Chapter 25

Ao Run replied, "Mo Ang has gone east to cultivate under Lord Mengzhang and cannot return for the time being."

"I see." Nezha nodded, then had Ao Run and the three Dragon Princes board the thundercloud formation before driving it straight toward the West Sea Dragon Palace.

At that moment, within the West Sea Dragon Palace, the Great Black Yaksha was holding a feast for the Four Great Demon Sages and Asura Prince Jie Hanli, who had come to pledge allegiance.

The Four Great Demon Sages were the Crimson Horned Black Dragon Great Sage, the Radiant Light Sea-Illuminating Great Sage, the Purple Fang Spirit Poison Great Sage, and the Mountain-Driving Sea-Overturning Great Sage.

During the feast, the Yaksha Ghost Generals drank and exchanged toasts amid boisterous noise. Only Jie Hanli remained silent. Whenever someone offered him a drink, he reluctantly took a sip, his face cold throughout.

Seeing this, the Great Black Yaksha laughed. "Second Brother, now that you have left the Asura Tribe, follow your elder brother with peace of mind. In the future, you will naturally have a share of the West Sea."

As he spoke, he took out the Heavenly Sin Blade and handed it to Jie Hanli. "We agreed that I would return it to you after taking the Dragon Palace. Now the blade returns to its rightful owner."

Jie Hanli shook his head and sighed. "There is no use taking it back now. Keep it, Brother."

The Great Black Yaksha froze for a moment, then laughed. "Fine, then your elder brother will continue using it."

He raised his cup and shouted, "If not for Second Brother lending me the Heavenly Sin Blade, our great undertaking would have been difficult to accomplish. Come, everyone, toast him together!"

Everyone rose and raised their cups to Jie Hanli. With all eyes upon him, he had no choice but to lift his cup.

Just as the Great Black Yaksha was about to speak, a Yaksha Ghost rushed in panic-stricken and reported urgently, "Your Majesty, disaster! The Heavenly Court has sent Nezha to lead eighty thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals against us. They are already challenging us outside the Dragon Palace!"

Crash!

The wine cup in Jie Hanli's hand fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

Everyone was startled, and their gazes turned toward him in unison.

The Great Black Yaksha laughed loudly. "Second Brother, your tolerance is truly poor. You have only had a few cups, yet you are already so drunk that you cannot even hold your cup."

He turned to the others. "Everyone, the Heavenly Court has sent troops to invade. A fierce battle is inevitable. Fortunately, we were prepared long ago. Why should we fear those Heavenly Soldiers and Generals?"

The demons at the banquet immediately clamored to fight, while the Four Great Demon Sages were especially eager. They had long borne grudges against the Dragon King of the West Sea. They had joined the Great Black Yaksha precisely to fight the Heavenly Army.

"We are willing to serve as the vanguard and help Your Majesty repel the Heavenly Army!" the Four Great Demon Sages shouted in unison.

Seeing the soldiers' fighting spirit soar, the Great Black Yaksha immediately dismissed the feast, gathered his troops, and led an army of tens of thousands of demons and monsters out of the Dragon Palace.

Towering waves immediately surged across the West Sea as the Great Black Yaksha led the Four Great Demon Sages, Jie Hanli, numerous Rakshasa Ghost Generals, and Asura Warriors to emerge from the sea.

Above the clouds, Dragon King Ao Run of the West Sea shouted sternly, "Great Black Yaksha! You have acted perversely, brought disaster upon the West Sea, and slaughtered immortal officials. Today, the Heavenly Army has descended upon you. Your end has come!"

He then shouted at the demons and monsters, "You follow a rebel and bear grave sins. If you repent in time, you may yet preserve your lives. Otherwise, when Heavenly Might descends, you will surely be reduced to ashes!"

The Great Black Yaksha sneered. "Ao Run, you homeless dragon. Since I drove you from the Dragon Palace, you should have hidden away and clung to life. Yet you dare return to court death?"

Ao Run angrily rebuked him. "Do not be so arrogant! Today, Third Prince Nezha commands the army, leading the Giant Spirit God, the Four Heavenly Kings, and eighty thousand Heavenly Soldiers, with the Eighteen Arhats of the Buddhist sect lending their support. We will surely wipe you out!"

War drums thundered within the thunderclouds, and banners snapped in the wind. The Giant Spirit God, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the Eighteen Arhats each revealed their majestic dharma forms. Divine might surged, and Buddhist light shone everywhere.

At the sight of such might, the demon army could not help but stir uneasily.

The Great Black Yaksha shouted, "Ao Run! You ruled the West Sea for many years, but have you ever brought benefit to its people? It was Heaven's will that I replaced you. I spared your life that day, yet now you dare bark wildly before me? Not to mention eighty thousand Heavenly Soldiers—even eight hundred thousand would be nothing to fear! Today, I shall seek justice for all living beings of the West Sea!"

Those words immediately steadied the army's morale.

Nezha stepped forward atop his Wind Fire Wheels. "Old Dragon King, why waste so many words? If victory could be won by talking, what use would there be for Heavenly Generals like us?"

Ao Run withdrew upon hearing this. Golden light erupted around Nezha's body as his figure abruptly expanded dozens of zhang, revealing his Three Heads Six Arms dharma form. Holding countless magic treasures, he radiated awe-inspiring divine might.

The Great Black Yaksha and the others wore grave expressions as their gazes focused on Nezha.

He said in a low voice, "Third Prince Nezha, I had no ill intentions. I replaced the Dragon King of the West Sea only to benefit the common people. If the Heavenly Court is willing to appoint me Lord of the West Sea, I am willing to lead my followers in surrender and serve as subjects for eternity."

Nezha stood proudly in the clouds, red silk winding around his body as a cold glint flashed from his eyes.

He raised his command banner and shouted coldly, "All soldiers, heed my command!"

In an instant, thunder exploded and dark clouds rolled as the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals formed their ranks and awaited orders.

The command banner swept down. The Giant Spirit God and the Four Heavenly Kings charged first, while the Thirty-six Heavenly Generals and Seventy-two Earthly Fiends led eighty thousand aquatic troops in an all-out assault.

The Great Black Yaksha roared fiercely, "The West Sea shall be ours today! Kill with me!"

He transformed into a hundred-zhang demonic body and swung the Heavenly Sin Blade straight at Nezha. Heavenly Soldiers scattered wherever he passed, and in the blink of an eye, he had reached Nezha.

Nezha sneered and met him in battle, unleashing the full power of his Three Heads Six Arms divine ability.

The Yaksha forces saw this and their morale surged. The Four Great Demon Sages led their troops into the attack. The two armies clashed as immortal light and demonic energy intertwined and enormous waves surged into the sky.

The West Sea Dragon Clan joined the battle one after another. Some wielded weapons in close combat, others cast spells from afar, and still others transformed into dragons and churned the seas.

The Eighteen Arhats led the Vajra Monks in a charge at the front. Beneath the radiant Buddhist light, demons and monsters fell one after another.

Marshal Tianpeng Zhu Lie drew the Supreme Treasure Golden Rake and shouted to Zhuang Yan, "I shall go first!" Then he led his personal guards into the enemy ranks.

Zhuang Yan watched the battle from above and saw the Giant Spirit God sweep through the enemy with his axe, only to be ambushed by Asura Prince Jie Hanli. After ten exchanges, the Giant Spirit God cleaved him apart with a single axe strike.

Zhu Lie moved through the enemy formation as though no one were there, exterminating three thousand Asuras in mere moments.

The Four Great Demon Sages were surrounded by the Arhats, left battered and miserable beneath the bombardment of Buddhist magic tools.

The Four Heavenly Kings each displayed their divine powers: the precious umbrella shook with thunder, the pipa seized souls, the treasured sword drank blood, and dragons and serpents devoured the heavens. The Heavenly Generals and Earthly Fiends led the aquatic troops in forming the Heavenly Net and Earthly Net, slaughtering demons and monsters until corpses covered the ground.

At the height of the battle, the Great Black Yaksha and Nezha had already exchanged two hundred moves without either gaining the upper hand. The Heavenly Sin Blade danced like the wind in his hand, somehow withstanding the many immortal treasures wielded by Nezha's Three Heads Six Arms form.

Even more alarming was the great black sinful light surrounding him. It prevented the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals from drawing near; anyone who approached was either killed or wounded. Seeing this, Zhu Lie charged forward with the Supreme Treasure Golden Rake, only to be injured by the black light and sent flying backward while coughing blood. The Thirty-six Heavenly Generals also attempted to surround him, but they too were driven back in defeat.

"Do not approach! This sinful light is dangerous. Those with weak dharma bodies will surely be harmed!" Nezha warned loudly.

The Great Black Yaksha laughed madly. "I cultivate the Great Black Sin Sutra and refine the sinful karma of heaven and earth. Even immortals and gods cannot stop me! So what if you outnumber me? Once I sever your three heads and six arms, the Four Seas will sing of my might!" Before his words had faded, he absorbed the battlefield's sinful karma. His power surged, and his dharma form grew another thirty-odd zhang.

Nezha frowned deeply. The Great Black Yaksha's increase in strength through sinful karma was formidable, but it was not the most troublesome part. The Heavenly Sin Blade resonated with his sinful power, its might far surpassing ordinary immortal treasures. It could easily block every one of Nezha's attacks.

If I cannot break this blade, I cannot defeat this demon. Yet the Heavenly Generals and Arhats all feared the black light, leaving no one able to assist him. The situation was difficult.

As he pondered, the Great Black Yaksha had already swung his blade at him. Nezha met the attack and immediately felt that his opponent's strength had increased severalfold.

At that moment, Zhuang Yan, who had watched from the clouds for some time, rode over on a cloud and announced loudly, "Marshal Who Subdues Demons, Zhuang Yan has come to assist!"

"Me?" The Great Black Yaksha grinned savagely and swung the Heavenly Sin Blade. Blade light poured down like a waterfall. Nezha's Three Heads Six Arms form erupted with dazzling divine radiance, while the Fire-Tipped Spear and Qian Kun Quan burst forth with countless sparks. In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged dozens of moves.

The instant the spear thrust forward, the Heavenly Sin Blade blocked it crosswise, and the clash of metal deafened the ears. Nezha leapt back using the force, and all three faces curled into cold smiles. "I only need to kill you."

"Ha ha ha!" The Great Black Yaksha stared at the veins bulging on Nezha's forehead, then pointed his blade at Zhuang Yan, who was watching from behind. "If you truly have such ability, why have this minor deity cover for you?"

Nezha's six arms suddenly erupted with blinding rosy light. The Hun Tian Ling swept up a thousand layers of fire and lunged at his enemy. Murky black energy rose around the Great Black Yaksha as the Heavenly Sin Blade transformed into a hundred-zhang beam of sinful light and slashed down head-on. The instant the two forces collided, a visible shockwave exploded through heaven and earth.

The sea surface was torn open into a bottomless chasm, and soldiers from both sides were hurled away like fallen leaves. Heavenly Soldiers, Arhats, and demon elites were flung back thousands of li, while even the thick thunderclouds were ripped into fragments. When the dust settled, the two opponents had each retreated a hundred paces. Nezha's chest heaved violently, and seventy percent of his divine power had been spent. The Great Black Yaksha panted as he licked his fangs, his blade-holding hand trembling slightly—this Third Prince was truly difficult to handle. Without the Heavenly Sin Blade's divine might, he would likely have been defeated already.

A sudden deathly silence fell across a hundred li, with only two figures standing amid the ruins.

Suddenly, the sound of fluttering robes cutting through the air swept across the sky.

Nezha and the Great Black Yaksha both looked up sharply. Amid flickering afterimages, a figure in green robes had already appeared at the edge of the sinful light. Zhuang Yan stood with his hands behind his back and raised an eyebrow at the Great Black Yaksha with a smile. "Old demon, do you dare touch even a hair on me?"

"How dare an ant act so presumptuously!" The Great Black Yaksha furiously swung his blade, and sinful light poured down like a galaxy. Yet Zhuang Yan did not move in the slightest. Only when the blade was about to strike him did he softly say, "Return."

The ferocious blade that had shaken the Three Realms vanished into thin air.

The Great Black Yaksha froze in place, futilely grasping at empty air. "Where is my blade?!" His divine sense swept across the eight wildernesses and six directions, yet he could not find the slightest trace of it. Just as the clay jar appeared from Zhuang Yan's sleeve, Nezha flashed before him. His six arms formed seals, forcibly cutting off the direction indicated by the jar's opening.

"What does Marshal Who Subdues Demons mean by this?" Zhuang Yan hurriedly put away the jar, then immediately forced a smile and cupped his hands. "This little immortal has been discourteous."

Nezha paid no mind to Zhuang Yan's tone and said bluntly, "The Heavenly Sin Blade is yours. I will handle the Great Black Yaksha."

Zhuang Yan immediately understood and replied with cupped hands, "As you command." He had come for the Heavenly Sin Blade in the first place. Whether the Great Black Yaksha lived or died had nothing to do with him.

In an instant, Nezha revealed his Three Heads Six Arms dharma form. Golden light shot from his body, and his magic treasures gleamed. A savage expression appeared on his face as all three heads roared in fury, and he lunged straight at the Great Black Yaksha.

Though the Great Black Yaksha possessed Golden Immortal cultivation, he was far inferior to Nezha. He had relied entirely on the Heavenly Sin Blade to contend with him. Now that the treasured blade had changed hands, his strength plummeted. Seeing Nezha charge at him with murderous intent, his face immediately drained of color, and he transformed into black light to flee.

Nezha sneered and hurled out the embroidered ball. A piercing whistle split the air, and the black light crashed down. His dharma form arrived in an instant. The Fire-Tipped Spear pierced straight through the Great Black Yaksha's chest, the Demon Slaying Sword cleaved his dharma form into three pieces, and a flash of blade light sent his head flying. The sixth arm held a wooden box and steadily caught the head, after which the Demon Subduing Pestle came down and smashed his primordial spirit into oblivion.

Looking around, Nezha saw that every ghost soldier and aquatic general under the Great Black Yaksha had been slain. The Four Great Demon Sages had also been captured by the Eighteen Arhats and bound atop the thunderclouds. From the Heavenly Army's entry into the West Sea until now, only one hour had passed. Without the Heavenly Sin Blade, the Great Black Yaksha had been utterly helpless.

Nezha withdrew his dharma form and handed the wooden box containing the head to the Giant Spirit God before taking stock of the casualties. The Four Heavenly Kings reported, "One hundred and seven Heavenly River aquatic soldiers were killed, and three thousand four hundred and fifty-one were wounded."

"What of the Heavenly Generals?" Nezha pressed. Marshal Tianpeng Zhu Lie and the Thirty-six Heavenly Generals were carried forward, and King Dhritarashtra said, "They were gravely injured by the great black sinful light."