Sun Wukong's breathing suddenly grew ragged, his clenched teeth grinding audibly.
"Are you saying all this... to make me give up?"
His voice was hoarse, but a trace of stubbornness remained.
"But I... believe in fate... yet I won't bow to it!"
Lu Yuan's Ziwei Great Emperor incarnation stood with his hands behind his back. Appreciation surfaced in his eyes, and he nodded slightly. "Good. You have the right resolve."
"Five hundred years from now, a scripture pilgrim from the Buddhist Sect will pass this place, remove the golden inscription, and take you as his disciple.
"At that time, an opportunity as vast as the heavens will allow you to redeem your past sins and attain the true fruit.
"But whether that true fruit is what you want... weigh that for yourself."
"Who exactly are you?" Sun Wukong stared fixedly at him.
"Someone watching the play from the sidelines." Lu Yuan's Ziwei Great Emperor incarnation smiled faintly.
"And while I'm here, let me tell you something. After you were suppressed beneath Five Elements Mountain, all your sworn brothers abandoned the monkeys under your command and fled."
Sun Wukong froze.
Lu Yuan's Ziwei Great Emperor incarnation said nothing more. He turned and dissolved into the world around him.
A moment later, the mountain wind swept past, and all fell silent.
A tear slipped from Sun Wukong's eye and fell soundlessly to the ground.
High among the clouds, Lu Yuan's Ziwei Great Emperor incarnation lowered his gaze slightly, deep in thought.
"Only through breaking can one rise anew; when misfortune reaches its utmost, good fortune comes. If this monkey can endure this trial, he will truly be worth molding."
Then his figure vanished, leaving only the silent Void Sky Dome.
The Thirty-Three Heavens, Lingxiao Treasure Hall.
Haotian Shangdi sat alone upon the