Journey to the West: From Stealing the Teachings of Patriarch Bodhi to Becoming a Saint Through a Hu

Yuan Li thought to himself.

"The yellow-haired weasel and Yuan Li are both at the level of local demon kings, but the Yellow Wind Monster has a supernatural power called Samadhi Divine Wind. Although their cultivation levels are similar, the Yellow Wind Monster is still one of the stronger demon kings. So, the Yellow Wind Monster is slightly better."

Yuan Li's yellow-haired sable was fast asleep, probably because Bao Yu's cassock had affected its spirit. After its dazed expression returned, it fell asleep again.

The yellow-haired ferret lay sprawled on the ground, and Yuan Li examined it closely.

The yellow-haired ferret is about the size of a baby, with snow-white fur on its belly and a body covered in fine, upright yellow hairs.

A huge, snow-white rat tail lay on the left side of its body, seemingly drained of its yang energy. Its eye bags were an unhealthy brownish-black. It was truly unknown what kind of evil magic the coiled snake demon practiced. Clearly, it was not the orthodox path of Buddhism, but some kind of evil art.

This time, Yuan Li cut off the head of the Coiled Serpent Demon, and the bright red flesh and blood on its neck were still clearly visible. Yuan Li felt a strange feeling lingering in his heart. The Coiled Serpent Demon was very strange. Yuan Li was lucky to have won in one move by relying on the help of a primordial magic weapon.

Yuan Li couldn't gauge the true strength of the Coiled Serpent Demon. If he didn't have any magical treasures this time, even if he and Immortal Yang Li joined forces, they probably wouldn't be able to deal with the Coiled Serpent Demon.

The snake demon's magic weapon is the precious jade cassock that Yuan Li placed inside the Black Wind Cave.

That precious jade cassock was merely an acquired magical artifact, and it had nothing that defied the heavens.

The precious jade cassock was placed in the cave where Yuan Li lived, along with the three-pronged steel fork used by the yellow-haired monster.

Those three steel forks are also an acquired magic weapon, and if we were to categorize them by grade, they would be a high-grade acquired magic weapon.

The Jade Robe is also a top-grade acquired magic treasure. Wearing this Jade Robe can resist heavenly lightning and also bewitch the mind. Yuan Li does not yet know its specific uses, but he has personally experienced the ability to dazzle and bewitch people.

As for whether he could withstand the heavenly lightning, Yuan Li could also glean some clues from his performance.

The reason why the Five Thunder Techniques used by the Great Immortal Yangli failed to penetrate the body of the Coiled Serpent Demon was probably because of this precious jade cassock.

Yuan Li stopped paying attention to the yellow-haired weasel on the ground.

He came to the stand where the precious jade cassock was hanging, and reached out to touch the jade stones inlaid on the cassock. They were round and smooth, and felt warm to the touch.

Yuan Li muttered to himself.

"The parts of this robe that were struck by lightning are not seriously damaged, but the jade and gold thread in that area have become somewhat dull. Now that I am a disciple of Laozi, wearing this Buddhist robe to meditate at Guanyin Temple seems a bit like putting the cart before the horse and is not in line with the Taoist tradition. It seems that I should not go to Guanyin Temple in the future."

Yuan Li picked up the precious jade cassock that had fallen from the shelf and was about to put it on when he suddenly heard a noise behind him.

Yuan Li turned his head and saw the yellow-haired weasel that had sat up from the ground rushing towards him the next moment.

The yellow-haired weasel's gaze fell upon the three-pronged steel fork on the other side; at that moment, the yellow-haired weasel recognized it as his magic weapon.

The baby-sized yellow-haired weasel stood beneath the three-pronged steel fork on the two-meter-high weapon rack, its orange-yellow eyes fixed on the fork above. It glanced at Yuan Li, then leaped high into the air, grabbing the handle of the fork with one hand.

With a thought, the yellow-haired weasel shrank the three steel forks.

As the yellow-haired weasel landed, it grasped the three-pronged steel fork in its hand.

There stood a yellow-haired weasel, holding a three-pronged fork twice its own height.

He said unhappily:

"Old Black Bear, I am now your subordinate. Thanks to the Nine-Headed Lion, I have no choice but to obey you."

Yellow Wind Monster has regained his memories.

Yuan Li put down the precious jade cassock in his hand.

He asked carefully:

"Are you still the Yellow Wind Monster of the Eight Hundred Mile Yellow Wind Ridge? Have you regained your senses?"

Yellow Wind Monster said:

"That's right, I've regained my senses. I remember when I was delirious, I was captured by an old bald monk in your Black Wind Cave and imprisoned in a cage where my soul was extracted every day. It was excruciating."

Huang Feng gritted his teeth in anger. He attributed all of this to Yuan Li. He was already forced to acknowledge Yuan Li as his master, but he ended up in the hands of the Panshe Demon and had his soul devoured. Huang Feng was furious.

He glanced at the Black Wind Cave and returned inside. He figured that the old bald monk had probably been dealt with by Yuan Li.

Yuan Li was relieved to see that the Yellow Wind Monster was unharmed and had not changed masters; it still acted as his servant, obeying all his commands.

That's good, Yuan Li went to Zhongnan Mountain to learn from Laozi, and left the Yellow Wind Monster to guard the gate of Black Wind Mountain.

It's just unknown whether the Yellow Wind Monster still has his eye on his eight-hundred-mile-long Yellow Wind Ridge.

After all, in terms of size, the 800-li Yellow Wind Ridge is larger than his Black Wind Mountain.

More importantly, the Yellow Wind Monster of Yellow Wind Ridge was later related to the tribulations Tang Sanzang encountered on his journey to the West.

If the Yellow Wind Monster stays in Yellow Wind Ridge, he will be captured and punished at Mount Ling within a few years.

Yuan Li pondered and decided that it wouldn't hurt to let the Yellow Wind Monster stay by his side.

When that time comes, Tiger Vanguard of Yellow Wind Ridge will use a diversionary tactic to capture Tang Sanzang without any explanation. If Tiger Vanguard still insists on doing so, then Yuan Li has no reason to meddle, as long as it doesn't implicate his Yellow Wind Monster.

He then felt relieved.

"Yellow Wind Monster, the old bald donkey you mentioned is the Pan Demon King of Pan Demon Mountain. I have already cut off the head of that Pan Snake Demon. I heard from Qingniao Daoist that the Pan Snake Demon not only has this one demon body, but it seems that it also has a bone demon left after its flesh and bones were separated."

Huang Fengguai was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, but having never heard of the origins of this snake demon, he immediately wanted to personally use his three-pronged steel fork to kill it since the snake demon wasn't quite dead.

Yellow Wind Monster was extremely agitated, and he had nowhere to vent his anger.

He picked up the three-pronged steel fork in his hand and walked towards the cave exit, coldly saying:

"I'll go and kill him right now! Yuan Li, where did you find him?"

Yuan Li wanted to stop the Yellow Wind Monster, but the monster, with its three steel forks on its shoulders, had eyes that looked like it was about to devour anyone, so he couldn't stop it.

Even if they manage to stop the Yellow Wind Monster, it certainly won't stay here obediently after Yuan Li leaves.

Although the Yellow Wind Monster acknowledged him as his master, he was not his puppet.

He said helplessly:

"It was at the Fuluan Temple in Tibet. It was the Great Immortal Yangli who helped me. Since you are so eager for revenge, I will not stop you. But you can find that snake demon first."

Yellow Wind Monster turned his head and started walking.

When has the Yellow Wind Monster ever suffered such humiliation? He will surely use the Samadhi Divine Wind to obliterate that snake demon.

With the Yellow Wind Monster handling the matter, Yuan Li was simply waiting for good news from him.

After Yuan Li finished refining the wisp of innate energy within his body, he wondered why he hadn't yet been subjected to the Three Calamities despite having cultivated for five hundred years. Could it be that the wisp of innate energy within him was temporarily unaffected by the Three Calamities?

Indeed, the innate Qi is unaffected by heavenly tribulations. Yuan Li sighed with emotion, and thought he should thank Patriarch Bodhi, for it was Patriarch Bodhi who taught him the art of seeking good fortune and eliminating misfortune.

But after Laozi accepted him as a disciple, he eventually had to face reality. Bodhi Patriarch had been kind to him and was considered half a master in his heart.

He was about to set off for Zhongnan Mountain to see Laozi.

Since Laozi had previously transformed into the form of the Earth God, Yuan Li believed that Laozi, now in the form of the Earth God, must be waiting for him for a long time in Zhongnan Mountain.

He left the Black Wind Cave, but after only a few steps, he encountered the Earth God, dressed in a green robe and holding a cane, who emerged from the ground.

It was that old earth god again. Yuan Li thought it was Laozi, so he said respectfully:

"Master, what are you doing here?"

Unexpectedly, the Earth God quickly waved his hand and said:

"I am not your master, Yuan Li. Your master is Laozi, how could I, a mere mortal earth god, be your master?"

Yuan Li stood there dumbfounded for a while before he came to his senses. Was he being teased? What was this local deity doing out at this time? Unable to say anything good or bad, Yuan Li was about to hang him from a tree.

Yuan Li laughed heartily, a smile on his face, and said:

"So it really is the Earth God. Why didn't you come out when I called you the day before? Why are you blocking my way? What do you want to tell me?"

The local earth god acted as if he wouldn't visit the temple unless he had something important to ask for.

Being an old and shrewd man, he could naturally see that Yuan Li was hiding a knife behind his smile.

"Of course I have something to tell King Black Wind. Yesterday, a spirit fruit grew in the earth veins at the foot of Black Wind Mountain. It is a rare earth-grade spirit fruit. I came here specifically to tell you this good news."

Yuan Li was overjoyed to find that there was actually a spirit fruit in the earth veins of Black Wind Mountain. However, he did not know the earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of magic that allows one to escape from the earth) technique, so he could not go down to explore it.

The Earth God had a ruddy complexion.

This place can produce Earth Spirit Fruit, and the Earth God can also benefit greatly from it, which is very helpful for his cultivation.

The Earth God was naturally beaming, and his eyes were filled with admiration as he looked at Yuan Li. Being personally accepted as a disciple by Laozi was enough to make others envious. In the future, Yuan Li might also be able to join the ranks of immortals and become a Great Luo Golden Immortal or a Taiyi Golden Immortal.

In short, it was a realm that even the local earth god could only dream of.

Yuan Li said:

"I'm grateful to the Earth God for informing me of this matter. I still need to go to Zhongnan Mountain to see Laozi. I'll have to ask the Earth God to keep a close eye on the matter of the Earth Spirit Fruit. Please inform my subordinates, especially the Yellow-haired Monster, the Black Panther Demon, and the Flower Bear Demon, so that they can pay more attention to the situation in the mountains after they know about this."

The Earth God readily agreed:

"I understand. I will go and inform the Yellow-Haired Monster and the others."

The Earth God disappeared into the ground.

Yuan Li then found the territory of Zhongnan Mountain. Laozi had asked him to come to Zhongnan Mountain, but he did not see Laozi in Zhongnan Mountain. In the distance, Zhongnan Mountain was a fairy mountain shrouded in clouds and mist, and nearby was a Taoist temple of moderate size.

Hundreds of years ago, Laozi, the Supreme Lord of Taoism, transformed into Laozi and preached in this Taoist temple. That's why Zhongnan Mountain has become a peaceful birthplace of Taoism.

High in the sky, auspicious clouds always gather; under the whole world, only Zhongnan Mountain can be used by Laozi as a place to preach and accept disciples again.

Yuan Li Wuyou saw the figure of Laozi, who was standing in front of the Taoist temple, peering inside.

Inside the Taoist temple, an elderly mortal lay quietly on his side in a bamboo pavilion.

Aside from the Taoist temple in front of him, Yuan Li did not see anyone else on the mountain.

He suddenly realized that he was now in the world of Journey to the West, not the Zhongnan Mountain mentioned by Yun Zhongzi of the Chan Sect in Investiture of the Gods, who had gathered many disciples.

Although Yuan Li had transformed into human form, he still knocked on the door of the Taoist temple before entering, making three muffled knocks.

The sound seemed to startle the old man lying on his side in the bamboo pavilion. The old man had his back to Yuan Li. He opened one eye, his eyes revealing indifference, glanced at Yuan Li, and then closed his eyes again.

It seemed as if she had fallen asleep again.

Yuan Li felt incredibly peaceful looking at it, but at the same time, he also felt somewhat helpless.

Apart from this old man, there was no one else on Zhongnan Mountain.

He could only deduce that the old man who ignored him was an incarnation of Laozi.

However, Laozi seemed to ignore him.

Yuan Li entered the Taoist temple. Although the temple was old, it was spotless.

Yuan Li immediately noticed that a layer of dust rose from the bluestone bricks at his feet as he arrived.

Yuan Li was puzzled.

After the old man woke up, the old man did not treat him as an outsider and asked him to help him chop wood and carry water.

"Since you're here, you can help me chop wood and carry water."

The old man chuckled.

Yuan Li had no choice but to do as he was told.

Although he had never met Lao Tzu, he vaguely felt that the old man in front of him was the legendary Lao Tzu.

Thinking that since he was already there, he might as well help chop firewood and fetch water, Yuan Li picked up an axe and began chopping firewood with great effort.

Gradually, his movements became unhurried, and he became immersed in chopping wood, his eyes seemingly only on the scene of the axe striking the firewood.

When carrying water, Yuan Li was neither in a hurry nor impatient.

It's fine for a day or two, but if it goes on for too long, he'll definitely think he's lost his mind and is working for someone else.

He had used up a lot of his energy, and he was really afraid that the old man was indeed an old man from the mountains. If so, wouldn't he have been working like a donkey for others for the past two days?

On the third day, the old man said to him:

"As long as you stay true to yourself and finish chopping the rest of the firewood, I will teach you some magic."

The old man's voice, like a booming bell, stirred up a thousand waves in Yuan Li's mind.

Yuan Li immediately exclaimed with delight:

"Disciple obeys."

Yuan Li tried hard to suppress the excitement in his heart.

Picking up the axe, I calmed my mind and chopped down a piece of firewood, and couldn't help but wipe the sweat from my forehead.

After Yuan Li chopped the firewood, he stacked it all together.

Only then did he go to report back to Laozi.

He guessed correctly.

Once again transformed into Lao Tzu, Taishang Laojun is preparing to teach his personal disciples here.

"Black Bear Spirit, now that you know alchemy, I will teach you the art of weapon crafting. What do you say?"

Yuan Li said:

"This disciple is willing."

Once you've mastered the art of weapon crafting, you can create magical artifacts.

The magical treasures crafted by Laozi are countless. If Yuan Li could receive personal instruction from Laozi, then his life would not have been in vain.

At this moment, Yuan Li had involuntarily transformed from Yan Zu's appearance into that of the Black Bear Spirit.

He was bowing deeply in reverence.