Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

"Don't blame the mentor; he was manifested from a great power's dream and wasn't free. Only after you left did he gradually have a life of his own. Sadly, all dreams must come to an end!" Lu Yu also sighed deeply, feeling nostalgic for that mentor, a fleeting presence in this world.

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"Manifested from a dream, what a person he must be, to have such Divine Skills!" Monkey was shocked by Lu Yu's words. He had thought the mentor was someone from the Western Sect impersonating, never imagining it was merely someone's dream.

"Ineffable, ineffable! Speaking of such a person would surely evoke a response," Lu Yu guessed, truly frightened by the capabilities of such great powers.

"Hehe, I wonder what is special about me, Lao Shun, to have such great powers carefully scheming. Scholar, you wouldn't happen to know something, would you?" Monkey gazed eagerly at Lu Yu, hoping to get some answers from him.

"I don't yet know the deep-seated reasons, but they seem to want you to escort someone to the Great Thunderclap Monastery." After much deliberation, Lu Yu decided to reveal some information to Monkey, to prevent him from sinking into despair.

"Very well, if that is the case, I will follow their wishes and repay this teaching karma," Monkey said with a cold laugh.

"You need not lament; all beings are pawns, only differing in significance. Some, who desire to be pawns, don't even have the qualifications. Besides, those beings always consider karma in their actions. Since they have given you this task, they will naturally provide benefits.

Rather, you should be alert and seize these opportunities to escape this chessboard," Lu Yu warned gently, concerned that Monkey might take things to extremes.

"Scholar, don't worry, I won't act rashly!" Monkey replied, understanding Lu Yu's concerns and comforting him in return.

"As long as you think this way, that's good. Don't miss the opportunity and regret it later. Observing Mount Wuzhi will help your development of the Five Qi," Lu Yu said.

In Lu Yu's eyes, Mount Wuzhi held the essence of the Five Elements—metal, wood, water, fire, earth—constantly generating life. The Five Qi naturally formed its own heavens and earth; it was like a world pressing down upon Monkey. This pressure was also an opportunity, a guidance on the path of cultivation for Monkey's future, as if someone had placed the answer to a problem right before his eyes.

Monkey had already touched the threshold of the Five Qi. By using it as a reference to adjust his own Five Qi, he could stabilize his internal cosmos, laying a solid foundation for his cultivation to produce the supreme spiritual blossoms.

"Don't worry, Lao Shun won't miss such an opportunity," Monkey said, though he felt somewhat insecure inside. If it weren't for Lu Yu coming to resolve his doubts, it might have taken him a long time to calm his mind and realize this chance.

"By the way, when I came to see you, your little monkeys entrusted me with something for you." Saying this, he pulled out a gourd and handed it to Monkey.

Upon opening the gourd and taking a deep breath, Monkey's face was filled with bliss. This familiar scent brought back memories of his days at Huaguo Mountain.

"Monkey Wine? It's been such a long time since I last had it," Monkey exclaimed with joy, but his face soon showed a tinge of sadness as he remembered his current plight.

"Scholar, are my monkeys and monkey grandchildren still well? When I was taken to the Heavenly Court, I saw Heavenly Soldiers setting fire to Huaguo Mountain. I still wonder about their situation. Please, could you look after them from time to time?"

"With me here, aren't you reassured? I have arranged everything properly. After all, you've never sought my help so earnestly before!"

After finishing, Lu Yu recounted the events of the recent past and cautioned the Monkey, "No matter what, you've owed favors to Yang Jian and Ao Guang, you must remember that."

"Of course, I, Lao Shun, will repay these favors to them sooner or later."

The two chatted intermittently, as if they had returned to those years on Mount Fangcun. However, as time went on, Lu Yu eventually had to say goodbye. After all, the Monkey was still a fugitive. Although the Immortal Gods turned a blind eye, Lu Yu dared not overstep, as it would make returning in the future inconvenient.

The Monkey naturally knew that Lu Yu had to leave and showed a reluctant expression, but still, he tried to squeeze out a smile and said, "Speaking of which, I have something fun to give you."

As Lu Yu looked on puzzled, the Monkey pulled out two little insects from his ears and handed them to Lu Yu with a smile, saying, "These are good things, Lao Shun relied on these little creatures to create havoc at the Peaches of Immortality banquet."

After speaking, he looked at Lu Yu proudly and said, "Guess what these are."

Lu Yu, observing the Monkey, who had gone from forlorn to mischievously grinning, felt a surge of joy. The Monkey was still the Monkey; such changes hadn't defeated him. In no time, he had moved past his previous emotions. Looking at that funny monkey face, Lu Yu couldn't help saying without enthusiasm, "They must be Sleepy Worms, right?"

The Monkey, hearing Lu Yu so certain in his reply, was speechless. Though he knew his friend was knowledgeable, he hadn't expected him to identify them so quickly, and said in consternation, "You could guess that? That's so boring."

However, turning his head, he began to boast again, "These things were hard to come by. I won them from the Growth King, but that stingy guy only gave me these larvae instead of the mother insect. Still, these creatures are really useful and fun. Now that I'm trapped here, living like a caged bird, I can't use them, so I might as well give them to you."

The Monkey was indifferent, but Lu Yu was deeply touched. Whatever good things the Monkey got, he never forgot to share with him.

Receiving the Sleepy Worms, he said, "I've heard of this guy's reputation. I think it's a kind of Gu Insect. Just recently, I acquired a book on how to cultivate Gu Insects. Perhaps in a few years, I'll be able to deduce the technique to raise these insects."

The Monkey's eyes lit up on hearing this. "That's great, just make sure to share some with me when the time comes." The Monkey genuinely liked the Sleepy Worms and eagerly asked for some upon hearing Lu Yu might figure out how to cultivate them.

Lu Yu smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't forget you. Since you've given me a gift, I should also give you something."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Under the curious gaze of the Monkey, Lu Yu took out the peach pit left over from eating the Peaches of Immortality and planted it not far in front of the Monkey. He poured a little Divine Water and silently recited a spell. Soon, they saw a sprout break through the soil and instantly grow into a peach tree, bursting into blooms that covered the branches.

Shortly after, the flowers gave way to fruit, and a few Peaches of Immortality, white with blushes of red, hung from the branches.

This was a Divine Skill that Lu Yu deduced after stimulating Wood Qi. His original intention was to deduce a spell that made flowers bloom instantly, but in the end, he only managed a semi-finished product, which could be accomplished only with the help of Divine Water. However, the resulting Peaches of Immortality were still of superior quality.

While they couldn't compare to the genuine article, it was understandable as the Jade Emperor wouldn't have treasured them so highly if they were so easy to grow.