Journey to the West: I am the fiercest bird under Bodhi's seat

Hmm... Although this crow is usually fierce, it brought me here and we've become fellow disciples, so it's not so bad after all.

Bodhi, seated high above, felt a throbbing pain in his temples.

Even with the cultivation of a saint and a mind as still as water, veins were faintly visible on his forehead at this moment.

How dare someone dare to openly provoke this patriarch?

He almost couldn't resist raising his hand and unleashing a bolt of lightning to pulverize this traitor.

But looking into the monkey's pure, trusting eyes, and then at Ye Feng's sincere gratitude, Bodhi hesitated.

Could it be... that this silly bird really misheard?

After a moment's thought, he slowly said, "Boy, go to my residence. There is a cabinet by the bed, with three rows and nine compartments. Take the items from the third and eighth compartments of the first row."

The attendant boy rose at the sound of his voice and hurried toward the backyard.

Ye Feng still raised his hands, but his heart was filled with turmoil.

He kept wondering what kind of treasure the Bodhi Patriarch would bestow. Surely a sage wouldn't treat something lightly or perfunctorily.

The disciples below were shaken, their hearts churning with unspoken tension.

They entered the mountain gate at different ages, some having cultivated for a hundred years, others following for several years, accompanying the patriarch day and night, knowing that although his face was kind and gentle, he was actually as profound as an abyss and unfathomable.

Throughout the past, no one has been granted the magic weapon.

Who would have thought that the crow and the monkey would break this rule as soon as they arrived at the mountain gate.

For a moment, the gazes of the crowd toward the two were tinged with bitterness and resentment.

How could the patriarch be so biased?

Even though she dared not harbor resentment towards Bodhi, her resentment quietly turned towards Ye Feng and the monkey.

That crow exuded a menacing aura and was clearly not someone to be trifled with.

But this monkey is simple-minded and reserved. I'll find a reason to teach him a lesson sometime in the future.

Before long, the boy returned with a tray, covered the two items with a cloth, and placed them on the table.

Ye Feng's gaze was involuntarily drawn to it.

Bodhi gently lifted a corner, and in an instant, golden light burst forth, illuminating the entire hall, as if a miniature sun had suddenly exploded, making it impossible to look directly at it.

The moment this object appeared, Ye Feng's bloodline surged violently, and a longing from the depths of his soul rushed in—as if it were something that should have belonged to him.

With a gentle flick of his Bodhi robe, the object slowly drifted down and landed in Ye Feng's palm.

The light dimmed slightly, though it was still dazzling, it was now possible to stare at it with difficulty.

It felt icy cold to the touch. Upon closer inspection, Ye Feng realized it was a fist-sized crystal, completely translucent, exuding a chilling aura that seemed capable of freezing even one's soul.

Deep within the crystal core, a golden flame burns quietly, radiating its brilliance.

Bodhi said, "This is the essence of the primordial sun. Since the beginning of time, it has been extremely rare to find in the world, and only I have preserved one. You possess the bloodline of the Golden Crow and are in harmony with this, so accept it."

Ye Feng was shocked. It turned out that Bodhi had already seen through his bloodline awakening.

Then, a warm feeling welled up in my heart.

The patriarch, fully aware of his true nature, not only did not abandon him, but also bestowed upon him a treasure that truly suited him, without any intention of being perfunctory.

Having obtained this true fire of the sun, one can nourish the bloodline of the Golden Crow, and from then on, the path to becoming a Golden Immortal will be unobstructed.

He bowed deeply and kowtowed sincerely, saying, "Thank you, Master, for bestowing this treasure upon me."

Bodhi smiled slightly; at least this stupid bird still had some affection.

Then he uncovered another cloth and tossed the object to the monkey.

The monkey reached out and caught it, its smile yet to fully bloom—

froze.

Hat... hat?

What he held in his hand was nothing more than a small gray cloth cap, worn and patched at the edges.

Bodhi said, "This is the Cleansing Hat. Wukong, you are a stone monkey born of nature, restless and easily disturbed by distracting thoughts. This hat can help you calm your mind, return to your true self, and greatly benefit your cultivation."

The monkey looked embarrassed, unsure whether to laugh or be annoyed.

Out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but glance at Ye Feng, and the scene of being humiliated on Flower Fruit Mountain in the past flashed through her mind.

But he dared not refuse, for fear of offending the patriarch.

He could only force a smile and say, "Thank you, Master, for bestowing this treasure."

Bodhi nodded, feeling that he had made thorough arrangements, and said, "That's all for today. You two can go to the back mountain to choose your rooms and collect your Taoist robes. We will begin our lessons tomorrow."

Having entered the sect, Ye Feng and the monkey settled down at Fangcun Mountain.

Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, Xieyue Sanxing Cave.

Despite being called "Dong" (洞), it is not actually a cave; it is merely a substitute name.

There are Taoist temples and lecture halls built on the mountain, covering a large area.

Fields were also set aside on the back hill, which were cultivated by the disciples on a regular basis.

Even immortals need grains to sustain them, let alone the more than one hundred disciples in the mountains, most of whom have not yet attained immortality, let alone received the true secret teachings.

However, a problem arose when it came to allocating housing.

The reason is simple—neither of them are human.

Monkeys are somewhat forgiving; even a golden-haired monkey as tall as ten feet can look somewhat human when dressed in a Taoist robe.

But Ye Feng...

The disciples once discussed whether they should build him a nest.

As a result, Ye Feng rebuked him on the spot, leaving him utterly humiliated.

Final decision: to share a room with the monkey.

After all, he's not very big and doesn't take up much space.

The monkey was initially very reluctant to do so, but as a newcomer, no one paid attention to its opinions.

Especially after Ye Feng gave him a cold glare, he shut up.

Even today, the monkey still feels lingering fear whenever he sees him, ever since that defeat.

Life returned to peace, like the surface of a lake after the ripples have subsided.

Bodhi Patriarch did not preach frequently; he usually gave a short lecture every five days and a long lecture every ten days.

Its content is all-encompassing, covering Taoism, Zen, and even the ways of demons and monsters, as if it knows everything about the three realms and six paths, and has all the mysteries of heaven and earth in its grasp.

Ye Feng always listened attentively to the lectures, and many of his confusions about cultivation were suddenly resolved by a single sentence of scripture.

After taking him and the monkey into his fold, the patriarch paid them no further attention, offering neither special guidance nor extra care, treating them like ordinary disciples.

In Fangcun Mountain, all disciples have daily lessons.

The so-called homework was actually very simple: chopping wood, carrying water, cultivating the fields, and occasionally doing chores for other fellow disciples.

This is a necessary trial for every beginner, without exception.

Ye Feng and the monkey were naturally among them.

However, Ye Feng's true form was truly terrifying—a huge crow with glossy black feathers and sharp, piercing eyes.

Who could imagine someone looking like this hoeing the ground and carrying manure?

Not to mention his usual cold and fierce demeanor; people avoid him from afar and dare not approach him to assign tasks.

But jobs don't just disappear into thin air; someone has to take them on.

Naturally, this heavy burden fell on the monkey's shoulders.

The monkey never complained. Every day, it worked diligently, sweating profusely, doing the hardest and most tiring manual labor.

On this morning, a light mist shrouded the back mountain of Sanxing Cave as the first rays of dawn appeared.

On a blue stone stood a crow, facing east, constantly exhaling the purple aura of the rising sun.

As it breathed, a faint light emanated from its body, gradually turning from gray to gold, as if it were coated with a layer of rosy glow.

Two hours later, Ye Feng slowly finished his practice.

Looking down, half of the feathers that were originally jet black had turned into dazzling golden feathers, shining brightly in the morning light, as if they were cast from molten gold.

His physique had also grown larger than when he first arrived, and his aura was imposing.

Before I knew it, I had been practicing at Fangcun Mountain for a whole year.

His millennia of cultivation had long since been completely refined, and the Golden Crow bloodline within him continued to awaken, his very essence undergoing a quiet transformation.

He looked down between his legs and saw a new segment slowly breaking through the skin—a third leg was about to take shape.

Once his legs are fully grown and all his feathers turn to gold, he will no longer be an ordinary raven, but a primordial ancient species—the three-legged golden crow.

He estimated that it would take about three more months to complete the final transformation.

He has yet to use the essence of the sun that Bodhi bestowed upon him that day.

It's not that we don't use it, but rather that the time isn't right.

He is currently at the peak of True Immortal, only one step away from Earth Immortal. His strength is still weak and he is not yet able to control such a supremely yang object.

When he attempts to break through to the Golden Immortal realm, that essence will be the true key to his breakthrough.

It is worth mentioning that during this year, he finally clarified the division of immortal realms in this world:

The lowest level is "True Immortal," which may be called Demon Immortal, Human Immortal, or Ghost Immortal depending on the race of the cultivator. The titles vary, but they are actually of the same level.

Above them, in order, are: Earth Immortal, Celestial Immortal, Taiyi Golden Immortal, Daluo Golden Immortal, Quasi-Saint, and Saint.

Once one cultivates to the level of a Celestial Immortal, one can establish oneself in the Three Realms and be considered a powerful figure in one's own domain.

Many key figures in the Heavenly Court, such as the Four Heavenly Masters, various star deities, and Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, belong to this category.

The Taiyi Golden Immortal is considered a top-tier expert.

In the original Journey to the West, even when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, he was no more than this.

Other celestial generals such as Nezha and Yang Jian are also included in this list.

As for the Great Luo Golden Immortal, they are extremely rare.

Only a few dozen people are world-renowned, such as the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect, the Four Great Bodhisattvas of Buddhism, and all the great Buddhas, all of whom reside in this realm.

Above that, quasi-saints are as rare as morning stars.

Such beings are either ancient relics that have survived since the beginning of time and live in seclusion, or they are leaders of major powers who rarely show their faces.

And the last "saint"...

Each name resounds throughout the ages, yet almost no one has ever seen their true form.

Since the end of the Investiture of the Gods, no sage has ever appeared in the world again.

People only see the legends, not the actual figures. Over time, some have even doubted whether the saint truly existed or was merely a fabrication by later generations.

Even the Supreme Lord Laozi, who is worshipped in Heaven, is merely an incarnation of Laozi, yet he already holds a lofty position, and even the Jade Emperor must show him deference.

Currently, Ye Feng's cultivation is at the peak of True Immortal, just one step away from becoming an Earth Immortal.

Another point needs to be clarified: According to common sense, once one enters the realm of True Immortal, although it belongs to the lower level of the Immortal Path, one has already entered the Immortal Register and should trigger the Heavenly Tribulation of Transformation, thereby shedding the original form and achieving human form.

Ye Feng has yet to make any move, and the heavenly tribulation has not yet descended.

The reason is simple—he is no longer an ordinary crow.

The moment the Golden Crow bloodline merged into his body, his life level had already leaped, becoming a primordial alien species.

Although the transformation process still requires self-refinement, the foundation has changed.

The golden crow, in its transformed form, is no ordinary bird.

This world has its own invisible laws: the more powerful a creature is, the more difficult it is to transform into human form, the more accumulation it needs, and the stricter the rules of the world become.

In the ancient, uncivilized era, countless strange creatures cultivated themselves to great heights, some even reaching the level of Earth Immortals or Heavenly Immortals, yet they still retained their original beast forms.

Ye Feng is exactly like that now.

According to his own calculations, once he completely transforms into the Golden Crow Body, it will be the moment when he reaches the Perfection of True Immortal and steps into the Realm of Earth Immortal.

And at that time, perhaps the legendary "Transformation Tribulation" will also arrive.

As the sun rose and morning light streamed down, he finished his morning cultivation and noticed that his internal energy had improved again. He nodded in satisfaction.

Then, with a flap of its wings, it gracefully flew towards the Taoist temple at the foot of the mountain.

Today is the day Bodhi teaches the Dharma, and it should not be missed.

……

These regular and orderly days passed by in the blink of an eye, and several months went by.

On this day, at the back of Fangcun Mountain.

Ye Feng stood atop the boulder, looking up at the sky with a solemn expression.

At this moment, his entire body was shimmering with golden light, he was over half a meter tall, and his wingspan was nearly two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters), making him a true ferocious bird.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that it had three toes on its feet.

He has completed the transformation into the Golden Crow and broken through the shackles of True Immortal, achieving the status of Earth Immortal.

Above the sky, dark clouds surged, lightning flashed, and murderous intent lurked.

The transformation calamity is brewing.

In the heart of Fangcun Mountain, Patriarch Bodhi stood quietly by the window, gazing at the calamity clouds over the mountain behind him, a slight smile playing on his lips, and chuckled softly:

"That stupid bird is finally going to transform into human form."

Ye Feng looked up at the sky, his gaze fixed on the cloud of tribulation, not shifting even slightly.

As the tribulation lightning gradually condensed, the world seemed to fall into a deathly silence, with only the deep rumble of thunder echoing in one's ears.

Suddenly, the first bolt of heavenly lightning crashed down!

Ye Feng spread his wings to meet the attack, showing no intention of retreating.

This year of spiritual practice on Fangcun Mountain has not been wasted.

Since awakening his Golden Crow bloodline, he has continuously comprehended his own supernatural powers, and his greatest achievement was refining a natal fire.

The flames were pure gold, incredibly intense, capable of incinerating everything, and their temperature was comparable to the core of the sun.

Therefore, he showed no fear when facing the first bolt of heavenly lightning.

With a flap of its golden wings, it roared and sparks flew everywhere.

He swatted them apart with a single wing!