"True Lord, why are you here?!"
The moment Erlang Shen appeared, Yaruu stared at him in disbelief, completely ignoring the question directed at him.
Erlang Shen frowned slightly. He rotated the three pointed double edged saber in his hand and pointed the blade behind him.
"I should be asking you that.
"The Four Rivers Dragon Kings have been hiding for hundreds of years, so why are you showing yourselves now? And what happened to Little Leiyin Temple? How did it vanish without a trace, leaving behind nothing but a giant palm print stretching dozens of miles?
"Speak!"
Before Bue could answer, the saber tore through the air and came crashing down toward his head.
Bue hurriedly raised his small wolf tooth club to block it. Even though he managed to stop the strike, the overwhelming force smashed him deep into the ground. Bones cracked throughout his body, agony surged through him, and he completely lost the strength to move.
Erlang Shen stepped forward and stared down at the defeated dragon king coldly.
His gaze locked onto the weapon in Bue's hand as he pressed the blade against Bue's throat.
"No one is saving you today, Four Rivers Dragon King.
"Tell me exactly what happened at Little Leiyin Temple."
"Great Sage!!!"
Instead of answering, Bue suddenly raised his head and shouted toward the sky.
He already understood his situation. In the eyes of Heaven, he and his brothers had long been considered dead. Erlang Shen would never spare him.
His only hope was the Great Sage.
At the same time, Erlang Shen narrowed his eyes slightly. The blade pushed a little deeper into Bue's neck, drawing dragon blood.
"Which Great Sage are you calling for?"
"Haha, little nephew, don't be so impatient. He's calling for me."
Axel's voice suddenly sounded beside Erlang Shen.
Erlang Shen's eyes widened instantly.
That armor.
That aura.
Too familiar.
How had Axel approached him without him noticing at all?
Before he could react further, Axel casually smacked him on the butt.
Erlang Shen froze.
Dark energy leaked faintly from the third eye on his forehead.
This bastard actually slapped him?!
Grinding his teeth, Erlang Shen swung the three pointed double edged saber directly at Axel's neck.
Axel casually raised one hand and grabbed the weapon mid swing.
Boom!
A violent shockwave exploded from the collision between Axel's palm and the saber. Even Bue was blasted away, tumbling dozens of meters before crashing into the ground.
He painfully spat out two golden bricks, then quickly stuffed them back into his mouth before shouting excitedly toward Axel.
"Great Sage, this little dragon has failed you! I couldn't even last an hour before asking for help!
"But this little dragon truly had no idea Erlang Shen would suddenly appear in Little Western Heaven. If it were anyone else, I could've fought them, but against the True Lord, I was completely outmatched. My bones nearly shattered after only two moves.
"This little dragon had no choice but to call for you. Please forgive me!"
"Haha, of course I forgive you."
Axel waved a hand dismissively.
"Across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, besides those high and mighty Buddhas and Immortals, how many people can confidently say they're stronger than this little nephew of mine? Losing to him isn't embarrassing."
As he spoke, Axel casually gestured for Bue to back away.
Then he looked back at Erlang Shen's stunned expression.
With a grin, Axel reached into his ear and pulled out the Ruyi Jingu Bang, the golden staff instantly expanding into his hand.
Before Erlang Shen could react, Axel swung the staff straight into his body.
Boom!
A deafening explosion echoed through the area.
Erlang Shen was forced back two steps, the ground beneath him exploding apart as he desperately redirected the force.
Even so, he still tightly gripped the saber Axel held.
As the dust settled, Erlang Shen spat blood onto the ground.
Then, unexpectedly, he smiled.
"What terrifying strength. You've become even stronger, you damn monkey."
He shook the saber lightly.
"I know you're in a hurry, but before anything else, we need to fight properly.
"I want to see what you've become after this reincarnation.
"Now let go."
As soon as he finished speaking, Erlang Shen violently twisted the saber.
Axel released it casually, resting the Ruyi Jingu Bang across his shoulders with both hands draped over it.
"Little nephew, you've got the wrong idea. I'm not the monkey you knew."
"I know."
Erlang Shen nodded.
"You're dead. The one standing here now is someone new. But whether you deserve the title of Great Sage, we'll decide that with our weapons."
As soon as his voice fell, lightning flashed.
A massive divine axe appeared in the sky and hacked down toward Axel's head.
Axel sneered.
"Stop holding back, old buddy. You're pouring out mercy like the Milky Way itself.
"I'm not that monkey, and I'm definitely not the chosen one you're waiting for. So quit going easy on me and fight properly."
Even as the axe descended, Axel kept both hands resting lazily on his staff.
Only his right leg lifted slightly.
Boom!
The gigantic axe stopped completely.
Caught between Axel's toes.
Erlang Shen stared blankly for a second before forcing out a bitter laugh.
"I truly don't understand where your monstrous strength comes from.
"That strike just now was full force. Mountains like Hua and Tai would've split apart instantly.
"But somehow, your feet became even stronger after turning human?"
His expression darkened.
"And your personality somehow became even worse.
"Could you not have caught it with your hands? You just had to use your feet?"
The more Erlang Shen spoke, the angrier he became.
Using his toes to stop the axe was simply too infuriating.
Fueled by rage, he formed a sword seal with his fingers.
Thousands of flying swords instantly gathered behind him.
Without hesitation, the swords shot forward from every direction, locking Axel in place while Erlang Shen charged in with his saber.
Facing the overwhelming assault, Axel casually turned sideways and blocked the saber with the staff resting on his shoulder.
Sparks exploded upon impact.
Then Axel suddenly released one hand and grabbed Erlang Shen by the armor collar.
With a simple shove, he forced him backward before swinging the Ruyi Jingu Bang into the distance.
The golden staff instantly extended hundreds of meters.
Boom!
The strike blasted Erlang Shen completely out of Little Western Heaven.
As he flew backward at terrifying speed, Erlang Shen stared at Axel in disbelief.
How had this bastard become this strong?
Only two hits had already broken several of his ribs.
Grinding his teeth, Erlang Shen suddenly enlarged his body midair.
His gigantic feet dragged across the ground for miles before he finally managed to stop himself.