The Red-tailed Monkey saw that Xu Qing was silent and instinctively asked, "The Sect Leader also studied the Heavenly Techniques, how could he not know?"
Seeing Xu Qing's eyes turn deep and profound, the Red-tailed Monkey immediately closed its mouth. This monkey was very perceptive, and with a quick turn of its eyes, it scratched its head and said with a smile, "These Heavenly Techniques aren't so great to learn anyway. The Grandmaster only taught me two Divine Techniques and then coaxed me back..."
Seeing Xu Qing's expression becoming increasingly off, the Red-tailed Monkey felt a shiver in its heart and hurriedly walked toward the stone wall inscribed with the Earthly Techniques, saying as it went:
"I'll just go learn the Earthly Techniques; those methods are also a part of Creation."
Xu Qing shook his head. The Red-tailed Monkey being able to learn the Heavenly Techniques was a good thing for the Immortal Hall. At worst, he could later ask the monkey for guidance and see if he could learn those two Heavenly Divine Techniques as well.
Here, Xu Qing began to visualize the White Bone Light Visualization, and an image of a rosy skeleton with the appearance of Sai Yuxian surfaced in his mind. In the next moment, all distractions in his heart vanished.
With the stone wall on the right, Xu Qing held the Wolf Hair Brush in hand, writing swiftly. In just one hour, he compiled the seventy-two Earthly Techniques into a volume.
During this time, besides the Red-tailed Monkey, Xuan Yu, Daoist Master Yizhen, the Spirit Fox from Qingqiu, Shiyue, the Qishan Clan, and even Guan Dazhuang and Li Tiezhu all lingered before the stone wall inscribed with the Heavenly Techniques.
Xu Qing, without distractions, did not disturb them, allowing them to attain their immortal fate by their own abilities.
The Three Thousand Worlds, the Four Brahma Heavens.
In a region beyond the Four Seas, a Divine Ox covered in profound runes was conversing with a child on its back.
"Why is the Grandmaster so busy today?"
The red-clothed child, riding the old ox with a smile, replied: "Years ago, I left a scroll of wishes in the Golden Palace in the Clouds, containing my lineage of Daoist Techniques. It waits for those with fate to read and practice. It seems the time has come again."
The Divine Ox remarked curiously, "In the past years, seekers of the Grandmaster seldom appeared, not even one in a cosmic age. Besides the Profound Lady and that three-eyed divine official, only two monkeys have seen the Grandmaster in recent years. So why have so many come today?"
The red-clothed child dismissed it lightly: "The Way is naturally what it is. Since they could find their way here, it signifies that their destiny has arrived. Whether it's a monkey, a fox, or a scholar, even a few more wouldn't matter."
Before the Grandmaster finished speaking, another Nine-Life Profound Cat manifested before them.
"..."
"Hey kid, do you know where this is? I was clearly in the White Cloud Cave, so how did I get here?"
Xuan Yu blurted out, and seeing this, the Divine Ox boomed, "In the Grandmaster's presence, mind your manners!"
The red-clothed child patted the Divine Ox's back and gracefully jumped to the ground. He looked at Xuan Yu and smiled, saying:
"That Li Nu, this is a place beyond the Four Seas, a foreign land, not the White Cloud Cave. Let me ask you, did you come here to learn as well?"
Xuan Yu, realizing the situation, immediately moved forward, first lifting its front paw and bowing several times like a person, its gaze as devout as someone praying for a miracle from an immortal.
"Junior Xuan Yu didn't recognize the Grandmaster in person, and I hope the Grandmaster won't mind."
Seeing the cat brimming with virtuous aura, truly a rarity, the Grandmaster was delighted, and thus taught a few more Heavenly Techniques than he did to the Red-tailed Monkey.
"I see that you have some wisdom, so I will teach you the Arts of Spirit Wandering and Qi Control, Seeing Through Walls, Nine Breaths of Qi Cultivation, and Returning Wind and Reactivating Fire... These nine Divine Techniques, what do you think?"
Xuan Yu nodded repeatedly, though it didn't yet understand what these Divine Techniques were, they sounded extraordinary and important, likely quite remarkable.
The Grandmaster grew fonder, thinking this cat was much more obedient than that monkey. When teaching the monkey, it hadn't even begun, yet the monkey already planned to learn all thirty-six Divine Techniques, without considering whether they suited it or if it could comprehend them.
You teach it one Divine Technique, it says it doesn't sound good; good things should come in pairs. You teach it two, it argues that two is not as good as three, for three gives birth to all things and symbolizes vigorous vitality..."
The monkey's clever, but the Grandmaster wasn't fond of it. There were simply too many monkeys, enough for the Grandmaster to want to wave them away immediately.
So, even if the Red-tailed Monkey knelt and kowtowed like pounding garlic, claiming to be the first general under Xu Da Shanren, here to save the world, the Grandmaster remained unmoved.
These monkeys typically acted one way in front and another behind; their actions were not restrained by their thoughts. Among the monkeys the Grandmaster taught, none avoided causing trouble. Wasn't the incident with the Heavenly Book in the White Cloud Cave also caused by a monkey?
The Grandmaster did not indulge the Red-tailed Monkey and only taught it two Divine Techniques in the end.
But the Li Nu before him was different; it had a serene and unassuming demeanor, without a hint of greed, not one to take more than given!
Of course, it was largely due to novelty; the Grandmaster had never seen a cat come to learn from him.
Seeing Xuan Yu free of distractions, learning extremely earnestly, the Grandmaster couldn't help but ask, "Are you learning all these Divine Techniques to go back and benefit all beings?"
Xuan Yu nodded and then shook its head, replying truthfully:
"Junior wouldn't dare deceive the Grandmaster. I once formed a bond with the Xu Immortal Family and cultivated the Dao together. However, the Xu Immortal Family cannot see the Wordless Heavenly Scripture in the White Cloud Cave, so I want to bring the learned Divine Techniques back to teach them."
"As for other benevolent deeds for benefiting all beings, the Junior and the Xu Immortal Family have always been devoted, and it would not change even without the magical techniques..."
Why is it again related to someone surnamed Xu?
The Grandmaster finally caught on.
This isn't some random fate; clearly, someone organized a group to exploit his Heavenly Book. Undoubtedly, that person surnamed Xu was the mastermind behind it.
The usually easygoing Grandmaster became serious for once.
In the red-clothed child's eyes, mysterious scenes unfolded, encapsulating at that moment the Three Realms and Six Paths, the Nine Netherworlds, the sun, moon, and stars.