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

With a thought, Guanyin Bodhisattva conjured up the willow leaf that was originally in Lu Qingxuan's storage bag, and then a peaceful Buddhist light enveloped the willow leaf.

In the Buddha's light, the willow leaves slowly unfurled, their withered yellow color gradually fading away and returning to a vibrant green.

Golden light shimmered between the veins of the leaf, and Sanskrit characters seemed to emerge faintly. The entire leaf exuded a warm yet powerful aura.

"This leaf has been with me for many years and has long been spiritually connected. Today, I use the power of Buddha to reshape it and transform it into a protective magic treasure."

"If you carry it with you, it can shield you from a fatal blow in a moment of crisis. Even a Golden Immortal couldn't harm you."

With a flick of her finger, the willow leaf transformed into a streak of green light, flying towards Lu Qingxuan and disappearing into his sleeve.

Lu Qingxuan felt a slight warmth in his sleeve. He reached out and touched it, and the willow leaf was already stuck to his arm, turning into a faint vein pattern, almost imperceptible.

It turned out to be a treasure similar to a life-saving monkey hair!

"Thank you, Bodhisattva," Lu Qingxuan said, bowing.

Guanyin Bodhisattva added, "This item can only be used once and will be destroyed afterward. Furthermore, I have imprisoned Linggan, so it cannot come out to harm you again."

Lu Qingxuan said, "This disciple will remember."

Guanyin Bodhisattva nodded, then glanced at Huli and Yangli, and said, "You two brothers, though they are demons, have kind hearts, which is rare. You should cultivate diligently in the future and not waste this opportunity."

Having said that, a golden lotus rose from beneath her feet, slowly ascending into the sky, drifting away on auspicious clouds, and disappearing into the horizon in an instant.

"Let's go back to Zhongnan Mountain." Lu Qingxuan regained his composure and was about to ride the clouds when he suddenly heard a clear voice from the horizon.

"Wait a moment, gentlemen."

The three demons looked up and saw two wisps of blue clouds drifting in from the southeast, with two boys standing on them—Qingfeng and Mingyue from Wuzhuang Temple.

The two rode the clouds at great speed, one after the other, and arrived in front of each other in the blink of an eye.

"Two celestial children, is there something you need from Zhenyuan Daxian?" Lu Qingxuan asked, cupping his hands in greeting.

Qingfeng smiled and said, "My master foresaw that you would be passing by today, so he specially ordered the two of us to come and welcome you to Wuzhuang Temple for a chat."

Lu Qingxuan's heart stirred slightly, and he said, "How could I dare to refuse the invitation from the Great Immortal? It's just that my two elder brothers..."

Qingfeng waved his hand and said, "Master said that you two immortals should also be invited. Although Wuzhuang Temple is not big, it can accommodate a few more people."

Tiger Power Immortal and Sheep Power Immortal exchanged a glance, both feeling somewhat flattered.

Zhen Yuanzi is the ancestor of earth immortals, a prominent figure in the Three Realms. To invite a demon cultivator like him as a guest is an immense honor.

The three demons, following the gentle breeze and bright moon, turned their clouds and headed towards Longevity Mountain.

After traveling for about half an hour, the mountains ahead were covered in lush greenery and shrouded in purple mist. A majestic mountain peak rose abruptly from the ground, which was Longevity Mountain.

Wuzhuang Temple is located on the mountainside, surrounded by clouds and mist, with its upturned eaves and corners faintly visible, giving it an ethereal and otherworldly feel.

A gentle breeze and a bright moon led the three demons to the temple gate, through several courtyards, and to the main hall.

Qingfeng went in to report, while Mingyue waited outside the hall with the three demons.

Before long, Qingfeng came out and said, "My master invites the Taoist priest in. The two immortals can rest in the side hall, where tea and snacks will be served."

Knowing that Zhen Yuanzi was of noble status, Hu Li and Yang Li dared not act rashly and followed Mingyue to the side hall.

Lu Qingxuan straightened his robes and stepped into the main hall.

Zhen Yuanzi sat cross-legged on a futon, his white eyebrows drooping to his shoulders, his face ruddy, and his eyes deep and unfathomable.

Seeing Lu Qingxuan enter, he smiled slightly and gestured with his hand, "Sit."

Lu Qingxuan sat down opposite him and bowed, saying, "Junior Lu Qingxuan greets Great Immortal Zhenyuan. I am deeply grateful for your help, the gifts of fruit, and your assistance."

Zhen Yuanzi waved his hand and laughed, "It was nothing, just a small favor."

He looked Lu Qingxuan up and down, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. "Peak of the Profound Immortal realm, solid foundation. It seems those Rejuvenating Pills and Seven Treasures were not wasted. Your master was quite generous."

Lu Qingxuan respectfully replied, "Great Immortal, your eyes are as sharp as torches. My meager cultivation cannot deceive you."

Zhen Yuanzi laughed heartily, his laughter clear and resonant. After laughing, he looked at Lu Qingxuan and said seriously, "You went south today, saw the curtain, and received the Bodhisattva's protective willow leaf. You've gained quite a bit, but..."

He then changed the subject, "Did you know that the willow leaf the Bodhisattva gave you was originally intended for that monkey?"

Lu Qingxuan was startled. He had forgotten about this matter. In that case, wouldn't he have stolen the Great Sage's opportunity?

Zhen Yuanzi picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and said slowly, "That willow leaf has been with the Bodhisattva for many years and has long been spiritual. Now that I have given it to you, that monkey will have lost a protective object."

He put down his teacup, looked at Lu Qingxuan, and asked, "Do you know what this means?"

Lu Qingxuan felt a chill run down his spine and said, "This junior owes the Great Sage a debt of karma."

Zhen Yuanzi nodded and said, "That's right. The Bodhisattva gave you this item, which means that he has transferred this karma to you. When you meet him again in the future, you will have to repay this kindness."

Lu Qingxuan remained silent. He had thought he had obtained a magical treasure, but little did he know that he had incurred a karmic debt in the dark.

"That monkey is impatient. He'll definitely cause you trouble if he finds out you took his things. But don't worry too much. Although he's a troublemaker, he's not unreasonable. If you help him sincerely, he'll remember your kindness."

Lu Qingxuan nodded. He knew this too. Sun Wukong had remembered the kindness of giving him peaches for decades. It would be good to establish a bond with him in advance.

Seeing that Lu Qingxuan remained silent, Zhenyuan Daxian assumed he was afraid and said, "However, you are now at the peak of the Xuanxian realm, only one step away from becoming a Jinxian. When that monkey caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, he was only a Taiyi Jinxian. You may not be much worse than him, not to mention..."

"That monkey has been imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain for four hundred years. He is no longer the Great Sage Equaling Heaven who once wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace. When you meet him, you don't need to be too afraid."

Lu Qingxuan raised his head and smiled slightly, saying, "Great Immortal, you misunderstand. This junior is not afraid of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, but is thinking about how to repay this debt of karma to him."

Zhen Yuanzi was taken aback, then burst into laughter, his laughter full of praise: "Good! You have courage. No wonder your master values ​​you so much. If you're not in a hurry, you can stay in the temple for a few more days. Building temples and receiving incense offerings in Zhongnan Mountain is a good deed, but with the journey to the West imminent and Buddhism expanding eastward, you need to be careful. Those Buddhists may appear compassionate on the surface, but they may not tolerate you behind your back."

Lu Qingxuan nodded: "In that case, thank you very much, Great Immortal."

Zhen Yuanzi waved his hand and said, "Go on, your two brothers are still waiting in the side hall. I will have Qingfeng and Mingyue send three ginseng fruits in a moment. You can leave after you have refined them."