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

Guanyin remained silent for a moment, then nodded helplessly: "Very well, I will do as you say."

However, the journey westward must not be delayed any longer.

With that, she vanished into the clouds in a flash.

Tang Sanzang looked in the direction Guanyin had left, sighed, and turned to Bajie: "Bajie, now that the children are with you, you'll have to take good care of them."

Pigsy grinned and patted his chest, saying, "Master, don't worry, I, Old Pig, will definitely protect them!"

Jiang Wang watched this scene from afar, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He had long understood that all of this was a systematic arrangement; the addition of children and the delays in the journey were all intended to slow down the pace of the westward journey.

But he, as a pawn in this game, also had his own plans.

He looked down at the yellow plum in his hand, and the faint fragrance emanating from its spiritual root invigorated him.

The system's series of tasks had been completed, and the rewards were generous, but Jiang Wang's gaze turned to a more distant place—the Fire Cloud Cave.

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors are sealed there. If he can release them and obtain more fortune, he will be able to take a greater initiative in this Journey to the West game.

Jiang Wang narrowed his eyes, and another scene appeared in his mind: the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.

Three thousand people were busy working around an ancient longsword deep inside the tomb.

That's the Xuanyuan Sword, a legendary artifact that can break all seals.

They attempted to infuse the sword with divine power to activate its might and break the seal of the Fire Cloud Cave.

However, just as they were giving it their all, a cold shout came from the depths of the tomb: "Wishful thinking! You dare to touch the Xuanyuan Sword?"

Jiang Wang's thoughts were pulled back to reality. He raised his head, his gaze deep.

Fire Cloud Cave, Xuanyuan Sword, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors... These seemingly unrelated clues gradually formed a clear thread in his mind.

He muttered to himself, "System, no matter how ingenious your scheme is, it's still just a game of chess."

"And I, Jiang Wang, will never be a pawn."

He put away the yellow plums, turned and headed east, his steps firm, the hem of his robe fluttering slightly in the wind.

In the distance, the shadows of the pilgrimage team continued to move slowly forward, the laughter of children could be faintly heard, and Jiang Wang's figure had gradually blended into the yellow sand of the wilderness.

The night was as dark as ink, but the sky above the First Emperor's mausoleum was torn apart by streaks of purple-gold lightning. The lightning, like dragons, roared and crashed down on the magnificent mausoleum that had been silent for thousands of years.

With each bolt of lightning, the protective array surrounding the tomb trembled violently, and the shimmering runes dimmed under the bombardment of the lightning, as if they were about to shatter at any moment.

The mountains and trees surrounding the tomb have long since turned to dust, and the air is filled with a scorching smell, mixed with the scent of soil and destruction.

Jiang Wang stood on the high platform at the entrance of the mausoleum, his robes fluttering in the strong wind. He squinted and stared at the figure in the sky that exuded endless pressure.

That was Grand Master Xuandu, the chief disciple of the Sage Taiqing, a terrifying being who wielded the Taiqing Divine Thunder.

The three thousand sages inside the tomb exuded calm auras, sitting cross-legged in the center of the massive underground palace, each forming a profound array, their auras interconnected as if they were one.

They are the foundation of humanity, the heroic souls who fought to the last moment for the survival of humanity since ancient times.

Jiang Wang's gaze swept across the depths of the underground palace, where a figure slowly stood up, draped in a black and gold robe, his face aged yet exuding an undeniable air of majesty.

That was the high priest, a descendant of the Earthly Sovereign Fuxi, and the core guardian of the First Emperor's Mausoleum.

His eyes were as deep as an abyss, seemingly able to see through the cause and effect of the world, yet at this moment they carried a resolute coldness.

The high priest took a step forward, and the ground of the underground palace trembled slightly. Layers of runes lit up from beneath his feet, transforming into beams of golden light that shot into the sky and pierced the protective array outside the tomb.

The protective array suddenly shone brightly at this moment, as if it had been injected with new vitality, and forcefully blocked another strike of the Taiqing Divine Thunder.

Jiang Wang's heart skipped a beat. He could sense that although the High Priest's power was strong, it was far from being able to contend with Xuan Du.

Xuandu was at the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, with one foot already in the Quasi-Saint realm, while the High Priest was only at the early stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm. The difference was as vast as an insurmountable chasm.

In the sky, Grand Master Xuandu hovered amidst thunderclouds, his purple-gold Daoist robe gleaming in the lightning. His gaze coldly surveyed the tomb, his voice resounding like a great bell: "Humans, why do you futilely try to stop us? The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors have long since perished. Your attempt to defy fate with the Xuanyuan Sword is nothing but self-destruction! Surrender now, and you may still have a sliver of hope!"

The high priest slowly raised his head, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes, but his voice was as steady as a mountain: "Xuan Du, you are a human, yet you have taken Taiqing as your master, forgetting your ancestors and betraying the bloodline of the human race! Today you used Taiqing's divine thunder to attack my First Emperor's Mausoleum, have you ever thought that this land beneath your feet is the foundation built by the blood and flesh of countless human ancestors?"

His voice carried a sorrowful tone, as if recounting the millennia of suffering of the human race: "Return to the human race, Xuandu, and stop aiding and abetting evil!"

Upon hearing this, Xuan Du sneered, his eyes filled with disdain: "Humans? They are nothing but ants on the chessboard of Heaven! I have joined the Heavenly Clan and followed my master, the Sage Taiqing, which is the righteous path! You dare to defy Heaven and rescue the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, angering the Heavenly Dao. If you do not bind yourselves today, do not blame me for being ruthless!"

He raised his hand, and lightning condensed in his palm, transforming into a huge lightning spear, its tip pointing directly at the tomb, exuding a chilling killing intent.

Jiang Wang stood to the side, his brows furrowed.

He could sense that Xuandu's words were not empty boasts. If the protective formation were broken, the souls of the three thousand sages would have nowhere to hide, and the activation of the Xuanyuan Sword would also be in vain.

He clenched his fists, his mind racing, trying to find a way out of the predicament.

However, Xuan Du's strength was too terrifying, and with his current cultivation level, he was simply unable to confront him head-on.

At that moment, the high priest suddenly stepped forward, formed a hand seal, and uttered a low shout: "The First Emperor's will is to forever protect the human race!"

As he spoke, a deep rumble came from the depths of the tomb, and twelve golden rays shot up from the ground, transforming into twelve enormous golden phantoms.

These golden figures are hundreds of feet tall, with blurred yet majestic faces. They hold halberds and stand on black and yellow ground. Each golden figure exudes an ancient and terrifying aura.

Jiang Wang's heart skipped a beat. He recognized that this was the ultimate guardian force of the First Emperor's Mausoleum—the Twelve Golden Men! The twelve golden men were arranged in the four directions, transforming into twelve divine pillars, connected by an invisible force, faintly forming a huge array.

In the center of the formation, a phantom figure of Pangu slowly emerged, holding a giant axe, roaring to the sky, causing the heavens and earth to tremble.

The high priest's voice rang out again: "The Twelve Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation, activate!"

At his command, the twelve golden figures simultaneously unleashed dazzling golden light, and the formation was fully formed. Streaks of dark purple lightning rose from the formation, directly confronting the Taiqing Divine Lightning in the sky.

That was the Heavenly Thunder, a terrifying power rumored to rival the power of Pangu in creating the world! Xuan Du's expression finally changed; he hadn't expected such a powerful formation to be hidden in the First Emperor's Mausoleum. He dared not be careless, and with a flick of his wrist, a purple-gold Bagua Furnace flew out from his sleeve. The furnace was covered with mysterious runes and emitted a strong aura of a primordial spiritual treasure.

The Eight Trigrams Furnace swelled in the wind, transforming into a colossal vessel hundreds of feet tall, hovering above Xuandu's head. Endless purple flames spewed from its mouth, blocking all of Xuandu's divine lightning.

However, the power of the Twelve Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation far exceeded expectations. With each divine thunderbolt, the Eight Trigrams Furnace trembled violently, and the runes on its body began to crack, showing signs of collapse.

Jiang Wang stood at the entrance of the tomb, watching this scene intently.

He could sense that although the High Priest was activating the great formation, he was already at his limit, and his spiritual power was being consumed rapidly. Although Xuandu's Eight Trigrams Furnace was damaged, it had not yet completely collapsed.

The battle seems to be at a stalemate, but as time goes on, the tomb side will inevitably be defeated.

He took a deep breath, and the system interface appeared in his mind, with the experience points column displaying: nine million points.

His heart raced slightly. These nine million experience points were the foundation he had accumulated over many years. If used properly, they might be able to turn the tide.

The battle in the sky grew increasingly fierce. The collision of the Heavenly Thunder and the Supreme Lightning tore the entire world apart, and spatial rifts spread like a spider web.

Xuandu's Bagua Furnace finally gave way, emitting a crisp sound as its body shattered completely, turning into countless fragments that scattered in all directions.

Xuan Du spat out a mouthful of blood, his body swayed, and his breath weakened, clearly indicating that he had been seriously injured.

However, just when Jiang thought victory was assured, an invisible pressure descended from the sky, and everything in the world seemed to freeze, even the roar of the Heavenly Thunder became barely audible.

A figure slowly emerged from the clouds, wearing a dark yellow Taoist robe, a Tai Chi crown, and holding an ancient scroll.

The scroll depicted the interplay of Yin and Yang energies, seemingly encompassing all things in heaven and earth—it was none other than the innate treasure, the Taiji Diagram! The newcomer was none other than Laozi, the Supreme Lord of the Supreme Purity, and Xuandu's master! Jiang Wang's heart sank to the bottom in an instant. A quasi-saint level being was simply beyond their ability to contend with.

The Supreme Lord Laozi's gaze swept across the tomb indifferently, his voice devoid of any emotion: "Xuandu, slaughter all three thousand sages here to eliminate any future threat to the human race."

His voice was calm, yet it was like a divine pronouncement, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

Upon hearing this, a hint of madness flashed in Xuan Du's eyes. He struggled to his feet, and lightning gathered again in his hand, clearly determined to carry out his master's orders with all his might.

The high priest's face turned ashen. Although he had the Twelve Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation to help him, he knew that any resistance against the quasi-saint level Supreme Lord Laozi would be futile.

A flicker of despair crossed his eyes as he murmured, "Humanity... is there truly no hope left?"

The auras of the three thousand sages also began to fluctuate, clearly sensing this irresistible pressure.

Jiang Wang gritted his teeth, the system interface in his mind flashing wildly.

If we don't break this deadlock now, everything will be hopeless.

He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "System, consume nine million experience points to improve your comprehension of the Law of Time!"

As he focused his mind, the system interface shone brightly, and a profound power surged from his body, transforming into countless points of light that merged into his sea of ​​consciousness.

His consciousness seemed to enter a strange space where time slowed down dramatically, and images of the past, present, and future intertwined and overlapped, with countless mysteries of laws unfolding before his eyes.

His comprehension of the laws of time skyrocketed, from its initial negligible level to a breakthrough of ten percent! A glint flashed in Jiang Wang's eyes as he clearly sensed two entirely new divine abilities taking shape in his sea of ​​consciousness—"Time Dilation."

With "time contraction".

Without the slightest hesitation, he formed hand seals, his spiritual power surging wildly within him, and he shouted, "Time Contraction!"

In an instant, the flow of time within a hundred miles centered on Xuandu suddenly slowed down, the roar of the Taiqing Divine Thunder became low and slow, and Xuandu's movements seemed to be bound by an invisible force, slowing down more than tenfold.

At the same time, Jiang Wang looked at the High Priest and said in a deep voice, "Time dilation!"

The flow of time around the High Priest suddenly accelerated, his movements becoming so fast they were almost blurry. The speed at which he formed hand seals increased tenfold, and the operation of the Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation also surged. The Heavenly Gods and Demons Thunder poured down like a torrential rain, all crashing towards Xuandu! At this moment, the terror of the laws of time was fully revealed.

Xuan Du's movements were as slow as a tortoise, making it impossible for him to dodge the bombardment of the divine lightning. Meanwhile, the High Priest's attacks were so fast that they were impossible to follow, creating a time difference of a hundredfold! One divine lightning bolt after another struck Xuan Du's body. His physical body rapidly disintegrated in the lightning, turning into a cloud of blood mist. His primordial spirit was also shattered under this terrifying attack, letting out a shrill scream.

The Supreme Lord Laozi's expression finally changed; he had not expected that Jiang Wang would actually possess such a heaven-defying divine power as the Law of Time.

He dared not hesitate any longer. The Tai Chi diagram unfolded instantly, and the Yin and Yang energies transformed into a light screen to protect Xuandu's broken primordial spirit.

Laozi glanced coldly at Jiang Wang, his voice tinged with apprehension: "The laws of time... the human race actually has such a figure."

He did not make another move. Instead, he gathered up Xuandu's primordial spirit, transformed it into a golden light, and vanished into the void without a trace.

Calm returned to the sky above the tomb, the thunderclouds dispersed, and the light of the protective array gradually dimmed.

Jiang Wang let out a long breath, his spiritual energy almost completely depleted, and his body swayed slightly.

The high priest walked slowly forward, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Jiang Wang, you... saved the human race."

Jiang Wang forced a smile, but his gaze was fixed on the depths of the underground palace, where the aura of the Xuanyuan Sword was slowly awakening.

Jiang Wang stood at the edge of the First Emperor's mausoleum, the night wind like a knife, cutting through the thin mist around him.

The bronze cauldron in front of the tomb burned with eerie flames, casting a dim light on his face, yet his brows held a deep, indescribable contemplation.

He did not pursue the fleeing Xuan Du figure, even though he knew that he could capture Xuan Du alive by using his spatial abilities or even just slightly activating the power of the Chaos Bell.

However, he chose to remain silent.

The risk of revealing one's identity is too great, especially now, with the eyes of the Three Realms watching closely. A slight misstep could attract the attention of the Heavenly Emperor and the Human Emperor, or even the personal attention of Hongjun.

He lowered his eyes, his fingertips gently caressing an ancient jade pendant at his waist, his aura as calm as a deep pool, as if he had never harbored any murderous intent.

Deep within the tomb, the aura that has been dormant for a thousand years is beginning to awaken.

Jiang Wang's gaze pierced through the layers of mist and landed on the majestic stone palace.

In the center of the stone hall, an ancient sword floats, its blade engraved with intricate dragon patterns, faintly radiating a majestic aura of humanity.

That was the Xuanyuan Sword, a divine artifact carrying the destiny of humanity, which was now slowly awakening thanks to his secret assistance. (End of Chapter)