According to the situation previously discussed by Sun Wukong and the others, the next event should be another battle on par with the Eighth Tribulation.
The reason, of course, was not solely because Sun Wukong had just offended four little fairies.
More importantly, the Eighteenth Tribulation, the Five Zhuang Temple, involved not only Patriarch Zhenyuanzi, one of the Ten Quasi-Saints, but also some powerful beings who might arrive uninvited.
For this reason, not long after setting off, Sun Wukong reiterated the general course of events to Tang Sanzang and the others. Given that in the previous tribulation, Mother Lishan and the other three had acted perfunctorily and were thus penalized by the Heavenly Dao, Sun Wukong emphasized one word: "True."
The "true" of sincerity.
"Master Tang Sanzang, Second Brother, Third Brother, and Daoist Nezha, please remember. The previous grim example was those four little fairies. This time, even though we know the plot, we cannot be perfunctory or careless."
"The Heavenly Dao's rewards will not be reduced just because we foresee some events in advance, as this is considered an internal conflict."
"However, if anyone dares to be perfunctory, thinking that since we have a good relationship with Daoist Zhenyuanzi, we can just go through the motions, they are gravely mistaken."
"If such perfunctory actions lead to negative rewards, I, Old Sun, will not let it slide."
"Conversely, we should bear our objectives in mind, outwardly appear ignorant, and complete every process to gain the maximum rewards. The advantages and disadvantages of this need not be elaborated by me, Old Sun, right?"
"If anyone is not convinced."
"You can learn from Mother Lishan. Although she received negative merit rewards, I suspect she is temporarily fine. However, if she falls into my hands, then hehehehe..."
Because the Seventeenth Tribulation conspicuously featured little fairies and the "little essay" phenomenon from the Blue Star timeline, Sun Wukong had to be a hundred times more serious this time.
Upon hearing his words, Tang Sanzang and the others, who had already witnessed Mother Lishan's misfortune, became even more cautious.
Subsequently, the group continued to accelerate, heading from Guanyin Monastery towards the Five Zhuang Temple. This journey of several million miles was undertaken with greater concentration than ever before. They were terrified of offending the Heavenly Dao, just as Sun Wukong had warned.
...
Meanwhile, the "little fairy" aura and the excitement of writing "little essays" on Mother Lishan did not diminish despite the mockery of the Saints of the Heavens and the laughter of various factions.
On the contrary, whether it was the profound influence of the "List of Sealed Demons" or some other reason, she, who should have wisely departed and returned to the Heavenly Court to seek guidance from her master, the Sect Leader Tongtian, showed no signs of realization.
Instead, she continued to write more "little essays" one after another. She believed this was a display of power. Little did she know that Sun Wukong had already experienced such situations. Back in the Blue Star timeline, many "little fairies" who felt self-important and wrote various "little essays" ultimately harmed themselves. The harm manifesting in Mother Lishan was even more terrifying!
"Damn Heavenly Dao, why won't you let me, Mother Lishan, continue writing my little essays? Are you that guilty, afraid of being overthrown by all of us?"
"Indeed, all female cultivators in the Three Realms of the Great Desolation are the most pitiful and innocent."
"If I, Mother Lishan, hadn't stood up to protest this time, you men, males, would have continued to bully us."
"My good sisters, my fellow cultivators, seeing the outcome of this Seventeenth Tribulation, aren't you all trembling with anger and breaking out in a cold sweat on this hot day?"
"This is nothing else but the various abuses inflicted upon us by males, males, and male beings, ever since the Grand God Pangu created heaven and earth."
"Don't you feel the anger and shivers at all?"
"Sorrow, truly sorrowful. I, Mother Lishan, look down on you for not daring to confront the Heavenly Dao. You don't dare, but I do, because I know the future will surely belong to all of us females, mothers, and females... Ow!"
Before Mother Lishan could finish her second "little essay," someone, unable to bear it any longer, directly threw a ball of magic at her, injuring her on the spot.
Initially, everyone thought she would stop. But unexpectedly, this injury only deepened the influence of the "brainless air" from the alternate dimension and the "feminist ideology" in Mother Lishan's mind, and she began to prepare a third "little essay."
However, at this moment, more and more gods and demons could no longer stand it. Some hurled bolts of lightning. Others chanted spells to move a mountain. Still others, powerful beings at the Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal level from various regions, who initially had no interaction with Sun Wukong and didn't quite approve of the Heavenly Dao, were utterly enraged by Mother Lishan's behavior, which disgusted and nauseated everyone. Various powerful spells, accompanied by increasingly harmonious and sweet curses, rained down!
"Damn you, stop spouting nonsense! The Heavenly Dao was truly fair this time, even the Three Great Bodhisattvas of Lingshan admitted defeat. Aren't you reflecting and still trying to do something?"
"Take this staff!"
"Exactly! Exactly! We originally had some sympathy for you disciples of the Jie School, but we didn't expect that since you started following the Jade Emperor, you've become more and more unreliable."
"Crying and wailing in the middle of the night, have you no sense of public morality? You even want to escalate this into a great battle between male and female cultivators, male and female beings. You're truly sick!"
"Isn't that right? Even if you think the Heavenly Dao is unfair, you could have gone through the process properly next time. Why escalate it so severely?"
"We in the Three Realms of the Great Desolation will not learn from other messy things. Keep this feminist ideology for yourself. If you're truly unconvinced, dare to betray your master, the Sect Leader Tongtian, who treats you best. If you don't even dare to betray your male master, what kind of 'little essay' are you playing at?"
Under the furious curses of the crowd, even though Mother Lishan wanted to continue her "feminist" rhetoric, she couldn't withstand the onslaught and had to temporarily halt.
At this time, her master, the Sect Leader Tongtian, was also unable to bear it!
"Foolish child, it is my fault for letting you continue on the 'List of Sealed Demons.'"
"This damned list, although it can enhance your combat power, has made you brainless... Fine, come back with me, and I will help you clear your mind."
"Then we will have a good talk with the Demon Clan and the Jade Emperor. We in the Jie School intend to rebel against the Heavenly Dao, but not to follow the path of brainlessness!"
...
For the first time, the Sect Leader Tongtian felt a disadvantage in cooperating with the Demon Clan and the Jade Emperor.
On the other side, the Heavenly Dao, angered by the "little essays," returned to the chaotic void. After looking at each other for a long time, Patriarch Hongjun and he saw a shared concern in each other's eyes!
"Daoist Hongjun."
"This 'List of Sealed Demons' is becoming increasingly problematic."
"It's alright. Aren't these just the bad ideas from another timeline? They are cleansing their minds, not ours. Let us observe further."
Patriarch Hongjun's gaze was complex, as if he knew even more than the Heavenly Dao!