Seeing the others fully occupied, Zhu Bajie snorted and transformed into a massive black wild boar. A violent black gale followed behind him as he charged around Axel, smashing aside any Spirit Officials who slipped through the others' attacks.
The battlefield echoed with constant explosions, screams, and clashing weapons.
Meanwhile, Axel walked leisurely through the chaos with his hands behind his back, looking almost entertained.
"You really don't understand how ridiculous Heaven is until you climb these stairs yourself."
He glanced upward at the endless heavenly staircase.
"One hundred twenty-nine thousand and six hundred steps just to reach the Lingxiao Treasure Hall. Are the immortals here genuinely this bored?"
He clicked his tongue.
"If attending court means climbing all these stairs, then a meeting that starts in the morning should end sometime next week."
Yang Jian casually swung his Mountain Splitting Axe, instantly slaughtering dozens of Fiery Heavenly Soldiers charging from the side before answering from a distance.
"Big Brother, one day in Heaven equaling one year on Earth doesn't mean time itself moves differently."
His three-pointed double-edged spear swept across the battlefield, carving through rows of Heavenly Soldiers.
"The Great Scarlet Heaven has no sunrise or sunset. Without those changes, people naturally lose their sense of time. That's why it feels endless."
Several Heavenly Soldiers exploded into lightning after being struck down, their damaged armor disappearing from the battlefield.
Yang Jian continued calmly.
"But the immortal qi here is unimaginably dense. Living in Heaven for one year only ages the body by roughly a single day compared to the mortal world. That's why people say one day in Heaven equals one year on Earth."
Far away inside the corridors of the Tusita Palace, several young attendants hurriedly moved through rows of furnaces.
The damaged Heavenly Soldiers who had been defeated moments earlier reappeared there through flashes of lightning.
Without hesitation, the attendants tossed the soldiers directly into blazing furnaces alongside their broken armor.
After brief reforging and tempering, completely restored armor sets emerged once more before the soldiers were immediately thrown back toward the battlefield outside the Lingxiao Treasure Hall.
The attendants worked nonstop while complaining bitterly.
"The damage rate this time is insane! Why is the Jade Emperor allowing this mess to continue?"
Another attendant sighed while repairing a breastplate.
"It's because too many people in Heaven have been slacking off for years. Besides, you can't expect the Grand Supreme Elder Lord to personally step in every single time somebody rebels."
One of the younger attendants lowered his voice.
"I heard the Azure Ox mention earlier that the Jade Emperor already sent people to invite Buddha Tathagata from the Western Heaven."
"Then it's over for them," another attendant muttered immediately. "Other than the Jade Emperor and the Elder Lord, only Tathagata can suppress people on this level."
"Exactly. The Elder Lord acting personally would lower his status, and if the Jade Emperor himself moved, Heaven would look completely incompetent."
The attendants continued chatting while endlessly repairing soldiers and armor.
Meanwhile, inside the Lingxiao Treasure Hall itself, the Grand Supreme Elder Lord sat beneath the Jade Emperor with a faint smile on his face.
He glanced toward the distant battlefield before chuckling softly.
"Your Majesty, Tathagata has already arrived at the Heavenly River. He's intentionally waiting for them to force their way into the hall before making his appearance."
The old Daoist laughed quietly.
"It seems Spirit Mountain still remembers what happened with Pilanpo. They clearly want to recover some dignity this time."
The Jade Emperor lightly tapped his wine cup before speaking coldly.
"The Pilanpo matter was caused by the Queen Mother of the West interfering intentionally. If Tathagata wants revenge, he should direct his anger toward Kunlun instead of acting displeased with me."
The Jade Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Still, the Queen Mother was correct about one thing. Spirit Mountain gained enormous benefits from the Journey to the West."
"The flesh and blood of powerful demons, along with the spiritual essence of countless mortals, all flowed into Spirit Mountain through the scripture journey."
"Their Buddha cocoon techniques have advanced even further because of it."
The Jade Emperor turned toward the Grand Supreme Elder Lord.
"Old Lord, most of Pilanpo's remains ended up in your hands after her death. Have you and Kunlun made progress studying Spirit Mountain's methods?"
The Grand Supreme Elder Lord shook his head slowly.
"Not yet."
He stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"Spirit Mountain's techniques are extraordinary. Those monks rose from the barren lands of the Western Continent step by step. Their methods are highly refined."
"After studying the Buddha cocoon, I discovered its efficiency in absorbing spiritual essence rivals even the immortal pills I refine personally."
The old Daoist smiled faintly.
"And how many people in Heaven can match my alchemy?"
"That alone proves how terrifying Spirit Mountain's methods truly are."
He raised his gaze toward the Jade Emperor.
"Once we completely understand their techniques, Heaven will possess both the Dao of Alchemy and the Dao of Buddha Cocoons. By then, we may develop an even greater path toward immortality."
The Jade Emperor nodded slowly.
"In the past, Spirit Mountain attracted countless cultivators using their techniques of growing Buddha heads to absorb spiritual essence."
"They exchanged fragments of their methods with Heaven under the excuse of 'cultural exchange,' then gained enormous advantages through the scripture journey."
His expression turned colder.
"No matter what, we must fully master their techniques. Otherwise, Heaven's losses will become too severe."
He looked directly at the Elder Lord.
"And remind the Queen Mother not to act recklessly. The Stone Monkey's spiritual roots have already suffered catastrophe. Once he reincarnates, another great upheaval may begin."
The Grand Supreme Elder Lord merely smiled.
"This old Daoist understands."
At that exact moment, Axel stepped onto the final heavenly stair.
The massive gates of the Lingxiao Treasure Hall stood before him.
Through the enormous entrance, large enough for even the Giant Spirit God to walk through comfortably, Axel saw the Jade Emperor seated high above.
The white-haired ruler looked down at him emotionlessly.
His eyes carried neither anger nor hatred.
Only absolute indifference.
Below him, the Grand Supreme Elder Lord suddenly raised a finger and lightly pointed toward the sky above Axel.
Following the gesture instinctively, Axel looked upward toward the Heavenly River.
At first, he saw nothing.
Then suddenly, golden flowers began raining from the sky.
Golden lotus flowers bloomed beneath the heavens.
The waters of the Heavenly River flowed downward alongside them, forming a divine pathway stretching directly before Axel.
A fat old Buddha sat cross-legged atop the golden lotuses with a gentle smile on his face.
One hand held a flower delicately between his fingers.
Buddha Tathagata had arrived.
His warm gaze swept across the battlefield before landing on Yang Jian and Nezha.
"Yang Jian, Nezha, why do you disobey Heaven's will and create chaos within the Heavenly Court?"
As soon as he finished speaking, four figures stepped out behind him.
Each rode a different divine beast.
One sat atop a golden-haired beast while holding a jade purification vase.
Another rode a green lion while carrying a lotus and treasured sword.
The third rode a white elephant with a vajra scepter in hand.
The last held an alms bowl while sighing repeatedly.
The Four Great Bodhisattvas had arrived.
Zhu Bajie stared blankly at the group for several seconds before quickly glancing back at his own side.
Then he nearly exploded.
"Are they serious?!"
He pointed furiously toward the sky.
"We're just causing a little trouble here! We haven't even shouted about overthrowing Heaven yet!"
Bajie's pig face twitched violently.
"If those four came for you three monsters, fine, I understand that!"
"But me?!"
He slapped his own chest dramatically.
"What did I do to deserve this kind of lineup?!"
Bajie immediately backed up several steps.
"Forget this. Unless one of you can fight two of them at once, I'm already preparing my last words!"