Chapter 45: Who Among All Living Beings Dares Defy Heaven to Become the Great Sage Equaling Heaven
In the Hall of Miraculous Mist of the Heavenly Court, the Jade Emperor sat at the top with his eyes slightly lowered, revealing nothing of his thoughts. Perfected Taiyi had just finished speaking and was feeling a bit nervous, as this was essentially aligning himself completely with the Jade Emperor, signaling his intent to help eliminate Sun Wukong.
Venus Tai Bai, on the other hand, felt troubled. Although he didn't know exactly how things unfolded, he understood that Perfected Taiyi's account was largely accurate. After all, Sun Wukong had indeed inquired about the High Sun Officer during their journey to the heavens. He hadn't imagined those two brothers would be bold enough to storm the Hall of Miraculous Mist and kill the High Sun Officer. The revelation left him too shocked for words, so he kept his head lowered without speaking further.
Meanwhile, upon hearing what had happened, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, Li Jing, felt a sense of grievance. Realizing he was merely a victim in this scheme, he immediately leapt up to loudly insist that Your Majesty must severely punish the brothers, Sun Wukong and his sibling, by capturing and executing them to set an example. Naturally, the uprising at Flower Fruit Mountain in the mortal world could not be overlooked, and they should dispatch a hundred thousand heavenly troops to quell it.
The other celestial ministers and generals, seeing an opportunity to demonstrate their loyalty, each stepped forward, loudly advocating for the punishment of Sun Wukong and calling for his immediate capture and execution, as well as the dispatch of troops to Flower Fruit Mountain to capture the black-furred monkey.
For a while, the Great Hall of Miraculous Mist resembled a busy marketplace, filled with clamor and shouting, with everyone vying to express themselves. Yet notably, no one volunteered to lead the troops to the mortal realm.
Sensing the growing unrest, the Jade Emperor slightly lifted his eyes and spoke in a calm, unwavering voice: "Venus Tai Bai, go summon Sun Wukong to the hall for questioning. If the accusations are confirmed, arrest and execute him immediately, and then send troops to Flower Fruit Mountain."
Instantly, the Great Hall of Miraculous Mist fell silent, leaving Venus Tai Bai alone with a sense of dread. How was he supposed to summon Great King Sun Wukong once more? It was not an easy task. Resigned, he accepted the order and went forth.
At this time, Sun Wukong remained unaware that his two brothers had inadvertently "set him up." The heavenly realm was vast and expansive, and the Jade Emperor's stables could not be too far nor too close. Sun Wukong had no interest in the Bimawen position; his mind was preoccupied with plotting how to take down the High Sun Officer before returning to Flower Fruit Mountain to enjoy his freedom. The notion of rebellion had not even crossed his mind.
Just as he arrived at the stables, Venus Tai Bai hurried over in a rush.
Seeing Venus Tai Bai becoming increasingly agreeable to his eyes, Sun Wukong immediately greeted him with a grin, "Old Star, why have you followed me? Could it be that after just half a day, you already miss me?"
Venus Tai Bai, flustered, replied, "Don't speak nonsense. Come quickly back with me to the Hall of Miraculous Mist; Your Majesty wishes to see you."
Sun Wukong's eyes twinkled, and he said, "So soon? It must be that they want to promote me."
Venus Tai Bai, however, remained silent, taking his hand and leading him away. Only when they were in a secluded spot did he hastily explain the situation.
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong broke into unrestrained laughter. After his laughter subsided, he looked at Venus Tai Bai and said, "In that case, there's no need for me to stay in the heavenly realm. I will return to be the Great King of Flower Fruit Mountain. Old Star, what do you intend to do?"
This last question from Sun Wukong was regarding their wager.
Venus Tai Bai shook his head with a sigh and said, "Great King Sun Wukong, if you wish to leave, there is nothing Taibai can do to stop you. As for that matter, Taibai will repay you in the future. Please, Great King Sun Wukong, go on."
Sun Wukong, not being foolish, immediately understood Venus Tai Bai's implication and then turned to leave the heavenly realm.
It's important to note that descending from the heavens or ascending is not as simple as saying so. Immortals of the heavenly realm can descend freely to the mortal realm, but mortals must reach the true immortal realm to ascend to the heavens. Of course, countless demon kings below could also reach the heavenly realm, provided they aren't afraid of being subdued. Moreover, there are laws in the heavens that prohibit unauthorized descent to the mortal realm.
At this moment, Shi Yue was unaware that both the heavenly realm and the mortal realm, as well as the Netherworld Underworld, concealed some unprecedented Da Luo-level beings.
In particular, the heavenly realm's powers were far from the superficial portrayal of clowns. Beyond the central Supreme Jade Emperor of the Mysterious Heavens, there were the Northern Polar Purple Tenuity Emperor, Southern Longevity Emperor, Western True Martial Emperor, and Eastern Qingyang Emperor, any of whom were beyond his current ability to contend with.
After facing off with the Queen Mother of the West in the air for a long time—until she returned to the Jade Pool Celestial Palace—and after waiting another three days without any movement, he quietly descended from the heavenly realm and flew directly toward Flower Fruit Mountain.
He also had a lurking feeling that, due to the butterfly effect triggered by his actions, the small-scale invasion by the Heavenly Court against Flower Fruit Mountain might happen sooner than expected, so he didn't dare linger and flew straight to Flower Fruit Mountain.
At this time, the aura of the entire mortal realm had drastically changed, with an eerie silence enveloping it, as if all the demons had retreated, clearly indicating that countless factions had received news. Remember, many of the demons encountered along the Journey to the West are from the celestial realm.
Since he had arrived in this era and become Sun Wukong's brother, Shi Yue was not afraid of any grand spectacle. Regardless of the outcome, he was determined to deliver a performance to terrify all heavenly deities and the three realms alike—the banner of Flower Fruit Mountain must not fall! Even destined failure and capture, or the massacre of a million demon soldiers, must at least deliver a shocking blow. I, Shi Yue, will defy the heavens; anyone who schemes against my brothers will find no end with me.
Soaring through the clouds, Shi Yue's gaze grew more resolute. Exercising his cloud-riding technique to the fullest, he reached Flower Fruit Mountain in no time.
At that moment, Flower Fruit Mountain, though its towering presence had long been concealed by the Six Jia Divination Formation he set, still emanated an incredible aura, as if harboring a monstrous beast, confirming to him that Six Paths was indeed extraordinary.
In appearance, he seemed unchanged from before; Sun Wukong wore golden armor, a golden crown, and cloud boots, embodying the title of Monkey King. The Six-Eared Macaque, Six Paths, appeared as a more ferocious version of Sun Wukong, and standing together, they resembled true brothers.
Shi Yue, covered in black fur and clad in just an apron—what he called the beauty of violence—possessed a body seemingly brimming with explosive strength, like an apocalyptic King Kong. Especially when the purple gleam flickered in his eyes, it left both Sun Wukong and Six Paths feeling uneasy, as if exposed under his gaze.
Ordinary small demons would instinctively tremble with just one look from him, but for Flower Fruit Mountain's million demon soldiers, it was different. To them, Shi Yue was the sky, their innate sanctity, the most mysterious Great King, and the most revered grand demon king!
With one step forward, Shi Yue suddenly appeared inside Water Curtain Cave. Sun Wukong and The Six-Eared Macaque Six Paths were both there, and upon seeing Shi Yue, their eyes brightened with joy. Sun Wukong burst into laughter, saying, "I never imagined all three of us brothers would ascend to the Heavenly Court together, nor did I expect that the High Sun Officer was actually the Jade Emperor's illegitimate son, and now Six Paths has beaten him to death, utterly destroying his soul. This must have infuriated that old Jade Emperor. I didn't expect you to be so bold! That one sentence you said, I wouldn't dare say it myself. This time, I'm truly impressed by you, brother."
Clearly, Sun Wukong was in an excellent mood, even standing up to circle Shi Yue twice.
Shi Yue's eyes flashed with a smile, and he suddenly asked, "I fear trouble is not far off. Are you afraid, brother?"
Sun Wukong waved his hand dismissively, saying, "Brother, you underestimate me. That old Jade Emperor is nothing much. What should I fear? If it comes to war, Flower Fruit Mountain has a million demon soldiers and the three of us brothers. We're not afraid of the Heavenly Court!"
The Six-Eared Macaque Six Paths also nodded and smiled, saying, "Six Paths looks to you two elder brothers as leaders and fears not confronting the Heavenly Court. Even if it means death, there will be no regret."
Sun Wukong waved his hand and laughed again, "Six Paths, your words are a bit demoralizing. With the three of us having our divine powers, it doesn't mean we will lose to the Heavenly Court. Let's see when they dare to come; we'll know the outcome in a battle."
"Alright!"
Shi Yue couldn't help but shout energetically, "Today, let the three of us brothers celebrate together."
At that, Flower Fruit Mountain's steward, Taibai, immediately prepared a feast for the three Great Kings. Unexpectedly, during the feast, a demon general came to report that a Unihorn Ghost King had arrived at Flower Fruit Mountain, requesting an audience with Great King Sun Wukong.
Shi Yue's eyes flashed immediately, thinking how things were unfolding according to the usual course. He couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation. Was everything about to begin? He kept quiet, waiting to see what would happen.
Soon, under the leadership of Flower Fruit Mountain's chief guard, Grey-haired Chaos, a robust man with a single horn on his head, dark green skin, and a fierce appearance entered Water Curtain Cave. He was indeed worthy of the name Unihorn Ghost King, a terrifying figure that would surely frighten mortals, possessing the strength of an Earthly Immortal.
Shi Yue's gaze flickered briefly, but he remained silent. Sun Wukong directly asked, "Are you the Unihorn Ghost King? What business do you have with me?"
The Unihorn Ghost King immediately knelt on the ground and said, "I've long heard that the Great King of Flower Fruit Mountain recruits talents but have never had the chance to meet. Now seeing Great King Sun Wukong triumphantly return with heavenly credentials, I offer this crimson-yellow robe to celebrate with the Great King and to serve in whatever humble way I can."
As he spoke, the Unihorn Ghost King suddenly presented a crimson-yellow robe with both hands, resembling the Jade Emperor's own golden dragon robe, gleaming with subtle golden light. This instantly caught Sun Wukong's eye, filling him with joy as he accepted the Unihorn Ghost King's gift.
Then the Unihorn Ghost King asked, "What position did the Great King attain in the heavens?"
Sun Wukong's eyes darted mischievously as he waved his hand nonchalantly, saying, "That old Jade Emperor didn't recognize my powers and only gave me a petty position as Bimawen, so I returned."
The Unihorn Ghost King was shocked, exclaiming, "I've heard of the Great King's immense powers. How could they place you to tend horses? Why not take the title 'The Great Sage Equal to Heaven' instead?"
🌟 Welcome to Kaikai's Patreon! 🌟
📚 Explore the captivating web novel "Journey to the West (Black Myth)" by DaoistaHADNk and embark on a journey filled with mystery and adventure.
✨ Enjoy 1 free chapter every day and immerse yourself
🙏 If you love my work and want to support this fanfiction, I sincerely invite you to join our community and share your support and enthusiasm. This will help us create even more exciting content.
💥 Patreon Exclusive: By becoming a member, you can immediately unlock all content updated up to Chapter 109
🔗 Visit now and subscribe for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/collection/721184
Your support is the driving force behind creating wonderful things. Let's embark on this extraordinary literary journey together!