That's right.
The Book of Earth, which should have protected Zhenyuanzi, seemed extremely intelligent to activate automatically. Yet, it didn't protect Zhenyuanzi, nor did it attack Sun Kong or trap him.
It was supposed to provide him with various conveniences for subsequent attacks.
Instead, it made a move that was impossible for anyone in the Primordial Three Realms to comprehend.
It struggled free from Zhenyuanzi's grasp and defected to Sun Kong, like a wanderer who had been away from home for many years, seeing his parents.
Immensely happy.
Extremely willing.
It also caused immense humiliation to Zhenyuanzi, boosted Sun Kong's prestige, and left the Six Saints and others utterly shocked and bewildered!
...
Jin'ao Island.
Biyou Palace.
Taishang Laojun, who moments before had hoped for Sun Kong and Zhenyuanzi to perish together, was dumbfounded.
Even for a shrewd manipulator like him, who formed alliances left and right, he couldn't understand the Book of Earth's actions at this moment, nor could he figure out why Zhenyuanzi, a quasi-saint, had such terrible luck.
Not only could he not save his disciple.
His left arm was gone.
He wanted to use his own Book of Earth to save face and continue acting cool, but even that didn't work.
This was too tragic, wasn't it?
"This Sun Monkey is terrifyingly powerful, and he has so many secrets. Was the Holy Water Soup from last time less than a tenth of his secrets?"
"Was my previous cooperation with him on the surface, while secretly colluding with the demon realm's new Sixth Ear and the Heavenly Emperor, a wrong move?"
...
Western Teachings.
Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Daoist Jieyin maintained his usual pained expression, devoid of joy or sorrow, only endless compassion. However, upon seeing the Book of Earth betray Zhenyuanzi and defect to Sun Kong,
his lips curved into a slight smile.
His junior brother, Daoist Zhunti, who sat opposite him, had a much more expressive face.
He jumped for joy on the spot!
"Senior Brother, did you see? Did you realize? Do you understand?"
"I told you long ago that cooperating with our junior sister Nuwa back then and having Tathagata execute this plan was definitely the right move. You weren't convinced, but now you can finally see the benefits!"
"Although we can't understand the encounters this Sun Monkey has, it doesn't matter. He successfully overcame his first trial against the Heavenly Dao."
"His second trial, where he mobilized Wuzhiqi and others, and temporarily allied with He Xiangu and Guangchengzi, was a perfect maneuver by a master operator!"
"Not to mention, he's currently toying with and bullying Zhenyuanzi, whom even you and I wouldn't bet on winning. This matter clearly shows his power."
"From now on, our investment in him cannot be reduced; it can only increase."
"Furthermore, if this incident angers the demon realm and the Heavenly Court, causing them to continue their actions, you and I cannot remain passive observers; we must act immediately!"
Hearing his junior brother's words, Daoist Jieyin remained noncommittal, his gaze holding a mixture of surprise and curiosity. What kind of changes and encounters had Sun Kong experienced at the moment he received Taibai Jinxing's amnesty offer,
that even they, as Saints, couldn't fathom?
...
Wa Huang Palace.
Mother of the Human Race.
Empress Nuwa, who moments before was worried about her beloved son Sun Kong causing trouble and not being able to handle the fallout, now displayed a loving smile like an old mother.
In this smile,
half was relief after tension,
and the other half was a comforting pride in her son Sun Kong, who, despite his increasingly reckless actions, always seemed to be thoroughly prepared before each dangerous endeavor.
It had to be said.
Sun Kong's bloodline, half demon and half Buddhist, was truly remarkable.
This point even surpassed the ancient demon race she belonged to.
It also made this Empress Nuwa see a blend of the personalities of the ancient demon emperors Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi, her elder brother Fuxi, and the demon master Kunpeng.
This naturally filled her with deep emotion!
"Elder Brother Fuxi, are you in Huoyun Cave seeing how powerful and driven our descendant, Kong Kong, has become? Can you finally be at peace?"
"Demon Emperors Dijun and Donghuang Taiyi, who died with hatred and resentment, now can they finally find peace?"
Thinking of this, Empress Nuwa's mind conjured images of those from the ancient demon race whose fates were different from hers.
Until she remembered another person, as cunning as Sun Kong, the demon master Kunpeng, her eyes held no tears, no sentimentality, and no joy.
Only a certain unspoken, yet eternally etched, hatred.
She also glanced towards the Demon Master Palace in the Northern Sea, located in the far north of Beiju Luzhou in the Earthly Immortal Realm, feeling only disdain.
It was as if, among the four emperor-level experts of the ancient demon race, Kunpeng was the one she disliked the most. And with Sun Kong's brilliant performance this time, she planned to have Sun Kong deal with this traitor in the future!
...
Miro Heaven.
Jade Void Palace.
Yuanshi Tianzun was once again shocked by Sun Kong's god-tier maneuvers. It wasn't just because his Journey to the West Gatling was more powerful than before, capable of breaking Zhenyuanzi's physical body.
It was even more so because the Book of Earth, which even his Pangu Banner had to exert its full power to breach its defenses, was now assisting Sun Kong in reverse.
It was simply miraculous!
"This young friend Sun is not bad."
"Cooperating with him, this humble one has gained more than a little. But my desires are not great; I only hope that after this incident, my eldest disciple Guangchengzi can truly recover his cultivation and reach new heights."
"My Chan Sect should also be revitalized."
...
Xuandu Heaven.
Eight Views Palace.
Laozi had initially thought that Sun Kong's counterattack against Zhenyuanzi was an event with a very low probability. Even if it succeeded, he wouldn't be able to inflict too much damage on Zhenyuanzi.
After all, there was a gap in their absolute strength.
Unexpectedly.
In this moment, he was amused by the Book of Earth's betrayal. Besides the usual shock he felt in similar situations, his eyes held a hint of contemplation that other Saints lacked!
"Well done, Great Sage Sun."
"Well done, Five-Colored Stone combined with Mani Pearl, and then this Journey to the West Gatling. This monkey truly becomes more shocking and surprising."
"Back then, I used my evil clone Li Er to bestow upon him the Fiery Eyes Golden Gaze and strengthen his body. I thought it was my favor, and he would surely repay me in the future."
"But looking at it now, the mere Fiery Eyes Golden Gaze is nothing. His encounters are numerous, and the treasures he has obtained far exceed the Fiery Eyes Golden Gaze and my imagination."
"However, I still never imagined that the Book of Earth, which even we Six Saints find difficult to influence, would be so subservient to him."
"Could it be that, besides his body being formed from the Five-Colored Stone, he truly has a connection with the three thousand demon gods from before Pangu created heaven and earth?"
"Could it be that the Dao Ancestor also avoided this matter prematurely, not daring to provoke trouble?"
...
On Zhenyuanzi's side, he was completely bewildered. He couldn't summon back the Book of Earth using various incantations and spells.
He was almost on the verge of collapse!
At the same time.
Two other individuals saw this scene and were both greatly astonished!
"What is this Journey to the West Gatling of his?"
Ancestral Patriarch Hongjun, hidden in the void of chaos, was once again shocked, losing more hair.
"He actually possesses the Journey to the West Gatling, isn't this my..."
The Demon Saint was equally shocked!