Chapter 691: Good Thing We Stayed Low-Key!

"Five Finger Mountain, you mean the one that pinned down Six Ears? Pretty brittle." Tang Luo said.

"..."

The Silent God King raised his right hand, clenched it into a fist, and waved it once. "Much time has passed, and the Six-Eared Demon Monkey was also suppressed to death. The Five Finger Mountain the Holy Monk destroyed is naturally far inferior to the original."

"The Holy Monk wouldn't want to imitate that monkey and try out the power of Five Finger Mountain, would he?"

The threatening intent was plain in his words.

"Would you?"

"Uh—" The Silent God King was a bit frantic; could they not just have a proper chat?

I wouldn't, but the Heavenly Momentum God Lord would. I'm currently representing all the Heavenly Gods in negotiating with you.

Don't you understand?

"Look, you can't, so let the Heavenly Momentum God Lord come negotiate with this poor monk." Tang Luo said. "No Heavenly Momentum God Lord? Then send a Sage Elder, or another God Lord. The important thing is to send someone who can make decisions."

"You're saying I can't make decisions?" The former Heng-Ha Two Generals, now the Silent God King, was somewhat annoyed.

"Can you?" Tang Luo countered.

The Silent God King's open mouth closed again.

He really wanted to loudly declare, "I certainly can!"

But the problem was, he really couldn't.

To be fair, the Silent God King was a big shot who carried weight among the Heavenly Gods.

But there were several on equal footing with him, and above him were three God Lords.

To truly call the shots, the Silent God King still fell a bit short.

"Holy Monk, I advise you not to refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit." The Silent God King changed the subject.

"Strange." Tang Luo looked at the Silent God King. "Why do you hold such great hostility toward us? However you put it, we count as fellow townspeople. Meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land — shouldn't that be a happy occasion?"

Pigsy and Ao Yulie had strange expressions on the side.

Really wanted to retort.

Others saying this would be fine.

But Master actually saying 'meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land'? Who knows how many 'old acquaintances' you've converted.

Where's the happiness in that?

Wait, maybe it's precisely because you converted them that you're happy?

"The Holy Monk killed my Heavenly God generals; your coming is ill-intentioned." The Silent God King said. "My being on guard is only natural, right?"

"This poor monk feels it's more than that." Tang Luo said. "Forget it. Since the Heavenly Momentum God Lord will come, we'll just wait a bit."

The conversation took a sharp turn, instantly giving the Silent God King a feeling that happiness had come too suddenly.

He quickly adjusted his mood: "The Holy Monk making the right choice is for the best. Please."

He guided Tang Luo and the others toward that magnificent immortal palace behind.

This was the Silent God King's residence; using it to temporarily accommodate Tang Luo's group was no problem.

"Master changed his nature?"

"I thought Master would just blow this guy's dog head apart."

"Could it be that with fewer and fewer old acquaintances left, nearly becoming endangered species, Master became peaceful?"

"No, no, peaceful is impossible, probably impossible for this lifetime — he's destined for warring with heaven and battling earth. You think Master might be brewing something big, like waiting for that God Lord to come out and wiping them all out in one fell swoop."

"Possible!"

The two disciples chatted privately in the rear. Ao Yulie followed them into the palace grounds, and suddenly his legs went weak.

Like the day after nine times in one night.

"Chen Qi, what do you mean by this?" Pigsy's face turned cold as he looked at the Silent God King up front.

Within this palace's grounds, there were sufficient crystal ores forming a weakening domain.

"Marshal may call me Silent." The Silent God King turned and said. "The God Realm has always been this way; it's not targeted at you. If the few of you are unwilling to enter and rest, waiting outside is fine too."

"No matter." Tang Luo said. "Treat it as training."

The crystal ores aren't entirely useless either; the 'weakening domain' they form — enduring it head-on is equivalent to advancing under a heavy load.

There are some benefits.

The Silent God King laughed: "The Holy Monk truly has remarkable spirit."

"Hope the Heavenly Momentum God Lord won't give this poor monk a disappointing answer." Tang Luo said.

"Please rest assured, Holy Monk. The God Lord is an old acquaintance of yours." The Silent God King said.

"Tch, you're my old acquaintance too." Pigsy said.

Turning hostile and denying someone — isn't that a matter of minutes?

The Silent God King didn't say more. After settling Tang Luo and the others, he left.

Several hours later, Ao Yulie in the room suddenly stood up and said: "Master, I seem to be hungry."

Pigsy said: "I also have a bit of that feeling."

"Then eat." Tang Luo opened his eyes.

With the Gourmet Cube, filling their stomachs wasn't a problem. The problem was that the two of them actually felt hungry.

Even with Ao Yulie weakened, not yet recovered, with his ability he shouldn't be able to feel hunger.

Even in the Magicless World, the End of Dharma era, one could similarly go long periods without eating or drinking.

Unexpectedly, under abundant heaven-and-earth Qi, staying in this 'weakening domain' for a long time actually made them hungry.

Becoming like mortals.

This feeling was extremely unpleasant.

He took out the Gourmet Cube, restored it, and randomly got a dish that looked rather hard to stir up any appetite.

"Why is there this?"

"I'd like to know too, what were we thinking back then..."

Zhu Bajie and Ao Yulie fell into deep thought, really wanting to go back to the past and give their past selves a slap.

Nothing better to do than "copy" the Stargazing School — is this thing even edible?

The two stood up, pushed open the door, and went off to forage for food on their own.

After a while, Ao Yulie returned in a rage: "Master, looks like these guys plan to trap us here."

"Oh?" Tang Luo opened his eyes.

Outside the courtyard where the three were, divine soldiers stood guard, not letting them leave.

"Interesting." Tang Luo smiled, "I'd like to see what they're hiding, what they want to do."

On the other side, inside the Sage Palace.

A group of Heavenly Gods gathered.

Six God Kings, several God Generals, and also a portion of retired "Heavenly God Sages" — some retired from God King posts, some from God General posts.

This portion of Heavenly Gods all shared one common point.

That is, they were all once Qi Refiners, and knew that this world of theirs was formed from the shattering of the Mountains and Seas Realm.

A portion, like Chen Qi of the Heng Ha Two Generals, even experienced the shattering of the Mountains and Seas Realm — the most "ancient" of Heavenly Gods.

"God King Wuyin, that Tang Xuanzang you speak of — is he really that monk who was titled Victorious Fighting Buddha back then?" a Heavenly God asked.

"Yes, it's him."

"So it's him." The Chiyan God King, with flaming red hair, spoke.

In the Mountains and Seas Realm, he had another identity — the Fire Virtue Star Lord of the Heavenly Court.

During the Journey to the West, he once accepted Sun Wukong's invitation and made an appearance in the lower realm.

To tell the truth, that time was quite embarrassing... all sorts of flame magic treasures were cleanly collected by the Green Ox Demon.

Of course, this was no fault of the battle — you have to know, the Green Ox Demon used the Taishang Laojun's Golden Gourd.

The Golden Gourd isn't a mass-produced magic treasure like the ones Jinjiao and Yinjiao used.

Although who knows if Laojun forged a few extra Golden Gourds as backups.

The one in the Green Ox Demon's hands was indeed wondrous beyond measure — even the Nine-Toothed Rake and Golden Hoop Rod had their connections temporarily severed and were forcibly taken away.

"What exactly is his strength, how does it compare to the rumors?" a Heavenly God looked at the Chiyan God King.

The Chiyan God King said: "At first glance back then, his strength was indeed not bad, but not as strong as the rumors."

"He's injured, now in the form of a child, injuries not light." God King Wuyin said, "I temporarily had divine soldiers restrict their movements."

"Is that necessary?"

"Don't forget the three God Lords have already decided to attack the Nine Nether, to thoroughly eliminate the demonic hidden danger. Cannot have extraneous complications at this critical juncture." God King Wuyin said, "That one who blocked our entry into the Nine Nether back then — the three God Lords never spoke clearly, but it's possible..."

God King Wuyin didn't continue.

Everyone present had participated in the God-Demon Great War, all clear on what he was saying.

"Tang Xuanzang is not an easy character to deal with." The Chiyan God King reminded.

God King Wuyin laughed: "Normally speaking, even injured, we'd have to be wary of him to some degree. But the era has already changed, hasn't it?"

These words made the Heavenly Gods all reveal smiles.

Yes, the era has already changed — at least this world so, no longer the world of Qi Refiners.

It belongs to their era of Heavenly Gods!

Just as they were discussing, the tightly shut grand doors suddenly opened, a tall figure appeared.

Loose robes and wide sleeves, tall and handsome, wearing a purple-gold crown, golden robes shining brilliantly, like the sun itself.

The grand doors closed behind him.

"Greetings, God Lord!"

A group of God Kings and God Generals all saluted in unison.

"Rise. I'm already aware of the matter." The comer was the Heavenly Might God Lord, he said, "No need to mind Tang Xuanzang. The Heavenly Momentum God Lord has gone to the Nine Nether. You all immediately mobilize divine soldiers, head for the Nine Nether!"

"... Yes!"

Everyone froze for a moment.

The matter of attacking the Nine Nether everyone already knew — originally thought there was at least another year or half a year.

Didn't expect it would suddenly be time to move.

Could it be because of Tang Xuanzang's appearance, to prevent unforeseen complications, cutting the knot swiftly?

Wouldn't that be a bit too hasty?

God King Wuyin asked softly: "What about Tang Xuanzang's side then?"

Large-scale mobilization of divine soldiers on campaign certainly can't be hidden from Tang Xuanzang, and God King Wuyin also didn't think they'd obediently stay in the room.

A few divine soldiers definitely can't stop them.

At minimum need a God General.

"The Heavenly Star God Lord holds the Divine Realm." The Heavenly Might God Lord said.

Before everyone could feel reassured.

"Then what God Lord are you?" A voice came from outside the door, the closed doors were pushed open with a boom, Tang Luo in a blood-colored brocade kasaya asked.

All Heavenly Gods' gazes landed on Tang Luo in unison.

The Heavenly Might God Lord also turned to look at Tang Luo.

"Manjusri Bodhisattva."

Tang Luo ignored the gazes of the crowd and continued speaking.

Manjushri Bodhisattva, Heavenly Might Divine Lord!

"It's been a long time, Victorious Buddha." The Manjushri Bodhisattva, now the Heavenly Might Divine Lord, smiled faintly.

"Come on, it's not like the poor monk came out here—you weren't planning to see the poor monk anyway." Tang Luo said, "You're in such a hurry to go to the Nine Abysses—what's there? Tell me about it."

He had only caught a few fragments of the earlier conversation.

"It has nothing to do with the Victorious Buddha."

"The poor monk just wants to go see the excitement—is that not allowed?"

"It has nothing to do with the Victorious Buddha." The Heavenly Might Divine Lord repeated, "Please, Victorious Buddha, return to rest. If there's anything, I will inform you myself."

"No room for negotiation?" Tang Luo asked.

The Heavenly Might Divine Lord shook his head.

"Alright." Tang Luo turned around, "Then we'll meet again in the Nine Abysses."

"I said, please, Victorious Buddha, go rest." The Heavenly Might Divine Lord stepped forward, extending a hand to press down on Tang Luo's shoulder.

Tang Luo halted his steps, turned his head, and glanced at the Heavenly Might Divine Lord with his peripheral vision: "You little traitor, are you seeking death?"

"Hmph."

The Heavenly Might Divine Lord chuckled, "Even back in the Mountain and Sea Realm, I had wanted to test the Victorious Buddha's abilities!"

The massive chains rang out as the Suspended Sage's Hall, floating in midair, sank downward.

Several chains snapped directly.

Cracks appeared on the ground, forming gullies that spread from the surface down to the depths, with rubble falling into the sea above, stirring up towering waves.

Tang Luo and the Heavenly Might Divine Lord vanished simultaneously; above the clouds, a terrifying surge of power rippled through the air.

The Silent Divine King swallowed a mouthful of saliva: "Good thing I held my ground!"