In the Heavenly Court, inside the Heavenly Emperor Palace.
Gungun, whom Houtu had sent flying with a punch earlier, now had most of his body wrapped in bandages. He sat meekly in the main seat, surrounded by seven very stern old bas-old Saints.
"You're quite something, aren't you? You actually managed to pass through the spatial barrier we set up and escape that island. Tell me, what other abilities have you been hiding from me?" Standing directly in front of Gungun, Houtu looked down at him and demanded sternly.
"Wooo..." The old witch before him was the very one who had beaten him into this state. Hearing her interrogate him so harshly now, Gungun felt terribly wronged. He raised his one uninjured hand and wiped his eyes with his bear paw. "You and the Saints were the ones who plotted to trick me, Ancestral Witch! You even locked me up! How am I suddenly the one at fault? Even if you're turning the rake around to strike the victim, you can't rake me like this! Boohoo..."
"You!"
"Now, now, Junior Sister Houtu, let me speak. Let me speak!" Seeing Houtu raise a hand to point at Gungun, looking ready to give him another savage beating, Zhunti hurried over to restrain her.
Houtu snorted at Gungun, then lowered her hand and stepped back twice, yielding her place to Zhunti.
Standing directly before Gungun, Zhunti looked at the bear, whose entire body apart from his right hand and feet was swathed in bandages. He sighed and asked, "Gungun, do you acknowledge your mistakes?"
"Not in the slightest," Gungun replied pitifully.
"As the Buddha Lord of the Western Heaven, you should uphold our teachings, observe our precepts, and keep away from women. Yet the Heavenly Sovereign's taking consorts stirred envy in your heart.