Journey to the West: Great Saint Equal to Heaven
Chapter 40 - 40 40 Ziwei Palace Lodges a Complaint

40: Chapter 40 Ziwei Palace Lodges a Complaint 40: Chapter 40 Ziwei Palace Lodges a Complaint Amitabha Buddha.

Sun Wukong slightly furrowed his brow.

Could it have been done by Boxun?

How did Amitabha Buddha get involved again?

“Boxun has sought refuge with Amitabha Buddha; without his order, Boxun wouldn’t have lifted a hand to slaughter the mortals,”

Zhu Bajie said angrily.

Sun Wukong had been suppressed for thousands of years and didn’t understand the situation in the Buddhist Realm very well.

But the idea that Boxun had sought refuge with Amitabha Buddha was something he found hard to believe.

“Even Sakyamuni couldn’t suppress the Demon King Boxun, so what makes Amitabha Buddha able to convince him to seek refuge?”

Sun Wukong retorted.

Zhu Bajie was taken aback; he hadn’t thought of that.

Now that he thought about it, there indeed seemed to be some doubts.

“I haven’t made an enemy of Boxun,”

Zhu Bajie said solemnly.

Sun Wukong naturally knew this.

“Let’s go to Trayastrimsa Heaven,”

Sun Wukong pondered for a moment and then said.

However, Zhu Bajie shook his head resolutely.

“We can’t go; the Buddhist Sect now is nothing less than a Dragon Pool and Tiger Den.

I don’t want my brother to take risks for me.

We can settle this score later.”

He was very calm, even his desire for revenge could be set aside.

Zhu Bajie was never an impulsive person, his actions were quite measured instead.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have won the affection of the old Monk on the Journey to the West.

The Sandalwood Merit Buddha liked him even more than Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong also knew it wouldn’t be appropriate.

But, a grudge left unavenged was not in his nature.

“Actually, there is another way,”

Fahai suddenly spoke up.

Sun Wukong and the others turned their gaze toward him.

Fahai put his hands together and said, “Now that the Great Emperor Ziwei wishes to establish the Heavenly Court to constrain the Three Realms with heavenly decrees, we could report the killings committed by Boxun to the Great Emperor Ziwei and ask him to dispatch troops to exterminate the Demon King Boxun.”

Sun Wukong’s eyes immediately lit up.

Amitabha Buddha he disliked, the Great Emperor Ziwei he disliked even more.

If they were to fight, Sun Wukong would truly enjoy seeing it.

“They say Bald Donkeys are narrow-minded, and indeed, that’s true.

You, young man, have truly inherited that trait,”

Sun Wukong joked.

Fahai couldn’t help but show a bitter smile.

However, walking this path, none of these famous Great Bodhisattvas and Buddhas really had good intentions.

If they could tolerate someone like the Demon King Boxun,

Not to mention the three Demon Heads from Lion Camel Ridge, who committed murder like mowing grass and were steeped in monstrous sins.

“But I like your method, Old Sun.

I’ll take a trip to the Purple Forbidden Enclosure.”

“Brother, I will go with you,”

Zhu Bajie said, being the victim himself.

Sun Wukong naturally wouldn’t leave him behind.

He nodded, and together they left for the Purple Forbidden Enclosure.

Inside the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, the Great Emperor Ziwei had a grave expression as he listened to the reports of his subordinates.

He was very dissatisfied with some of the recent developments.

Many things were not going smoothly.

“Report.”

A messenger Heavenly Soldier rushed out.

Great Emperor Ziwei said indifferently, “Speak.”

“The Great Sage Equaling Heaven and his companion request an audience,”

The Heavenly Soldier said with a trembling voice.

Great Emperor Ziwei’s hand twitched.

That monkey had come; surely he wasn’t here to cause trouble.

Swiftly, he dismissed such thoughts.

The messenger Heavenly Soldier had said it was to request an audience.

If that monkey were here to cause trouble, he would’ve already burst in fighting.

“Invite him in,”

Great Emperor Ziwei gave Sun Wukong full face.

To reciprocate a kindness.

Sun Wukong was particular about things, and he was equally fastidious.

The civil and military generals such as the Pagoda-Bearing King exchanged glances, each seeing surprise in the other’s eyes.

What was Sun Wukong here for?

Could it be that he was seeking refuge with the Great Emperor Ziwei?

It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility; after all, in these troubled times, if one could find a powerful force to align with, there would be a chance of passing through the chaos unscathed.

The Four Heavenly Kings were undoubtedly among the most powerful forces between heaven and earth.

Sun Wukong and his party of four arrived at the great hall.

“Great Emperor Ziwei, it’s been a long time,” he greeted.

He did not pay any formal respects.

Although the title of Great Sage Equalling Heaven was honorary, his reputation was on par with Heaven itself.

Sun Wukong’s status was not lower than that of the Great Emperor Ziwei.

As for Zhu Bajie and the others, they paid their respects honestly.

The Great Emperor Ziwei gave a faint smile and said lightly, “Please, take a seat.”

Strongmen brought over seats and placed them below the Great Emperor Ziwei.

Such was an extremely high honor, one not even afforded to Gold Star Taibai.

Yet, none of the gods present felt any resentment.

Sun Wukong took his seat without any objection.

He looked directly at the Great Emperor Ziwei.

The Great Emperor Ziwei’s gaze flickered slightly as he asked, “The Great Saint is hard to invite; may I know what brings you to my place?”

“I’m here to ask Great Emperor Ziwei to preside over justice, to act on behalf of Heaven,” Sun Wukong said gravely.

The Great Emperor Ziwei was taken aback.

You, the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, a being who doesn’t even consider yourself as part of normal existence, are actually asking me to preside over justice for you.

The Great Emperor Ziwei became interested and asked with a smile, “What grievances do you have?

Speak freely, and I shall see justice done on your behalf.”

He wasn’t a wish-granting genie but because Sun Wukong had spoken of acting on behalf of Heaven.

Acting on behalf of Heaven—was it not tantamount to Sun Wukong recognizing him as Heaven?

Just for that alone, the Great Emperor Ziwei was willing to intervene.

Sun Wukong gestured for Zhu Bajie to step forward.

“Tianpeng, is that you?

What grievance do you have?” the Great Emperor Ziwei asked with grave concern.

He knew that Zhu Bajie had left the Buddhist Sect and now had no allegiance to any force.

And he was in need of people; if he couldn’t win over Sun Wukong but could attract Zhu Bajie to his side, adding him to his camp meant gaining a formidable new general.

If Zhu Bajie and Sun Wukong had reconciled, wouldn’t Sun Wukong take action if Zhu Bajie encountered trouble?

This would indirectly connect him to Sun Wukong.

He couldn’t guarantee anything else, but he could ensure that Sun Wukong would be less likely to oppose them in the future.

Such were the shrewd calculations of the Great Emperor Ziwei.

Zhu Bajie spoke with a mix of anger and sorrow, “A few days ago, Boxun killed my wife and wiped out all living beings within a hundred miles of Gao Lao Zhuang, almost driving me to demonhood.

For such a brutal Demon Head, I implore Great Emperor Ziwei to dispatch a master to annihilate him and rectify the order of the Three Realms.”

The Great Emperor Ziwei too was shocked.

A cold light flashed in his eyes, and his expression grew stern.

“Is this true?”

“Absolutely true,” Zhu Bajie affirmed with a firm nod.

The expression on the Great Emperor Ziwei’s face fluctuated darkly.

He considered whether or not it was worth offending the Buddhist Sect for the sake of Zhu Bajie.

Boxun was a Demon King, but within the entire Buddhist Realm, he also held a very special place.

The people of the Buddhist Sect tolerated his existence to serve as a trial for the Bodhisattvas, to temper the hearts of those on the Buddhist path.

So, in a way, he was also considered a Buddha.

A subdued voice from Sun Wukong rose, “Let’s not trouble the Great Emperor Ziwei.

After all, the Heavenly Court has ultimately collapsed.

I thought perhaps the Great Emperor Ziwei could be a pillar of heaven, to re-establish the Heavenly Court, but now it seems I have overestimated the emperor.”

As soon as Sun Wukong finished speaking, he rose from his seat.

The Great Emperor Ziwei had yet to make a firm decision.

Upon hearing Sun Wukong’s words, he immediately reached a resolution.

“Great Saint, do not rush.

I will handle this matter.”

Sun Wukong showed no sign of joy on his face.

He frowned, expressing his concerns, “Great Emperor, if the task proves impossible, do not force it.

After all, the Buddhist Sect is powerful, and even as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, it’s only natural that you cannot provoke them.”

The Great Emperor Ziwei laughed angrily in disdain and said, “What is the Buddhist Sect to me?

Even if the Tathagata were alive, he would merely sit on an equal footing with the Five Elders and would still have to pay his respects to us, the Four Heavenly Kings.

As for a mere Boxun daring to harm the common people, if I want him dead, who would dare to stop me?”

“Magnificent, Great Emperor,” Sun Wukong raised his thumb in admiration.