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

Chapter 543 The Siblings Yang Jian and Yang Chan's Discord
Although the Heavenly Rules were established to maintain order in the Three Realms and their starting point was good, over time, some of the provisions have become rigid and corrupt, no longer adaptable to the development of the Three Realms, and have given rise to many problems.

If Yang Jian were to become the "enforcer" of the Heavenly Realm and the "sword-bearer" of the Heavenly Laws...

Perhaps only he could truly understand the flaws of these heavenly rules.

He can delve into the matter like a doctor taking a pulse, carefully examining the rationality of each heavenly rule and uncovering the "root cause" hidden in the shadows.

He can listen to the voices of all beings in the Three Realms and rewrite a more reasonable set of Heavenly Rules, allowing the Three Realms to prosper under the new order.

This is the fundamental way to govern the three realms.

Only those who hold power can attempt to overturn the heavenly laws and have the possibility of rewriting them.

"Qingyuan Miaodao Zhenjun" is not just an honorific title, but also a weighty mission and responsibility.

What is "Qingyuan"?
This means cleaning up the root cause and carrying out a systematic overhaul from the source.

Just as the saying goes: "How can the canal be so clear? Because it has a source of living water."

Controlling floods in the lower realm can only provide temporary relief and does not address the root cause.

Immortals fight, mortals suffer.

If the celestial realm falls into chaos, calamities will surely strike the mortal realm once again.

The Heavenly Rules are the source of the Heavenly Court's governance of the Three Realms. Only by eradicating this source of "Heavenly Rules" can the order of the Three Realms be renewed.

……

The Heavenly Laws are like shackles, but those who wield the sword and hold the power may have a real chance to reshape the rules of these Heavenly Laws in order to avoid the tragedy of the next "Guanjiangkou Massacre" and the calamity of the next "Donghua Emperor's Rebellion".

Think about this.

Yang Jian already had a plan in mind.

The heavy Seal of the God of Justice floated inside the hall, its surface swirling with dark lightning patterns, containing power and responsibility sufficient to overturn the Three Realms.

The tragic scenes he witnessed during his flood control efforts flashed through his mind: the miserable plight of ordinary mortals suffering amidst the power struggles between gods and celestial beings, their cries of despair echoing across the land, their lives filled with misery.

If the root cause of the turmoil in the heavens is not cleared, there will never be peace on earth!

With power in hand... only with power in hand can one rewrite all of this!
A resolute determination, like burning one's boats, rose from the depths of Yang Jian's heart, and his cold, star-like eyes looked at the Queen Mother of the West.

He slowly extended his hand with its distinct knuckles.

"I understand Your Majesty's meaning."

Yang Jian's voice was deep and firm.

The Queen Mother of the West laughed and said:

"Yang Jian, I knew I hadn't misjudged you."

"You can take over the printing."

The Queen Mother's voice suddenly turned low, and the atmosphere in the Erlang Shen Temple became solemn and dignified, as if an invisible pressure was enveloping it.

With a gentle wave of her hand, the "Seal of the God of Justice," symbolizing the authority to enforce the heavenly laws, slowly flew towards Yang Jian.

The moment that small seal appeared, the invisible rules within the temple seemed to tremble and groan, as if in fear of the immense power contained within this divine seal.

Its weight lies not in its physical weight, but in the heavenly rules and laws it embodies, which are the cornerstone of the order of the Three Realms.

Yang Jian reached out and took the Judicial God Seal. When his fingertips touched the cold seal, a stern and imposing legal pressure instantly surged into his limbs and bones, causing his primordial spirit to tremble slightly.

Yang Jian will take over the Seal of the God of Justice today!
Seeing Yang Jian accept the Seal of the God of Justice, the Queen Mother nodded and said:

"The Heavenly Court will soon hold the 'Dan Yuan Conference'."

"At that time, all the immortals of the Daoist sect and the gods of the Heavenly Court will participate, and I will officially announce this news at the Dan Yuan Conference."

The "Dan Yuan Assembly" is a grand event in the celestial realm, mainly where Laozi (Taishang Laojun) refines elixirs and presents them to the Jade Emperor.

Among them were precious items such as the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir.

"It's up to you, Madam."

Upon hearing this, Yang Jian did not refuse; he was not a pretentious person.

Once you've made a decision and believe it's the right thing to do, just go for it.

……

Inside the temple of Erlang Xiansheng Zhenjun.

The Queen Mother of the West and Yang Jian talked for a long time until the moon quietly rose.

The cool moonlight shone through the window of the Zhenjun Temple at the mouth of the Guanjiang River, falling on the Judicial God Seal that had just landed in Yang Jian's palm.

The air inside the hall was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, but it could not dispel the heavy atmosphere that permeated the space.

Yang Jian slowly closed his palms, feeling the cool and hard touch of the divine seal.

His words to the Queen Mother were still ringing in his ears:

"Only those in power can rewrite the rules."

Only those who wield the law can change it.

To realize his vision of fundamentally changing the Heavenly Laws and preventing another "Guanjiangkou Massacre" or "Donghua Emperor's Rebellion," he had to take this step, and he had to bear it alone.

……

Outside the temple of Erlang Xiansheng Zhenjun, the moonlight was like a ribbon, like silver frost being poured down, spreading a cool and clear glow across the ground.

Yang Chan's eyebrows were like distant mountains shrouded in mist, her eyes were like autumn waters rippling with blue waves, her nose was small and delicate, and her lips were naturally red without any lipstick.

Her face was exquisitely beautiful, her figure graceful, and her green dress fluttered in the wind. Under the moonlight, she appeared even more fresh and refined, just like an elegantly blooming green "water lily".

However, at this moment, Yang Chan's brows were slightly furrowed, a trace of sorrow between her brows, her mind in turmoil, as she paced back and forth outside the hall.

Although she couldn't hear clearly the conversation between the Queen Mother of the West and Yang Jian, she had a feeling that things were not simple.

……

suddenly.

The doors of the Erlang Zhenjun Temple opened silently, and the Queen Mother of the West stepped out gracefully, a barely perceptible look of satisfaction on her face, as if she was quite pleased with what had happened inside the temple.

"Yang Chan, don't forget the Heavenly Court's Dan Yuan Conference in a few days."

The Queen Mother of the West's gaze fell on Yang Chan, and she nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Then, surrounded by the Azure Bird Fairy, she rode away on a cloud, disappearing into the distance, leaving only a faint fairy shadow behind.

The hall returned to tranquility, with only the wisps of incense smoke rising from it.

Yang Jian stood alone in the center of the hall, his head bowed, staring at the Judicial God Seal in his hand, his eyes filled with complex and unfathomable emotions.

Just at this time.

Yang Chan entered the Erlang Zhenjun Temple and immediately saw this scene, as well as the Judicial God Seal in Yang Jian's hand.

The four characters "God of Justice" on it shine brightly.

Yang Chan's body jolted, and she blurted out:

"Second Brother, is this the Seal of the God of Justice?"

Yang Jian did not hide anything; this matter would have been announced to the Three Realms anyway. He nodded slightly and said in a deep voice:

"Yes, Third Sister."

Upon hearing Yang Jian's words...

"elder brother……"

Yang Chan's trembling voice, filled with unbelievable fragility, broke the deathly silence.

From the moment the Queen Mother of the West stepped into this temple, to the moment the official seal symbolizing her mother's death fell into her brother's hands, the string in her heart finally snapped:
"Second brother, what did the Queen Mother of the West say?"

"You want to go to the Heavenly Court? You want to become the God of Justice?!"

Yang Chan's voice suddenly rose, filled with disbelief.

Yang Jian took a deep breath and forced himself to slowly turn towards his sister.

He saw the torrent of tears in Yang Chan's eyes, the pain in her expression, and the shock and anger of being betrayed by her closest loved one.

That gaze was like a sharp blade, piercing straight into his heart, causing him almost suffocation with pain, but he could only maintain that almost cold calm on his face.

The laws of Heaven are ordained by Heaven.

The order of the Three Realms is based on the Way of Heaven; all living beings in the Six Directions follow the laws of Heaven.

He wanted to use the authority of the God of Justice to rewrite the laws of Heaven, which was undoubtedly a secret act of defiance against Heaven. This was a matter of great importance, like rowing against the current, fraught with danger.

This thorny path was destined to be walked by him alone.

The more people who know, the greater the danger.

The slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin.

It's best not to involve Yang Chan in this; keep her away from the conflicts and dangers.

"Yes, Third Sister, I want to be the God of Justice."

Yang Jian's voice was deep and hoarse, carrying an undeniable resolve, as hard as iron:

"This matter is of great importance to the Three Realms, and I have my own considerations."

"You don't need to know too much, and you shouldn't get involved. Just continue your peaceful life on Mount Hua."

"No need to know?!"

Yang Chan abruptly interrupted him, her eyes filled with tears yet burning with raging anger: "The God of Justice, second only to one god, above all gods."

"Brother! Tell me! What's the reasoning behind this?!"

"Is it a consideration to get the Jade Emperor to acknowledge his nephew?! Is it a consideration of power and status?!"

Yang Chan's tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment like pearls from a broken string.

"Second brother, have you forgotten how Mother died?! Because of this heartless heavenly law!"

"It was this very Heavenly Law that led the Heavenly Court to ruthlessly suppress Mother back then!"

"Her blood is soaked in every inch of that cold law! The smell of blood from Father and my elder brother on that day at Guanjiang Estuary! Have you forgotten all of this?!"

"But now, you're going to sit on that throne of the God of Justice, to uphold these cold and merciless heavenly laws?"

Her voice grew louder and louder, and anger and confusion surged forth like a tidal wave, her former gentleness and tenderness completely gone.

"Third sister, how could I forget!"

Yang Jian shouted sharply, and a silver light flashed suddenly in his Heavenly Eye, clearly caused by a violent emotional fluctuation:
"It is precisely because I hate this heavenly law, which is like a shackle, more than anyone else, that I want to..."

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't say them.

"What do you want?!"

Yang Chan pressed closer, and tears finally welled up in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks.

"To uphold the Heavenly Laws? Or to enforce them?"

"Should we send those gods and immortals who pursue happiness like mothers to the guillotine?"

"Second Brother, do you want to become the next Jade Emperor? Do you want to emulate his righteous act of sacrificing family for the greater good and upholding the so-called 'law and authority' of the Heavenly Court?"

She stared intently at the Judicial God's Seal in Yang Jian's hand, a symbol of the authority of the Heavenly Laws, her gaze piercing.

Yang Jian remained silent.

Yang Chan smiled through her tears, a smile filled with mockery and sorrow:

"I never imagined, Second Brother, that you would become the guardian of these corrupt heavenly laws?"

Her trembling finger pointed to the Judicial God Seal that Yang Jian was tightly gripping:

"How many innocent people's bloodstains are on this seal? The blood of my mother still remains!"

She slowly turned her head and looked at the memorial tablet of Fairy Yunhua on the offering table, her voice filled with endless disappointment and heart-wrenching pain:
"Mother, she never made a mistake until her death."

"If Mother is watching from heaven, she witnessed the heavenly laws she swore to defy to the death being ultimately upheld by her son, becoming a new symbol of ironclad rule..."

"Brother, you will make her feel even more hopeless and worse than when she was imprisoned under Peach Mountain!"

"shut up!"

Yang Jian interrupted sharply, Yang Chan's words "may my mother suffer eternal damnation" pierced his deepest pain.

Yang Jian's face paled instantly, but his eyes grew even calmer:
"Yang Chan! Stop talking nonsense! I know how to act, and it's not your place to point fingers and make unwarranted comments!"

"This position of the God of Justice is related to the stability of the Three Realms, and it cannot be easily shaken by your so-called affections for children!"

"I have made up my mind, no need to say more!"

Yang Jian deliberately emphasized the words "that so-called affection between men and women," as if he wanted to draw a line between himself and Yang Chan.

He tried to put on a "cold and ruthless mask" and push his sister away mercilessly.

"Second brother..."

Yang Chan stared at him blankly. The man in front of her was her second brother, whom she had admired most since childhood. He was a brave hero who split the mountain to save his mother and made a ruckus in the heavens.

But at this moment, he adopted the demeanor of an impartial, ruthless judicial god.

That look...

His appearance was strikingly similar to those cruel officials from the Heavenly Court who had been ordered to arrest the Yang family and cause their destruction, sending chills down one's spine.

"Hehehe... Fine, well, it's none of my business to comment..."

Yang Chan smiled sadly, tears streaming down her face like a burst dam.

She staggered back a step, no longer glancing at Yang Jian, but instead her gaze fell on the exquisite jade box containing several large peaches next to where the Queen Mother of the West had just been sitting.

A resolute hatred flashed in her eyes, almost with a madness that could destroy everything, and she suddenly swept her sleeve away!
"Bang!"

The exquisite jade box crashed to the ground, and the few purple-patterned peaches with yellow pits that she had carefully collected rolled out, covered in dust and looking extremely disheveled.

"Oh, Third Sister, one day you will understand my predicament."

Yang Jian sighed deeply, his brows furrowed with pain and helplessness.

He understood his sister's anger, but he couldn't fully express his thoughts.

This matter is too complex, and he doesn't yet have a concrete plan or confidence. If he speaks out rashly, it will only put his sister in greater danger and worry.

That would only complicate things further.

"I don't understand anything, do I?"

Seeing the pain and unspoken struggle in her second brother's eyes, Yang Chan felt a chill run through her, and gave a bitter smile:
"All I know is that my mother was driven to her death by this heavenly law!"

"And now you want to be that sword, that sword that upholds the heavenly laws!"

"Third sister!"

Looking at the intense disappointment and accusation in her eyes, Yang Jian felt as if his heart was being torn apart.
"Things are not as you think! I have my own plans! You..."

"Second brother, no, I don't have a second brother like you!"

Yang Chan abruptly took a step back, her voice cold and resolute:
"Yang Jian, go and uphold your law! Go and pursue your authority!"

"I, Yang Chan, would rather associate with demons than walk alongside these cold-blooded, cruel officials of the Heavenly Court!"

"You're staying here at the mouth of the Guanjiang River!"

After saying that, she could no longer control herself, tears streaming down her face, and she turned and ran out of the True Lord's Temple.

"Third Sister—!"

Yang Jian instinctively wanted to give chase, but stopped abruptly as soon as he moved.

He watched the resolutely departing light, his outstretched hand frozen in mid-air before finally falling slowly.

His younger sister appears gentle and delicate on the outside, but in reality, she is incredibly strong-willed, a combination of softness and toughness.

Sometimes I'm actually quite rebellious.

He knew his sister had a strong personality and feared that she might do something rash and cause an irreparable mistake.

"Yang Chan, listen to my command!"

Yang Jian's expression hardened, his voice suddenly turned icy, and he exuded a chilling aura.
"In the name of the God of Justice, I declare..."

"Yang Chan, as the Third Holy Mother of Mount Hua, you bear the responsibility of protecting the peace of this region. From this day forward, you are not to leave Mount Hua without an imperial edict!"

"Furthermore, no one may interfere with matters of Heavenly Law based on personal feelings! Violators will be punished according to the Heavenly Laws!"

The final four words, "Heavenly Punishment," echoed like ice shards thrown to the ground, reverberating throughout the empty hall.

Yang Chan stopped abruptly at the threshold, her body stiffening, but she did not turn around.

She didn't speak again, but her shoulders heaved violently, as if she was trying her best to suppress her grief and pain.

Then, Yang Chan rushed out of the main hall without looking back, and her figure quickly disappeared into the thick, inky night at the mouth of the Guanjiang River, leaving only a resolute silhouette that pierced Yang Jian's heart.

The palace doors closed silently, cutting off the outside light.

The hall was immediately plunged into darkness, with only the flickering candlelight casting dappled shadows on the walls.

Yang Jian stood alone in the center of the empty and dark hall, his figure appearing particularly desolate and lonely.

On the incense table, the memorial tablet of Fairy Yunhua stood out prominently in the flickering candlelight.

On the table, the jade box was broken, its fragments scattered, just like the rift in the relationship between the brother and sister that had appeared today, which might never be able to be pieced back together.

The peaches were covered in mud and looked quite disheveled.

The warm plum wine still has a lingering fragrance.

The seal of the God of Justice hidden in his sleeve was heavy and cold.

Yang Jian clenched his fist so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palm, and a trickle of red blood seeped out, but he was completely unaware of it.

Before he even set foot on the path of the God of Justice, he had already created an unbridgeable chasm between himself and his loved ones.

Night gradually engulfed the True Lord's Temple, completely burying Yang Jian's tall figure in boundless silence and heaviness.

Perhaps, no one can understand him on this road; he is destined to walk alone.

"Mother, you will understand me, won't you?"

Yang Jian knelt before the memorial tablet of Fairy Yunhua and asked softly.

His voice echoed in the empty hall, but no one responded.

Inside the temple of Erlang Xiansheng Zhenjun.

The air is filled with the fragrance of agarwood, and the scent of sandalwood remains unchanged.

Only Yang Jian remained, holding the cold and heavy Seal of the God of Justice, his solitary shadow stretching long on the ground.

(End of this chapter)