Volume 4: The Revelation Unveiled Chapter 421: Resentment at Separation

Hou Tu bid farewell to Wukong and went to search for the Armless Divine Ape. Wukong then went to retrieve the elements one by one— the Golden God, the Wood God, and the Fire God. Only the Stone of Water was in Wu Zhiqi’s hands, so no extra effort was needed.
The Golden God and the Wood God were honest people. By the time Wukong arrived, they had already sealed the stone, retaining not a trace of its elemental power. Only Zhu Rong was deeply focused on cultivation inside his cave.
Seeing Wukong enter, Zhu Rong sighed and said, “I knew you would come.” She tossed the Stone of Fire to Wukong, saying, “I really hate to give it to you.” Wukong replied, “If the clever divine ape has any left after using it, I’ll definitely keep some for you.”
Zhu Rong said, “Enough, enough. In fact, I’ve gained a lot too; it’s just that my greed knows no bounds. Call the clever divine ape here, so I can offer him some help as well.”
Wukong was delighted and quickly thanked her. In a flurry of activity, he rushed around to bring the clever divine ape to Zhu Rong. He also sent Feng Tong and Wang Yu to search for Ju Mang and Ru Shou. As for Wu Zhiqi, he could only rely on his own efforts—no one else could help him.
Just then, Hou Tu appeared and exclaimed in shock upon seeing Wukong, “The Armless Divine Ape is gone!”
Wukong was shocked, “Gone?”
Hou Tu nodded solemnly, “His body has taken shape, but I’ve instructed him not to wander around.” Wukong asked, “Are there any signs of a fight?”
Hou Tu replied, “Not the slightest trace.”
Wukong gritted his teeth and said, “Who else could it be? It must be the Buddha!”
Hou Tu asked, “How do you know?”
Wukong replied, “The only one in the world who covets the Divine Ape of Creation is the Buddha. Other than him, it can’t be anyone else.”
Hou Tu said, “Even if it’s him, what should we do now?” As the mighty Goddess Hou Tu, she too was at a loss. The Muli Bodhisattva in the Buddhist underworld was truly terrifying. Who knew to what extent his cultivation had advanced over the years? She didn’t dare take any more risks.
Wukong thought for a moment and said, “Let’s keep this quiet for now. I’ll go to the heavens.”
With a stamp of his foot, Wukong headed to the Jade Pure Palace. Without even announcing himself, he rushed in. The Three Pure Ones, Xuan Nu, Ksitigarbha, and the Phoenix were discussing how to capture Xiang Liu. When Wukong entered, he said anxiously, “The Armless Divine Ape has been captured by the Buddha!”
“Ah!” Everyone was shocked. Each of the seven divine apes was a treasure. The Armless Divine Ape might not be very active usually, but once in the Buddha’s hands, who knew what might happen?
Yuan Shi asked, “How do you know it’s the Buddha?”
Wukong replied, “Could it be anyone else?”

Yuan Shi said, “The Tathagata’s plan to trap the Yin-Yang Divine Ape has angered the Kunpeng, who has now stepped in. How dare he try to capture Tongbi again?”
Wukong pondered for a while and found Yuan Shi’s words reasonable, but he really couldn’t think of anyone else who could trouble the Creative Divine Ape.
As everyone struggled to figure it out, Wukong said, “Thinking hard here won’t help. I’d better go look for him!”
Yuan Shi asked, “Where will you go to look for him?” Wukong replied, “I’ll ask Feng Tong, Wang Yu, and others from Qitianling to help. They are already awake and can trace his whereabouts even over thousands of miles.”
At that moment, Ksitigarbha suddenly said, “It’s not the Tathagata; it’s someone else.”
“Oh? How do you know?”
Ksitigarbha pointed at Diting and said, “It was just a coincidence—he happened to overhear it. Go look for him at Qingqiu Mountain in the east.”
Qingqiu Mountain? Wukong was puzzled. Who had captured Tongbi, and why would they go there?
Wukong got up and left. Xuan Nu, worried, followed him. After a short journey, they arrived at Qingqiu Mountain. Xuan Nu was secretly astonished—Wukong’s movement skills were no longer limited by his cloud somersaults. Though not as fast as his own magic, his teleportation distances were much greater. Few people in the world could capture him.
Anxiously, Wukong paid no attention to the speed of his movements; his only goal was to save the Tongbi Divine Ape. Upon arriving at Qingqiu Mountain, he saw only a bare, towering jade pillar with no one in sight. Using his Xuan Kong magic, he looked up and saw figures moving among the nine branches, so he hurried upward.
Upon reaching the top, he saw the Tongbi Divine Ape restrained on the jade pillar, sitting motionless on the ground. A person was pacing around him, moving quickly and erratically, seemingly indecisive and troubled.
It was Qingqiu! Why did she target Tongbi?
Wukong used his swift movements to stand beside Tongbi. Since Tongbi wasn’t captured by the Tathagata, Wukong felt much relieved. Seeing Wukong arrive with a Taoist nun beside him, Qingqiu showed surprise and said, “You… how did you know?”
Wukong didn’t answer. Instead, he asked, “Elder, what is the meaning of this?”
Qingqiu stopped in her tracks, her face filled with disappointment and despair, along with endless sorrow and helplessness. She sighed, “It’s enough. It was all my delusions. I repaid kindness with hostility.”
Wukong asked, “Elder, what exactly is the reason? Could it be—” Suddenly, he understood. Qingqiu had only one concern in this world: her husband, Qinglin. Qinglin had been captured and imprisoned by the Tathagata. Qingqiu wanted to save him but naturally couldn’t defeat the Tathagata, so she resorted to this desperate plan and turned her attention to the Creative Divine Ape. But how did she know about the secrets of the Creative Divine Ape?

Wukong thought for a moment. Although half of the plan for Qingqiu had been carried out, he couldn’t conclude that she was a villain. As the saying goes, concern leads to confusion. For Qingqiu, Qinglin was the one she loved most, while the Armored Ape was almost irrelevant to her. She had no real sense of guilt in using the Armored Ape to exchange for Qinglin. And Qingqiu’s hesitation stemmed from her attachment to Qitianling, which was quite remarkable.

Wukong said, “Elder, you can be considered the mother of the oxen, while I am his brother. To put it plainly, we’re all family. I know exactly what you’re thinking. If I get even the slightest chance in the future, I will definitely rescue Elder Qinglin.”

Hearing this, Qingqiu showed a hint of emotion in her eyes, but it quickly turned into utter despair.

Xuan Nu watched for a while before speaking to Qingqiu, “Are you a nine-tailed fox?”

Qingqiu was stunned. With her level of cultivation and experience, few dared to call her a “nine-tailed fox.” She looked closely at Xuan Nu but couldn’t discern her true intentions. After hesitating, she asked, “Who are you…?”

Xuan Nu replied coldly, “Is the one you say you want to rescue also a nine-tailed fox?”

“Yes, that’s right! Has Elder ever seen him?” Qingqiu asked eagerly, ignoring Xuan Nu’s status.

Xuan Nu nodded and said, “I have. But I don’t know whether he’s alive or dead now.” Hearing this, Qingqiu burst into tears. She and Qinglin were deeply in love, and if Qinglin died, she would never survive alone. All these years, she had held on only by the belief of rescuing Qinglin.

Xuan Nu continued, “That year, the Tathagata captured that nine-tailed fox, and I happened to see it. I didn’t know his intentions at the time, so I didn’t stop him. I haven’t seen him since, but from what I can tell, he didn’t capture him to kill him—most likely, he had other plans.”

Hearing this, Qingqiu’s eyes lit up. “Could Elder please show me the way?”

Xuan Nu shook her head. “Your cultivation is too low. You have no chance. Once I’ve destroyed the Tathagata’s lair, if I see that nine-tailed fox, I’ll help you bring him out.”

Xuan Nu usually didn’t talk much, but seeing Wukong’s attitude, she realized Qingqiu and Wukong had a deep connection, so she reassured her. Qingqiu bowed deeply in gratitude.

Wukong waved his hand, lifting the restrictions on the Armored Ape. Qingqiu was shocked when she saw this. She remembered that Wukong’s cultivation was inferior to hers, yet now it seemed his skills were far beyond what she could match. How could she not be amazed?

Tongbi had originally been cultivating in the Abyss of Nine Netherworlds in peace, but unexpectedly, Qingqiu launched a sudden attack. If it were someone else, Tongbi might have fought back, but since he had just formed his body, he had many concerns. Moreover, Qingqiu’s cultivation techniques were all related to wood, which could counteract earth, allowing them to use a clever tactic to capture Tongbi.
When Wukong saw that Tongbi was unharmed, he was greatly relieved and said with a smile, “From now on, it’s better to stay in Qitianling.”
Qingqiu’s face turned red upon hearing this, and she apologized to Tongbi again. Wukong said, “It’s understandable to be eager to see your husband; there’s no need for you to worry about it. Let’s treat this as if it never happened.”
Qingqiu gave Wukong a deep look before leaving.
Xuan Nu said, “Wukong, although this was a misunderstanding, it serves as a reminder to you. People in Qitianling should not travel lightly from now on. If Buddha goes mad, it will be too late to regret it!”
Wukong nodded and said, “I understand.”
Tongbi looked at Wukong and said, “You… you are… Lingming.” He hadn’t spoken for a long time, so his tongue was a bit sluggish, but he was very clear in his mind. Seeing Wukong’s cultivation level soar, he was also very happy.
Wukong nodded and said, “Come with me back to Qitianling. I have something good for you!”
Xuan Nu escorted Wukong and Tongbi back to Qitianling. Houtu remained uneasy all the time. Seeing Tongbi return unharmed, she was naturally overjoyed. Wukong gave Houtu a few instructions, telling her to teach Tongbi how to use the Earth Supreme Stone, which finally put her mind at ease.
After leaving Qitianling, Xuan Nu intended to return to the Heavenly Court, but she changed her mind and flew towards the Spirit Mountain.
Upon seeing Ran Deng, Xuan Nu said right away, “This place is so desolate. Why stay here?”
Ran Deng asked, “What, did Wukong send you to persuade me?”
“Wukong? He also tried to persuade you?” Xuan Nu asked.
Ran Deng nodded and said, “Though it’s desolate, once you live here for a while, you won’t want to leave.”
Xuan Nu said, “Since Buddha is hiding in the Pagoda of Buddhism, how can we stop him from forming his third body?”
Ran Deng said with a wry smile, “To be honest, the Pagoda of Buddhism is connected to the Buddhist hell. The Bodhisattva of Mire can travel there freely. Plus, with the three thousand Buddhas in the Pagoda, who can withstand such power?”
Xuan Nu said, “If this continues, isn’t it the same as waiting to die?”
Ran Deng replied, “Buddha has already planned everything. With the Pagoda of Buddhism in his hands, he is invincible. Unless… if we can lure out those three thousand Buddhas and kill them one by one, it might weaken Buddha’s foundation.”
Xuan Nu shook her head repeatedly and said, “That’s highly unlikely. Buddha isn’t a fool. How could he not see through such a plan?”
Ran Deng said, “It still depends on how we lure them out.”

Xuan Nu seemed to understand a bit and said, “Who do you plan to use as bait?” After asking that, she shook her head again and said, “No, no—the best bait is actually the Yin-Yang Divine Ape, which has lost its essence of creation. Right now it’s in the hands of the Kunpeng; how can you or I make a decision?”
Ran Deng sighed and said, “Then there’s no other way.” He looked up at the sky and said, “I always have the vague feeling that something is missing when Yin and Yang are not united.”