Fourteen, Gu Zhong said Bao

  Laozi, after breaking through the origin and communicating with heaven, remembered that he had gained great benefits from seeking Daozhi. He didn't hurry to consolidate the results of his breakthrough but instead came to find Daozhi, intending to instruct him first and guide his cultivation. He planned to wait until Daozhi could cultivate independently before closing himself off to ponder and solidify his gains, exploring new knowledge.

  The old man had just made a breakthrough and was delighted. He looked up and saw the beautiful scenery in the valley, and couldn't help but think of taking a stroll. Especially since he had heard that Xun Daozi's tea was in the valley, and this time his breakthrough also owed to the effect of this tea, so he also wanted to see the tea tree. So he said to Yuan Shi and Tong Tian, "Second brother, third brother, the scenery in this valley is beautiful, let's ask Xun Daozi to guide us and go for a walk together, what do you think?"

  Yuanshi replied: "Good!"

  "Good!"

  Xun Daozi hastened to lead the way in front, guiding Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian as they strolled through the valley.

  Three people followed Daozi and walked slowly. They saw that the valley was indeed three steps away from a spiritual grass, five steps away from a rare fruit, and they all sincerely praised it.

  Xun Daozi listened to his master, Shifu, and his uncles, Shibo and Shishu, praising the flowers, grasses, and trees they didn't know in front of him. He couldn't help but feel itchy: he often fantasized about obtaining heavenly treasures, but his knowledge was shallow. Even if a treasure was right in front of him, he wouldn't recognize it. His master, Laozi, was the number one alchemist in the Honghuang world, and his knowledge of heavenly treasures, rare flowers, and spiritual medicines was unmatched. Why not ask him to broaden his horizons? That way, when he encountered a treasure in the future, he wouldn't miss it due to lack of knowledge.

  At this point, he made up his mind and turned to face the three elders with a bow: "Master, Master's wife, Master's brother. The disciple is shallow and ignorant, often in the presence of treasure without knowing it. Just now, listening to Master, Master's wife, and Master's brother praising the flowers and grasses in the valley, the disciple did not recognize any of them. Please, Master, Master's wife, and Master's brother, do not hesitate to teach me, let the disciple gain some knowledge, so as not to be laughed at for not recognizing treasure in the future, and tarnish the reputation of Master, Master's wife, and Master's brother."

  Yuanshi laughed and said, "You're just a smooth talker who doesn't recognize a treasure when you see one. You've ruined our reputation. It's clear that your knowledge is shallow and you want to broaden it, but you're making excuses for no reason. If you want to gain more experience, you should ask your teacher to teach you properly. In this aspect, no one can surpass your teacher."

  Tongtian looked at Xun Daozi with a playful smile on his face.

  Lao Tzu stroked his beard and smiled.

  Xunzi hurriedly bowed his body and paid respects to Laozi: "Please, Master, teach me!"

  Laozi nodded in agreement: "Alright, let's start with these spiritual flowers and strange grasses, rare trees and spiritual fruits from the valley."

  Then, following behind the old man, listening to his explanations of the ordinary or extraordinary flowers, grasses, and trees they saw, carefully comprehending, silently memorizing, fearing that something might be missed.

  The old man saw that he was listening attentively, and his explanation became even more detailed, often starting from the growth, habits, picking, and uses of the herbs, explaining them thoroughly, and occasionally listing similar categories for comparison. During this time, he would also use spiritual techniques to manifest visual images, in order to deepen the seeker's impression. One listened attentively, the other explained enthusiastically.

  At first, Tongtian also occasionally supplemented two sentences. Tongtian would also occasionally pick some spiritual fruits from the side to use as teaching aids, and of course, he wouldn't forget to take a few bites.

  Xun Daozi was also puzzled by Tongtian's personality, which seemed to be different from the legend. Why did he see something different? Was it just one side of him that he saw, his straightforward and innocent side? However, Xun Daozi thought that the Tongtian in front of him was a bit better.

  Everyone was calm and unhurried, watching and walking, talking and learning as they went along.

  Before long, they arrived at the small hill where several old pines grew. The trunks were like dragons or pythons, with bark as rough as scales; the main trunk was so thick that it took several people to encircle it. The needle-like leaves shone like jade carvings, and the green pine cones occasionally flashed out from among the branches. The tree crowns were surrounded by clouds and mist, and the sunlight sparkled. There were nine trunks in total, some of which stretched out horizontally, while others stood upright; some leaned against each other, while others curved back to gaze at each other. Some looked up, while others looked down, stretching or bending in various ways.

  Nine old pines occupy the entire small hill, revealing the layout of the nine palaces.

  As soon as he saw this pine tree, Xuanzang found Laozi, Yuanshi and Tongtian. Their faces were agitated and their eyes flashed with divine light.

  It wasn't until a long time later that the three old men finally shifted their gaze away from the pine tree.

  Tongtian looked at Xun Daozi with a smile that was not a smile: "I didn't expect you to have such a treasure. Did you eat all those pine nuts?"

  Laozi stared at him with an ancient and strange expression.

  Xun Daozi's neck shrunk back, and with a shy expression, he said: "I like to eat pine nuts, I love using pine nuts when drinking tea."

  Tongtian raised an eyebrow and teased: "Then why didn't you prepare some pine nuts when you were serving us tea?"

  Xun Daozi's face turned awkward: "These mature pine cones have been picked clean by me, and the pine nuts have also been eaten up."

  Tongtian's face was twisted in pain, making Xun Daozi even more embarrassed. In his ear, he heard Yuanshi's sigh: "Alas! You're wasting a treasure!" Xun Daozi felt like shrinking his head into his belly.

  At this time, Laozi said: "You two don't need to say anything more. Xun Daozi doesn't know what this thing is or its function. Even if he eats it as a general pine nut, nothing will happen. After another ten thousand years, new pine fruits will mature again, and you can ask Xun Daozi for a few then."

  As soon as Xun Daozi heard the two words "ten thousand years", he was stunned: ten thousand years, what a great treasure it is to add ten thousand years to something! The Queen Mother's peaches, the 1,200 trees behind her, also need ten thousand years to mature; Zhenyuanzi's ginseng fruit takes ten thousand years to produce thirty. Those are treasures that make people envy. Now Shibo said that this pine nut will take ten thousand years to mature, isn't it a treasure like the ginseng fruit? Just thinking about owning a treasure like the ginseng fruit, Xun Daozi almost drooled.

  Right, you listen to me: "Xun Daozi, you just listen, and I'll tell you about this thing."

  Zi Gong hastily concentrated his unprecedented attention to listen to Laozi's words.

  "This object is also a spiritual root in the world, originally nameless, but can be named as Jiulong Snow Jade Pine based on its effects. You see nine pines growing together on the surface, but in fact, it's just one pine. The surface looks like nine pines, but they are all from the same root underground. The root absorbs the essence of the earth, and the crown collects the splendor of heaven. With the essence of heaven and earth, every 10,000 years, each of the nine pines on the surface produces 81 pinecones, totaling 8101 pinecones. Each pinecone contains 81 pine seeds. Every 10,000 years, you can get 6,561 pine seeds. The pine kernel is crystal clear like snow jade. If used properly, it can obtain the power of nine dragons. It's an excellent treasure for strengthening the body and vitality. It was named Jiulong Snow Jade Pine precisely because of this effect."

  "In fact, the Nine Dragon Snow Jade Pine has another function. This function is what we value most. When the Nine Dragon Snow Jade Pine grows, its roots penetrate deep into the earth, connecting with the earth's meridians. On the surface, it divides into nine branches, forming a natural Nine Palaces formation. It can be used as an array eye to borrow its power and set up a pre-heavenly Nine Palaces defensive array. Once this array is activated, one can gain assistance from the earth's meridians, making it not easily broken. It is indeed a rare defensive array for a cave abode."

  At this, Laozi smiled and said to Xun Daozi: "This cave of yours has a naturally formed Pre-Heavenly Misty Array that conceals its tracks, making it impossible for divine awareness to observe. Even if ordinary cultivators were to arrive at the entrance, they would not be able to enter. If a great being with powerful spiritual powers were to forcefully break through, they too would be unable to obstruct it. Now, if you can use this Nine Dragon Snow Jade Pine as the foundation to lay down the Pre-Heavenly Nine Palaces Protective Array, in conjunction with the Pre-Heavenly Misty Array, unless an extremely powerful being arrives, your cave will be worry-free."

  Xun Daozi was overjoyed and bowed down to the ground: "Please, Master, set up this great formation for your disciple!"

  The old man stretched out his hand to support him: "You get up, the Nine Palaces Great Array is not a work of one day." He also smiled and said, "Master Shibo has received your kindness, he must exert some effort, just for you to set up this Pre-Heaven Nine Palaces Defensive Great Array."

  Tongtian said from the side: "Don't rush to set up the formation, with us here, which blind fool would dare to come and cause trouble."

  Xun Daozi got up and thanked him.

  Yuanshi saw Xun Daozi get up and said: "Take us to see your tea tree."

  Xun Daozi quickly turned around and led the way forward.

  Before long, the crowd arrived at the foot of the mountain rock where the tea trees grew. Xun Daozi pointed to the mountain rock and said to Yuan Shi and the other two: "Master, Master's wife, Master's brother, please look, the tea tree is growing on that mountain rock."

  Laozi, Yuanshi, Tongtian heard the words, all raised their eyes to look away, and saw in front of them a mountain rock standing tall and steep, with vines like dragons and snakes, winding and rolling, producing clouds and fog. Raising their eyes to look up, halfway through the air, there were several old tea trees growing out of the cliff, surrounded by mist and halo, shining with an inexplicable light.

  The three Laozi looked at each other, and under their feet clouds were born. Along with Xun Daozi, they rose into the air and arrived near the old tea tree. As the cloud stopped, Xun Daozi clearly felt that the three Laozi were emotionally agitated. He secretly measured them and saw that Laozi's eyebrows were disheveled, Yuan Shi's breathing was rough, and Tong Tian Xing's eyes were wide open. The three of them stared with their eyes, emitting a green light several feet away, staring at the tea tree in front of them, completely disregarding Xun Daozi beside them.

  In the eyes of three people, there were seven tea trees, growing out of the rock wall without a speck of soil. The branches and trunks were sturdy, with a mysterious texture all over, surrounded by a halo of light, and the leaves were like jade, transparent and with an unknown mark on them. The seven old tea trees were arranged in a pattern resembling the Big Dipper, with one being the largest and most majestic, serving as the main star; the second was slightly smaller, serving as its deputy; and the remaining four served as subsidiaries. On the largest tea tree, there were only two or three hundred leaves scattered about, while on the two deputy trees, there were a few thousand leaves each, with the four subsidiary trees still being quite lush.

  After a while, the three old men turned their heads to look at Xun Daozi, but their eyes made Xun Daozi shrink his neck and swallow a mouthful of saliva unconsciously.

  Tongtian Yin said with a deep voice: "You little guy used the pine nuts of Jiulong Xueyu Song to infuse the Dao Mu tea, isn't it enjoyable? How's the taste?" After saying this, he chuckled and turned to Laozi, "Brother, why not fire up the furnace and refine these materials into a Golden Elixir? Perhaps we can obtain a batch of Dao Dan that surpasses the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir."

  Yuanshi also said: "I think it's okay."

  Xun Daozi was so frightened that he fell down, his whole body trembling, and couldn't say a word.

  He lay there for a long time, not seeing any movement. He quietly lifted his head and saw Tongtian with a playful smile on his face, while Yuanshi seemed to be smiling but not quite. Laozi was looking at him with a warm smile. Only then did he realize that he had been fooled. His face suddenly became colorful.

  The old man shook his head and said, "Get up. I really don't know how to say it's good for you, but it can only be said that you are a foolish person with good fortune. When we drank tea earlier, we thought you coincidentally obtained a Wudaozi tea plant, but we didn't expect the Wudaomu tea to be in this valley." As he spoke, he shook his head again, "It seems that the Xiantian Mingwu Great Array outside the valley really hid an incredible treasure." After finishing speaking, he still had a bewildered expression.

  At first, Tongtian also felt somewhat melancholic.

  Xun Daozi slowly got up and stood aside with his head down.

  Tongtian playfully asked Xunzi: "Are all the teas on this tea tree picked by you? They are picked very cleanly."

  Xun Daozi smiled wryly and didn't dare to speak. He had picked some tea leaves from several trees, brewed them, and compared them, feeling that the most robust one was still the best, unforgettable after drinking. If he wasn't afraid of picking all the leaves and killing the tree, he would have picked even the remaining hundreds of leaves. What's strange is that the leaves didn't grow new ones for many years after being picked. Now, two smaller trees were almost picked clean, because they tasted better than the four small ones. He thought to himself that soon he could only drink tea from those four small trees. Seeing his master, master's wife, and master's brother's expressions, he naturally didn't dare make a sound.

  The old man saw his appearance and also smiled: "Alright, I'll tell you about this tea..."