Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

The monkey reached out and picked a peach, and as he took a bite, the full-bodied juice splashed out from the corners of his mouth.

"Delicious, this is the best peach I've ever eaten!" In reality, it wasn't that the peach itself was the most delicious, but rather the warmth in his heart made the peach in his mouth taste exceptionally sweet.

Lu Yu quietly watched the monkey devouring peaches and felt a burst of joy as he saw him emerge from the shadows. After all, he had been able to help the monkey, if only slightly, but it was enough to bring him comfort.

"Although you're imprisoned here, don't let your spirits fall. Keep polishing yourself, strive to truly reach the 'Five Qi to the Origin'; otherwise, I might catch up with you," Lu Yu said casually, but in his heart he thought otherwise.

He himself had encountered continuous fortune on his journey and, with the help of the Human Path's Fortune and Destiny, had only managed to activate two of the Five Qi. Meanwhile, the monkey had also activated five Qi and even touched the threshold of the 'Five Qi to the Origin', which was quite enviable.

"Don't worry, it won't be that easy for you to catch up with me. Remember to bring some delicacies from the human realm next time. I haven't eaten them for so long that I actually miss them," said the monkey with a high fighting spirit.

"Remembered, I'll definitely bring something for you next time I come to see you." Seeing the monkey's spirit revived, Lu Yu felt very happy and promised with a smile.

It wasn't until Lu Yu bid farewell to the monkey and departed on clouds that the Mountain God and Earth God of Mount Wuzhi slowly showed themselves.

"So it was him. I heard that he battled the Third Prince on the shores of the Eastern Sea some time ago. I didn't expect him to come to Five Elements Mountain so quickly," said the Earth God, stroking his long beard.

Lu Yu was far from nameless nowadays; his battle with Nezha had become well-known, and the beings of the Three Realms were all aware that there was such a promising newcomer as Lu Yu.

"Yes, it's long been said that he has a very good relationship with the Great Saint. He's been guarding Huaguo Mountain lately, preventing those with ill intentions from entering. Now it seems their relationship is even closer than imagined."

"The Great Saint has earth-shattering abilities, which couldn't have come out of thin air. There must be a lineage of mentorship. It's likely that this person comes from the same school as the Great Saint. However, both are extremely secretive, and outsiders have no knowledge of it," the Earth God said with more years and secrets of the Three Realms at his disposal, naturally privy to such gossip.

"I wonder what kind of person could simultaneously teach two such astonishing talents," the Mountain God exclaimed with admiration.

Even though Lu Yu always considered his cultivation average, that was only when compared to someone like the monkey. Among the beings of the Three Realms, those who reached his current realm within a mere few decades were few and far between and all came from profound backgrounds, leading to widespread speculation.

"It has to be one of those great figures who stay out of worldly affairs. Who else could have such ability?" the Earth God said, and then pointed towards the heavens with his aged finger.

The Mountain God understood what the Earth God meant. Who else besides those figures would the Earth God dare not even speak their names? He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling fortunate that the Earth God had pulled him aside earlier. Otherwise, no matter how powerful that individual was, his feeble self would probably have perished right there and then.

As the new Mountain God of Mount Wuzhi, he initially harbored a slight disdain for the old Earth God. But after this incident, he recognized the old man's vast knowledge and experience. Unconsciously, he began to treat the Earth God with more respect in his words.

Meanwhile, after capturing Shencheng, Lu Zhang proceeded to march tirelessly, claiming victory after victory, and astonishingly managed to conquer the whole territory of Yonzhou in just one month.

With this achievement, Lu Zhang's name suddenly resonated throughout Great Chen. Yuzhou and Jinzhou were, after all, malarious lands with late development, not only narrow but also sparsely populated; hence, even though he had previously taken control of both provinces, in the eyes of the world, he was still just a borderland warlord.

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However, Yonzhou was entirely different, being one of the three major provinces of Great Chen, vast in land, rich in resources, and densely populated, producing talented and extraordinary individuals from ancient times to the present.

Now that Lu Zhang had seized Yonzhou and held territory across three provinces, he instantly became a force second only to the Imperial Court, leaving everyone dumbfounded and truly entering the fray for the dragon struggle.

At the moment Yonzhou fell completely under his control, Lu Zhang's fortune surged, and the Dragon Qi, which had been concealed by Lu Yu, could no longer be contained—a golden Serpent Dragon brandished its fangs and claws as it roared towards the heavens, proclaiming its existence to the whole world.

In response to the provocation of this Serpent Dragon, two more Serpent Dragons appeared in Zhongzhou, one black and one white. The white Serpent Dragon was very similar to Lu Zhang's, only differing in color, while the black one appeared bizarre, possessing the paws of a wolf, creating an incongruous sight.

In the north, a purple giant dragon also roared, but its sound betrayed exhaustion—it was the True Dragon of Fortune of Great Chen.

Ordinary mortals couldn't witness this spectacle with the naked eye, nor could they hear the roar of the Dragons of Fortune, but to Cultivators, the massive influx of fortune was so overwhelming it almost took their breath away.

Lu Yu was deep in meditation within his own retreat, having been busy with the monkey's affairs recently, he hadn't had time to tend to his hideaway, leaving only Big Black Donkey to watch over the place.

Big Black Donkey, a creature both lazy and slothful, started lazing around as soon as Lu Yu left. As a demon, it naturally didn't lack food in the woods, and without Lu Yu around to be a bother, it even managed to put on several pounds. Fortunately, it had been disciplined by Lu Yu and feared him.

Despite muttering complaints under his breath, it ultimately dared not touch the Enlightenment Tea Tree, and even with the Wang Ling Spring, it only drank from a vessel every few days as per Lu Yu's instructions.

Upon witnessing the contention of Dragon Qi from afar, it couldn't help but curse, "A few damn worms daring to disturb Black Lord's sleep, be careful, or Black Lord will eat you up, one by one." Imagining this scene, Big Black Donkey puffed out its chest, as if it truly became someone great enough to swallow a Serpent Dragon with each bite.

Lu Yu, of course, had no time to attend to this foolish creature's vanity. Watching the young but no less formidable Fortune Serpent Dragon, he clapped his hands in laughter, "Dragons battle in the wild, their blood mystical and yellow. Now is the time, good, good, good."

Now that Lu Zhang had established his foundation, it was time for the struggle of dragons. The Hidden Dragon had reached the posture of soaring into the sky; if not now, then when? Observing the roaring Fortune Serpent Dragon, Lu Yu felt extremely gratified and internally affirmed, "It is also time for a trip to the Underworld.

Now that Zhanger has established his foundation, it's time to schedule a visit to the Nether Dragon Court."

This is the greatest difference between the children of humble backgrounds and those from Noble Families. Noble Families cultivate over many years, gradually accruing both fortune and Destiny, and seizing the opportunity can soar to great heights. In the Underworld, countless ancestors manage their affairs, so such a realm, solid in foundation, often flourishes for a long time.

Whereas those from a humble background lack both fortune and Destiny, the Dragon Qi must feed on the family's fortune and Destiny for growth. Without the dominance of Dragon Qi, human lives must be sacrificed to compensate, which is often why Emperors from humble origins have unfortunate family circumstances.

Moreover, such Emperors, although they may rise to rule, lack management in the Dragon Court, resulting in insufficient fortune and, oftentimes, a shorter-lived dynasty.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om