Rebirth in Journey to the West: Sun Wukong

Sun Wukong indeed did not use his physical body to block the attack of the Demon-Subduing Pestle because he wasn't sure if his current physical strength could withstand Manjusri Bodhisattva's Demon-Subduing Pestle, and could only rely on his body technique and martial skills to dodge left and right.

"The prolonged defense leads to failure," especially when facing a master like Manjusri Bodhisattva, who in terms of strength, was much stronger than the Asura Demon King Sovereign Mara Papiyas. After dodging a few times, a cold and sinister smile suddenly appeared on Manjusri Bodhisattva's face. Sun Wukong felt a sense of alarm in his heart and realized that something was amiss.

He wanted to change direction and dodge, but it was already too late. The three golden hoops of the Dragon-Escaping Stake changed their trajectory when they were less than three feet away from Sun Wukong's body, swiftly encasing his hands, feet, and torso tightly.

"Peng!"

With his entire body trapped by the golden hoops, Sun Wukong's movements were restricted, and he came to an abrupt halt, only to be struck hard on the crown of his head by Manjusri Bodhisattva's Demon-Subduing Pestle, emitting a dull clang of metal-on-metal. He felt dizzy and was sent plummeting straight down from mid-air.

"Big brother!"

The little fox demon Sun Xiaoqing cried out in alarm, and the entire Demon Clan of Flower-Fruit Mountain was also greatly shocked.

The Heaven-Defying Demon Emperor Mu Chenxuan, with the highest cultivation and the strongest power, immediately leapt into the air toward where Sun Wukong had fallen, but just as he reached the edge of the great Primordial Unity Grand Formation Barrier, he heard Sun Wukong's voice transmission:

"Don't worry, I, Old Sun, am fine. No need to intervene!"

The very same words also sounded in the ears of the demons from Flower-Fruit Mountain, easing their anxious hearts at last. Leng Xuan waved his hand, and a vast water mirror appeared around ten meters above the ground in front of Water Curtain Cave Heaven, showing Sun Wukong's situation. Everyone turned their gaze to the water mirror.

Manjusri Bodhisattva descended from the sky, landing next to the large pit created by Sun Wukong's fall. He felt the ground shake under his feet as Sun Wukong burst from the other side of the ground, yet his hands, feet, and torso were still tightly bound by the three golden hoops of the Dragon-Escaping Stake.

"He's actually unharmed?"

Astonishment flickered in Manjusri Bodhisattva's eyes, followed by a sneer, "Sun Wukong, it seems that your physical body's strength is quite high. Have you already attained the Diamond Indestructible Body?"

Responding to Manjusri Bodhisattva was a cold snort. Sun Wukong struggled twice; indeed, the golden hoops of the Dragon-Escaping Stake were potent, binding him tightly, and his internal Chaos Primordial Force flowed much slower, but it still moved and hadn't vanished like a common person's mana would when bound.

"Don't waste your effort struggling! No one can escape once trapped by my Dragon-Escaping Stake!"

Manjusri Bodhisattva's face bore an expression of arrogant confidence, "Sun Wukong, with your exceptional talent, you are a worthy individual. I do not wish to squash a talent like yours. If you are willing to convert to Buddhism, I can vouch for you in front of the Ancestral Buddha. It's not impossible for you to achieve True Fruition and be conferred the title of Buddha in the future.

Why would you want to become a bandit in these desolate mountains? Hand over the Six-Eared Macaque and come to Spiritual Mountain with me. I assure you a limitless future!"

Watching Manjusri Bodhisattva with his condescending and patronizing demeanor, a surge of extreme disgust welled up in Sun Wukong's heart. What he despised most was the sense of superiority radiated by the Immortals and Buddhas, as if they had any right to control and dictate the lives of others.

All beings are born equal; even if one is an Immortal or a Buddha, what right do they have to manipulate others' lives?

And to regard such manipulation as a form of grace was both ludicrous and hateful!

"I, Old Sun, refuse!"

Sun Wukong stood erect, his face full of rebellious defiance, and without hesitation, he spoke.

"Refuse?"

The proud smile on Manjusri Bodhisattva's face faltered, and his complexion darkened, "Sun Wukong, I offered you this rare opportunity because I see the rarity of your talent. Do not err!"

"A rare opportunity? Ridiculous! I, Old Sun, fail to see what's so rare about this opportunity! If you think I, Old Sun, will submit, you've got the wrong person!"

Sun Wukong's eyes sparkled intensely as he fully activated the Eight-Nine Profound Skill. The Chaotic Power within his body, against the immense weight of the Dragon-Escaping Stake's golden hoops, began circulating through his meridians,

"What Buddha and True Fruition! I, Old Sun, am not interested!"

"Born a demon, I shall live and die as a demon!"

"So what if Immortals or Buddhas? As a demon, I stand alone; without Buddha in this world!"

"As a demon, I stand alone; without Buddha in this world!"

The resounding and firm declaration spread in all directions, echoing throughout heaven and earth. At this moment, Manjusri Bodhisattva's face became so grim that it seemed he could drip water. Gone was his usual semblance of compassion, replaced by furious rage and a ferocious, frightening countenance.

"Arrogant!"

"Audacious!"

"Demon Monkey, I had initially intended to convert you, but it seems now that your evil nature is too deep, beyond redemption!"

"Today, I shall act on behalf of heaven to exterminate you, this lawless Demon Monkey!"

Dazzling Buddha's Light emanated from the Demon-Subduing Pestle in Manjusri Bodhisattva's hands, scattering into the air as he threw it upwards. A shadowy figure of a Buddha appeared behind the pestle, and in the next moment, the entire Buddha figure transformed into Buddha's Light and infused itself into the pestle, causing it to blaze brilliantly.

With immense pressure, it hurled down toward Sun Wukong.

"What of your Diamond Indestructible Body? Today, I will shatter your indestructible body completely! Demon Monkey, meet your demise!"

Surrounded by Buddha's Light and Buddha Seals, the Demon-Subduing Pestle descended with the force of Mount Tai crushing down. Sun Wukong's pupils suddenly contracted. It was no wonder that Manjusri Bodhisattva, being one of the four great Bodhisattvas of the Buddhist Sect, was likely even stronger than many of the Buddhas.

If that pestle hit its mark, Sun Wukong feared that even with his Diamond Indestructible Body, he would not withstand it!

However, to think that he could be hit so easily, Manjusri Bodhisattva was far too contemptuous of him!

"This old Sun will break it!"

Veins on his forehead bulging, Sun Wukong's body suddenly swelled up as Chaos Primordial Force surged forth from within him. The three golden hoops binding his body and limbs shook violently. As Chaos Primordial Force homogenized all things, which naturally included Magical Treasures, the golden hoops of the Dragon-Escaping Stake could no longer contain the Chaos Primordial Force.

Under Sun Wukong's full force eruption, they even showed signs of collapsing.

"Om!"

The Demon-Subduing Pestle came to a stop one foot above Sun Wukong's head, blocked by six channels shimmering with a grey glow—the Six Paths of Reincarnation Realms!

Buddha's Light clashed with the Power of Reincarnation, unable to break through and fall. Manjusri Bodhisattva's eyes suddenly widened, revealing a look of shock.

"How is this possible? You, your mana should have been sealed! This, this is... the Power of the Six Paths of Reincarnation?!"

"You got that right!"

Sun Wukong lifted his head, a devilishly cold smile curling on his lips, "I've told you, the experts of the Buddhist Sect are just so much bluster! Break!"

The Chaos Primordial Force slightly contracted, then erupted with an even more ferocious momentum. The three golden hoops of the Dragon-Escaping Stake were directly shattered, their fragments whining as they flew towards the stake, reforming in a circular shape atop it. But they were now dim and lackluster, and with them, the entire Dragon-Escaping Stake lost its luster.

The spirit of the Magical Treasure was severely damaged, transforming into a streak of light that burrowed into Manjusri Bodhisattva's Dantian.

"Six, Paths, Reincarnation, Fist!"

With the golden hoops broken, Sun Wukong's body relaxed, and the Chaos Primordial Force burst out fully, transforming into threads of Power of Reincarnation that converged on his right fist. In a deep roar, Sun Wukong hammered his fist fiercely against the Demon-Subduing Pestle.

A golden fist emerged from the center of the Six Paths of Reincarnation Realms; the realms whirled around his fist before it collided violently with the Demon-Subduing Pestle.

"Crack crack!"

The Power of Reincarnation, dispersing from within the Six Paths of Reincarnation Realms, combined with an unparalleled Fist Force acting on the Demon-Subduing Pestle. Buddha's Light and Buddha Seals cracked inch by inch, finally collapsing completely as Sun Wukong's fist made direct contact with the pestle.

"Ugh!"

Manjusri Bodhisattva's eyes bulged, bloodshot, as numerous blood vessels popped. The Demon-Subduing Pestle was his Lifebound Divine Weapon, connected to his Qi-Blood. Sun Wukong's punch, invaded by the Power of Reincarnation, appeared unblemished on the outside, but inside it had already been damaged, just like the Dragon-Escaping Stake.

While the stake could be repaired later, it was different for the Demon-Subduing Pestle. Suffering internal injuries due to its connection to his Life Force, Manjusri Bodhisattva was helpless to defend against this type of damage conveyed through the Lifebound Divine Weapon.

"Retrieve!"

As the Demon-Subduing Pestle was sent flying by Sun Wukong, Manjusri Bodhisattva quickly repressed the pain in his chest and recollected the pestle back into his hand. Seeing the web-like cracks at the top of the pestle, Manjusri Bodhisattva felt heartache far more acute than if the cracks were on his own body. Your next chapter awaits on empire

At the same time, the depths of his heart were filled with profound horror, and his gaze towards Sun Wukong carried a hint of dread.

This monkey, a complete aberration!

Manjusri Bodhisattva had seen plenty of powerful beings, but someone like Sun Wukong was beyond his wildest imaginations!

Cloning Divine Powers, Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm combat power contending against Da Luo Golden Immortal without falling short, True Solar Fire—these were already shocking enough, but this young one had even mastered the Power of the Six Paths of Reincarnation and could evolve the Six Paths—preposterous!

Since when did the Demon Clan spawn such an outrageous aberration?!

Not yet reaching the Quasi-Saint Realm, Manjusri Bodhisattva had not begun to contact the Primordial of the Grand Dao, nor did he recognize the Chaos Primordial Force. Otherwise, his shock towards Sun Wukong would be even greater. Even so, he had fully realized the terror of Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong was only at the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm in his cultivation now, yet he was already this terrifying. If he were allowed to ascend to the Da Luo Golden Immortal or even the Quasi-Saint Realm in the future, how dreadful would he become? Perhaps the first precedent of defying the heavens and challenging saints would be set by him?

No, I must return to Spiritual Mountain immediately and report this matter to Ancestral Buddha in detail. This is a tremendous threat; we absolutely cannot let this Demon Monkey grow stronger!