Chapter 21: The Demon Immortal: Six-Eared Macaque

He Xiangu was incredibly gentle; she possessed an ethereal quality that surpassed even the celestial maidens of the heavens. Jiang Wang had encountered many celestial maidens in the heavenly realms, yet none radiated such a profound sense of divinity as she did.

"An anomaly in the Dragon Palace?"

Faced with He Xiangu’s question, Jiang Wang paused for a moment. What anomaly could there be in the Dragon Palace? The greatest anomaly was the "Old Dragon King" himself. He had specifically traveled to the heavens to petition the Grand Celestial Sovereign for an imperial edict. While he claimed it was to seal away the Demon Dragon and ensure the safety of the Dragon Maiden Yancai, his entire course of action had been bizarre. He had relied on celestial soldiers to apprehend the Dragon Maiden, yet he had not even disclosed the whereabouts of the Demon Dragon. The entire East Sea remained calm, showing no signs of the chaos one would expect from a rampaging Demon Dragon.

Jiang Wang bowed to He Xiangu and Yancai. "I have not detected any anomalies in the East Sea. If there is one, it is likely the Old Dragon King himself."

He Xiangu glanced at Yancai, who kept her head bowed, her expression complex.

"So, you have also noticed something strange about my father," Yancai sighed. "Fellow Daoist, my father’s situation is extremely complicated, as is the state of the East Sea! If you do not wish to be ensnared in this, you should return to the Heavenly Court as soon as possible."

Jiang Wang shook his head. "I apologize, Dragon Maiden, but we carry an imperial edict from the Grand Celestial Sovereign; we must assist the Dragon King in taking you back to the Heavenly Court."

"An imperial edict from the Grand Celestial Sovereign?" Lu Dongbin and He Xiangu exclaimed in unison.

"Indeed. It is precisely because of this edict that we have entered the Dongsheng Divine Continent so boldly. Otherwise, with the Heavenly King Dhrtarastra guarding the region, we would never have dared to be so conspicuous."

Jiang Wang did not adopt an air of superiority. Although he was a Celestial Immortal and Lu Dongbin and He Xiangu had not yet truly stepped onto the path of immortality, their futures were unpredictable. He Xiangu aside, Jiang Wang knew better than to provoke Lu Dongbin.

"This is troublesome," Lu Dongbin glanced at Yancai and sighed. "What exactly is your father planning? To move the Grand Celestial Sovereign to issue an edict? If He Xiangu and I continue to shield you, I fear we shall face divine retribution."

The Grand Celestial Sovereign was the ruler of the Six Realms! His very existence defied description. When he issued an imperial decree, no one in the Six Realms dared to openly defy it. Even the Underworld, backed by the Lady Pingxin, would not openly oppose the Sovereign’s will. Once an order was given, it had to be carried out dutifully, regardless of the circumstances.

Even the powers of Mount Lingshan were compelled to obey the Grand Celestial Sovereign. When the Monkey King wreaked havoc outside the South Heaven Gate, and the Four Royals and Five Elders merely watched from the sidelines, the Sovereign summoned the Buddha to subdue him. It was a "summons," not a "request." In terms of status, the Grand Celestial Sovereign stood above the Buddha. Thus, beyond the future defiance of the Monkey King, no living soul dared to challenge the Sovereign's authority. Such was the weight of his majesty.

Yancai’s expression slumped. "Fellow Daoist, take me away. I cannot let these two suffer on my account."

"Setting aside the matter of your arrest for a moment, I have a question I would like you to answer," Jiang Wang said, holding back.

"Ask away," Yancai replied despondently. "If I know the answer, I will tell you everything."

"Why did you approach me after you returned to the Dragon Palace?" Jiang Wang asked, adding, "And were you the one spying on my party just now?"

"To your first question," Yancai replied quickly, "when I returned to the Dragon Palace, I used a treasure to avoid my father’s detection, but its effect only works when I am not casting spells. I approached you because you were the only soldier who checked the surroundings before eating or drinking; the others were solely focused on the feast. I assumed you had sensed the anomaly in the Dragon Palace, so I subconsciously spoke to you. I am truly sorry for the trouble."

"As for your second question, I have no idea. Was someone spying on you?"

Jiang Wang observed her closely and concluded she was not lying. He turned his gaze to Lu Dongbin and He Xiangu, who exchanged glances and shook their heads.

"We have not yet ascended to immortality," Lu Dongbin said with a smile. "To converse with a celestial being is a great honor; we would never dare to spy on you."

Jiang Wang was puzzled. If it wasn't them, who was it? A rogue cultivator of the Dongsheng Divine Continent? Impossible. They would have fled at the sight of celestial soldiers. It had to be a stray immortal dwelling in the mortal realm. Being a "stray immortal" did not necessarily mean one was weaker than those holding positions in the Heavenly Court—it simply meant they lacked official status. Some, like the Great Immortal Zhenyuan of Wuzhuang Temple, were ancient beings of immense power, while others were merely common.

"Are there any powerful stray immortal dwellings nearby?" Jiang Wang asked Lu Dongbin.

Lu Dongbin paused. "A stray immortal’s dwelling? I don't believe so."

He Xiangu tugged at his sleeve. "Brother Lu, have you forgotten about him?"

"Ah, right!" Lu Dongbin’s eyes widened. "Fellow Daoist, there is a demon immortal nearby whose strength far exceeds mine. Perhaps he was intimidated by your presence and took a peek, but he is known to be peaceful. He should hold no malice."

"And what is this demon immortal’s name?"

"We call him Six-Ears," Lu Dongbin replied. "He was born with six ears. As for his true form, I am not certain, though it is rumored he is a spirit monkey."

Six-Eared Macaque!

Jiang Wang’s heart sank. He felt as though he had been pulled into a massive vortex. In this world of the Great Desolation and the Journey to the West, one was best advised to avoid anything related to the "Great Calamity." The Six-Eared Macaque was one of the greatest variables in that calamity. He possessed the same cultivation, techniques, and power as the Monkey King, and even wielded a staff identical to the Ruyi Jingu Bang, known as the "Follow-the-Heart Iron Rod." Both were forged by the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord. More importantly, it was rumored he was a disciple of the Burning Lamp Ancient Buddha. If that were true, he was a massive trap waiting to be sprung.

"Fellow Daoist? Celestial?" Lu Dongbin asked, noticing Jiang Wang’s silence.

Neither he nor He Xiangu dared to keep Yancai any longer. With the Grand Celestial Sovereign’s edict hanging over them, they knew that if they interfered, they could be struck down as criminals without anyone to plead their case. They could only hope this celestial traveler would take the Dragon Maiden and depart immediately.