Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

Lu Yu rode the clouds and was soon back over his hometown's courtyard, where Liu Qingyun was practicing martial arts. Liu's motions were full of vigor. As he moved, the starlight around him shined brilliantly, a clear sign of substantial improvement in his skills.

At this moment, having been guided by Lu Yu, Liu Qingyun's skills had improved rapidly, and his intuition was remarkable. He instantly sensed someone's gaze upon him and called out, "Who is the expert spying on me? I would appreciate a meeting."

Lu Yu smiled, realizing that his disciple truly was destined to be a Heavenly Star. Liu's rate of progress was second only to the Monkey, and Lu Yu felt a slight twinge of jealousy.

Descending from the clouds and revealing his figure, he said with a smile, "Not bad, Qingyun. You've improved a lot to detect my spying so quickly!"

The initially cautious Lu Qingyun immediately broke into a radiant smile, saying, "Master, you've returned!"

This period had been a rare time of peace for Lu Qingyun since the family tragedy. If not for the deep-seated revenge he harbored, he would have preferred to live like this forever, ignoring worldly distractions and solely focusing on following his master's teachings.

Therefore, he deeply respected and loved Lu Yu, who had changed his life. Seeing his master return naturally filled him with immense joy.

Lu Yu looked at the joyful youth before him and sighed silently.

Liu Qingyun should have had a happy family and a life free of worries. But, contrary to what fate would have, he now could only depend on him. Yet, this young man hadn't let hatred cloud his judgment and still maintained a sunny disposition, which was very rare.

"Qingyun, do you ever miss your family?" Lu Yu asked gently, stroking Liu Qingyun's head.

The bright face paused. How could he not miss his family? Seeing how Lu Zhang, despite a life of drift, still had his uncle for company, made him realize he was truly alone in this world.

The images and smiles of his family sometimes still appeared in his dreams, where he was still the carefree youth.

Looking at the silently grief-stricken Liu Qingyun, Lu Yu's heart ached slightly. This youth was too sensible, burying his sorrow deep in his heart, and although he knew his skills could avenge him, he chose to dedicate himself to harsh cultivation every day instead.

"Don't be sad. Life is fleeting like a swift horse passing a gap. However, there is reincarnation in the world, where human souls return to the Netherworld. It's not truly death, and there's still a chance to meet again."

Upon hearing Lu Yu's words, Liu Qingyun suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with hope, and asked, "Master, in this life and era, do I really have a chance to see my family again?"

After asking, he felt a bit embarrassed. His master was an immortal, and his words of possibility were truthful. How could he doubt his master?

"Of course, there is a chance. It's extremely difficult for mortals to enter the Underworld, but for those who have cultivated successfully, traveling to the heavens, entering the earth, or visiting the Netherworld is just a simple task. In a few days, I will be going to the Underworld. I will look for your relatives then, and if you have any messages, I can deliver them for you."

"Thank you, master. But you don't know what my relatives look like; it might be hard to find them."

Having said that, he seemed to remember something and said with frustration, "It was my oversight, someone like you must surely have a way."

Looking at his troubled disciple, Lu Yu couldn't help but burst into laughter and said, "With your information, deducing the whereabouts of your relatives isn't too difficult. You should think about what to bring them instead."

Upon hearing these words, Liu Qingyun quickly agreed and dashed back to his cottage as fast as lightning, preparing to write a long letter to his relatives. However, as he picked up his pen, tears involuntarily slid from his eyes, dampening the letter paper.

Gradually, the sound of soft sobbing arose and soon turned into loud wailing. He had kept these sorrows hidden for too long, and only now did he release them, as if using all his strength to vent the grievances and sadness buried deep in his heart.

Lu Yu stood in the courtyard, quietly looking up at the starry sky. He murmured to himself, "Cry, cry, let all the grievances and sorrows in your heart out. Otherwise, if suppressed for too long, they will become heart demons."

A master not only imparts knowledge and resolves doubts but also cares for his disciples. Having taken Liu Qingyun as his disciple, Lu Yu naturally had to address his shortcomings. He had long noticed the sadness deep in Liu Qingyun's heart, and if not guided properly, it would inevitably hinder his cultivation. Thus, he took this opportunity to eliminate the hidden danger completely.

Several days later, Lu Yu had completely stabilized his realm. With the stimulation of the innate qi, Lu Yu's body underwent a transformation from a mortal body to an immortal body; only at this realm could one truly be called an immortal.

However, the stimulation of the Five Qi was an extreme test of fortune and enlightenment. Since ancient times, countless individuals had been stuck at this threshold, known as the first calamity of becoming an immortal. Thus, there were three paths of human, gods, and demons, all aimed at bypassing the formidable challenge of stimulating the Five Qi.

After the first surge of innate qi, Lu Yu found that his vital energy was strengthening at a visible rate, and he also comprehended a new body refinement technique.

At this moment, he was practicing the technique, with mana flowing throughout his body, and the faint sound of waves crashing could be heard, borne from the body refinement technique Lu Yu had comprehended: Tidal Body Refinement Technique.

This technique aimed to use the mana throughout the body as the ocean, transforming into raging waves that continuously batter the body to enhance its physical strength.

"Looking at this, at the Five Qi Realm, the cultivation method of the human body is much like that of a demon. It can be said to compensate for the frailty of the human body. The physical body and soul are equally important, yet it possesses more of the Way than demons. Now that the physical body is developed and the soul is stable, it's time for a journey to the Underworld!" murmured Lu Yu.

He called Liu Qingyun to collect the letters the young man had written over the past few days and instructed him to look after the home well,

Opening his Dharma Eye, he saw the world transform; the solid earth beneath bore mystical veins, which Lu Yu knew to be the so-called ley lines. At the intersections of these ley lines, there were ephemeral passages constantly flaring in and out, serving as the pathways from the mortal world to the Underworld.

If one's soul travels, the earth becomes like a thin membrane, allowing entry anywhere, but to physically enter the Underworld, one must use the pathways between the ley lines.

Activating the mana around him, a Celestial River seemed to encircle him as he leapt downward, and in an instant, he disappeared from Liu Qingyun's sight.

Liu Qingyun watched, dumbfounded. He had never expected his master to physically enter the Netherworld, and especially not in such a miraculous manner.

When Pangu forged the heavens and the earth from chaos, the pure qi rose to form the sky, and the turbid qi sank to form the earth. The Underworld lay deep within the earth, where the greatly compassionate Empress Hou Tu transformed into reincarnation, thus ordering the rebirth of all beings between heaven and earth.