"Old Sun found it!"
Sun Wukong whipped his head around, his lightning-sharp gaze shooting straight toward the offering table.
There, over a dozen beautifully packaged boxes of Offering Incense were stacked in neat rows.
"Right here!"
Sun Wukong darted forward and snatched up the topmost box.
Rip.
Without hesitation, he tore open the outer waxed-paper seal.
The scent of incense powder instantly filled the air.
"The seal hadn't even been broken!"
A terrifying gleam burst from Sun Wukong's eyes.
Sun Wukong did not hesitate.
A ball of crimson-gold magical power instantly gathered in his palm.
Flames danced, coiling around the three incense sticks like spirit snakes.
"Ignite!"
He gave a low shout.
The Offering Incense caught fire.
A wisp of blue smoke slowly rose.
The smoke was incredibly fine and light, yet the instant it rose, some unseen force seemed to draw it onward.
It did not disperse.
Instead, it spiraled into three wisps of blue haze, curling upward.
They drifted straight toward the faces of the three clay statues.
Hum.
An almost imperceptible hum came from within the Three Pure Ones Sacred Statues.
Everyone abruptly looked up.
The three clay statues had actually begun to glow faintly.
The light was pale, like the first rays of dawn.
Yet it stood out strikingly in the dim hall.
"It's working!"
Zhu Bajie's eyes lit up, and he nearly cried out.
The corner of Sun Wukong's mouth curled upward.
"Just as I thought!"
He did not stop.
He channeled his magical power again.
Six more incense sticks appeared in his hand.
Ordinarily, three sticks were enough when paying homage to the Three Pure Ones, but a grand ceremony naturally required nine.
That was hardly excessive.
Rather, it was a sign of sincerity.
The incense smoke thickened, its blue haze cascading like a