Yellow Court Daoist-Chapter 776 - 696, Zhu Zi Zhu Zi, I’ve had another epiphany!

One night, at the third night watch.

Under the green bamboo, the Six-Eared Monkey stealthily opened its eyes. It cocked its body, inching an ear towards the west, its small face scrunched up as if intently eavesdropping on something.

"Is there no other Six-Eared here?"

"Heh heh."

"Silly stone monkey, how would you know of my Six-Eared prowess?!"

The Six-Eared Monkey seemed to hear amusing words, and it chattered away with a mix of anger and laughter—baring its teeth and grinning. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Without adding more words.

It continued to listen below.

In an instant, as if intoxicated.

Only after a good long while did it gather itself, still not quite satiated.

Feeling like a thief with a guilty conscience, it glanced towards the west, then stealthily at the bamboo next to it, feeling relieved to have gone unnoticed. The monkey exhaled in relief, chuckled, closed its eyes, and fell asleep.

The next morning.

Lu Qingfeng was still cultivating when he heard the monkey blabbering on, "Zhu Zi, Zhu Zi, I've had another insight into my cultivation last night, and I'm about to share it with you!"

The Six-Eared Monkey was clever.

Always quick to grasp concepts and close to the Way.

Over these thirteen years.

Although Lu Qingfeng had been teaching the monkey cultivation, the Six-Eared used the techniques in ways that often led to new insights, which it shared with Lu Qingfeng, thereby greatly benefiting him as well.

Advancing his Dao ability rapidly.

Hearing the Six-Eared Monkey hollering, Lu Qingfeng immediately rustled his leaves and crisply said, "I'm listening, go ahead."

"Hmph!"

The Six-Eared Monkey put on airs, clearing its throat with a hmph, placing its hands behind its back and pontificated to the bamboo, "You're fortunate today, and I'm pleased to tell you. Since you recognize my Six-Eared prowess, come closer and listen carefully; I shall impart to you the wonderful method of longevity."

"…"

"…"

Lu Qingfeng rustled his leaves, knowing all too well that the Six-Eared had picked up this pompous language from who knows where, finding it impressive and intentionally showing off.

Kind of feeling like laughing at him.

Rustle-rustle!

Lu Qingfeng violently shook his leaves and retorted, "I am a bamboo, how can I come closer?"

"…"

Upon hearing that, the monkey's expression faltered. It looked up and down at the bamboo, sighed and waved dismissively, "Good bamboo, you should transform quickly. Without the ability to walk or jump, and needing daily watering and soil loosening—how would you live without me?"

Lu Qingfeng had been cultivating for quite some time.

Repeatedly undergoing several rounds of Heavenly Tribulations, strengthening many Great Divine Powers. Now at the cultivation progress of the eighth Heavenly Tribulation, in another couple of years, he would return to the realm of the Heavenly Immortal.

He still refrained from transforming.

The reason was to build up his foundation.

This silly monkey wouldn't understand even if explained, and might even press Lu Qingfeng to transform sooner to relieve the daily chore of watering and loosening the soil.

Lu Qingfeng naturally didn't wish to explain.

The monkey, eager to show off, didn't wait for Lu Qingfeng to speak and stepped forward, whispering to the bamboo, "In my recent days of practicing the Great Method, I have acquired new insights. The teachings should not be passed beyond the Six-Eared; I'll speak softly to you, make sure you don't spread it around."

Teachings should not be passed beyond the Six-Eared?

That phrase was harmless when spoken by anyone else, but coming from this monkey, it was ridiculously amusing.

Seeing the Six-Eared monkey behaving sneakily, Lu Qingfeng knew that was just its nature.

Not holding it against him.

"Hurry up!"

He urged, quietly listening.

"Rush, rush, rush."

"Watch your noggin!"

The Six-Eared muttered, yet still moved closer to the bamboo and began disclosing the 'acquired' and 'realized' techniques and the mysterious intricacies of Divine Powers to Lu Qingfeng.

Lu Qingfeng listened—

"What a Six-Eared Monkey."

"Truly mysterious!"

He saw that the Twelve Heavenly Demon God Skill, altered by the Six-Eared, was almost unrecognizable from its original form, now emphasizing physical refinement and hidden intricacies, a far cry from the initial technique.

Lu Qingfeng quickly began to learn.

"Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!"

Then, he started his cultivation.

Seasons changed, and three years passed.

Another day.

"Zhu Zi, Zhu Zi, I've had another epiphany!"

The Six-Eared had somehow worked out the Seventy-Two Changes, growing even more profound. Its Lawless Incarnation also progressed, becoming increasingly distinct.

"Good, good!"

Lu Qingfeng incorporated these insights into his Divine Skills, gaining much.

Pleased, he immersed himself in contemplation.

Not many days later.

"Zhu Zi, Zhu Zi…"

The Six-Eared had more achievements; its Cloud Peak Step had evolved in many ways, cloud-riding and mist-surrounding, each leap spanning a hundred thousand miles—comparable to its renowned skill.

Lu Qingfeng tried it out and found it remarkably powerful.

"You really are clever, Six-Eared!"

Another round of praise.

A few days again.

"Zhu Zi…"

The Six-Eared Monkey had elucidated from its Dutian Demon God transformations, skills like Three Heads and Six Arms and Fatian Xiangdi.

Lu Qingfeng delved into cultivation, habitually commending the Six-Eared and burying himself in research.

Spring returned and summer arrived.

Lu Qingfeng had yet to fully master these Divine Skills and wonderful methods.

"Zhu Zi, Zhu Zi…"

The monkey had once again realized skills like Carry Mountains and Chase the Moon, Call the Wind and Summon the Rain, Overturning Rivers and Seas, all on its own.

This time.

Lu Qingfeng finally sensed something amiss.

…

"Zhu Zi, why are you staring at me?"

The monkey under the bamboo shuffled uncomfortably, fidgety, no longer as smug as before.

A breeze blew by.

Swaying the leaves of the green bamboo.

Lu Qingfeng eyed the Six-Eared and asked sharply, "Tell me honestly, did you really come up with these techniques and Divine Powers on your own?"

"Would I lie?"

The monkey puffed out its chest, raising its head with faux confidence.

He looked somewhat defiant and righteous.

But having been around Lu Qingfeng for twenty-six years, he knew exactly what that monkey was up to the moment he stuck his butt out.

At first, he didn't notice because his cultivation progress had been extremely rapid in recent years; his cultivation and Dao ability advanced by leaps and bounds each day as he immersed himself in the comprehension of various Mysterious skills, so the monkey managed to fool him.

But now, realizing it and reflecting back upon it closely, how could he not understand!

"Still trying to argue your way out."

Lu Qingfeng's thoughts stirred.

He gathered all the various Cultivation Techniques and Divine Skills that Six-Eared had incessantly babbled about over the years.

The attributes panel immediately identified them—

Sect Hierarch Level: Eight-Nine Mysterious Skill.

Great Divine Power: Seventy-two Changes.

Great Divine Power: Lawless Incarnation.

Great Divine Power: Somersault Cloud.

Great Divine Power: Three Heads and Six Arms.

Great Divine Power: ...

Aside from Eight-Nine Mysterious Skill, the rest were all Great Divine Powers!

However.

There is still a difference between one Great Divine Power and another.

Many of the Great Divine Powers that Lu Qingfeng had cultivated were just barely strengthened to the Divine Power Level.

Only the Five-Colored Divine Light, Cloud Peak Step, and Inverted Void Glazed Glass Wall had been reinforced several times by Lu Qingfeng after reaching the level of Great Divine Power.

But the Divine Skills stolen by Six-Eared were much more Mysterious, equivalent to having been enhanced around eight or ten times at the Divine Power Level.

Although not as supreme as Supreme Divine Power, they were still rare in the world.

No wonder even he found them Mysterious, having spent a lot of effort without fully comprehending them.

"Eight-Nine Mysterious Skill."

"Seventy-two Changes."

"Lawless Incarnation."

"Somersault Cloud."

"..."

Lu Qingfeng counted them on his fingers, and looking at the still defiant monkey, he couldn't help but laugh: "Impressive, you've really grown. And you even know how to cover your tracks."

Having his Divine Skills foundation called out by Lu Qingfeng.

The monkey immediately deflated, slumping and sighing, "I just can't stand it, Zhu Zi, you always think I'm not as good as that silly stone monkey."

Saying so.

The monkey felt somewhat wronged, and his eyes suddenly reddened.

"When have I ever thought you were less than the stone monkey?"

Lu Qingfeng looked at the monkey, realizing that he had been too harsh just now.

Although Six-Eared had made progress in his cultivation, his pure-hearted nature hadn't changed, showing off Divine Powers like treasured possessions that he had secretly learned and then revealing them to him, only to be met with rebuke—naturally, the monkey felt wronged.

However.

Whether it was Cultivation Techniques or Great Divine Powers, he had plenty of them, although they might slightly pale in comparison to those personally imparted by Master Puti, they had the advantage of avoiding karma and troubles.

With diligent study and hard practice, he might not be weaker than the stone monkey in the future.

But the monkey was too competitive—

"But I'm just not as good!"

With a cry in his voice, the monkey shouted with his head held low: "That stone monkey started cultivating later than me and has already become a Heavenly Immortal for over a year. After all these years of hard cultivating, I've still been surpassed by him, you must think I'm not as clever as the stone monkey!"

As he spoke, the monkey felt even more aggrieved.

Like being abandoned, tears couldn't help rolling down his face, and he started to sob uncontrollably.

"..."

Lu Qingfeng listened to the monkey's wails and quickly went to console him: "I certainly don't think so. The stone monkey is cultivating in the Immortal Mountain, with abundant Spiritual Energy, endless Sun and Moon Essence, and Star Essence Qi to enjoy, often listening to the Saints speak of Dao—his cultivation advances rapidly such that a single day's progress could equal tens or hundreds of years outside."

Lu Qingfeng had not expected the monkey to care so much about this issue.

And even less expected.

That in no more than a decade under Master Puti's tutelage, the stone monkey had already become a Heavenly Immortal.

No wonder Six-Eared had been acting strangely lately.

It turned out he had seen the stone monkey's rapid progress and felt overshadowed, with his comparative heart wounded.

Keep in mind, that stone monkey took seven years just for Foundation Establishment, and the actual cultivation and learning of skills only lasted a mere three years!

"Terrifying indeed!"

"Worthy of the title Great Sage Equalling Heaven!"

Lu Qingfeng sighed inwardly.

But he put on an indifferent front, snorted dismissively, and said to the monkey: "You've become a Heavenly Immortal after thirteen years of cultivation here in the outer lands, only ten years behind the stone monkey. Strictly speaking, he's not better than you."

That was true.

Both being naturally nurtured by heaven and earth, both Six-Eared and the stone monkey cultivated extremely fast. Given the same conditions, Six-Eared might not lose to the stone monkey.

Now.

It's less about Six-Eared being inferior to the stone monkey but more about Lu Qingfeng not being as good as Master Puti.

"Of course, I'm no match for Master Puti!"

Lu Qingfeng also felt rightfully indignant, but he wouldn't admit it out loud.

Looking at Six-Eared.

He sighed inwardly.

This small disparity at present was still manageable, but once the stone monkey rampaged through the Dragon Palace, descended to the netherworld, and caused havoc in the Heavenly Court, indulging in innumerable fine wines and delicacies, secretly hoarding countless escapees, devouring numerous Golden Cores, and then being cast into the Furnace of Eight Trigrams by Old Lord to be refined.

After such ordeals.

He would leave Six-Eared far behind.

"I wonder how Six-Eared will have such Divine Powers to fight the stone monkey without losing face in the future."

"And why is he eventually beaten to death with a single strike?"

Lu Qingfeng pondered over these doubts, but could not come to a conclusion after a long thought.

"Is he really not as good as me?"

Lost in thought, a voice came through.

Lu Qingfeng looked over at Six-Eared and, seeing the monkey finally raising his head with spirit light in his eyes, he smiled: "He's not as good as you."

Hearing this.

The monkey, regardless of the snot and tears still on his face, also chuckled.

He was easy to comfort.

Lu Qingfeng looked at Six-Eared and thought to himself: "Relentless cultivation is not the way to go. It's time to take him out for some experience, to get some self-confidence from those Heavenly Immortals and Demon Kings."

Surveying the Four Great Continents.

In an instant, Lu Qingfeng thought of three places.

"The first stop is right here!"

With this thought.

The Green Bamboo swayed, transforming into a young man.

...