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

Rolling up the curtain remained silent, but his gaze unconsciously drifted towards the solitary peak in the distance, as if he had sensed something.

Jiang Wang stood atop the peak, his gaze distant, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

He murmured to himself, "The Heavenly Dao, the Great Tribulation, the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique... Interesting, it's getting more and more interesting."

As the night wind blew by, his figure vanished like smoke, leaving only a desolate mountaintop, as if no one had ever been there.

Jiang Wang sat upright in a stone cave in a secluded valley outside Chang'an City. Mist swirled around him, and spiritual energy lingered around him like wisps of silk, as if heaven and earth were whispering softly.

He sat cross-legged, his hands forming a hand seal. Floating in front of him was the nascent form of a miniature world—a ball of light no bigger than the palm of his hand, within which mountains, rivers, plants, insects, and fish were faintly visible, like an unformed star.

This is his "Human Race Strengthening Plan".

The beginning, a small world that carries the hopes for the future of humanity.

Jiang Wang's eyes were deep, his gaze piercing through the ball of light, as if he were staring at some distant future.

Outside the valley, the wind murmured softly, and occasionally a bird would fly by, startling a few fallen leaves.

Jiang Wang's appearance has changed drastically. His originally sharp eyebrows and eyes have become softer, and his angular face now has a more refined look, like a reclusive scholar.

This was the result of his disguise after faking his death, using a "Disguise Talisman" he obtained from the system.
Even the aura has completely changed, making it difficult for even a Heavenly Emperor Realm expert to discern.

His mind wasn't entirely focused on the nascent small world, but rather occasionally glanced towards the direction of Chang'an City.

That bustling human capital city held too many of his calculations and expectations.

After the decree of the Dao Ancestor Hongjun resounded like thunder throughout the Three Realms, Jiang Wang knew that the gaze of Heaven had fallen upon the human race.

The Antarctic Immortal received the Heavenly Dao's merits, and his cultivation level approached that of a peak Quasi-Saint; although the Primordial Heavenly Venerable did not receive his reward immediately, he received a promise from the Dao Ancestor that his future reward would be extraordinary.

The Three Pure Ones and Nuwa were ordered to reside in the Heavenly Realm, ostensibly to maintain the balance of the Three Realms, but in reality to monitor the human race and prevent its rise from disrupting racial diversity.

Meanwhile, the two Western Saints, Jieyin and Zhunti, were sent to keep a close eye on the Journey to the West team, especially Juanlian—that was regarded as a hidden danger by the Heavenly Dao and needed to be eliminated as soon as possible to accelerate the end of the Journey to the West calamity.

Jiang Wang's lips curled up slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

No matter how deep Heaven's calculations are, they cannot foresee this pawn outside the chessboard.

He faked his death and escaped the gaze of Heaven. Now he is hiding in Chang'an, secretly plotting a grand plan for the human race.

The construction of this small world consumed a great deal of his energy. Every inch of the mountains and rivers, every wisp of spiritual energy, required him to sketch with his divine sense, meticulously and in great detail.

Within the ball of light, a miniature mountain range was slowly taking shape, its summit shrouded in mist, with faint traces of spiritual springs emerging from it.

Jiang Wang's gaze softened, as if he were looking at a precious work of art.

Once this small world takes shape, it will become a cradle for cultivating top experts for the human race, enough to rival the Celestial Realm in the future.

Meanwhile, far away on Mount Ling, the two Western Saints sat cross-legged on a lotus platform, surrounded by dim golden light. Maintaining the great formation had almost exhausted the divine power of all the Buddhas on Mount Ling.

Jieyin's face was calm as still water, but he could not hide the weariness in his eyes; Zhunti murmured softly, as if he was deducing the secrets of heaven, trying to find the flaw in the curtain.

The Journey to the West is a great calamity that concerns the prosperity of the Western Religion, and they dare not slacken their efforts in the slightest.

Jiang Wang was fully aware of this; he could even imagine the oppressive atmosphere on Mount Ling—the depletion of the great formation, the Buddhas' exhaustion, and their apprehension towards the Curtain-Raising Ceremony all made the Western Sect feel as if they were walking on thin ice.

Meanwhile, the fate of the Journey to the West team was quietly taking a turn.

Juanlian stood on a winding mountain road, with Tang Sanzang, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and the White Dragon Horse behind him.

He lowered his head, his eyes filled with complex emotions, and the gold band on his forehead emitted a faint, cold light.

Guanyin Bodhisattva stood before him, her voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable majesty: "Rolling Curtain, you cannot escape the three calamities and nine tribulations. Only by following your master westward can you attain enlightenment."

The curtain fell silent, his fists clenched, his knuckles turning slightly white.

He was already tired of being controlled by his fate, but he was powerless to resist.

Seeing that he remained silent, Guanyin raised her hand and waved it. The incantation of the headband surged into Tang Sanzang's mind like a tide, and at the same time bestowed upon him the Dharma name "Sha Wujing".

Tang Sanzang was taken aback, seemingly unaccustomed to having a spell to control his disciples in his hand, but he eventually nodded and accepted the arrangement.

The white dragon horse neighed softly, a hint of helplessness flashing in its eyes.

It consumed most of the two hundred divine power pills given to it by Laozi, and its divine power flowed within its body, making its steps much lighter than before.

It looked down at its hooves, a bitter feeling rising in its heart—the westward journey was faster, but the shackles of fate were also tighter.

Wukong stood to the side, leaning on his golden cudgel, his eyes cold, seemingly numb to everything.

Bajie, meanwhile, casually chewed on a wild grass he had picked from the roadside, muttering, "When will this ever end? I'm starving!"

Tang Sanzang sighed softly, patted Bajie on the shoulder, and said gently, "Bear with it a little longer. The Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain is not far ahead. We can stay here for the night."

The group continued onward, as the sun set and darkness fell.

The shadows of the trees on both sides of the mountain road swayed in the wind, casting dappled light and shadow.

Two months later, they finally arrived at the foot of Longevity Hill.

From afar, the outline of Wuzhuang Temple is hidden in the clouds and mist, surrounded by an ethereal atmosphere, just like a fairyland on earth.

Pigsy rubbed his belly and cried out, "Master, I'm starving! Quickly knock on the door and beg for some food!"

Tang Sanzang smiled helplessly, looked up at the temple gate, and his eyes showed a hint of weariness.

Wukong frowned, a shadow flashing in his eyes.

He recalled his experience of being imprisoned by Zhen Yuanzi many years ago, and the sense of oppression from that time still lingered.

He muttered to himself, "What's the point of staying in this lousy place..."

But Tang Sanzang had already made up his mind, so Wukong had no choice but to step forward and knock on the gate of Wuzhuang Temple.

The two young Taoist disciples, Qingfeng and Mingyue, opened the door. They were slightly surprised to see Tang Sanzang and his party, but still respectfully invited them inside.

Qingfeng was a handsome young man with a clear voice: "My master and my fellow disciples have been invited to listen to lectures at the Mi Luo Tian Temple, leaving only the two of us to guard the temple."

If you don't mind, you may stay here for the night.

Mingyue, a slightly shy young man, added, "There are vegetarian dishes in the temple that can be served to you."

When Pigsy heard there was food, his eyes lit up and he nodded eagerly.

Tang Sanzang clasped his hands in thanks and led his group into the temple.

Wukong, however, remained frowning, standing in the courtyard looking around as if searching for some hidden danger.

At the same time, the system's voice suddenly sounded in Jiang Wang's sea of ​​consciousness: "Detected that the pilgrimage team has arrived at Wuzhuang Temple. Mission issued: Delay the Journey to the West. Option 1: Destroy the ginseng fruit tree in Wuzhuang Temple, reward 100,000 experience points; Option 2: Possess Mingyue and put a thousand-day sleeping powder in the food, reward 'Artist Mask'; Option 3: Steal the spiritual root of Zhenyuanzi's Daoist temple, reward Hunyuan Spirit Crystal."

Jiang Wang opened his eyes, his gaze sharpening slightly.

The system task came suddenly, but it was within his expectations.

He lowered his head in deep thought, quickly analyzing the pros and cons of the three options in his mind.

While 100,000 experience points are a lot, they offer limited improvement to his current cultivation level; the Primordial Spirit Crystal is precious, and the risk of stealing Zhen Yuanzi's spiritual root is too great, as he could easily expose his identity if he is not careful.

Only "celebrity masks"
This would perfectly conceal his feigned death, allowing him to proceed with the human race's plans more safely.

Jiang Wang's lips curled up slightly as he murmured, "Thousand-Day Sleeping Powder...that's an interesting choice."

On a whim, he accepted the second task.

The next moment, his soul seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, detached from his physical body, transformed into a wisp of breeze, and instantly traversed thousands of miles, entering Mingyue's sea of ​​consciousness within the Wuzhuang Temple.

Mingyue's body trembled slightly, a moment of confusion flashed in her eyes, but she quickly returned to normal.

Jiang Wang's soul silently took control of the body, and his movements were so natural that they were flawless.

As night deepened, the dining hall of Wuzhuang Temple was brightly lit.

Qingfeng and Mingyue were busy preparing a vegetarian meal, and the table was filled with fragrant dishes.

Bajie couldn't wait any longer. He grabbed a piece of steamed cake and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling, "This taste, tsk tsk, is much better than the vegetarian food at Mount Ling!"

Tang Sanzang smiled and shook his head, instructing, "Bajie, don't be greedy. You should thank the two young disciples."

Wukong didn't touch his chopsticks, but sat to the side, his eyes always showing a hint of wariness.

The white dragon horse transformed into human form and stood quietly behind Tang Sanzang, its gaze occasionally sweeping towards the bright moon, as if it had noticed something, but couldn't quite put its finger on what was wrong.

Jiang Wang, controlling Mingyue's body, carried a plate of freshly baked vegetarian dumplings and slowly walked towards the dining table.

His movements were gentle and natural, each step as if he had practiced it a thousand times.

The vegetarian dumplings on the plate emitted a faint fragrance, but he had secretly mixed the filling with a thousand-day sedation powder.

This is a colorless and odorless medicinal powder with a mild yet long-lasting effect. Those who are affected will fall into a deep sleep that can last for a thousand days, and even their souls will fall into chaos, making them difficult to awaken by ordinary means.

Jiang Wang's lips curled up slightly, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

This plate of vegetarian dumplings will once again bring the Journey to the West team to a standstill, giving him more time to perfect the small world and advance the grand plan for the human race.

Qingfeng smiled and invited, "You've come all this way, please try these vegetarian dumplings. They're made with special spiritual vegetables from Longevity Mountain."

Tang Sanzang nodded his thanks, picked up a dumpling, and put it in his mouth.

Bajie, without any hesitation, stuffed three into his mouth and exclaimed, "Delicious! Another plate, please!"

Wukong, however, did not touch his chopsticks, his eyes fixed on the bright moon, as if trying to detect some subtle anomaly.

Jiang Wang's heart stirred slightly, but he remained calm and continued to talk to Qingfeng as Mingyue, his words and laughter seemingly flawless.

As the night deepened, the lights of Wuzhuang Temple swayed gently in the wind.

Jiang Wang stood outside the dining hall, looking up at the night sky. The starlight, like water, fell on his face.

The game of Journey to the West is quietly changing, and he, as an invisible piece, is stirring up the winds and clouds of the entire Three Realms.

Within Chang'an City, the nascent form of the small world is still slowly taking shape, with spiritual energy surging like a tide, faintly revealing its vibrant vitality.

Jiang Wang's gaze grew increasingly profound as he murmured to himself, "The Heavenly Dao, the Human Race... In the end, it's my turn to play this game."

Jiang Wang leaned against an ancient pine tree, the pine needles swaying gently in the breeze, casting dappled light and shadows onto his face.

He squinted, toying with a thin blade of grass in his hand, a half-smile playing on his lips.

Sunlight shines through the glazed tiles of Wuzhuang Temple, refracting a seven-colored halo. A faint fruity fragrance permeates the air, so sweet that it stirs the heart.

This is the Ginseng Fruit Garden, the legendary land of immortal fruits. Jiang Wang's gaze lazily swept over the gnarled ginseng fruit tree. The fruits hanging on the tree were shaped like babies, and their pink skin seemed to be trembling with life.

Sun Wukong squatted under the tree, his golden cudgel casually poking the ground, leaving a shallow mark.

He looked up at the fruit, his eyes darting around with a hint of mockery: "Hey, Master, this fruit looks really strange, and it smells really good. Shall we try some?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wang glanced at him lazily and snorted, "You little monkey, are you getting greedy? This is Zhen Yuanzi's treasure; stealing it is no small matter."

Despite saying that, his tone was somewhat sarcastic, as if he didn't genuinely oppose it.

Pigsy, who had been unable to contain himself any longer, squeezed his plump body under the tree, his nose twitching as he greedily inhaled the fragrance of the fruit, his mouth practically watering: "Eldest Brother, since Master has said so, let's not be shy! This fruit looks like a baby; eating it will definitely be very nutritious!"

Sha Wujing stood a little distance away, frowning, hesitant to speak, but ultimately remained silent, simply watching Jiang Wang and waiting for his decision.

Jiang Wang chuckled and waved his hand: "Alright, alright, monkey, go and get a few down. Be quiet and don't disturb those two young disciples."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong grinned, jumped up, and patted his chest: "Alright, Master, don't worry, I, Old Sun, am very quick and efficient!"

He pulled out a golden mallet from his pocket; the small golden hammer gleamed coldly in the sunlight and felt as light as a feather in his hand.

He leaped to the treetop, picked three of the plumpest ginseng fruits, and gently tapped them. The fruits fell like ripe peaches into his palm.

Sun Wukong presented the three fruits to Jiang Wang; their peels were glossy and they emitted an enticing fragrance.

Jiang Wang raised an eyebrow, took one, and held it under his nose to sniff. The fragrance entered his nasal cavity, carrying a hint of coolness that went straight to his heart and soul.

He couldn't help but click his tongue and say, "Good stuff."

Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie each took one, and Sha Wujing hesitated for a moment before taking one as well. The four of them sat around under the tree, each looking down at the fruit in their hands.

Pigsy was impatient and didn't care about anything else. He opened his mouth and swallowed the fruit whole, making a few crunching sounds, without even spitting out the pit.

He wiped his mouth, smacking his lips with lingering satisfaction: "This...that's it? I didn't even taste anything!"

He glared at Sun Wukong and shouted, "Big Brother, go and kill a few more! I, Old Pig, haven't had enough yet!"

Sun Wukong rolled his eyes and spat, "You blockhead, you eat like a pig, and you want more? No way!"

As he spoke, he casually tossed the golden mallet towards the Taoist room. With a flash of golden light, the small hammer flew back to its original place and landed on the table with a clang.

Jiang Wang took a bite of the fruit. The flesh melted in his mouth, turning into a sweet juice that slid down his throat, bringing a warm sensation throughout his body.

He closed his eyes, savoring the sensation, and felt a slight vibration in his spiritual energy, as if some kind of power was slowly flowing through his meridians. (End of Chapter)