Chapter 179: Cautiously Following the Master's Orders

Hu Yun jumped out of the cave, his large tail sweeping behind him. He could see Lu Shan Jun's uncontainable joy, though he didn't quite understand why.

Ji Yuan glanced at the red fox, then at the massive tiger with its striking eyes.

"Let's go. We need to find a suitable place. Your cave is too dim, and the bushes outside are too dense. It's not open enough."

Ji Yuan lightly tapped his foot, seemingly shrinking the distance as he leaped forward. The mighty tiger and the red fox quickly followed, accompanied by a mountain breeze.

As Lu Shan Jun swiftly followed Ji Yuan, leaping through the terrain, he looked back at his cave. Hidden in the forest shadows, the black grotto received only dappled light from the stars and moon, filtered through the dense tree canopy. Lu Shan Jun wondered if Master was using the cave to symbolize his state of mind—to leave this dim abode and embrace a bright heart.

Ji Yuan's few simple words just now cleared Lu Shan Jun's mind. His entire tiger coat seemed to radiate spiritual light, and a feeling that Master Ji had come specifically to guide him began to grow in the tiger spirit's heart.

Walking ahead, Ji Yuan noticed this change and glanced over. He didn't know what Lu Shan Jun was thinking, but he felt that this tiger spirit truly possessed extraordinary talent, undoubtedly outstanding among demon beasts—far stronger than the red fox trailing behind.

Ji Yuan was not aimlessly wandering the mountains. He had spotted a suitable location from the sky on his way there and reached it after traversing the mountains for about fifteen minutes.

It was an oval-shaped boulder, roughly three zhang square, lying on a ridge with sparse trees around it, resembling a large pebble.

Arriving at the boulder, Ji Yuan lightly leaped onto it. The mighty tiger and the red fox followed suit, one after another.

The moonlight was perfect, the starlight brilliant. In the remote depths of Niukui Mountain, where few humans ever trod, the giant stone was illuminated to a pure white, like the moon itself.

The man, the tiger, and the fox sat down on the large stone.

To Hu Yun, this seemed unremarkable, but for Lu Shan Jun, it evoked a sense of sacred ritual: a pure white moonlit platform, sitting with his master, ready to receive teachings.

Ji Yuan subtly reciprocated Lu Shan Jun's reverence. This tiger spirit consistently treated him with the utmost solemnity, and his sincerity was rare and evident. After meeting Ji Yuan, the tiger's aura had become increasingly clear.

"You are all mountain animals who have gained sentience," Ji Yuan began. "Hu Yun is just beginning his cultivation journey; although he possesses spiritual grace, he doesn't yet know the difficulties of practice. Shan Jun, you have endured over a century of hardship since refining your transverse bone, and counting your life as a tiger, nearly two hundred years have passed. You already understand the苦 of seeking the Dao."

Ji Yuan's posture was relaxed. He propped himself up with one hand, while his right hand reached to his head to remove the dark jade hairpin. His long hair cascaded like a waterfall, swaying in the wind, and was imbued with a faint glow in the moonlight.

He raised the dark jade hairpin into the moonlight. His ancient eyes, the jade hairpin, and the bright moon aligned. Faintly, one could discern that the formerly rough jade hairpin now shimmered with flowing light.

"He who nears vermilion is stained red; he who nears the Dao gains spiritual insight! Whether demon beasts or humans, what is the purpose of cultivation and immortal practice?"

At this moment, Ji Yuan's Daoist essence was profound, and his sidelong gaze made Lu Shan Jun and Hu Yun unable to meet his eyes.

"Shan Jun, you are older than Hu Yun by some years. What are your thoughts?"

"Yes, Master!"

The tiger spirit was extremely nervous, feeling as though he was breaking out in a cold sweat. Sweat was already seeping from the pads of his four paws.

"To answer Master," he replied, "I believe cultivation is for transcendence, for immortality. It is to achieve all desires and thoughts, to be free from disaster and sorrow, and to find peace in whatever one's heart desires!"

"Excellent, very well said!"

Ji Yuan's praise was sincere. Although they had only met a few times, this tiger spirit had given him many pleasant surprises. If the earlier disciple's bow was unexpected, now there was truly a sense of connection. Hu Yun, however, was inwardly dismissive, thinking it was merely about doing as one pleased, about being the biggest and fiercest. He couldn't understand why Master Ji was praising such a simple idea.

But seeing Ji Yuan glance his way, he immediately straightened his fox body, meticulously imitating the tiger.

Ji Yuan chuckled, placing the jade hairpin beside him. He rarely let his long hair down, having previously found it too feminine, but now he felt it made little difference. Though his posture was relaxed, his mind remained focused. "Peace in whatever one's heart desires"—Lu Shan Jun's words resonated with Ji Yuan, who found his own understanding within them, realizing that he, too, had been enlightened.

Strictly speaking, this was Ji Yuan's first solemn transmission of essential cultivation knowledge. His thoughts were meticulously considered, and even the opening preamble was carefully chosen.

Ji Yuan glanced at the rigorously attentive tiger and the red fox, who was trying hard to be just as serious, and leisurely began to recite a passage unknown in this world.

"In the Northern Darkness there is a fish, and its name is Kun. The Kun's size, no one knows how many thousands of li it is. It transforms into a bird, and its name is Peng. The Peng's back, no one knows how many thousands of li it is; when it rages and flies, its wings are like clouds hanging from the sky..."

Ji Yuan's subsequent recitation omitted the original text's discussions of Qi Xie, distilling only its core essence.

"...Now, one who rides on the rectitude of Heaven and Earth, and governs the transformations of the six vital energies, thus wandering in the infinite — what is there for him to depend on? Therefore, it is said: The Perfect Man has no self; the Spiritual Man has no merit; the Sage has no fame."

After the lengthy passage was recited, Hu Yun's brow remained furrowed. Lu Shan Jun, on the other hand, was sometimes startled, sometimes deep in thought, struggling to comprehend yet fearing to miss anything. Many parts he could only force himself to memorize. The penultimate sentence left him in awe, while the very last sentence miraculously brought a sense of calm.

Ji Yuan directly bypassed the red fox's reaction and looked at Lu Shan Jun, asking, "What are your thoughts?"

This time, the tiger spirit didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pondered deeply, recalling the words carefully, and after a long moment, he hesitantly met Ji Yuan's gaze.

"Master, does the Dao you just recited have a name?"

Ji Yuan smiled. "This passage is called 'Free and Easy Wandering'!"

On the pure white moonlit platform, Lu Shan Jun's tiger body trembled. He once again bowed his tiger form solemnly towards Ji Yuan.

Lu Shan Jun did not state his answer, nor did Ji Yuan press him. There was a unique resonance that seemed to allow both parties to understand each other's intent, a feeling that was wondrous yet pleasant.

Ji Yuan then looked at the bewildered Hu Yun beside him, smiling faintly and shaking his head. After all, his cultivation and temperament were still far behind.

"Demon cultivators," Ji Yuan continued, "gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to refine and reshape their bodies, giving rise to demonic qi, transforming into spiritual essence, manifesting divine abilities, and seeking higher cultivation. They aspire to embody the principles of the sun and moon within their own inner cosmos. Many believe that demonic cultivation prioritizes brute strength, often envying and resenting the advantages of a human form... Yet, they do not realize that the path of 'knocking on the heart' is not limited by race, and the opportunity to cultivate the mind arises from the ordinary..."

Ji Yuan spoke slowly and deliberately. Lu Shan Jun wished he could conjure a small notebook to take notes, yet dared not let his attention waver for even a moment. He felt that every word Master Ji spoke tonight was profound truth—or, as Ji Yuan might have said in his previous life, "packed with solid information."

Compared to the cultivation of ordinary demon beasts, Ji Yuan placed more emphasis on clarity of mind and tempering one's state of being, as well as aligning with the Yin-Yang morality of Heaven, Earth, and humanity.

Why are they called "demons"? Why are they often grouped with evil spirits? Their inherent nature, their cultivation methods, and their actions have contributed to their current definition.

"Refine the body to cultivate the demonic form, refine the heart to cultivate enlightenment. When body and mind are purified, they will spontaneously manifest the Dao. Even the demonic path can become the immortal path!"

As these words concluded, the bright moon in the sky became obscured by dark clouds, and the boulder beneath them was no longer a pure white moonlit platform. Ji Yuan, sensing the change, naturally paused.

"Rumble..."

A faint rumble of thunder echoed in the clouds. Ji Yuan knew it was a subtle celestial resonance, where "human" could also refer to "demon." Before Lu Shan Jun's transformation, any significant breakthrough would easily attract a similar "resonance." The stronger the aura, the more likely it was to genuinely draw down lightning. Hu Yun's previous refining of his transverse bone was quite similar, but his own demonic qi was exceedingly weak, and he was sheltered beneath the shade of a jujube tree. Thus, the dark clouds in the sky only produced a few muted claps of thunder before passing without incident. Of course, there were exceptions. For instance, if a demon beast happened to be cultivating during a thunderstorm or a lightning storm and deliberately sought an open area to achieve a breakthrough, it would likely become a giant, mocking lightning rod, ensuring the heavenly lightning would strike it with full force.

"Very well. This is both fate and method; it has a beginning and an end. Let's conclude here!"

Ji Yuan paused for a long time before speaking, rousing Lu Shan Jun, who had been immersed in his inner world, and Hu Yun, who had been diligently trying to memorize.

"Haha, although it's unlikely, I am also on this stone platform. It wouldn't be appropriate if it drew down lightning, would it?"

Master Ji's jest made both the tiger and the red fox instinctively glance at the sky, where the bright moon and starry expanse were now obscured by dark clouds.

Ji Yuan picked up the dark jade hairpin from the platform, ran his hand through his hair to adjust his bun, then casually reinserted the hairpin into it before standing up.

"Cultivate well and take care of yourselves. This is not the time to wield true freedom..."

At this point, Ji Yuan paused, then looked at Lu Shan Jun.

"Do not casually announce that I am your master."

As he finished speaking, Ji Yuan lightly tapped his foot. A faint mist spread beneath him, and he ascended into the sky like a wisp of rosy cloud.

Lu Shan Jun's massive tiger body stiffened on the boulder, his eyes wide with surprise, stupor, and disbelief, which then transformed into boundless ecstasy. In a flurry, the mighty tiger rose and repeatedly prostrated himself towards the retreating figure in the sky.

"Your disciple respectfully obeys your command! Roar!"

The tiger's roar startled the forest. Countless animals in the wilderness were awakened, and a fierce wind swept across the ridge, sending numerous birds spiraling up from the trees. But Lu Shan Jun simply could not contain his excitement.

"Roar! Roar!"