Journey to the West: Sun Wukong's Advice System
Chapter 156 Karma Shackles

Chapter 156: Chapter 156 Karma Shackles

Within the Tongming Hall.

The Jade Emperor stood with hands clasped behind his back, his eyes shimmering like the starry galaxy, as if all of the three realms were under his watchful gaze.

Yet, he was pondering over the matter that Sun Wukong had just mentioned.

After a long while, he sighed and said, "Uncertainty is a blade that can harm others as well as oneself."

Taibai Jinxing had been standing by, and upon hearing this, he couldn’t hide his astonishment. "Your Majesty, why such worry when the Great Sage has merely taken a true dragon as a disciple?"

The Jade Emperor retracted his gaze and said in a deep voice, "Because the predestined order has changed, and a calamity must ensue. It’s a pity that the aura of calamity has appeared and the will of heaven is in disarray; even I cannot discern the nature of the disaster."

Taibai Jinxing, deeply alarmed, stroked his beard pensively before venturing cautiously, "Your Majesty, since we know the source of the disaster, why not divert it elsewhere?"

"Oh?" The Jade Emperor’s expression shifted.

"Your Majesty, the Peach Garden currently lacks a steward," Taibai Jinxing hastily added.

"Right," The Jade Emperor nodded slightly and then glanced at him before asking, "How come you’re so proactive today?"

"Your servant worries for Your Majesty and thus must offer my utmost diligence, never daring to slacken," Taibai Jinxing responded with trepidation.

The Jade Emperor certainly didn’t believe his words but chose not to press further. He raised his hand and pointed outside the hall, "Go and issue the decree, let Ao Lie take up the role of steward in the Peach Garden."

Taibai Jinxing hurriedly accepted the order and left. Only after he was out of the Tongming Hall did he breathe a sigh of relief.

If it weren’t for the fact that the Emperor had said this variable could cause him harm, Taibai Jinxing would not have taken the initiative to devise a strategy.

After all, everyone knew he was a close servant of the Emperor; if something went awry with the Emperor, it was likely that he would be implicated, an outcome he would certainly want to avoid.

...

After Sun Wukong returned to the Great Sage Equalling Heaven’s residence, he found Tian Peng and Yang Chan had not left, and Ne Zha had also come, all of them incessantly questioning Ao Lie.

The Little White Dragon was exasperated; had it not been for the fact that he couldn’t beat them, he would have lashed out long ago.

When Ne Zha saw Sun Wukong return, he clamored, "Great Sage, you broke your promise! You said you would include me in any grand affair, yet you went to the Dragon Transformation Assembly and left me behind. Why?"

Sun Wukong laughed, "This task was assigned by His Majesty. Next time, I will definitely include you."

Only then did Ne Zha let it go.

Afterward, Sun Wukong called Ao Lie over to give him guidance in cultivation.

Seeing this, Yang Chan, Tian Peng, and Ne Zha all took the initiative to take their leave.

Although they were curious about who Wukong’s mentor was, cultivation was ultimately a private matter. Unless Sun Wukong invited them, they had no business staying to eavesdrop.

"Disciple was rash in asking to be taken as a student before, I hope Master will forgive me," Ao Lie said respectfully as he knelt on the ground.

"What is there to forgive?" Sun Wukong laughed. "When I sought my master, I did so in the same manner, kneeling directly in front of your grandmaster, and because of this, I have my fortunes today.

So sometimes, opportunity is right before you, and if you don’t act rashly, you may regret it for life."

Ao Lie was deeply moved upon hearing this and repeatedly kowtowed.

Wukong nodded with a smile and then asked, "What kind of magic do you wish to learn?"

Ao Lie appeared somewhat helpless and sighed, "Thanks to Master’s help, I have become a true dragon, but the karmic shackles hidden within my blood have also become exceptionally powerful, making future accomplishments difficult."

"Oh?" Sun Wukong’s eyes gleamed as he activated the Divine Skills to peer through barriers and scrutinized carefully.

Indeed, he discovered many crimson mysterious chains, faintly visible, hidden within Ao Lie’s bloodstream.

With his current strength, he could naturally tell at a glance that Ao Lie’s limit was to become a Golden Immortal.

Moreover, with the karmic fetters, the difficulty of cultivation had also doubled.

It was only now that he understood why the Dragon Race had declined to such an extent, why pure-blooded true dragons had been extinct for nearly a thousand years.

After thinking it over, Sun Wukong said with a smile, "Disciple, don’t worry. Once your master contemplates this matter, I will certainly find a solution for you."

"The disciple thanks Master," Ao Lie said respectfully, though he held little hope.

It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in his master, whose divine skills were vast, but it had been too long. After so many years, if there truly was a way to break the karmic fetters, the Dragon Race would not have been in decline since the Ancient Primordial Era.

But then, thinking of the legendary deeds his master had done over the years, he began to nurture some hope in his heart.

Sun Wukong, however, didn’t care what Ao Lie thought. He immediately opened the Persuasion System, connected his consciousness to Zhihu, and posted to inquire with netizens.

"I am Sun Wukong. I just took Ao Lie as a disciple at the Dragon Race’s Dragon Transformation Ceremony. I’d like to ask my seniors, is there any way to break the karmic fetter in his bloodline?"

Below the question, he described his experiences on this trip, including Ao Lie’s process of transforming into a true dragon, and the description of the Dragon Race’s karmic fetters.

Sometime after, netizens began to reply.

Chu Yuanlong: "The Princess of Ten Thousand Saints is actually alive, yay!"

Three Certainties Product: "Ban ’yay’!"

Lone Knight Dash: "Topic author, where the hell did you deviate the West Journey simulation to, ah? Ao Lie became a true dragon 800 years early and even became a disciple of Sun Wukong, this is too damn messed up..."

Cat Chasing Books: "It’s better if it’s deviated. What’s the point of taking the same old Journey to the West route? Wouldn’t it be better to follow the timeline of the sequel to Journey to the West or The Lotus Lantern?

Now that Sun Wukong has changed so much, to force him to take the journey to the west would be like being played by others, as if he’s the Crooked-Mouth Dragon King. Who deserves to impose the eighty-one hardships, is it going to be over eighty Quasi-Saints going to the lower realm for a vacation?

Also, the hard-sewn story of Divine Enthronement now has no follow-up. Yang Chan has been on stage for so long, and her brother hasn’t even made an appearance!"

Little Little Universe: "Exactly, there’s no need to follow the original timeline. With Brother Monkey’s current strength, taking the journey to the west again is purely being made a fool of, what’s the fun in that."

Night Feather Edgeless: "I really want to see the journey to the west, though. An alternative kind of journey to the west is also good, with Brother Monkey being the mastermind behind the scenes, letting others undertake the journey."

Chaotic Dance of the Ages: "Wouldn’t that still be following the path destined to glorify Buddha? All those baldies should have been wiped out!"

Reminiscences of Jiangnan: "Don’t be so extreme. When Brother Monkey one day crushes Mount Ling, suppresses the Buddha, and makes the Buddha Sect work for him, wouldn’t that be fine?

Now we all find those baldies annoying, but once you actually become one, you might find that being a baldy is quite awesome."

"These seniors have too much animosity towards the Buddha Sect," Sun Wukong thought to himself, "Heh heh, but Old Sun likes it. It should be just like this!"

As for the journey to the west, just like these netizens said, asking him to go on a journey to the west? They should ask if his Jingu Bang is hard enough!

Moreover, there was a suggestion from a netizen last time, telling him to disrupt the journey to the west project. The reward for completing that suggestion would be an eighth-order treasure chest!

He looked at other replies.

Who Would Have Such a Surname: "Sun Wukong taking Ao Lie as a disciple, this Journey to the West is really a mess now, haha!"

Peng Dancing Above the Ninth Heaven: "Just continue on this current path. It’s inevitable for Brother Monkey to become a saint, and taking a few disciples is very normal,

After all, with his strength rising, Brother Monkey’s status in the Three Realms will only get higher and higher. It’s impossible for him to handle everything personally.

Taking disciples and recruiting dependable subordinates are common strategies for those in high positions,

Unless Brother Monkey wants to become an aloof existence that doesn’t build alliances. But given the current background, with so much plotting against him, he clearly has no chance to become an ascetic hermit."