As Sun Kong adventurerly displayed the nine drops of Pangu's essence blood, Xing Tian, who had been calm and Buddhist-like only moments before, became more excited than anyone.
"Pangu's essence blood!"
"You kid really have Pangu's essence blood. This is the most powerful testament to Great God Pangu, bar none. It should have vanished along with him after he created the heavens and earth, but who would have thought..."
"Alas, so many past events, all lost to the winds of time. Who would have imagined that after the immeasurable kalpas, it would be brought back by a Great Sage Sun? Heaven, fate indeed."
"Hahahaha. This is truly a great fortune for my Wu Clan, a great fortune for your Yao Clan, and the blessed protection of Pangu Great God's spirit in the heavens."
"Wuwu, it's a pity. My brothers and sisters who once fought with me in all directions and guarded the four seas are all gone, not a single one remains."
As if recalling many past events, Xing Tian became so emotional that he could barely act.
In his expression, there was recollection, emotion, anger, defiance, as well as boldness, generosity, and even a touch of self-mockery and self-pity that Sun Kong couldn't quite understand.
In short.
Seeing Xing Tian so distraught, revealing his truest emotions one by one, Sun Kong knew, even without asking, that his gamble this time had paid off.
As expected.
With these nine drops of Pangu's essence blood as collateral, Xing Tian, who already held Sun Kong in high regard, became even more respectful, and his tone softened.
However, he did not directly answer Sun Kong's questions, nor did he directly tell him the so-called Pangu secret.
Instead, after a gentle sigh, he made a bet with Sun Kong.
What was the bet?
It was whether Sun Kong could meet Xing Tian's requirements before the end of the Journey to the West kalpa, to make him speak. The minimum condition for this was:
Sun Kong must break through to the Great Perfection of Quasi-Sage!
"Great Perfection of Quasi-Sage?"
"Senior Xing Tian, isn't this a joke too big? You must know that including my little Lai Lai, there are only nine Quasi-Sages in the present Primordial World, and not a single one is at Great Perfection."
"Elder, have you forgotten reality after being cooped up for so many years? How about we change the condition?"
Sun Kong was usually confident and willing to court death by challenging various limits, but when he heard Xing Tian's demand to break through to the Great Perfection of Quasi-Sage before he would truly speak, he was dumbfounded on the spot.
However, after his explanation, Xing Tian seemed to understand a bit more and no longer insisted on such a high requirement.
He lowered it to the Early Stage of Quasi-Sage, and as Sun Kong confidently agreed, a light that no one could understand shone in his eyes.
"Even though this immeasurable kalpa hasn't arrived, and only a few kalpas have passed, can Heaven's Will and Old Man Hongjun really mess things up so badly?"
"Truly strange."
"Back in the day, besides the Twelve Ancestral Witches who were on par with Saints, the Primordial World was filled with Quasi-Sages from all factions, and there were quite a few at Great Perfection. Who would have thought that there are none now?"
"How is this Heaven's Will managed?"
"And what exactly does that Old Man Hongjun want to do? Back then, he mediated the Wu-Yao war with all the Saints, and this is the result?"
Sun Kong couldn't understand why Xing Tian suddenly shifted his anger to Heaven's Will and Patriarch Hongjun, but he could vaguely sense that the inside story of the ancient Wu-Yao war was far more complex than described in the web novels from Blue Star.
Furthermore.
The most crucial point was that perhaps during the Wu-Yao era, Heaven's Will, Patriarch Hongjun, all the Saints, etc., were not as cold-blooded, ruthless, and high above as they are now.
Because even Xing Tian, a Great Witch who was not an Ancestral Witch, dared to call them by name.
This showed that the Wu Clan and Yao Clan of that era possessed unimaginable strength, even on par with Saints and Heaven's Will.
But what happened later that led to the fall of most of the Wu and Yao, Heaven's Will becoming supreme and infallible, and Patriarch Hongjun colluding with Heaven's Will?
And the Saints, who originally dared not look directly at the Twelve Ancestral Witches, now casually spout about demons and monsters?
The secret behind this was undoubtedly no less significant than the Pangu secrets, and naturally, Sun Kong secretly planted a seed of intention from this moment on.
For now, he had to continue the Journey to the West.
But in the future, he would definitely come to seek guidance.
Not for any other reason.
It was to prevent Heaven's Will and the Demonic Path from finding a way to eliminate them after the Journey to the West kalpa, as both he and Luo Hou possessed Pangu's bloodline.
It was also for the future Pure Land of Saha and the position he could have retired with, the Victorious Fighting Buddha!
"It truly fits the saying 'The vast Yangtze River flows eastward, how many waves wash away heroes.' Even the once powerful and invincible Wu and Yao clans are gone. I wonder if my retirement position can truly be secured."
"Forget it, forget it, let's get back to the main topic."
"Even a handsome and talented person like me finds it difficult to break through to the Early Stage of Quasi-Sage. I'll leave these worries for the future and ask Xing Tian more clearly then."
With this thought in mind, Sun Kong no longer lingered and chatted with Xing Tian for a few more words, finalizing future matters.
He then respectfully bowed and withdrew.
As he left, he picked up the unconscious Guanyin Bodhisattva with his left hand, and with his right, he casually pointed a finger, subduing the Black Bear Spirit on the other side of Black Wind Mountain.
Afterwards.
Without even waiting for Jin Chanzi and his group to arrive at Guanyin's Chan Monastery, he flew in directly, demoting everyone except Elder Jin Chi to mortals, no longer allowing them to tarnish the reputation of Buddhism in the name of Guanyin's descendants.
As for Elder Jin Chi, even though he had not truly stolen the kasaya, Sun Kong disliked him intensely and beat him to death with a single blow.
Thus, he was transcended.
Thus, the tenth trial, which was originally insignificant, of the night being burned, and the eleventh trial, of losing the kasaya, were resolved inexplicably.
The speed of resolution was so fast that Jin Chanzi exclaimed in admiration.
Finally.
Heaven's Will appeared and gave the merit rewards that were due, but because the content worth praising was truly too little, it was not given in great quantities.
Sun Kong and Jin Chanzi each received dozens of points of Heaven's Will merit and thousands of points of Journey to the West merit.
It could be considered better than nothing.
...
The day after the tenth and eleventh trials were resolved.
Sun Kong and his party rose early, ate their fill, and without even glancing back at the ruined Guanyin Chan Monastery, they continued on their journey.
Because the next trial, the twelfth trial, was related to subduing Bajie and his second brother, Wu Zhiqi.
Sun Kong was full of anticipation.
And he had already made deductions on the way.
But the result surprised him!
"Good heavens, after the great battle of the eighth trial, it was finally peaceful for three trials. I thought you would all settle down."
"Who would have thought that you would even dare to interfere with the twelfth trial of my second brother, Wu Zhiqi?"
"Well done, truly well done. Since you all want to come, let's make it a grand showdown. This Old Sun doesn't mind killing again!"