The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 317 - 278: Heavenly Venerable of the Thunder Department Battles Monkey King

Chapter 317: Chapter 278: Heavenly Venerable of the Thunder Department Battles Monkey King

The story tells of the Universally Transformative Heavenly Venerable of Thunder, Responsive to the Nine Heavens Wen Zhong receiving a hint from True Martial, challenging Wukong by name.

Wukong was compelled to accept the challenge, as failure to do so would undoubtedly cast doubt on his sincerity to the Tathagata. Furthermore, battling a disciple of the Sect of Interception could entirely clear him of any suspicions! This was a clever strategy, for he had just taken refuge with the Tathagata and it was rare for him to be trusted so soon. Now that he was challenged by a disciple of the Sect of Interception, victory would naturally secure the Tathagata’s trust.

Wukong said with a smile, "This is but a title bestowed by the Buddha Ancestor out of favor for this poor monk. How could I be so formidable? However, if Tian Zun of Hearing wishes to exchange pointers with this poor monk, I shall certainly oblige."

Wen Zhong replied, "Good, very good! Since the Victorious Fighting Buddha accepts, let us have a bout and see who is the superior one."

Wukong rose to his full height, a picture of majestic serenity, truly the embodiment of a formidable Victorious Fighting Buddha. How could that be seen? Later generations have remembered it with a poem:

The poem goes:

In the Flat Peach Garden once I kept the feast, At Yama’s Palace, I alone took the stand.

The Dragon Palace’s throne was mine to claim in a moment, In the Jade Realm soaring high, I proclaimed my reign.

Delighted in the fine wine from the Yao Pond, Swallowed the Doulu Golden Pill with even greater joy.

Born with a nature free to roam at will, I sat neither on the fairy mountain nor in meditation still.

Nu Wa’s colorful stones ingeniously wrought, In one transformation, into this world brought.

At ease with the Six Paths and Five Elements do I dwell, With Three Teachings and nine orders at my disposal as well.

With fiery eyes that blaze at injustice fast, My Jingu Bang strikes hard at the plague spirit’s cast.

Cultivating virtue and righteousness yields True Fruition, My name, Equal to Heaven, forever passes in sacred transmission.

The Victorious Fighting Buddha, subduing all afflictions, karmic obstacles, and causations, invincible in battles, hence known by this appellation. Naturally, the Victorious Fighting Buddha should also help uphold Buddhism, and banish demons.

Wen Zhong and Wukong stood facing each other in the arena, Wukong reached into his ear and pulled out his embroidery needle. He blew upon it infusing it with True Qi, and it immediately grew and lengthened in his hands, which he then stamped on the ground, standing with one arm erect in front of his chest, he said, "Amitabha! This staff comes from the Old Lord’s Eight Trigrams Furnace, and it was once used by none other than Emperor Da Yu. It has accompanied me to achieve True Fruition. As for today, I shall rely on it to exchange pointers with Heavenly Venerable Wen Zhong."

Wen Zhong snorted coldly, with the Pair of Male and Female Whips appearing in his hands. These whips were forged from the bodies of Ancient Flood Dragons, a male and a female dragon combined, thus known as the Pair of Male and Female Whips. Wukong’s own Pair of Male and Female Whips were the God-Beating Whip and the Great Year Whip—one flexible and the other firm, which could indeed be called a pair.

Wen Zhong said, "My Pair of Male and Female Whips, created with the Ancient Flood Dragons, are not to be underestimated. They have accompanied me ever since I attained my path. Victorious Fighting Buddha, be careful! Do not get hurt by my whips!"

Wukong just smiled lightly, saying, "Tian Zun of Hearing, please proceed."

Wen Zhong was indeed gifted, already formidable in Ancient Times. Later, he became the Grand Preceptor of the Shang dynasty, availing himself to abundant resources which greatly accelerated his mana. In those days, he alone suppressed the chaos caused by the Northern Sea barbarian masters! After achieving the status of Universally Transformative Heavenly Venerable of Thunder, his mana naturally advanced even further, and now he was a high-level practitioner in the Mixed Yuan Golden Immortal Second Layered Heaven Law Realm.

Wukong kicked his staff, and the Jingu Bang immediately rose from the ground, twirling several times in the air before landing back in his hand.

Wukong said, "Please!"

Wen Zhong responded, "Please!"

Having thus spoken, without further ado, Wen Zhong, who presided over the Thunder Department, naturally embodied rigidity and fierceness. Even before his voice faded, he had already burst forth into action!

With a flick of his hands, the Pair of Male and Female Whips leaped up and then crashed down towards Wukong.

Unaware of the specifics of the Pair of Male and Female Whips, Wukong naturally did not dare to receive them head-on. He stepped back, and as the whips grazed past him, they struck the ground with a tremendous noise and a flash of thunder, shaking the entire Mount Meru to its core as if it were on the verge of collapse.

"Wow, such mighty power from the Pair of Male and Female Whips! The Ancient Flood Dragons that Wen Zhong subdued in the North Sea must have been of an unusual breed, otherwise, they wouldn’t possess such terrifying force," Wukong silently speculated to himself. These two Divine Whips were refined from two Flood Dragons that Wen Zhong had subdued when pacifying the North Sea in Ancient Times.

Wukong thought to himself, "I have quite an understanding of the Divine Firmament’s methods; if Wen Zhong uses Thunder Magic against me, I should be able to neutralize it."

Seeing Wukong retreat, Wen Zhong smirked coldly. The whips bounced off the ground with a leap, aiming to sever Wukong’s neck with a scissor-like motion, the whip cords writhing as if they were huge shears.

Wukong leapt up with a bound and swung his Golden Hoop Rod, striking the Pair of Male and Female Whips with two loud cracks, sending them flying. He then brought the rod crashing down towards Wen Zhong’s head!

Wukong was the kind of fighter that became ferocious and domineering once engaged in battle. Although he had achieved Buddhahood and his state of mind had changed, he was still fierce in combat!

"Thunder God Whip!" Wen Zhong still had a Divine Whip in his hand, namely the Thunder God Whip, specially used to command thunder and lightning.

This was an iron whip with over a dozen segments. As it was raised and swung, it struck towards Wukong’s Golden Hoop Rod.

When Wukong’s rod struck the Thunder God Whip, sparks flew in all directions. The rod, embedded with Heaven-mending Crystal Stone, was so powerful and heavy that it made Wen Zhong’s whole body go weak, nearly bringing him to his knees. He couldn’t help but inwardly exclaim, "What a Rowdy Monkey, such tremendous strength! It seems I can’t forcefully contend with him."

Wukong swept his rod sideways towards Wen Zhong’s waist, aiming to shatter his muscles and bones. Since they were putting on a show, he had to make it look convincing.

Wen Zhong dared not be careless and held the Thunder God Whip horizontally in front of him to block. As soon as Wukong’s rod touched it, a surge of thunder and lightning erupted from the whip like dragons and snakes, roaring upwards and following the rod towards Wukong’s hands, searing his hair black.

"Thunderbolt strike, vanquish demons and slay fiends!" yelled Wen Zhong, and the surging thunderbolt carried along the Golden Hoop Rod, enveloping Wukong.

Wukong was greatly shocked inside. Wen Zhong’s abilities were truly formidable; he had actually managed to conduct the thunderbolt towards himself. Wukong quickly guarded his mind and shouted, "Blood God Clone, Mystical Movement and Illusory Shadows!"

"Crack!"

With a crisp sound, Wukong’s body was directly blown apart, turning into a puddle of blood. However, Wen Zhong did not let his guard down and immediately turned and struck another whip.

"Crack!"

This whip came down and shattered Wukong’s body again, turning it into blood.

At the crucial moment, Wukong had activated the "Blood God Sutra," transforming out Blood God Clones and swapping his true body to hide elsewhere. The one that Wen Zhong killed with thunderbolt was just two Blood God Clones, and his real body was not harmed.

The Pair of Male and Female Whips leaped up, as if transforming into two Ancient Flood Dragons, slashing towards Wukong’s true body. Wen Zhong wanted to strike while the iron was hot and finish him off.

"Eight Trigrams Great Escape! Elemental Forces of Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire!" Wukong summoned the Divine Skills of Fuxi, the Eight Trigrams Great Escape, and whisked away from the whips.

Wen Zhong cursed inwardly as he looked down and saw an Eight Trigrams Formation appearing under his feet. Earth, water, wind, and fire burst forth from this formation, and these elemental forces, said by the Buddhist Sect to be void, were of extraordinary power. Coalescing into one, they nearly turned Wen Zhong in the formation into chaos.

Wen Zhong hurriedly shouted, "Nine Heavens Responding Element, Thunder Voice Universal Transformation! Thunder Voice Repelling Demons!"

Thunder was the most masculine sound between heaven and earth. He gathered the power of thunder and lightning, producing endless thunderous sounds, trying to blast open the elemental forces of earth, water, wind, and fire.

Although these elemental forces were the origins of the world, lightning could also be considered the origin of life. When lightning strikes water, life is formed within. Creators who fabricate life from the void always combine lightning with water to craft life.

"Boom!"

The sound of thunder rocked the Eight Trigrams Array, making it shake continuously, almost suppressing the elemental forces within. Wukong did not dare to use the God-Beating Whip for fear that even if he won, it would not sound good. Instead, he shook the Great Year Whip and lashed out to capture Wen Zhong once and for all.

Wen Zhong turned and struck back, unleashing a barrage of thunder from his body, all striking the Great Year Whip at once.

The Great Year Whip, hit squarely by the lightning, was immediately brought down from the sky, and the Divine Sense Wukong had attached to it was shattered by the thunder.

"Break for me!"

Wen Zhong roared, channelling the sound of thunder, sending forth a storm of thunder, the full force of it shaking the Eight Trigrams Array. Eventually, the array couldn’t bear the strain any longer and cracked at the "Zhen" location, which was associated with thunder. As the thunder inside the array was already very powerful and "Zhen" represented thunder, the array naturally couldn’t withstand it.

Wen Zhong laughed, saying, "Is that all? I wonder from where the Victorious Fighting Buddha learned his Eight Trigrams techniques, yet they are not profound. After all, the Victorious Fighting Buddha is from the Buddhist Sect, not from our Taoist Sect."

Wen Zhong leaped out of the array, his crisis averted, and couldn’t help but feel smug.

The outcome of the battle remains unknown; please stay tuned for the next Chapter. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on Starting Point (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)