Journey to the West: Demon Emperor: Beginning as a Little Toad

Chapter 373 The Current Situation of the Dragon Clan
Iron Mountains.

Inside the Chitie Palace, the secret room is deep and dark, with flickering candlelight.

The Bull Demon King and the Golden Horned King were sitting together, talking about Ao Mo'ang and the dragon clan, wondering whether they could win over this dragon elite to plan big things together.

Xiao Chen said:
"Ao Mo'ang can become an immortal official in the heaven and enjoy wealth and glory; if he retires, he can inherit the throne of the Dragon King of the West Sea and control the waters of the West Sea."

"He has a bright future in heaven, but I'm afraid he won't be willing to hang out with us demon kings and conspire for great things."

Xiao Chen is well aware of the allure of Heaven.

This temptation is almost irresistible to most people in the Three Realms.

Just like those heroes of Liangshan, these bandit leaders who kill and burn people in the world, isn’t their final goal, their final dream, to be recruited by the imperial court?

They wanted to transform themselves from bandit leaders into high-ranking officials of the imperial court, to enjoy wealth and glory and bring honor to their families.

And the heaven in this world, that high and sacred and inviolable place, is undoubtedly the first choice in life for many people.

Although the system of Heaven is complex and has many rules, it is these rules and systems that provide solid protection and supreme honor for every member.

Once you step into the gate of heaven and become a part of it, things will be very different.

In the lower world, you only need to gently mention the name of heaven, and ordinary people will be wary of you. Gods protect each other, so who dares to touch you easily?
The majesty and power of heaven is like a towering mountain, standing tall and allowing every member to bathe in its glory.

If you dare to kill a god in heaven and violate the dignity of heaven, then countless gods will jump out to maintain the justice and order of heaven.

Even if it is a dog or a chicken in heaven, it is a treasure of heaven and you cannot kill it at will.

In contrast, although they, the wild monsters, are free and unrestrained, their lives are full of danger and uncertainty.

They may be surrounded and killed at any time, and may not have the next meal to eat.

Like the monster with a heavenly background on the journey to the west, and the white deer of the God of Longevity, even though they were full of evil, they used the hearts and livers of countless children to make medicine.

But because of the protection of heaven.

Even Sun Wukong's golden cudgel could not hurt it at all.

The birthday star said: "Great Sage, please slow down, Tianpeng, please don't rush..."

Sun Wukong could only raise his golden cudgel high up and then slowly retract it.

Extremely helpless.

This is the charm of heaven.

Fairness and justice are relative.

But, this rule was set by the Heavenly Court.

You are in the Heavenly Palace, using the hearts and livers of countless children to make medicine and doing some lawless things, but as long as you do not violate the bottom line of the Heavenly Palace, it is no big deal.

But if you do such a thing outside the Heavenly Palace, you will surely die.

For dragon elites like Ao Mo'ang, Heaven is undoubtedly a better choice.

Ao Mo'ang was mixed up with these wild demon kings and was in danger of losing his life at any time. It was far less reliable and stable than joining the Heavenly Court.

The Halloween old Dragon King can hang out with the Bull Demon King and his Golden Horned King.

To put it bluntly, this is the end of the old Halloween Dragon King's life in heaven, and he can't get any further.

But Ao Mo'ang is different. If you want to win over Ao Mo'ang, you must give him a reason that is more tempting than the Heavenly Court.

This... No one can give Ao Moang such a good reason now.

"Humph!"

Upon hearing this, Bull Demon King snorted, with a hint of disdain and coldness flashing in his eyes:

"Brother Jinjiao, that's what I said."

"But I don't think so."

"This heaven is good, but this heaven is the heaven of the Three Pure Ones and the Four Emperors."

“It has little to do with the dragon clan.”

"How good can the current Heavenly Court be to the Dragon Clan?"

He paused and continued:
"The dragons work hard for the Heavenly Court and devote themselves to it. They pull the carriage for the Jade Emperor, ring the bell for the Buddha, coil the pillars for the Jade Emperor, fight for the Heavenly Court in all directions, and guard the four seas for the Heavenly Court..."

"But how does Heaven treat the Dragon Clan?"

The Bull Demon King sneered:

"How harshly Heaven treats the Dragon Clan."

"The Dragon Clan controls the clouds and rain. If there is even the slightest mistake, they will be sentenced to death by the Heavenly Court. They will be sent to the Dragon Slicing Platform, where they will be skinned, decapitated, and subjected to the cruel punishment of the last resort."

The Halloween Dragon Girl sat aside, listening quietly to the words of the Bull Demon King. A trace of resonant sadness flashed in her eyes, as if the Bull Demon King's words touched the pain deep in her heart.

She couldn't help but think of what happened to her father.

The All Saints Dragon Girl nodded slightly, with a hint of bitterness in her voice, as she recalled the scenes of her father making rain every time:

"That's true. My father was always trembling with fear, as if he was walking on thin ice, every time it rained."

"He always calculated the rainfall and the time carefully, fearing that if it rained a little more or delayed for a moment, he would be mercilessly punished by the Heavenly Court and executed."

Having said this, Princess Halloween's tone became heavy.

Her eyes revealed helplessness and indignation about the current situation of the dragon clan.

As a member of the dragon clan, she knew very well how the dragon clan was living today, enduring humiliation and treading on thin ice.

The Bull Demon King continued with the previous topic, and said in a low and powerful voice:

"The gods in heaven enjoyed dragon liver and phoenix marrow at their banquet. They treated the dragons as food on a plate and took whatever they wanted."

"And the Garuda Legion in Lingshan feeds on dragons every day, considering dragons as their daily rations."

"A Garuda devours 500 small dragons every day, and sometimes even ordinary dragon kings cannot escape its mouth."

"The lives of the dragon race are nothing but grass to the Heavenly Court, and can be slaughtered at will."

"Although most of the dragons they eat are transformed from the 'Dragon Transformation Pond', those are just low-level dragons or transformed from other water creatures."

"But no matter what, these dragons are real dragons. Aren't the lives of these dragons real lives?"

"Ordinary mortals are human, but ordinary dragons are not dragons?"

"What's the difference between a god eating a dragon and a monster eating a human?"

"Everyone is just relying on their own strength to wantonly deprive the lives of the weak."

"No matter whether it is mountains, rivers, plants, or humans, demons, or monsters, when it comes to their origin, they are all transformed by the great god Pangu. We are all living beings in this world."

"Is a human life more noble than a dragon's life?"

"Don't these dragons have lives, emotions, or families?"

The Bull Demon King sneered:

"It's just because the human race can better collect incense and offer sacrifices to the gods, and they are of some value to the gods, so they deserve to be protected."

"The Dragon Clan believes in the Ancestral Dragon and does not believe in those so-called gods in heaven."

"So the dragon race can only be enjoyed as food."

"In the eyes of Heaven and Lingshan, ordinary dragons are nothing more than delicacies on a plate."

"Besides, who can guarantee that those gods in heaven and the Garudas of Lingshan don't have the desire to covet the flesh of the real dragon?"

"Ordinary dragons will get tired of eating this after so many years. Don't they want to change their taste?"

"Do they really not want to eat real dragons?"

At this point, the Bull Demon King snorted disdainfully and continued:

"The reason why they didn't dare to attack the real dragon easily is just because they have some concerns."

"After all, the Dragon Clan still has a certain strength and reputation, and Heaven and Lingshan are unwilling to completely anger the entire Dragon Clan."

"Let the dragon tribe completely turn against us."

"Boil the frog in warm water and kill it slowly."

The Bull Demon King shook his head disapprovingly and continued:
"But in the final analysis, ordinary dragons today are nothing more than food in the eyes of Heaven and Lingshan."

"The more powerful dragons are nothing more than their high-level servants, larger cannon fodder."

“When you call it, it comes, when you wave it, it goes.”

"When have they ever truly considered dragons as equal partners?"

As he spoke, the Bull Demon King looked at Princess Halloween, with a playful smile on his face:

"Does Heaven really regard the Dragon Clan as its own people?"

“Will God even look upon the food on his plate?”

"I think that Ao Mo'ang, even if he is doing well in the Heavenly Court, may not be able to be truly successful."

"Most of the gods in heaven are disciples of the Three Pure Ones."

"The core members are all disciples and former officials of the Three Pure Ones."

"Behind closed doors, they are a family."

The Bull Demon King laughed and said:
"These gods are all arrogant and proud, how could they really value him, a prince of the dragon clan?"

At this time, the Bull Demon King also gave an example with a smile:

"Nezha beat to death Prince Ao Bing, the son of Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea, and also pulled out Ao Bing's tendons and skinned him." "But the Heavenly Court didn't even give a shit!"

"Isn't Nezha alive and well now?"

Having said that, the Bull Demon King paused and continued:

"Sooner or later, Ao Mo'ang will see the true face of the Heavenly Court."

"By then, I'm afraid he will become disheartened and become a bandit, joining us."

"After all, how could a dragon with blood and dignity be willing to be a slave of the Heavenly Court forever?"

At this point, the Bull Demon King showed a confident smile on his face, as if he had seen the future:
"When the time comes, I'm afraid he won't be able to escape if I call him 'Brother Ao'.

Xiao Chen admired what the Bull Demon King said, and said:

"Brother, that's a good idea!"

The monster Bull Demon King seems rough and unruly, but in fact he is wise and foolish. He is rough but meticulous and has a unique understanding of the ways of the world.

Especially after inheriting the legacy of the Iron-Splitting Demon Saint, his knowledge and wisdom increased a lot.

"Hey hey hey."

The Bull Demon King chuckled, picked up a cup of Iron Tree Blossom Tea, took a sip, and said:

"So, my dear brother Jinjiao, this is what I said to you earlier."

“In this world, what can convince a person is never empty talk, but the practical lessons learned when he hits a wall.”

“What can awaken a person is never preaching or indoctrination, but the hardships and setbacks he personally experiences.”

"He won't understand unless he falls once."

“Just like this heaven.”

"The Heavenly Court is now very powerful and is the ruler of the three worlds today."

"Who wouldn't want to enter this heaven if they have some ability?"

"Enjoy the supreme glory and power?"

"But, it's not so easy to enter the heaven."

The Bull Demon King paused and continued:
"Most of the gods in heaven are disciples of the Three Pure Ones. They have good family backgrounds and form their own factions. They have already formed a solid class and monopoly."

“It’s like a big pie.”

"The gods in heaven have already allocated how to eat each small piece of the big cake."

"How can there be a place for you and me?"

He shook his head and continued:
"How do you get in?"

"How can I eat this cake?"

"People like us who were born as wild monsters, have neither prominent followers nor strong factions to support us. In their eyes, we are inherently inferior."

"Even if you have some ability and are lucky enough to enter the Heavenly Palace, they will not treat you as one of their own."

"In their eyes, you are just an outsider, just a tool, just a pawn that can be used."

At this point, the Bull Demon King sighed:

"The only way for us to go to heaven is to be his dog. We need to be a good dog and an obedient dog."

"Only then can you barely gain a foothold in heaven."

"My dear brother, the Monkey King, is like this. With all his abilities, I'm afraid he will be fooled by the Heavenly Court."

"The same is true of Ao Mo'ang from the Dragon Clan. He thought that with his Dragon Clan identity and abilities, he could thrive in the Heavenly Court, but sooner or later he would suffer a bloody defeat."

The Bull Demon King's words were full of helplessness and emotion:
“Because they don’t understand how deep and muddy the waters in heaven are.”

"They thought they could gain a firm foothold in the Heavenly Court with their own abilities and status, but they had no idea how solid and difficult it was to shake the hierarchy and factions in the Heavenly Court."

“They can’t have this piece of cake.”

"Unless they are willing to give up their dignity and status and become a dog in heaven."

At this point, Bull Demon King shook his head and sighed:
"Brother, I am a cow, I can't be a dog."

"I can't eat that dog food either."

"So, I never consider that heaven."

Hearing this, Xiao Chen couldn't help but think of the fate of the Bull Demon King in the original plot.

Since arriving in the West, he has had no rivals. The Bull King is actually a transformed monkey.

The Bull Demon King and the Monkey King are sworn brothers. One is called the Great Sage Pingtian and the other is called the Great Sage Equaling Heaven.

The two monsters have similar abilities, but they take completely different paths.

Sun Wukong was eager to seek amnesty and longed for recognition and status in heaven.

Sun Wukong tried the road to surrender several times, and finally succeeded.

However, the Bull Demon King never agreed to surrender. He just wanted to be the king in the underworld and enjoy freedom and unrestrainedness.

But in the end, the Bull Demon King's wife and children were separated, his family was broken up, the Red Child was taken away, his concubine Jade-faced Fox was beaten to death, and he himself was surrounded by gods and Buddhas. He was beaten to his true form and was taken to Lingshan.

The whereabouts of Bull Demon King is unknown.

Maybe it became a mount.

After all, in the world of gods, cattle mounts are more prestigious and popular.

"Brother, I understand what you mean."

Xiao Chen nodded, indicating that he understood Bull Demon King's position, and then said:

"In the battle at the Flower-Fruit Mountain, the Monkey King, relying on his own strength, severely damaged the Four Heavenly Kings, defeated the Nine Stars Lords, swept through the Twenty-Eight Constellations, and tied with Erlang Shen, showing his extraordinary abilities."

"The Heavenly Court had no choice but to acknowledge his existence and conferred upon the Monkey King the title of 'Great Sage Equaling Heaven'."

"It is to show the intention of 'recruiting talents' and to win the hearts of the demons in the world."

"But deep down, the Heavenly Court still looks down on the Monkey King."

"These gods think highly of themselves, how could they treat the Monkey King as one of their own?"

"Nor will they really reuse the Monkey King."

"It means giving the Monkey King an empty title, a position but no salary, and making him a mascot or something."

“Then put it on the shelf.”

"Maybe in their eyes, it's just: What 'The Monkey King'? I've never heard of it."

"A monkey who manages Taoyuan still wants to be on equal footing with them. It's just a dream."

"And the Monkey King will discover this sooner or later."

"A beautiful dream is shattered."

The Bull Demon King said in a deep voice:

"Yes, the moment the beautiful dream is shattered is the moment when my dear brother the Monkey King wakes up completely."

"He is still dreaming of becoming a high-ranking official in the Heavenly Court."

"No matter how much you talk to him, it's useless."

"One day, he will understand the true face of heaven."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen agreed deeply with it.

Since ancient times, the road to peace has never been easy.

The bloody lesson of the 108 Liangshan heroes is a living example.

Song Jiang, Wu Yong, Lu Junyi... these people thought that if they entered the court, they would become one of their family members and share the wealth and glory.

The results of it?
The imperial court only used the Liangshan generals as guns, using them to fight wars and quell rebellions. Once they lost their usefulness, they were abandoned.

Even persecuted.

What about the Monkey King Sun Wukong who was recruited by the Heavenly Palace?

Xiao Chen said:

"By then, a battle like the one at Mount Huaguo will probably be inevitable."

"Brother, we should also prepare early."

The Bull Demon King agreed:

"Yes, the Heavenly Court is powerful, with many soldiers and generals."

"Going it alone is not the right way!"

"We are now actually all potential wanted criminals in Heaven."

"They are all guilty of capital crimes."

"That's why we need to recruit more powerful brothers to work together for the great cause, so that we can compete with the Heavenly Court."

"That way, we won't be defeated one by one in the future."

(End of this chapter)