from the Central Plains, you must be able to read, right? Could you... could you explain it to me? The scriptures bestowed by our patriarch must have profound meaning. If I cannot understand them, wouldn't I be letting down our patriarch's high expectations?"

Ning Chen's heart stirred, and his gaze fell on the rolled bamboo slips.

He knew that this was probably his chance.

Given his previous demonstrated aptitude, it was highly unlikely that Patriarch Bodhi would bestow such a supreme Taoist classic upon him alone.

Now, this scripture was bestowed upon him because of the monkey, but because the monkey doesn't recognize ancient characters, the opportunity has fallen into his lap.

But Bodhi Patriarch only said that he would give it to the monkey. If the monkey rashly starts practicing, will he anger the Patriarch?

But Ning Chen knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Once he missed it, the monkey would find someone else to interpret the classics, and he would probably be out of luck.

Then I thought of how Bodhi Patriarch loved to use Zen riddles, tapping the monkey's head three times to let the monkey understand the opportunity on its own.

Ning Chen immediately made up his mind: Heaven has bestowed this upon me; if I do not accept it, I will surely suffer the consequences!

"Brother Wukong, you're too kind."

Ning Chen suppressed the turmoil in his heart and calmly took the bamboo slip from the monkey's hand.

"Since we are classmates, we should help each other. Let me see first."

Upon unfolding the bamboo slip, Ning Chen's expression froze instantly.

The characters on the bamboo slips are not ordinary regular script or clerical script, but rather ancient cloud seal script and thunder script that contain Taoist charm.

He had seen some of the characters before, but the combined meaning was ambiguous and difficult to understand.

If he were to force an interpretation, he would likely be completely wrong, not only failing to help the monkey but also potentially misleading the monkey's cultivation.

"Indeed... the scriptures of immortals are far beyond the reach of ordinary writing. My comprehension is far from sufficient to fully understand them!"

Ning Chen pondered to himself, and already had an idea in mind.

He had just acquired three years of cultivation and was worried about how to make the most of it.

I was thinking about whether to add some bone structure to improve my cultivation aptitude, but now it seems that it's far from the point where I need bone structure attributes.

Ning Chen no longer hesitated and focused his mind into his sea of ​​consciousness to communicate with the divine realm.

[Exchange for Enlightenment! Consumes three years of cultivation!]

[Ding, exchange successful! Comprehension improved: occasional sudden enlightenment (138) → frequent flashes of inspiration (438)]

A powerful yet refreshing force of enlightenment once again flooded his sea of ​​consciousness, even more vast than before.

Ning Chen felt as if the world before him had been completely cleansed, and the phrase "blessed with happiness" was not enough to describe his current state.

From the monkey's perspective, Ning Chen's eyes gleamed with a bluish light.

The monkey couldn't help but mutter to himself that his junior brother seemed unremarkable at first glance, but after getting to know him, he was quite extraordinary. He probably had an unusual background as well.

Having poured all his cultivation and comprehension into the bamboo slips, Ning Chen looked at them again, and everything before him was completely different.

On the bamboo slips, the cloud-like and thunder-like characters that he had previously seen as ghostly scribbles now seemed to come alive.

The strokes are no longer simple lines, but rather traces that illustrate the profound principles of heaven and earth and the changes of yin and yang.

These words are like teachers, constantly resonating with Ning Chen's spirituality.

"The pure energy of the highest realm originated from the primordial chaos; the profound mystery resides within the single mind..."

Ning Chen involuntarily recited the first sentence.

His voice, though soft, carried a peculiar rhythm that subtly resonated with the Daoist principles contained within the bamboo slips.

Sun Wukong stared wide-eyed. He could feel that the air around Ning Chen seemed to become more lively when Ning Chen recited the mantra.

"Brother, did you... understand it?"

The monkey exclaimed in delight.

Ning Chen nodded.

"I only know a little bit, Brother Wukong, let me explain it to you slowly."

Ning Chen sat cross-legged on the bed, placed the bamboo slips on his lap, and began to explain the "Tai Xuan Shang Qing Jing" to Sun Wukong word by word!

At first, he simply read from the book.

Translate the written text into plain language that monkeys can understand, and explain the basic principles of calming the mind and taming the wandering thoughts.

However, as the explanation deepened, Ning Chen himself became immersed in the profound meaning of the scriptures, as if he could see the beginning of the universe and the strange phenomena of the stars moving around.

This "Tai Xuan Shang Qing Jing" is not a specific cultivation method, but a esoteric classic that expounds the fundamental principles of tranquility, non-action, and cultivating the spirit and nourishing the nature.

But between the lines lies a profound exposition on the great harmony of heaven, earth, and humanity.

As Ning Chen spoke, he suddenly felt his own blood and energy surging slightly, and his consciousness becoming increasingly clear.

A properties panel pops up in front of you.

[You are studying the *Tai Xuan Shang Qing Jing*, your mind is immersed in the Daoist principles, your innate talent increases by 1, and your comprehension increases by 1.]

Ning Chen was shocked, then overjoyed!

The scriptures bestowed by Patriarch Bodhi are indeed extraordinary!

Studying profound Taoist scriptures can directly enhance one's innate aptitude and comprehension—two fundamental qualities!

Root bone represents the body's affinity with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, determining cultivation potential and speed.

Comprehension is the key to understanding and comprehending the great principles.

The improvement of these two is far more valuable than simply increasing internal strength or practicing a certain technique; it is the true foundation of creation for improving one's cultivation!

Ning Chen quickly composed himself and began to explain with even greater detail and focus.

He not only explained the literal meaning to the monkey, but also tried to elaborate on its meaning by combining his own understanding.

Although it was Sun Wukong's first time encountering the Tai Xuan Scripture, he was naturally intelligent and grasped many points immediately. He could even draw inferences from one instance to another and raise questions that went straight to the core, prompting Ning Chen to think more deeply.

The oil lamp crackled softly, its light and shadow flickering on the stone wall.

Inside the guesthouse, there was a man and a monkey; one patiently explained, while the other listened intently.

The Great Dao scriptures flowed like a clear spring in the quiet night, quietly nourishing the Dao foundation of both man and monkey...