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

As the Bone Demon King spoke, he exchanged glances with the other great demon kings present, who nodded slightly, indicating that they had already discussed it.

"That's exactly right!"

A demon king with an elephant head slammed his fist on the table and shouted:

"King of the Ox, if you step forward and stop him, dampen his arrogance, and let him know that Xiniu Hezhou is not a place where he can act recklessly."

We will follow your lead without question! If Heaven punishes us afterward, we will bear the consequences together!

"Let's share the burden!"

The demons echoed in unison, their gazes fixed intently on the Bull Demon King.

The Bull Demon King remained silent, but he knew perfectly well what was going on.

These old demons, with their high-sounding words, were clearly taking advantage of their own strength and the precarious reputation of Cuiyun Mountain, forcing themselves to be the first to test the bottom line of the Heavenly Court's True Lord.

If they succeed, they revel in the glory; if they fail, they bear the brunt of the blame.

Although he had not fought against that Huangtian Jingfa Zhenjun, judging from his actions, he was by no means an ordinary person.

To rashly confront them would not only risk defeat, but also create unnecessary conflict with the Heavenly Court.

But given the current situation...

If we don't agree, it would be disregarding the greater good of the demon race and showing fear of the Heavenly Court...

In the future, Cuiyun Mountain in Xiniuhezhou will likely be isolated and unable to move forward.

These old monsters sometimes use subtle, manipulative methods to cut flesh.

The Rakshasa woman did not appear in the front hall, but a subtle voice transmission rang in the Bull Demon King's ear at just the right moment, its tone cold and tinged with worry:

"Your Majesty, the people are in an uproar and their minds are made up. If you refuse outright, you will immediately become the target of their criticism."

They dare not do anything openly, but their covert obstruction and spreading of rumors are enough to make things difficult for Cuiyun Mountain in the future.

"Perhaps... we should feign compliance for now, accept this question, and act accordingly when the time comes. Let's avoid a real life-or-death struggle and leave room for maneuver."

The Bull Demon King sighed inwardly.

What the lady said was exactly what he was worried about.

These powerful demon kings, working together, have put him in a very difficult position.

A firm refusal would offend all fellow demons, potentially leading to isolation and numerous inconveniences within the demon community of Xiniu Hezhou.

No matter how strong a True Lord is, he is still an outsider passing through, while the entanglement of these local bullies is the endless trouble.

The Bull Demon King raised his head and said in a deep voice:

"Since you fellow Daoists think so highly of me and have put it this way, it would seem cowardly of me to refuse!"

His gaze swept over the demons, lingering particularly on the faces of Qing Shen and Gu Luo, before he said:

"Very well! Since that True Lord of Heaven has angered the masses with his actions, I will step forward to stop him and ask him some questions!"

This will also let him know that Xiniu Hezhou is not without its share of troubles!

The atmosphere in the hall immediately relaxed, and the demons spoke up one after another, with praise and assurances pouring in.

"The King of Cows is truly righteous!"

"These words resonate deeply with the demon race of the Western Continent!"

"Don't worry, King of Bulls!"

The Bone Demon King smiled and said:

"We are by no means people who break their word!"

"The Bull King's willingness to stand up for our Western Continent is a kindness we will forever remember! If the Heavenly Court has any accusations, we will settle them together!"

The Azure Mirage Demon Saint nodded and said, "The Ox King is truly virtuous. On behalf of the many fellow cultivators of the Western Continent, I thank you."

The Bull Demon King nodded slightly, picked up the tea in front of him, which had long since gone cold, and drank it all in one gulp.

Of course, we should try to stop them.

But how to stop him, and to what extent, is up to him.

The Bone Demon King lowered his eyes, took a sip of tea, and concealed the fleeting smugness in his eyes.

The Bull Demon King was indeed bound by empty fame.

My mission is accomplished.

…………

…………

Mount Xuanri.

What a beautiful and spiritually rich place! As the poem says:

Red cliffs rise in layers, arching over the main peak; golden summits gleam in the azure sky. Jade trees and rare flowers receive the sun's rays; clear springs and cascading waterfalls murmur melodiously.

The alchemy room was shrouded in mist, and the disciples practicing Qi cultivation hurried about. At first glance, it appeared to be a prosperous scene, but little did they know that it had been hollowed out inside.

The news of the death of Master Yuming in Tongyou City had already spread like wildfire.

However, the mountain gate and palaces remain majestic, shrouded in clouds and mist, with mythical birds coming and going, still a magnificent scene of immortals.

Since receiving support and protection from the Thunder Dragon Lord of the Thunder Swallowing River, the business has never declined.

The scene was even more bustling than usual because the Dragon King had sent many aquatic spirits to serve as protectors and warriors.

However, those in the know understand that Mount Xuanri is now already in the Dragon Lord's possession, hidden away in his treasury.

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was heavy and somber.

The central position is left empty, symbolizing the awkwardness of being without a master.

The three elders currently in charge of the sect, the First Elder Zheng Guang, the Second Elder Ming Xiao, and the Third Elder Ling Hui, sit on either side, all with deeply furrowed brows.

On the jade table in front of him, a long jade slip list was spread out, its inner light shining brightly.

"This is the third batch this month."

Elder Mingxiao stroked his beard, his voice hoarse, and pointed to the list, saying in a deep voice:

"We haven't even gathered all the spirit items for the last batch, and this new order has already come in."

Elder Linghui couldn't help but say, "This is simply outrageous!"

Although my Mount Xuanri has some reserves, it cannot withstand such demands!

When the Dragon King supported us, he said, "We will support each other and work together to achieve great things."

Now, they've turned my Xuanri Mountain into their private treasury for the Tanlei River! When the sect leader was alive, we were never in such dire straits.

Elder Mingxiao raised his eyes and quickly whispered:

"Junior Brother Linghui, be careful what you say. The Azure Crab Demon Lord sent by the Dragon Lord is still 'resting' in the guest courtyard."

He emphasized the word "rest".

He emphasized the word "rest".

That Dragon Lord's confidant, the Crab Demon Lord who had reached the Golden Core stage, was nominally there to assist in guarding the mountain gate, but in reality, he was a nasty overseer and debt collector.

He was usually arrogant and domineering, and if things didn't go his way, he would overturn the alchemy furnace and injure his disciples. The three of them dared not speak out against him.

Upon hearing this, Elder Linghui's anger flared even more, but he forcibly suppressed it, his chest heaving violently as he gritted his teeth and said:

"Since the founding patriarch of Xuanri Mountain, we have never suffered such humiliation!"

"When the sect leader was alive, although... although his actions were sometimes extreme, he never made us so subservient, handing over the foundation of our ancestors to others for exploitation!"

"Silence!"

Elder Zhengguang rebuked in a deep voice, his eyes revealing weariness and a hint of barely perceptible gloom.

"How can we speak lightly of the Dragon King's grace?"

Now that the sect leader has unfortunately passed away, there is no Nascent Soul cultivator to oversee things in the mountains.

"Without the Dragon Lord's deterrence, those covetous enemies, and those sects in the west we previously suppressed, would have already devoured us alive!"

He softened his tone, but it became even more somber, as he offered words of comfort:

"Times have changed."

The Dragon Lord seems to be in urgent need. Since our Mount Xuanri is under his protection, we should do our best to help him.

Moreover, the Dragon Lord didn't just take; he also bestowed upon me several water-manipulation techniques and promised to help my sect produce another Nascent Soul cultivator afterward.

"Nascent Soul..."

Upon hearing this, Elder Mingxiao smiled wryly and said, "Distant water cannot quench immediate thirst."

Currently, 70% of the treasury has been depleted, and the monthly stipends for the disciples have been reduced three times. Many dependent families and subordinate temples have already begun to complain.

If this continues, chaos will break out within the sect even before external attacks. How can such a large quantity of spiritual items be gathered in such a short time?

Elder Linghui lowered his voice, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes:

"Should we add those few treasured items that are kept at the bottom of the vault?"

Elder Zhengguang closed his eyes and after a long while said:

"If we can remain still, then we will. Issue the order that all those who are affiliated with a family or lower court will have their tribute increased by 30%."

The monthly allowances for disciples under the sect will be halved, except for those who are true disciples and inner disciples whose quotas will remain unchanged for the time being.

In addition, send people to the nearby markets to quickly sell off the old, unused materials and ritual implements in the storehouse.

Then, in the name of the sect, borrow money from several friendly merchant guilds, even at higher interest rates, to ensure that the required amount of spiritual items is raised within the timeframe stipulated by the Dragon Lord.

Elder Mingxiao opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, it turned into a sigh.

"Ultimately, it's all that damned Jiang Xiao thief's fault!"

Elder Linghui could no longer contain himself and roared, his eyes filled with resentment.

"If he hadn't suddenly attacked us without any reason, killing our sect leader, how could Xuanri Mountain have fallen to this state?"

Why should we attach ourselves to that arrogant dragon... Thunder Dragon Lord, and suffer such filth!

What kind of cultivation and what kind of person was the sect leader? Yet he fell at the hands of that nobody!

What deep-seated hatred do I, Xuanri Mountain, have for him? That he would resort to such a cruel act, severing the future of my lineage!

Upon hearing this, Elder Zheng Guang and Elder Ming Xiao's faces darkened, and hatred flashed in their eyes.

The death of Master Yuming was the turning point from prosperity to decline for Xuanri Mountain, and it was also a source of shame and hatred in their hearts.

They blamed all the sect's current predicament on that Jiangxiao Zhenren.

"This is an irreconcilable feud!"

Elder Linghui slammed his fist on the table, leaving a shallow fist mark, his teeth clenched in anger.

"Sooner or later, that treacherous Jiang Xiao will pay for his crimes in blood, his bones will be crushed to dust, and his soul will be banished to the deepest hell, never to be reborn!"

Elder Mingxiao's eyes also reddened, and he echoed:

"Junior brother is right! Jiang Xiao is truly the eternal enemy of Xuanri Mountain!"

If this scoundrel is not eliminated, how can we face our ancestors? How can we stand between heaven and earth?

"It's a pity that our cultivation is too low to kill this fiend and avenge our sect leader!"

Elder Zhengguang closed his eyes, his eyelids twitching slightly.

How could he not hate? Although the sect leader was domineering, he was the only pillar of Xuanri Mountain.

His death not only deprived Xuanri Mountain of its pillar, but also trampled the dignity of the entire Taoist tradition into the mud.

Elder Zhengguang opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and cold, and said in a chilling voice:

"This grudge should be remembered."

However, the most urgent task is to preserve the sect. We must proceed with caution when dealing with Lord Zhe Leilong.

As for Jiang Xiao... I've heard that he's only at the Golden Core stage, yet he managed to defeat a Nascent Soul cultivator. He must have some extraordinary abilities or some amazing adventure.

Such a person is beyond our current reach. Let him run rampant for now; the world is vast, and karma will eventually catch up with him!

"retribution?"

A clear and calm voice suddenly came from the empty entrance of the hall.

"Why wait for reincarnation? This humble Taoist has arrived here."

The three people in the hall were startled and turned around abruptly!

The two black iron doors of the main hall, engraved with the pattern of the sun traversing the sky, had silently opened at some point.

Sunlight streamed in from outside, outlining a tall, slender figure in crimson.

The man stood casually at the doorway, backlit, his face somewhat blurred, only his eyes clearly visible, calmly gazing at the three people inside the hall who looked as if facing a formidable enemy.

He was carrying an ancient, sheathed longsword.

It was none other than the one they hated to the bone and cursed without ceasing—the Immortal Jiangxiao.