In the Journey to the West World.
Bodhi and Zhunti flew down from the Thirty-Three Heavens and exchanged a few glances.
Neither spoke or communicated telepathically. They simply looked at each other.
After countless years together, each understood what the other meant.
They nodded in silent agreement, then went their separate ways.
They dared not communicate, even with their minds, because they knew their teacher might be watching their every move.
If they showed any sign of betrayal, even in thought, their teacher would suppress them. He might even sever their connection to the Heavenly Dao.
Tongtian Jiaozhu had suffered just that fate. Imprisoned in Purple Cloud Palace, he had been forced to swallow a Saintfall Pill and cut off from the Heavenly Dao, becoming the only saint who could no longer sense it.
From then on, they had known one thing.
Hongjun was not to be crossed.
If they wanted to live, they had to obey.
But being unable to cross Hongjun did not mean they could not resist him.
Under the Heavenly Dao's secret guidance, they had set their hearts on escaping his control.
Now, an opportunity seemed to have appeared.
Of course, the Journey to the West would weaken humanity and benefit the West. They would never secretly obstruct it.
But if they could strengthen the Heavenly Dao along the way, so much the better.
Unlike Jieyin and Zhunti, who wanted the Journey to the West to continue, Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun were determined to sabotage it.
Anyone with eyes could see that the journey would diminish their influence and strengthen the West.
But they dared not openly defy their teacher's orders. All they could do was work against the journey in secret.
They could make each trial harder, for instance, turning the eighty-one tribulations into