Volume 4: The End of Heaven’s Secrets Chapter 533: Defying Fate

Wukong knew that this departure might mean no future reunion, so he couldn’t help but drink more. When his enthusiasm faded, he threw away his wine cup and soared away.

On Flower-Fruit Mountain, night fell. Birds returned to the forests, beasts went into the mountains, and the stars and moon appeared, with the sound of waves in the background. Wukong sat alone on the summit, gazing at the sky. Those shining stars and the moon, like a jade disc, appeared to him merely as round holes. In a few days, he would be heading toward those stars and moon.

Thinking of leaving heaven, Wukong naturally thought of the power of those beyond heaven—how a single palm strike could crack the Pillar of Heaven. He reasoned that with his current cultivation, he might be able to destroy the Pillar of Heaven using his Heaven’s Secret Staff. But if it were destroyed, the force of opposing fate might surge in, leading to uncontrollable consequences.

The force of opposing fate? That was bad!

When Tathagata broke the array beyond heaven, he allowed this force to flow continuously into it. Now that the true form of the Great Sun Tathagata had been achieved, no one in this world could use that force anymore. Thus, the opposing fate would only grow more and more.

Once there was too much of this force, it would hinder the growth of things created by fate. And when it reached a certain level, this world… Wukong hardly dared to think further. He quickly got up and rushed to the Golden Heaven and Silver Earth to find Tathagata.

When Tathagata broke the array, he surely didn’t care about the amount of opposing fate. This world was merely a prison to him, one he hated deeply. Whether this world existed or perished meant nothing to Tathagata. But Wukong was different—he valued fate and had promised Pangu to protect this world from harm.

Only the one who created the problem could solve it. To restore the array beyond heaven, perhaps only Tathagata could do it. The current Tathagata might even be willing to do a few things for Wukong to increase the chances of leaving heaven.

When Tathagata saw Wukong coming, he wasn’t surprised at all. As soon as Wukong landed, his first question was, “With the force of opposing fate flowing continuously, how can we restore everything to its original state?”

“Oh?” Tathagata was slightly surprised. “How did you think of this?”

Wukong replied, “If I forget, this world probably won’t last long.”

Tathagata said, “The force of opposing fate? Though terrifying, this world is vast. It would take at least three to five thousand years before it threatens all living beings.”

Wukong said, “Then we should prepare earlier. How can we rush things at the last moment?”

Tathagata smiled faintly. “What does it have to do with me?”

Wukong was stunned for a moment before saying, “It was you who destroyed that array beyond heaven. If not for you, how could the force of opposing fate get in?”

The Tathagata’s smile deepened as he said, “Though that’s true, you’ve forgotten that the Primordial Great Heavenly Venerable also helped a great deal. Otherwise, how could the power of reversing fate have entered so quickly?”
Wukong watched the Tathagata’s carefree demeanor, took a deep breath, and suppressed the urge to smash him with a palm strike. The Tathagata had known he would come to him; back then, when he explained the origin of the calamity of the primordial era, he had made it perfectly clear, but Wukong hadn’t thought deeply about it at the time.
Sigh, the Tathagata saw through him quite well. He knew Wukong wanted to save this world, which was why he dared to threaten him so boldly.
Wukong said, “Tell me, what do you want me to do to help you?” If he had more time, Wukong wouldn’t mind dragging things out with the Tathagata. The matter of ascending to heaven was the Tathagata’s weakness, but Wukong only had three days—after that, he would leave this world, so he had to be direct.
The Tathagata replied, “You already know what I want.”
Wukong was now in trouble. What the Tathagata wanted was nothing other than the Divine Ape of Fate to help him ascend from the bottom of the furnace, but Pangu wanted him to trap the Tathagata while saving this world. How should he choose?
The Tathagata smiled at Wukong, waiting for him to make a decision. Wukong asked, “Can you really restore this formation to its original state?” The Tathagata said, “It’s difficult, but with two people’s help, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Two people? The Primordial One? Who’s the other one—Xuan Nu?”
The Tathagata replied, “It’s not Xuan Nu. The other is the Wind-Bringing Divine Ape. These two must be familiar with the formation, and the Wind-Bringing Divine Ape already has a high level of cultivation—far more useful than Xuan Nu.”
Wukong said, “If these two have a compassionate heart, they surely won’t refuse. But you, driven only by greed, show no shame.”
The Tathagata laughed heartily and said, “You’re trying to provoke me with this tactic—like a carpenter showing off his skills in front of a master craftsman. I have no regrets. Why should I be compassionate? If I show pity for others, who will show pity for me?”
Wukong knew that convincing the Tathagata was actually harder than ascending to heaven, but he really couldn’t decide on the Tathagata’s request. Hm? If Pangu were here, how would he decide?
Wukong immediately had an answer. If Pangu had to choose, he would surely prioritize saving the world. Trapping the Tathagata was Pangu’s promise to his master, while saving all things in this world was Pangu’s true purpose. Staying true to his purpose—Pangu would do the same! With that thought, he immediately said, “Alright! I agree!”
The Tathagata’s body trembled, seemingly skeptical, and he asked, “Do you really agree?”

Wukong said, “Once my words are spoken, I never go back on them. Besides, I know nothing about formations. If you try anything secretly, I’ll be helpless.”
Tathagata replied, “Good. When have I ever broken my word?”
Wukong asked, “When will you act?”
Tathagata said, “Anytime.”
Wukong immediately soared into the air to find Yuan Shi and Feng Tong. Feng Tong was at Qitian Ridge. After a brief explanation, he agreed without hesitation, and the two set off for the Jade Pure Palace.
Inside the Jade Pure Palace, it was still deserted. The gatekeeper recognized them and let them in without obstruction. As soon as they entered the main hall, they heard wild laughter coming from the back hall—it was Yuan Shi’s voice!
Wukong and Feng Tong exchanged glances. Yuan Shi had always maintained an air of dignity; when had he ever behaved so recklessly? Yuan Shi stepped out of the back hall with heavy steps, his laughter continuing. Seeing Wukong and Feng Tong waiting outside, his joy grew even more. He said, “I’ve found some clues about that formation!”
It turned out that after breaking the formation atop the Pillar of Heaven, Yuan Shi was extremely frustrated. He thought he had reached the pinnacle of understanding formations, not far behind Tathagata, yet he still failed in this regard. Back at the Jade Pure Palace, he shut himself in and delved obsessively into the mysteries of the formation, determined to reverse it and seal away the forces of chaos. Finally, he achieved success that day—how could he not be happy?
Wukong, knowing what Yuan Shi had done, was deeply moved. It wasn’t just him who was striving for the well-being of the world. From Pangu to Yuan Shi, from Xuan Nu to Hou Tu and Chi Song Zi, to the immortals and demons in the lower realms, everyone was working hard to create a world of utmost truth and goodness.
Perhaps many didn’t understand the significance of this, but they were all doing their best with utmost diligence. As the saying goes, “One must know what not to do to know what to do.” By eliminating evil, good thoughts naturally arise. If everyone works together, how could the world not thrive?
Wukong said, “If that formation can truly be sealed, it would indeed be a great merit!”
Yuan Shi replied, “Since this matter started because of me, it should be ended by me. What merit is there to speak of?”
Wukong laughed and said, “If the Great Heavenly Venerable can turn this around, why would I bother asking Tathagata for help?”
“Tathagata? Can you persuade him?” Yuan Shi was slightly surprised.
Wukong said, “After all, it was Tathagata who set up that formation. If he can return to the right path, wouldn’t that be the greatest good?”
Yuan Shi said, “To be honest, if Tathagata could help, our chances would be much greater—far better than me trying to cross the river with my eyes closed.”
Wukong said, “I’ve already convinced him. He needs your help as well!”

Yuan Shi hesitated not for a moment and said, “Let’s go!” Wukong also hoped this could happen as soon as possible. But after leaving the Jade Pure Palace, Wukong took the two of them back to Qi Tian Ling. It wasn’t for some other reason—it was because Wukong was cautious. The Great Sun Tathagata’s cultivation was too high; if Tathagata took this opportunity to scheme, no one except Yin and Yang could hold him back.

So Wukong went to Qi Tian Ling to find Yin and Yang so that they could protect Feng Tong and Yuan Shi. Upon hearing that they had to join forces with Tathagata to break through the formation, Yin and Yang looked very conflicted. Wukong knew they hated Tathagata deeply, but he warned them not to let personal feelings ruin everything, clearly explaining the dangers of defying the laws of creation. He repeatedly urged them to prioritize the balance of creation in the world.

Yin and Yang agreed immediately, saying, “Don’t worry. In such an important matter, how could I possibly cause trouble?”

Only then did Wukong feel relieved. He then took the three of them to find Tathagata.

From afar, Tathagata stood up to greet them, but his eyes were fixed on Yin and Yang. Yet Yin and Yang acted as if they didn’t see Tathagata at all, staring intently at the Great Sun Tathagata behind them.

Wukong said, “Don’t overthink it. It’s just that you’re full of tricks, so I naturally have to be cautious.”

Tathagata nodded and said, “That makes sense.”

Wukong added, “What I promised you before still stands, but you no longer need the Divine Ape of Creation to help you enter the underworld.”

Tathagata frowned slightly and asked, “Have you changed your mind before things are even done?”

Wukong shook his head and said, “You can’t hide this from me. In fact, Pangu… can no longer stand in your way.”

Hearing this, Tathagata showed no joy, only surprise. He asked, “What happened to Pangu?”

Wukong replied, “There’s not much I can say about the details. Pangu has dispersed his creative energy; now his cultivation is only comparable to that of a sage.” He emphasized his words threateningly, “You must not harm Pangu!”

It seemed Tathagata didn’t hear Wukong’s words. His gaze drifted to the sky, and suddenly he pointed at the heavens and shouted, “You’re wrong! Even your most loyal servant has turned against you! What more do you have to say?”

Of course, no one in the sky responded to him.

Tathagata stared into the void for a long time before coming back to his senses. He said, “Of course I won’t harm Pangu. You needn’t worry!”

Yin and Yang said, “We’ll protect him!”

Wukong looked at everyone and sighed, “You go now.”

Tathagata gazed deeply at Wukong and suddenly asked, “That sigh of yours seems to imply farewell. Are you leaving?”

Wukong did not deny it, but he also didn’t know what to say. The Buddha’s burning envious gaze, his slightly puzzled expression, and Yuan Shi and Feng Tong’s half-understanding looks made him feel that the path he was on seemed very lonely.