Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

Lu Yu, however, shook his head gently and said, "You can't learn it." The monkey, with a disgruntled face, retorted, "Scholar, are you looking down on me, Lao Sun? What divine skills can't I learn!" What the monkey said was not mere boasting; being a Lingming Stone Monkey, perceptive and astute by nature, he learned many divine skills very quickly—so quickly that even Lu Yu found it difficult to match his pace. "This divine skill is based on rules and authority, and it can only be brought forth by combining the Five Qi towards the inner cosmos," Lu Yu countered. Upon hearing this, the monkey immediately lost interest: "Such a hassle, rules and authority are not so easily obtained." "Besides, you follow the path of using brute force to break all spells, and don't usually focus on cultivating spells, why waste time on this?" Lu Yu said softly. The monkey gave up, but Bajie became interested. He already possessed an incomplete set of rules, so Lu Yu's divine skill was quite significant for his own reference. "Brother Lu, hurry and tell old pig here, we both practice the Water Arts, a good opportunity to learn from each other," Bajie said, licking his face. Lu Yu was not a person to hoard knowledge for himself; seeing Bajie's earnest inquiry, he did not keep secrets and explained his method of cultivating the divine skill in detail. Bajie listened very seriously, folding up his big ears. Sand Monk also did not miss the great opportunity and listened attentively. Meanwhile, even though the monkey knew this divine skill was useless to him, he couldn't help but listen for a while. After about an hour, Lu Yu finished introducing his divine skill. The two comrades beside him were already dizzy from trying to comprehend, while the monkey had long since scampered off to rest. "What exactly is in that head of yours, this is the most complex divine skill I've ever seen," Bajie remarked in awe, though he had to admit that the divine skill was indeed extraordinary. Sand Monk by his side also nodded in agreement, sharing Bajie's sentiment. The complexity of the skill was beyond their imagination, and probably only Lu Yu's brain could devise such a divine skill. He was already confused halfway through and couldn't possibly learn it. "Given its complexity, it's only fitting that it holds such power," Tang Monk said with his hands pressed together. After catching up for a bit, the group said their goodbyes and departed. The disciples and Tang Monk continued their journey westward, while Lu Yu returned to his cave, reaping a great harvest from this outing. With the bodies of several demons from the Wood Immortal Hermitage, he could properly manage his Cave Heaven, as it was the foundation of his existence. When he got back to Mountain Luoxia, it was already evening. The setting sun was about to fall, casting its remaining glow and dressing the entire Mountain Luoxia in a layer of golden rosy clouds— an incredibly majestic sight. The cliffs at the mountain's summit were even more brilliant, as if they were composed of gold. This was indeed Mountain Luoxia's extraordinary sight, the Rosy Clouds Golden Cliffs. Lu Yu stood quietly in place, beholding this beautiful scene, his mood extremely relaxed. The path of cultivation requires both diligence and intermittent rest, one must be committed to regular practice yet also pause to view the surrounding landscape and cleanse the soul. Often, inspiration and enlightenment during cultivation come from such moments. Not until the sun had set did Lu Yu continue towards his cave. His Cave Heaven was already a true Blessed Land by then, with its own heaven and earth inside, where exotic flowers and rare herbs were abundant. There was also a large lake lying quietly at the center of the cave, beside which grew an Innate Spirit Root—Enlightenment Tea Tree, shining radiantly. Not far off stood a row of antique wooden structures, houses with mortise and tenon construction exuding a natural beauty, blending perfectly with the surrounding environment. Lu Yu looked at the scene before him, his heart a deep well of tranquillity—the restless heart from his prolonged travels outside gradually calmed down. He slowly walked to the base of the Enlightenment Tea Tree, sat down cross-legged, and the tree swayed its branches lightly, welcoming Lu Yu home. He smiled and gently touched the tree's branches. After years of ceaseless recovery, the Enlightenment Tea Tree had long been restored. It was precisely with the help of the Enlightenment Tea that Lu Yu managed in such a short time to completely stabilize the Five Qi towards the Origin, and also to comprehend the Great Divine Power of the Illusory Flowers Reflective Moon. Soon, Liu Qingyun, with his keen senses, felt someone entering the Cave Heaven. He opened his eyes, waking from his mediation, and upon leaving his room, he saw Lu Yu sitting cross-legged by the lakeside. A look of joy spread across his face, and he strode forward, bowing deeply to Lu Yu, "Teacher, you have had a tiring journey!" Lu Yu turned his head, a kind and amiable smile on his face, and said, "Haha, although the process was quite thrilling, the outcome indeed met my expectations. On the whole, the trip was worthwhile." Upon hearing this, Liu Qingyun's face also broke into a happy expression. Since the teacher said so, it meant that his teacher's endeavor had come to a fruitful and satisfactory end, which genuinely pleased him. "Congratulations, Teacher, on achieving your desires and returning home triumphant," Liu Qingyun said with a smile, unable to hide the joy on his face. Lu Yu looked at the earnest Liu Qingyun in front of him, his heart warming. He understood why even saints deigned to take on disciples. This bond between master and pupil could bring warmth to a heart that had been cold for eons, preventing them from losing their humanity due to the erosion of time. "However, I've also completely offended our adversaries, so I'm afraid you'll have to be very careful when traveling through the Three Realms in the future," Lu Yu said with a slight sigh, though there was little regret in his heart. Not to mention that he had never revealed himself, even if the Nether River had learned it was his doing. He, now involved with the Demon Lord, had already become a target for many, likely unable to show his face in the Three Realms for a long time. The reason for saying this was merely to add a bit of pressure to his few disciples. Otherwise, at their playful age, where would they find the motivation to cultivate diligently? There wasn't the slightest trace of fear on Liu Qingyun's face; instead, there was a certain eagerness. Don't forget, he once fought and captured flags amid a million soldiers. The stronger the opponent, the more his fighting spirit was aroused. At this moment, Liu Qingyun was filled with the drive to cultivate. Lu Yu couldn't help but let out a wry laugh. It had been so long that he had almost forgotten what Liu Qingyun was like in the past. Perhaps the responsibilities of being the eldest disciple had suppressed his true nature; deep down, he was still the young general who had roamed the battlefield. Thinking of this, Lu Yu couldn't help but utter a sigh of appreciation, "These years, you've worked hard!" "Not at all, it's what I should do as a disciple." Liu Qingyun's face immediately showed a bashful smile, just like when they first met. The years had not diluted the affection between the master and disciple; on the contrary, it was like a pot of aged wine, more mellow and rich. Lu Yu smiled and shook his head. With a light wave of his hand, the Treasure Vase soared into the sky, hanging in the void. A gust of wind blew out from the mouth of the vase, and the corpses of five demons instantly appeared on the ground.