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

Chapter 555 The Cat-and-Mouse Game in Heaven

Yang Jian's eyes shone brightly as he stared at Xiao Chen, a hint of scrutiny in his gaze, and asked:
"Who are you?"

Having received the "merit of Heaven and Earth in controlling the floods" and been personally taught many supernatural powers and techniques by "Emperor Yu the Great," Yang Jian's cultivation level soared in a short period of time.

As his cultivation level rose steadily, the power of his Heavenly Eye became increasingly intense, making it impossible to look directly at him.

At extremely close range.

Yang Jian's Heavenly Eye, capable of seeing the origin of all things, was focused on Xiao Chen, scanning him from head to toe, leaving no detail unchecked.

In an instant.

The pressure came like a mountain, suddenly!

Xiao Chen's expression remained unchanged. He lowered his eyelids slightly, adopting a humble posture, and replied respectfully:

"I am Yang Guoshan, the Literary Envoy of Yaochi. I have come to pay my respects to Erlang Shenzhenjun."

Yang Jian raised an eyebrow slightly and said:

"Do you recognize me?"

Xiao Chen cupped his hands in greeting, his words carrying just the right amount of respect:
"Zhenjun is joking."

"Erlang Shen, the True Lord of Manifestation, has a heavenly eye on his forehead and a three-pointed, double-edged sword in his hand. He is heroic and his fame spreads far and wide. Within the Three Realms, who does not know him?"

A full breath!
Yang Jian's gaze never left Xiao Chen for even a moment.

In that instant, Xiao Chen felt that every tiny detail of his body was laid bare under that gaze, leaving him with no secrets whatsoever.

To put it in some inappropriate terms.

The "Erlang Shen's Eyes" are described using science fiction-inspired language.

Yang Jian's eyes looked into the distance, which was like a top-notch "astronomical telescope," allowing him to see the scenery thousands of miles away at a glance.

When Yang Jian looks up, it's like a perfect combination of a "microscope" and an "X-ray vision device." Not only is it extremely accurate, but it also has a built-in X-ray vision function, allowing him to see right through the monster's true form.

Erlang Shen's eyes can measure the size of things with astonishing precision at the micrometer or even nanometer level. He can even clearly perceive the frequency of muscle tremors when a living being shakes.

In his divine eye, every god and Buddha was as if their attribute panel had been opened, allowing him to scrutinize them closely.

This was not a deliberate search on his part, but rather an instinctive insight into the surrounding environment from a higher position, as natural and smooth as breathing.

Therefore, no matter whether Sun Wukong transforms into a nimble sparrow, a large cormorant with outstretched wings, a fish in the water, a water snake, or even a local temple, Erlang Shen's "eyes" can see through all the transformations and discern his true form without error.

Fortunately, the top-grade innate magic treasure "Ancestral Dragon Pearl" on Xiao Chen's body was truly extraordinary.

Although Yang Jian felt a vague sense of familiarity about this celestial official, he scanned him repeatedly with his divine eyes but could not find anything strange or flawed in his appearance or spirit.

As the saying goes, "Hearing is believing, seeing is believing."

What you see with your own eyes is the truth.

Yang Jian naturally believed his own eyes and the "truth" he saw.

then.

Yang Jian's gaze did not linger on Xiao Chen for long, and slowly moved away.

"This is Yang's visit."

Yang Jian turned his gaze to Sun Wukong, his voice still calm, yet carrying an undeniable authority, as he answered Sun Wukong's question:
"He was appointed by the decree of His Majesty the Jade Emperor to assume the position of 'God of Justice' and to act as the 'Imperial Inspector' to patrol the Three Realms and supervise illegal activities."

"As expected... Yang Jian has come to the Heavenly Realm to become the God of Justice!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen instantly understood the gravity of the situation.

This means that in the entire Heavenly Realm, any act that slightly violates the Heavenly Rules will be under the watchful eyes of Yang Jian and the Heavenly Eye of Truth that shines through his brow.

And under the olfactory sense of the Celestial Dog.

Their meticulously planned "heavenly treasure-stealing" expedition is undoubtedly a direct challenge to this newly appointed judicial deity!

If we say that he, the Golden Horned King, the Dragon Girl of Ten Thousand Saints, Sun Wukong, the Yellow Wind Great Sage... are "the rats of the heavens".

Yang Jian, the six brothers of Meishan, the Howling Celestial Dog, the 1,200 fierce and powerful grass-root divine soldiers, the Soaring Eagle... are the "Cats of the Celestial Realm".

The danger of their scheme had suddenly increased several times over since Yang Jian's arrival!
Mice want to steal grass, and cats want to catch mice.

This is destined to be a thrilling cat-and-mouse game in the heavens.

but.

With Yang Jian and his fierce warriors officially taking up residence in the Heavenly Court, the power structure of the Heavenly Realm will inevitably undergo tremendous changes.

In the original novel "Journey to the West," the story of "the stone monkey causing havoc in the Heavenly Palace and pointing his staff at the Lingxiao Palace" is attributed to Wang Lingguan leading the Thunder Gods in a desperate attempt to keep Sun Wukong out of the Lingxiao Palace.

So nowadays, if "Sun Wukong wreaks havoc in the Heavenly Palace", the person who stops him would probably be changed from "Wang Lingguan" to "Erlang Shen".

"Oh my! The God of Justice?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong let out a strange cry, and Lei Gong's face instantly surged with a thick, almost overflowing, mockery and ferocity!
Sun Wukong chuckled and said:

"A judicial god? What an imposing official presence!"

"This means ruling the heavens above the stars and governing the earth below the nine netherworlds."

"Does it mean that even when I, Old Sun, fart, I have to smell it to see if it complies with your heavenly rules?"

"Hahaha!"

Sun Wukong's laughter echoed in the air, carrying a hint of mockery and cynicism.

Upon hearing this, Yang Jian said calmly:

"Great Sage, please rest assured, I, Yang, have no such hobby."

Xiao Chen, standing to the side, twitched at the corner of his mouth upon hearing Sun Wukong's words.

That monkey always loves to play tricks on people.

However, the grudges and grievances between "Sun Wukong and Yang Jian" are indeed not something that can be explained in a few words.

Even later, when fighting the Nine-Headed Insect on their journey to the West, Sun Wukong and Yang Jian temporarily reconciled.

Later, Chenxiang fought with Yang Jian, determined to split the mountain to rescue his mother, Yang Chan.

As for Sun Wukong, being the Victorious Fighting Buddha of Buddhism, it was not appropriate for him to openly help Chenxiang.

However, Sun Wukong couldn't stand some of Yang Jian's actions, so he took Chenxiang as his disciple and passed on all his skills to him.

Let Chenxiang fight Yang Jian...

……

Sun Wukong laughed:
"However, that old Jade Emperor certainly knows how to boss people around!"

"Yang Jian, Yang Jian, this job of yours—"

Sun Wukong deliberately dragged out his words, making them sharp and piercing:
"It's not an easy job!"

"If you meddle too much, all the gods and Buddhas will resent you; if you meddle too little, you'll be a useless person occupying a position without doing anything, caught in a dilemma."

"How does it feel to wear Wang Lingguan's divine armor?"

Is it heavy? Are you getting used to it?

Sun Wukong mocks the awkwardness and burden of the duties of the judicial gods, and directly points out Yang Jian's change of stance from "obeying orders but not proclamations" to "condescending to obey orders." His words are full of sarcasm, showing his disdain for Yang Jian's "change of stance" to take up a position in heaven.

Although Sun Wukong held the title of a deity in the Heavenly Realm, deep down he still yearned for freedom, was unruly, and often wanted to challenge divine authority.

Without him.

What is the "Great Sage Equal to Heaven"?
Because he found the earthly realm too cramped, he resolved to live in the highest heavens!
"The Great Sage Equal to Heaven" – though the heavens are high, I am equal to them.

The "Great Sage Equal to Heaven" represents a free and unrestrained spirit, where heaven and earth do not care and the earth does not control, and a bold and domineering attitude of "the emperor of heaven takes turns, next year it will be my turn".

The four characters “齐、天、大、圣” are themselves the most naked and fierce challenge to the strict order of the Heavenly Court and the supreme divine authority!

And this "God of Justice" is precisely the ultimate "guillotine" hanging in the ninth heaven, its cold light gleaming as it upholds the icy iron law!
They are the cold enforcers of the Heavenly Court's order and rules!
The Monkey King and the God of Justice are inherently opposed and irreconcilable.

Yang Jian remained unmoved by Sun Wukong's mockery, his expression as calm as still water, and simply replied:

"Since one holds a position, one should fulfill one's duties. It's merely a matter of responsibility; why speak of its importance?"

“Wang Lingguan died in the line of duty. His position was so high and his responsibilities so heavy that they could not be taken lightly or neglected.”

“Since Yang has assumed his post, he must plan his affairs and carry them out without any slackness.”

Yang Jian's third eye is incredibly sharp.

He could keenly see the dishonesty in Sun Wukong's bones, his restless and untamed demonic heart, and his willful and lawless nature.

However, although Sun Wukong was unruly, he was, after all, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, bestowed by the Heavenly Court, with a noble position and extremely high rank.

Yang Jian could not move it at will.

He suppressed his emotions. Recently, the fierce argument with his younger sister, the Third Holy Mother Yang Chan, was like a hot iron burning his heart, making him feel a chilling and desolate atmosphere that was almost annihilating.

"The Great Sage Equaling Heaven..."

Yang Jian's voice suddenly rose, and looking at Sun Wukong, he spoke calmly with a hint of reprimand and warning:
"Now that you have ascended to the Heavenly Court and joined the ranks of the immortals, you should know..."

"The might of Heaven is vast and cannot be profaned or neglected."

"The law is strict and cannot be taken lightly or trampled upon!"

Yang Jian's words were concise and to the point, his tone light yet carrying immense weight, reflecting a respect for order and rules, quite different from Sun Wukong's lawlessness.

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's strange eyes widened, and a fierce smile spread across his face:

"Hehehe, they say 'a new broom sweeps clean,' and I need to establish my authority, so I'm just looking for firewood!"

"Yang Jian, perfect timing! I haven't forgotten that fire you set on Flower Fruit Mountain back then!" He suddenly stepped forward, wielding his Ruyi Jingu Bang to stir up the heavenly winds.

The fierce wind from the heavens pointed directly at Yang Jian's nose.

Subsequently.

Sun Wukong slammed his Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel) heavily on the clouds, making a loud "thud" that shook the void, and laughed wildly, mocking:

"What, Yang Jian, do you want to test the weight of my Ruyi Jingu Bang with this 'first fire'?"

"Would you like to try its weight?"

Sun Wukong had a plan in mind. He hadn't had enough fun earlier, so now he wanted to provoke Yang Jian into making a move.

This way.

If he and Yang Jian were to destroy this celestial realm, all the blame would fall on this Yang guy's head!
Let this judicial god break the law and lose all face!

However, Yang Jian seemed unwilling to say more. He didn't look at Sun Wukong's face, which was full of provocation, and simply replied calmly, holding his three-pointed double-edged sword:

"Sun Wukong..."

"My blade... is not necessarily ineffective!"

As the words fell.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

"Clang, clang, clang!"

……

The three-pointed double-edged sword trembled slightly, its blade humming like a dragon's low roar.

This response, short and low, was like a tangible chill, instantly freezing the noisy air.

Sparks flew between Sun Wukong and Yang Jian's eyes, and they seemed ready to clash again.

immediately.

The oppressive atmosphere that seemed to tear the sky apart suddenly dissipated.

Yang Jian's all-seeing gaze swept over Sun Wukong's eyes, which were blazing with anger, and Xiao Chen's meek and obedient "celestial official" figure one last time.

Especially when it came to Xiao Chen, that gaze seemed to freeze for an extremely brief moment, almost imperceptibly, before returning to its indifferent state.

Recently, he had a falling out with his younger sister, Yang Chan, the Third Holy Mother of Mount Hua.

So he was in a bad mood.

"Please make yourselves at home."

Yang Jian withdrew his gaze, and the subtle scrutiny on his face quietly disappeared.

Yang Jian's voice also returned to its initial calm and detached tone:

"I still need to settle my subordinates and familiarize myself with the many duties of the 'God of Justice,' so I won't disturb your enjoyment any longer."

After speaking, he nodded slightly, turned around and walked away, saying no more, and didn't even glance at Sun Wukong's thunderous face again.

Yang Jian strides forward with his "Erlang Shen legs," and the profound "Yu Steps" begin once more!
The vast cloud path of the thirty-three heavens was but a short distance beneath his feet!

With a single step, Yang Jian's figure traversed countless clouds, standing alone atop the towering, menacing armored army formation in the distance.

More than a thousand unruly demon immortals, clad in armor like a forest, exuded murderous intent!
The Six Sages of Meishan stood guard behind him, their aura as deep as the abyss!
Standing there, he was the embodiment of order and punishment, his cold divine radiance reflecting the unruly torrent behind him, making him appear even more majestic and looking down upon all the heavens.

"Second Master?"

"That is?"

Behind him, Grand Commandant Kang Anyu of Meishan saw Yang Jian return, stepped forward, and asked in a low voice.

He followed Yang Jian's gaze and glanced at the two blurry figures in the distant clouds.

He just couldn't see it clearly.

"It doesn't matter."

Yang Jian turned his gaze from the distance to the already planned temple site deep within the Heavenly Court, and said calmly:

"A few minor disturbances, nothing to worry about."

"The most urgent task is to quickly establish the True Lord's Temple at the Heavenly Pivot Spirit Platform, lay a solid foundation, discipline its subordinates, and with thunderous force, rectify the long-standing problems in the Heavenly Realm!"

"The gods of Heaven have long suffered from chronic illness; their discipline has collapsed and order has fallen into disarray!"

"From this moment forward..."

As Yang Jian's eyes opened and closed, divine light burst forth, and his voice was powerful and resonant:

"We shall patrol and search all the heavens!"

"Each day, we will purify one realm, eradicating all lawlessness!"

"Anyone who violates the heavenly rules, regardless of whether they are immortals, Buddhas, or saints, will be severely punished without exception!"

"go!"

The command was given, as if a thunderclap had exploded.

A chilling aura of killing intent instantly spread.

Yang Jian took the lead and stepped forward.

"promise!"

More than a thousand grass-roots divine soldiers roared in unison, their voices like rolling thunder that swept across the sky, causing the sea of ​​clouds below to surge and churn like ten thousand horses galloping!
The once silent, mountain-like army formation suddenly came to life, like a dormant beast awakening.

"Bah! Bah! Bah!"

"Woof woof woof, woof woof woof, woof woof woof!"

The chilling iron torrent was instantly unleashed, with eagles soaring and dogs howling, its roar shaking the heavens.

The 1,200 grass-roots deities moved with effortless ease, some riding fierce eagles and others leading imposing hunting dogs, quickly dispersing amidst a chilling and bloodthirsty atmosphere!

Like a net spread out from the sky.

This unruly torrent of demons and immortals does not recognize the Jade Emperor, but only Yang Jian.

In an instant, they transformed into a cold and meticulously crafted ceremonial guard, tightly surrounding their one and only lord—Yang Jian.

This formidable and powerful force is like an invisible yet cold, precise, and all-pervasive net that suddenly opens up and covers the heavens!
They began to blend into this magnificent and ever-changing celestial palace.

This film, which originally exuded an aura of peace and harmony, was silently coated with a layer of cold, sharp order, like a cold sword being drawn from its sheath, its sharpness fully revealed.

Yang Jian flicked his sleeves, causing his silver cloak to flutter loudly.

Ripples of the "Yu Step" divine pattern spread beneath his feet, like shimmering waves on a lake. He no longer looked back at the celestial realm he had stirred up, and headed straight for the site of the "Court of the God of Justice" pre-designated by the Jade Emperor.

The 1,200 Grass-Headed Gods and the Six Saints of Meishan followed closely behind, like a silent torrent of steel surging again. The chilling demonic wind they stirred up seemed somewhat subdued even under the awe-inspiring power of the Heavenly Rules.

However, its ferocious nature remains unchanged in the slightest.

At this moment.

The Heavenly Court's atmosphere instantly became unpredictable and fraught with tension due to Yang Jian's formal arrival and the low growl of the Celestial Hound, resembling the oppressive calm before a storm.

"Wang Wang Wang..."

The Celestial Hound sniffed warily in the direction of Xiao Chen and Sun Wukong, a low, threatening growl rumbling in its throat. Its scarlet eyes swept across the celestial clouds, and finally, it flicked its silvery fur and followed its master's steps closely.

With Yang Jian's departure.

Between Yang Jian and Sun Wukong.

That oppressive force, so powerful it seemed to freeze space and halt the clouds for miles around, quickly dissipated like the receding tide.

Only remnants of clouds, shredded by an invisible force, remained, drifting in the cool, clear wind.

"call……"

Xiao Chen let out a soft breath.

He secretly activated the Ancestral Dragon Pearl, completely concealing the pure demonic energy belonging to the "Golden Horn King," while maintaining the calm and composed demeanor of the "Immortal Yang."

so close!

Yang Jian's imposing presence and divine aura today are far greater than they were at Guanjiang Estuary in the past!

That gaze, heavy with immense weight, that divine eye that shatters illusions… it was as if all the disguises, illusions, and methods of concealment in the world were as easily melted away by the sun, like ice and snow meeting the sun!

If it weren't for the miraculous power of the Ancestral Dragon Pearl, his identity as the Golden Toad Demon King would have been exposed instantly, and he would have been imprisoned!
"The God of Justice, Yang Jian..."

Xiao Chen's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes were filled with a deep sense of solemnity.

The arrival of Yang Jian, Xiaotianquan, the six brothers of Meishan, the Soaring Eagle, and the 1,200 grass-headed gods undoubtedly foreshadowed the quiet unfolding of a "net of heaven and earth" in the celestial realm.

This heralds the official entry of Yang Jian, the new God of Justice.

His meticulously planned "treasure-stealing plan" with Sun Wukong, Wansheng Longnu, and Huangfeng Dasheng has now become a formal confrontation with "Yang Jian, the God of Justice".

However, they were in the shadows, while Yang Jian was in the light.

A battle in the celestial realm.

The silent, suspenseful cat-and-mouse game between the "treasure thief" and the "law enforcer" has already begun with Yang Jian's first step into the Heavenly Court.

At this moment, the show officially begins!

(End of this chapter)