Lu Yin stared at Wei Nu. "You're telling me this so bluntly. Aren't you afraid I'll resent you?"
"We're not enemies. You know that perfectly well," Wei Nu said. At that moment, she was standing outside the Forbidden Land. Its boundaries suddenly expanded, enveloping both her and Lu Yin.
Lu Yin saw the great trees again, along with tributaries of the River of Time. When he had first entered the Forbidden Land, he had been a fruit shaped like himself, waiting to be picked and eaten. Now, these karmic illusions could no longer confuse him.
In his eyes, all the great trees became Karma Spirals, coiling upward.
He found Ku Zu, who was sealed by karma and had sacrificed himself to it. He did not know if they would ever meet again.
Lu Yin bowed to Ku Zu. "Senior, I swear I'll protect the Heavenly Origin Universe and humanity with my life."
With that, he turned and left.
He found the Star Toad curled up beneath a Lotus Leaf, muttering something to itself. As he approached, he could make out its words.
"Great-grandma, don't follow me. I miss you, Great-grandma, but don't get so close. It's one thing to miss you, but we should keep some distance. Great-grandma, don't come over..."
Lu Yin raised a hand and smacked the Star Toad on the head.
The Star Toad jolted awake, its eyes flashing fiercely. Its entire body turned mottled, and it instinctively thrust out its fork. "Get lost!"
Lu Yin caught the steel fork. The tremendous force behind it couldn't budge his grip.
The Star Toad turned and kicked at Lu Yin with one webbed foot.
Lu Yin snorted, yanked the fork from the Star Toad's grasp, and swung it back at the creature.
Only then did the Star Toad react.