Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

Sun Wukong chuckled and said, "I admit it! I admit it!"

"Let's go back and continue eating!" Sun Wukong waved his hand and flew towards the Water Curtain Cave first.

The Bull Demon King, the Lion Camel King, and the Roc Demon King, a total of six people, followed behind him and flew towards the Water Curtain Cave.

A look of surprise appeared in the eyes of the six people. They had not expected that Sun Wukong would be so powerful.

Especially the three, Peng Demon King, Macaque King, and Rong King, who came with Lion Camel King. The strength of the four of them was not much different. Since Sun Wukong was able to defeat Lion Camel King, they were probably no match for him either.

However, when the Lion Camel King and Sun Wukong fought, it was a contest of martial arts, and they did not use any supernatural powers, spells, or magical treasures. If they had used supernatural powers, spells, or magical treasures, the outcome might have been different.

But when they thought of Sun Wukong's invincible aura, which was like that of a war god, they were still shocked by him.

Inside the Water Curtain Cave, the monkeys and their offspring had already laid out all sorts of rare and exotic fruits, fine wines, and delicious dishes on the stone table. The aroma wafted through the air, making one's mouth water.

The seven people took their seats according to their status as host and guest, passing around wine cups and laughing and joking, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere.

Suddenly, the Bull Demon King said, "Gentlemen, since it's rare for the seven of us to become friends and get to know each other, why don't we become sworn brothers here and now, and share weal and woe in the future? With the strength of the seven of us, we can join forces to accomplish something earth-shattering. What do you think?"

"This..." Peng Demon King hesitated for a moment. He had not known the Bull Demon King, the Flood Dragon Demon King, and Sun Wukong for long, and the hasty sworn brotherhood made him feel somewhat abrupt.

"it is good!"

Just as the Roc Demon King was about to refuse, Sun Wukong slammed his wine cup on the table and exclaimed, "This is exactly what I wanted! I, Old Sun, love making friends. Are you all keeping quiet because you look down on me and don't want to become sworn brothers with me?"

"how come!"

The remaining people quickly said that Sun Wukong was quite powerful, and if they could become sworn brothers with him, it would bring them many benefits.

Between the four continents of the Immortal Realm, there are countless demons. Although these few are quite powerful, already considered great demon kings, there are still beings that threaten them.

Moreover, besides other monsters, there are also countless gods, Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and immortals. If you want to capture them as mounts, it would be much better to make more powerful friends.

Moreover, although they hadn't spent much time with Sun Wukong, the remaining people all realized that Sun Wukong had a fiery temper and couldn't tolerate any disobedience. If they refused, Sun Wukong might immediately turn on them.

Sun Wukong is so powerful, how could they possibly be a match for him? They would only suffer losses if they fought him.

The remaining people quickly agreed.

Sun Wukong said, "Since everyone agrees, let's become sworn brothers in my Water Curtain Cave! My children, slaughter a sheep and a cow for us, so that we can offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth."

The monkeys and their offspring arranged the sacrificial offerings, and Sun Wukong and his seven companions knelt down together. The seven of them said in unison, "Heaven above, earth below, we seven wish to become brothers. Though we were not born on the same day, month, and year, we wish to die on the same day, month, and year."

After saying that, the seven men poured the wine from their cups onto the ground.

After the worship ceremony, the Bull Demon King said, "Now that we seven are brothers, we must distinguish between senior and junior. Brothers, when did you all attain enlightenment?"

When cultivators form sworn brotherhoods, they do not determine the seniority of their brotherhood based on their birth year or month, but rather on the time they attained enlightenment, that is, when they cultivated to the level of a Celestial Immortal.

The seven then announced the time it took them to reach the Heavenly Immortal realm. The Bull Demon King was the first to reach this realm, making him the eldest. Next was the Flood Dragon Demon King, followed by the Roc Demon King, the Lion Camel King, the Macaque King, and the Velvet King. Sun Wukong, however, was the youngest and the last to reach the Heavenly Immortal realm.

Although he was the strongest among the seven, when they became sworn brothers, they did not distinguish between seniority based on strength, and Sun Wukong could do nothing about it.

After the seven men completed their sworn brotherhood, they indulged in another feast, drinking and reveling, discussing everything under the sun, from literature to martial arts, creating quite a lively atmosphere. Each of them became thoroughly drunk.

The monkeys and their offspring stood around, not daring to make a sound, for fear of waking the seven people.

In his dream, Sun Wukong saw two figures walking towards him. One was dressed in black, and the other in white, looking like the Black and White Impermanence. Both appeared to be hanged ghosts in disguise, with long, drooping tongues, and each held a long banner that evoked a chilling wind.

The man in white on the left was holding a permit with the words "Sun Wukong" written on it.

The two men approached Sun Wukong, took out an iron chain, and bound Sun Wukong's entire body with it. They pulled and tugged at him until he was taken away.

Sun Wukong had just gotten drunk and was still in a daze, his mind unclear. He didn't resist when the two people pulled him along, and he staggered along as they went.

He didn't know how long he had been walking when suddenly a cold wind blew by, and Sun Wukong shivered, sobering up by about 80%.

Chapter 455 The Ten Kings of Hell

"Where is this place?"

Sun Wukong felt as if he had arrived in front of a city. He looked up and saw a black plaque above the city with three characters written in bold, silver strokes: “Netherworld.”

Sun Wukong said, "I've often heard people say that the Netherworld is the abode of Yama, the King of Hell. How did I end up here?"

The two men holding Sun Wukong said, "Your lifespan has come to an end. I have been ordered by Yama to summon you here and send you back into the cycle of reincarnation to be reborn."

Sun Wukong said, "I have long since cultivated to the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, living as long as heaven and earth, the sun and moon, mountains and rivers. If heaven and earth do not decay, I will not decay; if the sun and moon do not perish, I will not perish. I am no longer under the jurisdiction of Yama, so why did he send you to capture me? You must release me now!"

As he spoke, Sun Wukong struggled to get up.

The two Black and White Impermanence said, "We don't care about that, we only care about luring people. You'd better come with us now! If you mess with us, you'll be sorry!"

As he spoke, he pulled on the rope, trying to drag Sun Wukong away.

Sun Wukong was furious and said, "You really don't know what's good for you!"

He reached into his ear and took out the golden cudgel. With a flick of his wrist, it grew to the thickness of a bowl, and he swung it at the two men.

"Be bold!"

The two men roared and tried to stop Sun Wukong, but before they could move, Sun Wukong's golden cudgel struck down, turning them into two lumps of minced meat.

After killing the two men who had been used to kill him, Sun Wukong broke free of his ropes, swung his staff, and charged into the Netherworld.

As he charged forward, Sun Wukong roared, "Summon your King Yama! I, Old Sun, want to have a word with him! I want to have a word with him!"

He had already cultivated to the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, and by all accounts, the Ten Kings of Hell should have erased his name long ago. Yet now, the Black and White Impermanence actually came to collect his soul, truly treating him like dirt and looking down on him.

He had always been the one bullying others, never the other way around. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and he swung his golden cudgel even more fiercely.

When the ox-headed and horse-faced demons and various other spirits saw him break in, they rushed out to stop him. However, none of them were even at the level of a Celestial Immortal, and they were like ants in his hands.

He fought his way in, and countless ox-headed and horse-faced demons and underworld spirits died at his hands.

The ten Kings of Hell were each reviewing memorials in their respective halls when suddenly a little devil ran in and said, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! A hairy-faced, thunder-mouthed guy has broken in!"

The Ten Kings of Hell said, "What's the panic? What's that person's cultivation level? How did he manage to break into the Underworld?"

The little ghost said, "Your Majesty! I don't know what level of cultivation that person has, but his strength is formidable. The Ox-Head and Horse-Face gods in our Underworld are no match for him."

"What? That powerful?" The Ten Kings of Hell were astonished.

The Ten Kings of Hell hurriedly left the Yama Palace. Seeing that Sun Wukong looked fierce and was extremely powerful, they realized that even if the ten of them joined forces, they might not be a match for him.

For some unknown reason, neither Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva nor Houtu Niangniang came out to stop it.

The ten people cried out in despair, and could only shout, "Immortal, please leave your name! Immortal, please leave your name!"

Sun Wukong said, "Since you don't recognize me, why did you send someone to lure me away?"

The Ten Kings of Hell hurriedly said, "We dare not! We dare not! Immortal, it must be that we have sent the wrong men. Immortal, please stop!"

Sun Wukong said, "I am Sun Wukong, a naturally born sage from the Water Curtain Cave of Flower Fruit Mountain. What are your official positions?"

The Ten Kings of Hell bowed and said, "We are the ten generations of Kings of the Underworld."

Sun Wukong said, "Quickly sign up, or you'll be spared a fight!"

The Ten Kings of Hell said, "We are King Qin Guang, King Chu Jiang, King Song Di, King Wu Guan, King Yan Luo, King Ping Deng, King Tai Shan, King Du Shi, King Bian Cheng, and King Zhuan Lun."

Sun Wukong said, "Since you have already ascended to the throne, and are considered to be spiritual beings, why don't you know what's good for you? I, Old Sun, have cultivated immortality and live as long as Heaven, transcending the Three Realms and not being within the Five Elements. Why do you still send people to lure me away?"

The Ten Kings of Hell said, "Immortal, please calm your anger. There are many people in the world with the same name and surname. Could it be that the man who killed the dead, Sun Cuo, has also fled?"

Sun Wukong said, "Nonsense! Nonsense! As the saying goes, 'Officials are incompetent, but the people who come are not.' Quickly bring me the Book of Life and Death!"

The Ten Kings of Hell ordered the judge beside them to bring out the Book of Life and Death.

Holding his gleaming, golden Ruyi Jingu Bang (magic staff), Sun Wukong went straight to the Hall of Yama and chose to sit in the very center.

The little devils nearby saw this and their eyelids twitched. The chair in the very center was the seat of the Ten Kings of Hell, and no one but the Ten Kings of Hell was allowed to sit there.

He secretly glanced at the Ten Kings of Hell and saw that none of them looked flustered. The little devil didn't notice anything either and just stood there.

In a short while, a judge brought out five or six volumes of documents and placed them on the table to examine them one by one.

Among the four types of insects—weak insects, hairy insects, feathered insects, and scaled insects—there is no mention of Sun Wukong's name. Similarly, among the monkeys, there is no mention of Sun Wukong.

It turns out that Sun Wukong resembles a human, yet is not recognized by any human; he resembles a weak insect, yet does not reside within any kingdom; he resembles a beast, yet is not under the jurisdiction of the Qilin; he resembles a bird, yet is not subject to the rule of the Phoenix. That is why he could not find Sun Wukong.

The judge suddenly became a little anxious, and sweat almost dripped down his forehead.

Sun Wukong watched intently from the side, not daring to make the slightest mistake. Just now, Sun Wukong had already killed so many Ox-Head and Horse-Face demons, and various other evil spirits; one more wouldn't make a difference.

Fortunately, there was another book nearby, which Sun Wukong snatched and personally inspected. He finally found his name on number 1350, the "Soul" entry. Sun Wukong was a stone monkey born of heaven, destined to live to 342 years old and die peacefully.

Sun Wukong said, "I don't remember how long I've lived, so just erase my name! Bring me a pen!"

The judge hurriedly picked up his pen and dipped it in thick ink. Sun Wukong took the ledger, first crossing out his own name, then all the monkeys and other named creatures. He slammed the ledger down, saying, "Settled! Settled! This time, I'm no longer under your jurisdiction!"

Chapter 456 Venus

Having said that, Sun Wukong jumped down from his seat and, with another burst of energy from his staff, stormed out of the Netherworld. The Ten Kings of Hell dared not approach and all went to the Jade Cloud Palace to discuss the matter with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Sun Wukong fought his way out of the Netherworld, and just as he was getting into the swing of things, a bump tripped him up, and he stumbled, which startled him awake. It turned out to be just a dream.

The monkeys and their offspring nearby said, "Your Majesty, you've woken up."

Sun Wukong asked, "My children, what's wrong with me?"

The monkeys and their offspring said, "Your Majesty, you drank too much yesterday and slept all night. You've only just woken up now."

"Slept all night? So, all those things happened in my dream?" Sun Wukong thought to himself.

Sun Wukong said, “My children, I just had a very strange dream. Let me tell you about it.”

"We'd like to hear the details," the monkeys and their offspring said in unison.