Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

The Buddha's five fingers were slightly bent, and golden light flowed between his fingers, as if molten gold were poured onto the ground.

The light was not as gentle as the usual Buddha's light.

Instead, a powerful, earth-shattering force surged from his palm, firmly enveloping Sun Wukong.

The Great Sage felt that there were invisible barriers all around him, as if he had been put into a transparent glass cup.

There's nowhere to escape, no matter which way you look.

His golden eyes widened in anger, and two beams of golden light shot out from those fiery eyes, illuminating the golden light barrier.

When the golden light shone on the wall of light, it trembled slightly, revealing several hair-thin cracks.

The Buddha was startled.

He silently recited the mantra, his five fingers slightly bent, like five great mountains pressing down.

Sun Wukong felt a darkness above his head and looked up.

Those five fingers had transformed into five giant pillars supporting the sky above the clouds.

The thumb-shaped peak stands upright, its entire body bluish-black, topped with a blanket of white snow, exuding a chilling aura.

The index finger then burned into a crimson mountain, with raging flames and rolling heat waves.

The middle finger transforms into golden mountains, gleaming with golden light and revealing its sharp edge, as if ten thousand swords are pointing towards the sky.

The ring finger solidified into a white mountain, shrouded in mist, appearing and disappearing, concealing a chilling aura.

The little finger sinks into a black mountain, shrouded in black mist, thick and heavy, like the foundation of the earth.

The five mountains correspond to the five elements.

Metal, wood, water, fire, and earth are mutually generating and mutually restraining, forming a unified whole.

This is precisely the Five Elements Mountain of the Buddha.

In the original story, the Five Elements Mountain imprisoned Sun Wukong for five hundred years, rendering him unable to move.

But the Sun Wukong of this moment is no longer the same monkey whose eyes were ruined by smoke in the original story.

He forged an indestructible pair of golden eyes in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, which can see through all things in the Three Realms and distinguish between truth and falsehood, good and evil.

At that moment, his golden eyes shone brightly, and he saw the flaw in the Five Elements Mountain.

Those five mountains, though seemingly a single entity, each possess their own distinct characteristics.

Metal is sharp, wood is budding, water is flowing downwards, fire is blazing upwards, and earth is heavy.

The five elements generate each other, thus enabling an endless cycle; the five elements counteract each other, thus suppressing all things.

However, within this mutual generation and restraint, there is a subtle gap.

That is soil.

Earth resides in the center, harmonizing the four elements.

It is both the pivot of the Five Elements and the weakness of the Five Elements.

If that earthen hill can be shaken, the order of the five elements will be broken, and then the Five Elements Mountain will collapse without being attacked.

Sun Wukong was overjoyed, and his golden eyes shone brightly.

He swung his golden cudgel in the wind, transforming it into a giant pillar supporting the sky, and thrust it towards the black earthen mountain in the center.

The Buddha sensed his intention and his expression changed slightly.

He never expected that the monkey could see through the secrets of the Five Elements Mountain in such a short time.

They are indeed not to be underestimated.

The Buddha formed mudras with his hands and spoke increasingly rapid incantations.

Sensing the Buddha's power, the black earthen mound suddenly surged, its surface churning with black energy, making it feel even heavier.

The golden cudgel stabbed into the earthen hill.

Sun Wukong felt a tremendous force rebound back, which made his arms go numb and almost caused him to drop his golden cudgel.

He gritted his teeth and pushed the metal energy within his body to its limit.

Sensing his magical power, the golden cudgel shone brightly, like a golden spear, and plunged into the earthen hill.

Click!

A crack appeared on the earthen hill.

Black mist surged out from the cracks, spreading and dispersing in all directions.

Sun Wukong was overjoyed and was about to put in more effort to completely pierce through the earthen hill, but he found himself helpless.

He felt the golden cudgel getting heavier and heavier, as if it were pressing down on the five directions of heaven and earth.

His arm began to tremble, and blood seeped from the base of his thumb.

Even that indestructible body could not withstand such immense power.

"I, Old Sun... refuse to accept this!"

Sun Wukong gritted his teeth and raised the golden cudgel three inches higher.

Within its golden eyes, the light shone with unparalleled brilliance.

That was the culmination of his life's cultivation, and a manifestation of his indomitable will.

Just then, I suddenly felt a burning sensation in my chest.

He looked down.

Then, the last brocade pouch in his bosom, the one embroidered with the character "人" (person), floated out on its own and hung in mid-air.

Golden light flowed and runes flickered on the brocade pouch.

In a short while, the brocade pouch opened by itself, and a piece of paper floated out.

He looked closely and saw that the note read:

"Your Majesty, if a monk were to press down on you with the Five Elements Mountain, Your Majesty must remember not to resist it head-on."

That mountain was formed from supreme divine power and contains the principles of the five elements' mutual generation and restraint.

Although the King forged his golden eyes in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, enabling him to see through the workings of the Five Elements,

However, he was still a Taiyi Golden Immortal, and his fundamental nature was difficult to shake.

I have a plan that may help Your Majesty escape this predicament.

Your Majesty may first use the technique of "Reversing Yin and Yang" from the Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Gang to disrupt the order of the Five Elements.

Then, using the "Telepathic Path" technique from the Seventy-Two Transformations of the Earthly Fiends, he escaped into the earthen mountain.

Borrowing the virtue of the Earth element, one can avoid its sharp edge.

Just as the monks thought the king had been suppressed and lowered their guard,

The king then used the technique of "shifting stars and changing constellations" to escape from the mountains.

These three consecutive changes can break the Five Elements Mountain.

However, there is one point that Your Majesty must remember.

Whether this method succeeds or not depends entirely on Your Majesty's cultivation level.

If the Great King has already attained the Great Luo, even the Tathagata cannot do anything to him; the Five Elements Mountain is nothing but a clay chicken and a tile dog.

If the king is still a Taiyi Golden Immortal, then we need to take a gamble.

I'm betting that Buddha won't risk his life for it.

If he fights with his life on the line, even if the king uses all his strength, he will not escape being suppressed.

But if he is unwilling to suffer a lose-lose situation, the king will have a glimmer of hope.

Your Majesty, please remember this well.

After reading it, Sun Wukong's golden eyes gleamed.

He looked up at the Five Elements Mountain and saw that the five mountains were pressing down on his head.

The black earthen hill, though cracked, continued to slowly press down, showing no sign of stopping.

Sun Wukong grinned, "In my entire life, the thing I fear least is gambling!"

After saying that, he destroyed the note and used the Reversal of Yin and Yang technique from the Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Gang.

But his whole body shone with a great golden light.

Within that golden light, the yin and yang energies circulated, transforming into a tai chi symbol that hung above the head.

The Tai Chi diagram slowly rotated, reversing Yin and Yang and disrupting the Five Elements.

The Five Elements Mountain sensed this power, and all five mountains trembled simultaneously.

The order of the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—was suddenly disrupted.

That balance of mutual generation and mutual restraint has been broken.

Countless tiny cracks appeared between the five mountains.

The Buddha's expression changed drastically.

He sensed that the power of the five elements within the Five Elements Mountain was being disturbed by a mysterious force.

That power was not as domineering as ordinary magic, but rather it used skill to overcome force, using minimal effort to deflect a great weight.

"This is... the Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Gang?" Buddha thought to himself in surprise.

This monkey actually possesses such supernatural powers?

Immediately, he formed a hand seal and poured his magical power into the Five Elements Mountain, attempting to stabilize the disordered order of the five elements.

But that art of reversing yin and yang is truly too mysterious.

The five elements within the Five Elements Mountain surged and raged uncontrollably.

The Buddha's expression was solemn, and a light sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead.

At this moment, Sun Wukong once again used the "Communication with the Netherworld" technique from the Seventy-Two Transformations of Earthly Fiends.

His figure suddenly became illusory, like a shadow, and disappeared into the black earthen hill.

Although the earthen mound was thick and heavy, it could not block this technique of communicating with the spirit world.

His figure passed through the earthen mound's barrier and disappeared into the mountain.

Inside that mountain was a state of chaos.

In the chaos, the power of the five elements intertwined and surged endlessly.

Sun Wukong scanned the surroundings with his golden eyes and saw a glimmer of light deep within the chaos.

That's the world outside the mountains.

Calm your mind and flee towards the light.

Buddha sensed that Sun Wukong had already disappeared into the earthen hill and felt a chill in his heart.

He never expected that the monkey would have such a skill, able to escape into the Five Elements Mountain.

He was about to unleash his magic to force the monkey out.

Suddenly, he felt the power of the five elements within the Five Elements Mountain become chaotic once again.

That was Sun Wukong using the Star-Shifting Technique.

From within the earthen hill, a golden light shot into the sky, tearing apart the chaos and soaring straight into the clouds.

Within that golden light, Sun Wukong's figure appeared and disappeared, about to emerge from the mountain.

The Buddha's expression darkened, he formed a mudra with his hands and chanted a mantra.

The power of that mantra transformed into a golden pillar of light, which fell from the heavens and crashed onto the earthen hill.

boom!

The entire Five Elements Mountain trembled violently.

The golden light was struck by the beam of light and suddenly dimmed.

Sun Wukong felt a tremendous force pressing down on him from above, forcibly pulling him down from mid-air.

He groaned, spat out blood, and fell into the earthen mound.

Sensing his presence, the earthen hill surged with black energy, drawing him in and rendering him immobile.

"Oh no!" Sun Wukong thought to himself.

He struggled a few times, but couldn't break free from the black aura's hold.

The black mist bound him tightly like countless ropes.

The Buddha stood on a cloud, gazing at the Five Elements Mountain, his face slightly pale.

He used five-tenths of his strength in that last strike.

They thought they could suppress the monkey, but to their surprise, the monkey was able to withstand it.

The monkey's abilities were far greater than he had imagined.

Immediately afterwards, the voice of truth resounded through the sky.

The power of that mantra transformed into a golden pillar of light, which fell instantly.

Wherever it passed, cracks were torn open in the void.

Sun Wukong sensed the power of the beam of light, and a resolute glint flashed in his golden eyes.

He pushed the metal energy within his body to its limit.

Sensing his magical power, the golden cudgel shone brightly, transforming into a golden pillar of light that met his attack.

Two golden beams collided in mid-air.

Rumble!

The sound was like the creation of heaven and earth, shaking the entire three realms.

The celestial palaces trembled violently.

Ghosts in the underworld, their souls scattered and their spirits dispersed.

The earth was shattered, cracking open with countless fissures.

After a brief standoff between the two golden beams, Sun Wukong's metal aura was ultimately no match for Tathagata's boundless magical power.

The golden beam of light slowly pressed down, gradually swallowing up Sun Wukong's light.

Sun Wukong gritted his teeth and squeezed out every last bit of magical power from his body.

But the beam of light still fell unstoppably.

"I, Old Sun... am not reconciled!"

Sun Wukong roared to the sky, his golden eyes filled with resentment.

The Buddha stood on the nine-tiered lotus platform, gazing at the Five Elements Mountain.

Within the black earthen mound, Sun Wukong's figure could be seen appearing and disappearing, still struggling.

The monkey's body shimmered with golden light, and its golden cudgel, planted atop the earthen hill, actually held back the downward pressure by three inches.

"What a mischievous monkey!" Buddha thought to himself.

He cultivated for countless eons and attained unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

In the Three Realms, there are only a handful of people who can make him use even five-tenths of his power.

This monkey was only at the peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, yet it managed to force him to use seven-tenths of his strength, and still couldn't completely suppress him.

The Buddha formed a mudra with both hands again.

That mudra is called the Great Vajra Wheel Mudra, and it is one of the Buddha's most treasured supernatural powers.

The moment this seal is unleashed, even a Great Luo Golden Immortal would have to retreat.

The Five Elements Mountain sensed the Buddha's power, and all five mountains trembled simultaneously.

The five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—converged into a five-colored pillar of light that shot up from the mountaintop and pierced the heavens.

Sun Wukong felt the pressure pressing down on him suddenly increase several times over.

The golden cudgel was bent like a bow under the pressure.

The flesh and bones creaked under the heavy pressure.

Sun Wukong gritted his teeth, his golden eyes bloodshot.

That indestructible body was brought to its fullest potential at this moment.

His body shone with golden light, like the blazing sun in the sky, so bright that the surrounding heavenly soldiers and generals had to cover their eyes.

The Buddha frowned slightly.

The monkey's resilience far exceeded his expectations.

If this stalemate continues, even if he manages to suppress the monkey eventually, he will have to pay a considerable price.

At that moment, Tathagata sensed a mysterious power surging within the Five Elements Mountain.

That power was neither as fierce and domineering as the metal element, nor as inexhaustible as the spiritual energy of the peaches.

That is the power of the grotto-heaven.

Although Sun Wukong had already left the cave, he still carried the protective jade pendant given to him by Li Yan.

That jade tablet contains the power of heaven and earth from the Middle Thousand Worlds.

At this critical moment of life and death, that wisp of power was unleashed.

Sun Wukong felt a warm current surge from his chest, flowing through his limbs and bones.

Wherever the warm current passed, fatigue vanished, injuries healed, and magical power was restored.

"Brother..." A hint of gratitude flashed in Sun Wukong's golden eyes.

He seized the opportunity and rose up, his golden cudgel suddenly growing larger, raising the Five Elements Mountain three feet higher.

The Buddha's expression changed drastically.

He sensed that the power of the five elements within the Five Elements Mountain was being eroded by that mysterious force.

The order of the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth) is even more severely disrupted.

"not good!"

The Tathagata repeatedly formed mudras with his hands: the Great Vajra Wheel Mudra, the Great Sumeru Mudra, and the Great Prajna Mudra.

One move after another, in an endless stream.

With the blessing of these magical powers, the Five Elements Mountains shone even brighter, stabilizing the downward pressure.

But the power of that grotto-heaven could not be dispelled no matter what.

It wanders through the Five Elements Mountain, eroding the foundation of the Five Elements power.

The Buddha felt that the connection between himself and the Five Elements Mountain was gradually weakening.

The feeling was like holding sand in your hand; the harder you tried, the faster it slipped away.

After all, although the Five Elements Mountain of the Buddha was formed from innate supernatural powers and contained the principles of the five elements' mutual generation and restraint,

But ultimately, it exists within the Three Realms and the Five Elements.

The power of the grotto-heaven uses skill to overcome force, the boundless to overcome the bounded, and the formless to overcome the five elements.

The Five Elements Mountain and the power of the cave heaven held out for a moment, but finally could not withstand it.

Click!

Click!

Click!

Countless cracks simultaneously appeared on the five mountains.

Within that crevice, multicolored light and golden Buddhist light intertwined and swirled, bursting forth with dazzling brilliance.

Tathagata groaned, and a trace of golden blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

The blood contained boundless magical power; wherever it dripped, the void was corroded into black holes.

"World Honored One!" Manjushri Bodhisattva, in the Vulture Peak, sensed the Tathagata's unusual state through his wisdom eye, and his expression changed drastically.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva also looked grave: "That monkey actually possesses such power, capable of harming the Dharma body of the World-Honored One?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva clasped her hands together and chanted the Buddha's name, but her heart was in turmoil.

She looked towards the direction of Flower and Fruit Mountain, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

I recall that back on Mount Ling, the Buddha once said that in the Three Realms, there were only a handful of beings who could harm his Dharma body.

That monkey, who was merely a Taiyi Golden Immortal, was able to do that?

At this moment, the cracks on the Five Elements Mountain are increasing.

Those five mountains were teetering on the brink of collapse.

The Buddha's expression was extremely solemn.

At this moment, the five mountains no longer pressed down, but simply hung in mid-air, trapping the monkey within them.

Sun Wukong felt the pressure ease and was about to seize the opportunity to escape.

But he found that although the Five Elements Mountain was no longer pressing down, it still trapped him firmly.

The cracks between the five mountains have been filled by the Buddha's light, making them as airtight as an iron barrel.

"Bald monk!" Sun Wukong roared.

"Either crush me, or let me out! What kind of skill is this, this mediocre attitude?"

The Buddha did not answer, but closed his eyes and concentrated, using his wisdom eye to send a message towards the Western Paradise.

On Mount Ling, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are meditating in the Great Thunderclap Temple.

Suddenly, golden light flashed on the Buddha's body, a sign that a message was being sent.

Manjushri Bodhisattva was the first to sense it, his expression changed, and he said in a deep voice, "The World-Honored One has sent a message."

Upon hearing this, all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas opened their eyes and looked at the Dharma body of the Tathagata.

On that Dharma body, golden light condensed into lines of Sanskrit characters, which floated in mid-air.

The Sanskrit text reads:

"The monkey's head is hard to subdue, and the Five Elements Mountain will collapse."

I need your help to reinforce the Five Elements Mountain with the supreme Buddhist teachings.

After this battle, my Dharma body was damaged and I need to go into seclusion to recuperate.

"As for the Heavenly Court, I'll leave it to you all to handle things there."

The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, upon seeing this, displayed various expressions.

Manjushri Bodhisattva put his hands together in prayer and said, "The World Honored One is in trouble. How can we sit idly by? Everyone, let us join forces to help."

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva nodded and said, "Good."

Guanyin Bodhisattva also nodded slightly.

Each Buddha and Bodhisattva occupies their respective position, with their hands forming mudras and their mouths reciting mantras.

The sound of those true words resounded throughout Mount Ling, causing the grass and trees to tremble and the beasts and birds to prostrate themselves on the ground.

The power of those words converged into a golden pillar of light, rising from Mount Ling and piercing the clouds.

The Buddha sensed the pillar of light, formed a mudra with his hands, and guided the pillar of light down, injecting it into the Five Elements Mountain.

The crack was filled by the Buddha's light, and the fissures on the mountain gradually healed, becoming even more solid than before.

Sun Wukong felt the pressure on his body increase even further.

The golden cudgel was bent like a bow under the pressure.

The blood from the tiger's mouth flowed down the golden cudgel, dripping onto the earthen hill and turning into tiny golden flowers.

"I, Old Sun..." Sun Wukong gritted his teeth, his golden eyes filled with resentment, "I refuse to accept this!"

He squeezed out every last bit of power from his body, but the Five Elements Mountain remained completely still.

The combined power of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, along with the boundless supernatural abilities of the Tathagata, would suppress even a Great Immortal.

Besides, he's just a Taiyi Golden Immortal.

The golden cudgel was pressed lower and lower.

Sun Wukong's knees began to bend.

His back subsequently became hunched.

Golden eyes gradually dimmed.

The Five Elements Mountain slowly pressed down, one inch, two inches, three inches...

Finally, the golden cudgel was pushed to its limit, let out a mournful cry, shrank back to its original form, and fell into Sun Wukong's ears.

Sun Wukong lost his support and was pressed down heavily by the Five Elements Mountain.

"boom!"

The entire Flower and Fruit Mountain was trembling.

The Five Elements Mountain fell to the ground, pressing Sun Wukong down beneath it, leaving only his head exposed; his hands could still move with difficulty.

Sun Wukong felt as if all the bones in his body were about to shatter. The Five Elements Mountain was like a world pressing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe.

"Brother... I, Old Sun... have lost..."

He muttered to himself, closed his eyes, and let the darkness engulf him.

The Buddha stood atop a cloud, his Dharma body cracked with countless fine fissures.

Golden blood seeped from the cracks and dripped onto the lotus platform.

The nine-tiered lotus platform, stained with golden blood, had lost its luster.

Manjushri Bodhisattva sensed the Buddha's state while on Vulture Peak, and his expression changed drastically:

"The Buddha's Dharma body has been damaged; he needs to quickly enter seclusion to recuperate!"

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva nodded and said, "Although the Five Elements Mountain has suppressed the monkey head, it still needs to be blessed daily with the supreme Buddha Dharma."

Only then can stability be achieved. This matter will be left to us.

Guanyin Bodhisattva, however, had a solemn expression. She looked towards the direction of the Heavenly Court, a trace of worry flashing in her eyes.

If the Buddha's Dharma body is damaged, the fate of the Western Paradise will inevitably be shaken.

I'm afraid the Heavenly Court won't let this go easily.

Sure enough, the news of the Buddha's damaged body spread throughout the Heavenly Court in no time.

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the Jade Emperor sat high on his throne, his expression revealing neither joy nor anger.

Venus stood in the hall, cupped his hands, and said:

"Your Majesty, I have just received news that when the Buddha Tathagata suppressed the demon monkey, his Dharma body was injured."

Although the Five Elements Mountain has suppressed the monkey head, it needs daily blessings from Buddhist teachings to maintain its stability.

The Jade Emperor nodded slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Huan Yu, the Southern Dipper General, stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, the Tathagata Buddha, in service to the Heavenly Court, suffered an injury to his Dharma body."

The Heavenly Court should offer some response. I believe that an envoy should be sent to Mount Ling to express condolences.

The Jade Emperor glanced at him and said calmly, "General Huan is right."

However, it was simply the Buddha's duty to suppress the demon monkey.

That monkey wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, stealing peaches and pills, disrupting the Peach Banquet, and committing grave sins.

The Buddha's intervention was to rid the Three Realms of harm, not for the sake of the Heavenly Court.

If the Heavenly Court were to send envoys to offer condolences, it would seem rather distant.

Upon hearing this, Huan Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied, "Your Majesty is wise."

The Jade Emperor's gaze swept over the immortals in the hall, and he said again:

"The monkey has been suppressed, and the monkeys of Flower Fruit Mountain are leaderless and no longer a threat."

However, Li Yan's whereabouts remain unknown.

This man is proficient in divination and possesses a hidden cave; if he is not captured, he will remain a threat.

Venus bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Li Yan's cave has been destroyed by the combined forces of all sides."

Even if he were to miraculously survive, it would take him a very long time to recover.

In my humble opinion, this person is not a cause for concern in the short term.

The Jade Emperor nodded slightly and said, "In that case, let's put it aside for now. We'll deal with it again later."

Upon hearing this, all the immortals in the hall bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

The Jade Emperor waved his hand, signaling the immortals to step down.

The immortals filed out and dispersed.

Venus left the Lingxiao Palace, rode on the clouds, and flew towards the Yaochi Palace.

He was secretly pondering that the Jade Emperor's words, though seemingly directed at Li Yan, were actually a test.

To test the immortals' attitude towards the Western Paradise.

Huan Yu suggested sending an envoy to offer condolences, but the Jade Emperor said it was unnecessary.

This is to tell all the immortals that the Heavenly Court and Mount Ling are two separate entities.

Lingshan's intervention was for the sake of the Three Realms, not for the Heavenly Court.

The Heavenly Court owes Mount Ling nothing.

These words were addressed not only to the immortals but also to Mount Ling.

Venus sighed and shook his head.

The Heavenly Court and Mount Ling appear to be at peace, but undercurrents are surging beneath the surface.

With the Buddha's Dharma body injured and the Western Heaven's fortunes shaken, it seems someone in the Heavenly Court might be plotting something.

As he was pondering, he suddenly saw a figure approaching on clouds.

The man was dressed in silver armor, with a handsome face and three long beards; he was none other than Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King.

Venus bowed and said, "King Li, what brings you here?"

Li Jing returned the greeting and said, "Jin Xing, I was just about to go and look for you."

Venus asked, "Oh? What brings you here, Heavenly King Li?"

Li Jing looked around and, seeing that no one was around, whispered:

"Venus, is it true that the Buddha's Dharma body was injured?"

Venus felt a chill run down his spine, but his face remained impassive. He simply said:

"It is true, of course. I have already informed His Majesty in the palace just now."

Li Jing nodded, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Jin Xing, I have something to ask, but I don't know if I should."

Venus said, "Please speak, Heavenly King Li."

Li Jing said, "The monkey was pressed under the Five Elements Mountain, and the Buddha's Dharma body was also injured."

"How much longer do you think that monkey can live?"

Upon hearing this, Venus was slightly startled.

If that monkey dies under the Five Elements Mountain, it will be because Buddha has done a good job in suppressing it.

Conversely, it would mean that the Buddha is incompetent.

The Heavenly Court was naturally pleased to see this happen.

Venus smiled slightly and said, "King Li, whether that monkey lives or dies depends entirely on the Buddha's will."

How would I know?

Upon hearing this, Li Jing's eyes flashed, and he cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you, Venus. I shall take my leave."

Having said that, he rode away on a cloud.

Venus watched his retreating figure and sighed inwardly.

This Li Jing usually keeps a low profile and doesn't show off his abilities.

At this moment, they are in a hurry to find out whether the monkey is alive or dead, probably because they are acting on someone's secret orders.

That person said there was no need to send envoys to offer condolences, but in reality, he cared more about the situation at Mount Ling in the Western Paradise than anyone else.

After all, this is a perfect opportunity for the Heavenly Court to weaken Mount Ling.

How could that person let it go?

Venus shook his head and continued flying towards the Jade Pool Palace.

At this moment, in the Jade Pool Palace.

Dong Shuang stood beside the Nine-Colored Fairy Flower, holding a jade bottle in her hands.

The bottle contains the celestial water of the Jade Pool, which is being carefully used to water the celestial flower.

The nine-colored fairy flower became even more spiritually potent after Li Yan revived it.

Nine-colored light flowed, and there was a faint sense of interconnected destiny.

As Dong Shuangcheng watered the plants, he secretly pondered the situation.

Sun Wukong was imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain, and Li Yan's whereabouts are unknown.

It's truly lamentable that one of these sworn brothers was suppressed while the other's fate remains unknown.

She recalled the day she first met Li Yan.

The man had a calm expression, deep eyes, and was surrounded by a pure aura that made it impossible to discern his true nature.

Later, he restored the spiritual veins of Kunlun Mountain, attracting the phoenix to come.

They could also set up formations in the Peach Garden to conceal the secrets of heaven.

It can even injure the Buddha's Dharma body with the power of the cave under the Buddha's Five Elements Mountain.

Such skills are beyond the reach of ordinary immortals.

Dong Shuangcheng sighed and put the jade bottle away.

Just then, they heard footsteps behind them.

She turned around and saw Dongfang Shuo approaching on a cloud, his brows furrowed with worry.

Dong Shuangcheng bowed slightly and said, "Mr. Dongfang, what brings you here?"

Dongfang Shuo returned the greeting and said, "Immortal Dong, I have a request to make."

Dong Shuangcheng said, "Please speak, sir."

Dongfang Shuo hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Immortal Dong, is there any news about that Daoist Li?"

Dong Shuangcheng shook his head and said, "Not yet. Li Yan's cave is already in ruins."

If he survives by sheer luck, it will take him a very long time to recover.

Upon hearing this, Dongfang Shuo's face paled even more.

He remained silent for a long time before finally speaking:

"Immortal Dong, I have not known that Taoist Li for long, but I know that he is not a wicked person."

"The fact that these two have ended up like this... I sigh!"

Dong Shuangcheng looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

She said, "Mr. Dongfang, there are some things that are not your business."

Dongfang Shuo gave a wry smile and said, "What Immortal Dong says is true."

"I am but a lowly celestial official, what can I possibly do?"

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, then turned and rode away on a cloud.

Dong Shuangcheng watched his retreating figure and sighed inwardly.

Dongfang Shuo was indeed a man of great loyalty and righteousness.

However, in this Heavenly Court, those who value loyalty and righteousness often meet with a bad end.

Meanwhile, at the mouth of the Guanjiang River.

Erlang Shen Yang Jian stood in the Zhenjun Hall, holding a three-pointed double-edged sword, his face stern.

The six brothers of Meishan stood on either side, and Grand Commandant Kang cupped his hands and said:

"Brother, that monkey has been suppressed by Buddha under the Five Elements Mountain."

The Heavenly Court has already withdrawn its troops. Should we also...?

Yang Jian nodded slightly, but remained silent.

He stared at the three-pointed, double-edged sword, on which a faint, fine crack could be seen.

That was caused when he was hit by the golden cudgel during his fight with Sun Wukong.

That monkey was indeed quite capable.

Commander Kang added, "Brother, Li Yan's whereabouts are still unknown."

It seems that the Heavenly Court has no intention of pursuing the matter further.

we……"

Yang Jian raised his hand to stop him and said calmly, "There's no need to investigate any further."

Li Yan's cave was shattered and could no longer cause any trouble.

withdraw troops."

Commander Kang received the order and turned to make the arrangements.

At the same time, at Lingshan, at the Great Thunder Temple.

The Buddha's Dharma body sat serenely on a lotus throne, his body bathed in dim light.

The nine-tiered lotus platform no longer shone as brightly as before.

Manjushri Bodhisattva stood beside the lotus throne, hands clasped in prayer, and said:

"World Honored One, your Dharma body has been injured, and you need to quickly go into seclusion to recuperate."

We will bless that Five Elements Mountain with Buddhist teachings every day, and we will never let that monkey escape.

The Buddha nodded slightly and slowly spoke:

"That monkey... has someone backing him. That person... is not simple. You all need to be careful."

Manjushri Bodhisattva's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "World Honored One, are you referring to Li Yan?"

The Buddha nodded and said, "This person has an extraordinary background."

I suspect that its origins are not as simple as an ordinary person becoming an immortal.

After I go into seclusion, you must pay close attention to the movements of the Three Realms.

If Li Yan appears, report to him immediately.

Manjushri Bodhisattva accepted the decree.

The Buddha then turned to Guanyin Bodhisattva and said, "Guanyin, that monkey is imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain."

Five hundred years later, someone will come to save him.

"This matter is entrusted to your care."

Guanyin Bodhisattva was startled and simply put her palms together, saying, "I will respectfully obey the Buddha's decree."

The Buddha nodded slightly, closed his eyes, and his Dharma body gradually transformed into a golden light, disappearing into the lotus platform.

The nine-tiered lotus platform slowly rotated, taking in and sealing away the Buddha's Dharma body.

The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas stood beside the lotus platform, their faces solemn, chanting the Buddha's name.

Manjushri Bodhisattva watched as the Tathagata's Dharma body disappeared into the lotus throne, and sighed inwardly.

It is unknown how many years the Buddha will remain in seclusion this time.

The Western Heaven's fortunes are in turmoil, and the Heavenly Court will likely not let this go easily.

He turned to Samantabhadra Bodhisattva and whispered, "Samantabhadra, is there any movement from the Heavenly Court?"

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva shook his head and said:

"Not yet. However, while the Jade Emperor dismissed all the immortals, he didn't send any envoys to Mount Ling to offer condolences. I'm afraid..."

Manjushri Bodhisattva's expression changed slightly.

The fact that the Jade Emperor did not send an envoy to offer condolences shows that he does not take Mount Ling seriously.

This is to tell the Three Realms that it is only right and proper for Mount Ling to serve the Heavenly Court.

Manjushri Bodhisattva pondered for a moment and said:

"Alright. Let's leave the Heavenly Court aside for now. We just need to focus on our own tasks."

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva nodded and said, "Good."

All the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas returned to their respective positions, chanting mantras and blessing the Five Elements Mountain with the supreme Dharma.

Sun Wukong felt the Five Elements Mountain growing heavier and heavier.

The light in his golden eyes gradually dimmed.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he suddenly heard a voice in his ear.

The voice was old and distant.

"Monkey, do you know your crime?"

Sun Wukong opened his eyes and saw an old monk standing in front of him.

The old monk wore a gray kasaya, held prayer beads in his hand, and had a compassionate face.

Sun Wukong's golden eyes flashed, and he asked, "Who are you?"

The old monk smiled slightly and said, "I am the local earth deity beneath the Five Elements Mountain."

By the decree of the Buddha, I am here to guard you.

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong sneered, "Watch over me, Old Sun? With your abilities?"

The old monk wasn't angry; he simply said, "Monkey, don't get angry."

"I dare not disobey the Buddha's decree. You should stay here in peace; five hundred years from now, someone will come to rescue you."

Sun Wukong was taken aback and said, "Five hundred years? Who wants to save me, old Sun?"

The old monk smiled and said, "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. You just need to wait patiently."

After saying this, the old monk turned into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared.

Sun Wukong stared in the direction where the old monk had disappeared, a hint of doubt flashing in his golden eyes.

Five hundred years?

Who will save me, Old Sun?

He thought and thought, but couldn't come up with a solution, so he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

now.

Li Yan sat cross-legged under the World Tree, dispersing all the true essence in his dantian into his limbs and bones.

The twelve-petaled golden lotus, having lost the support of magical power, gradually dimmed and its rotation slowed down.

He gritted his teeth, enduring the pain of his cultivation dissipating.

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

The internal alchemy of cultivating the golden elixir and the external cosmic cultivation of the cave heavens are originally of the same origin but different streams.

All of these are about merging the human body with heaven and earth, and merging the human heart with the Dao.

However, the two are ultimately different; one seeks internally, while the other seeks externally.

One cultivates his own golden elixir, while the other cultivates the grotto-heaven of heaven and earth.

What he needs to do now is to combine the two into one.

This is what is meant by cultivating both body and spirit.

Sexuality cannot exist without life, and life cannot exist without sexuality. The two are interdependent and complementary, and neither should be neglected.

The method of internal alchemy emphasizes life over nature, taking the refinement of essence into qi as its foundation, the refinement of qi into spirit as its application, and the refinement of spirit into emptiness as its ultimate goal.

The external harmony with the Dao of the Cave Heaven emphasizes nature over life, takes the primordial spirit as its foundation, utilizes heaven and earth, and aims to evolve the world to its ultimate goal.

Both have their own emphasis, strengths, and weaknesses.

What Li Yan needs to do now is to take the best of both and make up for their weaknesses, so that they can be combined into one.

He peeled away all the runes from the lotus.

Only a bare golden lotus remained, hanging dimly in the dantian.

Then, he communicated with the World Tree within the cave using his mind.

The World Tree sensed his call and trembled slightly.

A golden light surged from the treetop, flowing along the causal lines into the dantian and into the golden lotus.

The golden lotus, empowered by the World Tree, regained its brilliance.

Golden light flowed and gradually condensed into a golden seed.

The seeds are shaped like hearts, with a faint glow flowing through them.

The seed contains all the essence of his years of cultivation, as well as the power of the grotto-heaven.

This is the seed of cultivating both body and spirit.

Li Yan guided the seed with his mind, sending it drifting towards the World Tree.

The seeds drifted down to the roots of the world tree and fell into the soil.

The moment he was buried, a thunderous roar resounded throughout the heavens and earth.

The roar was like the creation of the world, shaking the entire cavern.

The seeds sprouted from the soil, took root, and grew.

The tender shoots broke through the soil, their entire bodies golden, radiating brilliant light.

The light pierced through the barriers of the cave and spread outwards.

Li Yan felt a vast power surging from the World Tree, flowing through his meridians and into his dantian.

That power resonated mysteriously with his primordial spirit.

At this moment, his primordial spirit merged with the World Tree.

The World Tree is his primordial spirit.

His primordial spirit was the World Tree.

The two are originally one, inseparable.

This is the wonder of cultivating both body and mind.

Li Yan closed his eyes and focused his mind, guiding the growth of the World Tree.

The tender shoots grew taller and taller, from an inch to a foot, and then to ten feet.

Countless fine lines appeared on the tree trunk.

Those were patterns naturally formed by heaven and earth, and also his insights gained from years of cultivation.

The branches stretch out, extending in all directions.

The leaves grow, turning completely golden, and sway in the wind.

The World Tree was growing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

One zhang... ten zhang... one hundred zhang... one thousand zhang...

In a short while, the World Tree grew to a height of ten thousand feet, its canopy covering the sky and blocking out the sun.

Above the tree canopy, stars twinkle and the sun and moon revolve.

Beneath the tree roots, spiritual veins converge, and the earth's energy surges.

The entire World Tree is like a bridge, connecting heaven and earth, and communicating the principles of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements.

The moment the World Tree grew, a tremendous change occurred within the cave.

The earth expands, the sky rises, the stars increase, and the mountains and rivers become magnificent.

Three hundred thousand li in circumference... four hundred thousand li... five hundred thousand li...

Ultimately, the territory of the cave was fixed at a radius of 600,000 li.

The 600,000-mile-long land is majestic and magnificent, with ever-changing scenery.

Those monkeys, hiding deep within the Paradise, sensed the changes in the world and poked their heads out one by one.

Little Drill Wind squatted on the tree, staring in the direction of the World Tree, dumbfounded.

"Master Li... what... what's going on?"

It muttered to itself, the peach in its hand fell to the ground, rolled a few times, and landed in the grass.

Li Yan opened his eyes, looked at the towering tree, and felt a surge of satisfaction.

He stood up and felt completely refreshed, his mind clear and alert, and his essence, energy, and spirit abundant and complete.

[Destruction precedes construction; cultivation of both body and spirit; merging the internal alchemy of the Golden Elixir with the external Dao of the Cave Heaven]

[Fate/Destiny Energy +8000 (No destruction, no construction; no death, no life)]

[Through the evolution of the grotto-heavens into a thousand worlds, spanning six hundred thousand miles, the World Tree has been rebuilt, its roots even more firmly established.]

[Current Affinity/Dharma Energy: 18000/40960]

[Cultivation Level: 60% in the Cave Heaven]

Li Yan gazed at the line of small golden characters, secretly delighted.

He took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

Just then, he suddenly felt a burning sensation in his chest.

He reached into his robes and pulled out a handful of golden hairs.

That was a protective item that Sun Wukong gave him before he left.

At that moment, golden light flickered on those hairs, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

Li Yan was shocked.

This hair is connected to Sun Wukong's primordial spirit.

Any unusual movement in his hair indicates that Sun Wukong is in trouble.

He quickly held the hair in his palm, closed his eyes, and focused his mind to sense it.

In a short while, he sensed Sun Wukong's condition.

The monkey was trapped under the Five Elements Mountain and could not move.

His bones were shattered, his meridians were severed, his magical power was sealed, and his primordial spirit was injured.

But his vitality still remains.

The peaches symbolize endless life, the elixir of immortality harmonizes yin and yang, and the metal element represents strength and balance.

The three substances circulated continuously within his body, protecting his heart and keeping him alive.

"Junior brother..." Li Yan murmured to himself, a bittersweet feeling welling up in his heart.

He originally intended to help the monkey attain the Great Luo, but unexpectedly, his efforts were in vain, and he was instead suppressed by the Buddha.