Chapter 3, The Mischievous Little Monkey

On the second day, Hailong was surprisingly diligent, getting up to chop wood on the mountain before dawn. After successfully completing his morning tasks, he immediately took his bamboo basket to the fruit orchard. After picking enough fruit, he quietly made his way deep into the orchard to search for the traces of the little monkey from yesterday. His efforts were not in vain; just as he concealed himself, he saw a swift gray figure quickly descend from the branches into the orchard, which was indeed the monkey from yesterday.

Yes, these branches should be sufficient for today. Let's head back. It's getting late, and we still need to tidy up these branches and go pick some fruit. Hai Long skillfully bundled the branches on the ground, which were almost as thick as his arms, onto his shoulder and quickly made his way towards Mo Yun Ping

With a sense of surprise, Hai Long hurried back to Mo Yun Ping, only to find all eight of his masters present. In front of them stood four individuals, dressed almost identically to Ling Tongzi and the others, all in plain clothing. Among them, three were women, but they were still some distance away. These outsiders had their backs to Hai Long, making it impossible for him to see them clearly.

After descending from the peak of Moyun, Hailong finally realized that he had been tricked by the Dao Ming Zhenren. The character for 'feather' in the feather he was granted sounded quite pleasant at first, but when connected to the previous character, it became utterly disgusting. 'Tan Yu' clearly refers to a spittoon.

Ling Muzi's expression slightly changed, and she frowned as she said, "Disciple, you must not speak carelessly! This fifth-grade purple fungus has been nurtured on the Mysterious Peak for two hundred years. Senior Brother Ling Yun, we shall take our leave now." After saying this, she signaled for Ling Feizi and the three women to mount their flying swords and soar into the sky

The little clever creature was startled, having already lost much of its strength. Amidst its squeaks of pain, it was suddenly struck in several places, causing its body to lose balance and fall down like a headlong dive. If it had been full of energy, the little clever creature could have easily used its long tail to hang onto a branch and maintain its balance, but at this moment, it was utterly exhausted and could not hold on. It fell freely under the force of gravity, akin to free fall. If it had been full of energy, the little clever creature could have easily used its long tail to hang onto a branch and maintain its balance, but at this moment, it was utterly exhausted and could not hold on. It fell freely under the force of gravity, akin to free fall.

Ling Tongzi took the wooden box from Hai Long's arms and handed it to Ling Yunzi, saying: "Fourth Senior Brother, let it go. They have already left. Hai Long is still a child; do not hold it against him. I will definitely teach him a good lesson later."

The air on the mountain is exceptionally pure. Taking a deep breath, Hailong feels as if his body has become a bit lighter. He continuously picks various fruits and places them into a bamboo basket as he walks deeper into the fruit grove. While walking, he suddenly hears a squeaking sound, and his heart skips a beat, causing him to stop alertly. He cautiously takes his short-handled axe from his waist and looks in the direction of the sound. The squeaking becomes clearer, and when Hailong sees the source of the sound, he can't help but laugh. It turns out to be a little monkey, the most ordinary kind, with dull gray fur and a red bottom, happily holding and eating a peach.

Sitting on the ground and gasping heavily, Hai Long pointed at Xiao Ji Ling and said, "Did you eat some treasure? How come you're so fast today? Fortunately, I recently broke through to the entry-level realm and reached the initial stage; otherwise, I really wouldn't be able to handle you, this guy"

Seeing the smug expression on the little clever one's face, Hai Long's anger surged within him, and he exclaimed, "You think you can take advantage of my leniency? Just take a look at this treasure." He forcefully shook out the remaining stones from the cloth bag and threw them at the little clever one with all his might.

Hailong held the wooden box close to his chest and said: "We won't return it; this is what we exchanged for. Why shouldn't we keep it, Master Si? Is this purple fungus fake?"

The little clever one appeared quite exhausted, lying on a tree branch not far from the sea dragon, panting continuously. However, its small red eyes were still filled with excitement. Its two monkey paws kept extending the thumb and index finger, pointing at the sea dragon, clearly displaying a look of disdain.

Ling Tongzi was immediately overjoyed and hurriedly expressed his gratitude to his master. It is important to understand that the Dao胎 (Dao胎) is exceptionally significant for every practitioner of the Dao. During the cultivation of the Dao胎, one must not be invaded by external demons; otherwise, if one falls into a state of confusion, the consequences could be a significant reduction in cultivation or, in severe cases, the complete annihilation of the primordial spirit.

The little monkey seemed to be in a bad temper, screeching a few times before suddenly jumping onto a branch above. It stretched out its monkey paw and picked two peaches to throw at the sea dragon. The little monkey's accuracy was astonishing, and while the sea dragon was feeling pleased with himself, he was suddenly hit squarely, making him even more embarrassed. In a fit of anger, the sea dragon immediately picked up stones and began to shoot back at the little monkey. The little monkey, being in a higher position and relying on its agile movements, naturally had the upper hand. In no time, the sea dragon was covered in fruit juice, while the little monkey had not been hit even once.

Ling Yuzi shook his head and said, "Young man, the Heavenly Heart Technique is the foundation of our cultivation of Daoist methods. If you do not establish a solid foundation, how can you utilize Daoist techniques? If you wish to cultivate Daoist methods, at the very least, you must wait until you reach the Tiger Subduing realm."

Upon hearing the words "little monkey," Hailong felt a stir in his heart and immediately recalled the little monkey that had played tricks on him. He secretly thought to himself that he must take revenge when he had the chance

Although Hailong was extremely competitive, he realized that he had suffered a loss today and, moreover, several masters at home were waiting for their meal, so he could not afford to delay any longer. After intimidating the little monkey a few times, he dejectedly took the gathered fruits and ran back to Moyunping. Before he even approached, he heard voices speaking, and among them were unexpectedly some female voices, exceptionally clear and melodious.

The sea dragon made a face at the little monkey and laughed, saying: "You rascal, coming here to steal food, you really deserve a beating"

Hailong scratched his head and said, "Where did I go wrong? It is only right; they took our things, so it is only fair to exchange them for that purple fungus!"

Hailong nodded earnestly and said, "Fairy sister, you are truly beautiful!"

Hailong chuckled and approached Ling Tongzi, saying: "Master Liu, let me go get you some fruits to eat. You haven't had lunch yet"

"Damn it, even you are here to mock me, go to hell." With that, Hailong picked up a handful of small stones from the ground and immediately unleashed a barrage at the little monkey. Although his accuracy was not great, the sheer number of stones meant that a few hit the little monkey, causing it to squeal in pain. Looking at his achievement, Hailong proudly puffed out his chest.

Hailong chuckled and said, "You better watch out, or I will make you search the ground for your teeth today. Look at my treasures." In order to compete with the clever little one, Hailong specifically had Ling Yuzi help him make two small cloth bags to hang on his belt, filled with small stones he had carefully selected in advance, making them very convenient to use. With a whistling sound, the stones flew one after another towards the clever little one.

Before Hailong arrived, tasks such as doing laundry, tidying up the room, and picking fruits were almost all his responsibility. This past month, he has had it much easier, dedicating all his energy to cultivation, and he has noticeably felt an improvement in his skills. Seeing Hailong, who was holding a bamboo basket and preparing to go out, he immediately smiled and said: "Spittoon, are you going to pick fruits?"

Hailong did not realize at all what he had done wrong. He nodded dismissively and said, "Master Liu, why are there no women at Moyun Peak? Look over there, they have three female masters at once."

Hailong said irritably: "Hmph, would you be happy if I gave you a name like 'Phlegm Basin'? I don't care, Master Eleven, can you change my name?"

The little clever one's body has grown a bit over the past year, and it seems unable to dodge anymore. It hurriedly waved its arms to knock away the flying stones. The sea dragon possesses considerable wrist strength, and coupled with the progress in its magical cultivation, although it did not use its full strength, the force of these stones was still somewhat formidable. Instantly, the little clever one's body shook violently, and it grimaced while continuously rubbing the areas that had been struck.

"Why not! It's not something that comes for free." Hai Long sprang out from beside Ling Tong Zi and swiftly grabbed the wooden box from Ling Mu Zi's hands

One month later. In the woods of Moyun Peak

This was the first time such a situation had occurred, and Hai Long was taken aback. Instinctively, he reached out to catch Xiao Jiling, but there was a certain distance between them, and his legs were now too fatigued to respond properly. He could only watch helplessly as Xiao Jiling fell heavily in front of him. Coincidentally, where Xiao Jiling fell, there was a sharp stone standing upright. Xiao Jiling let out a cry of agony, and his body trembled violently upon hitting the ground.

Ling Tongzi shot a displeased glance at Hailong and said, "Come with me."

Ling Muzi took the jade bottle and smiled, saying, "Thank you, Senior Brother." As he spoke and gestured, a flash of blue light appeared, and a small wooden box suddenly appeared in his right hand. "Senior Brother Lingyun, this is a fifth-grade purple fungus, capable of reviving the dead and restoring their bones. Please accept it. This way, you won't have to face any difficulties in front of Master Daoming."

Upon hearing Hailong's words, Ling Tongzi could no longer maintain his stern expression and helplessly said, "You little monkey!"

Before the little monkey could steady itself, the sea dragon immediately shot a blast of pellets over. Caught off guard, the little monkey cried out in pain, with about one-third of the stones hitting their target. The little monkey's eyes, filled with anger, saw various fruits from the tree raining down towards the sea dragon.

The skill of the sea dragon has improved, and the little clever one has become much stronger than at the beginning. It constantly jumps around, dodging the sea dragon's attacks while countering with various fruits from the trees. The two are having a great time fighting in the orchard. Today, the little clever one is full of energy, and its speed has noticeably increased. In the end, the two only managed to reach a draw.

Hailong made a face at Ling Feizi and then ran to the back to wash up. While he was cleaning the dirt off his body in the room, he perked up his ears to listen to the conversations of the people outside. By the time he had finished washing and changed his clothes, he had roughly understood the situation. The so-called four senior uncles outside were fourth-generation disciples under the guidance of the esteemed Daoist of the Mysterious Peak, who was a direct disciple of the great disciple Daoyun. They had come this time to seek some dew liquid from their ancestral master, Dao Ming, to take back for alchemy.

The Lianyun Mountain Range is rich in spiritual energy. Every day, he consumes a large amount of fruits and herbs such as Huangjing and Fuling, which are known for their energy-boosting properties. Over the course of a year, Hailong's body has grown significantly taller compared to when he first arrived. At fourteen years old, he is nearly the height of a Lingyu child, and his physique has become much stronger and more robust. The foundational training of the Tianxin Jue is quite simple. With the assistance of Lingtongzi, Hailong has gradually gotten on the right track. Although his aptitude is not particularly good, after a year, he has barely progressed from the initial stage to a preliminary understanding of the realm. During his training, he can already feel a warm current flowing gently.

Ling Yunzi took the wooden box, let out a soft sigh, and turned to return to his room

"Hailong, do you realize your mistake?" Ling Tongzi said with a serious expression

Ling Yunzi let out a light sigh and said: "We are originally from the same sect, and it is only right to help each other. How could I accept your things? Please take them back. However, if my master inquires in the future, I hope that Uncle Daoyun can speak a few good words for us."

While thinking, Hai Long had already arrived in the orchard. As soon as he stepped into the orchard, he distinctly felt a strong wind coming from above. Without needing to think, his body instinctively reacted; he crouched down and turned, using his right hand to grip a nearby fruit tree, instantly changing his position. With a loud "bang," a still somewhat unripe peach struck the spot where he had just been. Hai Long laughed and scolded, "Well done, Little Clever (the name he gave to the little monkey), you ambushed me as soon as I arrived. Watch this!" He pinpointed Little Clever's location, and with another loud "bang," another unripe peach hit the spot he had just vacated. Hai Long laughed and scolded again, "Well done, Little Clever, you ambushed me as soon as I arrived. Watch this!" He accurately located Little Clever's position, and immediately three stones flew in a triangular formation, with the two on the sides completely blocking its escape route.

Hai Long felt a warmth in his heart; although Ling Tongzi claimed he would teach him a lesson, how could he not discern the protective intent behind his words?

"Hailong, do not take it too seriously; the title is merely a designation, and it can change in the future. As long as there are no elders or other fellow disciples present, we can still call you Hailong, so you won't feel awkward. It is quite easy to advance from a fifth-generation disciple to a fourth-generation disciple; as long as you put in the effort, you might achieve it in twenty years. You are tired today, so take a good rest. Tomorrow, I will formally begin to impart to you the heart method of our sect." Ling Tongzi tried to soften his voice. Although the child before him appeared somewhat arrogant, he found himself unconsciously developing a sense of affection for him. It was a feeling akin to that of a father and son!

Ling Tongzi helplessly shook his head and said, "You really do not understand the ways of the world. Although it is quite difficult for us that they came to borrow the Dew Liquid, they are, after all, our fellow disciples, all belonging to Lianyun Sect. How can we ask for a reward for helping them? Moreover, your attitude today has not been good. Ling Muzi and the others are your mentors; how can you be so rude? This tarnishes the reputation of our Moyun Peak. Considering this is your first offense, I will not punish you, but you must reflect on your behavior."

"I, I didn't mean to. Little Jiling, I didn't mean to, you have to pull yourself together! I will definitely save you." In his anxiety, the fourteen-year-old Hailong's voice already carried a hint of sobbing. Little Jiling's chest rose and fell continuously, unable to even call out, with a few traces of blood froth seeping from the corner of his mouth

Every day, Tian Tian and Xiao Ji Ling would playfully tussle, but Hai Long had long regarded it as his friend. Startled, he hurriedly stepped forward and picked up Xiao Ji Ling. The situation of Xiao Ji Ling was dire; a sharp stone had pierced through its right chest like a blade, and blood was continuously seeping from the wound. Its usually clever and quirky little red eyes were now veiled with a layer of gray.

Ling Feizi was taken aback and murmured, "I, I am not over fifty years old; I am only thirty-seven this year! Ah! You, you dare to mock me." Ling Feizi joined the Lianyun Sect twenty years ago and is the youngest among the current fourth-generation disciples, possessing exceptional talent and having already reached the late stage of Cloud Soaring.

Dao Ming Zhen Ren waved his hand and said, "You may return. Ling Tong! Your Dao胎 is about to solidify, and when the time comes, I will personally protect you."

Ling Tongzi looked at Hai Long's dumbfounded expression and couldn't help but frown. He waved to Hai Long and said, "Tan Yu, come here quickly and meet a few of your seniors." Hai Long, startled out of his stupor, hurried over.

In the mountains, there are no cycles of sixty years; in the blink of an eye, a year has already passed

Although the training on Moya Peak was lonely, Hailong still found his own joy, which was the time spent playing with the little monkey after finishing his daily tasks. Every morning, Hailong would wake up early to play in the fruit forest with the little monkey, who was very cooperative. Ever since their first meeting, the little monkey would come to the Moya Ping fruit forest every day to pick fruits, seemingly finding joy in the playful antics with Hailong. At first, Hailong always came off worse, but the daily play with the little monkey made him increasingly agile, and his accuracy in throwing stones improved significantly. Now, the little monkey could no longer gain any advantage and often found itself chased and beaten by Hailong, fleeing with its head held low.

Hailong's small face turned red with anger, "You, you all..." He secretly vowed to cultivate to the level of a fourth-generation disciple as soon as possible; otherwise, when Douya arrived, what would he think of his Dao name! As the blue light descended, the five of them had already returned to the mountainside. Pointing to a row of extremely simple wooden houses ahead, he smiled slightly and said, "Apart from the First Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, and Third Senior Brother, the other eight disciples of Moyun Peak live here. This place is called Moyun Ping, and it will also be your place for cultivation in the future. Come, I will take you to see your room." Saying this, he led the sulking Hailong towards a wooden house on the side.

Ling Tongzi had long discovered this secret of Hai Long, but he did not say anything. Playing with that little monkey was not detrimental to Hai Long; after all, he was still a child and needed some childhood fun. Moreover, this would also help with his agility and physical fitness, so he allowed it to continue.

"Go away, I am going to meditate now." After saying this, Master Daoming floated back into his stone house, the door closed, and everything returned to tranquility

Ling Tongzi said with displeasure: "We are practitioners of the Dao; what difference does it make between men and women? They belong to the sect of the Mysterious Dao Master, who is herself a woman, so naturally, the disciples below are predominantly female"

Hailong was momentarily taken aback, then he glared at Ling Yuzi and said, "I am not some spittoon; my Dao name is Tanyu. Master Ling Feizi, you are truly beautiful! You look to be in your fifties, right?" Initially, he had a good impression of Ling Feizi, but upon hearing her refer to him as a spittoon, he couldn't help but retort.

The Sea Dragon made a face at Lingyuzi, and then followed Lingtongzi to his room

Ling Yuzi had long since grown accustomed to Hai Long's rudeness. With a chuckle, he said, "Alright, alright, calling you Hai Long is acceptable, isn't it? You've been on the mountain for a month now; how is your Tianxin Jue practice coming along? If there are any unclear points regarding m.hetushu.com, feel free to ask me." Hai Long snorted and replied, "Isn't it just sitting and sleeping? What sensation could there be? It's just a bit more comfortable to sleep. Master Shi, could you teach me some techniques? I'm about to suffocate from boredom."

Having received the master's promise, Ling Tongzi felt greatly relieved and, together with his three junior brothers, led the Sea Dragon out of the Mo Yun Cave. Mo Yun Mountain has a peculiar shape; the area at the summit is quite small, and the mountain is very steep above the sea of clouds, while the slopes at mid-mountain and below the sea of clouds are much gentler, even easier to traverse than Di Ling Peak. Below the mid-mountain is also the place where Ling Tongzi and the others usually practice.

The little monkey seemed to understand his words, chattering away as if to inform Hai Long that this was his territory. Suddenly, the little monkey swung its arm sharply towards Hai Long. Before Hai Long could react, half of a sticky peach had already hit his face, instantly covering him in juice. Upon seeing Hai Long's embarrassed state, the little monkey burst into laughter, shaking back and forth on the branch, clearly overjoyed.

Hailong shot him a glare and said, "If you call me 'spittoon' one more time, I will go on strike today and let you drink the mountain wind"

The sea dragon attacked the target with great enthusiasm, laughing heartily as he dodged various fruits while retaliating with his own shotgun. The lively scene of one person and one monkey in the orchard was quite a spectacle. By the time the sun was high in the sky, and he was nearly exhausted, the sea dragon finally emerged from the orchard. Today's outcome was as tragic as yesterday's; despite his agility and accuracy being far inferior, he ended up covered in fruit juice once again. However, the results were somewhat better this time, and the sea dragon remained undeterred. To avoid letting his masters see his disheveled appearance, he first went to the Ganlu Spring to clean himself and his clothes before returning to Moyunping. Today's outcome was as tragic as yesterday's; despite his agility and accuracy being far inferior, he ended up covered in fruit juice once again. However, the results were somewhat better this time, and the sea dragon remained undeterred. To avoid letting his masters see his disheveled appearance, he first went to the Ganlu Spring to clean himself and his clothes before returning to Moyunping

"Tan Yu, what is the matter with you? Hasn't the master officially accepted you as a disciple? Why do you look so unhappy?" Ling Yuzi asked with a smile. Among these fourth-generation disciples, he is the youngest, only fifty-six years old. He came to the mountain at a very young age, and life in the mountains has been simple; even now, he still possesses a childlike heart.

Ling Yuzi and Ling Tongzi exchanged a glance, suppressing their laughter as they said: "It’s not impossible to change your Dao name. Once your cultivation improves and you advance to the status of a fourth-generation disciple, your Dao name can be changed to Ling Yu. In fact, the name Tan Yu is quite pleasant as well; as long as you don’t think of it inappropriately, no one would associate you with the term 'spittoon.'" At this point, he could no longer contain his laughter and burst into a hearty laugh. Even Ling Tongzi and the other three could not help but smile.

From a distance, Ling Yuzi had already seen the disheveled appearance of the Sea Dragon and couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Oh, I say, Tan Yu, are you off picking fruit or making jam?" With Ling Yuzi's voice, the four outsiders also turned to look.

Ling Muzi was momentarily taken aback, while Ling Yunzi was startled and quickly reprimanded, "Tan Yu, return the item to them at once."

Hailong nodded foolishly and said, "Thank you, Master Ancestor, for bestowing me with a title. I will definitely work hard from now on"

It was morning again. Hailong hurriedly finished his grooming and rushed out of the room after eating a few pieces of yellow essence. Yesterday, he had a significant advantage, and the little monkey was beaten so badly that it didn't even have a chance to fight back. His skill with the string of marbles had reached a level of perfection, allowing him to hit precisely wherever he aimed. Hailong thought to himself that today he must continue to press on, ensuring that the opponent had no ability to resist at all

The girl on the far left covered her mouth and smiled, saying: "Are you the only fifth-generation disciple we received this time for the mountain-opening?"

The sea dragon made a face at Ling Yuzi, no longer paying him any attention, and walked up the mountain with his bamboo basket. Not far from where they lived, there was an orchard, which was their source of food.

Ling Tongzi tapped Hai Long and said: "You must not be disrespectful to your master’s uncle. What have you done? Go wash yourself clean right away"

Ling Yunzi returned with a white jade vial. "Dear junior brothers and junior sisters, here are three drops of dew essence; please use them sparingly." The dew essence takes a hundred years to form just three drops and is a premium among spiritual medicines. Initially, he did not intend to lend it out, but since they were all fellow disciples, he felt it inappropriate to say much and could only reluctantly present it.

Hailong was stunned, completely taken aback. Among the four newcomers, the only man was nothing special; he was tall, appeared to be in his thirties, and had an ordinary appearance. However, the three women greatly shocked Hailong's young heart. The one on the far left looked to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, with long hair neatly pulled back, her skin resembling jade and seemingly glistening with moisture. Her pair of beautiful large eyes were curiously gazing at him, and a long tassel from the sword on her back hung down, complementing her delicate features and making her exceptionally charming. The woman in the middle appeared slightly older than the one on the left, looking to be in her twenties, with a hint of gentleness in her expression. Her beauty was not inferior to that of the previous girl, but she seemed a bit softer. The woman on the right was the most ordinary among the three and also the oldest, seemingly around thirty years old. Although her looks did not compare to the other two, there was a certain heroism in her demeanor. Having grown up in a mountain village, Hailong had never seen such beauties before; he immediately widened his eyes, even drooling a little. Fortunately, his face was covered in fruit juice, so no one noticed.

Ling Tongzi was taken aback and said with mild anger, "Tan Yu, do not speak recklessly, quickly greet your several masters." He pointed to the man and said, "This is your Master Ling Mu." Then he pointed to the three women, introducing them from left to right, "This is your Master Ling Fei, Master Ling Ya, and Master Ling Ying."

Ling Feizi smiled and said: "Finally, there is a disciple of a lower generation than me, Tan Yu'er. Just now, I heard Senior Brother Ling Yuzi mention your name, and I couldn't believe it; it turns out to be true."

Out of a child's nature, Hailong picked up a stone from the ground, squinted his eyes to aim, and threw the stone forcefully at the monkey. Unfortunately, his aim was not very good; with a loud "bang," the stone merely struck the branch where the little monkey was sitting. Although it did not hit the monkey, it startled him, causing him to turn around and glare angrily at Hailong.

Ling Yunzi watched the four beams of light gradually recede, secretly smiling wryly in his heart. Hai Long's few words had likely offended the disciples of the Piaomiao Peak lineage.

At this moment, Ling Tongzi and his fellow disciples were quietly meditating in the room. Hai Long threw the branch aside, returned to his room to eat a few pieces of fruit, and then began to dig a hole. It was not until the sun was three poles high that he finally completed today's task. At this time, Ling Yuzi happened to walk out of his own room.