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

Chapter 624 The Yellow-Eyebrowed King Reveals His True Form

Taiyue Taihe Mountain.

Inside the Taihe Palace, incense smoke curled, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

The Mirage Dragon looked at the True Martial Emperor with a resolute gaze and said:
"I appreciate the True Lord's protection."

"But the hatred for my father is irreconcilable, and this hatred is hard to quell."

"I was born from the essence and blood of my parents, and my flesh and blood are all gifts from them."

“My father raised me for many years, helped me grow up, and even found me a job. He was a very loving father.”

"Now, my father has been murdered and has unfortunately died."

"My mother was devastated, and my younger brother had no elder brother to protect him."

"As a son, one should always step forward and do something."

"If one fears calamity and forgets the revenge for one's father, clinging to life for a living, how can one be a dragon? How can one be a son?"

"I humbly beseech the True Lord... to have mercy and grant my request!"

His words were filled with anguish, and his body radiated a powerful dragon aura, causing a mirage to faintly appear within the hall, a bizarre and fantastical scene, clearly indicating that his mind was extremely agitated and his inner energy was in disarray.

Inside the Taihe Palace, all was silent.

"Woooooooo..."

"Woooooooo..."

Only the mountain wind, passing through the eaves of Taihe Palace, made a mournful sound.

"Hey……"

The True Martial Emperor looked at the stubborn and resolute dragon son before him, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes, which ultimately turned into a long sigh.

He knew that dragons were fierce and unyielding, and with blood feud at hand, it would be futile to try to stop them.

In ancient times, filial piety was considered of utmost importance.

It is only natural for a child to avenge his parents.

In the past, Yang Erlang split the mountain to save his mother, and this was also the case.

Upon hearing this, the True Martial Emperor ceased his persuasion. His eyes gleamed with mysterious light, as if he were deducing endless secrets of heaven.

"That's fine."

After a moment, the True Martial Emperor said:

"Shenlong, your will to avenge your father is unwavering and cannot be swayed by words."

"I have no intention of trying to persuade you any further."

"However, I remember that in my previous life I fought alongside your dragon clan's ancestor, 'Ancestral Dragon,' and I received his kindness and righteousness."

"I also remember that you have guarded Taiyue for many years, working diligently and conscientiously, and never made a mistake in your work of controlling the clouds and rain."

"I cannot bear to see you fall into misfortune, die, and perish."

He slowly raised his palm, and a deep, mysterious black divine light flew out from his sleeve, transforming into a simple, solemn, black flag that was neither cloth nor silk.

On the flag, the shadows of the Black Tortoise and the Soaring Serpent flowed endlessly, emanating an unparalleled defensive aura that suppressed all evil and was as solid as a rock, causing the space inside the hall to freeze.

"I have a black-carved flag, with unparalleled defense, and I will grant it to you for use."

The True Martial Emperor held the black eagle flag high in the air and handed it to Ao Shen, saying:

"Keep this with you at all times; in a critical moment, it may save your life and give you a chance to survive."

"But remember, when this flag is activated, it is as if you have already died once."

"If Heaven takes pity on you and you survive, you should forget your father's revenge, quickly return to Wudang, devote yourself to cultivation, and never again venture into this calamity!"

"Do you... understand?"

With trembling hands, Ao Shen accepted the heavy "True Martial Black Carving Flag," which contained the vast power of the Xuanming Water Element.

A cool yet profound power instantly penetrated into his consciousness, slightly suppressing his burning grief and indignation.

He knew the value of this treasure, as it was a vital artifact used by the True Martial Emperor to protect the Dao.

He then touched his forehead to the ground and kowtowed three times, his voice choked with emotion yet unwavering:
"I will never forget the kindness of the True Lord."

"If I manage to avenge my enemies and offer sacrifices to my father's spirit on this journey to the Western Sea, I will surely return to the True Lord's throne one day and serve him faithfully!"

Having said that, Ao Shen said no more. He took one last deep look at the majestic and compassionate Zhenwu Emperor, and at the immortal mountain dojo that had protected him for many years.

Immediately, Ao Shen transformed into a blue dragon shadow, carrying boundless hatred and the mysterious light of the True Martial Black Carved Banner, soaring into the sky, tearing through the sea of ​​clouds, like a blue lightning bolt, shooting straight towards the murderous West Sea!

……

But let's talk about the past.

In the land of Beiju Luzhou, there is a mountain originally named "Xuanyin Mountain".

This mountain is blessed with natural beauty and spiritual energy, its veins formed by the essence of heaven and earth; it is rich in resources, its territory filled with the treasures of the mountains and rivers.

Its majestic and towering presence resembles a giant dragon winding and coiling, stretching for nine hundred miles. It is truly a blessed land and grotto-heaven that all kinds of monsters dream of.

At that time, three great kings occupied Xuan Yin Mountain.

Its great king was Yuan Tong, the "Long-Armed Ape".

This ape is one of the Four Chaotic Monkeys, and is as famous as the Spiritual Stone Monkey (Sun Wukong), the Six-Eared Macaque, and the Red-Bottomed Horse Monkey.

The Long-Armed Ape possesses extraordinary supernatural powers, capable of holding the sun and moon in its palm, shrinking mountains into a mustard seed, discerning fortune and misfortune with the slightest detail, and manipulating the universe with its fingertips. It is truly a first-rate spiritual creature in the world.

The four mischievous monkeys are all formidable.

The fully grown, intelligent stone monkey Sun Wukong was able to fight Yang Jian to a standstill. Later, Laozi used the "Diamond Bracelet" to help Yang Jian defeat Sun Wukong.

Even the fully grown Long-Armed Ape Yuan Hong was difficult for Yang Jian to defeat; only by borrowing the "Map of Mountains and Rivers" from the Goddess Nuwa could he subdue him.

Only by borrowing Lu Ya Dao Ren's "Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife" can it be slain.

This demonstrates the strength of the Lingming Stone Monkey and the Long-Armed Ape.

Both the Lingming Stone Monkey and the Long-Armed Ape originated from the "Chaotic Demon Ape," one being an Earth-type Demon Ape and the other a Fire-type Demon Ape.

If the Spiritual Stone Monkey and the Long-Armed Ape were to fight, it would be impossible to know who would win.

The second king was the spirit of the coffin lamp wick of the ancient Buddha Dipankara. His original name was "Ma Shan", and he used the alias Ma Liu.

This demon's true form is part of an innate spiritual treasure, thus it is impervious to swords and spears, skilled in fire escape techniques, and is elusive and unpredictable.

In the past, when King Golden Horn was fighting with Bodhisattva Pilanpo, Ma Shan escaped down the mountain with the help of Venerable Bai Xiong, a disciple of Dipankara Buddha, and helped Venerable Bai Xiong fight against demons such as King Golden Horn, Bull Demon King, Hundred-Eyed Demon King, and Yu Rong King.

Helpless, Venerable Bai Xiong was defeated and fled. Ma Shan also changed his name to Ma Liu, kicked Venerable Bai Xiong aside, and traveled alone, eventually arriving at Beiju Luzhou.

Its third king was "Tiangou" Gou Tianba, who looked like a fox with a white head, sharp teeth and a sharp mouth, was as fast as the wind, as loud as thunder, and as fast as lightning.

The Classic of Mountains and Seas, Western Mountains Classic, records the Heavenly Dog:

“The Zhuoyu River originates from Yinshan and flows south into Fanze. It contains many shells and a beast called ‘Tiangou’. It looks like a fox with a white head and its cry is like a rumbling sound. It can ward off evil.”

A celestial dog emerges from Yinshan.

The Heavenly Dog is even more awe-inspiring, with phrases like "the Heavenly Dog swallowing the moon" and "the Heavenly Dog eating the sun."

……

later.

Xiao Chen was looking for a mountain in Beiju Luzhou when he set his sights on Xuan Yin Mountain, a place with excellent feng shui.

then.

Xiao Chen defeated the Long-Armed Ape Yuan Tong, the Heavenly Dog Gou Tianba, and the Coffin Lamp Core Ma Shan (alias Ma Liu Da Wang), and occupied Xuan Yin Mountain.

In this battle.

Seeing that Xiao Chen possessed extraordinary abilities and was unstoppable, Ma Shan knew he was no match for him, so he used the earth fire to escape.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Yuan Tong and Gou Tianba surrendered to save their lives.

Since Xiao Chen had occupied this "Xuanyin Mountain", he renamed it "Xuanjin Mountain" to demonstrate his power.

From then on, Xuanjin Mountain was temporarily at peace under Xiao Chen's rule. The demons lived their lives peacefully, cultivating and passing their days without any major incidents.

And later.

Near Xuanjin Mountain, an unknown force suddenly appeared, secretly spying on Xuanjin Mountain.

This force has an unknown origin and moves mysteriously, seemingly harboring treacherous intentions.

As the saying goes:
"How can I allow others to sleep soundly beside my bed?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen was furious and immediately dispatched the long-armed ape Yuan Tong to investigate and, when the opportunity arose, to wipe out this force.

The gibbon Yuan Tong was ordered to go and wipe out this force, and brought back the leader, an old turtle spirit.

Strange things followed.

When the gibbon Yuan Tong cut open the belly of the old turtle spirit, it was not an ordinary organ. Inside, it was filled with golden, glittering gold nuggets, luminous pearls, large pearls, and various gemstones!
The dazzling array of items, radiant and magnificent, dazzled the demons, who marveled at their wonder.

At that moment, the clever water gourd spirit patted its belly, laughed loudly, and pointed at the old turtle spirit, saying:

"This is a money-bringing turtle!"

The demons all found it amusing.

King Golden Horn also found this matter novel and jokingly said:
"This turtle's greedy nature is somewhat similar to mine."

This matter became a popular topic of conversation on Xuanjin Mountain, and it was precisely as follows:

"The turtle demon was subdued in the Xuanjin Palace, its belly filled with rare treasures that aroused envy. The water gourd smiled and pointed at the wealthy guest, while the king jokingly said that they were kindred spirits."

However, the Northern Continent is fraught with danger.

Xiao Chen knew that this matter was probably not accidental. In order to prevent future troubles, he sent the Heavenly Dog Gou Tianba to search for the remnants of the Old Turtle Spirit.

Gou Tianba is a native of Beiju Luzhou, and also a celestial dog. His sense of smell is extraordinary, and his tracking skills are unparalleled.

Later, Gou Tianba transformed into his original form—a white-haired, naked celestial dog with a nose that could smell in all directions, its light as bright as shooting stars, and its speed as swift as the wind, traversing mountains, rivers, lakes, valleys, and deep ravines.

However, after Gou Tianba's painstaking investigation, he could not find any trace of the old turtle demon's accomplices.

The story of the "turtle spirit that brings wealth" thus became an unsolved mystery and was never resolved.

……

Time flows on, things change and stars shift.

And the land of the Southern Continent.

There is a poor fishing village that stands by the sea, named "Wangchao Village".

This village was built by the sea, where the sea breeze was salty and harsh, like a blade hitting your face; the land was barren and difficult to grow crops.

The fishermen in the village have made their living by fishing for generations, battling against the raging waves to earn a meager living, their lives extremely difficult.

Suddenly one day...

When the fishermen went out to sea to fish, they worked together to haul in their nets as usual, but suddenly felt that the nets were unusually heavy, as if a huge creature was struggling inside them.

With everyone working together, shouting and chanting, sweating profusely and their tattered clothes soaked through, they finally dragged the giant net to the shore.

As the net opened, water splashed, revealing an enormous old turtle demon!
The old turtle's shell was as black as ink, with faint Buddhist patterns visible, and its eyes shone with Buddhist light as they opened and closed.

It is:

"The carapace is as black as ink, with hidden Buddhist patterns that shimmer with light."

Strange things happened one after another. Some daring people tried to feed it fresh fish, and the old turtle spirit opened its mouth and spat out a piece of golden dog's head!

Everyone was stunned.

Try again, and more luminous pearls, enormous pearls, and gemstones of various colors came out one after another!
The dazzling jewels momentarily dazzled the weathered, wrinkled faces of the fishermen.

……

This old turtle spirit, "hidden in its belly thousands of gold and silver treasures," came to deliver gold and silver treasures to the fishermen.

This old turtle spirit's extraordinary abilities are exactly the same as the "turious turtle spirit that brought wealth" that once appeared in Xuanjin Mountain under the jurisdiction of King Golden Horn of Beiju Luzhou.

The Turtle Spirit that brings wealth, which appears in the fishing village of Nanzhanbuzhou, and the Turtle Spirit that brings wealth, which appears in Xuanjin Mountain of Beijuluzhou, are extremely similar.

However, the old turtle spirit that brought wealth and appeared in "Wangchao Village" in Nanzhanbuzhou was even more powerful.

Besides its magical power to bring wealth.

This old turtle spirit that appeared in "Wangchao Village" has saliva that can preserve youthful appearance, cure chronic diseases, and even summon wind and rain, bringing abundant fish catches.

……

"A divine turtle! It must be a divine turtle sent by the heavens to bestow blessings!"

The old fisherman knelt down tremblingly, tears streaming down his face.

In an instant, the entire fishing village was in an uproar!
Everyone spread the news, regarding this old turtle spirit as an auspicious omen from heaven.

The message spread quickly.

Upon hearing the news, the government officials dared not delay and immediately dispatched soldiers and officials to pave the road with brocade and escort the old turtle spirit to the largest sea god temple in the village.

The crowd set up a high altar, laid out brocade, and burned sandalwood incense to worship this "old turtle spirit that came to bring wealth".

The old turtle spirit was respectfully enshrined in the center of the altar, its body radiating a precious light, as if a true Buddha had descended to earth.

"I, Zhang, offer three fresh fish in prayer, wishing that the divine turtle will bless my son with a safe voyage and a full catch!"

A woman was extremely devout, kneeling on the ground and chanting incantations.

"I, Wang Er, present the finest catch I made this morning. I humbly beg the divine turtle to bestow some wealth upon me so that I may marry and start a family!"

A young fisherman, his face full of anticipation, prostrated himself on the ground, his voice earnest and pleading.

……

The old turtle spirit seemed to understand human will, and according to people's wishes, it would either spit out treasures, provide protection, or bestow favors.

For a while.

The temple was orderly, the worshippers were solemn, and the sound of prayers could be heard all the while, creating a scene of goodness and virtue.

The old turtle spirit seemed to enjoy the offerings, its precious light shining even brighter, and the rewards becoming increasingly generous.

Otherwise.

Wealth that is readily available is like a spark thrown into boiling oil, instantly igniting the greed in people's hearts.

The initial awe and gratitude began to quietly change under the daily temptation of glittering jewels.

"How strange! Li Si offered a small fish and received a bright pearl in return?"

"I offered a large fish, but only received a piece of gold? The temple keeper must have secretly embezzled it!"

Fisherman Zhao Da was secretly resentful and whispered to his companion.

"Exactly! I see that the divine turtle's belly is bulging like a sac, and it must be full of countless treasures! Why is it that we offered countless fish, yet received such a meager reward?"

Ding Wu's eyes gleamed with greed, and his words were laced with resentment.

Once the seeds of greed are sown, they grow like poisonous vines, spreading without restraint.

Exploitation and scheming are quietly surging beneath the surface.

People are not worried about scarcity, but about inequality.

The fishermen found that their treasures were dwindling, while the pockets of the officials and temple keeper were getting fuller.

Dissatisfaction and resentment gradually accumulate and deepen under suppression.

One day, at dawn when incense was burning brightly and crowds were bustling, the old turtle spirit was radiating a soft, precious light on the high platform, and the temple keeper was about to distribute the day's "gifts" when a sudden change occurred!

A scoundrel named Qian Liu was idle and fond of petty theft.

In recent days, Qian Liu had been filled with resentment as he watched others receive gold and silver treasures while he himself received nothing due to the lack of offerings.

At this moment.

He stared at the old turtle's belly, which appeared especially soft under the glow of the precious light. Overwhelmed by the gold, silver, and jewels scattered on the ground, he lost all reason, and a mad thought exploded in his mind:

"Cut it open! All the treasures inside are mine!"

"what--!"

Qian Liu let out a howl like a wild beast, his eyes bloodshot, and suddenly pulled out a gleaming fishbone dagger from his chest, stabbing it fiercely at the joint of the old turtle spirit's abdominal armor!
"Pfft!"

The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh was extremely grating.

The old turtle spirit was in excruciating pain and let out a muffled, painful roar. Instinctively, it swung its thick webbed claws and punched Qian Liu to the ground. Qian Liu coughed up blood and collapsed, unable to get up.

However, this blow did not frighten the crowd; on the contrary, it was as if the gates of the deepest hell had been opened!
Long-suppressed greed, jealousy, and resentment surged forth like a tidal wave!

"How dare he kill the divine turtle and steal its treasure!"

Suddenly, someone shrieked in a shrill voice.

"Slay this villain! Seize his treasures! The treasures rightfully belong to us!"

"Yes! Kill this ungrateful beast! We can't let him keep all the treasure for himself!"

"The divine turtle has even more treasure inside! We kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, but we kill the turtle to get the treasure!"

"Get out of the way! Stay out of the way!"

……

The frenzied shouts instantly drowned out the original prayers.

The crowd surged and roared like a burst dam, completely out of control!

Those seeking wealth, those seeking revenge, and the incited masses... countless hands reached out towards the old turtle demon and the treasures on the high platform.

They attacked with knives and sticks, punches and kicks, tearing, grabbing, and biting, using every means possible, displaying a state of madness.

The shouts of the officials trying to stop them were instantly swallowed up by the surging crowd; clubs were taken away and swords were stolen.

The old turtle spirit, once revered as a god and bringing endless wealth and hope, was torn apart amidst its desperate and mournful cries and the frenzied, excited laughter of the crowd!

The turtle shell shattered, and blood and flesh flew everywhere.

Sparkling pearls and gold nuggets, mixed with entrails and blood, were scattered on the blood-stained jade steps, rolling at the feet of the hideous robbers.

The once majestic golden statue of the sea god still has its head bowed and eyes downcast, seemingly coldly overlooking the bloody hell that it itself "bestowed" upon the ground, silent yet awe-inspiring.

Even the old abbot, who prided himself on his extraordinary composure, was now covered in sweat, and his chanting of the "Heart-Cleansing Mantra" was intermittent and incoherent.

The phantom of a bewitching dancer seemed to appear before my eyes, captivating my heart.

His hands, covered in age spots, trembled involuntarily as he secretly picked up a blood-stained, round pearl that had rolled to his feet, intending to spend a fortune at a brothel and live a dissolute life.

As the saying goes:
"The wages of avarice is death."

The crowd scrambled for gold and silver treasures, descending into madness, killing one another, and even committing rape and plunder.

Driven by desire.

At this point, the person is no longer a person; the person has become a "beast," and there is no difference between a person and a wild animal.

This frenzied burning, killing, and looting continued for an unknown period of time.

The small fishing village has utterly fallen into ruin.

The world had dispersed, leaving only devastation and a palpable aura of bloodshed and resentment.

After greed, only a desolate ruin remains, devoid of any human voice. Truly, it is as the saying goes:

"The dazzling jewels dazzle the eye, greed corrupts the heart and turns the land into a demonic realm. The divine turtle becomes meat under the knife, and the fishing village is wiped out overnight."

……

Amidst the blood and flesh on the mudflats, a massive, incomplete turtle claw suddenly trembled slightly, as if struggling desperately to drag out a mangled, nearly dismembered body.

The remnants of the old turtle spirit wriggled and slowly transformed.

He gradually took on the appearance of a bald-eyed, yellow-browed, disheveled monk with a thin gold band around his head, wearing a pale yellow robe and a wolf-tooth club at his waist.

This is precisely the true form of the Yellow-Eyebrowed King as a manifestation of his primordial spirit.

The Yellow-Eyebrowed King's body was still covered in blood, he looked disheveled and was barely breathing, yet he struggled to sit cross-legged on the cold reef.

"Ugh……"

A long sigh, filled with sarcasm and sorrow, came from the mouth of the Yellow-Eyebrowed King.

His gaze swept over this hell on earth, and he slowly said:

"This is the true nature of humanity. Even with strict rules and regulations to restrain desires and curb greed, it is difficult to change the inherent greed and ferocity of human nature. It is like a carbuncle that is attached to the bone and cannot be removed."

It turns out that this old turtle spirit was the incarnation of the "Yellow-Eyebrowed King".

The Yellow-Eyebrowed King had barely finished speaking.

Beside the Yellow-Eyebrowed King.

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared, and a ball of "ghost fire" emerged from the ground, transforming into a person in the blink of an eye.

This man wore a cloud-patterned helmet, exuding heroic spirit; he wore a light yellow robe, ethereal and otherworldly; and he held a steel-tipped spear, its sharpness fully revealed.

His face was handsome, and his three long tufts of beard fluttered in the wind. He was truly an excellent-looking man, unforgettable at first sight.

Looking at the disheveled state of the Yellow-Eyebrowed King, the man's lips curled into a slight smile, and he said with a hint of mockery:
"Brother Huangmei, you've really gone all out this time!"

"In ancient times, there was a story of the Buddha cutting off his own flesh to feed an eagle, which is now known as a beautiful tale."

"You've done just that, trying to emulate the Buddha, only to end up being dismembered instead of having your flesh fed to others. It's truly a case of 'throwing meat buns at a dog—gone and never to return!'"

"I wonder what Brother Huangmei is thinking at this moment? Has he come to any insight into the true meaning of compassion?"

This person was none other than "Ma Shan, the wick of the lamp" in the coffin lamp of the ancient Buddha Dipankara.

The wick of this coffin lamp is Ma Shan, who was formerly the second king of Xuanjin Mountain under Xiao Chen's jurisdiction, also known as "King Ma Liu".

In Xiao Chen's current territory, Xuanjin Mountain.

Yuan Tong, known as "Tongbi Ape," was once the eldest brother of "Dengxin Mashan."

……

Ma Shan is a magical artifact that has become a spirit of the "Past Buddha Dipankara".

Venerable Bai Xiong was a disciple of "Dipankara Buddha, the Buddha of the Past".

King Yellow Eyebrows is a disciple of Maitreya Buddha, the future Buddha.

Jin Chanzi was a disciple of "the present Buddha Tathagata".

They were all core members of Lingshan, and they saw each other all the time.

Ma Shan and King Huang Mei naturally knew each other.

(End of this chapter)