¶ Heavenly Kings
See also: Gods & Celestials, Jade Emperor, Gods of Luck.
The Four Heavenly Kings, Tamon-ten, Jocho-ten, Jikoku-ten, and Komoku-ten, were assigned by the Jade Emperor to guard the heavens from all four directions. Tamon-ten was assigned the north, Jocho-ten the south, Jikoku-ten was directed to guard the eastern gates, and Komoku-ten the western gates.
Each King wields one of the four sacred weapons: Jocho-ten skillfully wields Jian the Thunder Sword. Tamon-ten wields Sanjiegun the Thunder Flail, Jikoku-ten wields Saitsu the Lightning Trident, and Komoku-ten wields Gun the Heavenly Pole, the weapon of the Western Dawn.
¶ Heavenly Kings and the Great Storm
When the Great Storm raged in the heavens, the Heavenly Kings, along with the Jade Emperor, embarked on a journey on a colossal dragon, which prevented them from participating in the battle that ensued in the Jade Palace between the weredemons and the celestial beings.
By the time the Heavenly Kings arrived to assist Yanwang Umma-ö, who was single-handedly fighting against thousands of weredemons, it was already impossible to stop the demons and return them to the Under Realm. Although the Heavenly Kings managed to restore order in the heavens, the Earthen Realm remained under the control of weredemons after the Great Storm.
¶ Quotes
The Emperor himself circled the Heavens on a red dragon that was seven times the size of the one that carried Xiwanmu’s palanquin, and could fit not one but five such palanquins upon its back. The Jade Emperor was accompanied by four Great Heavenly Kings, without whom he did not leave the palace: Tamon-ten, Jocho-ten, Jikoku-ten, and Komoku-ten.
Four Heavenly Kings stepped out of the opened door. Each of the kings held one of the sacred four weapons in their hands: Jian the Thunder Sword, Gun the Heavenly Pole, the Sanjiegun the Thunder Flail and Saitsu the Lightning Trident. With ferocious cries, the Heavenly Kings entered into battle with the demons, who did not expect this at all.