Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

King Yama rose and said, "Please come in quickly!"

The little devil accepted the order and left.

Before long, the palace gates opened wide.

A figure drifted in.

The old man had white hair but a youthful face, and a gaunt appearance.

He was dressed in a Taoist robe, with a silk sash around his waist and cloud-patterned shoes on his feet.

He held a whisk in his hand, the whisk tip of which was snow-white and hung down like clouds.

A pair of eyes, gentle and warm like jade, yet deep and unfathomable like the sea.

Li Changgeng, Taibai Jinxing, a close advisor to the Jade Emperor.

Upon entering the hall, he first gave a slight nod to the ten kings:

"Gentlemen of Hell, it's been a long time."

The ten kings quickly rose to return the greeting.

Venus turned his gaze and it landed on Sun Wukong.

A hint of a smile flickered in those gentle eyes.

"This must be Sun Shangxiang, the immortal from the Water Curtain Cave of Flower and Fruit Mountain?"

Sun Wukong scratched his ear and grinned, "Old Immortal, do you recognize me, Old Sun?"

Venus shook his head and laughed:

"I don't recognize him. But I've occasionally heard of the esteemed Immortal Sun in Heaven."

"I heard that the Immortal recently attained the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm and also obtained the Ruyi Jingu Bang, a supreme treasure. Congratulations!"

Sun Wukong was pleased to hear this and waved his hand, saying:

"You're too kind, old immortal. I, Old Sun, was just lucky."

Venus looked at Li Yan again.

His gaze fell upon the spot, and he paused slightly.

Li Yan felt that in that instant, his aura was swept by a gentle gaze.

Although his gaze was gentle, it seemed to see right through people's hearts.

He felt a slight chill in his heart, but his face remained expressionless, and he merely nodded slightly.

"This humble Taoist priest, Li Yan, greets Venus."

Venus smiled and said, "Master Li, you're too kind."

"This old man observes that the Daoist's aura is clear and pure, with a faint flow of chaotic energy. Could he be cultivating the Dao of the ancient grotto-heavens?"

Li Yan's heart stirred slightly.

That old man has a good eye.

He nodded and said, "Venus has keen insight. This humble Taoist is indeed practicing the way of the Grotto Heaven."

Venus stroked his beard and said, "The Way of the Grotto Heaven is an ancient method, which is now rarely seen."

"The Taoist priest must be a person of great fortune to have received this inheritance."

"If you have the opportunity in the future, you may visit the Heavenly Court."

Although I am not very capable, I am hospitable.

Li Yan said, "Thank you for your kindness, Venus. If the opportunity arises in the future, I will definitely go."

Venus smiled and nodded, saying no more.

The Ten Kings invited Venus to take his seat.

A little devil served tea again.

After several rounds of tea, we got down to business.

King Yama asked, "Has Venus come here to inspect the affairs of the underworld?"

Venus nodded and said, "That's right."

The Jade Emperor has decreed that I, an old man, shall inspect the Three Realms and investigate all matters concerning immortals and mortals.

The underworld is a place of reincarnation; one must come here.

As he spoke, he looked at Sun Wukong.

"Is Immortal Sun here because of the matter of the old image in the Book of Life and Death?"

Sun Wukong said, "That's right."

I, Old Sun, would like to ask all the Kings of Hell to erase the name of that old shadow.

"If the old immortal can help, I, Old Sun, will be eternally grateful."

Venus pondered for a moment, then slowly said:

"Since the immortal has attained the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, he has transcended the Three Realms and is no longer bound by the Five Elements."

Keeping that old name is truly pointless.

"However, removing a name from the Book of Life and Death requires the Jade Emperor's approval."

Although I can report on your behalf, I cannot overstep my authority.

Sun Wukong asked, "What does the old immortal official mean?"

Venus said, "I can draft a memorial on the spot, add my seal, and present it to the Jade Emperor."

Once the Jade Emperor approves, it can be implemented.

"However, it will take some time for this approval to be issued."

It could take three to five days, or even ten days. Can the immortal wait that long?

Sun Wukong scratched his ear and said, "I can wait, I can wait."

"I, Old Sun, have nothing much to do on Flower Fruit Mountain, so waiting a few more days won't hurt."

Venus nodded and said, "In that case, I will now draft a memorial."

Having said that, he took out a blank jade slip from his sleeve and began to write on it with his finger as a pen.

Li Yan watched from the side, but felt increasingly uneasy.

This Venus is being far too enthusiastic.

Although he kept saying he was waiting for the Jade Emperor's approval, he had already begun drafting the report.

The memorial praised Sun Wukong to the skies, as if he were a genius sent from heaven, and that his past should be erased to show the Heavenly Court's benevolence.

How could the Jade Emperor not approve such a memorial?

Li Yan's mind raced, but his face remained impassive.

He quietly opened his Eye of Cause and Effect and looked at Venus.

All around the old man were countless causal lines crisscrossing and densely packed.

Among those countless threads of cause and effect, there is one that faintly exudes a purple aura, connecting to that unknown place.

Li Yan felt a chill run down his spine.

Although Venus is a civil official, he is far from ordinary.

Just as he was about to examine it closely, he suddenly felt a jolt in his mind.

Li Yan's expression changed slightly.

He immediately closed his eyes and focused his mind into the mirror of his heart.

On the mirror, a picture slowly unfolds.

That's Flower and Fruit Mountain.

In front of the Water Curtain Cave, a group of monkeys are practicing martial arts.

General Bengba, leading a group of strong young monkeys, practiced staff techniques in a flat area in the mountains.

Marshal Ma Liu, along with another group of young and strong monkeys, patrolled the entire mountain.

Business as usual.

suddenly.

Five clouds surged from the horizon and arrived in an instant, landing above Flower Fruit Mountain.

Leading the group was a giant man with a dark face and a bushy beard, standing twelve feet tall with a waist ten spans wide.

He was dressed in black armor and held a trident.

Beside him stood a tall, thin man with a golden face and a pointed beak, whose wings trembled slightly behind him, with golden light swirling at the tips.

On the left, a burly man with a blue face and fangs, wearing blue scale armor and carrying a broadsword, looked imposing.

On the right, there is a lithe ape with a red face and fiery eyes, its fur as red as fire, holding a red copper staff, its eyes gleaming.

Finally, a handsome young man with fair skin and silver hair, dressed in a feathered robe and a star-studded crown, holding a folding fan, smiled.

Li Yan felt a chill run down his spine.

These five are all ancient demons with unfathomable cultivation.

The Demon King of the Flood Dragon is said to be a dragon from the North Sea who attained enlightenment and possesses the bloodline of a true dragon. He can stir up storms and overturn rivers and seas.

The Roc Demon King is said to be able to travel 90,000 miles in a single flight, and a thousand miles in an instant, making him unparalleled in speed.

The Lion Camel King is said to have the bloodline of an ancient divine lion, possessing the ability to move mountains and fill seas, and is incredibly strong.

The Monkey King, like Sun Wukong, is also a monkey, but he is better at transformation and concealment, as well as relaying information and knowing what is happening in the world.

Yu Rong Wang is a descendant of the ancient god Yu. He can command gods and ghosts with strange and unpredictable methods.

The arrival of these five demon kings, each possessing unique abilities, is no ordinary occurrence.

Li Yan quickly examined it closely.

The five great demons stood on the clouds, looking down at Flower Fruit Mountain.

The Flood Dragon Demon King spoke up, "Brothers, is this the place?"

The Roc Demon King shrieked, "That's right."

The scout reported that the stone monkey had attained the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm and obtained the Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel), and was enjoying great success.

However, he is not in the mountains now.

The Lion Camel King said, "Then haven't we just come here empty-handed?"

The Monkey King scratched his ear and said, "Aren't the monkeys and their offspring in the mountains still there?"

"If we capture them, we won't have to worry about the stone monkey not showing itself."

King Yu Rong waved his fan and laughed, "That makes sense."

The order was given: take Flower Fruit Mountain, capture the stone monkey's offspring, and force him to reveal himself.

We'll just do as they say.

The Flood Dragon Demon King nodded and said, "Since it is that person's order, let's make our move."

The five demon kings exchanged glances and looked towards Flower Fruit Mountain.

Then they were about to take action.

Li Yan saw it clearly.

The five demon kings were all shrouded in aura of calamity.

The aura of calamity was grayish-black, like mist or miasma, swirling around the body and exuding a sense of madness.

Especially those eyes, which faintly gleamed with a crimson light, a sign that the turbidity of calamity was invading his mind.

What alarmed Li Yan even more was that a faint illusory image of the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) could be seen flowing deep between their brows.

Qian (☰) is in the south, Kun (☷) is in the north, Li (☲) is in the east, and Kan (☵) is in the west.

The trigram Zhen is in the northeast, and Xun is in the southwest.

The trigram Gen (艮) corresponds to the northwest, and Dui (兑) to the southeast.

The Eight Trigrams of the Primordial Era!

It shares the same origin as the mark on the four champions.

Li Yan felt a chill run down his spine.

Those northerners were indeed making their plans.

He first laid a trap in the underworld to lure Sun Wukong into his scheme.

When this plan failed, they sent the five demon kings to attack Flower Fruit Mountain.

The marks on the four warriors were beginning to stir.

If the four monkeys are driven by that mark and work together from within and without, the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Formation will surely be broken.

At that time, the monkeys of Huaguo Mountain will be lambs to the slaughter.

Li Yan suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

At this moment, he was in the underworld, in the same hall as Sun Wukong, Taibai Jinxing, and the Ten Kings of Hell.

If Venus is a friend, that's fine; but if he's an enemy...

Therefore, Li Yan divided his mind in two to suppress the marks on the four generals.

At the same time, he manipulated the Zhou Tian Star Array to deal with the five demon kings.