After the storm clouds dispersed, warm sunlight bathed Huaguo Mountain.

In Yunxiao City, demons celebrated throughout, the atmosphere as lively as a festival.

Amidst the celebration, Ao Luan hovered alone in the clouds, quietly gazing at the sky.

A golden figure descended from the heavens.

"Brother!"

Ao Luan rushed to greet him with a face full of joy, but stopped smiling halfway, "Why is it you!"

"It's me."

Immortal Zhenyuan wore a luxurious golden robe, "How do you like this color scheme?"

"Ugly,"

Ao Luan said, then turned back to Yunxiao City.

Immortal Zhenyuan looked himself up and down, frowned slightly, then reverted to his original attire and descended.

"Immortal."

The demons noticed him and quickly gathered around.

"Did the Great King win?"

The Long Armed Ape Monkey asked first, "Why did the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals suddenly retreat?"

"The Jade Emperor gave my virtuous brother a continent, and the two shook hands in reconciliation."

Immortal Zhenyuan shook his head in amazement, "It's truly incredible."

The scene at the Heavenly Palace was still deeply etched in his mind, making him feel as if it were all a dream.

The other demons were astonished, "A continent?"

"What does that mean?"

The Bear Demon King inquired to the Golden Winged Great Peng.

"It means that the Monkey King is now the Heavenly King overseeing a continent."

The Golden Winged Great Peng replied.

"Not quite."

Immortal Zhenyuan shook his head, "My virtuous brother will likely establish a new Heavenly Palace and won't need to follow the Jade Emperor's orders."

The demons were left speechless and stunned.

"Does this mean the Great King has become the Heavenly Venerate?"

"Yes, indeed, the Heavenly Venerate."

Immortal Zhenyuan nodded, "In the future, my virtuous brother will be on equal footing with the Jade Emperor, and once you become immortals, your Immortal Records will fall under his name."

The demons were dumbfounded, feeling as though they were in a dream.

"Brother finally took this step."

From afar, Ao Luan listened with pricked ears, feeling both surprised and joyful.

*Although Sun Wukong hadn't said it out loud, Ao Luan understood in his heart that Huaguo Mountain was too small to support Sun Wukong's dreams.*

*Only a continent's population and resources could develop the world Sun Wukong envisioned.*

"Something's not right."

The Golden Winged Great Peng expressed his curiosity, "I heard that the Great King swept through the Heavenly Palace, destroying even the Palace of the Polestar. How could the Jade Emperor make peace with him?"

"The Jade Emperor had no choice, and..."

Immortal Zhenyuan paused, then said, "I think he actually likes my virtuous brother."

The idea that the Jade Emperor could genuinely reconcile with Sun Wukong seemed unbelievable earlier, not something he could ever accept.

*It was mainly because Sun Wukong was formidable; searching through the Three Realms, only he could sweep through the Heavenly Palace and afterward chat and laugh with the Jade Emperor.*

"My virtuous brother has a strength that makes others trust him,"

Immortal Zhenyuan said.

The other demons nodded vigorously, as it was obvious to them; their Great King had always been enchanting to behold.

They hurriedly invited Immortal Zhenyuan to join them for a celebratory feast.

"Since the Great King is fine, why didn't he return with the Immortal?"

The Long Armed Ape Monkey asked.

"He had other matters to attend to first," Immortal Zhenyuan explained, "but he will be back soon."

*He hoped nothing unexpected would happen.*

Immortal Zhenyuan thought to himself, knowing where Sun Wukong had gone.

Simultaneously, on the Western Continent, a golden light descended at the foot of Lingshan.

"Welcome, Great Saint!"

At the foot of Lingshan, the Golden Topped Immortal immediately paid his respects to Sun Wukong.

"I've never seen you before; how do you know me?"

Sun Wukong asked curiously.

"The Great Saint's name has spread throughout the Three Realms,"

The Golden Topped Immortal replied respectfully.

Although the battle at the Heavenly Palace was not long, the Three Realms had witnessed it clearly; every immortal with some status had the image of Sun Wukong's invincible demeanor etched into their eyes.

"What brings the Great Saint to Lingshan?"

The Golden Topped Immortal asked further.

"I came to see the Tathāgata Buddha,"

Sun Wukong raised his eyes, seeing a majestic Divine Mountain, adorned with auspicious rays in five colors and surrounded by thousands of layers of auspicious clouds.

This was the peak of the Holy Lingshan.

"Great Saint, please follow me,"

The Golden Topped Immortal said respectfully, "I will lead you to meet the Buddha."

"You don't need to guide me, I can go in myself."

Sun Wukong told the Golden Topped Immortal, then stepped onto Lingshan alone.

*This was the holy land of Buddhism, and for the first time visiting, he intended to take it all in.*

After walking five or six miles, Sun Wukong came across a river, about eight or nine miles wide, with waves crashing and a single floating log crossing it.

Splashes from the water made it seem as if the log bridge could submerge at any moment.

"Is this the path to Buddha?"

Sun Wukong's eyes gleamed, then he lightly jumped onto the log bridge, crossing it as easily as if on the ground.

"That must be Sun Wukong..."

A ferryman downstream observed, unable to resist a voice of admiration.

"Indeed, he is of our Buddhist sect, able to walk the main road, yet possesses a Buddha's heart,"

the Buddha-Buddha thought to himself.

The Buddha-Buddha, also known as Namo Baozhuang Guangwang Buddha, often came to the riverbank to guide those who could achieve Buddhahood but had rarely seen anyone cross the log bridge so steadily.

*The log bridge could discern one's Buddha's heart, only those wholly selfless could walk across so stably.*

Sun Wukong's steady crossing signaled that if he became a Buddha, he would inevitably become a supreme great Buddha.

As the Buddha-Buddha watched Sun Wukong's figure disappear, he gradually faded away from the view of the log bridge.

The path meandered around twists and turns, with ancient trees and strange rocks, all subtly possessing a Buddha nature.

After some time, Sun Wukong finally arrived outside the gates of Leiyin Temple.

The Four Great Vajra at the temple gate seemed to have anticipated his arrival, immediately opening the gates of Leiyin Temple to greet him respectfully.

As Sun Wukong entered, lotus flowers paved the path and incense filled the air.

Five hundred Arhats, three thousand Arahants, and eighteen Garudas lined up on either side of the gate, stage by stage, following the orders of the Buddha, announcing, "The Great Saint has arrived!"

The grand Sanskrit hymns echoed, bringing a sense of peace to the heart.

This was the welcoming ceremony.

Sun Wukong walked to the front of the Great Heroic Treasure Hall, seeing Tathāgata seated at the center, surrounded by Arhats and great Buddhas, with eight Bodhisattvas attending by his side.

Jin Chanzi was also at Tathāgata's side, looking over in astonishment.

"Why is he here?"

Jin Chanzi wondered.

*It was the day the Buddha planned to punish him, and Sun Wukong appeared; could it be to save him?*

"Buddha,"

Sun Wukong bowed to the Tathāgata Buddha.

Tathāgata felt joyous in his heart, "Sun Wukong, what brings you here?"

"I come to deliver the Jade Emperor's decree,"

Sun Wukong said, "The Four Great Continents, full of varied beings and paths, the Jade Emperor wishes to explore different Heavenly Daos, thus granting each of us a continent to educate and transform the beings."

Tathāgata nodded, "I have heard of this, but I wonder which two continents?"

"One is the Northern Continent, and the other is the Western Continent,"

Sun Wukong replied, "The Northern Continent, with rampant devils and a tendency for killing, is meant for the Buddha to take charge of out of compassion for all beings."

Tathāgata slightly furrowed his brows and asked, "Then what about the Western Continent?"

"Naturally, it will be managed by me,"

Sun Wukong responded.

Upon hearing this, the Bodhisattva Arhats erupted into chatter within the hall.

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