Chapter 455: The Opening Heaven Axe is in hand, the goal is achieved, no need to keep up the act

"Enough."

Hongjun stopped Tang An with a rebuke, not wanting to stage a farce.

In the current chess game, Tang An had already shown the three paths she could take. And the path he could take had been blocked by Tang An until only the path of retreat remained.

In this game, it was already inevitable that he would have one of his chess pieces swallowed by Tang An.

"Yang Chan can go unsuppressed, but the birth of the New Heavenly Law must pass through Chenxiang's hands."

"I can promise you a hundred-year deadline to train Chenxiang into a god, and let him hold the axe to split Huashan and bring the New Heavenly Law into the world."

Clearly, this compromise would greatly diminish the power of the Heavenly Dao replenished by this tribulation. But he was already dead-ended by Tang An and had no second path to take.

Tang An looked at the heavily injured Chenxiang and waved her hand to pull him to her side.

"Since you, Master Ancestor, have taken a step back, I, Tang An, am not someone who seizes every opportunity to be unforgiving."

The look in Hongjun's eyes clearly showed he did not believe Tang An's words.

"However!"

"Look at how badly my son is injured; how do you expect him to practice? How will he have the strength to hold an axe?"

Hongjun knew she would have more to say, so with a wave of his hand, he healed the injuries on Chenxiang's body.

"Don't be in such a rush to leave, Master Ancestor; we haven't finished our chat yet."

Tang An called out to stop Hongjun, who was about to leave. "If you leave without hearing me out, I'll have to take the child to your doorstep to look for you; that wouldn't look very good, would it?"

Hongjun's patience was reaching its limit. "What exactly do you want to do?"

"Naturally, to act completely in accordance with the will of Heaven. You said yourself, a hundred years to educate my son into a talent. But my son's natural aptitude is poor, and his cultivation is stagnant; you saw it yourself, he was injured like this by a mere soldier."

"In a mere hundred years, how could he possibly split Huashan?"

"Speak plainly." Hongjun did not want to go in circles with Tang An.

"I want an axe, the Opening Heaven Axe." Tang An's mouth opened and closed, making a lion's share of a demand.

"The Opening Heaven Axe?"

"Yes, that residual battle axe left behind when the great god Pangu split the heavens and earth."

"Absurd."

"What are you saying, Master Ancestor? You set the expectations too high, and since my son's talent is lacking, he can only rely on external force."

"If you truly feel threatened, once Huashan is split, can't you just take the axe back then?"

What Tang An said always sounded very reasonable at first glance.

But once the Opening Heaven Axe was in their hands, was there any chance of it being taken back?

"Old man Jade Emperor, what do you think of my proposal?" Tang An aimed her target at the Jade Emperor once again.

Since the Heavenly Dao pushed the Jade Emperor out to take the bullet, she could just as well push the Jade Emperor to stir up trouble.

The Jade Emperor gave two dry laughs, looked at the Heavenly Dao for help, and bowed, saying: "I ask for the Dao Ancestor's protection."

Tang An's goal was very clear: now that you are in a dilemma, if you don't give me the axe, I will cause chaos in the Heavenly Palace and replace the Jade Emperor.

In any case, Rulai was already a successful example, and the Jade Emperor was even easier to sideline and handle than Rulai.

If the Jade Emperor were replaced by any one of their master-disciple group, or if the axe were truly given to Chenxiang, then the Heavenly Court would be completely out of Hongjun's control.

"The hundred-year period shall not be delayed further."

A shadow streaked through the clouds, and the Sky-Opening Residual Axe appeared before Chenxiang.

Tang An took the Opening Heaven Axe to look at it, then tossed it to Taishang Laojun, telling him to check if the Heavenly Dao had planted any traps in it.

After confirming there were no issues with the Opening Heaven Axe, Tang An shouldered it and locked eyes with Chenxiang. Both mother and son raised an eyebrow, smiling with the same mischievous glint.

"Yeah!"

The mother and son high-fived; the goal was achieved, and there was no need to keep up the act.

Hongjun Laozu realized what had happened only then, and he was so angry that ten thousand thunders rolled in the sky, exploding continuously.

"Safe travels, Master Ancestor, no need to see you out." Tang An smiled and made a gesture of seeing a guest off.

"Safe travels, Great Master Ancestor, no need to see you out." Chenxiang also learned to make the same gesture of seeing a guest off.

Hongjun had been secretly outmaneuvered by Tang An in this confrontation; although displeased, the move was already made, and he could only return in frustration.

He had to find a way to keep Tang An in check, otherwise, he would inevitably be constrained by her many times in the future.

The majesty of the Heavenly Dao would never allow others to provoke and threaten it repeatedly.

After Hongjun left, Tongtian Jiaozhu moved to Tang An's side.

Sun Wukong and the others also flew over, and Yang Chan and Yaoji hurried to check Chenxiang's injuries.

"Master, your magic treasure was actually able to force back the Heavenly Dao?" Sun Wukong was very curious and reached out to touch the treasure, feeling the power contained within.

Yang Jian and Yang Chan knelt and bowed deeply, "Many thanks, Master, for once again saving our Yang family."

Tang An helped the siblings up, "I saved my godson, it was only right and proper, why are you being so polite?"

Chenxiang also went to help Yang Chan up, "Mother, don't be afraid, you will never be pressed under that Huashan again."

Yang Chan held Chenxiang in her arms, still shaken; she had been scared to death when she saw him heavily injured earlier.

"Mother, actually, Godmother told me long ago about the principle of 'nothing ventured, nothing gained'."

"Today's ordeal was unavoidable. Only by cooperating with Godmother's plan could we avoid being dragged into the Great Tribulation."

"It was my fault for making you worry, Mother; please punish me." Chenxiang wanted to kneel and apologize.

How could Yang Chan bear to punish Chenxiang? She looked at Tang An in surprise. "Little Master, was today a dangerous 'bitter meat' ruse performed by you and Chenxiang?"

When did the mother and son conspire? For all these years, hadn't Tang An been staying in the Heavenly Court?

Tang An chuckled, "Since the matter is resolved, let's not mention it."

"Let's go, we took a huge advantage from the Heavenly Dao this time, we must celebrate properly."

Just as Tang An and the others were about to leave, they saw the Jade Emperor, who looked out of place, had not yet left, and appeared somewhat uneasy.

"I almost forgot about you."

The Jade Emperor knew Tang An would not let him off, "I was forcibly controlled by the Heavenly Dao; my previous actions were not of my own volition."

Tang An teleported to the Jade Emperor's side and draped her arm over his shoulder.

"Don't explain; explanation is just concealment, and concealment is just the truth."

"What you think doesn't matter anymore; what matters is that I've suffered heavy losses recently, and my Magic Treasures have basically all been smelted down. Look..."

The Jade Emperor opened his mouth, wanting to speak but stopping himself; he knew he couldn't escape being fleeced this time.

"How much do you want?"

"Am I, Tang An, the kind of person who is greedy?"

The Jade Emperor's gaze seemed to be saying, "Aren't you?"

"Two-eight."

"What?"

"The Heavenly Court treasury: you get two, I get eight."

The Jade Emperor's eyes widened into perfect circles, "That is the Immortal Treasury!"

"Fine then, you get one, I get nine."

The Jade Emperor pinched his philtrum, feeling as if he were about to lose his breath.

"If Zhenmo Pass is in trouble in the future, the Heavenly Court will certainly send reinforcements. If the Immortal Treasury is empty, I fear the reinforcements will be delayed."

Tang An thought that made sense, "Then let's stick with two-eight, but you have to give me one more person."

"Who?"

"Wuqu Xing; I want him to descend to the mortal realm to undergo a tribulation for one lifetime and help me protect someone."

"Wuqu Xing? He has no tribulations to undergo."

"He does now." Tang An straightened the Jade Emperor's collar, "You file the report, I'll approve the slip, and we'll issue him Merit for his tribulation compensation."

"Huh?" The Jade Emperor had no idea what Tang An was talking about.