Naturally Possessing Extraordinary Wisdom

"If you find it harsh, then let it be."

With the saint's support, Haotian was emboldened.

This instantly put the Buddhist Sect in a passive position.

In the end, Buddha Tathagata contacted the Original Body of Receiver.

Receiver and Cundi were currently troubled over Sun Wukong's whereabouts, with no mind for such trivial matters.

Without Sun Wukong, the Journey to the West was meaningless!

What was Zhen Yuanzi in comparison?

"With the Dao Ancestor present, Zhen Yuanzi can't stir up disciples. Agree to him."

Receiver replied to Tathagata.

"Right, brother. We should go see the Dao Ancestor—perhaps he knows where Sun Wukong is."

Cundi said directly.

Receiver nodded in agreement.

"Good."

The two saints then left the Western Paradise and headed for the Purple Cloud Palace in Chaos.

In the Hall of Celestial Supremacy of the Heavenly Court, Tathagata pressed his palms together and said, "Well said. The Heavenly Emperor's terms are accepted by the Buddhist Sect." Haotian smiled upon hearing this, thinking that the Taiqing Saint had been right—the Buddhist Sect indeed couldn't refuse.

Haotian then proposed, "It's inconvenient for the Buddha Ancestor to frequent the Heavenly Court. How about appointing a Liaison? Let Duobao handle this matter."

The three from the Buddhist Sect were all surprised. Tathagata and Fixed Light Joyful Buddha looked at Duobao, puzzled as to when he had made some secret deal with Haotian.

Duobao was equally confused; he had never had any contact with Haotian.

The Heavenly Investiture of the Gods List held many Jie Sect Disciples imprisoned, and he held no goodwill toward the Heavenly Court. He didn't understand why Haotian had singled him out to stay.

Tathagata thought for a moment and said, "Since the Emperor has this request, let Duobao remain."

Duobao could only nod in agreement. "Yes, World-Honored One."

Afterward, Tathagata and Fixed Light Joyful Buddha returned to the West, while Duobao stayed temporarily in the Heavenly Court.

Duobao asked Haotian in confusion, "Why did the Emperor want me to stay?"

Haotian smiled and said, "This was Supreme Lord Laozi's intention, but don't speak of it outside."

Duobao was deeply shocked upon hearing this.

In the Purple Cloud Palace beyond Chaos. "Master, Sun Wukong is the Heaven-Appointed Scripture Pilgrim, yet he has vanished. How is this Calamity to proceed? You must not stand idly by." Receiver and Cundi directly lamented to Hongjun, their words carrying a hint of command.

Hongjun frowned slightly upon hearing this, not from annoyance at the Two Sages of the West, but because his Dao heart was stirred. The Heavenly Dao Position surveyed all phenomena in the Primordial Wilderness, yet found no trace of Sun Wukong. "Could it be a Variable?" Hongjun's gaze darkened as he looked toward Daluo Heaven.

The Heavenly Dao Hongjun, expressionless, mobilized the Heavenly Dao Authority to investigate.

Yet in the Daluo Heaven of the Taiqing Realm, the Heavenly Dao detected no anomaly.

At this moment, Taiqing was in seclusion, showing no movement. "If not Taiqing, has he completely evaded the Heavenly Dao's perception?" Hongjun shook his head, light flickering in his eyes. "Impossible. No one can hide the identity of a Calamity Protagonist from the Heavenly Dao, and Taiqing certainly lacks that ability." The supreme Heavenly Dao Power examined all saints' domains and the entire Primordial Wilderness, yet found nothing.

Hongjun's brow furrowed tightly, his heart full of doubt.

"Which Mysterious Existence seeks to meddle in this tribulation?"

"Could it be those Hidden Chaos Demon Gods?"

Receiver and Cundi were baffled, their hearts heavy with confusion.

The Dao Ancestor couldn't find Sun Wukong? What was going on? Just as they were about to speak, Hongjun said calmly, "Withdraw for now. I will handle this matter myself." As the words fell, Hongjun's figure vanished.

Though Sun Wukong was missing, Hongjun was not flustered.

The grand trend could not be altered, but minor details could be adjusted.

It was not yet time for the Journey to the West to officially begin.

The Two Sages of the West were bewildered.

Did this mean no progress at all? Yet they dared not question Hongjun and could only respectfully comply.

After Receiver and Cundi left the Main Hall, Tongtian sneered in the Side Hall, "Such incompetents—what can they do besides complain?" These two Western saints had always been fond of griping, even during the Investiture of the Gods.

Tongtian had originally dismissed their actions with contempt, but Dingguang Xian's behavior had angered him.

Now, seeing Receiver and Cundi fail to achieve their goal, Tongtian was in a rare good mood and couldn't resist mocking them.

This displeased the Two Sages of the West greatly.

Though confined to the Purple Cloud Palace, Tongtian still...

Within the Purple Cloud Palace, Tongtian maintained his freedom.

The Heavenly Dao Hongjun, though in control of all, did not deliberately conceal Tongtian's situation.

Thus, Tongtian was fully aware of everything that had transpired.

When Receiver saw Master Tongtian's sarcastic attitude, he couldn't help sneering back: "Is Master Tongtian faring well these days?" Then he added, "The Jie Sect has been living quite comfortably under the Buddhist Sect."

Master Tongtian's face instantly darkened: "Once I leave the Purple Cloud Palace, I will surely seek an audience with my sword at Mount Sumeru!"

Cundi laughed loudly in reply: "Then we'll just have to wait and see!"

Though Master Tongtian possessed the Immortal Slaughtering Sword, even so, trapped as he was in the Purple Cloud Palace, he was nothing but a toothless tiger—even Dingguang Xian didn't fear him, so why should they?

After a round of biting mockery, Receiver and Cundi finally left the Purple Cloud Palace.

Master Tongtian clenched his fists, his expression extremely grim.

If he ever had the chance to leave the Purple Cloud Palace, he would destroy the Western Buddhist Sect, and Dingguang Xian above all—he would tear him into a thousand pieces!

Yet Master Tongtian sank into despair: "Is leaving the Purple Cloud Palace truly possible?"

Though Master Tongtian was confined to the Purple Cloud Palace, Hongjun placed no further restrictions on him.

This was not good news; on the contrary, it meant Hongjun had no intention of ever letting him out.

And given Hongjun's power, there was no need to worry about Master Tongtian escaping the Purple Cloud Palace.

Master Tongtian understood this himself.

Suddenly, he thought of Grand Pure One Laozi—his former elder brother.

His recent actions were unexpected; perhaps he had changed?

Could The Grand Pure One save him?

A flicker of hope crossed Master Tongtian's mind.

But he quickly suppressed it.

After all, The Grand Pure One and Yuanshi had once allied with the Two Sages of the West to target the Jie Sect.

The Three Pure Ones had long turned against each other, with no bond of brotherhood left.

Why would The Grand Pure One come to his rescue?

Even if he had changed, he would never dare defy Hongjun!

Hongjun embodied the Heavenly Dao!

He was the unrivaled existence of the Primordial Wilderness!

Everything was already set in stone!

No one could rewrite it!

Master Tongtian could only sigh.

Chaos Beyond Heaven.

Taiqing Realm, Daluo Heaven.

Within the Eight Sceneries Palace, The Grand Pure One sat upright, slowly opening his eyes.

Before him, the Celestial Compass shimmered with flowing light.

He was fully aware of everything that had happened in the Purple Cloud Palace.

Sensing the reaction of the Two Sages of the West, The Grand Pure One let out a faint, contemptuous smile.

If Master Tongtian hadn't left back then, it would have been time to settle accounts with the West!

But that matter could wait for now.

What demanded his attention at present was Sun Wukong in Grand Simplicity Heaven!

Grand Simplicity Heaven, Wa Huang Palace.

The figure that emerged from the chaotic void was small and slender, yet full of curiosity as it looked around.

This person was none other than the Lingming Stone Monkey!

"Elder brother, did you truly succeed?"

Nüwa's beautiful eyes shimmered with light, deeply shaken by this.

The power of the Heavenly Dao had just swept through the domains of all saints, and Grand Simplicity Heaven was no exception.

Nüwa had thought that she and The Grand Pure One had already been detected by Hongjun, but she never imagined that even the Heavenly Dao had been deceived—right under its very nose, no one knew.

Sun Wukong had truly been guided to Wa Huang Palace. How had The Grand Pure One managed it? Nüwa's gaze flickered, her heart trembling with shock.

After all, this Lingming Stone Monkey was the key figure of the Calamity. Even if all the other saints joined forces, they couldn't deceive the Heavenly Dao—yet The Grand Pure One had done it.

Could it be that he had already surpassed the realm of a saint?

If so, then when the Earthly Immortal Realm merged, Zhen Yuanzi's confrontation with Hongjun was likely orchestrated by The Grand Pure One as well.

Nüwa's thoughts churned, and her awe only deepened.

The Grand Pure One's strength was unfathomable, elusive to grasp—how many hidden schemes still lay unrevealed in his grand design?

In truth, with the Chaos Pearl, the Grand Pure One could easily shroud the Heavenly Dao itself.

He followed the current, leveraging the karmic bond between Nüwa and the Sky-Repairing Divine Stone to guide Sun Wukong to Grand Simplicity Heaven, making it appear perfectly natural.

This not only aligned with karma but also adjusted minor currents without any discord, so the Heavenly Dao naturally sensed nothing amiss.

One must understand—Nüwa could have guided Sun Wukong herself, but Hongjun's obstruction caused her to miss this monumental opportunity.

In the Primordial Calamities, the grand currents could not be altered, but minor currents could be adjusted.

As long as the greater scheme remained unaffected, the Heavenly Dao had no need to intervene.

Of course.

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Yet in the eyes of Grand Pure One Laozi, even the slightest shift could overturn the entire situation.

At this moment, all trends would surge like a flood, unstoppable by anyone!

Now, a wisp of Grand Pure One Laozi's Divine Sense manifested within Wa Huang Palace.

Faced with Nüwa's question, he merely smiled faintly, offering no further explanation.

"No need to dwell on this. Now is the time to teach Sun Wukong."

"He is crucial to our future plans."

Nüwa nodded slightly at this, her expression turning solemn.

Indeed.

Sun Wukong was the key!

At that moment, the Lingming Stone Monkey was filled with curiosity toward the Grand Simplicity Heaven before him. Though he felt a trace of closeness, it was overshadowed by awe and fear.

This was the dwelling of a Saint!

Even a mere wisp of a Saint's aura could instinctively terrify any living being.

Just as the Lingming Stone Monkey warily observed his surroundings, two mysterious figures materialized.

They were the Divine Sense projections of Nüwa and the Grand Pure One!

The Grand Pure One's projection took the form of a mysterious powerhouse, smiling as he spoke to the Lingming Stone Monkey:

"Little monkey, you and I share a bond. Today, how about I give you a name?"

The Lingming Stone Monkey.

Master of transformations, insight into heavenly secrets, familiarity with geography, and the power to shift stars and exchange constellations.

Naturally Possessing Extraordinary Wisdom.

Now, seeing the imposing aura of the figure before him, he knew this was no ordinary being. Spotting Nüwa's form as well, though unfamiliar, he felt an inexplicable warmth.

The Lingming Stone Monkey spoke excitedly:

"Senior, please bestow a name—I am willing!"

The Grand Pure One's Divine Sense projection smiled as he spoke.

Linglong

"From this day forth, your name shall be Sun Wukong."

"This is a name bestowed by heaven, not by me."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong felt both joy and confusion. The heaven-bestowed name made him ponder his own identity.

Could he truly be a primordial being or a chosen one of heaven?

The Four Primordial Divine Monkeys were all extraordinary, yet among them, the Lingming Stone Monkey had taken form last due to the calamity, remaining in chaos—unlike the Six-Eared Macaque, who knew of primordial matters.

Sun Wukong had originally believed himself to be merely a post-heavenly being.

In the original Journey to the West, Sun Wukong was deeply grateful to Patriarch Bodhi, but in truth, Bodhi merely bestowed the name on behalf of heaven. Everything was part of the Buddhist Sect's scheme, and Sun Wukong was nothing more than a pawn.

Otherwise, with the Lingming Stone Monkey's innate talent and his fortune as the Calamity Protagonist, how could he have only reached the rank of Victorious Fighting Buddha?

Now, Sun Wukong was overjoyed and immediately knelt down.

"I beg Senior to take me as your disciple!"

Grand Pure One Laozi smiled faintly, offering no clear response.

He would not easily take on disciples—the karmic bond between master and student was too weighty.

He had no need for Sun Wukong to acknowledge the master-disciple title; as long as the actual relationship existed, that was enough.

Thus, the Grand Pure One would not hide anything from Sun Wukong, nor would he deliberately conceal his identity.

"I shall impart the Great Dao to you. You must comprehend it with all your heart."

Taiqing gently waved his whisk, and a beam of immortal light merged into Sun Wukong's brow.

Feeling the immortal light enter his brow, Sun Wukong was beside himself with excitement.

This divine art held a hundred and twenty-nine thousand six hundred mysteries—clearly a technique of transcendent mastery!

"Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!"

Overjoyed, Sun Wukong immediately sat cross-legged and began to comprehend this supreme Daoist art.

But in the blink of an eye...

Sun Wukong's entire body radiated boundless Dao resonance, instantly grasping the Great Dao.

In that moment, his cultivation surged upward.

Seeing this, Nüwa was deeply moved.

"With such innate talent and aptitude, he truly lives up to the name of Calamity Protagonist."

Taiqing smiled faintly.

"Indeed, he is exceptional."

Nüwa added,