Rebirth in Journey to the West: Sun Wukong

Upon exiting Queen Mother's bedchamber, Sun Wukong headed straight to the Peach of Immortality Garden and, after picking enough peaches, was contentedly riding clouds out of the Jade Pool. Just as he was about to fly towards the Southern Heavenly Gate, he suddenly spotted a subtle figure descending from the Heavenly Ladder and heading towards the Lunar Palace. If not the Jade Emperor, who else could it be?

"Strange! Why is the old Jade Emperor sneaking around like this?"

Sun Wukong's eyes shifted, feeling somewhat astonished. As the Lord of the Heavenly Court, why did the Jade Emperor need to stealthily use the art of invisibility? This was not his usual style at all! Had Sun Wukong not always maintained the first phase of his Void-Breaking Divine Eye, he might not have noticed at all!

Could it be that he was about to do something unrighteous? That was the direction of the Lunar Palace; could the old Jade Emperor be intending to harass Fairy Chang'er?

Towards the Jade Emperor, Sun Wukong had never held a good impression, and naturally, he presumed the worst about him. After a moment's thought, he decided to follow him to see what the Jade Emperor was up to with such sneakiness!

Following the Jade Emperor all the way, Sun Wukong arrived inside the Lunar Palace.

The sound of chopping wood came from ahead. It was Wu Gang in the Lunar Palace chopping at an osmanthus tree, but the tree was quite peculiar. As soon as Wu Gang's axe made a cut, it would heal instantly, rendering his efforts useless.

Yet Wu Gang seemed indefatigable, persistently swinging his axe at the tree. Sun Wukong looked carefully and noticed that every stroke Wu Gang made followed the exact same trajectory, as if it was predestined. How much precision control would one need to achieve this?

Moreover, Sun Wukong could clearly see that Wu Gang's axe movements contained profound truths of the Great Dao; it was not merely chopping wood!

And his cultivation was startlingly at the Quasi-Saint level, far stronger than any other Immortals and Gods within the Heavenly Palace!

"I can't believe it! There's such an expert hidden inside the Lunar Palace! What a fool the old Jade Emperor is! Having such a powerful being, yet he merely has him chopping wood!"

Sun Wukong inwardly sneered. Wu Gang seemed oblivious to the presence of the Jade Emperor, still swinging his axe leisurely. Sun Wukong thus followed the Jade Emperor, passing by him and entering into the Guanghan Palace.

"Year after year, age after age, between heaven and earth, when will you return..."

A faint sigh echoed deep from inside the Guanghan Palace, the lamentation of Fairy Chang'er. A flicker of surprise crossed Sun Wukong's eyes. Was Fairy Chang'er longing for someone, perhaps the long-deceased Hou Yi?

"Chang'er, you and Tianpeng are now worlds apart; why are you still unable to forget him? Do you really not know of my devoted heart toward you?"

The voice of the Jade Emperor called out, showing his form as he walked towards Fairy Chang'er.

"Your Majesty? What brings you here?"

Fairy Chang'er's face changed, and she stood up, defensively eyeing the Jade Emperor. "Today is not a dance presentation day; Your Majesty should not be here!"

"To hell with dance presentation days!"

The Jade Emperor showed a willful expression. "I just want to know why you would rather care for a pig than accept me?"

"Your Majesty is the Lord of the Heavenly Court; you already have the Queen Mother as a companion. Chang'er does not dare to aspire that high! Moreover, there was an early agreement between us that I would help Your Majesty collect the foundation of the Demon Clan's Heavenly Court to build the Human Heavenly Court. Your Majesty allowed me to cultivate in secret here in Guanghan Palace, agreeing that without my consent, no one should enter. Are you planning to break your promise?"

"Break a promise? When have I ever broken a promise?"

The Jade Emperor sneered, "I initially promised that without your permission, I would not let anyone enter Guanghan Palace, but I never said I couldn't enter myself!"

"You!"

Fairy Chang'er glared at the Jade Emperor, her beautiful face frosty, "Shameless!"

"Shameless? Humph! Chang'er, you have long known about the relationship between the Queen Mother and me; we are merely husband and wife in name. Over the years, I have taken care of you at every step, never once forcing you. Yet, you have fallen for Tianpeng and have constantly refused to accept me! First, it was Hou Yi, and now Tianpeng. In what way am I inferior to them?"

The Jade Emperor's face darkened, a cold light flashing in his eyes as he roared at Fairy Chang'er, completely devoid of the usual dignity, resembling a petty person infuriated by unrequited love.

"Hao Tian, I respect you as the Lord of the Heavenly Court and address you as Your Majesty, but don't get ahead of yourself! Do you really think I, Chang'er, am the kind of woman who can be easily manipulated and bullied?"

Fairy Chang'er's expression turned completely cold, and a powerful aura emanated from her, astonishingly that of a Half-Step Saint!

"My goodness! Fairy Chang'er actually has the cultivation of the Half-Step Saint Realm. Why didn't I notice it before?"

Sun Wukong, watching secretly, was taken aback. However, upon reflection, he realized it was not surprising; after all, Fairy Chang'er was the daughter of Heavenly Emperor Di Jun from the Demon Clan's Heavenly Court in Ancient Primeval. With such a distinguished lineage, it was no wonder she had reached the Half-Step Saint Realm after so many years, especially during the third phase of the Immeasurable Catastrophe, an era of great strife changing the Heavenly Dao Laws, where Proving the Tao and Becoming a Saint was no longer an extraordinary feat, let alone merely achieving Half-Step Saint.

Nevertheless, this meant that if the Jade Emperor wanted to forcefully conquer Fairy Chang'er, it would likely be futile, as her Cultivation Strength might well be on par with his!

"A Mysterious Yin Primordial body, indeed you are no simple being. I have underestimated you previously!"

However, the Jade Emperor did not seem overly surprised by Fairy Chang'er's true strength. His mouth curled into a cold smile, and his eyes revealed a barely suppressible greed, "But this is even better. Once I absorb your Mysterious Yin Primordial source, I will surely Prove the Tao and Become a Saint, achieving a Merit Saint Body. Then, I shall see who dares to underestimate me in the Three Realms!"

"Merit Saint Body? What is that?"

Sun Wukong blinked. Was this a cultivation technique practiced by the Jade Emperor? Why did it sound so similar to Jiang Liu'er's Immeasurable Merit Determination?

According to what the Jade Emperor hinted at, it seemed that he needed to absorb Fairy Chang'er's Mysterious Yin Primordial source to achieve the so-called Merit Saint Body. In other words, his coveting was not only for Fairy Chang'er's beauty but also for her origin power!

Sun Wukong's interest was piqued. Fairy Chang'er's cultivation strength appeared to match the Jade Emperor's. How would the Jade Emperor subdue Fairy Chang'er and extract her origin power?

"Eh?"

Suddenly, Sun Wukong saw a strange gas diffusing from the Jade Emperor's sleeve and spreading outwards. This gas was colorless and odorless; had it not been for his Void-Breaking Divine Eye, he might not have noticed it.

This damned Jade Emperor is actually using such despicable tactics!