Rebirth in Journey to the West: Sun Wukong

Chapter 47 Setting up the Primordial Unity Grand Formation

Unlike the omens 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 time, 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 formed a spirit from the nourishment 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 members 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 seemed to have returned to normal.

"Let's follow the Great King's orders, everyone leave!"

Sun Wushuang and Sun Tong shouted loudly, prompting the members 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 time, not knowing how to begin. It was Zi Lan Fairy who smiled first, "When I saw you last time in the Heavenly Court, I should have realized that you were the one who gave me Essence Blood. I've searched for so long, and when we finally met, 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 some 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 become a fairy there?"

Without any sense of estrangement, 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 came together, and after exchanging smiles, Sun Wukong asked curiously.

"It was Fairy of Hundred Flowers. She discovered me here during her travels in the Lower Realm and took me back to Jade Pool in the Heavenly Court. She planted me in the Hundred Flowers Garden and washed away my mortal roots with celestial water, helping me to shape-shift. Later, Queen Mother took notice of me and made me her personal attendant."

Zi Lan Fairy smiled softly, "After you gave me your Essence Blood, you left. I had just become a spirit with insufficient spiritual wisdom, so I couldn't even remember 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 me.

She was the one who notified me of your situation today."

"Fairy of Hundred Flowers? She's been surveilling me? 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 become 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 me with something!"

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 something 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 me and Heavenly Court in the future. Now is the time 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 become 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 somewhat complicated and couldn't be explained in a short time. With time pressing, it was better to set up the Great Formation first and then explain it slowly later—there was still plenty of time.

"Alright."

Without further discussion, Zi Lan Fairy could only nod in agreement. After so many years, she'd finally met 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 became 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 mental and spiritual trial, his mental 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 time, 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 immensely 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 time being.

Now was the time to quickly set up the Great Formation!