Chapter 1 A Little Trinket?

"A little trinket?" The macaque's eyes darted around. He held the ginseng fruit with both hands and immediately prostrated himself. "This disciple dares not accept this ginseng fruit, but only wishes to become a disciple of the old immortal, to learn supernatural powers and the art of longevity."

Jiang Xuan couldn't help but smile at the macaque's words. He wasn't stupid; on the contrary, he was quite clever, possessing innate spiritual energy and making him a good seedling for cultivation. Jiang Xuan was merely using the ginseng fruit to test him, to see if he would fall for it.

"This place of mine is just a free private school. If you want to stay, I naturally won't stop you, but I can't guarantee whether you'll learn what you want to learn," Jiang Xuan said.

Upon hearing this, the macaque was overjoyed and kowtowed to Jiang Xuan, "This disciple greets Master."

"Mm." Jiang Xuan nodded and pointed to a house next to the private school, "That's where you'll live. You can choose a room for yourself."

"Yes," the macaque said respectfully, but he felt very strange in his heart: Was there such a house there just now?

Just as he was about to ask, he saw Jiang Xuan had already walked away and entered the private school.

After that, the macaque began his life at the private school. To better address him, Jiang Xuan also gave him a name: Sun Wukong.

This monkey was precisely one of the chosen ones in this world of tribulations, the future Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong.

Jiang Xuan thought it was quite interesting, after all, in the Desolate Era World, Sun Wukong was still his senior brother, but now, he had become his disciple.

However, he didn't actively teach Sun Wukong any Daoist techniques. Every day, he taught him the future scriptures and classics, written by the three schools of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism, which were the focus of Sun Wukong's current studies.

In the blink of an eye, three years passed. In the private school, a golden macaque wearing a scholar's robe looked somewhat out of place, but he truly possessed an aura of righteousness.

Jiang Xuan was happy to see this scene. What methods would a well-read and reasonable monkey use to deal with the Heavenly Court in the future?

"Today, I have an important matter to announce to everyone."

Jiang Xuan looked at the disciples in the private school and then said, "Starting today, the Scripture Pavilion will be open. From now on, you can choose the books you want to read from it, but you can only read the next book after you finish reading one and have gained something from it."

"Scripture Pavilion?"

Many disciples were very curious. Although the private school was not big, they also knew that their teacher was an extraordinary person; otherwise, some of them wouldn't be here.

As for Sun Wukong, he was also very curious.

He had been on the mountain for three years, learning various classics. At first, he was anxious and tried his best to learn the art of longevity, but gradually, he stopped being anxious.

Because he felt that he had figured out some principles. Immortality was not necessarily suitable for him. On the contrary, various classics taught him many principles, so that he was no longer a monkey who was ignorant of everything.

"I wonder what books are in the Scripture Pavilion?"

Sun Wukong thought to himself. After the class was over, he ran to the newly built Scripture Pavilion with the other fellow disciples.

There was nothing in this place yesterday, but today, a three-story pavilion had been built. However, the disciples of the private school were not surprised. After all, this wasn't the first time they had seen their teacher's magical methods.

A group of people couldn't wait to flood into the Scripture Pavilion, looking at the dazzling array of books and eagerly beginning to browse through them.

" *Yi Shou Zhe Tian* (One Hand Covering the Sky)? The name of this book is so domineering."

" *Wan Mei Ji Yuan* (Perfect Era)... What a strange name."

" *Sheng Wang Zhuan* (The Legend of the Holy King), this book title doesn't seem like our teacher's style."

A group of people browsed through various books in the Scripture Pavilion, and most people had strange expressions in their eyes.

These books were not classics from various schools. Judging from the names, they were more like vernacular novels, so they were a little confused as to why Jiang Xuan would put these books on the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion.

" *Xi You Ji* (Journey to the West)? This book..."

Sun Wukong also held a book in his hand. On the cover of this book was a strange painting: a white horse, a monk, a pig, a dark-skinned, red-faced fierce god, and a... monkey!

Looking at the monkey, Sun Wukong always had some inexplicable emotions in his heart, as if he was looking at himself.

Slowly opening the book, the first thing that caught his eye was the line "Chapter One: The Origin of the Spiritual Root Nurturing, the Cultivation of the Mind and Nature Gives Rise to the Great Dao." Then came the main text:

"Poem: Before chaos was divided, heaven and earth were in turmoil, and no one could see it in the vastness. Since Pangu broke the Hongmeng, the clear and turbid have been distinguished since then. Covering and carrying all living beings, they rely on the supreme benevolence, and all things are invented and become good. If you want to know the good fortune of the Yuan Dynasty, you must read the *Xi You Shi E Zhuan* (Journey to the West: A Tale of the Removal of Calamities)..."

Sun Wukong's mind was gradually attracted. When he saw the paragraph "Overseas there is a country called Aolai. The country is near the sea, and there is a mountain in the sea, called the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits... Seeing the wind, it transformed into a stone monkey, with complete facial features and limbs," he couldn't help but be stunned.

"Could it be that this was written by the teacher based on me as a prototype?"

Thinking of this, he felt a little happy. None of the other disciples had this kind of treatment, but he did. Doesn't this mean that he was more favored and loved by the teacher?

Thinking this way, he was even more curious about what the following content of the book was, but as he read on, he felt that the book wasn't about him.

The Sun Wukong in the book did come to the Mountain of Square Inch, but he didn't become a disciple of Jiang Xuan and learn the classics of a hundred schools, but instead became a disciple of an old immortal named Bodhi.

The name Sun Wukong was also given by the Bodhi Patriarch.

"Could it be that the teacher is called the Bodhi Patriarch?" Sun Wukong thought, but then shook his head. Although the book described the Bodhi Patriarch as having an immortal demeanor and a solemn appearance, he felt that it was definitely not Jiang Xuan.

The more he thought about it, the more curious he was about this book. He patiently read it little by little, and saw Sun Wukong learn the art of longevity and seventy-two transformations from Bodhi, and also saw Sun Wukong break into the Dragon Palace and make a scene in the Heavenly Court. Later, the Buddha of the Tathagata was introduced, who suppressed him under the Five Fingers Mountain for five hundred years.

"This Sun Wukong is very similar to the way I used to be..."

Sun Wukong thought that if it were him before reading the classics of a hundred schools, he would probably be the same as the Sun Wukong in the book, with a wildness about him. Although he was born with spiritual nature, he was ignorant of the world, unable to see the situation clearly, and unable to see the minds of the immortal gods in the Heavenly Court.

If it were him in the past, if he had learned great skills, he would probably be like the Sun Wukong in the book, relying on a sense of arrogance, and would have stormed the Hall of Universal Brightness, making a scene in the Heavenly Palace.

"However, I am not him after all."

Sun Wukong shook his head. He wasn't the ignorant, worldly ignorant Sun Wukong in the book, but the Sun Wukong who had studied the classics of a hundred schools and understood the ways of the world.

However, after seeing this, he also vaguely guessed the reason why Jiang Xuan wrote this book, perhaps to warn him to always remain calm and to know that there is always someone better.

Buzz～

Calming his mind, he continued to read the book, but slowly, a golden light appeared on his body.

"What's wrong with Junior Brother?"

"Shhh—the teacher said that Junior Brother is a born saint. Perhaps he has gained some insights after reading the books in the Scripture Pavilion."

"Are the books in the Scripture Pavilion so magical? Is this what the teacher meant by 'gained something'?"

"If that's the case, then I have to quickly comprehend this *Yi Shou Zhe Tian* (One Hand Covering the Sky)!"

The other disciples whispered to each other, and at this time, the light on Sun Wukong's body began to slowly dissipate.

A golden light flashed in his eyes, and his face suddenly became dull: "Great Celestial Art of the Golden Immortal, seventy-two transformations, thirty-six transformations, aren't these the methods of the Bodhi Patriarch?"

"These methods actually exist? And I actually read them out by reading?!" Sun Wukong's eyes were full of surprise. It was definitely not because he was powerful, but because Jiang Xuan was amazing, hiding such supernatural powers in a chapter-length novel!

"The art of longevity..." Sun Wukong looked at the book in front of him and smiled bitterly, "I didn't expect it to be so easy to obtain."

But having already obtained it, he was also happy in his heart. Moreover, since Jiang Xuan had opened the Scripture Pavilion, it meant that Jiang Xuan was willing to impart these methods to them, but whether or not they could obtain them depended on their individual fortunes.

"Could the Sun Wukong in this book be myself?" Sun Wukong looked at *Xi You Ji* (Journey to the West), with a strange look in his eyes. At first, he only thought that this was a novel that Jiang Xuan had written using his name.

But as he read on, he felt that this was less and less like a fabricated story, especially since he had also obtained the Great Celestial Art of the Golden Immortal and other cultivation methods and supernatural powers.

"But I am not the Sun Wukong in the book, and I can't possibly be as reckless as he is in the book. I think there shouldn't be any problems, right?" Sun Wukong thought, but also began to calculate.

There were too many strong people in the Heavenly Court, the Underworld, and the Western Paradise. Just from what he could see in the book, that havoc in the Heavenly Palace was more like a monkey show.

Therefore, he was not qualified to be arrogant now.

"I'll ask the teacher later." Sun Wukong thought, continued to read the book, and after that, he also obtained the Sleeve Universe supernatural power of the Earth Immortal Ancestor, Zhen Yuanzi, and the Samadhi True Fire of the Red Boy.

At this point, he reluctantly put down the book, walked out of the Scripture Pavilion, and headed to Jiang Xuan's room.

That night, Sun Wukong walked out of Jiang Xuan's room with a heavy face.

After talking with Jiang Xuan for an afternoon, he finally understood everything. Although Jiang Xuan didn't say it explicitly, he could also be sure that the monkey in *Xi You Ji* (Journey to the West) was talking about him.

That book was about his original fate trajectory.

But now it was different!

He was a disciple of Jiang Xuan, and he wasn't the ignorant and naughty Sun Wukong in the book, and he wouldn't act rashly.

"The strength of Buddhism and Daoism is very strong. Although I was born from heaven and earth, a spiritual fetus, I can't possibly compare to the extraordinary great powers in the Three Realms in a short period of cultivation."

Sun Wukong saw it very clearly. Don't look at Sun Wukong's awe-inspiring havoc in the Heavenly Palace in the book, but in reality, he didn't even come into contact with the real strong people in the Heavenly Court.

Not to mention anything else, that Jade Emperor had cultivated since childhood and had gone through one thousand seven hundred and fifty kalpas, each kalpa being one hundred and twenty-nine thousand and six hundred years. How could he easily catch up with that kind of cultivation and supernatural power?

"No, even if I become an immortal, I can't go down the mountain!"

Sun Wukong made up his mind that becoming an immortal was only the first step. To change the future, what he wanted was not just becoming an immortal.

After all, Jiang Xuan had already stated that he would not help him. If he wanted to change his original fate, he could only rely on himself.

"Well, first set a small goal: I will never go down the mountain until I become a Daluo!" This world was a world of tribulations thrown out by the Taiqing Saint, so the system standards were also based on the Upper Realm.

Of course, it was an extremely weakened version!

The Saints of Heaven and Earth were the Cosmic level, equivalent to the Great Emperors in *Zhe Tian* (Covering the Sky). In the original world of the Primordial Era, they couldn't even be considered immortal Golden Immortals.

Of course, Sun Wukong didn't know these things. He only knew that the Saint level was too difficult, and the Daluo realm was already a rare expert in the Three Realms.

When he reached that realm, even if the Heavenly Court and the West wanted to take him, it wouldn't be so easy.

Of course, this was just the first goal. After all, according to Jiang Xuan, the Saints of Heaven and Earth were just a small goal.

……

Sun Wukong had extraordinary talent. According to the description in the book: "If you obtain the Great Celestial Art of the Golden Immortal, it will be difficult to endure without a foundation. Look inward and sit with a peaceful heart, and the sun and moon in the body will intersect. Think of nothing and be completely desireless, and the six roots will be pure and the body will be strong. It is easy to return to youth, and the path to transcendence and sanctification is not far away. In three years, you will become an immortal body without leakage, unlike ordinary people who suffer."

In three years, he had indeed reached the realm of immortals in this world, but he was not satisfied with this.

In the past three years, in addition to cultivation, he would go to the Scripture Pavilion to read books. He had read all the books on the first floor, but even he could only get very few opportunities and good fortune.

However, this "very few" was compared to others.

In these three years, he obtained the Nine Secrets from *Yi Shou Zhe Tian* (One Hand Covering the Sky), the Zhu Yan precious technique and the Eight Nine Heavenly Arts from *Wan Mei Ji Yuan* (Perfect Era), and the Great Dao inheritance from *Mang Huang* (Desolate Era)...

Although he was only in the Earth Immortal realm, his strength was definitely not inferior to that of Heavenly Immortals, or even True Immortals.

"Junior Brother, Senior Brother is preparing to go down the mountain. I am preparing to hold a banquet today. You must come!" A senior brother named Wang Mang said to Sun Wukong.

He had an impression of this senior brother. It was said that he was from a noble family, and his aunt was said to be the Empress. However, after hearing the name of the Immortal Master of Fangcun Mountain, he came to be a disciple at the age of fifteen or sixteen, and had been on the mountain for more than ten years.

He also obtained some opportunities and good fortune in the Scripture Pavilion. His specialty was said to be a system called "magic," and he had already cultivated to the level of a Great Magister.

Of course, this Great Magister was only the realm of mortals after all, and was still much worse than Sun Wukong, since Sun Wukong had already reached the realm of immortals at this time.

"Senior Brother Wang is going down the mountain?"

Sun Wukong's eyes shone with golden light, and he used one of the thirty-six transformations—Knowing the Time. This kind of magic can know the laws of the operation of the Heavenly Dao, and by calculating with his fingers, he can gain insight into the secrets of heaven and be able to predict the future.

"Senior Brother, there is a word that I don't know if I should say..."

Sun Wukong said, obviously hesitant.

"Junior Brother, have you seen anything? Please speak frankly!" Wang Mang quickly said. Sun Wukong's cultivation of the seventy-two transformations had spread throughout Fangcun Mountain.

Of course, Sun Wukong hid it very deeply. Apart from Jiang Xuan, he had not revealed the slightest bit about the thirty-six transformations, the Nine Secrets, and so on.

"Senior Brother, your trip down the mountain is probably to change the world, right?" Sun Wukong said.

When Wang Mang heard this, he was not too surprised, but asked, "Junior Brother is right. Looking at Junior Brother's expression, could it be that my trip down the mountain will not be successful?"

"No, you can succeed, but... you will encounter a nemesis, resulting in a short dynasty." Sun Wukong said bluntly.