"Ancestor Master, it seems Martial Uncle Taiyi has returned."
"In any case, you and none of us need to be too angry. Why not listen to what Martial Uncle Taiyi has to say?"
Just as Primordial Heavenly Venerate was sulking and about to disregard the matter, Erlang Shen Yang Jian on the side reminded him, which finally eased the tense atmosphere on the scene.
Primordial Heavenly Venerate nodded.
Then, Taiyi True Person returned weeping and wailing. Without Primordial Heavenly Venerate needing to ask him what was going on, he voluntarily recounted how Nezha was captured by the Jade Emperor, as he had just divined.
And he delivered Sun Kong's exact words.
"Master, that son of a bitch Jade Emperor truly shows no respect to our Chan Teachings. For such a trivial matter, he not only wants to capture Nezha alive but also slander us."
"The most hateful thing is that he actually declared in front of all the gods and immortals that even if you, venerable one, were to intervene, you would not spare Nezha. This is clearly signaling an intent to break ties with our Chan Teachings and even wage war!"
Although Taiyi True Person's words were somewhat exaggerated, the general meaning accurately conveyed the Jade Emperor's recent roar that had shaken the three realms of the Great Desolation.
Upon hearing this, half of the disciples of Chan Teachings were filled with anger and dissatisfaction towards the Jade Emperor, while the other half were even more impressed with Sun Kong.
Including Primordial Heavenly Venerate, everyone in Chan Teachings felt conflicted and regretful that the Jade Emperor had gained the upper hand so easily!
On one hand,
They immediately realized their previous mistake.
It was evident that before Nezha's departure, Primordial Heavenly Venerate, considering the Grand Supreme Elder's previous instruction not to act rashly against the demon race, had forgotten to instruct Nezha to use this matter to pressure the Jade Emperor into compliance.
As a result, the Jade Emperor seized the opportunity to speak first, leaving them speechless.
However, the Jade Emperor should be rapidly erasing traces of his collusion with Ming He,
Preventing anyone from finding any flaws in his actions.
Even if there were none, given Chan Teachings' current disadvantage in public opinion, it was too late to supplement their explanations about the Jade Emperor's collusion with the demon race.
After all, Nezha's public betrayal of the Heavenly Court and his theft of the future Sha Wujing for Chan Teachings was no minor matter.
Countless beings in the three realms of the Great Desolation had already been drawn to the Jade Emperor's veiled accusations, and had no interest in listening to others condemn him.
On the other hand,
After this incident, everyone, including Primordial Heavenly Venerate, realized that with the emergence of new destinies in the Journey to the West tribulation, various new changes were constantly appearing.
Once, they had been leading the way in the Investiture of the Gods tribulation, but this time, they had suffered a major setback.
The Jade Emperor, who had once relied on the Investiture of the Gods list bestowed by Primordial Heavenly Venerate to establish the Heavenly Court and secure his position as the Lord of the Three Realms, now harbored thoughts of severing ties with them and acting independently.
And Sun Kong, whom they had originally viewed as a pawn in the Journey to the West, someone to be used but not truly respected, was now the best to them.
Sun Kong himself did not make things too difficult for the disciples of Chan Teachings.
After Sun Kong healed his second brother, Wu Zhiqi, using the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi, he did not act as shamelessly as he did towards the monks of Spirit Mountain or the immortals of the Heavenly Court. Instead, he promptly returned it to Guang Chengzi.
Sun Kong, such a monkey demon...
Wait!
Who was it that initially looked down on Sun Kong's status as a monkey demon? Wasn't it that Jade Emperor?
But, in the end, it was true that the Monkey King was a monkey, but his origins were no less significant than the Jade Emperor's.
His physical body was formed from the last piece of five-colored stone by the Sage Nuwa, one of the Six Saints.
He was innately an Indestructible Golden Body.
Unbreakable.
It was difficult for anyone other than a Saint or a Saint's clone to break through his defenses.
Even the eight Golden Immortals of Chan Teachings, the nine Divine Immortals of Ren Teachings, all the immortals of the Heavenly Court, all the gods of the Heavenly Court, and all the Buddhist followers of the Western Teachings and Spirit Mountain.
None of them could compare to such a physical body.
His primordial spirit originated from a Mani Pearl nurtured for countless eons under the disciples of two other Saints, Daoist Jieyin and Daoist Zhunti.
This Mani Pearl was one of the rare spiritual treasures of the Western Teachings. With it, Sun Kong, who had transformed into a primordial spirit, was able to achieve the renowned title of the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven.
Such a combination of physical body and primordial spirit, who in the three realms of the Great Desolation did not envy, did not covet, did not eye with desire?
How could it be that in the end, he was slandered by the Jade Emperor as a mere monkey demon?
"Master, this Jade Emperor has no sense of propriety. Just because we need to borrow the future Sha Wujing and maintain good relations with fellow Daoist Sun, this was a matter that benefited both us and him."
"Although Nezha's handling of the situation was not tactful, he should not have cursed and made a proclamation to the three realms."
"If you ask me, this Jade Emperor is asking for a beating, he's courting death. Back then, he could slander fellow Daoist Sun to maximize the interests of the Heavenly Court. Now, how can we in Chan Teachings continue to be benevolent saints?"
"Taiyi is untalented, but I am willing to volunteer to rescue Nezha. Although he is ignorant, he is, after all, one of us. He will die, but he will die within the Jade Void Palace."
"However, if my abilities are too weak and I am killed by the Jade Emperor in league with members of the demon race, I beg Master not to seek revenge for me, lest it give others a pretext. If I can make a sacrifice for Master, for Chan Teachings, and for the Journey to the West, it will be worth it."
Primordial Heavenly Venerate and the others were still calculating the heavenly secrets, trying to figure out whether they should rescue Nezha and how to do so.
But then,
Taiyi True Person, already impatient, left these few words and, disregarding everyone's attempts to stop him, was about to forcibly charge towards the Heavenly Court.
Although this scene had some elements of goading, it was ultimately the Jade Emperor's collusion with the demon race that prevented them from communicating normally, forcing them to seek cooperation with Sun Kong.
This scene also made Primordial Heavenly Venerate, who had always been strictly commanded by the Grand Supreme Elder not to interfere with the Journey to the West tribulation, somewhat restless.
Just as Taiyi True Person was about to lead more fellow disciples to act.
Primordial Heavenly Venerate spoke!
"All of you, come back."
"This matter signifies that your master no longer trusts the arrogant Dao Ancestor's attendant, the Jade Emperor. It also signifies that henceforth, we must cooperate more sincerely with fellow Daoist Sun."
"However, your cultivation has not yet recovered, and it is difficult to deter the Jade Emperor, who is a quasi-Saint. To rescue Nezha, I shall go."
"Is it just losing face? It's not about losing my life. I, Primordial, was willing to risk everything to save my people during the Investiture of the Gods tribulation. Why should I mind letting the Jade Emperor gain the upper hand for now?"
"However, you must promise me one thing. From now on, you must properly discipline your disciples and disciples, and there must not be a second Nezha."
"As for this little Nezha, as I said before, if we cannot discipline him, we will leave him to the Grand Sage Sun to discipline. His methods, even I, a Saint, am somewhat inferior to."
Having said that,
Without waiting for anyone to persuade him, Primordial Heavenly Venerate actually moved his Saintly body, risking punishment from the Heavenly Dao and the Grand Supreme Elder Hongjun.
With one step, he arrived at the Heavenly Court to negotiate with the Jade Emperor!
...
"Not good, my Master has intervened. This troublesome child Nezha has actually implicated his Saintly Master..."
Sensing Primordial Heavenly Venerate's movement, Guang Chengzi's face was filled with remorse.
But Sun Kong smiled faintly, showing no surprise. Instead, it was as if he had divined some incredible new heavenly secret!