The Primordial World.
"In ancient times, a great war tore holes in the very sky of the Primordial World. It was Goddess Nüwa who refined stones to mend the heavens. You can slowly learn about these things later. All you need to do is remain respectful toward Goddess Nüwa. Now, let us continue talking about this Handsome Monkey King."
Qian Renxue came back to her senses and forced herself to stop thinking about Goddess Nüwa for the moment.
"If he were an ordinary high immortal, becoming the Earth God of Flower-Fruit Mountain would at least give you someone to lean on. But this Handsome Monkey King never follows common sense. He does whatever he pleases."
"He once even hung up his official hat and resigned, leaving the Heavenly Court because he disliked the post the Great Heavenly Venerable gave him."
"Resigned?"
Qian Renxue truly could not take these shocks, wave after wave-first creating humans, then resigning from office.
She had fought with her life on the line just to become an Earth God down below, yet someone who held office in heaven had actually turned up his nose at his post.
Besides, how could an official simply resign whenever he pleased?
In Qian Renxue's mind, the Handsome Monkey King had already become a mercurial, reckless figure who acted entirely on his own whims.
"Surprised, aren't you? That is actually nothing, because this Handsome Monkey King has powers that reach through heaven and earth."
"And the Great Heavenly Venerable has always treated talented people generously, so he gave him a second chance and personally bestowed upon him the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven, a post above all official ranks. That was his second time serving in heaven."
Qian Renxue fell silent for a moment before asking.
"Granny, from what you've told me, I can tell this Handsome Monkey King is not someone to provoke. But there must be more reasons why Flower-Fruit Mountain has never had a Mountain God or an Earth God, right?"
"Clever."
Earth Granny nodded. "No Mountain God was appointed because no one dared. What Mountain God would dare govern this Handsome Monkey King's monkey children and grandchildren?"
Qian Renxue agreed. Someone so mercurial would be difficult to govern.
"As for why there is no Earth God, that is actually because Flower-Fruit Mountain simply does not need one."
"Does not need one?"
Collecting souls required an Earth God to guide the way and verify information. How could they not need one?
"That Handsome Monkey King once stormed the Underworld, seized the Book of Life and Death by force, and crossed out the names of every monkey in it."
"Tell me, if they have no allotted lifespan and their souls never need collecting, what would they need an Earth God for?"
Boom!
Qian Renxue felt as though her brain could no longer keep up.
How could anyone in this Primordial World be so formidable?
Storming the Underworld and crossing out names in the Book of Life and Death? Could those things even be said together?
Merely imagining that scene made Qian Renxue fear that a bolt of lightning would descend from heaven and strike her dead.
It was over. She really was starting to regret it.
She felt that if the Handsome Monkey King returned one day, no one would care even if he slapped her dead.
"What? Regretting it now? Too late!"
"Refuse to heed your elders, and suffering will be right before your eyes. Hurry back with me so I can teach you a few more tricks..."
Earth Granny dragged Qian Renxue back to the Earth God Temple in Qingshui Village.
The Douluo Continent.
"The monkeys of Flower-Fruit Mountain in the Primordial World live forever? Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. My eyes are red with envy."
"He stormed the Underworld. I've never seen what the Underworld looks like, but being able to fight his way in-this Handsome Monkey King really is extraordinary."
"I'm actually worse off than the monkeys of Flower-Fruit Mountain? At least they have someone backing them and don't have to worry about not living long enough."
Following the revelation of Nuwa Creates Humans, another great wave of excitement swept across the Douluo Continent.
The Handsome Monkey King had yet to appear, but he already had people "loyal" to him.
"See? I called it!"
At Shrek Academy, Yu Xiaogang was extremely excited.
"I said the Great Heavenly Venerable definitely had selfish motives! This Handsome Monkey King even crossed out names in the Book of Life and Death, interfering in matters of life and death, yet he was allowed to serve in heaven twice!"
Yu Xiaogang once again waved the notebook in his hand.
"These gods of the Primordial World are merely benefiting from their environment. Without the Ten Core Constraints on Divine Authority in the Primordial World compiled by me, the Grandmaster, they will meet their destruction sooner or later!"
At this moment, Yu Xiaogang's ambitions soared ten thousand fathoms high.
He was almost certain that the Great Heavenly Venerable of the Heavenly Court must have racked his brains over this Handsome Monkey King.
When the time came, he would bring his theories over and hoodwink the Princess of the Heavenly Court. With this two-pronged approach, appealing to emotion and explaining with reason, he refused to believe he could not win over the Great Heavenly Venerable. Perhaps he could even become a high-ranking official in the Heavenly Court.
The time for him, Yu Xiaogang, to turn his fortunes around had finally come.
Flender was also delighted.
"That's our Xiaogang for you! You'll have to give your old friend a helping hand in the future."
Yu Xiaogang waved his hands repeatedly. "Flender, these are only my preliminary views. How things will actually turn out is still uncertain."
Yu Xiaogang spoke modestly, but he carried himself as though he had already become a heavenly official.
"Perhaps there is another possibility."
Tang San suddenly spoke.
"Teacher, Daddy, perhaps that Great Heavenly Venerable isn't very strong and can't defeat the Handsome Monkey King. That might be why he offered him amnesty and a post twice."
Tang Hao's eyes lit up.
"Little San, you've grown up. You know how to think now."
Little San looked bashful. "It's all thanks to Daddy's teaching."
Who knew how many fans the Handsome Monkey King had attracted on the Douluo Continent by once crossing out names in the Book of Life and Death?
The Primordial World, the Heavenly Court.
The Great Heavenly Venerable's bedchamber.
Sun Wukong walked in, peering about.
"Get in here if you're here already! Do you expect Us to go out and welcome you personally?"
Li Xuanji snapped irritably.
"Hey, listen to yourself! Old Sun doesn't need you to invite him, hehehe."
Sun Wukong bounded inside and sat without a shred of decorum, scratching his ears and cheeks.
"Are you ready?"
"Ready. Once the Seven Fairies go pick peaches, Old Sun will freeze them in place and rebel, leaving heaven."
"Mm, freezing them is fine, but don't do anything else. Otherwise, Haotian and Yaochi will fight you to the death, and We won't be able to stop them."
"What else could I do?"
Seeing Sun Wukong's innocent gaze, Li Xuanji confirmed that this monkey genuinely did not understand.
"How would I know what you intend to do? Enough, get lost."
Li Xuanji chased Sun Wukong away.
"Much has changed, but much has remained unchanged as well."
Li Xuanji sighed. Buddhism's current Buddha was still Duobao, his former senior brother and now nominally one of the Heavenly Court's Five Elders of the Five Regions. He normally obeyed mobilization orders but not summons to court, undermining the Heavenly Court's prestige.
Since they were not in the same camp, he would have to scheme over their respective interests.
In short, he had his eye on Sun Wukong. Once the scripture pilgrimage ended, Sun Wukong had to come to the Heavenly Court, not join Buddhism.
That was why he had begun laying his plans very early on.
Even crossing out names in the Book of Life and Death had been done with his permission. Letting those monkeys live a few hundred more years in exchange for Sun Wukong's goodwill, and thus winning him over, was well worth it.
"Now I'll have collected all the Heavenly Court's rebels."
Like a white steed flashing past a crack, ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
That day, Qian Renxue was cleaning the Earth God Temple when a figure suddenly appeared.
"Where is Qian Renxue, temple keeper of Qingshui Village's Earth God Temple?"
"Your subordinate is here."
Qian Renxue hurriedly put down the rag in her hand, and Earth Granny came out as well.
"I am an Edict Messenger from the Eastern Continent of Superior Body Divine Lord's Residence. By the Divine Lord's command, I have come to deliver an edict. Once you receive it, please assume your post as soon as possible."
The Edict Messenger did not read the edict at all. Instead, he tossed two objects toward Qian Renxue and left on his own.
"Thank you, my lord."
Qian Renxue bowed toward the empty air, then looked at the two objects in her hands.
Before you continue