Great Demon Sun Wukong

In fact, Sun Wukong originally planned to have the Nine Decisions Vajra Ape split the tortoise shell and the Saint Armor Turtle in two with a single swing of its axe, but just as the ape had raised its axe, a thought suddenly struck Wukong. The half Divine Bead he had shared with Xi Zhao, which had come from the Saint Armor Turtle, showed a response after being dormant for such a long time. Since swallowing that half Divine Bead, Wukong had even forgotten about it. After all, beyond feeling a slight boost in vitality at that time, he didn't feel anything special. Coupled with a series of subsequent events, Wukong had long since cast it to the back of his mind.

Yet now, in the face of the Soul Body of the Saint Armor Turtle, that half Divine Bead finally reacted, which was why Wukong instructed the Nine Decisions Vajra Ape not to destroy the tortoise shell. When the Saint Armor Turtle's Soul Body was split in two by the axe, the Divine Bead that had been lying hidden within Wukong's Dantian emerged. A suction force then emanated from the bead, absorbing the two halves of the soul into it, and before Wukong's eyes, the initially half Divine Bead suddenly became whole.

Immediately after, Wukong beckoned to the tortoise shell, which, now without the control of the Saint Armor Turtle's Soul Body, trembled slightly and turned into a streak of black light, flying into Wukong's palm. Before Wukong could fully sense it, the tortoise shell, transformed into black light, imprinted itself onto the back of his hand. Startled, he quickly looked at his hand, where the black light was now gone, leaving only a pattern of the tortoise shell on the back of his hand. This was truly bizarre—he hadn't expected that under the guidance of the half Divine Bead, not only was the soul absorbed, but also the tortoise shell with immense defensive power had melded into the back of his hand. Indeed, this misfortune had turned into a blessing.

Feeling the pattern of the tortoise shell on the back of his hand, Wukong felt as if his mind was connected to it, as though he could summon the tortoise shell whenever he wished, just by willing it. However, Wukong didn't immediately experiment with it, for the battle was not yet over. Without paying further attention to the pattern on his hand and the Divine Bead of the Saint Armor Turtle that had reintegrated into his body, Wukong pointed his Jingu Bang towards the green-armored man who was bound by the Spatial Chains transformed by the Seal Heavenly Stamp.

Although the green-armored man had used a layer of green keratin to prevent direct contact with the five Spatial Chains, thus avoiding confinement, the chains still tightly bound him, making it impossible for him to break free in a short time. With a point of the Jingu Bang, three more Spatial Chains wrapped around the green-armored man. "Since I've caught you," thought Wukong, "resign yourself to death."

Three more Spatial Chains entwined and tightened their grip, adding to the already difficult struggle of the green-armored man. Taking advantage of his entrapment by eight Spatial Chains, Wukong finally summoned the World Suppressing Stele. As soon as the World Suppressing Stele appeared, Wukong's entire demeanor surged dramatically, instilling a sense of majesty, solemnity, and heavy stability that instantly spread to the hearts of everyone present, whether they were of the Dragon Race or Spirit Controllers—without exception.

All the members of the Dragon Race, including the Dragon Emperor, were struck with shock and horror at the sight of Wukong's World Suppressing Stele. While the dragons did not recognize the World Suppressing Stele, the feeling of stability, solemnity, and an aura that seemed to suppress everything emanating from the stele still inspired awe in them. And the Dragon Emperor, although he had never seen the World Suppressing Stele with his own eyes, sensed something through the Wasteland Soil Stele, which explained the changing expressions on his face.

As for the Spirit Controllers, who should have been the most shocked, they were instead smiling, as if they had known all along about Wukong's possession of the Wasteland Soil Stele. Wukong naturally paid no attention to their feelings or thoughts. With the World Suppressing Stele in hand, it transformed into a towering mountain. This time, however, Wukong didn't let the mountain fall directly, because it was so massive that if it came crashing down, it would likely cover everyone in Dragon Valley. Wukong, Ye Zi, and the others might escape unharmed, but Long Lie and the tens of thousands of the Dragon Race would likely perish, and Wukong, not being a slaughter-happy demon who would involve so many innocent lives, naturally did not wish for that.

So, after the Mountain of World Suppression appeared, Wukong became grim. He sat down cross-legged on the ground and his hands started flying, forming one Dharma Seal after another. Each Dharma Seal, once formed, would fly out and imprint onto the imposing Mountain of World Suppression. As Wukong formed each Dharma Seal and it imprinted onto the mountain, the Mountain of World Suppression began to shrink and, incredibly, even started to become ethereal.

Without Wukong's control, the Nine Decisions Vajra Ape, far from halting its attacks, laughed wildly and burst into a bloody frenzy, raising the golden axe transformed by the Heavensplitting Strike and striking down at the green-armored man, ensnared by the Spatial Chains. However, every attack from the ape was blocked by a green carapace that suddenly appeared on the man. It wasn't the Armor he wore but a keratin layer that had emerged from within his body. It didn't look terribly thick, but it managed to defend against each of the Nine Decisions Vajra Ape's attacks.

Of course, the attack of the Nine Decisions Vajra Ape was not so simple; the person in the green armor had to concentrate all their energy just to block the Vajra Ape's frenzied slashing that came like a violent storm. Thus, naturally, there was no spare effort to think of ways to break free from the eight Spatial Chains binding them. But when Sun Wukong's Mountain of World Suppression appeared and began to rapidly shrink, the person in the green armor felt a surge of panic and could no longer care about conserving strength or anything else. The green light enveloping their body suddenly intensified, and within that green light, streaks of blood red and gray now emerged.

As soon as these three types of light appeared, the eight Spatial Chains began to tremble as if they'd soon be broken free by the person in green armor. However, sensing the threat in the green light, the Nine Decisions Vajra Ape became even more ferocious. Its muscles bulged once more, and the purple patterns from the Power of Destruction previously placed on it by Sun Wukong flashed with a sinister purple glow. The purple patterns started to creep toward the golden battle axe. When the battle axe was completely covered with the purple patterns and turned purple, the subsequent strike shattered the person in green armor's protective shell and, without losing momentum, viciously struck the person's shoulder.

Luckily, the armor on the person had greater defensive power than the armor pieces released during Separation of Body, but the Vajra Ape's axe still drew blood. Although the armor protected the person, the cut was shallow, it almost cost the person in green armor an arm. Had Sun Wukong witnessed this scene, he surely would have recalled the Vajra Ape immediately, for the flesh of the green-armored person was that of the little monkey. If an arm had truly been lost, the little monkey would have become a one-armed ape instead of a Through-back Ape.

This sudden axe strike caused the person in the green armor to falter, and the momentum they had just been gathering dissipated somewhat. However, it was this very pain that drove the individual to a frenzy. The blood-red light within the green light burst forth, threatening to overwhelm the green completely. Meanwhile, the Mountain of World Suppression had shrunk to a third of its original size, yet Sun Wukong still did not cease his movements.

The battle was now crystal clear—it was a race against time. If Sun Wukong could land his strike before the person in green armor broke free from the eight Spatial Chains, then defeat for the latter was certain. However, if the person in green armor could break free and evade the attacks of the Nine Decisions Vajra Ape first, then the outcome would still depend on the ensuing battle. As time ticked by, the person in green armor had already snapped four of the Spatial Chains, one of which was cut by the Vajra Ape.

Ever since Sun Wukong understood the Seal Heavenly Stamp and was able to use the Spatial Chains within it, this was the first time anyone had broken or snapped the chains. These were the Star Drill Chains of the Seal Heavenly Stamp's Third Layer, yet now they were being gradually torn apart by the person in green armor. However, that person's body was also covered in blood, armor heavily damaged, and one left arm hung limply.

On the other hand, although the situation of the Nine Decisions Vajra Ape seemed better, it wasn't by much—blood streamed from all seven facial orifices, and its muscles and sinews were tearing. After all, fully integrating the Power of Destruction into its body while also suppressing the destructive force within the axe, plus continuous full-force attacks, had pushed the incredible physical endurance of the Vajra Ape past its limits. At most three more attacks, and the muscles and sinews of the Vajra Ape's body would likely be entirely ruptured, leaving it, even if not dead, certainly devoid of any strength to attack.

At this moment, both the Nine Decisions Vajra Ape and the person in green armor were gambling with their lives. The Vajra Ape, though a summoned creature, was a flesh-and-blood being, just not from this world. As it fought so desperately for Sun Wukong, Ye Zi and Long Lie, who had been watching from a distance, couldn't help but feel touched. They wanted to step forward and help, but seeing the ever-smiling Spirit Controller, they ultimately did not move.

After three more attacks, the Nine Decisions Vajra Ape suddenly let out a mournful howl to the sky, and blood spurted violently all over its body as its sinews completely snapped. The purple axe in its hands, no longer suppressed by its strength, suddenly shone with an intense purple light before silently extinguishing, as if it had never been there. As the blood spurted, the Vajra Ape fell straight back rigidly. In its falling moments, using all its remaining strength, it spoke in human tongue and shouted, "Sun Wukong, I, Wu Zhiqi, have done all I could!"

With the Nine Decisions Vajra Ape's constraint gone, the last few Spatial Chains were broken by the person in the green armor. And just as the person let out a sigh of relief, a yellow light suddenly entered their forehead. Then, the person in green armor froze on the spot, their eyes gradually becoming hollow.