Journey to the West: Beginning with the Apprenticeship of Bodhi Patriarch

Chapter 112: The Green Ox Borrows the Cauldron, the Black Essence Does Not Sink and the Rabbit Marrow Does Not Fly

But it is said that the Green Ox broke into the Tushita Palace and entered the Taoist chamber of the Immortal, which surprised the Immortal a little.

Jiang Yuan asked, "How did you get into my place, you little cow?"

The green bull entered the Taoist room, cried out, and then transformed into a human form. The green bull looked very ferocious and ugly, with a single horn, bright eyes, rough skin on the top of the head, black and shiny ears, a long tongue that twitched the nose, a wide mouth with yellow teeth, fur that was as green as indigo, and tendons that were as hard as steel. It was really like a demon king on earth.

The blue ox cried out, "I don't know where the boy who was watching the cows has gone. There is no one to watch over them. I will go out for a walk and then go back."

Jiang Yuan was suspicious when he heard this and asked, "Where did the cowherd boy go?"

Qingniu said, "That's right. That guy would leave every now and then, so how could I take care of him wholeheartedly? That's why I go out to perform from time to time."

Jiang Yuan suddenly realized and asked, "If that's the case, you often play in the palace, why did you come to find me?"

The blue ox looked up and down at the immortal and said with a smile, "I have known you since you were a child. Now that I know you have entered the palace, I have come to play with you."

Jiang Yuan heard this and thought that Qingniu was interesting. What Qingniu said was not wrong. This was because he had just met Qingniu when he was over 30 years old. At that time, he was still unsettled, and the five of them had led him very far away. The right path was far away, and he was still young.

He said: "If you say so, I still need to call you Senior Brother."

Qingniu waved his hands and said, "No need to be like this, no need to be like this. Just call me 'King Si'."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "King Si?"

Qingniu put his hands on his waist and said with a smile: "It is me!"

Jiang Yuan asked, "Are you not afraid that Laojun will find out about your playfulness?"

Qingniu said, "Why should I be afraid? The master loves me. If he knew I was out, he would either scold me or beat me a few times."

Jiang Yuan said: "In that case, you came to me just to see me for a while, didn't you?"

Qingniu said, "I came to see you and to know that the protagonist once gave you a tripod. It's quite interesting. Please lend it to me for a hundred years. I will return it to you when I get tired of playing with it."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "Are you talking about Yu Ding?"

Qingniu said: "That's right, that's right!"

Jiang Yuan took out the small tripod from his waist and tapped it lightly. Then he saw the Yu Ding revealed its original form of eight feet tall, standing in the Taoist room, with divine light flowing, and as heavy as Mount Tai.

He smiled and said, "Since King Si has come to borrow the tripod from me, you can just take it."

Qingniu asked, "Will you really lend it to me?"

Jiang Yuan said: "Just use your arms to take this tripod away, it's okay to lend it to you."

Upon hearing this, Qingniu lifted his clothes and walked forward. He took a deep breath, placed both arms on the tripod, shouted loudly, and tried to lift the tripod. However, the tripod did not move at all. No matter how hard he tried, he could not lift it even a bit.

The energy of this tripod can flow through Yuzhou. Moreover, it has experienced many creations. How can an ox lift it? If it were to be lifted by energy, I don't know if there is anyone within or outside the Three Realms who can lift it.

Qingniu loosened his hand, panting, and said, "What a great tripod! What a great tripod! I can't even lift it. It's really a divine tripod."

Jiang Yuan looked around with a smile but said nothing.

Qingniu said: "Since you can't lift it with your strength, look at my magic weapon!"

Say it.

Qingniu took out a white circle from his body, blew air into it, and threw it towards Yu Ding, trying to put Yu Ding into the circle.

Jiang Yuan looked around and recognized the ring, it was a 'diamond cutter', usually made into a bull nose ring, put it on the nose of a blue bull, and actually let the blue bull to catch his Yu Ding.

The immortal said, "How can you not lift it? Use the magic weapon to capture it, and then you will see my magical power."

The Immortal used the magical power of Jin Gong, and the turbid earth energy gathered. He pointed at a circle, and the turbid earth energy attached to it. However, this circle was so powerful that it was not disturbed by the turbid energy. It just slowed down a little.

With a thud, Yu Ding collided with the circle. For a while, the circle couldn't hold Yu Ding.

At this moment, a sound suddenly came.

"Why are you disturbing Guangxin, you cow?"

Jiang Yuan looked over and saw Laojun standing in front of the Taoist door.

Qingniu was so frightened that he said in panic, "Why is it the protagonist in front of me?"

The Supreme Lord stretched out his hand and the diamond cutter returned to his hand. He pointed at the blue ox and scolded it, "You cow, you sneaked out of the cowshed. What do you want to do?"

Qingniu knelt down and said, "Please forgive me, my lord. I have just met the real master and dare not offend him."

Jiang Yuan took the Yu Ding away, approached and bowed, saying, "Laojun."

Laojun asked, "Guangxin, what does this cow want to do?"

Jiang Yuan said: "Laojun, King Si, I mean no offense, you are here to visit an old friend."

The old man scolded: "This cow is so arrogant that he calls himself the Great Si King? Why don't you come with me?"

How dare Qingniu say more? Please forgive me and I will never do it again.

Laojun took the green ox away.

Jiang Yuan watched Laojun and Qingniu leave, and thought to himself, "This ox is also very unstable. If he makes trouble in the lower world one day, disaster will happen."

The real man then stopped thinking about it.

……

Time flies, and before you know it another day has gone.

On this day, Laojun took Jiang Yuan to the alchemy room, intending to make the elixir. There was an eight-diagram tripod in the alchemy room. This tripod was three feet six, and was specially brought by Laojun to take care of Jiang Yuan.

Laojun placed the cauldron and it was set in an instant. This is called "setting up the furnace and cauldron". It is very easy once you teach him to do it.

The immortal stood behind him, and could only admire the extraordinary abilities of Laojun.

Laojun pointed to the cauldron and said, "Guangxin, set up the furnace and the cauldron. Then you should clean the furnace and sweep the cauldron. I don't need to do this. If Guangxin starts to make the elixir, he should do this step."

Jiang Yuan bowed and said, "Old Lord, I understand."

Laojun smiled and nodded, told the fairy boy to train in the furnace, and asked another fairy boy to operate the wind gate and control the temperature of the fire.

After a while, the fire will be lit. This fire is a warm fire, also known as a gentle fire. It is warm and light, so it is 'continuous and can be used seldom'.

Laojun said: "This is to warm the furnace and cultivate the cauldron. In this step, the cauldron must be burned dry, and the lid of the cauldron must be sealed tightly to prevent outside air from entering, so that the cauldron can be formed naturally."

When Jiang Yuan heard this, he took note of it carefully, not daring to make any mistakes.

In addition, he was somewhat familiar with the Dao of Alchemy, but he still had to remember that this was a path where one wrong step would lead to all wrong steps.

After an hour and a quarter, Laojun said, "Guangxin, go forward and open the lid of the tripod."

Jiang Yuan stepped forward and opened the lid of the cauldron. The temperature of the lid was not high. He took it off and felt a gust of warm wind blowing on his face, which made his holy fetus stretch.

The immortal asked, "Laojun, what is this wind?"

Laojun replied, "This is the energy of the True Yang. When the furnace is heated and the cauldron is cultivated successfully, the True Yang energy will be generated in the center of the cauldron. If the lid of the cauldron is opened, this energy will escape, so it must be sealed. An alchemist must have a discerning eye to know whether the True Yang energy has been generated."

Jiang Yuan asked, "Is this true yang energy of great use to external elixirs?"

Laojun said: "It has a great use. If there is no real Yang Qi, this cauldron will not be opened, and what is refined is poison pills, not elixirs."

Jiang Yuan asked, "Is there a saying that this true Yang Qi has a certain weight?" Upon hearing this, Laojun smiled and said, "Guangxin is indeed an immortal. This true Yang Qi has its own weight. Different kinds of elixirs have different requirements. To prepare a golden elixir, you need three liang and six of true Yang Qi. The true Yang Qi you just received was exactly three liang and six."

Jiang Yuan recalled the burst of true yang energy that rushed towards him when he opened the lid of the cauldron. Although he was well versed in the Dharma nature, he couldn't remember the amount of true yang energy that had rushed out in an instant.

Because he didn't know how many squares were in one ounce, he never rashly asked Laojun to tell him. He knew that this was a secret that could not be passed on. He was not a disciple of Daluo, so Laojun could not pass it on to him.

Being able to speak to him like this has already taught him to feel deeply grateful.

Laojun said: "Guangxin, these two boys will continue to make the cauldron generate true yang energy, you can feel it carefully."

Jiang Yuan bowed deeply and said, "Guangxin thanks Laojun."

The Lord Lao waved his hand and ordered the two immortal children to "warm the furnace and cultivate the cauldron", then left again, asking Jiang Yuan when he would learn it and when he would send the immortal children to look for him.

Jiang Yuan saw Laojun off, and then went into the alchemy room.

The two immortal children bowed and said, "Master!"

Jiang Yuan looked up at the two immortal children and said in return, "You two junior brothers are also practitioners. There is a saying that 'the one who is more advanced is the elder brother'. If you don't mind, just call me senior brother."

The second fairy boy said, "Senior brother."

Jiang Yuan said: "My two junior brothers, there is no need to be so polite. I am sorry to trouble you two junior brothers."

The two fairy boys said, "This is our responsibility."

Say it.

The two fairy boys set fire to the cauldron.

Jiang Yuan looked at it carefully, not daring to be careless.

……

Master Jiang immersed himself in the alchemy room, concentrating on comprehending the true yang energy and learning the complete external alchemy. Before he knew it, two days were gone.

Jiang Yuan gradually became familiar with the two fairy boys who were burning the furnace and forging the cauldron. He also gradually learned the number of two of the complete true yang energy. He could not tell how to calculate one or two. This could not be explained in words. One must be familiar with it to know the number of two.

If Daluo's disciples could get guidance, or have the exact weight, he, a Taiyi celestial being, has never had such experience, so he can only remember this in his heart.

Two days later, he knew what the number of 326 true yang was, and that was when he succeeded.

Jiang Yuan said: "Thank you two junior brothers for teaching me this recipe."

The second fairy boy said, "I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it! This is what my senior brother has realized, and we have never been taught."

Jiang Yuan heard this and bowed with a smile.

The second fairy boy hurriedly hid away and said, "Brother, there is no need to bow."

He then said, "But I have a question. We have seen that our senior brother often returns the gift to us boys. Why is that? In our palace, if a junior brother greets a senior brother, the senior brother does not have to return the gift."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "I treat you with courtesy because you are all Taoists. I have a longer history of Taoism, so when you show your courtesy, you are respecting Taoism, not me. You have a shorter history of Taoism, so when I return the courtesy, I am also respecting Taoism, not me."

The two fairy boys suddenly realized and bowed to Jiang Yuan again.

Jiang Yuan said no more, and went to the central hall to invite Laojun to come.

Before long, Laojun was invited by the Immortal to enter the alchemy room.

Laojun pointed to the cauldron in the room and said, "Since you have sent me here, I think you should learn the Quanzhen Yang Qi. Now show me how the 326 Quanzhen Yang Qi works."

Jiang Yuan didn't dare to make any mistakes, so he asked the two fairies to cooperate with him to control the fire and warm the furnace and prepare the cauldron.

One of the two fairies set the fire while the other pulled the air damper to make the slow fire rise. Jiang Yuan looked at the furnace, knowing what was going on, and was waiting for the fire to be just right and the true yang energy to reach 326.

After a while, Jiang Yuan stopped the two immortal children and said, "Old Lord, the cauldron here has exactly 326 taels of Yang energy."

Upon hearing this, Laojun stepped forward and opened the lid of the tripod. True Yang Qi rushed to his face. He smiled and said, "It is indeed three ounces and six ounces, not a millimeter off."

He looked at the Immortal, his eyes full of admiration, he was indeed a wise man. He had realized the true Yang Qi in two days. It might not take him much time to learn the whole external alchemy. He only knew that this boy had a deep affinity with Taoism.

There are countless people practicing in his palace, but only a few are able to make elixirs. Those who are not destined to make elixirs just put the elixir book in front of them. They don't know the true number and have no intention of reading the book. No matter how you persuade them, it won't work. Those who are like real people can teach even without the elixir book.

Laojun said again: "With your broad mind and wisdom, since this is the case, I will teach you the art of 'collecting and packing herbs'."

Jiang Yuan asked, "Old Master, how do you say this about collecting and packing herbs?"

Laojun asked, "How many herbs did Guangxin use when he was practicing the golden elixir?"

Jiang Yuan said: "The four ingredients are black essence, rabbit marrow, wood fluid and gold essence."

Laojun said: "To prepare the golden elixir, four herbs are also needed, namely, black essence, rabbit marrow, wood fluid and gold essence."

Jiang Yuan asked: "Laojun, this golden elixir is not an internal elixir, but an external elixir. For internal elixir, the medicine is collected from the body, but for external elixir, the medicine should be collected from the outside. Where should I find it?"

Laojun stroked his beard and smiled, "They are collected from outside. Black essence, rabbit marrow, wood fluid, and gold essence. How many are there in the world? Here are some medicinal materials. Please take a look. Among them, black essence and rabbit marrow are the main medicines, and wood fluid and gold essence are the secondary medicines. The distinction between the main and the secondary must be clear."

Laojun opened a medicine box and handed it to Jiang Yuan to look at.

Jiang Yuan looked down and saw that there were four herbs in it. The top layer was some dark red sand and gravel with some silver water droplets on the edge, and there was some blue-grey powder underneath and some brown stones next to it.

Laojun said: "These four herbs can be supplemented with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to form a golden elixir."

Jiang Yuan asked, "Laojun, are these four herbs hard to find?"

Laojun said: "It is not difficult to say, but it is not easy to say. These four herbs are the essence of heaven and earth. They exist naturally among the rocks in the lower world. They can be found by observing the five elements. However, if you find them, you must use the essence to make the elixir."

Jiang Yuan bowed and said, "I will teach you."

Laojun said: "The next step after collecting herbs is to pack them. This is easy. Put the four herbs in order by weight into the cauldron. There is a golden elixir in this box. Guangxin, now that you have seen it, you should remember it."

Jiang Yuan nodded. He had already understood the Dharma and naturally remembered the number of medicines.

Laojun said: "Don't be impatient when packing the medicine, you must be calm, first pack the black essence, then the gold essence, then the wood liquid, and the rest is rabbit marrow. Only in this way can it be counted."

Jiang Yuan asked, "Old Master, what if I pretended to be wrong?"

Laojun smiled and said, "Guangxin, if you make a mistake while practicing the golden elixir, what will happen?"

Jiang Yuan replied: "The body dies and the Tao disappears."

Laojun said: "It is the same when refining external elixirs. If you put the wrong medicine in, the elixir will fail. After collecting the herbs and putting them in, it is time to light the fire and forge it. This step is the most difficult step in refining external elixirs. It is very difficult to control the temperature. When refining the elixir, you must always watch over the cauldron to ensure that the black essence does not sink to the bottom of the cauldron and the rabbit marrow does not fly out of the cauldron. This is difficult because the black essence is easy to sink and the rabbit marrow is easy to fly out."

Jiang Yuan said: "Laojun, if you practice all the steps in this way, have you basically achieved the external alchemy?"

Laojun smiled and said, "That's right. If Guangxin can master this step of starting a fire and forging it, then the other steps will not stop you, and you will have achieved success in this way."

Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "Old Master, I understand."

Lao Jun said: "I can make the elixir three times, you just watch the fire. If you have never learned it, you can only use your own fire to figure out the way of external elixir."

Jiang Yuan said: "Guangxin has thanked Laojun three times. I am satisfied and dare not ask for more."

Laojun smiled and nodded, then asked the two fairy boys in the room to call over the Taoist boy who was good at concocting the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir.

It didn't take long for the Taoist boy who looked after the furnace, pulled the wind, and built the fire to arrive. Then Laojun placed the medicine box and prepared to make the elixir...

(End of this chapter)