Portal:Investiture of the Gods/Chapter 54

This chapter is titled "The Master Burrower Earth Traveler Sun". Yang Bliss, who leapt to Dragon Beard Tiger's assistance at the very notice of his comrade's situation, held off Deng Chanyu for a lengthened time, never being hurt in the least even when the latter deployed her golden pebbles at regular intervals. Using his Sky Barking Hound to tare at Chanyu's neck at such a point of advantage, the unfortunate woman had little choice but to flee back to the Shang camp with tears in her eyes and in a state of tremendous pain. As Deng Jiugong burned with far greater bloodlust at the pitiful sight of his daughter upon her return, Earth Traveler Sun had meanwhile finished his daily supervision and soon obtained word upon the condition of his commander. Feeling regret over not hearing of such information prior, Sun entered the main camp and used his elixer pills to heal Deng Jiugong's wound in mere moments upon entry. Reciprocating such an action upon Chanyu after being informed of her condition, Jiugong hosted a personal feast in honor of Sun, in which he became determined to allow Sun the position of vanguard at the latter's request. At Tai Luan's consention to his commander's request, knowing that Sun's reputed ability will more than likely bring Shang a swifter victory, Earth Traveler Sun left the camp at once, ordering an enemy celestial to present himself before his feet. As Nezha retorted such a challenge openly, and began to lunge forth in great laughter at the shortness of his opponent, Sun, on the other hand, had little trouble against this foe -- for he could easily jump about nimbly and strike at great speeds with his cudgel. Using such an advantage to his essential benefit, Sun suddenly unleashed his Celestial Binding Rope to bind the unfortunate Nezha while throwing him before the feet of Deng Jiugong upon his return shortly following. Deng Jiugong, who knew that King Zhou and the commanders of neighboring regions would think highly of him if he were to possess evidential proof of his ability to conquer even that of celestials with great ease, decided to throw Nezha in the back camp, where he prepared to send the former to the capital for the benefit of his reputation. As Jiang Ziya had meanwhile displayed great astonishment at the learning of Nezha's capture--which would naturally be impossible considering his celestial renown--Huang Tianhua ensured the prime minister that he would challenge this certain foe the following day in order to see if such information is true. Confronting Earth Traveler Sun nontheless the next morning, Tianhua unfortunately had little advantage against the strategic prowess that Sun could pull off simply with his shortness and speed, and was thus captured and thrown into the gaouls with his counterpart, Nezha, back at the camp of Shang in short time. Deng Jiugong, who was naturally exceedingly delighted at the simultaneous victories of his vanguard, created another banquet to honor Sun, where they both drank merrily for hours upon end. Carelessly allowing himself to become rather drunk with dulled senses, Deng Jiugong declared that if Sun were able to essentially subdue the Western Foothills through the potential capture of rebel commander Jiang Ziya, he would give him is precious daughter as a token of gratitude. Being overjoyed at the prospect of obtaining Chanyu, Earth Traveler Sun appeared before the gates of Phoenix City at the brink of dawn the next morning; and upon the calling of Jiang Ziya to show himself, the prime minister realized that he would be looked upon as a fool if he were not to confront a mere boy, and thus exited the camp gates with generals to his right and left. Charging upon the rebel commander with heightened confidence, Earth Traveler Sun deployed his Celestial Binding Rope following a few volleys; but to his overpowerment upon immediate retortion of the enemy, the prime minister was carried back to safety while the Zhou forces fought with even greater vigor. Having his Celestial Binding Rope still tightly bound upon the prime minister, and considering the current overpowerment on the side of Zhou, Sun had little choice but to retreat in a state of intense rage at the thought of his rope being taken away from his grasp permanently -- thus increasing the probability of loss rather than an essential victory. As the Zhou forces returned to the Phoenix City, each general realized that the rope around the prime minister only grew tighter around his body whenever an individual attempted its removal. Yang Bliss, who was naturally akin to such situations, placed a single magical charm upon the rope, which caused it to fall to the ground immediately following. Informing the prime minister that such a rope is none other than the 'Celestial Binding Rope', and was used by Krakucchanda within the Vehemont Flame Trap, Yang Bliss obtained consention to meet Earth Traveler Sun the following day to ask the reason behind Sun's actions -- and more importantly: how he even obtained the rope. Confronting Sun the next day, the lad had little patience for talk and immediately bound the celestial foe with a secondary rope made of the hardest mineral while returning to the Shang camp in a state of satisfication over his victory. As Yang Bliss easily slipped from such bonds and sent his Sky Barking Hound upon Earth Traveler Sun in surprise, Sun had little time to react, and immediately burrowed deeply into the ground. Being slightly frightened at such an unexpected art, Yang Bliss fled back to Phoenix City shortly to elaborate the current situation with Prime Minister Jiang Ziya. Now fully realizing that Sun possesses the ability to travel undeground at will, and that he will more than likely seize such an ability to attempt a full-scale assault upon the capital city in unpredicatable locations, Jiang Ziya and Yang Bliss thought throughout the day as to how such potential danger could be erased. Taking immediate preparations, the prime minister moved King Wu safely to a neighboring mansion while generals and countless mirrors were hung about the city gates. As Jiang Ziya had thus sheltered King Wu safely away from any potential harm, Earth Traveler Sun burrowed beneath Phoenix City's gates that evening; and upon the realization that Jiang Ziya was heavily guarded by soldiers from every direction, which was close to what he thought to have been the rebel commander's mansion, Sun decided to roam around until he was led in the direction of the palace, which exued forth music into the air. Seeing a man of kingly appearance who he had assumed to have been King Wu, Earth Traveler Sun emerged from the ground beneath once the great clamor had stopped, and the king was supposedly asleep and easily harmable. Approaching the king's bed and cleaving off the former's head, Sun noticed a woman of exceeded beauty sleeping near his fallen victim. Closing near upon this woman, Yang Bliss suddenly emerged forth from the darkness and forcefully grappled ahold of Sun, while carrying him cautiously in the air less he manages to flee through the ground. Approaching Jiang Ziya shortly following, the order to execute Earth Traveler Sun was given; but, to their ill-fortune, Sun struggled to such an extent to which he was able to essentially reach the ground and burrow away from trouble. As the young lad had meanwhile returned to the side of Commander Deng Jiugong, while elaborating the unfortunate happenings, Yang Bliss departed to Dragon Squeezing Mountain in order to discuss the current happenings with Krakuchanda, who he assumed to have been Sun's master.

封神演義/卷054