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

The monkey, however, couldn't stay still and was extremely curious about the heavenly kings before him. He himself was only about five feet tall and thin, while each of the heavenly kings was over three zhang tall, several times his size.

Moreover, he was clad in armor that shone with divine light, and wielded extraordinary weapons and treasures, exuding an imposing aura.

The monkey stared intently, secretly envious: If I, Old Sun, could also be granted an official position, would I also enjoy such glory?

The Four Heavenly Kings, adhering to their duties, paid no heed. Lish occasionally glanced sideways, inwardly sneering—just wild monkeys from the mortal realm, never having witnessed the true grandeur of immortals, naturally making a fuss over nothing, worthy of contempt.

After Venus finished his business, he beckoned Ye Feng and Sun Wukong to follow. The three of them walked through the South Heavenly Gate and headed straight for the Lingxiao Palace.

The Jade Emperor and the gods were already seated and waiting.

As they traveled, the monkeys were overwhelmed with wonder, their eyes filled with awe. This heavenly palace was completely different from the Water Curtain Cave of Flower and Fruit Mountain, displaying vastness and dreamlike beauty everywhere, captivating the heart and soul.

Stepping onto the white jade-paved road, ascending layer by layer, traversing the thirty-three heavens, finally arriving at the Lingxiao Palace.

Venus stepped forward to report, and a celestial official summoned him to the palace.

The three entered the main hall, with two rows of civil and military officials standing solemnly on either side. Above them, on a high throne, sat the Jade Emperor, the Great Heavenly Venerable, motionless.

Everything was new and exciting to the monkey, and it showed no fear. It shook its head and looked around.

While Venus was bowing, Ye Feng secretly glanced up.

An invisible force loomed before them. The Jade Emperor was enveloped in a golden halo, his outline barely visible, yet he exuded an indescribable pressure.

He did not use the Golden Crow Divine Eye to spy.

As far as he knew, this Jade Emperor was originally a pageboy under Hongjun, and was ordered by Heaven to take charge of the Heavenly Court. His cultivation had at least reached the Quasi-Saint realm.

Although he acts flamboyantly, he is not a fool—to provoke such beings is simply courting death.

After Venus finished his greetings, a cold voice came from above: "Are you Ye Feng and Sun Wukong from Flower Fruit Mountain below?"

The monkey hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting: "It is indeed I, Old Sun! It is indeed I, Old Sun! Greetings!"

Ye Feng also became more composed, clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "This humble Taoist is indeed Ye Feng."

"Insolence! How dare you not kneel before the Jade Emperor! Such rudeness from a mortal demon is a grave offense!"

A sharp shout suddenly rang out, and one of the civil officials jumped out from the ranks, pointing and rebuking the person on the spot.

Ye Feng glanced at the person in the front row. He didn't know the person's name, but he had silently memorized the appearance.

Judging from his position, he should be one of the Four Celestial Masters.

Not only did he speak, but one of the military generals also stepped forward. He was tall and strong with a ruddy face; he was none other than the Martial Virtue Star Lord.

He bowed and reported, "Your Majesty, those who blaspheme against the majesty of Heaven shall, according to the Heavenly Laws, be cast into the cycle of reincarnation, to be reborn as plants and trees for ten lifetimes, only then can they atone for their sins!"

Upon hearing this, the monkey's expression changed drastically, and it glared angrily at the two of them, almost unable to contain its rage.

Ye Feng's gaze darkened slightly. He was far more perceptive than a monkey; with just a few words, he sensed an undercurrent.

—Is someone unwilling for us to ascend to heaven?

He sneered inwardly, paying no heed to the impeachment accusations.

A bamboo staff quietly appeared from his sleeve, poised to strike.

Venus quickly smoothed things over: "Master Ge, Lord Wude, please don't be so harsh. You two Great Sages are true immortals born of Heaven and Earth, and have never set foot in the Heavenly Court. You are unfamiliar with etiquette and law, so ignorance is no excuse. With further instruction in the future, you will naturally understand and abide by the rules."

As he spoke, he frequently winked at Ye Feng.

He knew the monkey was a simpleton, implying it wouldn't understand, and even if it did, it wouldn't act; only Ye Feng, though arrogant, was someone he could still communicate with.

To everyone's surprise, Ye Feng stood quietly with his eyes lowered, seemingly oblivious to his gesture, even though he had clearly seen it.

The Jade Emperor remained seated, motionless, and did not speak.

The situation is deadlocked.

Instead of backing down, Ye Feng chuckled and said loudly, "My cultivation originates from Heaven and Earth, and my supernatural powers are self-realized. I only understand the Way of Heaven, not the Holy Heart. Moreover, this 'Heaven' is not that 'Heaven.' We have not yet officially joined the Heavenly Court, so how can we arbitrarily pay homage?"

"How dare you! You mortal demon, how dare you utter such arrogant words!"

This time, even Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, showed displeasure, feeling that Ye Feng was extremely arrogant and completely ignorant of his own limitations.

As the Grand Marshal of the Heavenly Court who vanquishes demons, he commands the divine soldiers of the Three Realms. At the same time, he is also a direct disciple of the ancient Buddha Dipankara of the Western Paradise. He holds a supreme position in Buddhism, in charge of the Three Thousand Jiedi and the Twenty-Four Heavens, and commands all Buddhas and Dharma protectors. He can be considered a pinnacle figure who connects the Buddhist and Taoist realms.

Despite his illustrious status, he remained extremely respectful to the Jade Emperor, daring not to overstep his bounds in the slightest.

At that moment, a surge of anger welled up within him, and he immediately ordered, "Seize Ye Feng and that monkey!"

Before the words were finished, the four marshals in the Lingxiao Palace suddenly moved out, surrounding the two of them. They brandished their golden maces, drew their swords, and opened their umbrellas, each wielding a divine weapon and striking down at the two of them.

These four are no ordinary people; they are the core warriors guarding the Lingxiao Palace. Each of them has cultivated to the late stage of the Celestial Immortal realm, and their strength is comparable to the Dragon King and the Ten Kings of Hell, making them awe-inspiring throughout the Three Realms.

Ye Feng sneered, his body remaining still. His gaze sharpened, and a golden crow dharma image suddenly appeared behind him, its wings outstretched, a clear cry piercing the air, and blazing true fire instantly engulfing the entire area, with rolling heat waves erupting like a tidal wave.

The four marshals groaned in unison, forced to retreat repeatedly by the scorching flames, their faces filled with horror.

Upon seeing this, the gods secretly sighed: "Truly, he is the reincarnation of the Golden Crow; his power is astonishing."

Ye Feng was not about to give up. He took a step forward and headed straight for Li Jing. "Did you order my arrest?"

"How dare you!" Wu De Xing Jun shouted sternly, leaping forward to protect his master and show his loyalty.

This man is a close confidant of Li Tianwang, and has always followed his lead.

Just as he gripped the golden mace tightly, before he could even make a move, a hairy-faced thunder god suddenly appeared before his eyes, baring its teeth and looking ferocious, causing him to instinctively take a step back in fright.

Before they could even stand still, they heard the whistling of the wind—an iron rod with a golden hoop fell from the sky, crashing down with the force of thunder!

He hastily raised his mace to block, but with a "crack," his wrist trembled violently, and he felt an unbearable soreness and numbness. The golden mace slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

boom!

The iron rod, still carrying considerable force, struck his head with tremendous force. Instantly, he saw stars, his primordial spirit trembled, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud. The world spun, and his consciousness nearly dissipated.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. At the same time, Ye Feng had already approached Li Jing.

Li Jing's heart skipped a beat. He had never expected that this person would dare to commit such a heinous act in the Lingxiao Palace.

The two sides were too close together for bystanders to provide assistance, so in desperation they had no choice but to use their Chinese pagoda.

This pagoda is called the "Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda". During the ancient war of the gods, he was chased by Nezha and had nowhere to run. Fortunately, the ancient Buddha Dipankara gave him this pagoda to protect him. It was specially made to restrain Nezha.

As soon as the tower left his hand, it expanded and grew larger, bursting forth with thousands of rays of light and releasing a powerful suction force, attempting to draw Ye Feng into it.

Ye Feng smiled coldly, raised his hand and took out a bamboo staff. He gently brushed it across the tower, and instantly a seven-colored light appeared. The Linglong Tower lost its brilliance and its light dimmed. It fell to the ground with a thud.

Li Jing was terrified and turned to flee, but Ye Feng caught up with him in one step, sweeping out with his bamboo staff and striking him squarely in the face with a crisp, ear-piercing sound.

His body rolled and fell to the ground on the spot, feeling dizzy, disoriented, and experiencing a metallic taste in his mouth.

The Lingxiao Palace was thrown into chaos. Ye Feng and the monkey dared to fight in this sacred place—an act of unprecedented arrogance!

The martial gods under Li Jing were particularly indignant, and they all stepped out of their ranks, their roars shaking the palace, as they tried to rush forward and surround him.

Ye Feng showed no fear. Li Jing's faction consisted mostly of blusterers; the only one truly capable of fighting was Nezha. Meanwhile, the Third Prince was hiding in a corner, covering his mouth and chuckling, making no attempt to hide his schadenfreude.

As for the true giants of Heaven—the eight principal and deputy deities—they were either absent due to duty or stood by and watched coldly.

They were all listed in the Investiture of the Gods, and were not on the same path as Li Jing, so they were naturally happy to see him in such a sorry state.

Ye Feng stood proudly in the center, holding a bamboo staff. No matter who rushed at him, he would meet them with a single blow. No matter how magical your treasure was, as long as it was swept by that bamboo staff, it would either fall from your hand and land on the ground, or shatter on the spot and turn into dust.

Strangely, with each swing, Ye Feng felt more and more that the staff was connected to his mind, its power seemed to be constantly increasing, and a sense of resonance was faintly generated.

The situation inside the Lingxiao Palace quickly reversed: initially, the gods were besieging Ye Feng, but in the blink of an eye, Ye Feng was chasing and beating everyone with his staff, creating a chaotic scene.

The monkey was extremely excited. Naturally unruly and fond of causing trouble, how could it restrain itself at such a sight? It immediately brandished its golden cudgel, sweeping left and right, knocking the gods off balance and causing them to wail in pain.

Venus, watching from the side, broke out in a cold sweat. He never expected the situation to escalate to this point. He hurriedly gave frequent winks to Wen Zhong of the Thunder Department, Luo Xuan of the Fire Department, and others, signaling them to step in and stop the situation.

However, the gods ignored it.

They were bound by the Investiture of the Gods and acted only according to the Jade Emperor's decrees. If the Jade Emperor didn't speak, even if the entire Lingxiao Palace collapsed, no one would be willing to lift a finger.

On his high throne, the Jade Emperor's expression darkened slightly, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes. He uttered two words indifferently: "Insolence."

Upon hearing this, the eight righteous gods immediately became alert and prepared to step in to quell the chaos.

At that moment, the Jade Emperor's gaze inadvertently swept over the bamboo staff in Ye Feng's hand, and the command he was about to utter was abruptly stopped, as if someone had forcibly choked him and swallowed him back.

The gods of the Jie Sect above looked at each other in bewilderment. When they looked up, they saw only a golden light covering the Jade Emperor, making it impossible to discern his expression.

Everyone was puzzled: Why did the Great Celestial Venerable only say one sentence and then fall silent again?

After a few breaths of silence in the hall, the Jade Emperor's calm voice rang out again: "Stop."

With just these two words, without the need for magical power, all the gods below immediately stopped their attacks and dared not make any further moves.

Ye Feng looked up at the high platform and slowly put away his bamboo staff.

I'm giving you this favor.

It's not that I'm afraid of you.

The commotion inside the Lingxiao Palace finally subsided, and all the divine generals and marshals sheathed their weapons and returned to their positions in formation.

Most of them were covered in dust and dirt, with blood at the corners of their mouths and their clothes and armor in disarray.

Li Jing also bent down to pick up his pagoda and silently returned to the top spot of the God of War.

But the bamboo brand on his face was still clearly visible, his skin torn and blood still wet.

Nezha coughed lightly twice, suppressing a laugh, holding the Fire-Tipped Spear firmly as he stood like a pine tree, his gaze falling on Ye Feng, finding him more and more pleasing to the eye.

Anyone who dares to hit Li Jing is considered a good person in his eyes.

Once order was restored in the hall, the Jade Emperor slowly spoke: "Although the demon immortals Ye Feng and Sun Wukong of the mortal realm behaved inappropriately, their humble origins and uncouth manners are forgivable. This time, they will not be punished, but this will not be a repeat offense. All departments should investigate any vacancies and arrange new jobs for the two."

The Jade Emperor spoke calmly, as if he were just letting it go. Although the immortals had some complaints, they dared not say anything more. Only a few close ministers were suspicious.

Ye Feng's actions just now already showed contempt for the heavenly rules. Such leniency is unlike the Jade Emperor's usual style.

But they dared not ask further, keeping their doubts to themselves.