Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

Chenxiang followed the direction indicated by Scarface and went along the path, which gradually became narrower. The tall trees around obscured the sunlight, making the entire path seem somewhat gloomy, with Poison Snakes occasionally flashing by.

He didn't know how long he had been walking when a tall mountain suddenly appeared in front of him. Atop the mountain, there seemed to be a small Taoist Temple, faintly visible amidst the dense jungle.

Chenxiang looked carefully and finally found a narrow mountain path winding up to the summit, where a man with a sullen face waited anxiously at the entrance.

Upon seeing Chenxiang, the man became very enthusiastic, coming forward and saying, "You must be the junior disciple, right? The Honored Master had predicted your arrival and asked me to wait here for a long time."

The man's complexion was slightly pale, as if he was short of breath, but he was very handsome, and his face was filled with a smile as if greeting a long-lost friend.

Chenxiang was startled by this sudden warmth and, upon hearing the man's words, a hopeful look appeared in his eyes. Could it be that the person on this mountain was an Immortal with vast Divine Skills?

"Does the Immortal Master truly possess such Mana that he can predict the future?" he asked, delighted.

The man proudly replied, "That's nothing. Our Honored Master is a top-notch immortal. Predicting the future is just a trivial matter for him."

Chenxiang was somewhat skeptical, feeling that this man in front of him seemed rather extravagant, as if he was afraid Chenxiang would not become a disciple. However, with his exceptional martial skills and courage, he thought since he had come this far, he might as well see if the person in the mountain truly had such abilities.

Under the man's guidance, Chenxiang slowly entered the mountain. He saw that the trees were dense and the undergrowth was overgrown. He couldn't help frowning, for there seemed to be an uncomfortable sensation permeating the woods.

Upon reaching the summit, a small courtyard came into view. Outside the door was a pigsty, where two large white pigs were snorting noisily. Seeing Chenxiang and the man, the pigs became unusually excited, seemingly trying to jump out of the pen. Such an extreme reaction drew Chenxiang's attention, and he keenly noticed a look of what seemed like hatred in the eyes of the two pigs.

"My apologies for making junior brother laugh. I feed these pigs, and I just slaughtered one of them recently. They see me as an enemy and create a ruckus all day long." After saying this, the man took out a whip that was tucked at his waist and lashed fiercely at the pigs. Bloodstains immediately appeared on the pigs' flesh, and clearly frightened, the pigs were subjected to several more lashes until they were bleeding profusely before the man finally stopped.

He tucked the bloody whip back at his waist and turned to Chenxiang with a smile, saying, "In the end, they are just beasts. A good beating makes them behave."

Chenxiang did not speak but felt something was amiss. He looked intently at the man and said, "I've heard that immortals breathe Spiritual Energy and absorb the essence of the sun and moon, having long since given up eating food. Why then do we still need to raise livestock here?"

The man seemed not to have anticipated this question from Chenxiang and was at a loss for words. At that moment, a somewhat somber voice came from inside the courtyard, "Immortals who fast do so because their cultivation is sufficient, their Vital energy is pure and flawless, in harmony with the universe. Such a Realm is serendipitous and not something one can seek out. However, the path of cultivation involves harnessing Vital energy and requires meat for nourishment; without it, one's Vital energy and spirit will diminish, making the Great Dao elusive."

As the words were spoken, a thin Taoist stepped out from the courtyard. He had high cheekbones, deep eye sockets, was dressed in a gray Taoist Robe, and held a silver horsetail whisk in his hand. He was tall and imposing, standing at the doorway with an authoritative air without displaying anger.

He looked at Chenxiang with a look of satisfaction and nodded, saying, "Would you be willing to enter my sect and cultivate?"

Chenxiang thought for a moment, what comes will come, and he too wanted to know if the Taoist truly had abilities. Therefore, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed, taking him as his master.

The slightly gloomy expression on the Taoist's face revealed a trace of satisfaction as he gently helped Chenxiang up, saying, "Very good. The path to eternal life cannot be walked without methodology, wealth, and a partner. I only hope you can climb the Great Dao with me."

The man standing nearby also quietly sighed in relief and said with a smile, "Congratulations to the Honored Master for acquiring an excellent disciple. I, as your senior disciple, fear I might become outdated."

The Taoist did not engage in conversation, and Chenxiang found he had nothing to say either. The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat eerie.

"Oh, who's talking about being outdated here!" A woman's voice suddenly rang out from the courtyard. A woman with a graceful figure and dressed in a captivating manner walked out, twirling her hair. Every movement she made was enchanting, mesmerizing the man completely.

"Hmph! Who let you out?" said the Taoist with displeasure.

"Look at you, our new disciple has just joined, and shouldn't I, as his master's wife, come out to show my face?" the woman retorted coquettishly, her voice slightly panting, yet her eyes fixed intently on Chenxiang's face.

A trace of displeasure flashed across Chenxiang's face. He could feel a deep malignancy emanating from this seemingly jovial woman and found her extremely distasteful. On the other hand, the man before showed a hint of jealousy.

"Get back inside!" the Taoist suddenly shouted in a great rage.

Upon hearing this, the woman pursed her lips and turned around to walk back in, her perfect figure tracing an alluring curve, pleasant to the eye. The man nearby was left staring in a daze; only the Taoist and Chenxiang remained unfazed.

"She is a karmic entanglement from my past; pay her no heed," the Taoist said softly.

Chenxiang nodded. Everything in this modest Taoist Temple seemed fascinatingly strange. However, Chenxiang had always been courageous and now found himself with a growing desire to explore.

From that day on, Chenxiang came to live in this place known as Rakshasa View, becoming the junior disciple of the temple. He learned that the man's surname was Cheng, whom he addressed as Brother Cheng, while the Taoist's Taoist name was Wugu Taoist.

This was a somewhat peculiar Taoist who had a wife and even a lovely daughter, but he seemed very detached from them on most days. His master's wife, however, seemed particularly restless, always finding chances to flirt with Chenxiang. Sometimes Chenxiang genuinely wanted to punch her, to teach her a lesson.

As a disciple, Chenxiang's daily duties involved nothing more than raising pigs and eating meals, an array of dishes infused with a strange medicinal fragrance. At these times, the Taoist always wore an indulgent smile, urging Chenxiang to eat more.

However, the effects of these dishes were indeed significant. Whenever Chenxiang practiced the nameless technique, he would always feel more warmth entering his body, and his strength grew increasingly powerful. But when out and about, Chenxiang understood the importance of keeping a low profile, and thus he never revealed his abnormality, continuing to pretend to be an ordinary person.

One day, when it was time to eat again and Chenxiang sat at the table, he saw the lavish spread of food—a whole pig banquet with an eye-opening variety of meat dishes, giving Chenxiang a sense of astonishment.