Chapter 732: Sitting in Fangcun Mountain, Bodhi Awaits the Monkey's Arrival

"Bodhi, what is your view on the calamity of the demon race?" the gray-robed old Daoist asked through a voice transmission, standing with his hands behind his back beside the Spirit Stone of Mending Heaven.

Li Changshou, disguised as 'Void Bodhi,' stood slightly behind him, maintaining the respectful posture commonly used by Western Sect disciples, with his hands clasped before him and his body slightly leaning forward. He mused for a moment, then said, "This disciple dares not speak much; I am entirely at the behest of the Heavenly Dao."

Direct communication with the Dao Ancestor and the will of the Heavenly Dao indeed carried some risks. The biggest problem was not to reveal too much information. If the Dao Ancestor caught any clues and uttered, 'You know too much,' then a confrontation would have to be initiated prematurely. That would be unstable. Having reached this point, he absolutely had to wait until he had a 98% certainty of complete victory.

The gray-robed old Daoist was silent for a moment, then gently pushed his palm forward. The mist before them instantly became transparent, revealing the beautiful scenery of the canyon and gentle slopes below. They could also see a tribe of ape demons rooted and multiplying there.

"Bodhi, you once worked with the demon race. Do you think these demons still serve any purpose for heaven and earth now?"

Li Changshou paused. *Is biodiversity in the Primordial World truly unimportant? Let's get to the point, get to the point.*

"This disciple dares not answer such a difficult question. This is a matter only the Heavenly Dao can ponder."

The gray-robed old Daoist showed a slight smile and said, "Very well, you are cautious by nature after all. You should still remember the taboos of the Heavenly Dao, correct?"

Li Changshou quickly lowered his head, bowing respectfully and maintaining the humble posture.

"Alas, it's ultimately a difference in ideology," the gray-robed old Daoist said. "I originally liked him very much, gave him the most care, and guided him toward his Dao of Balance. I even allowed him to explore the Dao, which should not have been controlled by living beings, to its perfect state. But this also harmed him. He felt he had transcended the Three Realms and the Five Elements, and he wanted to plead for living beings, insisting that they should be above heaven and earth, saying that without living beings, the existence of heaven and earth would be meaningless. How arrogant. Heaven and earth are simply heaven and earth; they are not destroyed by living beings, nor do they exist for living beings."

Li Changshou chuckled inwardly. *A very clever way to win people over.* This passage was naturally spoken by the Dao Ancestor, seemingly explaining the greed of living beings' inherent ego with the concept of the eternal existence of heaven and earth, but in reality, it was just a distraction. While heaven and earth certainly exist eternally, living beings possess the ability to overturn them. If the Heavenly Dao or the Dao Ancestor had not intervened, the Three Pure Ones could have already reforged wind, fire, water, and earth to reopen a new realm. The irreconcilable contradiction between them was that the Heavenly Dao harbored selfish desires; Li Changshou wanted to eradicate these desires, and the Dao Ancestor embodied these very desires. That was all.

Of course, he couldn't say that aloud. Li Changshou said in a low voice, "That person did not know what was good for him and missed a great future. It is truly lamentable."

"You're good; you didn't take the opportunity to curse that fellow." The gray-robed old Daoist chuckled softly and sighed, "Regardless, the Three Realms have already taken this step. Heaven and earth are now incredibly stable, with fewer variables. Living beings can live in peace, and the Heavenly Dao is secure. Bodhi, there are still a few unresolved concerns in this world. Are you willing to act on behalf of Heaven and accomplish one or two tasks?"

"This disciple! I am willing to go through any ordeal!" 'Void Bodhi's voice trembled slightly, but his Dao heart quickly settled.

The gray-robed old Daoist observed him for a while in secret, then smiled contentedly.

The cliff edge became quiet again for a moment. After a gentle breeze swept by, the gray-robed old Daoist walked over to the spirit stone and patted it lightly: "Within this stone is an embryo, a creation of heaven and earth, imbued with the merit of the Human Mother's mending of the sky. It has now accumulated spiritual power no less than that of an ordinary Grand Unity Golden Immortal. A spiritual embryo will be nurtured within, and this embryo is key to the great prosperity of your Western Sect. And today, this poor Daoist entrusts this key entirely to your care. Are you willing to enlighten this spiritual embryo, impart cultivation methods to him, and help him transform his spiritual power into magical power?"

"This disciple is willing." 'Void Bodhi' immediately agreed, then added, "Thank you, Heavenly Dao, for such consideration for the Western Sect. If my master knew of this, I can't imagine how happy he would be."

"There's no need for him to know," the gray-robed old Daoist said indifferently. "You simply need to know this yourself."

"Yes, this disciple will surely keep this matter to heart."

"Very good. Then tell me, how do you intend to instruct this spiritual embryo? And how will you make this embryo assist in the great prosperity of your Western Sect?"

"This..." 'Void Bodhi' pondered for a few moments; this indeed stumped Li Changshou. Should he speak according to the narrative of the Journey to the West minor tribulation? Or analyze based on the current situation of Spirit Mountain? If he chose the former, he might gain the Dao Ancestor's appreciation, but at the risk of exposure. Therefore, Li Changshou slowly said, "This disciple, this disciple is not entirely clear. This disciple is slow-witted; please enlighten me, honored elder."

"Never mind," the gray-robed old Daoist shook his head slightly. "Go find a cave dwelling in the northwest of Nanzhanbuzhou yourself, name it Mount Fangcun, Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars. Then take on a few disciples to instruct, be they human or demon. When this spiritual embryo is born, this poor Daoist will guide the stone embryo to find you. At that time, you can accept him as a disciple and instruct him with all your might."

"Yes," Li Changshou sighed inwardly. While this method of feigning ignorance was safe, it also meant missing out on some small opportunities. There was no other way; some things must be given up to gain others. Stability was paramount.

The Dao Ancestor seemed to be in a good mood for conversation, as if he had achieved a great victory and had no one to share it with, thus wanting to chat more with Void Bodhi. The gray-robed Daoist said, "Let's take a casual stroll."

Li Changshou quickly agreed, following closely behind. However, after only half an hour, the gray-robed old Daoist motioned for Li Changshou to leave. Li Changshou breathed a sigh of relief, bowed his head, and departed on a cloud, concealing his tracks immediately upon leaving Mount Huaguo.

The gray-robed old Daoist wore a wry smile, shook his head with his hands behind his back, and offered his assessment: "Unfit for great tasks."

After Li Changshou left Mount Huaguo, he immediately headed towards Nanzhanbuzhou, searching for a suitable mountain cave dwelling in the northwest part of Nanzhanbuzhou, at its border with Xiniuhezhou. Tasks assigned by the Heavenly Dao and the Dao Ancestor naturally had to be completed immediately. With the Heavenly Dao observing, Li Changshou dared not make any subtle moves. He simply earnestly searched for a blessed land and built a Daoist temple.

Spirit Platform Square Inch Mountain, Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars.

He also manifested seven boy and girl attendants and kept two or three immortal cranes. The Daoist temple was embedded into the mountain wall, a common cave dwelling structure, with a scripture repository, a hall for rewards and punishments, disciples' quarters, and a small refectory inside. In the main hall, positions for Heaven and Earth were honored, and a large incense burner stood before the hall, shrouded in mist all day long, like an immortal realm. Afterwards, Li Changshou set up several layers of illusion arrays, trapping arrays, and spirit-gathering arrays according to the formations in Void Bodhi's memory. These were all quite profound array techniques, equivalent to informing passing beings that a master resided here.

Next was the matter of taking disciples. According to his calculations, the Monkey King's birth was still some time away, so taking disciples too early would be pointless. For now, Li Changshou sealed off Mount Fangcun and would casually wander the continental borders when he had nothing else to do.

A few years passed like this. He returned to Xiniuhezhou for a trip, circled Spirit Mountain, and felt a strong sense of 'exclusion'. Spirit Mountain could no longer tolerate him. 'Void Bodhi' smiled at this and said nothing more, merely bowed respectfully towards the secluded cultivation place of Saint Jieyin, then turned and drifted away. The current Spirit Mountain was, in essence, ruled by disciples of the Chan Sect and the Jie Sect. Unfortunately, it was not aligned with the Daoist schools; it was still the Western Sect's own doctrine.

Why did Li Changshou determine that the Monkey's birth was still early? It was simple: Buddhism hadn't been established yet. Setting aside the parts influenced by the Dao Ancestor, the Heavenly Dao operated with its own laws. The Stone Monkey was the 'messenger' of Buddhism's great prosperity, so Buddhism had to exist first, then the Monkey. Therefore, the Monkey's birth would definitely be after the transformation of Hu into Buddha. Only when the Buddhist sect's fortunes were completely stable could the Stone Monkey be brought into the world!

Compared to the prenatal education of the Monkey's stone embryo, Li Changshou was more concerned about Old Monarch's current action. At this moment, the Western Sect was unaware of what was about to happen. Few people in the world still mentioned the matter of Old Monarch capturing Daoist Duobao. Presumably, Old Monarch was currently 'transforming' Daoist Duobao. Li Changshou was unsure to what extent this transformation would go. Although this matter was important, Old Monarch was not a cruel person. Although Old Monarch usually appeared stern and unsmiling, as a Saint's avatar walking through heaven and earth, he exuded first-rate majesty wherever he went. In reality, Old Monarch was very benevolent and never refused the requests of his disciples' generation. As the strongest artificer and alchemist in the Primordial World, Old Monarch single-handedly managed the 'logistics' of the entire Human Sect. From the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir to the Small God-Slaying Spear, Li Changshou's current strength to challenge the Dao Ancestor was inseparable from Old Monarch's support.

And now, the Dao Ancestor dared not act arbitrarily against Old Monarch, indirectly proving that Old Monarch himself was quite formidable. When Grand Pure Teacher went to Zixiao Palace to battle the Dao Ancestor, he did not recall Old Monarch. The main reason was actually simple: Grand Pure Teacher's main body was already strong enough, whether with or without Old Monarch, he could suppress the Dao Ancestor, who had long been inversely constrained by the Heavenly Dao. The difficulty of this matter lay only in the inability to separate the Dao Ancestor from the primordial essence of heaven and earth. Killing the Dao Ancestor would require reopening the Primordial World, leading to the death of all living beings below the Golden Immortal realm. Killing the enemy with brute force offered no room for maneuver. And this was also the significant meaning of Li Changshou's existence. Just like the steps to put an elephant in a refrigerator, Li Changshou only needed to 'open the refrigerator door,' i.e., 'separate the Dao Ancestor from the primordial essence of heaven and earth.' Afterwards, Li Changshou wouldn't even need to act.

Of course, Li Changshou would not place his hope on 'hope' that hadn't been fully confirmed. He had also prepared several trump cards for battling the Dao Ancestor. He wanted to use every means at his disposal to minimize the impact on heaven and earth and reduce the casualties among living beings caused by this matter.

Gradually, 'Void Bodhi's Dao of Emptiness and Silence once again encountered a bottleneck. Li Changshou did not travel through the Three Thousand Worlds again. Instead, using Mount Fangcun as his center, he began to journey through the Five Continents of the Primordial World. He wandered through market towns, disguised as an ordinary Golden Immortal, visiting some Daoist immortal sects in Zhong Shenzhou. Then, under the guise of discussing the Dao, he acquired some classics of the Three Daoist Schools. He certainly wasn't lacking these classics, but 'Void Bodhi' was. To achieve 'dual cultivation of Dao and Buddhism' and a 'leap in strength,' he had to put on a show.

Decades passed like this, and Void Bodhi's Dao realm broke through again. After gaining a deeper understanding of emptiness and silence, he then turned his attention to the Grand Dao of Reincarnation, proposing the grand concept of 'new reincarnation after nirvana,' and his Dao realm further improved. Faintly, 'Void Bodhi' now had the demeanor of the Western Sect's second most powerful master. Manjushri and other powerful figures in the Western Sect seemed to feel threatened and secretly made a move against 'Void Bodhi'. The name Patriarch Bodhi began to spread in the Primordial World, with various exaggerated praises and depictions, making Patriarch Bodhi an existence on the same level as Saint Jieyin and the former Saint Zhunti of the Western Sect. As for Spirit Mountain, 'Void Bodhi' could absolutely not return. Li Changshou genuinely hadn't expected Manjushri to be quite methodical in his scheming. A formidable character; he should pay close attention to him later. He seized the opportunity to reside permanently on Mount Fangcun, simply revealing the name Patriarch Bodhi and severing ties with Spirit Mountain. Free and at ease, quietly awaiting the Monkey's arrival.

"Heheheh—"

In a beautiful palace atop an immortal mountain shrouded in celestial light in the Heavenly Court. The God of Wealth, dressed in festive robes, sat on the edge of the bed, leaning against Saintess Jin Ling's slightly bulging abdomen, holding a wine pot, a little tipsy. Saintess Jin Ling quietly read a scroll, her gentleness now several times greater than before the Investiture of the Gods, truly exponential!

Zhao Gongming laughed, "My dear, how long do you plan to be pregnant? Please consider my feelings too."

"Hmph, endure it." Saintess Jin Ling said indifferently, "At this time, I can still confer some benefits on our child. Why are you so impatient? Besides, I don't want them to get too involved with the Heavenly Court now."

"What's wrong with the Heavenly Court? Isn't it quite good?" Zhao Gongming spread his hands, "Look, everywhere is peaceful, and each immortal palace operates normally. From the Five Continents to the Three Thousand Worlds, where has the Heavenly Court not managed well?"

Saintess Jin Ling thought carefully, "It just feels too well-managed. The Three Realms operate entirely according to Heavenly Court rules, and everything is meticulous. It's a bit dull."

"This is a good thing," Zhao Gongming sighed. "Even if our junior brother returns, things will proceed according to these regulations."

"That's different." Jin Ling looked up at the dome of the great hall, where bright stars twinkled, and said, "I feel a bit stuffy overhead, not open and bright."

Zhao Gongming was speechless. He sighed dejectedly, lifted a hand to tidy his hair, and a hint of helplessness showed in his eyes. "Isn't it enough for them to live well outside?" Zhao Gongming said. "For those few, this is the best outcome: far from the Heavenly Court, controlling their own destinies, and living freely and happily beyond the Three Realms." Zhao Gongming's eyes held a glimmer of light, which flickered continuously as he said gently: "Perhaps when both sides reconcile later, we can meet them again. Then, our second sister will be holding two children, playing together with our child. How wonderful that would be."

Jin Ling, however, said, "Reconciliation? That's impossible."

"Aren't we hoping for it?" Zhao Gongming laughed. "Regardless, this world must continue to develop in a better direction, and the Primordial World can continue to pass through eons. Just like in the mortal world, after a period of war, people's hearts settle, and they will naturally live in peace and contentment for a time. We should also try to be content, as there isn't much more we can do now."

"Oh, you," Jin Ling chided, reaching out to pat Zhao Gongming's head. She actually knew why her husband spoke this way. Her husband was actually advising her not to let the tragedy of the Jie Sect incite a desire for conflict, and to exercise more forbearance in the Heavenly Court. In their current positions, both were powerful immortal gods in the Heavenly Court, maintaining the fate of the listed Jie Sect immortals and the incense legacy of the Jie Sect in the world today. Because of their high cultivation, the Heavenly Dao could not directly interfere with their minds. But the Heavenly Dao used the bonds of affection that the Jie Sect valued most to place layer upon layer of shackles on them, rendering them unable to move from their current positions. The pressure her husband bore was already too heavy.

Jin Ling deliberately changed the subject, asking, "Has Long Ji recalled anything recently?"

"No," Zhao Gongming shook his head. "I secretly went to see her. She's somewhat distraught, unable to rouse her spirits every day, and often washes her face with tears. It feels like the tragedy of Heng'e from back then is repeating."

"It's alright," Saintess Jin Ling's pretty face grew cold. "What they lost will ultimately be recovered. What this world lost will ultimately return."

Boom—

The power of the Heavenly Dao surged forth, as if to unleash a thunder tribulation. Zhao Gongming stood up, cupped his hands with a smile towards the air, and the power of the Heavenly Dao slowly dissipated.

"Don't say such things," Zhao Gongming sighed. "Let's just peacefully nurture the child and live a leisurely life in the Heavenly Court. Isn't that good? What is there to contend for?"

Saintess Jin Ling said no more, continuing to read the scroll in her hands. Zhao Gongming scratched his head, sat back down, and seemed a little lost in thought.

Jin Ling suddenly asked, "By the way, where did Old Monarch throw Senior Brother?"

"I haven't found out, but there shouldn't be any major issues." Zhao Gongming laughed, "After all, Old Monarch isn't some evil god."

Meanwhile; in Tushita Palace.

Under the old tree where Grand Master Xuandu once slept for a long time, Daoist Duobao was enveloped by layers of Yin-Yang Bagua Dao rhythm, his face utterly pale as he looked at the classics piled up like a small mountain before him.

"Oh, Old Monarch, please just give this disciple a quick end! This disciple's Dao realm was practically excavated!"

Moo—

Hearing a cow's moo from the opposite side, Daoist Duobao immediately shivered. He saw the Azure Ox, wearing a nose ring, lying comfortably and serenely atop a pile of treasures. Each time the nose ring flickered, an accompanying spiritual treasure below would quickly dim, and Daoist Duobao's Dao heart would be harshly scraped.

"Memorize, memorize! Just memorize it!" Duobao gave a bitter laugh, patted his belly, which had recently thinned considerably, and continued to bury his head in strenuous study. Being a Sect Leader, this was truly suffering.