The Great Way has a beginning, but the Great Way has no end.
Hongjun Dao Ancestor sat leisurely in a bamboo house deep within a bamboo grove, gazing at the Creation Jade Plate laid on the low table, which displayed scenes from the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave.
To evaluate the power of a supreme treasure, one could reference the clarity of their imaging;
Like the Dao Ancestor’s Creation Jade Plate, which could manifest the three thousand great Ways without effort, even the shape of a grain of dirt within the image could be distinguished.
It showed:
Subhuti was meditating in the back hall, while Sun Wukong was playing and sparring with several fellow disciples in the courtyard before the hall, everything much the same as it had been for the past sixty-plus years.
Hongjun Dao Ancestor didn’t look much at Subhuti, focusing his gaze on Sun Wukong with some admiration.
He suddenly smiled and said: “This monkey you spoke of is truly like a—”
As the words fell, Hongjun looked toward the space to the right of the low table and couldn’t help but laugh wryly.
Indeed, they had long since departed.
Hongjun flicked his finger, and layers of mist rose in the bamboo grove as if crossing the river of time back to some point in the distant past.
Three figures appeared beside Hongjun, some sitting cross-legged, some reclining, each with relaxed expressions.
This was a projection of memory.
Hongjun sat in the same position as now but remained silent, his expression solemn, before him a neat row of jade tablets.
Beside him were two elderly Daoists, and across from him sat a slightly plump Daoist with a nervous demeanor.
Amid some light chatting, time slowly flowed past.
When some slight Dao ripples suddenly disturbed the surroundings, Hongjun flicked his finger, and these scenes quickly receded, leaving only him sitting alone by the low table, the jade tablets gone, only the Creation Jade Plate remaining.
“Fellow Daoist.”
A soft call came from outside the bamboo house.
A gray-robed elderly Daoist stepped in and sat opposite Hongjun.
Hongjun asked: “How is it?”
“Li Changgeng hasn’t moved at all, he’s been in the Kun Peng Secret Realm the whole time, Xuandu and the others seem to be going out to gather primordial beings who escaped from heaven and earth, but they won’t amount to much.”
The gray-robed elderly Daoist spoke slowly:
“The eyes we planted have been in the Kun Peng Secret Realm the whole time, though they temporarily can’t make contact with Li Changgeng, they can sense the operation of the Way of Balance.
Several times when Yun Xiao and Lan Ling’e entered and exited that great hall, they could see Li Changgeng’s figure.
He seems to be cultivating diligently, trying to comprehend the realm beyond the perfection of the Way of Balance.
He truly hasn’t left the Kun Peng Secret Realm.”
Hongjun Dao Ancestor smiled.
“It seems we were indeed overly worried before.
Before he was driven out of the primordial heaven and earth, he had only cultivated for a thousand years, his accumulation far from sufficient.
Though we shouldn’t underestimate Changgeng, we needn’t view him as too powerful either; ultimately it was just Taiqing’s calculations.”
The gray-robed elderly Daoist asked: “But Fellow Daoist if Li Changgeng stays in the Kun Peng Secret Realm indefinitely, must we wait indefinitely?
Should we not destroy the Kun Peng Secret Realm and force him to move early?”
“No matter, we’ll just wait,” Hongjun sat up straight, “If we pressure him too hard, it’s easy to provoke him into war with us, which would go against our calculations.
Though the Three Realms are entirely in our control, if he uses Kun Peng to forcefully break through heaven and earth, we would also suffer unnecessary losses.
Now we need only observe quietly and wait patiently.
The power of living beings can no longer threaten heaven and earth, and with the Heavenly Court standing before the Heavenly Way, if any beings rebel against heaven, the Heavenly Court can suppress them.
Compared to heaven and earth, living beings ultimately lack patience; we can wait several kalpas or dozens of kalpas.”
The gray-robed elderly Daoist slowly nodded, then asked: “How are the arrangements for the Journey to the West tribulation?”
“Look,” Hongjun smiled, “This monkey head already shows some promise, in another hundred or two hundred years he can be used by us.
No need to worry about the Buddhist side either, Accepting Light is already secretly under my control, he hasn’t struggled much.
Now only Original Beginning remains as a variable in heaven and earth, but Original Beginning can’t stand alone, so we needn’t pay him much mind; among the Three Pure Ones he’s the most difficult to deal with.”
The gray-robed elderly Daoist also showed a slight smile, saying: “When the sage follows heaven, heaven cannot disorder the sage, with him alone remaining as sage, there’s truly no need to worry.”
“Using Accepting Light as a constraint is enough.”
Hongjun Dao Ancestor tapped his finger on the Creation Jade Plate, traces of worry crossing his eyes.
“But for some reason, I still feel somewhat uneasy.”
“You worry that Li Changgeng knows something?”
“Indeed,” Hongjun said slowly, “Though all truth has been concealed by us, I always feel that this Li Changgeng, through some means we cannot verify, has grasped certain secrets he shouldn’t have access to.
Such as how he arrived in the primordial heaven and earth.
Most of what he told me before cannot be trusted, perhaps he already understood the principles of [True Spirit Traversal] at that time.”
The gray-robed elderly Daoist was silent for a while, then asked: “Those few classics in the Kun Peng vessel, didn’t Fellow Daoist already examine them?”
“Though I examined them, there might still be some hidden information within.”
Hongjun said heavily: “At present, I still can’t figure out why Li Changgeng could comprehend the Way of Balance in such a brief span of years, and even understand it beyond us.
Given his nature, of ten parts of power, he shows three, hides three, buries three, and keeps one part as a final means of escape.
Was what we saw before truly his real realm?
I have my doubts about this.”
The gray-robed elderly Daoist couldn’t help but fall silent.
Hongjun Dao Ancestor calculated with his fingers for a while, then said softly: “Could it be that we both overlooked some backup plan of that person?”
But the gray-robed one said: “That person couldn’t possibly deceive you.”
“That’s not certain, I’m not a worm in that person’s belly.”
Hongjun Dao Ancestor’s face showed some feeling, he let out a light sigh and said slowly: “Continue monitoring the Kun Peng Secret Realm, other beings aren’t worth concern, just watch Li Changgeng closely.”
“Very well.”
The gray-robed elderly Daoist nodded slightly, his form about to disperse, but then solidified again.
“Should we make Haotian more obedient?”
“No need.”
Hongjun Dao Ancestor thought briefly, shaking his head: “He’s just being somewhat willful, but he understands in his heart that without our protection, the title of Heavenly Emperor would be nothing but a joke.
Moreover, with his wife and daughter in the Jasper Pool, he has no way to retreat, nowhere to go.”
The gray-robed elderly Daoist slowly nodded, saying: “To prevent future problems, why not place Heavenly Way shackles on Li Changgeng’s friends and disciples?”
“No need,” Hongjun said slowly, “As long as they don’t threaten the Heavenly Way, beings are just beings, no need to move against them.”
The gray-robed elderly Daoist said calmly: “You still have compassion for Li Changgeng.”
“Fellow Daoist misunderstands,” Hongjun smiled slightly, “I just feel that beings are quite wonderful, since we’ve already controlled the Three Realms and eliminated most hidden dangers, we needn’t make things difficult for them.
Beings are ultimately part of heaven and earth, their variety adds color to heaven and earth.
Such a stable primordial heaven and earth is most beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Fellow Daoist speaks reason,” the gray-robed elderly Daoist slowly nodded, “Everything for the eternal continuation of heaven and earth.”
“Good, everything for the eternal continuation of heaven and earth.”
The gray-robed elderly Daoist’s form dispersed with the wind.
The smile gradually faded from Hongjun Dao Ancestor’s lips as he seemed to be thinking about something, then quickly lowered his head to look at the scenes on the jade plate again.
The next step, where had it reached?
Changgeng had spoken correctly.
The Heavenly Way had developed consciousness similar to living beings because of his merging with it, which wasn’t a good thing, as the Heavenly Way would think about how to protect heaven and earth and suppress the power of living beings.
Hongjun Dao Ancestor lightly tapped his finger on the jade plate several times, and various scenes appeared on it.
In a rippling water palace, Original Commencement was yawning boredly while surrounded by iron chains, seemingly unconcerned about his current situation.
What stood out was his carefree demeanor.
In the Purple Void Palace, Supreme Clarity’s seal was extremely stable; without a Heavenly Way sage’s full power, it would be difficult to break the seal.
How could Hongjun Dao’s Ancestor not understand?
Originally, Li Shou’s greatest reliance was first that the Three Pure Ones were Pangu’s primordial spirit, and second that the Taiji Diagram, Chaos Bell, and Pangu Banner could combine to form the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe, which could strike down him, this Dao Ancestor, and the Heavenly Way, at the cost of destroying heaven and earth.
While his greatest reliance was that they wouldn’t be able to bring themselves to harm heaven and earth.
They ultimately weren’t like that being who lived in ancient Fu Xi’s body.
Moreover, how could he, the mighty Dao Ancestor, lack trump cards?
Such as the Qiankun Cauldron that could utilize Heaven and Earth’s original power, and the Four Divine Beasts of Primordial Chaos that he had refined in ancient times to form the Heaven and Earth Limitless Four Symbols Great Formation… and so on.
He had his trump cards too. If at the end of the Investiture of the Gods catastrophe, Li Shou had chosen not to leave but instead for both sides to clash head-on.
Victory would have been hard to predict for either side, but living beings would certainly have suffered heavy casualties.
When Li Shou chose to leave, in Hongjun Dao Ancestor’s view, unless Li Shou had prepared some ‘heaven-defying’ level powerful trump card, as the river of time flowed, Li Shou’s chances of victory would become increasingly slim.
After all, he, this Dao Ancestor, wouldn’t just sit and wait for death.
Where had the next step reached?
It was time to make final preparations to devour this Heavenly Way.
Transcendence?
That was nonsense; if the heart was distant enough, even the Sea of Chaos was just a cage.
So long ago, he, this Dao Ancestor, had already walked onto another path.
Using the primordial heaven and earth as a dao body, transforming into an ultimate being that had never existed before, to make contact with those consciousness entities that set down the true spirit rules—this was his path of transcendence.
Hongjun Dao Ancestor looked at the jade plate before him, his lips unconsciously revealing a slight smile.
That smile was identical to the expression he had deliberately used to frighten Li Shou in the Purple Void Palace back then.
“You are all still too shallow.”
…
Hmm…
Why did it feel like someone was cursing him behind his back?
In the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave, Li Changshou opened his eyes, resisting the urge to yawn, organizing the slight insights gained from his current cultivation, and feeling somewhat emotional.
Modifying the Way of Void Understanding was truly not easy.
His immortal consciousness fell on the monkey, finding him jumping back and forth, free and happy.
Several female disciples nearby called “Wukong, come here” and “Wukong, catch this,” constantly playing with him.
The monkey jumped left and right with great joy, intercepting the flower balls they threw back and forth, making the many male disciples on the side bubble with jealousy.
There was no help for it; Wukong was simply too popular with the female disciples.
As for why this was so, Li Changshou had carefully analyzed it.
First, this stone monkey was just a stone, completely ignorant of matters between men and women, and left no gaps in his dao heart.
His heart was only for the Way, his Way was only for his heart.
Second, the stone monkey was clever enough, knew how to speak words of praise, constantly flattering, and when he first entered the sect, one round of compliments had made all the senior sisters treat him like a dear brother.
Third, Wukong himself hadn’t made the male disciples feel ‘pressure.’
He was more like the sect’s mascot, although his power had now surpassed all the disciples.
Fourth was that Wukong was good at fighting, often able to defeat those above his level in dao battles, especially excelling at close combat.
Several times during trials in the nearby forests, Sun Wukong had charged to the front, casually killing some powerful demon beasts, his bones emanating an indescribable heroic spirit.
How could such a beautiful Monkey King have poor relationships?
Li Changshou laughed lightly, got up and walked to near the door, sat in the rocking chair, enjoying the sight of the disciples playing.
Such a life was quite good.
But the peace before his eyes was just superficial; if one day the Dao Ancestor wasn’t eliminated and the Heavenly Way’s will wasn’t erased, the entire primordial chaos would be like a small sailboat drifting on an endless sea.
If the sea was in a good mood, naturally it would let the sailboat move forward steadily;
But as long as the sea stirred up some waves or made a storm, the sailboat would be swallowed by the waves in an instant.
This wasn’t a hidden danger, this was an obvious danger.
Soon.
Just two or three hundred years more.
Once the monkey returned to Flower Fruit Mountain, he could take the opportunity to slip out of the Five Continents region, and if the Dao Ancestor chose to erase Subhuti then, he would have to flip the table in response.
If the Dao Ancestor chose to spare Subhuti, then he could make up the final bit of advantage he lacked, completely grasping the initiative in the final game.
Since his true body left the primordial chaos until now, in the blink of an eye quite some time had passed, but two or three hundred years could pass very quickly.
Sometimes, time was just like this, open and close your eyes, and several decades had passed.
Li Changshou maintained a state of outward relaxation but inner vigilance, wholeheartedly transmitted to the monkey the cultivation methods given by the Dao Ancestor, and also transmitted to the monkey divine abilities not given by the Dao Ancestor.
Not only this, he also transmitted to the monkey behind the Dao Ancestor’s back some things that shouldn’t have been transmitted to the monkey.
Sun Wukong’s cultivation rose steadily and rapidly, completely ignorant of what bottlenecks were.
That extremely powerful spiritual force contained within his body had mostly transformed into his magical power.
He cultivated copper skin and iron bones, cultivated external incarnation;
He cultivated cloud-soaring, cultivated the undying golden soul.
Li Changshou sat in Subhuti’s heart, waved his hand, and time flowed rapidly around him, transforming into streaks of dazzling light.
Fast forward to—
[Sun Wukong crosses the Golden Immortal tribulation, Spirit Platform reveals holiness, and faces expulsion].
In Sun Wukong’s two hundred and thirty-sixth year of entering the mountain, he smoothly passed the Golden Immortal heavenly tribulation, and even gained quite a few benefits during the tribulation.
After Sun Wukong cultivated for several months and emerged from seclusion, unable to resist showing off before his senior brothers and sisters, he was just caught by ‘Subhuti,’ who scolded him with a stern face.
‘Wukong, did this poor dao transmit the great Way to you for you to show off?’
Wukong hurriedly admitted his mistake; clever as he was, he had already seen something in his master’s expression.
Sure enough, Li Changshou flicked his sleeve and scolded: ‘The karma between master and disciple has ended, today you shall leave from here, don’t come back.’
Sun Wukong was greatly shocked, and all the disciples were quite surprised.
Among them, they had finally produced one long-living Golden Immortal, why would their teacher drive him away so simply?
The disciples all spoke up to plead for him, Sun Wukong tried every way to explain, but Subhuti was like iron and stone, directly throwing Sun Wukong tens of thousands of miles away with a flick of his sleeve.
Seeing that their teacher had truly become angry, these disciples didn’t dare to speak up, many female disciples’ eyes reddened, and they each returned to their residences to cultivate.
That night.
Li Changshou lay on his side on the soft couch, facing the cave dwelling’s inner wall.
“Master…”
A slightly trembling voice came from outside the window, it was that stone monkey who had returned.
Li Changshou remained silent, as if sound asleep.
With two creaking sounds, the monkey silently flipped through the window, knelt before the bed, and wanted to speak but didn’t know what to say, only lowering his head in prostration.
After kneeling like this for half an hour, Li Changshou still had no words.
Sun Wukong asked in a trembling voice: “Master, has this disciple somehow displeased you… Whether you beat or scold is fine, but making this disciple leave like this, this disciple can hardly bear it.”
Li Changshou remained silent.
After another while, Sun Wukong sighed and said: “Master, could it be you have matters inconvenient to tell this disciple?”
Li Changshou remained silent.
Sun Wukong couldn’t help but close his eyes and took a light breath.
“Master, could you speak just one more word to this disciple, just one…”
Finally…
“In the future, don’t tell others that you were my disciple.”
Li Changshou transmitted these words, and Sun Wukong was almost instantly broken, his face quite dark.
This fellow… well, well.
Li Changshou transmitted an explanation:
“This is not because I feel you unworthy to be my disciple, but because the karma between master and disciple has truly ended.
Wukong, do you still remember why you took a master’s?
And do you still remember what you said to your master that first night when you knelt here?”
“This disciple, this disciple…”
Li Changshou transmitted:
“Cultivation in the mountain is cultivation, walking in the mortal world is also cultivation.
You have a nature that cannot sit still, your master having you leave is only because I feel you have nothing more to learn here.
Go.
This heaven and earth is vast, enough for you to turn somersaults in.
Though this primordial chaos lacks many great powers now, it’s still wonderful and varied, just right for you to go adventuring in.
But remember, don’t tell others that we were master and disciple, and whatever trouble you stir up in the future, don’t come looking for your master.”
After speaking, Li Changshou waved his hand.
Sun Wukong only felt white mist surge around him, and when he appeared again, he was at the foot of Spirit Platform Mountain.
It was the very place where he had met that woodcutter when he came here all those years ago.
Sun Wukong was stunned for a while, feeling the night breeze was somewhat cool.
He lowered his head and sighed, kowtowed several times toward the mountainside, rose to ride his cloud away, but couldn’t help turning back on the cloud, and kowtowed several times toward where Li Changshou was.
Finally, this monkey, with reddened eyes, rode his cloud back along the path he had taken when seeking immortality years ago.
Li Changshou: …
Wait for the Dao Ancestor to show some indication, then immediately begin the subsequent actions.