Chapter 1362

However, he was the key to the Journey to the West, the key to the great flourishing of Fomen.

If he did not go out to sea to seek the Dao, how would Lingshan's subsequent measures be carried out?

In fact, it was not only the World-Honored One Tathagata who was anxious; the Luo Hans and Bodhisattvas were also anxious.

When Fomen flourished greatly, the people of Lingshan would rise with the tide and naturally be able to advance further.

This concerned their own Dao path.

If the World-Honored One had not forbidden it, they would long ago have wanted to descend to the lower realm personally to handle this matter.

"This monkey!"

Tathagata observed Flower-Fruit Mountain with his Buddha-eye and saw the substitute monkey's performance "zero-one-seven," and his mood grew increasingly uneasy.

"That's not right. If he was transformed from an immortal stone, the monkey should naturally have his Dao-heart awakened and seek immortality and visit the Dao. What's wrong with this monkey? Could it be that Flower-Fruit Mountain has been too peaceful all these years, so he's grown accustomed to pleasure?"

He wanted to interfere, yet feared triggering a chain of changes that would affect Fomen's grand plan.

He sighed softly in his heart and withdrew his gaze.

"Wait a little longer; perhaps there is still a turning point!"

Heavenly Court.

The Jade Emperor watched the changes at Flower-Fruit Mountain, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, his mood greatly pleased.

"Strike up the music, begin the dance!"

With a wave of his hand, within the Yaochi again rose immortal music in waves, sleeves fluttering.

If one were to say who least wished for the Journey to the West to succeed, it had to be the Jade Emperor.

After all, the resources of heaven and earth were fixed.

The more Lingshan took, the less Heavenly Court received.

As the supreme one of heaven and earth, the nominal ruler of the Three Realms, he did not wish to share what was in his hands.

The monkey not going out to sea pleased him even more.

Of course, he also understood that the great trend of the Heavenly Dao was extremely difficult to change.

The Journey to the West could only be delayed, not cancelled.

Even so, being able to make Lingshan suffer a setback also put him in a pleasant mood.

……

"The Myriad Phenomena of the Forest — so it holds so many mysteries!"

Sun Wukong had cultivated the Myriad Phenomena of the Forest for another stretch, and felt he had already cultivated it to a state of perfection.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him: "Naturally I cannot enter the tribulation myself, but I can have someone enter it in my place. Once he completes the Journey to the West road, I will seize the Journey to the West's fortune — wouldn't that let me ascend to the heavens in a single step!"

"The key here, of course, is that substitute puppet and that Six-Eared Macaque. The substitute monkey has not yet been discovered — it must be the Master's means. Indeed, although the Master said he would not act, he has already left a hidden hand."

He secretly deduced the heavenly mechanism, only to feel that the heavenly mechanism was now incomprehensibly obscure, a fog before his eyes, and he could calculate nothing at all.

"The Journey to the West has begun, and the heavenly mechanism has begun to blur."

Sun Wukong rejoiced greatly.

This was precisely his opportunity.

He rode up on colored clouds and directly left Southern Jambudvipa.

As a monkey-type being from the original work, possessing no small divine abilities like himself, Sun Wukong had previously investigated the Six-Eared Macaque's traces, which now came in handy.

A moment.

He arrived at a stretch of barren mountains.

This place was a perilous land like barren mountains and evil waters, with jagged strange rocks, sparse flowers and plants — almost a dead end.

No one would have thought that the Six-Eared, a monkey-type who liked dense forests, was hiding here.

"How can I get Six-Ears to enter the game?"

"Got it!"

The corners of Sun Wukong's mouth lifted slightly. He ran before a strange rock and waved his hand lightly, and immediately a cave-heaven appeared.

He entered it and left the Journey to the West within it.

After quietly finishing these things, he once again left without a sound.

Until half a day later, streaks of auspicious light rose up over the barren mountains, yet not dazzling — only those nearby could see them.

And here, besides Six-Ears, what other sentient beings could there be?

Crack!

A giant rock transformed, becoming a monkey covered in golden fur.

"What is this?"

"Could it be a strange encounter?"

Six-Ears looked astonished and cautiously drew closer.

The Six-Eared Macaque — skilled at listening to sounds, able to discern principles, knowing what came before and after, all things clear to him.

His origins were powerful and extraordinary.

In fact, these abilities also had an upper limit; otherwise in the original work he would not have died at the monkey's hands.

At this time his divine abilities were not strong; he could only see whether there was anything perilous within this cave-heaven, and did not know the scheming behind this matter.

Sensing no danger, he leaped in and entered the auspicious light.

At the end of the auspicious light, a vast cave-heaven appeared.

"Could this be some ancient immortal's abode?" Six-Ears landed, his face full of surprise. "Big it may be, but it's utterly desolate."

Because it had been hastily opened, within this cave-heaven there were only some ordinary plants, with not a single spiritual object.

Six-Ears scratched his ears and cheeks, and could only attribute it to the cave-heaven having been sealed for too long with no one tending it, so the delicate spiritual plants had withered away 0...

Realizing this, Liuer began searching for treasures again.

Moments later, he arrived at a pavilion.

It was the only structure within the cave heaven.

At the center of the pavilion stood a stone table, upon which lay an ancient book inscribed with the three ancient characters: "Journey to the West."

Seeing it, Liuer felt an inexplicable sense that the book was tied to his fate; he hurried forward, carefully picked it up, and began flipping through its pages.

"Before chaos was resolved, heaven and earth were in disorder…"

At first, he found it novel and read with great interest.

Especially the monkey protagonist—he felt an intense connection to him.

Until he reached the part where Liuer Macaque appeared himself, then he froze in shock; recalling the state of the four directions and the heavens, he broke into a cold sweat: "Is this a book that foretells the future? Will I die beneath Sun Wukong's staff?"

Thinking of this, his expression turned grim.

After a pause, he suppressed his fear and continued reading.

Born in a world of gods and demons, Liuer believed in fate.

He could choose to stop reading.

But the future would not change.

He wanted to know what lay ahead—he would defy heaven and alter his destiny!

Thus, his urgency grew; he could not wait to finish the entire novel.

"Becoming a Buddha, a patriarch—this monkey truly has great fortune!"

As a wild demon, he saw no harm in becoming a Buddha.

That was a supreme power.

All it required was a little freedom in exchange—how advantageous was that?

"If, during the battle at Lingshan, it was Sun Wukong who died, could I, with a 4.7 chance, become the Buddha instead?"

Suddenly, a flash of insight pierced his mind.

Liuer was startled, then his expression burst into wild joy.

"Yes. I can no longer hide—I must seize the opportunity."

"I will become a Buddha, a patriarch! If Sun Wukong can do it, why can't I? Right now, that monkey may not even have taken a master—I still have a chance!"

As he thought this, he felt the book grow light in his hands—it was transforming, dissolving into a pile of sand.

"It seems the heavenly secrets cannot be revealed—this book was meant only for me to see. Perfect! This saves me much trouble."

As the novel vanished, the cave heaven trembled in response.

Liuer knew the cave heaven was about to collapse; he sprinted out of it.

"Such a divine opportunity fell into my hands—clearly, fate favors me!"