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

Chapter 564 The Celestial Market

Sun Wukong seized a tricky opportunity and secretly put the "evidence" into a "Heavenly Mirror Box" in the Heavenly Judicial Palace.

Undercurrents were also stirring in the celestial realm.

However, this turbulent undercurrent lies dormant beneath the abyss, and has not yet reached its breaking point. On the surface, the Heavenly Court still maintains a magnificent scene of celestial music and peaceful harmony.

……

Time flows by, like a gentle stream, quietly passing by.

In the blink of an eye, only three or four days remain until the grand and solemn Dan Yuan Conference.

The auspicious clouds and mist grew thicker, like layers of brocade wrapping the celestial realm; the celestial officials coming and going were in a hurry, their steps hurried, their busy state evident.

This day.

Outside Mirror Sea Mountain.

"Toad, let me, Old Sun, in right now!"

That familiar voice drifted over from the "Mosquito Brand Cordless Phone".

Xiao Chen removed the outer barrier and let Sun Wukong in.

Sun Wukong transformed into a golden light almost invisible to the naked eye and stormed in.

In the study room.

The air is filled with a refreshing and delightful aroma of tea.

The Dragon Girl of the Ten Thousand Saints was kneeling beside a tea table carved from warm, smooth jade. Her slender hands, with jade-like fingers, were plucking flowers as she held a small, exquisite cloud-patterned teapot. The jade-like tea poured from the spout, creating tiny whirlpools in the green jade cup.

"Hehe, little sister-in-law, hurry, hurry, hurry!"

Before Sun Wukong could even settle in his tracks, the sound of laughter arrived first.

He somersaulted to the tea table, scratched the back of his hand, and leaned in without any hesitation:
"I, Old Sun, have just returned from the Thirty-Three Heavens. My mouth is parched and my throat is practically on fire. Please grant me a sip of celestial dew to moisten my throat!"

"Okay, okay, don't worry."

The Dragon Girl smiled gently, already used to the mischievous monkey's unruly nature, and handed him a cup of freshly poured, fragrant tea brimming with spiritual energy.

Taking the teacup, Sun Wukong gulped down a large mouthful like a cow drinking water. A sweet and mellow warmth instantly filled his lungs, and he finally let out a long breath.

Immediately, Sun Wukong remembered his important matter, his monkey eyes darted around, and he looked at Xiao Chen, who was sitting quietly to the side, and grinned:
"Hehehe, toad!"

"After Yang Jian ascended to heaven..."

"These past few days, I, Old Sun, have been so bored that I'm itching to spar. With nothing better to do, I had no choice but to go to the Palace of the God of Justice to spar with that three-eyed fellow and stretch my muscles."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen shook his head helplessly.

Sun Wukong and Yang Jian were natural enemies, like fire and water, and they loved to gamble and compete, which was perfectly normal.

However, now that Yang Jian has set his sights on "Kui Mulang," he probably won't have time to worry about Sun Wukong right now.

Speaking of it.

Sun Wukong paused deliberately, then brought his monkey face closer to Xiao Chen, his voice low and smug:

"Hey, guess what?"

"Those six brothers from Meishan who used to be inseparable from Yang Jian have vanished without a trace!"

"In my opinion, Yang Jian has probably already made a move."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen picked up a cup of tea, drank it all in one gulp, and smiled:
"It seems that the plan has succeeded."

"This 'luring the tiger away from the mountain' strategy has already worked."

"Right now, Yang Jian's attention is all on Kui Mulang, which is undoubtedly a great thing for us."

"The wind has risen, the waves are about to surge; let us witness the ever-changing winds and clouds of the celestial realm!"

……

Mirror Sea Mountain.

Inside the study, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, and the sunlight filtering through the clouds outside the window cast a shower of fine, golden light on the floor.

"Toad..."

"monkey……"

Sun Wukong and Xiao Chen sat facing each other, drinking tea and chatting about interesting things in the Heavenly Realm and the mortal world.

Xiao Chen looked down towards the lower realm, thinking to himself:
"After the Dan Yuan Assembly, it will be time for us to descend to the mortal realm."

"If you count the days, the Bull Demon King and Princess Iron Fan will be getting married soon, which is much earlier than in the original timeline."

"Perhaps, in a few years, my future nephew 'Red Boy' will be born."

"The Flaming Mountain was formed when Sun Wukong kicked over Laozi's Eight Trigrams Alchemy Furnace during his havoc in the Heavenly Palace, and several fire bricks fell from the sky to the ground."

"Red Boy originally used the power of the Six Ding Divine Fire bricks that fell off the Eight Trigrams Alchemy Furnace on the Flaming Mountain to refine the incomparably domineering 'Samadhi True Fire'."

"I was thinking of 'stealing' one or two fire bricks from the Eight Trigrams Alchemy Furnace in the Tushita Palace to make a foundation for my nephew. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"So it's both respectable and practical...what a pity."

"If the Great Assembly of the Elixir of the Gods were to be held at the Tushita Palace, with all the great gods gathering there and the Tushita Palace being heavily guarded, this idea... is likely to fall through."

The Bull Demon King and his Golden Horn King were bosom friends, brothers in arms, and the Bull Demon King helped the Golden Horn King a great deal.

The Bull Demon King repeatedly risked his life for the Golden Horn King, fighting together against powerful enemies.

just now.

The Bull Demon King may still be at Kanyuan Mountain in Dongsheng Shenzhou, ready to meet up with the Golden Horn King at any time.

On this joyous day in the life of the Bull Demon King, King Golden Horn naturally prepared a generous gift to express his heartfelt wishes.

Think about this.

In a flash, Xiao Chen regained his composure, looked at Sun Wukong, and smiled:

"Monkey, the Bull Demon King's brother is getting married soon. We'll go to his place for the wedding feast."

Do you have any good gifts for him?

"What? The Bull Demon King is getting married?"

Sun Wukong's monkey eyes darted around several times, and he hurriedly scratched the golden hair on his temple with his monkey paw, showing a hint of genuine joy.

Sun Wukong subconsciously patted the gray cloth bag at his waist. The bag was bulging and exuded an extraordinary aura of wealth, containing many of Sun Wukong's "treasures".

Sun Wukong shouted:

"For such a joyous occasion, I, Old Sun, should naturally offer a generous congratulatory gift!"

The treasures in this bag were all obtained by tinkering in the mortal realm.

Previously, when we were in the lower realm.

Using the Tiger Power Immortal's miraculous ability to "turn stone into gold," Sun Wukong went on a massive "purchase" spree at the "Buddha's Affinity Pavilion" in Xiniu Hezhou, acquiring numerous magical treasures such as the Wind and Fire Twin Feather Fan, the Tiger-Binding and Dragon-Subduing Rope, the Mixed Wood Bracelet, the Demon-Slaying Pearl, the Vajra Glazed Crown, and the Vajra Demon-Subduing Pestle...

Sun Wukong acquired a whole bunch of all sorts of random magical artifacts.

It truly is a "Monkey King of Many Treasures," with a dazzling array of treasures that are simply breathtaking.

In the original story, the monkey suffered greatly from various magical treasures on his journey to the West, but now he himself is also adorned with magical treasures and glittering with precious gems.

However, as Sun Wukong focused his attention on examining the treasure in the bag, his excitement faded somewhat.

These items, whether they are the Tiger-Binding and Dragon-Subduing Ropes or the Vajra-Subduing Pestle, all exude a fierce and sharp aura. They are magical weapons for fighting and vying for power, and are absolutely unsuitable to be given as gifts to a newlywed couple whose wedding is a time of bright red candles and joyous celebration.

As for the peaches of immortality... Sun Wukong heard that Xiao Chen had already given them to the Bull Demon King.

Even if Sun Wukong were to send it again, it wouldn't be original; it would just be a poor imitation.

"Forget it, these weapons all look murderous. Giving them as gifts for a celebratory wedding would be unlucky and bring bad luck!"

Sun Wukong scratched his head, looking quite troubled. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him!
Sun Wukong's eyes lit up:

“I’ve got it! I, Old Sun, know of a wonderful place in the Heavenly Realm called ‘Jade Capital Heavenly Treasure Palace Market,’ hidden deep within the thirtieth level of the Heavenly Realm.”

"That is a treasure trove where celestial beings from all over the heavens privately barter for goods."

He was so excited that he danced with joy, his eyebrows beaming.
"That place is incredible! Rare and precious elixirs, exotic birds and beasts, and divine minerals that are rarely seen in the world... If you can imagine it, you can find it there!"

"But that place is not accessible to ordinary immortals."

"As the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, I, Old Sun, have no hindrance whatsoever! I'll take you, you toad, to broaden your horizons and perhaps we can find some good treasures for Brother Bull!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen understood.

Even in the celestial realm, one cannot escape the complexities of human relationships.

There are many gods in the celestial realm. You are skilled in alchemy, I am adept at weapon crafting, and he possesses wondrous and exotic flowers and herbs...

The gods each had their own strengths and also had a need to trade with each other.

Thus, the celestial realm naturally developed a place for the gods to trade with each other.

However, for ordinary low-level immortals, such as Yang Guoshan, the low-level golden pills such as the first-stage golden pills and third-stage golden pills that can be exchanged with "Tianlu Points" can be used as the common currency in the celestial realm to exchange for what they need.

However, for mid- to high-level immortals, they can refine these golden pills themselves, and these low-level golden pills are of little use to them.

……

"Yujing Tianbao Palace Market?"

"Monkey, please tell me more in detail..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen's heart stirred.

"That's it..."

Sun Wukong recounted the events of the Jade Capital's Heavenly Treasure Palace Market in detail.

Xiao Chen then inquired further from Sun Wukong about the detailed information regarding the Jade Capital Tianbao City.

It turns out that, under normal circumstances, only mid- to high-ranking immortals are qualified to enter the Jade Capital Heavenly Treasure Palace.

Logically speaking, a celestial official of Yang Guoshan's rank wouldn't even be able to touch the threshold of Que City; he wouldn't have the authority to enter at all.

However, Sun Wukong was the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, holding the highest official rank.

If Sun Wukong were to vouch for Yang Guo Mountain, then Yang Guo Mountain would naturally be able to enter.

"'Yujing Tianbao Que City'? What a wonderful place!"

After hearing Sun Wukong's description, Xiao Chen couldn't help but clap his hands in admiration, and he already had a plan in mind.

Firstly, he could see what good magical treasures were available in the Jade Capital Heavenly Treasure Palace Market, and then casually "touch" them.

Secondly, he also wanted to see what good things he could prepare as a gift for the Bull Demon King.

Women are naturally inclined to go shopping.

Hearing this, Wan Shenglongnu's eyes lit up. It was her nature as a woman that this "high-class market in the heavens" was exactly what she wanted to hear.

She quickly spoke up:
"Golden Horn, I want to too..."

But before she could finish speaking, Wan Shenglongnu saw Xiao Chen shake his head slightly, his eyes filled with reassurance.

She instantly realized that her current status was nothing more than a lowly, unranked golden-armored celestial soldier, not even registered as the lowest-ranking celestial official.

This place, which gathers so many immortals and powerful figures, is indeed not a place she can enter.

The Dragon Girl could only suppress her joy with a hint of resentment, her envy evident in her eyes.

"Ao Yao, don't worry. If I come across any interesting or novel items, I will bring them back for you."

Xiao Chen spoke gently, smiling as he reassured Wan Shenglongnu.

"Let's go! Toad, what are you waiting for? If you dawdle, the daylily will get cold!"

"I, Old Sun, will take you to see what true immortal wealth and luxury are all about!"

Sun Wukong couldn't wait a moment longer. As he spoke, his monkey paw reached out and grabbed Xiao Chen's sleeve, ready to ride away on a cloud.

"Monkey, wait a minute."

Xiao Chen paused slightly, raising his hand to lightly block:
"I'll put some treasures in your bag. If I see any treasures that catch my eye, you can help me make a deal with them."

Sun Wukong is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven in the Heavenly Realm. In his spare time, Sun Wukong meets friends and visits palaces, making many friends. Today he travels east and tomorrow he wanders west, coming and going like clouds, his whereabouts are unpredictable.

Sun Wukong travels around every day, makes many friends, and comes from the mortal realm.

It wouldn't be surprising if Sun Wukong took out any kind of treasure.

However, his identity as "Yang Guoshan" is different; he is just a minor celestial official, which makes his actions quite inconvenient.

"Of course, of course! Toad, whatever treasures you have, just give them to me, Old Sun!"

"When the time comes, if you have any treasures you fancy, just send a telepathic message to me, Old Sun."

"I, Old Sun, still have some influence; I doubt they would dare to deceive me."

Sun Wukong patted his chest and, without saying a word, deftly untied the slightly worn, roughly stitched small cloth bag from his waist.

This cloth bag, though possessing some spatial capacity of "a mustard seed within a Mount Sumeru," was purchased by Sun Wukong at great expense from the Buddhist Pavilion, but its volume is quite small.

This cloth bag is worlds apart from the "Ruyi Treasure Pouch," which was crafted from the stomach of the great demon, the Green-haired Lion Monster, who could "swallow 100,000 soldiers in one gulp."

Seeing this, Xiao Chen opened his toad-like mouth, a blue light swirling in his throat, and suddenly spat it out.

A faint light appeared and condensed into a palm-sized, simple-looking blue leather pouch—the "Ruyi Treasure Pouch" refined from the stomach of the blue-haired lion monster.

Xiao Chen opened the toad's mouth again and activated the "Universe Within the Belly" supernatural power.

As a burst of precious light and radiant energy erupted, various minerals, exotic herbs, divine materials, and rare treasures... gushed out like a stream and were precisely injected into the cyan skin pouch.

Xiao Chen spat out many treasures he had accumulated over the years from his "inner universe," and then stuffed this priceless "Ruyi Treasure Pouch" into Sun Wukong's hand:

"Monkey, I've acquired some more treasures in recent years."

"This is the 'Ruyi Treasure Pouch,' which contains a wealth of treasures and can hold a great many items without feeling heavy at all. It is a thousand times better than your little cloth bag."

"You can take it and use it!"

Sun Wukong took the light, yet subtly shimmering, azure pouch. He probed it with his divine sense and immediately sensed its boundless vastness. Overjoyed, he scratched his ears and cheeks, hopping around Xiao Chen three times in a row.
"My precious baby! My precious baby!"

"Toad, you're really generous!"

This "treasure-collecting monkey" of his naturally knows his stuff.

Sun Wukong clutched the new pouch tightly in his palm, grinning from ear to ear:

"Don't worry, in this Tianbaoque City, with my face and my possessions, I guarantee they'll sell to everyone honestly, young and old. Anyone who tries to cheat me will have their shop shut down!"

Before he finished speaking, he impatiently tossed aside the dusty old cloth bag as if it were a worn-out shoe, and carefully tied the brand-new Ruyi Treasure Pouch to his jade belt.

The glittering golden robe of the Monkey King adds to his magnificence.

Monkeys are naturally fickle and easily bored.

……

Above the thirty-three layers of the sky.

Auspicious clouds are like colorful brocade woven from the heavens, and auspicious energy transforms into flowing ribbons of light hanging from the sky.

Sun Wukong, clad in a purple-gold Great Sage Equaling Heaven robe and carrying a gleaming golden Ruyi Jingu Bang on his shoulder, pulled Xiao Chen along, riding on a somersault cloud, tearing through layers of flowing jade steps, heading straight for the mysterious and unpredictable "Jade Capital Heavenly Treasure Palace City," a place only noble immortals and gods were qualified to set foot in.

The Monkey King, who rose to the highest official rank!
Such high-ranking officials, let alone ordinary star lords and gods, even those like the Eastern Emperor, the True Martial Emperor, and the Great Savior of Suffering, who established their own governments and offices, would have to rise to greet Sun Wukong as a sign of respect.

As for the Five Elders of the Five Directions who were high above and ruled over the Three Realms, Sun Wukong treated them as fellow Daoists and brothers, addressing them without restraint.

In the strict Heavenly Court, even a higher-ranking official can be overwhelming, let alone the "Great Sage Equal to Heaven," whose rank is so revered.
With the Monkey King leading the way, crossing the heavens was naturally unimpeded.

(End of this chapter)