Chapter 404: Open Heaven Axe

The fields of Muye stretch wide, the war chariots gleam bright, the four-horse teams gallop thunderously. Master Jiang Shang, like an eagle soaring, aids the Wu King as he strikes down the great Shang, and the dawn of clarity dawns.

At the end of the Divine Enfeoffment War, the victors were clear; as the Western Zhou army approached Chaoge, the city’s people and soldiers united, surrendered the imperial palace, and King Zhou burned himself alive. Jiang Ziya enfeoffed gods on the Enfeoffment Altar, and the Heavenly Court thus gained the Four Heavenly Kings, the Nine Luminaries, the Twenty-Eight Mansions, the Five Yue Emperors, and other immortals.

For a time, the people lived in peace, goods flourished, auspicious signs descended from heaven, and all was tranquil.

Except the Yang household.

“We both took part in the Divine Enfeoffment War. Jiang Ziya enfeoffed one immortal after another—why didn’t you accept your enfeoffment?”

Cunxin questioned Yang Jian.

Yang Jian’s divine aura was cold; he replied sharply, “Is it not better to roam freely at Guanjiangkou, obeying orders but not receiving summons?”

“That’s unfair to you!”

Cunxin Buman said, “Without you, Jiang Ziya would have fought twenty years and never breached Chaoge. Why now are they all placed above you?”

Yang Jian idly fiddled with his folding fan, refusing to speak.

“You are a great hero of the Three Realms.”

Cunxin leaned close to Yang Jian and whispered, “You deserve a higher position.”

Cunxin held high hopes for Yang Jian.

“I am my mother’s child.”

Yang Jian said Dandan ly.

During the Divine Enfeoffment War, Yang Jian had brought Cunxin back to the Yang household at Guanjiangkou, hoping for family harmony. But living together, he felt constant discomfort.

“Your mother—”

Cunxin, hearing this, Buman said, “I gave up the Dragon Palace for you, never looked down on your status, abandoned everything to follow you…” She felt she had given too much without due return, glared at Yang Jian, and asked, “Who is more beautiful—me or your mother?”

Yang Jian had once defied heaven, but he had never faced such an absurd question. He stared at Cunxin, silent for a long while.

“Forget it.”

Cunxin, seeing Yang Jian’s expression, felt it was pointless, muttered, “I devoted myself entirely to you, yet you always think of this, think of that…”

“Immortals must embrace great love.”

Yang Jian, rarely explaining to Cunxin, said, “Look at Gu Qing—he shot down the suns for all living beings. At Guanjiangkou, he helped villagers build bridges, lay roads, and dredge canals, turning rain-dependent farming into drought- and flood-proof harvests. How much suffering did he spare the people? That’s why his power grows daily—even the Heavenly Court avoids his Fengmang .”

“So what?”

Cunxin said indifferently, “I bring clouds and rain—the people still reap harvests.”

Yang Jian sat in silence, feeling a kind of torment.

Cunxin, reading his expression, softened slightly: “Speaking of Gu Qing, let’s have him cook us another meal.”

“They’ve left the family!”

Yang Jian looked up and said.

Left?

When?

Cunxin’s face brightened slightly—she had always disliked how many people were in the Yang household.

Among the clouds.

As Gu Qing, Yang Chan, and the Seventh Princess soared through the clouds, they happened to meet eyes—and suddenly all three laughed.

“I may have misjudged Ao Tingxin.”

The Seventh Princess exhaled, saying, “She’s the one truly reeking—hated by all men and dogs.”

After Yang Jian returned home from the Divine Enfeoffment War, Gu Qing immediately planned to take his family away from the Yang household. But years of investment in Guanjiangkou made Yang Chan and the Seventh Princess reluctant to leave. Though they lived separately, they occasionally cooperated. Yet they had watched the constant quarrels between Cunxin and Yang Jian, and their disdain for relatives.

“Sister-in-law!”

Yang Chan immediately stopped her: “How can you speak that way about your second sister-in-law?”

“I didn’t say your second sister-in-law.”

The Seventh Princess said coolly, “You’re the one reading too much into it.”

Yang Chan pressed her lips, glanced at Gu Qing, and asked, “How did she become like this?”

Yang Chan had previously interacted with Cunxin and thought she was quite normal.

“Perhaps she feels her return is insufficient.”

Gu Qing smiled and said, “In Cunxin’s mind, she sacrificed everything for Yang Jian—that’s an investment. Now that they’re married, she expects equal return. But Yang Jian has good brothers, Xiaotianquan, family—she feels she isn’t uniquely loved.”

Unique love?

Yang Chan and the Seventh Princess exchanged silent glances. After marrying Gu Qing, he handled his balance skillfully; neither felt neglected. Years of marriage deepened their affection, not resentment.

“Where are we going?”

Yang Chan asked.

“Mount Kunlun!”

Gu Qing said.

Hidden within Mount Kunlun lies a divine weapon—the Open Heaven Axe. In the future, Chen Xiang must come here to cleave the Heavenly Rules. Previously, Yuanshi Tianzun had been in seclusion here, sealing the mountain. Now that the Divine Enfeoffment War is over and Yuanshi Tianzun has departed for Miluo Heaven, Gu Qing has come immediately. Holding the Axe and wielding the Heavenly Rules may allow him to instantly ascend to Golden Immortal.

To reach Pangu’s Axe, one must pass three trials: the Snow God, the Authority God, and the Death God.

Gu Qing took Yang Chan and the Seventh Princess by the hand and first arrived at the Snow God’s trial.

The trial was icy, blanketed in snow—the very place where Yang Jian would later hide Ao Tingxin’s corpse.

“To pass this trial, you must melt the surrounding ice and snow.”

The Snow God issued the warning.

Gu Qing possessed the Nine Yang power, yet upon arriving, he did not activate his cultivation. Instead, he opened his heart. In the wuxia world—especially Huang Yi’s Tang Shuang Long world—he had honed his spirit, mastering the Demon Seed through mental control, mastering thought, mastering heaven and earth. Through countless worlds since, his spirit had been refined into pure, luminous clarity. Now, with a single thought, his boundless love naturally surfaced—and the ice and snow melted around him.

“Gu Qing, you have a warm heart.”

The Snow God spoke: “I am called the God of Indifference. When hearts grow cold, ice grows colder. Your heart warms all beings—you have passed this trial.”

Gu Qing stepped into the second trial.

This was the Authority God, who showed Gu Qing all the benefits of ascending to the Jade Emperor’s throne.

“You have Yang Jian and Sun Wukong. The Jade Emperor is now weak. With one command, you could remake heaven and earth.”

Gu Qing walked calmly through, revealing his utter indifference to power.

Ultimately, Gu Qing sought power—personal power.

The third trial was the Death God.

This trial tested whether Gu Qing could sacrifice himself for all living beings, truly relinquish life.

“My life and death are not yours to control,” Gu Qing said calmly upon reaching this trial. “And the mystery between life and death—I have long comprehended.”

The Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique requires understanding life and death, attaining transcendence beyond them.

A tremor echoed through the Three Realms. A section of Mount Kunlun exploded. Pangu’s Open Heaven Axe suddenly appeared. Instantly, the Three Realms shook. The Jade Emperor and Queen Mother, who had just felt the Heavenly Court’s strength had grown after the Divine Enfeoffment War, immediately grew restless.

“How can this be allowed?”

The Jade Emperor roared, “What does Gu Qing want with the Open Heaven Axe?”

Laozi shifted his stance, putting distance between himself and the Jade Emperor: Of course it’s meant to cleave you—would it cleave me?

Mount Kunlun.

Gu Qing reached out and grasped the Open Heaven Axe. His divine awareness flowed within it. In The Lotus Lantern, one needed “wisdom” to wield the Axe. Yang Jian killed Dingxiang, who looked exactly like Cunxin, and made her soul the Axe’s spirit, then used the Lotus Lantern to unlock Chen Xiang’s suppressed power and wisdom—only then could he wield it freely.

Gu Qing must traverse countless worlds; he cannot take the Axe with him. He only seeks to comprehend its rules. Thus, this “wisdom” must be invested from within himself—this is the secret method of the Ghost Dao.

“The Heavenly Soldiers are coming!”

Yang Chan and the Seventh Princess stood before Pangu’s Axe, warning Gu Qing as they saw the dark tide of troops descending from the sky.

“It’s fine.”

Gu Qing said calmly, “Someone will come to block them.”

The tremor from Pangu’s Axe echoed across the Three Realms. Any great cultivator, whether in Dongsheng Shen Zhou or Nanzhan Bu Zhou, knew its source. As the Heavenly Soldiers arrived, Sun Wukong, golden staff in hand, stood directly before Mount Kunlun.

“Monkey, get out of the way!”

The Heavenly Marshal Tianpeng had always been loyal to the Heavenly Court, but after the gods from the Divine Enfeoffment List entered, he was ignored. Now was his chance to prove himself—he charged forward, wielding his nine-toothed rake.

“CLANG!”

“CLANG!”

“CLANG!”

The golden staff struck the rake three times. The first blow numbed Tianpeng’s arms. The second made his legs tremble. The third jolted him awake—he staggered back, shielding the Four Heavenly Kings.

“Everyone, behave.”

Sun Wukong leaned on his staff, grinning at the gods: “I’ve seen you fight in the Divine Enfeoffment War. You’re nothing special.”

Born too early, Sun Wukong had caught every spectacle. Now he grinned and waved, provoking the Four Heavenly Kings to fury. They unleashed heaven’s net and attacked together. Sun Wukong blew a single hair—countless clones appeared, each wielding a golden staff, sweeping the sky, unstoppable. The Heavenly Court’s gods fell like rain.

“Nezha, stop him!”

The Jade Emperor roared, ordering Nezha to fight.

Nezha, born rebellious, had been enjoying the show—now, hearing the Jade Emperor’s command, he reluctantly charged forward with his fire-tipped spear. After only a few exchanges, he clutched his shoulder and retreated. His swift defeat left Sun Wukong momentarily stunned, staff still in hand.

“These immortals—when fighting in the Divine Enfeoffment War or ruling mountains, each was fiercer than the next. Now in the Heavenly Court, each is weaker than the last!”

The Jade Emperor was furious.

The Queen Mother remained silent.

“Summon the Three Xiao Sisters to Mount Kunlun and set up the Nine-Curve Yellow River Array!”

The Jade Emperor ordered.

The Queen Mother’s expression turned awkward: “Your Majesty, they’re not here.”

Not here?

The Jade Emperor’s gaze held a hint of surprise.

A day in heaven equals a year on earth; after this Divine Investiture War, only a day or two had passed. Since emerging from seclusion, the Jade Emperor had yet to handle many matters.

“Let Jinling Shengmu lead the assembled gods of the Jie Sect to deploy the Ten Thousand Immortals Array.”

The Jade Emperor added further instructions.

Seeing this, the Queen Mother whispered, “That’s not available either.”

“Zhao Gongming—have him use the Sea-Stabilizing Pearls!”

The Jade Emperor gave another order.

Seeing this, the Queen Mother bowed her head in shame and said, “Zhao Gongming does have them, but the Sea-Stabilizing Pearls are gone.”

The Jade Emperor’s expression grew even more astonished. He summoned the celestial deities, brought forth the Divine Investiture Scroll, and after reviewing it, realized the Jie Sect had lost many gods, while the Heavenly Court’s strength had not expanded as he’d imagined.

“Summon the Buddha Tathagata!”

The Jade Emperor waved his hand and glanced at the scene, spotting the figures of Yang Jiao and Yang Jian.

Mount Kunlun.

Gu Qing slowly waved his hand; the Pangu Axe had grown increasingly light in his grasp. His second spirit entered the Pangu Axe, sensing not only its Cengcengjinzhi but also its internal structure. As his spirit flowed through it, the axe became perfectly responsive in his hands.

With a leap, Gu Qing arrived before the celestial soldiers and generals. He swung the Pangu Axe at random—a sharp aura materialized, extending infinitely outward, exerting an irrevocable force that nearly remade the world’s earth, fire, water, and wind. The soldiers’ weapons shattered, men and horses toppled, and the Four Heavenly Kings’ artifacts snapped instantly, sending them flying with spurts of blood.

“Amazing! Amazing!”

Sun Wukong, thrilled by such a weapon, rushed forward and gently caressed the Pangu Axe, deeply curious about it, and asked Gu Qing if he knew how to use it.

“This axe should feel natural in your hands, right?”

Yang Jian looked at Gu Qing with a peculiar expression. When he trained outside Mount Kunlun with Yu Ding Zhen, Yu Ding Zhen had once mentioned the Open-Heaven Divine Axe, which possessed invincible power.

“To the Heavenly Court!”

Gu Qing affirmed to Yang Jian.

Holding the axe, Gu Qing now wished to speak plainly with the Jade Emperor.

Yang Jian’s face bore a trace of excitement—he had never forgotten his father’s vengeance.

“Gu Qing, what do you intend to do?”

Yao Ji appeared gracefully before Gu Qing, raising her hand to block his path and said, “In this Three Realms, if you seek to overthrow the dynasty, it will inevitably bring about the slaughter of countless lives and calamities worse than the ten golden suns.” Her voice carried both gentleness and compromise.

“We’re here to discuss new heavenly laws with the Jade Emperor.”

Gu Qing leaned close to Yao Ji and whispered, “The current heavenly regulations were all crafted by the Jade Emperor alone—to uphold order in the Three Realms, yet they’re cold and heartless. Now that I hold the Open-Heaven Axe, I must remake the Three Realms. Don’t worry—he’s still your brother.”

He is also the Jade Emperor.

Yao Ji thought silently.

With the Pangu Axe now revealed, all immortals stepped aside. Gu Qing rode clouds and mist to the Southern Heavenly Gate, then headed straight for the Jade Pool. The two celestial guardians at the gate exchanged a wry glance but dared not intervene.

The Jade Pool.

The Queen Mother and the Jade Emperor sat in solemn stillness. Gu Qing entered with the axe in hand, accompanied by Sun Wukong and Yang Jian, locking eyes with the Jade Emperor.

(End of Chapter)