It is said that Jiang Tong'er fought against the two gods and obtained the location of the Yi Ma within the Kidney Water.
He did not stop for a moment, focusing his mind and spirit into the Kidney Water, intending to subdue the Yi Ma.
As his mind entered the Kidney Water, he saw the Kidney manifesting as black water, resembling the waves of the great sea, rolling and surging, filled with peril.
Within the water, there was a pavilion, and in the pavilion, a shadow could be faintly seen, which was the Yi Ma.
If he could capture the Yi Ma, wouldn’t that mean he had successfully subdued it? How could Jiang Yuan believe this?
He had searched for the Yi Ma for over forty years, and now that he had caught a glimpse of it, how could he simply capture it?
Jiang Yuan sensed that there would definitely be changes, but he needed to see the Yi Ma to know how to summon it.
Thinking of this, Tong'er called upon the Heart Monkey.
Just as he was about to summon the Heart Monkey into the black water to see the Yi Ma, he suddenly felt that the Heart Monkey was unwilling.
There is a saying: "The Five Elements restrain each other."
The Heart Monkey belongs to fire, while the Yi Ma belongs to water.
The Heart Monkey could restrain the Yi Ma, but it was reluctant to enter the water.
“Golden Lord, come quickly!”
Jiang Yuan had a flash of inspiration and called for the Golden Lord to come.
Upon seeing the black water in his Kidney, the Yin and Yang Pearls came from the Lung Palace and fell here, enhancing the might of the black and white fish.
The black fish received a white pearl, which caused it to spit out the pearl.
The white pearl spun and exhaled a clear breath, separating the black water.
This was due to the Golden Lord's ability to make water and fire keep their distance.
The pavilion in the water revealed a pathway, and the shadow showed its true form.
Tong'er focused his mind and saw that the shadow was a black snake, with wings growing from its back, looking astonishing.
The black snake, seeing the black water separate, lunged towards the black and white fish with the momentum of a thunderbolt, wanting to swallow them.
The black and white fish fought with the black snake, gaining the momentum from the Golden Lord, gambling in the Kidney Water.
Jiang Yuan was startled.
How could he have thought that the Yi Ma's temperament was so violent, clashing with the Heart Monkey and the Golden Lord? After watching the gambling match for a long time, he recalled the teachings of his ancestor and the spells of the Dao, intending to tame this fierce horse.
With the blessing of the spell, the might of the black and white fish surged, beating the black snake until it became weak and disappeared into the black water.
Jiang Yuan called back his troops, summoned the Heart Monkey, and returned the Golden Lord to his position.
He felt a sudden clarity, knowing how to subdue the Yi Ma.
Among the five, the Heart Monkey relied on a firm foundation to temper its temperament.
The Golden Lord relied on fire to forge its form.
The Yi Ma relied on being beaten; the fierce horse was impatient and yearned for strength to be tamed.
He needed to frequently seek the Yi Ma, taming it daily.
Over time, with the Yi Ma under control, it could serve as a tool for his primordial spirit.
In subduing the Yi Ma, both the Heart Monkey and the Golden Lord needed to exert their strength.
The Heart Monkey had methods to subdue dragons and tigers, while the Golden Lord had the ability to separate water and fire.
Jiang Yuan was overjoyed, dancing with excitement.
Three of the five should return to their positions; how could he not be happy?
The ancestor had said that when the five returned to their positions, he would pass on the true method of the Golden Pill.
Once he formed the Golden Pill and attained true longevity, he would no longer suffer the pains of life and death, would not return to Yan Jun's grasp, and would not need the Tai Xuan talisman to bind his life.
Jiang Yuan felt at ease, knowing that he could achieve his Dao.
...
Time truly flies; three years passed.
Jiang Tong'er sought the horse daily to tame it, hoping to gain the Yi Ma's assistance soon.
During the day, besides taming the Yi Ma, he listened to the ancestor expound on the Dao and scriptures.
Additionally, he had invitations from his junior brothers, sometimes discussing the Dao together.
On this day, as spring turned to summer, Jiang Yuan was invited by Zhen Jian to sit beneath the old cypress tree in the Three Star Immortal Cave for a discussion.
Once Zhen Jian sat down, he was overjoyed, shaking his head and saying, “Senior brother, Master taught me a method, and I have learned it!”
Jiang Yuan knew that this junior brother had indeed cultivated a side path.
After a year of cultivation, he smiled and said, “When Master taught you the method, I had not yet arrived. What method did you cultivate, junior brother?”
Zhen Jian beamed, saying, “Master passed on to me the true Dao! It is the method of the ‘Shu’ character, and I have cultivated a talisman; it is remarkable, truly remarkable!”
Jiang Tong'er could not see that his junior brother was eager to show off his skills.
He said, “Have you truly succeeded?”
Zhen Jian laughed, “I have succeeded! Now my talisman is fully prepared. Please, senior brother, give me a topic, and I will draw a talisman!”
Jiang Yuan said, “In that case, draw a ‘Life’ talisman, how about that?”
Upon hearing this, Zhen Jian returned to the quiet room to cleanse himself, took out a scripture, gathered cinnabar, water brush, and paperweights, and under the old cypress tree, he mixed soil and burned incense, jumping and singing before finally putting pen to paper.
After completing the drawing, half a day passed.
Zhen Jian took a talisman and handed it to Jiang Yuan, saying, “Senior brother, this talisman has the power of life, protecting a person for a year from being invaded by diseases! It belongs to the ‘Life’ talisman category.”
Jiang Yuan accepted it, nodding in appreciation, “Junior brother, you are remarkable.”
The method of the ‘Shu’ character indeed had talismanic effects, which was not incorrect.
Zhen Jian had now cultivated the method and could not draw a Tai Xuan Pure Life talisman.
Having such skill in drawing talismans was already rare.
Zhen Jian laughed, “Senior brother, I have yet to ask what method you are cultivating.”
Jiang Yuan said, “I am cultivating the Golden Pill Dao. I have not yet succeeded, so I do not have any power.”
Upon hearing this, Zhen Jian felt somewhat comforted, secretly delighted, thinking that he had a talent that his senior brother did not possess, and he certainly did not understand what the Golden Pill Dao was about.
He continued, “Senior brother, when Master next expounds on the Dao, I should speak to him about descending the mountain.”
Jiang Yuan advised, “Junior brother, you have just cultivated a method; why not stay in the Three Star Cave for a few more years?”
Zhen Jian shook his head and did not listen.
Jiang Yuan had no choice but to give up.
It truly was that “the Heart Monkey is unsettled, the two gods are confused; how can one recognize the true wondrous Dao of longevity when one’s heart is solely focused on the left-hand path?”
...
Within a ten-day period, the ancestor ascended the platform and called the disciples of the Immortal Cave to gather and expound on the Dao and scriptures.
Aside from Jiang Yuan and Zhen Jian, there were two other disciples, one from the Western Niu Hezhou with the Dharma name ‘Zhen Qing’ and the other from the Southern Zhanbu Continent with the Dharma name ‘Zhen Yang.’
After the ancestor finished expounding on the Dao and scriptures, Zhen Jian indeed knelt down, stating that he had achieved full results and wished to descend the mountain.
The ancestor had countless disciples, and upon hearing Zhen Jian say this, naturally agreed and permitted him to descend the mountain.
Zhen Jian was overjoyed, bowing in gratitude before exiting the Yao Platform.
The other two disciples also left.
Only Jiang Yuan and the ancestor remained on the platform.
The ancestor asked, “Tong'er, how do you view Zhen Jian's abilities?”
Jiang Yuan nodded and said, “If he can focus his heart and achieve a proper fruit, Zhen Jian’s Heart Monkey is unsettled, making it difficult for him to succeed.”
The ancestor said, “Though the left-hand path may seem like ‘a pillar in the wall’ or ‘a mud brick at the kiln head,’ there is indeed a proper fruit to cultivate. If a disciple cultivates the left-hand path with an unsettled heart, it is easy to use the left-hand path for evil, thus making it difficult to achieve the proper fruit.”
In the Dao character path, there are three hundred sixty side paths, and each side path has a proper fruit.
If a learner’s Heart Monkey is settled and they diligently cultivate good deeds, they may achieve the proper fruit in the years to come.
However, those who study the side paths often have unsettled hearts, leading to calamities.
Jiang Yuan asked, “Master, if one cultivates the side path, is it only necessary to settle the Heart Monkey, without needing the other four?”
The ancestor nodded and said, “Exactly! How does Tong'er wish to cultivate the side path? You have already summoned two, and the Yi Ma is not far from returning. If you were to cultivate the side path, the proper fruit of the side path would be within reach.”
The left-hand path is effective quickly; after three to five years, one can see initial results.
The Golden Pill Dao is difficult to summon five, with many tribulations.
Even if the five return to their positions, they would only have small magical powers, not achieving the Dao, and would not gain true strength.
Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, “Disciple only wishes to cultivate true longevity and achieve true completeness.”
The ancestor stepped down from the platform, smiling, “The true Dao is difficult to achieve and difficult to cultivate. Along the way to success, demons and monsters obstruct, the two gods block, and the heavens and earth are difficult to accommodate, making it easy to abandon it. However, if you can achieve it one day, when the pill is formed, and your law nature is profound, and your roots are solid, you will make demons and evil spirits lose their courage, eliminate strange creatures, and terrify ghosts and gods, living in harmony with the heavens.”
Jiang Yuan bowed deeply, “Disciple has received your teachings.”
(End of Chapter)