Before the two departed, Sun Kong felt that the Heavenly Dao seemed to be targeting him specifically, thus implicating Jin Chanzi.
Therefore, he had to ask one more thing.
"System, besides preventing external forces from helping Jin Chanzi recover his cultivation, are there any other harms you can discern from this restriction?"
The system's answer was very direct.
"Reporting to the host!"
"The restriction on Jin Chanzi is of too high a level for this system to resolve at the current stage. Back then, you failed to gather the five members of the Tang Monk group, preventing this system from upgrading smoothly, hence its current inability to help."
"As for its harm, this system can currently only discern three points."
"First, it will continuously obstruct all external forces, preventing Jin Chanzi from recovering even a bit of his cultivation. His physical body will continue to maintain the level of an ordinary Heavenly Immortal, but his primordial spirit will gradually degenerate."
"Until the end of the Journey to the West tribulation, if he cannot achieve Buddhahood, he will never be able to forge a primordial spirit again and increase his cultivation."
"Ultimately, he will be nothing more than a brute with a Heavenly Immortal's physique."
"Second, it will also severely limit Jin Chanzi's own cultivation. Although not entirely, 99.99% of spiritual energy or other forces will be unabsorbable."
"This means that no matter how hard Jin Chanzi tries in the future, after ten thousand attempts, only one will be effective."
"Based on this system's calculations, with his comprehension and Buddhist roots, even if he achieves Buddhahood in the future, he might end up as an embarrassing existence with the title of Buddha but actual strength inferior to the Three Thousand Arhats."
"From zero primordial spirit to the perfection of Hunyuan Great Luo Golden Immortal, it would absolutely be impossible to succeed without hundreds of millions of years!"
"Moreover, due to the restriction, every time he breaks through a minor or major realm, the heavenly tribulation he encounters will be more than ten thousand times that of an ordinary person!"
Hearing the explanations of these two aspects, Sun Kong's mood soured considerably. He wished he could immediately find that wretched Heavenly Dao and retaliate.
But he knew clearly that his current strength could only shock some quasi-sages and provoke enemies who couldn't go all out due to his special status.
If he truly dared to defy the Heavenly Dao, let alone being a mid-grade Hunyuan Great Luo Golden Immortal, even a Saint would get hurt.
Moreover.
The Journey to the West tribulation offered him the most opportunities to court death, to shock others, and to alter karma.
It allowed him to gain immensely.
But it was also the biggest restriction!
"This Old Sun finally understands the helplessness under fate. Damn it, if I had known the Heavenly Dao had such a trick up its sleeve, I shouldn't have altered so much karma for Jin Chanzi back then."
"That way, although he would have become the verbose and cowardly Tang Monk, he could have later become the legitimate Candana Merit Buddha, with his strength no less than in his peak period."
"Now, it's all good. He won't become the verbose and cowardly Tang Monk, nor will he constrain this Old Sun as his eldest disciple, but his future is affected..."
"System, tell me honestly, if I help Tathagata recover and establish the娑婆净土 (Suo Po Pure Land), perhaps this restriction will be gone?"
"Didn't you say last time that Tathagata's demise might not be a bad thing? Once the 娑婆净土 is established, he might become the eighth Saint?"
Since transmigrating, this was the first time Sun Kong felt a sense of loss and despair. But then he remembered Tathagata, Mount Sakyamuni, and that 娑婆净土.
His eyes, however, regained some brilliance!
But the system's answer remained absolutely rational.
It left Sun Kong speechless!
"The 娑婆净土 is merely a territory surpassing Spirit Mountain and Lesser Vehicle Buddhism. Although it gives Tathagata a chance to become the eighth Saint, he is still under the Heavenly Dao."
"Please don't be overly naive, host. Honestly continue the Journey to the West tribulation. Admitting defeat to the Heavenly Dao this time means admitting that the remaining seventy-eight tribulations might be even harder."
"This system has just explained the first two harms. Now, I will tell you the third and most severe harm."
"I hope the host is psychologically prepared. Don't lose confidence in continuing to court death, continue to shock others, and continue to alter karma due to temporary setbacks."
With such a hint from the system, how could Sun Kong not know that the third harm would be the most unacceptable to him?
But things had come to this. As the system said, one must admit defeat when necessary. He couldn't assume that the subsequent eighty-one tribulations would be as smooth as the past five hundred years.
Doing so would not only underestimate the Heavenly Dao but also overestimate himself!
Thinking of this.
Sun Kong, who had felt despair just a moment ago, was instantly revived!
The system continued its truthful reply.
"Third, and the greatest harm, is that as time passes, the power of the restriction will grow stronger, causing the original Jin Chanzi to gradually forget his true nature and become the Tang Monk from the original timeline."
"This process is almost irreversible."
"For this process, ordinary Saints, and anyone below the Saint level, are powerless. To strive for even a less than 1% chance, one might have to seek other special avenues."
"Please do not blame yourself excessively or grieve too much because of this. This system has done its best, and the host has also done their best. This is Jin Chanzi's destiny!"
After this more human-like admonishment than ever before, the system seemed to sense Sun Kong's anger, powerlessness, indignation, and frustration.
It surprisingly and silently closed the communication.
Seeing this.
Sun Kong did not blame the system for its heartlessness. After all, it had truly done its best. However, as the two were about to reach Wuchao Mountain, he recalled the "other special avenues" mentioned by the system.
His eyes lit up slightly.
Wasn't the Earthly Dao Saint, Empress Houtu, a Saint yet different from ordinary Saints?
If the system's subsequent upgrade was successful.
And if the mystery of these tears could be thoroughly understood, perhaps there might be a sliver of a chance!
Thinking of this.
Sun Kong, who had been on the verge of despair, regained unprecedented confidence.
He no longer wasted words.
He strictly escorted Jin Chanzi all the way.
On the surface, he continued to comfort Jin Chanzi, saying that being a Tang Monk without primordial spirit cultivation was a rare training experience.
In secret, once the two reached Wuchao Mountain, Sun Kong, with the same enthusiasm he showed towards Wu Zhiqi and Zhou Wuxian, paved the way for Jin Chanzi.
Paved the way with what?
Of course, he used his most skilled "courting death" ability to find the Wuchao Chan Master, who was also injured but kept weeping, to clear the path!
...
Wuchao Mountain.
As the two landed.
The four Bodhisattvas inside were still attending to Wuchao Chan Master and the other two.
However, Sun Kong's booming voice from outside stunned all seven of them!
"Hey, Golden Crow bird in the mountains, come out and greet your guests."
"As the saying goes, a Chan Master who doesn't weep is not a good Chan Master. You only lost Wuchao Mountain, but my future master, Jin Chanzi, received merit rewards."
"He's much more miserable than you, isn't he?"
"If you don't come out to settle this karma, believe it or not, I, the acting Deputy Buddha, will make you compensate for your losses until you have nothing left!"
As soon as his voice fell.
Wuchao Chan Master and the others exploded!