Volume 3: A Long Journey, Chapter 230: The Treacherous Heavens
In the Purple Micro Palace in the Great Luo Heaven, Emperor Zhenwu and Emperor Ziwei sat face to face. On Zhenwu’s usually solemn face, a rare expression of relief appeared.
Emperor Ziwei held a delicate teapot inscribed with “Purple Qi Coming from the East” and poured a cup of fragrant tea for Zhenwu, then asked casually, “Have you seen the Qilin?”
If anyone had seen Ziwei pouring tea for Zhenwu, who accepted it so calmly, they would surely be astonished. The hierarchy in the heavenly court was strict—although Zhenwu was the chosen successor to the Heavenly Emperor, in Taoism, he should still rank below the Three Pure Ones and the Six Imperial Gods.
Zhenwu picked up the teacup, took a sip, and instead of answering Ziwei, he said, “It takes courage for the Jade Emperor to plant spies in the Purple Micro Palace.”
Ziwei replied, “You’re already aware of this. Among the Twenty-Eight Mansions, five have unknown backgrounds; I’ve replaced them all.”
Zhenwu said, “This is likely related to the Left Assistant and Right Assistant.”
Ziwei said, “I know full well. The Right Assistant has always been loyal and never defied me. As for the Left Assistant… he’s too clever for his own good. He often interacts with the Southern Pole Immortal and the Playful Spirit Official. I once scolded him for imitating the Creation Furnace. He behaved properly for a few days before returning to his old ways, thinking he can handle everything… Hehe.”
Zhenwu said, “I hate those who betray those who helped them.”
Ziwei said, “The Left Assistant and Right Assistant were personally appointed by the Jade Emperor. Don’t dare touch them.”
Zhenwu sneered, “In this heavenly court, the only person who matters to me is you, Emperor Ziwei.” He lowered his head, gazing at the lightly fragrant tea in his cup, and said softly, “Back then, when I was pursued by the Phoenix and the Serpent, only you, Emperor Ziwei, helped me. How could I forget such kindness?”
Ziwei said, “That was tens of thousands of years ago. Why bring it up? You and the Qilin have always acted independently, which is why villains take advantage of you. You should learn from your mistakes.”
Zhenwu nodded and said, “I saw the Qilin the other day and learned that, like me, he too had been marked by someone. But that mark has now been removed.”
Ziwei, who was pouring tea for himself, was stunned upon hearing this. He didn’t care even as the tea spilled from the cup. Zhenwu waved his hand, using a water-control spell to gather the spilled tea. Ziwei quickly regained his composure, put down the teapot, and asked, “What extraordinary event did the Qilin experience to remove that mark?” It wasn’t that Ziwei was overreacting—after all, he was all too familiar with the mark within Zhenwu’s body. Over tens of thousands of years, he had searched tirelessly without finding any solution. How could he not be shocked to hear that the Qilin had removed it?
Zhenwu shook his head and smiled, saying, “The Qilin only said that once I take control of the Heavenly Court, he will help me remove this mark.” Ziwei was taken aback and laughed heartily, “The Qilin is quite interesting indeed.”
Zhenwu continued, “Back then, I was being hunted by others. Thanks to Ziwei’s help, I was able to find a place to settle in the Heavenly Court. Although the Phoenix and the Serpent were domineering, they didn’t dare to openly clash with the Heavenly Court. As for the Jade Emperor, it was nothing more than mutual exploitation—I kept the demons in the north at bay for him, and in return, he gave me the title of the next Heavenly Emperor. We both knew the truth.”
Ziwei nodded and said, “That’s true. The Jade Emperor has long reached the rank of Hunyuan Jinxian and is thus immortal. If not for his death, you would have had to carry that title forever.”
As the leader of all dragons and descended from the ancestral dragon, Zhenwu was decisive in battle and would never hesitate. The current Jade Emperor was overly ambitious and acted in strange ways, making it difficult for him to achieve greater things. He and Ziwei had already planned to overthrow the court.
Zhenwu said, “The Nine-Headed Lion and the Sea-Submerging Dragon have now grown quite powerful, which was beyond our expectations. When the Qilin heard about this, he asked me to convey his thanks on his behalf.” Back then, Laojun had used the Sea-Submerging Dragon to replace the Spirit-Aware Divine Monkey, and Zhenwu gladly agreed. As for the Lion King, the Nine-Spirit Sacred Being, he was the little lion that Emperor Ziwei had raised in the past.
Ziwei said, “It’s just a trivial matter—why mention it?”
Zhenwu replied, “My trip to Qitianling broadened my horizons. Many old acquaintances from back then are even more outstanding now. In today’s world, whether in the Heavenly Court or the Western Heaven, it’s hard to match the prowess of Qitianling based solely on superficial skills.”
Ziwei grew slightly excited and said, “The Qilin seeking you now is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity to join forces!”
Zhenwu asked cautiously, “Could Qitianling have ulterior motives?”
Emperor Ziwei shook his head and said, “Absolutely not! As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. We know well about the Sea-Submerging Dragon and the Nine-Spirit Sacred Being. Though the world calls them demons, they still possess integrity within. I assume the others aren’t that bad either. Besides, with Chi Songzi’s efforts to bring rain earlier, Qitianling’s actions, considering the well-being of all living beings, align with my thoughts.”
Zhenwu added, “Moreover, there are three Creative Divine Monkeys in Qitianling.”
Ziwei said, “Four.”
Zhenwu was puzzled, “The Spirit-Aware Divine Monkey was deliberately suppressed by Buddha and has now gone to the Western Heaven to seek the scriptures.”
Ziwei pondered and said, “The Spirit-Aware Divine Monkey… Did Buddha underestimate him, or did I? He has hidden in the three realms for four hundred years. This matter… is probably not that simple.”
Zhenwu asked, “Are you saying the Spirit-Aware Divine Monkey is using himself as bait and deliberately going to the Western Heaven? With Qitianling’s strength, why would he go to such lengths?”
Zi Wei said, “Don’t underestimate the quest for the scriptures. I still can’t see what Buddha truly intends. Perhaps the strategy of the Divine Monkey is indeed the right one!”
Zhen Wu thought to himself. No matter in terms of cultivation or cunning, Zi Wei was among the top figures in the Heavenly Court, unmatched by any of the Six Imperial Gods, even comparable to the Three Pure Ones. He was also extremely arrogant. Even when Chi Songzi brought rain for the people, he merely said, “It suits my wishes.” By evaluating the Divine Monkey in this way, he implicitly placed the Divine Monkey on equal footing with himself—a truly rare occurrence.
Zhen Wu said, “On the journey westward, demons will be rampant. We can just sit back and watch. If we encounter difficulties, Guanyin will have our backs. How could anything fail?”
Zi Wei smiled and said, “Guanyin? I’m afraid she can only handle things temporarily. The journey westward will surely become increasingly difficult.”
Zhen Wu said, “I heard about the troubles in the Ten Continents recently. That must be Guanyin’s doing.”
Zi Wei frowned slightly. “Is that really true? Isn’t it just rumors spread by others?”
Zhen Wu said, “It’s very likely true.”
After pondering for a while, Zi Wei said, “Strange. Since entering Buddhism, Guanyin has always been extremely disciplined. How could she resort to such extreme actions? With her wisdom, she must know her whereabouts will be exposed. Who is she trying to impress with this act?”
Zhen Wu suddenly realized something and said, “The first to hear about this was the God of Gou Chen. The Jade Emperor suppressed the news, fearing it would cause chaos if spread. From this perspective…”
Zi Wei nodded and said, “Guanyin knows that the world is full of uncertainties right now, and everyone is cautious. Both the Western Heaven and the Heavenly Court will surely keep quiet. It seems she must have some goal in mind for doing this.”
Zhen Wu’s eyes lit up. “The Heavenly Court and the Western Heaven need to stay as peaceful as possible, but for us, it’s in chaos that we can succeed. Why not spread this news to make them suspect each other?”
Zi Wei smiled and said, “Good. I never thought the Dragon Ancestor, known for his integrity, would also know how to play tricks.”
Zhen Wu said expressionlessly, “I don’t calculate everyone against me, but life is so hard!”
Zi Wei praised, “Exactly. Only those who engage in the world can be called gods. Once the world stirs, who can escape? If you and the Qilin had done this earlier, you wouldn’t have suffered such imprisonment!”
Zhen Wu remained silent, and from his expression, there was no trace of regret.
As they spoke, Zi Wei stood up and said, “You Bi needs to see me. I’ll be back in a moment.” Zhen Wu nodded. The two of them were very close and never needed to be polite.
After a short while, Zi Wei returned, a faint smile on his face. “That girl really knows how to cause trouble.”
Hearing Zi Wei say this, Zhen Wu also rejoiced and said, “Is Zi Xuan here to look for you?”
Zi Wei replied, “How could she come to look for me? She was merely ordered by the Holy Mother to go and cause trouble for Tang Seng. Knowing her own strength was insufficient, she sought help from the Old Turtle of the South Sea and Liu Tuzhang from the Twenty-Eight Mansions, and together they staged a good show. Liu Tuzhang didn’t dare hide anything and told Right Assistant everything in detail.”
Zhen Wu said, “Since Zi Xuan was able to find the Twenty-Eight Mansions, it seems her resentment toward you has gradually faded. After all, father and son share a bond. It looks like the day when you’ll meet again is not far off.”
Zi Wei sighed and said, “I hope so.” Then, changing the subject, she added, “According to Liu Tuzhang, Guanyin intervened halfway and took the Old Turtle back.”
Zhen Wu pondered, “Intervened halfway… does that mean she actively helped Tang Seng out of trouble?”
Zi Wei confirmed, “That’s exactly right.”
Zhen Wu said, “That’s rather hasty, not like her usual behavior.”
Zi Wei replied, “If my guess is correct, Guanyin must have gained some advantage, which is why she’s so keen on the pilgrimage. Thinking back to the troubles in the Ten Continents, the two might be related.”
Zhen Wu said, “There must be something suspicious about this, but it’s hard to figure out. What puzzles me is why the Holy Mother is also interested in those on the pilgrimage.”
Zi Wei said, “You should know about the Longhua Assembly of Laughing Maitreya. Though it’s not as grand as the Buddha’s assembly, it still attracts many people. The Holy Mother often goes there to meet old friends. It seems the Eastern Buddha asked her to attend, so she just went through the motions.”
Zhen Wu said, “The Peach Festival in the Heavenly Court, the Longhua Assembly on Spirit Mountain… I never expected that this Longhua Assembly would also bring together so many top figures.”
Zi Wei said, “It does seem that way. But don’t worry—few of the top figures who attend the Longhua Assembly are there for Maitreya.”
Zhen Wu sighed, “True or not, at least there’s momentum now. It seems it’s time for some action at my Northern Heavenly Gate as well.”
※ ※ ※
Outside the Northern Kuolu Continent, in a land of gold and silver at the far northeast, there stood an unparalleled giant mountain, extremely similar to Mount Buzhou, as if made from the same mold.
In this land of gold and silver, there were eight towering jade pillars, and this mountain was precisely Mount Shihu in the northeast.
The mountain peak, several thousand li in diameter, had nine branches. No one knew how long these branches were, and even higher up, the fierce winds were like invincible blades, making it difficult even for the Primordial Golden Immortals to probe further. But based on ancient speculations, it must reach all the way to the heavens.
At this moment, from one of these branches, a joyful roar was heard: “Damn you, heavens! I’ve finally gotten out!”
With this furious roar, a figure shot out like lightning, streaking through the air in several sharp arcs before finally stopping mid-air. He had a golden-winged Kun head and starry-eyed leopard eyes. As he soared, the stars seemed to shift in position. The birds bowed in fear at the sight of his wind and thunder, while dragons and snakes trembled at the sight of his sharp claws. It was none other than the Great Sage Peng, the Demon King!