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

Cold Crow Ridge.

Deep within the mountains, the aura of corpses lingers year-round.

Amidst jagged rocks and ancient trees stands a massive mansion, shaped like a giant tomb.

Inside the main hall, the dim, green light cast shadows on the walls.

A figure sat high on a chair, dressed in a dark green robe embroidered with gold corpse patterns. His face was withered, and his skin was bluish-gray. Only his eyes were eerie green, with ghostly flames flickering between them.

He is none other than the master of Cold Crow Ridge, the Corpse Lord of Cold Crow.

At this moment, he was tapping the armrest slowly and heavily, one tap at a time.

Each strike produced a dull, resounding thud that echoed through the empty, silent cave, sending shivers down one's spine.

Below, the eccentric monster and the liar prostrate themselves on the ground, stammering as they recounted how they had waited anxiously outside the midnight lamp, how they had pleaded, and how the Crimson Cloud Immortal had refused.

"Unfamiliar with alchemy? What a fine way to describe it."

The Corpse King's gaze swept over the eccentric monster and the skin-twisting demon. His gaze was icy and piercing, causing the two demons to prostrate themselves on the ground, trembling and not daring to breathe.

"【Primordial Spirit Blood Pill】..."

Corpse Lord repeated the name in a low voice, his tone filled with barely concealed anxiety.

This elixir is of great importance, and he has already spent nearly half of his savings collecting all the necessary auxiliary materials and substitute ingredients.

Unfortunately, the most crucial ingredients and a reliable alchemist have yet to be found.

The main ingredient requires a massive amount of pure blood essence, and this matter has already been planned, so there's no rush.

But this alchemist...

I thought that the newly famous and highly skilled fire magic master, Master Jiangxiao, would be an excellent candidate.

Proficient fire techniques mean precise control over fire, which is highly beneficial for alchemy and allows for independent operation and easy control.

Unexpectedly, the other party refused outright, leaving no room for negotiation whatsoever.

"waste."

The Corpse Lord of the Cold Crow glanced at the two demons below who were trembling like leaves, and then coldly rebuked them.

It would be pointless to make a scene now. Since Jiang Xiao has already clearly refused, further entanglement would be futile and might even make things worse.

His mind raced, and he quickly made a decision.

Even timid people have their own way of being timid.

"It seems that in the end we still have to rely on that Taoist Luo."

The old Taoist priest at Zhenyun Temple on Jieyang Mountain was a master of alchemy, considered outstanding within a thousand miles of the area. Moreover, he was gentle and had many concerns, making him an easy person to manipulate.

Previously, when someone was sent to invite him, he declined, citing seclusion. It seems that the invitation was not strong enough.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

The eccentric monster immediately kowtowed and fawned, saying:

"Old Daoist Naluo cherishes his life most. His Zhenyun Temple is deeply connected with the Women's Kingdom at the foot of the mountain. The Daoist may escape, but the temple cannot. He certainly dares not disobey the King!"

The Corpse King glanced at him, and that look made the eccentric monster freeze.

"Go and fetch the [Mysterious Light Spirit-Absorbing Grass] that I obtained two years ago, and also prepare three bushels of [Yin Marrow Jade Beads]."

"Your Majesty, this...this is a very generous gift," the liar whispered.

"A big gift?"

The Corpse King sneered and said:

"If you want to take something, you must first give something. Give him a little something sweet first, so that he will be willing to open the furnace for me."

If you still don't know what's good for you...

The Crow Corpse Lord sneered repeatedly, startling the Skin-Tearing Demon and the Freak Monster into stiffening.

"What a mess! This is ridiculous!" Corpse King suddenly shouted.

"We're here!" The two demons quickly touched the ground with their heads.

"You two, take my token and go to Jieyang Mountain again."

Corpse Lord took out a black wooden plaque engraved with a hideous ghost head from his bosom and threw it in front of the two demons.

"Tell Daoist Nara that I am currently cultivating and urgently need to refine a batch of [Soul-Soothing and Spirit-Calming Pills]. Please ask him to help me. If he refuses again..."

The Corpse King paused, his eyes glowing with an eerie light:

He then reminded him that the inheritance of Zhenyun Temple was not easy, and there were many living beings at the foot of Jieyang Mountain.

During my recent cultivation, I have occasionally felt my qi and blood becoming restless. If I lose control, the corpse energy will leak out, polluting the water veins below the mountain, or disturbing the people of the country...

That is not what I wish for.

The two demons picked up the wooden plaque with the ghost head, and felt a chilling, sinister aura pierce their very souls. They quickly replied:

"Yes! I understand! I will definitely invite that Daoist Nara here!"

"Um."

The Corpse King waved his hand, signaling the two demons to step back.

After the hall fell silent again, he pondered for a moment, then took out a communication talisman from his sleeve, imprinted a few words into it with his divine sense, and then crushed it.

The bone talisman transformed into a wisp of gray smoke, piercing through the dense corpse aura on the palace roof and speeding away into the distance.

After doing all this, the Crow Corpse Lord leaned back onto the bone seat.

He gazed at the dark red alchemy furnace deep within the cave, which exuded a rich bloody light and an ominous aura. The pattern of wailing spirits carved on the furnace seemed to writhe.

"King Bone King is pressing harder and harder..."

He muttered to himself, his hands slowly clenching.

"Master Luo... I hope you won't disappoint me again."

Otherwise, use the essence and blood of the entire Jieyang Mountain to make up for my loss.

…………

…………

Cuiyun Mountain area.

Here, the mountains are layered with verdant peaks, and the clouds and mists roll and swirl, creating a scene quite different from other demonic mountains, making it seem closer to a celestial abode.

There is a cave in the mountains called Banana Cave. At this moment, the two heavy black iron gates are tightly closed, isolating the inside from the outside.

Deep within the cave, in a spacious and elegantly furnished boudoir, lies a completely different and enchanting scene.

A warm fragrance filled the room, and the curtains hung low.

The Bull Demon King was not wearing armor, but only a loose brocade robe. He was leaning against a large couch covered with soft bear skin, looking languid.

His figure was as majestic as a mountain, and even when he leaned against something casually, he exuded a grand and imposing air.

At this moment, the Bull Demon King was embracing his beloved wife, Rakshasa, with one large, fan-like hand gently stroking her smooth, black hair.

The Rakshasa woman's hair was slightly loose, and she wore only a light red gauze dress with a matching soft silk vest over it, which made her skin appear even more radiant.

She fiddled with a warm, dark jade button on the front of the Bull Demon King's robe, unconsciously tracing the kui pattern on it.

"Those groups of lobbyists from a few days ago were quite noisy."

The Rakshasa woman's voice was languid, with a slight hoarseness from the aftermath, yet her tone was cold.

"They all spout flowery words, talking about 'jointly participating in this grand undertaking' and 'following the king's lead.'"

All I want is for you, my husband, to step forward and block the wrath of the Heavenly Court True Lord.

"Hmph, all talk and no action. Do you really think everyone else is a fool?"

The Bull Demon King let out a soft, amused hum, which caused his chest to rise and fall slightly.

"A bunch of cowards who were scared out of their wits by that thunderbolt, dared not show their faces, so they tried to persuade me, Old Niu, to take the blame."

They said they'd dampen the Heavenly Court's arrogance and protect the peace of the Western Continent...

Bah! They're just afraid that the Thunder God's axe might fall on their own heads someday, so they're trying to drag someone else down with them.

That True Lord carries the Jade Emperor's decree and acts as a Heavenly Emperor on a tour of inspection, with the power to kill and punish at will. We should be avoiding him as much as possible, why would we block his path?

While I, Old Niu, am not afraid of trouble, I am not a stupid ox to be used as a pawn.

The Rakshasa woman picked up a translucent, purple grape and slowly peeled it, her fingertips stained with a touch of pale purple juice, making it even more... .

She held the peeled grapes to the Bull Demon King's lips, and chuckled softly upon hearing this:

"It's good that my husband understands."

Our family business in Bajiao Cave on Cuiyun Mountain was built by my husband with every punch and kick, and by me with every little bit of effort. Why should we invite bad luck?

"Used as a pawn for no reason."

The Bull Demon King opened his mouth and took a grape in, then grabbed her wrist, his rough fingers brushing against her delicate skin as he sighed:

"Don't worry, madam, I'm not stupid."

But the tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease. Although I, Old Niu, have some reputation and sit here in charge of Cuiyun Mountain, seemingly carefree, in reality, countless eyes are watching me.

"Having pushed back the previous waves, there will likely be more to come. Some of these old guys are incredibly thick-skinned and calculating; they might not give up easily."

"Why be afraid of him?"

The Rakshasa woman withdrew her hand, picked up another grape, and spoke calmly yet confidently.

"Let's keep our mountain gates closed and ignore outside affairs. Let them talk all they want, do they think they can come knocking on our door and force my husband to stop the righteous gods of the Heavenly Court?"

We neither break the heavenly laws nor commit great evils; let's live our lives in peace. Even the most powerful True Lord, no matter how he patrols the four directions, still has to abide by rules and principles.

Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King chuckled and said:

"As long as the fire doesn't reach our Cuiyun Mountain, I, Old Niu, won't bother with it. But if they dare to make a fuss..."

A glint flashed in his eyes, then vanished, replaced by a smile. He leaned close to the Rakshasa woman's ear and breathed hot air into her ear, saying:

"With your banana leaf fan, Madam, you can fan him all the way to Beiju Luzhou to eat the wind..."