The sky clears after the rain.

Clouds and mist spread between the mountains and forests, refracting splendid colors under the sun's rays.

Yu Yuan looks around and sees the flourishing vegetation, with the fragrance of flowers filling the air.

In the distance, verdant peaks and clear stream water cascading from cliffs resemble a silver dragon, moving downstream along the mountain's contour.

Nearby lies a stunning sea of flowers with colorful blossoms competing to bloom, various exotic plants swaying in the breeze. Bees dance among the flowers, butterflies leap between petals...

Yet what really catches Yu Yuan's attention is a woodcutter in the forest, chopping wood with an axe.

This woodcutter appears to be in his forties or fifties, with a time-worn appearance, cloudy eyes, and a head of silver hair under a tattered hat. Dressed in simple blue garb, with a tunic over silk trousers and wearing straw sandals, he wields an iron axe, chopping at the trunk while loudly singing, "Observing the chess piece rot to fell trees...meeting places reveal Immortals or Daoists, sitting in silence discussing the Yellow Court..."

The Yellow Court?

Yu Yuan is surprised; the woodcutter looks ordinary, how would he know of the Yellow Court Scripture, a profound Xuanmen doctrine?

He steps forward, greeting, "Fellow Daoist, I have some questions to ask."

The woodcutter, seemingly startled, hurriedly drops his axe. Upon seeing a tall young man in a blue Daoist robe, he relaxes and bows, saying, "I am but a simple man, Master Daoist. Please, ask anything you wish."

Yu Yuan smiles: "I just arrived at this marvelous place and heard you sing: 'Meeting places reveal Immortals or Daoists, sitting in silence discussing the Yellow Court'... The Yellow Court represents a true principle of Xuanmen morality. If you are not a fellow practitioner, how could you know the Yellow Court Scripture?"

"The Master Daoist misunderstands!"

The woodcutter shakes his head and laughs, "An old Immortal taught me these words as I passed by. Said repeatedly chanting them removes annoyances and all weariness. So, I recite them while chopping wood.

Oh, that old Immortal resides in the Mountain of Mind and Heart ahead. Do you wish to find him, Master Daoist?"

Mountain of Mind and Heart?

Yu Yuan's heart stirs slightly.

He remembers that Mountain of Mind and Heart is in the Western Continent, the secluded abode of Master Puti.

This Master Puti's origins are mysterious, unknown within the Three Realms and unmentioned even in the Primordial times.

"Is there a Three Star Cave on that Mountain of Mind and Heart?"

Yu Yuan probes.

The woodcutter looks at him in astonishment, "How does the Master Daoist know? Have you been here before?"

Yu Yuan chuckles and shakes his head, "Though I have not been here, I've heard of it."

"Oh, no wonder," the woodcutter enlightens. "The old Immortal has vast Divine Skills, his fame surely spreads far. It's not strange that you have heard of him."

Yu Yuan nods and looks at the woodcutter, asking, "One last question... Is there a temple of the Western Sect nearby?"

The woodcutter frowns slightly, puzzled, "Western Sect? What is that? I've only ever heard of Buddhism, never something called the Western Sect."

"Buddhism?"

Even prepared, Yu Yuan can't help but sigh inwardly.

Even the Western Sect has become Buddhism, it seems he truly has traveled to an era far removed from the Sealing God Era.

After figuring out his current era, he doesn't speak further with the woodcutter. Once he gets the direction to the Three Star Cave, he mounts the clouds and hurries in that direction.

Rumored to have vast Divine Skills, maybe Master Puti knows a way to return to the Sealing God Era.

Yet after traveling a great distance, he still hasn't seen the Three Star Cave mentioned by the woodcutter.

Wait a minute!

He suddenly halts his Auspicious Cloud.

The woodcutter?

In this desolate wilderness, where no households exist, where did that woodcutter come from?

A semi-transparent slender figure appears before him, her lovely eyebrows furrowing as she speaks softly, "That person just now seemed problematic."

"Indeed, there's a problem!"

Yu Yuan clenches his teeth.

He had been focusing on other things just now, completely overlooking any potential issue with the woodcutter.

"See where you can run to!"

Yu Yuan gave a slight tremble, and immediately, thousands of figures identical to him appeared around him.

Transforming into thousands, each controlling an Auspicious Cloud, they sped in all directions, conducting a carpet search across the nearby mountains and ridges.

In just a moment, he had already discovered a cave mansion, although its location was the opposite of the direction indicated by the woodcutter.

Yu Yuan retracted his thousands of clones and approached the entrance of the cave mansion.

From a distance, one could see the colorful mist and rays of sun and moonlight, presenting the grand and majestic scene of an Immortal's abode.

Next to the cave mansion's entrance stood a stone tablet, about three Zhang high and eight Chi wide, engraved with ten large characters: "Mountain of Mind and Heart, Three Star Cave."

At this moment, the entrance door of the cave mansion was tightly shut, and just as Yu Yuan was about to knock on the door to pay a visit, he suddenly noticed a monkey wearing a tattered robe bouncing towards him from the distant woods.

The morning light shone down, illuminating the scene in the forest.

The monkey was extremely nimble, darting and weaving through the trees with great speed.

It took only a moment for the monkey to reach him, gazing at the cave mansion with eyes shining with excitement and enthusiasm.

Though the long journey had left him physically and mentally exhausted, his heart was filled with joy and excitement.

Just then, a curious voice sounded.

"Could this monkey be from Huaguo Mountain?"

Hearing movement behind him, the monkey quickly looked up and saw a towering man wearing a Daoist robe, floating on an Auspicious Cloud. He instantly became eager and called out, "Great Immortal! Your disciple bows down! Your disciple indeed originates from the Kingdom of Aolai, Huaguo Mountain, Shuilian Cave, in the Eastern Continent. I beseech you, Great Immortal, to take me as your disciple!"

Yu Yuan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you have a name?"

"Your disciple has no name, but the boys of Huaguo Mountain call me Great King, and the villagers of Aolai call me Macaque. Your disciple wandered through the seas and explored other realms for over a decade before finally arriving here, pleading for your compassion to accept me as your disciple!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Yuan was nearly certain of his origin, and finally asked, "Don't you have parents?"

The monkey said, "I indeed have no parents. All I remember is an Immortal Stone on Huaguo Mountain. One day it cracked open, and I emerged from it."

"What a naturally-born stone monkey!"

A gentle laugh came from within the firmly shut cave mansion.

Immediately after, the cave mansion door creaked open, and a dozen young Daoists dressed in white Daoist robes came out in single file, lining up on either side of the entrance.

Then, an old Daoist with white hair and beard slowly walked out.

This old Daoist was as thin as a pine branch, his face was conical with a slight smile hanging on it. His spotlessly white Daoist robe was trimmed with colorful embroidery, and in his hand, he held a horsetail whisk, with a Nine Curves Exquisite Heavenly Crown atop his head, exuding an air of Immortal essence.

His brows sharp as sword blades, and his eyes flashing like lightning, he embodied the image of an old Immortal with an ethereal Daoist aura.

In just an instant, he caught the monkey's attention.

He also made Yu Yuan's eyes light up, his fists tightening slightly.

Although the old Daoist had changed his appearance, Yu Yuan could still recognize him by his aura as the woodcutter who had deceived him earlier!

Clearly, he was the owner of the Three Star Cave, Master Puti!

At this moment, after stepping out of the cave mansion, Master Puti merely glanced at him as if unacquainted, then turned his gaze back and said to the monkey, "You wish to apprentice under someone, right? I'm about to accept..."

"Hold on!"

Yu Yuan gave a slight shake and was already standing in front of the monkey, looking at the old Daoist with a smile, "Fellow Daoist, you are a step too late; he is already a disciple under my tutelage."

The monkey's eyes brightened with joy, about to kneel and kowtow.

"Wait!" Master Puti quickly waved his horsetail whisk, stopping the monkey from kneeling.

If the monkey kowtowed, he would truly become the other's disciple.

He glanced at Yu Yuan, his expression somewhat helpless, "Fellow Daoist, this act seems quite improper. Isn't it unsuitable to snatch disciples at someone else's cave mansion entrance?

Isn't this deliberately provocative?"

Yu Yuan nodded, "You're right, I am indeed picking a quarrel with you!"

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