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

That night, Lu Qingxuan entered the meditation room and began his seclusion.

He didn't rush to consume the jackfruit, nor did he rush to refine the Seven Treasures and Eight Treasures. Instead, he began to relax his mind and carefully perceive all things in the world.

With the two demons, Tiger Power and Sheep Power, handling the affairs of the Three Immortals Shrine, he was naturally at ease.

For the two demons, Lu Qingxuan's breakthrough to the Golden Immortal realm was also a great thing for them.

As the days went by, Lu Qingxuan's path to becoming a Golden Immortal became increasingly clear.

In the blink of an eye, the maple leaves on Zhongnan Mountain turned red again and again.

During this time, Lu Qingxuan traveled through mountains and rivers many times, and each time he gained different insights. As a result, his Dao heart became more stable, and his aura became more restrained. If one did not know him well, one would not be able to see anything amiss.

On this day, he traveled westward and unknowingly left the Zhongnan Mountain area.

The villages along the way gradually became scarce, replaced by vast expanses of parched fields. The people were emaciated and had dull eyes. They didn't even glance at Lu Qingxuan, only focusing on hurrying on their way.

Lu Qingxuan was puzzled and quickened his pace. The outline of a city gradually appeared in front of him.

The city walls were tall but exuded a sense of gloom. The city gates were wide open, and the number of people coming and going was sparse, a stark contrast to the bustling and prosperous atmosphere of the Zhongnan Mountains.

At this moment, a large crowd had gathered at the city gate, a dense mass of people, all looking at something.

As Lu Qingxuan approached, he saw a yellow notice posted on the city wall. He looked up at it and his heart stirred.

The King of Chechi Kingdom issued a decree: "Our kingdom has suffered from drought for years, resulting in a complete crop failure and the displacement of our people. We now earnestly seek virtuous and capable individuals to pray for rain and save our people. Whoever can bring rain will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold and appointed to a high official position. We sincerely appeal to the wise men of the world, hoping for their compassion."

The signature was stamped with a bright red imperial seal, the edges of which had faded somewhat, indicating that it had been affixed for some time.

Two guards stood below the notice board, yawning listlessly, probably not believing that anyone could actually answer the call.

"This notice has been posted for almost half a year. So many Taoist priests and monks have come, but they're all just freeloaders. Not a single drop of rain has fallen," an old man said, shaking his head.

"I heard the king is so worried his hair has turned white. If it doesn't rain soon, how many more people will starve to death this year?"

"Have you heard? Three monks from Zhiyuan Temple have come to the city. They say they can summon wind and rain, and the king has invited them to the palace."

"Sigh, I just wonder if those three monks have any real skills..."

Listening to the discussions of the people around him, Lu Qingxuan raised an eyebrow. Calculating the time, the King of Chechi Kingdom in Journey to the West had not yet been born, so the current king should still be the old one.

Is this severe drought a tradition of the Chechi Kingdom?

After a moment's thought, Lu Qingxuan decided to visit the palace. Considering his previous seclusion, he was only a little over sixty years away from the Journey to the West. Since he was going to come to Chechi Kingdom sooner or later, he might as well make arrangements in advance.

Upon realizing this, Lu Qingxuan stepped forward and took down the yellow notice.

As soon as someone took down the yellow notice, the crowd erupted in an uproar.

The two guards were taken aback at first, then strode forward, their eyes scanning Lu Qingxuan before they dared not be negligent.

"Master, are you here to ask for rain?" one of the guards asked, clasping his hands in greeting.

Lu Qingxuan nodded: "Take me to see the king."

The guard, beaming with joy, quickly led the way, while another guard ran swiftly into the city to deliver the message.

The two passed through the city gate. The scene on the street was not much better than outside the city. The air was filled with a hot and dry atmosphere. Occasionally, a few pedestrians would pass by, but they would only glance at Lu Qingxuan and Yi Yan before hurrying away.

It's as if I've seen this kind of scene many times before.

"Has the situation in the city become this difficult?" Lu Qingxuan asked, frowning.

Upon hearing this, the guard sighed and said, "Master, you are unaware of the fact that Chechi Kingdom has been suffering from a severe drought for over a year. Crops cannot be grown in the fields, the rivers have dried up, and even well water is almost impossible to draw. Many Taoist priests and monks have come before, but none of them have been able to bring rain."

"To be frank, the people of this country have completely lost faith in Taoist priests and monks. If you are also after gold and silver, you should leave quickly to avoid trouble."

Lu Qingxuan smiled, meaning he didn't believe Lu Qingxuan could summon rain.

Lu Qingxuan didn't say much, but simply had the guards lead the way.

Seeing this, the guards shook their heads and could only follow the rules to bring Lu Qingxuan into the palace.

Soon they arrived at the palace, where a eunuch-looking man came out to greet them, saying in a shrill voice, "Is this the Taoist priest who accepted the proclamation? His Majesty is currently summoning three eminent monks from Zhiyuan Temple. Please come in with me, Taoist priest."

Lu Qingxuan nodded, not paying any attention, and followed the eunuch through several palace gates to the main hall.

Several people were already standing in the hall at this moment. At the head of the table sat an old man wearing a dragon robe. His hair was white and his face was haggard. He was none other than the current King of Chechi Kingdom.

Several ministers stood beside him, each with a worried expression, clearly overwhelmed by the severe drought.

Standing on one side of the main hall were three monks wearing kasayas. Lu Qingxuan glanced at them. The leading monk was tall, with a square face and large ears. He held a string of prayer beads and had a dignified appearance.

The two men behind them, one short and stout, the other tall and thin, were also wearing brand-new cassocks and exuded an extraordinary air, forming a stark contrast with the common people outside the city.

When the three of them saw Lu Qingxuan enter, their eyes all fell on him, looking him up and down with scrutiny and disdain in their eyes.

The eunuch stepped forward and reported, "Your Majesty, the Taoist priest who accepted the proclamation has arrived."

The old king quickly stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and asked, "Where is your immortal home, Daoist Master? And how should I address you?"

Lu Qingxuan returned the greeting: "I am Lu Qingxuan from Zhongnan Mountain. I was passing through your country and saw the suffering of the people, so I came to help."

The old king was overjoyed and repeatedly said, "The Taoist priest is so kind! On behalf of the people of Chechi Kingdom, I thank the Taoist priest!"

Before he could finish speaking, the leading monk snorted and said, "Your Majesty, the three of us monks have fasted in the palace for three days and will be able to ascend the platform to pray for rain tomorrow."

"Since this Taoist priest is here, why not wait a moment? After I've prayed for rain, I can invite him for a cup of tea."

The short, stout monk echoed, "Indeed, Your Majesty. This drought has lasted for over a year, and it cannot be solved by just any Taoist priest. My fellow monks and I have practiced Buddhism for many years and are well-versed in the art of summoning wind and rain. We are confident that we can bring Your Majesty some sweet rain."

"If Your Majesty does not believe me, my fellow monks and I can go on stage tomorrow and let Your Majesty see for yourself."

The old king looked troubled, glancing at the three monks and then at Lu Qingxuan, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

Lu Qingxuan smiled slightly and said, "Since the three masters are so confident, I will naturally step aside. However, I wonder when the three masters plan to take the stage? I would also like to observe them."

The leading monk snorted and said, "We'll be on stage tomorrow. You'd better watch carefully, Daoist."

Lu Qingxuan cupped his hands and said, "Definitely."

Seeing that the two did not argue on the spot, the old king breathed a sigh of relief and quickly smoothed things over, saying, "Masters, Master Lu, you are all doing this for the country and the people, so there is no need to hurt your feelings. It is getting late, so please go back to the inn to rest first, and Master Lu may stay in the palace for the time being."

"Let's go up on the platform tomorrow to pray for rain, and then see who wins. How about that?"