Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

Vajra Mantra!

As the mysterious woman in black suddenly launched an attack, clearly intent on killing Jiang Ziya, Jiang Liu reacted swiftly, casting a Vajra Mantra skill on Jiang Ziya.

The special effect of her Silver Phoenix Hairpin could ignore 95% of the opponent's defense, but likewise, Jiang Liu's Vajra Mantra skill could ignore 80% of the opponent's attack power.

It's somewhat like using the strongest spear against the strongest shield.

The attack of this Silver Phoenix Hairpin landed directly on Jiang Ziya, causing some damage, but judging by the decrease of the health bar above Jiang Ziya's head, it wasn't significant enough to be concerned about.

"How is this possible? My Silver Phoenix Hairpin's attack..." Originally, the mysterious woman believed that her successful hit on Jiang Ziya should have been enough to kill him. Yet, it had failed to be effective?

Whoosh!

However, there was no time for the mysterious woman to be shocked. After her strike, Sun Wukong swiftly reacted, swinging his Ruyi Golden Cudgel towards her.

She raised her Silver Phoenix Hairpin to block, but the mysterious woman in black was swept away by Sun Wukong's blow.

The power of the Silver Phoenix Hairpin lies mainly in its special effects.

In terms of rank, this woman was no match for Sun Wukong.

In terms of physical strength, she was even less of a match for him.

Even the additional attack power from the Silver Phoenix Hairpin couldn't compare to the Jingu Bang.

Obviously, in a contest of strength, it was a complete rout. The woman was directly swept away by Sun Wukong's blow.

Since he had already engaged, Sun Wukong naturally had no intention to show mercy. After sweeping the opponent away with one blow, he immediately followed up, raising his Ruyi Golden Cudgel again.

Seeing Sun Wukong easily overpowering the mysterious woman, Jiang Liu felt assured and turned his attention to Jiang Ziya.

Noticing Jiang Ziya's dire condition and the unpromising state of his health bar, Jiang Liu raised his Thunder Halberd and swung it towards Jiang Ziya.

The Guanyin Mantra skill landed on Jiang Ziya's head, instantly restoring a portion of his health bar.

"Thank you, master, for saving me!" Feeling the miracle of Jiang Liu's Guanyin Mantra, Jiang Ziya marveled inwardly and verbally expressed his gratitude.

Whoosh!

Regardless of how much Jiang Ziya was grateful for narrowly escaping death, on the other side, the mysterious woman in black, who failed in her assassination attempt on Jiang Ziya and was swept away by Sun Wukong, realized she was no match for him and had no intention of lingering any longer.

"This Great Sage Equal to Heaven indeed possesses the ability to cause Havoc in Heaven now. I must leave!" Glancing at Jiang Liu, who hadn't even made a move yet, while she was already being suppressed by Sun Wukong, the woman muttered to herself before turning to flee.

With her skills, she couldn't even handle Sun Wukong, let alone both Sun Wukong and Xuanzang.

After all, even Emperor Ziwei, one of the Four Royals, fell to Xuanzang. How could she possibly contend with them?

"Stop!"

Seeing the woman overwhelmed and turning to flee, Sun Wukong shouted and chased after her.

But the woman swung her Silver Phoenix Hairpin backward.

Instantly, countless sparkling points of starlight rushed towards Sun Wukong.

When Sun Wukong swung his Jingu Bang to shatter all the starlight, he looked again, only to find that the woman's figure had disappeared without a trace.

"Hmph, she escaped quickly enough!" Now that she was gone, Sun Wukong had no intention of pursuing further, but still uttered in dissatisfaction.

"Alright, let her escape then..." Jiang Liu remarked after glancing at Sun Wukong.

It's just a Daluo Golden Immortal; he's encountered them countless times in dungeons, hardly something to lament over.

"Hey, old man, didn't expect we'd meet again!" Sun Wukong withdrew his Jingu Bang and approached Jiang Ziya with a smile, greeting him.

"Hmm, Great Sage Sun, we meet again!" Jiang Ziya nodded in response.

"I wonder why you were being pursued? Who was that pursuing you?" After saving Jiang Ziya, Jiang Liu immediately asked him.

"Although I have some guesses, I lack concrete evidence, so I can't say for certain..." Jiang Ziya's expression was grim, and after a moment of silence, he replied.

"Since you have some speculations, then speak them out!" Sun Wukong, beside him, felt a bit impatient, and said.

"Indeed, since there are speculations in your heart, there's no harm in speaking them out!" Jiang Liu agreed with Sun Wukong's words, nodded at Jiang Ziya.

"Well then, since Great Sage and Holy Monk both want to know, I'll tell you..."

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Ziya nodded somewhat helplessly.

Since he decided to speak, Jiang Ziya did not just reveal the identity of the other party, but began from the start, recounting what happened to him to Jiang Liu and others in detail.

"Back then, as the person of destiny in the Fengshen War, I led soldiers of the Great Zhou Dynasty to attack King Zhou of Shang, and finally achieved victory..." Jiang Ziya said, a trace of reminiscence on his brow.

Beside him, Jiang Liu nodded cooperatively, not speaking, but focused his gaze on Jiang Ziya, waiting for him to continue.

"After the war ended, there was a massive deification, and many who died in battle were listed on the Investiture of the Gods, deified as Immortal Gods!"

"Although some of the deified Immortal Gods were from the Shang Dynasty's army, they were few; most were from our Great Zhou Dynasty's soldiers. Therefore, in the Heavenly Court, countless Immortal Officials and Divine Generals could be considered my disciples in a sense."

"Hmm, this reasoning is correct!" Jiang Liu agreed after hearing Jiang Ziya's explanation.

Just like ancient scholars participating in examinations, the chief examiner could be viewed as a teacher to those who made the list, sharing some bonds of incense and affection.

Not to mention that many of the deified Immortal Gods had originally fought alongside Jiang Ziya!

"After deifying countless Immortal Gods, I was left with empty hands, unable to enjoy the Immortal Path."

"Originally, I was prepared for this. Before I descended from Mount Kunlun, my master told me that I wouldn't enjoy the Immortal Path in this life, but would only enjoy the splendor in the Mortal World!" Jiang Ziya continued.

"However, I later discovered that besides being an Immeasurable Kalpa, the Fengshen War was also a conspiracy, an astonishing conspiracy. Originally, the Mortal World was ruled by the Human Emperor, but after the Fengshen War, there was no Human Emperor anymore..."

"Since I'm in the Mortal World, I am naturally a part of it. With the Human Emperor gone, the Jade Emperor now controls the three realms, which is something I naturally have to question."

"After all, the Fengshen War was led by me..."

"But when I went to the Heavenly Court to demand an explanation, the Jade Emperor did not give me a satisfactory answer, and instead, captured me and threw me into the Buddhist Sect's prison..."

"Turns out, the Heavenly Court and Buddhist Sect had long planned this, and the Fengshen War was just a facade, a chance for them. Seizing this opportunity, the Jade Emperor went from ruling the Heaven to ruling the three realms, and the Buddhist Sect also converted three thousand Worldly Guests, strengthening themselves!"

At the end of his account, thick resentment poured from Jiang Ziya's being, and he spoke with hatred.

"So that's why..."

Jiang Liu had always been curious about why Jiang Ziya was imprisoned, and now it seemed that the truth was indeed because of this.

Jade Emperor exploiting the Fengshen War to nearly abolish the Human Emperor was known to Jiang Liu.

He hadn't expected Jiang Ziya to want to overturn this.

Though Jiang Ziya's cultivation level wasn't high, as a level 60, he hadn't even reached the Heavenly Immortal Realm, but because of the Fengshen War, many Immortal Officials and Divine Generals in the Heavenly Court bore him friendships.

If he really acted, the Jade Emperor would be quite troubled, so capturing Jiang Ziya and imprisoning him was reasonable.

"Heh, indeed, those high-and-mighty Immortals and Buddhas are no good, it's the same with Tathagata the old, and the same with the Jade Emperor old man..."

Listening to Jiang Ziya recount his experiences, Sun Wukong sympathetically laughed coldly and spoke sarcastically.

"Master Xuanzang, you are smart to have long seen through the facade of the Immortals and Buddhas, and thus decided to resist early!" Jiang Ziya turned his gaze to Jiang Liu and praised.

Facing Jiang Ziya, Jiang Liu did not deny his rebellion against the Immortals and Buddhas. Instead, he nodded and extended an invitation: "So, would you be willing to join forces with me, Jiang Ziya senior?"

It was Jiang Liu's second invitation. The last time he invited, Jiang Ziya had just escaped from prison and declined, wandering the world.

"Join forces? With your current means, you should be able to protect yourselves under the Immortals and Buddhas, right?" Jiang Liu officially extended the invitation, but Jiang Ziya asked curiously.

"No, our goal is not merely self-preservation!" Jiang Liu shook his head and said.

"Not just self-preservation? Then what is your goal?" Jiang Ziya asked with surprise.

"Our goal is to restore the Human Emperor and overthrow the sky-filling Immortals and Buddhas!" Jiang Liu frankly stated.