The opening of the Eight-Trigrams Furnace shook the heavens and earth.

  Time flowed like water, and Xu Fang had already spent forty-eight years in the mortal realm.

  On this day, Xu Fang, who had successfully broken through to the mid-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, emerged from his cave. Calculating the time, it was time to return to the Heavenly Court.

  Yang Chan wanted to accompany him, but this matter was too significant. How could Xu Fang let her follow?

  "Senior Brother Xu, you must come back!" Yang Chan, who had been diligently cultivating, had now broken through to the Supreme Golden Immortal.

  Although they had spent much of these fifty years in seclusion, with little time together, Yang Chan was still happy.

  "Don't worry, we'll all come back!" Xu Fang smiled faintly, then transformed into a rainbow and returned to the Heavenly Court.

  "Greetings, General!"

  At the Divine Strategy Army camp, thirty thousand heavenly soldiers stood below the command platform, all looking at Xu Fang.

  "Rest for a day, and be ready for battle at any moment!" Xu Fang said expressionlessly.

  Looking at the thirty thousand soldiers who had already formed a formidable fighting force, Xu Fang was quite satisfied. At the very least, with this army, the Jade Emperor's heavenly soldiers wouldn't be able to stop him.

  Lord Wuqu stood to the side, now fully aware of what Xu Fang intended to do. Instead of fear, he felt a flicker of excitement. Perhaps, deep down, he too harbored a restless spirit. Years of tranquil immortal life had made him complacent, but now he felt the stirrings of his former self.

  Moreover, the recent trials had loosened the stability of Lord Wuqu's realm. With the right opportunity, he might even break through to the peak of the Supreme Golden Immortal.

  Another day passed, and Xu Fang spent it quietly in his general's mansion, keeping a low profile. This made many unaware of his return. When he appeared at the Hall of Divine Mists the next day, many were surprised.

  The Jade Emperor sat on his throne, observing Xu Fang. He suddenly realized that things were not as he had imagined. He had thought Xu Fang went to Mount Hua to recuperate, avoiding the brewing storm. But now, Xu Fang's sudden return made his intentions unclear.

  "Has Minister Xu fully recovered from his injuries? If not, you may take some elixirs," the Jade Emperor said.

  "Thank you, Your Majesty. I am fully healed," Xu Fang stepped forward, glancing at Third Prince Nezha, who was also present at the court.

  "Good, that's good," the Jade Emperor nodded, saying no more. But what he truly thought, only he knew.

  While the court was in session at the Hall of Divine Mists, in the Tushita Palace on the Thirty-Third Heaven, the Supreme Ancestor of Dao calculated the time and waved his hand. The Six Ding and Six Jia Divine Flames burning in the Eight-Trigrams Furnace instantly vanished, and the furnace gradually quieted down.

  "Disciple, the time has come. The demon monkey should have been refined. Open the furnace and report to the Jade Emperor," the Supreme Ancestor said, as if following a prearranged script, addressing the golden-robed boy.

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  "Yes!" The golden-robed boy stepped forward to open the furnace.

  But before he could touch it, the furnace began to tremble violently. The once-stable furnace now seemed on the verge of collapse. The golden-robed boy's face turned pale, and without hesitation, he retreated.

  The Supreme Ancestor also stood up, watching the furnace—more precisely, watching the now soot-covered Sun Wukong inside.

  "Hahaha, I'm out again!" The furnace lid was blasted off, and though Sun Wukong was covered in black soot, his condition was excellent. Standing on the furnace, he laughed maniacally, looking at the Supreme Ancestor.

  "Wretched beast!" the Supreme Ancestor scolded, but he did not actually attack.

  As if knowing this person was not to be trifled with, Sun Wukong glanced at the Supreme Ancestor, kicked the furnace away, and flew out.

  With a loud crash, he smashed through the doors of the Tushita Palace, reappearing in the Heavenly Court.

  "Ancestor, what...?" The golden-robed boy looked at the fallen furnace, confused.

  In his view, even if Sun Wukong hadn't been refined, after forty-nine days in the furnace, the Supreme Ancestor could have easily captured him. Even he himself could have tried to stop Sun Wukong.

  But just now, the Supreme Ancestor had not only refrained from acting but had also immobilized him. And what had restrained him was not Sun Wukong, but the Supreme Ancestor himself.

  This left the golden-robed boy deeply puzzled. Why had the Supreme Ancestor done this?

  "Sun Wukong has been refined for forty-nine days. As for the rest, it's no longer our concern," the Supreme Ancestor said coldly, making the golden-robed boy shiver involuntarily.

  Since the Ancestor had spoken, he naturally wouldn't say more. The only headache now was that he and the silver-robed boy would have to clean up the toppled furnace.

  The Supreme Ancestor smiled as he watched Sun Wukong fly away. The aura Sun Wukong had just emitted clearly indicated he had reached the peak of mid-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal, just a step away from the late stage. With such power, would he still be tempted by the promises of a Buddhist protector?

  But the Supreme Ancestor said no more. His part was done, even if there had been some deviations. Whether the plan could continue depended on the abilities of the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Sect.

  ...

  Meanwhile, Sun Wukong, who had just flown out of the Thirty-Third Heaven, was filled with rage.

  Although he had used the furnace's tempering to further his cultivation, the image of Xu Fang appearing before him, disheveled and desperate, was deeply etched in his mind.

  "Those who humiliate my senior brother shall die!"

  At this moment, Sun Wukong's face was filled with arrogance, his golden eyes shining with a fierce light, piercing the heavens!

  The Ruyi Golden-Hooped Rod in his hand swept through the heavens, smashing everything in its path as he descended from the Thirty-Third Heaven!

  "What is that?"

  At the South Heavenly Gate, the Four Demon Kings were on guard when they suddenly saw a blazing fire descending from the Thirty-Third Heaven!

  Immediately after, a brilliant light shot down from the Thirty-Third Heaven!

  "Has Lord Lao Zi refined another immortal pill?" Demon King Mo Li Qing squinted, looking toward the Thirty-Third Heaven.

  Hearing this, Demon King Mo Li Hong laughed, "Nonsense! With Lord Lao Zi's cultivation, even if he refined an immortal pill, it wouldn't cause such a phenomenon. It must be the result of refining that monkey caught in the Tushita Palace..."

  As they spoke, their expressions suddenly changed!

  When Erlang Shen had captured the demon monkey, they had all sensed its aura.

  Now, the golden light following the heavenly fire from the Tushita Palace felt all too familiar.

  "Could it be...?"

  The two exchanged glances, then shouted, "Bad news! The demon monkey has escaped from the Thirty-Third Heaven and is heading for the Hall of Divine Mists!"

  "Quick, someone stop the demon monkey!"

  While shouting warnings, they rushed toward the direction of the golden light.

  Meanwhile, Sun Wukong was already swinging his Ruyi Golden-Hooped Rod, smashing his way through!

  From the Thirty-Third Heaven downward, each layer was guarded by heavenly soldiers and generals. Most of them had heard of Sun Wukong's reputation.

  After all, stealing peaches and elixirs, causing chaos at the Peach Banquet, and forcing the Jade Emperor to send a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers to capture him—only to fail and resort to threatening his monkey subjects in Flower-Fruit Mountain to finally subdue him.

  But now, how had this demon monkey broken free?