Journey to the West: Starting with the True Lord of the Pure Land

The True Lord meditated in the inner chamber of the Thunder Palace.

The essence of the 9,000-year-old peach, made of the wood element, flows slowly through the meridians, like a spring stream nourishing a withered bank.

The court assembly will last for seven days, which will be seven years in the mortal realm.

As divine thoughts and lightning intertwined, only a wisp of consciousness, like a thread, shone down upon the mortal realm.

…………

Deep in the sea of ​​flowing clouds.

The Crystal Palace is serene and tranquil.

Xuan Ling, the incarnation of Xuan Jiao, has been staying in the East Hall of the Crystal Palace for several days at the request of Ao Ying, the Dragon Girl.

Outside the window, the coral forest was silent, with only the brilliance of the pearl flowing endlessly.

In recent days, the seas have gradually returned to peace, and the aftershocks of the calamity at the Ruoshui River have gradually subsided.

Ao Ying was swift and decisive, and with the help of Jing Yun and the Dragon Whale Clan, he used the giant body of the Dragon Whale to clear the sea eye and ordered the patrolling Yakshas to reorganize the borders.

The mischievous water monsters were either captured or killed, and the damaged aquatic caves were repaired one by one.

Many trivial but important follow-up matters have been largely handled properly.

Only a few deep-sea areas are still haunted by water evil, which will need time to slowly erode.

Deep within the East Hall.

The surrounding glass walls let in the faint light of the deep sea, making the cloud patterns on Chen Jiao's black robes appear to flow.

The silk ribbons hanging between the pillars of the palace hung silently, occasionally swaying gently with the flow of water.

Chen Jiao sat cross-legged on a cold jade platform.

He looked inward at his dantian, where the golden core was already like jade, with nine orifices faintly visible on its surface, breathing in and out pure demonic essence.

Chen Jiao's avatar has now reached the Golden Core stage, a remarkably rapid advancement.

A burning, throbbing sensation slowly arose from the depths of his golden core, as if a spark was hidden within.

The surface has fine cracks that subtly reveal a reddish glow, like fire encased in an eggshell.

Occasionally, a scorching heat flows along the meridians, causing a slight vapor to rise from the body.

This is a sign that the calamity of the elixir fire is about to arrive.

This tribulation was not an invasion by external demons, but rather a wisp of pure yang elixir fire that arose from within after the Golden Core reached its peak.

To overcome this tribulation, one must refine the golden elixir with the tribulation fire, and then the golden elixir breaks free from its cocoon to transform into a nascent soul that will reside in the Purple Palace.

Even if the physical body is damaged, there is still room for maneuver.

However, the timing of this fire-refining of the golden elixir is crucial.

If the heat is too low, the nascent soul will be weak; if the heat is too high, the soul will not be formed before the fire becomes too intense, the golden elixir will be destroyed, and the person will die and their soul will be destroyed.

If it were an ordinary cultivator, they might be able to use elixirs or secret techniques to moderate the fiery nature.

His body is that of a Xuanjiao (a type of dragon), and he is naturally drawn to water.

This tribulation of alchemical fire was inherently dangerous for him, carrying a sense of mutual antagonism. Like boiling oil poured into a cold pool, the slightest carelessness would lead to a reversal of yin and yang, and the collapse of his Dao foundation.

At this moment, the tribulation of the elixir fire is like a lurking red dragon, about to arrive but not yet, which is the most challenging moment for one's character.

Within the nine orifices of the Golden Elixir, an invisible fire suddenly erupted, growing ever more intense, transforming into countless scorching needles that stung the meridians.

Chen Jiao's expression remained unchanged, his fingers moved in different hand gestures, his black robes billowed, and his hair moved without wind.

At this moment, as he fully activated the [Vast Ocean Whale Dragon Profound Chapter], the water elemental demon power within his body surged naturally like the tide.

A thin layer of water mist condensed within a foot or so around him, forming wisps of pure water essence.

The mist slowly swirled, drawing in the chill emanating from the jade on the couch.

He guided the vast demonic energy within his body, like spring water nourishing all things, to repeatedly cleanse and refine the golden elixir, slowly suppressing the restless fire within it.

After a long time

Chen Jiao slowly opened his eyes, a fleeting, watery light flashing in them.

He gently exhaled a breath of stale air, which condensed into a white streak about a foot long in the air and lingered for a long time.

That day.

Ao Ying finished handling all the miscellaneous tasks, and the aquatic creatures each performed their duties. The troublesome demons were also imprisoned.

She dared not forget her previous promise, and with a slight lift of her skirt, she walked directly towards the East Palace.

The Crystal Palace corridors were deep and secluded, and the coral on the walls shimmered with a warm luster, making her light blue palace dress even more radiant.

As soon as Ao Ying stepped into the outer corridor of the East Hall, before she could even knock on the door, she suddenly felt the golden core in her dantian tremble slightly.

An invisible wave of heat suddenly rushed towards me, penetrating my dantian and causing my circulating magical power to stagnate.

Ao Ying stopped in her tracks, her jade-like hand instinctively touching her lower abdomen, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

Her cultivation had reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm, and her Dragon Clan Golden Core was exceptionally stable.

At this moment, however, it is like cold iron thrown into a furnace, suffering from both internal and external torment.

She looked up and saw that the light and shadow in the hall seemed a little dimmer than usual, and the air was slightly distorted, as if an invisible flame was burning quietly.

The gentle, watery aura that originally filled the palace was now quietly dispelled by an extremely restrained yet intense aura.

"Such a powerful lingering effect of the alchemical fire..."

She was secretly alarmed and wanted to take a few steps back to avoid suspicion.

The tightly closed door of the Cold Jade Palace was gently pushed open from the inside by a slender hand.

But Chen Jiao stood inside the door, his black robes fluttering, his expression calm.

There was no dazzling light around him; instead, it was as if he had completely concealed all his aura.

Only his eyes were more profound than usual, with starlight flickering and shimmering in their depths.

Chen Jiao stopped a few steps in front of Ao Ying.

The invisible heat then receded like the tide, and clarity returned.

"What brings you here, Your Highness, Dragon Princess?"

His voice was calm, yet it inexplicably reminded Ao Ying of the unusually calm sea before a storm.

Ao Ying suppressed the turmoil in her heart and couldn't help but scrutinize him closely with her beautiful eyes. She saw that his breathing was smooth and even, without the slightest sign of strain.

It was as if the lingering afterglow of the elixir fire that had just made her heart palpitate was merely her illusion.

But she knew this was not the case at all. This was clearly a sign that a golden elixir had reached its perfect state, igniting internal fire and about to break through the Nascent Soul barrier.

Moreover, the purity and intensity of his fire intent far surpassed that of any Golden Core cultivator she had ever seen.

Ao Ying composed herself, a faint smile appearing on her lips, concealing all her surprise and doubt, and curtsied.

"I am disturbing your peaceful cultivation, fellow Daoist."

"With all matters in the palace temporarily settled, the promised items from the treasury are ready. I have come to invite you, fellow Daoist, to accompany me in making your selection."

Chen Jiao's gaze swept over Ao Ying's slender hand, which was still pressed against her lower abdomen. He nodded knowingly and said calmly:

"Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness. Please."

Ao Ying led the way, her skirt brushing against the jade bricks, but the lingering, heart-pounding aftertaste of the elixir fire still lingered in her heart.

The two left the East Hall and walked slowly along a crystal-clear corridor.

In the distance, the faint, deep roar of a dragon whale could be heard, adding to the solitude of this deep-sea palace.

Pearls gleamed softly among the coral reefs, making the scales adorning the dragon maiden's hair appear even brighter.

Ao Ying moved with light steps, turning her head to look at Xuan Ling beside her, her eyes filled with sincerity:

"This time, we are fortunate to have your strong support in helping us through the calamity of the Weak Water."

If it weren't for you, fellow Daoist, using Emperor Yu's precious ruler to stabilize the waves and draw away the water spirit, not only would my Liuyun Sea be in danger, but even the East Sea under my father's jurisdiction would have suffered a great calamity.

All aquatic creatures of the four seas should be grateful for the kindness of our fellow Daoist."

The dragon girl's clear and melodious voice echoed softly in the corridor.

Chen Jiao's gaze swept over the school of silver-scaled fish swimming outside the corridor, his voice calm.

"Your Highness flatters me."

Calming the floods is the natural course of action for all living beings. Moreover, without Your Highness's command of the aquatic creatures and the dragon whales to lend their full assistance, not to mention the magic cast by the gods of Heaven.

"I cannot accomplish anything by my own strength alone."

He paused slightly, then said, "Moreover, thanks to Your Highness's recommendation to that True Lord, Xuan Ling has the opportunity to take charge of the Wave-Stabilizing Ruler."

"Fellow Daoist is always so humble."

Ao Ying's lips curled slightly, the red jade hairpin in her hair trembled lightly, and she laughed sweetly:

"That wave-stabilizing ruler is a treasure left by Emperor Yu, and it possesses extraordinary spirituality. Fellow Daoist, you are well-versed in the true meaning of water element, so naturally you have gained the ruler's approval."

She changed the subject, her tone slightly wistful:

"I just didn't expect that even the reclusive Dragon Whale Ancestor would be willing to show up and help."

This ancestor only sent his whale offspring to offer gifts for my father's birthday, yet he willingly served as a mount to assist my fellow Daoist...

"The Dragon Whale Ancestor's assistance was out of gratitude for the legacy of Emperor Yu or out of affection for the Xuan Jiao; it was not due to my efforts."

Ao Ying suddenly covered her mouth and chuckled softly, a mischievous glint in her eyes:

"However, my sister Wansheng has been thinking about your graceful appearance riding a whale and calming the water. She has been pestering me to talk about it these past few days."

That girl has always had high standards, looking down on even the most talented men of the Four Seas Dragon Clan. It's rare for her to speak so highly of you, fellow Daoist.