The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 102 - 100: Unstoppable, Who Can Stand in the Way?

Chapter 102: Chapter 100: Unstoppable, Who Can Stand in the Way?

Wukong had finally waited forty-nine days and emerged from Doulu Palace, having received a hint from Laojun, he immediately went on a killing spree.

The Four Heavenly Kings were unlucky and encountered Wukong, who killed them both instantly. The four brothers of the Demon Clan became ghosts under Wukong’s staff.

Wukong charged all the way to the Hall of Miraculous Mist where the Jade Emperor was about to retreat, but then two divine dragons burst in with unstoppable force and, with a swoosh, turned the guards at the doorway into dust! These two divine dragons were transformed from Wukong’s God-Beating Whip and Great Year Whip, one Yin and one Yang, their power immense. When facing immortals in battle, they were even more formidable and unstoppable everywhere they passed.

Wukong instantly killed all the heavenly soldiers blocking the door, and those who survived hastily retreated, not daring to confront him.

Wukong shouted, "Old Jade Emperor, Grandfather Sun warned you long ago, face my divine whip!"

Wukong rushed forward, grabbed the Pair of Male and Female Whips, and with a loud howl, unleashed a fierce barrage, killing all the soldiers at the door.

Wukong looked up and saw to his surprise that the Great Emperor Zhenwu was in the Hall of Miraculous Mist. Some might not know that the Great Emperor Zhenwu, also known as the Protective Sage True Lord, had an outstanding general under him named Wang Lingguan, who possessed the strength of a Taiyi Golden Immortal of the Third Heaven. In his former life, Wukong had fought him to a draw.

The reason the Great Emperor was there was that he was worried Wukong might accidentally kill the Jade Emperor, which would cause a lot of trouble, so he came to assess the situation, ready to intervene if Wukong recklessly attempted to slay the Jade Emperor.

"Protect the emperor, come quickly to protect the emperor!" the Jade Emperor exclaimed. He was no match for Wukong. With the monkey head’s fierce attack killing so many heavenly soldiers, how could he not be afraid?

This Wang Lingguan was the Jade Emperor’s spy placed close to the Great Emperor Zhenwu, who, however, could not eliminate him by himself and thus wanted to use Wukong’s hand, saying, "Wang Lingguan, go and block that demon monkey. I will make a trip to Mount Meru in the Western Heaven and invite the Ancient Buddha to subdue him!"

Wang Lingguan replied, "Do not panic, Great Emperor. I shall fight him!"

The Great Emperor looked at Wukong, and Wukong also glanced at him, reaching an understanding in that moment. Zhenwu knew that Wukong was not impulsive and would not disrupt the Patriarch’s plans, so he left reassured. The Jade Emperor had hoped that Zhenwu would help him stop the demon monkey, but unexpectedly, Zhenwu turned and left.

"Your Majesty, do not panic. I will go to the Western Heaven to invite the Ancient Buddha to suppress this demon monkey," Zhenwu said calmly, then floated away.

If he really wanted to suppress Wukong, there was no need to request Tathagata’s aid; he could have intervened himself. Not only to subdue him, but he could also obliterate Wukong without issue.

The Jade Emperor said to the You Yi Ling Officer beside him, "Quick, take me to the Yao Pond of the Queen Mother to ask her to dispatch a powerful protector!"

The You Yi Ling Officer promptly escorted the Jade Emperor out of the great hall. The Hall of Miraculous Mist was in utter chaos, as the two divine dragons in the sky were invincible, knocking over everything and everyone in their path. Wukong’s divine whips were too formidable for ordinary people to block; at least someone a realm higher than him was required. But such people had been ordered by the Three Pure to go into seclusion, leaving only some civil officials behind, who though possibly equal to Wukong in magical power, lacked the skills in combat.

Wukong swung his Jingu Bang and soared up, thundering it down on the golden plaque of the Hall of Miraculous Mist, shattering it instantly. He then landed on the ground, and with another sweep of his staff shattered the Jade Emperor’s desk and dragon throne to pieces. The memorials flew up, scattering papers everywhere.

"Ha ha, ha ha! You old Jade Emperor, I’d like to see where you can run to now!" Wukong, wielding his Jingu Bang, rushed to pursue the Jade Emperor who was being escorted out by the You Yi Ling Officer.

Unbeknownst to him, Wang Lingguan had quietly approached from behind, drawing his golden whip and shouting, "Take this, demon monkey!"

Wukong neither dodged nor flinched, having refined his body in Laojun’s Furnace to have copper skin and iron bones. He was ready to test the power of Wang Lingguan’s golden whip by taking it head-on.

Wang Lingguan was overjoyed, thinking to himself, "Has this monkey’s brain gone bad, thinking to block my golden whip with his head?"

Wukong silently recited the Dharma spell, "Vajra Invulnerability, Irreversible Disaster; Immortal and indestructible, immeasurable eons; skin and flesh like iron, tendons and bones like steel!"

His body flickered with golden light. When Wang Lingguan’s whip struck, it only made a crisp sound. The rebound from the impact sent his own hand flying back.

Wukong felt a slight pain in his head but was uninjured, and he was overjoyed, realizing the method passed down by Laojun was indeed effective. As soon as he recited the spell of Vajra Invulnerability, no weapon could harm him. If it had been earlier, Wang Lingguan’s strike would have splattered his brains.

"The Great Emperor Zhenwu didn’t ask me to spare this fellow’s life, so it seems he also wants to use me to settle scores with him! I might as well kill him," Wukong thought to himself.

In his past life, Wukong had only managed a draw with Wang Lingguan, inherently a bold and fierce fighter. But now, he was not merely acting on a whim but with deep consideration before deciding to act. In his current rampage through the Celestial Palace, he was primarily targeting the Jade Emperor and Tathagata’s minions. The people of the Three Pure had already been ordered into seclusion by them, affecting none of them. On the scene, Wukong was free to kill, and even if some innocent bystanders were affected, it would not interfere with the grand scheme.

Wang Lingguan secretly exclaimed, "Ah! This monkey has such a formidable body, so resistant to beating?"

With a fierce shout, Wang Lingguan swung his golden whip again, aiming for Wukong’s crown. Naturally, Wukong would not let him gain an advantage. Dodging slightly, he lifted his Jingu Bang and swept it horizontally! The staff, reforged by Laojun, possessed even greater power and seemed to have some magical effects, though Wukong had not yet figured them out. The staff produced a fierce wind, chilling Wang Lingguan to the bone.

"Bang!"

When Wang Lingguan whipped his golden whip towards Wukong, it immediately exploded upon contact, cracking the jade floor beneath them like a spiderweb.

Wukong laughed, "You really don’t know what’s good for you. You’re no match for Old Sun, yet you still join in the fray! Step aside quickly, I’m here only to slay the old Jade Emperor to vent my anger. If you keep entangling yourself, I fear my Grandfather Sun’s wrath will befall you."

Upon hearing this, Wang Lingguan became furiously enraged and shouted, "Impudent demon monkey! You underestimate me, behold my magical treasure!"

Wang Lingguan released his golden whip into the air, which transformed into a crocodile with its enormous jaw wide open, lunging to bite. Wukong, fully aware of his opponent’s capability, was unafraid.

"Your whip would kneel and call my whip ’grandfather’ upon seeing it! Behold my Great Year Whip!" Wukong tossed up his Great Year Whip.

The Great Year Whip flashed with red light and instantly turned into a giant python, similar to the ancient Shaman God Candle Nine Yin in its immense size, engulfing the crocodile in one swoop. With a massive gulp, it swallowed the crocodile whole.

Wang Lingguan, his face crimson with rage, clasped his hands to cast a spell, shouting, "Demon-Banishing Breaker Fist!"

His fists moved rapidly like a fierce storm, and in the void above, unknown deities densely packed the air, raining down fists to suppress Wukong.

Wukong exclaimed, "This fist technique is indeed formidable!"

Not daring to delay, he captured Wang Lingguan’s golden whip with his Great Year Whip, then activated his divine skill, one of the Thirty-Six Types of Transformations, named "Size-Manipulating Magic". He transformed into a giant nine meters tall, sprouting three heads and six arms, one of which held the Great Year Whip, another held the God-Beating Whip, another grasped Wang Lingguan’s golden whip, another wielded the Seven Stars Sword, and the last two held the Jingu Bang.

In what followed, blows were struck in every direction, a chaotic barrage reminiscent of a student outfighting the master; the overwhelming punches from Wang Lingguan were mostly scattered by him, causing the deities in the air to stagger and sway.

All the treasures in Wukong’s hands were formidable—even though they were replicas, they were genuinely crafted by Laojun, whose creations were coveted even when considered refuse—imagine the might of these forged Innate Spiritual Treasures when wielded!

Caught off guard, Wang Lingguan was struck by Wukong’s staff, feeling as though Mount Tai was crushing him. He was sent flying, continuously spitting blood, nearly having his Primordial Spirit forced out of his body.

"Haha! I told you to leave, but you didn’t. Now it’s too late," Wukong cackled, striking the entire Hall of Lingxiao, causing it to tremble and collapse by a great deal.

Wang Lingguan shouted, "Feasting on the Emperor’s salary, one ought to serve him with utter dedication! You see this demon monkey’s prowess and think to flee, and you call that spirited? Follow me into battle!"

The surrounding Heavenly Soldiers, shamed by these words, picked up their weapons to fight Wukong.

Wukong scolded, "What has the Jade Emperor given you? A slight mistake and he condemns you to irredeemable disaster, yet you still exert yourself so?"

The soldiers hesitated briefly, and Wang Lingguan burst out in anger, "Without rules, there’s no square or circle, demon monkey, stop your bewitching talk!"

Wukong laughed, "You’ve already labeled me a demon monkey, of course, I’m spouting bewitching words!"

Having captured Wang Lingguan’s treasures and broken his divine skills, Wukong knew his opponent was no match and merely hoped to delay him until the Ancient Buddha of the Western Heaven could subdue him.

Unwilling to discuss further, anyone who approached was struck down by his Great Year Whip; a flash of red light and they were reduced to a pool of blood, truly a terrifying sight.

Seeing Wukong unstoppable, Wang Lingguan turned to flee but then heard someone calling from behind, "Daoist Wang, do not panic, we have come to aid you!"

It was the Thirty-Six Thunder Generals, dispatched by the Thunder Department under the Universally Transformative Heavenly Venerable of Thunder, Responsive to the Nine Heavens.

Wukong mused, "The Thunder Department gods are controlled by the disciples of the Sect of Interception; those Thirty-Six Thunder Generals arriving here, are they also to be uprooted?"

Recalling what Laojun had said, "Anyone who blocks your path, just strike them down, just don’t kill the Jade Emperor."

Wukong thought, "No matter, since Laojun said it, whoever comes will just be struck down! If the sky falls, he’ll support it. Watch me kill Wang Lingguan along with the Thirty-Six Thunder Generals!"

The outcome, whether auspicious or ominous, will be revealed in the next Chapter.