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

Jiang Wang nodded slightly, and with a flash, he disappeared into the sea.

The Dragon Palace of the East Sea is dazzling with gold, adorned with coral and jade trees. The palace is magnificent, yet it exudes a sense of oppression.

Ao Guang, along with his dragon sons and grandsons, shrimp soldiers and crab generals, had already lined up to welcome Jiang Wang. Upon seeing Jiang Wang arrive, they all knelt down and said in unison, "Greetings, Ancestral Dragon Ancestor!"

Jiang Wang's gaze swept over everyone. The Ancestral Dragon Pearl hung above his head, emitting waves of dragon might that made the people of the Dragon Palace almost unable to breathe.

He said in a deep voice, "Ao Guang, the Jade Emperor ordered you all to stay indoors, causing a three-year drought in the Tang Dynasty. What is your intention?"

Ao Guang's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He respectfully replied, "Reporting to the Holy Ancestor, we dare not disobey the Jade Emperor's decree."

However, the Dragon Clan had long since declined and was unwilling to antagonize the Heavenly Court, much less disobey the Holy Ancestor's will.

Jiang Wang sneered, and the Ancestral Dragon Pearl shone brightly, transforming into a phantom image of an Ancestral Dragon, which hovered above the Dragon Palace, its roar shaking the heavens.

He bluntly stated: "It was I who facilitated the Tang Dynasty's conquests."

"I have come today with two requests: First, that the dragons of the four seas defy the Jade Emperor's decree and bring rain to the Tang Dynasty; second, that from this day forward, the dragons completely break free from the control of the Heavenly Court and cooperate with my human race to accomplish great things!"

Upon hearing this, the Dragon Palace fell silent.

Ao Guang and the other three Dragon Kings of the Seas looked at each other, their eyes filled with both expectation and fear.

Ao Guang hesitated and said, "Holy Ancestor, the Heavenly Court is powerful. If the Dragon Clan rebels against Heaven, they may face annihilation."

Although we are willing to break free from the Heavenly Court, ...

Jiang Wang interrupted him, his tone resolute: "With me here, the Heavenly Court cannot do anything to the Dragon Clan! The Ancestral Dragon Pearl is here. If you hesitate any longer, you will be betraying the Dragon Clan's will!"

The Ancestral Dragon Pearl burst forth with dazzling light, and the dragons in the Dragon Palace felt an ancient bloodline power surge into their bodies, as if awakening their long-dormant pride.

Ao Guang gritted his teeth, finally made up his mind, and knelt down, saying, "We are willing to obey the Holy Ancestor's command, break away from the Heavenly Court, and bring rain to the Great Tang!"

Jiang Wang nodded in satisfaction, then transmitted his voice to the Three Realms in his capacity as the Ancestral Dragon: "From this day forward, all dragons of the Four Seas who have broken away from the Heavenly Court and obeyed the orders of the Jade Emperor are traitors to the dragon race. All dragons shall attack them together!"

These words were like a thunderclap, shaking the entire three realms.

Demons, immortals, gods, and even Buddhism—all were victims of the dragon race's self-destructive actions.

This action caused an uproar.

It wasn't until someone discovered that Jiang Wang was the mastermind behind it all that they realized the truth and sighed inwardly at how audacious this Ancient Mountain Ancestor was, daring to openly provoke the Heavenly Court.

Without further hesitation, the Four Dragon Kings led their dragon clans straight to the Tang Dynasty.

Dark clouds rolled in, thunder roared, and torrential rain poured down. Dried-up rivers began to flow again, and withered fields were revitalized.

The people spread the news and knelt down to thank the Dragon King for his kindness. Their resentment towards Li Shimin dissipated considerably.

Inside Chang'an, Li Shimin stood on the city wall, gazing at the rain-soaked sky, tears welling in his eyes, and murmured, "The Imperial Preceptor's divine might, I, Shimin, am in awe."

However, the Heavenly Court's reaction was far more intense than Jiang Wang had anticipated.

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the Jade Emperor sat on the Nine-Dragon Throne, his face ashen, the jade ruyi in his hand cracking loudly as he gripped it.

He roared, "You brat Jiang Wang, how dare you incite the Dragon Clan to rebel against Heaven! I am the Lord of the Three Realms, and traitors will never be reincarnated! Issue the Imperial Decree: send troops to the four seas to slaughter the Dragon Clan and execute Jiang Wang!"

A million heavenly soldiers poured out from the South Heavenly Gate, their banners obscuring the sun and their killing intent soaring to the heavens.

Upon hearing the news, the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas panicked and all sought help from Jiang Wang.

Inside the Dragon Palace of the East Sea, Ao Guang almost cried out, "Holy Ancestor, the heavenly army is pressing in, the Dragon Clan is in grave danger!"

Jiang Wang stood in the main hall of the Dragon Palace, his gaze cold and stern, and rebuked: "Cowards! A million heavenly soldiers are nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs."

With me here, the Heavenly Court can do nothing to you!

He took a step forward, and his figure was already on the surface of the sea.

The Ancestral Dragon Pearl hung above his head, transforming into a ten-thousand-foot-long dragon shadow, roaring and shaking the heavens.

Jiang Wang stood with his hands behind his back, his blue robe fluttering in the wind. His gaze was fixed on the direction from which the heavenly soldiers were pressing in, and a contemptuous smile appeared on his lips: "Jade Emperor, since you want to fight, I, Jiang Wang, will accompany you to the end!"

Jiang Wang hovered above the East Sea, with waves surging beneath his feet. The waves roared like angry dragons, crashing against the endless void.

Where the sea meets the sky, dark clouds gather and thunder rumbles, as if heaven and earth themselves are holding their breath in this standoff.

His black robe fluttered in the wind, and his long hair was disheveled by the gale, but it could not conceal the deep, unfathomable light in his eyes.

Opposite him was an overwhelming heavenly army, with millions of celestial soldiers and generals arrayed in the clouds, their golden armor gleaming, their battle banners fluttering, and their killing intent surging like a tide.

In the center, a magnificent jade chariot with nine dragons gleamed, upon which sat the Jade Emperor, wearing a flat-topped crown and a nine-colored dragon robe, his majestic gaze piercing Jiang Wang like a blade.

"Jiang Wang!"

The Jade Emperor's voice boomed like thunder, causing the surface of the East Sea to surge with waves hundreds of feet high. "You, a mere rogue cultivator, dare to violate my Heavenly Laws, assist the human race in defying the heavens, and even instigate the Dragon Clan to rebel! Today, I will personally lead the Heavenly Army to suppress you beneath the Nine Netherworlds, so that you may never rise again!"

The Jade Emperor's words carried an undeniable majesty, each word seemingly descending from the heavens, causing the air to freeze.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wang's lips curled up slightly, revealing a mocking smile.

He did not rush to speak, but simply watched the Jade Emperor quietly, his eyes filled with a hint of mockery and disdain.

Seeing his attitude, the heavenly soldiers and generals around him were all enraged, gripping their weapons tightly, as if they were about to pounce and kill him at any moment.

However, Jiang Wang seemed completely unaware, merely flicking his sleeve and saying indifferently, "Jade Emperor, you say I have violated the Heavenly Laws, but who set these Heavenly Laws? If the Heavenly Way is unjust, why can't I defy it? As for the Dragon Clan, they are simply tired of being enslaved by your Heavenly Court."

Now that you have come in person, I want to see just how capable this million-strong Heavenly Army really is!

These words immediately caused an uproar among the Heavenly Army.

The Jade Emperor's face darkened, his eyes flashing with cold light. He abruptly waved his hand and shouted, "You audacious traitor, how dare you try to argue! Set up the Zhou Tian Star Array and capture this fiend at once!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a million heavenly soldiers responded in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

In an instant, 365 celestial deities flew out from the formation, each holding a banner bearing the main star, with starlight flowing on the banners, faintly connecting with the stars in the sky.

The million heavenly soldiers, each holding a secondary banner, stood in the four directions, their movements perfectly synchronized, as if they were one.

Jiang Wang felt the space around him tighten. When he looked up, the sky was shrouded in endless starlight. The power of the stars poured down like a waterfall, turning into countless light blades that slashed towards him with the power to tear through the void.

Jiang Wang dared not be negligent. He formed hand seals, and his internal magical power surged like a river, instantly setting up a "Saint-level Glimmering Array" around his body.

This formation was created by him. The faint light within the formation was like silk threads, intricately interwoven, like an invisible net that firmly protected him.

The starlight blades collided with the shimmering array, producing a piercing clang and sparks flying, yet they were unable to break through the seemingly fragile net of light.

Jiang Wang stood in the center of the formation, his black robe gleaming coldly in the starlight. His gaze swept across the surroundings like lightning, and he thought to himself: This Zhou Tian Star Array is truly extraordinary. If it weren't for the protection of my Wei Guang Array, I would probably have been crushed into dust by this power of the stars long ago. However, the Jade Emperor clearly had no intention of giving him a chance to catch his breath.

Just as Jiang Wang was resisting the star attack, a golden light rose from behind the Heavenly Army, carrying endless aura of peace, and slowly descended.

Jiang Wang looked closely and saw an old man coming on a cloud, with white hair and a youthful face, and Buddha light shining behind him. It was none other than the Western Bodhi Patriarch.

Bodhi holds a precious mirror in his hand, its surface shimmering with light and the faint sound of chanting emanating from it.

His gaze was indifferent as he swept over Jiang Wang and said, "Jiang Wang, you have defied the heavens, and today is the day of your tribulation."

Having said that, he gently shook the mirror, and a dazzling golden light shot out from the mirror, heading straight for Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang felt a chill run down his spine, sensing the terrifying power contained within the golden light, which seemed capable of piercing through everything.

He tried to teleport using the laws of space to evade, but found that the space around him was sealed by the power of the stars, and the teleportation method failed.

The golden light arrived in an instant, crashing hard into the Saint-level luminous array. With a crisp sound, the luminous array shattered inch by inch like glass. Jiang Wang groaned, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

He looked up at Bodhi, a look of seriousness flashing in his eyes: "This treasure mirror... can actually break my spatial laws?"

Bodhi smiled slightly and stroked his beard, saying, "This is a treasure of the West called the 'Mirror of Fixed Light,' which can fix the stars and break through space. Jiang Wang, you will not be able to escape today."

After saying that, he activated the magic mirror again, and golden light surged like a tide, continuously bombarding Jiang Wang.

Although Jiang Wang tried his best to hold on, he felt his internal energy being rapidly depleted, and the light of the luminous array was becoming increasingly dim, as if it might collapse at any moment.

He gritted his teeth, thinking to himself: If I don't find a way to break this deadlock, I'm afraid I'll really perish here today.

Just then, Jiang Wang's figure suddenly swayed, and he disappeared into the great formation.

The million heavenly soldiers were stunned, and the Jade Emperor frowned deeply, saying in a deep voice, "How could he possibly escape the Zhou Tian Star Array?"

Bodhi narrowed his eyes and said slowly, "Your Majesty, do not be anxious. This boy is proficient in the laws of time. He may have used some secret technique to temporarily hide."

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's face grew even more somber, and he muttered, "The laws of time... this child is truly a prodigy; no wonder even the Heavenly Laws cannot restrain him."

He waved his hand to order a retreat to avoid wasting the heavenly army's strength, but Bodhi raised his hand to stop him.

"Your Majesty, wait a minute!"

Bodhi's eyes were sharp as he stared at the empty void in the formation. He said in a deep voice, "Jiang Wang is a cunning man. He once deceived me with the technique of 'Standing Still Without Shadow.' This time, his sudden disappearance may be a trap."

The Jade Emperor was taken aback, and hesitated before saying, "What does Patriarch Bodhi mean..."

Bodhi snorted coldly: "If this boy could really escape so easily, he would have left long ago. Why wait until now? In my opinion, he must be hiding in the formation, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack!"

As expected, before Bodhi finished speaking, the void within the formation twisted, and Jiang Wang's figure slowly emerged.

His face was slightly pale, clearly indicating that the invisibility technique had consumed a lot of his magical power.

He looked at Bodhi and said with a wry smile, "As expected of a Western saint, you truly have discerning eyes. My 'Upright and Shadowless' technique cannot hide from you."

Upon hearing this, both the Jade Emperor and Bodhi were startled, and then flew into a rage.

The Jade Emperor roared, "What a cunning villain! He dares to use the same trick again! All generals, listen to my command! Increase the power of the stars and crush this fiend!"

Bodhi also sneered repeatedly, and the golden light of the precious mirror rose again, reflecting the power of the stars, determined to completely suppress and kill Jiang Wang.

Faced with this overwhelming offensive, Jiang Wang was no longer as disheveled as before.

He took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes, clasped his hands together, and shouted, "Since you are so aggressive, then let's see if the treasure in my hand can break your Heavenly Court's power!"

After speaking, he took something out of his sleeve, which turned out to be an ancient and simple bell.

The bell is a chaotic, dark yellow color, surrounded by the sun, moon, stars, earth, water, wind, and fire, emanating a terrifying aura that suppresses the primordial world.

Jiang Wang gently struck the bell, and the resounding sound echoed out, like the mysterious sounds of the heavens or the sound of the beginning of the primordial world, instantly resounding throughout the three realms.

"Chaos Clock!"

The Jade Emperor and Bodhi were both speechless, their eyes filled with shock and despair.

Wherever the bell tolled, the stellar power of the Zhou Tian Star Array melted away like ice and snow, completely disintegrating.

The main star banners in the hands of the 365 righteous gods trembled violently, and several of them broke on the spot.

The million-strong heavenly army was struck as if by a heavy blow, coughing up blood and their formation was thrown into chaos.

Jiang Wang stood beneath the bell, his black robes billowing even without wind, his gaze as cold as a knife, and said indifferently, "Jade Emperor, Bodhi, your proud Zhou Tian Star Array is nothing more than this."

At the same time, the aura of the Chaos Bell swept across the Three Realms. Deep within Mount Ling, the six sages all changed color, their gazes piercing through the void as they looked towards the East Sea.

One of them sighed, "The Chaos Bell... such a supreme treasure, it has actually fallen into Jiang Wang's hands. Alas, what is the will of Heaven?"

Many powerful beings in the Three Realms also sensed this aura, and all of them trembled with fear. They were amazed by the power of the treasure and regretted that it had fallen into Jiang Wang's hands.

The Jade Emperor and Bodhi looked at each other, both feeling a sense of powerlessness.

Holding the Chaos Bell, the lingering sound of its chime still echoing, Jiang Wang turned and transformed into a streak of light, disappearing into the horizon of the East Sea, leaving only a faint echo: "Jade Emperor, today's battle will continue another day!"

Jiang Wang stood on the shore of the East China Sea, his clothes fluttering in the sea breeze, but his eyes were cold.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing through the endless clouds and mist, pointing directly at the majestic golden palace in the heavens.

The sea was surging with waves, as if echoing the murderous intent churning in his heart.

He had no intention of being so high-profile. The Chaos Bell, a supreme innate treasure, was originally a trump card he kept hidden in his sleeve, intending to use it against the sage at a crucial moment.

However, today's events have forced him to reveal this trump card to the eyes of the three realms.

All of this originated from the Zhou Tian Star Array.

This formation is the supreme battle formation of the Heavenly Court. It borrows the power of the stars in the heavens to create a time and space constraint, and is said to be able to trap quasi-saints and destroy great Luo immortals.

Although Jiang Wang had achieved considerable cultivation, he was well aware of the power of this formation.

He once tried to break the formation with his own supernatural powers, but found that when the Zhou Tian Star Formation was in operation, the flow of time was distorted and space was locked. Although his supernatural powers were strong, it was like punching cotton, and he had nowhere to exert his strength.

What's even more infuriating is that the Jade Emperor himself took charge of the formation's core, uniting the power of a million immortals and gods in an attempt to trap him here and kill him.

Jiang Wang sneered, and with a thought, a wisp of chaotic light slowly rose from his palm.

It was an ancient, simple bell, its entire surface engraved with chaotic patterns, seemingly emanating endless Daoist energy—it was the Chaos Bell. (End of Chapter)