Flames ascended, and the Palace of the Polestar trembled.

The grand architecture, unchanged for tens of thousands of years, was now gradually approaching its end among the sea of flames.

Large fragments alight with flames could be seen scattered everywhere, falling.

The corridors toppled, and window lattices shattered.

The entire palace seemed on the verge of collapse, as if it would fall into pieces at any moment.

Yet, the Jade Emperor still stood in the great hall waiting.

His majesty was as ever, as if around him were not a palace aflame, but the usual assembly of celestial officials.

Sun Wukong walked in slowly, indifferent to the falling debris and flames.

"I didn't expect you could reach this stage."

The Jade Emperor said.

Sun Wukong placed the Jingu Bang on the ground to one side: "If you had expected it, would you still have killed me?"

"Perhaps."

The Jade Emperor nodded: "Without killing you, you would eventually change this heaven."

As the Lord of the Three Realms, he had to protect the current heaven, but seeing the Merit Fire on Sun Wukong, he now harbored doubts.

"Sun Wukong." The Jade Emperor asked: "In your eyes, was I wrong to establish the Heavenly Rules and decide the order of the Three Realms?

"No, you weren't wrong, it's just..."

Sun Wukong shook his head and said: "You forgot to progress."

The Heavenly Palace crafted the rules of heaven and earth but was complacent and stagnant, truly a pity.

A question faded in the Jade Emperor's mind: "Do you wish to reform the world?"

"Yes."

Sun Wukong nodded.

"Must it come to the destruction of the Heavenly Palace?"

The Jade Emperor continued to ask.

Sun Wukong shook his head: "It is enough."

He could feel the tremors of the Heavenly Palace. As the Palace of the Polestar fell, the Heavenly Palace and the outside time were synchronizing.

He no longer needed to destroy the Heavenly Palace.

The Jade Emperor sighed lightly: "If not to destroy the Heavenly Palace, then is it to kill me?"

Sun Wukong looked at him: "That depends on your answer."

The Jade Emperor was somewhat surprised.

He frowned slightly: "What answer?"

Sun Wukong said coldly: "Of the Four Great Continents, I want one."

He looked at the Jade Emperor and said: "Mountains, rivers, lands, Mountain Gods, human kingdoms—I want all of the Heavenly Palace's power over one continent."

The Jade Emperor shook: "What exactly do you intend?"

"I want to let all beings choose." Sun Wukong told the Jade Emperor: "I want one continent to implement all my reform initiatives, the other three continents remain under your rule, and after five hundred years, let all beings decide for themselves."

This statement, like the light of creation, made everything clear to the Jade Emperor.

The Jade Emperor stared at Sun Wukong, feeling defeated, an understandable defeat.

"Ha..."

He held his head: "Hahaha, the choice of all beings... Sun Wukong, is this what you want?"

"Yes."

"From the beginning?"

"From the beginning."

Sun Wukong nodded.

The Jade Emperor laughed for a long time before gradually calming down.

"You swept through the Heavenly Palace; did you never consider seizing my throne?"

He asked.

"I considered."

Sun Wukong replied: "But that would be arrogant."

Immortals are arrogant.

Sun Wukong knew well, if he forced his ideas onto the beings of the Three Realms, forcing a reform, that too would be a kind of arrogance.

Sun Wukong reminded himself, he must never be arrogant.

Thus, the future direction should be chosen by the people themselves.

The Jade Emperor sighed deeply.

Sun Wukong looked at the Jade Emperor: "Let us compete, to see who can win the favor of the people."

"If I win."

He narrowed his eyes slightly and said: "Then give your position to me!"

"And if I win?"

The Jade Emperor asked.

"I will willingly bow and serve you."

Sun Wukong answered.

If the Heavenly Palace could develop a world better than his, it would be fortunate for all beings of the Three Realms; he would be more than happy.

The Jade Emperor sighed, "I have lost to you."

He lost, not just in terms of martial power, but also in terms of thought.

He finally felt the unstoppable force within Sun Wukong, a force that was neither the power to move mountains and seas, nor the destructive power of Immortal Law.

That force was Sun Wukong's thought.

The idea that all beings choose their own way of development was extraordinary and unprecedented.

"Which continent do you want?"

The Jade Emperor asked.

"Northern Continent."

Sun Wukong gave an unexpected answer.

"Are you sure?"

The Jade Emperor was surprised; the Northern Continent was the poorest among the Four Great Continents.

"If I were to ask for the Southern Continent and Eastern Divine Continent, it would be even harder for Your Majesty to decide, right?"

Sun Wukong said.

Those two rich continents, the Heavenly Palace would find it extremely difficult to let go, and the other, the Western Continent, has deep connections with the Western Heaven Buddha Sect and definitely wouldn't be given to him.

"This Sun Wukong, even now, is still considering my position…"

The Jade Emperor felt emotional; his defeat was not unjust.

Sun Wukong's plan was far from simple as it appeared; its deeper meaning was to introduce competition.

To not lose to Sun Wukong, the immortals of the Heavenly Palace would surely give their all, trying every means to govern and develop the other three continents.

Thus, the Heavenly Palace would need to initiate reforms on its own; the immortals could no longer afford to be lax.

This transformation from the Heavenly Palace to the mortal world, would eventually force a series of changes from the mortal realm back to the Heavenly Palace.

Although Sun Wukong did not explicitly state it, the Jade Emperor knew this was one of his intentions.

After realizing all this, the Jade Emperor gradually let go of the grudging feeling in his heart.

"I had already forgotten."

The Jade Emperor felt somber; there was a time when he too had grand ambitions.

But once the Heavenly Palace was established, he felt that was sufficient.

Yet, Sun Wukong's words reminded him of his former self.

"Since that's the case…"

A spark arose in the Jade Emperor's heart, quickly turning into a strong fighting spirit.

The choice of the beings, how could he lose to others!

Suddenly, the Jade Emperor understood.

He understood that this world would eventually become better.

"Why compete between two, when three can compete?"

He suddenly asked.

Sun Wukong was moved, looked up, and saw the Jade Emperor's face filled with a relieved smile.

Sun Wukong was a bit surprised, then he laughed, "That would be very good."

He came up with an even better idea.

"Then, Your Majesty, please allow me to change the continent…"

Sun Wukong made a bow and stated the name of the continent he wanted.

After hearing this, the Jade Emperor burst into hearty laughter.

"You monkey…"

In the laughter, the Palace of the Polestar suddenly collapsed.

The immortals unaware of what had happened inside saw the Palace of the Polestar destroyed and felt utterly disheartened.

But soon after, the immortals suddenly noticed Sun Wukong and the Jade Emperor emerged from the ruins, talking and laughing together as they walked out hand in hand.

This was even more shocking than the collapse of the Palace of the Polestar.

The jaws of the immortals dropped.

"This calamity in the Heavenly Palace was my fault."

Facing the immortals, the Jade Emperor said with a smile, "However, without this tribulation, how could I have bonded with my Imperial Brother!"

Immortal Zhenyuan's eyes widened in astonishment.

What!?

"From now on."

The Jade Emperor looked at Sun Wukong and said, "Sun Wukong will be my Imperial Brother, equal to me, and he will govern a continent. All beings of this continent will heed his command!"

The immortals kneeled down in unison, unable to understand what was happening.

"The Imperial Brother will implement reforms, whoever wishes to follow him…"

The Jade Emperor looked around and said, "Just go with him!"

After hearing Sun Wukong's words, the Jade Emperor had completely opened his mind.

Although not understanding what had happened, Emperor Donghua immediately stood up.

Soon, a part of the immortals joined him.

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