Journey to the West: Cultivation Begins at Jindou Mountain

Chapter 238 The Land God and the City God
Ten years later.

"DouDou!!!"

On Mount Jindu, a sudden roar shattered the tranquility of this secluded paradise.

"DouDou! You little rascal! You stole all my oranges! I hid them in the bag the chief gave me, and you still managed to find them!"

Niu Feng held an empty cloth bag in his hands, panting heavily through his nostrils, staring at the fat cat in mid-air.

DouDou flicked its cat tail, tilted its head to look at NiuFeng, blinked its bright eyes, and gave him an expression that said, "I don't understand what you're saying."

"Meow~"

"Stop pretending! In the entire Golden Dust Mountain, only a fat cat like you would do something like this! Give me back the oranges!!"

"Meow!! You can pick all the oranges on this mountain, meow!"

"Those were Nine-Leaf Oranges that the chief picked for me himself! I couldn't bear to eat them, but you, you fat cat, ate them all! Give them back to me!!"

In the pavilion, Niu Yi was enjoying tea and playing chess with the local earth god. Not far from them, Niu Feng was chasing after Dou Dou, not using any supernatural powers, just carrying a sack and running after it. This scene seemed unexpectedly harmonious.
The Earth God and Niu Yi ignored the chaos of chickens and dogs scattering around them. Niu Yi laughed and said:
"The Earth God has accumulated a lot of merit over the years, and his cultivation must be sufficient. He should be able to compete for the position of City God of the Great City."

The Earth God stroked his beard and smiled, sighing:
"Ah~ the City God of a great city, how tempting that sounded back then~"

"What a pity, I've already latched onto a powerful figure. Even if some people try to drive me away, I won't leave. Speaking of which, it was Chief Niu who taught me to say that."

The Earth God looked at Niu Yi with a mocking expression. Niu Yi smiled and shook his head, placing the chess piece in his hand onto the chessboard.

"Land God, you've lost."

The Earth God's face stiffened as he looked at the chessboard. Sure enough, the situation on the chessboard was already decided, and his chances of turning the tide were slim.

Niu Yi casually put away the chess pieces one by one and said:

"But I recently heard that the City God of Xiaping City has been guarding Xiaping City for hundreds of years and has completed his merits. He is ready to return to Heaven to report. However, Xiaping City has not produced any famous people in recent years, so they will choose from the local Earth Gods to take office."

To be honest, this news was told to him by Venus when his divine avatar was in the Heavenly Court. Sure enough, it's easy to get things done if you have connections in the court, and your information is always readily available.

Upon hearing this, the Golden-Hooped Earth God was taken aback. After a moment of contemplation, he looked at Niu Yi and said:

"Could it be that this matter is going to fall on my shoulders?"

Niu Yi's expression turned serious, and he gave the Earth God a thumbs-up, saying:

"It must be said that those officials in Heaven have good judgment. Earth God, you are quick-witted and virtuous. Your merits are the highest within this vast area, so it is no wonder you are chosen!"

"This this."

The local earth god was somewhat bewildered. He hadn't thought about this at all over the years. He was doing a good job as the earth god, so how could this have happened?
If an imperial decree were to be issued, he would have no choice but to obey. When facing the Heavenly Court, he had no room for complaint; he could either follow the decree and become the City God, or he could defy the decree.

抗旨
The Earth God shivered and shook his head repeatedly, but then he heard Niu Yi, who was standing calmly to the side, jokingly say:

"Judging from your tone, you don't want to go."

The Earth God blurted out:

"Of course!"

The Earth God was startled again, then realized something and glared at Niu Yi. "So, you're trying to trick me?"

He was stunned by the news just now, and only now did he remember.

Others might not know, but he certainly did: the person before him had a celestial avatar in heaven!
Although he has no real power in heaven, he holds a high position and has a wide circle of friends. This matter is nothing more than a small thing to him.

"Hahaha~ I just wanted to ask the local earth god for his opinion too."

Niu Yi laughed heartily and said:

"If the Earth God is willing to become the City God, then the position of City God will naturally belong to the Earth God. This is something the Earth God has earned through years of hard work and dedication, and it is only right and proper."

"If you are unwilling, I will speak to someone else and find someone else to replace you."

After all, Jindu Mountain was his Daoist temple. Back then, he helped Zhenwu drive away the old man from Tuoshan. Although his name was not widely known in the lower realm, in the Heavenly Court and the Underworld, the name of Immortal Guangyi of Jindu Mountain had already entered the ears of many immortals.

Knowing that another person with extraordinary abilities has emerged in this world, someone who can frighten away a Daluo realm being at the Taiyi realm.

It can be said that the old man of Tuoshan used his own name as a footstool, which led to the great name of Immortal Guangyi.

Of course, most of the immortals only knew that such a being existed. Apart from Niu Yi's close friends who smiled knowingly, no one else paid much attention to it.

After all, there are too many powerful figures in the Three Realms.
As for the most prominent figure recently, it is still the True Martial Emperor who has just subdued the dark and evil aura in the northeast and returned victorious to his home, Wudang Mountain.

Niu Yi also truly admired this person. When he met the True Martial Emperor, this person's cultivation level was improving day by day, and he was getting stronger every day. This person was following the will of Heaven and also had great fortune bestowed upon him.

However, now that many deities know that Jindu Mountain is his sacred site, he could ask Taibai Jinxing to use this as a pretext to change the position of City God.

While Niu Yi was pondering this, the Divine Physician Daoist of the Heavenly Court had already gone to find Taibai Jinxing to give him a reply.

The Earth God, however, still looked at Niu Yi with some concern. Niu Yi was quite content staying on Golden Gourd Mountain and didn't want to move.
Niu Yi smiled and comforted him:
"Don't worry, Earth God. Since you are unwilling, you will not be able to go to Xiaping City."

"puff--"

Hearing the sound not far away, the two turned around and saw Niu Feng shoveling a pocket over the burlap sack, chuckling as he said:
"Well, DouDou, I've finally caught you."

"You're so amazing, meow~"

"Right? Hmm???"

Niu Feng turned to look at the fat cat lying on his shoulder, his eyes widened, and he quickly opened the bag, only to see a single orange cat hair slowly drifting down.

"A clone technique! You actually used magic!"

Niu Feng was quite embarrassed and angry, and pounced on the fat cat again.

Niu Yi watched this scene with a smile on his face. Don't be fooled by Dou Dou's chubby appearance. As the mountain god nurtured by Jin Dou Mountain, a secluded fairy mountain, how bad could his background be? He is much stronger than the tiger spirit of Hu Xiao Mountain back then.

Of course, DouDou's clone technique is completely different from that of his junior brother Wukong. His junior brother's clone technique is based on his understanding of the changes of Yin and Yang in the world. It is a true clone, while DouDou's clone technique is essentially a lot of illusion.

A peaceful and serene scene unfolded on Jindou Mountain, while at its foot, a young man was slowly walking towards the mountain.

(End of this chapter)