Hearing Wang Yang's words, a chill ran through Sun Wukong's heart.
"Indeed, my cultivation level doesn't amount to much; in front of many of my fellow disciples, it's trash. I estimate even tens of thousands of miles in one breath isn't considered much. It seems I must cultivate diligently in the future and not slack off, otherwise I and my monkey kin may face great troubles!"
Sun Wukong grumbled to himself, deeply convinced that the outside world was too dangerous, where trouble could arise anytime, potentially bringing harm to his monkeys and his descendants.
When Wang Yang heard Sun Wukong, the corner of his eye couldn't help twitching. Tens of thousands of miles in one breath? He could barely cover a thousand miles in one breath, the gap was just too great.
Once Sun Wukong realized how extraordinary he was, he naturally feared neither heaven nor earth.
Only after being suppressed would his temperament be tempered.
Being oppressed from having feared neither heaven nor earth, and now being educated was not the same thing.
At that time, Sun Wukong's spirit might have been crushed, completely losing the desire for cultivation; but now his mind was filled with thoughts of seeking the way.
This was the difference.
"Alright, cultivation isn't achieved overnight. Your Escape Skill isn't that strong; only when it reaches a million miles might you have the power to protect yourself. We should go and listen to our teacher's teachings now. Afterwards, your brother here will pass on new divine skills to you!"
At this moment, Wang Yang offered words of comfort.
Although Wang Yang wasn't one to feign ignorance, under Sun Wukong's preconceptions, Wang Yang seemed invincible, beyond comparison.
Moreover, Wang Yang exhibited an aura of a reclusive expert.
This naturally left the less worldly Sun Wukong completely dumbfounded.
"Honorable brother, are you about to impart to me your mystical powers?"
Overcome with excitement upon hearing this, Sun Wukong grabbed Wang Yang's hand and shook it vigorously.
"Of course, how could your brother deceive you in such matters!"
Wang Yang said calmly.
Seeing Wang Yang's composed expression, Sun Wukong couldn't help but feel expectant. If one Wind Escape was already so powerful, what would come next?
And his brother had said that only at a million miles could one have the power to protect oneself. Indeed, he had been far too arrogant, thinking tens of thousands of miles was already good enough.
Sun Wukong regretted it deeply, ashamed that he boasted in front of his knowledgeable brother without a hint of modesty.
Presently, Wang Yang and Sun Wukong made their way to where the teachings were held.
The plaza was already filled with disciples.
Patriarch Bodhi, sitting at the head, slightly nodded his head and gestured with his hand when he saw a man and a monkey approaching.
Spiritual light flashed and shone under the feet of Wang Yang and Sun Wukong, and two cushions appeared.
"Sit!"
Wang Yang and Sun Wukong sat down and began to listen to Patriarch Bodhi's teachings.
"Profound understanding of the esoteric and the exoteric, meditative contemplation on the Dao, the non-arising and the non-perishing, the wholeness of spirit and vitality, longevity to rival the heavens..."
At this moment, everyone was intently listening to Patriarch Bodhi's words, not willing to miss a single sentence.
As Patriarch Bodhi spoke of the Wonderful Dharma, connecting with the Great Dao of heaven and earth, suddenly a rain of flowers fell, and golden lotuses sprouted from the ground.
Just then, as Sun Wukong listened, the parts of the Nine-Turn Profound Art that he hadn't understood suddenly became clear, and he couldn't help but start to dance with joy.
This scene immediately caught the attention of the surrounding disciples, sparking a wave of murmurs.
Patriarch Bodhi slightly furrowed his brow, his gaze sharpening, and the discourse was halted.
"Who is making noise here?"
Sitting beside Sun Wukong, Wang Yang's eyes flickered, thinking to himself: "This scene, perhaps I could change it too?"
Clearly, what was to follow was the Ancestor Master enlightening the monkey, and then sending the monkey to find Patriarch Bodhi during the third watch of the night.
Afterwards, he would impart to the monkey the Seventy-Two Transformation of Earthly Fiends.
Patriarch Bodhi stood up and walked down.
Everyone's attention inevitably turned to Patriarch Bodhi.
As Patriarch Bodhi drew near, he looked towards Sun Wukong and slowly said, "Why are you scratching your head and making a fool of yourself down there? Why aren't you listening to my lecture?"
Immediately, Sun Wukong made a respectful gesture and said, "Honorable Master, your disciple was just overjoyed upon grasping a profound truth, hence I... I hope my Master will forgive me!"
"Hm!"
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Hearing Sun Wukong answer thus, Patriarch Bodhi stroked his beard and nodded, "I will ask you, how long have you been in this cave?"
Sun Wukong hesitated somewhat, as he had a weak concept of time to begin with. After another moment's hesitation, he said, "Disciple does not know exactly what day it is, only that on Tarnished Peach Mountain the peaches have ripened and I have eaten my fill seven times!"
"Seven years."
Patriarch Bodhi gently stroked his beard and nodded slightly.
Wang Yang, who was standing by, was somewhat surprised as well. To him, it seemed like Sun Wukong had not been there for very long.
Merely a few days' time.
Is this what is meant by 'cultivation knows no years, and in the blink of an eye, a millennium passes'?
Even for his own cultivation, it seemed to be but the blink of an eye.
"Very well, what would you like to learn?"
Patriarch Bodhi looked at Sun Wukong and nodded slightly as he spoke.
Sun Wukong was somewhat surprised. Naturally, he had hoped to learn something along with his eldest senior brother, but he had not expected Patriarch Bodhi to ask him this so soon.
"As long as master teaches, disciple is willing to learn!"
"Very well!"
Hearing Sun Wukong's reply, Patriarch Bodhi smiled knowingly, then went on to say, "I can teach you divination to foresee good and ill fortune, is this something you are willing to learn?"
"Can this art grant longevity?" Sun Wukong asked.
"It cannot!"
"Then I shall not learn it!"
Sun Wukong scratched at his monkey fur.
Patriarch Bodhi, upon hearing Sun Wukong's refusal, did not become angry. Instead, he stood up, placed his hands behind his back, and walked over to Sun Wukong, saying, "Very well, then I shall teach you how to abstain from grains and absorb qi, to resonate with the profound principles of heaven and earth, are you willing to learn this?"
Sun Wukong asked, "Can this technique grant longevity?"
Patriarch Bodhi shook his head and said, "It cannot, either!"
"Then I won't learn that either!"
"How about I teach you the various schools of Confucianism and Daoism, to understand the mechanisms of heaven's will, are you willing to learn that?"
Patriarch Bodhi looked at Sun Wukong and frowned as he spoke.
"Can this grant longevity?" Sun Wukong inquired again.
"It cannot, either!" Patriarch Bodhi shook his head.
"If it cannot grant longevity, then I refuse to learn!"
Patriarch Bodhi, now visibly annoyed, produced a discipline ruler and scolded, "You macaque, if you won't learn this, and you won't learn that, what exactly do you want to learn?"
Sun Wukong, too, was startled by Patriarch Bodhi's manner and became somewhat flustered, realizing he had angered his master.
"Master... "
"Hmm, truly incorrigible!"
Patriarch Bodhi raised his hand and struck Sun Wukong on the head three times with the discipline ruler, then turned and walked away with his hands behind his back.
Seeing this scene, many of the disciples were also somewhat stunned.
"Alas, you impudent monkey, you've angered the master, and now you still wish to defy him?"
"Indeed, whatever the master wishes to teach, that's what you learn. To pick and choose so arrogantly, what kind of conduct is that!"
"..."
The many disciples had been listening attentively to the Ancestor Master's teachings, and all because of Sun Wukong, they now had nothing to listen to, so they naturally harbored many complaints against him.
"Off with you!"
Sun Wukong, his head aching from the disturbance, waved his hands repeatedly in dismissal.
The many disciples were frightened by the monkey bearing his teeth and grimacing, but Wang Yang's face revealed a hint of amusement.
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