Ao Guang was dragged by Wukong back to the front hall and had somewhat sobered up. Faced with such an unprovokable character, he could only begrudgingly make arrangements for brushes and ink to be prepared.
Wukong picked up the brush to write, but glanced at Ao Guang's robe, while he himself was still wearing his broad red garments with a yellow belt, which looked neither monkish nor taoist and quite lacking in grandeur.
"Heh heh, Old Dragon King, today old Sun has a treasure in hand, yet no clothes to match," he chuckled. "There's a saying, 'one guest doesn't bother with two hosts,' so lend old Sun a set of armor as well."
"Where would I have such armor?" Ao Guang waved his hands, thinking to himself that today's losses were significant!
"Old Sun mentioned writing an IOU, what's there to fear? As if old Sun couldn't repay, what then?" Wukong put on a stern face, looking quite displeased.
"Immortal, please wait a moment, I'll see if my younger brothers have any!" Ao Guang suddenly panicked and immediately ordered someone to beat the iron drum and strike the golden bell.
Shortly after, the Dragon Kings from the other three seas hurried over when they heard the commotion and gathered outside.
Ao Guang relayed the situation and concluded, "Honorable younger brothers, do you have any armor to give him? Let's send him off quickly!"
The Dragon King of the South Sea, Ao Qin, upon hearing this, became enraged, "Big brother, why fear him? Together, we can take him down!"
Ao Guang hastily gestured with his hands: "We mustn't fight him, he's a Daluo Golden Immortal!"
"Hiss..." The Dragon Kings of the other three seas all gasped.
Ao Guang added, "Not long ago, he battled with the Demon King Ox and the Jiao Demon King as well as six other top demon kings, and he actually came out on top.
Not to mention, now he has a fitting divine weapon, his strength is undoubtedly even greater, and he's certainly not someone we can afford to offend."
The other three Dragon Kings looked at each other, their fighting spirit evaporated.
The Dragon King of the West Sea, Ao Run, pondered aloud, "Since we can't fight, let's just put together a set of armor, send him off, and report to the Celestial Court later. The Jade Emperor will send celestial soldiers to punish him!"
However, the Dragon King of the East Sea, Ao Guang, hesitated, "Honorable younger brothers, there's another matter, Wukong insists on borrowing the weapon and even wants to write an IOU with me. If so, how shall we accuse him?"
"An IOU?!" The other three Dragon Kings looked at each other once more, now in a bit of a predicament, as the other party hadn't said he wouldn't return it.
The Dragon King of the West Sea, Ao Run, then said, "Send him off first, then we'll discuss further."
Everyone agreed, as having a Daluo Golden Immortal-level Demon King lingering about was making them anxious.
Subsequently, the Dragon Palace of the North Sea brought Cloud-Treading Boots, the Dragon Palace of the West Sea brought a suit of Golden Armor, and the Dragon Palace of the South Sea presented a Purple-Gold Crown, all of which were respectfully carried into the Crystal Palace.
Wukong was thrilled to see them and immediately dressed in the armor, completely changing from his previously unmonkish and untaoist appearance.
Even as the hearts of the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas bled, they couldn't help but praise his imposing divine military appearance; he truly looked like the Handsome Monkey King!
"Bring the brush, bring the paper!" Wukong took up the brush and wrote an IOU.
The Dragon Kings of the Four Seas exchanged looks again, was he really writing it?
They looked carefully and saw written on the IOU:
Today, I borrowed one Magical Ruyi Golden Cudgel from the Dragon Palace of the East Sea, and a set of armory consisting of Cloud-Treading Boots from the Dragon Palace of the North Sea, Golden Armor from the Dragon Palace of the West Sea, and a Purple-Gold Crown from the Dragon Palace of the South Sea. I will certainly repay this debt in the future.
The Handsome Monkey King of Fruit Mountain, Wukong, leaves this note, Heaven and Earth bear witness!
"Old Sun's word is his bond, should you encounter any difficulty in the future, you can present this IOU and seek out old Sun at Fruit Mountain," Wukong declared, patting his chest. "As long as it does not violate righteousness and is within old Sun's power, I could lend a hand."
The Dragon Kings of the Four Seas still couldn't believe their ears. Was there really such a forthright Daluo Golden Immortal these days?
It wasn't until Wukong had happily left the Crystal Palace that the four Dragon Kings still felt unsettled, yet there was now a sense of excitement and anticipation.
This was a Daluo Golden Immortal with the power to suppress the likes of the Demon King Ox and six other top demon kings of the demon realm!
At this moment, Ao Guang had forgotten the pain of losing a treasure, because for the increasingly weakened Dragon Tribe, having the opportunity to call on a Daluo Golden Immortal was already a significant deterrent to many powers.
Previously, they had begged and pleaded, offering many treasures, yet no one was willing to help the Dragon Tribe.
For this reason, Ao Guang and the other three Dragon Kings specially discussed when to use this IOU in the future.
They finally agreed that it should never be used, as a notched arrow is most powerful when still on the bowstring.
Additionally, the East Sea Dragon Clan was tasked with keeping the IOU safe.
After their agreement had been settled for a long time, the four Dragon Kings still felt as if they were dreaming, even throwing a feast to celebrate.
Suddenly, a huge shadow of a staff tore through the undersea waves with overwhelming power, heading straight for the Crystal Palace.
The celebrating Dragon Kings of the Four Seas, along with the elite warriors of the Eastern Sea Dragon Tribe such as the turtle generals and terrapin marshals, were all startled by its momentum.
"What has happened?" Ao Guang panicked and flew out of the palace right away.
Ao Qin of the South Sea, Ao Shun of the North Sea, and Ao Run of the West Sea promptly followed suit.
They saw a shadow of the staff stirring up countless whirlpools on the seabed, engulfing many shrimp soldiers, crab generals, and sea creatures.
And at the head of this staff shadow, wearing a purple golden crown, clad in golden armor, and stepping on cloud-walking boots, was none other than the beautiful Monkey King, Sun Wukong, who had made them sign an IOU.
"You Dragon Folk are too insincere, dragging your feet over a treasure—do you look down upon Old Sun?" Sun Wukong sneered coldly.
The colossal shadow of the staff crashed down towards the Crystal Palace.
"Roar!" Ao Guang let out an angry roar, transforming into a serpentine Azure Dragon,
Almost simultaneously, Ao Qin turned into a red dragon, Ao Shun into a black dragon, and Ao Run into a white dragon.
The four giant dragons confronted the shadow of the staff.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Though they were all Golden Immortals, a single strike from the staff made ther dragons howl miserably, as they were all smashed onto the Crystal Palace together with the shadow of the staff.
Crash!
The magnificent palace collapsed in an instant, and many dragon offspring, shrimp soldiers, and crab generals who had not yet managed to flee were killed or injured in the blink of an eye.
"This is your lesson, be more honest in the future!" Sun Wukong stood with his staff, looking down arrogantly at the ruins below, then swept away all the treasures from the Dragon Palace treasury and disappeared into the vast sea.
The four giant dragons were in a sad state; after a flash of light, they barely managed to revert to their half-dragon forms.
Ao Guang looked upon the ruins of the Crystal Palace, where his dragon offspring and shrimp soldiers and crab generals lay either lifeless or wailing, and was suddenly overcome with sorrow.
Immense joy followed by immense sorrow—why was it so?
Hadn't there been an IOU, hadn't they been speaking in kind words all along?
Just because they had slightly hesitated, so many of the Dragon and Sea tribes were killed or injured, and the Crystal Palace, which had existed for countless years, was destroyed?
Ao Guang was in utter despair, gazing blankly at all that had happened.
"We must seek justice! Eldest brother, let's go to the Heavenly Court to report this!" Ao Run of the West Sea said furiously.
"Eldest brother, I have some connections with the South Sea Guanyin Bodhisattva," said Ao Qin of the South Sea. "Why don't you go with me to visit her in the South Sea and ask for her assistance in subduing this demon!"
"Both worthy brothers make sense," Ao Shun of the North Sea chimed in.
Ao Guang had lost his wits, and it took several calls from the other three Dragon Kings to bring him back to his senses, and he heard their proposals.
Seek justice from the Heavenly Court? Seek assistance from the Buddhist Guanyin?
This ordeal had revealed that their united front as the Dragon Tribe of the Four Seas had already been broken.
"I am resolved to report to the Heavenly Court!" Ao Guang took a deep breath, fury surging in his heart.
He had always been submissive and compliant, hardly resembling a Dragon King, and still people dared to bully him at his doorstep?
This time, he could not endure it any longer!
And this was the decision he made with whatever calm he had left.
To seek justice from the Heavenly Court was to bleed and cut off flesh, but the Eastern Sea Dragon Tribe would still remain itself.
To seek help from the Buddhist realm, however, was different; it would mean giving up both flesh and soul to others.
Once Ao Guang had made his decision, Ao Run of the West Sea breathed a sigh of relief, Ao Qin of the South Sea appeared somewhat disappointed, and Ao Shun of the North Sea continued his silence.