The ground of the Netherworld trembled faintly. Amidst the ruins and shattered walls, swirling clouds of sand rose into the sky. The ghost soldiers fleeing in all directions suddenly froze, and even the howling specters turned their heads to gaze at the Hall of Life and Death.
In the next instant, they saw a phantom burst out from the Hall of Life and Death. The towering spire was hurled skyward, stones and sand flying everywhere.
"Since you’re here, don’t even think about running—!"
A piercing roar echoed, pressing in from all directions as if the very air itself was closing in.
A streak of golden light shot out from the Hall of Life and Death, chasing after the phantom’s trail.
"I only feared that fighting inside the hall would destroy the Book of Life and Death."
"Even if it’s not destroyed now, it’ll be ruined soon enough—what use is it? Hahaha!"
In the blink of an eye, the two figures had already clashed above the clouds.
As the Golden Staff swept through the air, clouds erupted like a stormy sea, sending a mist soaring skyward.
In an instant, the thick vortex in the sky was battered full of gaping wounds.
Zhenyuan adjusted his stance, spiraling down from the clouds. He broke through the mist and landed atop a mountain peak, standing with hands clasped behind his back.
"The things shaped by the Heavenly Dao—useful or useless—how could a mere demon monkey presume to judge them?"
Monkey charged after him, landing atop the opposing peak. He bared his teeth in a savage grin, slowly shifting into an attack stance.
"Heh heh heh heh, so who gets to judge, then? You? Or Subhuti, Lord Genesis, Lord Skygate? Or perhaps Lord Lao? I’ve had enough of all of you—never chanting, never cultivating, forever scheming and calling yourselves great powers!"
With that, he twirled the Golden Staff, sending ripples radiating outward.
Zhenyuan leapt up at once. As sand and stones rolled, the mountain peak beneath his feet was sliced in half.
"No matter who, it will never be the place of a world-destroying demon monkey like you to pass judgment!"
With a midair twist, Zhenyuan crossed his arms and used his whisk to steadily block the Golden Staff that tore through the cyclone from behind.
The sparks from that clash flashed like lightning, turning the perpetually shadowed Netherworld as bright as day. The cyclone that followed spread along the ground, a hurricane lifting sand, stones, and burning debris high into the air.
Wandering souls were blown every which way, scattered and tumbling in the gale.
“So who made this world-destroying demon monkey?” Monkey laughed harshly. “The world is a chessboard, is it? Today, I’ll make them all lose on their own board—even their lives!”
With a roar, two more heads and four additional arms erupted from Monkey’s back—his Three Heads, Six Arms form. He gazed at Zhenyuan with a bizarre smile.
Zhenyuan was startled and quickly leaned back, but Monkey lunged forward, crashing into him.
The two plummeted like meteors, smashing into the ground with tremendous force.
Amidst the swirling dust, their close-quarters battle erupted.
Two surging torrents of spiritual power erupted, devouring everything like suns crashing to earth. Countless souls were obliterated before they could even react.
A barrage of deafening booms followed, and clouds of sand shot straight up to the sky.
The ghost soldiers watched from distant hills, eyes wide with fear, trembling where they stood.
Suddenly, a giant hand of rock burst through the dust, clutching Monkey—who was barely the size of one of its fingernails.
Yet no matter how hard the giant hand squeezed, it could not crush the tiny Monkey.
Boom—!
With a deafening crash, the giant hand shattered, massive stones raining down and kicking up clouds of dust.
Monkey quickly retreated, still in his Three Heads, Six Arms form, pausing midair as the wounds on his arms healed before their eyes.
A stone giant, a hundred zhang tall, slowly rose from the swirling dust, bracing itself with its knee. Its severed left hand was rapidly absorbing sand and dust, regenerating.
Zhenyuan stood coldly on its shoulder, hair tousled.
The whisk in his hand had already turned into a writing brush, and a massive glowing bamboo scroll floated by his side, slowly unfurling like a shield.
“Not many Daoists can withstand a Traveler’s close-quarters assault.” Monkey chuckled.
A wild wind swept in, scattering the sand like retreating waves and revealing a crowd of stone beasts of all shapes and sizes, densely packed like an army.
A flock of stone birds, trailing milky white light, swiftly gathered between Monkey and Zhenyuan, separating them.
The ghost soldiers on the hill scattered in panic.
Wiping blood from his mouth, Zhenyuan said slowly, "Can’t win in close combat? Think you’ll survive at range? Old man advises you to go back to Blossom Mountain and be a peaceful king."
“Let’s try it. Da Luo Primordial Immortal against Da Luo Primordial Immortal—this will be a real fight, right? Heh heh heh!”
Laughing wildly, Monkey gripped his weapons in all six hands and charged straight at Zhenyuan.
In the chaos, Zhenyuan tapped his toe and leaped back as countless stone birds flew toward Monkey.
For a moment, the roar of battle was unending.
...
In Miluo Palace, the two exchanged glances, faces tense.
"Zhenyuan is really stirring things up now. The demon monkey’s power keeps growing. They’re evenly matched for now, but soon he won’t be able to keep up."
“Not necessarily.” Lord Genesis shook his head. “If the demon monkey’s power keeps rising, Zhenyuan can’t win. But his strength isn’t limitless. He can’t vent his rage and fight Zhenyuan at the same time. If he loses control, he’ll lose to Zhenyuan.”
Lord Skygate frowned, hands clasped, his expression heavy. “Then it all depends on whether Zhenyuan falls first, or the monkey hits his limit.”
He paused and sighed. "Zhenyuan, why go through all this trouble?"
“Everyone has their own ambitions.” Lord Genesis stroked his beard. “Let’s just watch and see.”
...
Meanwhile, in the Heavenly Court—
Marshal Silver received the Tiger Tally in the Imperial Study, then took the Nine-Toothed Rake at the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and hurried to South Heaven Gate with Nathan Young.
Before the hall, Marshal Silver hastily accepted the Grand Marshal’s seal. General Lee, now demoted to deputy, led the generals in saluting: "We greet the Marshal."
Marshal Silver bent to help him up.
The generals exchanged glances, silent.
Thus, the appointment was complete.
Before they could speak, a Heavenly General rushed across the training grounds, knelt before Marshal Silver: "Marshal, Zhenyuan of Five Villages Temple has gone to the Underworld alone and is battling the monkey!"
"Zhenyuan?" All the Heavenly Generals present gasped in shock.
Marshal Silver was startled as well. "Zhenyuan..."
"The Ancestor of the Earth-Immortals has gone—this is wonderful!"
"The great powers have finally acted. With Zhenyuan here, what’s there to fear from the demon monkey?"
The Heavenly Generals began discussing excitedly, but General Lee and Nathan Young simply exchanged a silent glance.
Seeing the Heavenly General’s uncertain look, Marshal Silver asked quietly, "How goes the battle?"
"It’s... an even match."
"The demon monkey can fight Zhenyuan to a standstill?" The once jubilant Heavenly Generals fell silent.
"Any movement from the Blossom Mountain demon army?"
"The Blossom Mountain demon army remains quiet for now."
Marshal Silver frowned deeply, slowly turning to General Lee.
General Lee looked away, remaining silent.
"General Lee, may I have a word in private?" Marshal Silver asked quietly.
At those words, General Lee bowed his head in assent.
...
Blossom Mountain, Qi Tian Palace.
A demon soldier hurried through the palace doors into the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons: "Reporting to the generals: Zhenyuan of Five Villages Temple is battling the Great Sage in the Netherworld. They’ve fought hundreds of rounds, but there’s still no victor."
"The Ancestor of the Earth-Immortals!"
At these words, all the generals were stunned.
"Zhenyuan of Five Villages Temple? Why has he appeared too?" Shortbeak clenched his fist.
King Bullhorn and King Roc exchanged glances.
Shortbeak’s gaze slowly slid toward them. "You two have had dealings with Zhenyuan before, haven’t you?"
All eyes turned to the demon kings.
King Bullhorn took a deep breath. "We have had some dealings. In the past, I exchanged a few things with him. Zhenyuan’s cultivation has already reached the Da Luo Hunyuan Immortal realm—and he’s no newcomer. He wields the Earth Book and is a master of alchemy. In all the world, aside from the Western Buddhist Order, only the Three Pure Ones and Master Sage Subhuti can rival him. Now, with the Great Sage fighting him to a standstill, it seems his power has stepped into the Da Luo Hunyuan realm as well."
"Da Luo... Hunyuan Immortal realm?"
At these words, the assembled generals were visibly moved.
Earlier, the wedding had unexpectedly involved Lord Lao, leaving those who didn’t know the details dizzy and confused. Now, after the Great Sage took a strange elixir, slew the Sun Crow, and stormed the Netherworld, suddenly Zhenyuan intervenes, and then they hear the Great Sage has reached the Da Luo Hunyuan Immortal realm, becoming one of the world’s true powers. For a moment, no one knew whether to rejoice or worry, so all eyes turned to Shortbeak.
Under their gaze, Shortbeak was clearly uncertain.
He stood frozen, unable to decide for a long time.
"If they’re evenly matched, why not... send our elite warriors to aid the Great Sage?" Louis Quickpaw suggested quietly.
"Are you sure sending elites would actually help the Great Sage?" Many-Eyes asked softly from the crowd.
At once, all eyes turned to him.
He cleared his throat and spoke up: "Aside from the Great Sage, our strongest at Blossom Mountain is the Nine-Headed Wyrm, but he’s only at the Celestial Sage level. Altogether, we have maybe a dozen Celestial Sages at most. Right now, this is a battle between Da Luo Hunyuan Immortals. Sure, enough ants can gnaw an elephant to death, but two whole realms apart... If we go, will we help or just get in the way?"
The generals nodded in agreement.
"So what do you think we should do?" Blackie asked.
"In my view, we should do as the Great Sage ordered—guard Blossom Mountain, and keep an eye on the Heavenly Court. Right now, there’s nothing else we can do." Many-Eyes looked around at the assembled generals. "The Great Sage’s baleful qi is already high. Be careful... or we’ll all get caught up in it."
...
South Heaven Gate.
Inside a small military tent, General Lee and Marshal Silver bowed to each other.
As soon as they sat down, Marshal Silver said quietly, "General, what do you think of Zhenyuan’s intervention just now?"
General Lee replied coldly, "The Blossom Mountain demon army hasn’t moved, but they must have spies outside South Heaven Gate. If we make any move, we won’t even reach the Netherworld before the demon army attacks. With our current strength, we’re no match for them. Let the great powers settle their own scores."
"What if we send a small elite force instead? That way we can avoid the demon army’s eyes, and if things change, we can retreat quickly. If the demon army attacks the Netherworld, we could even use the chance to strike Blossom Mountain."
"You really want to go to war?" General Lee squinted at Marshal Silver.
Marshal Silver replied slowly, "His Majesty wants a grand campaign into the Netherworld, but that’s impossible. If Zhenyuan has already acted, a surprise strike from our side might be the solution. Maybe it could even resolve the crisis of the Three Realms."