Jiang Tong'er received the order from the Grandmaster and took the Fire Dates from the quiet room, returning to the pavilion.
The Grandmaster proposed holding a 'Dharma Assembly' to discuss the Dao with Zhen Yuanzi.
Jiang Yuan and the two Daoist boys then arranged the tables and chairs, setting up the Dan Pan and preparing two seats on either side.
The Grandmaster led Tong'er to sit on the right seat, while Zhen Yuanzi took the two Daoist boys to the left seat.
Zhen Yuanzi looked at the Dan Pan filled with Fire Dates and pointed at the Grandmaster, laughing, "Puti, you are quite generous, bringing so many dates."
The Grandmaster chuckled, "Since you have come to congratulate me, how could I not be generous?"
Zhen Yuanzi replied, "Alright, alright! Since you are generous, I shall add a little something."
With that, the Great Immortal waved his sleeve, and four fruits fell into the Dan Pan.
The Great Immortal took one, the Grandmaster took one, Jiang Tong'er took one, and the two Daoist boys shared the last one.
Jiang Yuan looked down and saw that this was indeed a True Immortal Fruit, resembling an infant not yet three days old, with all four limbs and complete facial features.
The fragrance of the fruit made his mud palace tremble, refreshing his spirit and strengthening his body, clearing his spiritual platform; it was truly a treasure.
Seeing this fruit, he understood in his heart that this was the 'Ginseng Fruit.'
The Grandmaster said, "Zhen Yuanzi, could it be that your spiritual root has borne fruit?"
Zhen Yuanzi nodded and stroked his beard, smiling, "Indeed, it has produced thirty fruits!"
The Grandmaster turned to Tong'er and said with a smile, "Tong'er, you should thank Zhen Yuanzi. This fruit is rare, born from a celestial root, known as 'Ginseng Fruit' or 'Herbal Return Elixir,' and it is indeed a celestial treasure.
This fruit blooms once every three thousand years, bears fruit once every three thousand years, and takes another three thousand years to ripen. It can fall when encountering metal, wither when encountering wood, dissolve when encountering water, char when encountering fire, and enter the earth when encountering soil.
It must be collected with divine abilities, or struck down with a golden tool, which is the most convenient. It has miraculous effects; just smelling it can extend life by three hundred sixty years, and eating one can grant forty-seven thousand years of life."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan stood up and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Great Immortal!"
Zhen Yuanzi said, "Why bow to me? This is a Dharma Assembly; you should savor the flavor."
The Grandmaster smiled and gestured for Jiang Yuan to sit down.
Just as Jiang Yuan sat down, he gazed at the 'Ginseng Fruit' in the pan, knowing that if he ate this fruit, he would live for forty-seven thousand years.
The longevity he had once sought was now within easy reach.
How could he not be moved? However, he was on the verge of achieving the True Dao, and immortality was near; this fruit was both essential and dispensable for him.
Yet, he did not rush to consume it.
He sat cross-legged on the mat, waiting for the Grandmaster and the Great Immortal to discuss the Dao and share insights.
This fruit could grant him forty-seven thousand years of life, but when his Dan was complete, he would share the same lifespan as the heavens, achieving longevity.
The Grandmaster noticed Tong'er's disposition and secretly nodded in approval.
The Great Immortal also admired Tong'er, praising him.
When he saw the two Daoist boys, they were gulping down the Herbal Return Elixir, each consuming it without even savoring the taste, finishing it in one go.
He shook his head helplessly, thinking, "I need to go to the Southern Zhanbu Continent to see if there are any individuals like Puti Tong'er. My Wanshou Mountain's Wuzhuang Temple is not far from the Southern Zhanbu Continent."
Having thought this, the Great Immortal and the Grandmaster began to discuss the Dao.
As Jiang Yuan listened to the teachings, he summoned his Yuan Shen to assist him, grasping the profound principles.
The Great Immortal was indeed a remarkable figure, imparting the Taiyi Xuanmen teachings, which were said to align with the world and the sovereign.
The Dao was profound, and the Xuan method was boundless.
The Grandmaster was no less impressive, and the two of them complemented each other perfectly, discussing the Dao and the Buddha, how the word 'Xuan' deserved to be praised.
...
Time truly flew by; the Dharma Assembly was not something that could be dispersed in a day or two, and before they knew it, twenty years had passed.
Zhen Yuanzi and the Grandmaster had been discussing the Dao without pause.
At first, Jiang Yuan was able to comprehend, but as the discussion reached the halfway point, he found it increasingly difficult to grasp the profound principles, and he could not understand much of what was said.
Looking at Zhen Yuanzi and the two Daoist boys, they were drowsy, their minds restless, and their Yuan Shen not manifesting; how could they hear the wonderful sounds?
After twenty years, Zhen Yuanzi and the Grandmaster finally stopped their teachings and dispersed the Dharma Assembly.
Zhen Yuanzi said, "In the past, when I discussed the Dao with you, you only understood two methods: the Dao and the Buddha. This time, how have you come to understand four methods?"
The Grandmaster smiled and said, "The other two methods are Confucianism and Zen. The Confucian teachings are learned from this child and combined with the teachings of the Southern Zhanbu Continent, focusing on propriety, virtue, and governance. The Zen is also created by this child; it is the Buddha's teachings, focusing on awakening."
Zhen Yuanzi was astonished, speechless, and said, "Your disciple has truly received your true teachings!"
The Grandmaster smiled without speaking.
Jiang Yuan bowed and expressed, "Thank you for your teachings, Master."
Zhen Yuanzi pointed at Jiang Yuan and said, "Puti, you have such a disciple; it truly makes me envious, very envious!"
The Grandmaster replied, "It is the result of the Dao."
Zhen Yuanzi was envious but knew that this was Puti's beloved disciple, and there was no talk of changing allegiances.
He could only give up and left with the two Daoist boys, calling on the Grandmaster to visit Wuzhuang Temple often.
The Grandmaster nodded in agreement.
After sending Zhen Yuanzi away, the Grandmaster returned with Tong'er to the pavilion and sat on the mat.
The Grandmaster said, "Zhen Yuanzi is not weak; he is known as the Ancestor of Earth Immortals. In the future, when you have leisure time, you should interact with him more and not become estranged."
Jiang Yuan replied, "Understood."
The Grandmaster pointed to the Herbal Return Elixir on the table and said, "There are two pieces of Herbal Return Elixir here; you should eat them both."
It turned out that the Grandmaster had not eaten the Ginseng Fruit and left it for Tong'er.
Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "Master, why say such things? I serve you as a father; I have not shown filial piety, and you have worried about me greatly. How can I eat the Herbal Return Elixir? It should be for you to eat."
The Grandmaster said, "This fruit is of no use to me."
Jiang Yuan replied, "Master, why say this? I am about to complete my Dan, and I too seek immortality. This fruit is just to quench your thirst."
The Grandmaster said, "Child, do you know what the Herbal Return Elixir tastes like?"
Jiang Yuan laughed and said, "Master, if it is about taste and appetite, I have various methods; how could I lack the Herbal Return Elixir?"
The Grandmaster pointed at Tong'er and laughed, "You are truly a difficult child to teach! Fine, if you do not want to eat, then do not eat. You are on the verge of completing your Dan, focusing on alchemy is also a good thing."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan knelt before the Grandmaster and said, "I hope Master will show mercy and teach me the two secrets of the Dao: 'Gathering Herbs'!"
The Grandmaster personally helped Tong'er up and said, "Gathering herbs, as you say, is easy. This herb is not the same as others; gathering it outside is in vain. Even those who kick the heavens and play in wells, traveling from the North Sea in the morning to Cangwu in the evening, cannot obtain this herb. This is because this herb is within the body!"
Jiang Yuan asked, "Master, is this method related to the five people?"
The Grandmaster nodded and smiled, "Indeed! Gathering herbs is not something you do alone; it requires five people to gather. If the five are not united, it will be difficult to gather. If you teach your mind and spirit to gather herbs, it will be arduous, as the five will disturb you, and the two spirits will block your path."
Jiang Yuan understood and asked again, "Master, my功果 is complete; how should I gather herbs?"
The Grandmaster said, "Gathering herbs involves four types of herbs: one is 'Black Essence,' one is 'Rabbit Marrow,' one is 'Wood Liquid,' and one is 'Gold Essence.' Then, let Huang Po mix them together, and only then will the gathering of herbs be successful. The gathering of herbs here requires precise measurements; not too much, not too little. If you have one more grain or one less grain, your Dan path will be difficult to complete, and your功果 will be ruined. However, with the help of five people, it will be easy; just measure according to the weights."
Jiang Yuan pondered for a long time.
The four types of herbs should correspond to fire, water, wood, and metal.
How could five people gather them? There was no need for him to worry, but how would he measure the weights?
This herb was the medicine within the body; how could it be measured? He did not know and thus asked the Grandmaster...
(End of Chapter)