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

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The bear and lion demons stared at the empty iron ring, their faces turning from white to green, and then from green to red.

He was clearly shocked, angry, fearful, and anxious. He stood in front of the counter, unsure whether to go forward or retreat, and for a moment he was speechless.

Many of the demon customers in the shop had already quietly shifted their gaze from the two demons to the wooden table by the window.

Some sharp-eyed people had already noticed that when the True Man Jiangxiao sat down, he casually took out these leaves from his sleeve and placed them on the corner of the table.

At the time, I didn't understand its meaning, but now that I see the appearance of the bear and lion demons and the empty iron ring that the shopkeeper took out, how could I not understand?

The one-eyed wolf demon had been watching the commotion. He took a big gulp of emerald green demon wine, his Adam's apple bobbing as he made a muffled gurgling sound.

A glint of pleasure mixed with cruelty flashed in his single eye as he glanced sideways at the two bear and lion demons standing before the counter, looking as if they had lost their parents. He spoke in a hoarse voice:

"You're all naked, what are you yelling about? You've all known the shopkeeper's rules for a long time."

"If you ask me, we should be content."

The wolf demon slammed the wine bowl heavily on the table, spilling a few drops of murky wine.

"Thanks to the True Man's mercy, you two wicked monsters can still sit down, eat a whole meal, and drink a final cup of wine before your execution..."

"If it were you back then, would you have shown your opponent such decency? You would probably have chewed up their souls and swallowed them whole."

He paused, as if remembering something, his malice intensified, and he sneered again.

"Oh right, look at my memory. I forgot to tell you two, I saw it clearly just now, that Tiger Third Brother..."

The bear spirit's body trembled, and he asked urgently, "Third brother? What happened to third brother?"

The wolf demon narrowed its one eye, looking towards the shop entrance, its tone as calm as if it were saying that the wind was strong in the forest today.

"Tsk tsk, I was a bit too slow and didn't make it to the shop. Right outside the door, I was pierced through the heart by a sword from the real person and burned to ashes."

Hey, it didn't even finish letting out a decent scream; all that was left was some ash. If the wind blows, it'll probably all dissipate.

The Golden Core? It was shattered so cleanly.

After he finished speaking, he stopped looking at the two demons' suddenly distorted and bloodless faces, tilted his head back, and gulped down the remaining wine in the bowl.

The murky liquor flowed down his thin neck, soaking the tangled, dirty hair on his chest.

"That's wonderful! Let's have a big toast!"

The wolf demon was naturally delighted.

Many years ago, he also cultivated to the Golden Core stage and was once a mountain demon lord with a large number of wolf cubs and offspring under his command, who roared and gathered in the mountains and forests, and were very powerful.

These three thieves, who appeared out of nowhere, had their eyes on his estate and treasures.

In a bloody battle, his golden core was shattered, and all his cultivation was lost.

His men were almost all killed or wounded, and only he had some good fortune in his early years, relying on a treasure, that allowed him to barely escape with his life.

I heard that only one small team that was out purchasing supplies at the time managed to escape the massacre, and no one knows where they went.

Over the years, he has lived like a real old lame dog, hiding in this "midnight lamp," relying on his past eyesight and information to earn scraps and eke out a living.

The hatred and resentment in my heart were worn away by time and despair, leaving only ashes.

To this day, I have witnessed these three enemies meet their match, with the tiger demon losing its head and the bear and lion on the verge of death.

This Soul-Severing Burning Technique has never been so soul-severing, nor has it ever been so exhilarating.

The wolf demon ignored the two demons, slammed the empty bowl on the table, and hissed, "Waiter! Another bowl, please!"

As for the ferocious gazes that the bear spirit and lion monster were casting at him, they seemed to want to devour him alive.

The wolf demon didn't care at all; in fact, the more resentful the gaze, the more comfortable he felt.

He slowly tore a piece of sinewy meat from the plate, chewing it with a smacking sound.

"Good meat, chewy and flavorful!"

Lion Brother Two stared intently at the one-eyed wolf demon, his eyes filled with murderous intent, his chest heaving violently.

But he had been through many storms and knew that getting angry at this moment would do no good.

Lion Brother Two took a deep breath, suppressing his fear, and turned to Bear Brother One beside him, whose eyes were now bloodshot and whose muscles were bulging, and whispered:

"Brother, things have come to this point, there's no way to escape now. This Taoist priest is right in front of us, and the shopkeeper has made it clear that he's not going to let us live."

"Since we're going to die anyway, we might as well fill our stomachs first, regain some strength, and then...fight him!"

Upon hearing this, Xiong Laoda stared with his big, round eyes at the lion monster, then suddenly turned his head to look at the crimson-clad figure by the window who seemed to be detached from the matter.

He picked up a jug of blood wine, tilted his head back, and gulped it down in one go.

Xiong Laoda wiped the wine stains from the corner of his mouth, turned around, his chest heaving, and roared at Chen Jiao in a voice like muffled thunder:

"Jiang Xiao! Killing demons is nothing more than a beheading!"

"You want to wipe us out? We grandpas aren't afraid of you! Once we've eaten and drunk our fill, we'll settle things with you! Whether we live or die, it's up to us!"

The roar of the bear echoed in the store, stirring up some dust, but it failed to even shake the hem of the clothes of the person by the window.

Lion Brother Two's eyes flickered slightly, and he quickly echoed, "Big Brother is right! Let's fight to the death today!"

Chen Jiao remained unmoved, merely turning his head slightly, his gaze calmly sweeping over the two demons' distorted faces, and said indifferently:

"If only I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it in the first place."

The fierce expressions that Xiong Lao Da and Shi Lao Er had forced onto their faces froze instantly, then turned into an embarrassing purplish-red.

Soon they saw that the Taoist was alone with a sword and had a clear and cold aura, so they had evil intentions to kill him and steal his treasure.

They were so arrogant back then, thinking they were just ordinary traveling cultivators who could be manipulated at will.

Who would have thought that kicking a steel plate would lead to such a predicament?

The claims of "inviting them to a banquet" or "making friends with them" are nothing but fabricated lies to cover up the truth.

Now that the other party has so easily exposed their lies, even the two demons, whose skin is thicker than a city wall, feel their faces burning with embarrassment.

With nothing to say, the two demons could only sit back down at the table, grab the fried hearts and livers, stuff them into their mouths, and then tilt their heads back to gulp down the blood wine from the pot.

The food smelled sizzling and the alcohol was pungent, but at this moment, all we cared about was filling our stomachs and building up our energy; we couldn't concern ourselves with the taste.

The demons watched, some openly and some covertly, each with their own thoughts, but none of them uttered a sound.

Time seemed to move erratically, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, amidst this oppressive atmosphere.

The wind in the forest grew stronger, howling and wailing, adding to the desolate atmosphere.

Behind the counter.

The shopkeeper's voice rang out slowly, making it clear to everyone in every corner:

"At three-quarters past Hai hour, the time has come. Our shop is closing for the day."

The words fell.

The impatient customers inside the shop, as if granted a pardon, shouted and rushed towards the ever-changing doorway, filing out one after another.

But they did not really go far away; they only lingered in the shadows of the woods outside the shop, either climbing high branches or hiding behind rocks.

Pairs of eyes, some bright and some dim, refocused on the strange shop door emitting a faint, dim light.

Everyone knows that the real show is just beginning.

The store suddenly became empty.

Only Chen Jiao, sitting alone by the window, the shopkeeper in the shadows behind the counter, and the two demons, Xiong and Shi, their muscles taut like trapped beasts, remained.

Chen Jiao picked up his ancient longsword and walked unhurriedly toward the door.

His figure vanished in an instant, disappearing into the impenetrable darkness outside the door.

Inside the store, the air was so stagnant it was suffocating.

Whoever leaves this door first will likely face a sword strike from Master Jiangxiao.

This thought weighed heavily on the two demons' hearts.

After a moment of silence, Boss Xiong suddenly threw the half-eaten, greasy heart and liver bone in his hand onto the ground.

He raised his head, looked at the second lion beside him, and grinned, forcing a smile that was more like a grimace:

"Second brother... The three of us brothers swore brotherhood by kowtowing and burning incense at the bottom of the cliff."

Do you remember what I said?

Lion Brother Two's lips moved, but he didn't make a sound.

Boss Xiong continued speaking to himself.

"I don't ask to be born on the same day, month, and year, but I do ask to die on the same day, month, and year. Alas, who would have thought that today... it might come true."

The eldest bear stood up, his massive body like a small mountain, casting a shadow over the second lion.

He patted Lion Brother Two's shoulder hard, making the other man stagger.

"I'm not very capable, but I have some strength in this rough body!"

"When we go out later, I'll lead the charge! We'll make sure that Taoist priest breaks a few teeth! I'll find you an opportunity!"

After saying that, without waiting for Lion Brother's response, he took a deep breath and strode towards the shop door without looking back.

His heavy footsteps thumped on the floor, carrying a hint of resignation to his fate.

Lion Brother Two sat there, watching Bear Brother One's back with a flicker in his eyes.

He never expected that this seemingly simple-minded bear spirit, who only knew how to fight, would actually show a bit of heroic spirit and brotherhood in this desperate situation.

Thinking back to those years when the three demons drank wine from large bowls, ate large chunks of meat, and plundered side by side.

A pang of bitterness actually flashed through Lion Brother's heart.

However, in just a short moment, Lion Two's gaze quickly sharpened again.

When they became sworn brothers, he and Tiger Third Brother recommended this bear spirit as their eldest brother, mainly because he had the highest cultivation level and was tough and resilient.

More importantly, isn't it because they value their simple-mindedness, ease of control, and ability to shield them from disaster in critical moments?

Isn't this the crucial moment?

Lion Brother Two lowered his eyelids, concealing all the complex emotions in his eyes.

Just as Xiong Laoda's burly figure was about to disappear into the darkness outside the door.

He then whispered, "Big brother, wait for me!" and quickly followed after him.

Boss Xiong paused slightly, then turned around abruptly, a hint of something flickering in his large eyes. He patted Lion Brother Two heavily on the shoulder and hissed, "Good brother!"

Lion Brother Er felt a heavy pat on the shoulder, and meeting that undisguised excited gaze, he could only force a smile and give a mumbled reply.

Without further hesitation, the two demons stepped out of the shop one after the other.

Outside the shop, in a clearing in the woods.

Night had fallen, and the waning moon was obscured by layers of eerie clouds and ancient tree branches, letting out only a faint, pale light.

Chen Jiao did not deliberately conceal his figure, but simply stood casually on a slightly open patch of withered leaves.

Behind him were dark, ancient trees, and in front of him was the shop door, which still retained faint ripples of light and shadow.

He held the ancient longsword in his hand, the sword not drawn, but simply hanging casually at his side.

The moonlight, fragmented by the dense branches and the pervasive eerie atmosphere, fell onto his crimson robes, spreading a hazy, clear glow.

Chen Jiao was unaware of, and had no interest in, the "brotherly affection" between the two demons in the shop.

There were two dying people on the left and right.

The light and shadow distorted for a moment, then became clear again.

The light and shadow on the door rippled like waves on water.

The figures of the eldest bear and the second lion stepped out one after the other, almost simultaneously.

The two demons were clearly extremely vigilant; as soon as they appeared, their demonic power surged.

The eldest bear's body shimmered with an earthy yellow aura, while the second lion's eyes flashed with golden light. Each of them activated their protective techniques, their gazes sharp as lightning, instantly locking onto the crimson-clad figure not far away.

however.

There were no extra words, not even a chance for them to catch their breath or utter any harsh words.

Just as the two demons fully revealed themselves and stepped onto the decaying leaves in the forest.

"Clang!"

A clear, resonant sword cry seemed to echo directly into the depths of the souls of every spectator.

A crimson sword light surged forth from the ancient scabbard hanging at his side!

It wasn't a sharp, slender sword beam, but rather more like a suddenly spreading, sweeping crimson glow, or a hanging crimson waterfall.

In an instant, it tore apart the dark night sky shrouded in demonic energy.

Where the sword flashed.

The air emitted a shrill, strained cry, and the withered leaves on the ground below silently turned to dust, revealing a charred groove that pointed directly at the two demons, the bear and the lion!

The ones that changed color at that moment were not the bear and lion demons who were the first to be affected.

Instead, they were the demons who had retreated into the shadows of the forest, hidden behind trees, or concealed in the mist, their eyes wide and their breath held, waiting to witness a fierce battle.

They had previously seen Tiger Third Brother pierced through the heart by a sword and burned to ashes outside the shop.

But after all, it was separated by the mysterious barrier of the "Midnight Lamp," so the experience was like looking at flowers through a fog.

I only felt that Master Jiangxiao was powerful, but I couldn't imagine just how powerful he was.

Later, after hearing the descriptions from the bear and lion demons, all they knew was that this Jiangxiao Zhenren was "sharp-sworded and fiery," a tough nut to crack.

Although he was wary, he also kept a watchful eye, believing that "hearing is believing, seeing is believing."

There is awe and curiosity towards this newly risen Golden Core cultivator, but it is not necessarily true that his methods are so powerful that they can drive demons to despair.

Some demons even secretly hoped that the bear and lion demons' desperate counterattack might force out some of the Taoist's true abilities, allowing them to see the real thing.

until now.

Until the sword light truly appeared before their eyes.

Only then did they truly understand the meaning behind Lion Brother Two's earlier, fearful remark about "ruthless swordsmanship."

Many demons didn't even see the trajectory of the sword light clearly; they only felt a flash of crimson before their eyes, and their minds were completely seized by its unparalleled sharpness and intensity.

My mind went completely blank; I even forgot to scream.

Inside the store, behind the counter.

With a gentle wave of his withered hand, the pot of Cloud Leaf Wine that Chen Jiao had left on the wooden table by the window silently fell into the shopkeeper's hand.

He weighed it in his hand; there wasn't much wine left in the pot.

The shopkeeper took a cup and slowly poured out the remaining wine from the pot, leaving only a shallow half-cup.

The clear liquor shimmered with a faint light, and a refreshing scent, like that of a mountain forest after rain, drifted out gently.

It enters the throat and turns into a burning sensation, which then dissipates into a sweet aftertaste.

The innkeeper, holding his wine cup, stared into the empty space ahead and said softly:

"As expected... it still tastes the same."

Outside the window, the crimson light of a sword had already reached the ground.

…………

…………

The moment the sword light struck, Boss Xiong knew he was wrong.

That's completely wrong.

Looking back now, his boast about breaking a few of his teeth seems utterly foolish.

Before the sword light even arrived, the sword intent and scorching heat had already made his protective demonic aura sizzle.

The golden core within his body, painstakingly cultivated, was also emitting mournful cries and trembling under the unbearable burden.

This is a life-or-death situation.

The eldest bear roared, its voice echoing across the surrounding area, and stomped its feet heavily on the ground.

The ground within a radius of several feet sank slightly as he forcefully absorbed a powerful surge of earth energy, which flowed from the soles of his feet into his limbs and bones.

His already imposing figure swelled even more in an instant, his black hair stood on end, and his skin gleamed with a dark yellow luster like earth and stone.

He unleashed his demonic power and earth energy to the extreme, standing firmly against the crimson sword light!

"Second brother! Let's go!!"

He let out a final roar.

Before the roar had even faded, Boss Xiong poured all his strength into his arms, crossing them to meet the approaching crimson rainbow.

The moment Lion Brother Two roared and activated the earth's energy, his pupils suddenly contracted.

This True Immortal Jiangxiao is no ordinary Golden Core sword cultivator! He cannot be defeated by force; the only option is to flee!

My heart sank to the bottom instantly.

He truly hadn't expected that his elder brother would actually unleash such determination at this moment, even at the cost of damaging his own foundation, in order to fight for a glimmer of hope for himself.

"Big brother!"

Lion Brother Er let out a low gasp, a complex emotion flashing across his eyes.

But he hardly hesitated.

He bit his tongue sharply, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood containing the origin of the Golden Core. The blood mist instantly ignited, turning into a foul wind that enveloped his entire body.

Lion Brother Two took one last look at the back of the figure blocking the sword light, then his figure blurred and he transformed into a gust of demonic wind and shot away!

The evil wind swept through, breaking branches and leaves, leaving behind trails of afterimages, and in an instant, it had already fled dozens of miles away.

The evil wind swept through, breaking branches and leaves, leaving behind trails of afterimages, and in an instant, it had already fled dozens of miles away.

"This bear demon... does have a certain air of heroism."

In the shadows in the distance.

An old demon watching the battle sighed softly; his voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the silent forest.

"He sacrificed himself to protect his brother; though foolish, he was still a hero."

"Unfortunately, we ran into a tough opponent."

Another voice came through, carrying an indifferent tone, as if it were none of their business.

Chen Jiao stood still, making no attempt to stop Lion Two's decisive, almost ruthless, escape.

He merely raised his eyes slightly, watching the demonic wind vanish in an instant, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

however.

Just as the crimson sword light was about to collide violently with the earthen-yellow light shield that Boss Xiong had painstakingly erected,

A glint of light suddenly flashed in Xiong Laoda's bloodshot, mad, and resolute red bear eyes!

At the same time, a palm-sized purple talisman had somehow appeared in his left claw.

Without hesitation, he spat out a stream of his vital essence blood, imbued with rich medicinal energy, and shot it onto the purple talisman!

"Buzz!"

The purple talisman instantly erupted with a dazzling deep purple light, completely engulfing Boss Xiong's figure.

A fierce wind howled, and the crackling sound of withered branches whipping against the protective energy filled the air.

Lion Brother Er felt a mixture of grief and hatred, but also a thrill and ecstasy of surviving a calamity.

He dared not turn back, but instead burned his life essence even more fiercely, increasing his escape speed by another three points.

"Brother! Hold on! Once I escape, I will seek out a master to hone my supernatural powers and avenge you and my third brother!"

That Jiang Xiao…I swear to kill him!

He made a solemn vow in his heart, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.

however.

Just as Lion King was feeling agitated.

Ahead, without warning, a flash of purple light appeared.

Caught off guard, Lion Two's speeding figure suddenly stopped, his vision blurred slightly by the sudden purple light.

It was in that instant of hesitation.

A crimson sword light had already caught his eye.

Cold and sharp.

It carries the heat of burning everything.