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

It wasn't until Yao and Shun abdicated and Yu of Xia succeeded to the throne that the Kongtong Seal mysteriously disappeared, the power of the human emperor gradually declined, and the authority of the heavenly court began to flourish, thus forming the pattern of "heaven descending upon man".

During the transition from the Shang to the Zhou dynasty, the Investiture of the Gods occurred, drawing in all the immortals and immortals of the Three Realms, with even the sages personally intervening.

That battle shattered the primordial world and caused the heavens and earth to collapse. In the end, the world was rebuilt using supreme magic, which is how the four continents came to be today.

Ye Feng stood with his hands behind his back, his expression solemn.

The Kongtong Seal was actually hidden in the Heavenly Treasury...

There are probably other secrets behind the loss of this treasure back then.

Holding this object in my hand now feels like holding a raging fire.

Without sufficient strength, once exposed, one will surely suffer a terrible fate.

Anyone who interferes in the struggle for human destiny and imperial power, even a Great Immortal, will find it difficult to escape unscathed. The danger far exceeds that of the struggle between Buddhism and Taoism; a single wave can reduce them to dust.

Only those who reach the Quasi-Saint realm are qualified to get involved in conflicts at this level.

He took a deep breath, composed himself, and turned to look at the remaining two treasures.

These two items are reliable and usable; they can be put to use once I leave the Heavenly Court.

That pure and tranquil meditation cushion can calm the mind and spirit, gather the vital energy of heaven and earth, and make one's practice twice as effective with half the effort.

The Yin-Yang Myriad Transformation Furnace is a top-tier refining cauldron, capable of both refining elixirs and forging magical treasures. Its power is almost on par with Laozi's Eight Trigrams Furnace.

After setting the seal, Ye Feng carefully stored it away.

For the next few days, he stayed in the Thai royal palace to devote himself to spiritual practice, remaining obedient and not making any unusual moves.

On the seventh day, he calculated with his fingers and figured that the monkey should have managed the peach orchard in an orderly manner. So he arranged the affairs of the palace and set off to find him.

He rode the clouds and slowly flew towards the Peach Garden.

They weren't in a hurry, leisurely enjoying the scenery of the Heavenly Court along the way.

If any immortals saw him pass by, they would stop, bow, and respectfully address him as "Emperor".

Ye Feng returned the greeting with a smile, his attitude gentle.

Although they proceeded at a leisurely pace, they did not linger. About two hours later, they finally arrived outside the Peach Garden.

This Peach Garden is not located within the seventy-two palaces of Heaven; it is built in a remote place where few immortals usually come and go.

As he approached the courtyard, he looked up.

The wall was no more than ten feet high, and the peach trees inside the courtyard were lush and their blossoms were dazzling.

The garden was bathed in the glow of the setting sun, with auspicious clouds swirling around it, making it a place of utmost tranquility at a glance.

Even more strangely, with Ye Feng's eyesight, he could only see the outermost row of peach trees. Further in, his vision was obscured by the mist, making it impossible to see anything.

He examined the wall more closely and suddenly realized that there was a hidden secret.

The wall faintly rippled with the energy of an array, and spatial laws were interwoven within it.

If he hadn't cultivated the Dijiang Divine Power and been extremely sensitive to changes in the void, he probably wouldn't have been able to detect the anomaly at all.

That seemingly ordinary ten-foot-high wall, in his perception, actually extended infinitely upwards and infinitely to the left and right.

No matter what means are used, it is impossible to overcome.

Even the "wall-penetrating technique" from the Seventy-Two Transformations of the Earthly Fiends will cause one to fall into spatial turbulence and never escape once one attempts to pass through it.

Even if a great immortal were to arrive in person, they would only be able to look on in despair.

The only way to enter and exit the entire Peach Garden is through the main gate.

Ye Feng sighed inwardly: If the monkey were not in charge of this garden now, anyone else who wanted to sneak in would probably not even be able to touch the threshold.

No wonder this place is so remote, yet no one dares to trespass upon it.

The restrictions on this wall were probably created by the Queen Mother of the West.

Thinking of this, he slowly walked towards the main entrance.

As soon as they arrived at the gate, the local earth god sensed their presence, opened the gate, and peered out to ask, "Who goes there?"

This local official was only in charge of this garden and knew very little about the higher-ups in the Heavenly Court, so naturally he did not recognize Ye Feng.

Ye Feng smiled and said, "I am the Great Emperor Taihuang, who governs the light of the Three Realms, and the senior brother of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. I have come to visit him today specifically to see him. Please inform him immediately."

Upon hearing this, the land official dared not delay and immediately turned around and went into the park to report.

A moment later, the monkey hurried out to greet him. Upon seeing Ye Feng, its face lit up with joy: "Senior Brother, what brings you to stroll through my desolate garden?"

Ye Feng smiled and said, "I have nothing to do on my end. I have long heard that the Peach Tree is a spiritual root of heaven and earth, planted only by the Queen Mother of the West, and I have been curious about it. Now that it is under your jurisdiction, I have come to take a look."

Upon hearing this, the monkey was extremely proud—opportunities to show off in front of Ye Feng were rare.

He laughed and said, "That's right! The peaches in this garden are rare treasures. I'll show them to you, Senior Brother."

Having said that, he led Ye Feng into the garden, slowly going deeper inside.

The garden was filled with lush peach trees, their branches and leaves abundant, their fruits plentiful, and their blossoms shimmering in the sunlight.

Early-ripening ones are bright pink, half-ripening ones are red and green, and unripe ones are green with stems, all full of vitality.

Clouds and mist rise between the rows, colorful vapors swirl, and the fragrance of peaches mingles with the aura of immortals.

Just a short stroll here makes one feel clear-headed and refreshed.

If one were to cultivate oneself here, it would be a hundred times better than any other blessed land or grotto in the world.

The monkey led the way, followed by the earth god and the strongman. After walking for a while, he suddenly turned around and said:

"Go and inspect the northeast corner. A few days ago I saw that the leaves of several peach trees were yellow and the fruits were small. Perhaps they were lacking water or were infested with pests. Check them carefully."

The land deity and the strongman obeyed and hurriedly departed.

The monkey watched them walk away, then lowered its voice and said to Ye Feng with a smile, "Senior brother, this is really a wonderful place. That old Jade Emperor really understands me."

He pointed to an area he had just passed and said, "This area has 1,200 trees, belonging to the outer garden. These peaches bloom once every 3,000 years, bear fruit once every 3,000 years, and ripen once every 3,000 years, taking a total of 9,000 years to fully mature."

"For ordinary people, consuming it can strengthen their bodies and prevent all diseases; for cultivators, it can double their cultivation efficiency and offer hope of ascending to immortality."

Ye Feng already knew this, but seeing the monkey talking so animatedly, he didn't want to spoil the fun, so he feigned surprise and said, "It really has such a miraculous effect?"

The monkey became even more smug and laughed, "This is nothing; there are even better ones inside."

He continued to lead the way, saying as they walked, "These twelve hundred plants outside are just ordinary goods; the real good stuff is in the twelve hundred plants in the middle."

These peaches of immortality begin to bloom two thousand years ago, bear fruit two thousand years ago, and ripen two thousand years later, taking a total of six thousand years to reach their full potential.

Legend has it that if a person eats this fruit, they can soar through the clouds, ascend to immortality, and achieve eternal life. Even internal injuries and serious illnesses can be completely healed; mortal bodies can be transformed into the ultimate Daoist form, and after achieving immortality, cultivation becomes unstoppable.

Ye Feng nodded repeatedly as he listened, then turned his gaze and noticed that the once ripe peaches on the six-thousand-year-old peach tree had become much sparser...

This monkey must have been greedy and had already stolen quite a bit of food.

The monkey, still smug and self-satisfied, continued to lead the way.

Just past Zhongfeng Peak, the view suddenly opened up, and the last peach orchard had a completely different atmosphere, as if we had entered another world.

A wisp of purple mist swirled around each peach tree, its branches and leaves flourishing, radiating a spiritual light so intense it was almost tangible. Even the soil beneath their feet seemed to glow with a faint purple light.

Ye Feng's internal magical power was drawn by this spiritual energy and circulated automatically without any control.

He was slightly shaken: this nine-thousand-year-old peach could actually resonate with heaven and earth, and even just sitting here to rest would quietly increase one's cultivation.

The monkey puffed out its chest and said, "Senior brother, only these last 1,200 trees can be considered true peach trees. This tree blossoms every three thousand years, bears fruit every three thousand years, and takes another three thousand years to mature—from planting to being edible, it takes a full ten thousand years! As for its effects… if mortals eat it, their lifespan will be as long as the heavens and their lifespan as long as the sun and moon, instantly achieving the body of a true immortal, reaching the Heavenly Immortal realm without any obstacles. It is truly a supreme treasure! Even if we immortals consume it, we will benefit immensely—each peach increases our magical power by nine thousand years, and our foundation will be solid, without any hidden dangers."

Seeing his radiant expression, Ye Feng casually asked, "How many did you eat?"

The monkey was talking excitedly when it heard this, and its hair stood on end. It hurriedly looked around to make sure no one was there before lowering its voice and saying:

"Senior brother, watch your words! Although I am in charge of this garden, these peaches are extremely precious; how dare I eat them so casually?"

Ye Feng glanced at him sideways and gave a cold snort.

He strolled to a nine-thousand-year-old peach tree, gently nudged it with his foot, brushed away the loose soil around the roots, and revealed seven or eight buried peach pits.

The monkey's noodles were burning hot, and he chuckled dryly, "I, Old Sun, am merely... tasting whether it's raw or cooked."

Ye Feng scoffed lightly, reached out and picked a plump, bright red peach. "Stop arguing. Since the garden is in your care, it would be a waste not to eat it."

Before the words were even finished, a bite had already been taken. The taste was sweet and refreshing, indescribable, penetrating straight to the heart and soul.

The fruit pulp melts into a pure spiritual essence upon entering the mouth, flowing down the throat and merging into the entire body. Magical power surges and surges, merging with it.

Ye Feng's eyes lit up, and he swallowed the entire peach in a few bites.

Vast spiritual energy surged into his meridians, making him feel completely comfortable. Even the bottleneck of the Great Perfection of Taiyi Golden Immortal seemed to loosen.

Even after finishing the peaches, he still felt unsatisfied. He even picked up the peach pits he had spat out, wrapped them in a handful of purple soil from the peach orchard, and put them into his personal space.

Even if we can't plant the pit of this nine-thousand-year-old peach, it wouldn't hurt to bring it back to Flower Fruit Mountain and give it a try—it's a sure thing.

Then he looked at the other ripe peaches.

It's a bumper year right now, with plenty of fruit to enjoy.

However, although the peach trees are planted in rows, their total number is limited. They are planted in batches on a rotating basis, and each tree matures at a different time.

Each tree bears between twenty and thirty peaches, but most are not yet ripe and should not be picked.

Every year, the Queen Mother holds a grand peach banquet at Yaochi, and the peaches must be the ones that are in season that year.

The yield is uncertain; in a good year it can reach more than two hundred, while in a poor year it is no more than a hundred.

This year's harvest is fairly good, with a total of about 150 peaches of the three types. Among them, the 9,000-year-old peaches are the fewest, totaling just over 20.

The monkey has already stolen eight pieces, and with the one Ye Feng ate earlier, a third of them are gone.

If they stop now, they can still claim it's a bad year and perhaps deceive their eyes.

But Ye Feng had already tasted the benefits and knew that the Jade Emperor's order for the monkey to guard the garden was an implicit approval of his private theft.

Why should we worry?

He immediately stepped forward, picked a nine-thousand-year-old peach, and ate it without hesitation.

The monkey watched with envy, but dared not dissuade them, so it secretly picked one and ate it as well.

Before long, Ye Feng ate three peaches and the monkey ate two, and after eating all five peaches, he felt full.

Ye Feng was the most obvious example, his internal magical power surging like a tide, churning endlessly.

He simply sat cross-legged and began to refine the immense spiritual energy on the spot.

Since entering the garden, he has eaten four 9,000-year-old peaches, accumulating a magical power increase of 36,000 years.

As he channeled his energy, golden light suddenly appeared around him, and an aura of immortality faintly emerged, indicating that he was already poised to break through to the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal.

He was already at the peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, just one step away from becoming a Daluo.

But this single line separates them by worlds.

Countless immortals have cultivated diligently for billions of years, yet they still find it difficult to surpass this level in their entire lives.

After all, the Great Luo is one who transcends reincarnation and is eternally free, representing the ultimate realm of immortality.