Great Master Guanyin set out from Spirit Mountain and arrived at the Heavenly Court just in time to see a large group of gods leaving. She assumed the discussions at Lingxiao Palace had ended.
Guanyin was deeply familiar with Lingxiao Palace.
Upon reaching the entrance of Lingxiao Palace, Guanyin moved to enter directly.
Ding!
"Lingxiao Palace must not be entered without permission!"
Li Er, a Heavenly Soldier who had just been promoted to Lord of Fire, leveled his spear and blocked Guanyin's path.
"Hm?" Guanyin frowned. "Do you know who I am?"
"Of course I do. But no one may enter Lingxiao Palace without being summoned." Heavenly Soldier Li Er did not back down in the slightest.
"You!"
"Summon Great Master Guanyin into the hall."
Only after hearing the decree did Heavenly Soldier Li Er put away his weapon and allow Guanyin inside.
Guanyin's gaze turned icy as she glared fiercely at Li Er. Li Er glared right back at her without the slightest courtesy.
Guanyin was furious.
A mere insignificant soldier dared to act like this? I'll make sure you die horribly later!
Guanyin suppressed her anger for the moment and entered the hall.
"Greetings, Jade Emperor." Guanyin gave a slight bow.
"Great Master Guanyin, what brings you here today?"
"Reporting to the Jade Emperor, Tathagata sent me to inquire about the Journey to the West. Why has Your Majesty detained the scripture-seeking team at Lion Camel Ridge? I ask that Your Majesty explain." Guanyin got straight to the point.
The matter of the Journey to the West had always been out in the open.
There had been plenty of bargaining before the Journey to the West began, so there was no need to conceal anything.
"The Journey to the West? Lion Camel Ridge? I know nothing about that." The Jade Emperor feigned bewilderment, his expression full of confusion.
Guanyin's heart sank. "Jade Emperor, the Journey to the West concerns a great calamity of the Primordial Era World and was promised by the Dao Ancestor. It was agreed upon long ago. Why are you going back on your word?"
"I know nothing of any Journey to the West. From this day forward, there will be no Journey to the West either." The Jade Emperor chuckled.
"You!" Guanyin seethed inwardly.
Before leaving the Western Teachings, she had assured Tathagata that she would handle this matter flawlessly.
Yet now, the Jade Emperor simply ignored her!
"What is so good about following the Western Teachings? Cihang, why not join my Heavenly Court instead?" the Jade Emperor said with a smile.
"Jade Emperor, what exactly do you want?" Great Master Guanyin asked.
"You, of course. Didn't I just say so? Join my Heavenly Court, and I will grant you wealth and glory." The Jade Emperor teased.
"Amitabha. I am a disciple of Buddhism."
"So there is no room for discussion?" the Jade Emperor asked.
"There is none," Guanyin answered.
"Then leave."
Guanyin: "..."
Why had this Jade Emperor become such a rascal? Something was wrong. Very wrong.
"The Journey to the West team must be released."
"Didn't you say there was no room for discussion? The matter has already been decided." The Jade Emperor's voice turned cold.
"Please make it clear, Your Majesty." Guanyin spoke again.
"Since Great Master Guanyin has asked repeatedly, I shall tell you. The Journey to the West does not exist."
"Jade Emperor, are you not afraid that a saint of my sect will descend?"
The Jade Emperor rose to his feet, his back straight as Emperor's Aura surged around him without end. "Hmph. In the Three Realms, I alone am supreme. Even if a saint comes, they must treat me with respect."
"Hahaha, what an arrogant Jade Emperor! You are merely a boy attendant of the Dao Ancestor, yet you dare put on such airs!" Guanyin was enraged.
Boom!
The temperature within Lingxiao Palace plummeted.
All the gods shuddered.
Taibai Jinxing stared coldly at Guanyin.
Yang Jian glared at her with fury in his eyes.
This Guanyin truly did not know the meaning of death!
"You dare insult the Heavenly Emperor? Men, slap her!" The Jade Emperor flew into a rage.
Taibai Jinxing had been waiting for this moment!
How could he possibly let such a chance to perform slip away? He instantly charged toward Guanyin.
Guanyin tried to evade, but the Jade Emperor drew upon the immense power of the Three Realms through the Heavenly Court and trapped her in place. She could not move at all.
Smack!
A crisp sound rang out. A bright red handprint appeared on Guanyin's face, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
"Zhang Bairen!" Great Master Guanyin was furious as well.
"Slap her again!"
Smack!
Taibai Jinxing struck her with another slap.
"Taibai Jinxing, you are dead!"
Smack!
Taibai Jinxing sneered and slapped her again.
Smack! Another slap landed.
This felt amazing!
Taibai Jinxing cried out inwardly. When had he ever felt so proud? When had he ever felt this good?
Even a great figure like Guanyin was only worthy of being slapped by him!
From now on, I, Taibai Jinxing, am the handsomest man in the Primordial Era World, the brightest star!
Guanyin glared furiously at Taibai Jinxing.
Taibai Jinxing sneered. Smack! Smack! Smack! He struck her three more times in rapid succession.
After that beating, Guanyin's face had swollen up.
The gods in Lingxiao Palace all fell silent, cold sweat pouring down their backs.
They had never expected His Majesty the Jade Emperor to be so overbearing today.
Not only had he fought the gods for authority, he had also directly confronted the Western Teachings!
Even the mighty Great Master Guanyin, one of Tathagata's foremost disciples, had been beaten into a pig-headed mess!
If word of this got out, Great Master Guanyin would lose all face.
How could she ever hold her head high in the Primordial Era World again?
The Western Teachings would certainly not let this go.
The Primordial Era World was about to become unsettled!
All the gods began considering their way out.
Seeing murderous intent rising in Taibai Jinxing's eyes while she herself could not move, Great Master Guanyin had no choice but to endure it and did not continue shouting.
When Taibai Jinxing saw Great Master Guanyin yield, he laughed. "Daoist Cihang, remember this. This is Lingxiao Palace, His Majesty the Jade Emperor's Lingxiao Palace. When His Majesty speaks, his Words Manifest as Law. Behave yourself from now on."
"Yes, Taibai Jinxing spoke well and acted well. Men, reward him with one Peach of Immortality." The Jade Emperor was very pleased. Taibai Jinxing was truly protective of his lord and utterly loyal.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Taibai Jinxing was delighted to receive the reward. What delighted him even more was that his position in the Jade Emperor's heart had become even more secure.
The Jade Emperor looked coldly at Guanyin and ordered, "Men, drive Guanyin from the Heavenly Court. From this day forward, she is not to take a single step into the Heavenly Court without my decree. Otherwise, execute her!"
"Yes!"
Heavenly Soldier Li Er immediately entered, pointing his spear at Guanyin and ordering her to leave.
"You are dead." Great Master Guanyin had yielded to the Jade Emperor, but she did not fear this insignificant Heavenly Soldier in the slightest.
"Hmph. I am Lord of Fire, a Heavenly Court True God. You wish to murder a Heavenly Court Heavenly Official? Are you trying to rebel?" Li Er shot back without any restraint.
Guanyin was furious, but she did not act out at this moment.
Upon hearing Heavenly Soldier Li Er's words, the Jade Emperor burst into laughter. "Good, well said! Rebellion, hahaha, that was excellently said! In the Three Realms, I do not care what sect or school it is. As long as they do not respect my decree, they are rebels!"
The Jade Emperor directly elevated the matter and defined its nature.
"Heavenly Soldier Li Er—no, Lord of Fire Li Er—is a talent worth cultivating. Reward him with another Peach of Immortality!" The Jade Emperor was beside himself with joy.
When had he ever felt this satisfied?
Today, he had not only crushed the arrogance of the Heavenly Court's True Gods, reclaimed the authority to appoint and dismiss Heavenly Court immortals, but also slapped Guanyin and fiercely confronted the Western Teachings.
It felt absolutely incredible.
What was even more unexpected was that Heavenly Soldier Li Er had actually proposed the future scene the Jade Emperor had long envisioned.
Within the Three Realms, the Heavenly Emperor alone would be supreme!
All who defied the Heavenly Emperor would be punished!
All who opposed the Heavenly Court would be deemed rebels!
Before you continue