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

Chapter 517 King Golden Horn Returns to Yaochi (6k Chapters, Requesting Monthly Tickets)

skyline.

The eighth layer.

Chixia Mountain.

Yang Residence.

“Ao Yao…”

"King Golden Horn..."

Xiao Chen and Wan Shenglongnu were drinking tea in the bamboo forest deep inside the Yang residence. As they sipped their tea, they discussed their upcoming plans.

During the conversation.

Xiao Chen casually mentioned that there was a strange immortal herb in Yaochi.

This celestial herb was planted in the Queen Mother's medicinal garden and carefully nurtured by the Queen Mother of the Jade Pool.

The most peculiar thing is...

This magical herb can emit nine-colored rays of light, the nine colors intertwined, like a dreamlike scene, dazzling and extremely beautiful.

The Dragon Girl of the Holy Moon was dignified, elegant, and graceful.

Upon hearing this news...

The voluptuous body of the Dragon Girl Wan Sheng involuntarily leaned forward significantly.

Her pretty face drew closer to Xiao Chen, her fragrant breath gently brushing against his face. Her beautiful eyes gleamed with eagerness and longing, as she tried to glean more secrets about the immortal herb from him.

However, as soon as she got close, she realized she had lost her composure, and her cheeks flushed instantly, like peach blossoms in spring, delicate and beautiful.

In her panic, Wan Shenglongnu quickly distanced herself again, biting her lower lip lightly, her pearly teeth barely visible. Her beautiful eyes darted around as she pressed Xiao Chen for an answer, her voice trembling slightly:
"what?"

"King Golden Horn, you...you actually saw a celestial herb emitting nine-colored light?"

The atmosphere was slightly awkward at this moment.

It was as if an invisible veil was shrouding the Toad King and the Dragon Girl, making the air seem somewhat stagnant.

Only the slightly rapid breathing of Wan Shenglongnu echoed softly in the silent bamboo forest, like a murmuring spring, stirring the heart.

Her eyes held both longing for the magical herb and shyness from her loss of composure; these intertwined emotions made her all the more beautiful and charming.

But Xiao Chen remained unmoved, his expression unchanged.

Toads are naturally thick-skinned.

His skin, that of the Toad King, is as thick as a city wall.

When traveling, the three "no's" are: not taking initiative, not refusing, and not taking responsibility.

He certainly didn't provoke anyone.

Xiao Chen glanced briefly at Wan Sheng, the "Great Dragon Girl"...

His thoughts drifted to distant places, recalling his past life on Earth.

On Earth, he once tasted a freshly baked, fluffy, and soft cloud-shaped loaf of bread in a cozy bakery.

Those cloud-shaped loaves of bread truly lived up to their name, resembling "bread as big as clouds," much like white clouds drifting lazily across the sky.

It has a large and full body, a round and cute appearance, and is lovable.

Its texture is as delicate as clouds, with each strand revealing a soft and fluffy quality.

Hold it in your palm and give it a gentle squeeze, and the cloud-shaped milk bread will overflow with sweet juice, which carries a rich wheat aroma and a faint milk fragrance, making your mouth water.

When you put it in your mouth, the taste is simply wonderful; the sweet flavor spreads on your tongue, leaving you wanting more.

What's even more amazing is.

This bread is not only fragrant and delicious, but also soft and smooth to the touch, with an extremely elastic texture.

Holding it in your palm, a gentle squeeze and it springs back quickly, much like the exquisite sensation on your face right now...

It is unsettling and slightly unsettling.

However, King Golden Horn was no novice.

Although cloud bread is delicious, he has tasted many kinds.

After looking at the Halloween Dragon Girl, Xiao Chen was somewhat amazed by her enormous size and delicious taste, but it was not surprising.

Therefore, he remained calm and composed in the face of Wan Shenglongnu's loss of composure.

"Well, that's true."

Xiao Chen nodded slightly and withdrew his gaze from the Great Dragon Girl of Ten Thousand Saints.

He looked at Wan Shenglongnu, his gaze meeting her beautiful eyes filled with expectation and curiosity. With a hint of certainty in his expression, he slowly said:

"In the Queen Mother's herb garden, the nine-colored glow was dazzling and so beautiful that one felt that such a scene should only exist in heaven and could not be seen in the human world. It was truly unforgettable."

"Unfortunately, at that time, the land of Yaochi was crowded with immortals and gods, and there were too many people and too many eyes. Moreover, the war was intense and the atmosphere was tense."

"At the time, I didn't want to get too close to check, lest I attract attention and arouse suspicion."

Therefore, I only noticed the nine-colored glow at the time and did not investigate further.

"Therefore, I have come to ask you this question today."

"In your opinion, this herb is very likely to be the Nine-Leaf Lingzhi Herb?"

Upon hearing this, Wan Shenglongnu's expression turned serious.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she said seriously:
"No one has ever seen the true appearance of the Nine-Leaf Lingzhi Grass. Most of the descriptions are just guesses and conjectures."

"However, according to legend, this herb has an extremely long growth period. It takes three thousand years to take root, another three thousand years to sprout, and another three thousand years to unfold its leaves. Only when all nine leaves are in full bloom will the first rays of dawn appear, which is a sign of its maturity."

"Each leaf contains a different color of rosy light, namely red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, black, and white, which is called 'nine leaves containing nine rosy lights,' just like a nine-colored rainbow, which is extremely beautiful."

"After all nine leaves have been harvested, the nine-leaf Ganoderma lucidum will fall into a deep sleep and wither, and it will take another three thousand years before it begins a new cycle of growth."

"From your description, the immortal herb that radiates nine-colored light is very similar to the nine-leaf Ganoderma lucidum."

"But whether it is or not, I still need to check and confirm it. After all, seeing is believing, and I need to see it in person to know for sure. I don't want to be mistaken, or I'll be disappointed."

Xiao Chen smiled and said:

“Ao Yao, that’s for sure.”

"As long as the direction is right, we are not afraid of how far the road is. What we are afraid of is that the direction is wrong from the beginning. Then it will be like going south while heading north, and all our efforts will be in vain."

"This matter certainly needs to be handled prudently to ensure that nothing goes wrong, after all, we only have one chance."

"If we succeed, we might alert the Queen Mother of the West and make it difficult for us to steal the immortal herb again."

"If we end up stealing the wrong herb, all our previous efforts will be in vain."

"Um……"

The Dragon Girl's beautiful eyes sparkled with intelligence and wit, as if she were deep in thought.

Then, she transmitted her voice to Xiao Chen using a "mosquito-brand cordless phone":
"What King Golden Horn says is very true."

"However, what should we do to get a closer look at this plant and find out what it is?"

"Does the Golden Horned King have any plans?"

"The Jade Pool is heavily guarded, like an impregnable fortress. It would be no easy task to get close to the Queen Mother's herb garden. If we are not careful, we may expose our whereabouts."

Xiao Chen picked up his teacup, took a sip of the Cloud Mist Immortal Tea to moisten his throat, and then transmitted his voice:
"As it happens, I had previously presented a poem of praise to the Queen Mother of the West, which won her favor."

"She told me to go to Yaochi to receive a reward after the war ends. This is a golden opportunity that I must not miss."

“I can take advantage of the reward to find an excuse to get a closer look at the Queen Mother’s herb garden.”

"I'll take you with me then, and we'll find a chance to get a closer look at the Queen Mother's Herb Garden."

"In that case, we can see if the nine-leaf Ganoderma lucidum is indeed among them."

"If it is indeed there, we can find a way to take it, and then our great undertaking will be accomplished!"

Upon hearing this, Wan Shenglongnu became quite interested. Her beautiful eyes flickered, a half-smile playing on her lips, and she parted them slightly, saying:
"Who knew the Golden Horned King could compose poetry?"

"And it can also win the favor of the Queen Mother of the West."

"I have observed that Your Majesty is usually generous and unrestrained, unlike a scholar who buries himself in poetry and calligraphy all day long. I never imagined that you would have such talent?"

"You actually managed to impress the Queen Mother of Heaven?"

The poem "Qingping Diao, Part 1" was, after all, borrowed by King Jinjiao from the great Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai; it was not written by him.

King Golden Horn is usually good at wielding swords and spears, but how could he have such extraordinary literary talent to write such wonderful poems?
Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen waved his hand, a look of shame appearing on his face, and chuckled:
"I have a slight understanding of flirtatiousness, that's all."

"At the time, it was a sudden inspiration. I thought that by catering to her preferences, I might be able to win a smile from the Queen Mother of the West."

"That poem was just something I wrote on a whim, a few lines I made up, but I never expected it to catch the eye of the Queen Mother of the West."

"This was just a fluke, nothing to brag about."

"Pfft..."

Upon hearing this, Wan Shenglongnu lightly covered her lips, her beautiful eyes smiling. Her smile was like a flower blooming in spring, delicate and charming.

Then, Wan Shenglongnu became even more curious and leaned forward slightly again, her exquisite figure coming closer once more, like a blooming water lily, with a fatal attraction.

The Dragon Girl's beautiful eyes sparkled with anticipation as she softly said:
"I wonder what poem it is? Could you tell me about it?"

"I am really curious, what kind of masterpiece could please the Queen Mother of the West?"

The familiar Halloween brand facial cleanser, with its familiar fragrance, like orchids and musk, wafts towards you once again, seemingly carrying a hint of allure, lingering around your nose.

Its enormous size was so overwhelming that it was almost suffocating.

Yet it is irresistible, as if a gentle hand is softly stroking your heartstrings.

Xiao Chen didn't stand on ceremony and washed his face again with Halloween brand facial cleanser.

Then, Xiao Chen glanced at the Great Dragon Girl of Ten Thousand Saints, and casually recited the words, his voice clear and melodious, seemingly possessing a rhythmic beauty:
"Clouds yearn for her garments, flowers for her face; the spring breeze caresses the balustrade, the dew is heavy... We will meet again on the Jade Terrace under the moon."

The Dragon Princess Wansheng was pampered in the Dragon Palace since childhood, well-read and exceptionally talented, and was praised as having "beautiful looks and twenty points of talent".

She was also a very cultured dragon girl, unlike the wild monsters in the mortal realm who only knew how to fight and kill.

Upon hearing this, Wan Shenglongnu was slightly taken aback, a look of amazement flashing in her eyes, and she praised:

"What a fine poem!"

"This poem has a lofty artistic conception, gorgeous diction, and beautiful rhythm. Even if it were placed in the mortal world, it would be enough to be passed down for thousands of years."

"The poem uses clouds and flowers to compare to a beautiful woman, which is a stroke of genius, and it perfectly captures the beauty's charm."

"If I were the Queen Mother of the West, I would be overjoyed."

"I never expected that King Golden Horn would have such literary talent. He is a man of both literary and martial prowess, capable of both fighting on the battlefield and writing beautifully."

It is said that beautiful women either love scholars or generals; a scholar's literary talent can move her heart, while a general's bravery and heroism can win her heart.

But what if there were a person who was both a scholar and a general?
The Dragon Maiden of Ten Thousand Saints looked at Xiao Chen, her eyes filled with increasing admiration. Her gaze was like the warm sun in spring, gentle yet ardent.

Then, Wan Shenglongnu noticed her lapse in composure, and her face flushed with embarrassment, like the magnificent sunset on the horizon.

She distanced herself again, her movements tinged with shyness and reserve.

This situation is exactly as follows:
"The most tender thing is that lowered head, like a water lily shyly trembling in the cool breeze."

This made Xiao Chen somewhat suspicious that the Dragon Girl of Ten Thousand Saints was deliberately tempting him. However, King Golden Horn did not show any such reaction on his face, and his expression remained unchanged.

After all, when you're out and about, you can't be passive, passive, or irresponsible. Of course, you also can't mess around.

Wan Sheng Long Nu adjusted her demeanor, feigning composure, and said:
"However, since we have already devised a plan, we will proceed accordingly and be determined to find out the truth about the Nine-Leaf Lingzhi Grass."

Xiao Chen laughed heartily and said:

“Then, Ao Yao, tomorrow, let’s go to Yaochi together to explore the Nine-Leaf Lingzhi Grass!”

The Dragon Maiden of Ten Thousand Saints extended her snow-white, delicate hand and transmitted her voice:

“Back then, my foundation was damaged, and there was no hope for my cultivation to improve. There was even a possibility that it would regress.”

"At that time, I felt utterly hopeless, as if I had fallen into an abyss, with no hope in sight. But I was unwilling to give in to this and wanted to go to the heavens to try my luck, hoping to steal a sliver of heavenly secrets and change my fate."

"This matter is extremely difficult."

"Fortunately, with the help of King Golden Horn, we pledge our allegiance to each other and embark on a journey to the Heavenly Realm to search for treasures."

"Now, we finally have a glimmer of hope."

When dealing with enemies, King Golden Horn was always ruthless and merciless, trying every means to eliminate them as quickly as possible, just like the biting cold wind in the dead of winter, making people shudder.

But when it comes to friends, King Golden Horn is quite gentle and warm.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen sighed softly and comforted Wan Shenglongnu:
“Ao Yao, the root cause of your current injury to your foundation is that I destroyed the Lingzhi Immortal Herb that you painstakingly cultivated back then.”

"This matter arose because of me, so it is only right that I help you."

"We have been searching in this celestial realm for a long time and have finally found a sliver of opportunity. We must seize it and not make any mistakes."

"Otherwise, all previous efforts will have been in vain."

"Tomorrow's trip to Yaochi requires us to be both cautious and prudent, taking each step with care, but also bold and willing to take a gamble."

In fact, Xiao Chen only realized how difficult it was to actually steal the herb in the Heavenly Realm after he came there.

The story of "The Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains" illustrates that although the project is enormous, there is still hope. As long as one perseveres, one day the mountains will be moved.

"Finding a needle in a haystack"—the chances are slim, but there's still a possibility.

That vast and boundless celestial realm was shrouded in clouds and mist, with countless immortal mountains and numerous fairy islands.

The "stealing grass from the heavens" refers to the act of finding a small grass in the heavens...

Actually, that was a bit of a pipe dream.

As the saying goes:
"Wideer than the land is the ocean, and wider than the ocean is the sky."

However, placed in this fantastic and magnificent mythological world, the scenery described in this passage is but a drop in the ocean; there is another grand and magnificent picture with countless wonders.

In this mythical world of Journey to the West, the map is so vast that it far exceeds the imagination of ordinary people.

The Western Vulture Peak, a place where Buddhism flourishes and the sounds of chanting fill the air, boasts a magnificent golden summit, bathed in the light of Buddha. Three thousand Buddhas and Bodhisattvas sit on lotus thrones, expounding the Dharma, their wondrous voices resounding throughout the ten directions.

Even so, the Western Spirit Mountain is but a "tiny corner" compared to the vast Western Niuhe Continent.

The Great Tang Dynasty in the East, a prosperous and culturally rich land, was merely a part of the Southern Continent.

Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, was a magnificent city with bustling streets, where people lived in peace and contentment.

Looking across the entire Southern Continent, there are still countless mysterious places, extraordinary people and events waiting for those with the right destiny to explore.

The Liusha River in Xiniu Hezhou alone is "more than ten million li long" and "eight hundred li wide".

The width of the river in Xiniuhezhou is almost the same as the length of the Huai River in the previous Earth.

……

The Huai River is one of the seven major rivers in China, and together with the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, and the Ji River, it is known as one of the "Four Rivers". Its main stream flows through the provinces of Henan, Anhui, and Jiangsu.

Its basin spans five provinces: Hubei, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shandong.

The main stream of the Huai River is about "one thousand kilometers" long, which is already quite exaggerated in the mundane world, but in the mythological world of Journey to the West, this length is only equivalent to "the width of a great river".

It's easy to imagine how large the map of the Journey to the West world is.

What if we shrunk the people of Earth to the size of bacteria or ants?
If bacteria lived on Earth, the world's population would probably be roughly the same.

……

There are actually many large rivers like the Liusha River in Xiniu Hezhou, such as the Tongtian River and the Heishui River.

The land of Xiniuhezhou is bordered to the east by deserts, where yellow sand fills the sky and danger lurks everywhere; to the west by various barbarian tribes, whose customs are different and mysterious.

To the south lies Ugo, a region with many magical kingdoms and strange creatures; to the north lies Tartary, a land of vast grasslands where horses neigh and the wind howls.

The four members of the Tang Monk's group, after experiencing eighty-one tribulations, only traversed "a very small part of Xiniu Hezhou".

The Tang Monk and his disciples had not yet visited many places in Xiniu Hezhou, such as the deserts in the east, the various tribes in the west, the Wuge Kingdom in the south, and the Tatars in the north, and it had already taken them fourteen years.

Moreover, the horse that Tang Sanzang rode was no ordinary horse, but a white dragon horse.

The White Dragon Horse is the incarnation of a "true dragon," carrying Tang Sanzang at great speed.

Even so, they had only traversed a small portion of Xiniuhezhou.

From this perspective, even Xiniuhe Continent, one of the four continents, is already so vast and boundless.

The size of the Kun is immeasurable, its length is unknown; the back of the Peng is immeasurable, its length is unknown.

The Northern Sea, one of the regions of Beiju Luzhou, is so vast that it can accommodate a Kunpeng thousands of miles long swimming freely, as well as hundreds of millions of demons. Its immeasurable size is astonishing.

In the Northern Continent of Luzhou, there once stood Mount Buzhou, which could support the heavens.

Even more expansive than the four continents of Dongsheng Shenzhou, Xiniu Hezhou, Nanzhanbuzhou, and Beiju Luzhou are the four oceans of the east, south, west, and north.

The four oceans are vast and boundless, with waves rolling endlessly.

Deep in the ocean, there are dragon palaces, coral reefs, and countless rare treasures, guarded by shrimp soldiers, crab generals, and dragon sons and grandsons.

But even more expansive than the four great oceans of the east, south, west, and north is the celestial realm.

All four continents, four oceans, numerous overseas fairy islands, blessed lands, and lower realms... combined, constitute only the human realm, one of the three realms of heaven, earth, and humanity.

The human world is already so vast and boundless.

The celestial realm encompasses all the stars in the sky, vast and boundless.

Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe was vast and boundless. The sun and moon waxed and waned, the stars and constellations were arrayed in their positions.

The sun, the moon, and countless stars that you can see... are all in the heavens.

The heavens alone have as many as thirty-three layers, layer upon layer, boundless and limitless.

Each heaven is a boundless expanse of heaven and earth.

The first heaven, the second heaven, the third heaven... each heaven has its own unique scenery and mystery.

Between each of these heavens lies a vast star field, hundreds of millions of miles apart, with stars scattered about, shining like countless stars.

In the vast star field, stars are arrayed, some as hot as fire, some as cold as ice, some dazzling, and some dim.

On just one small star, there are countless flowers, trees, and rare and exotic animals...

On some stars, the mountains and rivers are magnificent and beautiful, and the rivers flow endlessly; on other stars, the deserts are vast and boundless, desolate and uninhabited.

Not to mention, within the celestial realm, there are countless "small worlds" hidden within.

These "small worlds" are their own worlds, containing mysteries and wonders.

It's no problem to say that the heavens are infinitely high, infinitely large, and infinitely wide...

Finding a blade of grass in such a vast and boundless "celestial realm" is many times more difficult than "finding a needle in a haystack."

You have absolutely no idea which realm this blade of grass is in, which star it resides on, which small world it exists in, or which palace or treasure vault it occupies...

You can't imagine how big, how high, or how wide the celestial realm is until you actually enter it.

The true vastness of the celestial realm is beyond the imagination of ordinary mortals.

Only by truly immersing oneself in it can one know what Heaven is.
Finding a blade of grass in such a vast and boundless celestial realm is practically an impossible task.

The only clue he had to the Golden Horn King was a line from Journey to the West: "The Lord of the Ten Thousand Saints Palace secretly entered the Lingxiao Palace in the Great Luo Heaven and stole the Nine-Leaf Lingzhi Herb from the Queen Mother of the West."

But now, something as difficult as "finding a blade of grass in the heavens" has finally yielded some concrete clues.

"Ao Yao, then I wish us every success and smooth sailing!"

Xiao Chen also extended his rough, large palm and struck Wan Shenglongnu's snow-white, delicate palm.

There was a "pop" sound.

The crisp sound of clapping was like the sounding of a battle horn.

King Golden Horn and Princess Wansheng, King Toad and Princess Dalong were all in high spirits, exchanging smiles, the aroma of tea still lingering.

……

The next morning.

Xiao Chen then headed to the Thirty-Three Heavens with Wan Shenglongnu.

He planned to accept the invitation from the Queen Mother of the West to go to the Jade Pool to receive a reward, and at the same time take this opportunity to investigate the Nine-Colored Glow Grass.

Upon reaching the entrance to the Thirty-Three Heavens, one sees swirling clouds and mist, like smoke and illusion, with an overwhelming and irresistible ethereal aura.

Hundreds of golden-armored heavenly soldiers, majestic and imposing, stood guard at the entrance.

They were clad in gleaming golden armor, wielding long spears with a chilling glint in their eyes, their gazes sharp as they vigilantly scanned their surroundings.

They saw two silver-armored heavenly soldiers approaching.

A majestic, golden-armored general, wielding a sharp sword, with a voice as loud as a bell, demanded:

"Who goes there? State your name at once!"

Xiao Chen remained calm and composed. He stepped forward slowly, took out his identity token from his robes, respectfully presented it, and bowed to the golden-armored general, saying:
"I am Yang Guoshan from the Doubu tribe. I have been sent by the Queen Mother of the West to Yaochi to receive my reward."

Upon hearing this, the golden-armored general nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and said:

"In that case, you are going to Yaochi to receive your reward on the orders of the Queen Mother of the West, so we dare not stop you."

Say it.

The golden-armored general didn't bother to check with Yaochi before waving his hand to signal them to leave, his eyes revealing envy.

After all, this is in Heaven.

The most powerful figures in the Heavenly Court were the Jade Emperor, the Queen Mother of the West, and the Supreme Dao Ancestor.

The Supreme Dao Ancestor usually resides in the Tushita Palace, outside the Thirty-Three Heavens, where he devotes himself to alchemy and is rarely seen. The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West, though in the Heavenly Court, are also rarely seen.

Therefore, for ordinary heavenly soldiers and generals, having the opportunity to meet the Queen Mother of the West at Yaochi and receive her rewards was a dream come true.

Ordinary immortals and gods would not dare to dream of such things.

As for your false claim of the Queen Mother's decree or the Jade Emperor's decree...

This is no different from you directly plotting a rebellion or starting a rebellion.

Since the establishment of the Heavenly Court, apart from Sun Wukong, who wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace and tried to seize the Jade Emperor's throne, no one has ever dared to do this.

……

(PS: 6K long chapter today, early update, please vote with monthly tickets, thank you for your support!)
(End of this chapter)