The destined one, seeing the storm about to engulf the sea, witnessed three beams of light simultaneously shooting out from different places beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens. These three beams of light were of three different colors and seemed to pause in surprise upon encountering the storm. One of them was a clear light, which then struck the bamboo raft where the monkey was. Another beam was a golden light, which followed the clear light and engaged it, blocking it. Then, the red light flew towards the monkey, calming the storm. With a push, the bamboo raft moved on its own without any wind, heading northwest.
Seeing this, Qingguang seemed to pause for a moment before flying back to the Thirty-Three Heavens. The other two beams of light, seeing Qingguang leave, did not linger either, and naturally returned to where they came from.
Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, in the Jade Purity Heaven.
Yuanshi looked at the bamboo raft drifting northwest, expressionless, snorted coldly, glanced outside the Yuqing Palace, sighed slightly, and then closed his eyes to wander in his own world.
Tai Chi Tian, in the Eight Views Palace.
Lao Jun suddenly opened his eyes, looked outside the palace, sighed inwardly, and said, "Junior brother is indeed unable to let go, and I am also in a dilemma. Let's settle this score later." After saying that, he closed his eyes again and went into a reverie.
Inside the Nuwa Palace.
Nuwa gently stroked a toy in her hand, but then looked down at the bamboo raft floating in the mortal realm. A slight smile appeared on her lips, as if she were radiating boundless charm. Instantly, the entire Nuwa Palace felt like springtime, the room filled with the warmth of spring. It was a pity that no one was there to appreciate such a wonderful scene and such a wonderful person.
In a corner of Xiniu Hezhou, in a cave hidden on the ground, an old man dressed as a Taoist priest sat on a futon, his eyes slightly open, but with a smile in them.
The three beams of light that were previously seen originated from these three locations. They seemed harmless, but they were actually extremely dangerous.
The monkey is related to the important matter of Buddhism's eastward expansion. With Buddhism flourishing in the east, Yuanshi, who is in charge of the Chan Sect, is naturally unwilling. Now the Chan Sect has almost monopolized the fortune of the human world. Although he is second only to Laozi as the leader of the Taoist sect, he is the actual controller of the entire Taoist sect. Yuanshi's methods are even better than those of Laozi, the head of the Three Pure Ones. Seeing Buddhism flourishing and about to take away the fortune of the human world, how could he be willing to accept it?
Zhunti and Laojun reached an agreement. Although Laojun was ultimately outmaneuvered, it was a promise made by a sage, and he couldn't go back on his word. Laojun also couldn't renege on the agreement and couldn't intervene. They would deal with the rest later. Yuanshi was unwilling to accept this and wanted to take this opportunity to get rid of the monkey, but how could Zhunti let Yuanshi have his way?
As soon as Yuanshi made his move, Zhunti noticed it and immediately intercepted him. Zhunti wasn't worried that others in the Xuanmen would intervene. Laojun had an agreement with him, and since he usually didn't meddle in other people's business, he wouldn't do this again. Tongtian had faded from people's sight, and he had a grudge against the Ren and Chan sects. Moreover, the Jie sect still had a place to develop. Tongtian wished that the Ren, Chan, and Buddhist sects would fight to the death and both sides would be exhausted. So why would he help them?
Xuan Tian, the only one, seemed to be busy with something. Given that he hadn't yet taken action regarding the Earth Star Dao lineage's affairs, he probably wouldn't intervene. He was likely still busy. Even if Xuan Tian did intervene, there was no need to worry. There was still Amitabha in the West. If Xuan Tian intervened, Amitabha would certainly not ignore him. With Amitabha's cultivation level, he should be fine.
Nuwa is even less likely to do so. Given Nuwa's temperament and the relationship between the monkey and Nuwa, she would not take any action against it.
The moment Yuanshi made his move, Zhunti understood the situation perfectly, which is why he stopped Yuanshi directly. This shows that Zhunti is indeed a shrewd strategist.
Indeed, it was just as he had thought. When Mount Buzhou collapsed and the waters of the Milky Way leaked, the saints joined forces to save the world. The monkey was originally a leftover from Nuwa's efforts to mend the sky with stones. Although the materials were not from Nuwa herself, they were still products of the Creation Dao, crafted by Nuwa herself. Just like the human race, Nuwa treated it like a child. Moreover, there were other arrangements in between, so Nuwa would not harm it and would even help it.
In that instant, the three sages exchanged glances. Yuanshi was no match for the two sages and had no choice but to retreat, watching helplessly as the monkey drifted towards the Southern Continent. It would be inappropriate for him to make a move later, as the status of sages was different. It would be unwise to attack a junior even once, and now that he was alone, his abilities were no match for the other two. Helpless, he could only withdraw and wait for things to develop.
The monkey fell into a deep sleep, completely unaware that it had just narrowly escaped death. It didn't wake up until the morning of the second day. Perhaps with the help of some external force, it had a smooth journey thereafter and reached the shore in less than a month. It was in the territory of the Southern Continent.
After several days, the monkey had gained some experience. He tested the water with a pole, and finding shallow water, he abandoned his raft and jumped ashore. He saw people fishing, hunting geese, catching clams, and panning for salt on the shore. He approached, performed a trick, dressed as a tiger, and frightened the people so much that they dropped their baskets and nets and scattered in all directions. He caught one who couldn't run away, stripped him of his clothes, and put them on himself, swaying and wandering through the cities and towns, learning human manners and speech. He ate breakfast and slept at night, his heart set on seeking the ways of Buddha, immortals, and saints, searching for the elixir of immortality. He saw that everyone in the world was a man obsessed with fame and fortune, with not a single person concerned with their own life. It was truly a case of—when will the struggle for fame and fortune end? Early to rise and late to sleep, no freedom. Riding a donkey, one dreams of a fine horse; holding the position of prime minister, one aspires to be a king.
They only worry about the toil and hardship of food and clothing; they fear not the summons of the King of Hell. Their adopted sons and grandsons scheme for wealth and status, and not one of them is willing to turn back.
This monkey was exceptionally gifted and blessed with great fortune. With the help of a sage, Xuan Tian unintentionally brought him to prominence. He absorbed spiritual energy in Flower Fruit Mountain for over a thousand years, gaining spiritual awareness. However, he was still a monkey by nature, very unruly, and had never seen anything like the human world. When he first descended the mountain, he was so happy that he forgot his original purpose. Fortunately, he was born extraordinary. At first, wandering in the human world was interesting, but as a person with spiritual roots and wisdom, he knew that this place was not interesting. So he put away his playful heart and focused on seeking immortality and visiting the Dao.
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