Journey to the West: Demon Emperor: Beginning as a Little Toad

Chapter 554 Yang Jian Clashes with Sun Wukong

Those with great supernatural powers each have their own strengths.

For example, Zhen Yuanzi is skilled in spatial magic, Guanyin Bodhisattva is skilled in healing and control, and Donghua Dijun is skilled in swordsmanship...

Erlang Shen's eyes are actually very powerful.

During the battle at Flower Fruit Mountain, Sun Wukong transformed into a sparrow. Erlang Shen, without relying on any magical treasures, could discern Sun Wukong's form simply by "opening his phoenix eyes wide."

later.

No matter what form Sun Wukong takes—a cormorant, a fish, a water snake, or even a local temple—Erlang Shen's "eyes" can always see through his transformations and counter them.

Its power is comparable to a demon-revealing mirror.

However, the Demon-Revealing Mirror is ultimately a magical artifact, an inanimate object.

The Heavenly Eye, however, was a divine power cultivated by Erlang Shen himself. As his cultivation increased, the power of the Heavenly Eye also grew stronger.

The Heavenly Eye, also known as the "Eye of Heaven," points directly to the true nature of things and symbolizes absolute insight into all things.

As Yang Jian's cultivation level increased significantly, when that gaze, imbued with divine might and seemingly capable of piercing through all things, shot towards him, an invisible, icy pressure suddenly arrived.

"Yang Jian's third eye..."

Xiao Chen felt a chill run down his spine. He could clearly sense the terrifying surge in Yang Jian's cultivation level.

Yang Jian might even have reached the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal.

However, Xiao Chen felt no pressure.

After all, Yang Jian had cultivated for thousands of years longer than him.

When Yang Jian became famous during the Investiture of the Gods, his title of Golden Horn King had not yet been born.

When Yang Jian was a Taiyi Golden Immortal, he was just a little toad in a pond, fighting with the stinky fish and shrimp there.

However, as Yang Jian's cultivation level increased...

The third eye standing upright between its eyebrows has become even more powerful.

Almost the instant the pressure was applied.

"Ancestral Dragon Pearl, activate!"

The "Ancestral Dragon Pearl," a top-grade innate spiritual treasure within Xiao Chen's body, seemed to be stimulated by Yang Jian's Heavenly Eye, spontaneously emitting a deep and vast hum that only Yang Jian could perceive.

A vast and boundless aura, originating from the beginning of time, profound and heavy like the breath of the primordial beginning, silently spread out, instantly perfectly blending and concealing Xiao Chen's own aura with the omnipresent peaceful aura of the celestial realm, as if covering him with a protective coloration of the same origin as the celestial realm.

The Ancestral Dragon Pearl is a relic of the Primordial Ancestral Dragon, formed from the essence of the Primordial Ancestral Dragon.

The Primordial Ancestral Dragon was virtually invincible during the era of the three races of Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin vying for supremacy, and was only a hair's breadth away from becoming a sage.

Yuan Feng and Shi Qilin must join forces to contend with Zu Long. Even someone like Donghuang Taiyi must temporarily avoid Zu Long's sharp edge.

At this time, although Yang Jian's cultivation had greatly increased, there was still a considerable gap between him and the Primordial Ancestral Dragon.

Moreover, the Ancestral Dragon Pearl also has the karmic force of heaven and earth attached to it, and it is burdened with the karmic force of a great calamity.

Therefore, Yang Jian was also unable to see through Xiao Chen's identity.

Yang Jian and Xiao Chen had actually met this person many times in the lower realm, so they felt a sense of familiarity with him.

Sun Wukong, who was standing next to Xiao Chen, reacted even more strongly.

The scrutinizing gaze and the aura of a former nemesis in Yang Jian's eyes greatly displeased Sun Wukong.

"Humph!"

Sun Wukong snorted coldly. His Golden Eyes of Truth, which could see through the illusions of the world, suddenly shrank into two bright golden vertical lines. Without fear, he met the cold divine light flowing from Yang Jian's vertical eye between his eyebrows and glared back fiercely!
at the same time.

"A bunch of nobodies..."

The powerful, wild, and unruly demonic aura emanating from Sun Wukong surged forth like a raging tide, sweeping directly towards Yang Jian and his 1,200 subordinate grass-root gods.

Sun Wukong intended to break up the formation of these 1,200 grass-root gods, scattering them and routing them to vent his anger.

They felt Sun Wukong's unbridled provocation.

Yang Jian's gaze was like a divine sword drawn from its sheath, its cold light sharp and fierce. It casually swept over Xiao Chen before locking firmly onto Sun Wukong's familiar and battle-ready face.

Then, Yang Jian unleashed his immense power without reservation, his body surrounded by celestial light, his divine might as well as a prison.

For a time, it was truly a clash of titans, a reunion of arch-enemies.

If they weren't in the celestial realm, bound by numerous rules and regulations, these two would probably have already engaged in a fierce battle, fighting until the heavens and earth trembled.

The energy of Yang Jian and Sun Wukong, like two peerless divine spears traversing the heavens, collided violently amidst the swirling celestial clouds of the Thirty-Three Heavens!
"Om-!"

Between the collision of their breaths.

A visible ripple in space suddenly spread out! Subtle yet clear! The clouds were twisted and torn by an invisible force, emitting a howl that was almost a groan.

The tranquility of the thirty-three days was forcibly torn open by this silent yet fierce confrontation, creating a rift.

"Who is it?"

"So it was that monkey from Flower Fruit Mountain back then..."

Yang Jian's voice was deep and clear, resonating through the space, carrying a long-lost, icy fighting spirit, like a cold wind blowing across the battlefield:

"Sun Wukong..."

Yang Jian stared intently at Sun Wukong.

He can be considered the foremost among the three generations of Taoist disciples.

Within the Three Realms, there are very few who can catch Yang Jian's eye and be regarded as worthy opponents to fight.

And this unruly monkey in front of us is undoubtedly one of them.

And... that unknown monster who was by the Monkey King's side a few years ago, that exhilarating battle at the mouth of the Guanjiang River is still vivid in my mind.

That monster who could fight me for hundreds of rounds without being at a disadvantage is one of them.

Sun Wukong was inherently warlike, and his fighting spirit burned like a flame.

"Yang Jian……"

For Sun Wukong, Yang Jian's appearance instantly ignited the long-dormant Chaos Demon Ape bloodline within him!
That violent, warlike power surged and roared through his veins like raging magma.

The bloody battle of Huaguo Mountain is once again unfolding before our eyes—it was Yang Jian who, on the orders of the Jade Emperor, led the Six Sages of Meishan to burn down Huaguo Mountain, causing thousands of his fellow monkeys to wail and die tragically under the flames and the butcher's knife!
This is a deep-seated hatred, an irreconcilable enmity!
More importantly, in that fierce battle back then, he fought Yang Jian for hundreds of rounds, and the outcome was still undecided!

This is not only an old grudge that Sun Wukong has not settled, but also a long-awaited resolution!
In fact, in the original novel "Journey to the West", Sun Wukong and Yang Jian were always "enemies rather than friends".

Sun Wukong and Yang Jian never really crossed paths.

Sun Wukong mocked Yang Jian to his face, implying that he was an illegitimate child, thus touching on Yang Jian's sore spot.

Yang Jian then led his six brothers from Meishan to set fire to Huaguo Mountain, burning it to ashes and killing most of the 47,000 demons on the mountain.

This is how Sun Wukong and Yang Jian became enemies.

Until the journey to the West, during the time in the Kingdom of Jisa.

The Nine-Headed Insect stole Buddhist treasures from the Buddhist sect, while the Dragon Girl of Ten Thousand Saints stole the "Nine-Leaf Lingzhi Grass" from the Heavenly Court.

Sun Wukong found it difficult to defeat the Nine-Headed Insect, and by chance, he encountered Yang Jian and his Meishan brothers hunting outside the Green Wave Pool.

At that time, Sun Wukong called out "Brother Manifestation" with genuine emotion.

Of course, Sun Wukong usually refers to himself as "Grandpa Sun" or "Grandpa Sun," and the only ones he would call "elder brother" are the Great Sage Equaling Heaven "Bull Demon King" and Erlang Shen "Yang Jian."

Yang Jian was also able to put aside past grievances and join forces with Sun Wukong to severely injure the Nine-Headed Insect, using his Howling Celestial Dog to bite off one of its skulls.

During a lull in the battle, Sun Wukong and Yang Jian sat under the open sky, drinking and reminiscing, burying the hatchet with a smile.

Thus, Sun Wukong and Yang Jian officially reconciled.

But fate is fickle.

In the original storyline, it was "Yang Jian and Sun Wukong" who went together to capture "Wan Sheng Long Nu" who stole the Nine-Leaf Lingzhi Grass.

However, now it is "Sun Wukong helping the Dragon Girl of Ten Thousand Saints" to steal the Nine-Leaf Lingzhi Grass.

……

At this moment.

During the great battle at Flower Fruit Mountain, the blood feud between those monkeys and their offspring never subsided!

Enemies are extremely jealous when they meet.

Then, a furious shout was heard:

"break!"

Sun Wukong's eyes blazed with fury, and his Golden Eyes of Truth suddenly shot out two beams of golden divine light, each as thick as an arm and incredibly condensed.

Those two golden divine lights, carrying the immense power to shake mountains and blatant provocation, tore through the sky like two burning golden spears, piercing straight at Yang Jian, who was thousands of miles away!

"open!"

A cold glint flashed in Yang Jian's eyes, and the Heavenly Eye pattern between his brows shone brightly!
His vertical eye suddenly opened, and a silver divine light, as dazzling as a galaxy, burst forth, directly confronting the two golden lights!

The silver divine light shot out with a roar, colliding head-on with the two golden lights! Their gazes met in the void.

"Boom--!"

Two unparalleled eye powers, the Heavenly Eye's divine might that sees the origin, and the Golden Eye's furious flames that burn away falsehood, collided violently in the space between the two!

Golden spears and silver waterfalls collide in mid-air!

Intense entanglement! Energy annihilation!

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a chilling, deathly still field of light spreading out!
The auspicious clouds that had surrounded the area for hundreds of miles were completely evaporated, revealing a desolate and shattered void, resembling a scene from the end times!
"Yang Jian, it's been a long time! Take this from me, Old Sun, and see if your skills have declined!"

However, Sun Wukong knew that if he were to fight in his true form, the commotion would be too great, and if he and Yang Jian were to actually fight, the Heavenly Realm might collapse!

His mind raced.

"Change!"

Sun Wukong didn't need to perform any actual movements; he simply uttered a soft shout.

One of his "avatars" has appeared, wielding the mighty Ruyi Jingu Bang, and hurtling towards Yang Jian with the force of wind and thunder.

The somersault cloud flashed by in an instant.

Before Yang Jian, the shadow of the Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel) was like a towering mountain, crashing down on him with overwhelming force!

"Well done!"

Yang Jian's eyes grew colder, his figure swayed, and he softly uttered:
"Congeal!"

In an instant.

A "divine thought clone" also wielded a three-pointed double-edged sword, slicing through the sky and splitting the clouds, heading straight for the opponent!

The force is as strong as a collapsing mountain, unstoppable!

The blade is like a silver dragon, invincible in its path!
"Dang! Dang! Dang!"

"Dang! Dang! Dang!"

……

The Ruyi Jingu Bang (magic staff) clashed with the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Sword.

The sound of metal clashing resounded through the sky. Each collision exploded with dazzling sparks of energy, like a star exploding, causing the nearby celestial palaces and pavilions to vibrate and nearly collapse!

The powerful energy radiated outwards, completely sweeping away even the remaining immortal clouds and spiritual mist, leaving nothing behind!
In the blink of an eye, Sun Wukong and Yang Jian's two avatars were already exchanging blows several times high in the sky!

That was a battle of strength and skill, will and supernatural power!

Although both sides were cautious and did not go all out, they still showed their full strength, revealing the intensity and danger of the reunion of old enemies!

The two sides exchanged blows several times.

Sun Wukong's "external incarnation" and Yang Jian's "divine thought clone" then returned to their respective places, like water flowing back to its source, naturally without leaving a trace.

This place is, after all, the core of the Heavenly Court, the Thirty-Three Heavens, which is incomparable to the mortal realm, so it is not appropriate to fight recklessly here.

Moreover, Sun Wukong and the toad had important business to attend to, namely stealing the Nine-Leaf Lingzhi Grass from Yaochi. If Yang Jian were to target them and keep pestering them, something unexpected might happen.

Therefore, Sun Wukong still had some reservations and did not go all out. He mainly tested Yang Jian's strength and wanted to find out his current situation first.

Yang Jian's trip was not intended to start a fight.

As the newly appointed God of Justice in the Heavenly Realm, he bears the heavy responsibility of maintaining order in the Heavenly Realm, and his visit this time also has its own purpose and plans.

This probing move by the two was subtle yet subtly revealed their true strength!
However, an expert's skill is immediately apparent.

At this moment.

Sun Wukong's external avatars returned to their original positions.

Even the arrogant Monkey King Sun Wukong's golden pupils flickered slightly as he felt a heavy pressure far exceeding that of the battle at Flower Fruit Mountain!

The force on the opponent's blade seemed to be several times greater than it had been back then!

"Tsk, tsk, tsk!"

Sun Wukong bared his teeth, and the usual playful expression on his face finally disappeared, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity.

He transmitted his thoughts to Xiao Chen, whispering:
"That Yang Jian... he must have gotten some incredible stroke of luck again!"

"He's become much more ruthless than he was when he burned down my old home, Flower Fruit Mountain!"

Xiao Chen had actually already noticed something was wrong.

He had previously fought a fierce battle with Yang Jian at the mouth of the Guanjiang River.

It's a 50/50 match, mainly because Yang Jian's defense is hard to break. Yang Jian's physical strength is too high. Ordinary magic weapons are just like tickling him, unable to shake him in the slightest.

Unless you have a top-grade innate spiritual treasure with offensive capabilities, it might be worth a try.

But today it seems...

The Erlang Manifestation True Lord before us has a cultivation level that far surpasses that of the time at Guanjiangkou, and is incomparable to the Huaguo Mountain period!
A vast aura of "returning to simplicity" faintly appeared around him, seemingly there yet not there, yet as deep and unfathomable as a still abyss and a towering mountain.

If we say that Yang Jian was sharp and ruthless back then, just like his three-pointed double-edged sword, he was fast, ruthless, and decisive!

Every move he made carried a fierce momentum, aiming to completely destroy his opponent.

At this moment, however, his sharpness was concealed within his depths, his aura was as calm as a mountain and as vast as the sea, making him somewhat unfathomable.

Like an endless abyss, though calm, once it erupts, it will surely cause a cataclysmic upheaval!

The path of spiritual practice is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind.

On this long and arduous path to immortality, everyone is striving forward, daring not to slacken in the slightest.

They spent only a few dozen days in the heavenly realm, but decades had passed in the mortal world.

The world changes with time, and we wonder what extraordinary encounters Yang Jian had in the mortal realm that led to such a tremendous transformation.

Right now.

Kang Anyu, Zhang Boshi, and the other six saints of Meishan, along with their 1,200 fierce grass-root gods and the imposing True Lord Temple, had all passed through the Heavenly Gate and stood within the Thirty-Three Heavens.

With a slight flick of his sleeves, Yang Jian placed the enormous temple firmly on the spiritual platform shrouded in celestial clouds.

"Om..."

The space trembled slightly, like ripples on water.

Yang Jian moved.

He stepped on the extremely profound "Yu Steps," displaying the wondrous skill of shrinking the earth to an inch!
The vast land is but a fleeting moment beneath his feet!
Just a moment ago, he was still beside the temple.

The next moment, Yang Jian's feet shattered the thick clouds and mist ten feet in front of Xiao Chen and Sun Wukong, and he stood firmly!

Silent and still, yet like a colossal mountain descending, it carried an irresistible force!
"This speed..."

At this moment, Yang Jian's speed was so fast that even Sun Wukong, who possessed the ability to "somersault cloud and travel 108,000 li in one go," was slightly surprised and secretly marveled.

Before Xiao Chen and Sun Wukong, ripples spread silently in space, then slowly smoothed out, as if nothing had ever happened.

However, an overwhelming and unstoppable pressure, like the Milky Way pouring down from the heavens, spread out in an instant, causing the entire celestial court's energy to sink!

This is not an aura deliberately emitted, but rather the natural dignified presence of someone who holds divine authority and possesses supreme power!

He looked down upon all the gods and intimidated the three realms!
"Great Sage, it's been a long time."

Yang Jian's gaze fell on Sun Wukong, and a rare smile appeared on his handsome face.

This monkey actually looks just like him from back then.

To paraphrase Yang Jian:
"You little monkey, you really make me happy..."

Sun Wukong's eyes burned with intensity. The warlike blood within him was stirred by the opponent's calm entrance and imposing presence, boiling even more fiercely, like a raging fire that burned endlessly.

Sun Wukong always enjoyed mocking Yang Jian, specifically targeting his sore spots.

For example, they mocked Yang Jian for being an illegitimate child and called him a junior...

This is no exception, even at this moment.

Sun Wukong grinned, his Golden Eyes of Truth Shining Brightly, and stared at Yang Jian, mocking him:

"Hehehe! Yang Erlang! I, Old Sun, thought you were going to stay in that little temple at the mouth of the Guanjiang River, spending your whole life 'obeying orders but not summons,' living a carefree life as a mortal immortal!"

"What wind has blown you, the temple, and all these unruly 'grass-headed gods' all swarming to this Golden Palace today?"

Sun Wukong deliberately dragged out the words "grassroots god," uttering them with extreme contempt. His monkey face scrunched up, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes as he chuckled and said:
"Could it be that you, my 'eldest nephew,' have finally been persuaded by the Jade Emperor and are now eagerly coming up here, hoping to snag a glittering, lucrative job in the Heavenly Palace to satisfy your cravings?"

"Tell me, let me, Old Sun, be happy for you too!"

Sun Wukong's words carried the mischievousness and probing characteristic of monkeys, and also implied a lingering resentment, revealing the hatred that had not yet dissipated from Flower Fruit Mountain.

Yang Jian did not directly answer Sun Wukong's slightly provocative question; his deep gaze calmly swept over Sun Wukong's arrogant face.

Then, Yang Jian's gaze slowly shifted to Xiao Chen, who had remained silent to the side, and with a hint of scrutiny, he slowly asked:

"Who are you?"

(End of this chapter)