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

Zhao Yan was the chief scribe of the Yan Guang Hong Ji Prefecture, and his temperament was naturally fiery.

Being directly refuted in front of everyone at this moment, he felt utterly humiliated, and a nameless anger surged within him.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the faintly restless fire elemental energy around him, and stared intently at Xin Yuehu, coldly sneering:

"We are merely stating the facts; how can we be biased?"

The Star Lord speaks constantly of seniority and achievements, yet he seems oblivious to the fact that while the Heavenly Lord Yilie is brave, he is ultimately young and lacks virtue. How can he compare to Marshal Li's centuries of diligent service?

Does the Star Lord perhaps think that we old folks are not worthy to discuss the Heavenly Court's rules of reward and punishment?

Could it be that the rewards bestowed upon the Star Lord in the Lingxiao Palace are to be decided solely by him?

His words had already misinterpreted Xin Yuehu's righteous words as disrespect for the old minister.

Seeing this, Li Gang's face showed a hint of helplessness at the right moment. He raised his hand and pressed down lightly, his tone gentle, yet every word was sharp:

"Immortal Zhao, please calm down. The Star Lord of the Heart is just being straightforward and has no ill intentions."

As for the position of True Lord…”

He shook his head slightly, his smile tinged with a hint of self-deprecating bitterness:

"Li is of meager talent and lacks virtue; how could he dare to have such improper thoughts?"

I only ask to do my duty diligently and share Your Majesty's burdens; that would be enough for me.

The matter of promotion rests entirely with Your Majesty's sagacious will; I would never dare to speculate or contend with my colleagues.

The Star Lord is young and impetuous, single-mindedly seeking credit for his friend; his sentiments are understandable, but his words… well, there's no need to take them too seriously.”

After speaking, he bowed slightly towards Xin Yuehu, adopting an extremely humble posture.

The two engaged in a back-and-forth exchange, one aggressive and the other strategically retreating.

It's as if Xin Yuehu's righteous words just now were an aggressive and impulsive act without any sense of propriety.

Xin Yuehu's pretty face turned pale with anger, her chest heaved slightly, her starry eyes were filled with rage, and her slender fingers clenched until they turned white, but she was speechless for a moment.

She was straightforward and not good at such subtle and cunning tactics; she felt a tightness in her chest that she could not express.

Most of the celestial officials and generals around the cloud platform remained silent, either looking down at their noses or exchanging meaningful glances.

The water in front of the Lingxiao Palace is very deep.

Just as the atmosphere became delicate.

A calm yet icy voice, like a chilling spring in the dead of winter, suddenly rang out, breaking the brief silence:

That's enough.

Just two words, plain and unremarkable, yet they caused the surrounding atmosphere to freeze.

Chen Jiao paused, then nodded slightly to Xin Yuehu.

His gaze then swept lightly over Li Gang and Zhao Yan, and the two of them felt a chill inexplicably.

"What Xin Su said was simply based on facts."

The merits and demerits of the Eastern Expedition will be judged by His Majesty.

His voice was calm, yet each word was clear, reaching the ears of every celestial official around him:

"As for certain individuals, if they truly have no interest in this matter, why bother stirring up trouble and putting on a show, only to become a laughingstock?"

These words, once spoken, were like a thunderclap in the silence!

The phrase "feigning innocence" directly targets Li Gang, stripping away all the hypocrisy in his words.

The humble smile on Li Gang's face froze instantly, turning extremely ugly.

Zhao Yan was speechless, his beard bristling and eyes wide as he pointed at Chen Jiao, unable to utter a word for a moment.

As Chen Jiao finished speaking, an indescribable murderous aura, like a slumbering beast awakening, quietly spread from his towering body.

In an instant, Zhao Yan felt a chill run through his body, as if he had fallen into an ice cave. The words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single one.

He seemed to see countless demonic shadows wailing and shattering behind the figure in the black robe before him, and lightning tearing through the sky.

The oppressive feeling that penetrated straight to his soul made him tremble with fear, and he almost lost his mind.

He staggered half a step, his face turned deathly pale, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Not only Zhao Yan, but also the surrounding voices that had been quietly agreeing stopped abruptly.

Several nearby celestial officials turned pale and instinctively took a half step back, their eyes filled with fear.

Li Gang, who was the first to be affected, although he was more powerful, also had a sudden change in expression, and a deep sense of fear flashed uncontrollably in the depths of his eyes.

Although Li Gang, a general from the Thunder Department who had also returned from vanquishing demons, was surrounded by celestial light and exuded an imposing aura, he could not hide the air of a pampered official.

Chen Jiao stood quietly, his black robe revealing an undeniable iron-blooded majesty that emanated from him as he emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

The difference is obvious when comparing the two.

Chen Jiao didn't look at them again, turned around, and gazed at the endless radiance deep within the Lingxiao Palace.

It was as if I had only brushed away a few flies buzzing in my ears.

Amidst the myriad rays of the sunset, the figure in the black robe stood alone and sharp as a sword, its silent, emanating aura of menace more persuasive than any words.

The pervasive malevolent aura subsided quietly, like a tide, following his thoughts.

But the chill and oppression of that moment have been deeply imprinted in the hearts of every immortal and god present.

Xin Yuehu looked at Chen Jiao's tall and solitary back, and the previous stuffiness vanished. The worry in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a clear and bright look.

The gentle smile on Li Gang's face froze completely, his hands clenched slightly in his sleeves, and the gloom in his eyes deepened.

Zhao Yan was struck by the murderous aura and reluctantly shut his mouth, ultimately not daring to utter another sound.

……

Before the Lingxiao Palace, the chilling atmosphere caused by Chen Jiao's words and actions had not completely dissipated. Li Gang and Zhao Yan looked grim, and the surrounding celestial officials remained silent.

A clear, yet somewhat nonchalant voice broke the silence from the distant clouds:

"Oh, who is it that exudes such murderous aura here, causing all of you immortals to fall silent in fear?"

From a distance, I thought some demon had stormed the Southern Heavenly Gate.

So it's you, Yilie, that jinx, back in your place.

The sound was not loud, yet it clearly pierced through the celestial music and auspicious atmosphere, carrying a nonchalant penetrating power.

The gods looked in the direction of the sound and saw the clouds dispersing in the distance.

A young divine general, clad in lotus-patterned battle armor, with a Hun Tian Ling (a magical ribbon) around his waist, riding on Wind and Fire Wheels, and with a Qiankun Ring (a magical ring) hanging diagonally across his body, was leaning against a golden pillar with a coiled dragon.

It was none other than the Great God of the Three Altars and the Seas—Nezha!

He was tall and straight, with a handsome face that still retained a touch of youthfulness, but he had a pair of sword-like eyebrows that slanted upwards towards his temples.

His eyes shone like stars, his gaze was arrogant and haughty, and there was a wild and unruly air about him as he looked around.

With crimson flames swirling around him and a murderous aura emanating from him, he was truly a terrifying and ferocious god!

Nezha didn't even glance at Li Gang, Zhao Yan, and the others, as if they were just insignificant decorations.

His gaze was fixed on Chen Jiao, a faint, ambiguous smile playing on his lips.

The smile wasn't entirely benevolent; rather, it contained a hint of amusement at seeing something interesting, and a touch of familiarity from a long-awaited reunion.

"What's wrong? You just came back from that hellish place, the Eastern Celestial Domain. Your murderous aura hasn't completely dissipated yet?"

Standing here, they make us law-abiding colleagues look like clay or wooden sculptures in comparison.

As Nezha spoke, he deliberately glanced at the unnatural-looking celestial officials around him, his eyes filled with undisguised sarcasm.

His words seemed joking, referring to Chen Jiao as a jinx, but his relaxed and unguarded demeanor clearly indicated that he was speaking to a close friend.

The phrase "behave oneself and keep to one's lot" was particularly pointed, making Li Gang and the others' faces even more unpleasant, but they dared not retaliate because of Nezha's fearsome reputation.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao did not turn around, but continued to gaze at the main hall ahead. His lips twitched almost imperceptibly as he calmly replied:

"You jest, Third Prince. The battlefield is bound to be tainted by some of that atmosphere."

Compared to the Third Prince, a notorious evil spirit in the Three Realms, whose presence terrifies even ghosts and gods.

The two talked as if no one else was around, their words carrying hidden wit, yet they possessed an unspoken understanding.

Upon hearing this, Nezha laughed heartily, his laughter clear and melodious, yet carrying a hint of unruliness.

He rode his Windfire Wheels, leisurely approaching Chen Jiao, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, gazing at the distant sea of ​​clouds, completely oblivious to the countless awe-inspiring and complex gazes around him.

"Forget it, there's nothing interesting to talk about with a taciturn person like you."

"Let's see what kind of title you, this scoundrel, can earn at the court assembly later."

Chen Jiao did not answer, but simply kept his gaze calmly fixed on the distance ahead.

However, with this ambiguous old friend by his side, the solemn yet turbulent Lingxiao Palace no longer seemed so boring.

The two menacing figures stood side by side, one as cold and aloof as an abyss, the other as fiery and passionate as fire.

It forms its own world without anyone noticing, isolating it from all the noise and scheming.

Seeing this, most of the surrounding celestial officials held their breath and watched quietly, not daring to interrupt.

Who doesn't know that these two are not to be trifled with?

Oh, except for a few who are blinded by greed and take themselves too seriously...

One is a newly appointed Thunder God, renowned for his military exploits and decisive actions; the other is a rebellious and powerful deity from the Three Altars and Seas.

It's best for outsiders to stay out of their conversation.