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

The young Taoist felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave when Xuan Ling swept his gaze over him. Seeing the fierce tiger lying still beneath him, which possessed the power to overturn mountains, he dared not be arrogant in the slightest.

Suppressing his fear, he dared not be negligent in the slightest, straightened his Taoist robe, and stepped forward.

He bowed deeply from several feet away, performing a Taoist kowtow, his posture even more solemn than when he had previously informed the local earth deity:

"Junior disciple Zhenzhi of Huanghua Temple pays respects to senior."

I was unaware of your arrival at Yangquan Ridge, and I apologize for not welcoming you properly.

His voice was slightly strained, but still clear, and his manners were impeccable.

Chen Jiao's gaze fell on the True Will Daoist. He saw that although the Daoist was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, his spiritual energy was quite pure, with a faint golden light flowing around him, unlike that of an evil Daoist.

He nodded slightly and asked, "Who is your master?"

Upon hearing this, Zhenzhi dared not be negligent, maintaining his bowing posture, and respectfully replied:

"Reporting back to the senior, this junior is a disciple of the Golden Light Immortal."

The disciples under my master are ranked according to the eight characters "True, Constant, Pure, Tranquil, Empty, Bright, and Transformative." I, a junior disciple, entered the sect earlier and am thus honored to be ranked in the "True" generation.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao's heart stirred slightly.

True stillness and tranquility are the essence of emptiness and clarity, which lead to all-encompassing understanding. True stillness is returning to one's original nature, while tranquility is non-action, emptiness and clarity are insightful observation, and all-encompassing understanding is perfect harmony.

This eight-character generational naming system subtly aligns with the Taoist path of cultivating the mind, progressing from the real to the unreal, and ultimately achieving a state of transformation. It demonstrates considerable structure and is far beyond the capabilities of ordinary, unorthodox Taoist practitioners.

From this rule of accepting disciples and ranking them by seniority alone, one can glimpse that his master, Jin Guang Zhenren, indeed possessed some of the orthodox teachings of the Xuanmen sect and was devoted to the Great Dao.

When Zhenzhi mentioned his master, a hint of reverence naturally appeared in his tone. He then said:

"My master traveled here a few months ago and found that the yang energy here was abundant, which would be beneficial to cultivation. So he stayed here temporarily, wanting to absorb the pure energy from all directions and comprehend the mysteries."

Some time ago, after surveying the spiritual veins, we decided to establish a temple here, named "Yellow Flower."

As he spoke, his gaze involuntarily drifted to the quietly crouching, striped tiger beside him, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

The senior in black robes did not exude any aura, so it could be guessed that he was a highly skilled hermit.

Although the giant tiger's demonic aura was concealed, its physique and ferocity were undeniable, clearly indicating that it was a demon cultivator with profound cultivation.

The senior in front of me must possess unfathomable cultivation to be able to subdue such a ferocious demon as a mount.

His mind raced, and he remembered his master, the Golden Light Immortal, often saying, "When traveling, it is best to be courteous and respectful, and one should never easily offend unpredictable people."

Thinking of this, Shinji's posture became even more respectful, and he asked cautiously:

"I don't know... I don't know what your honorific title is?"

After I return, I will inform my master.

My master greatly enjoys associating with virtuous people from all directions. If he knew of your esteemed presence, he would certainly have prepared a warm welcome.

Before Chen Jiao could speak, the tiger beneath him exhaled a scorching breath from its nostrils and swept its fierce eyes over Zhenzhi Daoist.

Although he didn't utter a sound, the invisible killing intent sent chills down Zhenzhi's spine, and he quickly lowered his head.

Chen Jiao's gaze remained unmoved, and he simply said:

"Xuan Ling".

The Taoist Master Zhenzhi memorized the name, and then felt that he had heard it somewhere before, but he couldn't remember where.

Judging from the other party's demeanor, he was definitely not an ordinary rogue cultivator, so he dared not be negligent and quickly bowed again.

"So it's Senior Xuan Ling. I will remember you. It is truly an honor to meet you today."

"In that case, I dare not disturb your peaceful cultivation any longer, senior. I will now take my leave and return to inform my master."

Seeing that Chen Jiao had no intention of saying more, he wisely refrained from asking any further questions and bowed deeply once more.

Then Chen Jiao nodded slightly, as if he had been granted a pardon.

Using his escape technique, he sped off into the distance, disappearing behind the mountains in the blink of an eye.

Clearly, he was eager to report back to his master, Jin Guang Zhenren, about his chance encounter with this senior Xuan Ling.

A mountain breeze swept by, stirring up fine dust.

"The Golden Light Immortal...Yellow Flower Temple..."

Chen Jiao already knew about his background.

On the journey west, the Hundred-Eyed Demon Lord, who resides in Huanghua Temple, possesses the supernatural powers of golden light and yellow mist, and has a thousand eyes, must be the Golden Light Immortal.

This Golden Light Immortal should have seven junior sisters.

However, this mountain range is still called Yangquan Ridge, and there is no trace of the Spider Cave. It seems that the seven spider demons have not yet settled here.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Jiao decided to examine Yangquan Ridge closely and search for traces of the "True Fire of the Sun." Rather than searching aimlessly on his own, he decided to first inquire with the local land deity.

He did not take out any communication talisman like the Taoist Zhenzhi did.

He merely raised his right hand slightly, bringing his index and middle fingers together, with a faint light swirling around his fingertips.

This is the art of summoning spirits and deities.

Unlike ordinary talismans and edicts, this technique uses one's own magical power to activate the earth's spiritual energy, summoning the spirits of mountains and rivers to manifest and commanding the local deities to pay homage.

Chen Jiao was about to cast a spell to thoroughly investigate the true nature of Yangquan Ridge, but had not yet completed the incantation.

Suddenly, a soft "poof" sound came from beneath the cliff ahead.

Two wisps of smoke rose and swirled, vaguely outlining the silhouettes of two elderly people, which were rapidly becoming real.

…………

Deep underground in Yangquanling.

Inside the secluded earthen hermitage, cleverly concealed by rocks and vegetation, incense smoke curls and the furnishings are simple.

The Earth God was dressed in an ochre-yellow robe, and the Earth Goddess was dressed in a dark blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). The two old people were sitting opposite each other, sipping tea.

As local deities, they could not hide anything from the wind and grass on the mountain.

At this moment, by virtue of holding the position of the Earth God, one breathes and resonates with the mountains and rivers and the earth's veins.

The spiritual energy ripples on the ridge, and the voices of the creatures can be clearly heard as soon as one sets foot here, like ripples reflecting on a lake.

The conversation between Chen Jiao and the Taoist Zhenzhi was like a gentle breeze brushing across the earth's veins, reaching the hearts of the two earth deities without missing a single word.

Upon hearing the young man in black introduce himself as "Xuan Ling," the Earth Goddess's face drained of color, her lips trembled, and her eyes were filled with terror.

"Old...old man!"

"It's that...that Flood Dragon Demon King! What's he doing here in this remote, impoverished place?"

Her voice trembled, clearly terrified by the recent rumors circulating in Xiniu Hezhou about the fierce legend of the Jiao King who wiped out Baoguang Temple with a single claw.

However, her reaction was quite different from her fear.

Upon hearing the name "Xuan Ling," the local earth god was first taken aback, then a barely suppressed joy appeared on his gaunt face.

His eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he clapped his hands and whispered:

"It's him! It really is him!"

Seeing his state, the Earth Goddess was both surprised and anxious, and tugged at his sleeve, saying:

"You old fool! Have you lost your mind? This is a peerless and ferocious demon! The Baoguang Temple of Baoxiang Kingdom has vanished just like that."

"Our little temple isn't even enough for him to breathe on! What are you so excited about!"

The Earth God swayed slightly from her tugging, but he wasn't angry. He quickly pressed his wife's hand down and lowered his voice:

"Old woman, don't panic! Don't panic! You only know his fearsome reputation in Xiniu Hezhou, but you don't know his prestige in Dongsheng Shenzhou!"

He pulled the Earth Goddess to sit down on the wooden stool, leaned closer, and lowered his voice, yet it carried an barely suppressed excitement:

"Do you know which colleagues I met last December when I went to the Emperor to report on my duties at Yangquan Ridge, a position I've held for a century?"

The Earth Goddess was taken aback by his nonsensical question and shook her head blankly.

The Earth God stroked his sparse goatee. "Cola Novels, your portable library, more than ten thousand volumes." A look of reminiscence and envy flickered in his eyes.

"I met several highly skilled old locals from the Eastern Continent, on the shores of the East Sea!"

During casual conversation, when the topic of this Xuanling Jiaojun came up, guess what they said?

Before the Earth Goddess could answer, he continued speaking to himself, his tone filled with undisguised amazement:

"Those colleagues all praised it highly!"

It is said that this Jiaojun, although born of the demon race, was not the kind of vicious person who only knew how to kill and plunder.

While he was stationed at Qingchi Ridge, he not only refrained from recklessly extracting the earth's spiritual energy, but also used his immense supernatural powers to regulate the mountain and water energy, harmonize yin and yang, and attract the convergence of spiritual energy from all directions!

Under his rule, the 800-li Qingchi Ridge is now brimming with spiritual energy, surpassing even the blessed lands of immortals!

The Earth God paused, his voice even softer, yet each word was clear:

"Especially that land deity of Yunmang Mountain, who is the local deity of the place where the Jiaojun Cave is located."

Speaking of Lord Jiao, I am truly moved to tears!

He said that since the arrival of the Dragon King, he has not only not been oppressed or exploited, but has also benefited greatly from the Dragon King's work of regulating the earth's veins and blessing the mountains and rivers!

The earth's veins nourished and replenished him, causing his cultivation to advance, and he showed signs of forming a golden core!

The Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak had heard about this report and offered him a few words of encouragement!

You have no idea how many mountain gods and local deities were present at the time, their eyes filled with envy and jealousy, their eyes practically red with envy!

The Earth Goddess was stunned, her face still showing fear, but now filled with disbelief:

"Is this really true? That Flood Dragon Demon King... no, Flood Dragon Lord, is it truly so? That local deity of Yunmang Mountain is truly about to achieve the Golden Core stage?!"

Among the mountains and the earth's veins, there are often local deities residing.

The cultivation methods of deities like the Earth God and Mountain God are different from those of immortal cultivators who roam freely in the world and great mountain demons who devour the sun and moon.

Their path to enlightenment is based on two things: first, the nourishment of the mountains and rivers and the spiritual veins of the land they govern; and second, the offerings and prayers of the living beings under their rule.

When the spiritual energy of mountains and rivers is abundant, the earth deities are stable and their supernatural powers arise naturally; when the people offer sincere sacrifices, the incense and prayers are pure, which can help strengthen the spirit and nurture one's spiritual practice.

However, in the mountains and fields, human habitation is sparse, and the prosperity or decline of incense offerings depends largely on the timing of the weather and human affairs, which cannot be forced.

The richness or poorness of a place's natural resources is largely determined by the foundation laid when the world was created, and it is difficult for it to undergo significant changes later on.

It is already difficult for ordinary local deities to maintain the spiritual energy of their territory without dissipating or declining, let alone increase it.

Therefore, even if the local earth gods and mountain gods are diligent and conscientious in their duties, their cultivation is mostly stuck at the Foundation Establishment stage, and only one in a hundred can reach the Golden Core stage.

Those who manage to overcome this obstacle mostly do so through special opportunities.

The land under its jurisdiction may be a place of natural beauty and abundant resources, with a strong foundation from the outset; or it may be located in a strategic location, such as a major thoroughfare or a port city, where incense is flourishing and the power of prayers is immense.

Or, like the Black Wind Mountain God Black Wind, one of the rare exceptions is a cultivator who has achieved considerable skill within Black Wind Mountain.

Later, through a series of fortuitous events, he was granted a divine title by the Heavenly Court and assumed divine authority, thus starting from a higher level than ordinary earth deities.

The land of Qingchi Ridge and Yunmang Mountain in Dongsheng Shenzhou was originally an ordinary land deity with mediocre cultivation.

Since Lord Xuanlingjiao took charge, he has regulated the earth's veins, regulated the water element, and drawn together spiritual energy from all directions, causing the spiritual energy in the mountains to flourish far beyond what it used to be.

Mountains and rivers have spirits, and the earth's veins are nourished, which in turn nourishes the land that governs it.

His spiritual foundation was nurtured and refined day and night by the spiritual energy, gradually becoming more and more profound. He even broke through the shackles and touched the threshold of the Golden Elixir.

Such an encounter is a rare and extraordinary opportunity, one in ten thousand among those who cultivate the earth spirits, making others envious.

When this story spread among the local deities, it was like a fairy tale, attracting countless envious and jealous people.

Therefore, the Earth Goddess was both shocked and envious.

"Absolutely true!"

The Earth God nodded emphatically, his eyes filled with even greater joy:

"The local deity of Yunmang Mountain is an old acquaintance of mine, and would never speak recklessly."

He said it himself: Although the Dragon King was majestic and imposing, he valued rules and order.

He showed no disrespect to the local deities and spirits, but rather, due to his great merit in regulating the earth's veins, the deities of his domain benefited immensely! How could such a person be compared to an ordinary demon king?

The Earth Goddess listened, stunned. The fear on her face lessened slightly, but she remained skeptical.

"K...Kokō-ji Temple..."

"Ugh!"

The Earth God waved his hand and whispered:

"The intricacies and complexities of Buddhist affairs are beyond our comprehension. Perhaps there are other hidden stories."

But the words of my fellow landowners are not unfounded.

You and I are here, always dutiful and dutiful, and have never done anything wrong. Why would he want to cause us trouble for no reason?

This person's arrival at Yangquan Ridge might not be a disaster; perhaps... it's an opportunity!

As they were talking.

The Earth God sensed that Chen Jiao raised his hand as if to perform a ritual to exorcise the spirits.

His expression immediately turned serious, and he abruptly stood up:

"This person wants to see us! Quickly, come with me to greet him! We must not be impolite!"

After saying this, without waiting for the Earth Goddess's reaction, he quickly straightened his Earth Goddess robe and pulled up his still dazed wife.

With a flicker, it transformed into wisps of green smoke, rising gently from the cavern in the temple and disappearing towards where Chen Jiao was on the ridge.

…………

Chen Jiao raised his finger as if to cast a spell, but stopped abruptly as soon as he began to move.

Two wisps of green smoke quickly solidified in front of them, transforming into two short figures.

The visitors were an old man and an old woman.

The old man wore an ochre-yellow robe with floral patterns, a square scarf on his head, a gaunt face, three long gray-white beards under his chin, and held a gnarled wooden staff with a faint aura of earth energy flowing from its tip.

The old woman wore a dark blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with a dark green bijia (another type of vest) over it. Her hair was neatly combed and adorned with a wooden hairpin. Her face was kind and her eyes were clear.

The aura emanating from the two individuals was subtly connected to the mountain ridge beneath their feet, exuding a profound and unpretentious quality.

It is the local earth god and earth goddess of Yangquanling.

The two elders appeared without the slightest hesitation or delay.

The Earth God stood in front, and the Earth Goddess followed slightly behind, both bowing towards where Chen Jiao was.

"The local deity of Yangquan Ridge pays homage to the Venerable Xuanling."

"I was unaware of the arrival of Your Excellency's divine presence and have failed to greet you properly. I earnestly beg Your Excellency's forgiveness."

Seeing this, Chen Jiao nodded slightly and raised his sleeve to support a stream of energy, saying, "You two gods, there's no need for such formalities. Please rise."

The Earth God and Goddess felt a warm and gentle force lifting them up.

There was neither overbearing pressure nor the slightest hint of disrespect, and the last trace of unease in my heart finally subsided.

He secretly praised Xuan Ling Shang Zhen Guo for having the demeanor that was rumored to be true.

The two bowed again in thanks before getting up.

The Earth God stepped forward half a step, cupped his hands, and said:

"I am deeply sorry for failing to greet you properly since you have graced us with your presence. May I ask what questions you have for me? I will answer them without reservation."

Chen Jiao's gaze swept over the surrounding crimson rocks and the hot, active fire elemental energy in the air.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked:

"This place is round, and the earth's veins are based on thick soil that supports all things, so it should be spiritually pure and harmonious."

However, the fiery energy here is intense and restless, with a hint of scorching heat. It is not entirely integrated with the earth's veins, but rather seems to have been formed by external influence.

The two gods have guarded this place for a long time. Do you know why this arrangement is so important?

He asked directly, his gaze calmly fixed on the face of the Earth God.