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

Chapter 401 Peter's Mystery, the Lord Obtains the Spiritual Root

Most of these cultivators wore expressions of joy, and their auras were even more profound than before. Clearly, they had all gained something from the exchange of divine will just now.

However, many more cultivators remained silent before their spiritual trees, their faces grim, but they dared not act rashly because of the presence of True Monarchs and Immortal Monarchs.

Immortal Lord Qinglin took in all the scenes on the platform, lightly waved his whisk, and said with a smile, "Congratulations, fellow Daoists."

This test is not about the depth of one's cultivation or the level of one's supernatural powers, but solely about the concept of "fate." It tests the mysterious connection and affinity between people.

When the time is right, a spiritual response will naturally arise; when the time is shallow, even face to face, it will be difficult to recognize. Forcing it will only make things worse.

Those who can make the wood manifest its spirit have passed this second hurdle of "karmic connection."

Those who did not receive a spiritual response were annoyed upon hearing this, but they knew that what the immortal lord said was true. The matter of fate is inherently unpredictable and mysterious, so they could only sigh inwardly.

As soon as he finished speaking, Immortal Lord Qinglin gently swept his whisk across the courtyard.

In an instant, celestial clouds suddenly rose above the Daodaoping, accompanied by thousands of auspicious wisps!

Those spiritual trees and plants that received the divine response shone brightly, each displaying its own profound mysteries.

On a vermilion fruit tree, three fiery red spiritual fruits fell off on their own and flew into the hand of a middle-aged Taoist priest in front of him, emitting a wonderful fragrance.

A cluster of purple jade bamboo shimmered with rosy light, which transformed into a jade ruler about a foot long, shimmering with purple aura, and fell into the palm of a female cultivator.

Even more remarkably, a cultivator standing quietly before an ancient tree trembled slightly, his face showing a dazed expression before turning to shock, clearly indicating that a profound technique had been directly imprinted into his mind along with his spiritual response.

The ancient, gnarled vine in front of the Monkey King suddenly trembled, its old skin peeling away to reveal a soft, shimmering azure armor, as thin as a cicada's wing, with faint scale patterns.

He reached out and grabbed it, gently stroking it. He immediately felt its exceptional toughness and exclaimed with delight, "What a treasure! Just what I wanted!"

Suddenly, a crack appeared in the trunk of the strange, dark red tree in front of the Lion Camel King, which was as thick as a vat. A jar of wine flew out on its own and was caught by his large hand.

Even before the jar was opened, wisps of rich wine aroma mixed with powerful spiritual energy wafted out, invigorating the Lion Camel King and making his eyes shine.

Before the True Man Ziyang, a seemingly withered sapling suddenly sprouted new buds, and specks of spiritual light gathered and transformed into an ancient brown robe, unremarkable in appearance.

Master Ziyang didn't take it seriously. After a brief sensing, he knew it was a fine treasure. He then happily put the brown robe on and immediately felt calm and at peace.

Before Chen Jiao, the small iron-gray tree lifted off the ground on its own, its roots shrinking into whiskers and transforming into a hazy blue stream of light that disappeared into his sleeve.

Chen Jiao glanced down at his cuffs, a hint of surprise flashing across his face.

Such spirituality, could it be—

Numerous mysterious phenomena manifested, and several exclamations of surprise rang out on the platform before quickly fading into silence.

The cultivators who had gained this opportunity tried to suppress their excitement and calm their minds, but they could not hide the joy on their faces and the light in their eyes.

Immortal Lord Qinglin waited quietly for a moment, until the various strange phenomena subsided, before speaking again: "Since you have all received the spiritual response, you are destined. You may follow me into the Qinghua Palace to listen to the Daoist teachings left by His Majesty."

Having said that, he said no more, flicked his whisk, and turned to walk towards the palace at the end of the square, shrouded in celestial mist.

Its steps appear slow, but in reality, each step covers several feet, shrinking the distance to an inch.

Chen Jiao collected his thoughts and then went inside.

Forty or fifty cultivators who received the spiritual response, including True Man Ziyang, the Monkey King, the Lion Camel King, and the Roc Demon King, all composed themselves, suppressed their emotions, and followed closely behind.

Those who did not get the opportunity, though unwilling, could only stand on the ground and watch everyone leave. Some sighed, some pondered, and some tried to find another opportunity among the other spiritual plants on the ground, but they all knew that the hope was slim.

Passing through the swirling mist and clouds, the full view of Qinghua Palace gradually becomes clear.

The hall is a hundred feet tall, with a deep blue-green color throughout. Its eaves and brackets are decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, all adorned with patterns of plants, stars, flowers, birds, insects, and fish.

It is simple and grand, not luxurious, but it has its own supreme majesty that governs life and manipulates creation.

Above the temple gate hangs a plaque inscribed with three ancient seal characters that exude a natural Taoist charm.

Qinghua Hall.

At this moment, a soft, clear light flowed out from within, accompanied by a faint, mysterious Daoist sound.

At first it is subtle, but the closer you get, the clearer it becomes, like a gentle breeze passing by your ear, or a light rain nourishing the earth. When you hear it, your mind and spirit will involuntarily calm down, and all distracting thoughts will disappear.

Immortal Lord Qinglin stopped in front of the palace gate, stepped aside to make way, and smiled at the crowd behind him, saying, "His Majesty's Daoist voice remains deep within this palace. Please come inside and listen quietly."

How many points you get depends on your own luck.

Chen Jiao took the lead, his black cloak brushing against the threshold of the Qingguang Hall as he stepped inside. Master Ziyang, the Monkey King, and the others also took a deep breath and followed suit.

Upon hearing the Daoist chants emanating from within the hall, the cultivators were already filled with longing. They all straightened their clothes solemnly, suppressed their excitement, and filed in one by one.

The interior space is far more expansive and profound than the exterior, as if it were a world unto itself.

The dome is high and distant, adorned with starlight, seemingly real yet illusory.

The most eye-catching feature is the tall, ancient blue cloud bed deep within the palace, which is completely empty.

Only a hazy, clear light floated in the air, and the profound Daoist sound flowed gently from within the light, permeating the entire hall.

The cultivators who entered earlier had already found their own prayer mats or simply sat down on the smooth ground, closing their eyes and concentrating on comprehending the supreme Dao sound.

Chen Jiao focused his mind and activated his profound internal energy.

The innate Earth Qi, which originated from Wuzhuang Temple and resided in the Spleen Palace, began to tremble slightly when stimulated by the pure and powerful Wood Qi.

Soil can nourish wood, and wood can also loosen soil.

Listening to the sounds of the Wood element in this Qingdi Daoist temple is of immeasurable benefit to him in harmonizing the five elements and laying the foundation for his Dao.

"————The essence of Jia and Yi, the origin of the virtue of wood. Its energy first sprouted in the Great Void, and its form was first distinguished in the Primordial Chaos."

It gives birth without possessing, nurtures without dominating, spreads its influence according to the four seasons, and circulates in accordance with the six qi.

In Chen Jiao's sea of ​​consciousness, his past insights into thunder and metal began to merge with the meaning of the growth and manipulation of Jia wood that he was hearing at this moment.

Metal represents killing and destruction, while wood represents growth and development. They seem to be incompatible, but they are the two sides of the same coin, constantly cycling through the workings of heaven and earth, which govern life and death.

A sudden realization quietly sprouted in my heart.

I don't know how much time has passed; perhaps a moment, perhaps a thousand years.

The grand and profound Daoist sound gradually subsided and eventually returned to nothingness.

The people in the hall gradually awoke from their deep meditation, each with a different expression.

Some looked pleased with what they had gained; others frowned and pondered deeply; still others looked around blankly, seemingly having gained nothing.

The depth of one's karmic connection determines the outcome.

Master Ziyang let out a long sigh of relief, his body's energy becoming even purer, and his injuries had healed completely, clearly indicating that he had gained a great deal.

Chen Jiao slowly opened his eyes, a flash of blazing white lightning disappearing from them before returning to his deep gaze.

He felt that he had gained profound insights, not only in the Way of Jia Wood, but also in the grasp of the generation and restraint of the Five Elements and the pivotal operation, which greatly benefited his own path of absorbing the essence of the Five Elements and the Ten Qi.