In the quiet room, Jiang Yuan sat cross-legged on the mat, instructing the five individuals to protect their minds.
He focused inward, observing the Golden Cauldron and Jade Furnace beneath his navel, retrieving the Great Medicine of the Hunyuan Unity, and instructed Huang Po to carry the Great Medicine into the Wei Lu Pass.
Upon entering the Wei Lu Pass, he felt the five individuals encountering resistance.
This pass was like a river channel, with hidden currents surging beneath.
The waves rolled and crashed, and with each step they took, they faced resistance, preventing the five from moving forward.
Jiang Yuan observed this and realized that this path was akin to the 'Cao Xi.' The Ancestor had once said that traversing this route would lead to the Jia Zhi Pass.
The Wei Lu Pass, where 'lu' means gathering, is a place where water converges; thus, this path being called Cao Xi was indeed appropriate.
However, to reach the Jia Zhi Pass, they needed to go against the current.
The five individuals, nourished from various parts of their bodies, had their might increased, yet they did not expect the resistance to be so great.
Had he not nurtured their bodies, how could the five have moved even an inch?
Now, with the assistance from within their bodies, this river channel could not hinder them.
As Jiang Yuan focused inward, he saw the five individuals swimming upstream against the current, with the black and white fish clearing the way.
The black fish surged forward fiercely, while the white fish assisted, breaking through the waterway.
After a considerable distance, they suddenly encountered a formidable barrier standing in their path; this barrier was not the same as before, but rather the Yin Pass.
To Jiang Yuan, this pass posed no significant challenge.
This was because the Ancestor had lectured for many years, mentioning that the method to break through these three passes was to be wary of the demonic obstacles along the Cao Xi path, rather than the barriers themselves.
The Wei Lu Pass was located at the end of the spine, and the Yin Pass was firmly closed, only accessible to those of pure Yang.
The pure Yang individual could only be the Heart Monkey, which must strike the Yin Pass to break through.
Jiang Yuan then commanded the Heart Monkey to break the barrier.
Upon receiving the order, the Heart Monkey attacked the pass, facing the Yin Pass head-on, and after nine fierce strikes, it shattered.
With the Yin Pass broken, the five individuals safeguarded the Great Medicine and swam upstream.
However, not long after, they saw a sheep cart blocking the way.
No matter how turbulent the water was, the cart remained unmoved, which was truly mysterious.
Jiang Yuan, upon seeing the sheep cart, dared not act rashly, unsure of where the demonic obstacle lay.
He initially instructed the five to bypass the sheep cart, but as they approached, the rushing water caused their might to surge, preventing them from advancing.
The child thought to himself, "This Cao Xi is difficult to traverse! Yet the sheep cart remains unaffected by the raging waters. Perhaps we should board this sheep cart to reach the Shuang Zhi Pass."
He then instructed the five to ride the sheep cart, leveraging its power to proceed to the next pass, while cautioning them to be wary of the demonic obstacles.
The five boarded the sheep cart, which moved slowly and steadily despite the turbulent waters.
Not long after they sat in the cart, they noticed that on both sides of the riverbank, countless treasures of gold, silver, and jewels had appeared, as if there were jade figures in the water beckoning them, with divine weapons hidden among them.
Jiang Yuan understood that the demonic obstacle at this pass was designed to entice them with various objects, stirring their desires and compelling the five to disembark.
If they did so, it would mean his failure.
He observed closely and saw that the Heart Monkey, the Intent Horse, Jin Gong, and Huang Po remained unfazed by the various objects.
Upon looking at Mu Mu, she was just like the other four, unperturbed, her eyes clear and focused, having returned to her true self after refining her essence.
Moreover, with the assistance from within their bodies, how could they be moved by such temptations?
Jiang Yuan felt reassured as he focused inward.
He knew that this was the last desperate attempt of the Desire God.
Once he achieved his Dao Fruit, the Desire God would have no further power, and there would be no more opportunities.
He concentrated his mind and spirit, observing the Cao Xi path, prepared for any changes.
...
Unknowingly, three years passed.
Jiang Yuan daily focused on the Cao Xi path, not daring to slacken his efforts.
Finally, after three years, he saw the Jia Zhi Pass in the distance.
This pass was different; the waterway was narrow, resembling a small path.
There were two such paths, and at the end of each lay two formidable barriers, embodying the principles of Yin and Yang.
This place was filled with surprises but posed no real danger; they had passed the Wei Lu Pass.
The difficulty of the Wei Lu Pass lay in the initial approach to the Cao Xi, which had its inconveniences, and the Yin Pass blocking the way.
If the Heart Monkey was insufficient, they would not be able to break through the Yin Pass.
Furthermore, while riding the sheep cart, the five needed to remain true to their hearts and not allow the Desire God to succeed.
Jiang Yuan understood that without the nurturing from within their bodies to bolster the five, it would not have been so easy to pass this barrier.
However, this pass could not stop him now, just as Lao Jun had said, "The formidable barriers are insignificant before heaven and earth."
On the Cao Xi path, the five rode the sheep cart slowly, and when they reached the Yang Pass of the Jia Zhi Pass, the sheep cart halted and refused to move forward.
The five then held the Great Medicine and, united in purpose, entered the pass.
Upon entering, they saw a deer cart waiting outside, which was the vehicle for their ascent.
As the five were about to board the deer cart, someone suddenly appeared within the pass, blocking their way.
This person appeared old, with disheveled hair, white strands fluttering, and a frail demeanor, yet he bore a resemblance to Jiang Yuan.
The old man said, "This path is closed."
The five stopped in their tracks.
Jiang Yuan observed and, with his mind, recognized the old man.
As his spirit settled within the pass, he asked, "Why do you block the way?"
The old man replied, "Do you not see who I am?"
He brushed aside his silver strands, revealing his face, now unobscured, which bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Jiang Yuan.
Jiang Yuan said, "You are me."
The old man replied, "I am the true you. You toil in your cultivation yet refuse to face your true self. You have long since aged, yet you use the Tai Xuan Qing Sheng Fu to maintain your youth. You seek immortality but dare not confront your own old age. What is the purpose of your cultivation?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan, who had cultivated for hundreds of years and interacted with the two gods many times, understood that this old man was the 'Recognition God.' He said, "Recognition God, in the past, you could not obstruct my path; today, you cannot stop me either."
The Recognition God said, "It is not I who obstruct your path, but you who do not recognize your true self!"
Jiang Yuan replied, "Whether old or not, what does it matter to my immortality? You speak of outer appearances to block my path; do you not realize this is fallacy?"
The Recognition God said, "How is it fallacy? What I am now is your true form."
Jiang Yuan stood up and said, "Speak of outer appearances; you should cultivate for a few more hundred years before discussing this with me."
Having said that, he led the five individuals outside the pass, instructing them to board the deer cart.
The Recognition God did not dare to obstruct him.
He saw Jiang Yuan's resolute heart towards the Dao; this heart was like gold and stone, unshakeable, not swayed by words.
Jiang Yuan guided the five to board the deer cart, with the Heart Monkey, Intent Horse, Jin Gong, and Mu Mu protecting Huang Po in the center, safeguarding the Great Medicine.
As the deer cart awaited the five to settle, it suddenly surged forward with immense force, swift as the wind, proceeding along the upward path.
The five had to exert their strength to stabilize themselves, in stark contrast to the slow pace of the sheep cart at the Wei Lu Pass.
Jiang Yuan instructed the spirit to disperse and focused inward on the five as they passed through the barrier.
These two passes posed no hindrance to him; the Desire God and Recognition God could not obstruct him any longer.
What kind of demonic obstacles awaited him at the next pass?
He calmly observed the five as they traveled along the Cao Xi path.
...
This path was difficult to traverse, from the Jia Zhi Pass to the Yu Zhen Pass.
Even with the swiftness of the deer cart, it took three years to arrive.
Jiang Yuan observed that the Yu Zhen Pass was also a formidable barrier, with its gates tightly shut.
The imposing barrier was so high that even with the strength of the Heart Monkey, it could not break through; it was beyond the power of the five to pass.
He then instructed the five to disembark from the deer cart and collectively approach this barrier.
From the Yu Zhen Pass, one could see the location of the Ni Wan Palace in the distance, and the Yuan Shen seemed to sense something, guiding them with its light.
His path to fruition was about to be realized!
When the Dao Fruit was achieved, he would complete the cycle of the Nine Heavens, and with the Golden Core, the Dao would be formed.
After hundreds of years of arduous cultivation, he would finally reap the rewards.
Jiang Yuan did not dare to be negligent and prepared with all his heart, knowing that to pass through the Yu Zhen Pass, there was still the path to the Ni Wan Palace, and he was unaware of what kind of demonic obstacles awaited him.
(End of Chapter)