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

The gods and immortals were astonished.

This Guanyin Bodhisattva of the South China Sea holds a transcendent position in Buddhism, often acting as the Buddha's representative to spread the Dharma, assisting Amitabha Buddha in the Saha world, and is one of the Three Saints of the West.

Although he appears as a Bodhisattva, he has actually attained Buddhahood long ago and possesses great compassion, returning to his original state to save sentient beings.

In the Heavenly Court, he is ranked among the Five Elders of the Five Directions, alongside the Eastern Chongen Holy Emperor and other innate deities, jointly governing Yin and Yang and stabilizing the universe. His status is almost on par with the Four Emperors.

Its appearance is solemn, its vows are great, and its practice is unfathomable, so that even the gods and immortals dare not disrespect it.

Therefore, once he uttered a word, it was like the sound of a Buddhist bell, clearing away all confusion and pointing directly to the source.

Those who cling to appearances and are fixated on power and position suddenly realize the narrowness of their own perspective.

Even the Gouchen Emperor, who sat solemnly on the throne of the Four Emperors, couldn't help but glance at Guanyin Bodhisattva with a deep look.

The atmosphere inside the hall became extremely subtle.

The Sun Emperor stood in his place, his aura subtly churning, his emotions trembling, and anger and coldness rising within him.

He clearly did not expect Guanyin Bodhisattva to speak so explicitly.

Although the Lord of the Sun is the head of the eleven luminaries and the chief deity of the Dipper, he is ultimately inferior to Guanyin Bodhisattva.

The celestial beings and gods, including Yaoming Sili Tianjun and Huode Xingjun, who had just been speaking vehemently, all froze, their lips moving slightly.

But in the end, he remained silent, unable to utter the same impassioned questioning as before.

They suddenly realized how pale and powerless their previous attacks on Jingfa Zhenjun were in the face of the great cause of subduing demons and protecting life.

If we get bogged down in trivial details, wouldn't we become petty people who disregard the common people and are ignorant of the greater good?

Is the Bodhisattva's statement merely a personal opinion, or is it a subtle expression of support for the Pure Dharma Master by the World Honored One of Mount Ling?

The thought that arose made one's heart sink even more, and one dared not speculate.

Only now did I realize what a sight lay behind the black-robed True Lord standing in the hall.

The Water Official Emperor was an ancient sage king, and his words could be interpreted as showing compassion for the living beings in the lower realms.

However, the Four Saints of the North Pole, Tianpeng Tianyou and Heisha Yousheng, are all powerful gods who guard the North Star and wield power over killing and destruction, and they all voiced their support.

Is this the will of the Great Emperor of the North Pole, who rules over all stars?

Although the Ziwei Emperor did not personally arrive, the fact that his four sages were so united is enough to give one pause for thought.

There's also the powerful and ruthless Nezha, who has powerful backing, comrades from the Star Constellation Sect who fought alongside him in battle, and even the support of carefree immortals...

Now, even the detached Guanyin Bodhisattva has spoken in praise.

They intended to damage his reputation and shake his position with their words, but little did they know that True Lord Jingfa had no need to get entangled in such details.

With the support of various powerful forces, their uprightness and the foundation of their actions are unbreakable.

When Yaoming Sili Tianjun and the others thought of this, the courage they had initially gained from the Emperor's wrath completely vanished, leaving only a chill.

This Radiant Heavenly Pacifying Law True Lord is neither a lone and upright minister, nor a newly appointed nobleman with shallow foundations who has suddenly risen to a high position.

It is clearly a powerful and influential force that has attracted the attention of all parties and is difficult to shake!

Within this place lies the authority of the Jade Emperor, the lineage of the Daoist Ancestor, the foundation of the Thunder Department, the inclination towards the North Pole, the approval of the Holy King, the camaraderie of comrades, and the watchful eyes of the Buddhist Bodhisattvas.

The tide has turned, and it cannot be shaken by ordinary words or rhetoric.

Today's grand court assembly was intended to suppress their arrogance and even punish them, but it seems unlikely that this will be achieved.

If we continue to entangle ourselves with this issue, not only will we fail to harm its core, but we risk getting burned, causing displeasure, and offending many prominent figures.

In the blink of an eye, all the immortals and gods who had just been attacking each other unanimously withdrew their sharpness and remained silent.

They had all secretly made up their minds that, no matter what, they would never speak out again.

It would be unwise to invite such bad luck.

But how could the Sun Emperor not know about these subtle changes in the gods and immortals?

The sudden lowering of Yaoming Sili Tianjun's eyelids, the soft sigh of Huode Xingjun, and the deliberate restraint of the auras of the other advocates...

How could he not know what these people were thinking?

It's nothing more than the Bodhisattva expressing his stance, the Four Saints of the North Pole showing their support, and the Water Official Emperor speaking out...

With prominent figures from all sides lending their support, it became clear that the True Lord Jingfa had established his power and should not be challenged lightly, lest it bring disaster upon himself.

Stupid! Short-sighted!

A bunch of opportunists, utterly useless!

How can one achieve great things if one is so easily intimidated by a show of force?

The Sun Emperor scoffed inwardly, angry at the Bodhisattva's lack of ambition and even more annoyed that the Bodhisattva had spoken too much and disrupted the situation.

However, beneath that cold sneer lay a trace of powerlessness that even the Sun Emperor himself was unwilling to delve into.

This round of attacks is unlikely to achieve complete success.

But as the head of the star lords who ruled over the sun and had lived through countless years, his anger and frustration did not show on his face.

All that remained was an aura of indifferent majesty that was impossible to look at directly or fathom.

No one knows what he is thinking.

On the other side, Chen Jiao was also surprised that Guanyin Bodhisattva would speak. He felt a slight stirring in his heart and couldn't help but raise his eyes to look at the lotus platform.

At the same time, Guanyin Bodhisattva seemed to sense something and also slightly raised her eyes.

The Bodhisattva's eyes were gentle and clear, like pure crystal reflecting the three thousand worlds. He didn't say much, but simply nodded and smiled at Chen Jiao.

This nod, seemingly casual, was like a thunderclap to those who were paying attention.

Seated on the highest throne, shrouded in boundless auspicious light, the Jade Emperor, the Great Heavenly Venerable, reflected all the figures below in his heart.

Seeing Chen Jiao under the watchful eyes of everyone, I'm alarmed! A major plot twist! Watch now. He remained calm and composed throughout, arguing his case with reason.

This prompted Tianpeng, Emperor Yu, and even Guanyin Bodhisattva to speak out in support, revealing the foundation, methods, and underlying momentum that had already been established.

The Great Celestial Venerable felt a sense of satisfaction.

This dragon was personally promoted and given authority by him. He is also a disciple of the Supreme Dao Ancestor. His background, temperament, and talent are all top-notch.

The fact that he has gained the recognition of so many celestial officials is not solely due to his lineage or official position, but rather a sign of his upright conduct, established foundation, and the favor of destiny.

After this battle, Jiao'er's position as the True Lord of the Pure Law is now secure.

Given time, they will surely become the mainstay in promoting the rules of heaven and reforming long-standing malpractices.

As long as... we can withstand this moment and the subsequent aftermath.

The Jade Emperor was naturally very pleased.

However, as the ruler of the Three Realms and the ruler of all heavens, he must not show any bias at this moment.

The wrath of Heaven is like a prison, and its value lies in perfect impartiality.

Even if one desires something, one must abide by the laws and regulations and follow the path of balance.

The Great Celestial Venerable's gaze swept lightly over the Gouchen Emperor, who sat regally on his throne, his expression deep and unfathomable.

This Four Emperors, who rules over all gods and commands armies and conquests, has remained silent to this day. Whether he is angry, thoughtful, patient, or scheming beneath his silence is difficult to fathom.

After a moment of silence.

The Jade Emperor's calm yet majestic voice resounded from his throne, clearly echoing in the ears and hearts of every immortal and deity:

"I am fully aware of the causes and consequences of the Ruoshui case, as well as the criminals involved."

I have listened to and understood the opinions of my ministers.

"The True Lord of Pacifying Law investigated the case thoroughly, captured the mastermind and accomplices, acted swiftly and decisively, and executed the ringleader. As for the merits and demerits, I will make my own judgment."

The Great Celestial Venerable paused slightly, seemingly giving the gods time to process his words, before continuing with a decisive and final statement:

"Let this matter rest for now. Later, a decree will be issued to all the heavens."

With concise and to the point, the confrontation in the imperial court was brought to a swift conclusion.

The core handling of the Ruoshui case has now come to a close, with only the final judgment on reward and punishment remaining unresolved.

"My lords, please continue to speak if you have anything to report."

These words officially brought the heated debate surrounding the Ruoshui case to a close.

No longer are they allowed to get bogged down in details of right and wrong on the spot; instead, these matters are brought before the emperor for further independent decision-making.

This provides a way out for both sides in the dispute while maintaining the solemnity and efficiency of the parliamentary agenda.

All the immortals and deities in the hall, regardless of their stance, were startled upon hearing this and responded in unison:

"I humbly obey the decree of the Great Heavenly Venerable!"

Those who supported Chen Jiao felt relieved, knowing that the overall situation was settled.

Although the Sun Emperor's lineage was unwilling, they were also secretly relieved, at least they didn't have to continue to struggle in such an unfavorable situation.

Yaoming, the Master of Ceremonies, and the others felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and immediately lowered their heads, not daring to utter another word.

…………

The gods and immortals reported in turn, mostly about their ordinary duties.

After the dramatic and turbulent debate surrounding the Ruoshui case, the matters discussed in the hall now sounded like a gentle breeze across a calm lake, hardly capable of stirring up any ripples.

After discussing several matters, Venus, who was standing by the imperial steps, noticed that the reports from various departments were becoming less frequent and that the time was approaching, so he stepped forward.

Facing the myriad immortals and deities before His Highness, he cleared his throat and, following precedent, asked:

"Do any of the immortals have anything else to report?"

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Most of the immortals and gods were focused on their own thoughts and had temporarily put aside the major case of the Weak Water. The rest were not urgent matters, and no one wanted to create any more complications at this moment.

However, a grand, fiery, and authoritative voice suddenly rang out, abruptly interrupting this routine inquiry.

Like a great sun leaping out of the sea of ​​clouds, it instantly ignited the stagnant atmosphere in the hall:

"Your Majesty, I have something to report!"

All the gods felt a chill and turned their gazes in unison.

His steps were steady and silent, yet they seemed to touch the hearts of all the immortals and gods present.

Wearing a crimson-gold robe and a crown adorned with jewels, his entire body radiated a dazzling divine light, illuminating a large area of ​​the hall as he moved forward.

It is none other than the Sun Emperor!

The atmosphere in the hall, which had just relaxed slightly, suddenly tightened again, even more sharply than when the Weak Water Case was discussed earlier.

No one expected that the Sun Emperor would personally step forward.

The Jade Emperor, the Great Heavenly Venerable, sat serenely amidst auspicious light, his gaze lowered, showing neither joy nor anger.

"Your Majesty, what do you wish to report?"

The Sun Emperor walked down the steps and bowed slightly to the Great Celestial Venerable, his posture impeccable, displaying the demeanor of an emperor.

Immediately, he slowly straightened up, slightly raised his head, and calmly swept his eyes, which seemed to contain the sun, over the gods in the hall.

Finally, it landed on the figure in black robes at the forefront of the Thunder Department's sequence.

His gaze no longer held the overt rage it had before; instead, it settled into a deep, cold scrutiny.

The Sun Emperor spoke, his voice grand and steady, like the sun rolling across the sky, carrying an undeniable solemnity that echoed throughout the Lingxiao Palace.

"Regarding the case of Weak Water, since the Great Heavenly Venerable has already said that he will issue an order later, I dare not say anything more."

However, during the investigation of this case, there was another matter that concerned the dignity of the Heavenly Court's laws, the Emperor's reputation, and the safety of the generals who commanded the troops in battle.

"I have no choice but to demand an explanation before the Emperor!"

He paused slightly as if he were carefully choosing his words, or perhaps gathering some kind of strength.