Chapter 735: The Stone Monkey is Born

How can I properly teach this monkey?

Li Changshou returned to Lingtai Shan and began pondering this profound question.

To explore it further, he ventured into the mortal world, observed various things, and even visited some street performers who trained monkeys. From these experiences, he gained some insights and formed several ideas in his mind.

The stone monkey was undoubtedly a creature full of spiritual essence, far surpassing ordinary beings.

It had no father or mother, born from a stone egg. It could revere Nüwa as its holy mother above and exist as an extraordinary being outside the three realms and five elements below.

Deep down, Li Changshou held a certain respect for the stone monkey.

Qi Tian Da Sheng...

What kind of hero must one be, and what kind of recklessness, to claim such a title?

Like a newborn calf unafraid of tigers, or a newborn stone monkey unafraid of the Dao Ancestor.

To teach the monkey, he needed to approach it from two angles.

One was to preserve its innate nature, and the other was to impart skills for combat and spells.

The profound art Li Changshou favored most was the Ba Jiu Xuan Gong, but it was currently a protective doctrine of Daoism, circulated only among the Twelve Golden Immortals of Chan Jiao.

On the surface, he had no way to obtain such a technique.

Moreover, the monkey's abilities—like the seventy-two transformations, the somersault cloud, and its iron-like bones and muscles—needed to reach a profound level to help the monkey face the myriad disasters ahead.

Li Changshou never intended to manipulate or scheme against the monkey; he wanted it to retain its natural disposition.

But he did calculate and consider various scenarios.

Just take combat strength, for example.

Using Yang Jian's power at the end of the Feng Shen calamity as a reference—and considering that Yang Jian's strength must have advanced further over these past few centuries—the monkey's power during its rebellion in heaven would likely be on par with Yang Jian's.

Assuming the monkey was born and lived freely on Huaguo Shan for several decades before coming to seek guidance, it would still take at least two or three hundred years to transform its spiritual energy into magical power, allowing it to match Yang Jian blow for blow.

This timeline was already the absolute limit.

After all, no matter how high the monkey's comprehension was, it couldn't rely on sudden enlightenments for cultivation like he did.

Since he couldn't get the Ba Jiu Xuan Gong, what should he teach the monkey?

As for the technique of plucking hairs to create clones, Li Changshou had over a dozen ideas to pass on, but the monkey would still need years of practice to master them.

Upon closer reflection, this issue was indeed troublesome.

Or perhaps...

Provide some prenatal education in advance?

Li Changshou pondered for a moment and decided it might be worth taking this opportunity to test the Dao Ancestor's intentions and see what solutions the Dao Ancestor could offer.

So, he sat in his Bodhi Residence in the Xieyue Sanxing Dong, deep in thought for several months. Finally, he sighed and spoke aloud:

"May the Heavenly Dao reveal its wisdom on how to guide this worthy disciple."

In the Zixiao Palace, the burly Daoist frowned slightly, a hint of distaste on his face, and pointed a finger toward Fangcun Shan.

Around the "False Bodhi," rings of precious light gathered, forming three jade talismans.

Li Changshou rose, bowed in salute, and said with a sigh, "Thank you, Lord of the Heavenly Dao."

He then took the jade talismans in hand and examined them closely.

Looking at the first jade talisman, Li Changshou smiled inwardly. He saw that the method given by the Dao Ancestor focused on the primordial spirit and comprehension, with the "False Bodhi" assisting to forge a powerful physical body for the monkey.

It was a straightforward way to grant immense power.

This technique was called the Da Pin Tian Xian Jue. Here, "Tian Xian" didn't mean the Heavenly Immortal realm but rather "immortal of the heavens."

With this method, one could rapidly reach the Golden Immortal realm in a short time. If the monkey had good comprehension and received ample insights from the Heavenly Dao, achieving Daluo might not be out of reach in just a few centuries.

However, this was a quick-advancement technique, embodying the Dao of Battle.

This was a somewhat vague concept; the Dao itself was born for combat, its core purpose to make creatures in the world fight endlessly, with the miraculous effect of growing stronger through battle.

The drawback was equally clear: aside from fighting and warfare, there would be no other insights.

It offered no improvement in a cultivator's character, wisdom, morality, or other qualities.

The Dao Ancestor had provided a solution, saving Li Changshou some effort. At most, he would just add a few beneficial safeguards for the monkey.

When he opened the second jade talisman, the "False Bodhi" showed no change in expression, but Li Changshou couldn't help cursing inwardly for the first time in a while.

What on earth?

The seventy-two transformations—allowing one to change into plants, insects, stones, or living spirits—was a precious skill for evading disasters.

What Li Changshou found hard to accept was that the incantations and methods for cultivating this divine ability in the talisman were identical to the improved version of the transformation technique he had written in his thatched hut on Xiaoqiong Peak and taught to Yang Jian, Ling E, and Long Ji!

It was an exact copy of the transformation method he had researched back then!

Had the Dao Ancestor gone too far? Directly plagiarizing the insights he had written into the jade talisman!

And without so much as a greeting—just outright freeloading!

Damn, referring to a type of plant.

Li Changshou grumbled to himself in his true self's mind, but the "False Bodhi" maintained a serene Dao heart, even feeling a touch of delight.

The third jade talisman recorded many powerful divine abilities, such as the enhanced Diamond Iron Bones, Fa Xiang Heaven and Earth, the Five Elements Evasion Art, the Somersault Cloud, and more.

As a supplement, Li Changshou would also teach the monkey some combat skills, which couldn't be covered by the techniques alone.

For example, strategies for dealing with being surrounded by enemies, how to quickly sense the weaknesses in formations, eighty-one little tricks for countering forces in battle, and close-combat instant-kill routines.

These were all valuable summaries of combat experience.

Of course, he would impart these subtly, not by compiling them into a book.

If something so minor aroused the Dao Ancestor's suspicions, it would be a case of losing the bigger picture over trifles.

In the presence of the Heavenly Dao, Li Changshou began to study the three jade talismans, practicing the techniques inside one by one. He carefully comprehended and integrated them, even incorporating elements of the "Jiekong" Dao.

The burly elder in the Purple Bamboo Forest was quite satisfied with this.

In recent years, since the establishment of Buddhism, they had begun proselytizing, widely accepting disciples and appointing Bodhisattvas and Arhats.

Since Duobao was originally the senior brother of Jie Jiao, those Jie Jiao disciples who had been converted by the Jieyin Daoist were no longer limited by the "Degree Others Dao" or the "Jieyin Divine Banner."

Among them were quite a few experts.

Especially now, with the strength of beings in the world diminished due to the Feng Shen calamity, saints were absent, great powers had retreated, and even Daluo Golden Immortals dared to call themselves masters of a region. The power of Spirit Mountain could not be underestimated.

After going in circles, the heavenly prophecy of the West's great prosperity was on the verge of fulfillment.

The saints and their disciples who had once vied for power were now dead or wounded.

The ways of the world are unpredictable, and so are the ways of heaven.

No one knows, until the final step, who the ultimate winner will be.

On Fangcun Shan, the "False Bodhi" wore a serene smile, closed his eyes to sense the heavenly Dao, his mind appearing relaxed but actually remaining tense at all times.

Just hold on a little longer, and the days of retirement and rest were not far off.

In the tenth year after Buddhism's establishment, the East Sea was enveloped in radiant glows for several months, with extraordinary phenomena appearing around Huaguo Shan.

The demon clans seemed to sense something. Most of the lesser demons avoided the area of Huaguo Shan, while the greater demons watched the regions with the most phenomena.

There was a grand array there, hiding some unknown treasure within.

Some old demons said that ever since they discovered Huaguo Shan, it had been a forbidden zone, surrounded by mysterious Dao rhythms that made one feel dread upon approaching.

Several rumors spread among the demon clans along with the glows.

An unparalleled demon king would emerge from Huaguo Shan, capable of leading the demon race to a new era of glory.

This unparalleled demon king of Huaguo Shan was extraordinary, already enveloped by a saint's power, likely part of a saint's scheme.

This unparalleled demon king of Huaguo Shan was a divine general cultivated by Heaven, sent to exterminate the demon race.

These rumors grew more exaggerated as they spread, and some bold demons even entered the mist.

But they never returned, their life souls dissipating completely.

This only fueled the demon clans' curiosity. They secretly captured a few human cultivators with low cultivation and forced them to investigate, leaving a wisp of their life souls behind.

However, as soon as these cultivators entered, their life souls vanished.

One of the bodies was even thrown out, inscribed with a line of golden characters:

Demons, retreat and do not provoke the spiritual embryo.

It was signed with a Buddhism seal. Just eight characters and a seal made the demon experts tremble with fear.

After a brief discussion, the demon clans decided to temporarily avoid Huaguo Shan and observe future events.

Finally, after one hundred and seventy-nine days of flickering glows, Huaguo Shan experienced several earth pulses shaking.

The group of mountain apes and monkeys left by the ape tribes, who had not yet awakened their spiritual intelligence, were baffled by it all.

In Heaven, in the Lingxiao Hall,

The Jade Emperor sat quietly on his throne, remaining motionless for centuries.

It was because his heart was unyielding, and his temper stubborn.

In truth, the Jade Emperor knew that if he just submitted, if he bowed his head, the chains binding him would dissipate, and he could wear white robes or yellow ones as he pleased.

As the first in the heavenly sequence, with his cultivation at the peak of Daluo, the Dao Ancestor could only erase him directly or convict him of a great crime within the heavenly workings—otherwise, he couldn't be replaced as the Heavenly Emperor.

Why resist his teacher?

It wasn't really resistance; it was just discontent in his heart toward the teacher's ruthless handling of certain matters.

He was the being closest to the Heavenly Dao.

His authority was granted by the Dao Ancestor, as was his position as ruler of the three realms.

Ruler of the three realms...

The Jade Emperor smiled self-mockingly in his heart, but due to the heavenly restraints, he couldn't show any expression.

He was merely the Dao Ancestor's puppet.

He wondered how Changgeng was faring in the Chaos Sea. Changgeng had mentioned having a way to survive there, but he still worried.

Sometimes, the Jade Emperor thought that if Duobao Daoist had called for rebellion against heaven, and he, as the Heavenly Emperor, had stood up to oppose the Heavenly Dao, things might have turned out differently today.

But...

There were too many attachments, too many entanglements, and too many concerns.

Resisting his teacher was something even Taishang Laojun had tried, yet he couldn't separate the teacher from the primordial world.

The teacher had become the will of the heavens.

As the "spokesperson" of the heavenly will, opposing the heavens wouldn't have any decisive effect; it would only bring greater calamity to the world.

That would be a war that overturned the heavens and devastated all beings.

Because most beings couldn't survive outside the heavens, the side of beings was destined to lose and had to compromise with the Heavenly Dao.

Aside from Changgeng, no one understood the Heavenly Dao better than he, the Jade Emperor, did.

In fact, he had known what the Dao Ancestor intended long before the Feng Shen calamity began; he had seen the script of the divine investiture.

Even his complaints in Zixiao Palace weren't just because he felt stifled as the Heavenly Emperor, ignored by the disciples of Chan Jiao and Jie Jiao.

More than that, it was because he had seen too much, wanted to change it but couldn't, and had too much pent-up frustration in his heart.

Sometimes, the Jade Emperor even wondered if Changgeng were sitting in his position, could he counter the teacher?

Of course, that was just a fantasy. He couldn't decide whether to abdicate or who the next Heavenly Emperor would be.

The Jade Emperor, Haotian Tongzi...

How ironic.

He and the Queen Mother were originally innate beings created by the Heavenly Dao, meant to be enforcers and guardians of heavenly order!

Oh well, what's the use of saying all this?

Changgeng had done so much for Heaven, only to be exiled in the end.

Changgeng was right—if one wanted to be a Heavenly Emperor who protects beings, they had to control their own desires, maintain rationality, and find a balance between the Heavenly Dao and the beings.

Now, the three realms were sealed, and the Dao Ancestor had used the essence of the Heavenly Dao to form a heavenly barrier, locking away that "escaped one," Changgeng, outside the world...

And earlier, the Nine Filth Springs had been purified, removing the power of karma from the heavens.

A world without variables, without calamities, capable of existing eternally—wasn't that already achieved?

How laughable...

How utterly laughable!

"Your Majesty."

A gentle call came from the side. The kind-faced, slender old man holding a dust whisk bowed and said warmly, "It's time to summon the gods for the assembly."

The Jade Emperor opened his eyes, his gaze slightly dull, and replied indifferently, "Summon them."

"Yes."

The old man responded, flicked his dust whisk, and a resonant bell rang outside the Lingxiao Hall.

Soon, beams of immortal light shot from various parts of the Thirty-Three Heavens, transforming into civil and military officials who lined up in the hall and bowed their heads as they entered.

Once the hundred principal gods had assembled, the old man beside the Jade Emperor called out, and the assembly of gods bowed to the Jade Emperor.

"We pay respects to Your Majesty."

"My dear subjects, rise," the Jade Emperor said softly, completing most of the assembly's formalities.

Under the old man's guidance, the on-duty god from Tongming Hall reported on recent trivial matters of the three realms, mostly concerning seasonal changes, rain and dew, and general overviews of human birth, aging, sickness, and death.

Other immortal gods also presented memorials, which the old man read one by one, selecting the important ones for the gods to discuss.

The assembly was quite lively and efficient.

The Jade Emperor occasionally added a few words, mostly on major matters of governing the three realms.

Today, a military official submitted a recommendation to promote several heavenly generals to official god ranks.

As the Jade Emperor reviewed the memorials, he noticed a familiar name.

Youqin Xuanya.

He immediately said, "Appoint General Youqin Xuanya as a fourth-rank official god, with the salary of a third-rank god, granting her command of troops. Assign her to the Combat Division and have her guard the Moon Palace from now on."

Many immortal gods below were stunned.

The old man beside him chuckled, "Your Majesty, promoting her so suddenly—is this..."

"Hmm?"

The Jade Emperor's gaze swept over, and the old man quickly lowered his head.

"Does my word no longer count?"

"Your Majesty, forgive me. In Heaven, it is as you say."

"Then go and handle it."

The Jade Emperor snorted, tossed the memorial onto the jade table, and added, "Also, grant General Youqin Xuanya the Sword of Demon Slaying, have the Imperial Stable find a few heavenly horses, and bestow immortal robes and peaches from the Yao Pond."

Mu Gong hurriedly said, "But Your Majesty, shouldn't we give General Youqin some merits for this?"

"I find her pleasing. Isn't that merit enough?"

The Lingxiao Hall fell silent, and the gods kept quiet as the old man bowed his head and accepted the order, then hurried away with his dust whisk.

The Jade Emperor said indifferently, "Continue the assembly."

The gods complied, resuming the previous rhythm, though many were lost in thought, while those in the know understood this was just the Jade Emperor expressing discontent toward the Heavenly Dao and protecting Youqin Xuanya.

The Heavenly Dao wouldn't bother escalating tensions over a ordinary Golden Immortal whose memories had been altered.

Midway through the assembly, Youqin Xuanya had already received a large number of rewards and a new residence.

Feeling puzzled, she stood up and looked toward the Lingxiao Hall, wondering why she had suddenly been granted so much. She planned to go there and ask the Jade Emperor to revoke the decree.

Suddenly, a beam of seven-colored light appeared in the heavens, shooting from the East Heaven Gate, piercing through the layers of heavenly palaces straight to the Lingxiao Hall!

In the Lingxiao Hall, the Jade Emperor frowned deeply, thinking it was a warning from the Heavenly Dao.

As he smashed the jade table and shouted, "What dares challenge the might of Heaven," rising to confront the Heavenly Dao, the Thousand-Mile Eye and Favorable Wind Ear rushed in from outside.

"Report—"

"The East Sea is bathed in glows, shaking both Heaven and the underworld!"

The East Sea?

A slight doubt arose in the Jade Emperor's heart. He carefully sensed the workings of the Heavenly Dao and realized this glow wasn't a warning.

He had misunderstood his teacher this time.

"Investigate!"

...