During the Tang Dynasty, the Tripitaka Master traveled west to Tianzhu to retrieve scriptures, taking the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, who caused havoc in the heavens, as his disciple. They endured countless tribulations along the way, slaying demons and vanquishing evil, which became Journey to the West.
This story was known to every household, familiar to all.
However, in this Main Profound Realm, although it was also the Tang Dynasty, the history differed significantly from his own, a fact Feng Zikang had never connected before.
Now, hearing the names of the Tripitaka Master and the Sun-surnamed disciple mentioned together, a stirring arose in Feng Zikang's heart, as if he grasped something profound.
The Primordial Chaos shattered, and although each fragment of the Profound Realm was deducing history in its own way, the general threads remained similar; the overarching narrative held true.
It was not strange that the Main Profound Realm possessed a Tripitaka Master and a Sun Wukong; their experiences might differ greatly from the historical myths Feng Zikang knew, but similarities would certainly exist.
Recalling his encounter that day with the robust man who called himself Sun Su—wielding a stone staff and claiming to have attained the path of eternal life and freedom—if he hadn't lacked even a hint of simian features, he truly would have been a living Sun Wukong.
Feng Zikang nodded slightly at this thought.
“In any case, we will go out tomorrow to meet that man, and then we shall know the truth.”
Huo Zhongguang, hearing they recognized the person, displayed a look of distress. “Oh dear, if this Great Master Sun is indeed a being of immense divine power, why would he bother causing trouble in my tiny Profound Realm? And what about this Nine-Tailed Fox? How should we deal with her?”
Su Su prostrated herself on the ground, pleading ceaselessly. Feng Zikang offered a slight smile. “This fox isn't very capable; let's temporarily detain her. We can handle the matter after we meet that man tomorrow…”
In truth, he harbored some doubts. If this person was indeed the one he had met before, then his cultivation was unfathomably deep. Although Feng Zikang had improved rapidly, he might not be the other’s match. He needed to clarify what this person's objective was within this Profound Realm.
If conflict arose, it would be thorny.
It would be best if they could reconcile and find common ground, thus avoiding a fight altogether.
Feng Zikang pondered for a long time but could not decide. He could only wait until the next day.
The following day, seeing the city remained calm, the rebel army indeed continued its siege.
Feng Zikang and his group meticulously prepared themselves and marched out of the city to meet the charge.
The rebel army appeared to be nothing more than a disorganized rabble, but in the center of their forces, there stood a high platform. Upon this platform sat a towering man, leaning back on a tiger-skin chair, drinking wine. Beside him lay a stone staff, and he exuded a chilling, murderous aura.
Feng Zikang gazed intently and indeed recognized the robust man as strikingly familiar.
He smiled faintly and called out, “Might you be Big Brother Sun Su from the front?”
“Oh?”
The large man raised an eyelid. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and his face suddenly lit up with joy. He tossed aside the wine jug in his hand, sprang into the air, and roared with laughter.
“Little brother, what brings you here as well?”
His voice resonated like thunder, carrying immense might. It felt as though heaven and earth vibrated with his sound. Despite the imposing power, Feng Zikang distinctly noticed that his cultivation realm had dropped again.
When he first met him, the man had mentioned that his cultivation was constantly declining, and at that time, he was already at the Nascent Soul stage. Although Feng Zikang's cultivation was low then and he couldn't discern it clearly, looking back now, it was roughly comparable.
But the imposing might of this strong man now was within a realm Feng Zikang could comprehend; at most, it was only the peak of the Core Condensation stage.
“Big Brother Sun!” Feng Zikang cupped his hands in a salute. “After we parted that day, I never had the chance to drink with you again. I never expected to meet you in this place!”
Sun Su laughed heartily. “It’s been a while, little brother. Your cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds; you have surpassed me!”
Though these words were spoken, the current Feng Zikang was also at the peak of Core Condensation. However, compared to Sun Su, if they truly fought, Feng Zikang might not have the upper hand.
After all, Sun Su had retreated step by step from the path of immortality down to his current Core Condensation cultivation. While his realm was insufficient, his state of mind and perspective far exceeded that of his peers.
With Feng Zikang’s present power, he dared to challenge a Nascent Soul master, but before Sun Su, he couldn't muster even a sliver of fighting spirit.
“Elder Sun, save me!”
At this moment, the Nine-Tailed Fox, Su Su, somehow managed to appear from nowhere and cried out for help.
“Oh?” Sun Su paused, frowning slightly. “You demoness, I told you long ago to return to the mountain for secluded cultivation—why are you here again?”
He flicked his finger lightly, and the binding spell Feng Zikang had placed on her instantly dissolved. The Nine-Tailed Fox flipped over and scurried to Sun Su's side, still shaken.
Feng Zikang smiled faintly. “This Nine-Tailed Fox snuck into Daliang City last night, attempting to assassinate the emperor here. It was I who subdued a Pig Demon named Zhu San when I first arrived in this Profound Realm, and she happened to be captured by me…”
Sun Su looked up, surprised. “That Pig Demon was subdued by you?”
He burst into laughter. “Well, this is an amusing coincidence, a dragon colliding with the King of the Dragon Temple! Since I know little brother is on this side, I will naturally assist this faction. If I weren't bored in this Underworld with nothing to do, I wouldn't bother with these trivial matters; I’d just smash my staff straight into the Yan Wang Hall…”
He waved his hand. “Brother, wait a moment; let me sweep away these rebels here, stabilize this place, and then we can look for the entrance to the next layer…”
“Hmm?” Feng Zikang blinked, finding the words Sun Su spoke slightly strange.
Underworld? Yan Wang Hall?
What exactly was this place…?
As he pondered, he heard Sun Su let out a great shout. His voice boomed like thunder. The tens of thousands of rebels trembled in fear. Seeing him swing his massive staff, threatening to speak, they were so terrified they scattered in panic, one after another.
The crisis of the siege ended in an absurd, anticlimactic fashion.
The so-called battle mandated by Heaven, the change of dynasty, vanished under the forceful swing of Sun Su’s great staff.
Huo Zhongguang and the others were dumbstruck, and the Nine-Tailed Fox was even more incredulous. “Sun… Elder Sun, acting so defiantly against Heaven, how can you…”
“Defying Heaven?” Sun Su sneered, retracting his massive staff and glancing lazily at the Nine-Tailed Fox. “Little demon, in these eighteen levels of Hell, where is Heaven? Where is the Will of Heaven? Old Sun is merely choosing a side arbitrarily, finding an exit to the next layer. Since my little brother helped that Pig Demon, I’ll just switch sides. Do we have to fight to the death over this?”
“What?”
The Nine-Tailed Fox stood agape, while Feng Zikang let out a sound of astonishment at the same time she did.
What astonished Feng Zikang was not his choice, but what he had said earlier. He clearly entered the Trial Tower—how did it become the Eighteenth Layer of Hell in Sun Su’s mouth?
Judging by his tone, he didn't sound like he was joking.
“Eighteen Layers of Hell? Big Brother Sun, you mean this place… is actually the Eighteenth Layer of Hell?”
Sun Su turned his head, looking momentarily confused, scratching his head. “Little brother, you don't know? Then… wait, how did you get in here?”