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

The pen tip was like a knife, slicing through the void. As soon as the two characters "Haotian" were written, a cold wind howled.

Jiang Wang murmured, "The Supreme God of Heaven, whose might shakes the Three Realms, shall lose his majesty tonight!"

The power of the curse surged forth like a tide, instantly twisting and cracking the two characters "Haotian" on the pages of the book, before finally turning to ashes and dissipating.

The Jade Emperor, residing in the Heavenly Palace, was sitting on his golden throne when he suddenly felt a tightness in his chest. His robes tore without wind, revealing a bloodstain.

His face turned deathly pale. He clutched his chest and muttered, "What kind of monster dares to..."

Before he could finish speaking, he spat out a mouthful of black blood, and the celestial officials in the hall knelt down in panic.

A look of satisfaction flashed in Jiang Wang's eyes as his experience points soared by three million.

Without pausing, he dipped his brush in the blood again and wrote, "Li Changgeng, Venus."

That old man is a chatterbox and keeps ruining his plans.

"Rotten tongue! Rotten tongue! Rotten tongue!"

The three curses thundered like lightning, and in less than 100,000 years, the divine power was exhausted, and the name of Li Changgeng on the page faded to ashes.

A moment later, by the Jade Pool in the Heavenly Court, Venus was chatting with the immortals when he suddenly felt a burning pain in his tongue, blood gushing out, and the tip of his tongue ulcerated into a pulp.

He opened his mouth to call out, but only managed to utter a soft "woof".

A strange noise was heard, and the immortals surrounded them in alarm: "Old Venus, what poison have you been poisoned by?"

Venus covered his mouth and wept bitterly, tears and blood mingling, regretting his earlier words.

Jiang Wang laughed loudly, having gained another two million experience points.

Next up is Shen Gongbao.

This guy is as cunning as a fox and has caused trouble many times.

"The soul is scattered, the spirit is annihilated!"

He gritted his teeth and wrote the curse, his blood dripping down his face.

The pages of the book shook violently, and Shen Gongbao's name vanished like smoke.

At the foot of Fengshen Mountain, Shen Gongbao was strategizing when he suddenly felt his soul leave his body, and his soul power leaked out like a flood bursting its banks.

He screamed in agony, blood flowed from his seven orifices, his soul was scattered, and his true spirit was about to perish.

Fortunately, the Investiture of the Gods flashed, barely protecting a wisp of his remnant soul, allowing him to linger on.

Seeing this, Jiang Wang sneered, "The Investiture of the Gods? Hmph, I'll destroy you next time!"

He stopped to catch his breath, his divine power greatly depleted, but he locked onto the Jade Emperor in the second round of curses.

"Jade Emperor, you rule the Heavenly Court, but your lower body shall be shattered, and you shall be childless for eternity!"

The curse was like a sharp blade, piercing straight to the Jade Emperor's vitals.

In the Lingxiao Palace, the Jade Emperor was reviewing the Heavenly Laws when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his lower body, as if pierced by a thousand needles.

His face was ashen, and he pressed his hands under his dragon robe, blood seeping out and staining the gold bricks red.

"Someone come here! Summon Laozi!"

Outside the palace, the celestial officials were in chaos. The Queen Mother rushed over upon hearing the news and saw the Jade Emperor curled up in pain, his majesty completely gone.

The people of Heaven were filled with fear and unease. Haotian, Taibai, Shen Gongbao, and the Jade Emperor all suffered misfortune one after another, and the immortals discussed among themselves: "Could it be that a great calamity is about to befall us?"

Jiang Wang put away the Book of Curses. His experience points had accumulated to over 100 million. He licked his lips and said, "Heavenly Court, wait for me to rest before I come back to reap the rewards."

Meanwhile, in Chechi Kingdom of Xiniu Hezhou, Tang Sanzang and Luli Daxian sat facing each other on the Cloud Terrace for nearly three years.

The cloud platform soared into the clouds, surrounded by auspicious light, but it could not conceal the anxiety of Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing below the platform.

Holding his golden cudgel, Wukong stared intently at his master's figure, his eyes blazing: "Master has been meditating for three years now. That Deer Power Immortal is clearly a demon, so why is he constantly competing with me?"

Pigsy leaned lazily against the tree, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan and complaining, "Brother Monkey, tell me, how many times in these three years has my rice bowl been empty? Whenever Master meditates, we have to guard this broken platform, exposed to the wind and sun, our backs and legs aching."

"I wish I hadn't come to Chechi Kingdom!"

Sha Wujing, who was fetching water to brew tea, said calmly, "Second Brother, don't complain."

"Our master endured humiliation and hardship for the great cause of obtaining the scriptures; we, as his disciples, should naturally follow suit."

Three years passed in the blink of an eye, and the two figures on the cloud platform suddenly moved.

In the void, a system notification sounded: "Ding! Host, Tang Sanzang has completed the three-year meditation mission, rewarded with 3000 million experience points and one chance to draw a prize!"

A glint of light flashed in Jiang Wang's eyes: "A good opportunity!"

He grabbed the blood of the underworld and swiftly wrote "Tang Sanzang" on the Book of Curses.

He sneered and whispered three words: "Cultivation completely destroyed! Cultivation completely destroyed! Cultivation completely destroyed! Cultivation completely destroyed! Cultivation completely destroyed!"

Five curses were unleashed in succession, divine power poured out like a torrent, and the name of Tang Sanzang on the pages of the book shone brightly with blood.

Far away in Yuntai, Tang Sanzang's golden core suddenly shattered, his meridians were severed, and his cultivation was lost like water bursting its banks.

He suddenly opened his eyes, his face as pale as paper, his body feeling utterly empty: "Amitabha... Why have I lost all my magical power?"

The Deer Power Immortal opposite him also woke up with a start, covering his ears as blood seeped out: "My ears... how did I go deaf?"

From below the cloud platform, Wukong somersaulted up: "Master!"

Seeing that Tang Sanzang was weak, he frowned and said, "Master, you don't look well!"

Tang Sanzang forced a smile: "Wukong, it's alright."

The match ended in a draw.

Upon hearing this, Lu Li Da Xian sneered and stood up: "Elder, since it's a draw, let's continue with the second round!"

When the King of Chechi heard the news, he rushed over. The national treasury was already half empty due to the defeat of the three immortals, but he saw that the people were living in peace and prosperity and the economy was growing well.

After weighing the options carefully, he sighed and said, "For the sake of the nation's fate, let the three immortals compete again."

If defeated, then let the elders travel west.

Thus, the second round of the competition began: guessing numbers through partitions.

Sun Wukong, with his keen hearing and sharp eyesight, guessed everything correctly, leaving the three immortals speechless.

The third round: beheading.

Wukong used his clone technique, and despite being struck by swords and axes, he remained unharmed, much to the horror of the three immortals.

The fourth round: abdominal disembowelment.

Wukong hid a needle in his belly; once cut open, it closed again, and the three immortals were annihilated.

In the final round, they're fried in oil.

With his fiery eyes, Wukong remained unharmed despite the churning pot. The three immortals were defeated one after another: Tiger Power Immortal, Sheep Power Immortal, and Deer Power Immortal all perished, their immortality vanishing as three wisps of green smoke.

The king was terrified and immediately knelt down to beg for mercy: "Elder, please have mercy! The Kingdom of Chechi is willing to let you pass!"

Although Tang Sanzang had lost all his cultivation, he still had a strong sense of righteousness: "Your Majesty, this humble monk will not hold grudges, I only ask for a pass to pass through."

The king personally bestowed a golden invitation, and the four travelers packed their belongings and continued their journey westward.

However, Tang Sanzang lacked spiritual cultivation and his steps were unsteady, greatly slowing his westward journey.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye, and the group finally arrived at the Tongtian River.

The river flows mightily, as wide as the sea, with waves crashing against the shore and mist rising from it.

Sun Wukong stood by the river, frowning, and said, "This Tongtian River is more than twice as wide as Master described back then. It's eight hundred li wide. How are we going to cross it?"

Sha Wujing picked up a stone tablet by the river, wiped away the dust, and read: "The Tongtian River, stretching eight hundred li, has been traversed by few throughout the ages."

Upon hearing this, Pigsy was dumbfounded and said, "Eight hundred li? I, Old Pig, can't swim that far! Master, what should we do?"

Left with no other option, the four walked along the river and sought lodging in a fishing village.

In Chenjiazhuang, a village, every household was shrouded in gloom. The village lords, Chen Cheng and Chen Qing, welcomed the master and his apprentice in, burning incense and offering tea.

Chen Cheng sighed, “Elder, we are just fishermen living peacefully, but the Great King Linggan of the Tongtian River demands a pair of boys and girls as sacrifices every year.”

This year it's the anniversary of my daughter Chen Yichengjin and Chen Qing's son Chen Guanbao's passing!

Chen Qing wiped away her tears and said, "That demon king was extremely ferocious. We were powerless to resist and could only watch helplessly as our child was handed over."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang put his palms together and said, "Amitabha, this humble monk and his disciples are willing to lend a helping hand."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's eyes blazed with fighting spirit: "Master, don't worry, I'll go and find out the demon king's true strength!"

Although Pigsy complained, he nodded and said, "Brother Monkey, I'll help you!"

That night, Wukong and Bajie used magic to transform themselves.

Wukong transformed into Chen Guanbao, a handsome young boy; Bajie transformed into Chen Yichengjin, a beautifully sculpted little girl.

The two held hands and headed to the Linggan Dawang Temple by the river.

The temple was bustling with incense smoke, yet it exuded an eerie atmosphere.

Wukong whispered, "Fool, be careful, don't give yourself away."

Pigsy, imitating a woman's voice, said sweetly, "Brother Monkey, with my appearance, any demon would surely be tempted."

The two entered the temple, knelt before the statue of the god, and pretended to pray for blessings.

In the void, Jiang Wang was recuperating when the system voice sounded again: "Ding! Mission Thirty-Two issued: Postpone the Journey to the West plan."

Option 1: Create a storm in the Tongtian River, delaying the event by three days, and receive a reward of 5 million experience points.

Option 2: Curse Sha Wujing to exhaustion, delaying his journey by one month, and reward him with 10 million experience points.

Option 3: Apply Hunyuan Liquid Glue to the back of the old tortoise in the Tongtian River, causing Tang Sanzang to be stuck to its back for three years. Reward: 50 million experience points, plus one high-level lottery draw!

A glint of greed flashed in Jiang Wang's eyes: "Three years? Haha, this plan is brilliant!"

He took out the Hunyuan Liquid Glue, which was like black mud and incredibly sticky. He quietly sank to the bottom of the river, found the thousand-year-old tortoise, and while it was carrying the master and his disciples across the river, he smeared the glue on the tortoise's back.

The glue seeped into the scales, remaining hidden until the time was right, when it would unleash its power.

In the underwater palace at the bottom of the river, King Linggan was drinking and making merry with his shrimp soldiers and crab generals.

Suddenly, a woman in a spotted robe reported, "Your Majesty, two exceptionally beautiful boys have arrived at the temple!"

Upon hearing this, King Linggan was overjoyed: "Haha, the aroma of Tang Sanzang's flesh! I'll go see for myself!"

He transformed into a black wind and arrived at the temple in an instant.

Seeing the two children kneeling in worship, he snorted and greedily sniffed, "Hmm? Why do these young boys and girls have an ethereal aura?"

Wukong knew something was wrong and secretly wielded his golden cudgel, only to see the demon king reach out his hand.

He feigned fear, shrinking back, a strange glint flashing in his eyes—to guard against Jiang Wang's curse, he didn't use his full strength, only making a feint.

Upon seeing this, the Demon King became even more suspicious: "Something's not right, there's something wrong with this kid's eyes!"

In his panic, Pigsy cried out in a distorted female voice, "Oh dear, Your Majesty, spare my life..."

As soon as he finished speaking, his pig nose peeked out, instantly giving him away.

"monster!"

The Great King of Inspiration roared and grabbed Pigsy, smashing him.

Pigsy revealed his true form, looking dazed and confused: "Oh no, oh no!"

Wukong transformed back into his monkey form, swung his golden cudgel in a wide arc, and smashed it towards the demon king: "Take this from your old Sun!"

With a flick of his sleeve, the demon king blocked the shadow of the staff and used the force to escape into the river.

Wukong gave chase, but remembering Jiang Wang's cunning scheme, he became wary and stopped at the riverbank, saying, "Fine, I'll let you escape this time!"

Pigsy, panting, said, "Brother Monkey, why didn't you chase after her to the end? That demon got away!"

Wukong shook his head: "Fool, there's something strange about this river. Let me investigate further."

King Linggan fled back to his water palace in a sorry state, his scales shattered and blood flowing freely.

He slammed his fist on the table in fury: "Who is this holy being who dares to ruin my plans! That monkey is clearly the Great Sage Equal to Heaven!"

The shrimp soldiers and crab generals trembled with fear. The spotted mandarin duck woman stepped forward and said in a flattering voice, "Your Majesty, do not be anxious. Although that monkey is strong, he seems to be holding back and has not used his full strength."

"I have a plan to lure Tang Sanzang here and capture him all at once!"

Upon hearing this, the Demon King's eyes gleamed: "Speak quickly!"

The spotted mandarin duck chuckled sinisterly: "Your Majesty can send a little demon ashore and falsely claim that the old turtle is willing to carry Tang Sanzang across the river."

A secret medicine was applied to the turtle's shell, and once it was attached to the back, it would be firmly stuck for three years, allowing the king to slowly savor the flesh of Tang Sanzang!

The King of Inspiration clapped his hands and laughed: "Brilliant plan! Brilliant plan! Pass down the order, we'll move out tomorrow!"

In Chenjia Village by the river, Tang Sanzang and his disciples returned, and everyone sat around discussing matters.

Wukong said, "Master, that demon king is cunning and has escaped into the river."

We'll explore again tomorrow.

Tang Sanzang nodded: "Excellent, excellent."

As night deepened, the river wind howled, and the Tongtian River, though calm, concealed a deadly danger.

Jiang Wang laughed in the void: "The Hunyuan glue is ready. Tang Sanzang, your good days are over."

As winter faded and spring arrived, the journey westward should have been gradually warming up, but unexpected events occurred.

That night, outside Chenjiazhuang on the banks of the Tongtian River, the cold wind was like a knife, howling and stirring up layers of snow waves.

The four members of the Tang Monk's group, wrapped in thin blankets, huddled on the kang (heated brick bed) in the inn. At midnight, the temperature suddenly dropped, as if God was deliberately working against them.

Tang Sanzang tossed and turned, muttering scriptures under his breath, praying to the Bodhisattva for help in crossing the river as soon as possible.

Although Sun Wukong was a monkey, he felt a chill in his bones, so he simply crawled into the quilt and secretly used his supernatural powers to protect himself.

Pigsy was fast asleep, snoring loudly, while Sandy was keeping watch, gazing at the snow falling outside the window with a furrowed brow.

The next morning, upon opening the inn's door, a world draped in silver and white came into view.

The Tongtian River was frozen solid by the sudden heavy snow, with the ice layer reaching several feet thick, resembling a crystal-clear jade ribbon stretching across both banks.

A few pedestrians waded across the ice on the river, their steps steady, carrying goods on their backs, and their faces beaming with joy.

Chen Cheng, the white-haired old man from Chenjiazhuang, had prepared hot rice porridge and steamed buns early in the morning and invited the master and his disciples to sit around the table.

He stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Elder, the river is frozen, which is a godsend! The other side is the Western Liang Kingdom, where the people are simple and honest and the goods are plentiful."

"The cloth and tea we produce here, when exchanged for spices and silk from over there, yield a hundredfold profit! I heard last night that the river was teeming with people, all rushing to cross during this ice age to do business."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang clasped his hands together, his eyes shining with hope: "Amitabha, what you say is absolutely right."

Our humble monk and his disciples are on this journey to obtain Buddhist scriptures for the Great Tang Dynasty in the East. The journey is long, and we are eager to make progress even if we only make a little progress each day.

"The river is traversable on the ice; why not take advantage of this favorable weather and cross it quickly?"

His desire to obtain the scriptures was burning like a raging fire, and he paid no attention to anything else.

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong rubbed his fiery eyes and squinted at the river. He saw that although the figures of those people were moving swiftly on the ice, they faintly exuded a strange demonic aura.

He was secretly alarmed: These were no ordinary people, but clearly water demons disguised as bait! There must be something fishy going on beneath the ice.

Moreover, that Jiang Wang has vanished like a ghost ever since he last appeared. Wukong is always on guard, fearing that he might be up to no good again.

Pigsy, chewing on his steamed bun, nodded in agreement: "Master is right! This ice bridge is perfect; I won't have to swim anymore."

Hehe, is that the Western Liang Women's Kingdom on the other side? There are plenty of pretty women there..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wukong smacked him on the forehead with his staff: "Idiot, shut your pig mouth! The journey to the West is the priority, stop thinking about those crooked and evil ways." (End of Chapter)