Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 483 - 477: Burning Image [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1
The Black Bear Demon performed the Law of Heaven and Earth.
With his gaping maw opened wide, he swallowed all the Celestial Gods and Buddhas in the sky.
The Honorable Carp was no exception, becoming food for the Black Bear Demon’s belly and directly turning into excrement within his stomach.
Only Yao Shaosi, with his powerful Mana, broke free from the gaping maw and, transforming into a streak of golden light, fled far away.
However, Yao Shaosi’s courage was utterly shattered. He was petrified, aghast as if facing death itself. It was likely that from then on, his Dao path had collapsed, and achieving another breakthrough would be incredibly difficult. Even if he encountered the Black Bear Demon again, he would have to take a detour, no longer daring to attempt its capture. This was because he had developed a heart-demon; his Dao path was broken.
Too strong, too powerful, too terrifying! How is this possible? How could he be so mighty? He’s just a demon, a savage beast! How could he be so formidable? It was Sha Chen! Sha Chen taught him the Dao Techniques and Divine Powers that made him so strong. The last time I saw him, he was merely an early-stage Da Luo. How could he have grown so much in just over a decade? He must be a High-order Da Luo by now! How could his progression be so rapid?!
Yao Shaosi was horrified, his mind racing with countless thoughts. However, he didn’t dare look back, abandoning all his subordinates and fleeing directly back to the Heavens.
The Black Bear Demon didn’t pursue. He didn’t want unnecessary complications and also knew Yao Shaosi was as good as crippled from then on. After all, the demon figured, a single glance from him would likely be enough to make Yao Shaosi collapse in fear. Such a worthless fellow wasn’t worth his concern; complete annihilation was unnecessary.
THUMP.
Elder Jin Chi and the disciples from the Guanyin Zen Temple knelt on the ground, one after another, in extreme terror. Elder Jin Chi, in particular, was so scared he’d lost control of his bodily functions, his courage completely shattered. Just moments ago, he had been grandstanding, treating the Black Bear Demon with utter disrespect. Now, the demon had devoured his protectors—all the Celestial Gods and Buddhas. Such horror, such dread! He was terrified. Elder Jin Chi knelt, kowtowing repeatedly, weeping and wailing, begging for mercy.
The Black Bear Demon said indifferently, "I gave you a chance, but you were useless. Since that’s the case, you might as well die."
He opened his maw wide, exhaling a terrifying golden light accompanied by fierce winds and a chilling demonic aura. Elder Jin Chi and the entire Guanyin Zen Temple instantly vanished within the golden light, disappearing without a trace.
However, a painting floated out from the Guanyin Zen Temple—it was a portrait of Guanyin, radiating Buddha’s light, looking incredibly lifelike.
Soon after, the portrait of Guanyin began to speak, its voice that of Guanyin Bodhisattva, filled with divine might, compassion, anger, and authority.
"Wicked beast! How dare you harm others so? Lay down your butcher’s knife at once and attain Buddhahood on the spot! Perhaps then I, this Bodhisattva, can spare you."
The portrait of Guanyin bellowed, "Kneel and beg for mercy immediately! What are you waiting for? My Luo Jia Mountain lacks a great guardian. If you kneel and beg for mercy, I will give you a chance to atone for your crimes by becoming the protecting Mountain God of my Luo Jia Mountain. Otherwise, you will not be spared!"
In the past, the Black Bear Demon would tremble with fear at the mere mention of The Goddess of Mercy’s deeds, let alone hearing her voice. He would have eagerly sought to become a lackey under The Goddess of Mercy, yearning to serve her as her bear guardian, yet he was not deemed worthy.
And now, she expects me to submit?
The Black Bear Demon sneered, "Old woman, do you think I’m still the Bear King of the past? Ridiculous! I once wanted to follow you and achieve true enlightenment, but your Guanyin Zen Temple only harbored filth and corruption, which I disdain."
"As for you, what’s so impressive? You’ve merely been treading water. Since following my Master, I’ve cultivated for just over four hundred years, yet I’ve already reached the High-ranking Da Luo Golden Immortal realm! Given time, surpassing you will be no issue. Just you wait; you’re nothing special."
Saying this, the Black Bear Demon rubbed his hands together, and a crimson flame appeared in his palms. With a light breath, he burned the portrait of Guanyin to ashes.
From within the flames, the portrait of Guanyin emanated a Buddhist chant, "Amitabha Buddha. You monstrous demon, I cannot pardon you."
Then, a beam of golden light shot from the flames, aiming straight for the Black Bear Demon’s heart as if to pierce him through.
The Black Bear Demon snorted contemptuously and swatted it away with a palm strike. Heavenly Splitting Palm.
The golden light vanished instantly. The Black Bear Demon, grinning triumphantly, said, "I told you. You’re just a fallen phoenix, while I am the supreme Black Bear King, reigning high above!"
He then turned and departed.
「Luo Jia Mountain.」
The Goddess of Mercy stood up, her eyes flickering. Muzha, beside her, hurriedly asked with concern, "Master, what has happened?"
The Goddess of Mercy said, "The Black Bear Demon has rebelled. He devoured the Arhats and the Honorable Carp I sent, and also consumed thousands of Jia Lan Celestial Gods from the Heavenly Court."
"Not only that, he destroyed my Guanyin Zen Temple, burned my teaching portrait, and spoke with extreme insolence and arrogance."
Muzha, enraged, said, "Master, rest assured! I will seek justice for you!"
In the past, The Goddess of Mercy would have let him go.
But now... times were different. She sighed and stopped Muzha.
Muzha said, "Master, please allow this disciple to relieve your worries and resolve this problem! That mere Black Bear Demon is not worth mentioning."
He then patted his chest, declaring, "Having received Master’s inheritance and blessings, I have now stepped into the Da Luo Golden Immortal Realm. I am fully capable of seeking justice for Master!"
However, The Goddess of Mercy replied, "Although you are now a Da Luo Golden Immortal, you are still no match for him. There’s no need to rush to your death."
Muzha was indignant. "Disciple has heard that the Black Bear Demon is also a Da Luo, but I am not lacking either! With Master’s teachings and gifted Magical Tools, can I still not defeat him?"
The Goddess of Mercy said, "I’m afraid he may already be a High-order Da Luo. You truly are not his opponent."
GASP.
A High-order Da Luo?
Muzha’s eyes filled with horror and disbelief, mixed with bitter unwillingness. He gritted his teeth. Just over a decade ago, I heard the Black Bear Demon was captured and thrown into the Heavenly Prison, merely an early-stage Da Luo at the time! How could he become a High-order Da Luo in such a short period? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Suddenly, a name flashed into his mind. The name was Sha Chen.
The Goddess of Mercy seemed to read his thoughts and nodded. "You’re not wrong. It was indeed Sha Chen who helped him, and the demon makes no secret of calling Sha Chen ’Master’."
Her gaze shimmered. "Sha Chen’s ambitions are plain for all to see. He openly affiliates with demons like the Black Bear Demon, showing utter disregard for the Heavenly Court and Buddhism. His strength has grown formidable; he’s become like an untamable tiger, a menace even we in Buddhism cannot contain. It’s unfortunate that the Two Saints are in seclusion and cannot attend to such worldly affairs. Otherwise, if the Two Saints were to personally intervene, there wouldn’t be so many troubles."
Despair washed over Muzha. He had clashed with Sha Chen in the past. He never imagined that the person he once could boss around would grow to a point where only the personal intervention of the Two Western Saints could possibly resolve matters. Yet here he was, unable to defeat even one of Sha Chen’s followers.
How pathetic!
Muzha’s fighting spirit instantly vanished, his entire demeanor becoming listless.
The Goddess of Mercy glanced at him and sighed. She wanted to offer some encouragement but couldn’t find the right words. After all, it was indeed a crushing blow. Only her mature mind and vast experience allowed her to barely maintain her composure. If the Black Bear Demon truly managed to ride roughshod over her one day, she feared her own Dao heart might collapse.
The Black Bear Demon left the Guanyin Zen Temple and journeyed towards Five Finger Mountain. At first glance, the mountain itself seemed unchanged, but in reality, the surrounding region had undergone earth-shattering transformations. The land for a hundred li around it had become like a death zone. Even with his formidable strength, the Black Bear Demon felt a profound unease upon stepping into this area. Within this hundred-li expanse, there were neither Mountain Gods nor Earth Gods to be found, as if the entire region was meant to be devoid of life.
As the Black Bear Demon neared this blighted land, even before getting too close, he heard colossal breathing sounds, as if a peerless, terrifying beast was about to awaken.
