Volume 3: A Long Journey, Chapter 295: Open Conflict

Qingqiu was very familiar with this place. Where the towering jade pillar stood, there used to be a mountain called Kongsang. The fierce winds blew away the loose soil, revealing the pillar, which thus came to be called Kongsang.
Qingqiu would come here for a few days every year. Coincidentally, this time he encountered Wukong.
“What are you doing here?” Qingqiu asked.
Wukong naturally wouldn’t reveal the secrets he had discovered in the Tongtian River. He replied, “I’ve been to the Golden Heaven and Silver Land before. I came here today to see how high I can climb.”
Qingqiu nodded. “I once brought Niu here. It had great difficulty reaching these nine branches. You’re much stronger than it.”
Wukong said, “Even Brother Niu, with his formidable physique, finds it hard?”
Qingqiu replied, “It’s precisely because of his physical strength that he can climb. Otherwise, those below the rank of Hunyuan Jinxian hardly stand a chance.”
Wukong nodded. So, these branches of the jade pillar represented a hurdle corresponding to one’s own cultivation level. Having reached the rank of Hunyuan Jinxian, climbing here required no effort. But Wukong came to see if the winds grew stronger as he ascended and whether this Golden Heaven and Silver Land resembled the top of the Tongtian River.
He left the towering jade pillar and flew upward. The winds below the nine branches were merely stronger. At this point, Wukong felt as though the winds were like tangible blades slashing at him from all directions. Fortunately, his diamond-like body could withstand them. Looking up, he saw the nine branches of the pillar stretching into the sky, seemingly endless.
Wukong wondered where these branches led and if there were more above. He soared countless times, but the winds grew increasingly fierce, comparable to the full-power strike of a Taiyi Jinxian. Realizing he had reached his limit and could no longer climb, he descended.
When he landed, Qingqiu was already gone—he had left first. Recalling the vast mountains here in the past, Wukong couldn’t help but feel emotional. If even a newcomer like himself was so moved, Qingqiu, who had witnessed such profound changes, must be extremely saddened.
After staying for a while, Wukong changed his mind, took on the appearance of the white-robed Zhuanxu, and headed straight for Qitian Ridge. This was an impulsive decision. Seeing that Qingqiu wasn’t afraid of the Tathagata and dared to roam the world, he realized he had been too cautious before.
He had now attained his second form, making it impossible for anyone to detect any flaws—unless someone watched him constantly. But the Tathagata and Guanyin didn’t have time for such things; they had countless tasks to handle.
On Qitian Ridge, there was much noise, with drums and gongs echoing. Wukong saw the Bull Demon King and the Great Roc leading troops in drills, so he didn’t disturb them and entered the Qilin Cave.

When the Qilin saw Wukong, it snapped, “Even inviting you can’t move you now!”
Wukong laughed and said, “It was indeed hard to get away back then.” Wukong wasn’t unurgent; it was just that after Laojun told him about that “person,” many of his doubts seemed resolved. Asking the Nine-Headed Worm probably wouldn’t yield any answers, and that two-headed monster fish merely housed Li Shimin’s soul, remaining utterly clueless and unable to communicate.
The Qilin said, “That Nine-Headed Worm has been imprisoned and placed under Da Yu’s care—completely safe. If you have any questions, you can ask anytime.”
Wukong replied, “I knew it. With Uncle stepping in, everything will be fine.”
The Qilin said, “Stop flattery.”
Wukong said, “I came here today. The matter of the Nine-Headed Worm is secondary; there’s something else I must talk about.”
The Qilin said, “If it must be said, then it must be important. Sigh, I’m really not interested in sitting around strategizing about the world. But if it requires action, then I’m willing.”
Wukong said, “Uncle, I assure you, you won’t be disappointed after hearing this.”
The Qilin said, “You’re good at keeping things mysterious. Then I’ll call them here to discuss it.” The Qilin summoned Da Yu and the others. In a moment, over a dozen people came in, startling Wukong. It turned out that Wu Zhiqi and Feng Tong had also arrived. The eight great saints hadn’t gathered together in ages, and now everyone was present. Together with Da Yu, Hou Tu, and Hou Yi, that made ten people in total.
Wukong greeted everyone warmly.
When Hou Tu saw Wukong, she laughed and scolded, “I didn’t invite you, yet you came on your own. Isn’t this like refusing wine and then being forced to drink it?”
Wukong laughed and said, “Lady Hou Tu, instead of thanking me, you blame me.”
Hou Tu replied, “I even passed on my skills to you—how can I thank you further?”
Hearing this, Wukong felt ashamed, as he had never truly practiced the technique she had taught him.
Da Yu was both surprised and delighted. He said, “Wukong, you only lack the Earth element among the five elements. If you learn this, it will surely be highly effective.” Wukong realized Da Yu was referring to the secrets of the Xuan Kong technique, so he agreed to study it carefully when he had time.
When the Ox Demon King saw Wukong, he wasn’t as cheerful as usual. Dejected, he said, “Wukong, do you think the eight great saints will have to rearrange their ranks now?” Wukong asked, “Why would they need to rearrange them?”
The Ox Demon King replied, “I used to be second, but now that I can’t defeat the Great Roc, I should be third.”
The Great Roc raised its head and said, “Don’t boast. Not only can’t you defeat me, but which of them, King Feng Tong, can you beat?”
The Ox Demon King retorted, “How dare those two confront me head-on? They just rely on magic to win.”

Dapeng said, “This is what it means to learn from each other’s strengths to compensate for weaknesses. How can there be a reason not to use the magic one has learned?”
The qilin replied, “Dapeng is right. In battle, one must use every means possible—winning is what matters.”
Wukong asked the Nine Spirits Sage, “Brother, are you also at the Hunyuan cultivation level now?” The Nine Spirits Sage nodded. “It’s just luck.”
Dapeng said, “I couldn’t defeat my brother before, and I still can’t now. I have no choice but to admit defeat.”
Wukong said, “Since the order has been set, how can it be changed arbitrarily?”
The qilin said, “Wukong is right. If it comes to cultivation level, who among you can defeat Wukong?”
When the qilin said this, many were shocked. Wukong had been trapped under the Five Elements Mountain for decades. After escaping, he devoted himself entirely to helping with the pilgrimage, traveling everywhere without time for cultivation. Only Dapeng knew about their scheme to steal the ginseng fruit and smiled secretly.
Although the Bull Demon King was somewhat unconvinced, he dared not test him, knowing how powerful Wukong’s iron staff was. This time, the Nine Spirits Sage showed a skeptical expression. The qilin glanced at him and said, “Don’t be unconvinced. If the two of you fought, Wukong would have an 80% chance of winning.”
Hearing this, Wukong wondered inwardly, “I’m already this powerful, yet I didn’t even know it.” But then he remembered his recent setbacks in the Golden Heaven and Silver Land and felt his cultivation was still insufficient. Hearing the qilin say he wasn’t good enough, the Nine Spirits Sage became much more convinced. He was naturally gentle-minded, and he hadn’t really wanted to fight Wukong earlier; he was just skeptical.
Dayu laughed and said, “We’re family. Why discuss such things? Let’s talk about serious matters.”
Everyone sat down. Wukong said, “I indeed have serious matters to discuss today. The Heavenly Court wants to expand westward, seizing the land of Western Ox and Joy Continent. The Jade Emperor has ordered expansion east of Qitian Ridge. What are your thoughts?”
After Wukong spoke, everyone fell into deep thought. Only Dayu seemed to understand and said, “So that’s how it is.”
Wukong asked, “Has Elder Dayu heard of this?”
Dayu replied, “No one has told me. I was just wandering around with Hou Tu when I saw endless wars on earth and more and more monks displaced. So this is the root of it all.”
Wukong said, “The conflict between Buddhism and Taoism is essentially a struggle in the heavens. Those in high positions suffer no harm, while it’s the people on earth who endure the pain.”
The Bull Demon King said, “Let them fight among themselves. What does it have to do with us?”
The qilin said, “How can it have nothing to do with us? It’s highly relevant.”
Tongfeng said, “Exactly. In my opinion, the Heavenly Court and the Western Heaven are just putting on a show for others. There’s no real conflict at all.”
“Hm?” It was the first time Wukong had heard such an opinion. He asked, “How do you know that?”

Tongfeng said, “The logic is simple. The conflict between Buddhism and Taoism has lasted for tens of thousands of years. If the Heavenly Court really wanted to seize territory, why did it keep retreating back then? It was as if giving it away for free. Why did it only take such a stance after the emergence of Qitianling?”
Wukong retorted, “Not necessarily. Previously, the Western Heaven gradually encroached, but now the quest for the scriptures is a decisive measure to eliminate the threat once and for all. The Heavenly Court has never been united, and only now, having had enough, has it decided to fight desperately. That makes sense too.”
Tongfeng shook his head. “With Taoism’s strength, stopping the quest for the scriptures would be a piece of cake. Why go to the trouble of reclaiming lost territory first? Isn’t that avoiding the real issue and putting the cart before the horse?”
Wukong found Tongfeng’s words reasonable. Indeed, why didn’t the Heavenly Court stop the quest for the scriptures with all its might instead of fighting over unrelated matters first? No, both methods should be used simultaneously.
Wukong smiled and said, “Who says they haven’t tried to stop it? I’ve encountered obstacles in recent days.”
Tongfeng said, “Hehe, I doubt it’s more than a pretense. If the Heavenly Court doesn’t send a powerful figure to handle it, I’m afraid no one can stop you.”
Wukong replied, “You make a good point, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”
Tongfeng said, “I obviously don’t know as much as you do, but since I’m in Qitianling, just hearing you mention it makes me feel as if I’m on a cliff’s edge. Right now, Qitianling is in Xiniuhexiu, far from the influence of the Heavenly Court, so it remains peaceful. But if the Heavenly Court really presses down on Qitianling, the forces of the Western Heaven will surely retreat west of Qitianling to defend themselves. Then, with Qitianling at the center of the two forces, life there will be tough.”
Dayu said solemnly, “That’s true. If the Heavenly Court uses Qitianling as a boundary, and if the conflict between Buddhism and Taoism is real, then Qitianling becomes a natural barrier. If it’s fake, then it’s a conspiracy between the East and West with ulterior motives. In either case, Qitianling will be in a precarious situation, unable to rest in peace.”
Wukong felt somewhat embarrassed. His earlier analysis hadn’t been from Qitianling’s perspective, so he naturally didn’t share Tongfeng’s sense of danger. Hearing Tongfeng’s words, he felt a chill down his spine. Could it be that the Jade Emperor was still colluding with Buddha, fighting openly while secretly forming an alliance, aiming to seize Qitianling first? What a pair the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother—this matter must have been hidden even from Laojun and Ziwei. Many people thought Taoism was truly reviving and were overjoyed, not realizing they had been exploited by the Jade Emperor.
Just then, the Bull Demon King shouted, “I’ve always said it—why can’t Qitianling expand thousands of miles in all directions, just like the Heavenly Court and the Western Heaven do?”