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

Chapter 408 The Three Prefectures Bring Fortune and Misfortune, the Mysterious Cave Draws a Calamity

The outer gardens are filled with palaces and pavilions, their spiritual light faintly visible, adorned with rare flowers and exotic plants.

Those cultivators whose affinity with the Dharma was less developed and who were unable to follow Qinglin deeper into the realm mostly searched for rare treasures here, and each of them gained something.

Qinglin Immortal Lord led the remaining twenty-odd immortal cultivators and demons who had passed the previous three trials deeper into the area.

The scenery becomes increasingly serene and ancient, and the spiritual energy and Taoist charm become increasingly rich and pure.

Upon reaching a place where corridors intersect, three jade corridors shrouded in mist appear ahead, each leading in a different direction, their ends hidden in the ethereal haze, making it difficult to discern their destination.

Immortal Lord Qinglin paused, faced the crowd, and said gently, "Inquiring about fate, hearing the Dao, and expounding the Dharma are all preliminary steps."

Deep within the outer garden lie three important locations: the Evergreen Garden, the Refining Platform, and the Mysterious Cave.

What is contained within may be rare and precious spiritual objects and exotic immortals transplanted by His Majesty in the past, or wondrous realms for refining one's true nature and polishing one's foundation for the Dao, or secret Daoist archives for expounding profound principles and storing lofty theories—none of which can be compared to anything previously experienced.

His gaze slowly swept over the crowd, his tone turning somber as he said, "However—the scene there is different from before. There are mysteries within, and fortune or misfortune is unpredictable."

Whether to go or not, and where to go, is a decision each of you fellow practitioners must make yourself, according to your own destiny.

Upon hearing this, the cultivators all reacted with varying expressions.

Immediately, one of the demon kings beamed with joy and blurted out, "Does the Immortal Lord mean that this is still the outer garden? Or is there perhaps an inner garden and an inner palace?"

Upon hearing this, Immortal Lord Qinglin merely smiled slightly: "If it exists, then it does. However, this humble Daoist is also helpless, unable to find the way in."

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this.

Unexpectedly, even this guiding immortal could not enter.

On second thought, it was probably the forbidden area of ​​the Azure Emperor's palace, where outsiders were not allowed to enter without permission, which made sense.

Master Ziyang pondered and said, "Judging from what the Immortal Lord just said, could it be that there are still challenging trials within those three important locations?"

Upon hearing this, Immortal Lord Qinglin suppressed his smile, slowly shook his head, and said in a deep voice, "Ah—it is not a test."

It is my several senior brothers and sisters, whose temperaments have drastically changed, who are guarding this place. I am helpless. If anyone is capable—

""

His gaze swept over Chen Jiao, then over the crowd, and finally turned into a soft sigh, "This humble Taoist is extremely grateful."

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, a chill running down their spines.

Unexpectedly, these three important locations were actually the training grounds of the Azure Emperor's other disciples.

Judging from the Immortal Lord's tone, it seems that something has happened to these ancient immortals?

The three demons—tiger, deer, and sheep—exchanged a knowing glance and nodded slightly, as if they had expected this.

Just as everyone was about to ask for more details, Immortal Lord Qinglin stopped talking.

He flicked his whisk, his figure drifting backward as if merging into the celestial mist behind him. His voice drifted back, fading into the distance: "Fellow Daoists, fortune and misfortune go hand in hand; your future is your own choice. But I hope you will not lose your true self and choose a path to follow. You and I—we will meet again later."

Chen Jiao's gaze was calm as he swept over the depths of the three corridors in turn.

As his divine sense spread out, he sensed that the three places had very different energy sources, each with its own mysteries.

On the left is the Evergreen Garden, where the plants and trees are lush and vibrant; in the middle is the Refining Platform, where the sharpness of the plants is restrained, seemingly containing the wonder of refining form and transforming into truth.

Only the Dongxuan Palace on the right side has the most ethereal and distant aura, like clouds and mist covering mountains, making its depth unfathomable.

His mind shifted slightly, and he made up his mind.

While spiritual roots, external objects, and true methods and supernatural powers are valuable, they are not what he urgently needs on his current path.

The two characters "Dongxuan" were quite to his liking, and could perhaps help him further understand the true nature of the Great Dao and comprehend its profound mysteries.

After a brief silence, the remaining cultivators began to discuss among themselves.

The old Taoist in the coarse robe stroked his beard and pondered, "Changqing Garden contains both spiritual roots and rare species, as well as treasures that can prolong life, enhance one's spirit, and refine one's soul."

For us on our path, this is the foundation upon which to lay a solid ground; it is essential to examine it carefully.

The middle-aged Taoist in green robes standing to the side shook his head and said, "What you say makes sense, fellow Daoist. However, if the Refining Platform contains ancient methods for refining form, neutralizing evil, and controlling artifacts, it would be of great benefit in battle and in protecting the Dao."

"Having left the palace this time, with unrest still raging on all sides, every bit of strength gained brings a greater sense of security."

Upon hearing this, the Leopard-Headed Demon King said, "Those spiritual root techniques, even if you have the life to obtain them, you must also have the life to use them."

Qinglin Immortal Lord spoke vaguely, mentioning senior brothers and sisters whose temperaments had drastically changed—it sounded ominous.

In my opinion, it would be better to play it safe and choose the place with the most peaceful atmosphere.

His companion, the wolf demon, sneered, "Opportunities are found in danger! The more dangerous the situation, the more astonishing the gains may be."

The aura of that refining platform is chilling; it's perfect for us to temper our demonic bodies!

The pretty female cultivator said worriedly, "Changqing Garden is full of vitality. Even if there are changes, they will be relatively mild."

The Refining Platform was too oppressive, and the Cave Mystery Palace was too ethereal and unpredictable—comparing the two, spiritual plants were the safest bet; even if there were no great gains, there would be no great losses either.

That is incorrect.

A refined and scholarly cultivator, seemingly from a Xuanmen sect, said slowly, "His Majesty the Azure Emperor is revered for his mastery of the principles of plants and trees. If the immortals guarding the Evergreen Garden under his command have truly undergone a drastic change in temperament, they are likely no ordinary beings."

On the contrary, the Dongxuan Palace, where profound principles are discussed, might allow one to maneuver and exchange ideas through Daoist debates and wits.

"Debate?"

The leopard-headed demon king waved his hands repeatedly and said, "Listening to the Azure Emperor's Daoist teachings for a few days has already given me a headache. Instead of discussing the Dao with the ancient immortals, I'd rather go crash into a mountain."

Opinions vary widely, and no consensus can be reached.

His gaze lingered on Changqing Garden and Lianzhen Platform, revealing a hint of eagerness.

Spiritual roots and unique species can strengthen the foundation and cultivate vitality, or be refined into rare treasures, providing the most direct assistance to cultivation.

The Refining True Method is the best choice for enhancing supernatural combat power and consolidating one's foundation in the Dao.

These two opportunities are real and immediately effective.

As for the profound theories and doctrines hidden within the Cave of Mystery—

The immortals and demons recalled the obscure and difficult times they had experienced while listening to the Daoist teachings in the Qinghua Palace and comprehending the profound mysteries on the Dharma-enactment Platform, and many of them felt a headache coming on.

While the ancient Taoist principles and mysteries are indeed profound, they are quite different from the current methods of cultivation. Understanding them is already difficult, and adapting them for one's own use is even more challenging.

In comparison, it is natural to avoid it first.

The tiger demon spoke at the opportune moment, his voice loud and clear, seemingly unintentional, saying, "Immortal Lord Qinglin said that each of the three places has its senior brothers and sisters in charge."

Therefore, it can be inferred that the person in charge of the Dongxuan Palace must also be someone who is well-versed in metaphysics and has profound knowledge of Daoist theories.

If one were to enter, one would likely have to engage in philosophical debates and discussions with immortals and sages.

Upon hearing this, all the cultivators nodded in agreement.

To engage in profound debates with such ancient immortals is no easy task; trying to outsmart them will only backfire and damage one's mind. Seeking practical benefits is far better than making a fuss over nothing.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao turned around and glanced indifferently at the tiger demon.

The tiger demon remained calm, meeting Chen Jiao's gaze with a slight bow, displaying a respectful demeanor to show his reverence for the True Lord.

Chen Jiao remained silent, his gaze lingering briefly on the tiger demon and the two demons beside it, the deer and the sheep, before withdrawing his gaze with a calm expression, as if it were just a casual glance.

Before long, the cultivators had made their decision.

Then, the Roc Demon King flapped its golden wings and transformed into golden light, heading towards the Refining Platform in the middle.

The Lion Camel King laughed heartily, said "Take care, my good brother" to the Macaque King, and then strode after the Roc Demon King.

The Monkey King touched his inner armor, pondered for a moment, then, holding his iron rod, headed straight for Changqing Garden on the left.