"I am utterly defeated by you all!"
"I've explained myself ten thousand times, I am indeed related to the Hundred-Ren God-Demon, but I am nowhere near Hongjun the Elder, Patriarch Luo Hu, or Immortal Yang Mei."
"There is no such avatar as Zhang Bairen of the Western Han Empire."
"It's all the nonsense that cursed monkey made up. I, I am so wronged..."
"Someone save me, how can I explain this so you all understand? If I were truly that powerful, why would I need to collude with demons and the Jie sect? I could have established my own sect and become a saint!"
"Wuwuwu."
"Your Majesty... we finally understand the plight of the Tathagata Buddha of Spirit Mountain back then. It was all because of that damned Sun Wukong spreading rumors. No matter what I said, it was useless. Normally, you wouldn't believe my lies, and now, when I tell the truth, no one listens. This truth is more real than any needle!"
Faced with countless inquiries, the Jade Emperor found it increasingly difficult to cope.
Because Sun Kong's tactic of nine truths and one lie was too vicious and too poisonous, no one besides Sun Kong himself and the Jade Emperor knew the exact truth.
Thus.
For the next several months.
The Jade Emperor was disturbed, harassed, and pestered by all sorts of people, to the point of near depression!
The first wave of visitors, surprisingly, were not ordinary people, but Taibai Jinxing and the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing.
These two were originally the Jade Emperor's most trusted civil and military officials, bar none.
They should have been the ones to most uphold his authority.
However, the content Sun Kong had stirred up was too explosive. It not only made the Jade Emperor someone to be wary of by both Daoists and demons, and even those in between, but it also elevated him to the level of the Dao Ancestor Hongjun, the Demon Ancestor Luo Hu, and Immortal Yang Mei.
This was a treatment even the Six Saints had never enjoyed.
For a time.
The two felt compelled to seek him out to verify the claims!
"Your Majesty, what that Sun Wukong said... Alas, we two did not wish to believe it, and we hoped it was all slander aimed at our Heavenly Court."
"But Your Majesty, you must also realize that while we two are loyal to you and support you, this matter is truly difficult to handle."
"Putting aside the outside world, because of this, both Hongjun the Elder and the Demon Lord's side are displeased with us."
"The Six Saints have also sent messengers hinting that they hope we will return their disciples from the Seal Demon Tablet soon, otherwise, the future is uncertain."
"Internally, it's even worse. Aside from us two approaching you with a desire for clarification, all other immortals and gods are directly complaining and cursing."
"Your Majesty, you must clarify this matter at all costs, otherwise, we fear that before the eighth tribulation arrives, chaos will erupt among the people, and it will be difficult to lead the troops."
"We implore Your Majesty to present a more convincing explanation, and for goodness sake, do not repeat the old path of the Tathagata Buddha of Spirit Mountain..."
While Taibai Jinxing and the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing were hesitantly and circuitously asking their questions, the Jade Emperor, having been asked multiple times, was no fool. He could see at a glance that this was not others questioning him, but these two rotten individuals, who were also beginning to doubt.
They were deliberately using others' voices to question him.
This was utterly cruel, deserving of death, deserving of...
"Damn it!"
"Back then, it was you, Taibai Jinxing, who advised me to cooperate with the Tathagata Buddha of Spirit Mountain, which led to Sun Wukong's refusal and the subsequent series of events."
"I trusted you so implicitly, and now, you don't even give me one-tenth of that trust?"
"And back then, it was you, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing, who, because Sun Wukong caused chaos among the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain, making it difficult for your master, Patriarch Burning Lamp, to save face, suggested I collude with the demon race and the Jie sect."
"I completely fell for your nonsense, and now you're joining the mob? If you truly force me to my death, what pathetic thing will you use to remain on equal footing with the Demon Lord and the Master of Heaven?"
The Jade Emperor was utterly enraged by the machinations of his two most trusted subordinates, Taibai Jinxing and the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing, and finally stopped holding back, erupting in a furious tirade.
But this outburst, at most, silenced the two and stopped them from asking further questions.
It had little effect on others.
After Taibai Jinxing and the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing left in embarrassment, the second wave, third wave... and more waves of people arrived successively.
For the past few months, the Jade Emperor had barely slept a wink.
The second wave was his wife, the Queen Mother, whom he could not avoid.
The third wave was the immortals of the Heavenly Court.
The fourth wave was the gods of the Heavenly Court, that is, those who originally belonged to the Jie sect.
The fifth wave was the million rogue immortals near the Heavenly Court.
Up to this point, they were all considered insiders of the Heavenly Court. Although they all came to question the Jade Emperor, they still had some sense of proportion and did not completely disbelieve him.
However, starting from the sixth wave, the situation became even more dire.
The sixth wave was the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain, represented by Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Her few words almost made the Jade Emperor suspect she was sent by Sun Kong.
The seventh wave.
The eighth wave.
The ninth wave...
Finally, it was the turn of the 10086th wave of people. This time, even the Jade Emperor could not avoid them. Despite his immense suffering, he could only open the door with tears in his eyes.
Not for any other reason.
It was because the visitor represented the demon race: the New Six-Eared Macaque!
"Welcome, fellow Daoist New Six-Eared. I knew you would have doubts. How about this: ask all your questions together, and I am willing to answer them all."
"Whether you believe it or not, I truly have no clone named Zhang Bairen, nor am I comparable to Hongjun the Elder. I only have a slight connection with that Hundred-Ren God-Demon."
"In these short few months, I have been asked by countless people. You are just a few more, but I have told you all I can. Whether you believe it or not, is up to you."
Having been asked so many times, although the Jade Emperor appeared very enthusiastic towards the New Six-Eared Macaque, his eyes and tone were filled with weariness and helplessness.
Clearly.
Even as the Demon Lord of the Three Realms, he was extremely exhausted and no longer wished to expend too much energy dealing with visitors, opting to "lie flat."
However.
Just as he subconsciously expected the New Six-Eared Macaque to be like the previous 10085 waves of people, this New Six-Eared Macaque smiled faintly.
Instead of pushing the Jade Emperor to the brink of madness, he sympathized with him.
And offered him the greatest trust and the most ruthless advice!
"Your Majesty, our cooperation between our three factions should take a further step."
"Others may not believe you, but I do."
"So, without further ado, let us discuss how we can cooperate to make the eighth tribulation even more exciting."
"It is said that Liu Boqin of the eighth tribulation is one of your subordinates. I wonder, can you reveal a little?"
The New Six-Eared Macaque's words were an indirect suggestion for the Jade Emperor to utilize Liu Boqin as a pawn, combined with the demon race's cooperation, to ensure the eighth tribulation was a major event.
And because this eighth tribulation was overlooked by various forces, it was the best place to strike.
And the easiest place to achieve great results!