The lives and positions of Jieyin and Zhunti were in the hands of that sect. Naturally, they could not slack off in order to promote the prosperity of Buddhism in the West. Looking at the world, five of the seven saints were founders of their respective sects. No matter what, the Three Pure Ones held the orthodox position and had a supreme treasure to suppress their fortune. They were much better than Buddhism. For Buddhism to prosper, it could not be solved by fate alone. It also needed certain external forces.

The birth of this monkey was in accordance with the will of Heaven and was also the path to the great prosperity of Buddhism. Since Nuwa did not establish a religion, Buddhism lacked sufficient fortune. Only by establishing a relationship with Nuwa through this monkey could Buddhism borrow some of its fortune to flourish. It can be said that this monkey is related to the root of the great prosperity of Buddhism.

During this time, Laozi was forced by Zhunti to agree to spread the Dao in the East. However, Laozi was not willing to give up easily. With the monkey's talent, if he were handed over to Buddhism, it would not be long before another master would emerge, and the Great Dao would be within reach. Therefore, Laozi took this drastic measure to cut off the monkey's foundation.

This monkey possesses an innate Geng metal body, which is on par with the innate five elements spiritual roots. However, if Laozi were to refine it in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, severing its Dao foundation and reverting it from innate to acquired, then even if this monkey were incredibly powerful, it would only be a Great Luo Golden Immortal, with no hope of ever attaining the Great Dao. Just like the original Nezha, who acquired a lotus root body, although initially powerful, his path to the Great Dao would be forever lost.

As the leader of the Taoist sect, Laozi was ruthless in order to ensure the future development of the sect. In fact, the monkey was quite close to him.

Fortunately, the world has changed. Some people are actually quite kind to this monkey and are helping him out.

Time flies, and forty-nine days passed in the blink of an eye. Laozi's alchemy was complete. One day, he opened the furnace to retrieve the elixir. The Great Sage, rubbing his eyes and weeping, heard a sound from the furnace and suddenly opened his eyes to see light. He couldn't resist leaping out of the furnace, knocking over the Eight Trigrams Furnace with a whoosh, and running away. The fire-keepers and the guards rushed to grab him, but he knocked them all down like a mad tiger or a raging dragon. Laozi tried to grab him, but he swatted him away headfirst, escaping. He then pulled out his Ruyi Jingu Bang from his ear, swung it in the wind, and it grew to the thickness of a bowl. He held it in his hand, and without regard for good or bad, he wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, forcing the Nine Luminaries to shut their doors and the Four Heavenly Kings to vanish without a trace. What a clever monkey! A poem testifies to this: "The Primordial Body perfectly matches the Innate, through countless eons, it is only natural." Vast and boundless, without action, the Great Unity; unmoved and still, it is called the Primordial Mystery.

Refined in the furnace for a long time, it is not lead or mercury; immortality beyond the mortal realm is the true nature of an immortal. Its transformations are endless, yet it continues to transform; the Three Refuges and Five Precepts are utterly meaningless.

Another poem: A glimmer of light pierces the vast emptiness, just like that walking stick. Whether long or short, it is used as one pleases; whether arranged horizontally or vertically, it can be rolled up or unrolled at will.

Another poem: The ape's body matches the human heart; the heart is the ape, a profound meaning. The Great Sage Equal to Heaven is no exaggeration; the official title of Keeper of the Horse is a testament to his understanding.

Horse and monkey cooperate in heart and mind, tightly bound and tethered, seeking nothing elsewhere. All phenomena return to the one principle, the Tathagata dwells in harmony with them in the Twin Sala Groves.

In this battle, the Monkey King, disregarding superiority, wielded his iron cudgel, striking east and west, and no god could withstand him. The fighting reached the Tongming Hall and outside the Lingxiao Hall. Fortunately, Wang Lingguan, an assistant of the Yousheng Zhenjun, was guarding the hall. Seeing the Great Sage's rampage, he drew his golden whip and stepped forward to block him, saying, "Where are you going, you impudent monkey! With me here, do not be so arrogant!" Without a word, the Great Sage raised his cudgel to strike, and Lingguan met him with his whip. The two wrestled together in front of the Lingxiao Hall.

Thirteen Buddhas teased Sun Wukong, who endured anger and oppression for five hundred years.

The monkey, tricked by Laozi, ate Laozi's elixir in exchange for a journey through the Eight Trigrams Furnace. Fortunately, Xuan Tian intervened, sparing him the ordeal. Emerging from the furnace, the monkey, now wild with rage, fought Wang Lingguan. One was loyal and virtuous, the other deceitful and infamous. They fought fiercely, heroes and villains locked in a duel. Iron rods were fierce, golden whips swift; how could the upright and selfless tolerate such a contest? One was the Supreme Thunder God, the other the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, a monkey monster. Both wielded golden whips and iron rods, divine weapons of the celestial palace. Today, they displayed their might in the Lingxiao Palace, each displaying their talents with remarkable agility. One, with a treacherous heart, sought to seize the Dou Niu Palace; the other, with unwavering resolve, upheld the Xuan Sheng Realm. They fought fiercely, displaying their supernatural powers, whips and sticks clashing without a clear victor.

The two fought fiercely, neither gaining the upper hand. Then, the True Lord of Protection dispatched his generals to the Thunder Palace, summoning thirty-six Thunder Generals to surround the Great Sage, each unleashing their ferocity in a fierce battle. The Great Sage showed no fear, wielding his Ruyi Cudgel, parrying left and right, blocking and meeting attacks head-on. Suddenly, he saw the Thunder Generals' swords, spears, halberds, whips, maces, axes, golden gourds, sickles, and crescent shovels coming at him with great force. He immediately transformed, becoming three-headed and six-armed; he swung his Ruyi Cudgel, transforming it into three; his six hands wielded the three cudgels, like a spinning wheel, flowing and dancing in the center of the battle, unapproachable by the Thunder Gods. Truly—round and bright, eternally existing, how can man imitate it? Unburnt by fire, never drowned in water? A Mani jewel of light, impervious to swords, spears, and halberds. It can be good or evil, its actions determine its fate. When good, it becomes a Buddha or an immortal; when evil, it grows fur and horns. Its endless transformations wreak havoc in the heavenly palace, beyond the grasp of thunder generals and divine soldiers.

At that time, the gods gathered the Great Sage together, but could not get close to him. Their chaotic fighting and shouting alarmed the Jade Emperor. So he issued an edict ordering the Wandering Spirit Official and the True Lord Yisheng to go to the West to invite the Buddha to subdue him.

Upon receiving the decree, the two saints went directly to the sacred site of Mount Ling, to the Thunderclap Temple, and after paying their respects to the Four Vajras and Eight Bodhisattvas, they asked the Buddha to relay the message. The gods then went to the foot of the Lotus Platform to inform the Buddha that he had been summoned. The two saints bowed to the Buddha three times and stood respectfully below the platform.

With a head full of bumps, Buddha asked, "What brings the two sages to the Jade Emperor's presence?"

The two sages then said, "Long ago, a monkey lived on Flower Fruit Mountain. There, he displayed supernatural powers and gathered a group of monkeys to wreak havoc on the world. The Jade Emperor issued an edict of amnesty, appointing him as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses, but he disliked the low rank and rebelled. Li Tianwang and Prince Nezha were sent to capture him, but they failed. They then offered him amnesty again, appointing him as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, but he had no real power. He was put in charge of the Peach Garden, but he stole peaches; then he went to the Jade Pool, stealing food and wine, disrupting the grand gathering; emboldened by the wine, he secretly entered the Tushita Palace, stole Laozi's elixir, and rebelled against the Heavenly Palace. The Jade Emperor sent 100,000 heavenly soldiers, but they could not subdue him. Later, Guanyin Bodhisattva, along with Erlang Shen and his sworn brothers, pursued him. He was incredibly versatile, and it was only thanks to Laozi's help that he was able to escape." The Vajra Bracelet was so heavy that Erlang Shen was finally able to capture him. He was taken before the Emperor, who immediately ordered his execution. Despite being hacked at with swords and axes, burned by fire and struck by lightning, he remained unharmed. Laozi obtained permission to take him away to be tempered in fire. On the forty-ninth day, when the cauldron was opened, he leaped out of the Eight Trigrams Furnace, fought off the heavenly soldiers, and went straight into the Hall of Brightness and outside the Hall of Spiritual Emptiness. He was blocked by Wang Lingguan, the assistant of the True Lord of Protection, and fought a fierce battle. Thirty-six thunder generals were also summoned to trap him in the center, preventing them from getting close. The situation was urgent, so the Jade Emperor specially requested the Buddha's help. Upon hearing the imperial decree, the Buddha said to the Bodhisattvas, "You all remain seated in the Dharma Hall, do not disturb the meditation positions, and wait for me to subdue the demon and rescue the Emperor."

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