The Sacred Sun of the Great Sage Qitian was withdrawn into his body. His sacred path receded, and his oppressive aura dissipated.
This universe finally ceased its trembling fear and breathed a sigh of relief.
Wan Lei also sighed with relief.
“Immortal Venerables are all ants…”
Wan Lei panted heavily, muttering齐天大圣’s words back to himself.
“Do you think the Three Suns Sage is strong?”
The Monkey King asked indifferently.
Wan Lei fell silent, then nodded.
Rules obeyed, the universe trembled – of course, he was strong.
The Three Suns Sage was the pinnacle a cultivator could reach.
With the aura he’d just displayed, if the Monkey King had harbored even the slightest ill will towards him, there would have been no need for action; a single thought from the Monkey King would have annihilated him, body and soul.
“Yes, the Three Suns is very strong. But in the eyes of an Immortal Venerable, you and I are no different.
We… are all ants.”
The Monkey King’s eyes held a hint of helplessness, mixed with profound wisdom and weariness. His tone was also tinged with sorrow.
It was hard to imagine such an expression and tone emanating from a great hero who charged forward relentlessly in battle.
“Do you know? I died too early back then, not even knowing what the Sole God was, let alone Immortal Venerables.
It wasn’t until I was resurrected and saw those five figures in the sky that I realized there were even greater beings in this world.
That terrifying pressure, that supreme will, that aura that made all the laws of the Prime Plane bow in submission with a single word.
They were true deities, spirits truly omnipotent.
After being resurrected, I spoke with my master, and he told me what had happened in the thousand years after my death.
Those five were annihilated by the Three Sole Gods. Later, they obtained the authority of the Energy Sole God, and in their battles against the Three Sole Gods, they were severely suppressed, so…”
At this point, a fierce light flared in the Monkey King’s eyes. It was a look of shock, as well as worship and yearning.
“They directly changed the rules of the Origin Plane. The previous rules treated energy, space, time, and matter equally. They changed the rules, not just for the Origin Plane, but for the Prime Plane as well.
This is because the Origin Plane is the heart of the Prime Plane’s universe.
Until energy authority surpassed the other three authorities. They devoured the Three Sole Gods, their authorities merged, and they achieved the most supreme godhood.
Supreme Authority, five Immortal Venerables, do you know what that means?
It means that as long as there is a trace of energy left in the Prime Plane, or a piece of space, or any matter, or as long as time itself exists.
They… are eternally immortal.”
The Monkey King’s words stirred up a tempest in Wan Lei’s heart.
This… was divinity?
This… was the Immortal Venerables!
“For me, who aspires to be the strongest, while being disheartened, I also felt a deep yearning.
I dislike the feeling of being an ant, and I dislike anyone being stronger than me.
This is not rebellion. The Immortal Venerables and I are on the same side; our prosperity is intertwined.
What I want is the authority of their level, the power to be invincible under heaven.”
After a moment of contemplation, Wan Lei asked with a hint of confusion,
“Great Sage, aren’t there supposed to be seven Immortal Venerables? We only have five now, with two spots remaining…”
“Immortal Venerables are Sole Gods. What does ‘sole’ mean? It means that within their respective domains, there can only be one god, and that domain of energy can only have one will. That is a Sole God.
Currently, the Immortal Venerables include the five elements of Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. The missing spots are for the attributes of Thunder and Wind. As for me, a naturally born stone monkey, I possess the Earth attribute, so the path of the Immortal Venerables is closed to me.
Therefore, I can only seek an alternative path, to find a way to gain a position and achieve Immortal Venerable status from another direction.”
“Great Sage, relying on the power of mortal incense to forge an Immortal Venerable position will not work.”
Wan Lei’s gaze was serious, and his posture was that of a diligent student listening to a teacher’s guidance.
“I know.”
The Monkey King nodded.
“I don’t know who taught you to break through using incense power, but I can guarantee that person wants to harm you, because incense power is poisonous.”
“What?”
For the first time, the Monkey King’s expression showed surprise. He then smiled and said,
“What would a child in the Tai Xu realm like you know?”
“Great Sage, I too was once believed in by billions of living beings. My immortal position was forged by condensing the thoughts of all living beings, which ultimately allowed me to break through to the immortal realm.
Similarly, because I did this, I understand it even better. This approach is fundamentally flawed and has endless repercussions.”
The Monkey King’s expression finally turned serious, as he quietly listened to Wan Lei’s explanation.
“Let’s start with this: the living beings in this universe number in the billions, which is indeed a vast number. However, compared to the entire Prime Plane, this universe is merely a drop in the ocean, a single drop in a wave.
You expect to break through and become the master of the entire Prime Plane relying on the strength of these beings, which amounts to but a tiny fraction of the Prime Plane?
This logic is completely flawed. Unless you could harness the faith of all living beings in the entire Prime Plane, which is clearly impossible, as no one can achieve that.
Secondly, let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that you truly broke through to become an Immortal Venerable by using the faith of this universe’s beings, becoming the first Faith Immortal Venerable. Then your Immortal Venerable position would also be granted by these beings, wouldn’t it?
Just like the Six-Eared Macaque, if you were to leave this universe, would you still be an Immortal Venerable? Or if all these people died, and the faith power was severed, wouldn’t you be doomed forever?
This practice of placing your own power in the hands of others, I believe that someone as proud as you would surely not accept it.”
“But what you’ve said has nothing to do with being poisonous, at most it’s just that it won’t succeed.”
The Monkey King asked.
“No, consider this: incense power condenses the thoughts of all living beings, and it is condensed through their faith in you. The more it is condensed, the stronger it becomes.
But, Great Sage, this connection is mutual. Just as the believers cannot do without your protection and blessings, you cannot do without the support and incense of your believers.
Ultimately, it becomes a situation where water can carry the boat, but it can also capsize it.
The deeper the connection, the more ropes bind you, tethering you more securely.
Once you do something that offends the living beings of this universe, or if they collectively become displeased with you, then this faith power will instantly transform into resentment. Before any enemy can act, that resentment alone will be enough to drag you into the abyss and tear your soul apart.
At that point, it will no longer be them believing in you; rather, you will need to appease them, living in constant fear and treading on thin ice. You will no longer be their master; instead, they will become yours.”
Wan Lei’s words were logical and well-reasoned, and the fear and anger in the Monkey King’s eyes grew with each passing moment.
Suddenly, Wan Lei saw a divine thought manifest as light before the Monkey King.
The Monkey King glared at the light and said fiercely,
“Buddha Ancestor, I cnm!”