Chapter 79: Treasure-seizing In Lotus Cave
However, Silver Horn Great King, having lost the Purple Gold Red Gourd and suffered heavy injuries, finally stopped being stubborn and let Golden Horn Great King go invite Ao Tu.
Golden Horn Great King called Fine Ghost and Clever Worm, the two little demons, and said:
“You two, quickly go to Dragon Subduing Cave and respectfully invite Spirit Mountain Great King to come.”
Fine Ghost said: “Greatest Great King, where is Dragon Subduing Cave?”
Golden Horn Great King said: “How come you two don’t recognize Old Lady’s home anymore?”
Clever Worm said: “Great King, you don’t know, there is no Dragon Subduing Cave now. Last time we two went to deliver congratulatory gifts, Old Lady changed Dragon Subduing Cave to Dragon Welcoming Cave!”
Upon hearing this, Golden Horn Great King angrily said: “You two idiots, I mean Dragon Welcoming Cave, go quickly!”
It was because these little demons, even after transforming into human form, had incomplete intellect and were ultimately not as good as the human race, the spirit of all things born of heaven and earth.
Fine Ghost and Clever Worm agreed and turned to leave.
Silver Horn Great King weakly said: “Wait, brother. These two idiots are useless for accomplishing things but experts at ruining them. Don’t let them go, you go personally to invite.”
Golden Horn Great King said: “Virtuous Younger Brother, it’s easy for me to go invite personally. But what if that monkey comes again, what about your safety?”
Silver Horn Great King said: “Brother, no problem. It’s getting dark. You go invite overnight. No matter how famous that monkey is as Monkey King, he wouldn’t break into someone else’s home in the dead of night to make trouble.”
Golden Horn Great King said: “Good, Virtuous Younger Brother, rest well here, I’ll go and come back soon. Fine Ghost, Clever Worm, take good care of Second Great King. If anything happens to Second Great King, I’ll hold you accountable!”
Fine Ghost hurriedly agreed: “Greatest Great King, we will definitely take good care of Second Great King!”
Clever Worm said: “Greatest Great King, we won’t let Second Great King have any problems!”
At this time, the sky outside was already somewhat dark.
Golden Horn Great King went out from the back door of Lotus Cave and rode clouds to Dragon Subduing Cave.
In Dragon Subduing Cave, Ao Tu was sitting cross-legged on the bed cultivating.
Little Nine was lying beside him, her nine fox tails boredly swaying back and forth.
She was still young, only about a hundred years old, and couldn’t settle her mind to cultivate like Ao Tu.
She wanted to play with Ao Tu, but didn’t dare disturb him.
Once before, while Ao Tu was cultivating, she, having tasted the marrow and knowing the flavor, and since Ao Tu was usually good to her, came to rub against him, but was then severely punished by Ao Tu.
“When will Great King finish cultivating?”
Little Nine propped up her little face and thought.
Here, Ao Tu was introspecting his body.
After consuming Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood, his bloodline had undergone great evolution, especially his dragon bones and scales, which were imprinted with endless innate laws.
Even now, the power of the Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood in his body had not been fully consumed.
At the same time, the Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood had greatly increased his magic power, surpassing the realm limit of Golden Immortal. If he wished, he could now start breaking through to Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
But at this step, Ao Tu hesitated again.
Because after consuming the Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood, he saw a new path.
It was a stronger path, and if successful, the rewards would be immense.
The so-called Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm did not exist in the period when heaven and earth were first separated. Heavenly Immortal and Golden Immortal did not exist then either.
At that time, the lives born from heaven and earth were all innate sacred beings, immortal from birth.
This statement is actually not precise, because for those lives, immortality was not a realm, but something they possessed innately. They were manifestations of heaven and earth laws and naturally would not die.
The beings of that generation, such as dragons, phoenixes, qilins, golden crows, and so on, did not have the complex cultivation systems of today.
They were born immortal and afterward did not cultivate to Grand Unity Golden Immortal, but directly proved Grand Unity, transcended everything, and grasped heaven and earth authority.
That was a brilliant era, with countless great supernatural powers emerging.
However, later-born beings could no longer transcend and prove the Dao as easily as the first-generation innate beings.
Later beings had very few opportunities to prove the Dao.
Either, from nothing to something, single-handedly carve out a new path in heaven and earth.
Such people were exceedingly rare throughout eternity, the most difficult path to proving the Dao.
Or, forcibly seize authority from previous Dao-provers and prove one’s own Great Dao.
This method was also very difficult, but still had some opportunities, especially in some tribulations of quantity.
A typical example: the dragon, phoenix, and qilin clans once occupied a large amount of heaven and earth authority. Later, after the tribulation of quantity, the three clans declined, and these authorities were divided among various clans, with most seized.
The above two were both extremely difficult paths, full of dangers, where most would perish, and successes were few.
Besides these two, there was a more common and safest one: joining under a great supernatural power who had already proved the Dao.
The Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm came from this.
It was a realm demarcated between Golden Immortal and Grand Unity.
Of course, the name of this realm varied among different Dao lineages, but the essence was the same.
Great supernatural powers bestowed cultivation methods, and after their disciples cultivated to Grand Unity Golden Immortal, they could borrow part of the laws and authority mastered by the great supernatural power.
This was Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
Continuing cultivation afterward, one could prove Grand Unity Golden Immortal under their laws.
But this Grand Unity was proved under others’ laws, living under someone else’s roof, controlled by others, not true Grand Unity, not true transcendence.
Some with proud dispositions, even with the strength to prove the Dao, were unwilling to do so this way, but sought other opportunities to prove true Grand Unity realm.
For example, Guanyin Bodhisattva was one of them.
She was a Buddhism disciple, mastering Buddhism laws, her strength long surpassing the Bodhisattva fruit position, but she was unwilling to become a Buddha and instead sought another way to prove her own path.
Ao Tu had previously cultivated the Dragon Clan inheritance cultivation method. If he advanced to Grand Unity Golden Immortal, he could grasp part of Ancestral Dragon’s authority.
But after obtaining Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood, Ao Tu gained some innate being power, innately mastering part of heaven and earth laws.
Although these were minuscule, it was a breakthrough from zero to one.
This made him realize he might not need to follow Ancestral Dragon’s path, but imitate those innate beings from when heaven and earth were first separated: directly accumulate magic power from Golden Immortal, then prove Grand Unity.
To be honest, this was a wild fantasy.
How could a being like him, born countless generations after the Dragon Clan, compare to those innate beings from when heaven and earth were first separated?
The difference in origins was too great, not the same level at all.
But if he could continue receiving this Half a Year’s essence blood rewards, he might really have a chance of success.
However, taking this path was too perilous.
It was a path no one had walked.
Ao Tu didn’t know what lay ahead, where the thorns were, where the abysses, perhaps one misstep and eternal perdition.
If only there was an innate being right now for him to comprehend.
Comparing to his own situation, he could see what he lacked, where the deficiencies and gaps were.
Unfortunately, such an idea was pure fantasy.
Where were there any innate beings now?
Those innate beings from when heaven and earth were first separated were either already proved or fallen. How could he find them?
Opening his eyes and seeing the nine white tails swaying beside him, Ao Tu reached out, rubbed them, and said: “If only you were an innate being.”
Little Nine shook her head in confusion, moved her body over, lay on Ao Tu, blushed, and said: “Great King.”
Then a little demon outside called: “Great King, Golden Horn Lord has come and asks you to go over.”
Ao Tu said: “Got it.”
He picked up the little fox on his body, tossed her on the bed, and Ao Tu got up and walked outside.
Little Nine resentfully said: “Why come at this time.”
Outside, Golden Horn Great King was anxiously waiting.
Seeing Ao Tu come out, he hurriedly went up to greet him, cupped hands and bowed, saying:
“Dragon Brother, I didn’t listen to you before, and now disaster has truly come.”
Ao Tu said: “What happened?”
Golden Horn Great King said:
“Today Tang Sanzang and his disciples passed through the mountains. My brother fought two rounds with Tang Sanzang’s eldest disciple Sun Wukong to capture Tang Sanzang, suffered a crushing defeat, not only beaten into heavy injuries, but the treasures in the cave were also taken by Sun Wukong. I beg Dragon Brother not to hold grudges and help save my two brothers.”
Ao Tu said: “I already warned you beforehand. Your brother didn’t listen, who can he blame?”
Golden Horn Great King said: “Dragon Brother, it’s all our fault. Now my brother has sincerely repented. He asked me to invite you, begging you not to mind his previous arrogant words and come help.”
Ao Tu said: “Fine, no need for outsiders in the family. Let’s go.”
Golden Horn Great King was overjoyed and hurriedly said: “Please!”
Ao Tu took the Immortal Binding Rope from Nine-tailed Old Fox’s hand, then went with Golden Horn Great King to Lotus Cave.
Arriving at Lotus Cave, Ao Tu went inside. Silver Horn Great King was lying on the couch.
Seeing Ao Tu come, he hurriedly tried to get down but couldn’t stand, coughed blood, and weakly said: “I deeply regret my arrogance that day, ending up like this today, cough cough!”
Ao Tu said to Silver Horn Great King: “No need to mention past matters. Your injuries are serious, don’t talk much. I have Three Lights Divine Water condensed over ten thousand years, which can heal injuries. Wait while I fetch it to treat you.”
Upon hearing this, Silver Horn Great King felt a mix of emotions.
He had thought Ao Tu, seeing him like this, would mock and ridicule him, but unexpectedly, Ao Tu didn’t hold grudges, didn’t mention past events, and even wanted to use divine water to heal him.
Silver Horn Great King shed tears, admired Ao Tu greatly in his heart, held Ao Tu’s hand, and said:
“That Three Lights Divine Water was condensed by your ten thousand years of hard work, not to be used lightly. My injuries are heavy but won’t take my life. With more rest, I’ll recover.”
Ao Tu smiled: “No need to worry. This divine water was refined by my family. If used up, I’ll get more from her. She is the most merciful, can’t bear to see people suffer. If I don’t save you, she’ll blame me instead.”
Silver Horn Great King, hearing this, thought it was just Ao Tu comforting him. How precious was Three Lights Divine Water? Who could give it lightly?
Ao Tu took that Three Lights Divine Water, dabbed a drop, flicked it onto Silver Horn Great King. Instantly, Silver Horn Great King’s injuries recovered, body light and strong.
Silver Horn Great King got up and bowed, tearfully saying:
“Great kindness needs no thanks. If you don’t mind, Silver Horn is willing to acknowledge you as elder brother!”
Golden Horn Great King bowed together and said:
“Dragon Brother saved my brother, same as saving me. I too am willing to acknowledge.”
