The true form of Emperor Zhenwu is that of a Loong God, the ancestor of all Loongs in the world, historically known as the Ancestral Loong. He has a thorough understanding of the Loong lineage under heaven. With just a slight exertion of his magical power to probe, he recognized that this Jiao (a type of Loong) was no ordinary being but an extremely rare Sea-Overturning Jiao. If it were to grow to adulthood, it would surely become the king of the seas. This species can only reproduce near the North Sea's eye and has not been seen for ten thousand years. The fact that the Elder Lord (Laojun) presented this creature to him aroused his curiosity about the Elder Lord's intentions.

The Elder Lord said, "This creature was obtained by an old friend from the North Sea. Anticipating its unique usefulness to the Emperor, I dared not delay and hurriedly brought it here."

Emperor Zhenwu thought to himself, "Elder Lord, oh Elder Lord, I have always known you. You have never been so generous before. As the saying goes, to receive, one must first give. I am curious to see what you will ask for in return." While thinking this, he also stood up and bowed, saying,

"Without merit, I do not accept rewards. Elder Lord, you flatter me too much."

The Elder Lord laughed and said, "Brother Zhenwu, let's not dwell on trivial matters. My visit is actually for the sake of the Spiritually Intelligent Godly Ape."

Emperor Zhenwu laughed heartily, "If that's the case, I thank you, Elder Lord. The Spiritually Intelligent Godly Ape came into my possession by chance, and it is currently in the inner chamber. Please follow me."

Emperor Zhenwu thought to himself, "Even the Emperor Ziwei refrains from mentioning the Spiritually Intelligent Godly Ape, knowing well the unpredictable fortune and misfortune it could bring. Now, with Heaven in the east and the Buddhist realm in the west, countless Golden Immortals roam about. Even if the seven great divine apes were to reunite, shaking the world's order would be as futile as an ant shaking a tree. Thus, Emperor Zhenwu knew that although the Spiritually Intelligent Godly Ape seemed like a worldly treasure, it could also be considered a calamity. Holding onto this divine ape was indeed a dilemma for him.

The creature was highly taboo in the heavenly court, and keeping it was truly inappropriate. Since the Elder Lord was so straightforward, he must have already seen through his thoughts. And since he was very fond of the Sea-Overturning Jiao, he graciously agreed, considering it a favor sold to the Elder Lord. With his level of Taoist cultivation, he naturally had no worries of loss or gain. Having it is fate, losing it means it was never meant to be.

Upon entering the inner chamber and seeing the stone monkey unharmed but unconscious, the Elder Lord was unconcerned. His mastery over alchemy was unparalleled in all three realms. Even if the soul was lost, a single Nine-Turn Golden Pill could bring back the dead.

After leaving the Purple Cloud Palace, the Elder Lord soared up and quickly returned to the Bitter Hatred Heaven, reaching the Douluo Palace, located in the thirty-third heaven, in no time. The Douluo Palace, vast in land, surrounded by misty clouds, housed a towering vermilion building, the forbidden area of the Douluo Palace – the Zhu Ling Dan Platform.

Upon reaching the third floor of the Zhu Ling Dan Platform, a yellow-robed Daoist sitting on a meditation cushion greeted the Elder Lord with a laugh, "Brother Dao, your successful return burdens me."

The Elder Lord responded, "Let's not speak of burdens. This treasure is unique. If you don't want it, I might as well keep it as a doorkeeper."

"If you dare to make it a doorkeeper, I'll ensure the Douluo Palace won't find peace," the Daoist laughed.

The Elder Lord laughed, "Just joking. When it comes to the art of integrating Buddhism and Daoism, I am indeed not as skilled as you."

The Elder Lord took out the stone monkey, examined it closely, and then retrieved a palm-sized, emerald-green gourd. He carefully opened it and poured out a golden pill.

He weighed the pill in his hand, murmuring, "Stone monkey, you must not waste the effort of this golden pill."

The Daoist, amazed by the pill, said, "Elder Lord, this Nine-Turns Inner Alchemy Pill will save him countless hours of meditation and hardship." The Elder Lord placed the pill into the monkey's mouth and gently squeezed its gullet, ensuring the pill was swallowed. He then solemnly said, "The immortal stone itself has nine orifices and eight holes, arranged according to the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, having absorbed countless years of immortal energy, all concealed within. This Nine-Turns Inner Alchemy Pill merely serves to ignite the accumulated energy, a creation of Fate, ultimately different."

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The Daoist pondered for a moment, clapping in approval, "Brother Dao's words are profound. Let's send this stone monkey to the mortal realm, where I will provide its Fate."

The Elder Lord pondered, "The stone monkey has yet to awaken, having suffered a severe shock as the leader of the Six Yangs. Spending days underground, who knows what dealings it had with the Supportless Qi?"

The Daoist responded, "The Supportless Qi is restrained by the chains of Yu the Great and watched over by the incantations of the Great Sage National Teacher Wang Bodhisattva. How could it dare to act rashly?"

The Elder Lord shook his head, "Still, considering the past when the seven divine apes caused upheaval in the three realms, their Fate is infinite, and the cycle of reincarnation unending, their divine powers are indeed difficult to comprehend."

The Daoist laughed, "Since they are born of Fate, they cannot be suppressed; otherwise, it would be an act against heaven. If one can embrace this Fate, the benefits are boundless."

The Elder Lord nodded, "Indeed, a good strategy."

The yellow-robed Daoist said, "I also have other matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave."

The Elder Lord replied, "Hold on, friend. We must set boundaries to ensure the stone monkey finds its way."

The Daoist responded, "Being close to me poses no issue." After waving his sleeve over the stone monkey, showing no visible change, he said, "Now, few will know its origins."

The Elder Lord expressed his admiration, "Indeed, the arts of the world are diverse."

The Daoist laughed heartily and departed.

The world consists of four great continents: East Victorious Divine Continent, South Zhanbu Continent, West Niu He Continent, and North Jambudvipa Continent.

Focusing on the West Niu He Continent, it is now the land of Buddhism, governed by the Western Spirit Mountain. Here, the people, devoted to Buddhism, live in harmony with the world, free from greed and violence, each nurturing their spirit and seeking immortality.

On this day, within the territory of West Niu He Continent, a remarkable peak stood tall, surrounded by thousands of mountains, with majestic stone cliffs unfolding like a peacock's tail. After a recent rain, the forest was enveloped in a light green mist, and the streams were a smoky teal, creating a scene straight out of a fairy tale. Along the mountain path, withered vines wrapped around old trees, and secluded birds sang clear melodies. Exotic flowers, auspicious grasses, lush bamboo, and tall trees made the place blissfully serene.

Amid the chirping of birds, the stone monkey gradually woke up, opening his eyes to find himself in a beautiful landscape, seemingly a heavenly realm. Taking a breath here felt unusually refreshing. The stone monkey, not in the mood to admire the scenery, struggled to recall past events, his thoughts mired in chaos.

Prince Xiao, the Great Sage National Teacher Wang Bodhisattva, the Supportless Qi... When had those events occurred? They seemed as recent as yesterday yet as distant as millennia. Then, there seemed to be conversations and faces, too blurred to recall.

The stone monkey got up, reaching out only to touch moss. He went to the stream to wash his hands. The water was cool, and upon contact, droplets danced in his palm. Ah! This reminded him of a dream he had about water being so obedient, which he found amusing.

His clothes, already in tatters, were discarded as he jumped into the stream. After playing in the water alone and cleaning himself thoroughly, he went to the forest to search for wild fruits to eat.

He found fruits of green and red, unknown varieties, but they were sour, sweet, and fragrant. Sitting down to savor a handful, he suddenly heard a man singing from deep within the forest, "Watching the chess game, chopping wood, slowly walking by the cloud-bordered valley, selling firewood and wine, laughing madly, indulging in one's emotions..." The accent of the song sounded like it was from Sichuan in his previous life. Could it be that this place was near the Sichuan region?

As he listened further, his expression turned solemn, his heart thumping with excitement. The song went on, "Gathering a bundle, singing through the market, exchanging for three liters of rice. No competition, fair prices, without scheming or clever calculations, without honor or disgrace, living a contented life. Meeting someone, either a sage or a Daoist, sitting quietly, discussing the Yellow Court..."

This was the song sung by the woodcutter he met before encountering Bodhi Patriarch in the mountains! After enduring a tough year in South Zhanbu Continent and nearly losing his life, he had unexpectedly stumbled upon fortune. If there were no accidents, he was about to meet Bodhi Patriarch, leading to the great achievement of his divine powers. Could it be that Bodhi Patriarch had come to South Zhanbu Continent to wait for him?

The stone monkey steadied his mind, deciding not to overthink. Following the script should be the right approach here.

He followed the singing and saw a woodcutter sitting astride a dead tree, wielding an axe to chop wood.

The stone monkey glanced over and chuckled . The woodcutter was dressed in gauzy clothes, with a silk belt coiled around his waist, and held a brand-new, shining axe in his hand. This was no ordinary woodcutter; clearly, he was an immortal descended to experience mortal life. He thought it was an immortal playing a role, unaware of the hardships of common folk. If one could afford such attire, they would have already bought a mansion and become a wealthy man, rather than toiling away cutting wood on the mountain.