Thirty-Three Heavens, inside Tusita Palace, Lord Lao reached out to touch the two intersecting cracks on the Heavenly Dao Stone.
One of the cracks was slowly healing, while the other remained completely unchanged.
"The Heavenly Dao is self-healing..." He let out a long sigh, half-closing his eyes, a vague worry in his voice. "Next, as long as this last crack is resolved, everything will return to its origin."
...
As Grandmaster White stepped out of the Ten Thousand Demons Hall, a ray of sunlight pierced the clouds and fell across his face, suddenly giving him a sense of being worlds apart.
That monkey was the very embodiment of chaos; even he, a master of court intrigue in the Heavenly Court, had been worn down to the point of losing his temper.
There was no helping it—when someone is that powerful, with such strong armies, even the Jade Emperor must bow his head. What does a Grandmaster White count for in comparison?
"Though it's a complete mess... heh... at least I can muddle through when I get back."
Staring at the crumpled imperial edict in his hand, he could only shake his head and smile wryly, descending the steps one by one.
In a daze, he suddenly saw three demon soldiers carrying a giant banner, two zhang long, passing by and shouting as they raised it up the flagpole.
"What's this..."
The moment he saw the characters on that black banner, he was utterly stunned.
"Great Sage Equal to Heaven? But this has only just... How could it be so fast?"
A gentle breeze swept past, carrying two withered leaves.
Grandmaster White's eyes narrowed to slits.
"Coincidence? No, it's one thing for this place to be called Qi Tian Palace by chance, but how did 'Great Sage' come about?"
"Someone in Heaven leaked the news? That can't be right either—the title was one I made up on the spot, and His Majesty didn't even look at it. How could it be so precise?"
"Foreknowledge? Still doesn't add up. At the very least, you'd need the cultivation of a Celestial Sage to be that accurate. Even a Celestial Sage couldn't manage it—unless Lord Lao personally intervened."
A demon soldier quietly approached from behind, bowed with hands clasped, and said, "Star Lord, it's not suitable to linger outside the Ten Thousand Demons Hall."
"Alright, alright, this old man will be on his way." Grandmaster White hurriedly lowered his head and slipped past the flagpole, but couldn't help glancing at the fluttering words 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' on the banner.
Suddenly, he recalled many of Lord Lao's previous, utterly baffling actions.
"Could it be... the Heavenly Dao?"
His hand tightened unconsciously around the imperial edict.
"If that's really the case, then the Three Pure Ones not intervening is only natural. But if so, aren't we—all of us running around—just clowns in the end?"
Thinking this, he quickened his pace toward the gates of Qi Tian Palace, a complicated smile playing on his lips.
...
In the courtyard, Anna Yang listened as the guards animatedly recounted the story, laughing so hard she couldn't close her mouth.
"Is it really that funny?" Monkey King drawled from the side. "All I did was mess with him a little."
Glancing at the Monkey King beside her, Anna said, "Don't forget—if he hadn't blocked the Milky Way Navy back then, Blossom Mountain wouldn't be here today."
"So I'm supposed to be grateful to him?" Monkey King snorted. "A petty man is always a petty man. Even if he's the enemy of my enemy, he can't be a friend."
"If you keep thinking like that, you'll have fewer people willing to help you in the future."
"Let them go, then. This Great Sage can't stand those petty types."
Watching the stubborn Monkey King, Anna Yang burst out laughing again.
If he weren't that kind of person, would she even like him?
In this world, so much isn't about right or wrong—like love or not. Even knowing it's a mistake, so what?
After a brief silence, Anna Yang said softly, "Actually, from Grandmaster White's point of view, he wasn't wrong. Merit overshadowing your master, disobeying orders, acting alone, doing as you please, stirring up resentment—Marshal Silver broke every taboo. Who else would they target but him?"
Monkey King was momentarily taken aback and looked at Anna Yang. "You're seeing things clearly now, aren't you?"
Anna tilted her head, smiling sweetly. "These days I don't have to worry about anything, so my mood's naturally good—especially seeing someone run around like a tired dog. That makes me even happier! With a mood this good, how could I not see things clearly?"
"Oh, so you're showing off now?" Monkey King's brows furrowed.
"What's wrong with showing off? I've been exhausted for a hundred years, while someone was living it up in Heaven. Now the tables have turned."
He silently watched Anna Yang’s rare playful expression. After a long moment, Monkey smiled faintly, braced his knee, and slowly stood up.
"Not talking anymore?"
"What’s left to talk about? Off to keep playing the dog." Monkey stretched lazily. "I’m meeting that Many-Eyes fellow who gives you headaches today. I’ve been holding in a stomach full of irritation here—time to vent it on him."
"Don’t you go overboard."
"Do I look like someone who doesn’t know his limits? Leave these things to me and enjoy your peaceful days."
With that, Monkey took a deep breath, turned, and walked away.
He’d only taken a few steps before turning back. "By the way, I’ll be heading to Stillwater Valley in a few days. You’re technically a Crescent Star Cave disciple—want to come along?"
"A sect gathering?"
"Mm."
"Better not. I won’t go," Anna Yang replied coolly.
"Fine, suit yourself." Monkey rolled his neck, turned, and headed toward the Ten Thousand Demons Hall.
Behind him, several attendant little demons hurried after him.
Once Monkey left, Anna Yang finally turned to the guard beside her and asked, "By the way, what order did the Great Sage give Grandmaster White at the end?"
The guard scratched his head and thought for a while before replying, "I didn’t hear it very clearly… I think… I think he told Grandmaster White to go to the Netherworld and deliver a decree, saying that in a few days the Great Sage will descend to inspect the Book of Life and Death."
Hearing this, Anna Yang was stunned.
...
News of Monkey’s self-proclaimed title, ‘Great Sage Equal to Heaven,’ quickly spread throughout the Three Realms, and naturally reached the Heavenly Court as well.
In the Imperial Study behind the High Sky Throne Hall, the Jade Emperor sat upright at his dragon desk, glaring angrily at Grandmaster White before him. He said nothing, but his stare made Grandmaster White extremely uncomfortable.
After a long time, Grandmaster White cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, please quell your anger. I was only… only thinking of the bigger picture."
"Where exactly is that imperial edict?" the Jade Emperor demanded coldly.