"What should we do?"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yin immediately smiled. "Of course, we should strengthen ourselves as much as possible! Do you dare to join me in accomplishing something big?"
"What big thing?"
Yuan Hong looked curious. Although he had boarded Xuan Yin and the others' pirate ship, as the Four Wastes Star Lord, he still held the Heavenly Court's strength in great awe.
It was true that they had obtained the Chaos Demon Ape's inheritance, but turning it into their own strength was not something that could be done overnight.
"Steal the Golden Cores!"
Xuan Yin looked at the others and said cautiously, "In the Heavenly Court, aside from the Peaches of Immortality before us, the things that can increase one's magic power the most are undoubtedly the Golden Cores refined by Laojun! Moreover, Tushita Palace contains quite a few powerful spiritual treasures! If we can get our hands on a few, would we still have anything to fear from the Heavenly Court?"
Yuan Hong was greatly startled. "Are you crazy? Laojun isn't someone we can provoke! He is the ancestor who created this world!"
Although Xuan Yin had not said it outright, if this world was an illusion, then Laojun, who had created it, was undoubtedly the Heaven's Will controlling everything from behind the scenes.
Wu Zhiqi also frowned deeply.
Back then, the magic treasures refined by Laojun had played a major role in sealing him away. The Xuanyuan Xia Yu Sword, Mountain Splitting Axe, and Sea Calming Needle that Da Yu had wielded had all come from Laojun's hands.
He would rather face Rulai or the Jade Emperor than confront such an existence.
"It's fine!"
Xuan Yin smiled. "I've already scoped the place out! The Peach Festival is currently underway, and that Laojun has gone to Yaochi for the banquet! He isn't in Tushita Palace right now! Besides, Laojun follows the Way of Non-Action. How could he not leave the living beings of this world a sliver of hope?"
His agreement with Patriarch Bodhi was not something he could state openly, but Sun Wukong on the original timeline had certainly not spared the Golden Cores in Tushita Palace.
A Sage's promise was heavier than Buzhou Mountain. How could it be changed so casually?
"Let's go!"
Hearing Xuan Yin say this, Wu Zhiqi was instantly tempted. "Fortune is found amid danger! Since we wish to see through the falsehood of this world, we absolutely cannot miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Since Wu Zhiqi had dared to obstruct Da Yu's flood control efforts, he was naturally a man of tremendous nerve. His earlier hesitation had only come from the awe in his heart.
But now that he had decided to take the risk, he did not hesitate in the slightest.
Thus, the four monkeys immediately transformed into four streaks of rainbow light and flew toward Tushita Palace. In mere moments, they arrived above the Thirty-Three Heavens.
At this time, Golden Horn and Silver Horn, as Laojun's attendants, had also followed him to Yaochi. The vast Tushita Palace was practically open for the four of them to come and go as they pleased.
The group did not stand on ceremony and directly swept Tushita Palace clean of every Golden Core.
Xuan Yin went even further, taking away Laojun's Eight Trigrams Furnace for pill refining, the Banana Leaf Fan for fanning the flames, the Jade Bottle for holding water, the Red Gourd for storing pills, the Seven Star Sword for refining demons, and the Golden Rope for tying his Daoist robe.
"The things in Tushita Palace may look unremarkable, but every single one is a treasure!"
After examining them carefully, Xuan Yin also put away the prayer mat Laojun used for meditation. Could it be the legendary Wind Fire Cushion?
Finally, he turned his gaze toward the Green Ox in the rear courtyard of Tushita Palace.
With Wu Zhiqi making a move, the Green Ox had fallen into a deep sleep before it could even react.
Seeing Xuan Yin reach for the Green Ox's nose ring, Sun Wukong could not help frowning. "Martial brother Fang Yuan, why won't you even spare a cow's nose ring?"
Xuan Yin rolled his eyes. "What nose ring? This is a Houtian Merit Supreme Treasure, refined by Laojun when he was Transforming Barbarians into Buddhas!"
This monkey had yet to suffer at the hands of the Vajra Ring, so naturally, he did not understand how formidable this treasure was. But Xuan Yin would never let such a supreme treasure slip away!
The only pity was that these spiritual treasures could only be used in the Journey to the West World. Their true bodies were likely still in the hands of the Grand Pure Sage.
The transformation of barbarians has not yet happened. Everything in this world is only an illusion. That means the Vajra Ring has not yet been refined by Laojun!
But the power of this supreme treasure is real. Just how did Laojun accomplish this?
Feeling the true intent of the Great Dao flowing across the Vajra Ring, Xuan Yin became even more aware of a Sage's might. At the same time, he used the power of his primordial spirit to completely imprint a copy of the Houtian Restrictions flowing over it.
Since it had been refined after heaven and earth came into being, it could be replicated. Houtian Spiritual Treasures were unlike Innate Spiritual Treasures, which contained Innate Undying Spiritual Light.
If Laojun could refine it, then he could as well. He merely needed suitable materials, enough Merit, and top-tier artifact-refining skill!
This was an opportunity too!
There was nothing wrong with copying, and piracy was no crime. How could artifact refinement count as plagiarism?
The only thing Xuan Yin found regrettable was that this world did not contain treasures such as the Taiji Diagram, Coiled Dragon Crutch, or Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda... Otherwise, he would definitely copy the restrictions upon them as well!
Watching Xuan Yin's actions, Wu Zhiqi could not help worrying. "Second Brother, taking Laojun's other magic treasures is one thing. He can always refine more. But you took his furnace for pill refining and artifact refinement too. Are you sure he really won't step in and teach you a profound lesson?"
He had lived for so many years and had seen people steal others' livelihoods, but he had never seen anyone steal the livelihood and then carry off the cooking pot as well.
"Probably not?"
Xuan Yin could not help looking up at the sky. "Laojun stands above the world and possesses the power of World Creation. Why would he care about such mundane objects?"
But after hearing Wu Zhiqi's words, he still felt somewhat worried. Grand Pure Divine Thunder descended from the sky as he immediately kowtowed three times inside Tushita Palace. "Laojun, you are magnanimous, so please do not lower yourself to the level of this junior! This junior is only borrowing these magic treasures. If you need them, this junior will certainly return them!"
Only after doing this did he leave Tushita Palace with Wu Zhiqi, Sun Wukong, and Yuan Hong.
Suddenly, Xuan Yin looked overhead, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes. "The Daoist script on Tushita Palace's plaque should also have been written by Laojun. Do you think it might be a treasure too?"
"That's enough!"
Wu Zhiqi could no longer bear to watch and hurriedly stopped him. "Worthy Brother, that's enough! Treasures are good, but there's no need to take even the plaque!"
Yuan Hong and Sun Wukong also nodded.
Then, one on each side, they hoisted Xuan Yin up and flew toward the South Heaven Gate.
They were truly afraid that their elder brother might suddenly get another idea and move the Thirty-Three Heavens and the entire Tushita Palace down to the mortal realm!
Meanwhile, in the Primordial True Realm, the Sage's true body, who was preaching the Dao to Xuandu, saw this scene, and ripples stirred his tranquil heart.
He looked at Xuandu and instructed, "Xuandu! Did you see that? Your Third Martial Uncle's disciple does not care about face in the slightest! If you spend time with him, do not let him fool you so easily!"
Xuandu was momentarily stunned before asking proactively, "Master, do you mean... you want me to learn from Junior Brother Xuan Yin?"
"No!"
The Grand Pure Sage shook his head. "This humble daoist means that you should stay farther away from him! Your nature is kind and pure, and you were born with a Childlike Heart. Cultivating this humble daoist's Way of Non-Action allows you to advance by leaps and bounds!"
"That brat, however, was born with a Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart. He is skilled at scheming and far too attached to worldly concerns. I fear that he will affect your Childlike Heart!"
"You absolutely must not learn from him!"
For some reason, he did not see Sect Master Tongtian's upright and unyielding character in Xuan Yin. Instead, he saw the shadows of the Two Sages of the West!
He was even worse!
He was genuinely worried that Xuandu's temperament would be influenced if Xuandu came into contact with him.
After all...
Such shameless behavior was exceedingly rare even across the entire Primordial True Realm!
Before you continue