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

The banquet inside Xuanqing Cave had just ended, and after seeing off the three demon cave masters with their own differing thoughts, Chen Jiao sat alone in the main room of the cave, his brows slightly furrowed.

The Xuanqing Cave was newly built, but the malevolent blood energy and filthy demonic atmosphere that had accumulated within it for a century lingered like a malignant tumor.

A moment later, Chen Jiao stood atop Yunmang Mountain, his black robes billowing in the wind.

"The demonic aura is relatively weak; my Foundation Establishment cultivation level is sufficient."

Although cleansing away demonic energy sounds simple, it is by no means something that ordinary cultivators can do. Fortunately, the original body of the Thunder Department in the Heavenly Court is quite familiar with this path.

With a gentle stretch of his arms, the abundant water, like the tide of the East China Sea, surged and converged from all directions, transforming into thick, lead-gray clouds that hung low over the fields.

Black Fatty and Big Shrimp were urging the little demons to clean up the battlefield when they suddenly noticed the sky darkening. Looking up, they saw clouds like mountains pressing down on them, and they were both startled.

"Is...is it going to rain?" the fat man muttered, shrinking his neck.

Shrimp Big felt the aura in the clouds was familiar and majestic. He looked up at the figure on the mountaintop and excitedly tugged at Black Fatty: "It's Master! Master is casting a spell!"

"fall."

A soft whisper, yet it carried the weight of laws and decrees.

In an instant, rain fell on the clouds.

At first, the drizzle was as light as butter, but then it gradually turned into a downpour, with all the raindrops shimmering with a bluish-green light.

As the rain touched the old walls of Hulao Cave, a dark aura struggled and rose. Originally, the bricks and stones were soaked with blood and evil spirits for a hundred years, but now they were forced to show their form by the spiritual rain, twisting and hissing like vipers.

Inside the cave, the atmosphere was refreshed, becoming clear and pure.

The tiger-skin banner in front of the cave suddenly burst into flames, its scarlet surface turning to ashes in the rain.

The large shrimp stood on the eastern cliff, watching the rain wash away the bloodstains on the rock face; the black fat one squatted in the western stream, letting the copper hammer accumulate clear raindrops. The bloodstains that had accumulated between the two demons' shells were gently wiped away by the fine rain.

The rain lasted for a day and a night.

The next day, as the sun rose, the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, revealing the lush greenery of Yunmang Mountain.

The mountain outlines appeared clear and serene under the sunlight. The air was fresh and moist, carrying the faint, earthy scent of grass and soil, no longer murky as before. Even the mountain streams, which had been silted up, began to flow gently, their waters gradually clearing.

The lesser demons in the mountains had a new king, and were initially filled with fear and unease. Now, however, they felt their restlessness and irritability dissipate, and their minds became clearer.

The leaders, all at the late stage of Qi Refining, moved their throats slightly, their expressions invigorated.

Following this King Xuanling seems quite good.

It's unclear which little demon started it, but someone shouted, "Great King, your divine powers are boundless!" and the shout quickly echoed throughout the entire Yunmang Mountain.

In Songyun Cave, a green ape stood beneath an ancient pine tree, gazing at the newly transformed Yunmang Mountain. Overwhelmed with awe, it murmured to itself:

"The Yun region changes hands, washing away the old and welcoming the new."

……

In the misty mountains, a year passed in the blink of an eye.

After slaying the Tiger Demon, Chen Jiao's power shook Qingchi. He renamed Hulao to Xuanqing Cave and called himself the Xuanling King of Xuanqing Cave in Yunmang Mountain, becoming the head of the four caves.

After the spiritual rain cleansed Yunmang Mountain, Chen Jiao used his Earthly Fiend Divine Power to summon the local earth god of Yunmang Mountain and gently asked him to help sort out the earth's veins. The demon and the god had a very pleasant conversation and often visited each other afterward, so the spiritual energy in the mountain gradually became more abundant.

When Tiger Demon was alive, he was just a mountain spirit and monster. How could he possibly know how to exorcise spirits? The local deity of Yunmang Mountain stayed in his own residence and rarely went out. He remained secluded for over a hundred years...

Chen Jiao then obtained a lower-quality spirit-gathering array flag, the "Cloud and Dew Jade Flag," from the Green Ape. He arranged the array points according to the mountain terrain and water veins to draw in qi and cultivate his vital essence.

The Green Ape was initially reluctant, but lacking knowledge of formations, he ultimately gave it to Chen Jiao. He had assumed Chen Jiao would be helpless even if he took it back, and even secretly hoped to see him make a fool of himself.

Unexpectedly, overnight, Yunmang Mountain was shrouded in a canopy of flowing clouds, and the jade dew and spiritual energy were as dense as smoke and mist, far exceeding the level of spiritual energy.

This only deepened the old ape's astonishment and admiration.

Where once barren lands, spiritual herbs are beginning to sprout; the murky pools have become crystal clear, and low-level aquatic creatures are now thriving within them. The entire mountain range is faintly exuding an aura of rebirth.

During this year, Chen Jiao lived a secluded life, focusing on his cultivation. He entrusted most of the affairs in the cave to Hei Fei, Xia Da, and several other late-stage Qi Refining leaders, but his prestige grew day by day.

Every month on the first and fifteenth of the lunar calendar, a divine rain would fall to nourish the mountains; though the cave rules were strict, rewards and punishments were clearly defined. Many mountain demons benefited from this and all respected it.

No one is allowed to kill or plunder without cause in the cave. All supplies for cultivation are given according to one's duties and merits.

Xia Da and Hei Fei were appointed as the left and right commanders, ranking above the other commanders. Therefore, they dared not slack off and cultivated day and night without interruption. With Chen Jiao's guidance in his spare time, they recently entered the late stage of Qi Refining.

The black-haired, honest-looking creature was responsible for coordinating patrols in the mountains and managing the medicinal herb garden; the big, quick-witted shrimp was in charge of trade with the other three caves and intelligence gathering. Although there were occasional mishaps, they managed to keep the vast Xuanqing Cave in perfect order.

More than ten new demons at the mid-to-late stage of Qi Refining have joined the cave. They are all rogue demons who have come from the surrounding mountains and marshes or even further away.

Chen Jiao accepted all who came, ordering his subordinates to investigate their backgrounds, verify their innocence, and then assign them duties.

Currently, Xuanqing Cave has more than two commanders at the late Qi Refining stage, and has gathered three thousand elite demon soldiers.

Chen Jiao didn't forget about Qingchi Lake either, so he sent a carp spirit at the seventh level of Qi Refining to lead the lake patrol and collect intelligence on the Water Palace.

Such power, not to mention far surpassing the former Hulao Cave, is unparalleled even among the four caves of Qingchi Ridge.

……

On this day, three more flower fairy sisters, all at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, escaped from a bee demon cave a thousand miles away.

After a long and winding journey, they arrived at the Yunmang Mountain area. Gazing at the rising and swirling spiritual energy in the mountains and the orderly coming and going of the demon soldiers, their eyes held both anticipation and trepidation.

The patrolling demons soon discovered them, but instead of immediately driving them away, they went forward to question them as usual.

Upon learning their purpose, the little demon said, "Please wait here for a moment, the three of you. I need to report to Commander Zuo."

Before long, Shrimp arrived riding a gust of water-elemental wind. After sizing up the three demons, he nodded slightly and said in a shrill voice, "The King has decreed that those who come to surrender must be thoroughly investigated and abide by the rules of Yunmang. Are you willing?"

The three sisters nodded vigorously.

"In that case, come with me."

The three sisters exchanged glances, each seeing the surprise and relief in the other's eyes, and quickly followed.

Shrimp led the three flower fairies through the newly opened stone path toward the Xuanqing Cave.

The three sisters walked in silence, heads bowed and steps light, quietly observing the grandeur of Yunmang Mountain, their hearts filled with both awe and a touch of anxious anticipation.

As they approached the entrance to the cave, they encountered Chen Jiao returning from fishing by the lake. He was sitting quietly on a blue stone, eyes closed, regulating his breathing. The moisture around him had not yet dissipated, blending with the spiritual energy of the mountains, making him as serene as a deep abyss.

The young man was tall and straight, dressed in black with dark hair. He sat quietly on the blue stone, yet seemed to be one with the aura of the entire Yunmang Mountain, inspiring awe without feeling oppressed.

The three flower fairy sisters stared blankly for a moment, and when they came to their senses, they unconsciously lowered their heads, their eyebrows curving upwards.

The first rays of sunlight fell upon the three sisters. The one on the left had her hair tied up in a bun, with a wisteria vine tucked behind her ear, and a cool and aloof expression. The one in the middle had almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks, and smiled before she spoke, her lips a vibrant color. The one on the right was slender, with her head bowed, looking delicate and pitiful.

About an incense stick later, Chen Jiao slowly opened his eyes, his gaze cold and clear as he looked at the three sisters.