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

The monkey moved clumsily, clearly never having done such delicate work before. Occasionally, it would look up and glare at Jiang Wang, its eyes almost spitting fire.

Jiang Wang pretended not to see it, and sat down cross-legged, closing his eyes to rest, while secretly operating the system.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the mission 'Framing Sun Wukong'. You are rewarded with one chance to draw a prize. Would you like to draw it now?"

The system's voice rang in Jiang Wang's mind.

On a whim, he chose to draw.

A golden light flashed in the void, and the system notification sounded again: "Congratulations, host, you have drawn 854.3 million experience points! Current total experience points: 933 million!"

Jiang Wang's heart skipped a beat. 933 million experience points—that was a huge sum! He remained calm, secretly opening the system interface, his gaze falling on two options: First, refine the innate treasure, the Chaos Bell, which would cost 200 million experience points and provide an immediate boost to his strength; second, learn the divine ability "Manipulating Creation."
It requires 500 million experience points. Although the short-term gains are not great, it can accumulate fortune for the future growth of the Jiang clan and has unlimited potential.

Jiang Wang tapped his knee lightly with his fingers, lost in thought.

The Chaos Bell is an artifact created by Pangu when he created the world. Its power is unfathomable. If one successfully refines it, one's combat strength will be close to that of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, and one may even have more self-protection power in front of a Saint.

Unlike other supernatural abilities, this one involves the principles of creation. When cultivated to a high level, it can change the world and reverse destiny, which is of great significance to the future of the Jiang clan.

He closed his eyes, and the expectant gazes of the Jiang clan members appeared in his mind, along with the vow he had made—to ensure that the human race would have a place in the Three Realms.

However, the pressures of reality forced him to be cautious.

Lu Ya's attitude, Sun Wukong's anger, and the vague sense of crisis all reminded him that what he needed most right now was the ability to protect himself.

He opened his eyes, his gaze resolute, and with a thought, he declared: "System, refine the Chaos Bell!"

"Ding! Consuming 200 million experience points, the Chaos Bell refining process has begun..."

As the system voice faded, a vast aura surged within Jiang Wang's body, and the phantom of the Chaos Bell slowly emerged in his sea of ​​consciousness. The bell's melodious sound seemed to come from the beginning of chaos, causing his soul to tremble slightly.

The refining process lasted for a full hour. Jiang Wang felt his aura surge, and his original peak Xuanxian cultivation directly broke through to the mid-stage of Taiyi Xuanxian. His internal magic power surged like a river, faintly showing the vastness of the primordial chaos.

He opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them. He got up and stretched his limbs, feeling as if the heavens and earth were responding to his will with every move he made.

Jiang Wang was secretly delighted. This Chaos Bell was indeed extraordinary. Just the initial refinement had greatly increased his strength! He glanced at the system interface and saw that he had 733 million experience points left, which would be enough for him to learn how to manipulate creation in the future.

He nodded to himself, deciding to hold on for now and make further plans once the situation became clearer.

At this moment, the atmosphere outside Mount Futu became increasingly strange.

The saints of Mount Ling gathered together, whispering among themselves, their eyes occasionally glancing at Jiang Wang with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

The Taoist priest Yuan, sent by the Primordial Celestial Venerable, was dressed in a green robe and exuded an ethereal aura. He stood atop a distant mountain peak, his gaze sharp as lightning, as if trying to see through Jiang Wang.

The avatar of Laozi was hidden in the clouds and mist, its aura almost imperceptible, yet it always locked onto Jiang Wang's aura.

The Tongtian Sect Leader did not appear in person, but instead sent Qingpingzi to deliver a jade slip containing the "Eight-Nine Arcane Arts".
He claimed that he gave it to Jiang Wang because he saw that Jiang Wang had extraordinary potential.

Jiang Wang accepted the jade slip, his face remaining expressionless, but inwardly he sneered.

Although the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts is a top-tier body-refining method, it focuses heavily on the physical body and is not entirely compatible with the human cultivation path that is inherited from the Shangqing Daoist method.

Tongtian's actions were clearly a test! If he rashly began to cultivate, he might expose the true extent of his cultivation technique.

Jiang Wang calmly put the jade slip into his sleeve, deciding to continue cultivating the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique, taking a steady and methodical approach.

Just as he put away the jade slip, his heart suddenly skipped a beat, and the aura of the Kongtong Seal trembled violently. The golden dragon in the seal groaned, as if issuing a warning.

Jiang Wang's gaze sharpened, and he looked around. Sure enough, he sensed two faint auras locking onto him from different directions.

One figure emerged from the mountain peak, sharp as a sword—it was Yuan Daoren; the other was hidden in the clouds, ethereal and formless, yet carrying a profound Daoist aura—clearly an avatar of Taishang Laojun! Jiang Wang's heart sank; he knew something was amiss.

The sage had indeed become suspicious of him! He made a decisive move, suppressing the energy of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique and circulating the power of the Chaos Bell to conceal his aura completely.

On the surface, he remained as calm and collected as ever. He slowly rose, walked towards Sun Wukong, and whispered, "Great Sage, how's the bird's nest coming along?"

Sun Wukong, sweating profusely as he wove the dry branches, glared at him angrily upon hearing this: "Jiang Wang, stop with your crocodile tears! This whole mess started because of you, and I, Old Sun, will settle the score with you sooner or later!"

Jiang Wang smiled, neither confirming nor denying, but his gaze intentionally or unintentionally swept towards Yuan Daoren in the distance and into the depths of the clouds.

Jiang Wang sat upright in the stone chamber deep within the Cloud Stack Cave. The surrounding stone walls were covered with ancient runes that faintly emanated spiritual light, like countless eyes peeking from the shadows.

He sat cross-legged, eyes closed, concentrating, gently cradling a small bronze seal, about the size of a palm, with the character "Kongtong" engraved on its surface.

The two characters exuded a faint, clear glow.

This Kongtong Seal was a treasure he acquired in his early years. It could not only suppress fortune, but also sense any unusual activity in the surroundings.

At this moment, the seal trembled slightly, as if an invisible force was spying on it from afar. Jiang Wang felt a chill in his heart, but a cold smile appeared on his lips.

He had long anticipated that his cultivation of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique would not be hidden from those high-ranking old men.

The gazes of Laozi and Yuan Daoren pierced through layers of void and landed outside the Cloud Stack Cave.

They were hidden in the clouds, their auras so concealed that they were almost imperceptible, yet they could not escape the detection of the Kongtong Seal.

Jiang Wang opened his eyes, a sly glint in them.

Taishang Laojun and Yuan Daoren became suspicious of his Nine Revolutions Profound Technique. This technique was inherited from Pangu and was extremely powerful. If it were confirmed, it might attract the attention of Hongjun and the other saints, and even lead to his death.

He had to do something to confuse the issue and divert attention.

Thinking of this, he got up and slowly walked towards a hidden alchemy room inside the cave, deciding to use alchemy skills to conceal his true strength.

Inside the alchemy room, the Eight Trigrams Furnace stood quietly, its body engraved with intricate Daoist patterns, exuding an ancient and profound aura.

This stove was "borrowed" by Jiang Wang from Laozi.

What was called a loan was actually an opportunity he obtained through a transaction.

Jiang Wang stood in front of the furnace, and with a wave of his sleeve, the furnace lid slowly opened, and flames rose up inside, casting his face in intermittent light and shadow.

He took out dozens of spiritual herbs from his robes: Crimson Flame Ginseng, Purple Cloud Vine, Dragon Saliva Fruit… Each herb was a treasure of heaven and earth, exuding a rich spiritual energy. With a flick of his fingers, the herbs flew into the furnace like flowing water, instantly engulfed by blazing flames, emitting a soft sizzling sound.

Jiang Wang's movements were fluid and graceful, his alchemy skills were extremely proficient, and he controlled the heat perfectly. The spiritual energy in the furnace merged with the flames, turning into strands of golden light, which condensed into the prototype of the pill.

Above the clouds, Laozi squinted, observing everything through his divine sense.

He originally thought that Jiang Wang was just a rising star. He might have some skill in cultivation, but alchemy was not something that could be mastered overnight.

But the scene before him gave him a shock—Jiang Wang's technique was exactly the same as his when he was refining pills, and even more exquisite in some details.

The flickering fire, the blending of medicinal herbs, and the flow of spiritual energy all reveal a harmony that is almost Taoist in its essence.

Laozi stroked his beard, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes, and said in a low voice, "This boy... is indeed extraordinary."

Yuan Daoren, standing to the side, snorted coldly and transmitted his voice to Yuanshi Tianzun in the distance: "Senior brother, Jiang Wang's cultivation is probably built up by elixirs, not by the true path of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique."

Although Yuan Daoren was also amazed by Jiang Wang's alchemy skills, he was more inclined to believe that this was just a means for Jiang Wang to conceal his true cultivation level.

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi Tianzun remained silent for a moment before replying simply, "Let's see how he handles this."

Jiang Wang was completely oblivious to the discussions on the clouds. He was focused on controlling the furnace fire, and the golden light inside the Eight Trigrams Furnace grew increasingly intense, with a faint fragrance of elixir spreading out.

For a full eighty-one days, Jiang Wang did not step out of the alchemy room.

The wind outside the cave gradually subsided, and the mountain mist grew thicker, as if shrouding the alchemy process in a mysterious veil.

On the morning of the eighty-first day, the Eight Trigrams Furnace suddenly trembled, the lid burst open, and three gleaming golden Nine-Turn Golden Pills flew out of the furnace, hovering in mid-air, emitting a heart-palpitating spiritual energy fluctuation.

Jiang Wang raised his hand and three pills fell into his palm. They were warm to the touch, and a faint dragon's roar echoed within them.

He looked down at it, a hint of dissatisfaction flashing in his eyes: "With only 300,000 years of cultivation, its efficiency is far inferior to the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique."

He sighed softly, then swallowed the three pills. His spiritual power surged like a river, and his cultivation level soared instantly. However, he deliberately suppressed his aura, making it appear ordinary.

Above the clouds, Laozi and Yuan Daoren exchanged a glance.

The doubts in Lao Jun's heart gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of mutual appreciation; Yuan Daoren completely dispelled his doubts about the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique, and simply regarded Jiang Wang as an anomaly skilled in alchemy.

Jiang Wang stood in the alchemy room, a slight smile playing on his lips. The trembling of the Kongtong Seal had subsided; this alchemy technique had successfully misled the senses.

However, he did not relax his efforts because of this. The Journey to the West Tribulation was a major trend of the Heavenly Dao. If it ended prematurely, his carefully laid plan would be in vain.

He had to make sure everything went smoothly, and right now, the most important thing was to find a scapegoat.
To draw the attention of those saints to him.

With a thought, Jiang Wang's body swayed and he transformed into a streak of light, instantly teleporting out of the Cloud Stack Cave.

He first passed by Mount Futu and saw Sun Wukong squatting on an ancient tree in the distance, with a blade of grass in his mouth, clumsily weaving a grass nest in his hands, and humming an unknown tune.

Jiang Wang did not stop, but smiled slightly and continued on his way, heading straight for the Liusha River.

The Liusha River is turbulent and wide, with a chilling aura of killing intent emanating from its waves.

Jiang Wang stood on the riverbank, looking down at the lonely figure at the bottom of the river—General Curtain Roller, once a mighty general of the Heavenly Court, now demoted to this place, suffering the pain of flying swords piercing his heart every day, emaciated and wretched.

Jiang Wang narrowed his eyes and asked the system, "If I pass on the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique to Juanlian, can I make him a scapegoat to attract the attention of Hongjun and the other saints?"

A mechanical system voice echoed in my mind: "Feasible, but will consume double experience points, approximately 222 million points. Confirm execution?"

Jiang Wang felt a pang of pain in his heart. 222 million experience points were enough for him to advance further in the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique, but for the sake of his long-term plan, this investment had to be made.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Confirmed!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his consciousness stirred, transforming into a wisp of dream and diving into the bottom of the Flowing Sand River.

The riverbed was dark and the current was swift. General Rolling Curtain sat cross-legged on a huge rock, his face haggard, a flying sword piercing his chest, blood mixed with the river water, staining his surroundings red.

His eyes were tightly closed, as if he were enduring endless pain.

Jiang Wang's dream quietly invaded, transforming into a blurry giant figure, the image of Pangu standing tall, its voice like a resounding bell: "Juanlian, your suffering to this extent is an injustice of Heaven."

I am Pangu, and I bestow upon you the Nine Revolutions Mystic Technique to help you escape your calamity!

Juanlian suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with shock. He knelt down, trembling, and kowtowed, saying, "Thank you for your great blessing, Pangu!"

In his dream, the sixth stage of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique flooded into his consciousness like a tidal wave, vast and profound.

He sat cross-legged at the bottom of the river, beginning to comprehend the cultivation method.

The profoundness of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Technique far exceeded his imagination. With each cycle of circulation, the spiritual power within his body surged like a wild horse, his cultivation level soared, and the pain of the flying sword piercing his heart was even somewhat alleviated.

He was overjoyed, thinking to himself, "This technique is truly miraculous! A cultivation speed of over 500,000 times is enough to allow me to return to the Heavenly Court, or even advance further!"

The more he cultivated, the more he felt this was a divine opportunity. He gradually became lax about the journey to the West, wanting only to immerse himself in this supreme technique and escape his current suffering.

Jiang Wang stood on the riverbank, watching all of this from afar, a smile playing on his lips.

As he expected, the curtain-roller's reaction was exactly what he had anticipated. This former general of the Heavenly Court was now nothing more than a pitiful creature abandoned by fate. Having obtained the Nine Revolutions Mystic Art, he would surely harbor delusions and deviate from the proper path of the Journey to the West.

And this was exactly the result Jiang Wang wanted—to make Juanlian an anomaly in the eyes of the saints, attracting their attention, while he could secretly plot and sit back and relax.

Although he felt a little reluctant, since Juanlian's suffering was inextricably linked to him, he thought again that this skill was also Juanlian's opportunity, and he felt no guilt.

Just then, the system's voice sounded in his mind again: "Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the hidden mission: Pass on the Nine Revolutions of the Curtain-Rolling Profound Technique, which indirectly delays the Journey to the West."

The reward is the Primordial Chaos-level Daoist technique 'One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones,' which can create three clones with the same cultivation level as the original body, tripling the user's strength! An additional reward is one chance to draw experience points!

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wang's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, "The system is awesome!"

The Three Pure Ones Transformation is the highest divine power of Taoism. The three clones can not only share the pressure of battle, but also confuse the enemy at critical moments, making them an unparalleled weapon.

With a thought, three golden rays flew out from his body, transforming into three figures identical to himself, their aura vast and overflowing with spiritual light. (End of Chapter)