"We've endured so many tribulations on this journey and encountered all sorts of factions. The fifteenth and sixteenth tribulations ahead are directly related to my third brother, Zhou Wuxian."
"So, Second Brother, Master Jin Chanzi, and my friend Nezha, don't be too tense or worried."
"If my calculations are correct, with the thrilling climax of the eighth tribulation and the build-up from the thirteenth and fourteenth tribulations, I believe they won't arbitrarily send powerful figures for the less significant tribulations that follow."
"This means for the remaining sixty-seven tribulations, we can assess the situation as we go. There's no need to exert ourselves too heavily or fight too fiercely every time. We must conserve our strength."
"Putting aside other matters, the fifteenth tribulation, Crossing the Flowing Sands River, and the sixteenth tribulation, Subduing Sha Seng, both of which involve my third brother, I have long predicted. I've found that other factions are reluctant to interfere too much, so these should be relatively simple."
As they traveled towards the Flowing Sands River, Sun Kong genuinely sought to ease Jin Chanzi and the others' minds, not just with words.
Indeed, after he had resolved the two tribulations on Huang Feng Ridge, he immediately took out the *Wuhou Seven Star Array* and performed a thorough divination.
Sun Kong, having lived two lives, possessing knowledge of *Journey to the West*, and analyzing the *Wuhou Seven Star Array*, concluded that from the fifteenth tribulation to the eighty-first tribulation, most of the challenges would unlikely attract numerous formidable enemies.
Firstly, they dared not disperse their forces too thinly, lest Sun Kong seize an opportunity.
Secondly, Sun Kong had also investigated and found that not every tribulation had karmic ties with various factions, so they had no reason to spread their investment.
In essence, it could be summarized in one sentence:
From now on, the master and disciples could relax considerably. They didn't need to be constantly on edge, overexerting themselves and thus finding themselves unable to exert their full strength at critical moments.
Which tribulations, then, might resemble the grand battles of the second and eighth tribulations?
Before Jin Chanzi, Wuzhiqi, and Nezha could explicitly ask, Sun Kong dispatched the Liu Ding Liu Jia and began to explain in detail.
The general analysis was as follows:
Starting from the fifteenth and sixteenth tribulations, where his third brother Zhou Wuxian would be subdued, there were only a few tribulations that could truly impact the overall situation and draw the major factions into conflict.
Not many.
Only a handful.
Among them:
The eighteenth tribulation, Wuzhuang Temple, involved Zhenyuanzi. Although the demon patriarch Luohu had agreed not to be overly adversarial with Sun Kong, he might not be able to control the three ancestors.
Tribulations involving Zhenyuanzi would naturally attract the attention of Randeng Buddha, who had just been promoted to the tenth Quasi-Saint, Chan Master Wuchao, the Jade Emperor, and others.
Therefore, in Sun Kong's eyes, this was another major tribulation, following the second and eighth tribulations.
After that:
Came the twenty-fourth tribulation, which involved the Golden Horn and Silver Horn boys, disciples of Laozi. This was bound to attract interference from the disciples of the Three Pure Ones and the Western Teachings.
If taken lightly, Sun Kong would only have to deal with the Golden Horn King and Silver Horn King, which seemed not difficult.
However, if it were escalated, this would become a matter of great importance concerning the hierarchy within the Three Pure Ones. Sun Kong was certain that besides Laozi's keen interest, Yuanshi Tianzun and Tongtian Jiaozhu would not lag behind.
Then:
There was the twenty-eighth tribulation, Hao Mountain Encountering Monsters. Since it involved Hong Hai'er, the son of Bull Demon King, Sun Kong wouldn't have been overly concerned if the Bull Demon King and his son hadn't fiercely intervened.
At most, it would have just been running errands.
However, considering the treatment Bull Demon King received after pledging allegiance to the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain, Sun Kong predicted that Randeng Buddha and others would surely create difficulties. Thus, he considered this tribulation a key one.
Next:
The thirty-third tribulation, Che Chi Kingdom Transporting Goods. The three Daoists involved this time seemed like disciples of the Three Pure Ones, yet they might have other origins, requiring caution.
Frankly speaking, if Sun Kong were simply to deal with these three inconsequential monsters, it would be incredibly simple.
But precisely because they were subtly backed by the Daoist sect, Sun Kong, in his current state, truly dared not underestimate these three.
Furthermore:
The thirty-ninth tribulation involved Laozi's mount, the Green Ox, which could not be treated lightly.
Although, up to this point, Sun Kong's relationship with Laozi, one of the three neutral Sages, had been quite good. He had even borrowed the Nine-Toothed Rake for his second brother, Wuzhiqi.
However, no one could guarantee that if the Green Ox were to descend to the mortal realm, Laozi would remain so impartial. Moreover, this involved Laozi's important spiritual treasure, the King Kong Ring!
Besides the key tribulations that Sun Kong had informed Jin Chanzi and the others about in advance, there were other equally noteworthy and cautionary ones.
For instance, the forty-second tribulation, the Women's Country. In the original *Journey to the West*, it was merely a matter of beauty. But now, Sun Kong couldn't guarantee that Jin Chanzi didn't have some unspeakable secret with the Queen of the Women's Country in a past life.
Furthermore, unlike other demons and monsters that could be coerced by force, if it involved Jin Chanzi's lifelong happiness, Sun Kong wouldn't dare to act rashly.
Another example, the forty-sixth tribulation, True and False Monkey King. This would not be excused just because Sun Kong was a transmigrator.
The most likely outcome was that it would provoke Luohu, who was originally the Six-Eared Macaque. If he behaved himself, it would be one thing, but if he caused trouble, this battle might not be any less significant than the eighth tribulation.
Then there was the fifty-third tribulation, a perilous encounter at Lesser Thunderclap Temple. The Buddhas of Spirit Mountain would certainly not let Randeng Buddha and others off the hook easily.
Sun Kong would naturally not underestimate them.
Tribulations that attracted the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain were numerous. The sixty-first tribulation, Obstacles on the Road to Lion Camel Ridge, and the seventieth tribulation, the Difficulty of Eradicating the French Kingdom, were all closely linked to Randeng Buddha.
In addition, those closely related to the Heavenly Court's Jade Emperor included the seventy-second tribulation, Seeking Rain in Fengxian County, and the seventy-seventh tribulation, Suffering in Xuanying Cave.
These were all the important tribulations that Sun Kong had foreseen on the surface, already involving the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain, the Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Court, the Sages of the Three Pure Ones, and so on.
As for those tribulations not yet foreseen on the surface, who knew which faction would take notice and seek him out for trouble!
"We respectfully heed the words of Great Sage Sun and shall remember the plots of the important tribulations, daring not to make any mistakes. Let us continue on our journey."
After hearing Sun Kong's extensive explanation, Jin Chanzi and the others showed him even greater respect and obedience.
Subsequently,
As expected, the fifteenth and sixteenth tribulations were passed with ease.
The third brother, Zhou Wuxian, the "Sha He Shang," was subdued.
And the seventeenth tribulation, the Manifestation of the Four Saints, was about to be encountered.
In the eyes of Sun Kong and his companions, this tribulation merely involved the appearance of the Four Great Bodhisattvas, individuals they had already met, and thus held no great significance.
However, unexpectedly:
Due to Sun Kong's extensive changes to the Journey, the Four Great Bodhisattvas hesitated to proceed, causing another upheaval within Spirit Mountain!
...
As Sun Kong and his group, along with Zhou Wuxian, continued their journey,
At Spirit Mountain.
Within the Great Thunderclap Temple.
Randeng Buddha was in great distress over how to dispatch the Four Great Bodhisattvas to participate in the seventeenth tribulation!