I am submissive in Journey to the West, I strike hard at the gods

He smiled slightly, but his eyes held a profound depth: "Throughout history, all the kings have been suppressed here by the sages, possessing the potential of a half-sage but lacking the opportunity to become a sage."

"Now that the human race's fortunes are rising daily, if we await the six dragons to soar, the combined power of the eight of us half-saints, along with the fortunes of the six dragons, might be able to break through the confinement of this Fiery Cloud Cave."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the distance, as if trying to pierce through the cave walls and reach the unreachable heavens. "At that time, with the combined power of Jiang Wang, what will we have to fear even when facing all the saints?"

Shennong sighed softly, tapping the stone table lightly with his pestle, producing a crisp sound: "Jiang Wang's promotion of the human race's fortune is indeed a great merit."

However, the ways of Heaven are merciless, and the shifts in fortune will eventually attract its attention.

If Heaven unleashes a retaliatory attack, our plans, meticulously crafted over many years, will likely be thwarted once again.

His tone carried a hint of worry, yet his gaze unconsciously drifted out of the cave, as if searching for that elusive future.

Xuanyuan held the Xuanyuan Sword in his hand, the blade trembling slightly, as if resonating with his emotions.

He sneered, "What about the Heavenly Way? What about sages? Since Jiang Wang dares to defy the Heavenly Way, how can we sit idly by? When the six dragons gather and the fortune is complete, we will surely break this cage and restore the glory of the human race!"

His voice was powerful and resonant, causing the spiritual energy in the cave to tremble slightly. This prompted the others to nod in agreement, and a long-lost fighting spirit ignited in their eyes.

The atmosphere inside the cave gradually became heavy. The eight emperors exchanged glances, as if they had reached a tacit understanding without speaking.

They knew that every step Jiang Wang took was paving the way for the human race, and their hopes had long been placed on this young human king.

Outside the Fire Cloud Cave, the world is ever-changing, but inside the cave, a raging fire is quietly brewing, waiting to break free of its cocoon.

Meanwhile, far away in Zhonghua Village, Jiang Wang was sitting cross-legged in a quiet room.

The room was softly lit, and the walls were covered with ancient runes that emitted a faint spiritual glow.

Jiang Wang closed his eyes slightly and breathed steadily, but the system's cold prompt voice appeared in his mind: "Host, please choose one of the following three tasks: First, escort Tang Sanzang westward for a thousand miles, reward: one Xuanhuang Merit; Second, slay the Demon King, reward: one Innate Spiritual Treasure; Third, frame Sun Wukong and trap Lu Ya in a predicament, reward: the Innate Supreme Treasure Chaos Bell."

Jiang Wang's lips curled up slightly, and a sly glint flashed in his eyes.

The Chaos Bell! That is the supreme treasure of Donghuang Taiyi, a powerful object renowned throughout the primordial world, capable of imprisoning time, suppressing space, and combining offense and defense.

Without hesitation, Jiang Wang chose the third option.

The image of Lu Ya's arrogant face flashed in his mind, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes as he recalled the humiliation of being tricked by the Seven Arrows of Nailhead.

If it weren't for the system's limitations, he would have already reduced Lu Ya to ashes. Now, he could take this opportunity to avenge himself and obtain the Chaos Bell. Why not? Jiang Wang slowly opened his eyes, got up, pushed open the stone door of the quiet room, and stepped into the mountains outside the manor.

The night was deep, and the moonlight, like water, shone through the pine trees in the mountains, creating a soft rustling sound.

With a sway of his body, he used his supernatural powers, and his face and figure gradually changed, transforming into the appearance of Sun Wukong.

He held the golden cudgel in his hand and gently swung it, creating a breeze.

He muttered to himself, his tone tinged with mockery: "Lu Ya, Lu Ya, this time, I'm going to make you suffer a real loss."

His voice deliberately imitated Sun Wukong's tone, carrying a touch of roguishness and unruliness.

Mount Futu, Lu Ya's training ground, is located in a mountain range in Xiniu Hezhou that is rich in spiritual energy.

At the mountaintop, the hibiscus tree soared into the clouds, its crown as red as flames, radiating a fiery spiritual light.

Beneath the tree, a hut woven from celestial vines exuded a faint fragrance. Lu Ya sat cross-legged, holding a scroll of scripture in his hand, seemingly pondering the secrets of heaven.

His aura was as fiery as flames, yet it carried a touch of transcendent composure.

Jiang Wang looked into the distance, a cold smile flashing in his eyes, and silently slipped into the mountaintop.

Lu Ya seemed to sense something, his brows furrowed slightly, and he looked around, but found nothing unusual.

He muttered to himself, "Strange, the old man Bodhi did not set up any calamities here. I wanted to pass on the Heart Sutra to Tang Sanzang and earn some merit for countless eons, but why do I feel uneasy?"

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Wang had already closed in, his golden cudgel whistling as it slammed into the back of Lu Ya's head.

"boom!"

With a muffled thud, Lu Ya was caught off guard, his body swayed violently, a look of shock flashed in his eyes, and then he fainted to the ground.

Jiang Wang sneered, mimicking Sun Wukong's tone, and said in a low voice, "Old man Lu Ya, you used the Seven Arrows of Nailhead to scheme against me, old Sun. Today I will burn down your bird's nest and steal your gourd to avenge that arrow wound!"

He deliberately raised his voice, which echoed through the mountains, as if he wanted the entire Futu Mountain to hear it.

After saying that, Jiang Wang flashed to the side of the Fusang tree, flipped his hand, and a ball of flame rose from his palm, instantly setting the Fusang tree ablaze.

Crimson flames shot into the sky, the hibiscus tree's aura quickly dimmed, and its branches and leaves turned to ashes in the flames.

Jiang Wang then went to the Immortal Vine Shed and burned it to the ground as well.

In the firelight, his figure appeared both eerie and menacing.

He took the shimmering, ghostly gourd from Lu Ya's waist, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

Jiang Wang did not rush to leave, but instead used a Hunyuan-level divine ability called "Standing Still Without Shadow".

Once this divine power was unleashed, his figure completely merged into the void, leaving not even a trace of his aura behind.

He quietly crept to the foot of the mountain where Tang Sanzang and his group were, and carefully stuffed the Immortal-Slaying Gourd into Pigsy's luggage.

The whole process took only two minutes, but it consumed one-fifth of his divine power.

After the supernatural powers were dispelled, Jiang Wang's figure reappeared, his face as pale as paper, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his weakness, and whispered, "It's done. Now, let's see how Lu Ya makes his move."

At the summit of Mount Futu, Lu Ya slowly awoke, his head throbbing with pain.

He looked down and saw that the Fusang tree had been reduced to charcoal, the Immortal Vine Hut was completely gone, and the Immortal-Slaying Gourd at his waist had also vanished.

He suddenly stood up, flames erupting all around him, and roared, "Sun Wukong! You wretched monkey, how dare you destroy my temple and steal my treasure! I swear I will not rest until I avenge this!"

His voice boomed like thunder, causing rocks to tumble down and birds to scatter in fright.

Following the scent, Lu Ya quickly arrived at the valley where Tang Sanzang and his group were.

At this moment, Tang Sanzang was sitting upright beside the white dragon horse, chanting scriptures without stopping, while Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing sat around him, protecting him.

Without saying a word, Lu Ya unleashed a ball of true solar fire, which rushed straight at Sun Wukong.

Caught off guard, Wukong was struck by the flames and rolled on the ground, looking utterly disheveled.

He roared, "Lu Ya, what's wrong with you, old man? When did I, Sun Wukong, offend you?" Lu Ya sneered, his true fire burning even brighter: "You impudent monkey, still dare to argue! You destroyed my Fusang Tree, burned my Immortal Vine Nest, and stole my Immortal-Slaying Gourd. Today, I won't be satisfied until I burn you to ashes!"

Having said that, he flashed into a streak of fire and lunged forward.

Although Wukong was a Taiyi Golden Immortal, he was powerless against Lu Ya, a Quasi-Saint at the peak, and was knocked to the ground within a few moves, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

Just as Lu Ya was about to strike, Guanyin Bodhisattva appeared from the void, waving her vase and sprinkling drops of sweet dew to block the true fire of the sun.

She said in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Lu Ya, Sun Wukong is the one destined for tribulation. If we kill him, we may suffer a backlash from the Heavenly Dao, which would be a greater loss than gain."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ya snorted coldly, suppressing some of his anger, but he was still furious: "Guanyin, your Western lineage is not to be fooled! That impudent monkey stole my gourd and destroyed my temple, the evidence is irrefutable!"

Sun Wukong struggled to his feet and angrily said, "I, Old Sun, have always been by Master's side, never leaving his side. When have I ever been to your wretched mountain?"

Tang Sanzang and Sha Wujing also testified that Wukong had never left.

Lu Ya ignored the explanation and went straight to Bajie's luggage. He lifted it up and saw the Immortal-Slaying Gourd right there.

He held the gourd high and sneered, "The evidence is right here, still dare to argue?"

Wukong stood there dumbfounded, his face full of astonishment, and exclaimed, "This... I've never seen this gourd before! Someone must have framed me!"

Pigsy panicked and exclaimed, "I, Old Pig, have no idea how this gourd got into my luggage!"

Tang Sanzang frowned, seemingly wanting to speak but holding back, while Guanyin shook her head slightly, as if pondering the mystery.

Lu Ya ignored him, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing straight at Wukong: "You impudent monkey, no matter how stubborn you are today, you cannot escape your punishment!"

Flames erupted around him again, as if he were about to strike once more.

Wukong gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with anger and resentment, but he was speechless and trapped in a deep predicament.

In the valley, the atmosphere was tense. Jiang Wang watched from afar, a barely perceptible cold smile playing on his lips.

He muttered to himself, "Sun Wukong, Lu Ya, this good show has only just begun."

As the night wind blew, his figure gradually disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind only a silent void unnoticed by anyone.

At the foot of Mount Futu, dust swirled in the air, and the scorching sun baked the sandy mountain path.

Jiang Wang, dressed in white, stood at the end of the pilgrimage team with his hands behind his back, his gaze leisurely sweeping over Sun Wukong in front of him.

The monkey was squatting impatiently on a boulder, clutching a dry twig and scratching it haphazardly on the ground, muttering something under its breath. Occasionally, it would look up and glare at Jiang Wang, its eyes full of anger.

Jiang Wang pretended not to see it, a slight smile playing on his lips, but his gaze fell on Lu Ya Daoist not far away.

Lu Ya, dressed in a golden-red Taoist robe, wearing a feathered crown, and holding a whisk, stood beside the stone tablet in front of Mount Futu, exuding an imposing aura.

Behind him, the withered branches and leaves of the hibiscus tree swayed slightly in the wind, as if telling the story of the tragedy that had just occurred.

That once lush and verdant innate spiritual root is now nothing but a charred trunk, with a few withered leaves trembling on its branches, as if they might fall at any moment.

Lu Ya's gaze was icy as he swept over the pilgrimage team, finally settling on Sun Wukong. His voice was deep yet carried an undeniable authority: "Sun Wukong, you stole my Immortal-Slaying Gourd and destroyed my Fusang Tree. This crime cannot be lightly forgiven!"

Sun Wukong suddenly stood up, and the withered branch in his hand snapped open.

The ground snapped, and he roared, "Lu Ya, stop spouting nonsense! When did I, Old Sun, steal your broken gourd? It was clearly..."

He stopped mid-sentence, his gaze sweeping fiercely over Jiang Wang, his teeth clenched, and he ultimately didn't utter the rest of his sentence.

Jiang Wang stood at the end of the line, still with that calm and collected demeanor, as if everything was irrelevant to him, though a hint of mockery flashed deep in his eyes.

Guanyin Bodhisattva stood to one side, her lotus feet lightly touching the ground, her robes fluttering, her voice gentle yet tinged with urgency: "Fellow Daoist Lu Ya, this matter was indeed not Wukong's doing, but rather..."

She paused, her gaze shifting to Jiang Wang, seemingly unwilling, but she continued, "It was Jiang Wang who was confused for a moment and mistakenly took the gourd."

I implore you, fellow Daoist, to be magnanimous and spare the journey to the West.

Lu Ya sneered, waved his whisk, and said decisively, "Guanyin, don't try to exonerate this impudent monkey! He's caught red-handed, the gourd was found in his baggage, the evidence is irrefutable! You want me to let him go? Fine!"

His gaze shifted, a hint of mockery and malice in his eyes, and he slowly said, "First, heal this Fusang tree of mine; second, have this impudent monkey weave me a bird's nest by hand, the kind that takes three months to complete; third, compensate me with a thousand kalpas of merit! Otherwise, don't even think about entering my Futu Mountain!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the pilgrimage team was taken aback.

Pigsy scratched his ear and muttered under his breath, "Weaving a bird's nest? In March? Has Lu Ya lost his mind?"

Sha Wujing frowned and remained silent, while Tang Sanzang clasped his hands together and whispered "Amitabha."
It seemed as if he was suppressing his unease.

Sun Wukong was so angry that his hair stood on end. He swung his golden cudgel and shouted, "Lu Ya, don't push your luck! Me, the mighty Great Sage Equal to Heaven, weaving you a bird's nest? What do you take me for!"

Lu Ya ignored him, flicked his whisk, and a golden light appeared, faintly transforming into the phantom of a flying knife, hovering in mid-air, exuding a chilling killing intent.

Bodhi Patriarch stood aside, originally intending to mediate, but seeing the situation, he sighed slightly and transmitted his voice, "Wukong, do not act impulsively."

This blade is a legendary flying knife capable of slaying immortals; it is no ordinary weapon.

Sun Wukong gritted his teeth, but finally put away his golden cudgel and said resentfully, "Fine! I'll weave it! What if it takes three or five years? I refuse to believe I can't deal with you, you bastard!"

Jiang Wang stood at the back, remaining silent throughout, simply watching the farce unfold.

He knew in his heart that he was the one who caused all of this.

He stole the Immortal-Slaying Gourd during the chaos, and framing Sun Wukong was just a convenient excuse. He never expected Lu Ya to be so relentless and make such an outrageous demand.

He looked down at the jade pendant he was clutching tightly in his hand. The aura of the Kongtong Seal circulated slightly, as if reminding him of something.

Jiang Wang's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm, secretly thinking: Lu Ya's behavior was probably not just about the gourd, but there might be other schemes behind it.

Guanyin sighed, raised her hand and waved, and the Three Lights Divine Water transformed into specks of golden light, sprinkling onto the Fusang tree.

Golden light fell like rain onto the charred tree trunk, and the withered branches slowly sprouted new buds, full of green, and the hibiscus tree's vitality gradually recovered.

Seeing this, Lu Ya's eyes flashed with a hint of resentment, but he had no choice but to admit Guanyin's methods.

He snorted coldly and turned to Sun Wukong: "The tree has been saved. Don't try to pull any tricks about the bird's nest!"

Sun Wukong was so angry he almost exploded, but he could only suppress his rage and mutter, "I'll weave then, you just wait!"

He turned and walked to the side, picked up the scattered dry branches from the ground, and began to clumsily weave. (End of Chapter)