Chapter 127: A Plan Takes Shape

“Fool, what kind of rodent dares to block my path? Do you not know who I am?”

Eyes blazing with anger, the monkey, just having shaken off the terror of being chased by paper boats moments ago, shouted fiercely upon seeing the celestial being before him.

Above the abyssal chasm, an elderly man slowly stepped out from the ranks. This was none other than the ancient patriarch of the Great Luo Immortal Realm, the benevolent Daoist Ciyun.

Ciyun was also an earthbound immortal. Long ago, he and Daoist Kumu had studied the Rulai Divine Palm authored by Ye Qiu. The Great Sun Buddha incantation just now was his doing.

“Monkey head, cease your arrogance!”

With a cold shout, Daoist Ciyun struck directly, a palm descending from the heavens, fiercely slamming toward the monkey.

Under the blessing of the Great Sun Buddha incantation, a divine image of heaven and earth manifested—though not on the level of Daoist Kumu, it was still immensely powerful.

Alas, the monkey was not so easily subdued. Though only at the celestial realm, he wielded many of Ye Qiu’s treasured artifacts.

“Brother Monkey, what do we do? They’re attacking us…”

Old Pig began to panic seeing so many closing in, but the monkey remained unshaken, disdainfully replying, “What’s there to panic about? A few old Daoists like these, what harm can they do to me? In this world, only that one could truly catch me, otherwise, no one else can.”

The monkey was supremely confident. Facing the celestial divine image above, he remained calm and said, “Old Pig, just watch, see how the Great Sage Equal to Heaven tames them…”

With that, the monkey’s golden staff suddenly moved. The staff suddenly grew larger, thrusting straight into the sky.

“Hiss… that staff, it can actually grow!”

Everyone was startled, instantly understanding why this demon monkey had caused such uproar in the East Sea—it was all because of the staff he wielded.

“Damn, that’s way too big! Long and huge, and can you feel it? That staff carries a pure and mighty righteous energy, even the Buddha’s light can’t suppress it…”

Exclamations filled the air. In an instant… the staff shattered Daoist Ciyun’s divine image of heaven and earth, ending the battle before it truly began.

The demon monkey laughed wildly, “Ha! You lot are no good at all! This is all you’ve got? I thought you’d be tougher…”

“Demon monkey, how dare you be so insolent!”

Daoist Ciyun’s face flushed with shame and anger after a failed strike. As a proud earthbound immortal, he could not even hold a single monkey, which was deeply embarrassing.

But the fact was undeniable.

“Old man, I advise you to go back and practice for a few more years. I won’t kill you, so leave quickly! After all, I am the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, renowned far and wide. Why would I bother with a nobody like you…”

The monkey was utterly rude, nearly driving Daoist Ciyun to madness. It seemed the monkey had indeed absorbed some of Ye Qiu’s mischievous spirit.

“You…”

Daoist Ciyun was furious but helpless. Enraged, he struck again.

“Demon monkey, I will kill you!”

With a loud roar, Daoist Ciyun struck down once more, this time unleashing ten layers of his power.

The vast East Sea suddenly churned, waves crashing and sand swirling. Under this oppressive force, the entire sea boiled.

“It’s over, it’s over. That old man has lost his temper. Brother Monkey, if it’s really bad, let’s retreat!”

This time, Old Pig was truly terrified. Daoist Ciyun was using his full strength—an earthbound immortal, no less.

Yet the monkey paid no mind, staring at his golden staff as he murmured, “Aolai fog, flower-fruit fragrance, the steady sea staff, myriad demons bow!”

At those words, a sudden golden light burst forth, the East Sea roiling even more violently. A terrifying force radiated from the golden staff.

Everyone was stunned.

“This… how is this possible!”

“Heavens, this power must have surpassed that of an earthbound immortal. Only a supreme being like the Moon Fairy could withstand it. Can Daoist Ciyun hold out?”

Shaking their heads in disbelief, the onlookers were clearly shaken by the monkey.

With the steady sea staff unleashed, the sea waters surged upward, a great celestial phenomenon taking shape. With a single strike, Daoist Ciyun was sent flying, unable even to defend himself.

“Pfft…”

Daoist Ciyun was stunned and gravely injured by the heavy blow.

“Damn! When did this monkey learn that move?”

Behind the Universe Mirror, Ye Qiu was dumbfounded. As far as he recalled, he had never taught the monkey that technique. When did it learn it?

Damn, the monkey’s practically become a spirit!

“Wait a minute, those words sound awfully familiar…”

Ye Qiu muttered to himself, but couldn’t quite recall. He shook his head with a wry smile, “I never imagined that teaching this monkey with a playful attitude would really produce such a troublemaker.”

Hehe, looks like these people won’t have an easy time dealing with this guy! Apart from Daoist Ciyun, there’s no other earthbound immortal stepping forward, the monkey is utterly invincible...

With that thought, Ye Qiu’s gaze curiously shifted to Qingcheng, who was still diligently practicing the sword slash on the wasteland.

“Hmm… if I’m not mistaken, in Journey to the West, when the Monkey King wreaked havoc in Heaven and descended to the mortal realm, the first to capture him was the Erlang God, right?

Wait, there’s no Erlang God in this world. Does that mean I have to train an Erlang God myself to deal with this monkey?”

With that thought, a faint smile played at Ye Qiu’s lips. Suddenly, the coming events seemed far more interesting.

A lesser sage subduing the Great Sage?

No matter what, this demon monkey was taught by Ye Qiu himself. Now it’s causing such chaos, leaving the entire East Sea in misery. If Ye Qiu did nothing, that would be hard to justify.

But he couldn’t appear himself either. If the monkey died and exposed him as its master, he’d be sunk without a trace.

No, no, this is something Ye Qiu absolutely cannot do! This blame is not mine to bear—let whoever wants it, take it...

The grand image he had worked so hard to build cannot be ruined by one monkey...

“Hehe, I got it!”

The more he thought, the more devious Ye Qiu’s laughter became, “geigeigei!” Seeing this, Cao He nearby was filled with dread.

Others might be oblivious, but Cao He knew Ye Qiu too well. Whenever Ye Qiu wore that expression, something bad was bound to happen.

Who would be the unlucky victim this time? Cao He already began silently praying.

“Poor thing, really poor thing! Why’d you have to pick a fight with this scoundrel, the number one trickster of the Great Wasteland? Don’t be fooled by his protagonist face; this guy’s tricks don’t come cheap…”

Cao He shook his head quietly, afraid to speak further lest he too get caught in Ye Qiu’s schemes.

At this moment, Ye Qiu walked toward the wasteland where Qingcheng was still practicing.

The weeds had mostly been cleared by Qingcheng. Seeing Ye Qiu approach, he asked curiously, “Shopkeeper, what’s going on? You look so serious.”

Ye Qiu thought to himself, “Oh? How thoughtful. I was just wondering how to trick you, and you go and speak up first?”