I am submissive in Journey to the West, I strike hard at the gods

The door, carved with dragons and phoenixes, was originally a symbol of majesty, but now it resembles the mouth of a giant beast, spewing forth murderous intent.

Two celestial soldiers, clad in imposing armor, their arms like iron clamps, held a figure as they staggered into the hall.

That figure was none other than Jiang Ziya.

The former master of the Investiture of the Gods, the young and promising Grand Tutor, is now unrecognizable.

Under torture, his face was twisted like scorched earth, his skin torn and bloodstains crisscrossing, only his eyes still retained a star-like light.

With his arms bound behind his back, he walked unsteadily, each step feeling like he was stepping on a knife's edge, blood dripping down and splashing, creating a subtle echo in the golden bricks of the hall.

Inside the palace, the Jade Emperor sat high on his nine-tiered throne, adorned in a dragon robe and gleaming with a crown.

His face, which should have been kind, was now as sharp as a hawk's, with a cold smile playing on his lips.

Venus stood on the left, his hair and beard all white, his whisk trembling slightly, a hint of unease flashing in his eyes, which he forcefully suppressed.

"Ziya, oh Ziya,"

The Jade Emperor's voice was like thunder, yet it carried a hint of feigned gentleness, "I remember your merits and the war of the Investiture of the Gods, which laid the foundation for the Heavenly Court."

Today, I bestow upon you official rank and grant you divine blessings.

Simply click on this list to complete the Investiture of the Gods, and those heroic souls will forever enjoy the position of righteous gods.

Why wouldn't you do it?

Jiang Ziya was thrown to kneel in the hall, barely managing to raise his head, blood sliding down his lips.

He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his voice hoarse yet carrying an eerie calm: "Your Majesty's grace is boundless, your subject... thanks you."

His gaze swept over the list in the Jade Emperor's hand. The paper gleamed with gold, and the densely packed names were as cold as shackles.

This is not a blessing, but the final trap.

The Jade Emperor's ambition had long been coiled around the Heavenly Court like a venomous snake—completing the Investiture of the Gods was merely a means to refine the souls of these immortals and gods into reproductive tools for the Heavenly Court.

To be slaves forever, to reproduce and ensure the continuation of the Jade Emperor's dynasty.

Many gods and immortals were already whispering in the shadows, sensing the absurdity of this conspiracy.

The Jade Emperor laughed and waved his hand, and two golden beams shot out, unlocking Jiang Ziya's shackles.

"Alright! Go up to the Investiture Platform and accept the list."

Do not keep the immortals waiting.

Jiang Ziya stood up shakily, his steps as light as a candle flickering in the wind, and walked toward the Investiture Platform in the center of the hall.

The platform was nine zhang tall, its base carved with mythical beasts, and the Investiture of the Gods list floated on it, the list unfolding like an ancient scroll, covered in ink stains.

More than a hundred souls and spirits swirled around the stage. Bai Jian's soul shadow was like a gentle breeze, Wen Zhong's thunderous body hummed faintly, and the four black shadows of the four demon generals exuded murderous intent.

Their eyes were filled with expectation, unaware that beneath that expectation lay an abyss of eternal damnation.

Jiang Ziya stepped onto the stage, his palm touching the Investiture of the Gods. The icy touch sent a jolt of electricity through his veins.

He took the list, unfolded it, and sure enough, those names—Bai Jian, the God of Pure Blessing; Wen Zhong, the God of Thunder; Mo Liqing, Mo Lihong, Mo Lihai, and Mo Lishou, the four generals… were all listed.

His heart was breaking, and the flames of atonement burned fiercely within him.

In the past, the Investiture of the Gods caused immense suffering and death, and Jiang Ziya was the culprit.

Now, taking this opportunity to clear my mind and leave, I may be able to redeem myself somewhat.

"His Majesty,"

Jiang Ziya turned his head, his voice suddenly becoming steady, "I have a request to make."

To be listed as a righteous god, one must first be struck by the God-Slaying Whip before one can be convinced and avoid disobeying the Heavenly Court's orders in the future.

This has always been the case; does Your Majesty permit it?

The Jade Emperor raised an eyebrow, a hint of suspicion flashing in his eyes.

The God-Slaying Whip is a supreme treasure of the Heavenly Court, capable of whipping away divine souls and erasing one's celestial status.

He had refined it for a long time and was confident that no one could take it from him.

However, Jiang Ziya's words were in accordance with precedent.

He glanced at Venus: "Venus, is this really true?"

Venus felt a tightness in his chest, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He knew that Jiang Ziya was cunning, but dared not speak out, so he quickly cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, it is indeed the old system."

At the beginning of the Investiture of the Gods, Grand Tutor Jiang personally established this rule to prevent the righteous gods from becoming arrogant.

Your servant personally witnessed many immortals and deities being whipped before being included on the list.

The Jade Emperor snorted coldly, and with a flick of his sleeve, a golden light fell from the palace roof—it was the God-Slaying Whip.

The whip was three feet long, entirely crimson, and twisted like a living thing. Its body was covered with runes, and faint sounds of wailing souls could be heard.

He tossed it to Jiang Ziya: "Take it! Quickly confer the titles of gods, I can't wait any longer."

As Jiang Ziya took the whip, its scorching heat instantly seeped into his palm and reached his very soul.

A slight smile played on his lips, a fleeting glint of murderous intent in his eyes.

The immortals held their breath, their souls and spirits bewildered, only sensing an unusual atmosphere in the air.

"let's start."

The Jade Emperor urged him on, his voice like thunder crashing down.

Jiang Ziya nodded, took a deep breath, held the God-Slaying Whip, and faced the Investiture of the Gods.

He loudly proclaimed: "The ways of Heaven are unpredictable, and the register of gods is incomplete."

"Now, with the God-Slaying Whip, Bai Jian is expelled from the list of Pure Blessed Gods!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the God-Slaying Whip seemed to come alive. With a tremor at the tip, it transformed into a streak of red light and hurtled straight towards the Investiture of the Gods.

"Bai Jian" on the list

The two characters, which should have shone brightly with golden light, were instantly distorted and blurred as if they had encountered a raging fire.

The red light, like an eraser, swept across the face, and the name vanished into thin air! At the same time, Bai Jian's soul and true spirit on the stage suddenly trembled, and a surge of dark blue light erupted. Breaking free from the invisible shackles, it transformed into a gentle breeze and rushed out of the Conferred God Hall! The hall erupted in commotion! The immortals exclaimed in surprise, and the souls and true spirits began to stir.

The Jade Emperor abruptly stood up, his face ashen: "What...what are you doing?!"

Jiang Ziya did not answer, but his whip flashed again: "Remove Wen Zhong from the list of gods of the Thunder Department!"

Another flash of red light, and the name on the list vanished. Wen Zhong's soul exploded like thunder, transforming into lightning that tore through the roof of the palace and vanished! "They've rebelled! They've rebelled!"

The Jade Emperor roared, his eyes bloodshot.

His ambition burned like fire. He originally intended to use the Investiture of the Gods to refine the souls of these immortals and gods, turning them into eternal breeding machines to propagate the bloodline of the Heavenly Court and consolidate his eternal dynasty.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Ziya used the God-Slaying Whip to retaliate! With a wave of his hand, thunder roared and struck Jiang Ziya.

Jiang Ziya was prepared and quickly chanted, "Heavenly Book Formation, activate!"

The list in his hand transformed into a purple light, instantly unfolding into an array.

A purple halo rose from the Consecration Platform, spreading out like a giant umbrella, layer upon layer, with flowing runes, blocking the heavenly lightning.

Amidst the roar, the halo trembled, yet remained unmoved.

He seized the opportunity to accelerate, his whip flashing like rain: "Remove from the list of Mo Liqing! Remove from the list of Mo Lihong! Remove from the list of Mo Lihai! Remove from the list of Mo Lishou! Remove from the list of..."

In an instant, the names on the Investiture of the Gods vanished like an avalanche.

A crimson light crisscrossed, and the souls and spirits, like birds released from their cages, struggled to break free.

The shadowy figures of the four demon generals transformed into four gusts of demonic wind, howling forth; the souls of other immortals and gods either transformed into flames or water shadows, scrambling to escape.

Outside the palace, the assembled immortals whispered upon hearing this, already aware of the Jade Emperor's plot—to turn them into breeding machines? That would mean eternal slavery, an unbearable disgrace! Seeing their chance, they disregarded the majesty of Heaven, turning into streaks of light and fleeing the Heavenly Court! "Your Majesty! Quickly seize the Investiture of the Gods! Seize the Divine Whip!"

Venus was so anxious that his hair and beard trembled, and he knelt down with a thud.

He was extremely loyal to the Heavenly Court and served the Jade Emperor throughout his life. He deeply feared that he would not escape revenge if the Heavenly Court declined.

If the Investiture of the Gods were to spiral out of control, the foundation of the Heavenly Court would crumble, and what good would come of it for this old minister? Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's face turned deathly pale. He reached out to grasp at the void—but found nothing! The Investiture of the Gods and the God-Slaying Whip had long since been refined by Jiang Ziya using the Heavenly Book Formation, completely slipping from his control. His heart was breaking; his ambition was on the verge of collapse. How could he not be furious? "You vile woman! I will make your soul vanish!"

To stop Jiang Ziya, he gritted his teeth and took out a jade leaf from his sleeve.

That was his trump card—the Jade Leaf of Denial, a secret treasure of the Heavenly Court, capable of reversing the universe and negating all magic arrays in an instant.

The jade leaf flew out, bursting with azure light, like a sharp sword piercing through the clouds, straight into the purple halo.

The azure light was indestructible, tearing apart the formation and striking the Investiture of the Gods and the God-Slaying Whip.

Erbao froze, its light dimmed, and it became ineffective for a quarter of an hour! The Heavenly Book Formation then collapsed, and the purple light dissipated like smoke.

Jiang Ziya groaned, spitting out blood, and staggered.

The plan to eliminate the gods only removed half of the immortals and gods; the rest remained trapped on the list.

He knew that the situation was hopeless, and that the Jade Emperor, being suspicious and cruel, would not allow him to live.

There is no turning back on the path of atonement.

He had a blood debt from his past deification efforts and should have died much earlier.

I would rather die than see half of the gods and immortals lose their freedom; perhaps that would offer some solace to their heroic souls.

He chuckled softly, gritted his teeth, and the poison hidden between his teeth shattered.

The deadly poison, like fire, surged into the meridians in an instant, causing the three souls and seven spirits to flicker and succumb like candle flames in the wind.

Jiang Ziya knelt on the ground, his gaze fixed on the void, as if piercing through the sea of ​​clouds, looking directly at the figure in the mortal realm—Jiang Wang, the continuation of his bloodline.

"You fool..."

He murmured, his voice fading, "Father...atones for his sins."

In the future... Heaven will be in chaos, and the Jade Emperor's ambitions... will surely bring him bitter consequences.

You...do not waste this life.

Grateful for...everything..."

As soon as he finished speaking, his three souls and seven spirits completely dissipated, and his body turned into a wisp of green smoke, drifting away in the hall.

The Jade Emperor laughed, but his laughter was tinged with blood: "Good riddance! The Heavenly Court will forever belong to the Jade Emperor!"

But outside the palace, the fleeing immortals surged like a tide, and turmoil had already begun.

Meanwhile, in the mortal realm, the Ancient Yue Mountains are shrouded in mist and clouds.

Jiang Wang, a descendant of the Investiture of the Gods and the Ancient Sacred Ancestor of Mount Yue, was sitting cross-legged atop the mountain, refining a wisp of immortal energy.

Suddenly, a strange movement was heard in the sky, and a large amount of celestial light fell like meteors, all fleeing to the mortal realm.

He frowned, and with a flash, blocked a bolt of lightning.

That was Yang Ren, a deified righteous god whose soul was weak and whose lightning was dim.

"Yang Ren?"

Jiang Wang asked in a deep voice, "What business does the Heavenly Court have? Why have so many immortals descended to the mortal realm?"

Yang Ren gasped for breath, his lightning trembling, his eyes filled with fear and relief: "Saint Ancestor Jiang... Heavenly Court... Heavenly Court is in chaos! The Jade Emperor... he's gone mad! Completing the Investiture of the Gods is not for the eternal peace of the righteous gods, but to refine our souls and true spirits into... reproductive tools! To be slaves for eternity, to propagate their bloodline, and to consolidate the dynasty! Grand Tutor Jiang... he knew of the conspiracy, was tortured, but took the opportunity to demand the God-Slaying Whip, to erase our names! Half of the immortals and gods escaped, fleeing Heavenly Court... Grand Tutor Jiang used the Heavenly Book Formation to stop the Jade Emperor, and in the end... he committed suicide by poison! To atone for his sins with his death!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wang felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

The Jade Emperor, the ruler of the Heavenly Court, actually harbors such perverse ambitions? Treating immortals and gods like livestock, mere breeding machines? Absurd! Disgusting! His fists clenched, veins bulging, his chest burning with rage: "Jade Emperor… you beast! Uncle Ziya… sacrificed his life for freedom, how magnificent! This time, the Heavenly Court will surely be thrown into chaos!"

Yang Ren nodded, his soul shadow fading: "Holy Ancestor, the Jade Emperor rejected the Jade Leaf, hindering the Grand Tutor for a moment."

The rest remain trapped... but the Heavenly Court has lost the hearts of the people.

The immortals have descended to the mortal realm; the world will change!

Jiang Wang looked up to the sky and roared, his voice shaking the mountains.

The future holds new uncertainties.

He knew this was just the beginning.

The Jade Emperor's ambition, like a malignant tumor, will inevitably collapse on its own.

Jiang Wang will carry on Ziya's legacy and protect the lineage of clarity in this chaotic world.

Inside the palace, the Jade Emperor sat alone, his laughter gradually ceasing.

Venus prostrated himself on the ground, his voice trembling as he asked, "Your Majesty... what should be done about the Heavenly Court?"

A sinister glint flashed in the Jade Emperor's eyes: "Chaos? I have my own backup plan."

Those escaped immortals will be captured sooner or later! The birth control plan... will never be abandoned!

But in the void, Jiang Ziya's green smoke seemed to have drifted far away, turning into a wisp of sigh that lingered in the sky.

The air in the Temple of Gods, which should have been as fragrant as celestial wine, was now filled with the stench of blood and the tension of death.

As Jiang Ziya was carried in, the boots of the two heavenly soldiers stomped on the gold bricks, producing a dull echo, like the low tolling of a death knell.

The gazes of the immortals were like needles piercing the air; some showed pity, while others gloated.

Bai Jian's soul, as gentle as willow catkins, quietly approached Jiang Ziya and whispered, "Grand Tutor, are you... alright?"

Jiang Ziya forced a smile, a smile twisted like a ghost: "All... well."

But in his heart he thought: Today, I will grant you all your freedom.

The Jade Emperor's throne hangs high above the nine heavens, its armrests carved into dragon claws, seemingly ready to tear through the void at any moment.

His voice echoed throughout the hall as he spoke, each word like a golden hook, captivating the soul.

Granting official titles and titles, bestowing blessings upon Xianfu—what a tempting lure.

But Jiang Ziya knew that this was nothing more than a sugar-coated bullet.

The names on the list, which were meant to be the final resting place of heroic souls, will instead be turned into playthings for the Jade Emperor.

A tool for procreation? The Heavenly Dynasty has fallen to such a state! He feigned gratitude, and as he kowtowed, his forehead struck a gold brick, and blood splattered into a red flower, highlighting the burning intensity of his desire for atonement.

The path to the stage is fraught with peril, each step feeling like a thousand arrows piercing the heart.

The steps of the Conferred God Platform are covered with runes, and they feel cold to the touch.

Jiang Ziya's fingertips trembled when he touched the list.

The paper was as light as a feather, yet as heavy as Mount Tai.

Surrounded by spirits and true souls, Wen Zhong's lightning shadow flickered with arcs of electricity: "Grand Tutor, quickly bestow upon us divine positions and grant us divine status as soon as possible!"

The four shadowy figures of the Demon Clan roared in unison, their killing intent surging like a tide.

Jiang Ziya was heartbroken: If I were to seal you all away, you would be condemned to eternal damnation.

Only by being removed from the list can one find liberation.

The moment the God-Slaying Whip was demanded, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

The Jade Emperor's suspicion was like a dark cloud looming overhead. He squinted at Jiang Ziya, his gaze sharp as if to sever his heart and lungs.

Despite his steady voice, Venus's heart was in turmoil as he verified the situation.

He recalled that at the beginning of the Investiture of the Gods, Jiang Ziya personally wielded this whip, whipping those who disobeyed, displaying his imposing power.

Now that the Heavenly Court has turned against him, how could he not be worried? But driven by loyalty, he could only bow his head and say, "Your Majesty, this is the old rule."

Upon acquiring the God-Slaying Whip, Jiang Ziya felt a surge of heat flowing into his dantian.

The whip, like a coiled dragon, with writhing runes, seemed to whisper: Kill! Annihilate! He suppressed his emotions and waited for the Jade Emperor's urging before striking suddenly.

When Bai Jian was removed from the list, a flash of whip light appeared, and the name on the list melted away like ice and snow. Bai Jian's soul trembled, and astonishment flashed in his eyes, followed by wild joy: "Grand Tutor... Thank you for your grace!"

It vanished on the wind, the palace gates swung wide open, and the wind swept away the remaining clouds.

The Jade Emperor was furious; at that moment, his face twisted like a vengeful ghost.

With a single strike, heavenly lightning, like a dragon, crashed towards the Conferred God Platform. (End of Chapter)