According to the original plot, this tenth tribulation was none other than the so-called "Night Fire."
Associated with it was the subsequent eleventh tribulation, "Losing the Kasaya."
The difference was that the former involved the abbot of Guanyin Monastery, Elder Jinchi.
This fellow seemed to be a cultivator as well, having lived for over two hundred years.
Unfortunately, his worldly desires and greed ran deep. Because Tang Sanzang could not bear to refuse, after borrowing the kasaya, he still wanted to set fire to Tang Sanzang and his disciples.
Afterward, he shamefully killed himself by crashing into a wall.
It served him right.
During this period, another significant character potentially involved was the Heavenly King Guangmu, from whom Sun Wukong borrowed the fire-repelling veil.
The latter, however, was not simple.
Because the night fire was so fierce that night, it alarmed the Black Bear Spirit on Black Wind Mountain, who came to steal Tang Sanzang's kasaya.
This, in turn, led to Sun Wukong inviting Guanyin Bodhisattva from the South Sea to subdue the Black Bear Spirit and give him one of the three golden fillets, the Restriction Fillet.
Only then could the tribulation be perfectly overcome.
Of course.
Sun Wukong was long gone.
The current Sun Wukong was merely Sun Kong. From his perspective, he would not easily benefit outsiders.
Nor would he necessarily follow such a strenuous process.
Instead, he had other plans!
For this reason.
As early as the master and disciple, along with Nezha's transformed form, the White Dragon Horse, and the Six Ding and Six Jia, continued their journey towards Guanyin Monastery.
Sun Kong had already sketched out images in his mind and used the "Marquis Wu's Seven-Star Formation" to roughly deduce the relevant plot points.
It was also because since the eighth tribulation, he himself had officially participated in the Journey to the West calamity, his deductions were more precise than when he was an outsider.
As expected.
In the illusions, Elder Jinchi, Heavenly King Guangmu, the Black Bear Spirit, and Guanyin Bodhisattva were all restless, ready to face the tribulation and strive for merit rewards.
The difference was that Elder Jinchi was a simpleton, completely unaware that he was about to lose his life, and there was no human aura about him.
Sun Kong estimated that he had not yet been replaced.
Also not replaced was the Black Bear Spirit. This fellow possessed innate divine strength, enduring both resistance and blows, and had once fought on par with the original Sun Wukong.
If it weren't for Guanyin Bodhisattva having had her eye on him for some time and obtaining the three fillets from Tathagata Buddha in advance, it would have been difficult to subdue him.
In the current illusion, Elder Jinchi and the Black Bear Spirit were both unaware that the Journey to the West calamity had changed drastically. One had cultivated for two hundred years in vain but wasn't even an Earth Immortal.
He had no cultivation whatsoever.
Let alone foreseeing his own fortune, misfortune, or death.
The other, due to his brute strength but lack of magical cultivation, was also difficult to foresee.
However, both seemed to vaguely sense that the opportunity to change their fates was approaching. Thus, even though Sun Kong and his group were millions of miles away from Guanyin Monastery and Black Wind Mountain, they were already sharpening their blades and waiting!
"Humans, indeed, are better off being ignorant. Unlike Heavenly King Guangmu and Guanyin Bodhisattva, who, simply because they can deduce a few details, are already lurking nearby, aren't they?"
"Good heavens, truly good heavens."
"My old Sun's cultivation is extraordinary now, I don't need Heavenly King Guangmu's fire-repelling veil. Do you even deserve to wait for my old Sun to ask for your help?"
"A deity who just waits around like this, does he have the qualification to receive merit rewards?"
"Fortunately, my old Sun is not your boss. Otherwise, for your passive work attitude, I would definitely deduct your salary and withhold your bonus."
"As for you, Guanyin Bodhisattva, it's even more laughable. It seems that because you were ignored by my old Sun during the last great battle between humans and demons in the mortal realm, you've arrived early this time?"
"If you had come earlier, not necessarily five hundred years ago, but even ten or twenty years earlier, you could have helped the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi survive those initial years, and I would have thought more highly of you."
"Now you realize your regret and decide to help, isn't that a bit late?"
"Well, leaving aside other things, just for the fact that you are one of the confidants personally promoted by Xiao Lai Lai back then, I'll give you another chance. Whether you can grasp it depends entirely on your fortune."
Having deduced the varying reactions of these four individuals, Sun Kong was unceremonious and continued to ride the Chaos Somersault Cloud, responsible for scouting the path ahead, collecting fruits and spring water daily.
The master and disciple were much closer than the original Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong.
Naturally, due to this closeness, Sun Kong had no worries about subsequently being forced to wear the Golden Fillet by Guanyin, leading to repeated misunderstandings by that super idiot Tang Sanzang.
Indeed.
There were many benefits to the changes in karma after this transmigration, the first of which was encountering Jin Chanzi, who had not yet lost his original nature and become pedantic and weak due to too many reincarnations!
"With such a good master, why worry about the great cause of the Journey to the West failing?"
"I just wonder, without Xiao Lai Lai bestowing treasures, what will you, Guanyin Bodhisattva, use to subdue the Black Bear Spirit?"
"Don't tell me you'll end up having to beg me."
Thinking this way.
For the next several million miles, Sun Kong hummed and sang, his steps light, his mood joyful, feeling incredibly comfortable.
It was as if he wasn't on the Journey to the West to overcome tribulations, nor encountering calamities, but on a completely free tour!
...
At the same time.
On the other side, the four individuals, due to their different perceptions of Sun Kong and his disciples, reacted accordingly!
Inside Guanyin Monastery.
Elder Jinchi, believing he had lived for over two hundred years, controlled Guanyin Monastery for tens of thousands of miles, with hundreds of thousands of monks under his command, considering himself a powerful figure.
He had no desire to see the outside world.
However, because of a premonition that day, he immediately issued an order to prepare to receive distinguished guests!
"Good heavens, this elder is the foremost figure in tens of thousands of miles, yet the person who is about to arrive can make my heart race."
"Could it be that it is destined, and this elder will encounter the opportunity to become an immortal?"
"Quick, quick, no matter who comes, treat them well, absolutely no slackening!"
On Black Wind Mountain.
The Black Bear Spirit, after finishing ten fat cattle, still felt unsatisfied. Until he had a premonition in his heart, as if a destined eminent monk was about to appear.
Immediately, his eyes revealed more greed and brilliance!
In the Heavenly Court, at the South Heavenly Gate, Heavenly King Guangmu, having been instructed by the Jade Emperor about the tenth tribulation, knew that his opportunity to gain merit rewards had arrived.
Not only did he dare not be negligent.
He even brought the fire-repelling veil and waited. However, thinking of the increasingly strained relationship between the Jade Emperor and Sun Wukong over the years, he couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.
"What if that Monkey King doesn't let me approach?"
"What if..."
"Alas, this Jade Emperor is really something. Clearly, he needs the permission of Sun Wukong and his companions to potentially obtain merit rewards smoothly, so why quarrel with him?"
As Heavenly King Guangmu sighed, Guanyin Bodhisattva also arrived at Guanyin Monastery.
After a brief deduction.
She was furious!