As Wukong and the Jiao Demon King emerged from the Water Curtain Cave and reached the summit, they looked out onto the plains. Who do you think they saw? It was indeed a Minotaur, embroiled in fierce battle with five Daoists.
The Minotaur wielded a Mixed-Iron Staff and mounted the Water-Repelling Golden-Eyed Beast. He wore Brocade Mountain Fur Armor with a sharp pink deer-skin base and a Threaded Triple-Strand Lion Savage Belt. The five Daoists, powerful in their mana, struggled in combat with the Minotaur, striking him with their magical treasures to no effect. As the Minotaur swung his staff, the five men had to quickly retreat, clearly wary of the immense strength he possessed.
Who else could this Minotaur be but the Ox Demon King, once one of the Seven Great Saints and their leader, immensely powerful and possessing an exceptionally fierce physique. The Six-Eared Macaque had just killed Sun Wukong on the pilgrimage path when he encountered the Ox Demon King, who was determined to avenge his brother. Despite teaming up with Bajie, the Macaque struggled to subdue the Ox Demon King and had to diverge to the Heavenly Court to seek help from the immortals. Together, they defeated the Ox Demon King. All this Wukong watched clearly from outside the Heavenly Dao, deducing that the Ox Demon King's power might already rank among that of the Daluo Golden Immortals.
"Which six Daoists are you, and why do you fight here under my Flower-Fruit Mountain?" Wukong bellowed as he lifted his Jingu Bang and stepped forward, swirling it to separate the six individuals.
"And from where does this demon come? The Ox Demon King has a feud with us. Step aside, and we will not harm the innocent," declared the Yellow-robed Daoist.
The Ox Demon King laughed heartily, "Five Peaks' True Gods, even if all five of you exert your strength, you are no match for me, Old Bull! Better retreat quickly."
Indeed, these five were none other than Dongsheng Dai Tianshen Dai Emperor Huang Feihu of Mount Tai, Southern Mountain Sovereignty Dai Emperor Chong Black Tiger of Mount Heng, Zhong Mountain Supreme Saint Dai Emperor Wen Pin of Mount Song, Northern Mountain Tranquil Dai Emperor Cui Ying of Mount Hengshan, and Western Mountain Wishing Dai Emperor Jiang Xiong of Mount Hua. Wukong inwardly exclaimed at the impressive identities—the Five Peaks' True Gods—whose mana might not have been impressive in the past but had significantly improved due to the nourishment from the spiritual energies of the Sacred Mountains. Even so, the combined efforts of the five were insufficient to overpower the Ox Demon King.
Wukong then exclaimed, "Five Peaks' True Gods? What brings you from the Southern Toad Continent to the Dongsheng Immortal State? I am the Demon King of Flower-Fruit Mountain, and I will not allow you to run wild here!"
Furious, the Five Peaks' True Gods were incensed by yet another demon appearing to disrupt their mission. The Ox Demon King, a ruffian, had continuously provoked them, and just when they were extremely agitated, he started fleeing, leading them on a chase that ended here. Just as they managed to engage the Ox Demon King in battle, another Demon King jumped into the fray—how could the five not be infuriated?
Huang Feihu cursed loudly and charged on the Five-Colored Divine Ox. Wukong hastily intercepted with his Jingu Bang while the Jiao Demon King shouted, "Five Peaks' True Gods, do not bully by numbers and harm my brother!"
Having said that, the Jiao Demon King also grabbed his Eighteen-Foot Steel-tipped Spear, catching and battling Chong Black Tiger. With the reinforcements of these two formidable allies, the Ox Demon King naturally seized the opportunity. Swinging his Mixed-Iron Staff and employing his magical treasure, he single-handedly matched against Wen Pin, Cui Ying, and Jiang Xiong.
Huang Feihu, lacking in mana compared to Wukong and inferior in martial arts, was beaten into retreat. In desperation, he spat out a pearl that shone with a black light, striking towards Wukong's crown.
Wukong's brow shimmered, manifesting an iron whip that snapped at the black pearl, shattering it instantly. He then hurled the iron whip—now thick as a water bucket and a hundred yards long—at Huang Feihu, who was terrified. Wasn't this the God-Beating Whip? As a True God of the Five Peaks, this whip, especially effective against lesser gods like him, could trap even his Primordial Spirit with a single strike.
"Ah, the Divine Whip!" The other four exclaimed in horror, wheeled their mounts, and fled.
"No need to chase; after all, they are immortals of the Heavenly Court and Five Peaks' True Gods. While their mana isn't great, their status is quite high. Killing them would also bring trouble," Wukong held back the chasing Jiao Demon King, retracting both the Divine Whip and the Jingu Bang.
Seeing the five flee, the Ox Demon King did not pursue but laughed heartily, feeling immensely satisfied.
The Jiao Demon King, though noting the Ox Demon King's fierce appearance, admired his boldness and said, "What brings you here, Daoist friend, to anger the Five Peaks' True Gods?"
The Ox Demon King replied, "I am the Ox Demon King, transformed from a white ox. I've had some old grievances with these Five Peaks' True Gods. Before my enlightenment, they wanted to capture me for sport, but now that I've achieved the Dao of Immortals, it's only natural to seek them out for some trouble. Little did I expect that by provoking one, I'd provoke them all. I couldn't handle all five, which is why I had to flee."
Hearing that the Ox Demon King was also pursued, the Jiao Demon King felt a bond of shared fate, patted the Ox Demon King on the shoulder, and said, "Brother Bull, I must tell you, I too was chased here and saved by Brother Wukong. Since we helped you drive away these five gods, you should really thank us properly."
The Ox Demon King eagerly responded, "Well then, follow me to the Cave Moyun at Accumulated Thunder Mountain. I'll treat you to a grand feast for a month, so grand that you won't even want to be immortals anymore."
The Cave Moyun at Accumulated Thunder Mountain being the stronghold of the Ox Demon King, he extended a warm invitation. However, Wukong and the Jiao Demon King, considering the distance, opted to casually drink at Flower-Fruit Mountain instead. Thus, they together invited the Ox Demon King to the Water Curtain Cave for drinks. The Ox Demon King, a heavy drinker, quickly emptied his cup, repeatedly expressing his delight. Wukong and the Jiao Demon King, seeing his magnanimous spirit, couldn't help but admire him inwardly.
The three of them drank heartily from large bowls and ate heartily from big plates, thoroughly enjoying themselves for three days and nights before they finally ceased.
The Jiao Demon King, tipsy and elated, spoke out, "Old Bull, seeing how well we get along, why not become sworn brothers?"
The Ox Demon King slapped his hands together and roared with laughter, "Excellent, excellent! I see you two brothers also suit my taste, and we've even driven away the Five Peaks' True Gods together. This is indeed a shared destiny."
Wukong could not help but laugh, "This old bull really mingles too freely, using 'breathing together' so recklessly in his words. I'm the youngest so I should be the third brother, but I wonder who's older between you and older brother Jiao?"
Ox Demon King then asked Jiao Demon King when he had achieved enlightenment and, upon learning it was later than his own, he could not help but laugh heartily, "Haha, haha! Then I must be the eldest brother. Come, come, let's hang up the painting of Duke Gouchen, light up the incense burner, and burn the ceremonial papers to form our sworn brotherhood."
The three of them joyfully brought out the portrait of Duke Gouchen, knelt in front of it, and swore brotherhood, becoming a joyful gathering of three of the Seven Great Saints.
"Wukong, little brother, what was that imposing nickname of yours? It sounded quite domineering," Jiao Demon King asked.
"Ah!" Wukong said, "My nickname is 'Great Sage Equalling Heaven', merely for fun. Second brother, please don't make fun of me."
Ox Demon King then declared, "Good, good, 'Great Sage Equalling Heaven'! Then I shall also choose a grand title for my nickname, let's go with 'Equal-to-Heaven Great Sage'. "
Jiao Demon King was scratching his head in wonder, finding both brothers' nicknames exceedingly domineering, far better than 'Demon King', so he asked, "Then what nickname should I choose?"
Wukong, holding his wine cup, suggested, "Considering you hail from the North Sea and excel in naval warfare, capable of overturning seas and rivers, why not call yourself 'The Great Saint Who Overturns the Seas'?"
Ox Demon King, upon hearing this, clapped his hands in delight and declared, "Wukong, little brother, you truly have a way with words. The nickname 'The Great Saint Who Overturns the Seas' does sound impressive, capable of overturning the Four Seas. Hehe, second brother, you should adopt 'The Great Saint Who Overturns the Seas'. While it may not be as formidable as my 'Equal-to-Heaven Great Saint', it can still intimidate the lesser beings."
Listening to the two repeat 'Equal-to-Heaven' and 'Great Sage Equalling Heaven', Jiao Demon King felt quite overwhelmed by their vigor. Although 'The Great Saint Who Overturns the Seas' seemed slightly less imposing compared to the others, it was well-suited since he was born in the North Sea, perfectly reflecting the idea of overturning the Four Seas, completely aligning with his intentions.
"Great, great, 'The Great Saint Who Overturns the Seas', I like it! From now on my nickname will be 'The Great Saint Who Overturns the Seas'," Jiao Demon King said with excitement, rubbing his hands together, then he joined Wukong and Ox Demon King in hearty laughter.
Originally, Jiao Demon King wanted to take the nickname 'Great Sage beyond Heaven', but with Ox Demon King and Wukong's abilities surpassing his, adopting such an ambitious title would only seem pretentious and invite ridicule. Hence, the three 'Great Saints', each with their nicknames, continued drinking and chatting joyfully within the Water Curtain Cave.
After more drinking, Jiao Demon King suddenly produced a jade token, and a message appeared upon it.
Upon reading it, Jiao Demon King's expression changed drastically and he stood up saying, "Eldest brother, third brother, I can no longer stay and drink. A major incident has occurred in the North Sea, and I must make haste there."
Wukong pondered inwardly, noting that he had left Three Stars Cave a few years earlier than in his previous life; he knew nothing of this North Sea incident that happened then, and could not help but be curious. He asked, "Second brother, don't rush. What has happened in the North Sea?"
Jiao Demon King, rubbing his forehead, explained, "The waters of the North Sea have turned into dead waters, and all sea creatures are suffering. It seems the North Sea Dragon Palace has also been destroyed in one fell swoop. I've received a message from my subordinate asking me to hurry back, or else my base in the North Sea might also be in danger of being destroyed."
Hearing this, Ox Demon King was also surprised and said, "I haven't really travelled to the Uttara Kuru Kingdom much. Let's go, let's head to the North Sea to see what's happening. If there's truly trouble, it will be good to support each other."
Jiao Demon King, of course, was more than happy for their company since both brothers were highly capable. Ox Demon King possessed great mana, and although Wukong's mana was slightly inferior, he carried two extremely powerful magical treasures. Jiao Demon King quickly agreed, "Let's go together, without delay, let us set off now!"
Subhuti had already foreseen the trouble in the North Sea, which is why he had earlier dispatched Wusheng to investigate there.
Without delay, Wukong, Jiao Demon King, and Ox Demon King left the Water Curtain Cave, mounted the clouds, and headed towards the Uttara Kuru Kingdom.
Wukong wondered to himself, what could have caused such a significant event in the North Sea? Even the foundation of the North Sea Dragon Palace was destroyed. What kind of powerful being could achieve this? Does even the Heavenly Court not intervene?
The three brothers traveled day and night, Jiao Demon King growing increasingly anxious. As they rapidly approached the Uttara Kuru Kingdom, they increased their pace even more.
To find out what happens next, please tune in to the next episode.