In the wilderness, a gentle breeze drifted by.
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Monkey's expression shifted several times, yet he did not utter a single word. He kept staring at Master Taiyi, at the other six Golden Immortals, at Lord Genesis, at Lord Skygate... His gaze flickered restlessly, a surge of anger stuck in his chest. His grip on the Golden Staff tightened and loosened, loosened and tightened, over and over again.
Lord Genesis saw all of this, but remained composed, pretending not to notice.
The sudden news of another soul emerging—Monkey had never considered such a possibility before. The name 'Six‑Eared Macaque' represented immense uncertainty, especially since he had returned to this world with the help of the Buddhist Order... Faced with this, Monkey was unwilling, yet forced to reassess the situation.
If the war more than six centuries ago, and the subsequent 650 years of imprisonment, left anything in him, it was endurance. He had learned to see reality clearly and forcibly extinguish his own rage.
Because, in most cases—especially when he did not have the upper hand—anger could not solve the problem. On the contrary, it might make things worse, playing right into the enemy’s trap.
After a long silence, he bared his teeth and said, "Are you threatening me?"
"How could I dare? I am merely stating the facts." Lord Genesis took a deep breath, lowered his eyes, and sighed softly. "Is there anyone in the world who can make everything revolve around themselves? If there ever was, it would be the old Lord Lao who once held sway over Heaven’s Way. Although you, Great Sage, once proved the Dao with your strength, in the end, aren’t there still countless ties that bind you? You may disregard yourself, but if something were to happen to you, those you care about... Heh. Sometimes, circumstances overpower people. Living in this world, there will always be much helplessness, many things beyond our control."
His words sounded casual; from start to finish, Lord Genesis did not even glance at Monkey, merely voicing his own reflections. Yet all the while, he kept a close watch on Monkey’s spiritual energy, not missing even the slightest fluctuation.
"So what?" Monkey raised his brows slightly.
Lord Genesis furrowed his brows and said, "So, sometimes the two sides in a conflict do not need to fight to the death. Keeping the other side alive may be more beneficial. Since that is the case, why not each take a step back?"
"Take a step back?" Monkey pursed his lips, took a deep breath, looked around, then fixed his gaze on Lord Genesis and asked, "How would we step back?"
Seeing that Monkey was starting to soften, Lord Genesis quickly said, "Great Sage, what would you have me offer in exchange for the lives of my seven disciples?"
Monkey glanced at the Golden Immortals around him and said slowly, "My conditions may not be so easy to fulfill."
"As long as it is within my power, do not hesitate to say it." With that, Lord Genesis raised his hand, signaling Monkey to continue.
Seeing this, Monkey said at once, "Help me find Six-Eared Macaque, investigate his purpose and movements. And if possible, find out the Buddhist Order’s intentions as well. How about this condition?"
"Agreed," Lord Genesis said softly. "This, I can promise you, Great Sage. But how long it will take, I cannot say. After all, our opponent is the Buddhist Order."
"Good. Since Lord Genesis has personally promised, I trust you will not shirk your duty." Monkey glanced toward the capital of the Dharma-Quest Kingdom and said softly, "This is just the first condition. The second... Since this all began because of them, all the civilians who died must be revived. What do you say?"
At this, Lord Genesis was momentarily stunned.
Around them, the seven Golden Immortals stood with heads bowed like wilted radish greens, silent. Instead, it was Lord Skygate, standing in the distance, who spoke.
He lifted his chin slightly and said in a clear voice, "Reviving mortals is not difficult. It’s nothing more than reshaping a body. But now, the Sixfold Wheel of Reincarnation is entirely under the Buddhist Order’s control. Do you think they would agree? Even if we tried to barter... Heh, there are at least a thousand souls involved here. What could we possibly offer the Buddhist Order in exchange...?"
Before he finished, Lord Genesis raised his head slightly and lifted a hand. Lord Skygate instantly understood and fell silent.
Fixing his gaze on Monkey, Lord Genesis said softly, "You must know how difficult this is, Great Sage. Besides, even if you killed my disciples, it would not change anything. The innocent dead would still find no peace. Why not try a different approach?"
"What approach?" Monkey slowly folded his hands.
"Release my disciples first. Since they brought this disaster on themselves, let them make amends for it. Restoring things to how they were is impossible, but I can have them trace the reincarnated souls, mobilize our disciples, and find every one of them. In their next lives, they will compensate them. This is a vast undertaking—even if you sent your own demons, Great Sage, it would be difficult to complete. But... there’s no other way. Though hard, it’s still easier than begging the Buddhist Order for favors for a thousand souls in the Netherworld. What do you think of this solution, Great Sage?"
"Aren’t they forbidden from interfering with the mortal world? Won’t the Heavenly Court object?"
"If I give the word, do you still not trust me, Great Sage?"
Hearing this, Monkey burst out laughing, tilting his head and said, "Fine, but if compensation is required, then those living in the Dharma-Quest Kingdom who lost loved ones must also be compensated."
"Agreed." Lord Genesis nodded and spread his hands. "I’ll personally guarantee this, Great Sage. I’ll make sure they handle it beautifully."
"You said it." Monkey pointed at Lord Genesis, then swung his staff and struck the ground with a heavy blow.