This was a magnificent play, devoid of melon seeds, cola, or Sprite, yet it brought immense joy and comfort to Sun Wukong and his disciples.
Even.
Sun Wukong, the progenitor of entertainment, took it upon himself to become the commentator, eager to witness more thrilling scenes. As the Buddhist forces of Spirit Mountain and the Yellow Wind Ridge faction clashed below, he began his narration.
"Spectators, please observe closely. The underdog on the left is our fellow cultivator, Huang Guai. On the right are the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain. Yes, you heard correctly. Spirit Mountain, which suffered heavy losses in the previous Human-Demon War in the mortal realm, has gathered its forces once more."
"Truly a cockroach that cannot be killed. I, Old Sun, am impressed."
"Speaking of which, Patriarch Burning Lamp has broken through to the Low-grade Quasi-Saint realm, his power greatly enhanced. I wonder how Huang Feng Guai and his companions will cope."
"Does he not know that Patriarch Burning Lamp's most formidable weapons are his Life Spirit Lamp, his Heaven and Earth Ruler, and his more than twenty Dinghai Pearls?"
"This is becoming quite perilous."
"Although I don't know who pilfered his Dinghai Pearls back then, it is rumored that each individual pearl, when used alone, is a Congenital Spiritual Treasure of immense power."
"I, Old Sun, am genuinely concerned for fellow cultivator Huang Feng Guai!"
Sun Wukong's words, if left unspoken, would have merely been the ramblings of an onlooker, and no one would have blamed him.
However, once uttered.
The situation on the ground immediately shifted!
Below, Huang Feng Guai, Patriarch Burning Lamp, and the others were all simultaneously exasperated and speechless. They had fought hard, expecting a swift victory, only to find themselves unwittingly performing for Sun Wukong.
Of course.
Even within this charade, there were varying purposes, allegiances, and perceptions.
Patriarch Burning Lamp and his group, despite being toyed with by Sun Wukong multiple times, were not fools. Hearing his words, they understood that beyond mere amusement, Sun Wukong intended to aid Huang Feng Guai in his counterattack.
In an instant, their fury erupted!
While he had never dared to openly confront Sun Wukong before, this time, he finally unleashed his anger.
And it was a torrent!
"Great Sage Sun, watching the spectacle is one thing, but why must you remind these heretical fiends? Have you forgotten that we of Spirit Mountain have also aided you?"
"It is not that I, this Buddha, am unwilling to grant you, the Deputy Buddha, face. If you were to quietly watch, I would not hold it against you once I have dealt with Huang Feng Guai and the others."
"Otherwise, do not blame me, Burning Lamp, for turning hostile. You may not be aware, but this expedition has the personal approval of the two Sages of the West. I have brought my forces to help you overcome tribulations and to earn merit rewards."
"Offending me, Burning Lamp, alone is of little consequence."
"Could it be that because you have successfully overcome the previous tribulations, you dare to look down upon our small vehicle Buddhist sect of Spirit Mountain, and consequently, also look down upon the great vehicle Buddhist sect represented by Bodhisattva Lingji?"
As Patriarch Burning Lamp spoke, his pent-up anger towards Sun Wukong, which had been simmering for a long time, exploded forth, amplified by his Low-grade Quasi-Saint cultivation.
Indeed.
It possessed a terrifying pressure that made even those around them turn pale!
"What Bodhisattva Lingji said is very true."
"Great Sage Sun, Deputy Buddha Sun, if you will not help, then at the very least, do not spectate while aiding the enemy. Otherwise, I, Lingji, though untalented, can speak on behalf of our Great Vehicle Buddhist sect."
"This position of Deputy Buddha can be yours, or it can be given to someone else. If you insist on opposing Spirit Mountain, you are opposing the Great Vehicle Buddhist sect, and the Western Teachings."
"The price for this is not something you alone can bear, nor, I suspect, can your backer, Zen Master Wu Chao, or the Eight Immortals of the Chan sect."
"These words may not be pleasant, but my meaning is clear. Fellow cultivators, let us accelerate the defeat of the Yellow Wind Ridge faction, the thirteenth and fourteenth tribulations. We must not allow outsiders to mock us further!"
As expected.
With the backing of Patriarch Burning Lamp, a Low-grade Quasi-Saint, the members of both the small and great vehicle Buddhist sects now stood straighter.
Not only did they dare to retort to Sun Wukong face-to-face, showing him no respect, but they even threatened to revoke his Deputy Buddha position.
There was even a sense that from this point onwards, they would no longer kowtow to Sun Wukong's whims.
Upon hearing this.
Golden Cicada's expression flickered slightly.
Wu Zhiqi almost lashed out on the spot to teach Bodhisattva Lingji a lesson.
Nezha also observed a different side of the Spirit Mountain Buddhas, feeling a sense of unease.
Only Sun Wukong himself remained unfazed by the threats. Instead, he let out a cold laugh, realizing that Bodhisattva Lingji and Patriarch Burning Lamp were planning to turn against him after this event.
On the surface, he had nothing to fear. He simply smiled faintly and continued his commentary.
This time.
He seemed to have found a thrill in courting disaster.
However, with Huang Feng Guai, an outsider, still present, he was in no hurry to directly confront Patriarch Burning Lamp and Bodhisattva Lingji. He could still provide assistance from the sidelines!
"Well said, Bodhisattva Lingji!"
"Well said, Patriarch Burning Lamp!"
"Good, very good. You have long wanted to expose your true intentions to me, Old Sun, but lacked the power and opportunity. This is as good as any."
"Bring forth whatever skills you have. If I, Old Sun, utter a single word of fear, I shall be your spawn."
"Oh, and allow me to add one more thing: I was the one who took that Dinghai Pearl back then. If anyone is displeased, come at me."
"As far as I know, these Dinghai Pearls are irreplaceable. Do not miss this opportunity."
"Of course, how you proceed is your business. We will watch, and you will fight. Do not stop!"
A single remark from Sun Wukong, the progenitor of entertainment, caused Patriarch Burning Lamp and his group to erupt once more.
They knew Sun Wukong was disobedient and would not back down, that he would pick a fight.
But they never imagined that Sun Wukong, upon seeing Patriarch Burning Lamp's advancement to Low-grade Quasi-Saint and the renewed assault with elite forces from both sides, would dare to provoke them at this juncture.
Truly unprecedented!
It was sheer, unadulterated suicidal behavior!
"This Monkey King, we cannot indulge him any longer. Later, we will make him pay!"
"Who does he think he is?"
Bodhisattva Lingji, who had never fought Sun Wukong before, thought to himself.
He was about to signal Patriarch Burning Lamp, Guanyin Bodhisattva, and the others to cooperate later, when he realized that apart from Patriarch Burning Lamp, everyone else, faced with Sun Wukong's taunts, felt only fear, not courage.
This instantly enraged Bodhisattva Lingji!
Meanwhile.
Sun Wukong's words had also provided the greatest possible assistance to Huang Feng Guai's side.
Hearing that Sun Wukong, despite his mocking tone, had indirectly advised him on how to deal with Patriarch Burning Lamp, Huang Feng Guai, though he disliked Sun Wukong's teasing, felt a profound respect for him.
Seeing that pure martial prowess was insufficient for victory, and perhaps even for survival,
He was facing the well-coordinated assault of Patriarch Burning Lamp, Bodhisattva Lingji, and the others, which had inflicted heavy casualties on his subordinates and made escape difficult.
Huang Feng Guai dared not hold back any longer.
He brandished his three-pronged steel fork, managing to forcefully repel the encirclement of Bodhisattva Lingji and his cohorts. While retreating, he began to unleash his innate divine abilities!