Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

Not to mention the outer sect sweepers and those who follow the path, even the true disciples, the Dongxuan protectors, and the elders in charge cannot sense it.

Apart from the two of them in the back garden, the entire Lingtai Fangcun Mountain...

And deep within the Three Star Cave, that warm and vast aura remained untouched by any other person.

"this……"

Sun Wukong's golden eyes widened, and he scratched his ears and cheeks.

"Where did everyone go? Did they go down the mountain to the market? Surely they couldn't all have gone?"

Li Yan's mind reflected that within a hundred miles, there was indeed no sign of human habitation.

However, all the buildings remained intact, the protective barriers were still in effect, the alchemy furnace still held warmth, and the sword platform bore the marks of swords.

The medicinal herbs in the herb garden were growing as usual... It didn't seem like something had happened, but rather like an orderly evacuation.

Just then, from deep within the Three Star Cave, came the patriarch's peaceful voice:

"woke up?"

The two quickly faced the direction of the cave and bowed, saying, "Ancestor."

"Come in."

The cave entrance opened.

The two entered, passed through the corridor, and arrived at the quiet room.

The patriarch remained seated on the futon, as if he had not moved for seven days.

However, Li Yan's heart trembled slightly as he sensed the ancestral master's Daoist aura, which seemed to create a subtle sense of alienation from the entire Fangcun Mountain.

It felt as if it were so close, yet so far away.

"sit."

The patriarch lightly waved his whisk, and two prayer mats appeared.

The two sat down, and Sun Wukong, being impatient, couldn't help but ask:

"Master, where are the other fellow disciples, senior brothers, and senior uncles on the mountain? Why are they all gone?"

The patriarch smiled slightly and, instead of answering, asked a question:

"Wukong, Li Yan, how long have you two been cultivating in that small realm?"

Sun Wukong counted on his fingers: "Seven days!"

Li Yan's heart stirred, and combined with the strange occurrences in the mountains, he vaguely made a guess, and hesitated before saying:

"Could it be... that several years have passed in the mountains?"

The patriarch nodded:

"Seven days in the mountains are like seven years in the outside world."

"During your seven days of seclusion in the mountains, more than 2,500 days and nights have passed."

Seven years!

Both Li Yan and Sun Wukong were shocked.

The Great Sumeru Forbidden Law is so profound.

The patriarch gazed out the window at the sea of ​​clouds, his voice deep and resonant:

"Seven years is enough time for a lot to happen."

"Flowers bloom and fade seven times, clouds roll and unroll a thousand times."

"When sparrows leave their nests, they have their own reasons for migrating south or returning north."

"Even tigers and rhinoceroses, once released from their cages, have the opportunity to sharpen their teeth and claws."

He looked at the two of them:

"When the tide rises, fish and dragons leap. When the tide recedes, sand and stones appear."

"This pool of water at Fangcun Mountain has nurtured fish for seven years. Now that the tide is approaching, the fish are finding their way home."

Entering rivers and seas, transforming into a swift wind—all are predestined.

Sun Wukong scratched his head in disbelief:

"Master, what you're saying is too mysterious! What tides? What fish?"

Where have all my fellow disciples gone?

Li Yan, however, vaguely understood.

The patriarch looked at Sun Wukong with a meaningful expression:

"Wukong, you were born of heaven and earth, without father or mother, without any attachments."

But once you enter my Fangcun Mountain, you are bound by the bond of master and disciple, and the camaraderie of fellow disciples.

"Now that you have just begun to achieve immortality and possess rudimentary supernatural powers, do you understand the concept of dependent origination and emptiness?"

Sun Wukong shook his head.

The patriarch then looked at Li Yan:

"Li Yan, you are steady and cautious by nature, and adept at observing subtle signs. Do you understand the wondrous existence within emptiness?"

Li Yan pondered for a moment, combining his previous observations with the patriarch's words, and said:

"In my humble opinion, all phenomena arise from causes and conditions, and all phenomena cease due to causes and conditions."

The gathering and parting of fellow disciples is also a matter of fate.

The emptiness in the mountains is not because there is no one there, but because it is temporarily quiet.

Those who descend the mountain each carry with them wondrous opportunities, experiencing and growing through the world—this too is a form of spiritual practice.

A hint of approval flashed in the patriarch's eyes, and he said slowly:

"When conditions come together, things arise; when conditions disperse, things perish. Between these coming together and dispersing, there is a natural flow of cause and effect."

Seven years ago, the calamity of Shattered Star Gorge manifested, disrupting the heavenly order. The latest chapter of "《》" has been updated, come and follow the updates!

Now, as the aura of calamity spreads further, opportunities are also being distributed across the four continents.

"My disciples may depart to face calamity and resolve the karmic consequences."

Or one may seek out opportunities and accumulate merit.

Or they may choose to live in seclusion, waiting for the opportune moment.

As soon as he finished speaking, the pine resin smoke in the quiet room swirled.

The wisps of smoke split into hundreds of strands, gradually weaving together to form a flowing scroll painting.

Within the smoke painting, figures can be vaguely seen.

A cultivator carrying a long sword rode the clouds eastward, his robes fluttering and his sword flashing, disappearing into the depths of the sea of ​​clouds.

A master alchemist, carrying a medicinal hoe, rode a crane south. The crane's cry was clear and melodious, and the fragrance of herbs filled the air, causing the grass and trees along the way to bow down.

There were also cultivators who rode magical implements, traveling north on wheels, accompanied by fire and thunder, piercing the sky.

Even more extreme, some simply vanish into the earth, leaving no trace after a flash of earthy yellow light.

The smoke-filled paintings reflected various scenes of the disciples of Fangcun Mountain descending the mountain.

They went to different places and had different expressions.

Without exception, they all bowed in the direction of the ancestral master's cave before leaving.

The final scene of the cigarette painting focuses on an old Taoist priest in a gray robe.

It was the same person who swept fallen leaves in front of the Three Star Cave when Li Yan first entered the mountain.

The old Taoist priest neither rode on clouds nor on a crane.

He simply tucked the broom under his arm and hummed a folk tune.

With each step, I swayed and staggered down the stone steps of the mountain path.

When we reached the pavilion halfway up the mountain, we took a break.

He took out a gourd, took a few gulps, wiped his mouth, and continued to stroll down the mountain.

He was as ordinary as an old farmer.

But Li Yan, reflecting in his mind, saw that as the old Taoist took a step, faint ripples appeared on the stone steps beneath his feet.

The ripples were a kind of profound Taoist rhythm, integrated into the mountain's veins.

His steps were not merely walking; they were imbuing Fangcun Mountain with an ancient protective barrier.

The smoke image slowly dissipated at this point.

The rosin-smoke seal script has been restored to its straight lines.

Sun Wukong scratched his ear, a complex look flashing in his golden eyes, before he grinned and said:

"It's good that they're all gone! Now it's peaceful!"

"Perfect timing for me, Old Sun, to explore all seventy-two peaks!"

He suddenly remembered something, his eyes darted around, and he leaned closer with a lecherous grin:

"Master, look, all the fellow disciples have gone down the mountain to have fun, leaving only my senior brother and me to keep you company."

I'm now considered to have some skills, but my knowledge of cloud-riding techniques is still very limited, and it's too slow!

"Please, kind sir, pass this on to me quickly!"

Upon hearing this, the Patriarch glanced at Sun Wukong.

After a long pause, he said calmly:

"What kind of cloud-flying technique do you want to learn?"

Sun Wukong said happily:

"It needs to be fast! Like, you need to be able to travel 108,000 li in a single somersault!"

The patriarch stroked his beard, his gaze fixed on the drifting clouds outside the window, and said slowly:

"The art of cloud-based navigation also has its ranks."

"Mortal cultivators mostly rely on their own true essence to propel themselves, using the wind to lift them up."

It is said to climb the clouds, which are three to five zhang above the ground, and can only travel a thousand li a day; this is the lower level.

"Those who advance further refine the essence of clouds and mist, condensing it into cloud thrones and cloud chariots, riding the wind."

"Riding the mist, one can rise a hundred feet off the ground and travel ten thousand miles a day; this is considered a middle-level skill."

"Those who advance further comprehend the laws of wind and clouds, transforming their bodies into streams of light, piercing through the void and covering thousands of miles in an instant; this is called soaring through the clouds, and is considered the highest level."

The Patriarch turned to look at Sun Wukong:

"As for what you said about a somersault covering 108,000 li, that's no ordinary cloud-riding."

This touches upon the wonders of teleportation, belonging to the category of great supernatural powers, and is called the Somersault Cloud.

"Somersault Cloud?"

Sun Wukong's eyes lit up. "I'll learn this! I'll learn this!"

The patriarch did not answer, but instead looked at Li Yan:

"What about you? Would you like to learn too?"

Li Yan's mind raced.

Somersault Cloud is one of Sun Wukong's signature supernatural powers in the original novel.

A single somersault can cover 108,000 li (approximately 54,000 kilometers), making its speed among the best in the world.

For cultivators of the Gou Dao (a martial arts path), being able to run fast is undoubtedly the most important thing for survival.

but……