Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

At the same time, reports of the battle at Huaguo Mountain had reached the desk of the Jade Emperor. He frowned and said, "These fellows have really lived up to expectations, sneaky and cunning, unwilling to exert effort."

"Had we not anticipated this? Otherwise, why would we have clutched the nine-thousand-year-old Peaches of Immortality to ourselves? After all, they're not our direct lineage. They've harbored grudges over the years. Otherwise, why would they have pushed us to undergo rebirth through tribulation?

It was precisely these people who resented being listed on the Investiture of the Gods and losing their freedom."

"Now, with the imminent changes in the Three Realms, it's normal that these people have started plotting. We must focus on cultivating our own loyalists. It's a pity that, despite our offers, these people with their profound backgrounds have turned a blind eye to us," said the Queen Mother of the West as she walked out from behind the screen and began to gently massage the Jade Emperor's temples.

"The Saints have resolved to replay the chaos of the primordial world, and we will inevitably lose our supreme status between heaven and earth. We must seize the opportunity to strengthen our forces," sighed the Jade Emperor, thinking that he had not easily used his power to achieve his current status. Now, though, he was reluctant to give it up.

Just then, the two of them heard a crisp sound. It turned out that General Juan Lian, in a moment of carelessness, had shattered a Glazed Lantern, and both turned their gaze toward this seemingly honest and stout general.

"Did you hear anything?"

The Jade Emperor's icy words sent a chill through Juan Lian. As the Jade Emperor's guardsman, he considered himself somewhat familiar with the supreme ruler of the Three Realms, a monarch with sky-reaching mana, adept at forbearance and schooled in strategy. As the nominal ruler of the Three Realms, he certainly qualified, even the highly renowned Great Emperor Zhen Wu had to bow his head to him.

However, the words just exchanged between the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother unsettled him, the secrets infused in those few phrases excited yet frightened him, inadvertently causing him to break the Glazed Lantern nearby.

"This servant deserves death. I heard nothing just now. I beg Your Majesty for forgiveness!" he said, hurriedly kowtowing.

The Jade Emperor inwardly chided himself for his carelessness, habituated to his unrivaled status, he had not realized the presence of General Juan Lian beside him.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Yet this news absolutely could not be spread. It was an agreement made with the Saints. Only by guarding this secret could he calmly execute his plans, amassing enough resources to face the crisis on the approaching day.

"Remember, today you heard nothing," said the Jade Emperor, his words like a cold wind from the Nine Heavens, chilling to the bone yet providing Juan Lian with a sigh of relief that at least his life was spared.

"However, while the death sentence may be spared, the offense of shattering the Glazed Lantern cannot be forgiven. Summon the guards to take Juan Lian down and give him eight hundred lashes before casting him into the mortal world," Juan Lian realized with terror that he was unable to speak a word, foolishly allowing the Heavenly Soldiers outside to drag him away.

"After all, he's an old servant who has followed me for a long time. A proper reason is needed!" murmured the Jade Emperor, rubbing his forehead.

"I understand Juan Lian's nature as well. Honest and loyal, he probably doesn't have the courage to spread rumors. Just in case, Your Majesty can punish him in the name of discipline, and use the Flying Sword to pierce him, preventing him from reaching shore," the couple swiftly decided Juan Lian's fate in a brief exchange.

Meanwhile, at the South Sea's Putuo Luojia Mountain, the compassionate and merciful Bodhisattva Guanyin, having been invited by the Queen Mother to the Peach Banquet, ascended with her eldest disciple Muzha to the Treasure Pavilion in the Jade Pool, where they saw the chaotic scene of the assembly—a prelude to the subsequent matter involving Yang Jian, which I will not delve into here.

Not to mention, upon receiving orders from the Heavenly Court, Yang Jian immediately perked up, taking the Six Brothers of Meishan and twelve hundred grassroots gods in front of his tent towards Huaguo Mountain.

"Congratulations, Brother Yang, on soon achieving what you desire!" The Six Brothers of Meishan had a brotherly bond with Yang Jian and naturally knew that their own elder brother was currently struggling at the threshold of the Five Qi towards the Primordial, urgently needing a vigorous and fierce battle.

That day, upon hearing what Lu Yu said, they knew this battle should be wagered on the Monkey."

"I don't know if this Monkey's as formidable as Lu Yu claimed, but being able to retreat from the battle against unnumbered immortal gods is not an achievement of the undeservedly reputed." Full of fighting spirit, Yang Jian saw the upcoming battle not as a means to wash away the shame of the Heavenly Court but as an opportunity to catch a glimpse of fate."

The crowd moved mightily towards Huaguo Mountain, and from a distance, they saw a hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers surrounding the mountain so tightly that not a drop of water could leak through, with eighteen Heavenly Nets stretching between heaven and earth.

"My goodness, such a grand sight indeed. No wonder the Monkey dares to call himself the Great Sage Equalling Heaven."

"If he weren't so capable, how could he contend with our big brother?"

Excited, Yang Jian found that the more seriously the Heavenly Court took the situation, the stronger proof it provided of the prowess of his opponent. It had been a long time since he had anticipated a battle this much.

Li Tianwang had heard of Yang Jian's arrival and had already brought Nezha and the Star Lords to meet him, only to hear him laugh loudly, "Erlang, it has been a while. Today, we can finally see your former splendor again."

The surrounding Star Lords were also eager for a good show, as most of them were veterans from the Investiture of the Gods. They had all seen the power of Yang Jian's Eight-Nine Profound Art.

Since peace settled across the three realms, this once War God-like figure had not really taken action for a long time, and they were curious to see just how far this direct disciple from the Jade Void has come nowadays.

"Is that Monkey truly so troublesome?" What Yang Jian cared about was the Monkey's fighting strength, as he turned to inquire with Nezha who had previously battled with the Monkey.

"This Monkey has learned some Divine Skills from who knows where; his physical body is unyielding and his Primordial Spirit is strong. If it weren't for the apparent difference from your Eight-Nine Profound Art, Brother Yang, I would have thought another had learned it.

Moreover, he is cunning, versatile and possesses a variety of combat Divine Skills, truly very difficult to handle," Nezha recalled his encounter with the Monkey and had to admit the Monkey was indeed a top-notch Battle Immortal.

Listening to this only brightened Yang Jian's eyes, his surging battle intentions no longer containable, they burst forth from his body, sweeping up a fierce wind that engulfed Huaguo Mountain.

Inside the Water Curtain Cave, the Monkey was napping when this tumultuous aura awaked him. Anxiously, he asked his monkey subjects about the situation outside.

"Great King, just now, a detachment of Heavenly Soldiers came from the east. They were different from the usual lot and went straight into the Heavenly Court's main tent. This surge of aura came from there," they reported.

"I reckon that's the True Monarch Erlang showing his divine presence, very good. I was just looking to give Scholar a good lesson on his behalf," the Monkey had been brooding over Lu Yu's affairs, feeling sorry for him because Lu Yu had risked his life to do him a favor, and also because Lu Yu actually believed the Monkey could be captured by Yang Jian, which stirred a rivalry in his heart.

Now, feeling this towering battle intent, his own pride was ignited. He was determined to prove to Lu Yu that Yang Jian couldn't trouble him.

Dressed in armor and holding the Jingu Bang, he leaped out of the Water Curtain Cave and instantly spotted Yang Jian in the distance, wielding his Three-pointed Double-edged Sword.