Rebirth in Journey to the West: Sun Wukong

Boom, boom, boom!

The relentless bombardment of Heavenly Thunder struck Sovereign Mara Papiyas like the fury of a thunderclap annihilating the world, submerging his entire figure in the blinding thunder light. Sun Wukong had long since retreated to a safe distance. He wanted to trap Sovereign Mara Papiyas, but he definitely didn't intend to get caught up in it himself.

The power of the Tribulation Thunder striking Sovereign Mara Papiyas was so intense that even feeling it vicariously from a distance caused Sun Wukong's scalp to tingle.

"Now that's some powerful Tribulation Thunder. I didn't expect Heavenly Tribulation to be this potent. Hmm, quite the eye-opener!"

As he watched, Sun Wukong smacked his lips as if assessing fine wine, "With Tribulation Thunder of this level, even a Da Luo Golden Immortal would struggle to endure, right? That's rough, so rough! But why doesn't your dear old Sun feel the slightest bit of sorrow? Ah, right, because it's not striking on your dear old Sun's head!"

"Tsk tsk, it looks painful just to watch. In the future, your dear old Sun must be careful. If someone else is crossing their tribulation, I won't get close even if it kills me, way too dangerous! Love life, stay away from those facing tribulation!"

Sovereign Mara Papiyas, bombarded and surrounded by countless bolts of Heavenly Thunder, nearly choked with rage upon hearing Sun Wukong's soliloquy from the side. Sun Wukong was too malicious, luring him into the Heavenly Tribulation to trap him, then making snide comments from the sidelines.

If he hadn't been so preoccupied resisting the thunder, and not totally unable to clone himself, he would have surely fought Sun Wukong to the death!

"Monkey, you wait for me! This king will tear you to pieces! Aaaaah~!"

Enraged roars from Sovereign Mara Papiyas burst forth from within the storm, and Sun Wukong blinked, cupping his hand to his ear to listen a bit before sporting an innocent look, "Are you speaking to your dear old Sun? Your voice is too low; I can't hear clearly!

Sovereign Mara Papiyas, not to speak ill of you, but you are the Demon King of the Asura Tribe and a high-level practitioner of the Da Luo Golden Immortal Realm. Why do you sound like a whiny woman? Didn't get enough to eat?"

"Pfft!"

As soon as Sun Wukong voiced that remark, Sovereign Mara Papiyas's movements hitched, and a bolt of Heavenly Thunder pierced through the defense of his Asura Sword and struck him hard, causing a mouthful of green blood to spurt out, his entire being exploding in fury!

"Sun Wukong! This king will never share the sky with you!"

A voice saturated with boundless hatred echoed from within the storm, a roar fueled by his Lifebound Primordial Force. Sovereign Mara Papiyas harbored a deep-seated hatred for Sun Wukong. It was clear from his voice that simply being tricked by Sun Wukong wasn't the sole reason for his fury; after all, he had seriously wounded Sun Wukong before, and a life for a life was arguably justifiable.

But Sun Wukong's constant jeering from the sidelines, preventing him from focusing squarely on dealing with the Heavenly Tribulation, was a deliberate attempt to bury him for sure!

"We shall never share the sky? That suits your dear old Sun just fine!"

Sun Wukong sneered, which was perfect—he had no intention of letting Sovereign Mara Papiyas go either. They were already sworn enemies, and having an opportunity to take down a formidable foe of Da Luo Golden Immortal cultivation, he couldn't afford any mercy, lest it lead to greater troubles in the future!

"Boom!"

With the last bolt of Tribulation Thunder shattered by Sun Wukong's Ruyi Silver-Hooped Rod, his Heavenly Tribulation came to an end. The last trace of energy transformed from the Heavenly Tribulation was absorbed into his body, and he let out a satisfied, long burp, clouds of white vapor exhalated from his nostrils, lingering for a long time.

Others might cross their tribulation with fear and trepidation, as if walking on thin ice, but Sun Wukong's tribulation crossing was utterly fierce, smashing and absorbing the Tribulation Thunder directly without even dodging!

If this had been in the past, Sun Wukong wouldn't have been this dominant. He had used The Way of Transformation to evade the three great calamities before, but now, things were different. Having forged the Vajra Indestructible Body and condensed the Six Paths Reincarnation Talisman, Sun Wukong's physical and Divine Soul strength far exceeded his cultivation.

His foundation was incredibly solid, and he utterly feared not the Heavenly Tribulation that made others pale.

Stretching his limbs, Sun Wukong's body crackled like popping beans. He felt refreshed, without a single uncomfortable spot. Initially, after converting his Immortal Force into Chaos Primordial Force, he had only one-tenth of his former force inside him, feeling somewhat hollow.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

But after absorbing the power of the Tribulation Thunder, his veins surged with much more Chaos Primordial Force, replenishing to about half of his original Immortal Force, substantially refilled.

Sun Wukong's Tribulation Thunder had been forcibly dissipated by him, ending rather quickly, unlike Sovereign Mara Papiyas, who was still struggling against the relentless assault of the thunderstorm.

Using his Void-Breaking Divine Eye, Sun Wukong peered through the dense thunder and lightning to check on Sovereign Mara Papiyas, who, despite being struck by the thunder several times, hadn't sustained fatal injuries, as befitting a Da Luo Golden Immortal—though he looked extremely bedraggled.

While the thunder struck, Sun Wukong dared not charge in to attack, for Sovereign Mara Papiyas's Tribulation Thunder was much stronger than what had been aimed at him. He could only wait patiently on the side. After advancing to Taiyi Golden Immortal, the gap in cultivation between him and Sovereign Mara Papiyas had narrowed to just one Great Realm.

With his current strength and many aces up his sleeve, Sun Wukong was confident he could take on this Asura Demon King in battle!

The bombardment of Heavenly Thunder continued. Sun Wukong could tell that even though Sovereign Mara Papiyas might get hurt and expend some Primordial Force, he wasn't in grave danger.

Hence, while he seemed all smiles and was spouting damaging remarks, he had already activated Eight-Nine Profound Skill, with Chaos Primordial Force coursing through the veins in his body, spreading throughout every part of him, preparing to act at any moment.

However, Sun Wukong did not notice that a long-dormant breath was gradually awakening in the depths ahead, within a patch of pond water at the very end of the Boundless Blood Sea and Hell's Yellow Springs, as if a massive primeval beast was reviving...

"Whoosh~!"

The storm of thunder and lightning had finally vanished, and Sovereign Mara Papiyas gasped for air as he crawled out of the dispersing maelstrom, his whole body charred, even half his face blackened, and his armor torn and tattered, an utterly sorry sight to see.

"Sun! Wukong!"

A voice full of hatred hissed through clenched teeth, chilling like a cold wind blowing up from the Nine Nether, as Sovereign Mara Papiyas fixed his already bloodshot eyes on Sun Wukong. The Asura Sword in his hands trembled, and a beam of blood-red light burst forth, quickly spreading across the entire blade.

Countless blood visages of the souls that had died by the Asura Sword over the years crawled around the blade, producing a hair-raising wail.

Unlike Minghe's Abi Sword and Old Ancestor's Slaughter Sword, the Asura Sword could not kill without absorbing karma. Unless Sovereign Mara Papiyas intentionally released them, the souls of those he killed were imprisoned within the blade, unable to enter the cycles of reincarnation, thereby limiting the retribution for his deeds.

Usually suppressed by the sword's killing intent, these horrifying ghosts were unable to surface, but now, with Sovereign Mara Papiyas in a furious rage, the unrestrained killing intent exploded in full force, lifting the suppression on these ghosts.

One by one, they burst from the blade, their unending resentment from prolonged oppression surging forth so fiercely that it even overshadowed the sword's killing intent, eager to devour anyone in sight.

"Such a heavy aura of slaughter and malevolence!"

Sun Wukong's pupils contracted slightly, with three star-like points of light appearing in his golden eyes as he activated the advanced state of the Void-Breaking Divine Eye. He instantly saw the origin of the Asura Sword's killing intent and malevolence—the imprisoned ghosts were in the midst of an all-out burst of resentment.

They dared not strike against its wielder and Asura Demon King, Sovereign Mara Papiyas, so naturally, they turned their furious vengeance upon him. The next attack would be no mere measure of Sovereign Mara Papiyas's own strength but would also encompass the collective grudge and venom of these ghosts, certain to be earth-shatteringly powerful!

"This king has said that I will tear you to pieces! Die!"

"Imperial Killing Sword, Heaven Slash!"

The blood light and malevolence erupted vigorously from the Asura Sword, and a gigantic blood-colored longsword reappeared, stronger than before. As Sovereign Mara Papiyas spat out a mouthful of Heart's Essence Blood onto the Asura Sword, the power of the blood-colored longsword reached its peak in an instant, the surrounding environment influenced by it, as a faint blood-colored mist arose.

In the next moment, carrying boundless murderous intent and malevolence, the colossal blood-colored longsword, along with the figure of Sovereign Mara Papiyas, leapt high into the air and then thundered down towards Sun Wukong with ferocious might.

"What a terrifying sword strike!"

Feeling the unparalleled sharpness of its killing intent and the startling evil qi, Sun Wukong inwardly exclaimed at the sword's ferocity, but his expression remained unaltered, for he had already discerned where the attack's greatest weakness lay, "The strongest point is also the weakest spot; watch as I, Old Sun, break your strike!"

The tip of the blood-colored longsword was its most potent point, where the unrivaled intent to kill converged with the yin souls of the vicious ghosts, forcing back any opposition. But under the gaze of the Void-Breaking Divine Eye, this strongest point was also its most vulnerable. If he could block or shatter it, the blood-colored longsword would collapse.

Without the constraint of killing intent, the yin ghosts and malevolent spirits would certainly turn on the person who summoned them!

"Cloning Divine Powers!"

"One mind, two bodies, join forces in one strike!"

"Heaven-Breaking Eighteen Sticks!"

Sun Wukong performed the Cloning Divine Powers, and a clone stepped out from his body, holding an iron rod completely condensed from Chaos Primordial Force. He and Sun Wukong unleashed the ultimate move Heaven-Breaking Thirty-Six Sticks together.

Instead of increasing the number of rod shadows, the combination from the main body and the clone merged, forming only eighteen rod shadows with a power more than ten times stronger than before; they fiercely slammed towards the tip of the blood-colored greatsword!

"Boom!"

As the rod shadows collided with the tip of the blood-colored greatsword, an intense shockwave shook the entire Hell's Yellow Springs, and faraway, the Boundless Blood Sea and Yellow Springs raised frighteningly huge waves, as if the world itself was about to collapse.