Chapter 740: Teaching Monkeys (2)

　　The Great Dao has a beginning, but the Great Dao has no end.

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun sat in a bamboo hut deep in the bamboo forest and stared at the Creation Jade Disc on the table. The situation in the Crescent Tristar Cave appeared on the jade disc.

　　He could evaluate the power of a treasure based on the clarity of their imagery.

　　For example, it was not difficult for the Dao Ancestor’s Creation Jade Disc to evolve the three thousand Great Dao. He could even distinguish the shape of a grain of soil in the image.

　　What appeared on it was:

　　Patriarch Subhuti was meditating in the rear hall. Sun Wukong and a few of his fellow disciples were fighting and playing in the open space in front of the hall. Everything was similar to what had happened in the past 60 years.

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun did not look at Patriarch Subhuti anymore. His gaze was focused on Sun Wukong with a hint of admiration.

　　He suddenly smiled and said, “Fellow Daoist, the monkey you mentioned is really likable…”

　　As soon as he finished speaking, Hong Jun looked at the empty seat on the right side of the short table and could not help but laugh.

　　However, they were long gone.

　　Hong Jun flicked his finger gently. Layers of fog appeared in the bamboo forest. It was as if he had crossed the river of time and returned to a certain point in time.

　　Three figures appeared beside Hong Jun. They were either sitting cross-legged or leaning sideways. All of them looked relaxed.

　　It was a projection of a memory.

　　Hong Jun sat in his current position but did not speak. He looked solemn. There was a row of jade tokens in front of him.

　　There were two old Daoists beside him. Sitting opposite him was a slightly plump Daoist who looked reserved.

　　As they chatted and laughed, time slowly passed.

　　There were suddenly some Dao runes fluctuations around him. Hong Jun flicked his finger gently. The images quickly disappeared, leaving him sitting alone at the short table. There were no jade tablets in front of him, only the Creation Jade Disc.

　　“Fellow Daoist.”

　　A soft voice sounded from outside the bamboo hut.

　　A gray-robed old Daoist priest walked over and sat opposite Hong Jun.

　　Hong Jun asked, “How is it?”

　　“Li Changgeng has never moved. He has been in the Kun Peng Mystic Realm. Xuan Du and the others have gone out to gather the living beings of the Primordial World that have escaped. It’s difficult for them to become powerful.”

　　The gray-robed old Daoist priest said slowly, “The spies that you and I have planted have always been in the Kun Peng Mystic Realm. Although we can’t come into contact with Li Changgeng for the time being, we can indeed sense the operation of the Great Dao of Equalization. There were a few times when Yun Xiao and Lan Ling’e entered the hall and saw Li Changgeng. He seemed to be cultivating hard, wanting to comprehend the realm after the perfected Dao of Equalization. He has indeed never left the Kun Peng Mystic Realm.”

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun smiled.

　　“It seems that we were overthinking. Before he was chased out of the Primordial World, he had only cultivated for a thousand years. His accumulation was far from enough. Although we can’t underestimate Changgeng, there’s no need to think too highly of him. At the end of the day, it’s just the Grand Pure One’s scheme.”

　　The gray-robed old Daoist priest asked, “Fellow Daoist, if Li Changgeng is always in the Kun Peng Mystic Realm, are we going to keep waiting? Should I destroy the Kun Peng Mystic Realm and force him to leave as soon as possible?”

　　“It’s fine. Just wait.” Hong Jun sat upright. “If you force him too much, it will easily provoke him to fight with us. That will go against our plans.

　　Although the Three Realms are under our control, if he uses the Kun Peng to forcefully charge into the sky, we will suffer unnecessary losses.

　　Now, he only needed to wait and see.

　　The power of living beings could no longer threaten the world. Moreover, the Heavenly Courts was blocking the Heavenly Dao. If any living beings rebelled, the Heavenly Courts could suppress them.

　　Compared to the world, living beings ultimately lack patience. We can afford to wait for a few hundred years.”

　　The gray-robed old Daoist priest nodded slowly and asked, “How’s the arrangements for the trip to the West?”

　　“Look.” Hong Jun smiled and said, “This monkey head is already quite similar. It can be used by us in another two hundred years. There was no need to worry about the Buddhist Sect. The guide was secretly controlled by him. He did not struggle. Now, only the Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning is left in the world. However, he is alone. There’s no need to care about him. He is the most difficult to deal with among the Three Pure Ones.”

　　The gray-robed old Daoist priest smiled and said, “Saint Shuntian, the heavens cannot mess with the saints. He is the only one left. There’s indeed no need to worry.”

　　“It’s enough to use Jie Yin as a restriction.”

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun tapped the Creation Jade Disc with his fingers, and a hint of worry flashed across his eyes.

　　“However, for some reason, I feel uneasy.”

　　“Are you worried that Li Changgeng has found out about something?”

　　“That’s right.” Hong Jun said slowly, “Although the truth has been covered up by you and me, I feel that Li Changgeng has grasped some secrets that he should not have come into contact with through some methods that we cannot be sure of. For example, how he arrived at the Primordial World. Most of what he said to me previously cannot be trusted. Perhaps he already understood the principle of True Spirit Traversing.”

　　The gray-robed old Daoist priest was silent for a while. He asked, “Fellow Daoist, haven’t you read the ancient books in the Kun Peng?”

　　“Although I’ve seen it, there might be some information hidden inside.”

　　Hong Jun said in a low voice, “At this moment, I still can’t figure out why Li Changgeng could comprehend the Dao of Equalization in such a short period of time. His understanding of the Dao of Equalization even exceeds ours. According to his personality, he would show 30% of his power, hide 30%, and bury 30%. In the end, he would still have 10% of his escape methods. Is what we saw previously really his true realm? I have doubts about that.”

　　The gray-robed old Daoist priest could not help but be silent.

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun pinched his fingers and deduced for a while. He whispered, “Did that fellow have a backup plan? Both of us missed it.”

　　The gray-robed man said, “That person can’t hide it from you.”

　　“That’s hard to say. I can’t read his mind.”

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun’s expression was a little emotional. He heaved a sigh of relief and said slowly, “Continue to monitor the Kun Peng Mystic Realm. The other living beings are nothing to worry about. Just focus on Li Changgeng.”

　　“Okay.”

　　The gray-robed old Daoist priest nodded slightly. Just as his body was about to dissipate, it condensed again.

　　“Should I make Hao Tian more obedient?”

　　“No need.”

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun pondered for a while and shook his head. “He’s just a little impulsive. He knows deep down that the word ‘Heavenly Emperor’ would be a joke without our protection.

　　Moreover, his wife and daughter are in the Jade Pool. He has nowhere to go.”

　　The gray-robed old Daoist priest nodded slowly and said, “In order to guard against the future, why don’t you lock the Heavenly Dao shackles on Li Changgeng’s good friends and disciples?”

　　“There’s no need.” Hong Jun said slowly, “If you don’t threaten the Heavenly Dao, living beings are living beings. There’s no need to attack them.”

　　The gray-robed old Daoist priest said calmly, “You still have compassion for Li Changgeng.”

　　“Fellow Daoist, you’ve misunderstood.” Hong Jun smiled. “I just feel that living beings are actually quite wonderful. We have already controlled the Three Realms and eliminated most of the hidden dangers. There’s no need to make things difficult for them. Living beings are ultimately a part of the world. They can add vibrance to the world. This stable Primordial World is the most beautiful, right?”

　　“Fellow Daoist, you’re right.” The gray-robed old Daoist nodded slowly. “Everything is for the sake of the longevity of the world.”

　　“Good. Everything is for the longevity of the world.”

　　The gray-robed old Daoist priest’s figure dissipated with the wind.

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun’s smile gradually disappeared, as if he was thinking about something. Soon, he lowered his head and looked at the situation in the jade disc.

　　What is the next step?

　　Changgeng was right.

　　The Heavenly Dao had given birth to a consciousness similar to living beings because of his Dao Integration. That was not a good thing because the Heavenly Dao was thinking about how to protect the world and suppress the power of living beings.

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun tapped the jade plate a few times, and various images appeared.

　　In a sparkling underwater mansion, the Grandmaster of Heaven, who was surrounded by iron chains, yawned in boredom. He did not seem to mind his current situation.

　　What stood out was a carefree and unrestrained person.

　　In the Purple Cloud Palace, the seal of Taiqing was extremely stable. If the Heavenly Dao Saint did not attack with all his might, it would be difficult for him to undo the seal.

　　In fact, how could Dao Ancestor Hong Jun not understand?

　　Originally, Li Changshou’s greatest reliance was that the Three Pure Ones were Pangu’s essence soul. Secondly, the Taiji Painting, the Chaos Bell, and the Pangu Banner had combined into the Heaven-Splitting Divine Axe and killed him, the Dao Ancestor, and the Heavenly Dao, at the cost of destroying the world.

　　His greatest reliance was that they could not attack the world.

　　After all, he was not the fellow living in the Ancient Fuxi’s body.

　　Moreover, as a Dao Ancestor, how could he lack trump cards?

　　For example, the Cosmic Cauldron, which could be used to control the origin power of the world, and the Four Divine Beasts guarding the Primordial World’s Limitless Four Symbols Array that he had refined in ancient times…

　　He also had a trump card. If the Great God-Conferment Tribulation ended, Li Changshou would not choose to leave but to fight.

　　The outcome of the battle was unpredictable, but the living beings would definitely suffer heavy casualties.

　　In Dao Ancestor Hong Jun’s opinion, when Li Changshou chose to leave, his chances of winning would become lower and lower as time passed if he did not prepare any powerful trump cards.

　　After all, he, the Dao Ancestor, would not sit and wait for death.

　　What is the next step?

　　He should make the final preparations and devour the Heavenly Dao.

　　Transcend?

　　That was actually nonsense. If one’s heart was far enough, the Chaos Sea would only be a cage.

　　Therefore, a long time ago, he, the Dao Ancestor, had already walked another path.

　　He used the Primordial World as his Dao Body and transformed into an ultimate living being that had never existed. He touched the consciousnesses that had set the True Spirit laws. That was his Dao of Transcendence.

　　Dao Ancestor Hong Jun looked at the jade plate in front of him and inadvertently smiled.

　　That smile was no different from the expression he had when he had deliberately frightened Li Changshou in the Purple Cloud Palace.

　　“You guys are still too shallow.”

　　…

　　Um…

　　Why does it feel like someone is scolding me behind my back?

　　In the Crescent Tristar Cave, Li Changshou opened his eyes and resisted the urge to yawn. He sorted out the faint enlightenment he had obtained from his cultivation and felt a little emotional.

　　It was not easy to change the Grand Dao of Emptiness.

　　His immortal senses landed on the monkey and he realized that it was jumping around happily.

　　A few female disciples kept teasing him.

　　The monkey jumped around happily and intercepted the flower balls that they were throwing around. It made the eyes of the male disciples turn sour.

　　There was no choice. Wukong was really too popular among the female disciples.

　　As for the reason, Li Changshou had also analyzed it carefully.

　　Firstly, the stone monkey was born from a rock. It knew nothing about the romance between men and women.

　　His heart was only for the Dao, and his Dao was only for the heart.

　　Secondly, the stone monkey was smart. It knew how to praise and flatter continuously. When it first entered the sect, it was flattered and made the senior sisters treat it as their brother.

　　Thirdly, it was also because Sun Wukong did not make the male disciples feel “pressure”.

　　He was more like the mascot of the Daoist temple, although his strength had already surpassed the disciples.

　　The fourth was that Sun Wukong was good at fighting. During fights of magical powers, he could often defeat those below him. He was good at close combat.

　　A few times, when he was training in the nearby forest, Sun Wukong rushed at the front and casually killed some powerful demon beasts. He exuded an indescribable heroic spirit.

　　How could such a beautiful monkey king be unpopular?

　　Li Changshou chuckled and stood up to walk near the door. He sat on the rocking chair and admired the disciples playing.

　　This life was actually quite good.

　　However, the calmness in front of him was just an appearance. If he did not eliminate the Dao Ancestor and the will of the Heavenly Dao, the entire Primordial World would be like a small sailboat floating on the endless sea.

　　If Dahai was in a good mood, he could naturally make the sailboat move forward steadily.

　　However, as long as the sea caused some waves and storms, the sailboat would be engulfed by the waves.

　　This was not a hidden danger. It was a clear problem.

　　Soon.

　　There were still two to three hundred years to go.

　　When Monkey returned to the Huaguo Mountain, he could take the opportunity to escape from the five continents. At that time, if the Dao Ancestor chose to kill Patriarch Bodhi, he could only flip the table.

　　If the Dao Ancestor chose to let Patriarch Subhuti off, he would be able to make up for the last bit of chance of winning and completely grasp the initiative in the final game.

　　It had been a long time since his main body left the Primordial World. In fact, two to three hundred years would pass quickly.

　　Sometimes, time was like that. A few decades passed just like that.

　　Li Changshou maintained a vigilant state at all times. He carefully imparted the cultivation technique that the Dao Ancestor had given to the monkey, as well as the mystical abilities that the Dao Ancestor had not given him.

　　Not knowing that, he even passed on some things that he should not have passed on to Monkey behind the Dao Ancestor’s back.

　　Sun Wukong’s cultivation level rose steadily and quickly. He did not know what bottlenecks were.

　　The extremely powerful spiritual energy contained in his body had mostly transformed into his Dharma powers.

　　He had cultivated bronze skin and iron bones, and cultivated an incarnation.

　　He had cultivated to the point where he could soar through the clouds and ride the fog, and he had also cultivated the Undying Golden Soul.

　　Li Changshou sat in the heart of the Bodhi and waved his hand. Time quickly flowed around him and turned into rays of dazzling light.

　　Quickly enter…

　　“Sun Wukong has transcended the tribulation to become a Golden Immortal. His spirit platform has been expelled.”

　　In the 236th year since Sun Wukong entered the mountain, he had smoothly transcended the Golden Immortal Heavenly Tribulation. Moreover, he had obtained many benefits from the Heavenly Tribulation.

　　When Sun Wukong came out of seclusion after cultivating for a few months and could not help but show off in front of his senior brothers and sisters, he was coincidentally caught by Patriarch Subhuti and reprimanded with a stern expression.

　　“Wukong, did I teach you the Great Dao to show off?”

　　Wukong hurriedly said that he knew his mistake. As intelligent as he was, he had already seen something from his master’s expression.

　　Indeed, Li Changshou flung his sleeve and cursed, “The fate between us as master and disciple has been exhausted. Today, you will leave. Don’t come back.”

　　Sun Wukong could not help but be shocked. The disciples were also surprised.

　　It was not easy for a longevity Golden Immortal to appear among them. Why did Teacher chase him away so easily?

　　The disciples began to plead for mercy. Sun Wukong tried his best to persuade him, but Patriarch Subhuti’s had a heart of stone. With a flick of his sleeve, he threw Sun Wukong tens of thousands of kilometers away.

　　Seeing that their teacher was really angry, the disciples did not dare to speak. The eyes of the female disciples turned red and they returned to their residences to cultivate.

　　At night.

　　Li Changshou lay on the soft couch and faced the inner wall of the Cave Abode.

　　“Master…”

　　A slightly trembling voice came from outside the window. It was the stone monkey returning.

　　Li Changshou was silent as if he had fallen asleep.

　　With two creaks, the monkey quietly climbed over the window and knelt in front of the bed. He wanted to say something, but he did not know what to say. He only lowered his head and knelt.

　　Li Changshou remained silent after kneeling for an hour.

　　Sun Wukong asked with a trembling voice, “Master, how did I make you unhappy…? I can’t bear it if you hit or scold me.”

　　Li Changshou remained silent.

　　After a while, Sun Wukong sighed and said, “Master, could it be that you have something that you can’t tell me?”

　　Li Changshou remained silent.

　　Su Wukong could not help but close his eyes and take a deep breath.

　　“Master, can you say something to me again? Just one sentence…”

　　Finally…

　　“Don’t mention it to anyone in the future. You are my disciple.”

　　Li Changshou’s voice transmission almost instantly broke Sun Wukong’s defense. His face was rather gloomy.

　　This fellow… Forget it.

　　Li Changshou explained via voice transmission, “It’s not that I don’t think you’re worthy of being my disciple. It’s just that our fate as master and disciple has indeed come to an end. Wukong, do you still remember why you became my disciple? Do you still remember what you said to me the first night you knelt here?”

　　“I… I…”

　　Li Changshou sent a voice transmission.

　　“Cultivating in the mountains is cultivation, and so is walking in the mortal world. You can’t sit still. I asked you to leave because I feel that you don’t have much to learn here. Go. The world is vast, enough for you to fight. Although there are fewer mighty figures in the Primordial World, it is still exciting. You can go and take a look. However, remember not to mention to others that we were once master and disciple. If you cause any trouble in the future, don’t look for me.”

　　Li Changshou waved his hand.

　　Sun Wukong felt the white fog around him surge. When he appeared again, he was already at the foot of Fangcun Mountain.

　　It was the place where he met the woodcutter when he came here back then.

　　Sun Wukong was stunned for a while. He felt that the night breeze was a little cold.

　　He lowered his head and sighed. He kowtowed to the mountainside a few times and stood up to ride the cloud. However, he could not help but turn around on the cloud and kowtow to Li Changshou.

　　In the end, the monkey’s eyes were still red. He rode a cloud and headed towards the path he had taken when he was searching for an immortal.

　　Li Changshou was rendered speechless.

　　After the Dao Ancestor expressed his gratitude, he immediately began to take action.