Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

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Yang Jian chased them to the sky above the city and shone his Heavenly Eye downwards.

There were thousands upon thousands of people in the city, but the monkey could no longer be found.

He was secretly anxious, so he quickly descended from the clouds and landed in the city to search carefully with his Heavenly Eye.

Sun Wukong transformed into a commoner and walked among the crowd.

Wandering through the streets and alleys, we finally arrived at a temple.

That temple was bustling with worshippers.

Above the gate hangs a plaque with four large characters: "Temple of Erlang Zhenjun".

Sun Wukong looked up and a sly glint flashed in his golden eyes.

He transformed himself into the likeness of Yang Jian and swaggered into the temple.

When the ghost judge in the temple saw that it was the True Lord, he immediately kowtowed to welcome him.

Sun Wukong ignored them and went straight to the main hall.

Sit down in the chair in front of the statue. He crossed his legs, grabbed the offerings on the table, and started eating.

As he ate, he flipped through the incense book on the table.

It reads:

The offerings of three sacrificial animals from Li Hu, the blessing promised by Zhang Long, the petition from Zhao Jia for a son, and the good wish of Qian Bing to plead illness.

Sun Wukong looked at it, grinned, and muttered to himself, "These three eyes have certainly received a lot of offerings."

Just then, someone outside the door announced, "Another grandfather has arrived!"

The judge immediately went out to investigate.

Then another Yang Jian appeared outside the door, dressed in golden armor and wielding a three-pointed double-edged sword, looking imposing.

The judges were startled, glancing at the one sitting in the hall and then at the one standing outside the door.

Unable to distinguish between what was real and what was fake, he could only kneel on the ground, trembling.

Yang Jian strode into the temple and saw Sun Wukong transformed into his own appearance and sitting in the hall. He felt both angry and amused.

He shouted, "You impudent monkey! How dare you be so rude!"

Sun Wukong grinned and said, "My lord, there's no need to shout. This temple already belongs to the Sun family."

Yang Jian was furious. He swung his three-pointed double-edged sword, which transformed into a streak of cold light and stabbed towards Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong jumped up from the chair, his golden cudgel already in his hand, and clashed with the three-pointed double-edged sword.

clang!

The two fought from inside the temple to outside, from the ground to the sky, bickering and joking all the way, until they returned to the sky above Flower Fruit Mountain.

Seeing that the two had returned to fighting, Li Jing quickly activated the Demon-Revealing Mirror, and its light locked onto Sun Wukong's figure.

The six brothers of Meishan, along with their grass-root gods, surrounded Sun Wukong.

Surrounded in the center, Sun Wukong scanned the surrounding area with his golden eyes and saw that heavenly soldiers and generals were everywhere, blocking his way.

He sneered, "What kind of skill is it to gang up on the few with numbers?"

Yang Jian said, "You impudent monkey, you wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, stole peaches and pills, your sins are grave."

Today is your last day, so surrender now!

Sun Wukong laughed heartily, "I, Old Sun, would like to see what skills you have that can subdue me!"

Having said that, he swung his golden cudgel, which transformed into a golden light and swept towards the six Meishan brothers.

The six brothers hurriedly tried to dodge, but several of them were still unable to evade and were struck by the golden cudgel, flying backward.

Yang Jian was furious. He swung his three-pointed double-edged sword, which transformed into a streak of cold light and stabbed towards Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong dodged to the side, swung his golden cudgel, and collided with the three-pointed double-edged sword.

The two then engaged in another fierce battle.

In this battle, Sun Wukong fought against many opponents, yet he showed no fear whatsoever.

The golden cudgel was wielded like a wheel, forcing the heavenly soldiers and generals to retreat step by step.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Yang Jian shouted loudly, and his three-pointed double-edged sword transformed into a sky full of sword light, covering Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong's golden eyes flashed, and without taking the hit head-on, he leaped into the air, transforming into a golden ray of light and flying towards the depths of the sea of ​​clouds.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Yang Jian pursued relentlessly.

The six brothers from Meishan also hurriedly rode the clouds to give chase.

Sun Wukong flew and transformed all the way.

Sparrows, cormorants, fish, water snakes—the variety is endless and dazzling.

Yang Jian locked onto his figure with his Heavenly Eye, and the same thing happened.

Sparrowhawks, great cranes, ospreys, and grey herons relentlessly pursued them.

The six Meishan brothers followed behind, watching in stunned silence.

Meanwhile, in the commander's tent, Li Jing held a demon-revealing mirror, its light locking onto Sun Wukong's figure.

Seeing Yang Jian and Sun Wukong transform and chase each other, he felt secretly anxious.

Just then, a voice came from behind: "Lord Li, where is that monkey now?"

Li Jing turned around and saw that Venus had appeared behind him at some point.

His face was still somewhat pale, clearly indicating that his injuries had not yet healed.

Li Jing said, "Jin Xing, your injuries haven't healed yet, why aren't you resting at home?"

Venus waved his hand and said, "I was worried about you, so I came to check on you."

He looked towards the battlefield and saw the sea of ​​clouds surging and golden light flashing, but he could not see Sun Wukong.

Li Jing said, "That monkey and Erlang Shen are locked in a fierce battle, and it's hard to tell who will win."

Venus pondered for a moment and said, "King Li, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should."

Li Jing said, "Venus, please speak."

"That monkey is incredibly powerful and versatile; even Erlang Shen might not be able to capture him."

In my humble opinion, it would be better to ask Laozi to intervene and strike him with his Vajra Bracelet; that would surely capture him.

Upon hearing this, Li Jing's heart stirred.

That Vajra Bracelet was Laozi's protective treasure. When he passed through Hangu Pass and converted the barbarians to Buddhism, he relied heavily on it.

This treasure is capable of transformation, impervious to water and fire, and can also trap various objects. If you use it to hit that monkey's head, it will surely be effective.

Having said that, he leaped into the air, transforming into a golden ray of light, and flew towards the heavens.

At this moment, Laozi is watching the battle from the South Heavenly Gate.

He stood atop a cloud, holding a whisk, his face serene, gazing at the battlefield in the direction of Flower Fruit Mountain with profound eyes.

The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West also stood on the cloud platform outside the South Heavenly Gate, followed by a group of celestial officials.

The Jade Emperor, his face grave, gazed at the battlefield and said in a deep voice:

"Laojun, that monkey has been fighting Erlang for so long, and they are still evenly matched."

In your opinion, when will this battle end?

"Your Majesty, do not be anxious. Although that monkey is brave, he is already at his last gasp."

Erlang Shen is incredibly powerful; capturing him is only a matter of time.

The Jade Emperor nodded slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Just then, Li Jing arrived on a cloud, landed before Laozi, and bowed, saying:

"Laojun, that monkey is very versatile, and Erlang Zhenjun is finding it difficult to capture him in a short time."

"This humble general dares to request that Laozi intervene and strike him with his Vajra Bracelet; surely that will capture him."

Upon hearing this, Laozi pondered for a moment and said, "Very well. This old Daoist will assist him in this task."

He rolled up his sleeve and took a ring off his left arm.

The circle was entirely golden, with countless runes engraved on it, and a faint radiance flowing around it.

Laozi held the circle in his palm and said to Li Jing:

"Li Tianwang, you should go back and let Erlang Shen fight that monkey head."

The old Taoist then threw down the Vajra Bracelet.

Li Jing received the imperial decree and rode a cloud back.

Laozi stood outside the South Heavenly Gate, holding the Diamond Bracelet, his gaze fixed on the direction of Flower and Fruit Mountain.

He saw Yang Jian and Sun Wukong locked in fierce combat amidst the sea of ​​clouds, the two locked in a tug-of-war, unable to gain the upper hand.

Then, he slammed the diamond ring down.

The circle slipped from his grasp, dripping and flowing directly down to Flower Fruit Mountain.

At this moment, Sun Wukong and Yang Jian were locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle.

He forced Yang Jian back with his staff and was about to withdraw when he suddenly felt a strong gust of wind coming from above.

His eyes flashed, and he looked up to see a golden circle descending from the sky, as fast as lightning.

Sun Wukong tried to dodge, but it was too late.

That diamond ring, by sheer coincidence, struck right at the top of the head.

Sun Wukong felt a sharp pain, as if he had been hit by a mountain.

Suddenly everything went black, my body swayed, I lost my footing, and fell from the clouds.

Seeing the opportunity, Yang Jian strode forward, brandishing his three-pointed, double-edged sword, ready to stab him.

At that moment, Guo Shen, one of the six brothers from Meishan, released his Howling Celestial Dog.

The greyhound, entirely black with blood-red eyes, opened its mouth wide and lunged to bite at Sun Wukong's leg.

Sun Wukong fell off the cloud and before he could regain his footing, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his calf. He looked down and saw...

A black dog was biting his calf with all its might.

He flew into a rage and cursed, "You beast!"

He kicked the black dog away.

Just then, Yang Jian and the six brothers from Meishan rushed forward and pinned Sun Wukong down.

Yang Jian took out a rope from his waist.

The rope was entirely golden and was called the Demon-Binding Rope. It was a gift from Laozi and was used to bind demons and monsters.

He put the rope around Sun Wukong's body, and the rope tightened on its own, binding Sun Wukong tightly.

Yang Jian then took out a hook knife.

The hook blade was incredibly sharp, and it was covered with runes.

He pierced Sun Wukong's collarbone with the hook knife.

Sun Wukong felt a sharp pain, and his magical power was instantly locked, rendering him unable to use any of his supernatural abilities.

He struggled a few times, but couldn't break free from the rope or pull out the hook. He could only lie on the ground, panting heavily.

Yang Jian stood up, looked at Sun Wukong, and his expression was complicated.

He was silent for a moment before saying, "You impudent monkey, do you submit or not?"

Sun Wukong grinned and said, "What do I, Old Sun, need to wear?"

"You gang up on me, using your superior numbers to intimidate me, what kind of skill is that? If it were a one-on-one fight, I, Old Sun, might not necessarily lose!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Jian's expression changed slightly, and he turned to Li Jing, saying:

"Lord Li, the demon monkey has been captured. Please grant your decree regarding his punishment."

Li Jing nodded and said, "You've worked hard, True Lord. I will now go to the mortal realm to report back."

Having said that, he flew towards the South Heavenly Gate.

Yang Jian and the six brothers of Meishan, escorting Sun Wukong, also rode the clouds towards the South Heavenly Gate.

The heavenly soldiers and generals lowered their banners, dismantled their camps, and followed behind, flying in a grand procession towards the Heavenly Court.

In an instant, the clouds and mist cleared above Flower Fruit Mountain, the golden light faded, and the mountain returned to its former tranquility.

Meanwhile, inside the grotto, Li Yan sat cross-legged under the World Tree, closed his eyes and concentrated, using his mind to sense everything in the outside world.

The moment he sensed that Sun Wukong had been captured, his heart trembled and he felt a little breathless.

"Junior brother..." Li Yan murmured to himself.

Close your eyes and immerse your mind in the mirror of your heart.

On the mirror's surface, lines of small golden characters slowly emerged:

[By observing Erlang Shen's battle with Sun Wukong, one can comprehend the principles of transformation and witness the wonders of heaven and earth.]

[Aura of Destiny +800 (Infinitely variable, the Dao resides within)]

Sun Wukong's capture causes a shockwave in the world's fortunes, exacerbating the damage to the World Tree.

[Aura of Fate +2000 (Misfortunes never come singly, calamity is inescapable)]

[Current Affinity/Dharma Energy: 38000/20480]

Li Yan withdrew his thoughts and opened his eyes, only to see that there were several more cracks on the World Tree.

The golden light was dim, the leaves were withered, and the whole tree exuded a sense of despondency.

Those monkeys hid deep within the Paradise Park, trembling with fear, not daring to utter a sound.

Little Drill Wind squatted on the tree, holding a big peach, but couldn't eat a single bite.

It gazed in the direction of the World Tree, its eyes filled with fear.

"Master Li..." Little Drill Wind said in a trembling voice, "What...what happened to the King?"

"His Majesty... has been captured by the Heavenly Court."

Upon hearing this, Little Drill Wind dropped the peach in his hand, which rolled a few times before landing in the grass.

Those monkeys also heard Li Yan's words, and their faces turned pale, their eyes filled with despair.

Looking at them, Li Yan felt a pang of guilt.

"Do not be afraid. Although the king has been captured, he will not die."

He was a naturally born and nurtured monkey, born with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth; even the Heavenly Court dared not easily harm him.

"You should stay here in peace, and I will find a way to rescue him."

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope rekindled in the eyes of the monkeys.

Little Drill jumped down from the tree, ran to Li Yan's side, looked up at him, and said:

"Master Li, is what you're saying true? Can the King really come back?"

Li Yan patted its head and said, "Yes, Your Majesty will definitely return."

Little Drill nodded, then turned to his monkey followers and said:

"Did you all hear that? Master Li said the King will return! We must live well and wait for the King to come back!"

Upon hearing this, the monkeys nodded in agreement, and the fear in their eyes slowly dissipated.

Meanwhile, outside the South Heavenly Gate.

Yang Jian and the six brothers of Meishan escorted Sun Wukong down to the cloud platform.

The Jade Emperor stood on the cloud platform, followed by the Queen Mother of the West, Laozi, and a host of celestial officials.

He gazed at Sun Wukong, who was bound tightly, his expression unreadable, and simply said:

"You demon monkey, do you know your crime?"

Sun Wukong raised his head, his golden eyes filled with arrogance, and grinned:

"What crime have I committed? If you won't invite me to eat peaches, I'll eat them myself."

You call me a lackey? Well, I, Old Sun, will show you what a lackey can be.

Is this my crime, Old Sun?

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's face darkened, and he was about to speak when the Queen Mother coldly said:

"You demon monkey, you wreaked havoc at the Peach Banquet, destroyed the Jade Pool Palace, and stole Laozi's golden pill. Your sins are grave and unforgivable."

Now that you've been captured, what else do you have to say?

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Old hag, you held that Peach Banquet and invited so many immortals, but you didn't invite me, Old Sun."

You clearly look down on me!

I, Old Sun, am here today to tell you that I, Old Sun, am not someone to be trifled with!

The Queen Mother of the West was furious and shouted, "Insolence!"

The Jade Emperor raised his hand to stop her, then turned to Laozi and asked, "Laozi, what should be done with this demon monkey?"

Laozi stood on the cloud platform, his whisk resting on his arm, his expression serene.

His gaze swept over Sun Wukong, who was bound tightly.

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "Your Majesty, this monkey ate the peaches of immortality and drank the imperial wine..."

They also stole the old Taoist's elixir.

Those nine-thousand-year-old peaches are formed from the spiritual roots of heaven and earth, embodying the meaning of endless life.

The nectar and elixir are also celestial delicacies from the Jade Pool, nourishing the primordial spirit.

The old Taoist priest swallowed several pots of elixirs, some raw and some cooked, all at once.

These three spiritual substances entered his body, and he used his innate Geng metal energy and true fire to forge them into one piece.

Its body is as solid as steel; neither swords nor axes can harm it, nor can thunder or fire penetrate it.

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor frowned slightly: "According to Laozi, this demon monkey cannot be killed?"

Lao Jun's smile held a deeper meaning: "Killing him is not an option, but refining him is."

Your Majesty may entrust this monkey head to the old Taoist priest and place it in the Eight Trigrams Furnace to be refined with both civil and military fire.

Inside the furnace, the positions of the sixty-four hexagrams were arranged, corresponding to celestial phenomena above and the earth's veins below.

The old Taoist priest used the Six Ding Divine Fire to temper him for forty-nine days.

At that time, his body will turn to ashes, and the old Taoist's elixir will be restored.

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's gaze narrowed slightly.

He nodded slightly and said calmly, "In that case, we shall follow Laozi's words."

The Queen Mother of the West's expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

Laozi received the order and commanded the Six Ding and Six Jia to escort Sun Wukong to the Tushita Palace.

Sun Wukong was bound by the Demon-Binding Rope, with a hook knife piercing his collarbone, rendering him unable to move.

But there was not a trace of fear in his golden eyes; instead, he grinned and said:

"Old man, you want to use me, Old Sun, to refine elixirs? I'm afraid your furnace isn't sturdy enough to withstand a single blow from me!"

Laozi didn't answer, but just smiled slightly, flicked his whisk, and rode away on the clouds.

Outside the South Heavenly Gate, the immortals watched the departing figures of the group and discussed among themselves.

Huan Yu, the Southern Dipper General, stood beside the Cloud Platform, watching Sun Wukong being taken away, feeling a sense of satisfaction.

He whispered to General Zheng Cong beside him, "This demon monkey has finally been brought to justice."

Even a Great Luo Golden Immortal would find it difficult to escape the calamity of Laozi's Eight Trigrams Furnace, let alone a Taiyi Golden Immortal.

Zheng Cong nodded and said, "The general is right."

That demonic monkey stole peaches and elixirs, disrupting the Peach Banquet; his crimes were unforgivable. His being refined by Laozi was a fitting punishment.

The Kitchen God, the God of Destiny, listened from the side but remained silent.

He watched Laozi's departing figure, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

Having spent many years in Heaven, he knew Laozi's character well.

Although he couldn't fully understand the mysteries of the Eight Trigrams Furnace, he vaguely felt that this matter was probably not so simple.

Venus stood in the corner of the cloud platform, his face pale, his injuries still unhealed.

He watched as Sun Wukong was taken away, and a feeling he couldn't quite describe welled up inside him.

Then, he sighed, shook his head, and turned to ride away on a cloud.

Erlang Shen Yang Jian stood on the cloud platform, looking in the direction where Sun Wukong was being taken away, his face calm and revealing no emotion.

The six brothers of Meishan surrounded him, and Grand Commandant Kang whispered:

"Brother, that monkey has been captured. Shouldn't we return to Guanjiang Estuary?"

Yang Jian nodded slightly, but did not leave immediately.

His gaze swept over the hall full of celestial officials.

Those people, some happy, some sad, watched coldly, secretly plotting and harboring their own thoughts.

He shook his head inwardly.

"Let's go."

Yang Jian said something indifferently, then turned and rode away on a cloud.

The six brothers of Meishan quickly followed, with 1,200 grass-headed gods close behind, flying majestically towards the mouth of the Guanjiang River.

At this moment, inside the alchemy room of the Tushita Palace.

The Eight Trigrams Furnace stood majestically, about three zhang high and about one zhang in diameter, its entire body cast from black iron.

It was covered with runes and restrictions.

The furnace has eight sides, each with a door, corresponding to the Eight Trigrams.

Beneath the furnace, the Six Ding Divine Fire burned fiercely, turning the furnace walls a deep red.

Laozi ordered the Six Ding and Six Jia to untie Sun Wukong's ropes.

As soon as the rope was untied, Sun Wukong felt his strength return and began to struggle.

Laozi, however, patted his shoulder, and a vast force surged forth, pushing him into the furnace.

"boom!"

The furnace door closed, and Sun Wukong fell into the furnace.

Inside that furnace, the Six Ding Divine Fire burned fiercely, its heat so intense that even steel would melt into molten iron.

Sun Wukong felt a burning heat all over his body, as the flames licked at his body, making him shimmer with golden light.

With his golden eyes scanning the surroundings, he saw that there was a door on each of the eight sides of the furnace, and behind each door was a different scene.

The heavenly light above the Qian Palace is dazzling. The popular Xianxia (fantasy/martial arts) novel rankings are updated weekly. Click here.

The raging fire in the Li Palace scorches people, while the freezing ice in the Kan Palace chills them to the bone.

As for the Xun Palace, a gentle breeze blows, bringing comfort and ease.

Sun Wukong's golden eyes flashed, and a thought struck him.

When he was at Fangcun Mountain, he heard the patriarch talk about the principles of the Eight Trigrams.

The Xun trigram represents wind, and where there is wind, there is no fire. If one can enter the Xun position, one can avoid the Six Ding Divine Fire.

He leaped into the Xun Palace position.

Sure enough, in the Xun position, there was only a gentle breeze, and not a single flame was visible.

Sun Wukong let out a long sigh, sat down cross-legged, and was about to rest.

Suddenly, he felt the wind stirring up the smoke and dust in the stove, which flew everywhere and rushed into his eyes, choking him and causing his eyes to water and sting unbearably.

"Cough cough cough!"

Sun Wukong coughed repeatedly, rubbing his eyes as if the smoke and dust were pricking his eyes with needles.

Just then, he remembered the three brocade pouches that Li Yan had given him.

Those were three brocade pouches, woven with gold thread, each embroidered with a large character.

Heaven, Earth, Man.

Li Yan once instructed him: "Your Majesty, these three brocade pouches were obtained by me through the art of Qimen Dunjia, which allowed me to deduce the secrets of heaven."

If Your Majesty encounters danger, you may open these in sequence. Remember, the order must not be reversed.

Sun Wukong was trapped in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, surrounded by fire and choking smoke; it was a matter of life and death.

He reached into his robes, pulled out the brocade pouch embroidered with the character "天" (heaven), and ripped it open.

Inside the brocade pouch was a thin piece of paper covered with tiny, neat characters.

Sun Wukong leaned closer to examine it, and saw that the paper read:

"Your Majesty, you must be inside the Eight Trigrams Furnace by now."

The furnace has eight doors, and the southeast position is where the wind blows, which can keep out the intense fire.

Although there is no fire in the Xun position, there is wind. The wind stirs up smoke and dust, which will surely hurt your eyes.

This is the secret of Laozi's furnace, and also the mechanism of creation of heaven and earth.

Your Majesty, please hear what this humble Taoist has to say.

Although the smoke and dust hurt the eyes, it was also formed from the primordial energy.

If Your Majesty closes your eyes with your magic, you may avoid the pain for a while, but you will miss out on a great opportunity.

I have a method that can grant Your Majesty the advantage of having piercing eyes, while also protecting you from harm.

The Dharma says: Protect the eyeballs with the Qi of Geng Metal, and refine the smoke and dust with the True Fire of Samadhi.

When the smoke and dust get into your eyes, Your Majesty, do not close them, nor rub them.

The eyes are enveloped only by the energy of Geng metal, as if the eyeballs are wearing a layer of golden armor.

The smoke and dust that touched the golden armor would be refined by the Geng metal energy, turning into a wisp of pure energy that seeped into the eyes.

This process was repeated for forty-nine days, until the furnace was opened.

The king's eyes will then be endowed with innate divine light, enabling him to see through all things in the three realms and distinguish between truth and falsehood, good and evil.

Moreover, because of the protection of the Geng metal energy, the eyes will not develop any lasting problems, but will instead become even brighter.

Important: Do not rub your eyes or close them.

Rubbing will injure your eyes, closing them will cause you to miss your chance. Protect them with the energy of metal, refine them with true fire, and success will naturally be achieved.

After reading it, a hint of joy flashed in Sun Wukong's golden eyes.

He did as instructed, channeling the metal energy within his body to his eyes, creating a layer of golden light around his eyeballs.

The golden light, like armor, tightly protected his eyes.

The smoke and dust in the furnace were stirred up by the wind, swirling and flying into his eyes.

The smoke and dust touched that layer of golden light.

"Hiss!"

Refined by the Qi of Geng Metal, it transforms into wisps of pure Qi that seep into the eyeballs.

At first, the refreshing air entered my eyes, and I felt cool and comfortable.

Gradually, the pure energy gathered more and more, condensing in the eyeballs and turning into clusters of light.

The halo was colorful and swirled endlessly in my eyes.

Sun Wukong felt a surge of heat in his eyes.

The heat emanated from deep within the eyeballs, spreading in all directions along the meridians.

Wherever it passed, the meridians that had been aching from the smoke and dust were all cleared and became completely unobstructed.

He was overjoyed, knowing that this method was effective, and became even more focused.

He used the energy of Geng metal to protect his eyes, letting the smoke and dust rush into them, then refined and absorbed it.

Day after day, the Six Ding Divine Fire burned fiercely in the furnace.

Laozi commanded the Taoist priest who tended the furnace and the boy who tended the fire to fan the flames and add charcoal day and night.

The temperature inside the furnace was rising higher and higher, but Sun Wukong was hiding in the Xun position (a specific location in Feng Shui).

With a gentle breeze protecting my body and the energy of metal protecting my eyes, I not only didn't feel uncomfortable, but actually felt completely at ease.

He refined and absorbed all the smoke and dust in the furnace over forty-nine days.

The light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter, like two pearls.

Meanwhile, inside the grotto, Li Yan sat cross-legged under the World Tree, closing his eyes and concentrating.

The cracks on the World Tree grew deeper and deeper.

The golden light was dim, the leaves were withered, and the whole tree exuded a sense of despondency.

The surrounding mountains and rivers, spanning 300,000 square miles, have also lost their former vitality.

The mountains and rivers lost their color, the streams dried up, and the vegetation withered.

The monkeys hid deep within the Paradise, gazing at this gradually decaying world, their hearts filled with fear.

Little Drill Wind squatted on the tree, holding the peach that had long since gone cold, unable to eat a single bite.

It gazed in the direction of the World Tree, its eyes filled with worry.

"Master Li..." Little Drill Wind whispered, "Is this place about to collapse?"

Li Yan opened his eyes and looked at the World Tree, which was covered in scars, and felt a bitter feeling in his heart.

The combined attack of the three parties had shattered the walls of the cave.

Despite the World Tree's best efforts to restore it, it is still operating at a loss.

The cracks were multiplying, and if they were not repaired in time, the cave would collapse completely in a few days.

At that time, the mountains and rivers within a radius of 300,000 li will turn into nothingness.

Those monkey offspring will also vanish into thin air along with the cave.

Li Yan took a deep breath and steadied himself.

He focused his mind into the mirror of his mind, and there he saw lines of small golden characters slowly appearing on its surface:

The World Tree has been severely damaged, and 70% of the cave's walls have cracked. If it is not repaired in time, the cave will completely collapse in three days.

[Aura of Destiny +5000 (Heaven and Earth grieve together; calamity is inescapable)]

[Current Affinity/Dharma Energy: 43000/20480]

Li Yan stared at the line of numbers and decisively began to deduce using the power of fate.

Consumption is like water flowing away.

In the mirror of the heart, images gradually emerge.

Those are the various possibilities after the collapse of the cave.

In some scenes, the cave completely collapses, and he and his monkey followers vanish into nothingness.

In some scenes, he manages to escape, but his cultivation is completely destroyed, and he becomes a mortal.

Finally, he saw a picture that held a glimmer of hope.

Li Yan was shocked. This deduction had consumed 33,000 strands of karmic energy.

The result told him that repairing the cave was no longer possible.

The most effective method is to destroy and then build.

The internal alchemy method and the external celestial cultivation method are completely integrated and transformed into one.

The Internal Refinement Golden Elixir Method cultivates one's own Golden Elixir, refining essence into qi, refining qi into spirit, refining spirit into emptiness, and ultimately achieving the Great Luo Dao Fruit.

The Outer Harmony Cave Heaven Dao cultivates the cave heavens of heaven and earth, using one's own primordial spirit as the foundation and spiritual objects of heaven and earth as the guide to open up a world, ultimately evolving into chaos.

Both originate from the same source but flow differently; both involve merging the human body with heaven and earth, and merging the human heart with the Dao.

If the two can be united as one, it is the unity of heaven and man, and the way of nature.

A sudden realization dawned on Li Yan.

He sat cross-legged under the World Tree, his hands forming a mudra, his eyes closed in deep concentration.

Focus your mind on your dantian.

Within that dantian, a twelve-petaled golden lotus slowly rotated.

Above the lotus, those mysterious symbols and characters shone brightly.

He took a deep breath and dispersed all the true essence and magical power in his dantian into his limbs and bones.

The lotus flower, having lost the support of magical power, gradually dimmed and its rotation slowed down.

Li Yan gritted his teeth, enduring the pain of his cultivation being completely depleted.

Peel off the runes from the lotus flower one by one.

Those runes were the culmination of his years of cultivation, each one containing his understanding of the Dao.

To peel them away at this moment is like having tendons and skin ripped off, causing excruciating pain.

But he knew that this was a necessary process.

Without destruction, there can be no construction; without death, there can be no life.

.

The Tushita Palace, the Eight Trigrams Furnace.

Forty-nine days is neither a long nor a short time.

The Six Ding Divine Fire in the furnace never stopped burning.

Laozi stood before the furnace, flicked his whisk, and said to the Taoist priest tending the furnace, "Open the furnace."

The Taoist priest stepped forward and flung open the furnace door.

"boom!"

Heat waves, accompanied by thick smoke, billowed directly from the furnace.

The Taoist priest was so choked by the fumes that he scrambled backward, covering his face and coughing so hard he couldn't straighten up.

Just then, a loud shout erupted from the furnace, causing the entire Tushita Palace to tremble three times.

"I, Old Sun—am out!"

A figure shot into the sky from the furnace.

"Hooray!"

The Eight Trigrams Furnace was kicked over and fell to the ground, scattering embers everywhere, leaving the alchemy room in a complete mess.

The Taoist priest tending the stove, the boy tending the fire, and the group of six Ding and six Jia were so frightened that they rushed forward in a panic to stop them.

But the monkey's body suddenly shone with golden light, and it casually waved its hand.

The group of people were thrown to the ground like rag dolls, rolling around in a heap.

Lao Jun reached out to grab it, but the monkey turned around, looked at it, and without saying a word, pushed it away.

Lao Jun slipped.

"Ouch!"

It was planted upside down.

The monkey ignored him completely, pulled the golden cudgel from its ear, and swung it in the wind.

It was as thick as a bowl, held in my hand, and I charged out of the Tushita Palace, heading straight for the Southern Heavenly Gate.

The Nine Luminaries were having a meeting inside when they heard something amiss outside and peeked out.

Without saying a word, the Nine Luminaries Star Lord closed the door, shrank back, and pretended to be dead.

The Four Heavenly Kings were on duty at the South Heavenly Gate when they saw a golden light carrying a ferocious monkey head charging towards them.

Terrified, he plunged into the clouds and disappeared without a trace.

The monkey advanced unimpeded, fighting its way directly into the Tongming Hall and outside the Lingxiao Hall.

Inside the hall, Wang Lingguan, the right-hand man of You Sheng Zhenjun, was on duty.

Upon seeing the monkey charging recklessly, he drew his golden whip to block its path and shouted:

"You impudent monkey! Where do you think you're going!"

The monkey, too lazy to say more, raised its stick and struck.

The golden whip clashed with the iron rod, and the two fought fiercely in front of the Lingxiao Palace until the sky darkened.

Wang Lingguan was indeed skilled; he wielded his golden whip with great force.

But the monkey was now surrounded by golden light, and he swung his golden cudgel like a windmill.

Each blow felt like a mountain crashing down on you.

After fighting for thirty or forty rounds, Wang Lingguan's tiger's mouth cracked from the impact, and he almost dropped his golden whip.

Seeing the situation was dire, the True Lord Yousheng immediately ordered the thirty-six Thunder Generals of the Thunder Palace to come to the scene.

They surrounded the monkey, brandishing swords, spears, halberds, whips, maces, hammers, and claws all at once.

The monkey didn't care at all, and in a flash, it transformed into having three heads and six arms.

With a flick of his golden cudgel, six blades shot out simultaneously.

Although the thirty-six Thunder Generals were all Taiyi Golden Immortals, each wielding their own weapons, they surrounded the monkey completely.

But the monkey, in the eyes of the golden eyes, had undergone a complete transformation.

Those eyes shone with golden light, like two blazing suns.

His gaze swept over the lightning generals, and he could see through the flow of their magical power.

Know the weaknesses in every move they make.

With a swing of his golden cudgel, he struck at vital points, forcing the thunder generals to retreat step by step.

This is what is meant by having discerning eyes.

No, it's even better than having sharp eyes.

In the original story, Sun Wukong's eyes were ruined by the smoke in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, leaving him with a chronic eye ailment.

Tears well up when exposed to wind, and sting when exposed to smoke.

But at this moment, following Li Yan's method, he used the Geng metal energy to protect his eyes and refined the smoke and dust in the furnace.

Instead of developing any lasting health problems, it actually helped him develop even brighter eyesight.

These eyes can see through all things in the three realms, distinguish between truth and falsehood, good and evil, and even see through the flaws in magic and supernatural powers.

Furthermore, protected by the Qi of Geng Metal, it is not afraid of wind and smoke, nor is it afraid of strong light.

Even under the blazing sun, it cannot be harmed in the slightest.

Outside the Lingxiao Palace, the thirty-six Thunder Generals surrounded the monkey, but they could do nothing to him.

At this moment, the monkey's golden eyes were clear.

He looked at the thunder generals, grinned, and swung his golden cudgel.

It transformed into a thousand golden rays, forcing all thirty-six thunder generals to retreat.

"You bunch of cowards are no match for me, Old Sun! Quickly summon the Jade Emperor; I have questions for him!"

The lightning bolts looked at each other, not daring to step forward.

Just then, a Buddhist chant suddenly rang out from the Tongming Hall.

"Amitabha."

The Buddhist chant sounded like the long tolling of an ancient bell, falling from the heavens and shaking the entire Lingxiao Palace.

The monkey's golden eyes flashed, and it looked in the direction of the sound.

Inside the Tongming Hall, auspicious clouds swirled and golden light shone in countless rays.

Amidst the golden light, a Buddha descended upon the clouds.

The Buddha, draped in a golden robe, had his eyes slightly closed, a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown.

Sun Wukong's golden eyes narrowed, and he felt that the Buddha was like the ocean, unfathomable.

Outside the Lingxiao Palace, the sea of ​​clouds churned like silver, and auspicious clouds hung heavy.

The Buddha stepped onto a nine-tiered lotus platform and slowly approached, his body radiating a light like moonlight.

He paused before the hall, looking down at the figure standing tall with a staff in hand:

"You Monkey King, born of Heaven and Earth, how could you harbor such deceitful intentions, desiring to usurp the Jade Emperor's throne?"

Sun Wukong's golden eyes darted around, sparks flashing as he looked the Buddha up and down, then chuckled.

"Who are you, monk, daring to meddle in my business?"

The Buddha nodded slightly, his face displaying an auspicious expression: "I am Shakyamuni."

I have heard that you have repeatedly offended the Heavenly Palace, acting with unbridled arrogance. I know not where you were born, when you attained enlightenment, or why you are so violent and unruly.

The Great Sage's heart stirred, and his golden eyes narrowed.

He forged a pair of divine eyes in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, and the Geng metal energy washed away the dust and smoke, enabling him to see through the cause and effect of the three realms.

Gazing upon the Buddha at this moment, one can see a golden thread faintly connecting to the west within the depths of the Buddha's light.

In this sacred mountain paradise, chanting rises like a tide, and spiritual energy cascades like a waterfall. He grinned, revealing his teeth, and said:

"Old Sun is a born saint from Flower Fruit Mountain. He made a ruckus in the Heavenly Palace, escaped from the Eight Trigrams Furnace, and is about to settle old scores with that old Jade Emperor."

"You monk from the Western Paradise, why aren't you chanting scriptures on Mount Ling? What are you doing here?"

Upon hearing this, the Buddha's eyes narrowed slightly.

He observed that the monkey's eyes were like two blazing suns, shining with golden light, and he sensed that it might be breaking the law. He felt a strange feeling in his heart.

Yet he still said, "Besides immortality and transformation, what other abilities do you possess? How dare you occupy the celestial palace's most magnificent realm?"

Sun Wukong raised his head, his golden armor clattering: "Old Sun has many tricks up his sleeve!"

With seventy-two transformations, eternal life, and a somersault covering 108,000 li in a single bound, how could one not attain the throne?

The Buddha laughed and said, "In that case, I will make a bet with you."

If you can somersault out of my right palm, then you win.

The Jade Emperor abdicates, and the Heavenly Palace belongs to you.

If you cannot defeat them, you will remain in the mortal realm as a demon, cultivating for several more kalpas before you can quarrel again.

Sun Wukong's golden eyes darted around, and he remembered the brocade pouch that Li Yan had given him.

The brocade pouch is embroidered with the character "地" (earth), the stitches like dragons and snakes coiling, with faint cloud patterns flowing around it.

He reached into his robes and pulled out the object.

Though only an inch or so in size, it was heavy and seemed to hold the universe within.

Pulling back the silk thread, a neatly folded piece of paper was revealed. Unfolded, the ink was still fresh and vibrant, and it read:

"Your Majesty, if you were to gamble with the Buddha's palm, do not recklessly perform a somersault."

His palm appears to be only a few feet in diameter, but in reality, it contains the size of Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed, and contains immeasurable emptiness.

No matter how far you travel, you cannot escape his grasp.

If Your Majesty trusts me, then please follow my plan.

He leaped onto its palm, and without first somersaulting, drew a circle with the golden cudgel.

This circle subtly embodies the principles of the Eight Trigrams Grotto Heaven and can break the method of containing Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed.

Once the circle is formed, perform a somersault to jump out of the palm.

After reading it, Sun Wukong's golden eyes lit up, and he grinned, revealing his sharp teeth, and laughed to himself.

Senior brother, your predictions are quite accurate.

He tucked the paper into his robes, slammed his golden cudgel on the ground, and the clouds in front of the steps scattered.

Then, he leaped onto the Buddha's right palm.

The palm was only a few feet in diameter, and a faint Buddhist light flowed within it.

Sun Wukong stood in the palm of the hand, but did not rush to somersault.

He pulled the golden cudgel from his ear, waved it in the wind, and it transformed into a thin needle.

With the tip of the needle, a circle was drawn in the palm of the Buddha.

That circle was only the size of a copper coin.

However, within that circle lies the principle of the Eight Trigrams Cave Heaven, forming a miniature array.

The Buddha sensed the unusual movement in his palm, and his expression changed slightly.

He looked down.

The monkey was drawing circles in his palm with its golden cudgel.

The runes within that circle were mysterious and unfathomable.

"This monkey..." Buddha thought to himself in surprise.

Just as he was about to speak, the monkey finished drawing the circle and put the golden cudgel back into its ear.

He leaped into the air and somersaulted out.

This flip was as fast as lightning, and in the blink of an eye, they disappeared without a trace.

Tathagata felt the array in his palm tremble slightly.

A vast power surged from the formation, tearing a crack in his Sumeru-Suppressing Mustard Seed Technique.

The monkey somersaulted out through the crack and actually managed to flip out his palm.

The Buddha's expression changed slightly, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

He sensed that the monkey was tens of thousands of miles away and was flying towards them.

A moment later, the monkey reappeared in front of the Lingxiao Palace, landed in front of the Buddha, and grinned:

"Monk, I, Old Sun, have found it! Your hand isn't that big!"

The Buddha looked at the monkey and said, "Excellent, excellent. You monkey, you do indeed have some skill."

He secretly thought to himself that there must be a master guiding this monkey.

The array in the palm of his hand was definitely not something the monkey could have drawn himself.

The Buddha withdrew his palm, looked at Sun Wukong, and said calmly:

"Though you have escaped my grasp, you are still within the Three Realms. The Jade Emperor's throne is still not yours to sit on."

Sun Wukong's golden eyes flashed, and he was about to start cursing.

The Buddha waved his hand, and a golden light emanated from his palm, enveloping the monkey.

The golden light contained boundless magical power, which firmly immobilized the monkey, rendering it unable to move.

If you could only read one fantasy novel in your life, it would probably be "Gou Zai Xi You De Dao Chang Sheng" (苟在西游得道长生).