As the New Six-Eared Macaque was busy colluding with the Master of the Heavenly Teaching, the Sage of Supreme Purity, Tongtian Jiaozhu, and also communicating with his three junior brothers, Ancestor Minghe, Ancestor Huangquan, and Ancestor Youming.
On the New Flower Fruit Mountain, as Laozi, Jieyin Daoren, and Zhunti Daoren successively sent people to take away their registered disciples.
The scene of hundreds of billions of people feasting on Sun Kong's resources finally eased up.
Among the 36.5 billion living beings:
Yuanshi Tianzun sent people to take away several million.
Laozi sent people to take away a few thousand.
Jieyin Daoren sent people to pick up 10 billion.
Zhunti Daoren sent the Peacock Great Bright King to take away a few hundred.
Ran Deng Buddha also took back several hundred million Buddha children and grandchildren.
In addition, Zhenyuanzi, as the Ancestor of Earth Immortals, had considerable influence.
With a single command, more than a billion people from the vicinity of Wuzhuang Temple withdrew.
Thus.
In the end.
When Sun Kong woke up one morning, he was thinking about how to deal with the uninvited guests who couldn't be offended or driven away.
General Ba reported.
Two pieces of good news.
The first, a small one, was that with everyone's efforts, a portion of the crowd had been digested.
The number of people surrounding the New Flower Fruit Mountain had decreased by one-third.
Although this number was still quite daunting.
It was much better than the previous over 30 billion people, each mouth consuming nearly a hundred billion steamed buns every morning.
The second, a big one, was related to the future Sha Wujing, who was captured by Nezha and handed over to Sun Kong by Yuanshi Tianzun to deal with. Currently, he was the Curtain Lifting General.
He had finally been disciplined enough to become obedient, not only agreeing to go to the Flowing Sands River as the future Sha Wujing according to Sun Kong's instructions, waiting for Sun Kong and Jin Chanzi to meet him.
To journey west together.
However, if Sun Kong did not agree to this plan, he could also hand over the foundation of the Journey to the West opportunity to Sun Kong's third brother, Zhou Wuxian, to replace him.
Moreover, because this fellow had not yet truly become the dull Sha Wujing, his thoughts were still quite open. He had not formally taken a master yet but was already extremely respectful towards Sun Kong.
He called Sun Kong "Brother Sun" and "Eldest Brother" one after another.
All that was missing were the grand ceremony, the burning of incense, and the sworn brotherhood!
"Great King, our situation has finally improved somewhat. Why not take advantage of this moment and make a decision quickly?"
"The people outside, we can't afford to offend them, so we can hide."
"At worst, we can return to the old Flower Fruit Mountain, and the brothers will not complain."
"As long as you are here, with the Second King and Third King, and countless monkey grandchildren, this is Flower Fruit Mountain. Where do we need to rely on the Spirit Mountain for sustenance?"
"As for this Sha Wujing, there's no need to say more. You understand him better than I do. He's much easier to deal with than others. As long as the Great King doesn't mistreat him, and also, he asks the Great King to rescue his eighteen wives."
General Ba continued to persuade Sun Kong not to focus solely on Spirit Mountain and forget the vastness of the Great Desolate Three Realms. As long as they were united, they could establish their territory anywhere.
Unexpectedly.
Sun Kong, who had no time to pay attention to anything else, burst into laughter upon hearing that Sha Wujing had eighteen wives!
"What are you laughing at, Great King?"
"Sha Wujing, oh no, the Curtain Lifting General, oh no, let's just call him Sha Wujing, the future Great King Sha, he really said that."
"If you don't agree to accept him, I'll still call him the Curtain Lifting General."
"For this, he has already given me the foundation of his Journey to the West opportunity. If you don't believe me, I can show you. With this thing, our Third King..."
General Ba was too straightforward and didn't grasp the point of Sun Kong's hearty laughter. Helplessly, he actually produced a foundation of opportunity belonging to Sha Wujing.
This time, like when Zhu Yishi abdicated, it was a drop of vital blood from the depths of Sha Wujing's primordial spirit.
With this, Sun Kong had completed another important task progress.
Although his third brother, Zhou Wuxian, had not returned yet because he was protecting Jin Chanzi, Sun Kong knew very well that he was now in a winning position.
The four disciples and one horse of the Journey to the West.
Except for the Jade Dragon Third Prince, the future Little White Dragon, who had not yet been successfully captured by Yang Jian, the future Tang Monk, the future Sun Wukong, the future Zhu Bajie, and the future Sha Wujing were all present.
It could be said that only one of the five was missing, and success was in sight!
"General Ba, you don't need to be so serious. I was just joking with you. I never expected that Sha Wujing behind 'Journey to the West' would be so promiscuous."
Sun Kong's words dispelled General Ba's many doubts and anxieties, making him finally realize that his Great King was not mocking him or anyone else.
He was simply amused by the Curtain Lifting General's eighteen wives.
Even now, he was still laughing uncontrollably.
"Eighteen wives? Oh my, I really don't know what he was thinking. Knowing that he was demoted to the mortal world and was waiting for the Tang Monk ten lifetimes later to escort him to the West to seek scriptures, he still married so many?"
"No wonder, in the end, only Tang Monk and Sun Wukong became Buddhas, Zhu Bajie was the Altar Cleanser, Sha Wujing was a Golden Arhat, and the Little White Dragon joined the Eight Divisions of Heavenly Dragons."
"Among the five masters and disciples, the last three suffered a lot of hardship, but there was a huge gap. It seems it wasn't entirely my little Laolai's favoritism, but also their own lack of ability."
"The Little White Dragon's background was too humble. Although he was the Third Prince of the West Sea Dragon King in the eyes of mortals, in the eyes of the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain, he was worse than the three thousand Revealers."
"Zhu Bajie was greedy and lazy, and Sha Wujing was dull and ignorant... But under my deployment, I believe these issues can be changed!"
Hearing his Great King still chuckling, General Ba couldn't help but laugh a few times. Then he saw Sun Kong's eyes narrow as he pondered how to deal with the now useless Curtain Lifting General.
Kill him?
Too cruel, too inconsistent with the style of the future Victorious Fighting Buddha.
Let him go?
That wouldn't work either. He had to wait for his third brother, Zhou Wuxian, to return and obtain this foundation of opportunity before considering letting the Curtain Lifting General go.
Then, finally.
The only solution Sun Kong could think of was to not let him go for now, but keep him by his side under surveillance. As long as he didn't run away and the Jade Emperor didn't come to arrest him, there would be no problem.
Thus.
He gave instructions to General Ba and told him to relay to the Curtain Lifting General that when he had time, he would find a way to rescue his eighteen wives who were still in the Heavenly Court.
Upon hearing this, General Ba, without any hesitation, went to find the Curtain Lifting General.
After he walked away.
Sun Kong continued to consider his next arrangements.
It was not good to stay in the New Flower Fruit Mountain, so he would follow General Ba's advice and move. Since he was fast, he wouldn't worry about not having a place to settle.
It wouldn't delay the reward for the Journey to the West.
As for other aspects, what concerned him most was the whereabouts of the Jade Dragon Third Prince and the future completion of the Journey to the West tribulation together.
"I have arrived. The Heavenly Dao has changed, the new Heavenly Mandate has shifted, and the Ancestor of Dao has also changed accordingly. The various Sages and powerful figures have also undergone new transformations."
"We must also take this seriously!"
With this thought, Sun Kong had a plan!