Chapter 296 - 245 Mishap

Even the Dragon Kings, accustomed to storms, couldn’t think of a way to cope in a short time.

For a while, the entire Crystal Palace was engulfed in negative emotions; who would have thought that these renowned Dragon Kings also suffer such vexations.

Time hastened on, not pausing for even a moment due to human will.

On this day, the weather was fine, and the sun rose in the east as usual, seemingly no different from any other day.

Lin Fang, just like always, stepped out of his residence. He had been hiding in his little world and devotedly practicing cultivation, no longer concerning himself with the tumultuous outside world.

In this chaotic era, traditional rites and music collapsed, and only personal strength was a stable guarantee. Therefore, Lin Fang needed to race against the clock to acquire greater power before the chaos arrived.

After a period of ascetic cultivation, Lin Fang felt he had made substantial gains. His previously disorganized techniques had been re-practiced, and with Feng Jiu’s guidance, he gained a deeper comprehension of the practice of cultivation under her expansive knowledge.

The past disorderly and unsystematic cultivation, thanks to this rare leisurely time, was finally organized, preserving the essence and discarding the dross.

The little world now thrived with vitality. After several advancements, he refined his world further, and with the efforts of the Demon Kings and the people of the Demon Court, they continuously sorted out the chaotic laws, making the world even more vibrant.

Lin Fang looked over the scenery of his little world with satisfaction, feeling complete contentment in his heart; this was his very own little world.

The playful noise of Bashan Tiger and others came from afar, and Lin Fang showed a knowing smile. These times were indeed peacefully good!

However, Feng Jiu was walking beside him with a very solemn expression.

"What happened?" Lin Fang asked curiously.

Feng Jiu looked at the sky and after a long pause, she said, "The storm across the Three Realms begins today."

Her expression was grave and dignified as she spoke, as if commenting on fate itself, which made Lin Fang feel like he was caught in the torrents of time.

"What do you mean by that?" Lin Fang was curious. The Demon Emperor might have secretly arranged something, and if things went as expected, it likely had something to do with Sun Wukong.

The image of those two mysterious straw men flashed through Lin Fang’s mind; he surmised that more likely than not, they were involved in this.

Atop the Gate of the Southern Heaven, two heavenly soldiers stood guard, bored out of their minds. With the Three Realms at peace, what kind of monster would dare to attack the gate?

The two soldiers yawned, gossiping about the happenings in the Heavenly Court, almost to the point of needing a cup of tea to complete the picture.

"Hey, does it look like a monster is coming over there?" One of the soldiers suddenly lifted his head and noticed a figure approaching from afar.

"Stop kidding around; you probably saw it wrong. Which monster would dare come to this gate? Are they seeking death?" The soldier laughed, assuming his friend was joking.

"I’m not lying to you, there really is a monster coming. Just look, and you’ll see."

Upon hearing this, the soldier replied, "Alright, let’s have a look; you’re not going to scare me that easily."

But when he turned his head and saw the approaching figure, his face immediately darkened. He hadn’t seen wrong; indeed, a monster was charging toward them.

The astonishing Demon Qi was clearly visible even from such a distance and was unnerving enough to make one shiver.

"Quick, beat the drum!" the Heavenly soldiers urgently shouted aloud.

The Sky-shocking Drum, once sounded, would shake the heavens and the earth; its roar could be heard for a hundred miles, and everyone in the Heavenly Court would surely hear it. It was a warning for when foreign enemies invaded. It was a pity that, throughout the countless years, it had never been used even once.

After all, when the Heavenly Court was established, it had gathered top experts from the Three Realms, especially since The Venerated Way of the Three Pure Ones had condescended to join, which greatly boosted their reputation. Since then, no demon dared to foolishly attack the Gate of the Southern Heavens.

That is, until that impudent monkey came five hundred years ago. However, those few times, the conflicts broke out from inside rather than being an external assault.

As such, this war drum had been placed at the Gate of the Southern Heavens for a very, very long time. And today, this war drum sounded once again, making all immortals in the Heavenly Court feel the rhythm of the times.

This was the drumbeat of the era, heralding the end of the old age and the arrival of a new one.

As the earth-shattering sound echoed through the Heavenly Court, all immortals and gods turned their gaze towards the Gate of the Southern Heavens, witnessing the slowly approaching enormous figure.

"King Niumo? Hasn’t he converted to the Buddhist Sect?" someone recognized the identity of the newcomer, involuntarily voicing their doubt.

"Is that really conversion? He was clearly controlled by secret techniques. But instead of serving his Buddha at Mount Ling, what is he doing at our Heavenly Court?"

The same question puzzled every immortal present, as the current King Niumo could hardly be considered alive anymore, but rather a walking corpse manipulated by the Buddhist Sect.

Now he has come to the Gate of the Southern Heavens, what is the Buddhist Sect trying to do?

Everyone knew that the Gate of the Southern Heavens was the face of the Heavenly Court. If something significant happened here, it would be equivalent to slapping the face of the Heavenly Court.

Under the watchful eyes of all, King Niumo with a muddled expression, and his burly figure, slowly walked to the base of the Gate of the Southern Heavens.

The Four Heavenly Kings, leading their troops, came forth with serious expressions, reprimanding, "How audacious, King Niumo. We heard you converted to the Buddhist Sect. Instead of engaging in the practice of cultivation at Mount Ling to attain your Golden Body and Final Fruit, you dare show up at our Gate of the Southern Heavens. What brings you here?"

However, these voices had no effect whatsoever. At this moment, King Niumo was in a state of chaos, his expression befuddled, and he did not fully grasp what the Four Heavenly Kings were saying.

"You, enemies of Buddha!" was all that could be heard from King Niumo’s low, angry roar.

After saying this, he lifted his Iron Rod and smashed it towards the Gate of the Southern Heavens.

"How dare you!" The Four Heavenly Kings were shocked to see this, never expecting King Niumo, who had lost his own will, to actually strike at the Gate of the Southern Heavens, directly assaulting the dignity of the Heavenly Court.

A tremendous roar resounded, the air itself seemed to stagnate. The Four Heavenly Kings quickly used their weapons to block King Niumo’s attack.

It appeared as if thunderbolts manifested at the point of their clash. At this moment, King Niumo resembled a Demonic God, his terrifying Demon Qi soaring into the sky, even dyeing the heavens ink-black.

The Four Heavenly Kings felt an immense force striking them, sending them flying backward uncontrollably, not landing until they were dozens of meters away.

They exclaimed in chorus, "What a monster, truly possessing boundless strength. No wonder he calls himself the Great Strength Bull Demon King!"

After repelling the Four Heavenly Kings with a single strike, King Niumo continued to lift his Iron Rod, aiming at the signboard of the Gate of the Southern Heavens. The only thought left in his mind was to knock down the signboard inscribed with the three characters of the Gate of the Southern Heavens.

Seeing this, the other immortals could no longer remain bystanders. If today they allowed King Niumo to bring down the signboard of the Gate of the Southern Heavens, the face of the Heavenly Court would likely be lost forever, and they, as immortals of the Heavenly Court, would become a laughingstock across the Three Realms. This was absolutely unacceptable.