Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

In the deep mountains at midnight, all was deathly still. Dark clouds masked the sky, and Great Wind rustled the dense jungle with a whispering sound.

On a rarely trodden mountain path, a skinny youth slowly opened his eyes.

The boy appeared young, his delicate face slightly pale, dressed in a gray robe that had been washed to near white. Carrying a wooden bookcase on his back, he was clearly a Scholar making his way through the mountains.

"Oh, where am I?" Lu Yu muttered, rubbing his forehead that was faintly in pain.

"I can't keep drinking like this, it's truly too uncomfortable!" After saying this, he realized his surroundings and immediately broke out in a cold sweat. His brain, still somewhat dizzy, became alert instantly.

"Where is this? Wasn't I drunk and taken to my dorm!" As a mid-aged man from the 21st century, accustomed to socializing in the workplace, he remembered being in his dorm after drinking, but who could tell him why he was in this wilderness?

Only then did he notice that his gradually growing beer belly had vanished, and upon closely examining his body, Lu Yu arrived at a startling conclusion.

"I have traveled through time!" Being deeply influenced by internet literature, he realized this at once. What followed was deep fear.

He didn't know if this was merely a joke from some powerful being or a pure stroke of fate, but now fully aware, he understood that in such an environment, if he didn't take some action, death might well be his end.

Without the luxury to consider anything else, Lu Yu got up and continued along the mountain road forward. He didn't know what awaited him, nor was clear about the world he had entered, but he could be certain it was set in ancient China based on the attire of the body he inhabited.

The cold wind blew against Lu Yu's frail body, causing him to shiver involuntarily as the roars of wild beasts occasionally echoed through the mountains. Fear, like a Poison Snake, bit at his Heart Sea, forcing him to hasten his pace.

Just as Lu Yu's emotions were about to collapse, a glimmer of firelight appeared in the distance, warming his heart that was filled with fear.

That strand of human light was so warm, Lu Yu greedily gazed at the distant firelight; to him, it was the light of hope. Without a moment's hesitation, he headed straight for the source of the light.

In the darkness, human thoughts tend to amplify, and what might typically feel like a short amount of time seems to stretch on. Lu Yu felt this, for although he felt he had been walking for many hours, his destination still seemed far out of reach.

The roars of wild animals near his ear quickened Lu Yu's steps, and after passing through a dense jungle, a dilapidated ancient temple appeared before him. Broken walls and ruins, the once majestic temple gate had already collapsed, and wild grass as tall as a man grew densely. The hanging plaque was also in ruins, barely discernible with the character "Lan."

Entering the temple gate, what came into view was a great hall, equally dilapidated, even the once majestic Divine Statue had collapsed to the ground, only that head informed passersby it was once a Buddha statue, with a campfire quietly burning beside it.

By the fire sat a strange man with a youthful face yet dense beard, and a pair of bright eyes behind him, a peculiar wooden box was strapped to his back.

Perhaps it was the sight of another person, Lu Yu felt his body relax, his vision darkened, and then he knew no more.

Lu Yu had a long dream, where he was a cautious office worker, a diligent and studying student, guests wearing masks of fake smiles, and his parents' attentive gazes.

In his dreams, he could not distinguish whether he was the middle-aged man who spent his days entangled in the pursuit of fame and fortune or the spirited young man.

Contradictory thoughts filled his mind, causing him a splitting headache and making him want to scream loudly.

Just when Lu Yu felt as if his brain was about to tear apart, a cool breath flowed in from outside.

This coolness allowed him to put aside the chaotic thoughts in his mind and to calm down to carefully consider his own situation. By carefully recalling everything in his mind, he suddenly had an epiphany that the flattery and mask-wearing life were Lu Yu's, and the one who studied diligently and achieved academic success was also Lu Yu.

With this thought, it seemed as if a light burst forth from the Heart Sea, and the world instantly became bright. In this warm light, the memories from Earth and this world merged into one.

Actually, Lu Yu had crossed over long ago, but regrettably, his young body could not bear the vast memories, hence he had not been able to remember it. Because of this, Lu Yu had been clever since childhood, often uttered astonishing statements that made the villagers proclaim him an Immortal descended to the mortal world. It was only during this studying journey that a sudden illness had triggered the memories sealed deep within his soul.

After the memories merged, Lu Yu no longer felt the discomfort he had before, but instead felt his body brimming with vitality. His eyes, which had been tightly shut, also slowly opened.

At that moment, everything inside the decrepit temple came back into his field of view. It was still that warm flame, still that unique young man, but at this moment, Lu Yu felt completely at peace.

"Thank you, young sir, for letting Lu Yu stay," Lu Yu naturally bowed and saluted the young man.

"There's no need for formalities; my name is Yan Dan, and I am a swordsman!" The young man's voice was filled with a masculine air, yet Lu Yu had not seen where he kept his sword.

Lu Yu and the young man began to chat, finding themselves unexpectedly in tune. Yan Dan was carefree and his words brimmed with the vitality of youth, while Lu Yu, with experiences from two worlds, had a broad range of knowledge and could touch upon any subject.

Just as they were enjoying their conversation, Yan Dan suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Brother Lu, I don't know if you believe in Ghost Deities?"

This abrupt change in topic made Lu Yu involuntarily pause, and for a moment, he actually did not know how to respond.

It was then that Lu Yu noticed that a rustling sound suddenly came from outside the decrepit temple, as if a giant python was crawling on the grass outside, its huge mouth open and ready to choose someone to devour. The fear stemming from the depths of his soul caused goosebumps all over Lu Yu's body.

Several black branches, similar to Poison Snakes, slowly crept up from around the decrepit temple, casting mottled shadows under the glow of the firelight.

"Waited so many days, have you finally decided to show yourself! Monster, this time I'll see where you can escape to!" Yan Dan, looking at the scene outside the temple, showed no fear, instead, he was thrilled.

"Brother Lu, wait a moment for me to slay this evil beast, then we can have a good chat!" Before waiting for Lu Yu to respond, he rushed out of the temple quickly.

Lu Yu stared blankly at Yan Dan's departing figure, filled with doubts that he did not know whom to share with.

He had not expected that on the first day of his crossover, he would witness the legendary monsters. Having been human in two lives, he had never seen what a Monster looked like; truth be told, there was actually a trace of excitement in his heart.