Journey to the West: I am the fiercest bird under Bodhi's seat

Starting from the place where the True Immortal Ruyi of the Western Liang Women's Kingdom resided, and extending to the Moyun Cave of Jilei Mountain, the influence of the Bull Demon King spanned east and west, across several countries, and stretched for more than ten thousand miles.

Ye Feng pondered quietly, a slight tremor running through his heart.

Such a layout is beyond the capabilities of ordinary demons; it is truly a grand scheme with far-reaching implications.

During the journey westward, the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist sects mobilized all their forces to subdue the Bull Demon King, even shaking the Buddhas of the Western Paradise. Perhaps one of the true purposes of the journey to the West was to eliminate this deeply entrenched demon king who had occupied Xiniu Hezhou for many years.

Furthermore, the matter of Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King becoming sworn brothers is also quite puzzling.

The original work never explicitly states how the two met—whether it was the monkey seeking the ox or the ox seeking the monkey remains a mystery.

But Ye Feng now speculates that it is highly likely that the Bull Demon King took the initiative to approach Sun Wukong.

The reason is simple: that Demon King is probably just a vanguard scout sent by the Bull Demon King to the Eastern Continent, a pawn who was tricked into testing the waters.

He had long set his sights on Huaguo Mountain, this blessed and beautiful place.

Unfortunately, after returning to the mountain, Sun Wukong killed him in a fit of rage, without even revealing the powerful backer behind him.

Upon hearing the news, the Bull Demon King rushed over, intending to seek revenge. However, seeing that Wukong was shrewd and had a solid foundation, he immediately changed his mind and tried to befriend him.

Once the relationship became more familiar, he also won over several other demon kings to form an alliance, thus achieving the title of the Seven Saints.

This is exactly the kind of tactic the Bull Demon King often uses: whenever he encounters a strong opponent, he first forges a brotherhood with them, so that if there is a battle in the future, he can call on them to help him.

As for my brother's misfortune? Alas, I, Old Niu, am far away and unable to help.

Even when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, the Bull Demon King might have played a role in instigating it – using the monkey to test the Heavenly Court's strength and weaknesses, thus revealing the extent of the power of Heaven and Earth.

Of course, these are all Ye Feng's current deductions.

But he always trusted his own judgment, and the truth was probably pretty close.

He got up and left the thatched hut, leaped down the stream, and landed lightly in front of the Water Curtain Cave.

The monkeys formed a circle, making a ruckus and spouting flattery.

"Your Majesty's methods are truly impressive!"

"Your Majesty possesses truly great supernatural powers!"

"Your Majesty is unparalleled in the world, your might shakes the three realms!"

These monkeys are shallow and only know a few common sayings over and over again.

Ye Feng, intrigued, slowly stepped forward. A monkey noticed and quickly made way, respectfully greeting, "Great King."

Ye Feng nodded, his gaze turning to the center—where Wukong was wielding a giant sword, its blade flashing like a ribbon, whistling through the air.

Suddenly, he stopped his attack, and the steel knife in his hand snapped in two with a crisp "crack".

"This piece of junk is really useless; it broke after only a short while. Boring, so boring!"

Ye Feng stroked his chin.

"Ding, Dragon Palace quest selection activated."

Option 1: Stop Wukong from going to the Dragon Palace. Reward: One portion of the Ancestral Dragon's essence blood.

Option 2: Help Wukong obtain the Golden Cudgel. Reward: One Nine-Turn Golden Pill.

"Option 3: Join Wukong in emptying the Dragon Palace's treasure vault. Reward: The Great Array of Heavenly Gods and Demons."

"Is it finally time to storm the Dragon Palace?" Ye Feng thought to himself, calculating with his fingers, and realized that the time had indeed come.

"The Great Array of Heavenly Gods and Demons..." His eyes flickered slightly.

He did not hesitate to accept such a generous reward.

"Option 3".

"Option 3 is confirmed. The reward will be issued upon completion of the task."

Ye Feng calmed his mind; he had heard of the "Great Array of Heavenly Gods and Demons" before.

This is the most powerful formation of the ancient witch clan. It can only be set up by the gathering of the twelve ancestral witches or by refining the Heavenly God and Demon Banner.

Its power can tear the sky apart and destroy the universe; it possesses the terrifying power to plunge the three realms into chaos in an instant.

Even more so, if all twelve Ancestral Witches were to arrive, the true form of Pangu could be condensed within the formation, reproducing seventy percent of the power he possessed when he created the world!

In the ancient war between the Lich King and the Demon King, Donghuang Taiyi, who controlled the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Array, had no choice but to avoid the Twelve Ancestral Witches at their peak, and instead closed the array to defend himself, daring not to engage them head-on.

Unfortunately, with the successive deaths of the twelve ancestral witches and the decline of the witch clan, this formation has long been lost to the world.

If we can obtain it today, it will surely become Ye Feng's ultimate trump card.

At this moment, Wukong was still complaining about the poor quality of his weapons when a burly figure suddenly stepped out from the monkey troop.

This monkey is robust and strong, wearing bright silver armor and wielding a steel rod. It has a calm demeanor and eyes that are like lightning, and it has already stepped into the realm of immortals.

He was the general that Wukong subdued when he pacified Flower Fruit Mountain—his true form was a gibbon named General Beng.

He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said in a booming voice, "Your Majesty is a born sage, and ordinary soldiers are naturally unfit to command. But I wonder if Your Majesty is skilled in diving into the abyss and entering the sea?"

Wukong laughed heartily: "Now that I, Old Sun, have mastered all my supernatural powers, I can perform the seventy-two transformations at will, leaving no trace in the heavens and no form on the earth. Where can't I go? Tell me, what good places are worth visiting?"

General Beng quickly cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Majesty, you are unaware of this, but the water flowing under the iron bridge outside our Water Curtain Cave leads directly to the Dragon Palace of the East Sea. The Dragon King of the East Sea is the richest man in the world, possessing countless treasures. Wouldn't it be perfect if you went there to obtain a suitable weapon?"

Upon hearing this, Wukong's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "There's such a passage? You all wait here, I'll be right back."

Just as he was about to leave, he caught a glimpse of Ye Feng standing on the edge of the cliff and immediately turned to greet him: "Senior Brother, why aren't you meditating on the mountaintop today? You seem to have the leisure to wander around."

Ye Feng smiled faintly: "I've been in seclusion for many days, so I came out to get some fresh air."

Wukong grinned and said, "What a coincidence! I just heard that the Dragon Palace is full of treasures. Since leaving Fangcun Mountain, my senior brother hasn't found a single magic weapon that suits his taste. Why don't we go together? That old dragon is an old neighbor of ours, so I doubt he would be stingy."

Ye Feng was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then shook his head and chuckled—this monkey truly had the nature of a bandit, and couldn't hide it at all.

He acted all respectable on Fangcun Mountain, but once he returned to Huaguo Mountain, his true nature was revealed.

However, most demons are like this, not just monkeys. Apart from those who have attained enlightenment and abided by the precepts, which of the rest isn't a mountain king who plunders treasures?

Just like the time when Wukong caused trouble in Aolai Kingdom, he only stirred up a gust of demonic wind, blinded the people, and took away some swords and spears.

If it were any other powerful demon, it would likely not only steal the weapons but also abduct thousands of people to fill their bellies or enslave them.

Just like Qian Ying, who argued with Ye Feng at Fangcun Mountain back then, his homeland was constantly raided by demons. When the storm was raging, at least dozens of people would disappear, and in many cases, entire villages would be swallowed up and never heard from again.

That is why he deeply hates the demon race.

But all living things in the world have their own nature. Ye Feng had long seen through this, and neither tried to change it nor had he intended to be harsh on it.

Whether human or demon, they travel together if they get along, and part ways if they don't. If anyone dares to provoke him, he will show them what true wrath of a ferocious bird is like.

He simply chuckled and said, "Since you've extended such a warm invitation, Junior Brother, I'll accompany you on this journey."

The two then walked side by side to the iron bridge outside the Water Curtain Cave, and with a leap, jumped into the clear stream.

The stream was crystal clear, but it grew increasingly deep as they went downstream. The two simultaneously cast hand seals and spells to avoid the water as they moved forward.

At first, there were still rock walls to hold onto, but soon the view suddenly opened up, and we emerged from the water veins of Huaguo Mountain and entered the vast sea.

Ye Feng frowned slightly, feeling a vague discomfort from the underwater atmosphere.

He is a three-legged golden crow, a divine bird born from fire, and is naturally incompatible with water.

Even when using the Water-Avoiding Technique, he still felt the cold and dampness seeping into his body, making him feel quite sluggish.

But he remained unmoved, continuing to sink with Wukong, heading straight for the deep sea.

The light gradually dimmed, and the surroundings became pitch black, then suddenly a bright light appeared before my eyes—

In the vast expanse of the seabed, a crystal palace stretches out, standing majestically on the seabed.

Each palace roof is inlaid with a huge luminous pearl, its hazy glow connecting them like an inverted galaxy, illuminating the entire Dragon Realm.

The palaces are arranged in an orderly fashion, with each palace surrounding the others. The most magnificent and dazzling one is in the center, like stars surrounding the moon.

During this time, one can see a young clam maiden draped in a thin veil, offering wine and food with light steps; and shrimp soldiers and crab generals dressed in silver armor patrolling back and forth with an imposing presence.

Ye Feng glanced around and knew that although the soldiers and generals here had not yet been granted immortal status, their strength far surpassed that of the monkeys of Flower Fruit Mountain.

The two landed on the seabed and slowly walked towards the palace complex.

As soon as they arrived at the palace gate, a yaksha blocked their way, brandishing a halberd: "Who goes there? State your name before you can be informed."

Wukong stepped forward: "I am Sun Wukong, the Handsome Monkey King of the Water Curtain Cave of Flower Fruit Mountain, and a close neighbor of the Dragon King of the East Sea. This is my senior brother, the Heavenly Wind King of Flower Fruit Mountain. Go and announce my arrival!"

The Yaksha sized up the two men, not daring to be negligent, and quickly went inside to report.

A moment later, melodious music began to play, and rosy clouds burst forth, swirling with vibrant colors.

An old dragon dressed in a dragon robe and wearing a crown emerged from the waves, followed by maids holding parasols and phoenix fans. The ceremonial procession was magnificent and the dragon was extraordinary.

Old Long's gaze fell on the two people in front of the door, his pupils shrinking slightly.

"Um?"

In an instant, an invisible force swept over Ye Feng and Wukong, without any malice, but clearly testing their strength.

"Trying to probe my cultivation level? Old man, you're quite shrewd."

Ye Feng sneered inwardly, remaining calm and composed as he slightly raised his eyes.

Two golden flames suddenly rose up, like the first rays of the sun, intensely blazing.

Caught off guard, the Dragon King of the East Sea let out a muffled groan, slipped, and staggered back several steps, startling the aquatic creatures behind him who rushed forward to help him up.

"Dragon King! What's wrong?"

The Dragon King waved his hand to indicate that he was alright, steadied himself, but his expression had turned serious, and when he looked at Ye Feng again, his eyes were completely different.

He originally intended to use the secret techniques of the dragon race to ascertain the strength of the newcomer.

But as soon as his gaze fell upon Ye Feng's eyes, before he could even discern any trace of Ye Feng's cultivation level, he saw golden light burst forth from Ye Feng's eyes, like a blazing sun shining down from the sky, almost scorching his divine sense, nearly causing him to lose his composure and fall over.

A chill ran down his spine as he realized that Ye Feng was no ordinary person, at least a Taiyi Golden Immortal level existence, and he dared not be the slightest bit disrespectful.

He straightened his robes, smiled, and cupped his hands, saying, "So it's a neighbor from Flower Fruit Mountain who has come to visit. What a rare guest! Please come in, please come in! Old Dragon has already prepared fine wine and delicacies to welcome you two distinguished guests."

Seeing the Dragon King's humble attitude, the monkey had no suspicions and smiled in return, saying, "You're too kind, you're too kind."

When the Dragon King extended his hand in invitation, he raised his head high and strode into the depths of the Crystal Palace.

Ye Feng followed, glancing at the Dragon King as he passed by. The old dragon immediately put on a big smile.

Ye Feng nodded slightly and responded with a faint smile.

The Dragon King couldn't fathom the depth of his cultivation, but he had already thoroughly investigated the other party's background.

This old dragon's cultivation is quite remarkable; he has already reached the late stage of the Celestial Immortal realm, just one step away from perfection.

This level of skill surpasses that of most of the heavenly generals.

However, this dragon is cautious by nature and never easily provokes trouble.

Actually, it wasn't like that in the early years.

Dragons are inherently proud. At the beginning of time, they ruled over all waters and dominated the primordial world, becoming the supreme rulers of the waters.

Unfortunately, the glory was short-lived.