The Bull Demon King chuckled and said, "Just like when I captured you back then? However, Honglian is the apple of my father-in-law and mother-in-law's eye. Jiang Liu is holding Honglian captive; he'll be in big trouble from now on!"
Princess Iron Fan glared at him and said, "You rascal, seriously, without your proper weapon, your strength has declined considerably. Now that the Demon Master's Palace has made its move and the disciples of the Intercepting Sect are gathering, it seems the Blood Sea is about to make a big move, and the Buddhist sect even more so... What are you going to do?"
"Alas... Buddhism has been plotting this damned journey to the West for hundreds of years, but this time the cause of the upheaval in the Three Realms is not Tang Sanzang, who can gain immortality by eating a bite of meat. Madam, a great calamity is imminent!"
"This is a secret of your Jie Sect. Don't tell me. Just do what you need to do. I'll always stand behind you..."
"Don't worry, if I can't even protect you and Red Boy, then I'm not the Bull Demon King! Without the Iron Cudgel, I'm nothing, so let's use it! I've kept this treasure hidden for thousands of years, it's time for it to be revealed, let the world see who can withstand my hammer..."
A restriction was activated, instantly covering the Banana Cave. Inside, a terrifying aura emanated from the Bull Demon King's body. A giant hammer flew up, emitting a purple lightning brilliance that illuminated the ages, so dazzling it was almost terrifying.
The Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, with its endless patterns, intertwined around it, while tens of millions of purple lightning bolts spread out, like the primordial purple energy rising.
"The sect leader's Purple Lightning Hammer? That's a top-grade innate spiritual treasure... Old Niu, you've kept this from me for a long time. I thought my Banana Leaf Fan was the strongest magic weapon in my house. Tell me, what else do you have? Just how many treasures are you hiding? Are you planning to give it to that Jade-Faced Fox as a protective magic weapon...?"
The banana leaf fan in Princess Iron Fan's hand originated from a banana tree on Mount Kunlun at the beginning of time. After millions of years, absorbing the yin and yang of the sun and moon, the tree produced two banana leaves, one of utmost yang and the other of utmost yin. Later, the two banana leaves matured and transformed into two banana leaf fans. The yang fan was used by Laozi to refine elixirs, while the yin fan is the one in Princess Iron Fan's hand, also a primordial spiritual treasure.
The Bull Demon King, holding the Purple Lightning Hammer, shook his head and said, "No more, no more... Before my teacher left, he only gave me this hammer. I think this hammer is enough..."
The Purple Lightning Hammer is a top-grade innate spiritual treasure that controls all thunder. Although it cannot compare to the supreme innate treasure, it is comparable to the divine pestle blessed by the sage Zhunti among top-grade innate spiritual treasures.
In this age when no sages are born, there are very few in the Three Realms who can withstand the power of a single blow from this Purple Lightning Hammer.
...
Jiang Liu, carrying the Bull Demon King's weapon, the Iron Cudgel, left the Banana Cave on Cuiyun Mountain and frowned as he searched for Yang Chan.
"Then why are you looking so gloomy when you get to the Bull Demon King's Iron Cudgel? Shouldn't you be happy?" Yang Chan asked, puzzled, seeing Jiang Liu's solemn expression.
"Although I did get the remains of the Liangzhou Cauldron, I still have a feeling that the Bull Demon King saw through me. That shouldn't be the case! If my disguise as Red Boy was seen through, why would he so easily hand over his weapon to me... Oh well, I guess I owe him a favor, and I'll repay him later! Speaking of which, do you know what the Bull Demon King's background is?"
"Hmm, you don't know?"
"Could it really be the mount of the Supreme Sage Shangqing?"
"certainly!"
"I see, I understand now..." With that, he summoned the small bronze cauldron, which swallowed the mixed iron rod, and Liangzhou of the Nine Provinces merged into the cauldron. Following the Yangzhou Cauldron and the Jingzhou Cauldron, he now possessed three of the Nine Cauldrons of the Nine Provinces.
Naturally, Jiang Liu comprehended the martial arts of immortals through the geography of the Nine Provinces, further refining his skills and making his physical body even stronger.
Chapter 447 Great Chaos is About to Begin
Rocky Mountain, Azure Pool.
This is the cave of the Old Dragon King of Ten Thousand Saints, which is also the father-in-law's house of the Nine-Headed Insect.
The nine-headed worm, although called a worm, is not a worm in the traditional sense.
The description of the nine-headed worm's appearance is clear: It rolled over, leaped into the air, and revealed its true form—a nine-headed worm, its appearance utterly grotesque; one trembled at the sight of its form! Its feathers were like brocade, its body coiled like cotton. It was twelve feet in circumference, its length resembling that of a turtle or alligator. Its two feet were sharp as hooks, and its nine heads were clustered together. When it spread its wings, it soared with extraordinary skill, surpassing even the mighty roc in strength; its cry echoed far and wide, higher than the crane's. Its eyes gleamed with a golden light, its arrogance unlike that of ordinary birds.
It is clearly a nine-headed bird that is more majestic than the roc and sings louder than the crane!
The insects in ancient Chinese novels are not insects in the modern sense. For example, in the episode where Wu Song fights the tiger, the tiger is called a "big insect"!
In ancient times, "insect" was simply a general term for animals.
There are five kinds of insects in the world: snails, scaled creatures, hairy creatures, feathered creatures, and larvae.
Of the 360 winged creatures, the phoenix is the chief; of the 360 hairy creatures, the qilin is the chief; of the 360 armored creatures, the divine tortoise is the chief; of the 360 scaled creatures, the dragon is the chief; of the 360 snail-like creatures, humans are the chief. These are the beautiful categories of heaven and earth, the numbers of birds, beasts, and all things.
The Nine-Headed Insect is one of the 360 feathered insects, but according to Princess Asura, this Nine-Headed Insect possesses a trace of the bloodline of the Great Witch Nine Phoenix.
The pure Wu tribe has naturally perished, but the Wu tribe's heritage is immortal.
Jiang Liu and the Third Holy Mother Yang Chan headed towards the Bibo Pool of Luanshi Mountain. Jiang Liu obtained the fragment of the Liangzhou Cauldron of the Bull Demon King, further enhancing his strength. His physical body became even more terrifying. He had a vague feeling that as long as he obtained all the Nine Provinces Cauldrons, he could reach the peak of the Human Immortal realm, unite with heaven and earth, transcend the divine, and step into the supreme realm of shattering the void.
Therefore, Jiang Liu must obtain the remains of the Nine Provinces Cauldron in the hands of the Nine-Headed Insect.
When Jiang Liu and the Third Holy Mother set foot in the rocky mountain area, they were dumbfounded.
The rocky mountain in front of us has truly become a pile of rubble.
The terrifying spiritual energy of heaven and earth raged, the void collapsed, and energy storms raged. The sky was in chaos, and from the void, a murderous aura condensed from the power of celestial metal slashed towards us, which was extremely terrifying.
“At least two Xuanxian are fighting…” Yang Chan frowned slightly. Five-colored light rose and swirled around her, and countless lotus petals danced in the air. They were crystal clear and seemed to be sculpted from flowing light. They gathered together in one place, surrounded by light, and twinkling with starlight, forming a lamp.
This lamp is nine inches and eight fen tall, which is exactly the meaning of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. Its shape is like a blooming lotus, as big as a large bowl. The lotus heart is the lamp wick. Countless Daoist runes surround it, and rays of light flicker, which are in harmony with heaven and earth, giving people a sense of peace and light. It rotates gently in the air and falls into Yang Chan's hand.
The Lotus Lantern was displayed to Jiang Liu for the first time.
"I know that the Nine Provinces Cauldron is very important to you, go in and take a look! With the Lotus Lantern protecting you, even a Mystic Immortal cannot break through the defense."
Jiang Liu frowned as he looked at the area of the Azure Wave Pool where the terrifying spiritual energy was boiling. He said, "Don't rush. My strength has been increasing rapidly. Although I haven't completely reversed the Void Realm and comprehended the Profound Immortal Dao Fruit yet, my physical body has already reached an extremely high level. This is a good opportunity to test my strength. You protect yourself. If I'm no match for you, use the Lotus Lantern to save me!"
"Very well, with your physical body, you can hold out for a while even against a Xuanxian. I'll back you up!" Yang Chan held the Lotus Lantern in her hand, the flame flickering and radiating light, enveloping her body. The boiling spiritual energy and killing intent could not penetrate it in the slightest.
Long ago, before the beginning of time, there was no distinction between the pure and the impure, before heaven and earth were created, and all things were in chaos.
The whole world was adrift in endless cold and desolation when Nuwa stole heavenly fire and illuminated the universe.
The celestial fire of that open world, the essence of the sun and moon, transformed into a magically powerful lotus lantern. Therefore, this supreme treasure belonged to Nuwa. Legend has it that Nuwa used it when creating humans and mending the sky.
It was a spiritual being born from chaos, and is the foremost of the four primordial spiritual lamps. The four primordial spiritual lamps are the Eight Scenery Palace Lamp, the Jade Void Glazed Lamp, the Coffin Lamp, and the Precious Lotus Lamp.
Anyone who uses this precious lotus lamp must possess boundless benevolence to unleash its earth-shattering, world-reversing divine power. The lamp contains the wondrous fire of the Seven Treasures, which restrains all those with the seven emotions and six desires.
Jiang Liu had some understanding of the Lotus Lantern's function, but he couldn't be sure if it matched the world of "Journey to the West." Legend has it that there are sixteen individual incantations and one general incantation to control it. Anyone with evil thoughts will be harmed by it; its magical power is boundless, unmatched within the Three Realms.
It has seven petals that emit a seven-colored light, and each petal can transform into any form to protect its owner.
It possesses spirituality, recognizes its owner, and will never be damaged.
It has the ability to heal any injury and can restore all the injured person's abilities and skills.
At the same time, it can wash away all the filth in the world; it can guide all things in the world to any place; it can give its owner a warning by emitting light, the intensity of which represents the degree of danger.
It also has a secret: if one has no other choice, swallowing the wick of the Lotus Lantern will grant one ten thousand years of magical power, and the Lotus Lantern will become a useless lamp. Remember to use it with caution.
Its highest level is "man and lamp as one". It can become one with its successor. Once its wick is lost, it can be rekindled by the blood of the person who ingested the wick or by the person who transformed into the wick of the Lotus Lantern. After completing its mission, if it is summoned with sincerity, the Lotus Lantern after "man and lamp as one" can be restored. If the person who transformed into the wick of the Lotus Lantern is also restored to human form, it can be separated from the wick and returned to its original position.
In short, this innate first spiritual lamp is incredibly powerful. Not to mention a Xuanxian, even a Jinxian at the Refining Void and Merging Dao realm might not be able to defeat the owner of the Lotus Lamp.
With Yang Chan in charge, Jiang Liu felt much more at ease, at least he didn't have to worry about safety.
Stepping into the depths of the chaotic rocky mountains, one can personally experience the terror of this battle between immortals, where the shattering of layers of void and the leaked killing intent are fraught with danger.
As they continued onward, they came to see two dragons lying dead on the ground, their bodies now in their true forms, covered in wounds. One was old, and the other was young; they were clearly the Ten Thousand Saints Old Dragon King and the Ten Thousand Saints Princess.
"Jiang Liu, look..."
Yang Chan pointed to the distant sky, where a great demon with tall bones, deep-set eyes, a hooked nose, a black cloak, and sinister features stood in the air, his terrifying golden killing aura raging across the heavens and earth.
The other wore a gleaming silver helmet that outshone the snow, a suit of armor that shone like autumn frost, a brocade battle robe, a rhinoceros-patterned belt, and held a sixteen-foot-tall crescent shovel. He swung his arms with great force, each strike capable of shaking heaven and earth.
A terrifying force erupted, destroying the Azure Wave Pool and utterly annihilating the Chaotic Stone Mountain.
Chapter 448 Nine-Headed Insect Battles the Roc Demon King
"You destroyed my Azure Pool, killed my wife, Hun Tian! I will fight you to the death! When you die, I will destroy your body and your soul..."
Chaos!
The Great Sage Who Conquers Heaven, the Roc Demon King!
Jiang Liu and Yang Chan instantly recognized the identities of the two Xuanxian: one was the Nine-Headed Insect, and the other was the Peng Demon King.
One of the seven powerful demon clans who swore brotherhood with Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King, known as the Great Sage of Chaos, Peng Demon King.
Jiang Liu was secretly alarmed. In Journey to the West, there was absolutely no story of Peng Demon King slaughtering the Dragon King's family in Bibo Pool. Therefore, the only explanation for this outcome was that his appearance completely changed the course of history.
The Old Dragon King of Halloween is dead, and the Nine-Headed Insect is fighting a fierce battle with the Roc Demon King, seemingly on the verge of a fight to the death.
"What is the purpose of all this? Wen Zhong appeared at Qianlong Mountain without reason, personally probing my background. These great demons have also emerged one after another. What is their purpose? To escape? Ancestor Hongjun discovered me and warned me to be careful. It seems that even the sages can sense me! But the sages will not appear under Ancestor Hongjun's Heavenly Dao. I hope my identity as a disciple of the Three Sovereigns can hold out for a while. Hiding in Qianlong Mountain is no longer feasible. One day, those powerful beings will focus their suspicions on me. Only by increasing my strength and reaching a level sufficient to protect myself can I intimidate everyone. Golden Immortal... Shattering the Void... Gathering the Nine Cauldrons will achieve that..."
In an instant, Jiang Liu's gaze fell upon the sixteen-foot-tall crescent-shaped shovel, which was the remains of the Nine Cauldrons.
The white-faced youth, who was the incarnation of the Nine-Headed Insect, held a crescent shovel sixteen feet tall. He swung his arms, and his power surged like a tidal wave, causing the entire world to tremble.
The Bull Demon King's mixed iron cudgel, forged based on the Liangzhou Cauldron, weighs ten thousand jin and is no less powerful than Sun Wukong's Ruyi Jingu Bang. The Nine-Headed Insect's crescent shovel, also forged from the remains of the Nine Provinces Cauldron, is a weapon of the same level as the Ruyi Jingu Bang and the mixed iron cudgel.
He possessed the bloodline of the Great Witch Nine Phoenix, and the physical body of the Witch Clan was extremely powerful. Even in this world shattered by the destruction of the primordial era, the Nine-Headed Insect's talent in physical cultivation was considered top-tier. With each swing of the crescent shovel, the heavens and earth trembled, seemingly on the verge of collapse and fall. In the sky, countless spatial rifts appeared frantically, tearing everything apart.
With this one move, Jiang Liu knew just how powerful the Nine-Headed Insect was.
The Nine Phoenix Bloodline is well-known. The Great Witch Nine Phoenix is the only witch in ancient times with a primordial spirit. She is the younger sister of the Ancestral Witch Qiang Liang and the sole inheritor of the Supreme Witch Xuanming lineage.
Therefore, the Nine-Headed Insect, possessing the bloodline of the Nine Phoenixes, not only has an incredibly strong physical body, but it can also cultivate its primordial spirit, and its talent for cultivating qi and the Dao is not bad.
However, being of the bloodline of the witch clan, their battles are naturally primarily based on hand-to-hand combat, with supernatural abilities as a secondary means.
One force can overcome ten techniques; strength can break skill. No magic or supernatural power can be effective when this force reaches its limit.
"This Nine-Headed Insect's martial arts cultivation is not bad; he's exceptionally talented! Although his physical body hasn't reached the Thousand Transformations realm, it already possesses the strength to generate flesh and blood. Furthermore, he has cultivated the Dao of Power to an extremely high level, fighting against a Mystic Immortal without being at a disadvantage! I wonder what his supernatural abilities are. Jiu Feng is the younger sister of the Ancestral Witch Qiang Liang and the sole inheritor of the Ancestral Witch Xuan Ming lineage. Qiang Liang is the Ancestral Witch of Thunder, born with the ability to control thunder, while Xuan Ming is the Ancestral Witch of Rain, presiding over slaughter. I wonder how much of the Witch Clan's inheritance this Nine-Headed Insect has received..."
Jiang Liu and Yang Chan stood at the edge of the battlefield, unnoticed by their attention. The light from the Lotus Lantern was extremely soft, enveloping Yang Chan. Jiang Liu possessed the ability to transform in countless ways, and if one wasn't paying attention, he wouldn't be noticed at all.
On the battlefield, facing the Nine-Headed Insect's furious attack, the Roc Demon King, draped in a black cloak, narrowed his long, cold eyes. His face was thin and long, with a hooked nose, making him look even more sinister. As he stared at the crescent shovel that shattered the void, his long, narrow eyes flashed with a dark and unpredictable bloodthirsty light.
He was a disciple of the demon master Kunpeng. Although his strength had not yet reached the Golden Immortal level, he was only one step away.
The Golden Immortal realm doesn't seem so far away after all.
As for how powerful Golden Immortals are, just look at the fact that before the Investiture of the Gods, the twelve true disciples of the Primordial Heavenly Lord were only Golden Immortals, which gives us a glimpse into their strength.
In an instant, the crescent shovel swung down with terrifying power. At the same time, a roc roared in the sky, and a terrifying illusion appeared behind the Roc Demon King, who was wearing a black cloak.
There was a giant golden-winged roc that swept across the heavens, its wings like clouds hanging from the sky, engulfing the entire world, and soaring straight up to ninety thousand miles.
This was a terrifying phenomenon, seemingly about to shatter the heavens and obscure the sky.
Then they saw that the Peng Demon King no longer maintained his human form and transformed into a golden-winged Peng bird. Although it was only a few feet long, it was golden and dazzling, strong and powerful. With the flapping of its wings, fierce energy rose up, the wind howled, and terrifying divine power was released.
With a flick of its claws, streams of golden energy tore through space, unstoppable, and fiercely struck the nine-headed worm.
The Western Metal element (辰金) governs destruction!
The Nine-Headed Insect let out a clear whistle, and the void around its body resonated once again, causing spacetime to become chaotic. The ripples of spatial fluctuations even produced a melodious sound.
"What a brilliant 'Zhen' technique!" Jiang Liu's eyes lit up. That nine-headed worm had actually comprehended a martial arts technique similar to his own "Zhen" technique. To shake the void, one must not only comprehend the rules of space, but also possess an immortal physical body. Otherwise, this resonance would not harm others, but would injure oneself first.