Upon their return to the Heavenly Court, Guangchengzi complained, "What's the situation? I was just about to make Randeng beg for mercy on his knees!"
Kong Xuan rolled his eyes. What situation? What else could it be? I couldn't defeat four quasi-saints! If each of you took one, or even just two or three, I could have made them cry and call for their mothers. But four? There was nothing I could do!
"Alright, I've checked. Buddhism has gained another quasi-saint, Ksitigarbha!" Xuandu said.
At this, Guangchengzi also sighed, feeling dejected. The Buddhist sect was also developing!
"Uncle-Master, how was it? Did you win?" Di Xin saw Kong Xuan and the others returning and quickly ran over, asking excitedly!
But he soon saw his master Xuandu and immediately bowed respectfully, "Greetings, Master!"
"Mm," Xuandu nodded.
Kong Xuan felt embarrassed. The others had won, but he had lost. Now, with his junior nephew asking, he felt somewhat helpless!
Seeing Kong Xuan looking like a defeated rooster – well, peacocks and roosters didn't seem very different.
Di Xin knew it was probably hopeless.
"Four quasi-saints, how could you still lose?" Di Xin was also a bit confused.
"Buddhism also has Ksitigarbha, who is also a quasi-saint!" Xuandu said.
Di Xin suddenly understood, and it made sense.
However, the strength of the Buddhist sect was indeed formidable!
"Never mind that. Everyone, prepare yourselves. Those who were close to advancing this time also have an opportunity!" Xuandu said, referring to the impending great prosperity of Buddhism.
There were too many benefits and merits to be gained from this.
Guangchengzi's eyes lit up. Yes, he needed to plan carefully!
Kong Xuan felt the same and immediately called out to Jin Ling Shengmu to return to Jin'ao Island. They also needed to plan.
On Lingshan, Randeng looked somewhat disheveled, as did Guanyin. However, after a golden light shone upon them, they quickly recovered.
"Buddha Ancestor, the Three Sects have gone too far!" Maitreya said.
Ru Lai glanced at Maitreya, knowing it was true, but what could be done?
Maitreya was speechless. At this moment, Ksitigarbha said, "After many years of testing, I have finally infiltrated the Underworld. However, Emperor Fengdu has refused to allow me to become the Lord of the Underworld there. I can only save some evil spirits."
Ru Lai sighed. The Underworld was an important piece they had planned for, but Emperor Fengdu's refusal left them powerless.
Fortunately, Emperor Fengdu later eased the restrictions regarding the Tang Monk's pilgrimage, otherwise, it would have been even more difficult for them.
"The person destined for the tribulation is about to appear – the spiritual stone monkey from the Four Mixed Monkeys. This is the protector I have chosen for the Tang Monk. Everyone, we must act. Randeng Buddha is responsible for this round. Elder, are there any issues?" Ru Lai asked.
Randeng shook his head. He had already dispatched his good-corporeal.
His good-corporeal had now transformed into the Daoist Qiankun and was ready. Since it was severed by the Qiankun Ruler, it was called Daoist Qiankun, not Ancestor Qiankun.
Ru Lai nodded, satisfied that the preparations were in order.
At this moment, within the Flower-Fruit Mountain in Aolai Country, East Guan Hai, a giant stone was emitting a multicolored radiance. This was a colorful stone discarded by Nuwa after she had mended the heavens.
Nourished by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the essence of the sun and moon, a stone monkey was born. This monkey was then taken notice of by the Buddhas of the West. They had searched for a long time before identifying this monkey as the protector for the Tang Monk.
As for the rest, it would depend on the arrangements made by the Heavenly Court.
Now that the stone monkey was born, its eyes shot out a beam of divine light, piercing straight through the firmament. It was indeed the spiritual stone monkey from the Four Mixed Monkeys.
The immortals gathered in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall for discussion were bewildered. What was happening? Why were two beams of light passing through the Heavenly Court? Good heavens, what kind of divine ability was this!
The Jade Emperor's expression turned grim. Was someone testing the Heavenly Court with divine abilities?
"Shunfeng'er, Qianliyan, go and investigate immediately!" the Jade Emperor commanded.
Shunfeng'er and Qianliyan exchanged glances and went to investigate. After some time, they returned and reported, "Your Majesty, a stone monkey has been born in the East Sea. The two beams of light just now emanated from the stone monkey."
"Stone monkey?" The Jade Emperor found it familiar.
Di Xin's expression shifted. "It seems to be the Tang Monk chosen by the Buddhist sect!"
The Jade Emperor suddenly remembered and said, "No need to concern ourselves with it," waving his hand.
One day in heaven is one year on earth. The newly born stone monkey quickly integrated into the monkey troop of the Flower-Fruit Mountain and eventually became their king. However, after witnessing birth, aging, sickness, and death, the stone monkey panicked and wished to seek immortality.
Alas, the monkey troop was unwilling to let their king leave, so the stone monkey suppressed his desire to venture out.
However, many smaller demons attacked, causing many casualties among the monkeys. This time, the stone monkey could no longer sit still and began to venture out to seek immortality.
After a series of tribulations, actually with the secret protection of Buddhist disciples, otherwise, a monkey adrift at sea would surely have perished!
At this moment, in the Western Buddhist sect, Randeng opened his eyes and said, "Buddha Ancestor, the stone monkey has joined my disciples."
Ru Lai nodded, indicating he had heard.
The grand play was about to begin.
At this moment, in the Slanting Moon Three Stars Cave, this was the dojo found by Randeng's good-corporeal.
The stone monkey, after asking various passersby along the way, finally found this place. He knelt outside the mountain gate and was eventually accepted as a disciple by Daoist Qiankun.
Randeng did not temper Sun Wukong's disposition. The tempering of his character later was Ru Lai's task. Yes, the stone monkey now had a name: Sun Wukong.
Randeng's task was to impart cultivation methods to Sun Wukong.
Sun Wukong was captivated by Randeng's various marvelous techniques and ultimately chose the Eighty-Nine Arcane Arts, the Seventy-Two Transformations of the Earthly Fiends, and the Somersault Cloud technique.
The Eighty-Nine Arcane Arts was a secret Buddhist technique specifically for cultivating the Golden Body. Originally, there were also the Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Gang, but since Sun Wukong was illiterate, he didn't recognize the superiority of the Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Gang. Thinking that the Seventy-Two Transformations of the Earthly Fiends had more techniques, he learned that one.
Randeng did not interfere much. He taught Sun Wukong the Somersault Cloud technique because Sun Wukong loved to jump around.
Sun Wukong, indeed a spiritual stone monkey, was clever. He quickly refined the spiritual energy within his body and, in just a few years, reached the Golden Immortal realm. It was simply outrageous.
In reality, this was also Sun Wukong's accumulated strength finally bursting forth. After all, he had absorbed so much spiritual energy from heaven and earth and the essence of the sun and moon, coupled with his powerful innate foundation. Even if he hadn't taken a master and simply let nature take its course, sleeping for hundreds of years would have allowed him to become a Golden Immortal.
At this moment, Sun Wukong had mastered the Seventy-Two Transformations of the Earthly Fiends and was proficient in the Somersault Cloud. Randeng then sent him away, demanding that Sun Wukong not mention his name outside. He also frankly stated that Sun Wukong was bound to cause trouble and bring him problems, hence he should not be revealed.