Bodhi Patriarch's attire resembled that of a proper Daoist cultivator, making it impossible for anyone to deduce that he was a severed incarnation of the Buddha Mother.
"There's no need to be polite, Nephew. My visit today is also for this monkey."
The monkey had just been born, and Bodhi Patriarch ca to take a look. He was quite pleased with the monkey—not only were its spirituality, aptitude, and root bone exceptional, but it also had an innocent heart akin to Jin Can Zi.
Such individuals in the mortal world either remain untainted or transcend worldly attachnts. These are the people regarded as possessing great wisdom.
The Patriarch was certainly planning to take the monkey as his disciple, but not yet. A sincere request for ntorship carries far more significance than a ntorship imposed on soone, after all.
Moreover, the monkey still needed to train in the Mortal World for a ti. The journey to retrieve the scriptures required authenticity, not staged performances by the privileged offspring of mighty sects—even though the entire endeavor was undoubtedly a grand spectacle designed for the Three Realms.
This process was also a form of refinent for the stone monkey.
Nonetheless, Bodhi Patriarch realized a problem: how could he justifiably teach the monkey without suspicion? Considering the monkey's intelligence, once it learned about its background, the ensuing drama would be much harder to orchestrate.
Nezha thought about this issue for a mont and then said, "Uncle, how about this idea?"
Nezha rattled on, explaining the concept of a "Bodhi mini-classroom," and finally asked, "Uncle, do you want to make so money?"
With other Saints, Nezha wouldn't even dare to ask such a question, but with Saint Zhunti? Such discussions seed feasible—the man's predilection for pocketing anything for himself was practically ingrained. Bodhi Patriarch wasn't embarrassed at all and nodded, signaling Nezha to continue explaining.
Nezha's proposal was quite straightforward: since the script had to be perford anyway, why not just bring in so actual students?
First, paying a tuition fee for attending a Saint's class wouldn't be unreasonable. This opportunity would be worth bankrupting entire clans.
Second, staged performances are bound to have flaws. As the monkey's cultivation advanced, it might expose the ruse. Instead, why not invite real paying students to join the act?
Third, it would also serve as a public declaration: the monkey is a Saint's disciple. While the monkey itself might remain unaware, others should avoid going too far in their attacks—after all, harming the monkey would an confronting the master.
The Western Sect's teaching style differed from the East and resembled the format of university lectures. Bodhi Patriarch had no objections to simultaneously teaching others; after all, guiding a group wasn't much harder than guiding an individual. Plus, it would generate inco—a concept he found quite appealing.
He glanced at Nezha with so regret. The boy had chosen Nuwa as his teacher early on; had Nezha been his own disciple, the Western Sect wouldn't have been so impoverished, forcing him to constantly wander just to seek resources.
Bodhi Patriarch murmured "Good" and gave Nezha a jade talisman, which contained the spatial coordinates of Fangcun Mountain. Saint Zhunti, who created the Handheld Buddha Country—a Great Divine Power—was leagues ahead of Nezha in the Space Dao.
Fangcun Mountain was a small realm that continuously drifted through space. If the Patriarch wanted you to find it, you could locate it anywhere. If he didn't want you to find it, you could search the entire Primordial world to no avail.
After finalizing matters, Bodhi Patriarch departed, waiting for the monkey to co and formally seek discipleship.
Guanyin prepared to return to Lingshan to report. She had spent considerable ti observing the Divine Stone and had grown fond of the monkey, but ultimately wouldn't dare to compete with a Saint for discipleship.
As for the monkey's demonic tendencies, at least for now, it appeared entirely normal, showing no signs of falling into demonic ways—a state likely attributable to Guanyin's constant chanting and purification efforts.
This approach aligned with Buddhism's teachings: sincerity of the heart leads to results.
"Don't worry, Sister. You'll et him again in the future."
Guanyin nodded and left, riding on a cloud. Over the years, thanks to abundant resources and the assistance of Incense Fire rit, her cultivation had progressed rapidly. This ti, with a period of secluded cultivation, she might even regain her Daluo Golden Immortal level.
Having once reached the Daluo realm, regaining it now—with enough effort and wealth—wasn't as challenging as it might seem.
After Guanyin left, Nezha took one last glance before departing as well. The monkey had its own journey to walk as a Saint's disciple—it didn't need the protection of a Monkey Sect. The key was simply to give it a push at opportune monts.
In truth, the monkey indeed needed no guardianship. At Huaguo Mountain, it was inherently a strong presence. Although the stone monkey initially faced so isolation from the monkey tribe, it quickly earned their recognition after displaying its strength a few tis.
Ma General and Rice Debiao soon learned about the exceptional stone monkey. Among wild monkeys, strength wasn't particularly high, and their dominance here owed largely to their unity—unity, and more unity.
The stone monkey quickly rose within the ranks of the monkey tribe, eventually joining the core circle and learning many practical skills from the two elders.
Though Ma General and Rice Debiao were demons, their cultivation wasn't strong. The main reason was their lack of proper cultivation techniques—a pervasive issue among Demon Clan mbers. Their longevity even now was thanks to Nezha's Flat Peach Core.
The elderly tend to reminisce and embellish their stories—and monkeys were no exception. Their tales weren't plentiful but captivated the tribe, whose entertainnt options were limited.
"Back in the day, the two of us were enslaved by a Demon Dragon. That beast was ferocious—how many of ours did it devour? We clawed at it fiercely but made one wrong move. Fortunately, an immortal saved us."
"Thanks to the immortal who slayed the Demon Dragon, we were able to thrive. That immortal lived in the rear mountain, in a cave behind the waterfall. However, we never managed to communicate with that immortal again, and it's been years since they left."
Ma General, ever honest, interrupted Rice Debiao's boasting and exposed him. "What nonsense are you talking about? Back then, weren't we just little monsters serving food to others?"
Rice Debiao, having been exposed more than once by the old comrade, felt indignant.
"Ma General, are you trying to ruin again? Co on, let's spar right now!"
"A spar? Fine! Do you think I'm afraid of you?"
With that, the two old monkeys readied themselves: one struck a clawing pose, the other clenched its fists in a stance of offense.
The stone monkey observed the pair. Although their aggressive posturing was amusing, he doubted they could even withstand two punches from him. Yet, instead of embarrassing them, he tactfully said, "Elders, your contributions to the strength of the tribe have made you heroes."
The two monkeys, ready to fight monts earlier, blushed deeply. In a tribe of monkeys, they were unused to such praise.
Rice Debiao looked at the stone monkey and said, "Kid, you've got a bright future. Let tell you—the fact that we've lasted this long is thanks to the Immortal Peach Tree over there. See that spot? That was the immortal's residence. It's said that their scriptures are inside, and with them, one can ascend to immortality!"
Rice Debiao gestured dramatically toward the center of the waterfall.
Ma General pushed Rice Debiao aside with honesty: "Good boy, he's not lying about this. The two of us are too old; you should train diligently, eat plenty, and soday, you'll definitely get in."
The stone monkey could sense the elders' well-aning goodwill but, driven by innate determination, he asked, "What if I go in now?"
Rice Debiao couldn't stand an overly confident monkey trying to outshine him, so he retorted, "If you can get in now, we'll make you the Monkey King!"
Ma General hurried to intervene: "Good boy, you're still young. Don't listen to this old rogue. Train for two more years, and you'll surely make it. There's no rush—this waterfall has fierce currents. Fail and you'll end up cracked in the head!"
The stone monkey tilted his head. "I'll go now!"
The other monkeys, eager to witness drama, hurriedly followed.
"Co watch—the new stone monkey is taking on the waterfall challenge!"
"Co and see—the new monkey is jumping into the water!"
Confident and undeterred, the stone monkey took the lead, puffing up his chest as he brought the entire crowd to the cliffside.
Focusing his gaze and gathering Spirit Light, he noticed a faintly visible cave behind the waterfall.
"This monkey king will undoubtedly be !" the stone monkey thought.
In truth, Nezha had crafted this mountain cave without intending to make it difficult for the monkey. Even without cultivation, the monkey's attributes allowed it to jump over with ease.
The stone monkey indeed leaped effortlessly, crossing the waterfall's turbulent stream and landing inside the cave.
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