Don't rush me in the comments! I'm currently identifying a primordial saint.

Chapter 263 Chinese Military Power VS Western Military Power

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Kyoto, at the ruins of the Gao Lao Zhuang deity.

At this moment, deep within the ruins, in the Cloud Stack Cave.

A clay statue of Zhu Bajie (Pigsy) suddenly developed a crack.

Immediately afterwards, a fat, big-eared, and pot-bellied phantom floated out of the crack and landed on the ground.

He was wearing a tattered monk's robe, carrying a nine-toothed rake, with drooping ears and eyes squinted into slits, looking drowsy.

It was none other than Marshal Tianpeng, Zhu Bajie, in his true form.

"Ugh... I'm exhausted."

Pigsy plopped down on the ground, panting heavily.

"Remotely seizing the seal... and having to pretend to be unfathomable... it's exhausting."

He wiped non-existent sweat from his forehead and looked at another statue in the Cloud Stack Cave. It was a statue of a woman, with flowing robes and a gentle face.

Pigsy's eyes were gentle.

"Cuilan, I promised to protect this land and your descendants. Did I not disgrace you today?"

The statue of Cuilan remained silent.

Pigsy smiled and took something out of his pocket.

It is indeed the Seal of the Golden Palace of the Azure Heaven.

At this moment, the seal has returned to its original lustrous white color, the coiled dragon is serene, and the seal script shines brightly.

However, a very faint trace of black aura remained on his body, which was difficult to completely remove.

Pigsy muttered to himself.

"That bastard in black robes is ruthless. He ruined a precious treasure of the Heavenly Court like this. If I hadn't served as Marshal Tianpeng in the Heavenly Court back then and was familiar with this seal, I really wouldn't have been able to snatch it back."

He tried to infuse divine power into the seal, hoping to dispel the last wisp of black energy.

However, the seal vibrated, and the black aura stubbornly refused to dissipate, showing signs of backlash.

Pigsy quickly stopped.

"Tsk... No. This seal is too corrupted. My strength hasn't fully recovered yet, and I injured myself again by forcing my way in. I have to wait for Brother Monkey..."

He sighed and carefully put away the Haotian Golden Palace Seal.

"Midway in seven days... that black-robed bastard will definitely cause trouble. And those Western brats aren't pushovers either."

Pigsy scratched his head, looking somewhat troubled.

"If I were in my prime, I would have swept them all into the ground. But now... sigh, getting injured is a real problem."

He looked eastward, his gaze seemingly able to penetrate thousands of miles, and saw the figures of Su Fan and the others.

"Kids, keep it up! Find a few more cauldrons, and I, Old Pig, can contribute a bit more when the time comes."

After saying that, he yawned, his figure gradually faded away, and disappeared back into the clay statue.

The Cloud Stack Cave has returned to silence.

……

In the west, Mount Olympus.

The virtual meeting space reopened, but this time, the atmosphere was more somber than before.

The seven top divine messengers of the West—Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Hephaestus, Venus, Ares, and Hermes—were all present.

Before them, a full video was playing, showing the black-robed man appearing in Laoshan, fighting with Tang Sanzang, and finally being frightened away by a mysterious voice.

The recording ended, and the space was completely silent.

After a long silence, Zeus's charioteer slowly spoke: "Have you all seen it clearly?"

Athena, the God-Slayer, said in a deep voice:

"I saw it clearly. The black-robed man's strength is unfathomable. The seal in his hand is probably one of the supreme artifacts in Eastern mythology."

Apollo, the God of War, raised an eyebrow.

"But he was defeated. He was frightened by a voice, and even the artifact was taken from him."

Hephaestus the God-Slayer corrected:

"It wasn't a defeat, it was a retreat. He was clearly wary of that mysterious expert and didn't want to suffer heavy losses on both sides. Besides, he said at the end that he would come to help us in seven days."

"Help us?" Venus scoffed.

"You believe him? A guy of unknown origin, hiding his true identity."

Zeus, the God-Slayer, calmly analyzes the situation.

"Believe it or not, he's the ally we can win over right now. In the East, we have the Chinese deity Tang Sanzang and that troublesome Su Fan, and now a mysterious powerhouse has emerged. Relying on us alone... our chances of winning aren't great."

Everyone fell silent.

Indeed, it was originally thought that China only had Tang Sanzang as a god-level fighter, and that by bringing out the West's resources, they could also contend with it.

But now it seems that the East has more cards up its sleeve than they imagined.

Zeus's charioteer tapped on the armrest of the throne and looked at Venus's charioteer.

"Let's leave the matter of the man in black aside for now. Has the challenge been sent out?"

The goddess Venus nodded.

"It's been sent out. Su Fan accepted it, and the location has been changed to Midway Island in the Pacific Ocean, in seven days."

"He agreed?" Athena, the God-Keeper, was somewhat surprised.

A hint of doubt flashed in the eyes of the goddess Venus, the charioteer of the gods.

"He agreed, and readily at that. I have this feeling... like he'd love for us to challenge him to a duel."

Ares, the God of War, snorted coldly.

"Arrogant. In seven days, I will show him what a true god of war is."

"Do not underestimate the enemy," warned Zeus's guardian spirit.

"This Su Fan, who managed to escape from the black-robed man and even protect the two cauldrons, is no ordinary person."

He looked at Hermes the God-Slayer:

"How's the intelligence work going? Besides Tang Sanzang and Su Fan, what other combat forces in China do we need to be wary of?"

Hermes, the messenger of the gods, was a thin young man. He adjusted his glasses and pulled up a file:

"Based on the intelligence we have, China's known high-end combat capabilities are as follows—"

"First, Tang Sanzang, a Buddhist deity, whose golden body has not been restored, but whose strength is still unfathomable."

"Second, Yuan Qingsheng, a contracted water god Gonggong, a ninth-level divine master, skilled in water warfare, and performed outstandingly in the battle of Kunlun Mountain."

"Third, Ma Tao, a contracted fire god Zhu Rong, a ninth-level god tamer, skilled in fire control, and commander of the Chinese god tamer legion."

"Fourth, Zhao Dabao...this one is rather special."

Hermes paused.

"He has a contract with Shen Gongbao, whose abilities are bizarre, capable of disrupting cause and effect and creating misfortune. Although he is only at the fifth rank, his threat level is assessed as the ninth rank."

"The above four individuals are China's top combat force on the surface."

"In addition, there is that mysterious powerful figure. Judging from the black-robed man's reaction, he should also be a Chinese deity, whose strength is estimated to be stronger than Tang Sanzang, but his condition is unknown."

After listening, Zeus's charioteer fell into deep thought.

Two ninth-tier Divine Masters, two gods, one special ability user, and the greatest threat, Su Fan.

This lineup is no worse than Olympus'.

"What about us?" he asked.

Hermes the God-keeper continued his report:

"We have three deities on our side, but we may only be able to awaken one, but that's enough. This is our trump card. We also have seven other members, all of whom are ninth-tier Divine Masters."

"Plus the black-robed man's promise of assistance..." Hermes, the God-Keeper, adjusted his glasses. "On paper, we have the advantage."

Athena, the Divine Guardian, calmly said:

"But real combat is not a game on paper. China also has the Nine Cauldrons to back it up. Although their home ground is not Midway, they can set up their formation in advance. Moreover, they are finding the cauldrons too quickly. In seven days, there may be one or two more cauldrons."

Ares, the Godslayer, grinned maliciously.

"Then let them not be able to find it. Send an elite team to secretly enter China and intercept them in the Jianghuai region. Kill Su Fan, seize the cauldron, and that will end the matter once and for all."

Athena, the God-Slayer, glared at him.

"Do you think China is just for show? Going to China now is like walking into a trap. Under the rules of the Mythical Arena, our strength will be suppressed by more than 30%. Going there is just suicide."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Wait," Athena, the guardian of the gods, said, enunciating each word clearly.

"Seven days from now, Midway. There, without the home advantage, we can go all out. As long as we defeat China's main force, the rest will be nothing to worry about."

Zeus's charioteer nodded:

"She's right. Issue the order: for the next seven days, everyone will go into seclusion to adjust their condition. We will fight to the death in seven days."

"yes!"

The meeting ended, and the virtual space dissipated.

……

The Jianghuai region, on the shore of Hongze Lake.

Su Fan and his group landed on a remote mudflat.

According to the map, the Xuzhou Ding should be at the bottom of Hongze Lake, but you'll have to find the exact location yourself.

"Advisor Su, this lake covers an area of ​​over two thousand square kilometers, and its deepest point exceeds five meters. Finding a cauldron in such a vast body of water..."

One of the team members looked at the vast lake and felt a headache coming on.

"I have a way." Su Fan took out the Jizhou Cauldron and the Qingzhou Cauldron.

Two cauldrons floated in front of him, emitting a faint blue light, pointing towards the center of the lake.

"There's a connection between the nine cauldrons. Follow the directions, and you should be able to find them."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get in the water!" Some team members were eager to try.

"No rush," Tang Sanzang suddenly spoke, his brows furrowing slightly. "There's something in this lake..."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the calm lake surface was suddenly rippled!

Whoosh!

A giant crocodile, over ten meters long and covered in blue scales, burst out of the water, opened its blood-red maw, and lunged at the people on the shore!

The giant crocodile had scarlet eyes and exuded an evil aura that shared the same origin as the man in the black robe!

"Another trick left behind by the man in black!" Su Fan's eyes turned cold. "Prepare for battle!"

The nine people immediately formed a battle formation.

However, the giant crocodile is extremely powerful, at least at the peak of the eighth rank, with thick skin and flesh, so ordinary attacks cannot break through its defenses.

Tang Sanzang was also injured and unable to help.

Even more deadly was that the lake surface exploded one after another, and three giant crocodiles, two pythons as thick as water buckets, and countless mutated fish emerged!

The entire Hongze Lake seemed to have turned into a den of demons!

"This is a huge problem..." Su Fan clenched his fist.

A ferocious beast blocked their path ahead, and a seven-day agreement lay behind them.

This is a hurdle we must overcome.

And it has to be fast.

He looked toward the center of the lake, a resolute glint in his eyes.

The Xuzhou Ding is right there.

We must get it today!

The giant crocodile's roar was deafening, its scarlet eyes were fixed on the people on the shore, and its thick tail whipped up waves several meters high.

Its body, covered in blue scales, gleamed with a metallic sheen in the sunlight, and its overwhelming pressure as a peak eighth-tier cultivator was released without any concealment.

Su Fan's pupils contracted, and alarm bells rang in his mind.

This giant crocodile's aura is three times stronger than the demonized dragon spirit we encountered in the Taihang Mountains!

And there was more than one—

Splash! Splash! Splash!

The lake surface exploded one after another, and three more giant crocodiles of the same size burst out of the water, surrounding the group in a fan shape.

Immediately afterwards, two black pythons as thick as buckets emerged from the bottom of the lake, their tongues flicking and hissing.

Further away, a dense swarm of mutated fish surged and churned, turning the entire lake surface into an eerie blackish-red.

"Form the formation! The Three Talents Formation!"

Chen Zhan's roar pulled everyone back to reality from their shock.

The seven team members moved quickly, forming two groups of three, with the remaining member protecting Tang Sanzang.

Despite being injured, they moved swiftly and skillfully, demonstrating the discipline of an elite force.

Su Fan took a deep breath and put the Jizhou Cauldron and Qingzhou Cauldron back into his body.

Faced with an enemy of this caliber, the autonomous protection of the two cauldrons is no longer sufficient; their power must be actively utilized.

He formed a mudra with his hands and chanted an ancient mantra.

As the incantation resounded, the two cauldrons within his body trembled simultaneously, and a vast expanse of azure divine power surged forth, forming a protective shield around him.

This protective shield is not as exquisite as the shield of the Three Lights Divine Water, but it is thicker and more stable, carrying the suppressive aura unique to the Nine Cauldrons.

Almost the instant the light shield took shape, the first giant crocodile to appear moved!

Its massive body appeared cumbersome, but its speed was astonishing. In a single leap, it covered a distance of dozens of meters, and its blood-red maw snapped down at Su Fan's head.

A foul, fishy stench assaulted the senses, and sharp teeth gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

Instead of retreating, Su Fan advanced, stomping his right foot hard on the ground, and shot out like a cannonball.

The runes on the Eight Trigrams Purple Ribbon Immortal Robe flowed across its surface, the purple-gold light reflecting off the blue light of the Nine Cauldrons.

He clenched his right fist, and a ball of Samadhi Fire, compressed to its extreme, condensed at the tip of his fist.

"Fire God Fist!"

Su Fan shouted!

The fist collided with the crocodile's mouth.

boom!

Amidst a deafening explosion, the giant crocodile let out a painful roar, its massive body sent flying backward by the punch, crashing heavily back into the lake and creating a towering spray.

A charred fist mark appeared on its upper jaw, its scales were shattered, and its flesh was mangled.

But Su Fan wasn't having an easy time either.

The crocodile's bite force was terrifying; even with double protection, the recoil still caused him excruciating pain in his right arm.

He staggered back three steps, each step leaving a deep footprint in the ground.

"Advisor Su!"

Chen Zhan and the others' expressions changed drastically. They wanted to go forward to help, but they were tightly bound by the other three giant crocodiles and two pythons.

Although these three giant crocodiles were slightly weaker, they were still at the early stage of the eighth rank, and with their thick skin and tough flesh, they were extremely difficult to deal with.

The two pythons were even more bizarre; instead of attacking directly, they slithered around the perimeter, constantly spewing out dark green venomous mist from their mouths.

Wherever the poisonous fog passed, vegetation withered and rocks corroded, clearly indicating its extreme toxicity.

The team members formed a three-person formation, combining offense and defense, and barely managed to withstand the giant crocodile's attack.

However, the poisonous fog became a major problem. Their protective divine power was rapidly depleted under the corrosive influence of the fog, and breathing became difficult.

"Use wind-based magical abilities!" Chen Zhan roared.

Two team members skilled in wind-based magical abilities immediately activated their divine power, and a sudden gust of wind arose, dispersing the poisonous mist.

But the python's venomous mist was endless, one wave after another, and it was completely ineffective.

To make matters worse, the mutated fish in the lake began to swarm towards the shore.

These fish are not individually strong, mostly only at the third or fourth tier, but their numbers are so great that they form a dark, dense mass that makes one's scalp tingle.

They leaped out of the water, opened their mouths full of sharp teeth, and frantically tore at everyone's protective gear.

Ants can kill an elephant.

If this continues, everyone's divine power will be exhausted in less than ten minutes.

"The Venerable Xuanzang!"

While dealing with the injured giant crocodile, Su Fan anxiously looked at Tang Sanzang.

Tang Sanzang sat cross-legged on the spot, his hands clasped together, his brows furrowed.

His injuries were more severe than they appeared. The black-robed man's palm strike not only damaged his golden body but also left behind a trace of evil energy that was difficult to dispel.

Forcing yourself to exert your energy at this moment will only worsen your injuries.

But he couldn't stand idly by.

"Amitabha."

As he softly chanted the Buddha's name, Tang Sanzang slowly opened his eyes.

The gentle compassion in his eyes was no longer there, but sharp as a knife.

He formed a mudra with his hands, and a slightly dim phantom of a Buddha appeared behind him.

The Great Compassion Mantra.

As the chanting of Buddhist hymns arose, the phantom of the Buddha opened his arms, and boundless Buddha light shone down.

The mutated fish that were illuminated by the Buddha's light moved noticeably slower, and the scarlet in their eyes faded a bit.

The poisonous fog quickly dissipated in the Buddha's light, turning into harmless blue smoke.

But Tang Sanzang's face paled at a visible speed, and golden blood once again spilled from the corner of his mouth.