"Yuqing Sage above, this unknown小子 would absolutely not dare to offend the Three Pure Ones without reason. This time, it was truly out of helplessness, and such a big misunderstanding arose, which is really regrettable."
"Actually, my original intention was not to bully anyone or make anyone cry. I truly just wanted to invite Little Laolai back to preside over the grand affairs of Spirit Mountain."
"Speaking of which, everyone here is intelligent. You all know my relationship with Little Laolai. I won't hide it. In the future journey to the West, it won't work without me, or without the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain."
"Especially, it absolutely cannot be without Little Laolai as the Buddha."
"What happened before was just a misunderstanding among our own family. We absolutely shouldn't have come here and affected you, the Yuqing Sage. For this, I am willing to swear that as long as you do not interfere in our internal affairs again, I will immediately disappear."
Sun Kong, despite his penchant for courting disaster and shocking others, still possessed a basic intellect.
It was true that he was currently a Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal.
It was true that with the system's help, he had obtained many spiritual treasures that others could not find even in a hundred million years.
It was true that he had once single-handedly challenged all the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain and the Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Court.
However, this minuscule power, when placed before figures like Tathagata, might allow him to contend with them, and with a bit of shamelessness, annoy them for a short while.
But for Sages like Yuanshi Tianzun, it was utterly meaningless.
The reason why Yuanshi Tianzun did not act was not because he was incapable, but because he did not dare. This was because there was still the Dao Ancestor, Patriarch Hongjun, above him.
Since Sun Kong knew this, he would not allow the conflict to escalate to an unmanageable point. Thus, immediately after speaking, he truly retreated.
A full hundred miles!
As he retreated, Sun Kong also retracted his Chaos Golden Cudgel, no longer bullying those eight Golden Immortals, each more useless than the last.
This attitude was his first since his transmigration.
Compared to Tathagata and the others who used indirect attacks, hired assassins, and uttered countless lies, and who, upon seeing the eight Golden Immortals in trouble, did not help but instead chuckled in secret.
This was simply too correct!
Upon seeing this, Yuanshi Tianzun, who was already deterred by Patriarch Hongjun's command and dared not truly attack, felt less pity for his eight disciples.
His interest in Sun Kong's knowledge of propriety and his possession of mysterious power, which he himself could not fathom, instantly surged!
"Guangchengzi, why are you eight not apologizing to Daoist Brother Sun?"
"What did I, your master, say just now?"
"I told you to go out and mediate, mediate, mediate. Mediation is important and was said four times, yet you understood it as a fight and an encirclement of Daoist Brother Sun."
"Now, look at you all, neglecting your duties and beaten into pigs. If I, your master, hadn't pleaded for you, you might already be dead."
"Are you not going to admit your mistake quickly, and then go back to diligently practice your cultivation?"
Yuanshi Tianzun's inconsistent double standards were truly unparalleled.
Hearing this, the eight Golden Immortals were on the verge of tears, wanting to curse but lacking the courage, wanting to fight but unable to, wanting to run but their legs felt weak. In the end, they could only be forced to endure their master's scolding.
They obediently dragged their injured bodies and broken spiritual treasures back to the backyard of Yuxu Palace, huddled together, and wept.
On the other side, seeing this scene, Tathagata and the others were also dumbfounded. They had originally thought that the Western Sect was malicious in that era, scheming against the Chan School and taking away the Four Great Bodhisattvas.
They had never expected it.
A large part of it was Yuanshi Tianzun's own doing!
"See? Deputy Buddha, this Yuanshi the second is just this outrageous, just this hypocritical. Back then, it really wasn't our fault for betraying him."
"If we had stayed, not only would we not have recovered and broken through, but we might have been the ones beaten and humiliated today, the four of us."
Guanyin and the other three muttered in low voices, their eyes showing no shame or guilt for their past betrayal, but rather a sense of smugness.
Seeing this, Randeng Buddha intended to advise them to keep a low profile and not provoke Yuanshi Tianzun's displeasure, but Tathagata, who had returned to the palace, had already signaled to them.
"Junior Brother Randeng, we cannot linger any longer. It seems the eight Golden Immortals cannot defeat Monkey Sun, and this Monkey Sun has not offended Yuanshi Tianzun. It is highly likely they have exchanged benefits."
"We should quickly run... I mean, move again."
"Alas, who would have thought that even Yuanshi Tianzun, who is one of the Three Pure Ones, has to consider Monkey Sun's attitude when speaking? Truly..."
As soon as he finished speaking.
Tathagata and the assembled Buddhas prepared to sneak away while Sun Kong and Yuanshi Tianzun were negotiating.
Unexpectedly.
They were discovered by Sun Kong the moment they took a step!
"Sage Yuqing, the gates of your Yuxu Palace are not sturdy enough. Thus, the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain can come and go as they please, receiving benefits without thanks, and having allies without offering support."
"I feel pity for them!"
"However, these are not the main points. To express my gratitude for your impartiality just now, Sage Yuqing, I am willing to make an exchange with you."
"On your side, you do not need to do anything, only maintain neutrality. From now on, you shall not accept any more disciples from Spirit Mountain and urge them to return home quickly."
"As for me, I have two gifts for you."
"One is to express my apologies to the eight Golden Immortals. I promise to find a way to help them repair the spiritual treasures they lost in the battle of misunderstanding just now."
"Perhaps, if possible, I will even make their spiritual treasures stronger, aiding them in recovering their strength sooner."
"The other is this Little Laolai."
"I hope Sage Yuqing will allow them to leave with me. From now on, the matter of the Journey to the West can still be discussed."
With Yuanshi Tianzun's clear neutral stance, Sun Kong naturally knew better how to negotiate now.
He saw.
This alternative Monkey Sun, Sun Kong, who possessed the dual traits of courting disaster and shocking others, was negotiating with Yuanshi Tianzun neither subserviently nor arrogantly, presenting his terms in an orderly and sensible manner.
At the same time, he was indeed demonstrating greater sincerity, offering the repair of spiritual treasures and the enhancement of strength as rewards, leaving Yuanshi Tianzun and the eight Golden Immortals speechless.
Finally.
He even managed to procure some residual dregs from his previous fusion from the system and tossed them one by one to the eight Golden Immortals, causing them to exclaim in astonishment upon seeing them.
"Master, this is the extraterrestrial star stone that you have been searching for for millions of years! It is an excellent material for repairing spiritual treasures."
"Master, my Nine Dragon Divine Fire Shield has a chance to be upgraded another grade. I never imagined that this demonic monkey... no, Daoist Brother Sun, even a piece of turf in his hand is a relic from the war between the Wu and Demon tribes!"
"With this, I can use wood to generate fire and enhance the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Shield. Wuwuwu, thank you Master, thank you Daoist Brother Sun. You were not injuring us just now, but educating us through hardship!"
"It was all done with great intentions!"
Before Sun Kong could personally help them repair their spiritual treasures, these eight individuals, holding the residual fragments, were exclaiming in amazement, which made Yuanshi Tianzun feel quite gratified.
However, it left Sun Kong somewhat bewildered.
As he had lived two lives, he knew that such matters should not be revealed. Thus, he did not continue discussing this topic but threw out his final bombshell.
"Regarding the restoration of the eight Golden Immortals' strength, as a junior, I am not talented, but I have a method called the 'Duo Mi Zhi Fa'..."