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

The Moon Guardian stood beneath the jade-carved moon, dressed in snow-white robes, his expression serene and aloof, as he slowly revealed his innermost thoughts:

"Fellow Daoist Jiangxiao has done a great favor for my Songyue Sword Sect."

The kindness shown to protect us in the Netherworld, and the introduction at the treasure exchange meeting, which enabled the sect leader to obtain a spiritual object for seclusion, are acts of grace that should never be forgotten.

Not to mention that Fellow Daoist Jiangxiao killed Yuming with his sword, relieving my sect of a century-long predicament.

Therefore, Shouyue believes that Jiangxiao Zhenren should be honored as the Supreme Elder of this sect, holding a transcendent position and having all resources at his disposal, in order to preserve this auspicious and righteous bond.

The two immortals, Shouqing and Shoulie, sat on the prayer mats on either side, and remained silent upon hearing this.

The two were deeply grateful to Master Jiangxiao and admired his supernatural powers.

Of course...

Master Shouqing stroked his long beard and slowly said:

"What Junior Sister Shouyue said is all true. We can never repay even a fraction of the kindness shown to us by dying for you."

The True Man's Taoist arts are profound and his supernatural powers are vast; we can only admire him from the bottom of our hearts. Even if we were to empty our entire treasury, it would not be too much to offer him a reward.

However, honoring a cultivator from another clan as the sect's supreme elder is a matter of great importance to the sect's fortune, and there has never been such a precedent in the sect's history of thousands of years.

Setting this precedent could attract controversy and disrupt the established rules, which is one reason.

Furthermore, the Thunder Dragon Lord who swallowed the Thunder River was a well-known Nascent Soul Great Demon Lord with great supernatural powers and a deeply entrenched and powerful force under his command.

Jiangxiao Zhenren's ruthless actions this time have made him a mortal enemy.

If we openly honor him as the Supreme Elder at this time, wouldn't that be openly making an enemy of the Dragon Lord and the Tunleijiang faction?

If the True Man were to fight the Dragon Lord in the future and suffer any mishap, or even disappear into the distance, and the Dragon Lord were to hold a grudge and seek revenge, how would the Songyue Sword Sect possibly cope?

The wrath of the Thunder Dragon Lord is probably beyond what our sect can currently withstand.

Upon hearing this, Master Shoulie nodded in agreement:

"What Senior Brother Shouqing said makes sense. We should repay kindness and righteousness, but we cannot ignore the safety of the sect."

Master Jiangxiao is indeed incredibly powerful and has no fear of that old dragon. However, our Songyue Sword Sect has been suppressed by Xuanri Mountain for many years and has not yet recovered its strength. It is truly not advisable to make an enemy like this again.

It would be better to hold both sides for now and wait for the sect leader to emerge from seclusion so that he can make the final decision. That would be the safest course of action.

At this moment, it's better to remain still than to act.

Master Shouyue listened quietly, his face expressionless, but inwardly he sighed.

She knew that her two senior brothers were not ungrateful people, but the sect had been weak for many years, and the members of the sect had become accustomed to being cautious and timid. They inevitably hesitated to act, seeking stability and fearing change.

This way of life, which avoids getting involved in both, seems comprehensive and may ensure temporary safety.

However, they are destined to achieve little, let alone seize fleeting opportunities and attach themselves to the true dragon.

How can we secure a chance for our sect to grow stronger in this Western Continent, a land teeming with demons?

Moreover, whether Jiangxiao Zhenren, with his abilities, would even deign to accept the empty title of Supreme Elder of Songyue Sword Sect remains to be seen.

Just as Master Shouyue was about to speak, explaining that this matter could not be delayed any longer and that he had decided to use a secret method to break through the barrier and inform the sect leader who was still in seclusion.

Suddenly, a disciple on duty rushed into the hall, his expression respectful, and presented a bluish-green sword talisman:

"Reporting to the three venerable ones, Senior Brother Songyan has sent an urgent message from the Kingdom of Women!"

Master Shouyue accepted the sword talisman and immersed his divine sense into it.

The message was concise, yet every word was alarming.

On the Tunlei River, the Immortal Jiangxiao slew the Thunder Dragon Lord, who had transformed into a dragon, and calmed the waves.

Then, in Jieyang Mountain, he set fire to the hidden Taoist temple of the Cold Crow Corpse Lord, cleansing away the evil spirits.

Now, the real person is being invited by the Queen of the Women's Kingdom to enter the palace for an audience.

Master Shouyue looked stunned.

She knew that Master Jiangxiao was highly skilled in Taoism, and that his three sword strikes in Tongyou City, which killed the Nascent Soul cultivator Yu Ming, already demonstrated his extraordinary abilities.

However... this slaying of the dragon, stabilizing the waters, burning the demon, and dispelling the calamity was all done in one go, which was perhaps too fierce and decisive.

She looked up, her gaze sweeping over Shouqing and Shoulie.

But the two senior brothers who had just been advocating for moderation and stability now had drastic changes in expression, their eyes filled with undisguised astonishment. They looked at each other and were speechless for a moment.

a long time.

"Cough cough..."

Master Shouqing coughed lightly, breaking the silence.

He looked slightly unnatural, but his voice had returned to its usual composure, though the meaning behind his words was completely different from before.

"Junior Sister Shouyue... what you said earlier was very thoughtful and truly a wise and experienced strategist's opinion."

The True Man Jiangxiao has indeed shown great kindness to our sect, and his Taoist arts are profound and his supernatural powers are boundless.

Honoring him as the Supreme Elder is perfectly reasonable and justifiable. My previous concerns were simply due to my being too old-fashioned and bound by conventions.

Those like Zhe Lei and Han Ya, who act perversely and wickedly, deserve to be executed; they are not worth worrying about.

Master Shoulie immediately echoed, his tone resolute:

"Indeed! With such extraordinary abilities, True Immortal Jiangxiao can cleanse the demonic aura and protect the region. He is truly a role model for us all."

The matter of honoring someone should be done sooner rather than later!

Once the sect leader emerges from seclusion, he will surely grant his request. Junior Sister, what do you think is the proper way to handle this to show respect?

Master Shouyue looked at his two senior brothers, who had been arrogant at first but obsequious later, his expression remaining cold and indifferent. He simply said:

"In that case, we need to immediately draft the regulations and prepare all the necessary items for the ceremony."

"Immediately inform the sect leader and perform the grand ceremony of requesting permission."

"As for whether the real person will agree..." She paused, looking at the darkening sky outside the hall, "Let's wait for the right opportunity."

Shouqing and Shoulie exchanged a glance and nodded in unison, saying, "Junior Sister is absolutely right."

The three discussed the matter for a while longer before departing.

Outside the palace, the night was deep, and the bright moon hung high in the sky, its clear light casting a layer of silver frost on the eaves and stone steps.

Looking back, the jade-carved moon inside the hall, illuminated by the real moonlight, appeared even more crystal clear, its gentle glow faint.

The moon and the sky reflected each other, creating a scene so beautiful that it was hard to distinguish between reality and illusion.

…………

…………

heaven.

The Moon Palace is the abode of the most yin and coldest energy in the Three Realms, a pure and ethereal palace, and a land of eternal solitude.

The magnificent palaces and pavilions were covered in frost, their light cool and clear, untouched by dust.

Outside the palace, in a desolate place, a laurel tree of unknown height and breadth stands majestically, its roots firmly planted in the cool, jade-like soil, its branches and leaves gracefully forming a canopy that covers the surrounding area.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

The sound of chopping wood was deep and muffled, never ceasing throughout the day.

A burly man was swinging an axe, chopping at the tree trunk again and again.

However, when the axe falls, the wood splits; when the axe rises again, the mark disappears, and the cycle repeats endlessly.

Sweat rolled down his forehead and back, and before it touched the ground, it condensed into tiny ice crystals in the bone-chilling cold, scattering and falling to the ground with a crisp sound.

Occasionally, a fairy from the moon palace, dressed in simple white robes and holding a bottle and a fan, would stroll by, but she would not even glance at this sight, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

Deep within the Moon Palace lies the residence of the Moon Goddess.

The interior of the hall was simply furnished, with only a table, a cloud-shaped bed, and a few plain-colored exotic flowers.

Taiyin Yuanjun leaned against the cloud bed, her face veiled in a light gauze, making it difficult to see her entire appearance, only revealing a pair of clear, cold eyes.

She held a snow-white jade rabbit in her arms, its eyes sparkling, and her slender fingers casually stroked the soft fur on its back.

Before the table hangs an ancient mirror, neither gold nor jade, with its frame engraved with the patterns of the stars in the heavens, its surface shimmering with light.

Sometimes it manifests in mountains and rivers, sometimes it sweeps across the dust and smoke of the city, and occasionally it freezes on a Taoist temple gate, where cultivators discuss swordsmanship, or where spirits undergo tribulations and mortals experience joy and sorrow.

The bizarre and wonderful world is presented in fleeting glimpses within it.

Suddenly, something was reflected in the mirror, and Yuanjun's brows and eyes, which were as cold as frost and as still as water, curved slightly.

In an instant, the chill dissipated, and a breathtaking beauty flowed forth, enough to dim the moonlight that filled the room, though only for a moment.

Yuanjun did not utter a word, but simply extended her slender finger, the tip of which was surrounded by the purest and finest lunar essence, and gently touched the mirror.

Strands of moonlight silently seeped into the clear light reflected in the mirror, following some mysterious connection, and drifted leisurely toward a certain place in the vast world reflected in the mirror.

The jade rabbit in her arms twitched its long ears, and its ruby-like eyes turned toward the precious mirror, seemingly showing some curiosity as well.