This statement is indeed grounded in reality.
However, it was too blunt, to the point where not only Sun Kong and his disciples found it hard to watch, but they also wanted to remind the Liu Ding Liu Jia not to speak so provocatively.
Ultimately, it would make them, the outsiders, look like clowns.
Laughing until their stomachs hurt, with no medicine to be found.
Just look at Shou Xing, Fu Xing, and Lu Xing, three deities who valued their reputation. To have their shortcomings exposed so directly by lower-ranking deities like themselves, they would surely explode immediately.
Although the three had vaguely felt that asking for directions this way was not ideal.
And even though, just a second ago, they had seen that the group on this side was indeed Sun Kong and his party, and that they shouldn't have asked for directions and were asking for trouble, they were about to turn back.
But they couldn't stop the Liu Ding Liu Jia from speaking even faster than they did.
Once these words were spoken.
They instantly ignited the anger of the three brothers!
"Liu Ding Liu Jia, what do you twelve idiots mean by saying that?"
"We three, after all, are much higher-ranking deities than you, and you are just the lowest-level minor deities. Getting the mission to protect Jin Chanzi is already lucky enough, yet you dare to mock us for being directionally challenged?"
"You are the one who is directionally challenged."
"Your whole family is directionally challenged."
"Your ancestors for eighteen generations are directionally challenged!"
As expected, seeing their brothers being ridiculed, the third brother, Lu Xing, whose mouth was the fastest and sharpest, immediately erupted.
He unleashed a barrage of insults at the Liu Ding Liu Jia.
Upon seeing this.
The eldest brother Shou Xing and the second brother Fu Xing also revealed their own signature skills, joining in the verbal onslaught.
For a time.
The three brothers felt refreshed.
It also served as an opportunity for them to ease relations with their elder brother Shou Xing and second brother Fu Xing beside them, and to unite against outsiders.
But little did they expect.
These words, as soon as they were spoken, also caused the Liu Ding Liu Jia to lose face after so many years.
Equally furious.
They were also about to join forces and retaliate!
"You three unlucky gods, do you really think you are so capable that you dare to look down on us Liu Ding Liu Jia like this? Have you forgotten that we were the ones who first served the Jade Emperor?"
"Of course, didn't the Jade Emperor himself make a mistake back then and offend the Great Sage Sun? If we hadn't acted, could it have been successful in approaching the Journey to the West tribulation?"
"Three pieces of trash, not only are you not grateful for our reconnaissance and contributions, but you also scold us when we kindly remind you. What a bunch of ungrateful trash who don't appreciate good people! If you have the guts, look back and see if Great Sage Sun gives you a chance?"
"Give you what?"
"We twelve brothers, if it weren't for our diligent protection of Master Jin Chanzi these past few decades, reducing Great Sage Sun's hostility towards us, would we have had this opportunity?"
"As for those three?"
"Pah! To put it nicely, they are the gods of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity worshipped by mortals. To put it not so nicely, they are swindlers. Out of ten thousand people who offer them incense, less than one person receives their protection. What kind of deities are they?"
"Exactly, exactly."
"It is because there are too many such deities and insufficient mortal faith that the Jade Emperor went astray and was forced to collude with the demon race. If there were more deities like us who worked diligently, would it have come to this?"
Just as the Three Stars finished their satisfying tirade, they didn't expect the Liu Ding Liu Jia, whom they thought wouldn't dare to talk back, to unleash a surprisingly reasonable and fierce rebuttal when united.
These words.
Not only did the Three Stars turn red in the face and have no way to retort,
But even the onlookers, Sun Kong and his party, who were initially just watching the show, were impressed by the eloquence of the Liu Ding Liu Jia for the first time. Although their adversarial positions remained, their trust in them increased rather than decreased.
Of course.
Beyond the verbal sparring, they also had to consider the true identities of the Liu Ding Liu Jia and the Three Stars.
It had to be admitted that the Liu Ding Liu Jia were minor deities at the very bottom of the Jade Emperor's system, those who reported the time of day.
Let alone comparing them to the Three Stars.
Even compared to the Four Heavenly Kings who guarded the South Heavenly Gate, they were still a step behind.
However.
Minor deities also had their dignity.
Back then, the Jade Emperor's forces were first heavily wounded by Sun Kong, and then, due to the Chan Sect, he had to make concessions once.
When the first tribulation began, almost no one dared to take the lead.
It was these twelve brothers, the Liu Ding Liu Jia, who, due to their low status and not having participated in the battle to encircle and suppress Sun Kong back then, were judged to be able to coexist harmoniously with Jin Chanzi.
They were then used as the first batch of test subjects and sent to Sun Kong's side. Fortunately, Sun Kong did not mind, and Jin Chanzi even less so.
This led to the situation where the Liu Ding Liu Jia followed Jin Chanzi and his group along the way, accumulating merit rewards, and also giving some to the Jade Emperor.
Although not much.
However, accumulated, the merit rewards handed over to the Jade Emperor were no less than ten thousand.
And now, not having received the due rewards and respect, they were being mocked by their peers.
May I ask.
How could the Liu Ding Liu Jia endure this?
After a round of verbal sparring.
Without further ado, they moved from verbal combat to actual fighting. Although individually they were no match for the Three Stars, their combined effort of twelve people unleashed a battle that even Sun Kong marveled at!
"Good heavens, what a truly good fellow! As expected of the Liu Ding Liu Jia who have followed Master Jin Chanzi for many years, they are gradually recovering their original righteousness as deities?"
"Oh my, that punch was so satisfying, so perfect. I, Old Sun, am impressed."
"But, a kind reminder, you are all people of the Jade Emperor, how can you fight amongst yourselves? Have you forgotten that I, Old Sun, am your greatest enemy?"
"Stop fighting quickly, don't fight anymore. If you continue, even I, an outsider, can't bear to watch."
"Those who know will think you are fighting amongst yourselves. Those who don't know will think I've enchanted you. To be honest, Old Sun doesn't have that much ability, and this trip to Wuzhuang Temple, I don't mind all of you coming to gain some merit rewards, as long as you follow the rules."
Sun Kong's words were indeed timely.
As soon as he finished speaking, he made the fighting Liu Ding Liu Jia and the Three Stars momentarily stunned. Immediately, they indeed quickly understood the reasoning.
Were they not all people of the Jade Emperor? They should have cooperated and gained more merit rewards.
Why were they making a spectacle for their enemy, Sun Kong?
"It's all because the third brother's mouth was too fast. This time, Shou Xing, representing us Three Stars, apologizes to our brothers, the Liu Ding Liu Jia. Let's follow Sun... Great Sage Sun's advice and stop fighting."
"Since Great Sage Sun doesn't object to us gaining some merit rewards according to the rules, why are we fighting amongst ourselves?"
"Great Sage Sun, we appreciate your kindness this time and will certainly not dare to disrupt your affairs."
Saying this, Shou Xing, the eldest of the Three Stars, actually bowed to Sun Kong, their enemy!
This scene stunned Fu Xing and Lu Xing behind him.
But it also made the Liu Ding Liu Jia beside them not dare to fall behind, and they also bowed in unison!
...
Millions of miles away.
Guanyin Bodhisattva and the other two, who had been ambushing for a long time, were completely bewildered by this maneuver, and were even more shocked.
Are the people of the Heavenly Court about to betray them?
But the Monkey King hasn't even made a move.
Is his cultivation terrifying to this extent?