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

Above the nine heavens, lies the Zhu Jing Palace.

Deep within the palace, clouds and mist form a curtain, and the essence of the sun serves as a lamp.

A chessboard was placed in the center of the hall.

The black and white chess pieces are like stars scattered across the sky, and the interplay of their energy reveals the profound mystery of the universe's rotation.

With each move, tiny starlight rises from the chessboard and merges into the slowly swirling illusory star map around it.

The two players in the game.

A figure dressed in a crimson-gold imperial robe, his face shrouded in a halo like a radiant sun.

Only his eyes, when opening and closing, resembled the rising and falling of the sun, exuding extreme majesty.

It was none other than the Sun Emperor, whose radiant light shone brightly in the Sun Palace.

Opposite him stood an old Taoist priest with white hair and a youthful face, dressed in a crimson robe with Southern Li patterns, holding a whisk, exuding a gentle and peaceful aura.

It is the Southern Dan Longevity Celestial Venerable.

The two had been playing for a long time, and the game had reached the middle stage. The black and white pieces were intertwined like dragons, with hidden dangers lurking beneath the surface.

The surrounding clouds swirled and rolled, so quiet that only the crisp sound of chess pieces falling onto the jade platform could be heard.

The Sun Emperor held a black chess piece between his fingers, not dropping it for a long time.

Nan Dan Tianzun's gaze swept across the chessboard, and he said softly:

"Is the Emperor's decision on this matter still undecided, perhaps due to consideration of the celestial cycles?"

The Sun Emperor paused slightly at the tip of his finger, and the chess piece and the chessboard made a very faint tapping sound.

He didn't look up, his voice as calm as a still well:

"The stars have their own rules of operation."

However, there are occasional obscure and unclear areas that require external assistance to clear the clouds and reveal the sun.

The Celestial Venerable of Nandan lightly swept his whisk and smiled slightly:

"Excessive external forces may disturb all sides."

The sudden brightening or dimming of stars in the sky may cause turmoil in the mortal realm.

"Turbulence?"

The Sun Emperor's lips seemed to have a very faint curve at the corners:

"The world is like a chessboard; how can a move be made without a sound?"

A few ripples can cleanse the filth of the world and reveal the solemnity of heaven.

He paused slightly, his tone turning somber:

"Moreover, even if the stars under my command are sometimes dim and uncertain, their brightness cannot be easily determined by outsiders."

Upon hearing this, the hand holding the whisk of the Southern Dan Celestial Venerable paused almost imperceptibly.

He raised his eyes, gazing at the endless starry river outside the palace, and said slowly:

"The brilliance of a star may be bright, but if it is too strong, it will easily break."

The Emperor, who governs the light of the heavens, should know the way of moderation and balance.

The Sun Emperor finally raised his eyelids, his gaze falling on the Southern Dan Heavenly Venerable like the blazing sun.

Though lacking a fierce expression, he exuded an oppressive aura that instilled a sense of dread.

"Nandan, what you say about moderation makes sense. However, I place even greater emphasis on rules and regulations in my actions."

Sometimes, shining a starlight is precisely to let certain people see clearly what the rules are.

After saying that, the black jade chess piece that had been hovering at his fingertips for a long time suddenly fell!

"despair."

A very soft, crisp sound.

Just as the black stone touched the jade plate.

"Buzz...!"

Deep within the vast and distant heavens.

The natal stars corresponding to the two star lords, Ketu and Ziqi, were originally dimmed due to the star lords' serious injuries.

At this moment, however, it suddenly burst forth with an unprecedentedly brilliant radiance.

Two magnificent beams of starlight instantly illuminated a section of the sky.

Its brilliance was so great that it even overshadowed all the other stars in the sky!

The condensed, almost tangible beams of starlight seemed to pierce through layers of void and descend.

The Sun Emperor withdrew his finger, his gaze sweeping lightly over the dazzling celestial phenomena, his tone as calm as a casual conversation:

"You see, some stars only need a light touch to know how to shine in the Dipper."

As for those below, they might find this light dazzling…

The Sun Emperor's gaze swept across the boundless starry river outside the pavilion, looking towards the lower realm, his tone calm yet revealing an indifferent arrogance that held sway over the universe:

"You'll get used to it after a while."

The Celestial Venerable of Nandan gazed at the strange phenomenon outside the palace and remained silent for a long time.

Finally, it turned into a barely audible sigh, and he lowered his eyes to look at the chessboard:

"Your Majesty... once a move is made, there is no going back."

"nature."

The Sun Emperor turned his gaze back to the chessboard, as if he had just done something insignificant:

"I never regret my moves."

Outside the palace, the lights of the stars Ketu and Ziqi still shone brightly.

Like two silent declarations hanging in the heavens, illuminating all directions.

……

Inside Zhu Jing Palace, the chess game was at a stalemate.

The lingering effect of the white piece that the Celestial Venerable Nandan had just placed was still present.

The black piece that the Sun Emperor just picked up with his fingertips was still hanging three inches above the chessboard, about to fall but not yet.

Suddenly, deep within the heavens.

A sword rose from the lower realm, soaring into the Milky Way.

A few breaths later, the stars trembled.

The once bright and radiant Ketu and Ziqi stars suddenly churned and then dimmed completely.

Countless stardust and glitter drifted and scattered across the void, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

"Snap!"

The black jade chess piece that was about to fall in the Sun Emperor's hand was instantly crushed to pieces.

It turned into a pinch of fine powder, which slipped softly from between his fingers.

The Emperor's face was shrouded in a dazzling halo, obscuring his expression.

Only the originally warm and majestic light around it suddenly became blazing and violent.

Even the blazing sun shining brightly outside the palace dimmed slightly at this moment.

The world suddenly fell into darkness for a moment, then was immediately filled with light again.

The Celestial Venerable of the Southern Dan slowly raised his head and looked at the two stars in the sky outside the palace that had suddenly dimmed.

For the first time, an undisguised look of shock appeared on his usually calm face.

He shifted his gaze slightly, looking at the Sun Emperor opposite him.

The Sun Emperor remained seated, his face hidden behind a blazing halo, making his expression impossible to discern.

But on the back of his hand, which was resting on the edge of the chessboard, there were fine golden lines that seemed to light up slowly and then gradually disappear.

The Sun Emperor's crimson-gold imperial robes fluttered without wind, and his body suddenly blazed with light, illuminating the entire Zhu Jing Palace as if it were daytime.

He raised his hand and gestured towards the void.

The Thunder Yang Demon-Subduing Sword, which had just shaken the stars and was about to fly back to its master's hand, suddenly trembled.

Uncontrollably, it transformed into a streak of light, tearing through the sky, and instantly fell into the Emperor's palm, which was enveloped in endless light and heat.

The moment the sword was in hand, it emitted a loud buzzing sound, with lightning patterns flowing and electric snakes darting across its surface, as if trying to break free from its restraints.

A chilling and unassailable demon-subduing intent, mixed with incomparably pure thunderous energy, rushed straight into the Emperor's palm.

"Hmph! A mere sword dares to act so arrogantly?"

The Sun Emperor slightly clenched his five fingers, and a ball of pure golden divine fire suddenly rose from his palm, coiling around the sword and emitting a sizzling sound.

He then ordered to immediately refine this audacious, star-splitting immortal sword into a pile of molten iron!

"Your Majesty! Hold your hand!"

Upon seeing this, the Heavenly Venerable of Longevity of Nandan changed his expression slightly and hurriedly stepped forward, placing his hand on the wrist of the Sun Emperor.

His voice was urgent: "This sword must not be destroyed!"

The Sun Emperor paused, but the divine fire in his palm remained undiminished.

He slowly turned his head, his gaze as piercing as the blazing sun, coldly fixed on the Celestial Venerable. His voice was deep, yet it caused the temperature in the entire palace to rise suddenly.

"Oh? It can't be destroyed?"

He dared to kill one of my Star Lords in private, and just now he even destroyed the Star Lord's mansion and slapped my face in front of everyone.

"I can't even touch his sword?"

This sword strike was aimed at the Star Palace, but it was like a resounding slap across the face of the Sun Emperor.

He invoked the power of his natal star to demonstrate his status as the head of the eleven celestial bodies.

But they ignored it and even trampled the dough under their feet.

Countless immortals and gods witnessed what just happened; how could he possibly tolerate it? How could he swallow this insult?

He wished he could turn that Radiant Heavenly Pacifying Law True Lord into ashes on the spot!

The Celestial Venerable of Nandan felt the Emperor's overwhelming and unstoppable anger and pressure.

He could only take a deep breath and lower his voice:

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. It's not that this sword is untouchable, but rather that using it could have dire consequences!"

Upon hearing this, the Sun Emperor seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and coldly said:

"A grand cause and effect? ​​Hmph! Tell me about it..."

He stopped abruptly before he could finish speaking.

Then, the Celestial Venerable of Longevity of Nandan raised his hand mysteriously and pointed to a higher place above.

The highest and most distant place—the Thirty-Three Heavens.