Pluck Feathers from Passing Geese, Skin from Departing Beasts

"What should we do?"

Xuan Yin immediately smiled. "Of course, we should strengthen ourselves as much as possible! Do you dare join me in doing something big?"

"What big thing?"

Yuan Hong looked curious. Though 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.

The fact that they had inherited the Chaos Demon Ape's legacy was true, but turning it into their own strength was not something that could be done overnight.

"Steal the Golden Pills!"

Xuan Yin looked at them and cautiously said, "Within the Heavenly Court, aside from the peaches before us, the thing that can increase Magic Power the most is undoubtedly the Golden Pills refined by Laojun! Moreover, Laojun's 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 is not someone we can provoke! He is the progenitor who created this world!"

Though 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 that controlled everything from behind the scenes.

Wu Zhiqi also frowned deeply.

The reason he had been sealed back then was largely due to the Magic Treasures refined by Laojun. The Xuanyuan Xia Yu Sword, Mountain Splitting Axe, and Sea Calming Needle Da Yu had wielded were all forged by Laojun.

He would rather face Rulai or the Jade Emperor than confront such an existence.

"No matter!"

Xuan Yin smiled. "I have already scoped the place out! It is currently the Peach Festival, and Laojun has gone to Yaochi for the banquet! He is not in Tushita Palace at the moment! Besides, Laojun follows the Way of Non-Action. How could he fail to leave a sliver of hope for the living beings of this world?"

He could not openly mention his agreement with Patriarch Bodhi, but Sun Wukong on the original timeline had not spared the Golden Pills in Tushita Palace.

A Sage's promise was heavier than Buzhou Mountain. How could it be changed so easily?

"Let's go!"

At Xuan Yin's words, Wu Zhiqi was instantly tempted. "Fortune is found in 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 obstruct Da Yu's flood control efforts, he was naturally bold beyond measure. 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.

The four monkeys immediately transformed into four streaks of Rainbow Light and flew toward Tushita Palace. In mere moments, they arrived above the Thirty-Third Heaven.

At this time, Golden Horn and Silver Horn, as Laojun's attendants, had also followed him to Yaochi. The vast Tushita Palace was completely open for them to come and go as they pleased.

They did not stand on ceremony, directly sweeping away every Golden Pill in Tushita Palace.

Xuan Yin went even further, taking away the Eight Trigrams Furnace Laojun used for Pill Refining, the Banana Leaf Fan used to stoke the flames, the Jade Bottle used to hold water, the Red Gourd used to store pills, the Seven Star Sword used to refine demons, and the Golden Rope used to cinch robes.

"The things in Tushita Palace may look unremarkable, but every single one of them 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?

Only then did he turn his attention to the Green Ox in Tushita Palace's rear courtyard.

With Wu Zhiqi making a move, the Green Ox fell into a deep sleep before it could even react.

Watching Xuan Yin reach for the Green Ox's Nose Ring, Sun Wukong frowned. "Martial Brother Fang Yuan, why are you even taking the ox'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 its power. 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 forms were likely still in the hands of the Grand Pure Sage.

The transformation of barbarians has not yet happened. Everything in this world is illusory. That means Laojun has not yet refined the Vajra Ring!

But this supreme treasure's power is real. Just how did Laojun accomplish this?

Feeling the true intent of the Great Dao flowing through the Vajra Ring, Xuan Yin sensed the Sage's immense might more deeply than ever. At the same time, he used the power of his primordial spirit to completely imprint a copy of the Houtian Restrictions flowing across it.

Since it had been refined after the fact, it could be replicated. Houtian Spiritual Treasures were unlike Innate Spiritual Treasures, which contained Innate Undying Spiritual Light.

If Laojun could refine it, then so could he. He merely needed suitable materials, enough merit, and supreme artifact-refining skill!

This was also an opportunity!

There was nothing wrong with copying, and piracy was no crime. How could artifact refining count as copying?

The only thing Xuan Yin found regrettable was that this world did not contain Spiritual Treasures such as the Taiji Diagram, Coiled Dragon Crutch, Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda... Otherwise, he would have copied the restrictions on them as well!

Watching Xuan Yin's actions, Wu Zhiqi could not help but worry. "Second Brother, it is one thing to take Laojun's other Magic Treasures. He can always refine more. But you took his furnaces for pill refining and artifact refining too. Are you sure he will not make a move and teach you a profound lesson?"

He had lived for so many years and 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, right?"

Xuan Yin looked up at the sky. "Laojun stands detached from the world and possesses the power of World Creation. Why would he care about such mundane objects?"

But after hearing Wu Zhiqi say that, he still felt somewhat uneasy. As Grand Pure Divine Thunder descended from the sky, he immediately kowtowed three times in Tushita Palace. "Laojun, you are magnanimous, so please do not lower yourself to the level of a junior! I am merely borrowing these Magic Treasures. If you need them, I will naturally 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 Dao 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 surely you do not need to take the plaque as well?"

Yuan Hong and Sun Wukong nodded as well.

Then, one on each side, they grabbed Xuan Yin and flew toward the South Heaven Gate.

They were truly afraid that their elder brother would suddenly get another idea and move the entire Thirty-Third Heaven, along with all of 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 appeared across his tranquil heart.

He looked at Xuandu and warned, "Xuandu! Did you see that? Your Third Martial Uncle's disciple cares nothing for his dignity! If you interact with him, do not let him deceive you so easily!"

Xuandu was stunned for a moment before proactively asking, "Teacher, do you mean... that you want me to learn from Martial 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. By cultivating this Humble Daoist's Way of Non-Action, your progress can be said to advance by leaps and bounds!"

"But that boy was born with a Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart. He excels at scheming and is too burdened by worldly thoughts. I fear he will affect your Childlike Heart!"

"You must not learn from him!"

For some reason, he saw none of Sect Master Tongtian's upright and incorruptible character in Xuan Yin. Instead, he saw the shadows of the Two Sages of the West!

Perhaps even more so!

He was truly worried that Xuandu's temperament would be affected if he spent time with him.

After all...

Such shameless behavior was exceedingly rare even in the entire Primordial True Realm!