Chapter 24: Zhuang Xiong's True Body

  But the crowd was shocked by Zhuang Xiong's shamelessness and Fu Xi's consolation, and Nüwa was so anxious that she almost cried. She was also somewhat annoyed, thinking to herself: "You two have made a mess in Mount Buzhou, but at least it was still in your own home. Now you've lost face all the way to Mount Kunlun, do you still have any shame? How can you show your faces outside in the future?" She knew that Fu Xi was just inexperienced and not good at talking, and his brain had been a bit short-circuited by Zhuang Xiong's provocation. It wasn't right to blame her own brother, who was very good to her. But Zhuang Xiong seemed to be intentionally causing trouble. So she only shouted loudly at Zhuang Xiong: "You fool, how long do you want to keep losing face? If you don't quickly resolve this, don't blame me for not giving you another chance and ignoring you from now on."

  This girl was also someone who wouldn't scold people, and for a moment couldn't think of harsh words. Her threats were spoken softly, with a hint of pouting, and after finishing speaking, she herself couldn't help but lower her head again. Zhuang Xiong couldn't help but stare blankly, while Fu Xi was overjoyed, hastily running over to say to the girl: "Sister is right, this stupid bear is lazy and gluttonous, the most shameless of all. We're all being dragged down by him, it's better if from now on we just pretend not to know him and ignore him."

  Nüwa's face was covered in black lines. Zhuang Xiong also came back to his senses, seeing that Nüwa was angry, and didn't dare to refute Fuxi. He hastily walked to the still dazed Zhenyuanzi, bowed down to the ground, and saw that Zhenyuanzi had come back to his senses. With a serious expression, he said: "Zhenyuanzi fellow Daoist, just now I made a mistake. I thought fellow Daoist had the Earth Book's defense, unmatched in the world, and this one strike shouldn't have harmed fellow Daoist. But unexpectedly, it happened that fellow Daoist was distracted, and I was momentarily careless. This one strike miscalculated and injured fellow Daoist, ultimately still my fault. Please don't be angry, fellow Daoist, if there's any blame, I'll take the punishment, but it depends on Zhenyuanzi fellow Daoist's handling."

  Zhenyuanzi was a straightforward person, seeing that Zhuang Xiong admitted his mistake and had a way to save face, so he didn't get angry. He shook his head and sighed: "Fellow Taoist lost his concentration because of my Qiankun sleeve trick, losing face. I lost my concentration because of Fellow Taoist's stick, hurting my body, which can be considered even. However, although I was distracted, the automatic defense of the Earth Book is still there, even if it's not as strong as a full-force defense, it should have at least 30% to 50% effect. But Fellow Taoist's one move dispersed the defense and also hurt my Yuan Shen Ling, I don't know what this move is called?"

  On the other side, Fuxi saw that Zhenyuanzi had actually made amends with Zhuang Xiong after just a few words, and he hastily said: "Zhenyuanzi, don't be deceived by this foolish bear! Have you forgotten the shameless words he spoke just now?"

  Nüwa's face turned black with rage, just as the situation was about to take a turn for the better. Fuxi suddenly stirred up trouble again, and she couldn't help but burst into anger. With a wave of her small hand, she shouted: "Shut up!" However, along with her words and Nüwa's falling hand, there also appeared a life seal as large as a millstone.

  Then the world fell silent, Zhuang Xiong smiled at Nüwa with a hint of disdain for Fuxi in his heart. Sanqing Zhenyuanzi was speechless. After Nüwa came to her senses, she continued to lower her head and pretend to be an ostrich, still blushing bright red.

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  After a flurry of activity, everyone finally calmed down and sat down to enjoy their tea and conversation.

  Zhuang Xiong finally had the opportunity to discuss Tao with San Qing, and he couldn't help but feel a little excited. Seeing that the atmosphere was somewhat solemn, he smiled and spoke first: "I've been thinking about discussing Tao with you three fellow Taoists since I first appeared in this world. Today, I'm finally able to make it happen. Please don't hesitate to enlighten me."

  Laozi laughed and said, "Even if you didn't mention it, I had many questions to ask you too. Long ago, before your arrival, Fuxi told me that Xiong knew about the three of us brothers even when we were still at Mount Buzhou. After descending from Mount Buzhou, he came straight to Kunlun, and you have a broad knowledge, able to recognize the immortal apricot tree, and also know about Town Yuanzi's ginseng fruit. Later, I heard that you said that you and my three brothers share the same merit of opening up the sky, but your theory of cause and effect is unheard of, and Lao Dao has been thinking about it for a long time without being able to understand, so please enlighten me."

  Zhuang Xiong listened and was taken aback for a moment, but he didn't panic. He had been thinking of coming to find San Qing to discuss the Tao since he escaped from his predicament. Building relationships is an essential skill in 21st-century society; how could he not know about it? He had already prepared his words in his heart and was waiting for San Qing to take the bait. At this point, Zhuang Xiong didn't shirk or hide anything, and his words were sincere, avoiding the heavy and emphasizing the light. He smiled and said: "This matter is hard to understand when you hear it, but once explained, it's nothing special. Fellow Taoists, you probably don't know my background yet. My true self is the Earth Spirit of the Four Spirits of the Primordial Heaven, and I obtained a great opportunity at the time of Pangu's creation of heaven and earth. I formed a karmic bond with Pangu, so he granted me the merit of creating heaven to help me achieve my physical body."

  Fuxi muttered to himself on the side: "Although I've heard it before, every time I hear it, I still can't help but envy his good fortune." Nüwa heard him muttering and couldn't help but glare at him fiercely. Fuxi immediately became obedient.

  Zhenyuanzi couldn't help but smile wryly and say, "I didn't think that Brother Xiong was the embodiment of the Earth Spirit. No wonder he was so at ease during our fight earlier, as if he were a fish in water, without any discomfort whatsoever. I thought it was because his cultivation was far superior to mine."

  Yuán Tōng Tiān was also taken aback, staring at Zhuāng Xióng in surprise. The old man nodded slightly and said: "I didn't expect that you, a fellow Daoist, would have such an origin. We are considered to be the reincarnations of Pángǔ's descendants, so it can be said that we have some connection with you. You were fortunate enough to witness the Heavenly Father opening up the sky, and knowing that my three brothers and I are not unusual. But why is your cultivation still at this level? And where did you acquire such broad knowledge?"

  Zhuang Xiong couldn't help but smile bitterly: "It's not that my innate talent is poor, nor am I unwilling to work hard. It's just that when I condensed my physical body, it happened to be under the feet of Pangu, the Great God. Because I possessed great virtues, I unintentionally absorbed part of the essence of 3,000 divine demons. As a result, my physical body became too massive, so during Pangu's transformation into all things, I was suppressed by Mount Buzhou. I had no choice but to cultivate for countless years, until I finally transformed and emerged 10,000 years ago, digging out a hole to escape. Although the spiritual power of my primordial spirit has been accumulated and refined to its thickest essence, my Dao heart hasn't grown much, so that's why my cultivation is only at this level."

  Everyone present couldn't help but exclaim, "Good willpower, fellow Taoist!" The old man continued, "That Nuzhou Mountain is the transformed body of Pangu's father god. It is truly the number one divine mountain under heaven, as solid as gold and stone. Moreover, it has the father god's intent condensed to exert pressure. Fellow Taoist, you are already very fortunate to have escaped from there; it's not surprising that your cultivation is this way. Indeed, fortune relies on disaster, and disaster relies on fortune."

  Fuxi called out from the side: "As for you, Dumb Bear, I've never seen your true form. You said it's so huge, I wonder what kind of divine power it has? Why don't you transform and show us, let us open our eyes wide?"

  Zhuang Xiong bitterly smiled and said: "It's not that I intentionally concealed it, unwilling to let you see it. The truth is, my true form is too enormous, making it inconvenient."

  Nüwa said with a pout: "You've never told me about your true form before, can't you even let me take a look?"

  Yuanshuai, Tongtian and Zhenyuanzi were all curiously staring at Zhuang Xiong.

  Zhuang Xiong shook his head and sighed, "In the beginning of heaven and earth, the height was 90 million zhang. Pangu's body was 81 million zhang tall, and I, Zhuang Xiong, was only 27 million zhang tall. After transforming and breaking free, my cultivation grew, and after several rounds of condensation, I now have a height of 18 million zhang. Now that I've condensed to the extreme point, there's even a sign of further growth. If I were to return to my true form, aside from Mount Buzhou and Kunlun, even Mount Wanshou, where Zhenyuanzi is located, would be nothing but a small mound in my eyes. If I were to walk through the vast expanse with my true body, it wouldn't just be a matter of forming countless karma, but also being unable to take a single step forward. It's not that I intentionally hid this from you all, and I apologize for disappointing you, fellow cultivators."

  Everyone heard the words and involuntarily took a deep breath, and in an instant, a picture emerged in their minds: a gigantic gray bear, looking up at the surrounding mountains with its head raised, comparing its height to that of Kunlun, and with one foot on the ground, countless mountains and rivers shattered, rivers flowing backwards, and countless lives lost. In just a few steps, it traversed the four seas, and in just a few days, it flattened the vast wilderness, making the earth seem like just a single room. Everyone's hearts were racing with fear, and they couldn't help but shiver again. They all looked at Zhuang Xiong with strange eyes.

  "Please don't look at me with that kind of gaze. When I condensed my physical body, I was also helpless, and having such a true form is not what I wanted either. It's just that everything has become a fait accompli, and I can do nothing about it. Usually, I can only walk around in a transformed body."

  Tongtian Dao: "No wonder fellow daoists are unwilling to speak of it and refuse to transform back into their true form. Having such a large true form is indeed quite inconvenient."

  Nüwa also blushed and said: "It was I who wrongly suspected Brother Dumb."

  Fuxi gazed at Zhuang Xiong with a pitiful look, but upon hearing Nüwa's words, his expression instantly changed to one of indignation, and he whispered: "Pervert."

  Laozi seemed to be deep in thought and changed the subject: "The true body of a Taoist friend is so astonishing, but I don't know what magical powers he has?"

  Zhuangzi thought for a moment, then smiled and said: "It's just that he has thick skin and infinite strength, but there's nothing particularly divine about him. On the other hand, being born with three eyes and six ears allows him to investigate all things between heaven and earth, and listen to various sounds in the world, which is actually quite interesting."

  Zhenyuanzi shouted without warning: "You can explore everything between heaven and earth, isn't this divine power enough? Just say something interesting?"

  Zhuang Xiong said: "My true body is the spirit of the earth, the great bear of the earth. Standing on the earth, I can naturally investigate all things in the vast wilderness. The three eyes and six ears are just to make me see more clearly. At this time, the vast wilderness is calm, and there's nothing worth looking at for some small monsters. It's not worth wasting time. People who have achieved success in their cultivation can hide their aura, so it's hard to see them clearly. If you take a look, you'll be discovered, and it will cause unnecessary trouble. This method is only useful for finding out where there are spiritual roots and strange fruits on ordinary days. It's not considered a divine ability."

  The old man shook his head and smiled, "It's indeed the case. Once we've reached a certain level of cultivation, even if we don't check, we can still deduce matters related to ourselves and those unrelated to us. Even if we look at things that are unrelated, it would be useless. The Hongyuan is so vast, even if we see something, by the time we rush over, it will already be too late. However, the physical body of a Daoist friend is originally enormous and boundless, with strength to match. If they use the 'Earthly Heaven Shaking' divine ability, although it sounds ordinary, it's truly astonishing and difficult to find an opponent."

  Fuxi exclaimed in surprise: "If you're a stupid bear and you recover your true body, won't you be invincible in the vast wilderness?"

  Zhenyuanzi also said, "If the Taoist friend can recover his original body, let alone the thick skin and flesh, just that huge body is enough to make people tremble with fear, unable to take action. If the Taoist friend still has any protective treasures, then there will truly be no more worries."

  Nüwa and Fuxi both thought of Zhuang Xiong's Qiankun Ding, and were so surprised that they forgot to look at Zhuang Xiong for a moment. Zhuang Xiong just shook his head and didn't say anything. The two of them meditated for a while, but also didn't say anything.

  Yuanshi said, "Cultivation is ultimately about the Dao, realms, Fa Li, and Fa Bao. It has nothing to do with physical size. Although fighting can bring temporary joy, it's not the Great Dao and doesn't benefit cultivation. Xiong Daoyou being favored by Heaven is just a guarantee of safety, but don't forget your true nature and fundamental principles. Don't be overly self-deprecating or envious, lest you stray from the correct path."

  Zhuang Xiong smiled and said, "The words of the original Taoist friend are reasonable. All of you present can be said to be the favored children of the Heavenly Way. Although your transformation was slightly delayed, it is because of a deep and profound destiny. The Great War of the Three Clans swept away the remnants of the Primordial Era and the unrighteous three clans. In the future, the Desolate Expanse will be the stage for all of you." After Zhuang Xiong finished speaking, he couldn't help but think to himself, "My words are not even half false. In the future, these four will become saints, one a Human Saint Emperor and one an Ancestral Earth Immortal... But I wonder what position I will be in? It can't be helped, even if it means losing face, I must strive for the top. Who knows if there will be another opportunity for us to sit together like this, drinking tea and discussing the Tao?"

  Zhenyuanzi couldn't help but smile and said: "Xiong Daoyou and Sanqing are the favored children of the Heavenly Way, we aren't, without great merit on our bodies."

  Fuxi hurriedly chimed in, "That's right, you've been favored by the Heavenly Way, so you're a Taiyi Golden Immortal. We, on the other hand, have risen from humble beginnings and are Taoyu Golden Immortals. It turns out it wasn't that we didn't work hard or lacked understanding, but rather the root of it all lies here."

  Zhuang Xiong couldn't help but laugh and cry, while Tong Tian finally came back to his senses at this time. He smiled and said: "Brother Xiong has really shocked me to death. My two brothers and I have walked on the edge of the Three Clans' Great War before. At that time, the war was truly earth-shaking, making people's blood boil with excitement. Recently, when I heard Brother Xiong talk about his true body, I couldn't help but think of the Three Clans' Great War and became a bit dazed for a moment. It wasn't until Second Brother spoke that I woke up. I was only concerned with fighting, being brave and fierce, but refused to painstakingly comprehend the Tao. As a result, my distance from my two brothers gradually grew larger, and I almost strayed from the right path, ruining my cultivation. Now that I think about it, however, this is a great mistake. No matter how astonishing one's physical body or divine abilities may be, they are merely superficial skills. If one loses their physical body, it will not affect their true spirit. This kind of fleeting pleasure is ultimately futile labor. In the end, cultivation still depends on one's Tao. If one's Tao is insufficient, even with all sorts of divine abilities, they will ultimately be like a tree without roots or floating clouds. Tong Tian has been enlightened."

  Everyone stared at Tongtian in surprise. The original smiled and said, "Third brother knows it's good, now that he has woken up, it's not too late either. With third brother's wisdom, he will surely rise to the challenge and catch up."

  Fuxi was curious and asked: "Tongtian Daoist, what you said makes sense, but I still want to ask, how long have you been practicing Taoism?"

  "How did you know I was distracted? I've always been lectured by my second brother and have practiced the skill of being distracted without being noticed, thinking it's flawless. How did you notice? Or did I say something wrong?"

  Yuè heard the words and didn't show any black lines on his head. The crowd, however, covered their mouths to stifle their giggles. In his heart, he thought: This Tongtian, sometimes is quite silly and lovable.