Shouyang Mountain, Eight Sceneries Palace.

The purple aura was vast and boundless, covering the sky and eclipsing the sun. Jing Yao Venerable returned riding the Green Bull, leisurely and content.

"Ah Niu, this place is the Eight Sceneries Palace of Shouyang Mountain, and from now on, this will be your home." Jing Yao Venerable introduced everything about his Eight Sceneries Palace to the Green Bull.

"Your master is named Li Er. In ancient times, he opened up a world of his own, known as Taishang, and also served as the Daoist Ancestor for a period."

Moo moo~~

The Green Bull responded, carefully remembering Jing Yao's words.

This would be its "origin".

Jing Yao Venerable then said, "What is Shouyang? It is another name for Bo Yang, heh, and it's also one of your master's titles."

"What are the Eight Sceneries? Because within the Grotto Heaven, there are nine great wonders; hiding one, there are hence the Eight Sceneries."

"Ah Niu, do you know why?" Jing Yao patted the Green Bull's back.

The Green Bull stared with wide eyes, somewhat confused.

Master, aren't you asking the wrong bull?

I've only been born a short while; how could I understand your old thoughts?

The Green Bull called out twice more.

Moo moo~~

(Please enlighten me, Master.)

After hearing this, Jing Yao Venerable, with patient instruction, said: "Nine is the number of extreme yang. The mountain is Shouyang, and if the Daoist site also corresponds to this number of extreme yang, it wouldn't align with my preference."

"You must know, your master prefers tranquility, cultivates the Way of Non-Action, casually observes the ways of the world, not daring to lead the masses."

Moo moo!!

(Ah Niu has taken note, Master prefers the tranquil Way of Non-Action.)

The Green Bull listened attentively.

"Such a disciple can be taught." Jing Yao Venerable, seeing this, smiled and praised.

He waved his sleeve, opening the boundary between reality and illusion, riding the Green Bull into the Grotto Heaven.

Upon entering the Grotto Heaven, the Green Bull heard the sound of surging waves, lifting its eyes to see a vast ocean, majestic and boundless.

"This is the first scenery, the boundless Canghai sea."

Jing Yao Venerable said, "Observing this scenery, one must not only see the Canghai Sea but also penetrate the profound truth behind it."

What does the boundless Canghai Sea represent?

It is the source of the sea of nature, it is the horizontal and vertical thoroughness, the deep and boundless reason.

The Green Bull stepped through the waves, experiencing the mysteries within, feeling endless principles emerging in its heart.

Suddenly, it saw another scenery, mountains upon mountains with an imposing aura.

Jing Yao Venerable smiled and said, "This is the second scenery, Mountainous Rivalry, the root of the Great Dao."

Not far from where the Green Bull walked, it saw a vast and mysterious light in the void.

This is the third scenery, Clock Essence and Divine Elegance, the pivot of Creation;

Continuing forward.

The fourth scenery, Moon and Sun Radiance.

The layered brilliance of Taiyin and Taiyang, is the mystery of Yin Yang.

The fifth scenery, Glorious Light and Illusion, is the ancestor of all phenomena;

The sixth scenery, Water Mist and Morning Clouds, the basis of all methods;

The seventh scenery, Cloud Rainbow and Abyss, the profound truth of Law;

The eighth scenery, Falling World Star River, forms the wondrous aspects of All Heavens.

The Green Bull walked and paused, its hooves tapping, observing all Eight Sceneries.

Unwittingly, a vortex pattern with exactly eight lines appeared on its forehead.

By the time the Green Bull carried Jing Yao Venerable to the front of the palace door, there was a boundless purple aura beneath its feet.

"Very good, very good, very good!"

Seeing this, Jing Yao Venerable's face beamed with smiles, repeating "good" three times.

"Ah Niu, if you can perceive the mysteries of the Eight Sceneries, in the future, it's not impossible for you to lead and become an ancestor!"

Moo moo?

The Green Bull appeared blank.

It had been walking and suddenly became entranced, unaware of how it reached the front of the palace.

But if the master says it's good, then it must be good!

The Green Bull happily swished its tail.

Moo moo!!

"Eh? You're asking about the ninth scenery?"

Jing Yao Venerable said, "This ninth scenery is the Unlimited Hongmeng. If one sees this scenery, then one should push the door open to all wonders."

"You, however, are still far from such a realm; first integrate and penetrate the ones before."

Jing Yao patted the Green Bull's back, dismounted, and pushed open the palace door.

"Ah Niu, follow me."

Jing Yao Venerable was in a great mood and decided to teach the Green Bull a unique skill.

"Although the Eight Sceneries within the Grotto Heaven are marvelous, if you want to establish a foothold in the Primordial, you can't be without a unique skill."

"Master will teach you Alchemy today."

"I just bought two handcrafted figures, Dark Star Jidu Venerable and Netherworld Fengdu Great Emperor. From now on, all your cultivation results must undergo their inspection, understand?"

"As for now..." Jing Yao Venerable came in front of the Alchemy Furnace, took out two figurines, and also provided them each with a Fire Fan.

Jing Yao hehe'd with a smile, commanding:

"Jidu, Fengdu, the Master is going to do Alchemy, you two hurry up and fan the flames!"

~~~

Netherworld.

"Hmm? Who's doing something so disrespectful?" Xuanqing faintly sensed that someone was chanting his name.

Xuanqing calculated for a moment, and a scene emerged in his mind.

A divine bull was mooing at the furnace incessantly, and on both sides of the Pill Furnace sat two small figures, holding Fire Fans and tending to the furnace.

"Green Bull?"

Xuanqing frowned and then sneered: "Jing Yao, huh? Very bold."

Those two figurines looked just like him!

"I knew you both are up to no good!" Xuanqing immediately got up, pushed open the grand doors of the Zhou Jue Heavenly Palace, and took out his newly crafted Spiritual Treasure — Three Treasures Ruyi!

Weighing the Ruyi in his hand, Xuanqing nodded: "Fits nicely."

He reached out and grasped at the air.

Ghost Gate appeared before his eyes.

Pushing open the gate, Xuanqing silently appeared within the Eight Sceneries Palace.

Jing Yao Venerable had just thought of a fun idea.

After he enabled the Alchemy Apprentice mode for the [Dark Star Jidu Venerable] figurine, he also activated Serious mode for the [Netherworld Fengdu Great Emperor].

Jing Yao Venerable even specially turned the Golden Cloth Rope into a whip, handing it to the [Netherworld Fengdu Great Emperor].

So, [Jidu] sat in front of the Pill Furnace fanning the flames, while [Fengdu], whip in hand, supervised with authority.

"Alchemy Formula isn't like this, do it over!"

"That little fire is going to do Alchemy? Bigger!"

"Xun Gate, watch the Xun Gate!"

Snap!

A whip cracked through the air, producing a crisp sound.

[Jidu], shivering with fright: "Master, you're gonna beat someone to death!"

[Fengdu], with a stern face, full of authority: "Your method is incorrect, you must refine indecent pills, the decent ones cannot be refined!"

"That's right, that's the right flavor!" Jing Yao Venerable sat on the cushion and roared with laughter, laughing so hard he nearly fell over.

"Is it that funny?" Xuanqing's voice rang out abruptly.

"Of course not!" Jing Yao reflexively replied, then his eyes suddenly widened, and with a flick of his sleeve, the Seven Stars Sword flew out.

Thud!

Xuanqing was faster, the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi striking Jing Yao's head with precision.

Jing Yao Venerable staggered and fell forward.

"Jidu Venerable, Fengdu Great Emperor!" Before falling, Jing Yao shouted.

"Present!" the two figurines responded.

Whoosh!

A gourd flew out from the Dan Room, sucking them in.

"Hm?"

Xuanqing raised an eyebrow, gripping the Jade Ruyi tighter.

"Destroying evidence right before my eyes?"

Jing Yao Venerable rolled back to his feet, sword in hand, confronting Xuanqing.

"What evidence? I have no idea!" Jing Yao firmly denied, internally praising his own quick-wittedness.

Xuanqing looked at him expressionlessly, "You will admit it."

Jing Yao laughed: "In my Daoist arena, would I be afraid of you?"

Jing Yao Venerable gestured to send the Green Bull out of the palace, to avoid frightening it.

Suddenly, the Great Dao trembled, the Eight Sceneries swayed.

Moments later.

Screams echoed.

"Xuanqing, you're hitting too hard!" Jing Yao yelled in shock.

"It's not me hitting you; it's the Three Treasures Ruyi beating you." Xuanqing tossed out the Three Treasures Ruyi.

The Three Treasures Ruyi bellowed as it charged towards Jing Yao.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah, Treasure, I'm coming! Please submit!"

"Treasure, I don't want to hit you either, but the Master ordered me to. Treasure, don't blame me."

"Treasure, don't be afraid, I don't hit hard."

"My Treasure, are you okay?"

"Treasure, the Master wants to kill you, unlike me, who only feels pain for my Treasure."

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Portal: [Monthly Ticket][Recommendation Ticket]

ps: "Canghai" during the Han and Wei Dynasties to Six Dynasties referred to the "vast sea". Commentators before the Tang Dynasty all annotated "Canghai" in "Records of the Grand Historian" and "Book of Han" as: the name of a large sea.

After the Ming Dynasty, it specifically referred to deserts and Gobi.

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