Wukong, having sundered his malevolent thoughts, felt his mind become thoroughly illuminated, his Primordial Spirit's mana seemingly ascending another level of profundity.
Suddenly, Wukong and the Heaven-Defying Taoist, whom he had split from himself, both rose to their feet.
"Taoist brother, my respects," said the Heaven-Defying Taoist to Wukong with a slight bow.
Wukong replied, "If you are me, why bother with such formalities? That Sun-Shooting Bow and Sun-Shooting Arrows are extremely fierce, precisely the kind of Magical Treasure you'd favor. Can you take them?"
The Heaven-Defying Taoist, being Wukong's cleaved malevolent thoughts, naturally feared not the murderous and violent energies of the bow and arrows, and said coolly, "This matter is quite simple!" With that, he beckoned with his hand, and the nine arrows and great bow instantly fell into his grasp. "These bow and arrows are terribly fierce. Were it not for me, I really do not know who else could subdue them!"
Wukong said, "Refine them!"
The Heaven-Defying Taoist, smiling, replied, "I shall trouble you to protect the law for me."
Wukong shared a heart-to-heart understanding with the Heaven-Defying Taoist, so there was no need for many words. Yet he still felt awkward, feeling the urge to say something.
The Heaven-Defying Taoist placed the nine arrows and great bow on his knees, and with his hands forming a Dharma Decree and reciting incantations, he lifted the two Magical Treasures into the air. Then his Primordial Spirit exited his body, and he spat out the fire of his Primordial Spirit to refine them.
From below, Di Lin called to Wukong, "Taoist brother, wait a moment. Once I have refined this Magical Treasure, I will come down!"
Di Lin replied, "Taoist brother, no rush, take your time refining them."
Unsure how long it might take to refine such formidable Magical Treasures, Wukong naturally was not in a hurry. He too sat down cross-legged to quietly contemplate the principles he had learned atop that staircase. His thoughts were now even more penetrative, and his mana had progressed significantly; this trip to Southern Ridge Demon Mountain was indeed well worthwhile.
The Heaven-Defying Taoist took a day and a night to refine the Magical Treasures. Then he opened his mouth and inhaled them, clapping his hands and proclaiming, "The great work is accomplished; I have refined the Magical Treasures."
Wukong said, "Excellent."
He formed a Dharma Decree with his hands, and the two merged as one.
Wukong somersaulted down from the forty-ninth layer of the heavenly staircase, and Di Lin laughed and congratulated him, "Congratulations, Taoist brother!"
Laughing, Wukong replied, "Had it not been for the information from Taoist brother, I would not have obtained this Magical Treasure!"
Di Lin inquired, "Taoist brother, have you perhaps severed one corpse?"
Wukong slowly nodded and said, "Indeed, the Sun-Shooting Bow and Arrows are tremendously fierce, with an abundance of killing energy, which aroused the malevolence in my mind. Yet within that Forty-Nine Heavenly Staircase, I attained the true meaning of my way. Thus, I split out the evil thoughts. In a way, this is a credit to the Heavenly Emperor; had it not been for him, I fear I wouldn't have been able to sever those malicious thoughts."
Di Lin laughed and said, "Throughout the ages, no one has ever reached the summit of the Forty-Nine Heavenly Staircase. Taoist brother managing to reach the top and obtain the Magical Treasure is indeed fate!"
Wukong commented, "Having received this Magical Treasure, and with such a great favor from the Golden Crow Clan, should they ever face difficulty, they need only call upon me, and I will surely come to their aid!"
Di Lin, without any formalities, nodded in agreement.
This chance encounter for Wukong was truly due to the enormous fortune of Di Jun. Di Jun was indeed a remarkably accomplished individual, and becoming entangled with him in this karmic cycle had allowed Wukong to gain great opportunities. Perhaps, more good fortune would come in the future. However, with more opportunities, the deeper the karmic ties became. The promises made to Di Jun must be fulfilled! Overturning the Heavenly Court was a task of immense difficulty, certainly not as simple as dealing with a Bodhisattva's domain.
The companions came down from Heaven Pillar Mountain, and Di Lin instructed his subordinates to prepare a feast.
This feast lasted a full three days and nights before it concluded, after which Wukong bid farewell to Di Lin and left.
"Now, just one Heaven-Defying Taoist like me is of no use. Having several Heaven-Defying Taoists, that would be something! Heh heh!" With that thought, Wukong summoned the evil thoughts he had cleaved away.
"Why have you called for me?" asked the Heaven-Defying Taoist.
"I once caused an uproar in the Celestial Palace. There are many powerful individuals in the Heavenly Court, but many are reluctant to take action. Your cultivation level is but that of a Taiyi Golden Immortal, yet you can already ascend to that Celestial Realm and create quite a disturbance," Wukong said with a laugh.
The Heaven-Defying Taoist answered, "It can be done. I will now head to the Celestial Realm and guard the Southern Heavenly Gate. Whoever approaches, I shall slay!"
Wukong instructed, "Go on, then, stir up some trouble. Just make sure that neither the Heavenly Court nor the Buddhist Sect learns that we are one and the same."
The Heaven-Defying Taoist assured him with a laugh, "Rest easy, Wukong!"
Having spoken, the Heaven-Defying Taoist took up Wukong's World-Cleansing Dust Whisk, somersaulted away, and ascended to the Celestial Realm.
Wukong was quite at ease with him and sought a place to meditate and comprehend the Dao without further mention.
This Celestial Palace was built to an exceedingly grand and magnificent scale — resplendent in gold and jade. The Southern Heavenly Gate alone towered ninety-five zhang high, symbolizing the supremacy of ninety-five. At the gate stood four Heavenly Generals. This Southern Heavenly Gate served as the main entrance to the Heavenly Court, where many deities would pass through either to return or to descend to the Lower Realm. Of course, there are also Eastern, Western, and Northern Heavenly Gates. However, the Western Heavenly Gate is located at the Jade Pool, the Eastern Heavenly Gate by the East Sea, and the Northern Heavenly Gate near the Demon Abyss of the Northern Region. Therefore, most deities deem those routes too far and prefer the Southern Gate.
The Heaven-Defying Taoist lay in wait outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, observing that only minor characters were passing by and felt no inclination to strike.
If he were to kill, he aspired to slay notable personages like Star Gods or Star Lords. Killing a few Heavenly Soldiers and Heavenly Generals would be of little consequence to the Heavenly Court.
After a moment, from the Southern Heavenly Gate emerged a figure that made the eyes of the Heaven-Defying Taoist almost split with rage!
Who do you think it was? It was none other than Erlang God, Yang Jian!
The sight of an enemy brought forth a raging fury, not to mention that Yang Jian had battled Wukong to a standstill in the past. After Tathagata had killed Wukong, Yang Jian even more so took Zixia, the Immortal Fairy, and slew her with a stroke of his sword! Zixia had profound feelings for Wukong; before she became an immortal, she was the Ziwei flower nestled beside the Spirit Stone, having been in companionship for countless eons.
As soon as Yang Jian stepped out of the Southern Heavenly Gate, the Heaven-Defying Taoist's eyes turned blood red, and he charged forth to attack!
He was originally a manifestation of Wukong's malevolent thoughts and, therefore, had no reservations in his actions.
Yang Jian, having undergone secluded cultivation, had indeed cultivated a Golden Core and achieved the state of Taiyi Golden Immortal.
The Heaven-Defying Taoist rushed ahead, raising the World-Cleansing Dust Whisk given to him by Wukong and swept it across!
Yang Jian was taken aback, never expecting someone to wreak havoc at the Southern Heavenly Gate. Caught off-guard, he was struck by a surging wave of Seven-Colored Divine Light and was sent flying backward, spewing a mouthful of blood in the shock.
"How audacious!" Four guardian Heavenly Generals surrounded him, but the Heaven-Defying Taoist merely brushed them aside with a flick of his whisk, reducing the four to dust.
The deities preparing to emerge from the Southern Heavenly Gate withdrew in horror at the sight, calling out loud while retreating.
"Someone is attacking the Celestial Palace!"
After suffering a blow from the Heaven-Defying Taoist, Yang Jian, taking a considerable loss, regained his senses only to see the Taoist rushing toward him with murderous intent, the World-Cleansing Dust Whisk in his hand swirling continuously as he unleashed torrents of the Seven-Colored Divine Light with reckless abandon!
Yang Jian, not having suffered such a loss in many years, was extremely angered. He brandished the Three-pointed Double-edged Sword and charged into battle!
Seeing the Seven-Colored Divine Light coming toward him, Yang Jian raised his sword to strike!
When the two forces collided, much of the power of the Seven-Colored Divine Light was negated, yet Yang Jian still found himself blown several yards away.
"What sort of Magical Treasure is this? It's so powerful, and I've never seen it before!" Yang Jian was greatly shocked and dared not to resist head-on anymore. He used his movement technique to dodge repeatedly, and when he couldn't evade, he resorted to summoning Magical Treasures for defense.
The Heaven-Defying Taoist coldly declared, "Yang Jian, today will be your death anniversary!"
Without further words, he deployed the Heavenly Emperor's Giant Seal and slammed a huge palm down.
Yang Jian saw a massive hand seal descending, unwilling to be disadvantaged again, and let out a loud roar. His body swelled to ten times its size, and with one slice, he shattered the palm seal but was subjected to a not-insignificant recoil. However, his mana was profound, and he showed no concern as he surged forward to attack again!
The Heaven-Defying Taoist raised the whisk to meet him, and the two engaged in battle that scattered the white clouds of the Celestial Realm and whipped the astral winds into chaos.
As a large contingent of Heavenly Soldiers swarmed out from the Southern Heavenly Gate, the Heaven-Defying Taoist, without so much as a glance, casually pointed a finger, and suddenly True Sunfire erupted, turning the oncoming soldiers to ash.
Yang Jian seized the opportunity presented by the Taoist's distraction to strike with his sword. The Taoist lifted the Dust Whisk to block.
Yang Jian gained the upper hand with this move, wielding the Three-pointed Double-edged Sword to perfection, its energy crisscrossing in all directions. After dozens of rounds of intense combat, the fight became more intense, leaving neighboring deities no chance to intervene.
"Who are you, and why do you attack me unprovoked?" Yang Jian bellowed in anger.
"Lackey of the Heavenly Court, you deserve to die!" declared the Heaven-Defying Taoist, not disclosing the reason. If he mentioned Zixia, his identity would likely be exposed.
With a twist of a Dharma Decree in his hand, the Heaven-Defying Taoist instantly vanished from sight, and Yang Jian quickly followed with a Dharma Decree of his own.
No sooner had his form reappeared than Yang Jian was already upon him, his Three-pointed Double-edged Sword pressing in!
Having suffered setbacks twice, and unwilling to be injured and lose face, especially since Erlang God's prowess was known throughout the Three Realms, to think that he was once a peerless master below the Taiyi Golden Immortals, and now a Taiyi Golden Immortal who was getting beaten would be a joke indeed!
The more the Heaven-Defying Taoist fought, the angrier he got. He thought, "If it weren't for Guanyin's damnable headband restraining my cultivation level, I'm afraid I would've reached the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm countless years ago!"
After seven or eight more rounds, Yang Jian's third eye on his forehead suddenly opened, and a beam of golden light flashed!
The Heaven-Defying Taoist had anticipated Yang Jian's move, and with a flick of his whisk, the Seven-Colored Divine Light immediately brushed aside the golden light, twisted together, and exploded violently! The two of them were unhurt, but the surrounding Heavenly Soldiers and Generals were killed by the dozens in the blast.
"This Yang Jian really is tough to handle, and with reinforcements from the Heavenly Court arriving, things are taking a bad turn!"
The Heaven-Defying Taoist, understanding this, let out a loud roar. Braving the sword strike from Yang Jian, he swept his whisk straight at Yang Jian's face! This sweep was extraordinary; nearly his entire strength was exerted, and the Seven-Colored Divine Light surged powerfully.
Yang Jian did not expect the Heaven-Defying Taoist to fight so desperately and was extremely puzzled. When had he made such a formidable enemy? Not daring to be negligent, he waved his sword to disperse some of the oncoming Seven-Colored Divine Light and repeatedly executed Dharma Decrees, transforming into a wisp of blue smoke to dodge...
The Heaven-Defying Taoist spotted the arrival of the Twenty-Eight Mansions, Fire Virtue Star Lord, Water Virtue Star Lord, and other formidable deities through the Southern Heavenly Gate. Not wishing to engage further, he brushed aside the surrounding Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, reducing them to catastrophe with a couple of sweeps of his whisk. He then launched the Heavenly Emperor Giant Seal towards Yang Jian, followed by a series of Heavenly Emperor Sword technique attacks.
With Yang Jian repelled, and no one else to stop him, unsatisfied, the Heaven-Defying Taoist struck down three more Heavenly Generals with his whisk and, taking to the air with a Somersault, he fled.