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

Master Xuangu composed himself and listened as Qiu Peng invoked the names of Yu Jin and True Man Chixia, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

He had cultivated his Xuan Gu technique for hundreds of years. Although he had not yet reached the point of being famous throughout the land, he was still somewhat well-known in the southwestern corner of Dongsheng Shenzhou.

His profound Yin cultivation technique had reached a state of perfection, and ordinary cultivators would respectfully address him as "Master".

"Crimson Cloud Immortal?" Xuan Gu's voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of amusement.

Even in his prime, he would still have to be very polite to me.

His gaze swept over Qiu Peng, who stood frozen in place, and the group of royal palace cultivators behind him.

"As for the Jade Brocade Immortal you mentioned... he's probably in dire straits himself right now."

A seemingly casual remark sent a jolt through everyone present.

The Han family members looked up in shock, staring incredulously at the figure in blue robes.

Even the Crimson Cloud Immortal needs to be courteous? The Jade Brocade National Preceptor is barely able to protect himself?

Everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, unsure whether his words were true or false.

One thing is certain: the blue-robed man before them is undoubtedly a genuine Golden Core cultivator!

Qiu Peng trembled all over, as if struck by lightning.

His greatest reliance was so worthless in the other party's words, and an unprecedented chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

Qiu Peng forced himself to bow, his voice trembling uncontrollably:

"This junior was blind and offended Your Excellency! I beg Your Excellency's forgiveness. This junior will leave with my men immediately and will never dare to disturb the Han family's peace again!"

All he wanted at that moment was to escape as quickly as possible and report this momentous event to the Imperial Advisor.

Master Xuan Gu no longer looked at him.

He had no interest in listening to even a single word of the wailing of such ants.

Xuan Gu casually flicked his sleeve.

In an instant, the look of horror on Qiu Peng's face froze forever. Along with the cultivators and guards behind him, a visible white chill emanated from their bodies, and their skin turned into ice inch by inch.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of lifelike ice statues in various poses appeared on the open space in front of the door.

Standing in the morning light, even the folds of his robes and the strands of his hair were clearly visible, yet there was no trace of life left.

Xuan Gu's sleeves seemed to move without wind, yet they also seemed completely still.

"puff……"

A soft sound, like ice and snow shattering, echoed outside the quiet courtyard.

Dozens of mysterious ice crystals simultaneously collapsed, turning into countless tiny, dark blue ice crystals that fluttered down and melted away before even touching the ground, leaving no trace.

Even the last trace of their existence was completely erased.

Only where he stood remained a few storage bags of different styles and some scattered magical artifacts.

Master Xuangu then casually raised his hand and gently grabbed the spot where the ice crystals had dissipated.

All these unclaimed items were rolled into his sleeves and fell into his pale, slender fingers.

He didn't even look at it, casually putting it into his sleeve with practiced ease, clearly someone who was used to doing this.

In the life of a wandering cultivator, one should take whatever resources one can, without any formalities.

The streets returned to silence, with only the soft rustling of the breeze across the cobblestones.

The members of the Han family lowered their heads and held their breath, with only the sound of their hearts pounding in their chests.

The morning light was still warm, but it couldn't dispel the chill that seeped into everyone's bones.

The power of a Golden Core cultivator could obliterate a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a wave of their hand, annihilating both body and soul. Such methods were beyond their comprehension, leaving them only with deep awe.

Han Liyan suppressed her fear and carefully helped her great-grandfather, Han Chengzong, who was weak and bleeding from the corner of his mouth, to sit down on a stone bench in the corridor.

The old woman seemed about to speak, but she gently shook her head, signaling her great-grandfather to be quiet.

Then, she turned around alone, took a deep breath, and respectfully bowed in the direction of Master Xuan Gu.

His voice trembled slightly with the relief of surviving a close call, yet he spoke clearly:

"Junior Han Liyan thanks the Immortal for saving my life."

She paused slightly, mustered her courage, and raised her eyes to look at the blue-robed cultivator with a profound aura, her eyes still filled with a lingering fear.

"But... if I may be so bold as to ask, my Han family does not know what merit or ability we have to trouble the immortal to lend a helping hand."

"If Your Majesty truly requires anything, the Han family, though insignificant, will certainly do everything in its power to repay this great kindness."

Xuan Gu's gaze swept over the girl, noticing that although she was afraid, she remained calm and did not forget her manners even in danger.

Despite his low cultivation level, he was still able to calm himself down and ask questions, which showed some resilience.

His gaze swept over the Han family members who were bowing their heads in the courtyard, and finally settled on Han Liyan.

He simply replied, "Why thank me?"

The words were brief, but they startled Han Liyan and the Han family members around her who were listening intently.

"I am not the kind of person who is compassionate and quick to defend the weak."

Xuan Gu slightly shifted his gaze towards the direction of the royal palace, his tone indifferent:

"The person you should truly thank is probably already inside the palace, searching for that Imperial Preceptor."

The members of the Han family were all taken aback upon hearing this, exchanging bewildered glances.

Besides this Golden Core cultivator before him, who else could it be? Judging from his tone, it seems that even the unfathomable Jade Brocade National Preceptor might not be taken seriously.

Before they could figure it out, Xuan Gu ignored them and slowly walked into the center of the courtyard.

Wherever it passed, the bloodstains scattered on the ground were wiped away as if by an invisible hand, quickly drying and fading until they disappeared without a trace.

Even the faint smell of blood in the air was completely dispelled by this pure Xuan Yin aura.

Xuan Gu found a clean stone bench and sat down. The Xuan Yin Qi flowed around him like a thin mist, as natural as if he were the master of this place.

"Get up, all of you, and clean this place up."

"Don't let it remain in this mess when my fellow Daoist arrives; it'll only be an eyesore."

The Han family members then realized what was happening and hurriedly got up, frantically starting to clean the courtyard.

They removed the damaged items and hurriedly prepared usable tea and chairs, not daring to be negligent, their movements were slow and swift.

The members of the Han family lowered their heads and dared not speak, for fear of making the slightest sound and disturbing this profound and mysterious deity.

In their hearts, they were repeatedly pondering the words "Daoist Brother." To be addressed as Daoist Brother by a Golden Core cultivator must mean that his strength was probably immeasurable.

But why would such a person help the increasingly declining Han family?

No one dared to ask, and could only suppress their speculation and unease in their hearts, sweeping the courtyard even more carefully.

Inside the courtyard, Han Liyan helped her great-grandfather to sit down on the porch.

The old man had a pale face, closed his eyes and concentrated, his hands forming a mudra on his knees, and a faint red light flowed around his body.

After swallowing a pill, he was trying his best to circulate his internal energy and heal his injuries.

Han Liyan stood quietly to the side, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards the indifferent, blue-robed Shangzhen.

The image of Qiu Peng and the others turning into ice crystals and drifting away still lingered in her mind, filling her with lingering fear as well as an indescribable sense of gratitude.

If this supreme being hadn't arrived at that exact moment, I fear I would not have escaped this calamity today.

But after this moment of relief, a deeper sense of confusion and unease surged into my heart like a tide.

The girl clutched the hem of her dress, looked down at the pale shadow cast by her skirt, and suddenly felt that the peace she had just gained was as cold as ice, its thickness unknown.

The latest chapter has ignited the plot! Stay tuned for more updates.