"Human disciple of Blue Star, Sun Kong, by chance, I am granted an audience with the Earth Dao Saint, Empress Houtu. Though I know you may not hear my voice, all due respect is still due."
"My various experiences here have made it impossible for me to leave the Three Realms of the Great Desolation. Therefore, I dare not fail Heaven's will, Earth's will, nor the earnest hopes of others for me."
"However, the Journey to the West calamity that you all envision may not necessarily be the only path. I, though untalented, possess some skill and am willing to prove myself as I journey west."
"I hope Empress Houtu, considering we are both enslaved by fate, will not make things too difficult for me."
"For this, I, Sun, will be eternally grateful. In the future, should I achieve that one-in-a-billion feat, I will surely come to express my gratitude to you, regarding you as I do my own mother, Nuwa. Do you agree?"
While the surroundings were deserted,
Sun Kong found the Six Paths Samsara Disk, gazing at the mysterious, plate-like object that was sometimes as small as a speck of dust and sometimes as vast as the universe.
For the first time, with such seriousness and earnestness, he knelt down heavily and made a few vows to this silent, inarticulate Earth Dao Saint.
At this moment, he felt as if he had returned to the straightforward, passionate youth he was before his transmigration.
At this moment, he also felt as if he had perfectly replaced the original Sun Wukong, indistinguishable from him, yet possessing more rebellion and a greater inclination for self-destruction.
And at this moment, Sun Kong, with a mix of respect, apprehension, fear, challenge, promise, and sincerity...
After offering his respects with numerous complex emotions.
The most astonishing sight occurred!
From within the Six Paths Samsara Disk, which should have shown no reaction, a single drop of crystalline, translucent tear, barely visible, flowed out because of him.
That's right.
At first glance, Sun Kong thought he was mistaken.
After wiping his eyes and looking again.
What fell into his palm was not dust from the Six Paths of Reincarnation, nor anything else, and certainly not an illusion.
It was clearly a drop of tears, as hot as a woman's.
The temperature was so high that Sun Kong's body, made of Five-Colored Stone, could barely withstand it.
The sentiment contained within it ignored all spiritual treasures on Sun Kong, save for his system, passing directly through his flesh, soul, and the three spirits and seven souls, reaching his True Spirit!
"Alas!"
Just a simple sigh startled Sun Kong, making him think that Houtu from those years had somehow come back to life.
Then.
Before Sun Kong could focus his gaze again, wanting to see if Empress Houtu's residual consciousness still existed within the Six Paths Samsara Disk, and to understand the origin of this tear.
Was it a gift?
A warning?
Or...
Suddenly.
The system issued three warning prompts, forcing him to immediately return to normal!
[Warning! Warning! Warning!]
[Due to the host having shocked the Six Paths Samsara Disk, nearly altering the karma of the Earth Dao Saint Empress Houtu, three unknown individuals have been alerted and are investigating intensely.]
[The first is none other than the Dao Ancestor Hongjun, hidden somewhere in the chaos void, his Jade Disk of Creation emitting countless rays of light, ready to strike and act against the host at any moment!]
[The second is a bizarre, unparalleled demonic eye behind a suspected Demon Clan Demon Saint. Its name is unknown, its location is unknown, and its attributes are unknown, yet it is bypassing the restrictions of the Three Realms of the Great Desolation, about to capture the host's secret.]
[The third resembles a chaotic Yang tree, swaying without wind and growing without water, traversing eighteen eras of the longitudinal chaotic void and nine epochs of the transverse chaotic void. Once the wind reaches the leaves, the host will be completely exposed!]
Hearing this.
Sun Kong dared not engage with the Six Paths Samsara Disk any further.
Reacting instantly, he stored the tear within his system, entrusting it with its safekeeping. If he couldn't understand it now, he would study it later.
It was better than being annihilated by these three unknown entities.
The next second.
When the system's prompt sounded again, it indicated that Ancestor Hongjun, the bizarre demonic eye, and the chaotic Yang tree no longer suspected him. They had shifted their gaze from the Six Paths of Samsara and were monitoring other locations.
Only then did Sun Kong fully relax.
Even for an ancestor of mischief like him, the recent scare had caused him to break out in a cold sweat!
But fortunately.
None of these three could see through his system, thus leaving him with a sliver of opportunity.
"Ancestor Hongjun's suspicion of me at any moment is indeed true and not surprising."
"However, what are that bizarre demonic eye and the chaotic Yang tree?"
"Could the former be a remnant eye of the Demon Ancestor Luohu, or is it perhaps the Great Immortal Yang Mei, who, according to legend, was on par with Ancestor Hongjun and Demon Ancestor Luohu during the Dao-Demon conflict?"
"Good heavens, I merely came to express my respects, and it has already attracted the attention of these three supreme powers?"
"I'm scared, truly scared. I won't linger. I must quickly find that unlucky little Golden Cicada and leave this damned place. I am a practitioner of mischief and shock, not a protagonist who defies destiny like in 'Battle Through the Heavens' or 'Swallowed Star'."
"I just want to diligently journey west and become the Victorious Fighting Buddha. I don't want to attract so much unnecessary trouble at every turn."
With this thought, Sun Kong instinctively prepared to search elsewhere for Xuanzang's whereabouts.
But to his surprise.
As soon as he stood up, a familiar scream echoed from beneath his feet.
It was none other than the incredibly unfortunate...
Xuanzang, whom he had stepped on and knocked unconscious!
"Oh, damn it! Kid, why are you lying under my feet? You didn't make a sound after I stepped on you for so long. Are you trying to take advantage of this opportunity to scuff my newly made tiger-skin boots and demand holy water soup as compensation?"
"We are old acquaintances, after all. Back then, if not for my help, how could you have reincarnated with your memories intact?"
"If you want to frame me, fine! Go to the Six Sages, go to the Heavenly Court, go to the Wuzhuang Guan, go to the Spirit Mountain, but don't come to me!"
Sun Kong's words perfectly depicted how shamelessly an aggressor could accuse the victim.
However.
It had to be said that his stratagem was ingenious. With just a few words, he not only shifted the blame onto the disadvantaged Xuanzang but also left Xuanzang speechless.
After a long while.
Seeing that the wormhole node was about to close,
The two quickly accelerated their departure.
After escaping.
Xuanzang finally recovered. However, he showed no signs of blaming Sun Kong. Instead, he first thought about how, although he had gained merit and was secretly protected by Heaven, thus not exploding to death.
He had lost that drop of Pangu Essence Blood.
He felt incredibly ashamed.
And deeply regretful!
"Great Sage Sun..."
"Call me Brother Sun. 'Great Sage Sun' sounds too old. I'm not used to it. Besides, you'll be worshipping Wuchao soon."
"No need. I will first worship you, Great Sage... Brother. I am truly sincere, please do not disdain me."
"Losing the Pangu Essence Blood, I only lost a bit of cultivation. But you lost the hope of becoming a Saint."
Saying this, before Sun Kong could refuse further, this future Tang Sanzang, who was supposed to be Sun Kong's master, actually knelt down to him to become his disciple!