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

He suppressed his anger, but remained outwardly calm: "Your Majesty, I have been in seclusion recently and have not paid attention to the affairs of Flower Fruit Mountain."

What does "I don't know what this is about" mean?

The Jade Emperor smiled without saying a word, but his gaze was as sharp as a knife.

Venus stepped forward at the opportune moment, bowed, and said, “Reporting to the Daoist Master, there is a demon monkey near Flower Fruit Mountain who calls himself Six Ears. He intends to curse and kill Sun Wukong and is plotting something sinister.”

Fortunately, His Majesty is wise and has ordered Li Jing and Nezha to handle the situation; presumably, the matter has been resolved by now.

Upon hearing this, Bodhi felt a surge of anger rush to his head, and his fingers clenched so tightly in his sleeves that they cracked.

He suddenly stood up and looked directly at the Jade Emperor: "Your Majesty!"
"The Six-Eared Macaque was someone I arranged to carry out the Journey to the West in place of Sun Wukong. Why did you kill him without consulting me?"

The Jade Emperor feigned surprise: "Oh?"

Was Liu Er actually arranged by you, fellow Daoist?

I only know that he is a demon who wants to disrupt the grand plans of the Heavenly Court, so I ordered him to be eliminated.

Why didn't you say so sooner, fellow Daoist?
Could it be... that you have some hidden story, fellow Daoist?

Bodhi was met with this "hidden reason" from the Jade Emperor.

Speechless with spitting fire, he knew that his plan to bypass the Jade Emperor and secretly replace the person had already angered this great emperor.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger: "Your Majesty has misunderstood."

Regarding the matter of the Six Ears, this humble monk indeed has some unfinished business.

Since that's the case, I will say no more.

Regarding the Zhenyuanzi fruit tree, this humble Taoist will find a way to obtain the Three Lights Divine Water to cure it.

The Jade Emperor smiled slightly, his tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable air: "Very good."

Fellow Daoist is a highly accomplished person in the Three Realms, whom I trust.

"Guards, escort this fellow Daoist back to the mountain!"

Bodhi flicked his sleeves and left, his retreating figure revealing a hint of dishevelment.

Inside the palace, the Jade Emperor's gaze was deep and unfathomable as he murmured to himself, "Bodhi, Bodhi, you think you have calculated all the secrets of heaven, but little do you know, my game has already been laid out."

Inside the cave, Jiang Wang opened his eyes. The precious light on the jade bottle grew even stronger, indicating that the refining process was already 70% complete.

A smile played on his lips as he murmured, "Six Ears is dead?"
The Jade Emperor has some clever methods!
Bodhi, that old man, is probably so angry he's about to jump up and down.

However... I can't just give away this Three Lights Divine Water for nothing.

Sun Wukong, Zhen Yuanzi, the Jade Emperor, the Emperor… Hey, this play is getting more and more interesting!

He made a hand seal, and the jade bottle trembled with a hum, spilling a drop of crystal-clear water from its mouth, radiating starlight.

A glint of greed flashed in Jiang Wang's eyes: "The Three Lights Divine Water truly lives up to its name!"

With you, I, Jiang Wang, have another trump card up my sleeve!

Deep within Huaguo Mountain, Jiang Wang sat cross-legged on a blue stone, surrounded by spiritual energy and a gentle mountain breeze carrying the faint fragrance of peach blossoms from afar.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to comprehend the flow of the newly generated spiritual energy within his body, when suddenly a sharp mechanical sound rang in his mind, abruptly interrupting his cultivation.

"Host!
System task issued!

Please choose one of the following three tasks to complete!

The system's voice was cold and urgent, carrying an undeniable pressure: "Task 1: Go to Jade Void Palace and assist in obtaining the Three Lights Divine Water. Reward: One Primordial Pill, increasing spiritual power by 30%."

Mission Two: Infiltrate Jade Void Palace and steal the Three Lights Divine Water. Reward: One Innate Spiritual Treasure.

Task 3: Obstruct the guide to obtain the Three Lights Divine Water; reward: one Heavenly Dao Fragment.

Note that failing or refusing a task will result in the reward for the next task being halved!

Jiang Wang suddenly opened his eyes, his brows furrowed, and a hint of impatience flashed in his eyes.

He rubbed his temples and muttered under his breath, "Not again?"
Can't you just shut up for once, you lousy system?
Every mission feels like suicide, and this time they're sending me to the Jade Void Palace?

That's the territory of the Primordial Celestial Venerable. How could I possibly hide in front of a sage?
That's not how you court death!

The system responded mercilessly: "Host, please make your choice as soon as possible!"

Ten seconds left, ten, nine, eight…

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Jiang Wang quickly waved his hand, his tone tinged with helplessness, "I don't believe you can force me to my death!"

I'm not taking any assignments this time. Whatever!

"warn!
Refusing a mission will result in the reward for the next mission being halved!
Please consider this carefully, host!

The system's voice suddenly rose in pitch, carrying a hint of threat.

Jiang Wang sneered, sat cross-legged on the bluestone, crossed his arms, and said in a nonchalant tone: "So what if it's halved? What's the use of a reward if we're already dead?"

Who is Yuanshi Tianzun?

That's a saint!

Whom are we guiding?

That person is a saint!
"You want me, a guy who's barely scratched the surface of becoming a Golden Immortal, to swagger in front of them? You want me to die even faster?"

The system remained silent for a moment, seemingly calculating something, before coldly stating: "The host has refused the mission, and the punishment has been recorded."

The reward for the next mission will be halved. Please prepare accordingly.

After saying that, the system's voice disappeared completely, leaving Jiang Wang alone sitting on the bluestone, snorting.

"Hmph, who are you trying to scare?"
"I finally managed to transmigrate to this Journey to the West world, and I'm doing just fine. I have no intention of going to the Jade Void Palace to be killed."

Jiang Wang muttered to himself, looking up at the sky above Huaguo Mountain. In the distance, clouds and mist swirled, and he could vaguely see several monkeys playing among the mountains.

He felt a sense of relief and muttered, "Flower Fruit Mountain is still the most comfortable place. Who cares about the Three Lights Divine Water or the battles of sages? What do I care!"

Meanwhile, deep within Mount Ling, in an ancient and simple hall, the Bodhi Patriarch sat upright on a futon, his face so gloomy it was almost as if water could drip from it.

Opposite him, the Jade Emperor's phantom floated in mid-air, while Zhen Yuanzi's figure appeared and disappeared to the side.

The atmosphere inside the hall was so oppressive that it felt as if even the air itself had frozen.

"Jade Emperor!"
How dare you!

Bodhi slammed his hand on the table in front of him, his voice booming like thunder, “The Six-Eared Macaque was a pawn I carefully cultivated, yet you allowed Sun Wukong to kill him!”
My replacement plan has been completely ruined. Do you know how much effort I put into it?

The Jade Emperor's illusory figure swayed slightly, but his tone was neither humble nor arrogant: "Why should Patriarch Bodhi be angry?"
I never expected the Six-Eared Macaque incident.

Sun Wukong is a naturally intelligent monkey with an unruly nature, which even I cannot control.

not to mention……"

The Jade Emperor paused, his voice tinged with a hint of sarcasm, "The Patriarch's plan to replace Sun Wukong is far too risky. If the Six-Eared Macaque were to truly replace Sun Wukong, even the Heavenly Dao would likely notice."

"presumptuous!"

A cold glint flashed in Bodhi's eyes, and with a wave of his hand, the candlelight in the hall suddenly went out, leaving only his chilling voice echoing, "What about the Heavenly Way?"

Since I dared to make this plan, I have my own way of dealing with it!

"But you, Jade Emperor, if you hadn't secretly condoned it, how could the Six-Eared Macaque have fallen so easily?"

Zhen Yuanzi, standing to the side, coughed lightly, trying to ease the atmosphere: "Brother Bodhi, things have come to this point, there's no point in pursuing it further."

Now that the Six-Eared Macaque is dead, it would be better to refocus our attention on Sun Wukong.

After all, he was the one chosen by Heaven to face this tribulation.

Upon hearing this, Bodhi snorted coldly, his anger slightly subsiding, but his tone remained icy: "Sun Wukong? Hmph, that monkey is unruly and arrogant, how can he compare to the obedient Six-Eared Man?"
If I hadn't been forced to, would I have chosen him again?

He paused, his gaze lingering on the outside of the hall, "Moreover, now that the Ginseng Fruit Tree has been destroyed, only the Primordial Heavenly Venerable possesses the Three Lights Divine Water needed to heal the tree."

That old fellow and I have a long-standing feud; how easy would it be for him to obtain the Three Lights Divine Water?

Zhen Yuanzi frowned and said in a deep voice, "The Three Lights Divine Water is indeed precious, and the Primordial Heavenly Venerable may not be willing to hand it over easily."

Brother Bodhi, do you have a solution?

Bodhi remained silent for a moment, then a glint of light flashed in his eyes: "I have my own plans."

This matter still requires intervention. Although he and Yuanshi Tianzun have conflicts, they are both saints, so it's still acceptable on the surface.

If I can obtain the Three Lights Divine Water to revive the ginseng fruit tree, my plan might still have room for maneuver.

Meanwhile, in the Western Paradise, the two saints, Jieyin and Zhunti, sat serenely on golden lotuses, surrounded by the melodious sounds of chanting and auspicious light.

Jieyin's face was withered, but there was a trace of worry in his eyes. He said in a low voice, "Junior brother, the ginseng fruit tree is Zhen Yuanzi's most treasured possession. Now that it has been destroyed, he will definitely not let it go."

Since Bodhi has asked for help, if we don't lend a hand, we might completely offend him.

Upon hearing this, Zhunti's lips curled up slightly, revealing a meaningful smile: "Senior brother, Bodhi's plan to replace him has failed, and the Six-Eared Macaque is dead. He is now at his wit's end, which is why he has come to us for help."

Although the Three Lights Divine Water is precious, that old fellow, Yuanshi Tianzun, is extremely protective of his own and would never hand it over easily.

"Senior brother, I'm afraid you'll suffer some hardships on this trip."

Jieyin sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness: "How could I not know?"

I have always been at odds with Yuanshi Tianzun, and he will surely make things difficult for me in every way when I ask for the Three Lights Divine Water.

But for the sake of the bigger picture, I have no choice but to make this trip.

Zhunti nodded, a sly glint in his eyes: "Senior brother, go ahead. If Yuanshi Tianzun goes too far, I will stand up for you."

but……"

He paused, his voice lowering, "Senior brother, please remember that old fellow Yuanshi is very concerned about his reputation. If he makes any unreasonable demands, you might as well agree to them first and then make further plans after obtaining the Three Lights Divine Water."

Jieyin nodded slightly, rose and transformed into a golden light, heading towards the Jade Void Palace.

Jade Void Palace stands majestically amidst the clouds, with cranes soaring overhead and spiritual energy as vast as the sea.

Jieyin landed in front of the palace gate, straightened his cassock, took a deep breath, and said loudly, "Jieyin of the West has come to pay homage to the Primordial Heavenly Venerable!"

The palace gates slowly opened, and a white crane boy poked his head out, speaking in a nonchalant tone: "Guardian Saint, my master is currently in seclusion, please wait a moment."

After saying this, the boy closed the palace gate, leaving one person to guide him outside.

Jieyin frowned slightly, thinking to himself, "That old fellow Yuanshi really is going to give me a hard time."

Although he was displeased, he could only patiently stand outside the palace gates and wait for a full half hour before the gates reopened.

Yuanshi Tianzun sat upright on a cloud bed, surrounded by the aura of the Three Pure Ones, exuding a magnificent presence.

He glanced at Jieyin, his tone slightly mocking: "Oh, Sage Jieyin, what brings you to my Jade Void Palace today?"
"Could it be that you've grown tired of the Western Paradise and wish to seek some peace and quiet in my tranquil place?"

Jieyin suppressed his displeasure and cupped his hands, saying, "Brother Yuanshi is joking."

"This humble monk has come to ask for one thing."

"Oh?

"What do you need?"

Yuanshi Tianzun raised an eyebrow and slowly stroked his long beard. "Tell me, what treasure of my Jade Void Palace has the Western Saints taken a fancy to?"

Jieyin said in a deep voice, "This humble monk has heard that you possess the Three Lights Divine Water, which can revive ginseng fruit trees."

"Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi, we have a long-standing relationship in the West. This humble monk humbly requests a drop from you, and hopes you will grant my request."

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi Tianzun laughed heartily, but his voice carried a hint of mockery: "Three Lights Divine Water?"
Jieyin, you've got quite the scheme!
That was a drop that I obtained after refining for 9981 Yuanhui, and you just want to take it away?

Isn't this a gross underestimation of my Jade Void Palace?

Jieyin's heart sank, knowing that Yuanshi Tianzun was deliberately making things difficult for him, but he still patiently said, "Brother Dao, you have misunderstood."

"This humble monk is not taking it for free. I am willing to exchange it for a Bodhi tree from the Western Paradise. What do you say?"

"Bodhi tree?"

Yuanshi Tianzun chuckled, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes, "Your Bodhi tree may have some spirituality, but it is far inferior to my Three Lights Divine Water!"
Okay then...

He paused, a mocking smile playing on his lips, "If you really want this Three Lights Divine Water, it's not impossible."

"If that brat Zhunti comes to my Jade Void Palace in person, kowtows three times, and calls me 'Father,' I will give you the Three Lights Divine Water. How about it?"

Upon hearing this, Jieyin's face instantly turned ashen.

Although he had anticipated that Yuanshi Tianzun would make things difficult, he did not expect the other party to be so ruthless and to make such a humiliating request.

He suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice, "Brother Dao, why must you do this?"
Zhunti is my junior brother, how can he be subjected to such humiliation?

"If you are unwilling to give it, brother, just say so. Why resort to such insults?"

Yuanshi Tianzun waved his hand, pretending not to hear: "Eh?"

"Guide, what did you say?"
The wind is too strong, I can't hear you!

"Why don't you shout 'Dad' a few times louder at the entrance of my Jade Void Palace? Maybe my hearing will improve and I'll hear you."

Jieyin clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, but thinking of the ginseng fruit tree and the Bodhi tree's entrustment, he could only grit his teeth and say, "Okay!"

"Since Brother Yuanshi says so, this humble monk will follow your advice!"

He turned and walked to the gate of Jade Void Palace, took a deep breath, and, suppressing his humiliation, called out loudly, "Brother Yuanshi, this humble monk calls you... Father!"

The sound echoed throughout the Jade Void Palace, attracting the attention of countless immortals.

Jieyin felt a burning sensation on his face, as if he were being pierced by countless gazes.

But the Primordial Celestial Venerable inside the palace laughed heartily and clapped his hands, saying, "Good!"

The Sage who guides us is indeed straightforward!

but……"

He changed the subject, a sly glint in his eyes, "I was just joking. Although you called me 'Dad' loudly, I'm not in a good mood today, so I won't give you the Three Lights Divine Water!"

"you!"

Jieyin could no longer contain himself, his eyes blazing with fury. "Yuanshi!"
Don't push your luck!

The Primordial Celestial Venerable spread his hands innocently: "This is going too far."
You volunteered to call out "Guide," I didn't force you.

Fine, fine. Now that you're here, I won't let you leave empty-handed.

Although this bottle doesn't contain the Three Lights Divine Water, it still has some medicinal effects. Take it to Zhen Yuanzi and give it to him.

As he spoke, he casually tossed out a jade bottle, which contained nothing more than ordinary spiritual water.

Jieyin took the jade bottle, examined it for a while, and his expression grew increasingly grim.

He suddenly flicked his sleeve and said in a deep voice, "Yuanshi!"
"I will remember this humiliation!"

After saying this, he transformed into golden light and vanished, leaving behind the lingering laughter of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable within the Jade Void Palace.

Meanwhile, on Flower Fruit Mountain, Jiang Wang was leisurely lying on a blue stone, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, gazing at the clouds in the sky.

He muttered to himself, "Tsk, luckily I didn't go to Jade Void Palace to get involved in this mess."

The power struggles between sages are none of my business.
"System, oh system, please stop torturing me. Wouldn't it be better to just let me cultivate peacefully on Flower Fruit Mountain and stay until the end of Journey to the West?" (End of Chapter)