Tathagata's Denial: The Golden Hoop Will Vanish When You Return from the Scripture Quest-Reconciled?

"I'm not looking for you lot. I'm looking for Tathagata!"

Sun Wukong had no time for them at all.

He walked straight to the center of the Hall of the Great Hero, stopped, and looked up at Tathagata, seated atop the Nine-Rank Lotus Throne.

Buddha's light shone behind Tathagata, making him appear solemn and majestic, but Sun Wukong did not care about any of that.

He raised a hand and pointed at the Golden Hoop around his head, getting straight to the point. "Tathagata, let me ask you something. Did you give this Golden Hoop to Tang Sanzang?"

Tathagata sat upon the lotus throne.

His gaze fell upon the Golden Hoop on Sun Wukong's forehead. His expression did not change, and his tone remained as calm and gentle as ever. "Oh? How did this Golden Hoop end up on your head?"

"What do you mean, how did it end up there?!"

Sun Wukong exploded at once. His tail lashed behind him with sharp snaps. "I already agreed to protect Tang Sanzang on his journey to Western Heaven! I already got out from under Five Elements Mountain! I've already followed that bald monk all this way, and now you people pull this stunt to harm Old Sun?"

"Take it off for me, now! Remove this Golden Hoop, and I'll honestly go seek the scriptures in Western Heaven. I won't slack off for even one step."

"If you won't remove it, then I quit!"

Tathagata pressed his palms together and calmly watched the monkey before him, who was so frantic he looked ready to leap into the air.

He shook his head slightly, speaking neither quickly nor slowly, as though he had prepared these words long ago. "This Golden Hoop cannot take your life. Having you wear it is merely meant to