Rebirth in Journey to the West: Sun Wukong

"Huh?"

The Heavenly Prince, who was infusing his cold, demonic Primordial Force, suddenly felt a pulling force. The demon Primordial Force he had channeled into the horn-shaped treasure abruptly vanished. Just as he was feeling astonished, a powerful force surged out from the horn-shaped treasure and rushed into his body. His protective demon Primordial Force failed to resist it!

It was Sun Wukong!

It must be that demon monkey, Sun Wukong! He could never mistake the feeling of this power!

The Heavenly Prince let out a muffled grunt as his palm was shaken away from the horn-shaped treasure. A chaotic flame suddenly ignited on his palm, quickly spreading up his arm toward his body.

This was the special flame of Sun Wukong!

The Heavenly Prince remembered distinctly; he had only ever encountered a flame like Chaos Fire on Sun Wukong, and besides Sun Wukong, he could think of no other!

Whoosh!

As soon as the Heavenly Prince's palm was shaken off the horn-shaped treasure, it disappeared from the ball of light, which then dissipated—it was obvious that Sun Wukong had taken it!

"Bastard!"

The Heavenly Prince mobilized his internal demon Primordial Force with all his might to force the Chaos Primordial Force and Chaos Fire out of his arm. Watching as the Chaos Fire detached from his palm yet continued to burn in the void, he felt both shocked and furious.

"Sun Wukong! This prince isn't finished with you!"

The Heavenly Prince let out an angry low roar. He had painstakingly set his sights on a treasure, only for Sun Wukong to snatch it right from his grasp!

Why does this demon monkey always have to cause trouble for him? Damn, damn it!

Sun Wukong cared little for the Heavenly Prince's wrath. As long as the horn-shaped treasure was in his hands, that was all that mattered!

In truth, anything that enraged the Heavenly Prince brought Sun Wukong no small delight. Winning the competition for the horn-shaped treasure was akin to stepping over the Heavenly Prince, and it felt incredibly satisfying!

"Tian Lin, this treasure is yours! I hope it truly proves useful to you!"

Sun Wukong stored the horn-shaped treasure within his Dantian, where Tian Lin was already waiting.

As for the exact utility of the horn-shaped treasure, Sun Wukong wasn't overly concerned. He had claimed it specifically for Tian Lin, and whatever its effects might be, Tian Lin would tell him once he refined and mastered it.

Though he found the Heavenly Prince quite disagreeable, Sun Wukong had to admit the prince's skills and judgment were quite sharp. A treasure deemed worthy of a scuffle with Sun Wukong must indeed have its merits!

Once the horn-shaped treasure was claimed, nothing else on the Sixth Layer caught Sun Wukong's eye. Without delay, he proceeded toward the passage leading to the Seventh Layer.

The Heavenly Prince had made it to the Sixth Layer of the Heavenly Emperor's Treasure Vault, signifying that clever individuals were not limited to Sun Wukong alone. Surely others had also noticed the tiny script within the light globes containing treasures.

Generally, the higher the layer, the more precious the treasures. And due to the rules on claiming treasures within the Heavenly Emperor's Treasure Vault, the treasures on the lower levels had likely been seen by most experts entering the vault. If they hadn't been claimed, they clearly weren't that precious, but the situation changes as one goes higher!

Most experts would have exhausted their three-claim quota by the lower layers, and even if they encountered better treasures in the upper halls, they wouldn't have the opportunity to claim them!

So, if you want better treasure, just head up, without a doubt!

Shwish!

That's how Sun Wukong thought, and that's how he acted. Swiftly along the stairs, he reached the Seventh Layer, finding nothing particularly desirable, and immediately headed toward the Eighth Layer.

But just as he stepped into the stairway passage leading to the Eighth Layer, a sharp Sword Qi suddenly flew out from the wall, slashing toward Sun Wukong's neck.

Before, he had never encountered such a situation on the previous seven layers, so Sun Wukong was completely unprepared. Seeing the Sword Qi on the verge of striking him, he already sensed its intense, piercing slashing power, and if he got hit, he would definitely be injured!

"Mysterious Heaven Nine Transformations, White Cloud Smoke!"

No time to think, almost instinctively, Sun Wukong used the Mysterious Heaven Nine Transformations' White Cloud Smoke body technique. His body turned into mist, and the Sword Qi passed through his misty form. The next moment, the misty form moved swiftly back to the Seventh Layer's hall, reconsolidating its shape.

"That was close!"

A bead of sweat dripped from Sun Wukong's forehead. The destructive power contained in the Sword Qi was even greater than he imagined. Though his mist form prevented injury, he clearly felt the Sword Qi's destructive power. If it had struck solidly, it might not have been just a mere injury—his body could have been severed!

"What kind of treasure lies in the Eighth Layer that it has such a powerful offensive formation as a barrier?"

The Sword Qi from the stairway passage leading to the Eighth Layer was obviously from the formation there. Earlier, in his eagerness to enter the Eighth Layer, Sun Wukong hadn't paid attention and stepped right in. Now, upon a closer look, the entire passage was shrouded in a powerful formation force.

Anyone stepping into the stairway passage would trigger the formation, which would immediately generate Sword Qi for an attack!

And this Sword Qi could effortlessly cleave even a Domain Emperor in half!

To enter the treasure hall of the Eighth Layer, one must break the formation in the stairway passage!

"Humph! No matter who set this formation, it won't stop me, Old Sun!"

For others, even those as mighty as the Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor or Pangu, breaking this formation would require considerable effort. But Sun Wukong was the exception, for he possessed the Void-Breaking Moon Eyes!

Be it in the Three Realms or the Yuan Realm, there is no formation or prohibition that Sun Wukong's Void-Breaking Moon Eyes can't dismantle!

With this, Sun Wukong fully activated his Void-Breaking Moon Eyes. His pupils turned completely dark gold, and two beams of dark golden light shot from his eyes, illuminating the stairs.

Bits of Great Dao Runes were decomposed from the stairs, dissipating into the air. The formation on the first stairway step was temporarily dismantled!

Sun Wukong stepped forward, and the previous Sword Qi did not appear again—it worked!

Feeling pleased, the beams from Sun Wukong's eyes continued to shine onto the second stair, decomposing the Great Dao Runes once more.

Next was the third step, then the fourth step, layer after layer being decomposed, step after step ascending…