It turned out that this inconspicuous monkey hair was deliberately left by Sun Kong and Xing Tian during their enjoyable conversation, as a clue.
The original intention was not to probe whether Patriarch Hongjun would send someone to inquire about the Heavenly Way.
More importantly, he wanted to see if Luo Hou, who had given him the terrain map last time, would enter.
But he didn't expect.
He actually got such a result.
The person who entered the bottomless pit after Sun Kong was not Luo Hou.
But Zhen Yuanzi!
And.
Zhen Yuanzi did not enter alone, but carried certain Heavenly Way auras, clearly acting on orders!
"Indeed, good deeds don't go beyond the door, but bad deeds spread a thousand miles. Luo Hou noticed the bottomless pit because this brat was originally one of the demon clan, eager to find Xing Tian and join forces."
"But according to what Xing Tian said last time, he seemed to have refused him."
"But now, even Zhen Yuanzi... Hmm, it seems that I, Old Sun, really caught a dead rat with a blind cat this time. This situation shows that the Heavenly Way and Patriarch Hongjun are indeed very wary of Xing Tian recovering."
"Otherwise, why would Zhen Yuanzi make such a trip?"
"It's just that, even they wouldn't have thought that long before Zhen Yuanzi, Luo Hou and I had already been there, and had heard some unfavorable news about them."
"If Xing Tian hadn't said it, I, Old Sun, would have truly trusted the Heavenly Way."
"Thinking about it now, this Heavenly Way is just a collection of will that controls the Great Desolation World. It can be it or not. It is very possible that it caused many kalpas in the past to weaken others and strengthen itself."
"But I can't confront it directly for now, I'll take it one step at a time."
"Anyway, there are only seventy trials left in this Journey to the West kalpa!"
With this thought, Sun Kong no longer felt so heavy and pessimistic, but inexplicably became optimistic and relaxed.
Thinking that all the saints of the heavens were arranged by them, besides the Heavenly Way and the Demonic Way, why should he, a mere ant below a quasi-saint, worry too much in advance.
It would be better to make full use of the existing resources and advantages to accumulate more Heavenly Merit and Journey to the West Merit.
The troubles of the future can be dealt with in the future.
He absolutely cannot let it affect his current leisure and joy!
With this thought, Sun Kong not only had no burden on his mind, but became even more cheerful and confident.
In the following years, besides guarding Jin Chanzi during the day, leading the White Dragon Horse in its Nezha version, and taking the Six Ding Six Jia, he continued towards Fuling Mountain.
At night, he also took time to scout ahead.
This was partly to prevent some ignorant guys from blocking the way and seeking death.
It was also to ensure that among the three major forces of the Demonic Alliance, apart from Luo Hou who still kept his word, not bothering him when he said he wouldn't, and letting him off the hook when he said he would, the other two would strike at any time.
Fortunately.
From Guanyin Zen Garden to the halfway point, they did not encounter the subordinates of the Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Court or the Sect Master Tongtian of the Jie Sect.
Nor did they encounter the henchmen of other demons and monsters.
Instead, the journey was so peaceful that it became somewhat boring.
Seeing this.
Sun Kong took a little time and, during these years of respite, accomplished several seemingly insignificant but rather meaningful things.
The first.
He returned to New Huaguo Mountain and met General Ba, Marshal Ma, and Marshal Liu one by one, and briefly inquired about the situation of his hometown and the neighboring Spirit Mountain Buddhas in recent decades.
According to the reports of the three.
After Sun Kong officially joined the Journey to the West in the eighth trial, New Huaguo Mountain did not slack off but trained day and night, always on guard.
The current million monkeys and grandchildren, it is safe to say that their progress is not rapid, but at least they are improving by leaps and bounds.
They are stronger and more robust than before.
As for the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain, because of the great battle between humans and demons in the mortal world during the eighth trial, more than half of the three thousand Buddhas fled, and those remaining suffered heavy casualties.
The Buddhas of Spirit Mountain now are much more obedient and sensible than before.
"Reporting to the King, except for Guanyin and the other four Bodhisattvas, who have been frequently entering and exiting the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss for some unknown reason, Patriarch Randeng has been much more well-behaved than before."
"Besides bringing us delicious food and drink from time to time to comfort the army, he also takes time to preach Buddhist teachings to us."
"From his words, it seems he regrets not being on better terms with you back then, and although his Buddhist teachings are not as good as Shakyamuni's, they have some merit after being verified by Shakyamuni."
"As for the more than two hundred remaining Buddhas, many of them have died or are disabled due to the poison of Patriarch Minghe. Others are not at ease staying in Spirit Mountain."
"It's not that we look down on them, but the situation is like this. We are truly worried that one day, when Your Majesty goes west to retrieve the scriptures, there will be hardly anyone left in Spirit Mountain, so how can the scriptures be retrieved?"
Hearing the words of the three, Sun Kong almost burst out laughing, and then he felt the huge changes brought about by the rise of the Demonic Way to the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain.
Putting aside other things.
More than half of the three thousand Buddhas fled and have not returned, which shows that Patriarch Randeng may indeed regret it, but given his status, he cannot surrender to him immediately.
As for how the scriptures will be retrieved from Spirit Mountain and Thunderclap Monastery in the future.
Sun Kong knew without asking.
This matter likely happened after his first rift with the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain, and the Heavenly Mandate had already shifted. The true scriptures to be obtained in the future.
Most likely, they will no longer be from the Thunderclap Monastery.
But from Shakyamuni!
After all, with the Tathagata present, the Thunderclap Monastery is Spirit Mountain.
Without the Tathagata, it is just a place for farting!
"You three should guard our homeland well."
"In the future, I, Old Sun, will reward you. I, Old Sun, am leaving. See you again in the future!"
Seeing that everything in New Huaguo Mountain was going well, Sun Kong was about to float away.
Next.
He accomplished three things in succession.
The first was to send a bowl of holy water soup to Patriarch Randeng, trying to win him over.
The second was to send a monkey hair clone to Wuzhuang Guan, representing himself, to have a simple reunion with Zhen Yuanzi, and also to indirectly inquire that he was indeed the one who went to the bottomless pit last time.
The third.
And the last thing.
Sun Kong used the "Marquis of Wu Seven Stars Formation" to shield the Heavenly Secrets and met Shakyamuni briefly. Before he could even mention the decline of the Thunderclap Monastery, he saw from those wiser and more Buddha-natured eyes a Heavenly Mandate similar to his own calculations.
It turns out.
Just as he had predicted, with the Tathagata reincarnated as Shakyamuni, and with Shakyamuni staying in seclusion for longer and having more Buddha-nature in his eyes.
In the future, the true destination of their master and disciple's journey to retrieve the scriptures was long no longer Spirit Mountain.
But New Huaguo Mountain, with Shakyamuni.
It can be said that it began and ended in New Huaguo Mountain!