Chapter 56: Great Sage – Behave and Hold Back, Okay?

In a world fragment, the destined protagonist is the absolute core.

This core doesn’t manifest in sheer combat power, but rather like the protagonist in a “feel-good” novel — a kind of fate that no matter what happens, will always turn danger into safety.

Because if the protagonist unexpectedly dies, then the fundamental “story grounded in reality” that the world fragment depends on will collapse completely.

Therefore, the girl won’t attack the Monkey Queen. No matter how strong you are, as long as you don’t exceed the limits of this world fragment, the protagonist will never die.

The so-called world will, or “world consciousness,” isn’t a clearly intelligent being with logic. It’s just a fragmented object’s tendency toward self-completion.

It’s mechanical, without wisdom, and even slow to react.

Most importantly, it doesn’t understand feelings.

Within such mechanical logic, has the current plot changed much? Actually, no.

Because the key nodes of this play are only three: the Monkey King rises from Water Curtain Cave, the Demon Monkey wreaks havoc in Heaven, and the Buddha suppresses the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

The first node is done, the second is about to begin, and the third, with the Monkey Queen’s current strength, can’t be avoided.

To emphasize again, the self-completion tendency of the world fragment is just a mechanical logic… not even real logic.

It wouldn’t know how much Monkey Queen’s mentality has changed since Jiang Cha appeared.

That’s why the girl can stir up trouble.

If the world fragment really had consciousness, this ill-intentioned outsider would have been crushed the moment she entered.

Could Monkey Queen escape her fate of being suppressed?

It’s uncertain.

In some parallel worlds, the strength gap between the Great Sage Equal to Heaven and Buddha is huge; in others, they are roughly equal.

But at least it shows she has potential.

Plus Jiang Cha’s assistance, the outcome is unpredictable.

It depends on how much determination Monkey Queen has.

So what Jiang Cha has done before, is doing now, and will do later is just one thing: no matter what, Monkey Queen cannot be “tamed” — not even a little bit.

She must be the fearless Great Sage Equal to Heaven, not “Bima Wen,” not the “Rogue Monkey” who was deceived after surrendering, nor the later suppressed Five-Hundred-Year Wukong!

Because those later versions, though equally or even more powerful, have lost the spirit and heart of the original Great Sage.

Frankly, in fantasy worlds, cultivation realms and witches’ magic are both essentially forms of willpower. Though esoteric, spirit and heart truly affect one’s strength.

Especially in this fragment world, where Monkey Queen is the absolute protagonist, the changes in spirit are even more crucial.

That’s why when Monkey Queen first declared her defiance of Heaven, the girl happily hoped she’d keep her original intent.

Because that’s the easiest and only way she can influence this world.

Who says she’s strong enough now?

Even with more time to develop, she could break through this fragment world, but so far she’s only been here three months.

Tea Baby really is still a baby!

Zero years and three months old, huh?

…

“I didn’t expect it to go so smoothly.”

Jiang Cha felt maybe she had been too cautious.

The fragment’s limited level means it can’t simulate so many resources.

Forget those slacking immortals, even the Four Heavenly Kings aren’t detailed — puppets whose intelligence only shows when opposing Monkey Queen, otherwise just dumb.

Even the Seven Fairies weren’t encountered — they stole the peaches and ran away smoothly, as if they just strolled into the Queen Mother’s backyard and casually bought fruit from a neighbor’s farmer.

A bit disappointing — the Seven Fairies are supposed to be super pretty young ladies.

“I told you you were too timid.”

Monkey Queen sneered and bit into a peach.

“But I won’t lie, this peach is really good. If there’s a chance later, we have to dig up a few trees to plant on Flower-Fruit Mountain.”

“Don’t even think about it. A few trees won’t be enough for your monkey gang. These things take a thousand years to bear fruit.”

The girl rolled her eyes annoyed.

“Then I won’t dig them all up?”

“Unless you overthrow Heaven.”

“So what if I do?”

“…”

Honestly, Jiang Cha now wonders if Monkey Queen really could overthrow Heaven if Buddha didn’t intervene.

Because…

It’s just ridiculously weak.

In a normal world, the Great Sage wreaking havoc in Heaven and nearly hitting the Jade Emperor depends not only on constant power-ups but also the real powerful immortals in Heaven slacking off and watching the show.

Even the seemingly dumb Four Heavenly Kings slack off; even Yang Jian with the “Two” in his title just wanted an excuse to fight the Sage.

But this fragment world’s Heaven…

They can’t even bind Monkey Queen and execute her.

“Forget it, for now, let’s behave a bit. After all, that fellow from the Western Heaven is no pushover.”

“Yeah, let’s first unify the Demon Realm.”

“Do you even know what ‘behave’ means?!”

“How is expanding the Demon Realm’s influence in my territory misbehaving?”

“…”

Can’t argue with that!

Anyway, Jiang Cha’s purpose in bringing Monkey Queen here is achieved — with a real method to extend life, Monkey Queen no longer has to disrupt the Underworld to tamper with the birth-death ledger because of monkey offspring’s lifespans, and as per original development, after eating the peaches, she grows stronger.

Though missing Lao Jun’s alchemical eyes and the invincible body later on, those are only auxiliaries to her strength, and Jiang Cha can make up for that.

“Does this scribbled charm really work?”

After many years with Jiang Cha, Monkey Queen’s speech habits changed gradually; except in special moments, she rarely spoke in mixed old-and-new dialect.

But… Jiang Cha actually feels she was less exhausting before.

“What scribbled charm! This is an inscription… don’t mess with it! I’ll suppress you!”

“Jiang Cha, you’re probably not human, huh?”

“Does it matter? We’re bound now, you’re a Demon Realm Great Sage, so why mention race?”

The girl rolled her eyes and pressed Monkey Queen’s restless hand: “Besides, we’ve known each other for almost a hundred years! Have you ever seen a human who looks the same and whose bones haven’t aged one bit in a hundred years?”

“I’ve never seen a human…”

“Then why are you talking! Behave yourself!”