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

He looked down at the unremarkable diamond bracelet on his wrist, then looked up at a certain point in the void above the cave, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.

"...Jiang Wang."

He moved his lips silently, as if savoring the taste of the name, "You really have the heart to do this."

He didn't move, didn't make a sound, and didn't even release his divine sense.

He simply closed his eyes and went about his business as if nothing had happened.

Jiang Wang stood above the sea of ​​clouds, his brows slightly furrowed.

He had just clearly felt a very subtle spatial fluctuation flash by within the Vajra Bracelet, which vanished in an instant, like an illusion.

He focused his attention and examined it again, but found nothing unusual.

"……coincide?"

He muttered to himself, but ultimately did not delve into it.

The task is complete, and the system's cold notification sounded:

[Ding—Task completed.]

The reward has been issued.

】

Jiang Wang lowered his eyes and saw three ancient jade slips appear in his palm. The jade slips were filled with spiritual light and had the aura of innate spiritual treasures.

He gripped the jade slip tightly, a faint smile curving his lips, a smile that was also a sigh.

"Thirty years..."

He looked westward, his voice carried on the wind, "It's been long enough."

Inside the Golden Gourd Cave, the fire under the copper pot was still burning, but the water just wouldn't boil.

The Demon King sat on his high throne, his fingertips tapping the armrest listlessly, tapping once and then pausing, as if waiting for something, or perhaps waiting for nothing at all.

In the stone chamber at the back of the cave, there is a statue of "Tang Sanzang".

His physical body was still chanting scriptures in a low voice, each word clear and distinct, but there was no longer any spark of light in his eyes.

As night deepened, all was quiet on Jindou Mountain, save for the occasional soft popping of pine firewood under the copper pot, like a distant sigh.

Sun Wukong was overjoyed when he returned from begging for alms on the hillside. He carried the steaming food bag in his hand and hurried back with light steps.

Before the smile on his monkey-haired face had faded, he spotted the open space he had left behind in the distance.

A circular mark was still visible on the ground, with several rocks scattered around it, just as it had been yesterday.

But within that circle, the figure of Master Tang Sanzang sitting cross-legged chanting scriptures, the lazy dozing of Pigsy, the loyal guarding of Sandy's luggage, and the leisurely grazing of the White Dragon Horse were all nowhere to be seen.

Sun Wukong's heart tightened, and the food bag almost fell to the ground. He rubbed his fiery eyes and looked around carefully, confirming that there was no mistake: the people, horses, and luggage had all vanished without a trace, leaving only this empty circle and rocks, as if mocking his negligence.

He stood there, the wind blowing through the forest, the leaves rustling, and the edge of the circle still bore some messy footprints pointing into the depths of the mountains.

Sun Wukong's heart sank into an icy abyss. He immediately understood: his master and the others must have strayed from the circle and been kidnapped by demons.

He recalled the words he had repeatedly told him before he left, the pain of the golden headband still echoing in his mind, preventing him from leaving. But how could he not be anxious in this situation? The golden headband's restraint was like an invisible shackle, suffocating him. He was the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, how could he have ever felt so helpless? A burning anxiety surged within him. He scratched his ears and cheeks, his hair stood on end, wishing he could smash the heavens and earth with his staff.

But he was, after all, a monkey who had endured countless hardships. He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and quickly adjusted his mindset.

He told himself not to panic or lose his composure, to find clues first and then devise a solution.

So he looked down and examined the footprints closely. The footprints were messy, some big and some small, clearly the traces of a group of monsters, winding along the mountain path.

He plucked a monkey hair, blew on it to create a clone, and first went to investigate the surroundings. After confirming that everything was in order, his main body followed the footprints.

The footprints stretched out, passing through dense forests and around rugged rocks. Sun Wukong followed as if riding on clouds, but deliberately slowed down to carefully observe his surroundings.

A mountain breeze brushed his face, carrying a hint of demonic energy. He sniffed and confirmed it was the scent of a bull demon.

After traveling for about half an hour, a tall mountain appeared ahead, majestic in shape, with the shape of a cave vaguely visible on its peak.

Sun Wukong looked closely and saw that the mountain was named Jindu Mountain and the cave was named Jindu Cave.

He put away his cloud and landed in front of the cave. Looking around, he saw that the cave door was tightly closed, and several little demons stood on both sides of the door, holding knives and spears, looking around warily.

He knew perfectly well that this was the demon's lair.

Sun Wukong remained calm and observed from his hiding place. He saw the lesser demons coming and going, gossiping about how fair-skinned and well-furnished the captured monk was. He was furious, but he suppressed his anger and waited for the right moment before revealing himself and shouting, "Listen up, demon king in the cave! Release my master and junior brothers at once, or I'll smash your cave to pieces!"

A commotion arose inside the cave, and soon the cave door opened wide, and a burly demon king emerged, wielding a steel spear.

The demon king had the head of a bull and the body of a human, with blood-red eyes and demonic energy swirling around him. He was the Green Bull Demon who had been possessed by a demon god from beyond the realm.

He sized up Sun Wukong, a sinister smile appearing on his face, and said, "Who are you? How dare you challenge me at my Golden Gourd Cave?"

Sun Wukong sneered: "I am the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, and the protector of the pilgrimage to the West from the Tang Dynasty! You bull demon, release the captive at once!"

Upon hearing this, the Green Ox Demon's eyes flashed with a cunning glint. He shook his head and said, "Release him? That monk stole my precious clothes from my cave. How can I let him go so easily? How about this, if you have the ability, then have a contest with me. If you win, I will release him; if you lose, you can stay and become my subordinate!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong knew it was a demon's trick, but he was not afraid. How could this bull demon compare to his strength as a Great Luo Golden Immortal? So he nodded and said, "Let's compete then. Do you think I'm afraid of you?"

After they finished speaking, the two set up their formation on the open ground in front of the cave.

The Green Ox Demon stood in front, spear in hand, while Sun Wukong stood empty-handed. He had the Golden Cudgel with him, but he first tested the waters.

The Green Ox Demon roared, and his steel spear thrust forward like a dragon, its tip whipping in the wind with a powerful whistling sound.

Sun Wukong dodged the attack with a swift movement and struck the bull demon's shoulder with a backhand.

The palm strike was fierce, and the Green Ox Demon barely managed to block it, but felt his arm go numb. He was secretly shocked: This monkey is so strong! He didn't know that Sun Wukong had already reached the Great Luo Realm. He only felt that his opponent was extraordinary, so he used all his strength. The shadows of his spear were numerous and enveloped Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong remained calm and composed, using his Great Luo strength to deflect each attack, suppressing the Green Ox Demon until he could barely breathe.

His steps were like the wind, his movements like lightning. He would leap up and dive down at times, his palm strikes and fist shadows intertwining, forcing the Green Ox Demon to retreat step by step.

Sweat beaded on the Green Ox Demon's forehead, and his spear technique became increasingly erratic. He was originally the mount of Laozi, and his strength greatly increased after being possessed by a demon god, but he was still no match for Sun Wukong's level.

He gritted his teeth, thinking he couldn't delay any longer, and shouted, "Men, attack! Surround this monkey!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding demons swarmed forward, wielding swords, clubs, and other weapons, and surrounded Sun Wukong.

Seeing this, Sun Wukong sneered, took out his golden cudgel from his ear, and with a flick of his wrist, it grew to the thickness of a bowl, which he then began to wield.

The staff's shadow was as large as a mountain, sweeping across the battlefield. How could the lesser demons possibly withstand it? Wherever the staff's wind reached, demon corpses flew everywhere, screams echoing. Sun Wukong's staff technique was exquisite; one strike shattered a demon's head, another swept off several demon legs, and the lesser demons fell like straw.

He moved swiftly, his staff flashing, leaving the entire open space in front of the cave a bloody mess, and demonic energy spreading everywhere.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the Green Ox Demon's eyes flashed with ruthlessness. He took out the Vajra Bracelet from his bosom. The bracelet was shining with golden light and was the treasure of Laozi.

He shouted and threw out the Vajra Bracelet, aiming straight for Sun Wukong's Golden Cudgel.

The golden bracelet spun in the air and sucked the golden cudgel into it. Sun Wukong was shocked to find his hands empty.

But the Vajra Bracelet seemed to be out of control, turning around and chasing after Sun Wukong himself.

Sun Wukong was terrified and took to the clouds. The bracelet was in hot pursuit. He dodged left and right, flying around the mountain, but the bracelet followed him like a shadow.

The Green Ox Demon wanted to take it back, but found that the bracelet was out of control, so he could only watch helplessly as it chased Sun Wukong and fell into the abyss below the mountain.

The abyss was dark and swallowed everything. The green ox was heartbroken, but there was nothing it could do. It had no choice but to give up and retreat into the cave for the time being.

Sun Wukong escaped a calamity, but was still shaken after landing. Having lost his golden cudgel, his strength was greatly reduced. How could he save people? After much thought, he decided to first go to the Heavenly Court for help.

He rode the clouds straight up to the ninth heaven, and when he arrived at the South Heavenly Gate, the heavenly general guarding the gate saw that it was him and hurriedly let him pass.

He went straight to the Lingxiao Palace, where he saw the Jade Emperor busy at work, surrounded by heavenly soldiers and generals. The Jade Emperor had a furrowed brow as he assembled his army.

Sun Wukong stepped forward and bowed, saying, "You old Jade Emperor, I have a favor to ask of you!"

Haotian glanced at him and said, "Wukong, what is it? I am busy assembling an army of 3 billion to prepare to attack the human realm."

The revival of humanity in the human realm is imminent, with only a few minutes remaining. How could I possibly have the time for that?

Sun Wukong was stunned upon hearing this. Humanity was reviving? The Heavenly Realm was attacking the Human Realm? This news was like a thunderbolt, leaving him speechless for a moment.

Haotian waved his hand dismissively: "Go away, I have no time for you!"

Helpless, Sun Wukong had no choice but to leave the hall, feeling frustrated: even the Heavenly Court was in chaos.

Unwilling to give up, he turned to Mount Ling in the Western Paradise for help.

Riding the clouds westward, we arrived at the foot of Mount Ling, only to find the mountain gate tightly closed, the mountain-sealing formation activated, and the surrounding Buddhist light dimmed.

He knocked on the door for a long time, but no one answered, so he had to transform into a mosquito and fly in.

The scene inside astonished him: the two Western Saints had not returned, the reincarnation of the Buddha Tathagata had not returned, the ancient Buddha Dipankara had been possessed and his whereabouts were unknown, the Peacock King had betrayed his religion and left, and only Maitreya Buddha was left to maintain the situation on the entire Vulture Peak.

When Maitreya Buddha saw him arrive, he sighed and said, "Wukong, Mount Ling is in trouble, and this poor monk cannot help you. I'm afraid I am powerless to assist you in your matter."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong felt utterly dejected. He then asked Guanyin Bodhisattva, but Maitreya shook his head, saying, "Bodhisattva is in the South Sea and has no time to spare."

Sun Wukong had no choice but to leave Mount Ling and head to Mount Putuo in the South China Sea to find Guanyin.

Upon arriving at the Purple Bamboo Grove, they found Guanyin in seclusion, with Sudhana guarding the gate, saying, "The Bodhisattva has decreed that no outside guests are to be received."

Sun Wukong pleaded repeatedly, but to no avail.

His rescue efforts were repeatedly thwarted. Standing on the shore of the South China Sea, with the sea breeze blowing and waves crashing against the shore, he was in a state of utter confusion, unsure of what to do next.

Meanwhile, in that hidden realm, Jiang Wang sat cross-legged in the void, surrounded by chaotic energy. He frowned slightly, pondering the future situation.

Humanity's revival is imminent, but the celestial army is pressing in; everything is like an impending storm.

He knew that he needed to improve his strength as soon as possible in order to deal with the threat of the extraterrestrial demon god.

He looked around at himself, and found that he had many magical treasures in his hands, but not all of them were useful.

While the Heart-Breaking Nail and the Investiture of the Gods are indeed valuable treasures, they offer limited benefit to his current cultivation. It would be better to exchange them for experience points to enhance his Great Dao Laws.

With a thought, he took out those magical treasures and carefully assessed them: the Heart-Breaking Nail was quite valuable, the Investiture of the Gods contained the power of the Heavenly Dao, and together with the other items, they could be exchanged for a total of 10.6 billion experience points.

His total experience points were already over 100 million, and with this addition, he will surpass the 11 billion mark.

He smiled slightly; the experience points came at just the right time, like sending charcoal in snowy weather.

Jiang Wang was not in a hurry. He first calmed his mind and felt the tranquility of the hidden realm.

Here there is neither sun nor moon, only eternal chaos. He took out the Chaos Pearl, which floated in his palm, emitting a soft light. It contained the Great Dao of Chaos and could assist in comprehending all laws.

He plans to use these experience points to raise his comprehension of the ten fundamental laws of metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, lightning, yin, and yang to 100%.

These ten Great Daos are the foundation of the Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods and Demons Grand Array. Only when they are perfected can the preparation of the grand array be advanced.

He closed his eyes, and experience points flooded into his mind like a tide, starting with the Path of Gold.

He had already grasped eighty percent of the Way of Gold. Now, with the infusion of experience, countless golden lights appeared in his mind, filled with a sharp aura. He carefully comprehended each change as if he were experiencing it firsthand.

The Way of Gold progresses from hardness to flexibility, from sharpness to restraint. He advances slowly and steadily, pausing briefly after each improvement to solidify his foundation.

With the aid of the Chaos Pearl, his comprehension came naturally. Before long, he reached 100% mastery of the Way of Metal. He felt a surge of sharp, golden power within his body, capable of transforming all things into weapons.

Next is the Way of Wood. Experience points continue to be injected, and greenery and vitality flourish in the mind.

He experienced the growth, spread, and resilience of the wood, with the texture of each leaf vein clearly visible. From seed sprouting to towering tree, from withering and flourishing to immortality, he felt it delicately, with a slow rhythm like a spring breeze caressing the willows.

After perfecting the Way of Wood, his life force became even stronger, enabling him to heal all things.

Next comes the Way of Water. Experience flows like water, and he is immersed in it, feeling the softness, inclusiveness, and permeation of water. From trickling streams to towering waves, from stillness to flow, he advances steadily and gradually.

When the Way of Water is perfected, one's body becomes like the ocean, capable of encompassing heaven and earth.

The Way of Fire followed, and a wave of heat washed over him. He became engrossed in the experience, feeling the fire's burning, destruction, and rebirth. From sparks to raging flames, from warmth to annihilation, he carefully controlled every change in temperature as if it were something in his palm.

Having perfected the Way of Fire, the fire within him remains eternal, capable of burning away all evil.

The Way of Earth is profound and stable. He comprehends Mother Earth, from dust to mountains, from bearing to nurturing. Experience is infused like soil nourishment, and he slowly comprehends it, his rhythm like the earth's breath.

When the Way of Earth is perfected, his body is like a rock, immovable as a mountain.

The Way of the Wind is light and graceful, and experience is transformed into a wind blade. He understands the wind's invisibility, elusiveness, and swiftness, from a gentle breeze to a hurricane, from freedom to constraint, and he meticulously captures the trajectory of every wisp of wind.

Having perfected the Way of the Wind, he can ride the wind and travel thousands of miles in an instant.

The Way of Thunder is fierce and domineering, and his experience is like the roar of thunder. He is immersed in the thunder and lightning, from accumulating power to exploding, from destruction to rebirth. He is calm and composed, gradually mastering it.

Having mastered the Way of Thunder, the thunder in his hand can intimidate all demons.

The Way of Electricity is similar to that of Thunder, but it places greater emphasis on speed and energy. He experienced the flow, conduction, and explosion of electricity, from static electricity to lightning, from energy transformation to infinite cycles. Experience flowed through him like an electric current, and he slowly advanced. (End of Chapter)