Although the Jade Emperor was displeased with how these old immortals shirked their duties, he still had no choice but to summon Erlang Shen to the Heavenly Court. He turned to Lord Venus and ordered, "Venus, I'll have to trouble you to make a trip to Guankou River Mouth and invite Erlang up to Heaven!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Lord Venus nodded with a complicated expression, turned into a streak of light, and left Lingxiao Hall. In his heart, he was worried: if Erlang Shen arrives and kills Ian Song, that's fine; but if he only captures him, and Ian exposes his deeds in the mortal world, he might not escape Heaven's punishment!
Outside the South Heaven Gate.
Surrounded by layer upon layer of Heaven Soldiers and Generals, Ian Song stood proud and unyielding, his gaze sweeping over everyone with the bearing of a peerless war god. No one dared meet his eyes.
After a moment, the angry voice of Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Leon Lee rang out, echoing in the ears of all the Heaven Soldiers and Generals: "All troops, listen up! Form the ancient battle formation and slay this demon!"
Immediately, over a hundred thousand Heaven Soldiers and Generals sprang into action, stacking atop one another to form a colossal Ancient Giant hundreds of meters tall.
As brilliance flashed, the Heaven Soldiers and Generals composing the giant suddenly merged into one, transforming into a true Ancient Giant, its whole body shimmering with golden light, perfectly unified.
Thirteen Ancient Giants stood around Ian Song, each radiating a fierce aura and glaring at him with savage faces, wielding massive weapons forged from the standard gear of the Heaven Soldiers.
"Interesting!"
Ian Song slowly swept his gaze over the thirteen Ancient Giants. Each giant was formed from over ten thousand Heaven Soldiers and Generals, and judging by their aura, they were at least at the late Tribulation stage.
"Kill!"
The Ancient Giant in the northwest made the first move, swinging a massive weapon—more than a hundred meters long, somewhere between a spear and a lance—at Ian Song with a thunderous roar.
"Buzz!"
The other twelve Ancient Giants moved as well.
A jet-black giant hammer, a chilling longsaber, a long spear, a giant sword, a Fangtian halberd, and a massive pike all came swinging toward Ian Song. At the same time, one giant drew a bow and shot a huge black-gold arrow—so thick several people would be needed to encircle the shaft—transforming into a streak of black-gold light that shot toward him.
As the thirteen Ancient Giants attacked, the spectacle was overwhelming. The void trembled, thunder roared, and even space itself was torn open, leaving jagged cracks in time and space.
Seeing this terrifying scene, Princess Lana’s heart leapt again. Ian Song, standing at the center of the thirteen Ancient Giants, looked so tiny that it seemed any casual swipe from one of them could crush him.
"Nice!"
Ian Song gave a low shout and stepped forward, vanishing from his original spot and landing atop the giant hammer. At the same time, he swung his Azure Flood-Dragon Sword.
Sword energy faster than lightning slammed into the Ancient Giant’s chest, producing a muffled boom.
"Its defense is even stronger than I expected!"
Ian Song was briefly stunned, then reversed his grip and slashed, batting aside the black-gold arrow that curved toward him. But another giant spear came thrusting his way.
One sword became thousands.
As sword light flashed, Ian Song wielded his Azure Flood-Dragon Sword—sometimes swinging, sometimes blocking, sometimes stabbing, sometimes cutting—and actually managed to fend off the entire first wave of attacks from all thirteen Ancient Giants.
"This demon is defying the heavens!"
Jason Lee stared in disbelief, utterly shaken. Clearly, when Ian Song fought the three Lee brothers earlier, he hadn't even used his full strength. After all, even the three of them together couldn't match a single Ancient Giant.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Deafening booms rang out again and again. Huge swathes of the void were torn apart by their battle, turning into patches of black holes—a true scene of heaven and earth in chaos.
Seeing this, Leon Lee grew worried and even a bit anxious, because he'd already received word that Lord Venus had gone to Guankou River Mouth to invite True Lord Erlang up to Heaven.
If he couldn’t kill or capture this demon before True Lord Erlang arrived, he’d lose face in front of all the immortals of the Heavenly Court—and even the Jade Emperor probably wouldn’t forgive him.
Thinking of this, Leon Lee couldn’t hold back any longer. Seeing Ian Song repel the thirteen Ancient Giants’ attacks yet again, he hurled his Exquisite Demon-Suppressing Pagoda.
The full name of the pagoda is Eight-Treasure Crystal Relic Wish-Fulfilling Golden Pagoda. It can capture demons and suppress ghosts, and is one of the Heavenly Court’s supreme treasures, possessing vast and unmatched power. Legend says it can subdue any demon or monster—even immortals who fall into it have no chance. Back when Sun Wukong jumped out of the Grand Supreme Lord Lao’s furnace and his power skyrocketed, he was still trapped by this pagoda and only escaped after a long struggle. It’s fair to say that ninety percent of Leon Lee’s strength relies on this tower.
The pagoda contains seven peerless treasures: the Three-Legged Golden Crow, Radiant Immortal Sword, Soul-Shocking Halberd, Heaven-and-Earth Ruler, Sky-Net Umbrella, World-Purifying Duster, and Heaven-Piercing Spike.
Each of these seven treasures guards one floor of the pagoda, but the real wonder of the pagoda isn’t just the treasures—it’s that it contains seven separate small worlds.
If you can’t break through all seven worlds in a short time, you’ll be completely refined inside, becoming nourishment for the pagoda—and that nourishment turns into the tower’s energy.
Ever since Leon Lee obtained the pagoda, he’s used it to refine countless demons and monsters—especially during the Investiture of the Gods war, when he refined many immortals and multiplied its power. That’s how he rose from a mere Heavenly King to Grand Marshal of a million Heaven Soldiers.
"Go!"
With a soft shout, the Exquisite Demon-Suppressing Pagoda flew out, expanding a thousandfold in the wind. Instantly, a massive suppressive force radiated out, enveloping Ian Song. A powerful suction followed, dragging him toward the inside of the pagoda.
Seeing Leon Lee make his move, the thirteen Ancient Giants surged forward, attacking Ian Song with renewed ferocity.
"Break for me!"
The appearance of the Exquisite Pagoda made Ian Song truly feel threatened. He stopped holding back!
Immortalsbane!!!
A mysterious sword intent radiated from his swing, offsetting much of the Exquisite Pagoda’s suppressive force and suction. At the same time, the movements of the thirteen Ancient Giants stalled.
Fourteen streaks of sword light shot out in all directions!
"Bang bang bang bang bang!"
Each sword light carried unmatched force. The thirteen Ancient Giants instantly shattered, and over a hundred thousand Heaven Soldiers and Generals screamed as they tumbled down all around.
At the same time, one sword light struck the Exquisite Pagoda, actually knocking it several meters upward.
Seeing this, the old immortals in Lingxiao Hall couldn’t help but suck in a cold breath, secretly thinking, "This demon is terrifying, already comparable to that monkey back in the day!"
"Grand Supreme Lord Lao!"
At that moment, the Jade Emperor suddenly called out to Grand Supreme Lord Lao.
"Sigh!" Grand Supreme Lord Lao let out a gentle sigh. It seemed he would have to play the villain once again.
With a light sigh, a Vajra Hoop flew from his wrist, turning into a streak of golden light and vanishing from sight.
Outside the South Heaven Gate, Ian Song rose into the sky with sword in hand, the Azure Flood-Dragon Sword shining with divine light as he slashed toward the Exquisite Pagoda.
Just then, he sensed a strange, nameless danger and instinctively tried to dodge.
But he was too slow!
"Bang!"
A Vajra Hoop smashed heavily into his head. Instantly, his primordial spirit shuddered violently, a wave of dizziness swept over him, and his mind went blank.
Leon Lee seized the opportunity, rapidly weaving several hand seals. The Exquisite Pagoda flared with dazzling light and sucked Ian Song inside.
"Receive!"
In the next moment, Leon Lee silently recited his incantation and extended his hand. The Exquisite Pagoda shrank and landed in his palm. The demon was finally captured—just a few days, and the pagoda would completely refine him!
He was also secretly relieved. Luckily, Grand Supreme Lord Lao helped at the last moment; otherwise, subduing this demon wouldn’t have been so easy.
But Princess Lana, watching, was filled with sorrow and worry.