nyslfriends Chapter 122 To Let Go or Not
Chapter 122 To Let Go or Not
As soon as the sound of the wooden fish fell, the gunpowder smell in Lingxiao Palace immediately shifted to another direction.
It's not aimed at the Jade Emperor anymore.
It's facing the palace gate.
Everyone turned to look.
The area outside the hall was empty.
No one came in.
Only that one sound of the wooden fish seemed to come from a very far place, yet it also seemed to ring in everyone's ears.
The Taoist priest inside the black coffin raised his head and let out a dry laugh.
"Look."
"He urged me."
The Jade Emperor's face was grim, and his hands were clenched tightly in his sleeves.
"Sealing the Palace."
"No one is allowed to touch the coffin."
Just as the heavenly soldiers and generals were about to surround them, Sun Wukong darted to the black coffin first and slammed his golden cudgel into the ground.
"Here we go again."
"They've already spoken up, what's the point of sealing them off?"
Pigsy followed closely, lowering his voice.
"Brother Monkey, don't get carried away."
"This thing has been suppressed for so many years, who knows if releasing it will make it a help or a disaster."
The Bull Demon King said in a muffled voice, "Whether we release him or not, we should first find out who he is."
The Taoist priest inside the black coffin coughed twice, as if he wanted to laugh, but instead his chest trembled.
"You're only now thinking to ask who I am?"
"It's a bit late."
Chen Fan didn't rush to reply.
He stared at the black coffin.
Just now, when the wooden fish was struck, three talismans on the coffin shook.
It wasn't blown by the wind.
It was something inside that reacted to the sound outside.
This shows that the Taoist priest inside the coffin and the man outside the door who was striking the wooden fish were definitely not from the same group.
It could even be the exact opposite.
The Jade Emperor clearly saw it too.
He spoke directly, his face grim.
"We can't put it all in."
"Once this person is released from prison, the old case will surely be reopened."
"If they run away, who will chase after them?"
Sun Wukong turned around and retorted.
"If they run away, fight them back."
"Whether I fight one or two, it's all the same to me, Old Sun."
That's a very blunt and assertive statement.
Many of the celestial officials in the hall turned green with rage.
Some people cursed Sun Wukong for being brainless, while others felt relieved to hear his words.
The Taoist priest inside the black coffin actually smiled.
"The Monkey King, still has the same temper."
"No wonder it couldn't be suppressed."
The Jade Emperor's eyes turned cold.
"Shut up."
The Taoist priest in the coffin ignored him and only stared at Chen Fan.
That gaze was like a knife through a wooden board, capable of piercing a person's heart.
"And you?"
"Do you dare to release it?"
All eyes immediately fell on Chen Fan.
At this point, the matter is no longer as simple as whether or not to open the coffin.
If we let go completely, it's easy to lose control.
They didn't let go. The people outside who were striking the wooden fish had already arrived, and the Taoist priest in the coffin clearly knew more.
Being stuck here is the most uncomfortable thing.
Tang Sanzang fiddled with his prayer beads, his brows furrowed low.
"This humble monk has always felt that this is not a question."
"It's like someone deliberately put the question right in front of us."
"If you choose the wrong option, things will get even more complicated later."
Zhu Ganglie immediately chimed in.
"Then let's talk about the price first."
"If he wants to come out, he should at least offer something real in return."
"There's no reason to give it away for nothing."
Sha Wujing, who was standing to the side, spoke first, which was quite unusual.
"They're all unstable."
"Not releasing anything at all is also unstable."
"Could we... only put in half?"
The hall fell silent for a moment after these words were spoken.
Even Yang Jian turned his head and glanced at him.
Sun Wukong raised an eyebrow.
"Put only half? How do you put it in?"
"Split a person in half?"
Pigsy grinned.
"Old Sha, that's a really despicable method of yours."
Sha Wujing remained expressionless.
"I'm talking about the seal."
"Not human."
Chen Fan didn't laugh.
Instead, he gave Sha Wujing a serious look.
That hits the nail on the head.
The Jade Emperor was unwilling to release all the cases because he feared the old ones would cause a stir, that people would run away, and that the situation would spiral out of control.
Wukong didn't care; he only cared about his fists.
Tang Sanzang was worried that someone was setting a trap.
Bajie was thinking of getting some chips first.
Sha Wujing offered a compromise.
No one is wrong.
None of them are entirely correct.
At this moment, Zongwu, who had been silent all along, suddenly stepped forward.
His dark, thin face was expressionless, but he had already pulled out a grayish-white stone shard from his hand.
The stone was no bigger than the palm of my hand, with its edges full of chips, as if it had been forcibly broken off from some old monument.
Chen Fan glanced at him.
"Do you have something to say?"
Zongwu nodded.
"Asking about stones can reveal whether something is genuine or not."
"I'll give it a try."
The Jade Emperor frowned.
"This place is not fit for you—"
Chen Fan raised his hand to interrupt.
"Let him try."
Sun Wukong grinned as well.
"Listen to this."
"Anyway, it can't get much worse."
Zongwu ignored the others.
He walked to the black coffin, gently placed the stone on the ground, and tapped the stone surface three times with his finger.
"ask."
"Can this person be released entirely?"
The stone surface was initially gray.
Then, a white line emerged from the gray.
The white line went up halfway and then stopped.
Then, with a "snap," it split in two.
Many people in the hall were stunned.
Zong Wu frowned and changed his question.
"ask."
"If this person is completely sealed off, will there be no problem?"
Asking the stone was even faster this time.
As soon as the stone surface brightened, a wisp of black smoke rose from the center.
The next moment, a piece of the stone broke off at the edge.
Still no plastic surgery results.
Zong Wu's eyes darkened, and he spoke for the third time.
"ask."
"Is it acceptable to present half the truth and half falsehood?"
This time, the stone did not crack.
Four crooked characters slowly emerged from the stone surface.
Half true, half true.
The hall erupted in chaos.
"Can that really be true?"
"What kind of answer is that?"
"Wen Shi never lies..."
Some celestial officials whispered amongst themselves, while others even took a step back, as if afraid that the black coffin might actually open.
The Jade Emperor stared at the stone, his expression growing even more unpleasant.
Tang Sanzang murmured a Buddhist chant and spun the prayer beads in his hand even faster.
Pigsy clicked his tongue in amazement.
"Old Sha really did run into him."
"They only put in half, and it actually worked out."
Sun Wukong grew impatient.
Stop beating around the bush.
"Tell me quickly: what to put in and what to keep?"
Chen Fan took two steps forward and stopped in front of the black coffin.
The Taoist priest in the coffin also quieted down, as if he were waiting.
Chen Fan looked at the nine chains on the coffin, and then at the darkened sealing talismans.
"The first layer seals the physical body."
"The second layer mostly seals the sea of consciousness and the power of words."
"The third layer is the root of magical power."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Jian's eyes flickered slightly.
The Jade Emperor then fixed his gaze on him.
How did you know?
Chen Fan didn't even turn his head.
"Just a guess."
"If you're really not convinced, let's take it apart layer by layer."
The Jade Emperor did not respond.
Because Chen Fan's guess was pretty accurate.
The Taoist priest inside the black coffin suddenly laughed.
"clever."
"No wonder he targeted you first."
Chen Fan did not follow his lead.
He made the decision immediately.
"Open the second floor."
"Only memories and mouths are allowed."
"Without releasing the power, the physical body remains unresolved."
"Let him talk, let him admit it, let him vomit everything he has to say."
"We'll decide whether to move down to the next level after we've finished explaining."
As soon as this method was proposed, the Lingxiao Palace fell silent instantly.
The next moment, all the parties reacted.
Sun Wukong was the first to nod.
"OK."
"Being able to speak is enough."
"Listen first. If you don't like what you hear, I'll go and put the coffin lid back on for him."
Zhu Ganglie clapped his hands repeatedly.
"This is good, this is good."
"Speak first, then reveal the account book."
"Anyway, the magic power is still locked, so we can't cause any major upheavals."
Sha Wujing nodded as well.
"stable."
Tang Sanzang pondered for a moment, then looked up at Chen Fan.
"You want him to speak with the people outside first."
Chen Fan hummed in agreement.
"The one outside who's striking the wooden fish won't come for nothing."
"If he's in a hurry, then we can't be in a hurry."
"First, pry open the mouth of the person in the coffin, then it will be easier to tell who is real and who is fake."
The Bull Demon King grinned.
"To put it bluntly, it's just sticking your head out and cursing."
Pigsy was amused.
"Old Niu, your summary is spot on."
Yang Jian finally spoke at this moment.
"feasible."
"The second level has opened. If he uses the Spirit Word Talisman to break through, I will kill him."
With these words, the Jade Emperor's escape route was reduced by half.
Even Yang Jian is standing on this side.
If we continue to forcibly block them, it will look too ugly.
The celestial officials in the hall all had their eyes darting around, and none of them dared to step forward first.
They were afraid.
They were afraid that the Taoist priest inside the coffin might say something he shouldn't have.
They were also afraid that Chen Fan's strike would tear away the facade of the Heavenly Court.
The Jade Emperor remained silent for a few moments.
The hand inside the cuff loosened and tightened, tightened and loosened again.
Finally, he stared at the black coffin and spoke, word by word.
"Only open the second floor."
"Any unusual behavior will result in immediate execution."
Sun Wukong grinned.
"If you had said that earlier, it would have been fine."
Chen Fan had already reached the coffin.
Nine chains, three of the first layer have already been loosened.
On the second layer were three gold talismans, their bases nailed into the seams of the coffin lid like three needles.
He raised his hand.
The moment the fingertip touched the first golden talisman, a very soft inhalation came from inside the coffin.
It's not satisfying.
It's like someone who's been holding back for too long finally smelling a bit of life.
"Don't try anything funny."
Chen Fan said in a low voice.
The Taoist priest inside the coffin spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Don't worry."
"The person I most want to talk to right now is me."
Chen Fan suddenly pulled his hand away.
The first golden talisman was torn open directly.
As soon as the talisman tore, a muffled thud immediately came from inside the black coffin, as if something had hit the coffin wall heavily.
The heavenly soldiers in the palace were all on high alert.
Yang Jian raised his sword by half an inch.
Chen Fan didn't stop, and immediately flipped over the second card.
When the coffin lid cracked open this time, a wisp of white steam rose from the crack.
It's not smoke.
It was more like a breath that had been suppressed for many years.
As soon as that aura was released, several old immortal officials in the hall turned pale.
Some people's lips trembled, as if they recognized something.
The Jade Emperor stared intently at that wisp of energy, a deep chill pressing down in his eyes.
Chen Fan saw this and felt even more reassured.
There is a play.
This coffin indeed contained old grievances.
The third golden talisman is the most crucial.
It seems like someone added another twist later.
Chen Fan tried to pull it open twice but couldn't, so Sun Wukong simply stretched out his golden cudgel.
"Get out of the way."
"I'll help you choose."
"Be gentle," Chen Fan said. "Tear open the seal at the base, but don't smash the coffin."
"Know."
The golden cudgel pointed.
The talisman's foot broke.
As the third golden talisman fell, the entire black coffin suddenly trembled.
It's not about opening.
It was some kind of seal inside the coffin that broke.
The next instant, the black seal on the Taoist's mouth slowly cracked open with a thin slit.
The cracks start at the corners of the mouth.
Little by little, I climbed to the center.
It looks like an old paint job has cracked open.
Everyone held their breath.
The Taoist priest inside the black coffin coughed twice.
With each cough, another piece of the rune shattered.
Once the seal was completely broken, he slowly raised his head, his teeth chattering as if testing whether he could still speak in a complete sentence.
Chen Fan stared at him.
"Now, speak."
"Who's from outside?"
"Who exactly is the person who went on the pilgrimage to the West?"
"And who are you?"
All eyes in the hall were fixed on the Taoist priest's mouth.
Even the Jade Emperor didn't blink.
The next moment, the Taoist's parted lips moved.
He stared at Chen Fan, his voice hoarse like sandpaper rubbing wood.
The first sentence silenced the entire Lingxiao Palace.
"The first person to refuse to perform wasn't your ancestor."
It's yourself.
Chapter 226 Yourself
"You yourself."
The moment those three words were spoken, the entire hall felt as if it had been struck by a blunt object.
Pigsy opened his mouth first, and then couldn't close it for a long time.
"What the heck?"
He turned to look at Chen Fan, then back at the Taoist priest in front of the coffin, his neck almost cracking from the effort.
"Old Chen, when will you ever have a 'you' again?"
The Bull Demon King's eyelids twitched, and he lowered his iron cudgel by half an inch.
Sun Wukong remained silent.
He simply stared at the Taoist priest, the tip of his staff slowly rising.
Yang Jian's brows were furrowed, and his third eye was slightly hot, as if he wanted to dig out the words in the Taoist's mind.
The Jade Emperor's expression was the most unpleasant.
He first looked at Chen Fan, then at the black coffin, and finally stared at the Taoist priest.
"Say it all out."
Stop pretending to be a ghost.
The Taoist priest grinned, blood still oozing from the corner of his mouth.
"What's your hurry?"
"Didn't you already know half of this?"
The Jade Emperor's sleeve trembled, and his eyes turned cold.
Many of the celestial officials in the hall understood what was going on.
Did I know half of it earlier?
That means the Jade Emperor really did hide something.
Chen Fan ignored the Jade Emperor's gaze and stared only at the Taoist.
"You said I was the first person to refuse to act."
Which version of me?
The Taoist priest looked at him as if he were looking at a familiar face.
That look in his eyes was strange.
It's not like meeting someone for the first time.
Like looking at an old person who hasn't grown up yet.
"Not the you you are now."
"None of your ancestors."
"It's Chen Fan, the one who was mentioned earlier in the previous round."
These words caused an uproar in the Lingxiao Palace.
"The previous round?"
"Write it to the end?"
"What nonsense is he talking about!"
The immortals discussed the matter in hushed tones, but the more they tried to suppress it, the more chaotic it became.
Zhu Ganglie wiped his face.
"No, am I still sleepy today?"
"Weren't we here to lift the coffin? How come we've pulled out two Chen Fans?"
Sun Wukong finally spoke, his voice deep and resonant.
Explain yourself.
The Taoist nodded and took a breath.
"This is not the first time you have come to this place."
"I've walked this route many times before."
"Each time, the people and the events are pretty much the same."
"The difference lies in the details. The difference lies in who wakes up first and who rebels first."
"Chen Fan was also in the last round."
"He started from Wuzhishan, just like you."
"He also fed the monkeys fruit. He also carried that system. He also flipped tables all the way."
"He went further than you."
Chen Fan's eyes narrowed.
The system went silent.
It was unusually quiet.
The Taoist continued, "He broke through the outer layer of Mount Ling, dismantled Guanyin's secret network, and even got close to Guanyin."
"He thought he had won."
"It turned out that he was just the most consistent draft in that round."
"Stability does not guarantee survival."
"It doesn't mean we can get out."
The Bull Demon King's face turned black upon hearing this.
What is meant by "first draft"?
The Taoist priest looked up and glanced at him.
"You can think of it as the chessboard being rearranged many times."
"It can also be interpreted as the play having been performed many times on stage."
"The people are still the same."
"The lines will be changed."
"The positioning will be changed."
"Someone survived to the halftime mark."
"Some people didn't even get to play."
"The first person to refuse to perform is the first person who refuses to follow the lines."
"That Chen Fan from the last round, that's him."
The hall fell silent.
Even the celestial officials who had been making a ruckus just moments before fell silent.
This is no longer as simple as a corpse rising from a black coffin.
This exposes the Heavenly Court, the Buddhist sect, and the entire political landscape.
Chen Fan took a step forward.
What happened to him afterward?
The Taoist's throat bobbed.
"It failed."
"A crushing defeat."
"He saw the one who was observing the sutra and knew who was watching the entire sutra passage."
"But he failed to break through."
"His authority has been stripped away."
"The physical body collapsed."
"Even the name was almost completely erased."
"Before he died, he only had time to do one thing."
Chen Fan stared at him.
The Taoist priest spoke slowly and deliberately.
"Let's move the anchor point into the next round."
The Jade Emperor tightened his grip.
Click.
A crack appeared in the armrest of his dragon throne.
The sound was not loud.
Everyone in the hall heard it.
Chen Fan slowly exhaled.
"Therefore, I am not him."
The Taoist priest nodded.
"right."
"You are not the complete him."
"You're the version that will continue in the next round."
"You inherited something from him."
"It contains his lingering will. It contains his judgment. And it contains fragments of authority he didn't have time to use up."
That's all.
"You're not some old thing who went back in time."
"It's not a reincarnation either."
"You wrote the sequel."
These words are even harsher than the ones before.
Zhu Bajie was completely numb.
"Continue...write a sequel?"
"So what exactly is Old Chen?"
The Taoist priest glanced at him.
"Chen Fan."
"That only applies to Chen Fan."
"He is alive, he is walking, and the decisions he made are real."
"It's just that he started from scratch, not as a blank slate."
After hearing this, Chen Fan felt more at ease.
What he fears most is the worst answer.
What about past lives and present lives? What about trapping yourself in a trap?
If that were the case, the taste would be completely ruined.
This answer is harsh and direct enough.
Someone was killed in the previous round.
In this round, he continued forward, stepping on the remaining embers.
They are not the same person.
It's not like they're completely unrelated.
That makes sense.
Sun Wukong turned his head and glanced at Chen Fan.
"You knew all along?"
Chen Fan shook his head.
"I just feel that the system knows too much."
"Many rules seem to be innate."
"Some pitfalls are warned about before I even step into them."
"I always thought it was because of the amazing cheat codes."
"Looking at it now, it wasn't impressive."
"It's because it learned its lesson the hard way."
As soon as he finished speaking, the system finally beeped.
[Core Truth Revealed]
[Partial lockdown lifted at lower levels]
[System permission verification in progress]
[Source confirmed: Previous failed permission modification body]
This series of prompts exploded in Chen Fan's mind.
Chen Fan's expression changed slightly.
It actually matched up.
This damn system really didn't just appear out of thin air.
It was dismantled and modified after the previous failure.
No wonder it finds Buddhist stuff so disgusting.
No wonder it kept urging him to flip the table.
It's not that I have a mean personality.
It was originally the wreckage of the previous round.
Yang Jian suddenly spoke.
Who modified the system?
The Taoist priest remained silent for a moment.
"In the last round, Chen Fan made the first move."
"Someone later completed it."
"It's not a Buddhist sect."
"It's not the Heavenly Court either."
"They are the surviving members of the group who refused to perform."
"They couldn't save Chen Fan from the previous round."
"The only solution is to break down his permissions and put them into a new disk."
"Make it into a system, and wait for the next person who can connect."
Chen Fan raised an eyebrow.
"Are there still any of the people who refused to perform alive?"
"How many are there?"
The Taoist priest shook his head.
"I don't know how many are left."
"All I know is that you're not the only one who's made it this far."
You're not the first.
"And it might not be the last one."
The Jade Emperor suddenly sneered.
"absurd."
"You think you can sow discord among the people of Heaven with just a few words?"
"What 'previous round' and 'continuation'? It's all nonsense."
"Chen Fan, I advise you not to believe it."
Chen Fan turned to look at him.
"You're getting impatient."
The Jade Emperor's eyes darkened.
Chen Fan grinned.
"Your face changed as soon as he mentioned the previous round."
"I just mentioned the anchor point, and your chair armrest cracked."
"Now you're jumping out to pressure us again."
"Jade Emperor, you know quite a lot."
The expressions on the faces of the immortals in the hall were all quite interesting.
That's a really harsh statement.
It's like telling the Jade Emperor to his face that he has a guilty conscience.
Just as the Jade Emperor was about to speak, Sun Wukong's staff came flying horizontally.
"Let him finish speaking first."
"Whoever interrupts, I'll knock their tongue first."
The Bull Demon King immediately followed.
"I'm going too."
Pigsy gritted his teeth and lifted the rake.
Count me in.
The situation was immediately brought under control.
The Jade Emperor's face turned pale, and he stubbornly refused to say anything more.
The Taoist chuckled softly, blood and foam trickling down the corner of his mouth.
"Look."
"At this point, it's still you traitors who are having the most fun."
Chen Fan didn't waste any words.
"Why did I lose in the last round after meeting the Amitabha Buddha?"
The Taoist looked at him, and for the first time, there was something real in his eyes.
"Because he thought that by overturning the path to the scriptures, he could overturn the people who were copying them."
He was wrong.
"The one who contemplates the sutra is not in the sutra."
"He is outside the scriptures."
"You can destroy a section of road, burn a scroll of scripture, or kill a group of chess pieces, but you still can't hurt him."
"You'll only have a chance to touch him if you get to a position where he can see you in person."
"Chen Fan made it to the next round."
"But he only has one chance."
"He missed."
Chen Fan's heart sank.
This information is sufficient.
That's dangerous enough.
The road ahead was tougher than he had imagined.
It's not as simple as just beating up a few more Buddhas or breaking up a few more schemes.
We need to force that thing that's hiding outside the scripture to the forefront.
Pigsy was completely bewildered.
"So what are we now?"
"Still jumping around on stage?"
Chen Fan glanced at him.
"You can interpret it that way if you want."
"The problem is, the stage is about to collapse."
Upon hearing this, Pigsy became even more excited.
"I can do that."
"We're very familiar with this kind of platform collapse."
Many people were almost dispelled by his words, which nearly shattered the chill they had just managed to suppress.
Sun Wukong twitched the corner of his mouth, but his gaze remained fixed.
"Taoist."
"And who are you?"
"The people from the previous round?"
The Taoist remained silent for a long time.
So long that everyone thought he wouldn't answer anymore.
He slowly began to speak.
I'd count as half.
"In the last round, I was their goalkeeper."
"I held out until the very end, and I didn't die completely."
"The Heavenly Court sealed me in a coffin not because they were afraid I would run away."
"They're afraid I'll wake up."
After he said this, even the Jade Emperor did not deny it.
That's even more frightening.
This shows that the black coffin was not for suppressing demons at all.
That's the town's statement.
The town is a place where someone knows too much.
Chen Fan understood everything immediately.
Why is the inscription on the memorial tablet referring to the pilgrim who went on the pilgrimage?
Why are the talismans sealed and nine locks placed on top?
Why doesn't the Jade Emperor allow people to open it?
It's not that I'm afraid the things in the coffin will harm people.
They were afraid the truth would crawl out from under their coffins.
Chen Fan smiled.
The more I laugh, the colder it gets.
"OK."
"The Heavenly Court really put on a good show."
"Set up a memorial tablet for the pilgrims, making it look like a memorial to a meritorious official."
"In fact, it's like nailing living evidence to the center of the hall."
"Anyone who dares to look twice will be silenced with the guise of righteousness."
Some of the immortals even had sweat on their foreheads.
That's a very clean and decisive statement.
The Jade Emperor roared, "Chen Fan!"
Chen Fan ignored him and continued asking the man.
"What did Chen Fan leave me in the last round?"
The Taoist priest looked at him.
"Two things."
"One is the system."
One is habit.
Chen Fan frowned.
"Habit?"
"right."
"Doubt everything, do not believe in the definitive version."
When you see an answer that seems most reliable, first consider whether it was written for you.
"You've already learned to be very much like him in this respect."
Chen Fan's eyelid twitched.
This sentence is like the tip of a knife.
Throughout his journey, the thing he did most often was to analyze the answers.
It turns out this wasn't purely talent.
There are still traces left from the previous round inside.
The Taoist priest added another sentence.
"And one more thing, you're better than him."
"You're even more ruthless."
"And it's dirtier."
Pigsy muttered to himself, "Is that considered a compliment?"
The Bull Demon King replied, "For him, it counts."
The atmosphere in the hall was already tense, but these two managed to create a slightly strange atmosphere.
Chen Fan didn't bother to respond.
He stared at the Taoist priest, his voice even lower.
"Since you know so much..."
"Then why are you only saying this now?"
The Taoist coughed twice, spitting out a mouthful of black blood.
"Because even if I said it before, no one would believe me."
"Besides, you haven't even reached that point yet; even if you knew, you'd still die."
"You have to break through several lines first."
"Let the Jade Emperor, the Monkey King, Yang Jian, and all the immortals stand in one hall to listen."
"That way, you won't be able to suppress those words."
"It's only useful to say it now."
Chen Fan understood.
This old man is more than just living evidence.
He's still a cunning old fox who knows when to strike.
If you had said so earlier, you would have been crushed to death.
Now that it's happening in front of the whole audience, no one can pretend they didn't hear it.
This explosion will cause even the Heavenly Court to crack internally.
The Jade Emperor suddenly stood up.
That's enough.
"Take him down."
These words were spoken by the heavenly general in the palace.
No sooner had he finished speaking than Yang Jian's three-pointed double-edged sword appeared in front of him.
"Who moved?"
The Jade Emperor suddenly looked at Yang Jian.
Yang Jian remained expressionless.
"I only want to hear the end."
On the other side, Sun Wukong slammed his golden cudgel down heavily.
With a bang.
The floor tiles cracked on the spot.
"Me too."
The Bull Demon King grinned and hoisted the iron rod onto his shoulder.
"Now that we're here, anyone who backs down is a coward."
Zhu Ganglie quickly added a sentence.
"No, my surname is Pig."
No one laughed.
But the Jade Emperor's face was so gloomy it was almost dripping with water.
The Taoist priest watched this scene as if he had been waiting for a long time, and it had finally happened.
He slowly turned his head and looked at Chen Fan.
"There's one last sentence."
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
"explain."
The Taoist stared at him, his voice suddenly dropping to a very low hue.
It was so low it looked like you were crawling out from the bottom of a coffin.
"The reason why Chen Fan was able to reach the Observer in the last round was because the other party didn't take him seriously at first."
"He was like an accident."
"Like a thorn."
"By the time the contemplator wants to pull it out, it's already too late."
The Taoist priest paused.
Chen Fan's heart suddenly sank.
The next moment, the Taoist grinned.
"You are different."
"You've been remembered since the time of Wuzhishan."
"If you continue on this path..."
"They'll die even faster than in the last round."
The wooden fish outside the hall sounded softly once more.
Chapter 227 The Marks of the Observer
No one spoke in the hall.
The sound of the wooden fish drum was still being struck outside.
a bit.
a bit.
No rush, it's like someone sitting outside the Heavenly Gate, slowly counting the lives of everyone inside the palace.
Chen Fan stared at the Taoist priest in the coffin.
"You remember me?"
The Taoist priest let out a few dry laughs, like a broken bellows leaking air.
"Not to remember."
"It's been marked."
He raised his withered hand, his fingertips trembling violently, yet he still pointed intently at Chen Fan's brow.
"Touch it yourself."
Chen Fan raised his hand and pressed down.
There was no injury, no blood, and nothing else on his forehead.
Sun Wukong approached first, his fiery eyes gleaming, and his eye twitched violently.
"Old Chen, you have something on your head."
Pigsy immediately came over: "What's that? I can't see it!"
The Bull Demon King frowned as well: "I can't see it either."
Yang Jian stood to the side, his third eye slightly opening and closing. The next moment, the three-pointed double-edged sword in his hand lowered by half an inch.
Yes, it is.
The Jade Emperor sat at the head of the table, his face even more grim than before.
"Observation seal".
The four words were uttered.
The hall was even quieter.
Chen Fan raised an eyebrow: "Speak like a human being."
The Taoist priest in the coffin looked at him and twitched his lips.
"Those in high positions watch the show, and they choose the leading actors on stage."
"You are the one on stage right now."
"Wherever you go, that place becomes a stage."
"Even if you don't speak up, trouble will find you."
"Even if you don't provoke others, they will still come after you."
Pigsy's face went numb upon hearing this, and he even shrank back with his rake.
"Isn't this just like a plague god's talisman?"
The Taoist priest glanced at him.
"The plague god is nothing."
"These are marks made by those who contemplate the scriptures."
"Before he takes action himself, other high-ranking officials will also be watching you."
"If you go up the mountain, something bad will happen there."
"If you go into the sea, the sea will be turbulent."
"Whoever's doorstep you go to, that family will get dragged into it."
Sun Wukong tightened his grip, and the golden cudgel made a low sound.
"Then let's pry off this broken seal."
"It can't be peeled off."
This time, it was the Jade Emperor who spoke.
He stood up from the dragon throne, walked down the jade steps, and stood in front of Chen Fan.
His gaze fell on the empty space in front of Chen Fan's forehead, his eyes were a little cold.
There was also some apprehension.
"This is a determination, not magic."
"I saw it once back then."
"That man conquered seven cities in three days. It wasn't that he wanted to; wherever he went, explosions followed."
The Bull Demon King grinned: "That sounds like it's saving us trouble."
Yang Jian glanced at him: "It saves trouble, but it also kills you."
The Taoist priest in the coffin coughed a few times, and his chest slumped down a little.
"In the last round, nobody paid attention to Chen Fan at first."
"He can squeeze through gaps and stealthily move around."
"You can't do it."
"From the moment you stepped off Wuzhi Mountain, you've been under their watchful eyes."
"From now on, every step you take will be very loud."
"It's like someone is banging a gong for you."
Pigsy's face fell.
"Then what's the point of playing?"
"Being a target wherever you go, isn't that just waiting to die?"
There was a heavy atmosphere in the hall.
Everyone knows this is no small matter.
The observer hadn't even shown himself yet, only leaving a mark, which was tantamount to hanging a knife over Chen Fan's head.
What's more troublesome is that this knife might attract other people's hands.
Chen Fan smiled.
His smile even made the Jade Emperor frown.
"What are you laughing at?"
Chen Fan raised his hand and gently tapped his forehead.
"I thought it was something serious."
"It was just a loudspeaker."
Pigsy was taken aback: "What loudspeaker?"
"Wherever I am, the plot will follow. And that's where the higher-ups will look."
Chen Fan glanced around, his gaze settling on the face of the Taoist priest in the coffin.
"Isn't this great?"
"It saves me the trouble of searching for them one by one."
"They want to see me, and I'll just have to see them too."
"If anyone dares to reach out, I'll chop them up."
That's too harsh a statement.
Everyone in the hall looked over.
Sun Wukong laughed first, then slammed his staff into the ground.
"right."
"Why are you hiding?"
"Take them down one by one."
The Bull Demon King also laughed loudly.
"This tastes just right. Old cows hate it when people hide their heads and tails."
Yang Jian didn't laugh.
But the way he looked at Chen Fan was clearly different from before.
The Taoist priest in the coffin stared at Chen Fan, and the deathly aura in his eyes seemed to have lessened somewhat.
"You're crazier than the last time."
Chen Fan replied, "You have to be crazy to survive."
The Jade Emperor remained silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke.
"Since things have come to this, let's stop each of us from pursuing our own agendas."
Chen Fan turned to look at him: "What do you want to say?"
The Jade Emperor looked at him and spoke very frankly for the first time.
"Temporary ceasefire."
"I will cooperate with you."
Pigsy's ears stood up.
The Bull Demon King sneered, "Did the sun rise in the west?"
Sun Wukong was even more direct, simply wielding his golden cudgel horizontally.
"Old man, you were wary of us opening the coffin before. Now you're talking about cooperation?"
The Jade Emperor ignored him, his gaze fixed on Chen Fan.
"It's not that I believe you."
"Now, I am even less willing to let Tathagata win."
"If the true form of the Tathagata were to descend, the Lingxiao Palace would not be able to hold out for long."
"With the continued pushing by the Observer, the Heavenly Court shattered first."
"If you die, I may not be able to live a safe life."
"If I fall first, none of you will be able to hold on alone."
very realistic.
It also sounds awful.
But there's no way to refute that.
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes: "How do you plan to cooperate?"
The Jade Emperor raised his hand and waved it.
A golden pattern lit up the sky above the side of the palace.
That's not a regular cloud map.
It's covered in cracks.
Some are outside the South Heavenly Gate, some are on the Western Heavenly Road, and a few are directly adjacent to the outer perimeter of the Lingxiao Palace.
From each crack, Buddha's light seeped out.
"From the moment you entered the temple, the Western Paradise has never ceased its trials."
"The sound of the wooden fish is not coming from outside the door."
"It's like knocking on all the heavenly gates at once."
"The true form of Buddha has not yet arrived; he is assessing my capabilities."
"The Amitabha Buddha is also using this mark on your forehead to find a place."
The Jade Emperor lowered his voice.
"The Lingxiao Palace now resembles a piece of meat."
"They all want to take a bite first."
Chen Fan glanced at the sky and immediately understood.
The Jade Emperor was not afraid.
He had been cornered.
If he continues to act like an emperor, he might not even be able to sit on the dragon throne in the next moment.
"condition."
Chen Fan spoke.
The Jade Emperor answered quickly.
"First, the person in the black coffin shall remain in the Lingxiao Palace, to be jointly guarded by me and Yang Jian."
"Secondly, when foreign enemies come, you will guard this palace together with the Heavenly Court."
"Third, if we defeat this wave of Tathagatas, we can settle old scores later."
Sun Wukong scoffed, "You're quite the strategist."
The Bull Demon King spat, "You asked me to guard your house, and you still want to detain people?"
The Taoist priest in the coffin suddenly spoke.
"I stayed."
Everyone was taken aback.
The Taoist priest leaned against the coffin, his breathing heavy.
"If I stay away from the coffin for too long, it will disintegrate."
"Besides, they're more likely to come if I'm here."
Chen Fan stared at him: "You also want to use us as a starting point?"
The Taoist priest grinned: "You have a mark, I have a coffin."
"We're both in high demand."
Upon hearing this, even Zhu Bajie (Pigsy) couldn't help but click his tongue.
The Jade Emperor looked at Chen Fan.
"how?"
Chen Fan didn't reply immediately.
He walked to the palace gate and glanced outside.
Outside the door, the sea of clouds churned and rolled.
The sound of the wooden fish drum still lingers.
It's just closer than before.
Each blow felt like a blow to the bone.
Chen Fan suddenly asked, "You can see the mark on my forehead, what does it look like?"
The Jade Emperor said in a deep voice, "One scroll of scripture."
"Curled edge facing upwards."
"It's like I want to take you in."
Yang Jian added, "There is another eye outside the scripture."
"Not fully open."
After hearing this, Chen Fan laughed instead.
"Then there's even less of a problem."
"He wants to see me."
"I'll let him see the big one."
After saying that, he turned around and walked straight back into the hall.
"Cooperation is possible."
"Temporary."
"It's not too late to turn against us after we've finished this round of fighting."
The Jade Emperor stared at him for two breaths, then slowly nodded.
"it is good."
The word "good" had just been uttered.
The tension in the hall seemed to ease slightly.
Pigsy leaned closer to Chen Fan and whispered, "You really believe this old man?"
Chen Fan also lowered his voice.
"I don't believe a damn thing."
"Let's use his shell as a shield first."
The Bull Demon King, who was standing nearby, heard this and grinned.
"That sounds nice."
Sun Wukong twirled his golden cudgel, his eyes blazing with fire.
"Old Chen, since that broken seal can drag things out from behind the scenes, let's have a good fight today."
"I'd like to see who jumps out first."
Chen Fan was about to reply.
The sound of the wooden fish outside the hall suddenly stopped.
It stopped too abruptly.
Like someone who strikes a wooden fish drum, putting down the mallet.
All eyes in the hall turned outwards.
next moment.
A chanting of Buddhist hymns descended from outside the Heavenly Gate.
It wasn't just one person reading it.
It's not a group of monks chanting.
As the sound spread, the entire cloud layer began to glow golden.
Outside the Lingxiao Palace, the thirty-six heavenly gates were illuminated one after another with Buddhist seals.
The heavenly soldiers guarding the palace were stunned at first.
Immediately afterwards, screams erupted one after another.
"Enemy attack!"
"The people from the Western Paradise have arrived!"
"Unstoppable—"
boom!
The outermost Heavenly Gate collapsed open.
Golden light poured in like a flood.
Chen Fan rushed to the entrance of the hall, looked up, and his pupils immediately contracted.
There is no Buddha outside.
There weren't just a few Bodhisattvas.
It was a Buddhist army.
Densely packed.
It's endless.
Each one was clad in golden armor, holding a sutra banner, and pressing forward on lotus light.
The number is 100,000.
The sky was almost completely filled.
At the very front were nine golden chariots, lined up in a row. The people sitting in the chariots were all strangers, not familiar faces. Yet, the aura of each one was no less than that of an ordinary Grand Luo Immortal.
A large flag was unfurled in front of the vehicle.
The four large characters above immediately caught everyone's eye.
The Buddhist Army that Protects the Scriptures.
Pigsy's legs buckled, and he almost dropped the rake on his foot.
"Damn, is it really 100,000?"
The smile on the Bull Demon King's face disappeared, and his breathing became a few beats heavier.
Yang Jian took a step forward, his blade raised horizontally.
The Jade Emperor suddenly raised his hand, and the Heavenly Emperor Seal soared into the sky.
"Lord Guan!"
But the words had barely left his mouth.
On the golden wheeled chariot at the very front of the hall, an old Buddha with white eyebrows slowly raised his eyes and looked towards the Lingxiao Hall.
His gaze did not fall on the Jade Emperor.
It didn't fall on Sun Wukong either.
He stared at the mark on Chen Fan's forehead that only those with high-level access could see.
Then he smiled.
"Found it."
at the same time.
The invisible sutra mark on Chen Fan's forehead suddenly lit up.
Chapter 228 One Hundred Thousand Buddhist Guardians
The sutra mark on Chen Fan's forehead lit up, and the entire Lingxiao Palace felt as if someone had grabbed its throat.
Outside, the sky was filled with the light of Buddha.
It's not just one or two groups.
It is a piece.
Like a sea of gold pressing down on the city walls.
From the direction of the South Heavenly Gate, the chanting of Buddhist hymns rose in waves, shaking even the pillars of the palace. The celestial officials who had dared to shout just moments before were now all silent. Some retreated, some quietly made hand seals, and others simply bowed their heads and pretended to be dead, afraid of being called out by anyone.
Sun Wukong, carrying his golden cudgel, grinned.
"One hundred thousand?"
"Lingshan is really willing to spend a lot of money."
The Bull Demon King exhaled two puffs of white breath from his nostrils and said in a deep voice, "The Buddhist army protecting the scriptures has been brought out. It seems that those bald monks are not here to reason with us this time, but to kidnap us."
Zhu Ganglie glanced at the palace gate and his Adam's apple bobbed.
"Old Niu, you're being too lenient. They're here to ransack the house."
The white dragon horse didn't utter a sound, only pawing the ground twice with its hooves, its eyes colder than knives.
Tang Sanzang stood beside Chen Fan, his cassock billowing even without wind. He clasped his hands together, but his eyes held no compassion, only an overwhelming chill.
"This humble monk would like to see whose scripture they are talking about."
The sound of the wooden fish drum echoed again outside the hall.
thump.
It fell suddenly, like a blow to everyone's heart.
Immediately afterwards, a Buddhist chant was heard from outside the South Heavenly Gate.
"Amitabha."
The voice was not loud.
Yet it overwhelmed the army of 100,000.
The white-browed Buddha stood on the golden wheel of Dharma, his image rising into the sky, almost reaching the top of the heavenly gate. He raised his hand and unfurled a golden edict, his voice as cold as if he were pronouncing a judgment.
"By the decree of the Buddha Tathagata."
"Welcome back the extraordinary master of the scriptures, Tang Sanzang."
"Apprehend the out-of-control characters Sun Wukong and Chen Fan."
"Reclaim the true core."
"If the Heavenly Court obstructs, it shall be regarded as an accomplice."
As soon as the last four words were uttered, the faces of all the immortals in the hall changed.
accomplice.
Those two words are too harsh.
This isn't a demand for someone.
This is forcing the Heavenly Court to choose sides.
Venus was the first to step forward, urgently saying to the Jade Emperor, "Your Majesty, the forces from Mount Ling are too fierce; we cannot confront them head-on. Right now, we only need the people; perhaps we should—"
"First what?"
Sun Wukong slammed his staff into the ground, and cracks appeared around the bricks of the palace.
"Should we tie me up and send me out first?"
Venus twitched his beard and his face turned ashen.
"Great Sage Equal to Heaven, this matter concerns the stability of the Three Realms; we must not act rashly."
"Stop trying to intimidate me with your talk of stability," the Bull Demon King retorted directly. "They've already reached the Southern Heavenly Gate, and you're still here advising His Majesty to sell people out. Old man, whose side are you on?"
Venus choked for a moment, then turned to look at the Jade Emperor.
"Your Majesty, the greater good is paramount."
A military officer stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "I second your opinion. The Buddhist sect has a legitimate reason for this action. Tang Sanzang is the one who went to retrieve the scriptures, Sun Wukong is the one who protects the scriptures, and Chen Fan is an exception. If the Heavenly Court is dragged into this mess because of a few people, it will be a loss rather than a gain."
"fart!"
Nezha rode on his Wind-Fire Wheels and rushed to the front, pointing his Fire-Tipped Spear at the general.
"Do they think that having a legitimate reason makes one righteous?"
"Yesterday they wanted people, today they want the Heavenly Gate, will they want the Lingxiao Palace tomorrow?"
"If you're afraid of dying, go back to your residence and cower. Don't pretend to be all high and mighty here."
The military officer was scolded until his face turned red.
"Nezha! You—"
"What do you mean, 'you'?"
Nezha raised his chin, his face full of impatience.
"They're practically shitting on your head, and you're still thinking about handing them toilet paper."
The hall immediately descended into chaos.
Those who advocate peace are calling for war to be stopped.
Those who advocate war directly call them spineless.
There was also a group of old immortals standing on the sidelines, eyes downcast and mindless, not helping anyone, clearly wanting to see how the Jade Emperor would choose.
After scanning the area, Chen Fan felt more at ease.
The more chaotic things get, the more it shows that the Heavenly Court has truly been divided.
This is not acting.
This time they've really been cornered.
Yang Jian remained silent.
He stood before the palace steps, his three-pointed double-edged sword hanging diagonally, his gaze passing through the palace gate and landing directly on the Buddha's light outside the South Heavenly Gate.
After a moment, he spoke.
"His Majesty."
"Since the Buddhist army protecting the scriptures has formed ranks, they are not here to talk."
"If we back down now, they'll only take another step forward."
"Hand over people today, hand over power tomorrow."
"The day after tomorrow, they will dare to enter the Lingxiao Palace and issue decrees on behalf of His Majesty."
The voice was not loud.
The entire hall heard it clearly.
Many celestial officials' expressions changed.
Nezha immediately chimed in, "Second Brother is right. Let's fight! Whoever backs down first is a coward."
The generals of the Thunder Department also stepped forward.
"We, your humble servants, request permission to fight!"
The Fire God flicked his sleeve and sneered, "The Buddhist sect has been interfering more and more in recent years; it's time to teach them a lesson."
Water Deity frowned and said, "If a real war breaks out, the Three Realms will be thrown into chaos."
"They forced this chaos upon us," Wu De Xing Jun said in a deep voice. "Are we supposed to smile and beg them to step on our necks?"
The Jade Emperor sat on his high seat and remained silent.
His face was very somber.
He was so composed that his emotions were impossible to discern.
Only his knuckles tapped against the armrest of the dragon throne.
It's very light.
Each knock made the hearts of those in the hall tighten.
Chen Fan looked at the Jade Emperor and suddenly remembered what the Taoist priest in the black coffin had said.
The previous round.
Those who contemplate the scriptures.
Those who refuse to perform.
And that eukaryote.
This situation is no longer simply a matter of the pilgrimage collapsing. The 100,000 Buddhist troops brought to Mount Ling today aren't just here to arrest people. They're here to silence dissent. Anyone who disobeys will be wiped out.
A sudden rumbling sound came from outside the hall.
A heavenly general, covered in blood, rushed in and slammed one knee to the ground.
"Report!"
"Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, the Buddhist army presses forward for three hundred li!"
"The Eight Heavenly Dragons have ascended into the sky!"
"The Arhats have formed an eighteen-tiered array; the Heavenly Court must hand over the captors immediately!"
No sooner had the words been spoken than another chant of Buddhist prayers rang out from outside the hall.
The voice of the White-Browed Buddha came again.
"The Jade Emperor, the Great Heavenly Venerable."
"As the Buddha said..."
"As long as Tang Sanzang, Sun Wukong, Chen Fan, and the True Core are handed over, the Buddhist army protecting the scriptures will retreat immediately."
"If one remains obstinate and does not see the truth."
"This humble monk then invites the Buddhist army to enter the Heavenly Gate and capture the prisoners themselves."
These words were even harsher than before.
He himself became a criminal.
It's like treating the Heavenly Court as the backyard of an inn.
Nezha was furious, and his Wind Fire Wheels exploded with sparks.
"You bastard, do you really think this is the foot of Mount Ling?"
Sun Wukong laughed even harder.
"Old Chen, did you hear that? They want to take it themselves."
"How about I go and have them get one to try?"
Pigsy also got angry, wielding his rake and cursing, "Go to hell! You really think you're something special!"
Inside the hall, even the celestial officials turned pale.
Lingshan is too powerful.
The 100,000-strong Buddhist army protecting the scriptures is not just for show.
That was the true trump card that Buddhism used to suppress great chaos.
He never goes out on weekdays.
This time, however, they blocked the South Heavenly Gate directly.
This shows that Buddha truly had the intention to kill.
Venus stepped forward again, his voice lowered.
"Your Majesty, you must not gamble."
"As long as Chen Fan and the others are handed over first, the Heavenly Court can remain uninvolved. We can deal with them later at our own pace."
Chen Fan glanced at him upon hearing this.
That old man speaks so fluently.
They've even managed to sell people at a higher level.
Tang Sanzang chuckled.
"It's easy for Venus to say."
"Should we tie this humble monk up first, and then give him a credit?"
Venus's face stiffened.
"Brother, I am also acting for the greater good—"
"Shut up," Pigsy snapped, fed up. "All you talk about is the big picture. Your 'big picture' is just whoever's got the fastest knife, you go with them?"
"You scoundrel!" Venus, the White Star, trembled with rage. "I am devoted to the Heavenly Court; how could I allow you, a pig demon, to humiliate me like this!"
"So what if I humiliate you?" The Bull Demon King stepped forward. "If you have the guts, go outside and shout at the Buddhist army. What kind of skill is it to show off your power to us in the hall?"
The immortals were in an uproar again.
The noise grew louder and louder.
Some people advocated handing over the person immediately.
Some people advocated guarding the South Heavenly Gate first.
Some suggested placing Chen Fan and his group under house arrest first, and then sending envoys to Lingshan to negotiate.
Chen Fan almost laughed when he heard this.
They're practically at each other's throats, still dreaming.
Just then.
The Jade Emperor suddenly stopped tapping the armrest.
The entire hall seemed to be suppressed by something, and the sound suddenly stopped.
He slowly got up.
The dragon robe fell to the ground, and even the wind in the hall subsided.
Everyone immediately lowered their heads.
The Jade Emperor descended the high steps step by step and stopped in front of the palace gate.
He didn't look at the White-Browed Buddha first.
They didn't even look at Sun Wukong first.
His gaze first swept over the assembled immortals in the hall.
"Have you finished speaking, Lord?"
No one dared to answer.
The Jade Emperor then looked at Venus.
"You demand that I hand over the people."
Venus, sweat beading on his forehead, gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, I beg you to prioritize the Heavenly Court."
The Jade Emperor nodded.
"What a fine example of prioritizing the Heavenly Court."
After saying this, he suddenly raised his hand.
Snapped.
A beam of golden light struck Venus's face.
Venus was sent flying, crashing into three palace pillars before coming to a stop. Half of his face split open, and blood streamed down his beard.
The hall was deathly silent.
No one expected that the Jade Emperor would take action in public.
"I am not dead yet."
The Jade Emperor's voice was not loud.
Each word was struck with extreme force.
"It's not your place to sell people for me."
Venus lay prostrate on the ground, his lips trembling, and he dared not utter another word.
Nezha's eyes lit up, and he almost burst out laughing.
Sun Wukong was even more direct, spitting at Taibai Jinxing.
I should have slapped you a long time ago.
The white-browed old Buddha outside the hall frowned slightly, and his voice turned cold.
"Is the Jade Emperor going to protect those who rebel against the scriptures?"
The Jade Emperor finally raised his eyes and looked at the Buddhist army outside the South Heavenly Gate.
"A reversal of the classics?"
"This is the Heavenly Court."
"It is not your Lingshan Dharma Hall."
"It is not your place to judge my people."
The white-browed old Buddha clasped his hands together, and the smile on his face disappeared.
"Then please give us a clear answer, Jade Emperor."
"To pay, or not to pay?"
One hundred thousand Buddhist soldiers stepped forward simultaneously.
boom!
The sea of clouds at Nantianmen is sinking.
The railings outside Tianmen are cracking inch by inch.
All the celestial beings in Heaven changed their expressions.
This is no longer a threat.
This is an ultimatum.
Yang Jian turned the blade in his hand, and divine light surged forth.
Nezha's Fire-Tipped Spear swept across the sky, his three-headed, six-armed form appearing and disappearing.
The generals from the Thunder Department, Fire Department, and Fighting Department all took to the air.
We are just waiting for the Jade Emperor's word.
Chen Fan also stared at the Jade Emperor.
This step determines the entire situation.
As long as the Jade Emperor withdraws.
Everyone has to leave today.
Only the Jade Emperor Peak.
That day, the Heavenly Court and Mount Ling truly broke off relations.
A few breaths passed.
The Jade Emperor remained silent.
No one dared to breathe loudly inside the hall.
next moment.
He raised his hand and waved.
The Heavenly Emperor's Seal rose into the sky, soaring straight to the ninth heaven.
"Open the Heavenly Gate."
"Set up the Heavenly Formation".
The four words fell.
The entire Lingxiao Palace fell silent for a moment.
Then, it exploded like a bomb.
The pro-war faction has gone completely mad.
"As you command!"
"As you command!"
"As you command!"
Yang Jian was the first to turn around, and with a flick of his three-pointed double-edged sword, he transformed into a streak of silver light and rushed out of the hall.
Nezha laughed loudly: "Finally, we've been waiting for this line!"
The fiery wheels, billowing with flames, followed and charged out.
The Thunder God and Lightning Goddess, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Twenty-Eight Mansions, and the Fire and Water elements all moved.
Rays of divine light shot into the sky.
Above the South Heavenly Gate, heavenly drums boomed.
The nine heavens lit up layer by layer, and ancient array patterns emerged from the clouds, like countless chains lying across the gates of heaven.
Those celestial officials who had just been advocating peace now looked ashen-faced.
Some people want to quit.
But they dared not move.
Since the Jade Emperor has already issued the decree, anyone who hesitates will be the first to die.
Outside the hall, the white-browed old Buddha's face darkened completely.
"Jade Emperor, have you thought this through?"
"If the Heavenly Court becomes an enemy of Mount Ling, it will bear the consequences."
The Jade Emperor did not reply to him.
He turned around and looked at Chen Fan.
Many people in the hall saw this glance.
Some people were nervous, while others were gloating.
Clearly, although the Jade Emperor ordered the war, the real reason he made Chen Fan and the others take sides was not necessarily the kind of alliance they thought it was.
Chen Fan was also looking at him.
"His Majesty."
Why did you change your mind?
The Jade Emperor walked up to him and stopped.
They are very close.
Chen Fan was so close that he could see the fire that had been suppressed for a long time in his eyes.
The ruler of the Three Realms stared at the scripture mark on Chen Fan's forehead, remained silent for a moment, and then said only one sentence.
"I can tolerate demons."
"I cannot tolerate anyone who deletes my name."
Chapter 229 Heavenly Court War Begins
The South Heavenly Gate was blown up first.
It wasn't the door that collapsed.
It was the sky outside the door that was first forcibly opened by the Buddha's light and thunder and fire.
One hundred thousand Buddhist soldiers, protecting the scriptures, pressed forward, their golden chariots lined up in a row, and their banners, one after another, almost filled the sea of clouds. At the very front, the white-browed Buddha raised his hand and pressed down, and behind him, tens of thousands of Arhats chanted scriptures simultaneously, their voices like layers of iron plates crashing down on the Heavenly Gate.
"By order of the Ling Mountain decree!"
"Arrest Chen Fan, who refused to perform!"
"Restore order to the past!"
As soon as he finished speaking, all thirty-six array patterns above the South Heavenly Gate lit up.
The Heavenly Court has stopped pretending.
The Thunder God General stepped forward, his banner unfurling, and ten thousand bolts of lightning slashed out from the gate tower. The Fire, Fighting, Plague, and Heavenly River naval forces pressed forward. Countless celestial soldiers stood in formation, their swords and spears pointing outwards.
"His Majesty has decreed!"
"Those who violate the Heavenly Gate shall be killed!"
The next instant, the Buddhist army and the heavenly soldiers clashed head-on.
boom!
The first wave of impact caused the sea of clouds to churn and swirl.
Many of the lower-level celestial officials could barely stand and had to hold onto the doorposts to avoid falling. The civil officials outside the Lingxiao Palace, who usually only announced names and delivered decrees, were all pale-faced today, their legs trembling like leaves.
Chen Fan stood on a high place, the sutra on his forehead still warm.
He glanced outside and gave a smirk.
This is decent.
The Heavenly Court and Mount Ling have finally broken off relations.
The Jade Emperor stood before the palace, the Heavenly Emperor's Seal hovering above his head. His voice was not loud, but it overwhelmed the battlefield.
"Let's get started."
"Let them fight."
"Whoever retreats today will die."
Upon hearing this, the heavenly soldiers, who had been somewhat hesitant, all turned red in the eyes.
retreat?
Behind that is the Lingxiao Palace.
If I retreat any further, I'll lose all face.
The Buddhist army was equally formidable. The Vajra warriors in the front row raised their shields to withstand the attack, while the Dharma images in the back row opened up, and a vast array of Buddha palms descended from the sky. Each palm strike shattered a section of the array of light.
"kill!"
"Protect the scriptures!"
"Take down Chen Fan!"
A chorus of shouts erupted.
Just then, a golden light burst forth from the Heavenly Gate.
It's none other than someone else.
Sun Wukong.
Without uttering a single wasted word, he swung his golden cudgel and smashed it directly at the main flag at the forefront of the Buddhist army.
"You're talking nonsense!"
"I'll take down your flag first!"
The Buddhist banner was a hundred feet tall, its pole covered in Sanskrit inscriptions. Just as the two guardians beside the White-Browed Buddha were about to make their move, Sun Wukong arrived.
The stick fell.
A snap.
The flagpole was broken in two.
The golden banner burst into flames on the spot, rolling down as it burned.
The Buddhist soldiers in the front row were all dumbfounded.
The main flag had barely been raised when the very first breath was gone?
"Stop him!"
"Stop that monkey!"
A dozen or so golden-bodied Arhats rushed forward, their fists, alms bowls, and Buddhist rings all aimed at Sun Wukong's face. Sun Wukong didn't dodge at all, instead swinging his staff in a sweeping motion.
Bang bang bang!
The three Arhats flew out first.
It plunged headfirst into the clouds.
One of his chests had collapsed.
There was another one whose Buddha rosary had been smashed into pieces, blood gushing from his mouth, his eyes glazed over.
The onlookers felt their scalps tingle.
"This monkey... has gotten stronger again?"
"Does he only target those with strong nationalistic sentiments?"
"This is insane, absolutely insane."
Sun Wukong didn't stop at all. After smashing the first stick, he flipped over and charged at the second stick.
"Don't you guys like setting rules?"
"Today, I, Old Sun, am going to tear down your facade!"
Another blow.
The second flag was blown apart in the middle.
Some of the soldiers in the back row of the Buddhist army turned pale.
When the Buddhist army protecting the scriptures goes to war, it is all about showing off its power and prestige.
If two flags break first, how can you maintain order?
The smile on the white-browed Buddha's face vanished. With a flick of his sleeve, eight golden-wheeled chariots behind him pushed forward simultaneously, their wheels making a buzzing sound as they rolled through the void, layer upon layer of Buddhist patterns pressing down on Sun Wukong.
"You insolent monkey!"
"town."
A single word was uttered.
The eight-fold Buddha wheel surrounds the Buddha.
Sun Wukong's feet sank, and the golden fur all over his body was pressed back.
Just as the Bull Demon King was about to charge, Chen Fan raised his hand to stop him.
"No rush."
"Someone is even more anxious than us."
really.
The next second, a Buddhist chant forcefully broke through the Heavenly Court formation.
"Page 3, complete."
Everyone was stunned.
Tang Sanzang sat cross-legged in the middle of the battle formation, his cassock fluttering in the strong wind, the scripture in his hand already turned to the third page. He didn't look at the battlefield, but kept his head down and continued writing.
As the pen tip touched the paper, lines of light rose up one by one.
"The Buddhist Guardians, those who obstruct the disclosure of the truth."
Those who obstruct the truth will lose their rightful place.
"If a law is not properly named, it is incomplete."
As the last word was written, the entire page of scripture suddenly lit up.
boom!
The brightest Buddha wheels above the Buddhist army seemed to have been bitten off, their light dimming all at once.
The white-browed old Buddha's expression changed.
"Will it damage our military reputation?"
He raised his hand to press down on Tang Sanzang.
But just as that power arose, several golden dragon phantoms suddenly coiled up in mid-air, forcibly deflecting the Buddha's light.
Tang Sanzang raised his head and looked at the White-Browed Buddha for the first time.
"You are not protectors of the scriptures."
"You're trying to shut me up."
"This humble monk has written it very clearly today."
On the battlefield, many Buddhist soldiers swayed.
The name of a sutra, the name of a Dharma, and the name of a military unit are all one.
By doing this, Tang Sanzang essentially branded them as "obstructing the truth."
Some of the weaker monks protecting the scriptures even began to feel their magical implements falter.
The heavenly soldiers were stunned at first, then they all exploded.
"it works!"
"That monk really suppressed the Buddhist army!"
"Fight! Beat them hard!"
Seeing the situation was favorable, the Thunder God General planted his thunder flag directly into the center of the formation. Ten thousand thunderbolts erupted outside the South Heavenly Gate, throwing the Buddhist army's front ranks into chaos.
It was at this moment that Pigsy jumped out.
"It's my turn, Old Pig's turn!"
He stepped onto the edge of the array wheel, swung his nine-toothed rake in a circle, and smashed it down on a spinning golden Dharma wheel.
That wheel was originally the core of the Buddhist army's rear transport network, specifically for ferrying monks to the front lines. When the monks guarding the wheel saw that it was Zhu Bajie (Pigsy), they were stunned for a moment, then they cursed in unison.
"traitor!"
"This vile creature doesn't even deserve the Spirit Mountain Formation Diagram!"
Pigsy was furious when he heard this.
"Call me 'mother'!"
"I used to be your slave, and I got whipped a lot. Today, I'll collect some interest!"
The rake fell.
Boom!
The entire array wheel was smashed and tilted to one side.
The Sanskrit characters on the wheel surface burst open one after another.
The three thousand Buddhist soldiers behind them immediately lost their magical power, and many of them lost their golden lotuses and fell to the ground with a thud.
Pigsy's eyes lit up.
"It's so crispy!"
"Again!"
He charged forward head-on, raking the monks one after another, making them howl in pain. Just as one of the guardians who tried to ambush him got behind him, Pigsy kicked him, sending him rolling dozens of feet away.
"Still stealing?"
"Do you think I, Old Pig, am still the same fool I used to be?"
On the other side, Sha Wujing didn't utter a single unnecessary word.
He carried the demon-subduing staff and had already circled around to the rear of the Buddhist army.
Unlike Pigsy smashing the array wheel, he went directly to cut off the road.
He smashed one of the golden bridges behind the Buddhist army, which were responsible for guiding and retreating them, with a single blow of his staff. Then he smashed the second one. The third one.
It broke cleanly.
Many of the Buddhist soldiers turned around and their faces froze.
There's no way out.
"Our escape route is cut off!"
"Who's behind us?"
"Sha Wujing?!"
As soon as someone shouted, Sha Wujing swept his staff across, smashing half of the man's shoulder armor, along with the man himself, to pieces.
"I used to carry your loads for you."
"Today I will see you off on your final journey."
His voice wasn't loud, but his killing intent was clear.
The onlookers felt a chill run down their spines.
No one expected that this usually quiet and unassuming general would actually turn out to be so ruthless on the battlefield.
The front line was dismantled by Sun Wukong, the middle formation was renamed by Tang Sanzang, and the rear was thoroughly defeated by Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing.
The 100,000-strong Buddhist army protecting the scriptures was thrown into chaos as soon as they reached the South Heavenly Gate.
The morale of the Heavenly Court has completely risen.
"Press it down!"
"They've lost control!"
"Today we'll beat the bald monk!"
A group of heavenly soldiers shouted themselves hoarse and charged forward with their guns drawn.
The old Buddha with white eyebrows finally frowned.
He stopped staring at Sun Wukong and the battle formation, and turned his gaze to Chen Fan.
The root of all the chaos lies with this person.
"Take him."
As soon as he finished speaking, three Buddha figures stepped out from behind the Dharma vehicle.
His aura was in no way weaker than that of the White-Browed Buddha.
He was specifically targeting Chen Fanlai.
The Bull Demon King instantly stepped in front, slamming his iron cudgel down heavily.
"You think you can get past me?"
Yang Jian also raised his sword.
Just as the two sides were about to collide head-on, the Jade Emperor suddenly turned his head and spoke calmly.
"Chen Fan".
"Go in."
Chen Fan was taken aback.
"Now?"
"Yes." The Jade Emperor stared at the battlefield without blinking. "The rear storeroom of the Lingxiao Palace, third level, the Black Sealed Box."
"What you want is there."
Chen Fan's pupils contracted slightly.
Delete the bottom-level logs?
Did the Jade Emperor really give it to him?
The celestial officials standing nearby were completely dumbfounded.
Should we let Chen Fan into the back storage room at this point?
That's a forbidden area of Heaven!
"Your Majesty, this is not in accordance with regulations!"
"The back storage area is out of the question—"
Before he could finish speaking, the Jade Emperor glanced at him.
The celestial official's throat tightened, and he swallowed the rest of his sentence.
The Jade Emperor's voice grew even colder.
"rule?"
"The fighting outside has escalated to this point, and you're still trying to talk to me about rules?"
"roll."
Chen Fan didn't waste any words and turned to leave.
He knew very well that the Jade Emperor was willing to speak up not because he trusted him, but because he believed that the two sides had a common enemy at the moment.
The person who deleted him.
That's enough.
As soon as he entered the Lingxiao Palace, the sounds of a fierce battle still echoed behind him. The palace itself seemed much quieter, with only layers of light climbing up the pillars. Chen Fan made his way through the side halls and headed straight for the rear storeroom.
The two old immortals guarding the vault were about to raise their hands to stop them.
Chen Fan directly revealed the Jade Emperor's edict mark.
"His Majesty has granted me permission to enter the treasury."
The two old immortals exchanged a glance, then gritted their teeth and stepped aside.
The back storage is very deep.
Layer upon layer of restrictions hung like curtains.
Chen Fan passed through two floors before finally seeing the black sealed box on the third floor.
The box wasn't large, with gold nails at its four corners and eight old talismans pressed onto its surface. Just as Chen Fan reached out, the talisman on his forehead suddenly felt hot.
There was a response.
A thought struck him, and he raised his hand to remove the talisman.
The first course.
The second one.
When the sixth layer was revealed, a very soft click came from the box.
It was like some kind of lock that opened by itself.
Chen Fan didn't stop. He tore open the last two layers and lifted the lid.
At the very top of the box lay a scroll of jet-black jade.
The edges of the jade slip were worn smooth, clearly indicating that it had been turned over many times.
Chen Fan's breathing became heavy.
This thing is most likely a low-level log from the deletion world.
But as soon as his hand touched the jade slip, his gaze suddenly sharpened.
There was something else pressed down beneath the jade slip.
It was a translucent piece of broken kernel.
Its size was almost the same as the pseudonuclei he had seen before.
It's just the color that's wrong.
The first few were all grayish and cold, like dead Mars.
This one even has a faint red hue flowing inside.
Like blood.
It's like a sliver of life trapped inside.
Chen Fan froze for a moment.
A fourth pseudo-core?
wrong.
He had never seen this one before.
The moment his fingertip touched it, the wisp of red light inside the broken core suddenly moved, and two words slowly emerged from the core wall.
"Chen Fan".
The next moment, from the deepest part of the back warehouse, came the sound of chains dragging on the ground.