Chapter 5 Lady Houtu

Having bid farewell to Mount Fangcun, Sun Wukong directly entered the Thirty-Six Heavens.

The once magnificent Ling Xiao Palace had now become a pile of ruins.

The Heavenly Court was also desolate.

No divine generals were stationed there anymore, not even the Heavenly Kings remained.

The major Constellations were scattered around, some even sought refuge with Great Emperor Ziwei.

All these things told Sun Wukong that the Heavenly Court had truly fallen.

The peach trees in the Immortal Peach Orchard were uprooted, likely moved somewhere else.

With the Jade Emperor gone, the Queen Mother had moved all the peaches of immortality back to Kunlun.

The once flourishing Immortal Peach Orchard was now abandoned, overrun with wild grass.

Sun Wukong stamped his foot.

An old immortal crawled out from underground and immediately knelt in worship.

"Local Deity of the Immortal Peach Orchard, at your service, Great Sage."

Sun Wukong tried to make his expression a bit more genial, "Don't be nervous, I just have one question, how did the Jade Emperor die? After his death, what happened in the Heavenly Court, and why has it come to this state?"

The Local Deity of the Immortal Peach Orchard showed a look of terror as he answered, "The cause of the Jade Emperor's death, I do not know; within the Three Realms, there are but a few immortals who do. As for why the Heavenly Court has become like this, I indeed know."

Sun Wukong signaled for him to continue.

Emboldened, the Local Deity of the Immortal Peach Orchard continued, "After the Emperor's demise, the Four Heavenly Kings and Five Elders fought over the throne, and immediately started brawling. The Constellations of the Heavenly Kings also took sides, and just like that, the vast Heavenly Court fell apart."

"Didn't the wife of the Jade Emperor, Lady Houtu, try to stop them? Did she participate in the struggle, too?"

Sun Wukong was somewhat surprised.

The Local Deity of the Immortal Peach Orchard smiled bitterly, "Lady Houtu wanted to stop it, but she was too weak alone, unable to restrain the gods and emperors, and in the end, she had no choice but to leave in disappointment."

"One last question, why do you remain here?"

Sun Wukong stared straight at the Local Deity of the Immortal Peach Orchard, the corners of his mouth slightly curling up.

The Local Deity of the Immortal Peach Orchard straightened up a bit and looking into Sun Wukong's eyes, said with a smile, "If I say I am faithfully performing my duties, even if the Heavenly Court is gone, I am still fulfilling my responsibilities, you, Great Sage, probably wouldn't believe it."

He had just finished speaking when he paused, dumbfounded.

Sun Wukong turned and walked away.

"I believe."

His voice drifted from afar; his figure was no longer visible.

Had he left?

The expression of the Local Deity of the Immortal Peach Orchard was slightly stiff.

This was not the style of that monkey.

He clearly understood, yet why had he left?

This monkey had changed.

He had become unfathomable and uncontrollable.

"Quite interesting."

The Local Deity of the Immortal Peach Orchard chuckled lightly and turned into a wisp of blue smoke, vanishing.

In the distance, Sun Wukong's lips twisted into a mocking smile.

In the Netherworld, at Lady Houtu's residence, the numerous guards were on high alert.

For today, an unexpected visitor had come, the monkey who had once wreaked havoc in heaven.

The matter of the true and false Monkey King had finally been settled.

The one who became a Buddha was the Six-Eared Macaque.

The real Great Sage Equalling Heaven had only recently been born.

Where he had been all these thousands of years, everyone actually had an idea.

After the Emperor's death, the Heavenly Court had disbanded.

Now, even the Ten Kings of Hell were uncertain, and Lady Houtu's situation was not good.

If this monkey had come to settle old scores, today might pose some difficulty.

Everyone said he was a hero fighting against heaven and earth.

Only when facing him did they realize he was also the most powerful demon in the world.

"Please, Great Sage, come in."

A fairy stepped out, stunningly beautiful yet transcendently ethereal.

She bowed to Sun Wukong, inviting him in.

The guards did not relax; they all stared intently at Sun Wukong.

If he were to make a move, they would protect the Queen Mother at the cost of their lives, no matter what.

Sun Wukong glanced at them and said, "If Old Sun wanted to take action, you couldn't stop him, so no need to be so tense."

The guards understood this, but they did not relax in the slightest.

Sun Wukong entered the residence of Lady Houtu.

She was a beautiful woman, graceful and luxurious, with an aura of authority that was softened by a touch of gentleness, as if she could embrace everything.

Lady Houtu, as the Jade Emperor's only wife and Mother Earth, was also one of the Four Heavenly Kings.

She was watering the flowers when she saw Sun Wukong arriving. She just glanced at him and said softly, "You're here."

Sun Wukong smiled and replied, "Yes, the Jade Emperor is dead. Lady Houtu must be very sad. I came to offer my condolences, after all, the Jade Emperor and I had a long history."

"Now that you have seen what you came for, you can go."

Lady Houtu said indifferently.

Sun Wukong bowed slightly and said, "I shall take my leave."

He turned and left.

A large group of guards rushed in, and only when they saw Lady Houtu unharmed did they breathe a sigh of relief.

That monkey left so quickly?

What exactly was his purpose here?

Lady Houtu fell into deep thought; what did that monkey mean by his actions?

Leaving Lady Houtu's residence, Sun Wukong glanced at the Netherworld, causing the Ten Kings of Hell to tremble.

What did that monkey mean? Could it be that he was up to something?

As it turned out, Sun Wukong did not return.

Some mountain spirits and goblins found trouble; what was the meaning of that?

He crossed the Netherworld and entered the South Sea.

Within the Purple Bamboo Forest, Shancai stood beside Bodhisattva Guanyin, full of anticipation.

Mr. Monkey was coming, as she had said.

It had only been a few days since their last meeting at Wuzhuang Temple, and they were about to meet again.

Sun Wukong landed in the Purple Bamboo Forest, the Black Bear Spirit approached him, only to be pushed aside with a single hand.

"Go play on your own."

The Black Bear Spirit chuckled and hid on the side.

This was truly the Great Sage, still the same as ever.

That untamable defiance couldn't be faked.

Bodhisattva Guanyin's dignified and serene presence shone with Buddha's Light, reaching the pinnacle of sanctity. The moment Sun Wukong stood before her, she opened her eyes.

"Bodhisattva, Old Sun is back. Haven't seen you in so many years, I've missed you. Came here to ask for a drink," said Sun Wukong cheerily as he directly moved next to the Bodhisattva, shoving Red Boy to one side, then casually seated himself in a lazy manner.

Bodhisattva Guanyin, her brows kind and her presence solemn, her body radiated with Buddha's Light, sanctified to the utmost.

She glanced at Monkey King and smiled, "You rascal monkey, always causing me trouble. Do you know that with your arrival, countless troubles are likely to find me?"

"Bodhisattva, are you afraid?"

Sun Wukong chuckled.

Bodhisattva Guanyin smiled gently and said, "Even Buddha has entered nirvana, how can I not be afraid?"

"But I knew you were waiting for me, otherwise you wouldn't have had my nephew wait for me there, so I came," laughed Sun Wukong.

Bodhisattva Guanyin's smile disappeared, replaced by a sorrowful expression. She said:

"Buddha is truly dead."

Sun Wukong shook all over; he immediately straightened up.

Shortly after, he relaxed.

Yet the Qi around him vaguely felt like it was about to erupt.

"I thought Tathagata was playing some trick again. Since the Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Court has also died, he must really be dead. What on earth is happening? Bodhisattva, can you clear my doubts?"

Bodhisattva Guanyin replied, "I cannot."

Sun Wukong: "..."

It seemed he had wasted his breath talking.