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

Wangyue Mountain is a truly treacherous place with treacherous waters and mountains.

But there, jagged cliffs pierced the azure sky like blades, and black mist veiled the sun and stars. From the caves and ravines, one often heard the whispers of spirits and monsters; in the deep forests, one often saw skeletons lying scattered about.

A chilling wind howls, a poisonous miasma hangs heavy on the road. It is the abode of jackals, tigers, and leopards, where mortals feast on their prey.

The sky was perfect, with the sun hanging high above the peak, casting a thin ray of light that could not dispel the long-standing chill and gloom of the mountains.

In the dead silence, a mournful wolf howl suddenly erupted from the cave on the mountaintop, shaking the leaves off the mountain and startling a flock of black crows into flight.

Before the howling had subsided, a gentle breeze arose from nowhere, sweeping across the hillside, causing all the grass and trees to bow down.

As the breeze passed, a streak of bluish-white sword light suddenly shone from where the wolf's howl had originated.

The sword light was initially just a thin line, clear and bright, like a beam of moonlight.

Then it surged, transforming into a chilling beam of light that stretched from the sky to the earth, silently sweeping across the mountain ridge.

"laugh."

As the soft sound passed, one could see that the majestic main peak of Wangyue Mountain had been neatly sheared off from the mountainside upwards, leaving a smooth, mirror-like surface.

The massive mountain then slid down with a deafening roar, plunging into a deep valley and sending up a cloud of dust.

As the smoke and dust dissipated, the sunlight shone unobstructed on the platform where the former demon king's cave once stood, leaving it utterly silent.

Feipeng stood in mid-air, his silver-white scaled armor reflecting the sunlight, his cloak gathering and dispersing like clouds in the aftershocks of the air currents.

His expression was cold and stern, and the ancient sword in his hand, named "Zhaodan," was slowly returning to its sheath, its lingering sound clear and melodious.

Not far in front of him lay the headless corpse of a giant blue-backed wolf, its head having vanished in the overwhelming sword energy.

It was none other than the Moon Devouring Demon King, who had just been arrogantly gathering in the mountains and forests, boasting that he would "devour the flesh and blood of the True Lord to enhance the prestige of our demon race."

"Anyone who dares to disturb the True Lord will be killed without mercy."

Fei Peng lowered his eyes and looked at the lifeless, headless wolf corpse, then said coldly.

With their commander executed, the remaining demon generals and lesser demons were terrified and no match for the elite Thunder Palace soldiers.

Before long, all those who resisted were killed, and the survivors scattered and fled, only to be killed one by one.

The once-prosperous and domineering Demon Cave of Wangyue Mountain was instantly annihilated.

"The Demon King has been slain, and this place is now cleared," Fei Peng said to his soldiers.

"Quickly assemble the troops and head to the shores of the Western Sea to reunite with the True Lord."

The thunder generals under his command responded in unison, and were about to ride the celestial clouds when suddenly a muffled rumble of thunder was heard in the sky.

More than a hundred thunder riders descended from the clouds, their steeds wielding thunder and lightning. The leader, clad in black armor and wielding a thunder whip, had a dignified and solemn expression.

It was none other than Yang Feng, the Commander of the Thunder Cavalry.

Yang Feng reined in the roaring thunder beast beneath him, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over the countless demon corpses scattered on the ground before settling on Fei Peng. He cupped his hands and asked:

"General Fei Peng? What are you doing here? Do you know where the True Lord is now?"

Fei Peng nodded slightly as a greeting and replied:

"So it was Commander Yang. The True Lord has ordered us generals to divide and suppress the rebellious demons from all directions."

After the matter is over, there is no need to look back; simply go straight to the shore of the Western Sea and gather there.

He paused briefly, then added, "Right now, the True Lord is dealing with a case of disordered local deities in the nearby city."

Upon hearing this, Yang Feng solemnly replied, "I see. This humble general is willing to accompany the general."

"Can."

Neither of them were talkative, so they immediately led their troops to join forces.

Fei Peng's silver armor shone in the sun, while Yang Feng's black armor was bathed in thunder, and his soldiers remained silent.

The sound of wind and thunder surged, carrying the lingering stench from the mountaintop, transforming into two sharp streaks of light.

They headed straight towards the vast western sea.

…………

Jade Lion Mansion, City God Temple.

Outside the temple gate, two stone-carved xiezhi (mythical beasts) sit on the left and right, their single horn pointing to the sky, their eyes gleaming with spiritual light, solemn and awe-inspiring.

The temple of the City God is far more grand than that of ordinary land shrines, with its green tiles and red eaves, exuding an imposing aura.

The once rich aroma of incense in the courtyard had long been diluted by an invisible sense of dread.

Above the main hall, the plaque inscribed with "A Clear Mirror Hangs High" hangs prominently.

Eight imposing, heavily armored generals of the Thunder Palace stood solemnly in the hall, their hands on their swords.

Their figures are straight as spears, some with fierce faces, others with cold expressions, their eyes like lightning, looking down at the two gods below—the local earth god and the Jade Lion City God.

As far as the eye could see, the yin energy dissipated, leaving only a heavy, thunderous aura that seemed to cause the bricks and stones of the entire temple to sink.

Meanwhile, dozens of the temple's ghost officials and underworld messengers, dressed in black robes and hats, were huddled together under the eaves and in the corridor outside the hall.

Although there were many people, they were all ashen-faced, their bodies trembling slightly, and they dared not even breathe loudly.

Compared to the eight imposing and awe-inspiring deities inside the hall, they were like rustling autumn leaves compared to a mountain cast in bronze and iron.

Jingfa Zhenjun sat upright behind the table, wearing a black cloak, his expression calm.

Beside the table, the magnificent Xie Zhi lay quietly, its head resting lightly against the True Lord's knee, its eyes slightly closed as if in a daze, with only the faint sound of wind and thunder coming from its breath.

Chen Jiao listened intently as the Jade Lion Mansion's local earth god, who was prostrate on the ground, recounted the whole story in a trembling voice.

The local earth god is depicted as an elderly man, dressed in simple clothes and hemp shoes, currently prostrating himself on the ground.

"...This humble deity risks his life to plead this case because the City God of Jade Lion Mansion has secretly colluded with the Demon King Devouring Moon of nearby Moon-Gazing Mountain."

They allowed their lesser demons to abduct and harm people, and they colluded to share the spoils of blood, food, and wealth.

Even worse, whenever a victim complained to the City God Temple, the temple would dismiss the complaint by claiming that the evil spirits were causing trouble and that divine power could not subdue them, or they would secretly cast spells to make the victim forget the truth.

The minor deity repeatedly offered advice, but was instead rebuked and suppressed, his incense offerings dwindled, and he had almost nowhere to stand.

We humbly beseech the True Lord to investigate and rid this land of this scourge!

After the land deity finished speaking, he kowtowed to the ground, tears streaming down his face. He lamented that he was of lowly rank and powerless, and had repeatedly appealed to the authorities without success. Today, he was fortunate to have encountered the True Lord's inspection tour, which gave him the courage to risk his life to plead his case.

The City God, dressed in a blue and red robe and wearing a black gauze hat, had turned pale with surprise and doubt, and beads of sweat were visible on his forehead.

After the local earth god finished his petition, he hurriedly stepped forward, bowed deeply, and spoke with a mixture of anxiety and grievance:

"My Lord, you are wise and discerning! I have been appointed by the Emperor to guard this place."

Since assuming the position of City God of Yushi Mansion, he has worked diligently day and night, soothing the spirits and harmonizing yin and yang, never slacking off for a moment!

This is all because the local earth god, when asked for incense money from the minor deity for the repair of his temple, was refused. Therefore, he harbored resentment and framed the earth god!

His intentions are despicable, and his words are absolutely untrustworthy!

I humbly beseech Your Majesty to see through the truth, clear my name, and severely punish this treacherous accuser!

His words were earnest, his posture humble, and his gaze quickly swept over the expressionless Jingfa Zhenjun in the hall before swiftly lowering again.

The Earth God trembled all over as he listened. He looked up as if to speak, but the City God's rapid-fire wailing and sharp gaze forced him to lower his head again.

He lay prostrate on the ground, his shoulders heaving, tears streaming down his face, and said:

"I am a lowly and weak deity, and have repeatedly had no way to appeal to the emperor. Today, I risk my life to earnestly beg the True Lord to investigate and restore peace to the people of Jade Lion Prefecture!"

What the little god said is absolutely true, absolutely true... True Lord...

"absurd!"

The City God, filled with resentment, pointed his halberd and roared:

"Spreading heresies and misleading the masses! With the True Lord above, how dare you, a lowly deity, spout such nonsense and slander your superior?"