Journey to the West: Deer Power Immortal, Starting from Becoming a Disciple of the Supreme Lord Tais

"Old man, there's no need for this. The three of us brothers know about what happened to you. Now that we're here, we won't ignore it," said Tiger Power Immortal, waving his sleeve to help the kneeling man up.

Yangli Daxian looked around and frowned, saying, "Third brother, this drought is rather strange. It should be that even though there has been little rain this year, it shouldn't be this dry. I observe that the clouds over this area are not thin, as if something is causing the problem."

Lu Qingxuan nodded; he had already noticed the abnormality.

In the past six months, he has traveled all over the country and witnessed many droughts, but one like Lijia Gou is truly rare.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth here is not lacking, and is even more abundant than elsewhere, yet there is no rain at all, as if an invisible barrier is blocking the rain clouds from the outside.

After a moment's thought, the three demons decided to go to the local temple to investigate before making a decision.

Although the local earth god temple in Lijia Gou is small, it is complete in every way. The couplet in front of the door reads: "The earth can give birth to all things, and the land can bring a thousand blessings." The horizontal inscription reads: "Blessing this region."

Lu Qingxuan stepped forward and silently recited the incantation to summon the gods.

Of the three demons, only Lu Qingxuan was a true disciple of the Three Pure Ones, and he was no stranger to the method of summoning gods.

Before long, a faint spiritual light emanated from the statue of the local earth god, and quickly coalesced into a small figure, which was none other than the local earth god.

"Greetings, three immortals." The Earth God's gaze swept over the three demons, and he bowed in greeting.

"You are so unfair! The people of Lijia Gou worship you so much, but now, in this drought, the crops have failed, and why don't you care?" Tiger Power Immortal said with wide eyes, dissatisfied.

The local deity looked troubled upon hearing this. "Immortal, please calm down. It's not that I don't care, it's that I can't handle it..."

"Can't manage it?" Sheep Power Immortal frowned. "You are a local official appointed by the Heavenly Court, in charge of the local wind, rain, water, and soil. What is there that you can't manage?"

The land deity, his face contorted in distress, lowered his voice and said, "The three immortals are unaware of the truth, but the drought in Lijia Gou is not a natural disaster, but... a calamity caused by demons!"

The three demons exchanged a glance, understanding dawning on them.

"In that case, I'll trouble you to briefly explain the situation here. If there really is a demonic calamity, we certainly won't make things difficult for you," said Lu Qingxuan.

The land deity looked around to make sure no one else was present before cautiously saying, "Half a year ago, a demon king came to Black Wind Ridge north of Lijia Gou. He was a black snake spirit who had cultivated for eight hundred years. The black snake was highly skilled in magic, occupied the cave in Black Wind Ridge, and also took in the lesser demons within a hundred miles, acting arrogantly and domineeringly."

"What does this have to do with the drought?" Tiger Power Immortal asked.

The local deity sighed: "Immortal, listen to what I have to say. That black snake demon learned an evil magic from somewhere that can cut off the rain. He used that evil magic to divert all the rain that should have fallen on the Lijia Gou area to his own cave. For the past six months, not a single drop of rain has fallen on Lijia Gou because the black snake demon has intercepted it."

The little god went to warn them, but was driven back by the snake demon. If it weren't for the local earth god temple, the little god would probably have already vanished.

"Since you are the local earth deity, why don't you report this to the Heavenly Court?" Immortal Yangli asked, frowning.

The local deity looked aggrieved: "I reported it, but no immortals or gods have come to subdue the demon."

Lu Qingxuan remained silent, but his mind was racing with calculations.

The black snake spirit, with eight hundred years of cultivation, could cut off the flow of rain and clouds, and coupled with the fact that the local earth god's report to the emperor had yielded no results...

When these pieces of information came together, he sensed something unusual.

However, throughout the entire Journey to the West, the snake demon did not appear here, but rather at Tuoluo Village in Qijue Mountain.

Moreover, the snake demon was a large red-scaled python that had not yet fully transformed into human form, which seemed to have no connection whatsoever with Lijia Gou.

Could it really just be a wild mountain demon?

"We are aware of this matter. You should go back first. We will handle the matter in Lijia Gou," said Lu Qingxuan.

The land, as if granted a pardon, bowed repeatedly, then transformed into a ray of light and returned to the statue.

"Third brother, what should we do now? That black snake demon is certainly not comparable to the rat demon we met before. If we rush there rashly, we might run into trouble," said Immortal Yangli cautiously.

While the cultivation levels of sheep and tiger are nothing to fear, the black snake spirit has gathered many lesser demons and possesses the ability to cut off the flow of love, making her a force to be reckoned with.

Lu Qingxuan nodded. If this place were not the Journey to the West, he certainly wouldn't be so cautious, but now he really couldn't go there rashly and still needed to make some preparations.

After exchanging a few words with the two demons, Lu Qingxuan rode a cloud and headed straight for the Thirty-Three Heavens.

As one of the three demons, Lu Qingxuan had to be cautious. After much thought, he decided to return to the Tushita Palace to find out the truth.

Now that we've already latched onto the Supreme Dao Ancestor's coattails, there's no reason to waste them.

As Lu Qingxuan ascended, passing through layers of clouds, and crossed the South Heavenly Gate, the heavenly soldiers on duty recognized him and did not stop him. They simply greeted him with smiles: "Immortal Qingxuan, it's been a long time since I last saw you, and you've gotten even thinner."

Lu Qingxuan returned the greeting with a cupped hand but said nothing more, and headed straight for Lihentian.

In the thirty-third heaven, the Tushita Palace still stands amidst auspicious purple and gold clouds, its celestial light flowing just as it had when he left.

Lu Qingxuan landed in front of the palace gate and was about to request an audience when the archway opened by itself, and Jinjiao walked out with a smile.

"Junior Brother's cultivation has improved again..." Golden Horn looked him up and down, clicking his tongue in amazement.

Lu Qingxuan smiled and said, "The mortal realm is not like the heavens. Junior brother is just afraid of disgracing our sect. Speaking of which, senior brother's Demon-Trapping Banner really helped junior brother a lot."

As he spoke, Lu Qingxuan handed over some pills.

Jinjiao understood immediately and didn't refuse. He glanced around and whispered, "Junior Brother, did you come here for that black snake demon?"

"How did you know, senior brother..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lu Qingxuan suddenly realized something and couldn't help but sigh, "The Dao Ancestor is still the Dao Ancestor; he knows so much about the affairs of the lower realm."

"Alas, the Dao Ancestor has already decreed that you must return today and instructed me to wait here." Jinjiao stepped aside and led Lu Qingxuan into the palace.

After passing through several palaces, Jinjiao led Lu Qingxuan to a stone table and said, "The Dao Ancestor is refining pills and cannot see you, but he has something to say."

Lu Qingxuan bowed and said, "Please inform me, Senior Brother."

"Why be so polite?"

Jinjiao rolled his eyes at Lu Qingxuan, then cleared his throat and, mimicking the tone of the Supreme Dao Ancestor, slowly said, "Qingxuan, you have spent half a year in the mortal realm, accumulating virtue and doing good deeds, receiving offerings from the mortals. Your teachings have not been in vain. I already know the matter you have come to ask. Just follow your heart and don't overthink it."

"But remember, if you encounter a giant red-scaled python while exorcising demons, do not harm it; spare its life..."

A giant red-scaled python?

Could it be...?

As if he had thought of something, Lu Qingxuan immediately said respectfully, "This disciple receives the decree of the Dao Ancestor."

Seeing that he had made a note of it, Jinjiao took out a jade slip from his sleeve and handed it over: "This is what the Dao Ancestor asked me to give to you."

"What is this?"

"Junior brother, just take a look," Jinjiao said with a smile, without saying a word.

Lu Qingxuan took the jade slip and probed it with his divine sense. He found that the jade slip contained a cultivation method.

With just a glance, Lu Qingxuan felt his divine sense tremble; what was recorded here was actually the complete cultivation method of the Golden Core Path...