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

Chapter 578 The Divine Weapon of Ruyi, Manifesting the Laws of Heaven and Earth?
I've heard that Wu Gang only chops things down, he doesn't carry them.

Xiao Chen smiled and said:

"General, just go ahead and swing your axe!"

"General Wu Gang need not trouble himself with the task of moving things. I have a colleague named 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' Sun Wukong."

"He and I served together under the Queen Mother of the West."

"He has the divine strength to carry mountains and chase the moon, and to move mountains and shift ridges."

"Let alone moving a tree trunk, even moving Mount Tai would be as easy as taking something out of a bag in Sun Wukong's eyes."

"If it's difficult to carry, heavy and hard to move, I'll ask Sun Wukong to help me move it."

Upon hearing the name "Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven," Wu Gang raised his thick eyebrows slightly, a knowing glint in his eyes.

Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, once fought a great battle against 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals at Flower Fruit Mountain, and he had heard of it in the Moon Palace.

That monkey... is indeed a formidable character capable of carrying mountains and shaking the heavens and earth.

Wu Gang finally stopped talking, his doubts seemingly vanished, and muttered a reply:
"Good! With the Monkey King backing us up, things are much easier."

After saying this, Wu Gang turned around, his steps steady and swift, and walked straight towards the majestic mother tree that Xiao Chen had chosen.

To the eyes of an ordinary person, this tree's trunk is immeasurably tall, reaching into the clouds, with stars hanging from its branches like melons and fruits.

In this situation, even a mortal would be terrified, let alone carry it.

To try to cut down a natural laurel tree with a human body is like an ant trying to shake a giant tree or an ant trying to move a mountain—it's an overestimation of one's own strength!
"Yang Sili, Fairy Su'e, steady yourselves!"

Wu Gang shouted in a deep voice and took a sudden step forward!
After saying that, he suddenly took a step forward, his momentum as strong as a rainbow!

With this step, the entire ground covered with the silvery moonlight rippled and trembled violently, as if an earth dragon were turning over!

"call!"

Wu Gang stood before the divine tree, his expression solemn, and took a deep breath.

In an instant, a vast amount of the essence of the Taiyin star, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, was absorbed into his belly and transformed into his own divine power for his own use.

immediately.

He stomped his foot and roared like thunder:

"open!"

As soon as the word "open" was uttered, a dazzling divine light suddenly erupted from Wu Gang's body!

"boom!"

A powerful and unstoppable aura, fierce and incomparable, suddenly erupted from Wu Gang's body.

His bones crackled and popped as if divine thunder was exploding within him, and his body grew taller inch by inch, swelling violently in the wind, like a towering mountain rising from the ground!

In the blink of an eye, Wu Gang transformed into a gigantic figure standing on the moon and with stars above his head.

Wu Gang was depicted with a blue face and fangs, and his crimson hair was disheveled. His appearance was even more ferocious and fierce against the backdrop of his towering divine body.

The crucial "Toad Palace Laurel-Plucking Axe" also surged, transforming into a colossal divine weapon that stood tall and firm, its entire body flowing with golden patterns that flickered erratically. The destructive power contained within it was aimed directly at the divine tree before them!
"Come on, old man!"

"Let's get started!"

Wu Gang gripped the axe that could pluck the laurel tree in the moon palace tightly with both hands. With a blue face, fangs, and crimson hair, he viciously chopped at the trunk of the primordial laurel tree!

"This is... the law of heaven and earth?"

Seeing this, Xiao Chen was slightly surprised, his eyes flickered, and he pondered to himself.

Wu Gang, whose lineage is unknown, how does he know this method of celestial phenomena?

This Dharma of Heaven and Earth is not some common supernatural power; it cannot be learned without great opportunity, great perseverance, and a great lineage.

The method of imitating heaven and earth that he and Sun Wukong used was passed down by Patriarch Subhuti.

Yang Jian's method of imitating the heavens and the earth may have been something he comprehended from the "mountain-splitting axe" that was formed from a fragment of Pangu's axe.

As for the "sky-supporting" supernatural power of the Green-haired Lion Monster, it may have come from the Tongtian Sect Master.

Wu Gang's origins are shrouded in mystery; how could a prisoner be so skilled in this art?
That's really strange, it's puzzling...

The laurel tree, though exceptionally resilient, is indestructible throughout history.

However, Wu Gang, as the "wood chopper," has been chopping wood for ten thousand years without stopping. He has cut down countless primordial laurel trees, and his experience is unparalleled.

The "Axe for Plucking Laurel in the Moon Palace" also has a certain suppressive effect on the innate self-healing ability of the laurel tree, seemingly making it a natural enemy of this tree.

Wu Gang's figure suddenly swelled to a height of ten thousand feet, and his strength also increased exponentially. He wielded the giant axe that could support the sky and kept chopping at the innate laurel tree.

Wu Gang's axe skills are actually quite formidable.

Weapons are an extension of the body.

Anyone who cuts down trees every day, year after year, even tens of thousands of years, will find that axe becomes an extension of their body, as easy to use as an extension of their arm.

Wu Gang has wielded his axe for countless years, and has long since become one with it, mastering the art of axe fighting. Every move he makes contains boundless power.

He gripped the radiant, divinely powerful "Toad Palace Chopping Laurel Axe" tightly in both hands, his veins bulging like angry dragons, and he let out a deep roar like an ancient war drum:

“Ah——!!!”

The giant axe cleaved through the air, carrying immense power, transforming into a streak of cold light that tore through the starry sky, fiercely striking the dark giant tree that bore the stars and was imprinted with the divine patterns of Pangu!
"Clang—Bang—Boom!!!"

The first axe blow caused a deafening clang of metal against metal and a thunderous roar like a mountain collapsing!

"Crack!"

Where the axe blade touched, a hideous gaping maw was visibly split open on the dark bark, as if the divine tree was groaning in pain!

However, the mother tree of this innate laurel tree is indeed worthy of being transformed from the eyelashes of the great god Pangu. It contains the indestructible law of Taiyin, and is endlessly regenerating and indestructible.

A rich, silvery-white primordial light flowed from the edge of the crack, like flowing life elixir, frantically wriggling and healing at an astonishing speed.

In the blink of an eye, the naturally formed laurel tree had recovered completely, as if it had never been harmed, seemingly mocking Wu Gang's futile efforts.

"bring it on!"

"Come again!"

Wu Gang seemed to have long been accustomed to this scene; his experience of logging for thousands of years had become ingrained in his bones and a part of his life.

Without any sign of stopping, his towering divine body wielded the Moon Palace Axe under the starry sky of the laurel palace, like a mad war god, uttering deep and rhythmic shouts, his arms bulging with muscles as if about to burst, spinning the giant axe like the wind!

"One axe blow! Severing ten thousand miles!"

"Two axe blows! Slice through the stars!"

"Three axe blows! Open the Primordial Chaos!!"

"...Slash! Slash! Slash!!!"

Each axe strike was accompanied by a deafening roar and terrifying spatial shockwaves, causing the surrounding stars to tremble and the moon's essence to churn!
Each axe stroke cleaved a terrifying gash in the resilient, indestructible sacred tree, deeper and wider than the last, a truly shocking sight!

But immediately, the gap was enveloped and repaired by the surging Taiyin essence, returning it to its original state, as if Wu Gang's axe had only scratched an itch.

Wu Gang chopping down the cassia tree has been a quest for ten thousand years, a quest to serve eternally in the moon palace, a quest that will not end until he dies.

This is an unprecedented struggle between power and rules, destruction and regeneration, seemingly without end!

"Good ax technique!"

Seeing this, Xiao Chen seemed to have gained some insight and secretly began to study.

Everyone has their own area of ​​expertise, and everyone learns about things at different times.

The master is a teacher.

Even the dumbest person, if they swing an axe ten thousand times a day for a year, will become a master axe user.

Wu Gang has been chopping down the cassia tree with his axe for countless millennia.

His skill in axe handling had already reached its peak, and it certainly had its merits.

……

Starlight bursts forth, the moon's essence churns!
The swirling starlight surrounding the tree trunk was torn apart and scattered by the violent axe wind, turning into nothingness.

Countless stars, large and small, that dwelled there were disturbed, their lights flickering erratically like startled fireflies scattering in all directions. Some even fell silently, crashing onto the cold, moonless ground, creating hazy halos of light—beautiful yet desolate.

"Click, click, click..."

The now-healed sacred tree now emitted a low and mournful sound.

He hacked away so violently, with hundreds of axe blows.

Finally, the main trunk of the mother tree, as thick as a mountain and with roots connected to the core of the moon, could no longer bear the weight and let out a painful groan.

It began to shake violently! With each shake, the trajectories of the stars in the nearby area became slightly disordered, and the ripples on the lunar surface surged like a raging torrent.

The entire Gui Palace trembled as if it were about to collapse; the earth shook violently, making people's hearts tremble with fear!
Fortunately, the Gui Palace is a small world of its own, a self-contained entity. Although the commotion is great, it cannot be heard outside, as if it is blocked by an invisible barrier.

Wu Gang's eyes gleamed brightly, and he shouted:
"break--!!!"

With his final dozens of axe blows, he poured in his understanding of the innate rules of the laurel tree accumulated over tens of thousands of years, along with the boundless power that had settled within his body!
The axe light merged into a golden storm, like an angry golden dragon, baring its fangs and claws, fiercely biting at the deep wound on the tree trunk that had been repeatedly covered by countless axe marks and had not yet fully healed due to the temporary suppression by the rules of the Toad Palace Laurel-Plucking Divine Axe!

"Boom, boom, boom!"

"Crack! Clang!!!!"

Accompanied by a deafening roar far louder than ever before!

The trunk of the ancient mother tree, which supports part of the sky and shelters countless stars, finally broke completely!

A dense, moon-white light, like a tsunami, erupted from the fracture, soaring into the sky like a primordial flood bursting its banks!

The enormous canopy, carrying countless fragments of celestial bodies, slowly and irresistibly began to tilt!

The stars, now deprived of their support, scattered in panic, trailing long, luminous tails, like a magnificent yet tragic meteor shower, piercing the cold, silent night sky above the moon, falling one after another into the distance!
Smoke and dust filled the air, the essence of the moon shattered like broken jade, and the starlight and remnants danced like snowflakes!
The once mighty mother tree, its massive trunk crashing to the ground, lay across the silver sea formed from the essence of the moon, like a fallen galactic dragon.

At the broken tree stump, the silvery-white light of origin flowed and swirled, and the ancient eyelash lines of Pangu were faintly visible in the light.

"call……"

Wu Gang took a deep breath, and his body slowly shrank, returning to a normal human form.

He stood beside the fallen giant tree, as if stepping on the starting point of a mountain range.

Sweat rolled down his bronze cheeks, his breathing was slightly heavy, and there were traces of sweat on his forehead.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, looked at Xiao Chen, and his eyes held a hint of barely perceptible mockery and weariness:
"Captain Yang, the 'weapon' you requested is here."

"Here, try it out and see if it works?"

Wu Gang's voice was less deep than before, and slightly hoarse.

Clearly, cutting down the trunk of a natural laurel tree took a lot of his effort.

Xiao Chen remained calm and said:

"General Wu, thank you for your trouble."

Ignoring Wu Gang's mockery and the worried look in Su'e's eyes, and disregarding the chaotic stardust stirred up by the fallen tree canopy, he moved like lightning, and with a few leaps, he landed on the trunk of the ancient laurel tree, which was thicker than a mountain and tens of millions of feet long.

The sheer size of this object is astonishing. Let alone wielding it, even storing it would be an insurmountable challenge, like an insurmountable mountain looming before our eyes.

Xiao Chen lifted his robe and stepped forward, reaching out to firmly place his hand on the tree trunk, which shimmered with a dark, mysterious light, felt as cold as ancient ice, yet contained a boundless vitality.

It felt cool to the touch, with an indescribable sense of weight and warmth; the bark was hard and thick.

Its naturally occurring "eyelash"-like patterns seem to flow subtly, conveying a tenacious and indomitable primal vitality, and...

A strange sense of harmony.

Xiao Chen took a deep breath and said in a deep voice:

"You're too thick and too long! You'd be better off shorter and thinner!"

He channeled his divine power into his palm, which penetrated directly to the very essence of the tree trunk.

"Om-"

A magical scene happened!

The thick trunk, covered in a radiant glow, seemed to have suddenly lost its support, and then contracted inward as if it were a living thing!
The flowing moonlight and starlight essence were compressed to the extreme, and the tree trunk shrank under Xiao Chen's palm at a speed visible to the naked eye.

in a blink.

The towering tree has transformed into a giant black wooden pillar, about the thickness of one person's embrace and over three zhang long.

Although it was countless times smaller, the heavy pressure and vibrant life force brought by the Pangu divine pattern were even more restrained and profound!
A strange feeling of being connected by blood and mind surged into Xiao Chen's heart.

"Hahaha."

Xiao Chen grinned, effortlessly grasping the black wooden pillar with one hand. He weighed it in his hand, shook his head slightly, and said:

"I also think you're a bit clumsy and not quick enough."

"It would be even better if it were more detailed!"

Guided by his will, his divine thoughts penetrated deep into Mu Xin's heart.

"Om-"

The black wooden pillar, as thick as a person could hug and over three zhang long, trembled and contracted once more!
The flow of the Pangu divine patterns seemed to become clearer and smoother due to their condensation.

The dark wood became as translucent as black jade, with a faint dark golden light flowing within.

This is truly a "divine weapon appearing in the world"!
Its radiance was restrained, yet its power was subtly revealed.

Its shape also changed again, eventually becoming a long stick about the thickness of a bowl and twelve feet long.

Xiao Chen held the black wooden pillar in his hand. The pillar was as heavy as a mountain, yet he could control it at will. The feeling of the pillar was very clear!

He didn't need to swing it forcefully; the object would move slightly at his command, already showing the rudimentary form of a divine weapon that could be "long or short as he pleased, thin or thick as he desired." It only needed the final step of forging to take shape!
Xiao Chen couldn't help but look up at the sky and laugh heartily:
"Hahaha! Great! My darling! This is exactly what I wanted!"

"This……"

Wu Gang's mockery froze, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at the twelve-foot-long black jade cudgel that Xiao Chen had so easily held in his hand!
The trunk of the laurel tree that he had painstakingly cut down actually became so "docile" in front of this man.
It's truly astonishing that a tamed beast would bow its head and submit so readily.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

Wu Gang smacked his chapped lips and sighed in a deep voice:

As the saying goes: a fine sword is given to a hero, and rouge is given to a beautiful woman.

"Throughout the Three Realms, divine beings possess sentience and choose their own masters!"

"Some divine artifacts remain hidden and unknown to others."

"My family has been felling laurel trees here for tens of thousands of years, and I have never seen anyone so easily subdue an entire section of the innate laurel tree trunk... The treasure has returned to its rightful owner; it is the will of Heaven! I admire you!"

The last trace of mockery in his eyes completely transformed into astonishment and a hint of respect.

With a slight thought, Xiao Chen's giant black jade staff instantly shrank, transforming into a small stick about an inch long, entirely black with dark gold patterns, which he then put into his sleeve.

He clasped his hands in a fist and smiled at Wu Gang:

"The Way is passed down to those with affinity, and treasures are returned to their cherished owners."

"On the day I first touched General Curtain's Demon-Subduing Staff, I felt a perfect connection with it, as if it were a divine tree with which I had a mysterious affinity."

"To have obtained this divine object is truly a stroke of good fortune."

"I really have to thank General Wu for his work in logging."

Upon hearing this, Wu Gang waved his hand and said:
"I was just following orders, nothing to brag about."

After saying this, a look of curiosity flashed in Wu Gang's eyes, and he asked:
"I wonder what kind of divine weapon Commandant Yang intends to forge?"

Xiao Chen explained with a smile:
"My Yang family has been skilled in using the long spear for generations; this is a family secret technique."

"I possess this piece of innate laurel wood, and I wish to ask the craftsmen of the Ministry of War to forge a long spear for me, so as to continue my family's martial arts."

"As for the other piece of innate laurel wood, I am still lacking a short weapon to match it, so I want to forge an axe in case of emergency."

"ax?"

Upon hearing the word "axe," a fleeting look of surprise crossed Wu Gang's eyes. He then stared intently at Xiao Chen and asked in astonishment:

"So, Captain Yang is also skilled in axe fighting, just like me?"

(End of this chapter)