This Shocked Her Greatly!

Cundi was greatly shocked upon hearing this.

The Journey to the West Tribulation was about to begin, yet this monkey had still not become an immortal?

How was that possible?!

Yet after the two saints carefully deduced the matter, they discovered that every word Bodhi had spoken was true.

What unsettled them even more was that they could not see anything unusual about Sun Wukong at all.

The Two Sages of the West immediately grew exceedingly anxious.

What if Sun Wukong continued cultivating like this and still failed to become an immortal after a thousand years?

Were they supposed to postpone the Journey to the West Tribulation?

The key was that the Buddhist Sect could not make that decision on its own.

Cundi said with a troubled expression, "Senior Brother, what should we do?"

Receiver frowned as well. "Fine. Since his cultivation is progressing slowly, we shall assist him with external means."

Cundi's eyes lit up.

That was right. They could use the Buddhist Sect's Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to nurture Sun Wukong!

Even if they had to pile resources onto him, they had to make him into a Golden Immortal!

As long as he reached the Golden Immortal realm, they could barely begin the Journey to the West Tribulation.

Before long,

the Two Sages of the West issued a decree.

The Buddhist Sect's Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were swiftly delivered to Square Inch Mountain.

Bodhi personally guided Sun Wukong in refining these treasures, lecturing on scriptures and imparting the Dao every day.

Bodhi could no longer concern himself with rules. After all, the disciples of Square Inch Mountain were merely supporting characters. He had to make Sun Wukong strong enough as soon as possible!

Although the Buddhist Sect wanted to limit Sun Wukong's cultivation, that was to prevent his power from spiraling out of control.

If Sun Wukong's realm became too high, he alone would be able to sweep through the entire Journey to the West.

The Buddhist Sect and the Heavenly Court had arranged so many helpers for this. How would they distribute the merit?

But for now, things like the Daluo Fruit and Grand Yi Golden Immortal realm seemed utterly out of reach.

They should first cultivate him to the Golden Immortal realm. Otherwise, he would not even be able to seize the opportunities of the Journey to the West.

The entire Buddhist Sect watched this matter closely, hoping only that Sun Wukong would grow quickly so they could launch the Journey to the West Calamity.

Yet Sun Wukong appeared utterly disdainful toward those Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

These things were far inferior to what his master had given him.

But Sun Wukong was deeply calculating. He knew these were all possessions of the Buddhist Sect, and there was no harm in accepting them.

Moreover, this was a fine opportunity to fleece the Buddhist Sect, a way of repaying his master's kindness.

Thus, Sun Wukong feasted freely on Square Inch Mountain, refusing no Heavenly Materials or Earthly Treasures delivered to his door.

He cultivated Taiqing's personally transmitted Dao method, and he digested those treasures at an astonishing rate.

With his true realm already close to the middle stage of Da Luo, coupled with the concealment of a Chaos secret art, even saints would find it difficult to perceive his real strength.

Sun Wukong was quite satisfied with this.

After all, getting something for nothing felt wonderful.

This situation also greatly delighted Bodhi and the other Buddhist experts.

Sure enough, this Lingming Stone Monkey had an extraordinary origin. Among those Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were even Innate Spiritual Roots, yet he absorbed them without the slightest strain. His exceptional talent was plain to see.

Thus, the Buddhist powerhouses watched Sun Wukong with great anticipation, hoping to see him use those treasures to break through to an even higher realm.

Seeing Sun Wukong nearly exhaust the Buddhist Sect's reserves, Receiver and Cundi felt aching regret.

This fellow was practically a bottomless pit! But as long as he became a Golden Immortal and launched the Journey to the West Calamity, the Buddhist Sect would profit.

Therefore, the Two Sages of the West eagerly awaited Sun Wukong's breakthrough.

At that moment, Sun Wukong suddenly stood up, spiritual energy surging around his body.

The Buddhist powerhouses watching in secret all brightened, thrilled beyond measure.

The Calamity Protagonist was about to emerge!

Patriarch Bodhi was even more excited, hoping only that Sun Wukong would reach the Golden Immortal realm and begin the Journey to the West.

Under the eager gazes of the Buddhist Sect's gods and buddhas, Sun Wukong stretched lazily. Immortal aura spilled from him, shaking Square Inch Mountain.

He shouted smugly, "Old Sun has become an immortal!"

He truly had! With the aid of countless Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, he had successfully entered the immortal path and become a Human Immortal.

Yet this result left Patriarch Bodhi, the gods and buddhas of Spirit Mountain, Receiver, and Cundi so stunned that they could not speak.

A Human Immortal? Was this result not far too unexpected?!

With the Buddhist Sect's power, so many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, and Innate Spiritual Roots, they had only produced a Human Immortal?!

The entire Buddhist Sect was utterly shocked.

Nüwa and Taiqing witnessed this scene as well.

Nüwa could not help laughing, radiant and captivating.

"This monkey truly makes one both angry and amused."

A smile also appeared on Taiqing's face.

With Sun Wukong fleecing the Buddhist Sect like this, the Journey to the West Calamity would not be so easy to begin.

In the West, within Western Paradise.

Receiver and Cundi exchanged glances, both filled with doubt.

Could it be that Sun Wukong was toying with our Buddhist Sect?

With so many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, even a wild mountain monkey should have cultivated into a Celestial Immortal!

Receiver frowned. "There may be something wrong with Sun Wukong. Who is plotting against our Calamity from behind the scenes?"

Cundi said coldly, "Senior Brother, we cannot delay any longer. Let the Underworld hook away Sun Wukong's soul and see whether he can remain so calm!"

Cundi intended to force Sun Wukong to advance the Calamity's progress and forcibly launch the Journey to the West.

Receiver's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "An excellent plan!"

Sun Wukong's rampage through the Underworld and rampage through the Heavenly Court had originally been a performance jointly arranged by the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Sect.

In the Buddhist Sect's eyes, the Underworld was not some powerful force.

Although Houtu, a saint, presided over the Underworld, she had long since withdrawn from the world.

Moreover, the Buddhist Sect had Ksitigarbha as a chess piece within the Underworld. Controlling the Underworld would be as easy as turning a hand.

However, the Two Sages of the West did not know this.

The Underworld was no longer what it used to be!

Under the Two Sages of the West's scheme, Sun Wukong's soul was swiftly drawn into the Underworld.

Yet at that very moment, within the Six Paths of Reincarnation, Houtu slowly opened her eyes after comprehending the Earth Dao Divine Seal.

Saintly Might spread out, enveloping the entire Underworld!

"The Buddhist Sect has quite the nerve, daring to look down on the Underworld like this?"

Houtu snorted coldly.

With her current realm, she only needed to think briefly to deduce the matter of Sun Wukong. Naturally, she saw through the Buddhist Sect's scheme as well!

The Two Sages of the West had truly gone too far.

Back then, the appearance of the ten suns in the Primordial Wilderness had been Receiver and Cundi's scheme.

That incident had also led to Houyi shooting down the suns, eventually causing the Witch-Demon War.

Once Houtu evolved the Earth Dao and awakened the Twelve Ancestral Witches, she would certainly seek justice from the West.

Houtu gazed at Sun Wukong's soul, only to discover that she could not determine his strength.

This shocked her greatly!

But soon, Houtu sensed Taiqing's aura within Sun Wukong.

"Such an important figure to the Buddhist Sect has also been influenced by Fellow Daoist Taiqing?"

At that moment, Taiqing's calm voice sounded:

"It is nothing. There is merely a small matter for which I must trouble Fellow Daoist."

Houtu could not help sighing after hearing this.

Even with saints present, he had the Buddhist Sect wrapped around his finger!

Yet he made it sound so trivial?

That was truly too much!

Houtu understood that if Taiqing had not deliberately allowed her to detect that trace of Taiqing Dao Essence, she would never have been able to see through it!

However, since this was Taiqing's plan, Houtu would naturally lend him a hand.

"Fengdu, bring Sun Wukong to Pingxin Palace."

"Yes, Lady!"

Grand Simplicity Heaven.

Wa Huang Palace.

Nüwa was also closely watching Sun Wukong.

He could be considered half her disciple.

Then Nüwa saw a shocking sight: Sun Wukong had actually entered Pingxin Palace directly!

Nüwa was immediately stunned.

Was Houtu not detached from worldly affairs?

Why would she meet Sun Wukong?

Nüwa suddenly had a bold conjecture.

Could it be that Senior Taiqing and Houtu had also formed an alliance?

At that thought, Nüwa was shaken beyond measure!

One had to know that Houtu's circumstances were completely different from hers!

She was an existence bound by the Heavenly Dao!

Hongjun must have been watching Houtu all along!

Yet Taiqing had formed an alliance with Houtu without anyone noticing!

But Nüwa soon realized something:

Why had Taiqing formed an alliance with her?

It was for the Human Path!

Then what was his alliance with Houtu for?

The Earth Dao?

Could it be that Taiqing wanted to establish the Human Path and Earth Dao?

At that thought, Nüwa's breathing quickened, and her heart was filled with overwhelming shock.

She realized an extremely terrifying possibility.

Taiqing Laozi intended to use the power of the Human Path and Earth Dao to defy fate and contend against Hongjun?!

The instant this thought arose,

Nüwa suddenly gained an insight, as though she had seen through Taiqing's true scheme!

Her entire body trembled involuntarily. Such a grand plan was truly astonishing.

Yet even Nüwa found it difficult to fathom just how far-reaching Taiqing's layout truly was!

Human-Earth Rebellion Against Heaven? Was it merely to oppose Hongjun?

For the current Taiqing, such a scope was far too narrow.

One day, even the Heavenly Dao would fall under Taiqing's control!

At that time, the Three Teachings would unite as one, forming the Dao Sect!

The Primordial World would evolve into supreme Hongmeng and become the origin of Dao for All Heavens and Myriad Worlds!

Taiqing himself would attain the supreme Great Dao.

All authority over the All Heavens and Myriad Daos would belong to Taiqing alone!

As for Hongjun?

He would be nothing more than a lonely man who had long vanished!

Such a scene was beyond the imagination of Houtu, Nüwa, and even Yuanshi Tianzun!

Within Purple Cloud Palace, Hongjun watched the Underworld, his brows slightly furrowed.

Sun Wukong had actually appeared in Pingxin Palace. What did Houtu intend to do?

Did she want to interfere in the Journey to the West Calamity?

Pingxin Palace was the core of the Six Paths of Reincarnation and contained the power of the Earth Dao. Even Hongjun could not see through it.

However, Hongjun soon became indifferent and stopped paying attention.

Houtu could never leave the Underworld. Even if she wanted to interfere with the Journey to the West Calamity, she could not stir up much trouble.

Hongjun did not care about this at all, so long as that Mysterious Existence did not intervene personally.

However, Hongjun did not know that both Sun Wukong's actions and Houtu's actions were part of Taiqing's plan.

Western Buddhist Sect.

Tathagata and the other Buddhas were utterly bewildered.

Hadn't he been supposed to wreak havoc in the Underworld and destroy the Book of Life and Death?!

Why was he speaking directly with a Saint instead?

Receiver and Cundi also looked astonished.

Hadn't Houtu always stayed out of worldly affairs?

How had she become involved with Sun Wukong?

Could Houtu have been the one who plotted against Sun Wukong back then?

The Two Sages of the West frowned deeply.

Meanwhile, in the Underworld.

When Houtu saw Sun Wukong, her heart filled with complicated emotions.

Sun Wukong was also puzzled. This Lady's aura was so powerful—could she be one of the legendary Saints?

But he had never met a Saint before.

Suddenly, Sun Wukong thought that perhaps his master knew this Saint.

His Mysterious Master possessed extraordinary strength; it was hardly strange for him to know several Saints.

Sure enough, Houtu said with a smile:

"Lingming Stone Monkey Sun Wukong, your master asked me to pass along a message."

Sun Wukong was overjoyed upon hearing this.

"Lady, please speak, please!"

He had never expected to receive news from his master. Sun Wukong was ecstatic.

Houtu spoke with a smile:

"Your master said that this matter was a scheme laid by the Buddhist Sect, intended to force you through a Calamity in order to set the Journey to the West in motion."

"This time, you must lower your cultivation, then return to Square Inch Mountain."

"As long as your strength is insufficient and you remain at Square Inch Mountain, the Buddhist Sect will be powerless against you."

When Sun Wukong learned that his descent into the Underworld had truly been a scheme of the Buddhist Sect, he was furious beyond measure.

This Buddhist Sect truly had disciples!

During his days on Square Inch Mountain, Sun Wukong had deeply experienced the Buddhist Sect's disciples.

Yet that Mysterious Master had taught him everything without holding anything back, telling him of all the disciples!

By comparison, the Buddhist Sect appeared far more inferior.

"Lady, rest assured. I will listen to Master's words!"

"I definitely won't let the Buddhist Sect succeed!"

Sun Wukong agreed again and again.

At the same time, he secretly resolved to follow his master's guidance and ruthlessly cheat the Buddhist Sect!

Houtu smiled faintly.

"I will conceal it for you."

This was to make the Buddhist Sect believe that the decline in your cultivation stemmed from my warning.

That would help you conceal your identity even better.

"Thank you, Lady!"

Sun Wukong watched Houtu lower his cultivation with curiosity.

Houtu's magic power was deep and unfathomable.

The monkey could not help feeling that the Lady before him might be a Saint!

He speculated that if his Mysterious Master could make a Saint work for him, his strength probably far surpassed that of a Saint!

At that thought, the monkey became extremely excited.

At this moment, Houtu's heart was filled with countless emotions.

Fellow Daoist Taiqing was exceedingly mysterious and unfathomable. With a casual gesture, he could control a Calamity, and he had even suppressed the Two Sages of the West until they had no power to fight back.

He was simply flawless in his calculations, unmatched in the world!

After sighing to herself, Houtu lightly raised her slender hand.

"Go."