Even after so many years, Guanyin Bodhisattva and others, who had always envied and been jealous of Sun Kong, paying close attention to his every move, still hadn't anticipated this.
Now, Sun Kong, without even lifting a finger, could incite conflict between two factions of the Heavenly Emperor's subordinates.
And after the infighting, neither the Shoufu Luxing Gods nor the Liuding Liujia dared to blame Sun Kong. Instead, their awe of him only deepened.
This was simply impossible.
This scene was utterly unbelievable.
It was as if those dozen or so celestial beings had fallen under some sort of spell!
"Sister Guanyin, what do you make of this? Sun Wukong's cultivation seems even stronger than before, and he's mastered some kind of mind-controlling demon art. Now, without acting or speaking provocatively, he can pit the Liuding Liujia and the Shoufu Luxing Gods against each other."
"This is no small matter."
"What if the intelligence provided by Burning Lamp Buddha wasn't accurate, and we have so many past grievances with Sun Wukong? If we get involved, the consequences would be unimaginable."
Among the three great Bodhisattvas, Puxian Bodhisattva was the most straightforward. Noticing that the two tribulations related to Wuzhuan Temple hadn't even begun.
Yet, the Liuding Liujia and Shoufu Luxing Gods were now killing each other over a few words from Sun Kong.
Although no one was dead or injured yet, it was still terrifying enough.
For this reason.
Puxian Bodhisattva couldn't help but recall the mounts that the three of them had possessed in the past.
Back then, the three great Bodhisattvas, along with a fourth, Julu Sun Bodhisattva, were still considered prominent figures holding seats of honor at the Great Thunderclap Temple on Spirit Mountain.
They had thought that once the Journey to the West was complete, they would receive immeasurable karmic rewards, and breaking through to the quasi-sage realm wouldn't be impossible.
But who could have imagined.
Because of Sun Kong's series of reckless actions later on, the four great Bodhisattvas were repeatedly humiliated and increasingly disregarded by Burning Lamp Buddha.
Even.
Their mounts, which were their last lines of defense, had, as of now, seen two of them perish: the Golden-maned Lion and the White Elephant.
As for the Azure Lion, also known as the Heavenly Immortal Qiushou from the original Jie Teaching sect, though he had escaped Sun Kong's clutches, he was forced to descend to the mortal realm prematurely due to subsequent tribulations.
In this way, the three great Bodhisattvas, whose strength was already inferior to Sun Kong's, became even weaker by a third after losing three mounts.
As a result, they dared not meet Sun Kong head-on even now, for fear of being beaten or humiliated again.
But now.
Perhaps it was time to resist forcefully one last time.
Not only because of the immense pressure from the task assigned by Burning Lamp Buddha.
More importantly, after years of being suppressed, seeing the dwindling numbers at Spirit Mountain, the three great Bodhisattvas did not want to be among the next group to be expelled. They had to be strong this time!
"Sister Puxian speaks wisely."
"Sister Guanyin, the three of us were assigned to assist Sun Wukong and his disciples on their journey. Not only did he show no gratitude, but for years, he has been belittling and humiliating us."
"Now, we truly have nowhere left to retreat. Rather than live in shame, it's better to use this nineteenth tribulation, where only you can save the Ginseng Fruit Tree, to extort a price from Sun Wukong."
"If he cooperates obediently, we can forgive him."
"But if Sun Wukong continues to make things difficult for us, and still uses tactics to sow discord between the Liuding Liujia and Shoufu Luxing Gods, we must fight back, even if it means fighting to the death, to regain our pride!"
Seeing that Puxian's words had indeed swayed Guanyin a bit, causing a rare flicker of killing intent in her eyes, Manjushri Bodhisattva, standing beside her, seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire.
It had to be said.
Among the three female Bodhisattvas, Manjushri Bodhisattva, with the heaviest killing intent, was also the most intelligent and eloquent.
Puxian's previous words had merely stirred up Guanyin Bodhisattva's hatred for Sun Kong.
But Manjushri's words were far more impactful, instantly dispelling Guanyin Bodhisattva's last shred of apprehension towards Sun Kong.
She then roared in fury!
"Sun Wukong!"
"Damn Sun Wukong! Five hundred years ago, it was you who humiliated us and showed no respect. Five hundred years later, you dare to threaten our karmic rewards again, you're seeking death."
"Sister Manjushri speaks correctly. Sister Puxian, you speak even more correctly. Currently, all the Saints are using us as pawns. If we don't strive to prove our value, we will truly have no face to live on."
"In the previous dozen or so tribulations, perhaps we were careless, perhaps we underestimated Sun Wukong, or perhaps we were indeed not as capable as him."
"But it doesn't matter. This time, Sun Wukong must also follow the process. The Ginseng Fruit Tree must be destroyed, and within the Great Desolation, apart from the Saints, only I can revive it. They will have to beg us!"
As Guanyin Bodhisattva spoke, Manjushri Bodhisattva and Puxian Bodhisattva, who had been somewhat worried that Guanyin might not be firm enough to confront Sun Kong and that they would be disgraced again, were instantly moved to tears and filled with excitement.
The next second.
Without further ado, the three of them seized upon the final link of the nineteenth tribulation. Even Sun Wukong and Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi would not dare to be perfunctory and had to adhere to the rules.
And if it came to that point, it would truly be up to Guanyin Bodhisattva's Pure Yang Bottle, with its pure willow branches and dew, to revive the Ginseng Fruit Tree.
It was precisely this excellent opportunity that gave the three great Bodhisattvas the confidence that they could extort more karmic rewards from Sun Kong at that time, and also use the occasion to win over Zhenyuanzi.
Achieving a two-pronged goal!
"Sister Guanyin, if we must follow the process, I'm afraid we cannot remain around Wuzhuan Temple. How about we all go to your South Sea Purple Bamboo Forest?"
"I don't feel safe on Zhenyuanzi's territory."
"But if we go to your domain, it will be different. Who doesn't know that within our respective dojos, there are formations personally bestowed by the two Sages of the Western Sect, which even gods and demons cannot breach!"
Hearing the excellent suggestion made by Manjushri Bodhisattva and Puxian Bodhisattva behind her, Guanyin Bodhisattva's smile became even more triumphant.
She no longer wasted words.
The three of them returned to Guanyin Bodhisattva's dojo, the South Sea Purple Bamboo Forest, and quietly waited there for the moment Sun Kong would be in trouble!
...
Meanwhile, after being "convinced" by Sun Kong, the Liuding Liujia and Shoufu Luxing Gods, no longer in conflict, finally calmed down for a while.
Then.
The group accelerated towards Wuzhuan Temple. In order to follow the process, the Shoufu Luxing Gods dared not ride Sun Kong's coattails and enter prematurely.
They could only fly into the sky midway and quietly await Sun Kong's subsequent plea for help.
Seeing this, the Liuding Liujia looked disdainful yet helpless.
Who could blame them, since the three gods were indeed related to the nineteenth tribulation!
On Sun Kong's side, he silently sensed the actions of the Shoufu Luxing Gods, and also the actions of the three great Bodhisattvas a million miles away.
Though outwardly he remained composed.
In his heart, he had already seen through their schemes. His inaction was not out of fear, but because he intended to let them have their moment of glory first!