Zhunti calculated with her fingers, a trace of regret and confusion appearing on her face. "Strange. This child was originally fated to be connected to our Western Sect and possessed profound luck. Why was he struck by divine condemnation the moment he was born, nearly severing his Dao Foundation? The heavenly secrets are muddled now; they cannot be fathomed."
Other great powers, such as Ancestor Minghe of the Netherworld Sea of Blood and Bai Ze, merely swept the area with their Spiritual Sense. Upon sensing the will of the Heavenly Dao contained within the Power of Heavenly Punishment, they paid it no further attention. A Stone Monkey nearly struck to death by the Heavenly Dao had lost all value, no matter how extraordinary his origins might have been.
On Yingzhou Immortal Island.
Venerable Qing Huan took in everything before him. His gaze was cold, as though he were looking at a pebble by the roadside or a fallen leaf. He clearly knew the Stone Monkey's origins, as well as his original fate. But in this world that had strayed from its course, Sun Wukong was no longer the Heaven-blessed "pilgrim," but an "error" under the workings of the Heavenly Dao—a flickering flame that could go out at any moment.
"Times have changed, and the Heavenly Mandate has shifted. Though the stubborn stone possesses spirit, it cannot withstand Heavenly Retribution." Qing Huan murmured indifferently, with no intention of intervening. To him, Sun Wukong's life or death was insignificant to his grand plans. If he survived this tribulation, perhaps his changes would be worth observing. If he perished here, he would merely return to heaven and earth.
However, Spiritual Mountain in the west was ultimately unwilling to accept this.
Buddha Mother Zhunti pondered for a moment before saying to Amitabha, "Senior Brother,