"Thank you for your help this time, little friend Sun. I, the supreme being, always keep my word. From now on, I will no longer interfere in the internal affairs of your Lesser Vehicle Buddhism and will remain absolutely neutral."
"However, your 'Wuhou Seven-Star Formation' is quite unique. How will my eldest disciple, Guangchengzi, find his own destiny?"
"It's not as if he needs to travel with you on the journey to the West to obtain scriptures, is it?"
As a Saint, Yuanshi Tianzun possessed a more mature mindset than others. He could let go of things easily, capable of ordering Puxian to deal with Sun Kong one moment and engaging in casual conversation with Sun Kong the next.
This quality might not be the sole key to achieving sainthood, but it was certainly something that later generations like Sun Kong could greatly benefit from.
However, Sun Kong, at this moment, was too preoccupied to ask Yuanshi Tianzun for advice or to interview him about his experiences as a Saint. He was, instead, amused by the latter's words.
Indeed.
Saints were no different from mortals.
When they were absolutely rational, Saints were eternally indestructible, neither born nor dead, and unconquerable by anyone.
But once emotions, especially the bond between master and disciple, were involved, they could inadvertently reveal a silly and adorable side!
"The Saint of Jade Purity is joking. While I can infer some of the opportunities related to the 'game' that Guangchengzi might encounter, I am not the Heavenly Dao, nor am I the Dao Ancestor."
"How could I possess such immense power to know the specific details?"
After a few lighthearted chuckles, Sun Kong once again addressed Guangchengzi and the others as fellow Daoists, making them accept his words regardless of their feelings. He then straightened his expression and spoke with seriousness.
"Furthermore, the eight of them are the fated individuals of the previous eon. The injuries they sustained are no trivial matter, and they can only be healed when the opportune moment arrives."
"Therefore, I, though untalented, have specially produced this Sun-Moon Qiankun Furnace to brew a pot of excellent soup, as a gesture of sincerity from my Lesser Vehicle Buddhism."
"It is said that this soup can even have a certain effect on Saints, though the effect diminishes as one's cultivation increases."
"Of course, this was brewed using my six decades of magical power, not something I picked up on the road."
"Offering it for free would surely displease you, making you feel I underestimated the Chan Sect."
"Charging too much would make me uneasy. You might not mind, but if it were to spread, it would tarnish my reputation."
"Therefore, a compromise seems best. One bowl of soup for one innate spiritual treasure. Ten bowls can be discounted by 10%, and twenty bowls by 20%."
"Due to the considerable cost, there will be no further discounts for more than twenty bowls. Do you think the Saint of Jade Purity finds this price acceptable?"
"Or perhaps, Daoist Guangchengzi could try it first?"
As he spoke, Sun Kong actually scooped a bowl of clear soup and offered it to Guangchengzi, who had just regained his senses.
"Big Guangzi, have some soup!"
Sun Kong grinned wickedly, appearing more like a schemer than a good monkey.
"How audacious!"
"You insolent monkey dare to force soup upon me! Aren't you afraid... Huh? Master, this soup is truly delicious! Moreover, it strengthens the body and truly accelerates the healing of my old ailments, making me feel more energetic."
"Boss... oh no, Brother Sun, may I ask if there's another free sample opportunity?"
Guangchengzi, who was about to scold Sun Kong, was instead sent into a tremor of comfort, pleasure, and bliss by the delicious clear soup poured into his mouth.
Three similar words were insufficient to describe his current sensation.
To force a comparison, it could only be said that this feeling of enlightenment was comparable to the very first time he was accepted as a disciple by Yuanshi Tianzun!
"The second bowl is definitely not free, Big Guangzi. Don't you have other innate spiritual treasures? Feel free to exchange them."
Sun Kong looked at Guangchengzi, who was gazing at him with admiration, and put on a merchant's expression. It wasn't truly about the meager value of a broken innate spiritual treasure, but rather an opportunity to foster good relations with the Chan Sect.
After all, speaking of spiritual treasures, although his quantity was not as great as before he broke through to the Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal realm, the few remaining were all top-tier and exquisite.
The Journey to the West Gatling, a half-step innate supreme treasure.
The Chaos Golden Cudgel, an exquisite innate spiritual treasure with the greatest total weight in the Great Desolation.
The Chaos Somesault Cloud, an exquisite innate spiritual treasure that could tenfold its speed with each somersault.
These three alone could rival any powerful being in the three realms of the Great Desolation, except for the seven Saints.
Furthermore.
There was the 'Wuhou Seven-Star Formation,' which was both a book and a divine ability. And then there was the Sun-Moon Qiankun Furnace, which, despite being a acquired merit spiritual treasure, had an effect comparable to a half-step innate supreme treasure.
Any one of these, if revealed, could trigger a struggle among experts within millions of miles.
Therefore, Sun Kong was not trading for a few spiritual treasures. Rather, he was doing this for the benefit of the Chan Sect's eight Golden Immortals, truly aiming for his own future good days!
"A performance that even shocked Yuanshi Tianzun at first sight."
"A furnace that, except for me, no one else can use."
"Coupled with the fact that it appears to be brewing soup, but in reality, it's a holy water refined by infusing a drop of my Pangu bloodline into a pot of plain water."
"To be able to win over Yuanshi the Second, and eight Golden Immortals who will eventually recover their peak strength, by doing this is an incredibly profitable deal, wouldn't you say?"
"Trading with them is much better than dealing with the demons, monsters, gods, and Buddhas of the Journey to the West eon. Many of them are already calculating against me in advance."
"As for the former, they originate from the orthodox lineage of the Three Pure Ones and must consider their reputation. I believe that even if they don't help in the future, they will at least provide me with some intelligence."
"To relinquish a little bit of blood, not even my original Pangu essence blood, in exchange for so many benefits, I am truly impressed with myself!"
Thinking this to himself, and upon returning to his senses, Sun Kong not only sold a pot of holy water to the eight Golden Immortals, making them quickly addicted and exchange their spiritual treasures one by one.
Only the most powerful spiritual treasures remained.
He then heard the sounds of swallowing from the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain behind him, the ordinary disciples of Jade Void Palace, and Yuanshi Tianzun himself, who was seated among the Saints.
Sun Kong quickly stepped forward and offered a bowl of soup to Yuanshi Tianzun as well.
"No, no, I cannot accept. I have already achieved sainthood. Eating immortal peaches or spiritual medicine is useless to me, and I don't wish to take advantage of you, little friend Sun."
"You should drink it yourself."
Yuanshi Tianzun said this verbally, seemingly unwilling and disbelieving of this holy water, but his eyes were fixed on the objects floating in the bowl, which appeared to be both chaotic and innate.
His heart was greatly stirred.
His primordial spirit trembled.
He was utterly overwhelmed!
Seeing this, Sun Kong showed no pretense and truly used this bowl of soup to achieve the effect of nourishing Yin and tonifying the Kidney.
Nourishing Yin?
This was for the eight Golden Immortals to drink, allowing them to recover more energy, have more confidence in the future, and hold Sun Kong, the master of soup, in even greater reverence!
Tonifying the Saint?
This was naturally for Yuanshi Tianzun to take a shallow sip.
Upon doing so, the second of the Three Pure Ones instantly radiated an aura of immense power, soaring to the heavens. It was as if he had...
Purified his magic power, which had remained unchanged for hundreds of millions of years.
This caused his cultivation, which could no longer be improved, to increase by an immeasurable fraction, an unparalleled miracle in the Great Desolation!