Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

When Sun Wukong was driven out of Lingtai Fangcun Mountain and Xieyue Sanxing Cave, he had only cultivated the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts to the fifth level. However, in such a short time, Sun Wukong has already made progress again.

However, when Li Xiuyuan thought about how many peaches Sun Wukong ate in the Peach Garden and the five gourds of golden pills from Laozi, he felt somewhat relieved.

“Sun Wukong has broken through to the sixth level of the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts, and his body is made of copper and iron, impervious to swords, spears, water, and fire. I’m afraid he’ll be able to defeat Nezha in just a few moves.” Li Xiuyuan compared Sun Wukong’s strength with Nezha’s and found that Sun Wukong’s strength far surpassed Nezha’s.

As Li Xiuyuan had expected, even with Nezha and the Four Heavenly Kings and Twenty-Four Constellations joining forces, they were no match for Sun Wukong. After several rounds of fighting, Sun Wukong, seeing that Nezha's side had far too many people, plucked a hair from his body and used his clone technique to create countless copies of himself.

Even if those clones only had half the strength of Sun Wukong, with so many of them attacking, Nezha and his companions were no match for them. Almost instantly, they showed signs of defeat.

"How can this be……"

Looking at the scene reflected in the celestial mirror, Li Jing could hardly believe it. Even with Nezha, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the Twenty-Four Constellations joining forces, they were still no match for Sun Wukong.

These individuals are all renowned figures in the Three Realms. Yet, they have all been defeated.

A look of dejection appeared on Li Jing's face. These people could be said to be the top combat force in the Heavenly Court. If they had all been defeated, then probably no one in the Heavenly Court could do anything to Sun Wukong.

A sense of frustration rose in Li Jing's heart, a feeling that reminded him of when the Four Dragon Kings forced Nezha to commit suicide.

Noticing the change in Li Jing, Li Xiuyuan stepped forward and said, "Marshal Li, do not worry. This humble monk recommends someone who can subdue that demon monkey."

Chapter 484 Manjushri Appears

Before the South Heavenly Gate, large ranks of celestial soldiers and generals, clad in silver-white armor and wielding weapons, stood in orderly formation, exuding an imposing aura. At the very front of the celestial soldiers and generals, Li Jing, wearing golden armor, a golden crown, a sword at his waist, and holding a delicate pagoda, asked, "Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva, I wonder who in the Heavenly Court can subdue this demonic monkey?"

Li Xiuyuan said, "This demon monkey is quite powerful. If the sage doesn't take action, only Qingyuan Daomiao Divine Lord can capture him."

"Qingyuan Daomiao Divine Lord?" Li Jing murmured. "Yang Jian?"

“Not bad.” Li Xiuyuan nodded.

Li Jing said, "But Yang Jian has always been at odds with the Heavenly Court, and lives in the Guanjiang Estuary in the mortal realm. He obeys orders but not summons. So why would he come to capture that demon monkey?"

Li Xiuyuan said, "You should let the Jade Emperor consider this matter. You just need to go in and report it."

“What the Bodhisattva says is true,” Li Jing said. “I will go and report to the Jade Emperor right away.”

Li Jing turned and entered the South Heavenly Gate, flying all the way towards the Jade Pool. Upon arriving at the Jade Pool, he bowed and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, that demon monkey is extremely powerful. None of the generals of my Heavenly Court can defeat him. They are all being defeated by that demon monkey. Please forgive us, Your Majesty."

The Jade Emperor exclaimed in surprise, "Is that demon monkey really that powerful? None of my Heavenly Generals could do anything to him? What about Nezha? What about the Four Heavenly Kings?"

Li Jing said, "Your Majesty, I ordered Nezha, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the Twenty-Four Constellations to attack that demon monkey together. However, not only were they unable to defeat the demon monkey, but they were also injured by it."

The Jade Emperor asked, "What should we do?"

Li Jing said, "I recommend Yang Jian, the Mysterious God of Qingyuan, to capture that demon monkey."

"Yang Jian?" The Jade Emperor snorted coldly, "Is there no one else in my Heavenly Court that I have to use him?"

The groan was heavy, like a mountain pressing down on Li Jing. Lying on the ground, Li Jing dared not reply, trembling with fear, sweat dripping down his body like raindrops.

After a long pause, the Jade Emperor asked, "Who is willing to descend to the mortal realm to deliver a summons for Yang Jian to ascend to heaven and vanquish the demon?"

The Jade Pool was the venue for the Peach Banquet, where countless gods, immortals, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats were present. When the Jade Emperor asked a question, the entire Jade Pool fell silent; not a single person spoke.

Everyone knows that Yang Jian and the Jade Emperor are at odds. If they were to go down and issue an edict, Yang Jian might not only refuse to accept it, but might even drive them out. In that case, they would be making a fool of themselves.

"Who will go down and summon Yang Jian to Heaven to subdue the demon?" the Jade Emperor asked again. His gaze swept over all the gods in the Heavenly Court like sharp arrows. The gods whose gazes swept over them all shrank back, lowered their heads, and did not speak.

Finally, the Jade Emperor's gaze settled on Taibai Jinxing. Taibai Jinxing gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and said, "Your Majesty, this old minister is willing to descend to the mortal realm to summon the Divine Lord Qingyuan Daomiao to Heaven to subdue the demon."

As soon as Venus spoke, all the gods breathed a sigh of relief, their voices merging together like the low growls of wild beasts.

The Jade Emperor glared at the gods and said, "Very well, since you are willing to take on this task, then I will issue the decree."

In a short while, the imperial edict was drafted. Venus took it, left the South Heavenly Gate, and headed straight for Guanjiang Estuary.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that the demon monkey is so powerful. I am quite curious and would like to go to the South Heavenly Gate to see just how strong the demon monkey really is."

Manjushri Bodhisattva was attending a gathering at Yaochi.

“This humble monk also wishes to take a look,” said Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva from the side.

The Jade Emperor said, "Since the two Bodhisattvas wish to watch the battle, then go to the South Heavenly Gate to watch."

The two Bodhisattvas, Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara, bowed to the Jade Emperor, withdrew, and headed towards the South Heavenly Gate.

"It's him! The Great Sun Dragon Bodhisattva!" As soon as Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattvas arrived at the South Heavenly Gate, they saw Li Xiuyuan standing in front of the heavenly soldiers and generals, observing the battle between Sun Wukong and Nezha through the Heavenly Mirror.

A sound came from behind, and Li Xiuyuan turned around, saying, "Oh, I thought it was someone else. It turns out to be Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattvas? What, did they invite two Bodhisattvas to the Peach Banquet?"

Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattvas sneered but didn't reply. Back then, even with all three of them attacking together, they couldn't defeat Li Xiuyuan; in fact, they were injured by him. Now that it was just the two of them, they naturally wouldn't dare to act rashly towards Li Xiuyuan.

However, in their eyes, each of them was staring at Li Xiuyuan with malice, as if they wished they could devour him alive.

Li Xiuyuan showed no fear, his eyes filled with murderous intent as he looked at the two Bodhisattvas, Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara.

Previously, even the combined strength of Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas was no match for him. Now, having advanced to the Quasi-Saint realm, if killing these Bodhisattvas was difficult before, and he might even have been injured himself, now he could eliminate them without expending any effort.

With such high strength, Li Xiuyuan didn't care about the two of them, paying them no attention at all. His gaze remained fixed on Sun Wukong, Nezha, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the Twenty-Four Constellations in the Mirror of Heaven.

After such a long battle, Nezha, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the Twenty-Four Constellations have shown obvious signs of defeat, with almost everyone among them suffering injuries.

If it weren't for Nezha and the others stubbornly holding on, they probably would have already been defeated.

"What a powerful monkey demon!" Laozi exclaimed from the side.

Li Xiuyuan said, "This demon monkey is indeed quite powerful. However, I heard that the demon monkey stole Laozi's golden pill. Shouldn't Laozi teach that demon monkey a lesson?"

Laozi said, "That demon monkey has already gained a clear advantage. Even if I were to intervene, it wouldn't necessarily help the overall battle. But you, Bodhisattva, with your strength, could probably suppress that demon monkey instantly, right?"

Li Xiuyuan said, "This humble monk is a follower of Western Buddhism. This is a matter for the Heavenly Court. How can I possibly lend a hand?"

Chapter 485 Yang Jian Goes into Battle

Behind Li Xiuyuan, the two Bodhisattvas, Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara, were whispering among themselves.

Manjushri glared fiercely at Li Xiuyuan and said, "How hateful! I never expected to run into him here again! We haven't even avenged him for injuring us last time!"

Guanzizai said, "This fellow is extremely powerful; the two of us are no match for him. If we want to take revenge, we'll probably have to ask others for help."

Manjushri asked, "Whom are you inviting?"

Guanzizai said, "I heard that Dipankara Buddha has also come to participate in this Peach Banquet. As long as we spread the news that Li Xiuyuan has twelve Sea-Stabilizing Pearls, Dipankara Buddha will definitely take action against him."

"Indeed. Dipankara Buddha has always wanted to find the other half of the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl and combine it with his twelve Sea-Stabilizing Pearls to become the Primordial Treasure Chaos Pearl. Knowing that the other half of the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl is with Li Xiuyuan, Dipankara Buddha will definitely not sit still and take action against him. Dipankara Buddha is an existence who has severed both the good and evil corpses, and his strength is extremely high. With him taking action, he will definitely be able to teach Li Xiuyuan a lesson."

Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara had made their decision and decided not to watch Nezha and the others fight Sun Wukong anymore. They turned around and flew away together.

At this moment, the scene on Flower Fruit Mountain changed once again. Suddenly, a group of people appeared on Flower Fruit Mountain. This group of people was different from the heavenly soldiers and generals of the Heavenly Court. They were all wearing yellow armor, each holding a long spear, and were arranged in neat rows. There were not many of them, just over 1,200. At the very front of these 1,200 people stood seven figures of different builds.

Li Jing exclaimed with delight, "Yang Jian, his six brothers from Meishan, and 1,200 grass-root gods have arrived!"

Laozi nodded and said, "With Yang Jian taking action, we will definitely be able to subdue that demon monkey this time."

Li Xiuyuan said calmly, "Yang Jian is not weak. He is known as the number one disciple of the three religions and three generations. In addition, there are the six brothers of Meishan. No matter how strong that demon monkey is, he should not be his match."

With Yang Jian's arrival, Nezha, who was already exhausted, along with the Four Heavenly Kings and the Twenty-Four Constellations, immediately made way and withdrew.

Yang Jian didn't waste any words and charged towards Sun Wukong, brandishing his three-pointed double-edged sword. Yang Jian was nine feet tall, with a slender build, handsome face, and dignified appearance. His eyebrows were like sword blades, his eyes were like stars, and he had a strange vertical eye on his forehead, which flashed with a sharp light as it opened and closed.

He wore a three-peaked phoenix hat, a pale yellow armor, a brightly shining breastplate, a jade belt, and a three-pointed double-edged sword that gleamed coldly in the sunlight, exuding an imposing aura.

Behind Yang Jian followed six others, the six brothers of Meishan. Each of the six brothers was strangely dressed and carried oddly shaped weapons. They exuded a menacing aura.

Yang Jian charged forward, and Sun Wukong did not dodge. He brandished his golden cudgel and met him head-on. In an instant, the two clashed.

Both were incredibly powerful, and they fought for three hundred rounds without a clear victor. Meanwhile, the six brothers of Meishan, leading their twelve hundred grass-root gods, completely surrounded Flower Fruit Mountain and launched an attack. Countless monkeys and their offspring perished at the hands of the six brothers of Meishan and their twelve hundred grass-root gods.

The monkeys screamed in agony, and Sun Wukong panicked, wanting to finish off Yang Jian as quickly as possible. He circulated his incantation, transformed himself, and unleashed the Heaven and Earth Manifestation Technique, his body becoming enormous. He was hundreds of thousands of feet tall, towering between heaven and earth. His head was as large as Mount Tai, his eyes almost the size of millstones, and his waist was as wide as a great river, with white clouds drifting around his waist. At that moment, the world seemed much smaller in Sun Wukong's eyes.

"This demon monkey possesses formidable magical power!"

On the South Heavenly Gate, Laozi and Li Jing exclaimed in admiration.

After using the Celestial Transformation and Earthly Manifestation technique, the height of the transformed body is directly proportional to the user's internal magical power. The stronger the user's internal magical power, the stronger the Celestial Transformation and Earthly Manifestation technique becomes.

Hearing Laozi and Li Jing praising Sun Wukong, Li Xiuyuan felt a surge of joy. After all, he was Sun Wukong's master, and Sun Wukong's achievements were entirely due to him.

However, the time is not yet right, and his identity cannot be revealed. Otherwise, Li Xiuyuan would probably be overjoyed by now. But even so, Li Xiuyuan is secretly delighted.

Seeing Sun Wukong grow to this point, Li Xiuyuan felt a great sense of accomplishment.

Sun Wukong used the Law of Heaven and Earth, and Yang Jian was not to be outdone. He also chanted the same incantation, transformed himself, and used the Law of Heaven and Earth to become almost as tall as Sun Wukong.

The two fought for several rounds, but Sun Wukong still couldn't gain the upper hand against Yang Jian. Meanwhile, the screams of the monkeys on Flower Fruit Mountain grew louder and louder, and Sun Wukong had lost all will to fight. He withdrew his magical form and quickly retreated.

"Where do you think you're going, you demon monkey!" Yang Jian roared and gave chase.

Seeing Sun Wukong escape, the six brothers of Meishan quickly surrounded him, trying to stop him. Sun Wukong transformed his golden cudgel back into an embroidery needle, put it in his ear, and transformed it into a sparrow, landing on a large tree.

Yang Jian chased after him, but suddenly Sun Wukong disappeared from sight. He wondered, "Where is that demon monkey? Could it be that the demon monkey is so fast that it has already escaped?"

As he spoke, Yang Jian, feeling unwilling, activated the vertical eye on his forehead. A beam of light shot out from the eye, covering an area of ​​several miles in radius.

Anything enveloped by the radiant light, whether it be a demon, a monster, or a deity, bodhisattva, or arhat, will be seen in its true form by Yang Jian.

The gleam of light shone directly on the sparrow that Sun Wukong had transformed into, and Yang Jian saw through his disguise. Pretending not to notice, Yang Jian sheathed his three-pointed double-edged sword, took out his slingshot, and launched a sneak attack on the sparrow, firing steel balls at it.

Sun Wukong immediately leaped into the air, transformed once more into a cormorant, and disappeared into the water.

Yang Jian activated his third eye for the second time, and with a quick scan, he once again spotted Sun Wukong.

Chapter 486 Capturing the Monkey

Both were skilled in transformation techniques, able to conjure anything from insects, fish, birds, and beasts to streams and rivers. However, the vertical eye on Yang Jian's forehead was truly formidable; no matter what Sun Wukong transformed into, Yang Jian could always spot him.

Unable to escape, Sun Wukong roared in anger and had no choice but to turn around and raise his Ruyi Jingu Bang to meet Yang Jian's attack. With a clang, they clashed with Yang Jian once again.