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

Songyan and Song'an have long been eager to try.

Master Shouyue was also slightly moved, thinking that he might be able to use this opportunity to inquire about the chance of finding a Nascent Soul Spirit and share the burden for the sect.

Song An, being the most impatient, immediately stepped forward upon seeing Chen Jiao stand up and loudly proclaimed, "Daoist Master, please divine my fortune..."

"Fellow Daoist Chunli!"

Before he could finish speaking, a deep and authoritative voice came clearly from outside the crowd, instantly drowning out the noise in the room and interrupting Song An's words.

"Fellow Daoist Chunli, didn't we agree to meet today?"

"How about I grant this last chance to consult with Cui? Let me do a reading for him."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

A tall man in a red robe parted the crowd and strode over.

This man was about forty years old, with a dignified appearance, thick sideburns, and a bushy beard. His demeanor exuded the dignified air of someone who had long held a high position.

Poems as proof:

Crimson robes billow, his steps are imposing, his sideburns and beard bristle with natural arrogance. His pen judges the netherworld, discerning good from evil; his register records the yin and yang, establishing order and discipline.

A fierce gaze can perceive evil a thousand miles away; a loyal heart can illuminate the deepest depths of the netherworld. The Venerable Lord resides in the Hall of Flaming Light; before the Mirror of Retribution, a sword's light hangs.

Although he did not deliberately exude an aura, the surrounding cultivators all felt an invisible pressure and felt awe.

Knowing that this person was no ordinary individual, their initial desire to compete for the last divination session immediately vanished.

Song An was stopped by his voice and saw his imposing manner, so he choked on his words and could only awkwardly withdraw his steps.

The man in red robes approached, first bowing slightly in the direction of Song An, and said in a deep voice:

"Please don't be offended, young friend. It's just that I had a prior agreement with Fellow Daoist Chunli, and I didn't mean to fight with him."

Although the tone was slow, it carried an undeniable air of authority.

Song An hurriedly waved his hands and shook his head, not daring to say another word.

Chen Jiao stopped in his tracks, his gaze falling on the uninvited guest.

With his keen eyesight, he could naturally see that this person was not only surrounded by pure and rich ghostly energy, but also faintly enveloped by a layer of mellow golden halo.

That is the divine light of vows formed by the long-term offerings and beliefs of the local people.

This is a legitimate Yin spirit, and its rank is not low, far superior to those wild ghosts that caused trouble on the road to the Yellow Springs.

Upon seeing this person arrive, the Taoist Chunli behind the table smiled broadly, put down the copper coins in his hand, and said:

"It turns out to be Fellow Daoist Cui's personal visit. This humble Daoist is truly honored. This last divination should naturally be reserved for Fellow Daoist."

The onlookers saw that the last divination had already been decided, and the newcomer's imposing manner indicated that he was no ordinary person.

Once the excitement subsided, people lost interest and soon dispersed in twos and threes, leaving the street corner quiet again.

Chen Jiao exchanged brief greetings with Shouyue Zhenren, Songyan Song'an, and then prepared to leave for the meeting at the City Lord's Mansion, which was suspended in the city.

"Please wait, sir."

It was the man in the red robe who had just taken his seat.

He had turned his head, and his gaze, which held an air of authority, fell upon Chen Jiao.

Chen Jiao stopped and turned around to look.

The man in red robes slowly rose, bowed slightly to him, and said in a deep voice:

"Regarding the events that occurred on the road to the underworld, Ox-Head and Horse-Face had already sent a message to Cui through a messenger from the underworld."

The righteous immortal stepped forward, slaying demons and ghosts with his sword, helping to capture the rebellious ghost general, quell the unrest, and maintain order in the underworld.

Mr. Cui expresses his sincere gratitude for the kind assistance provided by the real person.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao understood.

Given that he learned the details so quickly, shared the surname Cui, and possessed such an air of authority, his identity was already quite obvious.

It was Cui Jue, the head of the four judges of the underworld, who was in charge of the Book of Life and Death.

He is a spirit from the underworld, so it's quite normal for him to conceal his identity in this City of the Netherworld.

As Chen Jiao pondered this in his heart, he returned the greeting with clasped hands and spoke in a gentle tone:

"It turns out to be Lord Cui in person."

You are too kind, Your Excellency. I merely happened to be there and did my best; I dare not accept such a generous offer.

The order of the underworld is crucial to the peace of both the yin and yang realms; any disorder in it will not be tolerated.

Master Shouyue, Songyan, and Song'an, who were listening to this conversation, were all moved.

This imposing man in red robes is none other than Lord Cui, the renowned Lord of the Underworld who is in charge of the Underworld Law Division!

Judging from his words, he was quite polite and grateful to Master Jiangxiao.

Master Chunli sat calmly behind the table, stroking his beard and smiling, seemingly unsurprised by the scene before him, merely observing from the sidelines.

Cui Jue shook his head, his expression devoid of the arrogance befitting someone in a high position, and instead solemnly said:

"A true person need not be overly modest."

The root cause of this matter lies in the negligence and inadequate investigation of our underworld, which allowed the ghosts of Guihai Mountain to take advantage of the situation and infiltrate the ranks of living souls, nearly causing a great disaster.

What the real person did was not a small act of kindness, but a way to fill the gaps in the underworld and avert a great chaos.

This matter, Cui will remember, and so will the underworld.

His tone was sincere, without any empty words or pleasantries, clearly indicating that he was treating this matter as a matter of official business in the underworld.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao remained calm and simply said:

"Your Excellency is in charge of the laws of Yin and Yang, and you are discerning to the smallest detail. I, a humble Taoist, have done so little and dare not accept such praise."

"Having entered the netherworld, one should abide by the rules of this place; when chaos arises, one should quell it—this too is the path of cultivation."

Upon hearing this, Cui Jue nodded slightly, a hint of approval appearing on his dignified face, and said:

"A true person who upholds righteousness and maintains a pure heart is indeed a true cultivator of the Way. This act of doing good deeds in secret will be clearly observed by Heaven and Earth, and will surely be reflected in the future."

"In that case, I, Cui, will not delay any longer regarding the important matter at hand."

Chen Jiao bowed again and said with a smile, "Please wait, Lord Prefect."

After saying that, he and the three of them turned around and walked along the long street toward the magnificent mansion that floated above the city.

You can still faintly hear Song An's voice, filled with barely suppressed excitement, drifting on the wind.

"...Senior brother! It's Lord Cui! Judge Cui! He was just bowing and apologizing to me..."

After Chen Jiao and his companions disappeared into the crowd, Cui Jue turned around and sat down again opposite Daoist Chunli.

He did not immediately bring up the matter he wanted to ask, but instead looked at the Taoist priest and asked in a deep voice:

"Fellow Daoist Chunli just cast a divination for that True Man Jiangxiao. Did you discern anything auspicious?"

Upon hearing this, Daoist Chunli said slowly, "The fire above shines brightly; the wind below penetrates everywhere."

Wind and fire work together to refine and create something new. This true man's path in Taoism shows signs of a complete transformation.

As for the specifics of what is new, and where the newness lies, the hexagram remains unclear, and the secrets of heaven are hidden.

He changed the subject, looked at Cui Jue, and said:

"The secrets of heaven are vast and boundless; what the divination reveals is but a glimpse. The many mysteries beyond my comprehension."

Lord Cui has deep ties with the underworld, and possesses keen insight into people and affairs; why should this humble Taoist say more?

Cui Jue listened quietly, nodded slightly, and did not ask for details, only saying, "I see."

Looking at the uninvited guest opposite him, Daoist Chunli said with a hint of helplessness:

"Lord Cui, although we have made an agreement, you are a high-ranking official in the underworld, with countless affairs to attend to every day. Why do you have to do this?"

Why did you come to Tongyou City in person to find me, and in such a hurry?

Not only have you ruined my last business deal for the day, but I also wanted to savor some of the city's unique flavors.

Cui Jue did not respond to his teasing.

He sat upright like a pine tree, his red robe hanging down, his gaze fixed on the face of Daoist Chunli, his eyes no longer concealing the majesty and insight of a judge.

After a long pause, he slowly spoke, saying:

"Chunli, you entered the Dao through the art of magic, glimpsing the secrets of heaven, calculating yin and yang, and cultivating immortality."

You understand the gains and losses better than I do. Five deficiencies and three shortcomings are the constant laws of Heaven.

You have revealed too many heavenly secrets; your calamity has arrived.

He paused briefly, looked at Daoist Chunli, and slowly uttered the last sentence:

"Your lifespan has come to an end."

A cold wind blew across the street corner, stirring up a few pieces of withered yellow paper money that seemed to have drifted in from nowhere.

The carefree smile on Chunli Daoren's face gradually faded away.

But there was no surprise, no fear, only a calm as if the dust had settled, or perhaps a weariness.

"...Is that so?"