"Guanyin, hurry back; your South Sea Daoist Temple has been destroyed by that demon cultist."
Manjushri Bodhisattva formed a seal with his hands and connected with Guanyin's thoughts. A red spot on his forehead glowed faintly, and his Divine Sense instantly expanded outwards. Meanwhile, Guanyin in the Eastern Divine Region was shocked into awareness.
Guanyin recalled having a whim just now, as if someone was talking about her, and now the temple was destroyed. It seemed that the demon cultist had definitely hidden in the crowd earlier, listening to Yuan Tiangang's teachings! Guanyin's face turned a ghastly shade of iron blue, suspecting that her reputation would be utterly ruined. Her temple had been overturned... Yet, she also thought about punishing that useless Black Bear Spirit when she returned.
However, when Guanyin arrived at her Daoist Temple, she almost passed out on the spot.
The island was shattered into pieces, and the seawater churned into a murky mess. The charred trees still floated on the water's surface. After a moment, the Bodhisattva who had recently faced repeated blows could no longer hold back and unleashed a piercing scream of agony and sorrow.
Guanyin's face flushed with rage as she imagined how people in Western Heaven would look at her after hearing the news. She failed the task Buddha Ancestor entrusted to her, got injured by the Six-Eared Macaque, and now her Daoist Temple had been upturned by that demon cultist! Her dignity was utterly lost.
Before long, from the midst of the sea emerged the figure of Guanyin's mount, the Golden Light Immortal.
The Golden Light Immortal, trembling with fear, transformed into human form and said, "Bodhisattva... just now that demon cultist attacked, directly repelling the Mountain Guardian Deity. I had hidden at the bottom of the sea upon realizing the dire situation. All the apprentices on the island have been turned to ashes by that Daoist's spear, and the treasures within the temple were also taken by him."
Upon hearing this, Guanyin felt as if her head was about to explode and angrily said, "Has my Seven-Treasure Bodhi Tree been taken as well?"
The Golden Light Immortal meekly nodded and responded, "Yes..."
Guanyin felt darkness before her eyes and took a long while to regain her composure before furiously declaring, "Heaven-Defying demon, I shall not rest until you are dead!"
In just a while, the skies above the South Sea were filled with numerous figures, whether from the Buddhist Sect or the Taoist Sect.
"The Daoist Temple of the greatly compassionate savior of the suffering, Guanyin Bodhisattva, has actually been destroyed? Tsk tsk tsk!"
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, riding a White Elephant, couldn't help but mock upon witnessing the scene. Guanyin was regarded by Tathagata Buddha as one of the most important Bodhisattvas, and along with Manjushri and Ksitigarbha King, they were the four great Bodhisattvas. However, he wasn't valued by Tathagata as much, always feeling irked. Seizing the opportunity today, how could he not scoff?
The people of the Taoist Sect, of course, felt greatly satisfied. The Buddhist Sect has invaded the Eastern Divine Region not long ago, and now a high-profile figure was publicly humiliated.
What Guanyin cherished most was the Seven-Color Bodhi Tree. The tree was grown from a seed given by Zhun Ti Taoist, planted for already eight thousand years. Once the Bodhi Tree matured and the magical treasures were forged, it would serve the purpose of the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, with nothing it couldn't cleanse! However, it couldn't match the power of the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, after all, that was a Saint's magical treasure.
Seeing Guanyin in such an uncomfortable situation, Manjushri Bodhisattva invited her to stay temporarily at Mount Wutai.
Guanyin, unwilling to stay any longer, mounted the Golden Light Immortal and left with Manjushri Bodhisattva.
The crowd, losing their subject of mockery, dispersed like birds and beasts, but felt incredibly satisfied in their hearts.
Someone once lofty and revered had fallen so low, being severely humiliated; it was something anyone would find gratifying.
"It's all your fault, you fool, for spreading the news so quickly!" Manjushri Bodhisattva was furiously glaring at his mount, the Green Lion.
The Green Lion, though not hearing Manjushri Bodhisattva's words, understood from his gaze that a punishment was due and quickly lowered its head.
Let's leave Guanyin's despondence for now and turn to Wukong, who, after several somersaults, finally stopped somewhere unknown.
Overturning a Bodhisattva's temple required immense courage, and after doing so, Wukong was naturally anxious. Only after performing several somersaults without daring to stop did he finally pause, realizing he had fled tens of thousands of miles.
Looking up, he was somehow a thousand miles away from Mount Buzhou.
Snowflakes danced around in this region, rarely frequented by people, all high mountains and steep ridges. A cold wind blew, bringing a chill.
Wukong took out a strand of Di Jun's fur from the Mustard Seed, and the air around instantly warmed up.
"You say you are Di Jun?" Wukong asked incredulously, "Di Jun has long been dead."
"You're holding the hair from the top of my head, which helped me absorb the power of the sun and was the most spiritually powerful. Thus, even after being dismembered, some of my Primordial Spirit lingered in it. Yes, I am the former Heavenly Emperor, Di Jun!" The hair transmitted emotions, seemingly both joyous and sorrowful, as if crying and laughing.
Wukong said, "You were the Heavenly Emperor for the Demon Tribe, and I am also of the Demon Tribe, the leading Spirit Monkey of the Four Great Spirit Monkeys. Strictly speaking, you could be considered an ancestor of our Demon Tribe!"
Di Jun replied, "Spirit Intelligent Stone Monkey... It's been such a long time. Nuwa's Sky-mending Stone has actually turned into a Stone Monkey."
After listening, Wukong did not show surprise but indifferently said, "When you were the Heavenly Emperor, today's Buddhism had not yet emerged, and it must have been quite a hundred thousand years since then. Look, do you still remember this place?"
The weak Primordial Spirit inside Di Jun's feather swept the area and said, "This place is where I established the foundation of the Heavenly Court, Mount Buzhou. During the great battle between Witches and Demons, the Twelve Ancestral Witches challenged me, and Gonggong destroyed Mount Buzhou at the cost of his own life, causing my foundation to crumble."
After hearing this, Wukong was silent, feeling incredulous. The former Heavenly Emperor had been dismembered, and countless thousands of years later, his feather ended up in Wukong's possession. It was an unreal feeling, prompting even him to sigh at the vast changes, the Universe's endless shifts.
"If you hadn't died, perhaps our Demon Tribe wouldn't have declined to this state," Wukong lamented.
"What has become of the Demon Tribe now?" asked Di Jun, once the Heavenly Emperor of the Demons he had to be concerned.
""
"Now the Demon Tribe is weak, and not at all united. The Buddhist Sect, the Taoist Sect, and the Heavenly Court dominate, and our people in the Demon Tribe either serve these three or are captured by powerful beings with Great Divine Power to become their protectors and mounts," Wukong said indignantly.
Upon hearing this, Di Jun couldn't help but let out a cold sneer, "This world has always been like this, survival of the fittest."
Wukong said sarcastically, "Precisely because of this, it's no wonder you were dismembered."
Di Jun gave a bitter smile, "Back then I made a careless move and lost everything. Although the Eastern Emperor Taiyi annihilated the Witch Clan, he too was seriously injured, and later, the Western Religion's Zhun Ti Taoist and another Taoist joined hands to kill him. I was entangled by the Three Pure Ones Revered Taoist and the Nine Heavens Profound Lady, and after several of them joined forces, although they slaughtered that Profound Lady, I ended up being dismembered. I underestimated the Witch Clan. If Taiyi hadn't been injured, it wouldn't have come to this."
Wukong said, "Look at Mount Buzhou."
Di Jun looked towards Mount Buzhou; the peak buried itself in the clouds, out of sight.
"Has Mount Buzhou been put back together again?"
Wukong replied, "After you died, Jiang Ziya established the Investiture of the Gods, the sects of the world were in conflict, and then the Heavenly Court was rebuilt. Lord of Primordial Beginning used his Great Magical Power to reshape Mount Buzhou. The current master of the Heavenly Court is called the Jade Emperor, who controls the Three Realms and wields the power of Reincarnation. At the top of Mount Buzhou, a Jade Pool has been built, managed by the Jade Emperor's Dao Companion, the Queen Mother."
Di Jun fell silent.
Wukong asked, "If I were to take revenge for you, would you be willing?"
Di Jun sighed, "Of course I'm willing, though I feel resentment, what else can I do?"
Wukong asked, "Where is the Eastern Emperor's Bell?"
Di Jun fell silent for a moment, then said, "The Eastern Emperor's Bell should have been integrated into Mount Buzhou by the Lord of Primordial Beginning, according to what you said. I can still sense it. If you want to take the Eastern Emperor's Bell, then you will have to upend Mount Buzhou."
Wukong said, "To exude the power of Gonggong requires gathering mana and exploding one's physical body to disrupt Mount Buzhou; with my current cultivation level, it's difficult to touch it."
Di Jun responded, "If that's the case, then you should refine this feather of mine. Doing so, your cultivation will surge significantly, breaking through to Taiyi Golden Immortal. At that point, progressing further to become a Daluo Golden Immortal, you might shake Mount Buzhou."
Wukong couldn't help but ask, "What lies above the Daluo Golden Immortal?"
Di Jun said, "You will have to comprehend it on your own, don't chase after things that are too high and far away."
Wukong said, "If I refine you, won't you be unable to resurrect forever?"
Di Jun sighed, "The era that belonged to me, Di Jun, has long passed. Since you have been born, it's your turn to dominate. Moreover, my physical body has been divided into countlessly many pieces, and trying to gather them all together is exceedingly difficult. The comprehension of the Great Dao and Primordial Spirit contained in this single feather is but a drop in the ocean."
Wukong remained silent.
Di Jun continued, "After you refine this piece of my feather, you will gain most of my Divine Skill Spells from my previous life, and your cultivation will break through to Taiyi Golden Immortal. If you can find the rest of my body and refine them all, you will become immortal and achieve the status of a Saint, surviving even if heaven and earth are destroyed! Of course, finding my body will be extremely difficult; your path henceforth will likely have to be walked by yourself."
"If you can be refined, then why didn't they refine you after dismembering you?" Wukong asked.
"I am Di Jun, who do you think I am? It's not as if they can refine me just because they wish to!" Di Jun proudly declared, his pride still intact.
Wukong nodded and said, "Alright, having agreed to your favour, what must I do to repay you?"
Di Jun remained silent for a long while before saying, "You just need to destroy that Heavenly Court for me; that's all I ask."
Di Jun also knew that Wukong was no match for a Saint, so how could he simply ask him to fight against a Saint? By doing so, he would only be adding to Wukong's burden, affecting his Dao heart.
"Alright!"
Wukong, without making a fuss, tossed the feather he held up, suspending it in the void, and then sat down cross-legged.
Di Jun sang, "Through the endless eons, in the blink of an eye, the former Heavenly Emperor, now a prisoner, Di Jun Taiyi, vanishes like smoke and clouds…"
Wukong listened with a heavy heart, but his hands performing the Dharma Decree did not stop; his Primordial Spirit left his body, bit the feather, and True Fire twined around it. Di Jun, born with the sun, if he didn't wish it himself, even if Saints joined forces, it would avail nothing; the sun would have to be burst by force.
The feather turned to ashes, and countless Divine Skill Spells and Great Dao Power flooded into Wukong's Primordial Spirit.
The Hongmeng Purple Qi circulated, and of the three thousand transformations, nine hundred had now been mastered, meaning Wukong had comprehended nine hundred Great Paths.
Memories of Di Jun's past life flooded in like the tide.
There he was, clad in a golden robe, majestic and awe-inspiring, his every gesture commanding clouds and winds, leading the heroes of the world, with nine five-clawed golden dragons pulling his chariot… When Wukong opened his eyes, everything vanished like bubbles, a mere illusion. A trace of golden brilliance glittered in his pupils; his pores opened wide, rapidly absorbing and expelling the surroundings.
"This… is the power of a Taiyi Golden Immortal!" Wukong murmured.