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

Of the four marshals, Yi Sheng is dead, and the remaining two are similar to him. Even if they possess the Divine Fiend Nails, they cannot get close to the Golden Crow.

Just as they were wondering, a person slowly walked out from behind the palace.

This man was dressed in a crimson Taoist robe, with an ancient and unsophisticated face. His aura was as deep as the sea, and with each step he took, heaven and earth seemed to resonate with him, and Taoist rhythms flowed around him. If one closed their eyes to perceive him, it was as if there was nothing in the void, and they could not detect him at all.

Marshal Tianyou's mind trembled violently—this was a Great Luo Golden Immortal!

In this world, there are very few Great Immortals. Taoists call them Heavenly Venerables, Buddhists call them Bodhisattvas or even Buddhas, and even the Heavenly Court has only a handful of them.

He had never heard of this person before. In other words, he was definitely not affiliated with the Heavenly Court.

Where did the Great Emperor find such a person?

When Gou Chen saw him appear, he also composed himself, cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Fellow Daoist Chisongzi, thank you for waiting so long."

Red pine nuts?

Marshal Tianyou was deeply shaken and almost speechless.

How could he not know this name?

A peerless sage at the end of the primordial era, during the early rise of humankind. He assisted Shennong in pacifying the various tribes and was personally appointed by Emperor Yan as the Ancient Rain Master, possessing profound and all-encompassing Taoist cultivation.

When the Yellow Emperor fought against Chiyou, his figure was also seen traversing the battlefield.

After Chi You's defeat and death, the human race's fortunes flourished irreversibly. Chi Songzi, having accomplished his mission, retired and disappeared with his merits, thus becoming a legend.

Who would have thought that he would appear here today!

Chisongzi dared not be arrogant and returned the greeting, saying, "Your Majesty, there is no need for such formality. I have come here only to repay a debt of karma. After the matter is settled, our grudges will be even."

Gouchen nodded: "That's only right. Fellow Daoist, please accept this treasure."

With a wave of his hand, one hundred and eight Netherworld Demonic Nails flew out and landed in Chisongzi's hand.

Chisongzi stared at it for a moment, then sighed and said, "The weapon of the Wu tribe is extremely malevolent, violating the harmony of heaven and reversing the balance of yin and yang. In the past, I was an enemy of the Wu tribe, but I never thought that I would personally wield their evil weapon today."

Emperor Gouchen slowly spoke: "The appearance of the Golden Crow has stirred up demonic energy across the four seas, and unusual movements have occurred in all four continents. This is a sign that a great calamity is about to begin. If you, fellow Daoist, can eliminate it before the chaos takes hold, thus averting the disaster, it will be an immeasurable merit. As for the magical treasures used, they are merely minor details and need not be concerned."

……

Chisongzi nodded slightly, without expressing any further doubts.

Emperor Gouchen turned around and ordered, "Tianyou, take Daoist Chisongzi to Li Jing and convey my decree—I have heard that Huaguo Mountain has defied the laws of Heaven and is furious. I intend to eliminate the demon and bring peace to the world."

Marshal Tianyou accepted the order and then left side by side with Chisongzi.

After the two figures disappeared into the distance, Gouchen stood in front of the hall, his hands behind his back, silently gazing at the ancient scroll hanging behind him, his eyes as deep as an abyss.

At the same time, inside the Pixiang Hall.

The Jade Emperor had just finished court, removed his crown and changed into ordinary clothes. He had barely sat down when a celestial official led Venus into the room.

The Star Lord Chang Geng stepped forward steadily, bowed respectfully, and said, "Greetings, Great Heavenly Venerable."

He then looked up and asked, "I wonder what instructions the Great Celestial Venerable has for summoning this old minister?"

……

A moment later, all the celestial officials and fairies who had been standing in the hall withdrew, leaving only the Jade Emperor and Venus standing facing each other.

Taibai felt a chill run down his spine, sensing that the atmosphere was unusual.

The Jade Emperor asked softly, "Chang Geng, what is your opinion on the matter of Flower Fruit Mountain?"

Venus lowered his eyes and pondered repeatedly the deeper meaning behind the question.

After much deliberation, still not daring to make a hasty judgment, he cautiously replied, "Huaguo Mountain has violated the Heavenly Rules, and the Great Heavenly Venerable has already dispatched heavenly troops to subdue it. Wherever the thunderbolts strike, it is reduced to ashes in an instant. This matter is settled; how dare this old minister offer any further opinions?"

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's lips curled into a faint smile, a smile that was neither a smile nor a laugh: "You old man, you dare to evade and evade in front of me. Fine, I won't force you to speak frankly."

He paused, his tone turning cold: "After Li Jing's defeat, you should petition again at the next court assembly to summon Ye Feng and Sun Wukong to the Heavenly Court."

Venus was taken aback and looked up at the Jade Emperor: "Great Heavenly Venerable?"

But he was quick-witted and had already deduced several possibilities in an instant. He stopped asking questions and simply bowed and replied, "I will obey the decree of the Great Heavenly Venerable."

The Jade Emperor nodded. What he was most pleased with about Taibai was that the man was intelligent and insightful, and could understand things intuitively without needing to be explicitly stated.

Taibai straightened up, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Since the Great Celestial Venerable intends to appease us, why has he mobilized so many experts this time? The elites of the Thunder Department and Fire Department have all been dispatched; they are all pillars of the Heavenly Court. What if Flower Fruit Mountain cannot withstand this...?"

The Jade Emperor's smile deepened, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"If you can't bear it, that's just your fate."

Venus paused slightly, opened his mouth, but ultimately could not utter a sound.

A familiar feeling suddenly welled up in my heart—fate is like a knife, cutting people invisibly.

Ye Feng had never personally witnessed these celestial events.

Although he was unaware of the details, it did not mean that no one in Huaguo Mountain knew the truth.

Returning to his own palace, he initially found it to be quiet and elegant. However, having lived in the Heavenly Realm for many days, he immediately felt that the place was cramped and narrow, and rather shabby, when compared to the grandeur of the Thai Royal Palace.

He sat cross-legged on the cloud bed, first activating the restrictions around the palace, and then chanting incantations in a low voice.

Before long, a figure stepped into the hall from the void—it was Di Ting.

This strange beast, which had not yet taken human form, had bright, piercing eyes. Upon seeing Ye Feng, it laughed and said, "You've been enjoying a life of luxury in the Heavenly Palace, yet you still have the mind to return?"

Ye Feng chuckled: "It's true that you enjoy a peaceful life, but I wouldn't call it wealth. There are too many rules in that Heavenly Palace. Staying there temporarily is fine, but staying for a long time would probably make you sick from boredom."

Di Ting grinned: "You bird are really cunning. It was clearly that monkey who caused the huge disaster, forcing you to rebel against the Heavenly Court. Now you're pretending to be helpless to coax me."

Ye Feng glanced at him sideways: "Since you know, why ask? Let me ask you—how many troops did the Heavenly Court send this time? Who is the commander? Who are the key figures in the formation?"

Di Ting put away his laughter and began to speak seriously.

He could hear the three realms and all phenomena of the mortal world. Except for the sacred sites of saints, which were beyond his reach, he could see all other realms as clearly as the lines on the palm of his hand.

Of course, he was also wary of the supreme beings around him, such as the Jade Emperor and Buddha, and dared not listen for long, lest he be discovered.

He had complete control over all affairs of the Heavenly Court outside of the Lingxiao Palace.

After finishing his explanation, Ye Feng frowned slightly.

"What a grand gesture... If I hadn't been here, that monkey would probably not have escaped this calamity."

He stroked his chin, lost in thought.

In my memory, in the original Journey to the West, when the Monkey King rebelled against the Heavenly Court for the first time, the Jade Emperor only appointed Li Jing as the leader, with Nezha accompanying him, and a giant spirit god to fill the scene.

Of the entire expeditionary force, only Nezha was truly capable of fighting.

The Giant Spirit God wasn't even considered a mid-level general in the Heavenly Court; he was just there to make up the numbers.

In contrast, the current scene is one of all-out attack, with murderous intent fully revealed.

Di Ting listened to his contemplation and then added, "It's not just the Jade Emperor who's making a move; the Great Emperor Gouchen has also taken action. He invited Chi Songzi—who is a Great Luo Golden Immortal—and brought with him the 'Divine Fiend Nail' from the Xuanming Tribe of the Wu Clan. This nail is specifically designed to counter the True Fire of the Sun, and it was tailor-made for you; it can be considered your nemesis."

Ye Feng snorted coldly: "This Gou Chen is truly persistent; even when I don't go looking for him, he keeps coming back to haunt me!"

Di Ting continued in a low voice, "The matter is far more complicated than that. Besides Chi Songzi, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is also truly enraged—after you destroyed his temple, he rushed to the Western Paradise to seek help from Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, and also borrowed the golden cymbals from the Buddha of the East."

"He was unable to act because you were accompanying the Monkey King to the Heavenly Court at the time, and the opportunity was not yet ripe. Now that the Three Realms are in turmoil and the Heavenly Court has sent troops to conquer them, he will surely take the opportunity to intervene, intending to capture you and take you to the West to use as a mount to suppress you. You must be extra careful, as the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta is an attendant of Amitabha Buddha and is himself a Great Golden Immortal."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Feng's eyelids twitched slightly.

This is a bit too much...

But he remained calm, already calculating in his mind. Now that he knew the enemy's situation, he was not afraid of devising a countermeasure.

Di Ting finished speaking in one breath, staring intently at him. Seeing his calm and unwavering expression, he couldn't help but ask, "Tell me the truth, is there any chance of winning? If we can't hold him off, I'd better run away first. If I'm really captured by that monk and have to go back to Ksitigarbha's side, I'd rather die than live like that again."

Ye Feng looked up at him and suddenly smiled: "Then go ahead and run. Let me tell you, with your physique, if you leave Flower Fruit Mountain, you will be discovered by Ksitigarbha within ten years and captured in an instant."

"Even if you are intelligent and quick-witted, with ears that can hear in all directions, how many powerful beings exist in the Four Continents? And countless others covet your talent. If they were immortals or Buddhas, it would be better; at most, they would place a restriction on you and take you as a mount. But if you fall into the hands of demons or the demonic path..."

His voice lowered, tinged with a sinister smile: "I'm afraid I'll have to skin you alive, tear out your tendons, and refine your soul, just to steal your ability to hear the myriad realms."

Di Ting felt a chill run down his spine and couldn't help but shiver: "Good heavens, I'm on a pirate ship now, and I can't get off."

Seeing that his intimidation had worked, Ye Feng softened his tone and said with a smile, "Don't panic. Once I succeed in this great undertaking, I will find a way out for you, so that you can travel through the Three Realms without having to hide anymore. For now, you should just rest and recuperate in Flower Fruit Mountain."

Di Ting's eyes flickered, and though he didn't say anything, he thought to himself: I just think this whole thing is going to fall through, that's why I'm trying to run away.

He never said those words.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Di Ting bowed and took his leave.

After he left, Ye Feng sat alone in the hall and began to carefully consider the current situation.

According to Di Ting, although the Heavenly Court is constantly troubled, it does not have any truly top-tier experts in charge, so it can still manage.

However, the alliance between Emperor Gouchen and Buddhism presents an extremely difficult challenge. Two Great Immortals have personally arrived, and they also possess powerful magical treasures such as golden cymbals.

If handled improperly, the entire situation could be lost.

As he pondered, he waved his long sleeves, and twelve blood-red flagpoles rose into the air, forming an array in front of him—

In an instant, boundless malevolent energy burst forth, eroding the minds of all things, and the heavens and earth changed color.

The Great Array of Heavenly Gods and Demons was his trump card.

In terms of power, when this formation is fully activated, it surpasses even the Primordial Heaven-Slaying Sword and the Demon Emperor Sword.

On the flag, the phantom of the Ancestral Witch appeared and disappeared, but the flag of Emperor Jiang alone had already taken on a somewhat solid form.

Ye Feng held out one hand, and a drop of crimson blood slowly appeared. The drop of blood contained overwhelming killing intent; just looking at it caused one's killing intent to surge, almost driving one to madness.

This blood weighs more than ten thousand jin (a unit of weight), containing vast energy, as if it could contain a whole world.

It was the essence blood of the Ancestral Witch—a reward previously bestowed by the system.

For more than a month, he dared not use it, for fear of disturbing the master.

This substance is an invaluable medicine for the Wu tribe, but it is a deadly poison to others. Its power is violent and chaotic, and if one is not careful, it will backfire on them.

However, Ye Feng, who wields the Dutian Divine Fiend Formation, is able to turn its destructive power into a useful one.

He flicked his fingertip and threw the drop of blood toward the Emperor Jiang Banner.