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

Although Bai Susu escaped a great calamity this time, she was still terrified.

Before her were the two ferocious demon kings of Wujin Mountain, and behind her were the strange and powerful Da Leyin Venerable under the seat of the Joyful Buddha. Neither of them could withstand her current level of cultivation.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but shudder, feeling even more that this vast Western Niuhe Continent, seemingly bathed in Buddhist light, was actually fraught with peril at every turn.

Without means of self-protection, one will likely become someone else's prey or a prisoner sooner or later.

Bai Susu racked her brains for a way to save her life, when she suddenly remembered the words of Jingfa Zhenjun in front of the Great Buddha Hall of Mount Ling: "When you see a lotus, it is a lotus; when you see water, it is water."

These eight characters, at first glance, seem like a Zen riddle, but upon closer examination, they appear like a ray of light that cleaves through the chaos.

"Seeing a lotus is seeing a lotus...seeing a lotus is seeing a lotus..."

She murmured to herself, her eyes gradually brightening.

A lotus is a lotus, and water is water; such is their true nature. So, can the distinction between the incarnation and the true self, between reality and illusion, also be so clear?

If one can master a life-saving technique that allows one to transform into an incarnation to take the fall, one can secretly use this technique to confuse the enemy when encountering a powerful foe, while the real body can escape thousands of miles away.

Bai Susu was originally a golden-nosed white-haired rat spirit who stole incense, flowers, and precious candles from before the Buddha to attain enlightenment. She possessed a wisp of Buddhist light and extraordinary spirituality.

She is quick-witted and particularly skilled in maneuvering and adaptability, possessing unique insights in this area.

At this moment, he gained a deeper understanding and used this eight-character Zen koan as a guide, combining his innate spiritual energy with the art of transformation, to painstakingly study it.

Within the cave, he performed hand seals, circulated his Qi, visualized, and performed rituals...

No one knows how many hours and months she spent, how many times she failed, or how many things she destroyed, but she actually mastered a wonderful magic.

This day.

Bai Susu's mind stirred slightly. She bit her tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood containing her life essence onto her embroidered shoes. She then formed a hand seal and silently recited a mantra.

The embroidered shoes shone brightly, spun around, and landed, transforming into a woman who looked exactly like Bai Susu.

Her eyes and brows were lively, and she even imitated Bai Susu's breathing perfectly. She could also use some of Bai Susu's original agility and movement techniques.

Bai Susu was both surprised and delighted to see this, knowing that she had finally mastered the life-saving skill of "embroidered shoe transformation"!

Although the avatar only possesses six or seven tenths of the user's abilities, it is more than enough to confuse the enemy and facilitate their escape.

Bai Susu looked at the smiling "herself" in front of her and breathed a sigh of relief.

Although this method is not a powerful offensive technique, it is exactly what she needs to save her life and escape.

A huge weight has been lifted from my heart, and I feel a little better now.

From then on, Bai Susu practiced this technique day and night, becoming increasingly adept at it and able to switch between techniques with ease.

…………

…………

A thousand miles north of this Trapped Sky Mountain lies a forest of black pine trees. What a treacherous place! And there it is:

Towering pines and cypresses stand tall and dark, a gloomy mist shrouds the deep path. Strange rocks grotesquely resemble crouching ghosts, and withered vines coil like horizontal snakes.

A chilling wind swept through, its rustling sound like the wailing of ghosts; a ghastly fog thickened, obscuring the sky. No birds could be seen, only mournful cries could be heard.

It was a truly treacherous place, where ordinary birds and beasts dared not approach, and even woodcutters and hunters would detour far away.

Deep within this black pine forest, there stands a restaurant called "Midnight Gourd".

This building is no ordinary place; it does not accept guests from the mortal world, but only welcomes demons and monsters.

It is a place where mountain spirits, wild monsters, wandering ghosts and demons from all directions rest, exchange information, and do shady things.

The restaurant itself is quite peculiar, as it was built on a dead old tree that would take ten people to encircle.

The building leans precariously, almost growing alongside dead trees. The doors and windows are rotten, and a few green will-o'-the-wisps hang there, glowing eerily even in the daytime.

The most peculiar thing is the shop door; it appears different to different visitors.

To the water monster, it was a deep, dark swamp; to the mountain spirit, it was a hidden cave; and to wandering ghosts, it was a desolate grave.

The end can adapt to different categories, and each can be found through its own method.

This is an illusionary technique designed to conceal one's true nature and prevent wandering spirits and immortals from seeing through it and causing trouble along the way.

At this moment, the building was noisy and chaotic, filled with a strange and eerie atmosphere, and was packed with guests of all shapes and sizes.

A blue-faced, fanged mandrill was gnawing on a beast's leg; a ghostly, ethereal hanged ghost was licking lamp oil; a crocodile spirit, reeking of fish, was chewing on a table; and several ragged, pale-faced tomb ghosts were whispering in a corner.

There are also various little demons that transform into human form but retain a tail and have a pair of hairy ears.

Groups of three or five, or seven or eight at a table, either drink from large bowls or eat large chunks of meat.

The meat was covered in blood, and its origin was unknown.

They played drinking games, making a racket, and hurling profanities. The stench of fish and filth mixed with the smell of cheap liquor was nauseating.

However, despite so many unruly people gathered together, no one dared to cause trouble. Even if there were arguments, they would at most glare and growl a few words before letting it go.

The reason was that four or five hideous demon heads were hanging prominently from the main beam of the restaurant: a tiger's head, a wolf's head, a fox's face...

They were all pierced and hung by black, iron-like hooks, dripping with congealed, blackened blood and emitting a foul stench.

It is said that they were all unlucky people who had caused trouble here not long ago and were dealt with by the manager.

The shopkeeper is even more mysterious.

It was the gaunt old man standing behind the counter, with a pale, ashen face and sunken eyes.

He was leisurely wiping a white porcelain wine cup in his hand with a greasy rag, seemingly oblivious to the commotion in the room.

Legend has it that the owner of "Midnight Gourd" was originally a ghost messenger from the underworld, specializing in luring away the souls of the dying in the mortal realm.

However, they do not abide by the laws of the underworld, and when they collect souls, they often secretly devour living souls to increase their cultivation.

The truth will eventually come out, and the matter will be exposed one day, leading to the capture of the underworld's ghost general.

Unexpectedly, this ghost messenger was quite capable, or perhaps he had received some secret assistance, and managed to escape.

They fled to the Black Pine Forest of Xiniuhezhou and opened this restaurant where demons and ghosts gather.

Of course, these are all just hearsay, embellished and exaggerated, and no one has ever dared to actually ask.

Amidst the commotion.

The ever-changing light and shadow of the restaurant's door flashed, and two little demons walked in.

A man with a pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks, who walks with a swaying gait as if he's about to fall apart at any moment, is called the Freak Monster.

A person who smiles insincerely, is limp and unreliable, is called a "talking nonsense expert".

Erguai was clearly a regular here, ignoring the filth and grime of the place, and skillfully squeezed into a corner to sit down at an empty table.

"Shopkeeper!"

The eccentric monster pulled out a few pieces of silver and slammed them on the table, shouting in a shrill voice:

"The usual! Two plates of tender stir-fried heart and liver, made sure they're still glistening with blood!"

He pulled out a few more low-grade spirit stones and shouted, "Two more jugs of Soul-Severing Wine, to warm me up!"

Before long, a pale-faced shop assistant with dark circles under his eyes came over with a tray and two jugs of foul-smelling, green-foamed demonic wine.

The two demons didn't stand on ceremony. They opened their jaws wide, bared their back teeth, and began to chew voraciously. They even picked up the wine jug and poured it into their mouths, eating in a crude manner with juices flowing everywhere.

While enjoying their meal, they listened intently to the chatter of the monsters around them and the whispers of the wind.

The dim light from the oil lamps inside the restaurant made the faces of the demons appear even more ferocious.

I heard it from a nearby table.

Several weasel-faced monsters were talking in hushed tones, but their words still drifted over:

"...Hey, that news is outdated! Do you know about the Golden Light Immortal of Huanghua Temple?"

They've climbed the social ladder!

They made contact with Lord Xuanling, the Flood Dragon Demon King who ruled the Azure Pool Demon Ridge and was a powerful figure in the region!

Even the incredibly wealthy Golden Toad Demon Lord no longer dares to covet his pill and poison business!

Business is booming, making many other businesses extremely envious. But these days, few dare to even think about it.

Tsk tsk, it's good to have a big tree to lean on!

The demons listened with a mixture of amazement and fear.

A wild boar demon smacked its lips and said, "The poison sand and poison gu of True Man Jin Guang are indeed unique."

I've been thinking, when will I save up some money and get a few coins to tide me over?"

A thin, withered bat spirit with unusually large ears said in a shrill voice, "His poison is truly formidable!"

"When we walk this path, who doesn't carry a few pieces for self-defense? It's truly an essential item for murder, robbery, and everyday life!"

On the other side, a weasel spirit was also talking animatedly:

"...Have you heard? A while ago, a female bodhisattva moved to the Trapped Sky Mountain in the south. She calls herself 'Lady Earth Emergence'."

Hey! She looked like a celestial being descended to earth, a bodhisattva descended to earth! Tsk tsk…”

A lynx-like monster nearby sneered, "Stop with your filthy thoughts!"

What good is beauty? In this Western Continent of Hezhou, aren't there plenty of beautiful female demons? Without some real skill, they'd have been devoured until nothing was left!

"Hey, you know what?"

Another hedgehog spirit lowered its voice and said mysteriously:

"I've heard there really are some blind fools. You know that infamous, Golden Core Perfection cultivator, the Black Armor Demon Lord, right?"

I don't know where he got the news, but he also took a liking to this female bodhisattva.

He then led his demon soldiers, charging menacingly up Trapped Sky Mountain, intending to forcibly take that lady as his concubine.

The monsters at the surrounding tables were all drawn to the attention of the monsters, and even the crazy monster and the skin-twisting spirit stopped chewing.

"And then what? Did that Lady Earth Surge submit? Tell me in detail!"

The weasel spirit and the lynx monster both became interested.

"From? From my ass!"

The hedgehog spirit slapped its thigh as it spoke, its eyes gleaming with excitement.

"That Black Armor Demon Lord relied on his hard shell, which made him difficult to harm with magic weapons, and thought he could capture him easily."

Who would have thought that the delicate-looking Lady Earth Surge was actually quite capable! She must have mastered some strange and extraordinary supernatural power!

Guess what?

Lady Diyong remained calm and composed, and with a flick of her jade hand, she conjured up an exact replica of herself!

The two Earth-Emerging Ladies attacked together, one wielding a sword and the other manipulating the wind, beating the old demon so badly he was running for his life.

That Black Armor Demon Lord was a crude and uncouth fellow who relied entirely on his turtle shell; he had never seen such profound and mysterious supernatural powers before.

In a flurry of activity, after only a few rounds, he was pierced through the heart by a sword and his core was shattered by a gust of wind, ending his life on the spot!

And not one of the hundreds of lesser demons that the old demon brought escaped!

The demons near Trap Mountain, now, all tremble at the mention of this lady.

"Is that so? What kind of supernatural power is that?"

"Who knows what kind of supernatural power it is! In short, it's extremely strange!"

It is said that the two Earth-Emerging Ladies are identical in appearance and aura, and their fighting style is quite disciplined, definitely not ordinary illusions!

"Goodness... this Lady Earth Surge seems to be someone not easy to deal with..."

"Incredible! Incredible!"

The eccentric guy listened intently, smacked his lips, and said enviously:

"Our Xiniu Hezhou is truly a place where dragons and tigers hide, and where demons and monsters emerge in great numbers!"

Those bald monks on Mount Ling, I suppose they can't do anything to us either?

"Pooh!"

A one-eyed wolf demon who had been silently drinking nearby scoffed upon hearing this, spitting out a piece of bone from his mouth and saying:

"Fool! If Lingshan doesn't care, the higher-ups won't be so lenient!"

As he spoke, a hint of fear flashed in his single eye, and his withered, claw-like finger quietly pointed upwards towards the sky.

The demons looked in the direction he was pointing, and there was a dark roof that seemed to penetrate the pine forest and reach the high sky.

The demons exchanged bewildered glances, then the eccentric monster, in a hoarse voice, asked, "Lord Wolf, what's going on?"

The one-eyed wolf demon took another swig of wine, his voice sinister:

"Haven't you noticed? Lately, even at the 'Midnight Gathering,' there have been far fewer familiar faces coming."

At this time of day, it would normally be packed!

The little demons looked at each other, then shook their heads in bewilderment.

The one-eyed wolf demon let out a low, hoarse laugh, carrying an indescribable chill:

"The Heavenly Court has sent divine generals down to the mortal realm to slay demons!"

At this critical juncture, who would dare to wander around outside?

Some time ago, what about the two great kings of Wujin Mountain, Jin Huan and Wu Huan? One was a celestial immortal, and the other was a great demon king in the Mahayana stage.

A bolt of lightning struck, and crack! Body and soul were annihilated, not even a trace remained!

He paused, his single eye sweeping across the horrified faces of the demons, and continued:

"That's not all! Closer still, two more great demon kings who have been famous for many years have inexplicably disappeared, and their caves have been leveled!"

As for the demon kings and demon lords below? I heard they die as easily as slaughtering chickens and sheep!

The tavern fell silent instantly.

The commotion abruptly ceased, leaving only heavy breathing and the soft clinking of cups and plates.

The few still-dry demon heads on the beams appeared even more ferocious and terrifying under the pale green light.

The eccentric and the liar exchanged a glance, both seeing deep fear in each other's eyes, and simultaneously shrank back.

He downed the bright green demon wine in one gulp, only to feel a chill rise from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

The wolf demon was ashen-faced as he watched as all the demons and monsters present fell silent, terrified by the news that "heavenly soldiers have descended to the mortal realm and are killing demons like flies."

He couldn't help but let out a strange laugh.

Its eerie green eyes slowly swept over the terrified faces. It crouched down on the bone cup, sipped its contents, smacked its lips, and then slowly said:

"Look how scared you are! You've almost lost your souls!"

Those heavenly soldiers and generals sounded intimidating, but they didn't just kill any demon they saw.

The demons' ears perked up, and in the deathly silent tavern, only heavy breathing could be heard.

The wolf demon lowered his voice, which was hoarse.

"As long as... you don't commit any heinous crimes against heaven and earth, or provoke any troublesome people you shouldn't provoke."

They usually eat blood and gore in the mountains and fields, rob passing merchants of their goods, and occupy a few unclaimed caves...

Hehe, those old men in the sky don't even bother to close their eyelids!

"These four continents, with their vast populations, how can they possibly manage everything?"

The wolf demon tapped the greasy tabletop, making a dull thud, and sneered:

"The rules have always been the same. Just don't cause trouble that alarms the authorities, leads to the massacre of cities and the destruction of countries, or foolishly offend those with powerful backgrounds."

Who has the patience to mobilize a large force to exterminate us lowly mountain demons?

His words were like a reassuring pill.

The frozen atmosphere in the tavern suddenly relaxed.

Yes, even though the Heavenly Court is powerful, can it really control the countless monsters that roam the mountains and fields and eat people every day?

The demons exchanged bewildered glances, followed by a chorus of suppressed, lingering sighs, which then dissipated into hushed whispers.

"Absolutely right! Wolf Lord, your insight is brilliant!"

"That scared me to death! I thought the game was over..."

"Hey! Eat and drink as you please! As long as you don't follow that unlucky guy from Wujin Mountain and stir up a hornet's nest, what's the big deal?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Come on, let's drink!"

However, just as the atmosphere eased slightly...

From the depths of the black pine forest outside the shop, where dark fog lingered and the wind howled, a mournful and desperate tiger roar suddenly rang out!

Its sound pierced through the forest and split the rocks, filled with terror and pain, instantly drowning out all other sounds in the tavern.

The monsters in the room were startled and turned their heads to look through the entrance.

A fierce tiger with piercing eyes and a white forehead, covered in blood and with scorched fur, was seen tumbling and crawling frantically toward the direction of "Midnight Light" as if it were desperate!

The tiger demon was incredibly fast, its four claws digging at the ground, stirring up gusts of foul wind, and it was about to pounce on the ever-changing gate of "Midnight Lamp".

Once you enter this door, following the ironclad rule of "no fighting inside the shop," you might just have a chance to survive!

All the demons in the shop, including the blue-faced wolf demon, stared wide-eyed and held their breath. Some of the more clever ones even shrank back, secretly on guard.

Just as the tiger demon pushed off the ground with its hind legs and leaped into the air, half of its body almost touching the shadow of the door lintel.

"call out!"

A crimson sword light flashed out from the black mist behind the tiger demon without warning!

"roar!"

The tiger demon let out a short, miserable howl, and its attack abruptly stopped.

As the sword flashed, a loud boom erupted as flames burst forth from the tiger demon's body!

In the blink of an eye, the flames vanished.

The place was completely empty. Not only were there no corpses, but not even a trace of ash or a wisp of smoke remained, as if that huge tiger demon had never existed.

Only a wisp of pure yang energy and a faint sense of anxiety drifted away with the wind.

Only then did a figure silently drift down to the spot where the tiger demon had just perished.

The newcomer was a young man in crimson robes.