"Sun Wukong, you're asking for death!"
Medicine Superior Bodhisattva's eyes blazed. Spiritual light erupted around him, Buddha Flame surged skyward, and as he pressed his palms together, a Golden Buddha Seal formed in the void.
"A mere Early Taiyi Golden Immortal dares act so brazenly before me?"
At his furious shout, crushing pressure swept outward, as though the thunder of the Nine Heavens had gathered within him.
He made no attempt to hide his cultivation. The might of a Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal stormed toward Sun Wukong. Heaven and earth shook, nearby rocks crumbled to dust, and even the void trembled.
Yet faced with that world-shattering pressure, Sun Wukong did not so much as furrow his brow.
A mocking smile tugged at his lips as he sneered inwardly:
Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal? And he thinks that's worth boasting about?
Compared to my master, he doesn't even count as an ant.
In truth, Sun Wukong had long since reached the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm. He had suppressed his cultivation only to avoid drawing attention.
Now Medicine Superior Bodhisattva had pushed his luck and forced Sun Wukong to act.
"You old bald donkey, Old Sun's done playing with you. Time to lay my cards on the table—I'm done pretending!"
"I'm a Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal too!"
With that, he stepped forward. Spiritual light burst from his body like a golden sun rising into the sky, and the might of the Chaos Demon Ape exploded outward!
The Purple Gold Wheel shone above Sun Wukong's head as he stood upon golden clouds. An aura every bit as powerful as Medicine Superior Bodhisattva's—perhaps even greater—rolled out from him!
"Old Sun's a Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal too. What do you think? Scared?"
Sun Wukong had not revealed his true Grand Unity Golden Immortal strength!
At that moment, the sky changed color, wind and clouds reversed course, and the void rippled like water!
Medicine Superior Bodhisattva went deathly pale and cried out in horror:
"You... you're a Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal too? You've been hiding your strength all along!"
His eyes quivered with fear, and sweat poured down his forehead. He had reached his realm by swallowing pills. How could his fighting ability compare to Sun Wukong's, born from the Sky-Mending Stone?
"Elder brother! Come help me! This demon monkey is vicious—we must join forces to subdue him!"
He threw back his head and roared toward the heavens.
The sky churned, and a deep, commanding voice rolled down from the clouds:
"Fear not, second brother. I'm coming to help you!"
Before the words had faded, a beam of Buddhist light descended.
An elderly monk in a Red Gold Kasaya emerged from the clouds, a Jade Pestle in hand. His expression was solemn, his bearing majestic. It was Medicine Superior Bodhisattva's elder brother—Medicine King Bodhisattva!
He descended on Auspicious Clouds behind Sun Wukong. With one brother before him and the other behind, the Monkey King was surrounded!
The sight restored Medicine Superior Bodhisattva's confidence, and he laughed loudly.
"Sun Wukong, there's no escape for you today! My elder brother, Medicine King Bodhisattva, is also one of the thirty-six bodhisattvas under Tathagata. He, too, is a Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal, profound in Buddhist teachings and formidable in battle!"
"Now that my brother and I have you trapped, why haven't you knelt and surrendered? Kowtow and admit your mistake, and I might spare your life!"
Sun Wukong only sneered. His gaze swept across the two of them like a blade, his voice cold.
"Finished boasting? If you are, Old Sun will send you brothers to the Western Heaven together!"
Before his words had faded, he stepped forward, golden light flashing!
Boom!
His fist fell like a collapsing pillar of heaven, with the force of a plunging galaxy!
He threw a punch. The void shook, and heaven and earth roared!
Before Medicine Superior Bodhisattva could react, the devastating blow punched through his chest. He flew backward like a kite with its string cut, slammed into the ground, and died on the spot, blood spilling from his mouth and nose!
"Second brother!"
Medicine King Bodhisattva's eyes went bloodshot. Overcome with grief and fury, he roared:
"Demon monkey! Die!"
He raised a hand. Buddhist light gathered as he prepared to unleash a Buddhist Forbidden Technique.
But Sun Wukong had already leaped into the air like a divine dragon rising from the depths, golden light blazing around him!
"You're dying too! I'll send you brothers to the Western Heaven to meet Tathagata!"
Boom!!
Another punch, carrying the Chaos Demon Ape's ancient fighting spirit, broke through every defense with sheer force. It shattered Medicine King Bodhisattva's half-formed shield of Buddhist light!
Horror crossed Medicine King Bodhisattva's face. Blood surged up his throat, and he spat a mouthful of golden blood. His body hurtled hundreds of yards like a rag doll before crashing to the ground, lifeless!
Two eminent monks of the Buddhist School were dead!
Sun Wukong dusted off his hands, contempt and amusement in his eyes.
"Two weaklings dared cause trouble for Old Sun? You're so pathetic it hurts."
"Old Sun slaughters bodhisattvas of the Buddhist School like chickens!"
He flicked his fingers and laughed at the sky, his divine might spanning heaven and earth.
It was the first time Sun Wukong had personally killed opponents this powerful—and in one fight, he had slain two Peak Grand Unity Golden Immortals.
"Heh. The Buddhist School talks such a big game. Who knew they were this weak?"
Sun Wukong spoke softly, his heart swelling with pride.
"Now—it's time to collect the spoils!"
He stepped down through the air and landed beside the bodies of Medicine King Bodhisattva and Medicine Superior Bodhisattva, his eyes gleaming.
"These are the golden bodies of actual bodhisattvas!"
If Old Sun refines them, reaching the middle stage of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm should be a breeze!
Excitement surged through Sun Wukong. Still talking to himself, he bent to examine the bodies.
Medicine King Bodhisattva and Medicine Superior Bodhisattva had been a renowned pair of brothers in the Buddhist School. The elder possessed extraordinary medical skills; the younger excelled at refining medicines. After swallowing countless spiritual pills, their bodies held immense reserves of spiritual energy.
It was said that a mortal who took a single bite of their golden flesh could gain a hundred years of life and never fall ill!
"You two ate so many precious pills. You must have treasures on you. Can't let anyone else have them."
Sun Wukong chuckled and searched them, turning up two storage rings.
He swept them with his Divine Sense, and his eyes lit up!
"Well, look at that! The first ring is packed with spiritual flowers and rare herbs, along with all kinds of pills. With this many, and of such high quality, even the Heavenly Court's Imperial Medicine Courtyard might not have a collection this complete!"
There was Thousand Year Fire Ganoderma, Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Grass, Seven Leaf Ice Soul Lotus... Even the legendary Nine Revolutions Purple Gold Pill, said to revive the dead and regrow flesh on bare bones, was among them!
"These brothers spent hundreds of thousands of years building this fortune. They were filthy rich!"
"And now it all belongs to Sun Wukong!"
Beaming, Sun Wukong sent his Divine Sense into the second ring.
A moment later, he drew a sharp breath, shock filling his eyes.
"Good grief... a hundred dragon corpses?!"
The bodies looked almost alive. Their scales remained intact, and their bloodline power had not faded. Some radiated the force of thunder, others were icy cold, and from still others came the faint sound of dragon cries!
"These... dragon corpses are so fresh!"
Sun Wukong's mouth nearly watered. Dragon Liver Phoenix Marrow was a supreme delicacy of the Primordial Wilderness, one only the great powers of the immortal and Buddhist realms were fit to enjoy!
And refining these dragon corpses would not only temper his body but strengthen his cultivation!
Still, Sun Wukong took a deep breath and forced down his greed. His expression turned solemn as he murmured:
"Master gave me a new life. I ought to take some of these dragon corpses and spiritual herbs back to honor him."
"He might not think much of them... but it's the thought that counts!"
His voice softened at the end. Respect filled his eyes as he looked toward the Western Ox Continent.
There stood his master's place of cultivation—and everything Sun Wukong believed in.
"Master, Old Sun killed two bodhisattvas of the Buddhist School. You won't blame me, will you?"
Sun Wukong murmured to himself.
Before you continue