The towering Tree of All Spirits burned furiously within the flames.

Like myriad twinkling stars, flames would occasionally fall from the layered branches and leaves, plummeting to the ground and igniting a sweeping prairie fire.

The battle in the sky ceased, everyone watched the burning great tree, its massive flames rendering the stars in the night sky dim.

In the next moment, a White Dragon soared above the Tree of All Spirits, summoning wind and rain.

In her clear eyes, tears gleamed, unbidden.

This was her brother's tree.

Ao Luan knew the extent of Sun Wukong's effort on this tree, the immense endeavor he made in an attempt to quell those roaring flames.

But all she could do was summon the wind and rain, without power to change the weather.

Only one being could decide the weather, and that was Water Virtues Star Monarch.

Seeing Ao Luan's effort to extinguish the fire, Water Virtues Star Monarch realized what was happening, took up the Water Bowl, drew water from rivers, and poured it towards the Tree of All Spirits.

Yet no matter how hard they tried, the blaze could not be quenched.

The fire was no ordinary flame, but an immortal fire ignited by the tree itself.

Sun Wukong watched with his own eyes as the future he had created began to wither rapidly, then crumbled with a resounding roar.

"Why?"

His voice betrayed no fluctuation.

The Jade Emperor was surprised by his calm, but replied nonetheless, "The Talismanic Diagrams and Records cannot create the Heavenly Dao."

In matters of strategy, Sun Wukong was still no match for the Jade Emperor.

Though the Talismanic Diagrams and Records chronicled the profound truths of heaven and earth, they could not truly create the Heavenly Dao.

In the beginning, it had failed at the very last moment.

And the Taiji Eight Diagrams Map was created through other means.

This, only the Jade Emperor knew.

Sun Wukong turned to look at him: "Are you saying that you have been plotting against me all along?"

The Jade Emperor did not deny it; they had fought for a long time, merely to divert Sun Wukong's attention and prevent him from realizing the true crisis facing the Tree of All Spirits.

"The Talismanic Diagrams and Records are not tolerated by the Heavenly Dao."

The Jade Emperor spoke, "After you used its knowledge, you cannot create the Wanling Immortal Path before the next major calamity."

This outcome had been decided long ago, ever since the Jade Emperor learned of the existence of the Wanling Immortal Path.

What he sought to destroy was not just a single tree, but to erase the entire Wanling Immortal Path.

Thunderous rumbles started echoing between heaven and earth again.

"The Heavenly Rules are beginning to restore."

The Jade Emperor announced that neither he nor Buddha could truly eliminate the Heavenly Rules, they merely suppressed and cloaked them, in coordination with the backlash of the Heavenly Dao.

Now that the Tree of All Spirits was destroyed, the need to constrain the Heavenly Rules was gone.

Buddha opened his palms in the sky, letting go of Sun Wukong's Merit Incarnation.

The incarnation fell and turned into flames covering Sun Wukong.

Buddha gave him a glance, then averted his gaze.

"Return!"

He called to his Buddhist disciples.

The ground glimmered with innumerable Buddha Lights, like shooting stars, continuously flying toward Buddha Country.

The Jade Emperor gave Sun Wukong a look and prepared to retreat.

The Heavenly Rules were about to regain their force; there was no longer any need to remain here.

In their struggle against the Heavenly Dao, Wanling Country was utterly defeated.

Sun Wukong flew towards Wanling Hall.

"Wukong."

Master Puti stood at the entrance, his lips moved, but he didn't know what to say.

Sun Wukong shook his head.

"This is futile."

He said, and then, before the Heavenly Rules could fully restore, he bit his fingertip.

Blood glowing with light flowed from the wound.

Sun Wukong extended his hand and drew in the air with his blood.

Red flames burst from his fingertips, following the trail the hand traced, infinite mana surged forth, instantly forming a 'Curse' character.

As the last stroke was completed, the 'Curse' character suddenly erupted with a shocking aura of destruction.

The breath rose and turned into countless red arrows that pierced through the air.

"What is he trying to do now!"

The Jade Emperor and Buddha turned to look at him, realizing something was amiss.

But once the word was written, it could not be stopped.

The arrows burst apart, and even when shields were used to block them, they could not prevent the arrows from landing on their bodies.

This character was transformed from Sun Wukong's essence blood!

In an instant, a light, floating red flame appeared on everyone in Heavenly Palace and Lingshan, including the Jade Emperor and Buddha themselves.

The immortals were in an uproar, nobody knew what it was, but the small flame, seemingly harmless, carried an ominous presence.

Everyone tried to extinguish the flame.

But to their horror, they discovered that no matter what Immortal Law they used, whether attack or defense, nothing worked against it.

Amid the cries of alarm, the flame penetrated into the bodies of each and every immortal and Buddha.

Only a few succeeded in driving it away.

"A hundred-year curse."

The Jade Emperor wrapped the flame with Protective Immortal Light and found it was a drop of fresh blood.

Within this drop of blood was a hundred-year curse—though the effect of the curse seemed random.

"Imperial Brother, why put yourself through this?"

The Jade Emperor did not expect that Sun Wukong would do such a senseless act before the restoration of Heavenly Rules.

Burning a great amount of essence blood just to curse them, yet how easy is it to curse an immortal.

Such curses can only bring very limited impact, what's the point in that?

"This is a farewell gift."

Sun Wukong said: "It's not often I come here, I must leave you some gifts."

As he spoke these words, the rumbling between heaven and earth ceased.

Heavenly Rules were restored, immortals could no longer take action.

Sun Wukong stretched out his hands.

In the next moment, a light shone from the collapsed Wanling Tree.

It was the Jade Seal, returning to Sun Wukong's hands.

Upon seeing the Jade Seal, Sun Wukong wore a complex expression.

"So it has come to this after all?"

The long journey, from cultivation to this day, he had finally reached this step.

"This is the key to finding the answer."

Sun Wukong thought to himself.

The Jade Emperor and Buddha turned their gaze to the Jade Seal.

Within the glowing Jade Seal, a tree-shaped figure was entwined with black flames yet to be extinguished.

This was the core of the Wanling Immortal Path.

"Sun Wukong!"

Buddha extended his palm again: "You have not given up yet!"

The massive palm pressed towards Sun Wukong.

But halfway through, a sudden burst of black flame ignited from his hand, causing him to retract it.

Heavenly Rules imprisoned them; Buddha could no longer strike at Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong did not plan to give them time either, grabbed the Jade Seal, and then—bit down on it.

With a "crack", the Jade Seal shattered in his mouth.

Everyone in heaven and earth was stunned.

"The Great Saint, what is he doing?"

The Water Virtues Star Monarch watched this scene, disbelieving his own eyes.

Sun Wukong was consuming the Jade Seal!

"Brother..."

Ao Luan transformed back into her human form, the first to realize what was happening: "Brother is turning himself into the vessel of the Wanling Immortal Path!"

She suddenly realized, Sun Wukong was transformed from the Immortal Stone, and also a body of Heavenly Venerate, his quality as a vessel was no less than the Jade Seal.

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