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

Jiang Ziya activated the Heavenly Book Array, and purple light surged out like a tide, layer upon layer, each layer inscribed with Heavenly Book talismans to resist lightning.

Amidst the roar, the palace pillars trembled, and the golden bricks cracked.

He accelerated the removal of names, his whip flashing like a butterfly, names disappearing one by one: Wen Zhong's lightning tore through the sky, the demonic winds of the four demon generals whipped up the curtains in the hall, dancing wildly.

Outside the palace, the fleeing immortals swarmed like locusts, and the former majesty of the Heavenly Court collapsed in an instant.

Venus's reminder was like a lifeline, but it only brought the Jade Emperor despair.

The two babies, out of control, were like wild horses, no longer obeying commands.

When the Jade Emperor offered up the Jade Leaf of Rejection, its blue light was dazzling, like the scythe of the Grim Reaper.

It penetrated the formation, struck the treasure, froze the two treasures, and caused the formation to collapse.

Jiang Ziya's plan was abandoned halfway.

He gazed at the incomplete Investiture of the Gods, knowing that his atonement was incomplete, yet he felt no remorse.

The moment he took the poison, it felt like a thousand ants were gnawing at his heart, and his soul and spirit were extinguished like a lamp.

As he fell to the ground, memories flashed through his mind: the Investiture of the Gods, the smoke of war rising everywhere; Ziya fishing on the Wei River, Jiang Wang being born... "Wang'er, the future... depends on you."

His voice faded like the wind and disappeared into the hall.

In the mortal realm, Yang Ren's account is detailed and heart-wrenching.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wang felt a surge of turmoil in his heart.

The Jade Emperor's plan was utterly absurd and disgusting.

The Heavenly Court is in turmoil, like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment.

He waved for Yang Ren to leave, then looked up at the sky, where the sea of ​​clouds churned.
Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the magnificent golden pillars coiled like giant dragons, and the glazed tiles reflected the radiant light of the Heavenly Court, yet could not conceal the oppressive murderous aura in the air.

Yang Jian was in excruciating pain from the binding ropes that bound him tightly. These ropes were a treasure of the Heavenly Court, as tough as gold thread. With the slightest struggle, they tightened as if they were alive, digging into his flesh.

His forehead veins bulged, and his eyes blazed as he surveyed the former comrades in the hall who were now indifferent bystanders.

Nezha, standing nearby, was in an even worse situation. This boy had a naturally fiery temper, and after being bound by ropes, he started cursing: "You old Jade Emperor, you are a foolish and tyrannical ruler! Once I get away, I will definitely raze this damned Heavenly Court to the ground!"

The Jade Emperor sat high on his nine-tiered throne, his face ashen, his hands beneath his dragon robe gripping the armrests of the phoenix chair tightly.

He was originally the ruler of the Heavenly Court, and his majesty was inviolable. But now, the immortals and gods are disaffected, and although the immortals in the palace have not said it outright, they have already decided to leave.

Yang Jian sneered and said in a low voice, "Nezha, save your energy."

Cursing and complaining won't help; the first thing to do is get out of there.

Nezha glared at him: "Erlang, you're being too calm! Where's my Hun Tian Ling? Where's my Qian Kun Quan? They've taken everything off! This Binding Immortal Rope can't be bitten off, how are we going to get free?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a low sob came from the shadows in the corner of the hall.

Yang Jian, with his keen ears, was immediately delighted.

That was his old companion—the Celestial Hound! This divine beast was originally from the Celestial Hound lineage. After being reincarnated, it resembled a wolf, with jet-black fur and blood-red eyes. It usually followed Yang Jian's side, remaining extremely loyal.

In the critical moment, it emerged from a rift in the void and silently slipped into the palace.

The dog's nose was incredibly sensitive; it had already caught a whiff of its master's scent. Taking advantage of the moment when the immortals' attention was diverted, it leaped up and pounced straight at Yang Jian.

"Wang!"

With a muffled roar, the Celestial Hound opened its blood-red maw, its sharp teeth like knives, and bit down precisely on the knot of the Immortal Binding Rope.

The rope, though wondrous, was no match for the celestial hound's fangs; with a snap, it cracked.

With a sharp crack, the rope snapped.

Yang Jian relaxed, and his third eye opened instantly, flashing silver light that transformed into a cold gleam protecting his body.

He hissed, "Good dog! Go bite Nezha!"

Upon hearing this, the Celestial Hound shook its head and pounced on Nezha, whimpering as if complaining that the task was too strenuous.

But it had sharp teeth and quickly gnawed Nezha's rope to shreds.

Nezha rubbed his arm and jumped up, his Wind Fire Wheels faintly appearing. His anger hadn't subsided, but there was a hint of excitement on his face: "Ha! This damn thing actually works! Erlang, let's break out of here!"

Yang Jian shook his head and grabbed his arm: "Wait! There are heavenly soldiers and generals like clouds outside the palace, the main gate has the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams Formation set up by Taiyi Zhenren, and the back gate has the Yaochi Restriction of the Queen Mother."

Forcing our way in is suicide.

Nezha retorted, "Then what do you suggest we do? Just wait here to die?"

Yang Jian's gaze fell on the Howling Celestial Dog, which was digging at the ground with its head down, its claws like hooks, sending dirt and stones flying. In the blink of an eye, it had dug a dog hole at the corner of the palace wall.

The opening was narrow, allowing only one person to squeeze through, yet it led directly into the void outside the hall.

Yang Jian had a sudden thought: "Shrink our size and go this way! No one can match the Celestial Hound's sense of smell; it can lead us away from the restrictions."

Nezha glared: "A dog hole? Me, the Third Prince, crawling through a dog hole?"

Yang Jian sneered: "If you don't go through, you'll just have to wait to be caught and taken back by the Thunder God of the Jade Emperor."

Choose.

Nezha gritted his teeth and finally gave in.

Yang Jian cast the spell first, his body shrinking like smoke as he disappeared into the dog hole.

With the Celestial Hound leading the way and Nezha close behind, the three figures slipped out of the Lingxiao Palace like ghosts.

Behind them, celestial music could be faintly heard from within the palace. The Jade Emperor's imperial carriage was returning from the Southern Heavenly Gate, and all was still unaware of what was happening.

Having escaped Heaven, Yang Jian and his companions appeared on the clouds. Nezha stretched his limbs and gasped for breath: "Finally out! Staying in Heaven felt like being in prison."

Yang Jian retracted his Dharma body and patted Xiaotian Dog's head: "Thanks to you, old buddy."

The celestial dog whimpered, shaking its head and rubbing against his leg, its tail wagging like a windmill.

Yang Jian looked around; the sea of ​​clouds was churning, and the mortal realm below was sparsely populated.

He said in a deep voice, "The next step is to find a place to settle down."

Nezha, what do you think?

Nezha stroked his chin: "The human race, I've heard they're thriving these days. Jiang Ziya may be old, but he still has many disciples. Joining his ranks is definitely the right thing to do."

Yang Jian shook his head: "Humans? How many people did we offend during the Investiture of the Gods? Nezha, you trampled Chen Tang Pass and slaughtered the human race until rivers of blood flowed; as for me, I helped Zhou destroy Shang and have enemies everywhere."

Going to the human realm would likely mean becoming a target the moment you land.

Nezha was taken aback: "Then where should we go? The demon race? Those furry things are even less reliable!"

Yang Jian gazed into the distance: "What about Buddhism? The Western Paradise, where Bodhisattvas are compassionate, might be able to take me in."

Nezha became anxious: "Buddhism? Those bald monks listen to the Taoist Ancestor! Regarding the Investiture of the Gods, the Jade Emperor was incompetent, the Taoist Ancestor remained silent, and Buddhism naturally stood by."

"If we go and join them, we'll be sold back to Heaven sooner or later!"

Yang Jian remained silent for a moment, then sighed, "You're right."

Although Buddhism is compassionate, it is constrained by the overall situation.

Alright, let's go down to the lower realm first and see what the wind is blowing.

We can't just blindly stumble upon things.

Nezha nodded: "Alright, let's do it this way. Howling Celestial Dog, you go ahead and scout the way!"

The divine dog barked and transformed into a black shadow, rushing straight down from the clouds.

The three figures gradually disappeared, leaving behind a wisp of smoke that drifted into the vast world.

At the same time, the Jade Emperor's imperial carriage suddenly descended upon the Lingxiao Palace.

Golden-armored celestial generals surrounded the hall, and dragons and phoenixes sang in unison, but the hall was empty, with only broken ropes and tattered threads remaining.

Taiyi Zhenren's face turned ashen, and he knelt down to report: "Your Majesty, Yang Jian and Nezha... escaped! They used the rope that the dog... Xiaotianquan bit through to squeeze out through the dog hole in the corner of the wall!"

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's face turned ashen, and his chest felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer: "Escaped? My Immortal Binding Rope was actually bitten through by a dog? And what else? Speak!"

Shunfeng'er stepped forward tremblingly: "Your Majesty, it's not just them."

"The Thousand-Mile Eye, the Giant Spirit God, the Thunder God and Lightning Goddess... a whole host of immortals and gods fled at the mere mention of it, over a hundred already descending to the mortal realm! The Heavenly Court is in a state of panic, fearing utter chaos!"

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's eyes turned bloodshot, and he suddenly stood up, spitting out blood that splashed onto his dragon robe like blooming plum blossoms.

He clutched his chest, his anger reaching its peak: "Rebellion! Rebellion! These disloyal and unjust scoundrels, whom I treated like brothers, dare to abandon me! The decree for marriage and children is hereby revoked! Anyone who dares to utter a word will be executed without mercy!"

The immortals in the hall fell silent as if trembling in fear. Seeing this, Venus, the White Star, trembled with his long beard and stepped forward: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! The Heavenly Court is in turmoil and the immortals and gods are at odds with each other, all because the decree on marriage and childbirth is too harsh."

"I dare to suggest that we postpone this decree to appease the people. We can discuss the marriage after the Investiture of the Gods is finalized."

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's gaze sharpened like a knife, piercing towards Venus: "Venus, have you rebelled too? My decree is for the long-term peace and stability of the Heavenly Court! How could you mortals understand the Way of Heaven? Let this matter rest! Otherwise, I will start by punishing you!"

Venus felt a chill in his heart, realizing that the Jade Emperor was stubborn and had fallen into demonic possession.

He bowed his head and stepped back, his mind racing as he tried to think of a way to escape.

Outside the palace, winds and clouds surged, and the sounds of heavenly soldiers patrolling echoed; there was nowhere to escape.

Venus suddenly had a flash of inspiration and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty, I have a plan to stabilize the Heavenly Court! The Investiture of the Gods is incomplete, and Shen Gongbao is suppressed in the eye of the North Sea. This scoundrel once aided and abetted the tyranny of King Zhou, but he is proficient in the art of the Investiture of the Gods."

Why not release him from his seal and let him ascend to heaven to complete the Investiture of the Gods? This would secure his loyalty, surely intimidate the mortal realm, and win back the hearts of the people!

Upon hearing this, a glint of greed flashed in the Jade Emperor's eyes: "Shen Gongbao? That traitor? Hmph, if he's willing to complete the Investiture of the Gods, I'll bestow upon him the title of the Purple Star Emperor, ruling over the Big Dipper! Taibai, you take care of this matter! Quickly descend to the mortal realm, capture him, and I will personally bestow the title upon him!"

Venus knew this was an opportunity and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is wise! I will go immediately."

But the Jade Emperor sneered: "Taibai, you've always been cunning, how can I trust you completely? Guards, bring me the Three-Day Soul-Destroying Pill!"

Upon hearing this, a celestial official trembled and presented a jade bottle.

The pill was as red as blood, exuding a sinister and chilling aura. It was a secret treasure of the Heavenly Court. Once ingested, one's soul would gradually perish within three days, and there was no cure.

The Jade Emperor said, "If you swallow this pill and fail to bring Shen Gongbao back within three days, your soul will be scattered! Go!"

Venus turned pale. Knowing he couldn't refuse, he could only tremble as he accepted the pill and swallowed it in one gulp.

As the pill entered his stomach, it burned like fire in his heart. He endured the excruciating pain, bowed, and stepped back, saying, "Your subject... obeys the decree."

Venus staggered out of the Lingxiao Palace and headed straight for the Yuqing Palace.

That was the Daoist temple of the Primordial Celestial Venerable. Incense smoke curled up in the hall, and the phantom images of the Twelve Golden Immortals appeared and disappeared.

He knelt and kowtowed: "Heavenly Venerable, your disciple Taibai Jinxing is in trouble! The Jade Emperor has forced me to take the Three-Day Soul-Destroying Pill and descend to the mortal realm to capture Shen Gongbao."

"I beg the Heavenly Venerable to bestow upon me an unsealing spell to assist me!"

In the void, a golden light descended, and the voice of the Primordial Celestial Venerable boomed like a bell: "Venus, this is a calamity for the Heavenly Court, and it is inconvenient for this humble Daoist to interfere."

However, the unsealing spell can be granted, but remember, Shen Gongbao is cunning; do not fall for his tricks.

As soon as he finished speaking, a jade talisman floated down, which Venus caught, instantly bringing him a sense of peace.

He rose and summoned two heavenly soldiers: "Follow me to the North Sea Eye!"

The two heavenly soldiers, clad in golden helmets and armor, remained expressionless and followed in response.

The three rode the wind, passing through layers of clouds, heading straight for the North Sea.

The Sea Eye is a forbidden area of ​​the Heavenly Court, surrounded by ice for thousands of miles, with seawater as black as ink, and faint roars of dragons and howls of tigers can be heard from the abyss.

Venus stood at the edge of the cliff, took out a jade talisman, and chanted an incantation: "Suppressed in the North Sea, you remnant of the Investiture of the Gods, I am here by order of the Jade Emperor to release you from your imprisonment! Shen Gongbao, appear!"

The incantation thundered, the sea eye churned, and a plume of black smoke shot into the sky.

Shen Gongbao emerged from within, his hair and beard disheveled, his body covered in shackles, yet his eyes gleamed with a sharp light: "Old man Taibai? Haha, the Jade Emperor has finally remembered me? Speak, what is it?"

Taibai Jinxing cupped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoist Shen, the Investiture of the Gods is incomplete. The Jade Emperor wishes to appoint you as the Great Emperor of Ziwei, to govern the Big Dipper and control the stars."

"If Heaven can complete the investiture of the gods, they can regain their freedom!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Gongbao laughed loudly: "The Purple Star Emperor? What a tempting offer! Deal! Unseal him immediately!"

Venus was suspicious, but still activated the jade talisman.

The shackles snapped shut.

The sword snapped, and Shen Gongbao's figure blurred, transforming into a black gust of wind that soared straight into the sky: "Thank you, Taibai! The Investiture of the Gods? I won't rebuild it! That tyrannical Jade Emperor, forget about it!"

Venus was shocked: "Shen Gongbao, you have broken your promise!"

With a flick of his whisk, he created thousands of white threads that blocked the way.

But Shen Gongbao was as cunning as a fox. With a sinister grin, he flashed past the heavenly soldiers.

Venus caught up and took a closer look. Of the two heavenly soldiers, one had a blurry face and an eerie aura.

He felt a chill run down his spine: "You're not a heavenly soldier!"

The man smiled, removed his mask, and revealed himself to be Jiang Wang! This descendant of the Jiang clan had been biding his time since the Investiture of the Gods, harboring great ambitions.

Jiang Wang said, "Senior Taibai, why bother chasing that traitor? I have a way to counter the Three-Day Soul-Destroying Pill."

"Come with me! Humanity needs a wise man like you to work together on a great cause!"

Upon hearing this, Venus's expression shifted between light and dark.

With poison in his abdomen, Shen Gongbao already escaped, the Jade Emperor suspicious, and Jiang Wang trying to win him over... Heaven is so divided, where should he go? The wind howls in the North Sea, and the sea eye roars like a giant beast.

Venus sighed deeply, gripping his whisk tightly, caught in an endless dilemma.

On the shores of the East China Sea, in a secluded coral reef cave, the waves gently lap against the rocks, uttering a low murmur.

Jiang Wang sat cross-legged, surrounded by a faint Five Flames True Fire. The flames were not scorching and violent, but rather as gentle as a swimming dragon, subtly revealing a domineering power that controlled heaven and earth.

He wore a white robe, his face was handsome but with a hint of cynical smile, as if everything in the world was just a chess piece, at his mercy.

Outside the cave, a sea breeze caressed his face as Venus, Li Changgeng, staggered in.

He was originally the right-hand man of the Jade Emperor in Heaven, with a flowing white beard and an air of otherworldly grace, but at this moment his face was deathly pale and cold sweat poured down his forehead.

The moment he stepped into the cave, his gaze fell upon Jiang Wang, and boundless terror surged in his old eyes.

Recalling how he had been imprisoned by Jiang Wang beneath the East Sea and suffered the torment of the Three-Day Soul-Destroying Pill, his legs went weak and he almost collapsed to his knees.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang...!"

Venus's voice trembled as he barely managed to steady himself. "I...I am guilty. I should not have disturbed your peaceful cultivation any longer."

Jiang Wang raised his eyes, a lazy smile curving his lips.

"Li Changgeng, why are you so panicked? Last time was just a small punishment to warn you. You old fox, you're so cunning, why would I really take your life?" (End of Chapter)