Journey to the West: Cultivation Begins at Jindou Mountain

Chapter 237 True Martial Returns
As the roaring sound gradually subsided in the Beidou Mountains, a figure carrying a tortoise shell and looking somewhat disheveled fell from the sky.

At this moment, the old man from Camel Mountain had his eyebrows and beard burned by the Samadhi True Fire, emitting a burnt smell. His robes were burned with several large holes, and even the divine mountain tortoise shell on his back was somewhat blackened.

The old man from Camel Mountain looked at the Taoist in blue robes opposite him with a gloomy gaze and coldly uttered two words.

"Primordial Chaos."

This person's aura clearly indicates that he has not yet attained the Dao Fruit and cannot be considered a Great Luo Immortal; he is still at the Taiyi realm. However, his skills are far superior to those of a Great Luo Immortal.

The Samadhi True Fire and the mountain-splitting halberd from just now made him tremble with fear. This person's skill level was almost comparable to that of a Great Immortal.

If someone has poor eyesight, it's normal for them to mistake this person for a celestial being.

As for that halberd strike just now, it was a unified whole, clearly a complete manifestation of the Great Dao of Primordial Chaos.

This Primordial Dao is not something you can cultivate at will. Without wisdom, great opportunity, and a strong foundation, you can't even get through the door!
This Taoist priest before us must be a true disciple of Taoism. With such abilities, he might be a member of the Three Pure Ones. We must not underestimate him.
Niu Yi stood holding his halberd, looking at the old man from Tuoshan with a gloomy expression, feeling slightly surprised.

This was his first time facing a Great Immortal, so he had no intention of holding back at all. However, the old man from Camel Mountain in front of him seemed to be weaker than he had imagined.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Even someone at the Taiyi realm like him has varying levels of strength.

He was as strong as Sun Wukong; though he was only a Taiyi, he could fight against a Daluo.

The weak ones were just like the four corpse demons from before. Although they were all at the Taiyi Realm who had comprehended the complete Great Dao, they couldn't even withstand him for a few breaths.

The same applies to the Great Luo Realm. Although the person before us is also in the Great Luo Realm, there is absolutely no comparison between them and Guanyin Bodhisattva of the South Sea.

It's no wonder that the true masters of the three religions look down on these unorthodox sects; they are indeed far inferior.
It seems that the old man from Camel Mountain in front of him poses no threat to him, while the True Lord You Sheng in the sky is completely overwhelming the Jade Qilin. It is only a matter of time before the Jade Qilin is defeated.

When the time comes, with the combined strength of the two of them, the old man from Camel Mountain will naturally know when to retreat and leave.

As for killing the old man from Camel Mountain, Niu Yi had never considered it.

This old fellow has lived for hundreds of thousands of years, traversing countless eons. Who knows what kind of trump cards he might have? Moreover, he has cultivated to the Dao Fruit, reaching the Great Luo realm of oneness with the Dao. He is not so easy to kill.

The old man from Camel Mountain stared at Niu Yi with a gloomy gaze. Behind him, the divine light of the tortoise shell of the sacred mountain flickered. He slammed his wooden staff into the ground, and the entire vast area, spanning tens of thousands of miles, instantly merged with the old man from Camel Mountain.

A powerful aura emanated from the old man of Camel Mountain, and the tortoise shell on his body detached and rapidly shrank, falling into his hand.

"I admit that I underestimated you a bit just now, but don't think that I can't do anything to you just because of that!"

The old man from Camel Mountain threw out the divine tortoise shell in his hand. The shell flashed with divine light, soared into the sky, and after a moment, the sky over the entire Beidou Mountain range gradually darkened.

A dark, majestic mountain, stretching as far as the eye can see, gradually broke through the clouds and descended towards the mountain range.

Niu Yi looked up at the sacred mountain, his eyes gleaming with a precious light, his expression solemn.

This mountain is different from the one formed from the rocks just now. This divine mountain, formed from a tortoise shell, is the natal magic treasure of the Old Man of Camel Mountain.

Niu Yi stood still. He could feel that as the divine mountain pressed down, a vast and boundless force, like facing the Earth Path directly, descended upon him, attempting to freeze him in place.

This old man from Camel Mountain also walks the path of earth, cultivating his own divine mountain path. He is most skilled at using the 'mountain's power' to suppress people; this is a unique ability of the old man from Camel Mountain.

The old man from Camel Mountain clasped his hands together, looking at Niu Yi with a fierce expression, clearly having already exerted his full strength.

The surrounding terrain was rapidly manipulated and put to his use. At this moment, he was the Great Dao of Earth, the divine mountain in the sky!
This Taoist priest, whose origins are unknown, only wanted to stall him, but he had to break the deadlock.

Now that he's already involved, given You Sheng's personality, if he deals with the Black Jade Qilin, he'll be next. At that point, he probably won't have a peaceful day anymore.

At this moment, the old man from Camel Mountain also felt a little regretful. When his junior was killed, he was furious. He was a Great Immortal, after all, and that You Sheng was so disrespectful. He also owed the Black Jade Qilin a great debt of karma, so he readily agreed.

Who would have thought that this would happen today?
Regardless, he has no way to back down!
As the sacred mountain descended rapidly, the entire Beidou Mountain Range was shrouded in shadow, and Niu Yi's expression became slightly serious.

Even with his original form of four thousand feet, he still appeared quite small under this divine mountain. This mountain can be seen as a manifestation of the Great Dao of Earth. Even with his immense strength, it would not be a wise move for him to forcibly lift this mountain, putting him in a rather passive position.

Furthermore, this sacred mountain is the natal magic weapon that the old man of Camel Mountain refined over several decades. No matter how sharp his Sun and Moon Steel Halberd is, it will be difficult for him to cut through it in a short time.

As Niu Yi watched the tortoise-backed sacred mountain press down and approach, he waved his hand, and five beams of light instantly appeared, rushing towards the sacred mountain!
"Boom——"

As the five-colored light swiftly reached the sacred mountain, a five-element light instantly spread outwards, reaching the entire Turtleback Sacred Mountain and continuously expanding outwards towards the Big Dipper Mountain Range.

The old man from Camel Mountain suddenly changed his expression. His sacred mountain seemed to have slipped out of his control for a moment, and this feeling was intensifying.

"The Five Elements Dao! This is the Five Elements Spirit Pearl!!!"

The old man from Camel Mountain hurriedly waved his hand, about to retrieve his magic weapon, but the Earth Element Spirit Pearl among the Five Elements Spirit Pearls exerted its power again, freezing the sacred mountain for a moment.

As the five elements circulated, a five-colored radiance enveloped the entire mountain. This sacred mountain was being rapidly refined and suppressed by the Five Elements Spirit Pearls, and was quickly shrinking.

"You brat!! How dare you!"

Seeing that this person was about to forcibly refine his own sacred mountain with the Five Elements Spirit Pearl, the old man of Camel Mountain was furious. He chanted an incantation, causing mountains to quickly gather on the surrounding land and press down on Niu Yi.

At the same time, a flash of yellow light appeared on the old man from Camel Mountain, and his figure instantly appeared on the constantly shrinking sacred mountain. Just as he was about to take the sacred mountain back, he suddenly heard the rattling of chains and the roar of dragons and tigers!
It turned out that Niu Yi on the other side used his treasured halberd to instantly split several pressing mountains, and then released the God-Locking Chain and the Dragon-Tiger Fan to entangle the old man of Camel Mountain.

The old man from Camel Mountain's expression changed. His long staff glowed with a yellow light as he held it in front of him, where it collided violently with a suddenly appearing, murderous, white bone sword!

"clang!"

The old man from Camel Mountain took a small step back, flipped his hand, and a large earthen-yellow seal appeared. Before the chains and the dragon and tiger could pounce on him, he slammed the seal onto his own sacred mountain.

"buzz"

With a humming sound from the sacred mountain, the earthen-yellow seal emitted a burst of earthen-yellow light, and the aura of the Great Dao of Earth permeated the air. Just before the chained dragon and tiger could pounce down, it carried the old man of Camel Mountain and the sacred mountain into the ground, disappearing in the blink of an eye without a trace.

"That old guy, he's fast." Niu Yi watched this scene with a hint of regret.

The large seal in the old man's hand actually escaped his perception range in an instant by using the Earth Element Dao, and there was no way to chase it.

That divine mountain tortoise shell of the other party is a real treasure. The old man from Camel Mountain has used most of his possessions to refine that divine mountain magic weapon. If it weren't for the Five Elements Spirit Pearl, he would probably be in some trouble today.

Even those who cultivate to the point of attaining the Dao Fruit and becoming one with the Dao are ultimately different from the Great Luo Immortals.

With the old man from Camel Mountain gone, the outcome of the battle became completely clear.
Niu Yi's eyes gleamed as he looked at the battle situation on the horizon.

At this moment, in the sea of ​​demonic energy, the Tengshe Divine Turtle had already firmly bitten the body of the Moyu Qilin, making it impossible for the Moyu Qilin to break free. At the same time, You Sheng Zhenjun also slashed out with his sword, beheading the Moyu Qilin in one stroke!
As the severed head of the Black Jade Qilin fell into the Beidou Mountains, the demonic energy of Beiju Luzhou seemed to be cleared away, bringing this battle to a close.

Thirty years later.

The Beidou Mountains, which were razed to the ground by the battle years ago, remain barren and desolate.

Even though the Beidou Mountains were once a rare blessed land of immortals, since they were used by the black jade unicorn as a breeding ground for demonic energy, they have long been rotten inside despite their golden exterior.

However, at the very center of the Beidou Mountains, a celestial mountain surrounded by the five elements and radiating immortal energy stands out prominently, appearing extremely abrupt.

At the summit of the immortal mountain, Niu Yi and You Sheng Zhenjun sat facing each other at a table, leisurely sipping tea. Beside them, a large flag fluttered in the wind, adorned with a snake and tortoise pattern.

"Fellow Daoist Guangyi's methods are truly profound. He used the Five Elements Spirit Pearls to refine this mountain, which will help my True Martial Banner to suppress the corpse of the Black Jade Qilin here."

"It's a pity that in the end, the old man from Camel Mountain still managed to escape. If his Turtle Back Mountain were still there, we wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble."

At this moment, True Lord Yousheng had changed into a long black robe, wore a lotus crown, had black hair and beard, and had a peaceful expression.

Five years ago, You Sheng Zhenjun wiped out the rampant demons in Beiju Luzhou and Nanzhanbuzhou in one fell swoop. He was ordered by the Jade Emperor to take charge of the Zhenwu position and be responsible for eliminating all evil in the world.

At this time, he should be addressed as the True Martial Emperor.

The name of Zhenwu the Great became famous throughout the Three Realms, and people in the mortal world erected statues of him and revered him as the Nine Heavens Demon-Subduing Ancestor. He was known to everyone under heaven.

Along with it, the great name of Immortal Guangyi was also spread, but the spread was limited to the Heavenly Court and the Underworld.

Niu Yi held his teacup, looking down at the massive body bound and restrained by chains within the dark mountain.

"This jade unicorn possesses an indelible life force. Its body is in harmony with the Great Dao. Even if only a trace of life remains, there is still a chance for it to be reborn. What do you intend to do with it, fellow Daoist?"

"Fellow Daoist Guangyi, rest assured, I have received the Jade Emperor's decree and extracted the soul of the Black Jade Qilin. I will soon go to the Underworld to nail the Qilin's body to the Nine Netherworlds and wear it down day and night. In less than ten thousand years, its life force will be extinguished."

"As for that primordial spirit, I have already sent it to the Mi Luo Palace and requested the Primordial Heavenly Venerable to take action and prepare a gift for you, fellow Daoist."

“Recently, I received a summons from the Primordial Celestial Venerable, instructing me to go and subdue the dark demonic aura in the northeast. I am unable to deliver it in person, but after a hundred years, the gift will be delivered to your Daoist temple by a disciple of the Primordial Celestial Venerable.”

Seeing that Niu Yi was about to say something, the True Martial Emperor waved his hand repeatedly and said:
"Fellow Daoist, I have been fortunate enough to attain the Dao. I hope you will not stand on ceremony with me, otherwise, I will not be at peace with myself."

"Then this humble Taoist will not stand on ceremony with Fellow Taoist Zhenwu."

"Hahaha~ That's how it should be, that's how it should be~"

A few days later, Niu Yi bid farewell to He Xi and his wife, as well as the True Martial Emperor. With many disciples of the True Martial Daoist lineage seeing him off, he transformed into golden light and left the immortal mountain, heading back to Jindu Mountain.

Meanwhile, Zhenwu the Great, riding on a Teng Snake and a Divine Turtle, led a group of appointed heavenly soldiers and generals, along with various armies, flying towards the northeast.

Deep in the North Sea, on an unnamed island.

“Master, news has come from Beiju Luzhou that the True Martial Emperor has sent the body of the Black Jade Qilin to the Nine Netherworlds and then went to the northeast to search for the black aura. The Immortal Guangyi, who was also in the Beidou Mountains, has also left.”

The Barefoot Immortal looked at the dashing female disciple before him, waved his banana leaf fan, and nodded with a smile.

"Now that Zhenwu has returned to his rightful place, you and I, master and disciple, no longer need to stay here to guard him. Let us leave together."

The female disciple nodded, looked at her master curiously, and asked:
"Master, you once said that the True Martial Emperor was the You Sheng Zhen Jun by the side of the Jade Emperor. Who is that Guang Yi Immortal? How could he frighten away the Old Man of Camel Mountain?"

"Could he be a reclusive immortal who has long since disappeared from the world? Or perhaps an incarnation of another important minister of the Heavenly Court?"

"Hahaha~ My disciple~ Over the years, how many questions have you asked me about the Heavenly Court? You've already entered the Dao, but your curiosity about the Heavenly Court hasn't diminished, it's only increased~"

The Barefoot Immortal smiled, pondered for a moment, and said:

"That person's identity is mysterious. I only know that he is extremely capable. Although he has not attained the Dao Fruit and cannot be considered a Great Luo Immortal, he is still stronger than an ordinary Great Luo Immortal."

"As for the others, if a powerful force is covering up their cause and effect, they must have extremely deep roots."

"Then, between him and you, Master, who is more powerful? How does he compare to the Great Sage Equaling Heaven who wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace back then?"

The Barefoot Immortal looked at his disciple, shrugged, and said helplessly:
"No one can really say for sure about something like this unless they've actually fought it."

"Furthermore, disciple, the purpose of seeking immortality and enlightenment is to cultivate the Dao and attain longevity. Learning magic and supernatural powers and refining magical treasures are all for self-defense and to assist in cultivation, not for competing and being competitive. You must never have such thoughts."

"For this Immortal Guangyi to possess such abilities and cultivation, he must have undergone many years of arduous cultivation, yet remained unknown. It's impossible for him to have sprung from a stone like Sun Wukong."

“We, the people of the Xuanmen, do not seek fame or fortune, but only seek our own path. This person must be a reclusive master. Look at him, if he were not here to help the True Martial Emperor, how could he have appeared in the eyes of the world?”

The female disciple watched as her master started fanning himself again, talking animatedly to himself. She couldn't help but rub her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. She turned around, rode on a cloud, and flew towards her master's dojo.

"So...hey? Disciple! Disciple! Wait for your master!"

As the Barefoot Immortal and his disciple left the island in the North Sea, a thunderous sound, as if in fury, echoed from the mountain peak at the center of the island.

(End of this chapter)