They thought their smiles were charming.
Little did they know.
Sun Wukong and his companions already knew the procedures involved, but they hadn't expected to encounter two childish figures acting like foolish clowns, making them unsure whether to laugh or cry!
"Senior Brother, you were right. Everyone encountered on this Journey to the West is more foolish and arrogant than the last," said one of Wukong's companions.
"And next..."
"Never mind, I shouldn't say more. I'll follow your advice and endure the greetings from these so-called attendants, who are actually cruder than mortals, just to complete the process and collect the merits."
Wu Zhiqi had intended to complain further, but upon seeing Sun Wukong and Zhou Wuxian exchange knowing smiles, unaffected by the demeanor of the two youths, he immediately realized he was being too hasty.
He quickly regained his composure.
However.
The composure of the three brothers was perceived by the two Daoists, Qingquan and Songjian, as mere simplicity, naivete, and an easy mark for deception.
One could only wonder what these two attendants were thinking, fantasizing within moments about themselves being the protagonists of the Wuzhuan Guan's trials.
Setting aside the fact that Daoist Qingquan, after his initial polite greeting, became increasingly arrogant and self-important.
And that Daoist Songjian, simply because Sun Wukong offered him a faint smile, began to act the part of a secondary lead.
Even the other attendants who had come to greet Sun Wukong's party, whose status, power, and importance were inferior to these two, were adopting the airs of "masters of Wuzhuan Guan."
Their nostrils flared high.
Their steps were exceptionally proud.
It was truly beyond belief!
Furthermore, their composure far inferior to that of the past Qingfeng and Mingyue, these two began whispering amongst themselves even before Sun Wukong's party had agreed to enter.
Their conversation was not about anything else.
It was about their qualification to receive the Great Sage Sun, the Golden Cicada, and the others, and how completing the procedures would bring them merit and fame throughout the Three Realms, making them extremely excited!
"Junior Brother, wasn't I right before?"
"These figures, like the Great Sage Sun and the second disciple of the Buddha, the Golden Cicada, though they sound formidable, must still follow the established procedures."
"See? All we need to do is show a little courtesy, and they will actively cooperate with us to complete the eighteenth and nineteenth tribulations."
"I must admit, it's incredibly satisfying to have the fortune to participate in this Journey to the West tribulation."
"And I must also acknowledge that Qingfeng was wrong to collude with the demon race back then. Otherwise, the good fortune you and I are experiencing today would have been his. He would have merely endured a few scoldings from the Great Sage Sun, but in exchange for merit, which is an immensely profitable and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
The lead Daoist Qingquan, indeed, had far less composure than the former Qingfeng and Mingyue. They had merely greeted Sun Wukong's party and had not yet invited them in to complete the procedures, yet they were already feeling overly self-satisfied.
Upon hearing this.
Daoist Songjian, who also lacked much cultivation and self-control, began to secretly ponder if they could pilfer a few Ginseng Fruits while going through the motions.
"Senior Brother, do you think the Heavenly Dao will know if you and I secretly keep some Ginseng Fruits?"
"After all, we'll follow most of the procedures as Master instructed, without any shortcuts. And keeping some Ginseng Fruits is for the consideration of our fellow disciples."
"Perhaps the Heavenly Dao will be as forgiving towards you and me as it was towards the Great Sage Sun?"
These words, far from helping, only served to alert Sun Wukong. While outwardly unfazed, his heart began counting down the moments until these two fools would face their reckoning from the Heavenly Dao or others.
"In this day and age, mere Heavenly Immortal realm attendants dare to court disaster like me?"
"I courted disaster back then, but it was with choice and planning. How are you so foolish? You dare to tamper with the Heavenly Dao's watchful Journey to the West tribulation?"
"You are truly tired of living!"
Sun Wukong was no saint. Although he saw these two attendants playing with fire, he had no interest in warning them. Besides, back then, even when he had made arrangements for the Journey to the West, he hadn't done so under the Heavenly Dao's direct surveillance.
He had completed his plans before the first tribulation even began.
The Heavenly Dao hadn't blamed him then.
But now, these two attendants wanted to emulate him, courting death while also attempting to trick the Heavenly Dao, truly clueless and deserving of misfortune!
"Second Brother, Third Brother, always protect Master Jin Chanzi."
"I just sensed that after Qingfeng and Mingyue were gone, the people of Wuzhuan Guan have become even more frivolous and arrogant. It's possible that the main instigators of these two tribulations will be them."
"For the sake of Elder Zhenyuanzi's face, we will at most follow the procedure and damage the Ginseng Fruit tree, then heal it. We must not take any unnecessary actions."
"Of course, if these two attendants truly court disaster and target us, then they cannot blame us for our furious retaliation."
"Worst case scenario, after everything is settled, I, Old Sun, will have Mingyue, who has reincarnated as the sword immortal Li Bai, ascend to a higher level as compensation to Elder Zhenyuanzi. I believe he will not blame us."
Just as Sun Wukong finished reminding Wu Zhiqi and Zhou Wuxian.
On the other side, the two attendants, Qingquan and Songjian, bolder and more arrogant than the former Qingfeng and Mingyue, had indeed begun to court disaster.
Over the next day and night.
As per the original plot of "Journey to the West," the two invited Jin Chanzi and his party to eat Ginseng Fruits. Because the Ginseng Fruits resembled infants, Jin Chanzi was "frightened" and refused to eat them.
Seizing this opportunity, the two cursed them, took the Ginseng Fruits, and were supposed to provoke Sun Wukong's fury, leading him to strike down the Ginseng Fruit tree with a single blow.
This would have triggered the plot of the nineteenth tribulation.
But unexpectedly.
These two Daoists, Qingquan and Songjian, were even more greedy than Sun Wukong had imagined.
After they each consumed a Ginseng Fruit and their cultivation surged, breaking through to the Early Golden Immortal realm, they had a sudden impulse. Deviating from the procedure, they decided to hoard the entire Ginseng Fruit tree for themselves!
...
"Junior Brother, how can those mere merit rewards compare to the Ginseng Fruit tree?"
"It's too much of a waste to let the Great Sage Sun burn it. Even if it can be revived later, we won't get to enjoy it. Why don't we hide some beforehand?"
"I believe no one will know."
As Daoist Qingquan spoke, he indeed cast a spell, collecting the Ginseng Fruits one by one. Daoist Songjian, seeing this, followed suit.
The two, having reaped such great rewards, failed to notice that because they had not followed the procedure, a tribulation cloud had appeared in the Ninth Heaven.
At this moment, Sun Wukong, who had intended to act according to the procedure and strike with his staff, was utterly flabbergasted upon seeing this.
Not out of shock or admiration.
But out of exasperation and amusement!
"I, Old Sun, wouldn't dare to court disaster within the Journey to the West, but you are far more formidable than I!"
"The procedure, the procedure, still the bloody procedure! You, as the masters, dare to act so recklessly. Are you not afraid of death at all?"
Sun Wukong wanted to offer some well-intentioned words, but at this moment, a sudden change occurred!