Great Demon Sun Wukong

The bell's resonant chime echoed out, and the flames had grown into a vast sea of fire. At the heart of these roaring flames, an ancient-looking large bell sat squarely amidst the sea of fire.

The entire bell was a mysterious dark blue color, with its body engraved with countless flowers, birds, fish, insects, pavilions, towers, great mountains, rivers, wind, rain, thunder, lightning… It was as if a whole world had been condensed and etched onto this great bell.

Above the great bell, a gigantic fiery finger pressed down relentlessly, yet it could not advance even an inch. At that moment, the bell tolled again with a deep and majestic sound. As this sound spread out, ripples started to undulate through space, and the fiery finger above the bell began to crack and, soon after, shattered into countless light fragments with a snap.

Just then, an immense suction force emitted from the bell, drawing all the myriad fragments of light inside the bell.

A cold snort filled with anger came from the distant beyond. Initially, it was just a cold sneer, but as the sound traveled, it eventually materialized into a tangible sonic attack. When this sonic wave reached the bell above, it had solidified into the image of a mysterious Taoist Sect's talisman.

However, when the talisman collided with the bell, not only did it fail to have any effect, but it also transformed into an even more terrifying sonic wave that shot back into the sky.

"How audacious of the Jade Emperor, the Supreme of the Heavenly Realm, to target a junior; your Taoist Sect really is becoming shameless," someone said.

"Hmph, I did not expect you to possess such power. However, you Demon Clan will eventually be exterminated by our Heaven. A mere cracked bell, do you really think I cannot deal with you?"

"Haha, though my Demon Clan has fallen, it is not to be bullied by just anyone. Hao Tian, you'd better just guard your Heaven well. In a thousand years, maybe it will be under new management!"

"Hmph."

After a cold snort, the voice and presence of the Jade Emperor gradually faded. In the Void, a young man dressed in a green robe stepped out. However, this young man's brow was heavy with worry.

With a flicker, he arrived in front of the Six-Eared Macaque and, with a wave of his hand, the bell that was as solid as rock suddenly soared into the air and, after a flash of light, turned into an extraordinarily ordinary little bell, hanging at the young man's waist.

The young man then hastily bent down to pick up the unconscious Six-Eared Macaque and, forming a Sword Finger with his right hand, pressed it against the centre of the Six-Eared Macaque's forehead.

After a moment, a roar of anger came from the mouth of the young man: "Damn Heaven, to resort to such a poisonous attack. I swear we will be irreconcilable enemies."

Endless rage and regret made the usually unflappable young man utter such a furious roar. Clearly, this mysterious person was truly enraged.

Once the roar subsided, the young man, cradling the Six-Eared Macaque, vanished in flashes and was no longer in the Northern Ju Lu Continent. When he reappeared, he was already in a gigantic palace above the Nine Heavens.

For seven days and nights, the unconscious Six-Eared Macaque finally came to faintly awaken, and the first thing he saw upon waking was the young man beside his bed. Just as the Six-Eared Macaque was about to get up, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his Dantian.

"Master, I…"

"Say no more, I know it all. You just rest well, and we can discuss everything once your injuries are healed."

The Six-Eared Macaque realized that this incident was extraordinary. Recalling the towering finger that had descended from the sky, he couldn't help but shudder with fear. However, since he had not died, it meant his master must have appeared to save him. Knowing this, the Six-Eared Macaque didn't ask further and simply nodded in agreement.

"Come, let me first help you clear the blockages in your Spiritual Power within the main Eight Great Meridians. I can only help with those, the rest is up to you. Once you have cleared all your meridians, come find me at the Demon Lord Hall!"

Having said that, the young man leaned over to help the Six-Eared Macaque sit up, and then also seated himself cross-legged behind him, placing his hands on the macaque's back.

The Six-Eared Macaque dared not ponder further and quickly refocused his mind, turning his Divine Sense inward. Not expecting much, he was startled by what he saw. For some reason, all of the meridians within his body had been completely blocked by a powerful energy. He tried to circulate his Spiritual Power but found there was absolutely no response.

Had all his hard-earned Cultivation suddenly turned to naught?

"Don't overthink, focus on preserving the root of your being. You've merely been infiltrated by the Power of Creation of heaven and earth due to external disturbances during your breakthrough, which has accumulated in your meridians and Dantian. After your teacher helps you break through the Eight Great Meridians, you will surely recover," the young man calmly instructed.

Upon hearing his master's reprimand, the Six-Eared Macaque's spirit stirred, and he promptly did as his master had instructed, focusing on preserving the root of his being without further wild thoughts.

Soon enough, the Six-Eared Macaque felt a vast and warm surge of Spiritual Power enter his body from behind, beginning to assimilate the Power of Creation that was blocking his meridians, bit by bit.

Time passed slowly. Finally, after a full three days, the young man exhaled softly, slowly stood up, and quietly left the room. Meanwhile, the Six-Eared Macaque remained seated on the bed, completely unaware of his departure.

Once outside the room, the young man closed the door and sat down in front of it, clearly worried about leaving the Six-Eared Macaque alone and thus personally acting as his protector.

In the mental sea of the Six-Eared Macaque, his Divine Sense became a torrent as mighty as a rainbow, endlessly surging through the large and small meridians within his body, integrating them. The Power of Creation that had once blocked his meridians was slowly being absorbed and refined by the Six-Eared Macaque with the young man's assistance.

One could imagine that once the Six-Eared Macaque completely refined this tremendous Power of Creation, he might not ascend to Emperor Level immediately, but he would surely not be far from it.

Time passed indistinctly until suddenly, the Six-Eared Macaque exhaled a long breath of turbid air. Then, abruptly, he opened his eyes. In that instant, a vast force of Creation surged out from him but was quickly retracted, then completely internalized.

At that moment, the young man entered the room again, and his first act was to scrutinize the Six-Eared Macaque closely. However, after a moment, a strange expression appeared on the young man's face. Just as the Six-Eared Macaque was about to greet his master, he noticed the master's odd look, as if he had seen something unbelievable. His intended greeting turned into an inquiry.

"Master, is there something amiss with your disciple?"

"It's really strange, Six-Eared, were you about to breakthrough on your own after contemplating the Heavenly Dao?" the young man asked directly instead of answering the Six-Eared Macaque's query. Knowing the master was referring to his breakthrough attempt in the Northern Kunlun Continent, the Six-Eared Macaque respectfully replied, "Yes, Master.

Your disciple has been meditating for twenty years, and after finally glimpsing a thread of the Heavenly Dao, I was about to make a breakthrough when..."

The young man raised his hand, halting the Six-Eared Macaque from continuing. "Six-Eared, do you know what Realm your strength is at now?"

The Six-Eared Macaque was taken aback, then after a careful sensing, he hesitantly responded, "I have surpassed the peak of the Daluo Golden Immortal, yet I have not reached the Emperor Level?"

Since he had not ascended to Emperor Level, the Six-Eared Macaque was uncertain about how formidable that level truly was. But he had an inkling that an Emperor Level power would definitely not be anything like his current state.

"However, you're currently in a strange state, precisely between the peak of the Daluo Golden Immortal and the initial phase of the Emperor Level. It should be considered Half-Emperor. Yet throughout the millions of years of the Three Realms, no one has ever ascended in such a bizarre fashion. Half-Emperor, this is the first I have ever seen in my life," the young man uttered with an air of mystery.