Zhao Gongming Enters the Dojo, Vowing to Expose Zhou Xuan

Western Ox Continent, Square Inch Mountain sea area.

Above the vast ocean, clouds churned. A figure stood atop a colorful auspicious cloud, his demeanor majestic, radiating divine light. It was Zhao Gongming.

At this moment, he was circling the area around Square Inch Mountain, flying through the clouds and sea mist, meticulously searching for the dojo of Sun Wukong's mysterious Master.

He harbored a faint hope that Sun Wukong's Master might indeed have some connection to Sect Master Tongtian.

Several days passed, with searches both east and west yielding no results.

"There isn't even a ghost around here near Square Inch Mountain, so where's this dojo?"

Zhao Gongming's lips twitched, a hint of impatience growing in his heart.

He stood on the auspicious cloud, surveying the surroundings, one hand behind his back, the other lightly stroking his beard, muttering disdainfully:

"Could that monkey have lied to me? No, no, although monkeys love to brag, he spoke sincerely, not like he was lying!"

"Or perhaps... his so-called mysterious Master already sensed my arrival, and fearing embarrassment, simply hid away?"

His expression turned cold, a glint of chilling light flashing in his eyes, his tone laced with mockery:

"Hmph, that must be it. Who am I, Zhao Gongming? I, who attained enlightenment and form from the first wisp of clear wind at the dawn of creation, and followed Master Tongtian for eons. How can my vision compare to that monkey with a monkey's face and a thunder god's mouth?"

"This Sun Wukong's Master must be afraid of appearing incompetent before me, which is why he's hiding."

With this thought, Zhao Gongming was about to turn and leave.

Suddenly, a dazzling golden light, like thunder splitting the sky, surged forward, instantly engulfing Zhao Gongming completely!

"Hmm?"

Zhao Gongming was greatly alarmed, as if being forcibly pulled in by an invisible hand.

Heaven and earth inverted, all directions reversed.

When he opened his eyes again, the surrounding scenery had completely changed.

Mist swirled, blending heaven and earth into one.

In the distance, a mountain-like, majestic stone tablet stood quietly between heaven and earth.

The stone tablet was dark blue all over, its material unknown, as if containing the origin of heaven and earth.

Its height was immeasurable, piercing the firmament, its top already lost in the clouds, like a pillar supporting the heavens, suppressing all under the heavens.

On the surface of the tablet, mysterious Chaos Divine Runes coiled, and countless profound Laws cascaded down, like a waterfall of stars.

Zhao Gongming's expression was one of shock, and he unconsciously held his breath, concentrating his mind.

Around the stone tablet, faint illusory figures of billions of gods and demons could be seen, all kneeling on the ground, gazing up at the tablet, as if reciting ancient prayers, their expressions solemn, like pilgrims.

"What a... World-Suppressing Tablet!" Zhao Gongming murmured.

Though he was well-traveled and knowledgeable, the pressure and ancient aura emanating from the stone tablet before him still evoked a sense of inexplicable reverence.

He walked forward slowly, looking up. On the stone tablet, a line of dark red ancient characters was clearly engraved. The characters were ancient and vigorous, their aura heavy, each one like an axe carving, as if pressing down a world.

Zhao Gongming's heart trembled. He stared intently, slowly reading out the line of text:

"Pangu opened the heavens, bowing to me thrice, borrowing my axe and chisel."

His voice paused, his expression changed drastically, his throat choked, his brows twitching violently.

"Great God Pangu... the Heaven-Opening Axe, the Earth-Splitting Chisel... he borrowed them?"

His pupils contracted, and for the first time, his expression showed a complex mix of shock and absurdity. He said in a deep voice:

"What arrogance from the owner of this dojo!"

"He dares to claim that the divine weapons Great God Pangu used to open heaven and earth were borrowed from him?"

"What outrageous words! This is simply the greatest joke in the world!"

The prestige of Great God Pangu was known to all beings in the Primordial World, beyond doubt. How could he believe that Pangu had also bowed thrice to someone and borrowed an axe to open the heavens?

"Heh heh..."

Zhao Gongming's lips twitched, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes, his voice filled with profound disdain and speechlessness:

"Putting on a show! You can only fool that ignorant little monkey. I, Zhao Gongming, will not be deceived by you!"

Despite his forceful tone, Zhao Gongming still stood before the stone tablet, reading downwards.

"Hongjun achieved Dao, a true old thief, who stole my Jade Treasure."

Upon seeing this line, Zhao Gongming no longer felt the previous surprise. After all, the monkey had already said that Dao Ancestor Hongjun stole his Master's treasure to achieve sainthood.

However, Zhao Gongming didn't believe a single word of it!

No!

Not a single punctuation mark!

"Nonsense, putting on a show!"

"Since you are so powerful, why are you unknown? Of all the beings in the Primordial World, only Hongjun is known, not your name?"

Zhao Gongming muttered to himself and continued to read downwards:

"Nuwa achieved sainthood, taking my form, and molded humans from clay."

"The Three Pure Ones established their religions, Erhu created Buddhism; these are all minor paths."

"If you ask about the Great Dao, it is the Supreme Being of Chaos, eternally free and unrestrained."

Reading this, Zhao Gongming was completely numb. After all, the owner of this Dojo didn't even spare Pangu or Hongjun a second glance, let alone the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, and the others.

However, at this point, Zhao Gongming was even more convinced that the owner of this place was a charlatan, a great deceiver, a fraud!

"Heh heh, let's not even mention the Dao Ancestor preaching in the Purple Heaven Palace for three thousand years, teaching the path of Grand Unity, the path of Primordial Golden Immortal, and the path to sainthood."

"Just consider my master Tongtian, who founded the Jiejiao Sect, accepting all disciples regardless of their background, seizing a sliver of hope for all living beings in the world, seeking to defy heaven and change fate!"

"If my master Tongtian's path is a minor one, then there is no Great Dao in this world!"

"What Supreme Being of Chaos, eternal freedom! Pure nonsense!"

"These words might fool a monkey, but you expect to fool me, Zhao Gongming?"

"Hmph! I will expose your true face as a charlatan and a liar right now!"

Zhao Gongming sneered repeatedly. He bypassed the stone tablet and walked towards the Dojo. Passing through a path paved with jade, he arrived at a place hidden deep within the clouds, where he saw a Divine Hall suspended in mid-air, emitting billions of rays of immortal light.

"Hmph! All flash and no substance!"

"Even if I, Zhao Gongming, am beaten to death and jump from here, I will not be fooled by you, charlatan!"

Zhao Gongming said as he stepped into the Divine Hall.

Ninety-nine colossal divine pillars supported the Divine Hall!

Each pillar was ten thousand zhang high, with nine layers of heavenly thunder winding upon them, and Chaos Dao rhythm pouring down.

"Fake, fake, it's all an illusion!"

Zhao Gongming chanted a calming mantra, passing through the Divine Hall. Before him was pitch blackness, like the dead of night!

A bright moon hung in the sky, accompanied by scattered starlight.

Zhao Gongming looked forward by the faint starlight. He saw tranquil flowing water, trees drooping low, and birds and beasts all lying on the ground asleep. If not for the gentle breeze, Zhao Gongming would have thought time had stopped here!

He looked closer. Although these birds and beasts were sleeping soundly, their heads were all facing the southeast, as if in worship.

Southeast?

Zhao Gongming looked up. By the starlight, he widened his eyes.

There, an ancient willow tree rose from the ground, tens of thousands of zhang high, piercing straight into the starry river.

Its branches hung down like dragon scales, each one covered in ten thousand rays of green light, swaying in the wind.

Beneath the willow tree, there was an ancient reclining chair, and a young Daoist was sleeping soundly!

"This is Sun Wukong's master?"

"Heh heh, playing the mystic, putting on a show. Let's see how I, Zhao Gongming, expose you!"