Unlike the ons that precede the Three Disasters, the Nine Tribulations often appear silently and imperceptibly. Tribulation seekers are usually unaware of its approach, which arrives quietly, as was the case with Sun Wukong just now, who fell silently into the thrall of a heart devil, almost leading to demonic possession and irrevocable doom.
Fortunately, Zi Lan Fairy appeared in ti, or the consequences would have been unthinkable!
During the Three Disasters and Nine Tribulations, it is forbidden for outsiders to disturb the one undergoing the tribulations; otherwise, they would be seen as challenging the Heavenly Dao, and the intruder would also fall into disaster.
It can be said that it was fortunate that Jiao Demon King had earlier persuaded Macaque King and the others to refrain, or they might have also triggered the heart devil, which would have complicated matters significantly!
Zi Lan Fairy's situation was different from that of Macaque King and the others, for she had ford a spirit from the nourishnt of a drop of Sun Wukong's Heart's Essence Blood.
Although the Fairy of Hundred Flowers later discovered her and brought her back to the Jade Pool in the Heavenly Court's Hundred Flowers Garden, where she was washed with divine water to shed her mortal roots and helped to form her Immortal Body, the blood ties between her and Sun Wukong were never severed.
Among everyone, only she could approach Sun Wukong without being affected by the heart devil.
Similarly, it was also thanks to Zi Lan Fairy that Sun Wukong was pulled out from the brutal murderous intent of the heart devil, allowing his spiritual platform and divine consciousness to return to normal, narrowly averting disaster.
"Everyone disperse, go about your business!"
Having regained his clarity of mind, Sun Wukong could sense the situation around him; nearly all mbers of the Demon Cult on Flower-Fruit Mountain had gathered around the main peak's summit, with the Bull Demon King and the other Six Great Demon Kings continuously maintaining a barrier to contain the murderous aura he had released, which was now rapidly dissipating.
At Sun Wukong's command, Bull Demon King and the others all heaved a great sigh of relief. Though they did not understand what had happened, they were relieved that Sun Wukong seed to have returned to normal.
"Let's follow the Great King's orders, everyone leave!"
Sun Wushuang and Sun Tong shouted loudly, prompting the mbers of the Demon Clan to recover from the influence of the murderous aura. They shook their heads and flew off in different directions.
The Bull Demon King and the other Six Great Demon Kings also lifted the barrier and, after giving Sun Wukong an eye signal, returned to their cave dwellings, leaving only Sun Wukong and Zi Lan Fairy atop the main peak of Flower-Fruit Mountain.
"You..."
The two of them looked at each other in silence for a long ti, not knowing how to begin. It was Zi Lan Fairy who smiled first, "When I saw you last ti in the Heavenly Court, I should have realized that you were the one who gave Essence Blood. I've searched for so long, and when we finally t, I didn't recognize you, it's really..."
Sun Wukong also smiled, a sense of realization flashing through his heart. No wonder he felt a strange sense of familiarity when facing Zi Lan Fairy, as if there was so special connection between them. Now he understood—it was the drop of Heart's Essence Blood he had left in Zi Lan Fairy. They had long been connected by blood, understanding each other's hearts.
"Zi Lan, how did you end up in the Heavenly Court and beco a fairy there?"
Without any sense of estrangent, as if they had known each other for many years, Sun Wukong and Zi Lan sat side by side, leaning against a tree trunk at the edge of the cliff. Their hands naturally ca together, and after exchanging smiles, Sun Wukong asked curiously.
"It was Fairy of Hundred Flowers. She discovered here during her travels in the Lower Realm and took back to Jade Pool in the Heavenly Court. She planted in the Hundred Flowers Garden and washed away my mortal roots with celestial water, helping to shape-shift. Later, Queen Mother took notice of and made her personal attendant."
Zi Lan Fairy smiled softly, "After you gave your Essence Blood, you left. I had just beco a spirit with insufficient spiritual wisdom, so I couldn't even rember your face, only a vague impression. I've searched for you in Flower-Fruit Mountain over the years, but none of the monkeys looked like you, so I had to ask Fairy of Hundred Flowers to keep an eye on Flower-Fruit Mountain for .
She was the one who notified of your situation today."
"Fairy of Hundred Flowers? She's been surveilling ? Are there any spies from the Heavenly Court within Flower-Fruit Mountain?"
Startled, Sun Wukong considered the possibility of Heavenly Court spies within Flower-Fruit Mountain troubling. If so, then all their actions would be under Heavenly Court's surveillance, wouldn't they?
"It's not a spy from the Heavenly Court. Fairy of Hundred Flowers is the fairy of all flowers in the world, naturally able to communicate with flowers and plants. If she wishes, all the flora of Flower-Fruit Mountain can beco her eyes and ears. Besides, she only instructed the plants at this summit to keep an eye on things, so it hardly counts as surveillance."
Zi Lan Fairy's words alleviated Wukong's concern. Well, that's a relief. It seems that the Heavenly Court has not noticed him or any oddities about Flower-Fruit Mountain; it's just a coincidence. However, this incident reminded Sun Wukong that the Primordial Unity Grand Formation needed to be set up promptly at Flower-Fruit Mountain to obscure heavenly secrets.
Otherwise, without saying anything else, wouldn't all the flora of Flower-Fruit Mountain be potential eyes and ears for the Heavenly Court?
"Is Fairy of Hundred Flowers still monitoring us now?"
"Of course not. Although these plants can keep track of our situation, relaying the information and images to the Heavenly Court is quite draining on spiritual power. How could she be watching you constantly?"
Sun Wukong's wariness caused Zi Lan Fairy to let out a small laugh in resignation. She extended her fair, onion-like fingers and lightly tapped his forehead, then realized the gesture might seem too intimate and blushed slightly, turning her head away.
Sun Wukong was oblivious to this point. All he could think about was one thing: to set up the Primordial Unity Grand Formation as quickly as possible while Heavenly Court was still unaware, or before Fairy of Hundred Flowers had revealed the situation at Flower-Fruit Mountain to the others in Heavenly Court.
He had to block external parties from probing into Flower-Fruit Mountain, whatever their motives might be. Flower-Fruit Mountain could no longer be left exposed to the world as it was now.
"Zi Lan, help with sothing!"
Reaching out with his other hand, Sun Wukong supported Zi Lan Fairy's other shoulder and turned her around.
"Wha—what do you need help with?"
Taken aback by Sun Wukong's sudden action, Zi Lan Fairy's face flushed with shyness, and she bowed her head, not daring to look into Sun Wukong's eyes.
"Return to Heavenly Court now and keep that Fairy of Hundred Flowers in check. Don't let her keep watch over Flower-Fruit Mountain. I need to set up a formation!"
"Set up a formation?"
Zi Lan Fairy, who initially thought Sun Wukong was going to do sothing embarrassing to her, was startled by his actual request. She looked up at him in surprise.
"Yes, set up the Primordial Unity Grand Formation. I must isolate Flower-Fruit Mountain from external investigation!"
Sun Wukong didn't notice Zi Lan Fairy's reaction; he was entirely serious. "Zi Lan, I won't hide it from you. There will definitely be a fierce battle between and Heavenly Court in the future. Now is the ti for Flower-Fruit Mountain to lie low and develop. We must not be discovered by Heavenly Court!
You just said it yourself, if Fairy of Hundred Flowers is willing, every flower in the world can beco her eyes and ears. Since she's part of Heavenly Court, who knows when they'll order her to monitor Flower-Fruit Mountain? So I must quickly set up the formation, cut off the Heavenly secrets, and prevent anyone from probing into the situation inside Flower-Fruit Mountain!"
"Why must you go to war with Heavenly Court? Isn't it good to coexist peacefully?"
Zi Lan Fairy didn't understand. She had condensed her immortal body within the Jade Pool of Heavenly Court and didn't see anything particularly bad about it. Why was Sun Wukong keen on building up his strength and preparing to go to war with Heavenly Court?
"It's too complicated to explain in a few words. I'll tell you more about it later; for now, please hurry back to Heavenly Court!"
Sun Wukong scratched his head; he didn't want to hide anything from Zi Lan Fairy. He was very clear that Zi Lan Fairy would never betray him. Still, the matter was sowhat complicated and couldn't be explained in a short ti. With ti pressing, it was better to set up the Great Formation first and then explain it slowly later—there was still plenty of ti.
"Alright."
Without further discussion, Zi Lan Fairy could only nod in agreent. After so many years, she'd finally t Sun Wukong, and even though she had much to tell him, she had to swallow her words for now. Reluctantly, she gently embraced Sun Wukong and then, with a slight blush on her face, rose on a cloud and flew towards the sky.
Watching Zi Lan Fairy's figure disappear into the cloud, Sun Wukong's eyes flickered with tenderness. Soon after, his gaze beca firm again. He took a deep breath, pulled out the Ruyi Qiankun Bag, and with a thought, materials for setting up the formation flew out of the Qiankun Bag.
Having just passed a difficult ntal and spiritual trial, his ntal power and mana had been significantly depleted. What Sun Wukong should have done was return to Water Curtain Cave Heaven and go into seclusion to assimilate the insights from the tribulation crossing and transform them into cultivation strength.
But after learning from Zi Lan Fairy that Fairy of Hundred Flowers might be watching Flower-Fruit Mountain at any ti, he couldn't calm his mind to go into seclusion. He had to finish the Great Formation setup to be at peace.
"Grow!"
Leaping into the sky, Sun Wukong activated his Divine Power Dharma Aspect Heaven and Earth. His body grew imnsely tall as he pulled out the Ruyi Silver-Hooped Rod from his ear and, using the rod as a brush, began to draw the Formation Map in mid-air.
The materials for setting up the formation, as if attracted, flew towards the tip of the Silver-Hooped Rod, where they were refined into clumps of Spiritual Liquid by the enveloping True Solar Fire, tracing the Formation Patterns in the air above Flower-Fruit Mountain and embedding them into the void with every flash.
To use Divine Power Dharma Aspect Heaven and Earth to draw out the Formation Map was a large-scale undertaking that very few in the world could manage. However, a Primordial Unity Grand Formation set up this way would be more perfect and significantly more potent than one set up under normal circumstances. Sun Wukong naturally wasn't going to hold back anymore.
His only worry now was Fairy of Hundred Flowers, who had been monitoring Flower-Fruit Mountain, but he believed that Zi Lan Fairy should have already detained her for a while, and it was unlikely she would notice anything for the ti being.
Now was the ti to quickly set up the Great Formation!
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