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

Now, Ye Feng broke through the void and returned to the Three Realms.

The moment he appeared, everyone knew in their hearts: Mara had been defeated.

Cheers erupted throughout Mount Taihuang. This battle was a great victory; the defenders had rendered excellent service, the three major protective barriers remained as solid as a rock, and even the black elephant left behind by Bo Xun was personally slain by Hua Guang with his spear, its corpse lying on the spot.

"I never imagined... that God has become so powerful."

Hua Guang sighed and shook his head, his eyes filled with shock. He knew that Bo Xun's cultivation was extraordinary, yet he was still killed by a single sword. The space torn apart by that battle had already closed, meaning there was no possibility of survival.

The black bear spirit laughed heartily, exuding heroic spirit:

"When the master takes action, it should be swift and decisive!"

Hua Guang shrugged and remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Mount Tai was filled with joy. After all, Mara was a formidable enemy, but now that the battle was won and the great threat was eliminated, everyone was overjoyed.

While some laughed, others gritted their teeth in anger.

Princess Iron Fan watched Ye Feng return safely to the mountain from afar, her face ashen, her eyes brimming with resentment.

"Ye Feng!" she shouted sharply, "Aren't you afraid of offending my entire Asura clan?!"

Ye Feng looked over upon hearing the sound, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"You are the one who caused this trouble. I told you long ago that if the Bull Demon King and Red Boy had stayed peacefully on Mount Taihuang, they would have had their own opportunities, and I never prevented you from meeting. But you are filled with resentment and your obsession runs deep. Today's consequences are entirely your own fault."

He paused, his tone softening slightly:

"Now that Mara is dead, the Asura race will surely become the target of both Buddhism and Taoism. I advise you to retreat to the depths of the Underworld as soon as possible, which may help you avoid this calamity."

These words were more than enough. After all, the Bull Demon King still needed to cultivate here, and Ye Feng had no intention of killing him outright.

But Princess Iron Fan would never listen to advice.

"Ye Feng!" She stared intently at him, each word like a knife's edge, "I will remember this grudge!"

He said those words, turned and left, his back view resolute.

Ye Feng stood with his hands behind his back, silent for a long time, his gaze deep and unseen, lost in thought.

However, the feud between them and the Asura clan has only deepened over time.

tick, tick...

A light drizzle suddenly began to fall from the sky, the raindrops falling silently like woven threads.

He stood in the rain, his robes were not wet, but he was shrouded in a cold and desolate feeling, as bleak as the withered leaves of late autumn.

"That's enough."

A soft sigh dissipated with the wind, and Ye Feng finally turned around and stepped into the gate of the Taihuang Mountain.

As soon as he stepped into the main hall of the Thai Grand Palace, Di Ting was already waiting inside. Upon seeing him enter, a smile appeared on his lips.

"What's wrong? Feeling bad about not getting rewarded for being a good person?"

Ye Feng glanced at him sideways, but didn't say a word.

At this moment, outside the mountain gate, Hua Guang was leading his heavenly soldiers and demon hordes in a triumphant return. Suddenly, a streak of light flashed across the sky, and the group glanced at it briefly before looking away.

The cloud light landed and transformed into a monkey-shaped figure, carrying a golden cudgel on his shoulder. With a glare of fiery eyes, it was none other than Wukong.

"Oh dear! I'm late!"

He looked around, shouting loudly, and rushed into the main hall. Upon seeing Ye Feng, he jumped up and down, complaining:

"Senior brother! You're so disloyal! Why didn't you call me, Old Sun, for such a good fight?!"

"How did you know I just got into a fight?" Ye Feng chuckled, his mood instantly brightening upon seeing the monkey arrive.

The monkey's eyes widened, and it snorted, "Senior brother, don't try to fool me! The commotion at Mount Taihuang was so loud it shook the leaves all over Flower Fruit Mountain. I arrived in a flash. Judging from your expression, you've already settled things? Who was the opponent? Who's the fool who dares to cause trouble here?"

Ye Feng pointed to the ground.

"The Asura Clan".

The monkey's pupils contracted, and it immediately became alert.

"No wonder there was a bloody, malevolent aura outside when we entered the mountain! Senior brother, you made a move? Why did the Asura clan come looking for us?"

Ye Feng didn't waste any time and briefly explained the whole story.

Upon hearing this, the monkey immediately bristled.

"What?! Is that so?! I, Old Sun, will march on Mount Jilei right now and settle accounts with that Bull Demon King!"

Don't be fooled by how high the monkey jumps; it's actually very clever.

In its eyes, who was its senior brother? He was someone who could throw a tantrum and slam his fist on the table in front of the Bodhi Patriarch without any fear!

Five hundred years of Fangcun Mountain's history, even when Ye Feng beat it until it was scrambling to its feet, it felt that even being beaten was imbued with a divine aura—it was all worth it!

The reason is that simple: there must be a deeper meaning behind what my senior brother does.

As for how he later "reasoned" with the Bull Demon King... well, he only exchanged a few words; fighting was the real deal.

After a great battle, the world changed color.

After five hundred years of arduous cultivation, the Monkey King had already reached the mid-stage of the Great Luo realm, while the Bull Demon King had only just entered the Great Luo realm. Even though the Bull Demon King revealed his true form as a thousand-foot-tall giant bull, whose horns shattered mountains, he was still beaten by the Monkey King and forced to flee in terror.

That beating was severe and lasted a long time.

On the surface, he was avenging his senior brother, but in reality, he harbored a personal grudge—back when the old ox caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, he stood by and did nothing, not even daring to utter a word of justice! If he doesn't return the favor today, when will he ever do it again?

If Ye Feng hadn't intervened in time, the Bull Demon King would likely have been traumatized and would have become weak-kneed at the mere sight of a monkey.

After the commotion subsided, the Bull Demon King became quite obedient. With the golden headband pressing down on him, just like Red Boy, he meekly accepted his fate and became the guardian deity of Mount Taihuang.

From then on, the mountain gate became quiet and peaceful, free from any noise.

Ye Feng would meditate and cultivate in his spare time, and occasionally he would open an altar to preach.

The Bull Demon King even sat in the back row listening to the lecture, nodding frequently and occasionally gaining insight. He benefited immensely from the few words of guidance he received. As time went by, he even felt that working on Mount Taihuang was quite a carefree job.

Unfortunately, Princess Iron Fan caused a great disaster and was forced to retreat to the depths of the underworld, where they could no longer meet.

In the words of the Bull Demon King, "If she were here, this life would truly be that of a divine couple."

-

Meanwhile, as Ye Feng's fierce battle with Bo Xun came to an end, the Journey to the West team had already crossed the Blackwater River and entered the territory of Chechi Kingdom.

Chechi Kingdom is vast, with crisscrossing mountains and rivers, majestic cities, and an imposing atmosphere.

Between heaven and earth, all things can cultivate the Tao.

Birds and beasts, plants and rocks, and even water, fire, wind and thunder can all transform into demons.

However, in terms of sheer numbers and widespread reproduction, the human race ultimately reigns supreme.

The human race rose to prominence at the end of the primordial era, led by three human emperors, and once flourished to the extreme, almost holding the reins of power over heaven and earth.

But things are not what they used to be. After countless tribulations and the passage of time, it has long lost its former glory.

Even the mightiest nation, the Tang Dynasty, only governs a few hundred small states; it is still a long way from unifying the human race.

Although Chechi Kingdom was not as prosperous as the Tang Dynasty, it was still a leading state in Xiniu Hezhou.

As soon as the group entered the city, Tang Sanzang sensed something was wrong.

"Wu Nian, this Chechi Kingdom... why are there so many Taoist priests on the streets?"

Sure enough, apart from the common people on the street, everyone was dressed in blue robes and crane cloaks, with their hair tied up in high buns; not a single monk could be seen.

What's even stranger is that passersby glanced at the group of master and his disciples, pointing and whispering with disdain and hostility.

The Six-Eared Macaque, with his sharp eyes and keen mind, immediately cast a spell, transforming everyone into Taoist disciples and blending them into the marketplace.

They immediately stopped an elderly man with white hair and politely inquired about his situation.

The old man sighed deeply and explained the reason:

"It wasn't like this in earlier years. Back then, Buddhism was flourishing, and temples were everywhere. But one year, the whole country suffered a severe drought, and not a drop of rain fell. The king urgently summoned high-ranking monks from major temples to pray for rain, but... nothing happened."

"When the emperor was furious, three people suddenly appeared in the palace, claiming to be 'great immortals' and said to be personal disciples of a certain emperor, who had learned supreme Taoist arts. The three were indeed amazing. They saw at a glance that it was a drought demon that was causing the trouble, and they killed the demon on the spot. That night, a torrential rain fell, relieving the whole country from its predicament."

The King of Guo was overjoyed and immediately appointed the three "great immortals" as national teachers. Before long, the Buddhist disciples in the country had completely lost power and were even struggling to make ends meet.

The master and his disciples frowned as they listened, and once the old man was out of sight, Tang Sanzang's face immediately darkened.

"Such a thing is true."

He was devoted to Buddhism, and when he heard of the suffering of the monks, his heart felt as if a huge stone was pressing down on it.

Liu Er sneered, "Master, it's probably a demon in disguise, just trying to fool the king."

"But according to the old man, the three national teachers did indeed subdue the drought demon and summon rain."

"Ha, just a little trick." Six Ears curled his lip in disdain. "I've seen too many of these kinds of charlatanry tricks."

Pigsy chimed in, snorting, "Exactly! Praying for rain? I, Old Pig, can make it rain just by sneezing!"

Both of them were at the Taiyi Golden Immortal level, and could summon wind and rain with the flick of their fingers. The four celestial gods who controlled wind, rain, thunder, and lightning were nothing more than errand boys in their eyes, and they had to give each of them some face.

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang felt somewhat relieved and then said solemnly, "In that case, I will bring this matter up with King Guo in person when we exchange the travel permits tomorrow."

He was compassionate and could not tolerate his Buddhist disciples suffering such humiliation.

Liu Er did not object—he also knew that his master would never set off until this matter was resolved.

That night, he took Pigsy with him and they secretly sneaked into the city to investigate.

This investigation uncovered a shocking secret.

The two sneaked into a Taoist temple, where the Three Pure Ones were enshrined, seemingly ordinary. However, the incense and offerings piled up like mountains had all been embezzled by the three imperial advisors, and the memorial tablets placed in front of the incense table were actually their own!

To blatantly steal merit and compare oneself to the Three Pure Ones is utterly outrageous!

Six-Eared Macaque and Pigsy were so angry they were grinding their teeth. They returned that very night to inform Tang Sanzang and Sandy. The four of them discussed the matter in secret and made up their minds.

The next day, the group went straight to the palace of Chechi Kingdom and found three Taoist priests standing in front of the hall.

The leader was a burly man with a face full of scars and a fierce look in his eyes, resembling an evil god jumping out of a temple—it was none other than Tiger Power Immortal.

The second one, with a pointed snout and monkey-like face, a goatee, and darting eyes, was clearly no good—the Great Immortal Yangli.

The last one was thin and withered, with an ordinary appearance, hiding in the back without making a sound—Deer Power Immortal.

The three men's gazes swept over, their expressions sinister and menacing.

Tang Sanzang, however, was unfazed. With the Six-Eared Dharma Protector by his side, he was full of confidence. He stepped forward, clasped his hands in prayer, and bowed.

"This humble monk comes from the Great Tang Dynasty in the East, and has been ordered to travel west to worship Buddha and seek scriptures."

"A monk from the Tang Dynasty?" King Guo was taken aback.

He knew that the Great Tang Dynasty was far away in the Southern Continent, thousands of miles away, and that anyone who could get here must have some real skills.

While hesitating, Tang Sanzang cut to the chase: "Your Majesty, the Buddhist disciples have been unjustly punished. Please have mercy and release them."

Upon hearing this, King Guo was immediately in a dilemma.

On one side is a mysterious high monk, and on the other side is a powerful national advisor; neither can be offended.

But the three imperial advisors had no intention of tolerating it and immediately let out a cold laugh:

"A few bald monks, do they dare to talk about Buddhism? Do they dare to challenge us to a duel?"

Six-Eared Man threw his head back and laughed loudly: "What wouldn't I dare!"

Before the words were even finished, the outcome of the battle was already decided.

Just like the old Journey to the West, the contest of magic in Chechi Kingdom has begun.

A jade altar was set up on the platform, and the first competition was to pray for rain.

Tiger Power Immortal took the lead on stage, holding a wooden sword, performing the steps of a divine warrior, and waving his token with great seriousness.

At a command, the wind rose.

The sound rang out a second time, and the clouds gathered.

Three thunderclaps resounded, and lightning crackled through the sky.

Four raindrops fell, and then a torrential downpour began.

The five tones cease, the clouds part and the rain stops.

In one go, he actually managed to summon rain!

King Guo was stunned and exclaimed in admiration:

"The Imperial Preceptor's supernatural powers are unparalleled in this world! Where did he learn such abilities?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Great Immortal Yang Li stroked his goat beard and slowly said with a smile, "Your Majesty may not know, but my two brothers and I once cultivated at the Taoist temple of Gouchen Shangdi—Mount Taihuang."

"God Gouchen?" King Chechi frowned, his face full of doubt.

The Great Immortal Lu Li stood tall and proud, his tone arrogant: "Your Majesty is unaware that the Great Emperor Gouchen is one of the Four Emperors of Heaven, ranking alongside the Jade Emperor. He wields all thunderbolts, commands the stars, and his might shakes the Three Realms!"

"Such a background?" King Chechi's pupils contracted, so shocked he almost jumped off his dragon throne. "I never imagined that the three royal advisors were actually esteemed disciples of the Great Emperor!"

"Ha, bragging without thinking!"

Liu Er sneered, his eyes like knives.

He had heard the conversation clearly and was already furious—how dare these three monsters use Ye Feng's name to swindle and deceive people?

It should be known how strict Ye Feng is in accepting disciples. He emphasizes the perfect opportunity and prefers to have none rather than accept the wrong one.

As for Liu Er, a dignified Taiyi Golden Immortal, he has not yet truly entered the sect and can only be considered a nominal disciple.

Do these self-taught little demons even deserve to call themselves "successors of Mount Taihuang"?