Gold Star Taibai soared through the clouds to arrive at Huaguo Mountain.

He saw Sun Wukong standing at the harbor, a group of humans holding books in both hands, carefully handing them to Sun Wukong, and then bowing deeply several times before turning to board the ship.

This scene made Gold Star Taibai marvel.

He transformed into a human shape and landed on the ground.

Sun Wukong immediately noticed him: "A distinguished guest arrives, what brings you here?"

He didn't reveal Gold Star Taibai's identity, and neither did Gold Star Taibai. He smiled and said, "I heard that a Bear Demon King came to Huaguo Mountain, so I came to remind the Monkey King not to harbor any demons from the Northern Continent."

Sun Wukong's thoughts shifted, realizing that Gold Star Taibai meant well.

Great Emperor Zhenwu leads the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals to attack the Demon Kingdom. If any Demon Kings escape to Huaguo Mountain, Sun Wukong would inevitably be drawn into trouble.

"I will issue an order forbidding those demons from entering Huaguo Mountain."

Sun Wukong answered.

Though this command would offend the demons outside, he did not want to be dragged down by those fools.

Gold Star Taibai nodded satisfactorily, then ceremoniously bid his farewell.

Not long after he left, Immortal Zhenyuan flew over.

"Was that Gold Star Taibai just now?"

Immortal Zhenyuan felt the presence of an Immortal: "What did he come for?"

Sun Wukong turned and walked toward Shuilian Cave: "He asked me not to take in the demons from the Northern Continent."

"He meant well."

Immortal Zhenyuan followed him, smiling, "I heard that Gold Star Taibai has always wanted to recruit you to the Heavenly Palace; of course, he wouldn't want you to offend the Heavenly Palace."

Sun Wukong nodded, he too had a good impression of Gold Star Taibai and hoped to avoid a fallout with the Heavenly Palace if possible.

Immortal Zhenyuan then asked, "The Demon Kingdom in the Northern Continent is powerful. How long do you think they can hold out?"

Sun Wukong shook his head: "Not more than a few days."

Although he hoped the Demon Kingdom could last a few years, it was clearly not possible since Great Emperor Zhenwu personally took action.

The demons of the Demon Kingdom were gathered in recent years, a loose assembly without strong unity, and the Six Great Saints did not establish a shared interest for them.

Once the demons realize the situation is dire and their lives are threatened, they will likely flee for their own survival.

This was also the reason for Gold Star Taibai's reminder to Sun Wukong.

"The Six Great Saints can't defeat Great Emperor Zhenwu."

Sun Wukong said. No matter how you put it, the Bull Demon King and the others are simply not smart enough.

They couldn't even conceal their capabilities well, and yet they established a Demon Kingdom.

Back in Shuilian Cave, Sun Wukong handed over the books to a boy for sorting.

"Those are medicinal herb compilations collected by humans."

Immortal Zhenyuan stroked his beard and said, "They are more diligent than you."

Sun Wukong nodded: "After all, the Hundred Herbs Scripture was written for them."

He sighed softly.

"Why do you sigh, Little Brother?" Immortal Zhenyuan curiously asked: "Is there an issue with these books?"

"The contents of the books, we probably already know."

Sun Wukong replied: "And for these useless compilations, dozens of humans died on the way here."

Immortal Zhenyuan was startled, then shook his head.

"There's nothing to be done about that."

After all, they are mortals, and what is extremely valuable to humans in terms of medicinal data is mostly already known to Immortals.

"Little Brother, you don't need to feel sad for them."

Immortal Zhenyuan said: "The compilations we write will save more people."

Sun Wukong felt somewhat emotional.

"Those humans place great trust in me because of Hemostatic Grass."

He said: "But Hemostatic Grass was just a byproduct of my rice cultivation process."

These words immediately caught the attention of Immortal Zhenyuan.

"What did you say you cultivated, younger brother?"

Sun Wukong did not hide anything from Immortal Zhenyuan.

He led Immortal Zhenyuan to the summit where he cultivated plants, and Immortal Zhenyuan knew that what Sun Wukong said was true as soon as he saw the crops.

"Rice."

Immortal Zhenyuan looked at the few stalks of rice in surprise: "You've been cultivating rice?"

Sun Wukong nodded.

The significance of rice surpasses that of any other plant.

He had seen the technology for hybrid rice in the Heavenly Book and had been wanting to research it since returning to Huaguo Mountain.

Rice is a self-pollinating crop, and to crossbreed it, one variety has to be emasculated and then pollinated with the male flowers of another variety, which is a very delicate process.

What's more crucial is that the outcomes of hybridization can be good or bad; rice's quality is not as apparent as Hemostatic Grass, and even using Immortal Law, it's nearly impossible to select a perfect variety, not to mention ensuring that it can crossbreed and that the produced seeds can reproduce normally.

"I have experimented with tens of thousands of rice flowers; the final products are these."

Sun Wukong said, facing the rice plants ahead: "They yield more than regular rice, but are extremely difficult to cultivate, and cannot be promoted widely."

He had spent a long time and eventually realized that the work for breeding hybrid rice was immense; without massive experimental data, it would be impossible to develop rice for widespread cultivation.

In the end, Sun Wukong gave up—he had more important tasks and couldn't waste too much time on rice.

"Now, it's the flower spirits who are researching rice for me."

Sun Wukong said.

Immortal Zhenyuan was once again surprised: "Flower spirits?"

"Flower spirits are sensitive to pollen and can easily complete emasculation and pollination."

Sun Wukong explained that among all demons, flower spirits were the most suitable for plant cultivation.

"They have been studying in Flower Valley for several years; haven't you noticed?"

Sun Wukong glanced at Immortal Zhenyuan.

Immortal Zhenyuan's face felt hot; engrossed in drinking Flower Dew in the Flower Valley, he had no idea that the flower spirits were doing such important work.

Rice is no ordinary crop.

"If you succeed, younger brother,"

Immortal Zhenyuan said: "The utility of rice might be a hundred times better than Hemostatic Grass."

It wouldn't be just a hundred times, but perhaps even a thousand times more.

Sun Wukong understood in his heart that rice is extremely important to this world—he couldn't rush things.

The two retraced their steps, and Sun Wukong told Immortal Zhenyuan that he had appointed a Record Officer to collect Huaguo Mountain's various technologies into volumes, to record them.

"A Record Officer?" Immortal Zhenyuan slightly furrowed his brow: "Why establish such an official position?"

"To prepare for potential troubles."

Sun Wukong answered in such a way.

Immortal Zhenyuan paused in his steps, his gaze growing solemn.

"Younger brother, aren't days like these good?"

"Good."

Sun Wukong nodded.

The two had known each other for many years and shared a deep friendship; there were things unspoken, yet Immortal Zhenyuan understood.

What Immortal Zhenyuan was thinking, Sun Wukong naturally knew too.

"Immortal, I will not initiate evil acts,"

Sun Wukong said with a smile: "But matters of the world are not for me to govern, it's always right to prepare for potential troubles, isn't it?"

He always had to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.

"The only things I can control are ensuring that the acquired technologies are not lost."

Sun Wukong said to Immortal Zhenyuan: "As long as technology progresses, I will find the answers I seek."

The words he spoke conceal a defiance of natural order, yet the tone in which they were spoken carried no particular emotion.

It was as if he was discussing something that was already destined to happen.

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