Chapter 309: Unraveling the Divine Enigma

Impact!

Like a volcano long suppressed finally reaching its peak, searing magma burst out, tearing apart calm and composure!

That Divine Monkey. That Divine Monkey!

Gongshu Jingjun and Tang Xiejia shuddered—both their hearts in turmoil. They were all too familiar with Li Che’s Divine Eagle Technique. Right now, the technique the Divine Monkey displayed, carved out in mortal wood into a half-saintly Divine Eagle, carried an unmistakable sculptor’s style.

It was all too obvious!

For a half-saintly Divine Eagle, its carving style is something easily recognized.

Style is the very essence of a master. Every accomplished Divine Eagle master has their own distinctive flair—for instance, some favor wielding a knife in their left hand, leaving unique cut patterns on spirit wood that no ordinary woodcarver could replicate.

Some woodcarvers even excel with gouging techniques, leaving corresponding traces that speak volumes of their unique style. The same holds true for the half-saintly Divine Eagle.

In fact, a pronounced style is hardly a detriment to a master. It’s even the main means of elevating the value and prestige of the Divine Eagle.

So… they really recognized him! The Divine Monkey was none other than Elder Li Che! Li Che!

Gongshu Jingjun’s expression shifted rapidly. How could this be?

Tang Xiejia’s reaction was even more intense. His sturdy frame couldn’t help but break out in goosebumps. The mighty Martial Saint was suddenly losing control of his own body.

After all, Tang Xiejia wasn’t particularly sensitive to the Divine Eagle Technique—his focus was on the Divine Monkey’s cultivation… the Martial Saint level!

Celestial Communion, intertwined primordial power…

Those were the hallmarks of a Martial Saint, signifying that this Divine Monkey had truly reached that realm! But…

The Divine Monkey was Elder Li Che!

Does that mean Elder Li Che had ascended to Martial Saint status?! That was truly chilling!

At that moment, Gongshu Jingjun’s eyes narrowed slightly as he finally caught on.

Elder Ding Zi, one of the three inner elders, was equally dumbfounded. Instinctively, he turned towards the nearby Painted Immortal clone of Li Che, whose face wore a gentle smile. “Elder Li… isn’t he supposed to be here?” he asked.

Ding Zi inquired.

Gongshu Jingjun and Tang Xiejia exchanged glances, their hearts skipped a beat as they turned to look at the Painted Immortal clone of Li Che. Their minds seemed shrouded in a dense, eerie fog, and everything became hazy.

They couldn’t tell what was real… they were utterly confused.

Was this an illusion set up by the Two-Hearted Great Sage and the Temple Spirit to cloud their minds?

So, is the Divine Monkey really Li Che?

“Elder Li… isn’t he supposed to be Ma Mian?” Ding Zi pursed his lips and said.

Inside the Qianyuan Divine Sect, the elders had speculated and debated Li Che’s true identity.

The Underworld’s close ties with Li Che’s family were too evident. Anyone observant could spot the hidden clues and make their own guesses.

Combined with Li Che’s unparalleled half-saintly Divine Eagle Technique, his mastery of the Tang Clan’s intricate mechanical arts, and his relatively modest cultivation… his status within the Underworld was practically laid bare.

He was none other than the Underworld’s Ma Mian!

However, the Underworld’s Ma Mian was relatively inconspicuous compared to the treacherous and ruthless Ogre.

Whenever the Underworld acted, Ma Mian always kept his distance, striking from afar with formidable mechanisms. Among the Underworld’s vicious beings, Ma Mian rarely drew much ire or murderous intent. In fact, he was even less detested than Cat Face.

But today, the three were baffled. If Li Che were Ma Mian, then today… Elder Li would also be the Divine Monkey? So which of the Underworld’s agents was Elder Li, then?!

Is the Divine Monkey… truly Elder Li Che?!

Many things can be faked, but a half-saintly Divine Eagle’s carving technique and style are impossible to counterfeit—unless a true master deliberately imitates them, no one else can perfectly replicate such a refined form.

Gongshu Jingjun looked at Li Che, who now appeared honest and unassuming. It seemed he had indeed discovered something subtly different about this “Li Che.”

This Li Che… is a fake?! And if so…

Suddenly, Gongshu Jingjun’s eyes lit up as he seemed to grasp something.

He understood why Wugang, Yue Weizheng, Xuan Yin and the others all failed to pass even the first checkpoint on the mountain path. The primary reason was…

This Li Che was a fake!

If it was fake, then even if it was a counterfeit body molded by the Two-Hearted Great Sage’s divine essence, it was still a fake. With only fake bodies, where was the real one?

Thus, as long as one chose Li Che as an opponent on the mountain path, there was basically no path to victory!

With only fake forms available, one could never locate the true self, and therefore couldn’t advance.

Choosing Li Che as an opponent was tantamount to choosing a dead end! Gongshu Jingjun suddenly understood everything!

Everything suddenly made sense.

Towering Tang Xiejia stood beside Gongshu Jingjun, his eyes glittering with excitement. “If that’s the case… then the Divine Monkey is Elder Li.”

“That means the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff has now fallen into the hands of the Qianyuan Divine Sect,” Tang Xiejia sighed and smiled.

Upon hearing this, Gongshu Jingjun and Ding Zi’s eyes began to shine with a subtle light.

Gazing at the golden divine needle cradled in his hand, Tang Xiejia couldn’t help but beam with anticipation. “Tang Sanjia, you’ve bet on a monster,” he teased.

“Perhaps the Tang Clan’s mechanisms might still dazzle the world?” Tang Xiejia mused, his gaze distant.

His own aptitude for mechanisms was rather average—unlike Tang Sanjia. To resurrect the Tang Clan, he had to rely on formidable martial prowess, which led him to cultivate the martial path and ultimately become a Martial Saint.

But as a member of the Tang Clan, how could he not have ambitions for mechanisms? How could he not dream of reinvigorating them?

Yet now, the Tang Clan was in shambles; their exquisite mechanical beasts had all been seized by the Great Jing Court… the Tang Clan’s machinery had fallen into decline.

Tang Sanjia possessed remarkable mechanical talent—but what good was it?

After wasting so much time in the realm of mechanisms, his cultivation hadn’t even managed to break through to the Divine Essence stage.

Now though, Tang Xiejia saw a spark of revival for the Tang Clan’s mechanisms in the Divine Monkey. Even if Li Che wasn’t a Tang Clan descendant, who cared? Tang Xiejia took a deep breath, and the massive hands behind his burly frame—resembling entwining steel bars—clenched into fists.

He finally made the decision he had long hesitated over…

The blueprints of that magnificent mechanical beast in his hands were useless—he lacked both the ability and skill to restore the Tang Clan’s former glory.

Even if he managed to create one, with his level and strength, he couldn’t protect it… but then again.

Li Che—or rather… the Underworld Divine Monkey—could! …

Bzzzz—

The slender, gilded divine needle in his hand vibrated continuously, emitting faint tremors.

The tremors weren’t violent, but they sent ripples through the air, like water running in waves. “Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff.”

Li Che, wearing his Divine Monkey mask and a black robe billowing in the wind, advanced.

Water from the cascading waterfall surged forth, splattering as cold droplets struck his body.

With him gripping the genuine Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff, the heavens and earth suddenly fell into profound silence—as if all noise had vanished, leaving him utterly out of place on Huaguoshan.

Li Che bowed his head to take a closer look.

He saw the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff softly emanate a radiant glow, then soar upward in a swirling motion, rippling like water before finally merging into his right palm.

Beneath the Divine Monkey mask, Li Che raised an eyebrow. That sensation…

It was unlike the feeling brought by the Triple-Edged Blade concealed in his left arm.

The Five-Old Ascendant Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff melded with his right arm as if becoming one with his bones. With a mere thought, the divine staff seemed to slither through his entire skeletal frame.

At last, Li Che slightly tilted his ear.

A clear, brisk exhale escaped his mouth.

Incredibly, the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff surged forth from his ear and, caught by the wind, swelled into a torrential blast…

Transforming into a nearly nine-foot-long, gilded Treasure Stick, its brilliance was dazzling, its glow iridescent as if cast from equal parts gold.

Ancient characters emblazoned the stick with the six words “Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff.”

They shimmered radiantly!

Li Che’s fingers swiftly gripped the golden staff. Instantly, his inner qi erupted as if rapidly boiling—subjected to sudden, intense heat!

Within his chest, the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit pounded wildly, its turbulence surging fast into the divine staff. The once unruly staff fell silent in an instant.

It established a complete connection with Li Che’s heart and soul.

As long as Li Che wished, the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff could continuously grow and expand…

Transforming into a towering pillar!

Was this one of the Five-Old Divine Weapons?

Li Che’s heart trembled. Regarding rank… this Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff was not inferior to any of the Four-Yu Divine Weapons!

After all, Li Che was no stranger to the Four-Yu Divine Weapons.

For instance, the Yulian Yin Divine Sword concealed within his Cosmic Chessboard.

That was Four-Yu level, and when combined with the Yulian Yang Divine Sword, it could even reach the mid-level of the Four-Yu tier.

Yet Li Che sensed that the rank of the Treasure Stick and that of the Yulian Yin Divine Sword were nearly identical.

Moreover, the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff possessed an unparalleled flexibility—its effects could be magnified or subdued at will—making it, in Li Che’s eyes, even more exceptional than the Yulian Yin Divine Sword.

Li Che’s heart stirred slightly.

It felt as if his brow were cleaved open, with the Star Plucking Gaze casting shimmering streams of light.

[Divine Weapon (Five-Old Ascendant): Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff]

[Craft: Qi Tian Hunyuan Ruyi Golden Cudgel – One of the Treasure Souls, forged by absorbing the wandering divine metal of heaven and earth]

[Introduction: Mythic Weapon, solely for the Treasure Soul. A fragmented vessel capable of transmuting at will, breaking through the void to strike true dragons]

Li Che received a hint from the Star Plucking Gaze appraisal.

Glancing over, his eyes narrowed—he had finally discovered why this divine weapon was only of Five-Old Ascendant rank.

This divine weapon…

Was one of the Treasure Souls of the Qi Tian Hunyuan Ruyi Golden Cudgel—a weapon forged by drawing in the free-roaming divine metal of heaven and earth, effectively forming a golden, metallic body.

It was, in a sense, a weapon created by heaven itself!

Incredible!

Li Che tightly gripped the Treasure Stick with one hand, and with a swift sweep, countless overlapping stick shadows exploded horizontally as if shattering the void!

Though Li Che wasn’t deeply knowledgeable in the art of weapon forging, he knew that to condense a Five-Old Divine Weapon solely through the pull of the Treasure Soul was an astonishing feat—the brilliant display of stick blossoms blooming like fireworks!

“Roar, roar, roar!”

“Oh, oh, oh!”

“King! King! King—Qi Tian!” “Qi Tian—!!!” Booming!

Around Huaguoshan, monkeys of all kinds began chattering excitedly, leaping and scampering between trees. Li Che held the staff with one hand as if it resonated with a unique feeling.

It felt almost reluctant to let go… Suddenly,

Li Che sensed that the golden Treasure Stick slammed down with tremendous force.

A violent explosion shattered the silence, like the sound of something breaking apart. Clinking echoes filled the space as if the very air was fracturing like a mirror. Countless shards spun away in dazzling, rapid motion.

Li Che’s eyes hardened as he scanned his surroundings.

He soon found himself within the familiar Bizarre Temple.

Huaguoshan had vanished. The monkeys, once shouting “Qi Tian,” were nowhere to be seen. At the base, Gongshu Jingjun, Tang Xiejia, and Ding Zi had all disappeared.

Turning his gaze beyond the Bizarre Temple, Li Che noticed that the long-shrouded Bizarre Temple had seemingly disappeared, and the swirling eerie fog had dispersed, replaced by endless whiteness.

The sky was quiet as drifting snowflakes softly settled on the tiles, eaves, and ground. The entire world had plunged into an unsurpassed tranquility.

Li Che’s dark, vigorous hair fluttered as he gripped the divine staff. Sensing the radiance spreading from his very being, the Bizarre Temple now stood solitary upon the Snowfield. Gentle, flowing brilliance streamed from his eyes like two threads of serene, lingering incense.

At that moment, Li Che’s spirit seemed to surge with untamed excitement.

He pulled his gaze back to the now brilliantly illuminated Bizarre Temple, his eyes fixed on the temple altar. There, quietly seated and emanating a serene, Buddha-like radiance, was the Temple Spirit.

The long-dormant Temple Spirit had come to life!

Li Che did not invoke any divine abilities like Summon the Divine or Divine Vision.

He wasn’t seeing the Temple Spirit through any other means—it was right before his eyes, vivid and lifelike. It wasn’t a mere Divine Eagle of the Temple Spirit.

The Divine Monkey, draped in a monk’s robe with kind, meditative eyes and bathed in Buddha light, softly regarded Li Che. “Amitabha…”

“The sacred treasure has chosen its master, and the artifact possesses a soul. Please, use this divine weapon wisely, master.” The Divine Monkey’s voice was hoarse as he addressed Li Che.

This wasn’t the first conscious Temple Spirit Li Che had encountered; during the Third Prince’s Temple Spirit Resonance trial, he had a brief conversation with the Third Prince’s Temple Spirit.

Though it benefited from the daughter’s grace, for Li Che, basking in that light was an unparalleled honor.

“If you’re capable, you too may bask in that daughter’s glory!”

Li Che nodded and clasped his fists in greeting.

Before he could speak further, the Six-Eared Yulian Divine Monkey, with a flash in his eyes, snapped his fingers.

In an instant, a burst of Buddha light erupted, permeating Li Che’s left arm.

It was as if a resounding, powerful clang had echoed!

Blades of light raged as if determined to slice the very air apart.

The Four-Yu Supreme Divine Weapon [Zheng Lei Zhu Xie Triple-Edged Double-Bladed Knife], embedded within his arm, suddenly emitted a brilliant, resonant hum.

Transforming into a cascade of flowing light, it revealed its true divine form.

“It appears… not just one divine weapon has chosen you.”

The Buddha-illuminated Divine Monkey smiled warmly, casting a deep glance at the Triple-Edged Blade.

“The divine weapon of the Mysterious Dao Manifestation, the Three-Eyed True Lord’s weapon… has also chosen you.”

“Having multiple divine weapons isn’t necessarily a blessing, as they can conflict with each other. For your future ascent to the absolute peak, you still need your own fated divine weapon.”

A gentle voice flowed from the Divine Monkey.

“Divine weapons possess souls, and unless they form a complete set uniquely tied to the Temple Spirit, they will inevitably clash.”

“This could hinder your future breakthrough. Don’t be greedy—remember this, master.”

Bathed in Buddha light, the Divine Monkey’s tone was advisory as he addressed Li Che.

Sensing that the Triple-Edged Blade, though hidden within Li Che, had yet to fully acknowledge its master, the Divine Monkey implied that Li Che still had a chance. Li Che clasped his fists earnestly.

Suddenly,

“Thank you for the heads-up, senior.”

In his mind, the sound of a sword’s hum resounded.

A burst of dark flame erupted, interwoven with wild sword qi, and then a jet-black sword, shrouded in the resurgence of overwhelming divinity, materialized…

It hovered over Li Che’s shoulder.

The sword vibrated relentlessly, reflecting a dark lotus that served as an unmistakable mark.

Two-Hearted Great Sage: “

That rebellious divine weapon of yours…

The Yulian Yin Divine Sword.

Fortunately, it was only the Yin Sword.

Two-Hearted Great Sage sat cross-legged on the altar, cloaked in Buddha light; his monkey-like face looked oddly distorted.

Now, the Three-Eyed True Lord and the Furious Third Prince had acquired the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff—one of the Treasure Souls of the Qi Tian Hunyuan Ruyi Golden Cudgel…

What are you planning, kid?!

You’ve grown so unruly!

Li Che, speechless, looked at the emerging Yulian Yin Divine Sword with a touch of embarrassment.

He felt the sting of being caught twice, mortified beyond words.

“Senior… please, let me explain.”

Li Che opened his mouth, but Two-Hearted Great Sage merely laughed heartily:

“Amitabha, master, you need not explain yourself to me—or anyone else.”

“If you truly succeed… hahahaha!”

“That would be truly interesting!”

Two-Hearted Great Sage, seated on the altar, flailed his monkey hands exuberantly, laughing uncontrollably. After a long bout of laughter,

he finally regained his solemn demeanor.

“Divine weapons have souls and choose their masters by fate. The fact that you command three divine weapons is your own fortune—but be aware of whether your body can withstand it,” he cautioned.

Upon hearing this, Li Che suddenly understood.

Two-Hearted Great Sage was subtly warning him.

As long as his physical body could bear the power of the divine weapons, there was no reason he couldn’t master several.

The divine weapons themselves would release their refining power—just as Li Che’s body had grown stronger under the tempering force of the Triple-Edged Blade. Two-Hearted Great Sage seemed to notice the resolve flickering in Li Che’s eyes.

He shook his head.

“Indeed, the refining power of merging divine weapons can fortify a master’s body. The divine essence within these weapons strengthens their wielder, adapting their form to perfectly accommodate them…

But having too many divine weapons merging their power might cause conflicts and harm your body.” Li Che’s heart trembled as he listened.

“Within the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff lies the will of Qi Tian…”

“Now that this divine weapon has chosen you and you possess the remnants of the Qi Tian Face… it means you are the one fate has selected.” Two-Hearted Great Sage’s eyes began to gleam with brilliant golden light.

They became dazzlingly radiant. Then,

Two-Hearted Great Sage raised his hand: “Don’t be fooled by the fact that the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff is only a Five-Old Divine Weapon. It is one of the Treasure Souls of the Qi Tian Hunyuan Ruyi Golden Cudgel. If you can find another treasure soul, you can journey to the fallen Qi Tian City and claim the true Qi Tian legacy.”

At his words, Li Che’s eyes sparkled. Qi Tian legacy?!

Although Li Che’s martial cultivation had reached the Martial Saint level, the allure of the Qi Tian legacy was irresistible—after all, Qi Tian Temple once stood as the most magnificent sect, controlling vast territories across the realms.

It spanned nearly half the world.

Its legacy was extraordinary—certainly far beyond that of a Martial Saint, offering a passage to realms of divine calamity.

Li Che did not resist the legacy. The higher one’s martial prowess, the tougher the journey becomes. Pioneering one’s own path is arduous; inheriting a legacy means standing on the shoulders of giants to see farther—what’s not to like?

“Thank you for your guidance, senior.” Li Che clasped his fists in gratitude.

Two-Hearted Great Sage’s eyes, deep and mysterious, regarded Li Che. “Real or fake—it matters not…,” he mused.

“The monkeys of Huaguoshan… your king…

has no intention of returning,”

as his words faded.

The Two-Hearted Great Sage, bathed in endless Buddha light, slowly transformed into a Divine Eagle, its vivid form and radiance fading. Huaguoshan was no more.

Li Che sighed.

He looked at Two-Hearted Great Sage, as if beginning to understand. “Farewell, Great Sage.”

Li Che bowed deeply.

What exactly transpired at Qi Tian Temple? And what of the Temple Spirit?

Perhaps only when Li Che reaches the ramparts of Qi Tian Temple, finds that Triple-Primordial Divine Weapon, and grips it, will the truth be revealed.

Bzzzz—

As Li Che finished his salute and straightened up, suddenly—

Li Che’s eyes suddenly contracted.

On the body of the Two-Hearted Great Sage Divine Eagle, a formidable aura of the Temple Spirit began to emanate, drifting into midair, gathering relentlessly…

Bursts of dazzling golden light erupted.

Each wave of golden Temple Spirit energy swayed like a strand of monkey hair in the wind. Finally…

The floating monkey hair coalesced into a fragmented one-third of a mask. Li Che watched, stunned.

In the next moment, his eyes shimmered slightly. [Qi Tian Face]

The second piece! A second piece of Qi Tian Face! “Suck—”

Li Che exhaled deeply, his expression filling with sheer delight—a genuine, unexpected joy!

After all, the first piece of Qi Tian Face had been obtained near Xinyuan Temple, in the mysterious temple of the spirit primate.

Since it was tied to Xinyuan Temple, Li Che had subconsciously assumed that the other two pieces of Qi Tian Face would lie near the splintered sects of Qi Tian Temple—the Ruyi Sect and Tiangang Tower.

But he never expected…

That today, in the Five-Old Ascendant Bizarre Temple of the Two-Hearted Great Sage, he would encounter a second piece of Qi Tian Face!

Bzzzz—

The Qi Tian Face that once adorned Li Che’s features suddenly detached, and then countless golden threads intertwined, drawing the second piece of Qi Tian Face closer.

Slowly…

The two pieces of Qi Tian Face merged as if sticking together, gently landing in Li Che’s hand.

Golden light swirled, and the soft golden monkey hair flowed gracefully.

Yet on this mask, the distinct cracks were unmistakably clear…

And Li Che could feel that the cracks on the two Qi Tian Faces were gradually sealing shut. Roar—!!!

Li Che felt as if his inner brow chamber suddenly trembled.

Then, he sensed within that inner chamber,

The statue of the Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate wrapped in the Divine Essence Golden Pill burst open its eyes! An endless, dazzling golden light flared forth.

A staggering divine aura emanated from the mask, like a mighty river of energy that surged and was devoured by the Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate’s divine vision. Its majestic power rivaled the total divine essence of the Four-Yu Divine Crystal Li Che had just obtained!

Moreover, it required no refining, being directly absorbed by the Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate’s divine form! Additionally…

Li Che sensed that inside the Qi Tian Face were tightly condensed pieces of the Temple Spirit’s aura, each forming like chess pieces! Li Che’s senses flickered—his eyebrows arched!

In total, ten pieces!

Enough for Li Che to transform twice with the ‘Yama Ascending Stance’! Rumble—

As the liberated divine aura feverishly infused the Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate’s form, the Fa Tian Xiang Di Golden Pill erupted in a spectacular, resplendent glow!

The entire inner realm of the Mud Pellet…

Fell once again into profound silence, utterly still. No one could tell how long it lasted.

Perhaps an instant—or maybe several breaths. Finally…

Boom, boom, boom!

Like the sound of a heartbeat.

In the deathly quiet of the Mud Pellet’s inner realm, vibrations began to stir, accompanied by sounds as if someone were breathing deeply. In the Bizarre Temple,

Li Che, sitting cross-legged, suddenly snapped his eyes open. His jet-black hair whipped through the air as a brilliant explosion echoed—an explosion of divine resonance! The Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate nurtured within the Divine Essence Golden Pill…

Was undergoing a Breath Retention Transformation!

Six-Eared Yulian Divine Monkey, Two-Hearted Great Sage, and the Bizarre Temple. Outside the Bizarre Temple,

The blizzard ceased abruptly, yet the world turned ice-cold and silent—as if everything had fallen into slumber. In the clearing before the Bizarre Temple,

The eerie fog roiled repeatedly, and then, following the expulsion of Xiao Lingyin Temple’s Martial Saint Wugang, one after another, figures were thrown out.

They tumbled out in disarray onto the thick, soft snow—a group of martial saint cultivators, including Yue Weizheng, Star Killer, Xuanfu Divine Sect’s Xuan Yin, Tian Dan Divine Sect’s Gu Chuan, Seven Treasure Divine Sect’s Ning He, and others.

This left everyone in awed silence.

The many martial cultivators, halted in the distance, their faces trembling as they gazed at the unfolding scene within the Bizarre Temple—so grim?!

Undoubtedly, those martial experts expelled from the Bizarre Temple were not chosen by the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff. And as the wind and snow howled, the eerie fog began to stir violently.

One after another, figures tumbled out from within.

They were masters at the levels of the Underworld, the Divine Practitioner, and beyond. Once everyone had been thrown out, the eerie fog finally settled as all looked at each other in bewilderment.

Someone finally shouted out.

“No one from the Qianyuan Divine Sect has come out yet…” “And what about the Underworld Divine Monkey?!”

As these words fell, they shattered the calm of Shendiao Ridge like sudden thunder in the skies. Inside a carriage,

Lü Taibai was preparing milk tea for XiXi, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips. “Huh? It seems Master and Father haven’t shown up yet?”

XiXi’s eyes sparkled.

Though young, she was no fool—she had guessed something. Squinting like a crescent moon,

she turned to look at Jin Taisui, who was sitting quietly in the corner of the carriage.

“Little Jin! Open your eyes and see if my father has appeared yet,” XiXi said with a mischievous grin.

Jin Taisui obediently stood up and peered out from the carriage, shaking his head. XiXi immediately pouted, puffing out her little belly and waving her chubby hand.

“Speak up! Just as I taught you!” Jin Taisui murmured.

“Emperor XiXi, Father is still showing off!”

XiXi declared, hands on her hips, laughing gleefully. “Father is still showing off!”

Rumbling— Suddenly,

After a long silence, the eerie fog began to churn once again.

Everyone gasped and then saw that within the swirling fog, an immense beam of Buddha light shot skyward, scattering the dark, cloud-laden skies in an instant. Buddha light cascaded down.

It resembled a mirage, evoking gasps as it illuminated a scene from Huaguoshan. Atop Huaguoshan’s peak,

A lone, slender figure stood—one hand cradled a Two-Hearted Great Sage Divine Eagle, while the other grasped a gilded Treasure Stick! Inside the Buddha carriage, after Huang Tuo the priest had calmed Wugang, his body suddenly swelled, and turbulent breaths shook him.

Huang Tuo, who had always sat calmly in the Buddha carriage, suddenly arose. At that moment, ancient bells hanging around the carriage began chiming. “Underworld Divine Monkey?”

“And that Divine Eagle…”

Huang Tuo’s eyes flared with intense heat! Only the sole half-saintly Divine Eagle master from the Qianyuan Divine Sect—Li Che—could carve such a Divine Eagle!

Inside the carriage,

XiXi suddenly flung open the curtain and dashed out.

Lü Taibai, seated serenely and still holding his cup of milk tea, stared blankly at the scene illuminated by the Buddha light. He saw the treasure stick clutched by the Divine Monkey,

and he also saw the familiar Divine Eagle, held aloft by the Divine Monkey’s other hand.

Even Lü Taibai, usually as calm as ever, couldn’t help but be moved. With his sharp eyesight, he immediately perceived something.

That Divine Eagle…

Was it carved by Li Che’s hand?

Or perhaps… was it carved by the Divine Monkey himself?! Suddenly,

The once-placid Bizarre Temple of the Two-Hearted Great Sage trembled unexpectedly.

Then, the churning fog behind it split like a wave cleaved in two—like a stage curtain being drawn apart.

From behind the parted curtain, a slender figure wearing a Divine Monkey mask stepped out, draping the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff over his shoulder, letting it rest casually on his back as he strode forward.

And as he advanced, the Bizarre Temple behind began to crumble bit by bit!