Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 280 - 274: Refining the Mountain Splitting Axe [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1
Sha Chen had already heard the winds of rumor. Someone had brought Guang Chengzi’s Magical Tool, the Seal of Fanning the sky, clearly intending to collaborate with Yang Jian and break into his Flowing Sand River Cave.
Sha Chen’s face turned grave, and his gaze became pensive.
Jin Chanzi’s reincarnation sensed that something was amiss and asked anxiously, "Master, what’s happened? Why do you look so troubled?"
Sha Chen replied, "If I heard correctly, Guang Chengzi’s foremost disciple, Yin Jiao, has brought the Seal of Fanning the sky. It’s likely meant for Yang Jian."
Jin Chanzi’s reincarnation was confused, as he was not very knowledgeable about many things in the cultivation world. His previous cultivation had only touched upon some basic matters.
The White Bone Demon overheard, and her expression changed dramatically. She understood.
She exclaimed in shock, "Yin Jiao really brought the Seal of Fanning the sky? If that’s the case, we’re in trouble. That’s the Seal of Fanning the sky—it’s said to be capable of shattering Mount Tai in the blink of an eye."
"Master, we should pack up and make a quick escape. If we stay here, I’m afraid we’ll have no choice but to await death."
Sha Chen shook his head and said, "It’s even more dangerous outside."
The White Bone Demon asked, "Then what should we do?"
Sha Chen fell silent, contemplating a solution.
Jin Chanzi suddenly suggested, "Master, why not let your disciple go out and persuade the Erlang God to leave?"
Sha Chen laughed and said, "It’s pointless. The Erlang God didn’t come for you; he’s here to save his own mother. The Jade Emperor summoned him; I am his target."
Jin Chanzi’s reincarnation was stunned, now at a loss for what to do.
The White Bone Demon said, "I know a bit about the matter of Yang Jian’s mother too. It’s just a pity we can’t enter Peach Mountain. Otherwise, we’d storm in, kidnap his mother, and force him to retreat."
Sha Chen paused, his eyes flickering, then an odd expression came over him.
He grew excited and embraced the White Bone Demon, saying, "Good thinking, old bones! Your suggestion is excellent. Who would’ve thought your skull, empty of brains, could come up with such a great idea?"
When the White Bone Demon heard the latter part of his comment, she felt awkward all over. Still, she shyly replied, "Master, what did this servant say to make you so happy?"
Sha Chen let her go and smiled, "Your idea was good. We can threaten Yang Jian with his mother, Princess Yunhua. Not only will this prevent him from threatening us, but we can also make him confront the Jade Emperor, using him as our shield."
The White Bone Demon, puzzled, said, "But how could that be possible?"
Sha Chen replied, "If we can find Peach Mountain, then it’s possible."
The White Bone Demon said, "This servant does know the location of Peach Mountain, but we can’t enter it, let alone get close or make contact with Princess Yunhua. How could we threaten Yang Jian?"
Jin Chanzi’s reincarnation chimed in, "Let your disciple go and persuade him." He had understood and felt that instead of threatening Yang Jian, it might be more reliable for him to try persuasion.
Sha Chen shook his head and said, "You don’t understand my intention. As long as we have Princess Yunhua as our leverage, we can make Yang Jian work for us."
The White Bone Demon said, "But we can’t get close to Peach Mountain. There are Celestial Gods defending it, and it’s impregnable, fortified by the energy of the Investiture of the Gods. With the Immortal Peaches and the fortunes of the Heavenly Court fortifying it, it’s a hundred times more solid than Mount Tai."
The mortal Mount Tai is guarded by the Mountain God and is impregnable; even Divine Powers capable of destroying heaven and earth would not easily damage it. Peach Mountain is even more impregnable, illustrating its toughness. Threatening Yang Jian with Princess Yunhua seemed impossible unless a Saint intervened.
Sha Chen smiled, "Don’t worry, I have a way. They want to use the Seal of Fanning the sky to break into my Flowing Sand River; we can use a Magical Tool to break into Peach Mountain and either kidnap Princess Yunhua or negotiate with Yang Jian."
He knew Yang Jian made deals with the Heavenly Court. He obeyed commands but not proclamations, all because of Princess Yunhua. If she were safe, given Yang Jian’s nature, he might choose seclusion or establish his own sect and no longer serve the Heavenly Court. After all, the Heavenly Court was a place of sorrow for him. The Jade Emperor himself had suppressed Princess Yunhua in Peach Mountain, resulting in the shattering of his family.
The White Bone Demon asked, "Master, how could we break into Peach Mountain?" She was somewhat bewildered.
Sha Chen didn’t possess the Seal of Fanning the sky, and that tool could smash down gates, even the Black Tortoise Armor and the Apricot Yellow Flag of Wuji. But to use it against Peach Mountain could very well destroy the entire mountain, and Princess Yunhua inside might also perish. That was precisely why Yang Jian didn’t use the Seal of Fanning the sky to break Peach Mountain.
Sha Chen chuckled and asked, "What in this world is most suitable for breaking into a mountain? Remember, it mustn’t harm the person inside."
The White Bone Demon considered and said, "The best method would be to use a sharp instrument, one that possesses great force and strong armor-piercing ability, which could break through in one go." She looked around, spotted the Giant Que Sword, shook her head, and said, "Although the Giant Que Sword is also sharp and contains great force, it’s not good enough. Its grade is too low to break Peach Mountain."
The grade of the Giant Que Sword wasn’t poor. It was more or less on par with a three-pointed, double-edged halberd. If such a halberd couldn’t break Peach Mountain, neither could the Giant Que Sword. After all, it was more suited for hacking, stabbing, lifting, and blocking. However, cleaving Peach Mountain required a weapon designed for such a purpose. The Giant Que Sword’s blade was too long, straight, and rigid. If forced against Peach Mountain, the sword itself would likely snap or shatter. Therefore, to split the mountain, a saber or, even better, an axe would be the ideal tool.
The White Bone Demon thought and then suggested, "Master, we could either find the Heaven-Splitting Saber or use the Heaven Opening Axe. However, both items are legendary primordial holy artifacts, elusive and not easily found." She shook her head and said, "It’s impossible to find them; there are even rumors they have already shattered."
Sha Chen replied, "What has become of them, I do not know. But to split Peach Mountain, there’s no need for the Heaven Opening Axe. A Mountain Splitting Axe will suffice."
The White Bone Demon was taken aback and said, "Mountain Splitting Axe? It is said that when Taoist Ancestor Hongjun distributed Magical Tools at Fenbao Cliff, the Mountain Splitting Axe was among them and given to the Ancestral Witch Qiang Liang, but Qiang Liang lost it."
Sha Chen said, "I am unaware of such ancient secrets, but I do know that the Mountain Splitting Axe is in my hands."
The White Bone Demon was shocked, her expression filled with disbelief and astonishment. She exclaimed in horror, "Master, do you truly possess the Mountain Splitting Axe?"
Sha Chen smiled, as he began to summon the Mountain Splitting Axe that the system had awarded him. He waited for about an hour.
Outside the Flowing Sand River, a streak of light flew in. The defenses of the Flowing Sand River Cave could not block its brilliance. It fell directly into the Flowing Sand River and nearly split the entire river in two.
It was embedded in the cliff face. Sha Chen went up and pulled it out.
He held it in his hands and inspected it, a smile appearing on his face as he said, "The Mountain Splitting Axe, truly sharp. If used, it could break open my Flowing Sand River Cave in an instant." He laughed, "Such a treasure should not fall into others’ hands. It’s more fitting for it to remain with me." It was best to keep something that could threaten him in his own hands.
The White Bone Demon stepped forward and upon seeing the Mountain Splitting Axe, she gasped in shock, disbelief filling her eyes. She cried out, "Master, is this the Mountain Splitting Axe you spoke of? Just one glance gives me a sense of facing death; it is truly terrifying! To what extent has the sharpness of this Mountain Splitting Axe reached? It’s horrifying."
Sha Chen replied, "I do not know the specifics, but I can tell you that the Mountain Splitting Axe was made from the fragments of God Pangu’s Heaven Opening Axe used in the creation of the world."
GASP! This revelation stunned not only the White Bone Demon but also the reincarnated Gold Cicada. That such a divine axe had come into Sha Chen’s possession.
The White Bone Demon inquired, "Master, how did you come to possess it?"
Sha Chen answered, "I do not know. I just felt as if it was meant to be with me. Let’s not discuss this now. While Yin Jiao has not yet arrived, I shall refine the Mountain Splitting Axe first." Then, Sha Chen sat cross-legged and began Refining the Mountain Splitting Axe, tempering it with Imperial Gods’ Thunder and Refining it with his blood essence.
「The following day.」
Sha Chen had completely refined the Mountain Splitting Axe, and he had also familiarized himself with its characteristics in a cursory way. It was just a matter of insufficient time, or else he would have practiced a set of combinations using the Mountain Splitting Axe.
This thing was not just for splitting mountains and breaking stones; it could also be used in combat. Once engaged in battle, no matter how resilient your flesh, you would be cloven in two by a swing of this axe.
Yang Jian’s physical body was quite formidable. During a brief exchange with Sha Chen earlier, he relied on his strong body, not bothering to dodge many of Sha Chen’s attacks. If Sha Chen were to strike with the Mountain Splitting Axe and Yang Jian didn’t dodge, he would likely lose his life.
This axe was far more effective in combat than the Giant Que Sword. With the Mountain Splitting Axe in his possession, Sha Chen could simply hang the Giant Que Sword on the wall as a talisman; its combat role was greatly diminished.
「Meanwhile.」
Yin Jiao arrived. He was the son of King Zhou from the era of King Wu’s campaign against Zhou, titled as the Chief Deity of Taisui Department, with extraordinary talent and immense Divine Powers.
Yin Jiao’s strength was formidable. During the Divine Enthronement, using the Seal of Fanning the sky, the Lost Soul Bell, and the Double Swords, he defeated Nezha, Huang Tianhua, and Huang Feihu. Furthermore, his most impressive feat was his duel against Guang Chengzi, whom he defeated with the Seal of Fanning the sky.
Yin Jiao’s strength could be described as ’the student surpassing the master,’ possessing powerful Mana as a High Order of Daluo Golden Immortal, slightly inferior to Yang Jian but formidable compared to many others.
However, Yin Jiao’s victory over Guang Chengzi was attributed to Guang Chengzi lending him the Seal of Fanning the sky, leaving himself without a Magical Tool. Facing Yin Jiao wielding his own Magical Tool and reluctant to harm him, Guang Chengzi was defeated. The fact that Guang Chengzi could escape unscathed indicated he did not exert his full might in the fight against Yin Jiao. Nonetheless, this proved Yin Jiao’s strength was immense and fearsome.
Within the Investiture of the Gods, his talent was outstanding. Being named as the Chief Deity of Taisui Department was testament to his exceptional talent and might.
Keep in mind, the Chief Deity of Taisui Department was on par with Chief Deity Zhao Gongming of The Mysterious Altar Department, though Yin Jiao’s strength was naturally not comparable to Zhao Gongming’s. But he was not to be underestimated.
He came, he came, he came with the Seal of Fanning the sky.
