Chapter 513: The Dragon King's Probe!

The Three Realms were as quiet as if they were dead.

The crimson-gold pillar that pierced Heaven and Earth still emitted a warm, moist light.

The two characters "Equal Heaven" were branded into everyone's eyes.

No one dared to move.

No one dared to speak.

Everyone thought the situation was settled, that this killing god would turn and leave——

From the rear of the crowd came a hurried footsteps.

No, it was the sound of someone dragging something while running.

Clatter—metal striking the ground.

All the monster kings' heads turned at once.

A scene that made scalps tingle.

East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang.

This old thing squeezed out from the crowd.

His askew dragon-scale robe, half of his crown fallen, a half-length white beard smeared with sweat stuck to his chin.

His legs shook as if sifting rice.

He forced himself forward.

He held in his hands a palm-sized jade box.

He raised both hands over his head, his posture humble to the bone.

The surrounding monster kings stared wide-eyed at that back.

The ox‑headed monster king opened his mouth, his voice thin as a mosquito's buzz: "Are you crazy, old turtle?"

The snake demon's tail tip trembled: "What does he intend to do?"

No one answered.

The answer was too obvious.

The old dragon king, who had lived for hundreds of thousands of years, chose to rise at the moment when everyone knelt, too afraid to lift their heads.

He wanted to move forward.

He wanted to present a gift.

He wanted to— at this moment— flatter.

Ao Guang walked to the open space before the crowd and stopped.

He dared not go any further.

Ahead lay Sun Wukong's feet.

"Great…… Great Sage."

His throat felt as if stuffed with cotton.

"Little Dragon… no, your humble servant has a modest gift to offer the Great Sage."

Sun Wukong had his back to him.

The iron staff rested on his shoulder, one hand slipped into his waist.

He didn't even turn his head.

From the gap in his shoulder he glanced at Ao Guang.

Just one glance.

Ao Guang's knees nearly gave out.

He didn't say "accept."

Nor did he say "get lost."

He just glanced, then turned his head back.

That left everyone feeling more unsettled than a scolding.

The hands holding the jade box began to shake.

Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, drop after drop.

The surrounding monster kings dared not breathe, all waiting for the monkey's reaction.

The silence lasted five or six breaths.

Ao Guang gritted his teeth, flipped his hand— the box lid opened.

A soft light with a bluish‑purple tint welled out of the box.

Inside lay a pearl the size of a fist.

Its whole body was lustrous and translucent, inside sealed a miniature ocean.

As the light flowed, waves surged and fish darted through.

Sea‑Stabilizing Pearl.

One of the Three Great Treasures that suppress the Sea Eye of the East Sea Dragon Palace.

A few monster kings standing nearby shrank their necks.

Some cursed.

Some rolled their eyes.

More were shocked, thinking "You really dare, damn it."

The flood‑dragon monster king turned his head, lowering his voice: "Old Ao, are you crazy? Or do you think your life is too long?"

The eagle demon's mouth twitched: "Offering a gift at a time like this… what do you take the Great Sage for? One of those old heavenly court officials who take money to get things done?"

The ox-headed monster king sucked in a breath, then silently stepped back three steps.

Afraid that blood would splash onto himself later.

The void fell silent for a while.

Sun Wukong turned around.

His expression was bland, showing no joy or anger.

He stepped forward.

Neither fast nor slow, his soles made a faint sound as they stepped on the void.

The passing monster kings each clung to the ground, each one lower than the next.

He walked up to Ao Guang.

He lowered his head to look at the Stabilizing Sea Pearl inside the box, which emitted a soft glow.

He reached out.

His fingertips pinched the pearl and lifted it up.

It felt warm and smooth to the touch, with a slight chill.

The sealed power of the sea eye inside still trembled faintly.

He tossed the pearl lightly in his hand.

He tossed it up, and it fell down.

He tossed it again.

As if playing with marbles.

Ao Guang maintained his bowed posture, not daring to lift his head: "This pearl is the East Sea's Sea-Suppressing Treasure; only a hero like the Great Sage..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

In a single step he arrived before Ao Guang.

He got close enough to smell the old dragon king's fishy ocean stench.

His words caught in his throat.

One hand pinched the old man's chin.

With not much force, his whole head was tilted up.

His crimson-gold pupils held no extra emotion.

"Open your mouth."

Two words.

Ao Guang's mouth opened uncontrollably.

The pearl was stuffed inside.

Round and smooth, it clicked against his teeth, lodging at the base of his tongue.

The supreme treasure capable of suppressing the sea eye, like a pill, was shoved into the East Sea Dragon King's mouth.

Pa—

A slap landed on Ao Guang's cheek.

The force was light, like patting a child's butt.

His old face skewed to the side, leaving a clear red mark.

"Old Ao."

His tone was like chatting with a neighbor.

"Did you not understand what I just said, or do you think I, Sun Wukong, am the sort who would close one eye and open the other after receiving a pearl?"

Ao Guang, with the pearl in his mouth, could not speak, shaking his head while making muffled sounds.

"Your East Sea."

Wukong brushed the dust off the old dragon king's shoulder.

"How much tribute do you collect from fishermen all year?"

"How many cases of aquatic creatures bullying people have you dealt with?"

"Last year, that flood dragon in the South Sea ate three villages' worth of people—did your sea patrol yaksha pretend not to see it?"

Ao Guang's face turned pale.

"Huh?"

A single word rooted him from head to toe.

Wukong stepped back, arms crossed: "Swallow the pearl."

Ao Guang's eyes widened.

"That's the Sea-Suppressing Treasure!"

"Swallow it?"

"I told you to swallow it."

He didn't even lift his eyelids.

Gulugulu

Ao Guang strained his neck, and the pearl slid down his throat.

He forced it down into his stomach.

His expression looked like he had swallowed a live toad.

"Get lost."

Sun Wukong turned around and no longer looked at him.

Manage your East Sea well.

From now on, if your Sea Patrol Yaksha dares to bare its teeth at mortals, it won't just be a matter of plugging beads.

I will tear your whole dragon apart and make salted fish.

Ao Guang couldn't even shout 'yes yes yes' efficiently, he mumbled three assentments, then turned and ran.

Using hands and feet, he stumbled awkwardly.

As he passed the demon kings, he tripped.

He fell face-first into the mud.

He got up and kept running.

His headdress flew off completely, but he didn't dare turn back to pick it up.

In just a few breaths he vanished into the distance.

All around, not a crow or sparrow made a sound.

The Ox-Head Demon King watched the direction Ao Guang disappeared, swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

Last month he had just 'borrowed' twenty cattle from the village at the mountain's base.

His legs went weak.

The Flood Dragon Demon King recalled how last year he had overturned three fishing boats in the South Sea.

His face turned green.

Everyone recalled their own little matters.

Sun Wukong's words from just now still echoed in their ears.

All beings are equal.

Relying on high cultivation to bully the weak—abolish their cultivation, kick them into reincarnation.

It's not just empty talk.

The several hundred people of the Grand Void are still starving in some corner of the mortal world.

Plus the Dragon King's stunt.

Everyone understood one thing.

This monkey is different from the former Heavenly Court and Ling Shan.

He does not accept gifts.

He does not take the soft way.

He does not acknowledge personal favors.

He acknowledges only one thing.

Rules.

Cross that line, offering beads won't help, kneeling won't help, even kowtowing until bloody won't help.

From this moment on, the Three Realms truly fell silent.

It is not the silence of being beaten into fear.

It is the silence of being utterly convinced in heart.

……

Fangcun Mountain.

Bodhi Patriarch sat inside the house.

Before him was a cup of freshly brewed new tea.

Wisps of heat rose upward.

The old man's gaze pierced the walls, pierced the three thousand worlds, and landed at the edge of the universe.

On the trunk of that black giant tree, cracks had spread from the base to the first branch.

Among seven clusters of ghostly blue flames, that golden eye was turning.

He was not looking at the Three Realms.

He was looking at Fangcun Mountain.

He was looking at him.

Bodhi lifted the teacup and gently blew on the steam.

A voice sounded.

It did not come from outside.

It came from within his own heart.

It was very faint, very distant, separated by countless ages.

But every word was crystal clear.

Junior brother.

Your disciple is quite interesting.

I want to meet him.

Bodhi set down the teacup.

The cup base tapped the tabletop, making a soft sound.

You shouldn't have awakened.

Four plain, unadorned words.

Outside Fangcun Mountain, all the birds and beasts within a three-thousand-li radius simultaneously fell to the ground.