Chapter 40: This Monkey Has Become a Saint—Do the Three Realms Still Have Any Hope?

Golden light spread over every inch of Mount Huaguo's land.

It wasn't a blinding glare, but a warm, water‑like hue; wherever it passed, the charred rocks turned a fresh teal and the dead trees sprouted new shoots.

Petal rain began to fall from the sky.

Each petal that touched the ground turned into a golden lotus, rooting itself in the void and swaying.

The Dao rejoiced.

The little monkeys of Mount Huaguo reached out, catching the petals; before they could put them in their mouths, the petals turned into warm currents that surged into their bodies, and several old monkeys whose backs had been hunched instantly straightened.

Sun Wukong stood on the mountaintop.

He lowered his head to glance at his own palm, his hair gleaming gold, each pore seeming to hide a volcano.

He clenched his fist.

"Crack!"

The space in his palm collapsed downward in a chunk; the pitch‑black chaotic void that tried to surge out was forced back by that pure force.

So that's becoming a Saint?

Sun Wukong scratched his head, feeling it wasn't hard at all, like piercing a layer of tissue paper and also tearing out the window frame.

"Congratulations, fellow Daoist, on attaining Primordial Unity."

A gentle voice came from the clouds.

The multicolored sunrise light split apart.

A woman in a light teal long dress walked barefoot forward; with each step, a blue lotus of creation supported her foot.

Her face was unreally beautiful, yet exuded an awe‑inspiring authority that made one reluctant to stare directly.

Nüwa.

She looked at Sun Wukong, her eyes complex—both gratified and a little surprised.

The stone left over from the original Patch Heaven, casually tossed onto Mount Huaguo, had never been expected to lead to this moment.

"Are you the goddess who molded the clay figures?"

Sun Wukong blinked his Fiery Golden Eyes and slung the Golden Cudgel onto his shoulder.

Improper.

In earlier times, this would have been a grave disrespect.

But now, Nüwa only smiled faintly, unannoyed.

Saint to Saint, peers discussing as equals; even if she were the human race's Holy Mother, she could not show off before a Primordial Unity Great Luo Golden Immortal.

"Calling me Nüwa is enough."

Nüwa turned her head, her gaze landing on the old Taoist beside her, who was cracking sunflower seeds.

Her expression turned solemn.

She slightly inclined her body and performed a Daoist bow.

"Greetings, senior."

This bow was a salute to strength.

Hongjun had been beaten into staying shut behind closed doors, and Jieyin was driven into a pigsty; such a ruthless person—let alone her being a Saint, even Pangu's rebirth would have to be courteous.

"Here to present a gift?"

Bodhi did not stand; with a light flick of his finger, a sunflower‑seed shell flew into the sea and knocked a passing whale unconscious.

Nüwa nodded.

She waved her plain hand lightly, and an ancient‑styled embroidered ball flew toward Sun Wukong.

"This is a red embroidered ball; though not a lethal treasure, it can bind fates, suppress fortunes, and I present it to you, Daoist Wukong, as a congratulatory gift."

Sun Wukong took it, weighing it in his hand.

It felt weightless.

"No real heft."

He casually tossed the red embroidered ball to the Niu Mo Wang below.

"Old Niu, take it and give it to Tie Shan Saozi as a ball to kick."

Niu Mo Wang, startled, fumbled to catch it, his face turning pale; this was a premium innate spirit treasure, to be used as a kicking ball?

What a waste of heavenly treasure!

Nüwa's mouth twitched, but she quickly returned to normal.

"Senior, your methods are divine; now Daoist Wukong has become a Saint, the Three Realms' configuration will surely have to change."

This is a test.

Bodhi glanced at her.

"Whether it changes depends on the monkey's mood."

"I hold no power, I establish no sect; as long as you don't bother me, even if you pierce a hole in Heaven, I won't bother to intervene."

Nüwa let out a sigh.

As long as this one does not vie for supremacy, the days of the demon races and the human race will be much easier.

She uttered a few more formal words, then rode the clouds away.

She left in a hurry.

Unwilling to stay.

The pressure on Mount Huaguo was overwhelming; that faint Chaotic Demon God aura made this Heavenly Dao Saint feel utterly uneasy.

After seeing Nüwa off, Sun Wukong turned his gaze toward Bodhi.

His eyes were a little distant.

It's a bit hot.

He hopped in place twice, his joints cracking loudly.

"Master."

"What are you doing?" Bodhi grabbed another handful of sunflower seeds.

"I'm a Saint now as well."

Sun Wukong rubbed his hands, chuckling, his golden eyes boiling with battle intent.

"Um... you used to keep me down and beat me, so I felt a bit Unyielding."

"How about we spar?"

"I don't need the Golden Cudgel, I'll just use my fists and feet."

It swelled.

This is a typical flaunting‑wealth mindset.

Bodhi stopped munching the sunflower seeds.

He slowly raised his head, looking at this clueless disciple.

He smiled.

"Want to betray master and annihilate ancestors?"

"No, no, just a spar, a spar."

Sun Wukong waved his hand, but his feet honestly assumed a stance.

The law of force surged within him, the surrounding space being kneaded and torn like dough.

"Alright."

Bodhi stood up, patting the dust off his butt.

He extended one hand.

Behind his back.

Then he extended the other hand, spreading his five fingers.

"Give you one hand."

"Don't say the Master bullied you."

Sun Wukong laughed.

This old man, still thinking it's the old days?

"Master, you said this, if I knock you down later, don't whine!"

Before the words finished.

Sun Wukong moved.

No fancy moves, just a simple punch.

But this punch was extreme in speed and extreme in weight.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Where the fist wind passed, the once clear sky over Mount Huaguo suddenly split a black rift stretching ten thousand li.

Chaotic Gale Wind surged back.

Bull Demon King and the host of Demon Kings were so frightened they lay on the ground, not daring to lift their heads.

Is this the strike of the Great Primordial Luo Golden Immortal?

Destroying heaven and earth is insufficient to describe it.

Facing this star‑shattering punch, Bodhi merely lifted his eyelids.

He did not dodge.

That open palm floated forward with a light push.

The movement was as slow as an old man practicing tai chi in a park.

Snap.

A light sound.

No earth‑shattering explosion.

No blinding flash.

Sun Wukong's fist, bearing ten thousand jin of force, just stopped in Bodhi's palm.

Not a hair moved.

Like a dragonfly hitting a steel plate.

Sun Wukong was stunned.

His face flushed bright red, he used all his newborn strength, the newly awakened Chaotic Demon God primordial source inside him roared, the muscles on his arms bulged like dragons.

Couldn't push.

Not only couldn't he push, he felt his power like a mud ox entering the sea, disappearing without a trace.

"That's all the strength?"

Bodhi yawned.

"Haven't eaten?"

His palm trembled slightly.

This tremor.

Sun Wukong felt as if an entire Chaotic World slammed into his chest.

"Bang!"

The golden silhouette shot backward out.

It shattered thirty‑three layers of void, flew all the way to the Heaven‑beyond‑Heaven, and slammed into an abandoned dead star.

The dead star exploded.

The next second.

Sun Wukong teleported back.

His face was grimy, with a strand of fresh blood at the corner of his mouth.

He looked at Bodhi, the arrogance in his eyes vanished, replaced by deep astonishment.

The gap.

This damn thing not only didn't shrink; it feels even larger!

"Master…"

Sun Wukong swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

"What realm are you actually at?"

"Great Dao Saint?"

Bodhi ignored him, sat back on the rattan chair, and picked up the sunflower seed he hadn't finished cracking.

"A realm higher than you can fight."

"Having hardened wings is good, but don't keep thinking you can fly out of my palm."

"Across the Three Realms, you can walk sideways."

"But with me, dragons must coil and tigers must lie down."

"Got it?"

Sun Wukong bobbed his head like pounding garlic.

"Got it, got it, got it."

"You rest, I'll give your leg a squeeze."

He instantly put on a flattering expression and leaned over to pound Bodhi's leg.

If an outsider saw this scene, their eyeballs would probably pop out.

The two strongest beings in the Three Realms.

One looks like a rich landlord, the other like a lackey.

Just then.

Dozens of streaks of light flew in from the horizon.

Tai Bai Jin Xing led a group of Heavenly Officials, each clutching a gift box, panting as they landed on the mountaintop.

"Great Sage! Great Sage Lord!"

Tai Bai Jin Xing wore a piled‑up smile, the wrinkles on his face blooming with laughter.

"Your Majesty… oh no, the old Yu Di heard that the Great Sage has attained the mixed‑origin Dao, and specially ordered me, a humble old man, to bring congratulatory gifts."

"Nine‑thousand‑year‑old peach baskets ten in number, jade nectar and jade liquor a hundred vats, Tai Shang Lao Jun's Golden Core ten gourd‑vessels…"

He recited the list while covertly glancing at Bodhi.

His thigh muscles twitched.

That brief clash earlier, though only a fleeting glimpse, was seen clearly by those deities.

Sun Wukong was already perverse enough.

This old Taoist was even more perverse.

These twin saints—who would dare to provoke them later?

Sun Wukong didn't hold back; with a grand sweep, he took everything on the list.

"Leave the goods, and the person scram."

Tai Bai Jin Xing, as if given a great amnesty, rolled and crawled away, fearing that if he lagged a step he'd be left behind to feed the monkeys.

"Master, these peaches are hard to eat, but they do quench the kids' thirst."

Sun Wukong picked up a peach, wiped it on his body, and handed it to Bodhi.

Bodhi pushed it away with disdain.

"Keep it for yourself."

Just as he said,

a wisp of black smoke suddenly rose from underground.

A green‑faced, fang‑toothed ghost messenger burst out, clutching a black jade slip, trembling all over.

"Great... Great Sage..."

The ghost messenger knelt on the ground, his voice shaking.

"Di Zang Wang Pusa... something's happened."

Sun Wukong raised an eyebrow.

Di Zang?

the bald one who swore "If Hell is not empty, I cannot become a Buddha"?

Although he belongs to the Fómén, this person differs from the hypocritical Tathagata and his followers; he is a sincere man.

Back when he caused a ruckus in the underworld, he was the only one who treated Sun Wukong politely.

"What's up?"

Sun Wukong spat out the peach pit.

"Isn't he doing fine down in Hell?"

The ghost official knocked his head, making a bang-bang sound.

"Old Ancestor of the Nether River... taking advantage of Ling Shan's waning fortune, he led the Asura clan to encircle the eighteen levels of Hell."

"He said... he wants to release all the evil ghosts from Hell and turn the mortal world into a Shura field."

"Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva can't hold on alone; let me come beg Great Sage... save my life."

Old Ancestor of the Nether River.

That old turtle who calls himself "the Blood Sea does not dry up, the Nether River does not die."

Having lurked in the Blood Sea for eons, now seeing that Ti and Jieyin have fallen and the Tathagata has been abolished, he thinks he can succeed?

Sun Wukong's eyes flashed with golden light.

Just now having been roughed up by his master, he feels a pent-up fury with nowhere to vent.

Here it is!

A punching bag has shown up at the door.

"Old Ox!"

Sun Wukong bellowed.

"Here!"

The Bull Demon King surged up from the mountainside.

"Guard the home."

"Kong Xuan!"

Over there, Kong Xuan, who was peeling an orange for Chang'e, rolled his eyes and reluctantly flew over.

"What's up?"

Sun Wukong gave a sinister laugh and slammed the Golden Cudgel onto the ground.

"Let's go."

"I'll take you to the underworld."

"Blast the fish."