It is said that Jiang Tong'er left Wanshou Mountain's Wuzhuang Temple, with his heart set on returning to Fangcun Mountain.
After enduring the scorching summer days and the frost of autumn, he finally returned home.
He rode a white deer up the mountain, nearing the Sanxing Cave, and joyfully thought to himself that he would finally see the Grandmaster.
He dismounted the white deer and gently patted its body.
Jiang Yuan said, "You have accompanied me on this long journey of ten thousand miles. I remember this matter. Now that we are returning to the mountain, you should go and cultivate in the mountains. If anyone dares to bully you, just come to me for justice."
The white deer nuzzled against Tong'er and let out a cry.
In the blink of an eye, it vanished into the mountains.
Jiang Yuan then entered the Sanxing Immortal Cave and walked along the path, only to see one junior disciple performing a ceremony while another was giving a lecture.
There were about thirty or forty people, quite lively, most of whom were unfamiliar faces.
The disciples in the Sanxing Immortal Cave had been passed down from generation to generation.
As he observed, he found that most of them were restless and unfocused, not resembling true cultivators at all.
Jiang Yuan sighed inwardly but did not stop, heading straight for the Yao Platform.
Suddenly, a voice called out, and someone blocked his path.
"Senior Brother."
Jiang Tong'er looked up closely and saw it was his junior disciple Zhen Jian.
He said, "Junior Brother."
Zhen Jian approached and bowed, saying, "Senior Brother! It has been several decades since we last parted. Where have you been? It worries me greatly. If Master had not told me that you were well, I would truly be restless!"
Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "I have been visiting famous mountains and have just returned. Do not worry, Junior Brother. I wonder which generation of disciples is currently in the sect? I do not recognize anyone."
Zhen Jian replied, "Senior Brother, disciples come and go in the sect, and many familiar faces have left. Master has twelve generations of disciples, with the phrase 'Vast Wisdom, True Nature of the Sea of Reality, Enlightenment and Complete Awareness.' Currently, we are in the 'Ying' generation, which is the ninth generation."
Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "Thank you for clarifying, Junior Brother. I must go to pay my respects to Master. We can talk more on another day."
Zhen Jian stepped aside and said, "Senior Brother, please go ahead!"
Jiang Yuan walked directly towards the Yao Platform.
When he arrived, he did not see the Grandmaster seated high above.
He turned towards the small path behind the platform and, after a short while, arrived at the quiet chamber.
He looked up and saw that the door to the quiet chamber was wide open, and the Grandmaster was curled up on the bed, sleeping soundly.
Jiang Tong'er gently lifted his dust whisk, brushed off his robe, and carefully approached the door of the Grandmaster's quiet chamber, kneeling there and waiting patiently for the Grandmaster to awaken, neither hurried nor anxious.
Before long, the Grandmaster stretched his legs, donned his robe, sat cross-legged, and looked at Jiang Yuan, saying, "Tong'er, when did you return? Why did you not wake me?"
Jiang Yuan shook his head and smiled, "Master, I have only just returned. Seeing you sleeping peacefully, how could I dare to disturb you? I was waiting for you to awaken."
Hearing this, the Grandmaster was very pleased and thought to himself, "I am glad not only because this child is filial, but also because his nurturing skills have reached fruition. This path has all five steps complete, and the fusion is quite easy. The elixir is about to be formed, and Tong'er has not become arrogant. If he were to become proud at this stage, it would surely ruin his cultivation."
Jiang Yuan said, "Master, I have successfully completed my nurturing skills!"
The Grandmaster replied, "I expected this! Tong'er, you are about to form your elixir. Is there any change in the mountain's defenses?"
Jiang Yuan said, "There have been no changes. The Great Immortal Zhenyuan has been away from the mountain for over seventy years, and I have been guarding it in his stead. For a while, there were some demon evils invading the mountain, but they were all repelled by me. When the Great Immortal Zhenyuan returned, he encountered the eighty-one difficulties at the double-foot acupoint and could not advance. The Great Immortal assisted me in my cultivation, which is how I completed my nurturing skills."
The Grandmaster nodded and said, "Very good!"
Jiang Yuan bowed and said, "Master, I have not been in the mountain for so many years. Are you well?"
The Grandmaster rose from the bed and helped Tong'er up, saying, "I am well. You may rise."
Jiang Tong'er supported the Grandmaster and sat on the mat, saying, "I have not heard you speak of the Dao for many years, and I miss it greatly."
The Grandmaster smiled and said, "You are about to form your elixir, and the Dao will become true. The immortal visage is beginning to manifest. Once your achievements are complete, no one in the three realms who lacks great power will be able to surpass you. How can you still appear as a child?"
Jiang Yuan said, "Master, what are you saying? No matter how high my cultivation, I am still a child in your home."
The Grandmaster, upon hearing this, lightly patted Tong'er on the crown of his head and said, "Do not worry. Home is here. In the years to come, if you go out and feel homesick or frightened, just look back, and Fangcun Mountain will be right there."
Jiang Yuan expressed his gratitude for the Grandmaster's deep kindness.
The Grandmaster helped Tong'er up and said, "You should go and rest."
Jiang Yuan did not dare to disturb him further, exiting the chamber and heading to his own quiet room to cultivate and nurture his spirit.
...
The next day.
The Grandmaster suddenly ascended the platform and called for the disciples of the Immortal Cave to gather, entering in order to listen to the teachings.
Jiang Yuan did not wear the Sun and Moon Purple Robe, but upon his arrival, the other disciples were greatly astonished.
Jiang Tong'er’s immortal visage no longer needed to rely on clothing to manifest; this was the sign of his impending elixir formation, with the four herbs of the cauldron harboring qi, the acupoints in his body connected, and his primordial spirit shining brightly in his eyes.
Upon hearing that this was the Senior Brother, all the disciples felt respect and admiration, bowing to pay their respects.
Jiang Yuan returned the bows one by one.
The Grandmaster quietly observed the disciples, and once the greetings were complete, he began to speak of the profound Dao, the truths of the Buddhist scriptures, and the rituals of Confucian texts, explaining how the three teachings harmoniously coexist.
This discourse captivated Jiang Tong'er, making him feel as if he were in a trance, with the wonderful sounds entering his ears, dispelling all fatigue.
After half a day of teachings, the Grandmaster finally paused and dismissed the assembly.
The disciples bowed to the Grandmaster and then paid their respects to Jiang Yuan before leaving in turn.
Jiang Yuan then bowed and said, "I thank Master for your deep kindness!"
He had mentioned yesterday that he missed the Grandmaster's teachings, and today the Grandmaster had begun to expound on the great Dao.
How could he not know the reason behind this deep kindness?
The Grandmaster said, "You may rise. Tong'er, now that your immortal visage is manifesting, everyone will see you with awe."
Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "Master, I still have two steps yet to complete."
The Grandmaster said, "Today, there will be teachings. You do not feel fatigued, so I will teach you the six steps of elixir formation and fusion."
Jiang Yuan bowed and said, "Master is most compassionate; I hope you will teach me!"
The Grandmaster said, "I intended to teach you the fusion step yesterday, but seeing you were fatigued, I chose to teach today to alleviate your primordial spirit's weariness and replenish your essence. Only then will I teach you, so that you may succeed. Come closer, and I will teach you the secrets of fusion."
Jiang Yuan, upon hearing this, approached the Grandmaster, listening attentively as the Grandmaster explained the six steps of elixir formation.
The Grandmaster whispered the incantation to Jiang Yuan.
Jiang Tong'er earnestly memorized the incantation.
Once the Grandmaster confirmed that Tong'er had memorized the incantation, he said, "The fusion step involves the four herbs of the cauldron merging together, forming one single herb, thus achieving success. This requires the incantation to assist, using Huang Po. Whenever the four herbs merge into one, this step will be complete."
Jiang Yuan, upon hearing this, committed it to memory and said, "Master, I understand."
The Grandmaster said, "In this way, Tong'er, you may go. Within two or three years, you will surely succeed in this step."
Jiang Yuan was astonished and said, "Master, is this step really that easy?"
With the Grandmaster's incantation, using Huang Po to harmonize and merging the four herbs into one, success would be achieved.
The Grandmaster said it would take two or three years to succeed, which seemed quite easy.
The Grandmaster shook his head, "It is not easy; the difficulty lies in nurturing. You must complete this step; the hardest part is yet to come. Do not let your mind wander or become arrogant, or the Golden Elixir will not form. You must not lose heart; if you do, it will collapse."
Jiang Yuan, enlightened, bowed and said, "Master, I will surely focus my heart and strive for elixir formation!"
Having said this, he assisted the Grandmaster back to the quiet chamber, then turned around to begin cultivating the 'fusion' step.
(End of Chapter)