Capturing the Spirit Monkey, Appointing the Guardian of the Way of Tea

"Boom!"

Before Forget Worry could carry the group closer to the river's heart, the newly born Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey, still wild with unleashed power, sensed their presence. Its ferocity unquenched, it stirred the river waters. A violent current, infused with the vast dharma power of its Early Da Luo cultivation, coalesced into a ferocious water dragon, carrying the momentum of ten thousand jun, charging straight at Forget Worry!

The water moved with blinding speed, accompanied by a dragon's roar.

"Haha, this monkey has quite the temper." Li Cha saw this and laughed instead of anger, a glint of appreciation in his eyes. He didn't rise, merely tapping his right index finger lightly toward the onrushing torrent.

There was no earth-shattering collision, no roar of dharma power clashing. The water dragon, once capable of tearing mountains apart and imbued with the monkey's defiant will, turned docile as a tamed wild horse the moment it touched the intangible Dao resonance radiating from Li Cha's fingertip. The violent current transformed into a clear, gentle ribbon of water, affectionately winding around Forget Worry's limbs and body, flowing slowly like a tamed pet.

This effortless display of turning murderous intent into harmony left the disciples beneath Li Cha dazzled, their admiration for their master's skill deepening.

"Squeak?!"

At the river's heart, the Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey let out a startled cry at this unbelievable sight. Born with innate intelligence, it knew even fresh from birth that this person was no ordinary being. It stopped churning the river, its strange dual-pupiled eyes—the left pitch-black as if peering into the Nine Abysses, the right pure white as if gazing into the future—blazed with brilliant divine light, like two searchlights focusing on Li Cha, trying to see through the roots and future of this green-robed Daoist.

Li Cha sat calmly on Forget Worry's back, smiling, letting it look without any intention of stopping.

Truth be told, Li Cha had a fondness for the Four Spirit Monkeys of Heaven and Earth. Memories from his past life told him that though their fates were troubled and they endured hardships, each was unruly and defiant, daring to challenge all injustice in the world, with blood that flowed with resistance and unyielding spirit. They should have been Divine Generals guarding the Human Dao, but the Human Dao had been sealed by the Heavenly Dao since its birth, causing these gems to be tarnished, ultimately walking twisted and even tragic paths, never shining as they should.

In the Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey's eyes, black and white light spun rapidly—countless blurred fragments, threads of causality, and glimpses of possible futures flashing wildly. It saw the vast, star-like yet gentle and all-encompassing Tea Dao radiance around Li Cha; saw Shi Qing's heavy blood qi, vast as Buzhou Mountain and sharp as the primordial cleaving; saw the pure, vibrant life force and Dao resonance on Qing Xuan, Lianyi, and the others; and vaguely glimpsed a corner of a supreme scene beyond the Primordial Wilderness, where chaos rose and fell...

When it tried to push further, to see Li Cha's essence and core Dao path—

"Pfft!"

Two soft, muffled sounds, and from the monkey's divine eyes flowed two streams of crimson blood-tears! A terrifying backlash from the origin of the Great Dao surged back along its probing, shaking its soul and stabbing its eyes like needles and fire!

"Squeak!" It let out a pained cry, lowering its head sharply and closing its eyes, daring not look again. Its heart was now filled with boundless awe and fear. It understood that this person's roots, cultivation, and entangled causality had exceeded the limits of its divine ability to "know Yin Yang, avoid death and prolong life"!

Without a moment's hesitation, this unruly Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey quickly lowered its form, no longer daring to stand in the river's heart. It stepped onto the surging surface, facing Li Cha, knelt, and bowed deeply, its massive monkey head striking the water, splashing a great spray.

"Great Elder above! This small one has eyes but failed to see, offending heavenly majesty! Beg the Great Elder's mercy, take this small one as a disciple! This small one wishes to follow at your side, listen to your teachings, and die ten thousand deaths without regret!"

Its voice was loud, carrying a hint of lingering fear, but more so, immense sincerity and longing. Though unruly, it wasn't stupid. That brief glimpse, though met with backlash, had let it truly feel Li Cha's unfathomable depth and the peaceful Dao resonance so different from the killing Sha Qi of the Primordial Wilderness. This was an unprecedented thick thigh, and a supreme Dao path that might change its destined fate!

"Hahaha, you monkey, you know when to yield." Li Cha laughed heartily, pleased. He had originally thought this monkey's temper might require Shi Qing to "spar" with it to beat it into submission, but it had knelt and sought apprenticeship directly, saving trouble.

"Rise." Li Cha raised his right hand, and a gentle force lifted the Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey. "Since you've entered my sect, you must have a Dao name. Do you have a name?"

The Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey scratched its head, looking simple (or rather, naive), and replied, "Reporting to the Great Elder, this small one was just born and has no name yet."

Li Cha studied its crimson body and its divine ability to control rivers, pondered briefly, and said, "Then I, your master, shall name you—Wu Zhiqi! This name matches your origin; controlling water and taming floods is your duty."

"Wu Zhiqi... Wu Zhiqi..." The monkey muttered it a few times, feeling the name perfectly suited it, as if it were born to be called that. Delighted, it scratched its ears and cheeks, bowing again in thanks: "Wu Zhiqi thanks the Great Elder for the name!"

"Since you've been named, from today you are my Li Cha's Personal Disciple!" Li Cha's expression turned solemn. "Your nature is fierce, your combat prowess extraordinary. I appoint you as the Guardian of the Way of Tea of my Yunhua Lineage! I hope you will hold justice in your heart, protect your fellow disciples, and guard our Dao Lineage!"

With that, he tapped his fingertip, and a stream of light entered Wu Zhiqi's brow—the supreme method for attaining sainthood through the physical body, the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Technique! At the same time, he waved his hand, and a pitch-black staff, faintly gleaming with metallic luster, as thick as a bowl and about twelve feet long, appeared before Wu Zhiqi. The staff was engraved with profound patterns, radiating a heavy sense of power—a Postnatal High-Grade Spirit Treasure, the Primordial Iron Staff!

"I grant you the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Technique to help you temper your battle body and develop your potential; I grant you the Primordial Iron Staff as your weapon to guard the Dao!"

Wu Zhiqi felt the profound and vast secret technique in his mind, saw the mighty staff seemingly tailor-made for him, and especially when he grasped it, the blood-bound, effortless smoothness, his fur trembled with excitement!

"Thank you, Master! This disciple will diligently cultivate and train, never failing your high hopes, and will be a worthy Guardian of the Way of Tea!" He gripped the Primordial Iron Staff tightly, unable to put it down, excitedly swinging it a few times on the spot, stirring up gusts of wind.

Li Cha watched his excitement, amused inwardly: 'As expected, monkeys all favor staff-type weapons.' He suddenly recalled that in the original legends, this Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey Wu Zhiqi's weapon was a treasure called the Sea-Spanning Purple Gold Beam, said to be the West Sea's sea-suppressing treasure? 'Hmm, if I ever get the chance to visit the West Sea, I might keep an eye out for it, see if I can find that weapon fated for him.' Li Cha noted this mentally.

"Mm," Li Cha nodded, pointing to the disciples beside him. "These are your senior brothers and sisters. Go and greet them properly."

Though unruly, Wu Zhiqi, having just taken a master and received benefits, was quite obedient. He quickly bowed, staff in hand, to Shi Qing, Qing Xuan, Lianyi, Purple Spirit, and Forget Worry: "Wu Zhiqi greets Senior Disciple Brother and all senior brothers and sisters!"

Shi Qing and the others returned the greeting.

Li Cha specifically said to Wu Zhiqi, "Your Senior Disciple Brother Shi Qing also cultivates the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Technique and has been at it for years with considerable insight. If you have any questions in your cultivation, feel free to ask him."

Hearing this, Wu Zhiqi's gaze toward Shi Qing grew warmer, and he quickly said, "Yes, Master! Please guide me, Senior Disciple Brother!"

Shi Qing smiled simply, patting Wu Zhiqi's shoulder: "No need for formality, younger brother. We'll spar and learn from each other."

"Forget Worry," Li Cha instructed, "Choose a quiet place near a water source and stop. I'm pleased to have gained a fine disciple today, so I'll brew tea and preach the Dao here, to welcome our new junior brother and solidify your cultivation."

"Yes, Master." Forget Worry let out a low roar, treading clouds on its four hooves, descending the group near a scenic spirit peak not far away. This peak had a clear spring flowing, lush greenery, and a tranquil environment.

Seeing this, Qing Xuan needed no instruction. With a wave of his sleeve, a flash of green light, and an elegant thatched hut built from spirit bamboo and vines appeared on the flat ground by the spring.

Lianyi lightly walked to the spring's source, took out a jade pot, and drew the clearest, sweetest spring water.

Purple Spirit skillfully activated the Five Elements Furnace, producing a gentle and stable spirit flame.

Shi Qing, on his own, took his axe and stood at a distance, taking up the duty of guarding.

And the newly initiated Wu Zhiqi, clutching his Primordial Iron Staff, followed closely behind Shi Qing, his monkey eyes alertly scanning the surroundings, earnestly fulfilling his role as "Guardian," his serious demeanor making Purple Spirit secretly laugh.

Li Cha sat before the thatched hut, took out his tea set. As the tea leaves fell into the cup and boiling water poured over them, a faint, elegant, and mind-calming tea fragrance rose from the cup, spreading through the air.

"Squeak?" Wu Zhiqi, who had been warily looking around, twitched his nose. His monkey eyes lit up instantly, fixed on the tea cup in Li Cha's hand, and he asked curiously, "Master, what is this? It smells wonderful!"

Seeing his greedy look, Li Cha couldn't help but laugh: "You've got a good nose, sharp sense of smell. Besides the fragrance, what else do you sense?"

Wu Zhiqi, hearing this, tried to suppress his monkey nature, carefully perceiving the spreading tea fragrance. He scratched his head and said uncertainly, "Hmm... besides the fragrance, there's a... a kind of feeling that makes the heart very calm and comfortable? Right, it calms the spirit and settles the mind!" He slapped his hand, hitting the key point.

"Good, good!" Li Cha's eyes showed even more approval. "With your battle laws and lingering Sha Qi, you can still keenly perceive the true meaning of 'stillness' in the Tea Dao. This shows you have an affinity with my Tea Dao and are fated to enter my sect! To have such quick wit and insight, very good, very good!"

He turned to Qing Xuan: "Qing Xuan, brew a cup of spirit tea for your new junior brother, let him taste it."

"Yes, Master." Qing Xuan smiled and gracefully brewed a cup of ordinary spirit tea for Wu Zhiqi.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Wu Zhiqi, imitating Li Cha's earlier manner, carefully took the cup, first curiously blew on the rising steam, then tentatively took a small sip.

The tea entered his mouth, warm and mellow, a clear, spiritual energy spreading instantly through his throat and tongue, washing away the restless heart and untamed wildness of his newborn state.

"Huh?!" Wu Zhiqi's eyes flew wide, an expression of extreme surprise on his face. The taste of this tea, the feeling of calming his mind... why did it vaguely give him a sense of familiarity? As if he had encountered a similar aura somewhere before?