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

Moang is indeed a promising talent.

He is a legitimate descendant of the Dragon Clan, with pure bloodline, and has a solid foundation in cultivating the true methods of the Dragon Clan.

Moreover, he was skilled in martial arts, calm and composed, knew when to advance and retreat, and was well-mannered, without the arrogance of an ordinary dragon prince.

If recruited and trained, they will surely be able to stand on their own in time.

Of course...

Chen Jiao raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Ao Run's expectant face, and slowly spoke, his voice calm and even, simply saying:

"I am aware of the Dragon King's love for his son. The Crown Prince is talented and worthy of being nurtured."

"But, Dragon King, have you thought this through?"

Ao Run's eyes flickered slightly, and he naturally understood what the True Lord meant.

The subtle discord between Zhenjun, the Sun Emperor, and even the Great Emperor Gouchen has long been an open secret.

The conflict over the Grand Court Assembly was widely known among the immortals and gods of all directions.

If Moang, the crown prince of the West Sea, is sent to the Thunder Palace of the Radiant Sky Pivot, it would be tantamount to the West Sea Dragon Palace clearly taking sides and completely binding itself to the True Lord.

The struggle on Ao Run's face was fleeting, like a passing shadow.

Before he could speak, Moang beside him bowed again, his voice clear and composed:

"Your Excellency is kind. Although I am dull-witted, I know that those who are different should not work together."

For those who cultivate the Tao, the most important thing is to have a heart devoted to the Tao.

The True Lord's actions are in accordance with the righteous laws of Heaven, vanquishing demons and evil, protecting all living beings, and he is truly a pillar of the Heavenly Court and a model for the Three Realms.

Moang's mind was made up; he was willing to follow this path, even if there were storms, they would only serve as trials.

If one hesitates to move forward out of fear of suspicion or concern for power, is that the behavior of a true man? One would also be ashamed before one's own bloodline.

Moang raised his head and said in a deep voice, "The Great Dao is before us; only righteousness and truth prevail. We beseech the True Lord to grant our request!"

Ao Run took a deep breath, the last trace of hesitation on his face disappeared, replaced by composure.

He met Chen Jiao's gaze and nodded, saying:

"Xiaolong has made up his mind. A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on, and a wise minister chooses a good lord to serve."

"It is my son's good fortune to serve the True Lord, and also a blessing for the Western Sea. As for the minor entanglements..."

Ao Run paused, his expression becoming even more resolute.

"We, the dragons of the four seas, have weathered many storms since ancient times. We have always acted according to our conscience and had no regrets."

Chen Jiao listened quietly, his gaze slowly sweeping across the faces of Mo Ang and Ao Run.

The brilliance of the pearls in the hall reflected in his deep eyes, revealing little emotion.

After a moment, he put down the jade cup he had been playing with.

The jade cup gently touched the mica table, producing a clear "ding" sound that was particularly distinct in the silent hall.

"If that's the case, where is Moang?"

"Your subordinate is here!" Moang's spirits lifted, and he knelt on one knee.

"From this day forward, you shall be given the title of 'Guangji Fuxuan Duwei' and shall be temporarily under the command of General Feixuan Weiling, and shall be at his disposal."

The laws of my Lei family are strict, and rewards and punishments are clearly defined. You'd better behave yourself.

The name "Guangji" is derived from the virtue of water, which flows downwards and bestows grace widely. It aligns with the nature of the dragon race and also expresses the expectation of benefiting all living beings.

"Fu Xuan" means to subdue the dark and gloomy, and to suppress all evil spirits with the righteous law of thunder, which is in line with the true nature of thunder to eliminate evil.

This title not only reveals his background but also indicates his new position, which shows his thoughtfulness.

Chen Jiao looked at Mo Ang and slowly said:

"I hope you will understand the profound meaning of this title, uphold the virtue of water for universal benefit, and wield the power of thunder to subdue the mysterious, so as not to fail my expectations, nor the trust placed in you by your father and the Western Sea."

Moang was deeply moved. He immediately lifted his robe, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and replied in a deep voice:

"This humble general, Moang, obeys the decree of the True Lord! I will faithfully perform my duties, widely benefit Fuxuan, and repay the True Lord's kindness in recognizing and appreciating me!"

Ao Run was overjoyed, rose from his seat, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you for your kindness, True Lord!"

Chen Jiao nodded slightly, said no more, and simply said, "Get up."

His gaze had turned to the deep sea outside the palace. After a month-long stay, the matter of the Western Sea was over, but there was still a long journey ahead.

Taking in Moang would be like gaining a good general for the Lei family and forging a good relationship for the Western Sea.

As for the storm lurking in the shadows... a flash of lightning seemed to appear in his eyes before returning to calm.

Several more days passed.

Above the Western Sea, the sky is high and the clouds are wide.

Three thousand Lei Fu soldiers had already formed ranks in the clouds, their armor gleaming, banners fluttering, and a chilling aura rising into the sky.

Moang stood close to General Fei Peng at the front of the formation, wearing silver armor. He had replaced his previous white robe with a black cloak, and his expression was one of excitement.

Chen Jiao sat upright on the back of the Xie Zhi, his black cloak fluttering. His gaze swept over the neatly dressed soldiers, finally settling on the vast and boundless western horizon.

"Continue the hunt."

"In accordance with the True Lord's decree!"

The three thousand thunder generals responded in unison, their voices shaking the sea and sky.

Immediately, the cloud chariot rose up, and the wind and thunder rumbled, as the Thunder Palace's entourage set off once more.

Moang looked back and glanced at the Azure Dragon Palace receding into the distance below, then turned around and looked firmly at the cloud path ahead.

…………

…………

Longevity Hill, Wuzhuang Temple.

As dawn breaks, the sound of rustling pines can be faintly heard.

Today it is the turn of the two children, Qingfeng and Mingyue, to sweep and clean the courtyard.

However, the two children were always somewhat lazy, and at this moment they were still curled up on the cloud bed, breathing evenly and soundly, fast asleep.

The two had been called by their senior brother earlier, and they only vaguely replied "I know," turned over, and fell into a deep sleep again.

While I was sound asleep, I suddenly heard footsteps outside the door again, much more hurried than before.

A senior disciple strode into the meditation room and, seeing the two children still fast asleep on the bed, stamped his foot and raised his voice:

"You two, why aren't you getting up yet!"

Master has given orders that the Dharma Lord Jingfa, who is touring the four continents, will soon arrive at the mountain gate.

You two must rise immediately, tidy your clothes and appearance, and hurry to the mountain gate to greet the True Lord. Do not delay!

Cleaning and sweeping are suspended today; do not be late!

On the couch, Qingfeng and Mingyue opened their eyes almost simultaneously, their lingering dreams vanishing in an instant.

The four characters "Jingfa Zhenjun" sounded to my ears like dew dripping onto my forehead.

The two of them were startled and hurriedly lifted the thin quilt. Without thinking twice, they grabbed the Taoist robes from the side of the bed, put them on, slipped on their cloud-patterned shoes, and frantically tidied their clothes and belts.

As Qingfeng tightened his belt, he asked urgently, "Senior Brother, when will the True Lord...when will the True Lord arrive?"

"We're already at the foot of the mountain. You two hurry onward, don't delay any longer!"

The senior brother urged him on and then turned around to hurriedly arrange other matters.

The two children dared not delay any longer. They looked at each other and saw the lingering sleepiness and urgency in each other's eyes.

Although the two children were treated leniently in the temple because of their young age and were occasionally lazy, they were well aware that this was no small matter.

He was a distinguished guest personally invited by his master, and also the legendary True Lord who was said to be a direct disciple of the Dao Ancestor, wielding thunder and patrolling the four directions. He could not be treated with the slightest disrespect.

The two children quickly washed their faces with water and tidied their hair. In no time, they were all ready.

Although there were still traces of waking up in the corners of his eyes, and his hair was not necessarily in perfect order, he was at least dressed neatly and tried his best to appear dignified.

They exchanged a glance, took a deep breath, pushed open the door to the cloud-shaped room, and greeted the crisp mountain breeze and the gradually brightening morning light.

They walked briskly, one after the other, towards the majestic and ancient mountain gate outside the temple.