Chapter 727: A Glimpse of the Iceberg: The Journey to the West

After all, many of the demons in the Eighty-One Trials of Journey to the West were mounts of great divine beings.

Since their masters were great divine beings, even a little extra care could help a mount with decent roots break through to the Great Luo Jinxian realm.

Compared to the Investiture of the Gods Era, although the cultivation environment of the Three Realms in the Journey to the West Era had declined sharply, the number of strong cultivators had not decreased, but instead increased greatly.

Especially the number of great divine beings had nearly multiplied several times over.

This was not surprising, as the increased great divine beings were all Great Luo Jinxian from the Investiture of the Gods Era who had achieved breakthroughs through arduous cultivation.

Since the Investiture of the Gods Era until now, many Yuanhui have passed.

Even the strong require time to achieve greatness.

For example, the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect during the Investiture of the Gods Era were only Great Luo Jinxian not because their potential was limited to that level, but because they had cultivated for too short a time.

After so many Yuanhui have passed, nearly all of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect have become great divine beings.

Since the Primordial World was created, though it has endured many Great Calamities, the world still remains in its early, rapidly developing phase; without external interference, the number of great divine beings would only continue to grow.

If the Investiture of the Gods Era was the age of the Great Luo Jinxian, then this era is the age of the great divine beings.

During the Investiture of the Gods Era, a Great Luo Jinxian could already earn great renown—such as the famed Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect.

But in this era, to truly influence the Three Realms, one must be a great divine being.

Although great divine beings rarely appear in the Three Realms, most of them are manipulating the Three Realms from behind the scenes.

For instance, in the original plot of the Journey to the West, many great divine beings secretly intervened.

Therefore, to break through the Buddhist Empire's meticulously prepared Eighty-One Trials, Sun Wukong must at least break through to the peak of the Great Luo Jinxian realm and possess the combat power of a quasi-sage at its peak.

The wager between Luo Fu and the Buddhist Empire stipulated that great divine beings must not interfere in the Journey to the West.

Thus, the Buddhist Empire must send only Great Luo Jinxian in the Journey to the West.

Given the Buddhist Empire's current strength, it is not difficult to use divine treasures or other means to artificially elevate one or several Great Luo Jinxian to fight beyond their rank.

"Luo Fu Elder is right—the Buddhist Empire is now the number one power in the Three Realms, possessing countless strong cultivators; the number of Great Luo Jinxian alone is unimaginable. Moreover, the Buddhist Empire has always been shameless and will stop at nothing to win. A mere beginner Great Luo Jinxian might not even survive the first trial."

Xingtian also nodded in agreement with Luo Fu's words.

Though the Wu Clan had withdrawn from the Three Realms, they still retained some knowledge of the major factions.

Especially regarding the Buddhist Empire, the Wu Clan had invested considerable effort in gathering intelligence.

Because the Buddhist Empire was the most eager of all the Three Realms' forces to invade the Underworld.

To the Wu Clan, the Underworld was their own backyard.

Although, due to insufficient strength, the Wu Clan had been forced to withdraw from the Underworld and guard the Six Paths of Reincarnation, this did not mean they were indifferent to the loss of the Underworld.

In fact, the Wu Clan had continuously been secretly gathering strength, hoping one day to reclaim the Underworld.

If not for Lady Pingxin's orders, the Wu Clan would have already launched an assault on the Underworld.

Not being able to intervene now does not mean they cannot intervene in the future; for future enemies, one must understand them.

With Sun Wukong's current strength, let alone the Buddhist Empire, even the fallen Wu Clan, without deploying any Great Luo Jinxian, could utterly crush him.

"Anlaosun knows—Anlaosun will train hard and aim to crush the Buddhist Empire in five hundred years."

Hearing Luo Fu and Xingtian's words, Sun Wukong also snapped out of his excited state.

From the Myriad Worlds Chat Group, Sun Wukong had learned many secrets of the Journey to the West World.

His capture in Heaven and his battle with the Buddha had made Sun Wukong acutely aware of the gap between himself and the true strong ones of the Three Realms.

So Sun Wukong himself knew clearly that, with his current strength, he could never survive the Eighty-One Trials.

His earlier excitement stemmed from seeing a possibility of changing his fate.

Knowing his fate, even with Sun Wukong's pure heart, deep inside he felt immense pressure and helplessness.

The pressure came from the Journey to the West, which would arrive in less than five hundred years; the helplessness came from knowing just how deep the waters behind the Journey to the West truly were, and how many great divine beings were watching it.

Facing so many great divine beings, Sun Wukong had little confidence in changing the outcome of the Journey to the West.

Although Sun Wukong had not abandoned resistance, in truth he was already convincing himself to accept the predetermined ending of the Journey to the West.

After all, Sun Wukong's ultimate opponent was a sage.

A sage, even for members of the Myriad Worlds Chat Group, was far above them all.

Except for Luo Fu, none of the other members of the Myriad Worlds Chat Group were a match for a sage—Sun Wukong knew this well.

Even Luo Fu, Sun Wukong did not believe was a match for a sage.