"Your Majesty, the monkey demon has gone too far. Please allow me to lead the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals in capturing him." Li Jing stepped forward and spoke righteously.
Since Marshal Tian Peng had failed, this time it would be handed over to him.
Li Jing would never forget his hatred for Sun Wukong.
It was Sun Wukong who had brought him humiliation.
Now, whenever he walked through the Heavenly Court, Li Jing felt that the various immortals were pointing and whispering about him.
Because of this, his hatred for Sun Wukong had only grown stronger and had not diminished with the passage of time.
Suddenly.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I'm useless. I couldn't carry out your command."
A figure wearing tattered armor and exuding a feeble aura ran inside.
The guards did not stop him.
Because they recognized him. He was Marshal Tian Peng, as well as the commander of this operation to capture the monkey demon.
After entering the Hall of Lingxiao, Tian Peng respectfully saluted.
"Tian Peng, where is Sun Wukong?" the Jade Emperor asked in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty, I was no match for Sun Wukong and was defeated by him. If I hadn't possessed a few tricks, I might have died there." Tian Peng put on a pitiful expression. "However, serving Your Majesty, I have no regrets even in death."
"Er..." The Jade Emperor was speechless for a moment.
When had this Marshal Tian Peng become so loyal?
Ordinarily, Tian Peng could not be considered his subordinate.
But that was not how most immortals saw it. Tian Peng was also a member of the Heavenly Court.
They would never have imagined the struggles among the powerful figures behind the scenes.
The future Journey to the West Tribulation.
Was it not also a struggle among the Saints? Even Haotian, the esteemed boy attendant of Hongjun, could not do much.
"Tian Peng, you've done enough." The Jade Emperor waved his hand. "You're not at fault. On the contrary, you've rendered great merit. Announce that Marshal Tian Peng is to be rewarded with three spirit treasures..."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Tian Peng was delighted.
Knowing that the General Store needed all kinds of Heavenly Treasures, Tian Peng intended to collect as many as possible.
"Your Majesty, regarding the suggestion I mentioned earlier..." Li Jing hurriedly spoke.
He did not want the Jade Emperor to forget about it.
He wanted to go capture Sun Wukong.
"Taibai, what do you suggest?" The Jade Emperor looked toward another person, one of his trusted subordinates.
"Your Majesty, Sun Wukong's rebellion against the Heavenly Court may have something to do with the official position he held. Perhaps we could give him a prestigious but powerless position, such as Great Sage, Equal to Heaven. He would have no actual authority and would not command the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals." Taibai Jinxing offered his suggestion.
"As for the treasures Sun Wukong seized, we can have him take them out and return them to the various immortals and gods. Perhaps that was merely one of Sun Wukong's jokes."
Well, Taibai Jinxing did not know that those spirit treasures had long since disappeared and had become the property of the General Store.
As far as Wu Feng was concerned,
anything taken in by the General Store could not possibly be returned.
However, if they really wanted to, there was still one possibility: they could use Exchange Points to redeem them.
"Good. Then, Taibai, I'll leave this attempt to offer amnesty to Sun Wukong to you as well. This time, we'll confer upon Sun Wukong the title of Great Sage, Equal to Heaven and put him in charge of the Peach Garden." The Jade Emperor spoke.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I understand." Taibai Jinxing acknowledged the order.
"Court dismissed."
Gradually, the immortals and gods left the Hall of Lingxiao. Only the Jade Emperor remained.
"Guanyin, regarding Sun Wukong, this is the last time," the Jade Emperor said slowly, as though there were other people in the Hall of Lingxiao.
As soon as his voice fell, Guanyin appeared there, standing upon a lotus flower and holding the Jade Pure Bottle.
"Jade Emperor, I haven't done anything." Guanyin spoke gently. "This is for the sake of both of us, and it also benefits your Heavenly Court."
"I haven't felt any benefits," the Jade Emperor replied indifferently.
"By the way, fellow Daoist Jade Emperor, why didn't fellow Daoist Haotian come to see me?" Guanyin asked curiously.
"Guanyin, you should understand this as well. Don't think that just because Buddhism has Saints behind it, you can do whatever you want." The Jade Emperor spoke. "Several of Yuanshi Tianzun's disciples are in the Heavenly Court. They were once your senior brothers, so you'd better be careful."
"The Jade Emperor is joking." Guanyin gave an awkward laugh. "Then I'll take my leave. I look forward to your good news, Jade Emperor."
"Hmph..." A cold glint flashed through the Jade Emperor's eyes.
If not for Buddhism,
capturing Sun Wukong would have been as easy as lifting a finger for the Jade Emperor. Why would he have given Sun Wukong more opportunities?
Heavenly Court, somewhere within a secret realm.
This was where the Three Immortals of Sensing and Following the World resided.
Back when they had been disciples of the Interception Sect during the Investiture of the Gods, they had been the renowned Three Xiaos.
"Sister, Sister, something huge has happened! Something huge!" Bixiao appeared in this place and shouted anxiously.
Section 44: Breaking Free from the Investiture of the Gods and Rebuilding the Physical Body
Secret realm, a palace.
Yunxiao and Qiongxiao were staying in the palace courtyard, planting spirit herbs and flowers.
Ever since they had died and been conferred as gods, they had possessed the ability to remain immortal. However, if they wanted to cultivate and increase their strength like ordinary experts, that path had practically been severed.
They simply could not increase their strength.
Therefore, cultivation was something they no longer needed to do.
Of course, over the endless years, they still cultivated from time to time. After all, although their cultivation level could not grow, they could still improve through the use of certain cultivation techniques.
In terms of cultivation, they had originally been Grand Unity Golden Immortals, and now they were still merely Grand Unity Golden Immortals.
Compared to when they had been conferred as gods, their strength had not changed in the slightest.
As for Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and the others, although they had been unwilling to accept it at first, they had gradually adapted as time passed.
After all, this was an unchangeable fate.
If even the Saints could do nothing, what could they do?
What use was there in thinking about it too much?
However, Bixiao would sometimes go wandering around the Heavenly Court. After all, with her lively nature, Bixiao did not want to stay in one place forever.
That was precisely why
she had encountered Sun Wukong and discovered the existence of the General Store.
To a certain extent, perhaps this was fate.
"Hmm, it's Bixiao. Bixiao is back." Yunxiao revealed a loving smile.
As the eldest sister, Yunxiao had a gentle personality.
"That girl actually came back. Who knows how long she's been staying outside." Qiongxiao shook her head. "I was even worried that she might have been captured by someone."
"Sister, something huge has happened." A streak of light flashed past and landed before Yunxiao and the others. It was Bixiao, dressed in green.
At this moment, Bixiao's expression still held a hint of excitement.
In the General Store, the Investiture of the Gods Edict token had filled her with excitement whenever she thought about it. As long as she had enough Exchange Points, she could redeem that item and free herself from the List of Deities.
Naturally, Bixiao would tell her sisters about this matter.
On the one hand, as their family, Bixiao would not keep such news to herself. On the other hand, it was also because Bixiao seemed to have too few treasures in her possession.
"Something huge?" Qiongxiao smiled. "Bixiao, you're still as excitable as ever. For people like us, what could possibly count as something huge?"
Even if another tribulation occurred, it would not be a major matter to Qiongxiao and the others.
After all, as disciples of the Interception Sect, they had experienced such things long ago.
At present, there was nothing that could stir their hearts.
"Sister, this really is something huge!" Bixiao said repeatedly.
"Oh? Bixiao, then tell us. What happened?" Qiongxiao asked with a smile.
She wanted to see what her younger sister considered a major matter.
In the past, Bixiao had occasionally acted this way, but the things she called major matters truly had not been important.
"I met a senior, a Saint. No, that senior seemed to be someone who had surpassed the Saints." Bixiao hurriedly explained.
In the General Store, Bixiao had seen the Chaos Bell. That was a legendary treasure capable of rivaling the treasures held by the Saints.
In the entire primordial world, there were only three Innate Supreme Treasures.
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