Time passed quickly.
Half a year had gone by in a flash.
Su Qing had completely digested the purple qi, transforming it into her own power.
Her internal power became increasingly pure…
The benefits brought by that lightning tribulation were clearly extraordinary.
However, Su Qing still hadn't found answers regarding the reasons for the various events that day.
Over time, Su Qing stopped bothering herself with it.
After all, worrying about such matters wasn't entirely worth it.
“Strange… why has this Bodhi Tree Sapling stopped growing again?”
On this day, Su Qing sat in the courtyard, looking at the Bodhi Tree Sapling before her, and couldn't help but wonder.
Ever since the Bodhi Seed had rapidly grown into a sapling that night,
it hadn't grown an inch in the past six months.
Moreover, Su Qing's connection with the Bodhi Tree Sapling hadn't deepened; it remained a faint link.
It was like a phone call on hold…
making her unable to fathom its mysteries.
“Indeed, the growth of this Bodhi Tree Sapling is inseparable from that night's lightning tribulation.”
Su Qing touched the sapling's tender leaves, lost in thought.
As she thought, her mind gradually drifted further and further away.
Suddenly, Su Qing felt a faint spiritual energy feeding back from the leaves, flowing into her body through her fingertips.
This brought Su Qing back to her senses…
“Huh? Was that an illusion? Did this sapling just feed back a trace of spiritual energy? Although it was extremely faint, I don't think I misfelt it.”
Su Qing stared at the leaves, momentarily stunned, recalling that fleeting sensation.
Suddenly, Su Qing seemed to understand her Master's words from back then.
Her Master had said that once this seed grew, it would bring immense benefits to her cultivation…
She thought the benefits her Master spoke of were this effect of the Bodhi tree.
It is said that cultivation emphasizes Wealth, Dharma, Companions, and Land.
Among them, 'Land', though placed last, does not mean it is unimportant.
On the contrary, it is actually very important, and even very rare.
A good cultivation ground can allow a cultivator to cultivate more quickly and easily.
The reason Su Qing stayed on Flower-Fruit Mountain to cultivate was because Flower-Fruit Mountain was a blessed land.
Spiritual energy permeated, with signs of turning into mist; cultivating here achieved twice the result with half the effort.
Even Gongsun Zhixue's cultivation speed significantly improved after coming here.
Of course, compared to Puti Daoist Academy, this place was still somewhat lacking…
After all, while this place was good, it also lacked a certain atmosphere.
One would unconsciously become lazy.
This shows the importance of a cultivation ground.
“Once this Bodhi tree grows, it might form its own grotto-heaven, right? Plus, with this ability to feed back spiritual energy… it seems wherever it's planted, that place will become as permeated with spiritual energy as Flower-Fruit Mountain.”
Thinking of this, Su Qing couldn't help but gasp sharply.
What kind of formidable object had her Master given her?
If this Bodhi tree was truly as Su Qing imagined, then its preciousness would be terrifying.
“However, although this thing is good, for it to grow into a large tree, it will probably take a thousand years! And it will also require many fortuitous encounters…”
If something so powerful also grew incredibly fast, it would indeed be too frightening.
So, it's not surprising if it grows slowly.
However, in that case,
the growth of this thing
Su Qing couldn't rush it…
She could only wait for it to grow slowly.
At the same time, Su Qing felt she needed to pay more attention to this tree.
Lest she accidentally kill it one day.
If such an important tree died, she would have nowhere to cry.
Moreover, this was also something her Master left for her…
“Grow slowly!”
Su Qing looked at the small sapling, smiled slightly, and said.
Her life was long; she had enough time to wait for this small tree to grow into a large tree.
Her Master giving her this tree also showed how good her Master was to her.
“Ah, Master's kindness is truly impossible to repay.”
Su Qing murmured to herself.
Her Master was truly like a master and a father, so incredibly good to her.
Such a treasure, yet he gave it to her so casually.
“I'll have to find an opportunity to go back and see Master in the future.” Su Qing stood up, looking at the clouds in the sky, and couldn't help but think: “But where is the Cave of the Slanted Moon and Three Stars now?”
Su Qing didn't know either.
The location of the Cave of the Slanted Moon and Three Stars was never fixed; its whereabouts depended entirely on her Master's mood.
She shook her head, temporarily stopping her thoughts.
Future matters would just let nature take its course!
If she could see him, that would be best; if not… it could only mean Master didn't want to see her for now.
Su Qing turned and went back into the house.
Ready to continue cultivating.
She wanted to see if, during her next tribulation…
this sapling would grow a little more.
In a blink of an eye, another two and a half years passed.
Inside Puti Daoist Academy.
The Patriarch sat on the platform, expounding the Dharma to his disciples.
He spoke of koans and parables, and discussed external appearances.
Suddenly, the Patriarch called the Stone Monkey before him, saying, “Since you have understood the Dharma nature, grasped the root source, and are already infused with a divine body, you still need to guard against the Three Calamities' Harms.”
Wukong naturally didn't understand what the Three Calamities were, and said:
“I have heard that those whose Dao is profound and virtue is great, live as long as heaven, are immune to water and fire, and free from all illnesses. How can there be 'Three Calamities' Harms'?”
Upon hearing this, the Patriarch explained to him what the Three Calamities were and their dangers.
After listening, Wukong's hair stood on end, and he immediately prostrated himself in worship, saying, “I earnestly beg Master to have mercy, and impart the method to avoid the Three Calamities; I will never forget this kindness!”
Upon hearing this, the Patriarch said faintly, “This is not difficult, but you are different from others, thus it cannot be imparted.”
“Master, how am I different from others?”
“Though you resemble a human, you lack cheeks.”
It turned out that although Wukong had cultivated profound techniques, understood the root source, and was already infused with a divine body, he had not yet fully transformed.
Firstly, monkeys are naturally human-like, and secondly, Wukong's cultivation was not ordinary.
Wukong touched his face and laughed, “Master didn't calculate correctly! Although I lack cheeks, I have an extra crop! By this reckoning, it evens out!”
Upon hearing this, the Patriarch couldn't help but smile, finding the monkey sly.
He said helplessly, “Alright then! I shall teach you.”
Subsequently, just as he had imparted techniques to Su Qing, the Patriarch asked Wukong if he wanted to learn the Seventy-Two Transformations or the Thirty-Six Transformations.
Wukong said, “Your disciple is greedy for more, and wishes to learn the greater number!”
Upon hearing this, the Patriarch was momentarily stunned, and couldn't help but think of Su Qing.
He sighed, “You are just like your senior sister!”
“My senior sister also learned the Seventy-Two Transformations?”
“Naturally!”
“Then I shall learn this one!”
Patriarch Bodhi nodded slightly, saying, “Very well, lean closer, and I will impart the incantation to you.”
Wukong leaned in to listen, and no one else knew what profound technique was imparted.
“Henceforth… if you encounter your senior sister, remember to remind her again about the dangers of the Three Calamities. Lest she lives a leisurely life for too long and forgets such important matters.”
After teaching the incantation, Patriarch Bodhi then instructed.
Wukong immediately prostrated himself, saying, “Your disciple will surely not forget!”
“Good, go back and cultivate by yourself!”
Wukong nodded repeatedly, then returned to self-cultivate and self-study.
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