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

The four emperors in the palace felt a sense of relief in their chests, yet a lingering sense of resentment remained.

However, at that moment, the gate of Zixiao Palace opened silently through a crack.

Taking advantage of the moment when the chaotic energy surged, a nearly transparent figure silently slipped into the palace.

It was Yuqing's clone.

He had long ago achieved the state of "standing upright without casting a shadow".

The great master erased his own shadow and concealed his aura with the Concealing Jade, so that even Hongjun did not notice him for a moment.

Yuqing's clone landed silently, his gaze sweeping over the jade platform.

The four saints, Yuanshi, Jieyin, Zhunti, and Nuwa, were surrounded by holy light soaring into the sky, their aura vast and boundless, indicating they were at the peak of the fifth level of sainthood. Nuwa, in particular, showed signs of reaching the sixth level, suggesting she was on the verge of a breakthrough! Yuqing's avatar was shaken to its core and was about to approach to investigate further when he heard Yuanshi Tianzun coldly snort: "Who are you, you little thief!"

The phantom of the Pangu Banner crashed down! Yuqing's clone hurriedly cast "Time Freeze," and the chaotic energy within a radius of ten thousand miles instantly froze.

However, Yuanshi Tianzun simply flicked his sleeve, and the chaotic energy flowed again, so the freezing of time had no effect on him.

"Little tricks!"

With a flick of his finger, Yuanshi transformed the chaotic energy into a giant hand, grabbing Yuqing's clone and squeezing it hard.

Bang! Yuqing's clone exploded into a sky full of golden light, and a piece of warm white jade fell onto the palace bricks, which was the Hidden God Jade.

Hongjun opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the shattered golden light and the jade, and his brows finally furrowed slightly.

"Jiang Wang... is quite the schemer."

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Fine, if we can't hide it, then we won't hide it."

You must accelerate your breakthroughs and strive to reach the sixth level of the Heavenly Realm within a hundred years.

As for Jiang Wang's escape... I have my own plans."

The four saints responded in unison.

Hongjun flicked his finger, and the Hidden God Jade rose into the air, its surface radiating a soft white light.

A faint ray of soul light flew out from his sleeve and entered the jade.

A great white light shone brightly, gradually transforming into a human shape.

With red hair and a crimson robe, and a kind face, it was none other than the ancient Ancestor Hongyun! Hongyun opened his eyes in bewilderment, looked around, and exclaimed, "Where is this humble Daoist...? Ancestor Daoist?!"

He looked down at himself and was shocked to find that he was only at the Golden Immortal level and had no decent magic weapon.

Hongjun said calmly, "After your fall, your soul was protected by me in the Hidden God Jade. Today, I borrow Jiang Wang's jade to return your physical body to you."

Go for it. "

After saying this, he waved his sleeve, and a spatial passage appeared out of thin air, leading directly to the prehistoric land near the Wuzhuang Temple.

Hongyun opened his mouth, but all his words ultimately boiled down to a single bow: "Thank you, Dao Ancestor, for your grace in restoring me!"

With a flash, he disappeared into the passage.

Yuanshi Tianzun couldn't help but say, "Dao Ancestor, Hongyun is only a Golden Immortal with no protective treasures. What use is there in reviving him?"

Nuwa and the others also looked puzzled.

Hongjun simply closed his eyes and said, "You will know in the future."

Though the voice was soft, it carried an undeniable determination.

The palace fell silent once more, with only the four saints' holy light growing ever brighter, their breakthroughs imminent.

Beyond the heavens, in the depths of chaos.

Jiang Wang's true form suddenly opened his eyes, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. The backlash from the destruction of his three clones had also caused him minor injuries.

But he smiled.

"The fifth level of the Sage Realm... Nuwa is about to break through to the sixth level... Old man Hongjun is indeed preparing a big move."

He raised his hand to wipe away the blood, his gaze deep and unfathomable: "Fine, then I'll play along with you to the very end."

With a flicker, it vanished into the chaos, leaving no trace.

In the primordial Eastern Continent, near Longevity Mountain.

A spatial rift opened silently, and the Crimson Cloud Ancestor, dressed in a red robe, stumbled out and landed in the verdant mountains and forests.

He looked around blankly, then gave a bitter laugh: "Golden Immortal cultivation... Oh well, at least I've been alive again."

The faint sound of bells and chimes could be heard in the distance, coming from the direction of Wuzhuang Temple.

Hongyun looked up, a complex expression flashing in her eyes, and strode toward the source of the celestial music.

Inside the Purple Cloud Palace in the Outer Heavens, Hongjun slowly opened his eyes, his gaze piercing through the endless void, as if looking at that staggering yet determined figure in red robes.

He said softly, "Hongyun, I hope you won't disappoint me."

The sound dissipated into the chaos, and no one heard it anymore.

Jiang Wang sat in the deepest part of the Chaos Pearl's inner space, with the hazy, gray pearl spirit lazily perched on his head. Occasionally, wisps of axe light, remnants of the creation of the world, would flash across the pearl's body.

Suddenly, an extremely thin silver line pierced through the void and disappeared into his brow.

That was the latest reconnaissance sent back by the clone. The images, sounds, and even the faint aura of a sixth-level sage at the fingertips of the Primordial Celestial Venerable were so clear that it was as if he were there in person.

He opened his eyes, and for the first time, the mad flame that had burned within them for so many years flickered.

The Four Saints... have all ascended to the Fifth Heaven.

In the Demon Master's Palace where the Goddess Nuwa was in seclusion, the fragrance of the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir almost broke through the palace gates and drifted all the way to the outside of the Fire Cloud Cave.

Deep within the Purple Cloud Palace, further away, the Ancestor Hongjun lightly flicked his whisk, and the clinking of the pill bottles rolling from his sleeves was clear and melodious. Bottle after bottle, perhaps there were even supreme immortal pills that could help people directly enter the sixth or seventh heaven.

Jiang Wang slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his voice so low that only he could hear it: "So... I've been chasing after their backs all this time, and now I can barely even see their backs anymore."

He extended his five fingers, and a phantom giant axe appeared in his palm, with three thousand Dao runes flowing endlessly on the axe blade.

That was his strongest killing move, the prototype of the Heaven-Opening Axe.

But no matter how strong the prototype is, it is still just a prototype.

If Yuanshi Tianzun were to attack alone, with his main body wielding the Chaos Pearl, his Three Pure Ones clones, and a surprise attack using the rudimentary form of the Heaven-Opening Axe, he might still have a fighting chance.

But if all four sages arrived, or even Nuwa, or even Hongjun merely stood by and watched coldly...

He suddenly laughed, a very soft laugh, but one that carried an unprecedented weariness.

"Run away."

The moment this thought arose, it was like a demon, instantly taking root and sprouting in his heart.

The primordial world was so vast, and the chaos so expansive. He carried the Chaos Pearl, tore through the barrier of the Heavenly Dao, and plunged into the depths of the Chaos Sea. He found a secluded vortex of chaos and slept for billions of years. When he awoke again, perhaps the Nine Heavens of Sainthood would be nothing more than child's play, or perhaps the Heavenly Dao would have already changed its master...

But the next instant, a glint of madness ignited in his eyes, shattering that laughable "escape."

The words were burned completely.

"Jiang Wang, Jiang Wang, if you escaped, then who is that person who fought his way through the Investiture of the Gods, rebelled against the Heavenly Court, and almost demolished the Jade Void Palace of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable?"

He suddenly stood up, and the vast void within the Chaos Pearl was shaken by the gust of wind stirred up by his robes.

"Escape is allowed, but first, even if I, Jiang, escape, I must take a piece of their flesh before I flee!"

To strengthen ourselves, we need the fastest, most ruthless, and most unreasonable methods. The shimmering array? Utterly vulnerable.

The Primordial Chaos Formation? Though powerful, it requires a very deep foundation.

The Zhou Tian Star Array? A supreme treasure of the demon race. The Jade Emperor is currently in charge of the Heavenly Court, and the demon master Kunpeng is hiding in the Northern Underworld. If he dares to try to snatch it, he'll probably just be handing over his head to Haotian.

Jiang Wang paced back and forth inside the bead, each step shattering a patch of chaotic air currents.

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. Twelve towering bronze figures flashed through his mind, their eyes blazing with eerie blue flames, and the surrounding mountains and rivers were transformed into seas of blood and mountains of corpses.

"The Twelve Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation..."

The Wu tribe used this formation to rival the Dao Ancestor Hongjun! This formation only requires twelve people, all of whom must be of the body of a Great Wu, or even better, have the blood of an Ancestral Wu. As long as they stand in the twelve positions, they can communicate with the remaining will of the Father God Pangu, summon the true body of Pangu, and split the heavens with a single axe!
Most importantly, this formation diagram had already been passed down to the human race after the decline of the witch clan.

The twelve bronze statues of Qin Shi Huang were cast in imitation of this formation!

Jiang Wang's eyes gleamed: "Human race... Fire Cloud Cave... Hmph, I'll have to ask for a 'favor' from them sooner or later."

But right now, there are more pressing matters.

"The Chaos Bell..."

With a thought, his clone had already infiltrated the Jade Void Palace of Kunlun Mountain.

The bell was hanging quietly above Guangchengzi's cave, its body sealed by Yuanshi Tianzun with boundless Xuanhuang Qi.

Just as he was about to make his move, Zhong suddenly transformed into a golden light and vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.

The clone chased after the golden light, traversing the thirty-three heavens all the way to the chaos, and finally landed in the Purple Cloud Palace, beside the Grandmaster Hongjun.

Jiang Wang's brow twitched slightly.

With Hongjun personally taking action, the Chaos Bell could no longer be retrieved.

To forcibly seize it? That would be to directly oppose the Dao Ancestor; he's not that crazy.

"Forget it... The Heaven-Opening Axe is still a little short of experience points. If we force it to be synthesized, it might shatter the Chaos Pearl. We can only wait until later."

He took a deep breath and turned his gaze to the Fengshen Palace hidden in the clouds above the Ninth Heaven.

"The Investiture of the Gods... If I could obtain it, I could imprison a saint for a moment. Even a moment would be enough for me to escape into chaos!"

Jiang Wang flashed and left the Chaos Pearl, transforming into a speck of dust, and ascended along the crack in the Heavenly Dao.

High above the nine heavens, the Investiture of the Gods Hall stands majestically and solemnly. In front of the hall is a stone tablet inscribed with "The Investiture of the Gods is here."

The five characters shone with golden light.

The palace doors were wide open, but there was no one guarding them. Only a faint golden figure stood with his back to the doors, his hands behind his back. It was none other than Haotian Shanshi.

Jiang Wang sneered, raised his hand and pointed. The Great Dao of Space instantly solidified, like countless transparent chains, binding the golden figure tightly in the blink of an eye, making it impossible for him to move even a finger.

"Haotian, hand over the Investiture of the Gods, and I will spare your life."

The golden figure slowly turned around, still smiling: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, you've finally arrived."

Jiang Wang's pupils suddenly contracted.

The next instant, the surrounding scenery twisted wildly. Everything outside the Conferred God Palace, the Ninth Heaven, and the Thirty-Third Heaven rippled out like water, revealing a giant palace as black as ink, covered with the patterns of the God of Annihilation.

Countless black runes swam like fish in the hall, and wherever they passed, the three thousand Great Daos withered and collapsed instantly!
The Primordial Treasure, the Hall of Destruction!

Once this hall is opened, all the laws that the person who enters will be completely destroyed, and they will never be able to comprehend laws again for the rest of their lives. The power of their spiritual treasures will also drop by more than 90%! The voice of Haotian Benevolent Corpse came from afar, carrying a mocking tone, like a cat toying with a mouse:
"Jiang Wang, if you were to come in person, you would surely die today."

It's a pity you only sent a clone... Oh well, it saves me the trouble.

Outside the hall, in the void, a whisk slowly emerged, followed by the cold voice of the Hongjun Ancestor: "Jiang Wang, none who enter my Hall of Extinction of Laws ever return alive."

"If you are willing to abandon your spiritual foundation and become my disciple, I may spare your life today."

Jiang Wang's clone stood in the center of the Hall of Extinction, feeling the excruciating pain of his spatial laws and Dao runes being erased inch by inch, but suddenly he looked up at the sky and laughed wildly.

"Hahahaha, you old fool, you've been tricked!"

boom!
Outside the Hall of Extinction, the true Jiang Wang stepped out of the Chaos Pearl and arrived in front of the hall in one stride.

He raised his hand, his palm like a millstone, the Great Dao of Space solidified into a massive black hand, and with a terrifying power that could tear through chaos, he slammed down!

Haotian's benevolent corpse was shocked and hurriedly activated the Extinction Hall to defend itself, but Jiang Wang's palm was not aimed at the Extinction Hall at all, but at Haotian's brow!
Space...shattered!

With a crisp crack, Haotian's benevolent corpse's head shattered like porcelain, spraying golden divine blood onto the spot.

The mighty Heavenly Emperor, whose body was of good nature, was annihilated by a single palm strike!
Jiang Wang glanced coldly at the still buzzing and vibrating Hall of Extinction, raised his hand and summoned the Hall of Extinction into a palm-sized black room, which fell into his palm.

"You dare to challenge me with a mere Heavenly Dao imprint?"

He closed his eyes, a golden rune between his brows spinning wildly, and the system panel silently appeared:

[Detected Innate Supreme Treasure - Hall of Extinction of Laws (containing Heavenly Dao Imprint). Consume 3000 million experience points to erase the imprint and forcibly refine it?]

"Yes."

boom!
The 3000 million experience points were instantly wiped out, and streaks of pitch-black magic-destroying runes peeled off the temple, transforming into shrill screams and dissipating into the void.

The next instant, the Hall of Extinction trembled violently, emitting a hum of submission, and completely acknowledged its master.

Jiang Wang toyed with the small dark room in his hand, a cold smile curving his lips.

“Hongjun…you have given me a great gift, and I will repay you a hundredfold sooner or later.”

He looked up into the deeper chaos, towards the direction of Zixiao Palace, where an aged gaze seemed to pierce through the endless void, meeting his eyes from afar.

Jiang Wang grinned, his smile full of provocation and madness.

"Just you wait, you old man."

"The day I set up the Twelve Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation, even you, Hongjun Daozu, will kneel at my feet and call me... Sage Jiang!"

Jiang Wang stood deep within the spatial passage, surrounded by boundless silver-gray turbulent currents. Layer upon layer of void cracks spread like a spider web, and occasionally, chaotic air currents surged by, emitting a low groan.

The Hall of Annihilation hovered in front of him, its entire body pitch black. Countless divine runes of Annihilation on the hall's surface writhed like living creatures, emanating a terrifying aura that devoured all laws.

He took a deep breath, and with a thought, the system interface silently appeared.

"Should we consume 3000 million experience points to completely refine the Hall of Extinction?"

"Yes."

In an instant, an extremely deep black light shot out from between Jiang Wang's eyebrows and plunged into the Hall of Extinction.

Wherever the black light passed, the originally unruly divine patterns on the surface of the Temple of Extinction submitted and emitted faint moans.

The entire hall began to tremble violently, like a tamed ancient beast, slowly shrinking until it finally transformed into a black stream of light and completely disappeared into Jiang Wang's palm.

The moment the Demon Extinction Hall finished refining, an ancient and melodious Dao sound suddenly came from the depths of the passage, as if it had existed since the beginning of time.

Immediately afterwards, a nine-tiered jade platform slowly emerged, its surface crystal clear and radiating boundless divine light; it was none other than the legendary Conferred God Platform.

Above the Investiture Platform, a golden scroll floated, with countless names flashing on it – this was the Investiture of the Gods!
Jiang Wang's pupils suddenly contracted.

He had been waiting for this moment for far too long.

With a thought, an identical clone of him instantly materialized and reached out to grab the Investiture of the Gods.

Just as the clone's fingertips were about to touch the list, an old and withered hand unexpectedly emerged from the depths of the void. Its five fingers, like withered branches, carried a terrifying pressure that suppressed eternity, and directly grabbed at the Investiture of the Gods! (End of Chapter)