Chapter 91: Two Monkeys Enter Taiyi, Bodhi Bestows Magical Powers

  "Now that Sun Wukong has obtained the Golden Elixir of Great Way and formed a golden elixir, his cultivation has also made rapid progress recently. It's clear that he has already surpassed me now. I think the time for Bodhi to transform into Tian Gang Di Xie is near." As he watched the direction Monkey King left, Sun Yuan's heart gradually became more active, and he couldn't help but ponder.

  This time, in close combat, Sun Wukong is not yet a match for Sun Yuan. One reason is that Sun Yuan's boundary is higher, and the other reason is that Sun Yuan's demon body has become stronger. After all, Sun Wukong is only at the initial stage of cultivating the Golden Elixir Great Dao, although his cultivation has increased to a terrifying extent, but in this foundation-building period, his physical body is still slightly inferior to Sun Yuan's.

  However, once he passes this foundational stage, Sun Wukong's cultivation will erupt like a geyser, and his demon body's progress will be rapid, no longer something that Sun Yuan can catch up to. This time is actually not far off, estimated to be just a matter of the next few months.

  Apart from close combat, Sun Wukong is slightly stronger than Sun Yuan in terms of staff skills. If they were to engage in a serious fight, judging solely on the depth of their staff skills, Sun Yuan would likely be able to barely hold his own within 100 moves, fall at a disadvantage within 200 moves, and end up in a desperate situation within 300 moves. By 400 moves, he would have no choice but to retreat in defeat. Fortunately, Sun Yuan has been constantly improving, so it's still too early to determine the final outcome between them.

  After thinking for a while, the sky was already late, Sun Yuan also drove the crazy wind and went to find a mountain cave to rest, leaving only a piece of broken stone and wood, showing that a big battle had taken place here.

  Another month has passed, and in this month, Sun Yuan has thoroughly consolidated his Golden Elixir cultivation. The Golden Elixir in his body is now the size of a soybean, which means he has temporarily reached the threshold of Taiyi Scatter Immortal. However, although he has reached this realm, his actual strength is only that of a paper tiger and does not match his cultivation level.

  One day, the ancestor reopened the cave, lecturing on the scriptures and discussing the principles of heaven and earth's opening and closing. He spoke about the way to become an immortal and a founder. This lecture brought forth many golden lotus flowers floating in the air, and various auspicious omens descended upon the world. It was as if heavenly flowers were falling from the sky and golden lotuses were emerging from the ground. The group of disciples who listened were like fools, drunk with divine power, unable to extricate themselves. Each one gained something in their respective fields of expertise. For a time, everyone held their breath, abandoning all distractions, and quietly listened to the ancestor's teachings.

  After a while, the old ancestor finished lecturing on a scripture and opened his mouth to speak with the crowd. This time he talked about koans and phrases, discussing external appearances and superficialities, which was considered a direct way of pointing to one's true heart. Just as the discussion reached its climax, the old ancestor suddenly had a thought in his mind, stopped speaking, and looked around with his eyes.

  Just as everyone was puzzled, Bodhi's master suddenly opened his mouth and asked, "Where are Sun Wukong and Sun Yuan the two monkeys?"

  All the disciples turned around to look, and the figures of the two monkeys appeared from the crowd. Seeing this situation, Sun Yuan and Monkey King could not help but tidy up their clothes, kneel down on the ground, and say "We report to our ancestors, the two disciples are here, listening to the teachings of our ancestors."

  The ancestor didn't say a word, but his body floated and descended from the cloud platform, surrounding the two monkeys in a circle. The ancestor pointed at Sun Wukong with his hand and said: "You monkey has good innate talent, able to break your own demonic elixir, it's considered having great courage. Now, you two have also achieved some small success, so I'll ask you, what kind of Taoism have you been cultivating?"

  The two monkeys looked at each other, and finally the Monkey King spoke up, saying, "Since obtaining the Great Dharma, my two disciples have not dared to slack off in the slightest, and are always thinking of ways to improve. Fortunately, our ancestors' blessings and heaven's favor have not been abandoned, and we have finally achieved something. Recently, my disciples' understanding of the Dharma has become quite clear, and their foundation has gradually solidified."

  "Oh?" Bodhi's master pretended to be moved, watched for a while, nodded and said, "You two are indeed diligent, now that you have one foot in the Taiyi scattered number, it's really not easy. This cultivation speed is among the top in the entire Xiniuhe state, but you two must be humble and cautious, don't be proud and self-satisfied, remember that the path of cultivation is like a boat going upstream, if you don't move forward, you'll fall back!"

  "Obeying the teachings of our ancestors!" Sun Yuan kowtowed again and said.

  "Ah, this path to longevity is not so easily obtained. Since you two have already set foot on this path, I must clarify some of the obstacles within it for you, lest you suffer great calamity in the future and show that my teaching has been lacking." Bodhi Patriarch nodded his head, his sleeves sweeping horizontally, stirring up a gentle breeze that lifted the two off the ground, and their bodies rose into the air, returning to the Cloud Platform.

  "You two are both familiar with the Dharma, and have obtained the root source. Your divine bodies have already been annotated, and you originally had a prospect of longevity. However, this Dharma door of mine is different from others. To attain longevity, one must still guard against the three calamities and disadvantages. Only then can one seek to attain longevity."

  Upon hearing Bodhi's words, Sun Yuan was overjoyed in his heart. Until now, he had confirmed that the old ancestor Bodhi wanted to pass on to them the method of avoiding the three disasters, which is the great divine power Tian Gang Di Sha Bian in Journey to the West. This was something that Sun Yuan had been dreaming of for a long time, and at this moment, he couldn't help but feel tense all over his body, unable to calm down.

  Sun Yuan simply stood on the ground, motionless, his whole body trembling slightly. The Monkey King could only approach him and ask, "Master, your words are incorrect. Although I was previously in the mortal world, I had heard some rumors that those with high virtue and great merit can live as long as heaven itself. Those who cultivate immortality and seek to become a celestial being, when their cultivation reaches its peak, will have broad virtues, be able to overcome water and fire, and be free from all illnesses. But what is this 'Three Calamities' you speak of? I've never heard of it before."

  "You speak well." The ancestor nodded slightly in approval, his long white beard flowing as he spoke. "But have you not heard of the cycle of cause and effect? Just like ordinary people in the mortal world, their lifespan is only about a hundred years. From my point of view, ordinary people can be divided into two categories: one is to follow the natural order, live a peaceful life, and have no ability to bind chickens; another is to pursue great power, want to transcend themselves, and obtain superhuman powers through continuous bitter practice, martial artists."

  The lifespan of these two types of people is not much different, just like the difference between my way and other longevity methods. Although both can achieve the goal of longevity, one has extraordinary powers beyond the ordinary, while the other follows the natural order of heaven and earth, with very small actual power, too weak to be mentioned. Therefore, the cultivation process is also greatly different."

  "This is the extremely evil way, seizing the creation of heaven and earth, invading the mysterious mechanism of the sun and moon. After the elixir is formed, ghosts and gods are shocked, and heaven and earth cannot tolerate it. There must be heavenly punishment descending upon the world. This heavenly punishment is different from ordinary heavenly punishment. If there is no way to avoid it, it will inevitably be impossible to escape. It's just like a demon forming an elixir and encountering heavenly calamity. If you can't avoid it, years of bitter cultivation will vanish in an instant." The Bodhi Patriarch paused for a moment before continuing his narrative.

  "Could the master please tell us what kind of disaster it is, so that we disciples can also be prepared?" At this time, Sun Yuan had calmed down from his surprise and regained his usual cleverness, intercepting the conversation.

  He glanced at Sun Yuan, and Bodhi Patriarch nodded, saying: "This Taoist practice can keep one's youth and longevity, and has great magical powers. However, after 500 years, heavenly thunder will strike you, requiring you to see through your nature and mind in advance to avoid it. If you can avoid it, your lifespan will be equal to that of heaven; if not, you will die immediately. Another 500 years later, heavenly fire will burn you. This fire is neither ordinary fire nor heavenly fire, but is called yin fire, which rises from the bubbling spring point below and burns straight through the mud ball palace, turning the five organs into ashes and the four limbs into decay, rendering a thousand years of bitter cultivation into nothingness. Another 500 years later, wind calamity will blow you away... Therefore, all must be avoided."

  Sun Yuan had long known about this, and hearing it now didn't surprise him much. However, the Monkey King was shocked upon hearing these words for the first time, his hair standing on end as he kowtowed and begged, "Great Master, have mercy! Teach us how to avoid the three disasters! Your great kindness, your disciple will never forget!"

  Taking the Monkey King as an example, Sun Yuan also knelt down on the ground and begged Bodhi. Bodhi glanced at Sun Yuan with a calm eye, and in his heart, he was slightly pleased, thinking to himself: "No wonder Bodhi insisted on taking him as a disciple, this person is indeed quite determined. If he chooses to change his ways, he may still achieve something in the future. Now that things have come to this point, I might as well go along with it and see how his luck turns out!"

  Bodhi finished thinking, and as described in Journey to the West, he was troubled by two monkeys for a while. Under Sun Wukong's teasing, he finally agreed to teach them the Taoist formula.

  The Bodhi Patriarch said in a deep voice, "I have thirty-six kinds of heavenly transformations and seventy-two kinds of earthly transformations. These two types of transformations can avoid the three disasters and ensure that your path to enlightenment is unobstructed. In the entire cultivation world, this is considered a top-notch divine ability. Now, it seems that you all have a connection with me, which one do you want to learn?"

  The Monkey King glanced at Sun Yuan with a hint of his eyes, and whispered, "Brother, which side do you think we should choose? The Earthly Fiend Star Change sounds less impressive than the Heavenly Gate Star Change, but its variations are half fewer. It's really hard to decide, what do you think?"

  "It's still better to have more options, as the saying goes 'having many skills is not a burden', having more skills by your side is always right." Sun Yuan thought for a moment before responding in a low voice.

  "So be it, we'll just have to change our plans then?" The Monkey King blinked his eyes.

  "That's right, I've made up my mind." Sun Yuan said resolutely.

  Although their conversation was in a low voice, it was impossible to deceive the old Bodhi Patriarch. However, the old Bodhi Patriarch did not interfere with their discussion. After all, Sun Wukong was destined to learn the Earthly Fiend Transformation. Learning the Heavenly Rack Transformation would indeed damage his innate talent. As for Sun Yuan, the old Bodhi Patriarch just listened and let it be.

  At this moment, the two monkeys have finished their discussion and finally chose to change the earth's fate. However, Bodhi Patriarch couldn't help but feel a sense of regret in his heart. No matter what, Sun Yuan still chose this divine ability, so his future is already doomed. He will definitely die a miserable death, but this isn't something that Bodhi Patriarch wants to interfere with at the moment.

  The secret to changing the heavens and earth, apart from some deceptive techniques, is generally divided into two methods: Tian Gang Di Sha. After mastering these two methods, one can almost avoid all detection, truly a great divine ability that cannot be obtained.