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

Chapter 638 The Banana Leaf Fan, The Cowherd's Revenge

The dragon has nine sons, each with its own supernatural powers, one of whom is the "Shenlong" (蜃龙).

The mirage dragon can exhale to form pavilions, stir up clouds and mist, turn the world upside down, and make the false appear real.

The mirage dragon occupied the core position of the Western Navy formation.

Seeing that He Xiangu had dispelled some of the illusion with her "Pure and Wondrous Lotus Dharma," he was not annoyed at all. Instead, he sneered, slightly opened his dragon mouth, and spewed out a stream of extremely pure and rich seven-colored mirage energy, unleashing his mirage dragon supernatural power, and shouted:

"Mirage! Rise!"

This mirage merged into the sea mist, colorless and odorless, penetrating everywhere, spreading out in an instant.

It is no longer just an external illusion, but directly strikes at the deepest and most intense desires in people's hearts!
Non-vegetation, ruthless Practice makes perfect?
No one is perfect; who can be without desires?
The desire to pursue happiness is human nature.

Those who cultivate immortality crave longevity; isn't that also a form of desire?

In an instant, a series of strange sights appeared on the battlefield.

The immortals were thrown into chaos.

Even He Xiangu was bewildered by the mirage dragon's exquisite illusion. The clear light of the lotus platform shifted for a moment, and the pure and holy halo of purification and exorcism swept back towards her own slightly chaotic formation, causing an even greater commotion among the three thousand Qi cultivators.

"Oh no! This is bad!"

"Fairy Maiden! It's us!"

……

The Taoist cultivators on the left were engaged in a fierce battle with several patrolling sea demons when they were caught off guard and struck by their own ancestor's magic weapon, the Clear Light.

Several people suddenly felt their vision go black, their Taoist magic stopped, and the fierce Yaksha on the other side took the opportunity to pierce through their protective spiritual light with his fork. Blood stained their Taoist robes, and they fell from the clouds with screams!

The commotion intensified!

"Hehehe..."

From the depths of the mist, a cold, mocking laugh echoed from the Mirage Dragon Ao Shen. Its figure flickered between the shattered mirage energy and the churning waves, the precious pearl in its palm shimmering, brewing an even more unpredictable transformation:
"Did Zhuang Zhou dream of being a butterfly, or did the butterfly transform into Zhuang Zhou?"

What is true? What is false?

"What you perceive as the Great Dao, how can you be sure it's not just an illusion?"

For a while.

Amidst the mirage, wondrous sights appear one after another.

Then there was that cultivator who was obsessed with women. In a daze, he saw a magnificent palace rising from the sea, where countless beautiful fairy maidens and princesses from the Dragon Palace loosened their robes, smiled charmingly, and waved to him.

He was completely infatuated, laughing maniacally as he lunged forward, shouting "My Daoist companion, don't go!" In the blink of an eye, he was pierced through the heart by the steel fork of the aquatic creatures lying in ambush.

Those who yearn for immortality and fear death find themselves shrouded in deathly aura, with all three calamities and five tribulations appearing. Terrified, their souls are scattered, their Daoist hearts collapse, and they stand frozen in place, only to be swarmed by shrimp soldiers and crab generals who hack them to pieces.

Those obsessed with personal grudges conjure up images of their enemies before their eyes, displaying extremely provocative behavior. Enraged, they recklessly unleash their magical artifacts in pursuit, only to fall into a trap set by the aquatic creatures. Their artifacts are stolen, and they are beheaded.

His father, Ao Yuan, the Dragon King of the Jing River, was killed by the Eight Immortals of Taoism.

"Hehehe..."

Ao Shen, filled with resentment, unleashed his miraculous dragon powers to the fullest. With his own strength, he threw three thousand immortals into chaos, and even the pure and immaculate He Xiangu suffered a hidden loss.

In an instant, the left flank of the Taoist sect was thrown into chaos, cries of agony filled the air, and countless people drowned or killed each other.

The mirage dragon coiled within the formation, the seven-colored mirage pearl shining ever brighter, and a cold smile of complete control appeared on its face.

A glint flashed in his eyes, and the Mirage Pearl in his palm shimmered to its fullest extent, as he prepared to unleash an even more unpredictable and overwhelming technique...

"How dare this demonic dragon bewitch our army!"

A clear, melodious sound of a jade flute pierced the air, dispelling the miasma with its sound. It was none other than the "Music Immortal" Han Xiangzi!

"Waaaaah, waaaah, waaaah..."

"Waaaaah, waaaah, waaaah..."

Han Xiangzi's flute music was disturbed by the Gui Water Thunder. Seeing that his side was trapped in an illusion, he frowned and the style of music suddenly changed. He immediately switched from offense to defense, changing from the exciting "Breaking the Formation Music" to the ethereal "Pure Heart Universal Benevolence Mantra".

The clear, melodious sound of the flute flows like a gentle spring, cleansing the mind and dispelling evil thoughts.

Han Xiangzi and He Xiangu worked together to fight against the Mirage Dragon Illusion in order to stabilize their own position.

Although the soothing sound could not completely dispel the illusion of desire that the mirage dragon directly pointed to people's hearts, it could barely protect the spiritual platforms of most Qi cultivators with slightly firm Dao hearts, allowing them to barely hold onto a sliver of clarity and not completely sink into depravity.

After the chaos subsided, the Daoist formation, maintained by Han Xiangzi's flute music, regained some fighting strength and engaged in an even more brutal melee with the aquatic tribes.

"Where is this demonic dragon located?"

Han Xiangzi focused his mind and used the melodious sound of his flute as a guide to find the location where the mirage dragon was hiding. He then pointed to He Xiangu and said.

"What a wicked creature! How dare you deceive my mind with illusions and deceptions? The Azure Lotus transforms into a sword, slaying all evil spirits! Break!"

Upon hearing this, He Xiangu suddenly realized what was happening. Her heart tightened, her eyebrows shot up like swords, and her slender fingers swiftly pointed out.

In an instant, the light of the small lotus platform surged, and the lotus petals bloomed in layers. A highly refined azure pillar of light, containing the pure essence of the Great Dao, shot upwards like a giant sword supporting the sky, fiercely sweeping towards the place where the mirage dragon was hiding.

"Hehehe..."

Upon seeing this, the mirage dragon chuckled, its form materialized, and wielding a sharp blade, it transformed into a black shadow and charged straight at He Xiangu.

Seeing this, Han Xiangzi was determined not to let the mirage dragon succeed. He quickly used his supernatural powers to distract the mirage dragon with the sound of his flute. The clear and melodious sound cut through the mirage dragon's attention like a sharp blade, helping He Xiangu to fight against the powerful enemy.

For a while.

The Mirage Dragon wielded its sword like the wind, engaging in a fierce battle with He Xiangu and Han Xiangzi. Sword light flashed, flute music lingered, and the three fought fiercely and evenly.

……

At this moment.

Above the Western Sea, the winds of war are shifting and clouds of conflict are gathering.

The patrolling sea demons beat their war drums, and Captain Ba waved his command flag.

The shrimp soldiers raised their steel forks to meet the flying sword.

The crab generals wielded their giant hammers and fought against the magical weapon.

The fish spirits spat out icy arrows, which shot straight into the enemy camp.

The clam maidens opened their shells, and a protective shield shimmered, guarding their companions.

Thousands of aquatic creatures formed a dark battle formation, surging upwards like a raging tide, colliding with the celestial light and treasure aura!
"Clang clang clang!"

"Boom boom boom!"

……

The sounds of clashing weapons, exploding spells, shouts, and dying cries mingled together.

Where the celestial light passes, scales and armor fall off; when demonic energy rises, the Daoist body vanishes.

The Western Sea instantly transformed into a battlefield of carnage!
This chaotic battle caused the West Sea to surge and boil like a cauldron.

……

On the other side of the battlefield, a Taoist priest was wandering around.

He was depicted with his hair styled in two buns, dressed in a pale yellow Taoist robe, a tiger-skin belt tied around his waist, and straw sandals treading on the waves. His face was like a red date, his eyes like bright stars, and a long, flowing beard cascaded down his back.

What a bold and unrestrained Taoist priest, Han Zhongli!

This Taoist priest was none other than the cowherd boy who once served under Laozi and guarded the Green Ox Demon.

"West Sea Dragon Clan, hehehe..."

Zhongli Quan gazed at the scene before him, a surge of emotions rising within him.

then.

He was still a carefree cowherd under Laozi, responsible for guarding the Green Ox Demon.

At that time, he lived in the Tushita Palace, accompanied by Laozi, drinking the sweet morning dew and eating the fragrant celestial mushrooms in the evening. His days were leisurely and carefree.

However, one day outside the South Heavenly Gate, he had a fierce conflict with Ao Moang and Ao Lie of the Western Sea. During the conflict, he was distracted and caused the Green Ox Demon of Laozi to get lost.

In his fury, Laozi banished him from the Tushita Palace to the mortal realm.

From that moment on, he fell from the pure meditation cushion in the Tushita Palace into the mortal world, burdened with his sins. And what a pure and tranquil place that Tushita Palace was!

He (the cowherd) listened to Laozi preach every day, kept company with the blue ox, and played with the "Golden Furnace Boy" and the "Silver Furnace Boy," living a carefree and pleasant life.

But once he made a mistake, he fell from the clouds to the mortal world, burdened with guilt, and walked alone in the world, keeping company with mortals filled with filth.

He thought that the Crown Prince of the West Sea, Ao Moang, relied on his noble status in the West Sea Dragon Palace and was arrogant and domineering, looking down on everyone and being invincible.

Ao Lie, the third prince of the Jade Dragon in Journey to the West, was also young and arrogant, completely unaware of the immensity of heaven and earth, and acted recklessly.

Even so, they remained high and mighty in the Western Sea.

Ao Moang remained firmly in his position as the Crown Prince of the West Sea, while Ao Lie remained the Third Prince of the Jade Dragon of the West Sea, enjoying all the riches and honors.

And what about his cowherd son?
However, due to a mistake, he was banished to the mortal realm and struggled with guilt in the human world.

Why?
Why can Ao Moang and Ao Lie still live freely and unrestrained, while he has to suffer such hardship?

This grudge must be avenged!
Otherwise, his thoughts will not be clear!

How could he dare to hold a grudge against Laozi?

Then he could only vent this hatred on Ao Moang and Ao Lie of the Western Sea.

The Western Sea Dragon Clan is powerful, but today is the day they seek revenge!

This hatred will not be appeased until Ao Moang and Ao Lie of the Western Sea are destroyed and their families are wiped out!

It is:

"It is better to discuss merits and demerits with a gentleman than to contend with superiors and inferiors with a petty person."

The world is vast, and all sorts of people can be found there.

When you're out in the world, you're not afraid of thieves stealing from you, but you are afraid of thieves eyeing you. It's better to offend a gentleman than a petty person.

One must be careful and cautious in one's conduct and dealings with others.

Petty people are often narrow-minded, prone to resorting to insidious means of revenge, enjoy harming others behind their backs, and are extremely vengeful.

You don't even know when you offended him, but he already holds a grudge against you.

……

"Hehehe!"

Zhongli Quan moved along the edge of the battlefield, spotted a dense formation of aquatic creatures, and suddenly waved his Acquired Banana Leaf Fan!

This fan was meticulously crafted by Laozi in the Eight Trigrams Furnace of the Tushita Palace, using the essence of the Li Fire and the origin of the primordial Xun Wind. Although it is not the treasure transformed from the "Primordial Banana Leaf Fan" at the beginning of creation, it still contains a trace of the power of primordial wind and fire, making it extremely powerful and extraordinary!
"Open the banana leaf fan!"

Zhongli Quan waved the banana leaf fan in the wind, and the fan surface instantly expanded by several feet, with the innate Bagua patterns flowing endlessly on it, and the Li Fire runes leaping like flames!

He channeled his profound spiritual power into both arms, aimed at the dense aquatic battle formation, and fiercely slapped it!
Below a few doors.

"Alas--!"

In an instant, the world changed color!

A fierce wind and a raging fire suddenly arose at sea!
But the wind fanned the flames, and the fire borrowed the power of the wind.

In an instant, a fiery storm, hundreds of feet high, suddenly rose from the sea, its crimson color like blood, containing countless wind blades and fire knives, emitting a shrill howl like ghosts wailing and gods howling, sweeping towards the aquatic creatures of the West Sea like a tidal wave.

The combined power of wind and fire is terrifying!
Those aquatic creatures of the Western Seas are pitiful, for they are born with a fear of fire.

The hundreds of shrimp soldiers and crab generals in the front row were torn to pieces by the bluish-black gale before they could even scream, and were then burned to ashes by the raging flames. Their souls were not even able to escape, and their bodies and spirits were destroyed!
The giant wave, tens of meters high, was swept up by the wind and fire, instantly vaporizing and turning into scalding white steam.

The sea patrol yaksha Li Kui was about to unleash the "Mysterious Yin Gui Water Thunder" to bombard Han Xiangzi's sound waves when, unexpectedly, this destructive storm swept in from the side. His Gui Water Divine Thunder was like a candle flame encountering a gale, instantly extinguished.

Li Kui felt an irresistible force strike him, his protective demonic light shattered, half of his body was set ablaze, and he fell into the deep sea with a miserable howl.

Even those large, thick-skinned crab generals, eel warriors, and mackerel captains, when swept by the edge of the wind and fire, had their scales charred and their flesh mangled, a truly gruesome sight.

For a while.

Zhongli Quan's banana leaf fan danced wildly, burning the shrimp soldiers and crab generals until they screamed in agony, and the stench of burning flesh filled the air.

The Western Sea Aquatic formation was suddenly torn open by these several sudden attacks, creating a huge gap!

Wherever the wind and fire passed, the sea boiled, all living things vanished, and a deathly silence descended!
……

There are two "Primordial Banana Leaf Fans" in the world. One is the "Yin Fan," which is hidden in the hands of Princess Iron Fan, and the other is the "Yang Fan," which is kept in the Tushita Palace of Laozi.

Everyone knows that Princess Iron Fan's Banana Leaf Fan (the Yin Fan) is incredibly powerful. One wave can extinguish fire, two waves can generate wind, and three waves can bring rain and nourish all things. When fighting with others, a single wave of the fan can frighten even ghosts and gods, who would avoid it at all costs!
I want to be on the westward journey.

When Princess Iron Fan fought Sun Wukong, she used this fan to unleash a gust of cold wind that sent Sun Wukong flying without a trace, making it impossible for her to capture him.

Poor Sun Wukong was blown about by the banana leaf fan, unable to land on the left or find a place to stand on the right, like a whirlwind turning over fallen leaves or flowing water washing away withered flowers, rolling around all night.

As dawn broke, Sun Wukong landed on a mountain and tightly embraced a rock before finally stopping.

Sun Wukong remained calm for a long time before regaining his senses, and then sighed:
"Amazing……"

However, what the world does not know is that the banana leaf fan (yang fan) in Laozi's hand is also extraordinary and has boundless power.

The banana leaf fan is never weak.

The Golden Horn King once used this innate banana leaf fan to fan the sky and the earth, causing flames to soar and the whole mountain to be covered in red flames. The divine fire floated in the air and burned, the rocks crumbled and the streams dried up, and the ground turned red. The scene was so terrifying that it made people's hearts tremble!

Although Sun Wukong knew the "Fire-Avoiding Spell," he couldn't help but tremble with fear upon seeing this raging fire, exclaiming in alarm:
"This is terrible! The fire is too fierce!"

Fire controls metal.

The Yang Fan of the Banana Leaf Fan is the nemesis of the Green Ox Demon's nose ring (diamond ring).

The cowherd was the one responsible for guarding the Green Ox Demon.

Although the Green Ox Demon was incredibly powerful and possessed supernatural abilities such as having three heads and six arms, he was most afraid of the Banana Leaf Fan.

On the journey to the west, the green ox demon saw that Laozi had come to subdue him, and dared to fight him, striking Laozi with his Vajra Bracelet.

Laozi held a banana leaf fan. With one wave, he put away the Vajra Bracelet. With another wave, he made the Green Ox weak and its muscles numb, revealing its true form and leaving it in a sorry state.

And at this moment.

The Green Ox Demon fled to the mortal realm.

He was a cowherd.

The cowherd boy (Zhong Liquan) also has the responsibility of finding the Green Ox Spirit.

However, the Yang Fan of the Primordial Banana Leaf Fan is a treasure commonly used in alchemy at the Tushita Palace, and it is not convenient to leave the palace easily.

then.

Laozi then crafted a "post-natal banana leaf fan" for the cowherd boy, to be used to subdue the Green Ox Demon in the mortal realm.

This fan is also quite powerful!

……

"What a wicked Taoist priest! How dare he be so rampant!"

Ao Lie (the White Dragon Horse), the third prince of the Jade Dragon of the West Sea, glared angrily and tried several times to get close to Zhongli Quan to fight him and vent his hatred. However, the cowherd boy (actually Zhongli Quan) used a banana leaf fan to create fierce wind and fire, forcing him to retreat repeatedly and making it difficult for him to get close.

The same was true for the little alligator dragon Ao Tuojie. Several times he charged forward, but he was blocked by the raging wind and flames. He was seriously injured and could not get close. He felt extremely frustrated.

Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, sat high on his throne, his dragon eyes flashing like lightning, taking in the entire battlefield.

Seeing that Zhongli Quan, relying on the power of the Banana Leaf Fan, was wielding fierce winds as sharp as knives and raging flames as if boiling the sea, making the little alligator dragon Ao Tuojie severely injured and unable to get close, and even the valiant and skilled Jade Dragon Third Prince Ao Lie being forced to defend himself and in a sorry state by the fan, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and killing intent arose instantly.

"Alligator, Lie'er, don't panic, I will help you capture and kill this scoundrel!"

Before he finished speaking, Ao Run had already raised his right claw, which was covered with dark gold dragon scales.

On the dragon's claw, ancient and profound Daoist runes lit up one by one, emitting spatial fluctuations that sent shivers down one's spine.

The West Sea Dragon King Ao Run's claws pointed towards Zhongli Quan's direction, and across the vast void, he gently probed and tore forward!
He then drew a line in the air near Ao Tuojie and Ao Lie, leaving behind three mysterious marks.

“Sizzle——!!!”

There was no earth-shattering noise.

There was only one soul-chilling, ear-piercing "ripping" sound, as if cloth were being forcibly torn apart!

Wherever the West Sea Dragon King Ao Run's dragon claws struck, the space was torn open like a fragile piece of cloth, leaving three terrifying cracks tens of feet long with edges flashing with eerie blue lightning!
It is the divine power of Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea—"Sky-Splitting Claw"!
(End of this chapter)