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

Yuan Li calculated the time and realized that he had been at the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave for seven years.

Seven years later, he had also completed his studies and thought that Black Wind Mountain was probably the time when the pilgrimage team would pass through.

He had been thinking about this matter. When he returned to Black Wind Mountain, he would see the consequences of the Black Bear Spirit stealing the Brocade Robe. The Black Bear Spirit was going to Luojia Mountain, the abode of Guanyin Bodhisattva, to become the guardian deity of Luojia Mountain.

Black Wind Mountain was at its weakest point, with only the Azure Wolf Spirit and the Flower Snake Demon possessing higher cultivation. As Yuan Li's thoughts wandered, and he resolutely decided to leave, he solemnly knelt before the gate of the mansion in the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave, offering a devout farewell:

"Farewell, Master. I thank you for imparting your divine skills over the years. I take my leave now."

Yuan Li finished speaking, but before Bodhi Patriarch could react, he did not.

The door slowly opened, and a burly man walked out. With a single palm strike, he sent Yuan Li flying. Before Yuan Li even landed, the burly man had already transformed and appeared beside him.

He swung Yuan Li's arm and led him to the foot of Fangcun Mountain, then spoke sternly and angrily:

"Well, you black bear demon, you actually dared to eavesdrop on my master's teachings of immortal techniques right in front of his door! Tell me, how much of the magic have you secretly learned?"

Yuan Li recognized the man's face; perhaps he was the disciple that Bodhi Patriarch had been teaching each time he eavesdropped.

This person is the Nine-Headed Lion, also known as the Nine Spirits Primordial Saint, who is the last disciple of the Bodhi Patriarch and belongs to the Jue generation.

Yuan Li had no choice but to tell the truth:

"Senior brother, please don't make a fuss. These are the ancestor's words."

The Bodhi Patriarch did indeed say that this matter should not be publicized.

He studied at the Xieyue Sanxing Cave for seven years before mastering the method of seeking good fortune and eliminating misfortune. If you were to ask how many levels he had secretly learned, you could only say that he had achieved great success. Otherwise, Yuan Li would not have been willing to leave the Xieyue Sanxing Cave.

Fortunately, he had already mastered the technique.

The burly man, who was actually a nine-headed lion, was slightly taken aback.

He didn't find Yuan Li inside the door, and he remembered Bodhi Patriarch's reminder. He let go of Yuan Li's arm, even though he didn't know where this junior brother Yuan Li had come from.

But he had already mastered the method of seeking good fortune and eliminating misfortune.

Following the instructions of Patriarch Bodhi, he came out and drove away Yuan Li.

Yuan Li's words left him somewhat bewildered, and he was at a loss for what to do with Yuan Li.

He introduced himself:

"I was a demon in the Nine-Bend Cave of Bamboo Mountain in Yuhua Prefecture of Tianzhu Kingdom, named Nine Spirits Primordial Saint. After staying in my sect for a few years, I gained a good junior brother."

He laughed heartily, his gaze towards Yuan Li filled with admiration.

"Junior brother, what kind of demon are you?"

"Nine-Headed Lion Saint?! That sounds familiar. This Nine-Headed Lion Saint, who descended from heaven to become a demon, is actually also a disciple of Patriarch Bodhi."

Yuan Li thought to himself.

He spoke again:

"Junior brother, I've been wandering around, and I'm thinking of going to Black Wind Mountain."

I fear that once I reach Black Wind Mountain, the White Profound Daoist of the Six Immortals Temple will again demand that I refine those elixirs that attract heavenly lightning. But now that I can avert disaster, I naturally feel much more confident. I beg my senior brother to take care of me and not stand by and watch his junior brother suffer without showing any compassion.”

Yuan Li wanted to curry favor with the Nine-Headed Lion. The Lion possessed great magical power, and it was better to cling to the Nine-Headed Lion's coattails than to rely on himself.

In Journey to the West, the nine-headed lion was known for being fiercely protective of its own.

He would incur the wrath of Sun Wukong and his disciples because of his grand-disciple, the Yellow Lion Spirit.

He even defeated Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing with his bare hands, a feat that impressed Yuan Li.

As expected.

They'll still defend their own.

The nine-headed lion immediately and solemnly replied without hesitation:

"Don't worry, junior brother. If you're going to Black Wind Mountain, I'll accompany you. The people of the Six Immortals Temple will definitely not dare to be arrogant towards you again when they see me."

The nine-headed lion patted its chest, and Yuan Li quickly thanked it. The two demons soon disappeared from the spot.

Yuan Li arrived near Black Wind Mountain. Twenty miles ahead was Guanyin Temple. He craned his neck to look at Guanyin Temple. At this time, Guanyin Temple was intact and showed no signs of being burned down by the fire.

It seems that Tang Sanzang has not yet come to Guanyin Temple to stay overnight. If Yuan Li steals Tang Sanzang's brocade cassock, he might be taken in by Guanyin Bodhisattva as the guardian deity of Luojia Mountain, just like in the original story.

He had finally gotten a job, and the only difference between him and the Black Bear Spirit was that their cultivation levels were far apart, with him being more than four hundred years behind.

Even if Yuan Li were lucky enough to steal the cassock, he might not be favored by Guanyin Bodhisattva, which can only be attributed to his insufficient spiritual cultivation.

That's easy to say. If it doesn't work out in this life, we can inherit the cultivation in the next life.

The title of "Guardian Deity of Luojia Mountain" sounds quite appealing.

As Yuan Li pondered amidst the black wind, the nine-headed lion beside him grew impatient. Since Tang Sanzang had not yet arrived at this place on his pilgrimage, Yuan Li had no desire to rush to steal the cassock. He only wished for immortality and pondered for a moment.

Yuan Li headed towards the Six Immortals Temple. He had a perfect idea: he only needed to explain his purpose at the temple, and once the old man Bai Xuan Daoist there learned that Yuan Li's backer was the Nine Spirits Primordial Saint, he would not harm Yuan Li.

As for the black bear spirit of Black Wind Mountain, that's beyond Yuan Li's control; he'd better pray for himself.

Yuan Li had no idea that seven years later, the black bear spirit had already resolved the matter.

The Six Immortals Temple no longer needs to refine the Thunder-Subduing Pill.

Yuan Li said apologetically:

"Senior brother, it seems that things have changed since I returned from my studies. The days of plundering and robbery are over. There's no need to trouble you then."

The nine-headed lion said:

"It's good that you're alright. Then I'll head back to Yuhua Prefecture. Take care, and you can come find me in Yuhua Prefecture in the Nine-Bend Cave of Bamboo Mountain in Yuhua Prefecture, Tianzhu Kingdom."

"Yes, senior brother."

Yuan Li replied.

The Nine-Headed Lion turned and went to Yuhua Prefecture. Yuan Li stayed behind to observe the situation and wait for what would happen next at Black Wind Mountain.

It's better to cultivate freely on Black Wind Mountain than to become someone else's lackey.

[A Book for All Ages.]

[Third Incarnation: Five Hundred Years of Cultivation.]

[Technique: The Supreme Daoist Scripture, a method for attracting good fortune and eliminating misfortune.]

Alchemy: Proficient.

The golden characters imprinted in my mind appeared one by one as I scanned the third page of the Book of a Hundred Generations.

Yuan Li sat down on the spot, under the old pine tree in the mountains, and used the Qi of the Zhou Qi to perform the technique of seeking good fortune and eliminating misfortune, silently reciting the incantation in his heart.

He thought to himself:

"The best strategy is to go to Black Wind Mountain in two days to kill the rhinoceros demon and obtain the title of King of Black Wind Mountain."

Yuan Li employed a strategy to bring good fortune and avert disaster.

He had already considered what would happen in the future and devised the best course of action in his mind.

Once this technique successfully kills the rhinoceros demon, Yuan Li can accumulate innate energy within his body. Although it is only a few strands of innate energy, it can eventually lead to the Primordial Dao Fruit.

Enhancing one's own magical power is also a given.

Yuan Li got up from the ground, found the nameless hill where Dali Cave was located, killed Ge Lang's wolf demon leader, and rested peacefully in the cave.