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

Chapter 427 A Small World, Immortals in a Painting

Inside the quiet room, a delicate fragrance wafted through the air, and white steam rose in the air.

As soon as the Azure Emperor finished speaking, the wisps of smoke rising from the small incense burner on the table seemed to possess a spirit, silently spreading out.

The room was filled with a subtle, ethereal Taoist atmosphere.

Chen Jiao felt a white blur before his eyes, and the pair of blue eyes opposite him appeared and disappeared in the mist, their light deep and mysterious.

The thicker the fog, the more it filled the field of vision and blocked the five senses.

Even though Chen Jiao kept his mind focused, he didn't know when he found himself in a pure white world.

His divine sense spread out, and the surrounding area was empty, with nothing but boundless whiteness above and below.

A chill ran down his spine. "Another illusion?"

Moreover, it is even more profound and unfathomable than the realm transformed by the [Mysterious and Enlightened Mirror], leading people to the Dao without their knowledge or awareness.

This Azure Emperor—Chen Jiao's gaze darkened slightly as he suppressed his many thoughts and observed the situation calmly.

Suddenly, I heard a bustling crowd around me: the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, people talking, children laughing, and carts moving about.

The hustle and bustle of the city, mixed with the dampness and dust, hits you as if you have suddenly been placed in a street market where the morning mist has not yet dissipated.

"What a thick fog! You can't distinguish people from animals even three zhang away!"

"Why is the fog so thick today?"

"Yes, you can't even see clearly from the street, so you can't do business."

"6

"The fog is so thick, what if we bump into someone?"

"Hey, you! Watch where you're going, you almost knocked over the old man's load!"

The fog was thick, and only the outlines of houses and figures of people could be vaguely seen along the road.

Chen Jiao stood in the fog, pondering the meaning of this situation and where the test lay.

Just as I was thinking, something gently bumped into my side.

"Mistake."

Chen Jiao's eyes flickered slightly, and he lowered his head to look.

It was a boy of about six or seven years old with his hair in a bun. He was rubbing his forehead, his little face scrunched up. He had obviously run too fast in the thick fog and bumped right into the boy's leg.

The boy rubbed his forehead, looked up, and froze when he saw who it was.

The young man before me was tall and straight, dressed in fine clothes, with a cool and aloof expression, and a subtle radiance emanating from him.

He seemed even more like a deity than the immortals who rode the clouds in the stories told by the storytellers.

The boy was stunned for a moment, his lips parted slightly, and he even forgot to apologize.

Chen Jiao remained calm, gently patted the boy's head, and said softly, "The fog is blinding; be careful when you walk."

The boy then came to his senses and said somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm sorry, big brother. I—I was in a hurry to get medicine for my mother on the front street, and I ran too fast and didn't see the road clearly."

""

After saying that, the boy glanced at Chen Jiao again, and seeing him nod slightly, he turned and left.

This time, he looked around carefully, but his steps were still not slow, clearly afraid of missing the time to get the medicine.

He ran a few steps, a silly grin on his face, thinking that he would definitely tell his neighbor Erniu and the others when he got back that he had met a living god today.

"Sir, take a look at these newly arrived mountain produce! They're perfect for making soup on a foggy day—they're incredibly nourishing!"

An elderly woman with a roadside stall vaguely saw a figure standing in front of her stall through the thick fog. She assumed it was a customer and hurriedly greeted him warmly.

Her shouts roused the vendors nearby, whose business had been slow due to the fog, and they began to call out their wares one after another, making the market even more bustling.

All sorts of sounds, the vibrant atmosphere of the marketplace, come alive right before your eyes.

Standing there, Chen Jiao couldn't distinguish between reality and illusion for a moment.

He sensed it with divine will, and the pedestrians, houses, stalls, and even the slippery bluestone pavement under his feet were all vivid and real, not like illusions.

However, when he tried to activate the Qi and communicate with this world, he felt as if he were separated by a veil, obscure and difficult to understand, as if this place had its own operating principles that did not allow external forces to easily intervene.

"Could it be a real, tangible miniature world?" Chen Jiao wondered to himself.

Just then, a rapid sound of horses' hooves came from the end of the long street, clattering and approaching rapidly, like thunder, and arrived nearby in an instant!

Immediately, a deep, cold, and authoritative male command, carrying an imposing official air, boomed and overwhelmed the clamor of the street: "Royal Palace Guards, order! All bystanders, get out of the way immediately! Those who run over will be punished!"

The sound of hooves was like rain, and the commands were like thunder, rushing straight towards the fog-shrouded long street.

The sound of horses' hooves was as rapid as a sudden downpour, and they were upon us in an instant.

The crowd ahead, already struggling to see due to the thick fog, panicked even more upon hearing the commands and the sound of hooves, pushing and shoving as they hastily retreated.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the fog, with shouts and curses erupting from within.

"Slow down! You're stepping on my foot!"

"My basket!"

"Ouch—you blind fool! Your butt's on my head!"

Chen Jiao's gaze narrowed slightly. Through the wisps of white mist, he saw figures in front of him retreating in a panic, pushing and shoving each other. Someone tripped and fell down like a tumbleweed.

Amidst the chaos, the panicked cry of the boy from before was also heard; he too was swept away by the disorderly crowd and fell to the ground.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way right now!"

"The king's order is urgent; those who obstruct it will be executed!"

With the shouts of the armored soldiers, the four or five riders broke through the fog, their speed undiminished.

The iron hooves, as big as bowls, were about to trample the people who had fallen to the ground with great force!

The lead rider's horse was startled when the crowd suddenly blocked the road, and immediately reared up.

Its forelegs were raised high, casting a shadow over several struggling civilians below, about to be trampled down!

If you were to step on it, not only would your bones break and your tendons snap, but you would also likely suffer a ruptured stomach and spilled intestines in an instant, and your life would be in grave danger!

Chen Jiao's eyes narrowed slightly, and without making any move, he simply flicked the wide sleeves of his black robe upwards.

"Boom!"

A sudden gust of wind arose from the ground, without warning, originating from Chen Jiao's sleeve. Like an angry dragon turning over, it roared and swept across the long street!

When the wind blew, sand and stones flew everywhere, and pedestrians cried out in alarm, covering their faces and staggering, unable to stand.

The thick white fog that had enveloped the streets and obstructed the view was instantly swept away by the gale, revealing the bluestone road and the panicked people and vendors on both sides.

"Hiss!"

The horses neighed in alarm, all startled by the sudden gust of wind, which made them rear up and then fall heavily back down.

Caught off guard, the soldiers on horseback cried out in alarm and fell to the ground. Their armor collided with the stone slabs with a dull "thud" as they rolled into a heap.

He struggled to get up, groaning incessantly, and all traces of his previous arrogant and domineering demeanor, which had once allowed him to gallop freely and shout to clear the way, were gone.

The wind subsided and the fog dissipated, leaving the long street clear.

The sunlight pierced through the remaining thin mist, illuminating the messy streets.

The people around were still in shock. Only after the wind subsided did they lower their sleeves and look at each other in dismay.

The boy slumped to the ground, his face deathly pale, still staring blankly at the palace soldiers who were lying in disarray, their armor askew and their helmets askew, not far in front of him.

At the far end of the alley, a thin young man who had been reaching for a stall under the cover of thick fog was interrupted by the gust of wind and looked annoyed.

He was about to flee when he looked up and saw the chaotic scene in the middle of the street.

The people were still in shock, the soldiers fell to the ground and wailed, goods were scattered and people were dead, and there was complete chaos.

The young man's gaze swept over the palace guards lying on the ground, looking disheveled and miserable. His fist, which had been hidden in his sleeve, unconsciously clenched slowly.