From Under One Person: Sincere Journey Through the Heavens

This is a single statement.

Let's drink a big toast!

The Eight Pure Ones, the Blessed Ones, and the True Ones all seemed to be deep in thought.

He gained the deepest understanding of the Eight Pure Ones.

This was because he had traveled the Journey to the West once, and along the way witnessed the Great Sage Sun's methods of subduing demons and eliminating all the demons that harmed the people.

But in less than five hundred years, all sorts of demons and monsters reappeared on this journey between east and west—

They can't be completely eradicated.

Not to mention, nearly half of the immortals and Buddhas of the primordial world engaged in the business of "eating people" in pursuit of immortality, only their methods were more sophisticated than those of demons and monsters.

The remaining half—

Unwilling to compromise their principles, yet not daring to disobey, they either diligently performed their duties or lived in seclusion.

His senior brother has now returned from the ashes, not as Sun Wukong, but as Gu Yue Yuanjue... Is there any meaning behind this?

"You are a mindless horse, so don't think too much. Follow me to cultivate, and I will teach you to attain the great inner fruition, not just an external title."

Jiang Liu patted the top of Ba Jingma's head, advising him not to worry.

"Yes, Senior Brother!"

Ba Jingma fell silent, no longer uttering a word, quietly cultivating his mind and circulating his energy throughout his body, seeking to forge the golden elixir of body and mind, and the sacred embryo of his vital energy...

Chapter 1403 The Great Sun Golden Crow Shedding Its Feathers

After leaving Mao'er Village, the group headed west and suddenly came across a tall mountain.

In the south, withered pines grow; in the north, bald willows stretch out. A grey, misty haze hangs in the air, often cawing crows, occasionally chirping green lizards. Originally a place for Zen practitioners to cultivate their minds, now, with the mind extinguished, only quietude remains.

"Master, is it possible to go around this mountain?"

After passing Black Wind Mountain and Gao Village, Kui Lang was already somewhat apprehensive about the unknown road ahead, but with Jiang Liu by his side, he felt at ease. However, the mountain in front of him looked rather eerie, and recalling the legends of Tang Sanzang and his disciples' journey to the West, he feared there might be monsters on the mountain, so he decided to go around it.

Jiang Liu was no ordinary person; how could he not see through his thoughts? He smiled and said, "Brother Kui, tell me, what is a cultivator?"

"Uh···"

Kui Lang was taken aback, not understanding, but still answered, "Those like the sorcerers who possess magical powers are cultivators."

"No, a true practitioner is one who has the Way in their heart, puts their knowledge into practice, and knowingly ventures into danger despite the dangers, undisturbed by the words of others, unafraid of natural disasters or man-made calamities, upholds the Way in their heart, and steps forward to meet them."

Jiang Liu shook his head, answering the question, and then added meaningfully, "Brother Kui, you've encountered many tigers, leopards, wolves, demons, and monsters along the way, yet you still chose to head west to Baoxiang. Aren't you also a cultivator?"

"Are we cultivators?"

Na Baihua looked on incredulously.

"You brave hardships and dangers for business and to explore your hometown, even though the people in that remote area don't understand you. Doesn't that fit into my definition of a spiritual practitioner?"

After Jiang Liu finished speaking, he pointed to the high mountain in front of him and said leisurely, "Since you are a cultivator, how can you bypass the thousands of dangers ahead?"

You can get away with it for a while, but you can't get away with it forever.

"Why not cross this mountain?"

To reassure them, Jiang Liu added, "Don't worry about the demons. As long as you don't lose your courage, I will protect all ten of you and keep you safe."

Seeing Jiang Liu's confidence and recalling their previous encounter, Kui Lang, Bai Hua Ai, and the eight laborers relaxed and went up the mountain with Jiang Liu.

There are no temples on the mountain, only a withered tree with a bird's nest on top.

As if sensing the presence of a living person, the bird's nest stirred, and a Zen master emerged with torn flesh, exposed bones, and black feathers.

"monster!"

Na Kui Lang shouted and pulled Bai Hua Ai to hide behind Jiang Liu. Although the eight laborers were also intimidated, they still took their sticks and, relying on Jiang Liu's presence, surrounded the Zen master.

"Great Sage".

The Zen master exclaimed, "Why are you here instead of seeking out someone with the right aptitude?"

"I am a descendant of Sun Wukong, Gu Yue Yuanjue."

Jiang Liu introduced himself and explained, "Although that Bodhisattva issued the task of finding the root of the Great Sage and resurrecting him, if I were only focused on resurrecting the Great Sage, I might end up wasting my time."

Therefore, I set a goal for myself: to travel the Journey to the West again, to subdue demons and monsters, to punish evil and promote good, with the heart of a Bodhisattva and the power of thunder.

What does the Zen master think?

The Zen Master Wuchao seemed surprised that this chosen one could speak, yet also showed a strange expression because he addressed the old ape of Flower Fruit Mountain as "One-Kicked Bodhisattva." Finally, he sighed and said, "You certainly have a grand spirit, but you..."

Your Great Sage resigned from his Buddhist position, was besieged by the Heavenly Court and Mount Ling, and perished...

What good will it do if you go west again?

"If you go to Mount Ling, the Buddha might bestow upon you a Buddha position, but that would only mean you'd be at his beck and call, like a dog."

When Kyuro, Hyakka Ai, and the eight laborers heard these words, they were all horrified.

But the Zen master continued, "Do you want to be the Buddha's dog? There's not a glimmer of hope for that future!"

"Doing good deeds without asking for reward."

This is a single statement.

This startled Zen Master Wuchao, who looked at Jiang Liu in disbelief, realizing that the two men were worlds apart in their state of mind.

"Why does the Zen master look like this?"

Jiang Liu inquired.

"Alas, it is also somewhat related to your... family's Great Sage."

It turns out that this Zen Master Wuchao was the only remaining golden crow in the world. He submitted to the two saints, Zhunti and Jieyin. However, after Duobao Tathagata became the leader of Mahayana Buddhism, he was an unkind person who eliminated dissidents. Those who disagreed with his ideas mostly left Mount Ling and sought their own places of practice.

Among them, because he was the Great Sun Golden Crow, the son of Emperor Jun of the ancient Demon Court, born a demon, and possessing great magical power, he was the least favored, but the Buddhas of Mount Ling could never find a reason...

Even after Sun Wukong resigned from his Buddhist position and returned to his hometown, the Buddhist sect summoned him and five other demon kings to capture him, but he refused...

But because he refused, the Buddha labeled him as disrespectful and wanted to send him to reincarnation.

In the end, he fought against the Buddha and survived by chance, but the mountain's veins were destroyed, and he was seriously injured and unable to leave the area. He could only survive on the meager spiritual energy of the crows and lizards in the mountain, and now he is almost out of breath!

If Jiang Liu and his group had arrived three days later, he would probably have been annihilated, and the Golden Crows and similar creatures would have become extinct in the prehistoric world!

"Is the Zen master dying?"

Jiang Liu asked with a smile.

"..."

Zen Master Wuchao's mouth twitched, but he knew that this was the Great Sage's nature. He just sighed, took out a small bell, and said, "This is the Eastern Emperor Bell. I have no use for it, so I will give it to you as a way for this old monk to lend you a hand."

Jiang Liu took the Eastern Emperor Bell, shook it gently, and it made a "ding-dong" sound, like the melodious chirping of birds and the buzzing of thunder. After playing with it for a while, he handed it back to the Zen master.

What do you mean by this?

The Zen master was puzzled.

“Zen Master, the Thunder Sound resides only in my body and mind; what use is this little bell of yours?”

Faced with this doubt, the Zen master felt ashamed that his own state of mind was inferior to Jiang Liu's, but he also had a slight suspicion that the other party did not know his worth.

This is the Eastern Emperor Bell!

Innate Treasure!

Even the Six Sages, who entrusted their primordial spirits to the heavens and earth with the Primordial Purple Qi, were able to control the laws of heaven and earth. Faced with such a treasure born innately, they still had to take it seriously.

But Jiang Liu doesn't want this treasure?

"Can the Zen master trust me?"

Jiang Liu suddenly spoke.

"How to say?"

The Zen master was puzzled.

"Abandon this broken physical body and enter my primordial spirit. If you concentrate on cultivation, you may one day achieve Nirvana." Jiang Liu's gaze was sincere.

"So you've taken a liking to my primordial spirit?"

Zen Master Wuchao frowned deeply, utterly speechless. But now that he was physically and mentally disabled, rather than letting the Buddha benefit from him, he might as well grant the wish of this chosen one.

Upon realizing this, the Zen master sighed, activated the true fire of the sun, and all his flesh, blood, bones, and muscles dissipated, leaving only a trace of his primordial spirit, which, along with the Eastern Emperor Bell, entered the Jiangliu Primordial Spirit.

Upon entering, his primordial spirit reformed, transforming into a human form, and ascended to the Heavenly Court, where he met the Jade Emperor, whose Golden Palace stood twelve feet tall.

While reviewing the talismanic memorials, the Jade Emperor said to the still bewildered Zen Master Wuchao, "I hereby appoint you as 'Yaozu,' a soldier under the command of the Sun Star Lord."

Zen Master Wuchao laughed in anger.

The mighty Golden Crow of the Sun is reduced to a lowly soldier under the command of some so-called Sun Star Lord?

Although he was unaware of the situation and did not recognize the Jade Emperor before him, Zen Master Wuchao did not acknowledge the official position and stood up, saying, "Jade Emperor, I will not serve as your slave!"

Chapter 1404 The Headless Monk Sings the Sanxian

"How could they be so disrespectful to the Jade Emperor?"

"He deserves to die!"

Damn it!

"died!"

"Yes!"

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the civil and military officials, who had already realized the truth, all put on their theatrical personas, exchanged glances, and, as if on cue, spoke with trepidation.

The Jade Emperor remained silent, but continued working, casually remarking, "This Three Realms is different from your Primordial Three Realms; it does not support idle individuals."

Zen Master Wuchao realized that he had come to another world, but he said, "I am the Great Sun Golden Crow, I am used to being free and do not want to be at the beck and call of others."

"The Three Realms do not support idlers."

The Jade Emperor repeated.