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

The old man was dressed in a short yellow-green jacket, with a square scarf on his head. He had a ruddy complexion, white hair and beard, and held a crooked wooden cane with a small purple-gold gourd hanging from the top.

He appeared, sniffed, and smiled with narrowed eyes:

"Excellent tea! Excellent tea! Fellow Daoist Xuanling, your Xuanqing Cave is increasingly displaying the aura of a celestial being!"

It is this land of Yunmang Mountain.

The three demon maids all rose and curtsied.

Shan Tao smiled sweetly: "What brings the Earth God here today?"

They all knew that this local deity was a kind-hearted old rascal who had a good relationship with their master and often came to visit for a cup of tea.

The Earth God, leaning on his cane, strolled forward and said with a grin:

"What? You don't welcome this old man coming over for a cup of tea? Go and inform your master that your old neighbor has come to ask him to play chess and chat."

Chen Jiao slowly stepped out, and upon seeing the Earth God's appearance, a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips:

"Is the Earth God's visit today not just about the chess game?"

When the Earth God saw him come out, his eyes lit up. He took a few steps closer, lowered his voice, but couldn't hide his pride and eagerness:

"I knew I couldn't hide it from you, fellow Daoist. I have indeed come today with some good news to share with you."

He walked to the stone table and sat down, took the spiritual tea offered by Pear Blossom, sipped it with relish, and then said:

"Five hundred miles away from here, there is a peak called Ningyu Peak, whose master is the White Stone Mountain God. That old stone is rigid in nature, but he is quite good at cultivating spiritual plants."

At the summit stands a jade-green fruit tree with water-like patterns, which blossoms once every hundred years, bears fruit once every hundred years, and takes another hundred years to ripen. Now, the fruit is ripe!

He paused, then, seeing Chen Jiao's calm expression, quickly added:

"Although that old stone is stingy, he is unusually generous this time. He wants to hold a 'Jade Fruit Gathering' and invite several familiar mountain gods and water spirits from the surrounding area to share the spiritual fruit and discuss the mysteries of Taoism. It is a refined affair."

I have a past relationship with him and was among those invited. Considering that you are now the Lord of Yunmang and a true cultivator of the Dao, I asked him for an extra invitation.

Old Stone, having heard of your name, gladly accepted; therefore, I have come to invite you to join me.

As he spoke, he fumbled around in his wide sleeves for a while and pulled out a warm, lustrous blue jade talisman. It was engraved with mountain and cloud patterns and was full of spiritual energy. It was an invitation.

Zi Teng stepped forward, took the invitation, and presented it to Chen Jiao.

Chen Jiao scanned the jade talisman with his divine sense. The invitation exuded a pure and dignified aura, indicating that it was indeed from a legitimate local deity. The contents were exactly as the local deity had stated, with the time and place clearly indicated, the words sincere, and the etiquette impeccable.

He paused for a moment to think.

After months of seclusion, the sword pellet was finally completed, and he was at a point where stillness gave way to action.

This incarnation, desiring to attain the position of Demon Emperor, naturally cannot remain secluded and only engage in arduous cultivation day after day.

Attending this gathering will not only allow you to enjoy spiritual fruits to enhance your cultivation, but also to get to know the local deities and officials, and to learn about news from all directions. This will be of great help in managing Yunmang and dealing with Jiange in the future.

Although the mountain gods and local deities are not of high rank, they control the spirits and veins of the mountains and are well-informed. Befriending them is always beneficial.

"When do we set off?" he asked.

When the Earth God saw that he had agreed, he beamed with joy and clapped his hands, saying:

"The gathering will be held in three days. Fellow Daoist, please make your preparations. I will come to find you again to go together then."

After chatting for a while and finishing his tea, the Earth God stood up contentedly, bowed to Chen Jiao, and with a flicker of his body, turned into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared underground.

Chen Jiao stroked the cool jade talisman in his hand, his gaze fixed on Ningyu Peak, lost in thought.

……

Three days later, at the summit of Ningyu Peak.

Ningyu Peak is nestled among mountains. While its terrain is not particularly steep, it possesses a unique and ethereal beauty.

The summit was leveled by the White Stone Mountain God with his magic, creating a wide platform paved with white stones. The edges are surrounded by rolling clouds, and in the center stands an ancient stone pavilion with a jade round table and five stone benches around it.

Chen Jiao and the land deity of Yunmang descended from the clouds and landed on the platform.

The host, the White Stone Mountain God, sat in the main seat. He was tall and thin, with an ancient and simple face. He wore a plain gray-white robe and held a green jade staff.

Upon seeing Chen Jiao arrive, a genuine smile appeared on his face, and he stepped forward to greet him with a cupped hand:

"Fellow Daoist Xuanling's presence is an honor to our humble abode. I have long admired your name, and it is a pleasure to meet you today. Please, take a seat."

The White Stone Mountain God led the two into the pavilion and they sat down.

A plate of water-patterned jade fruit was placed in the center of the stone table, accompanied by several dishes of melons, fruits, and dried fruits, as well as a pot of fragrant spiritual tea, all produced on the peak.

Two other guests were already seated.

Beside Chen Jiao stood a burly man with a face as black as charcoal, a bushy beard, and a fierce and powerful aura; he was the mountain god of Black Wind Mountain.

Seeing Chen Jiao sit down beside him, he looked up and sized him up, his gaze sharp as lightning, and nodded slightly as a greeting.

The person at the west end was a middle-aged scholar with a refined appearance, dressed in a light blue Taoist robe, holding a jade-ribbed folding fan. His expression was serene, and there was a faint mist of moisture flowing around him. He was none other than the Cold Rain Stream Master.

He smiled and cupped his hands in greeting to Chen Jiao, his voice gentle and melodious, like the tinkling of a spring.

"This must be Fellow Daoist Xuan Ling of Xuanqing Cave. I've heard so much about you."

Chen Jiao returned the greeting with a cupped-hand salute, his expression calm.

The small gathering quietly began in this cloud-shrouded stone pavilion. The five people sat around, enjoying fruit and wine, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

The God of Baishi Mountain personally poured wine into the cups of the four people. The wine was clear and blue, and had a wonderful aroma.

"This is a wine made by a humble monk using old pine nuts from the mountains, aged for thirty years. It is offered as a small token of appreciation. Please enjoy."

Black Wind Mountain God picked up his wine cup, drank it all in one gulp, and said in a voice like muffled thunder, "Good wine! Old Man White Stone, you're certainly holding back."

Uncle Hanyu took a small sip, savoring it carefully, and nodded, saying, "The pine aroma is refreshing, and the aftertaste is sweet and mellow. It is indeed a rare and fine wine."

Chen Jiao also raised his cup and drank it all, feeling a gentle spiritual energy spread into his throat. He nodded and said, "Thank you for your hospitality, Master Baishi."

At first, the local earth god and the Black Wind Mountain God would often talk about interesting stories from their respective territories, such as the resurgence of a spiritual spring in a certain place or the jokes caused by the marriage of a mountain spirit, which would make the Black Wind Mountain God laugh heartily.

Although the Black Wind Mountain God was not particularly striking in appearance and spoke somewhat crudely, he possessed a profound Daoist heart and wisdom.

The Mountain God of Baishi Mountain would often chime in with his words, all concerning the growth of plants and the flow of the earth's veins, while the Water God would talk about the regulation of the water veins and the rain and flood seasons.

Chen Jiao drank his tea silently, mostly listening attentively.

His occasional remarks would silence everyone for a long time as they silently pondered the profound mystery. When they came to their senses, they saw Chen Jiao leisurely drinking tea, while everyone else remained unmoved by his words.

Black Wind Mountain God seemed to have had a few too many drinks, and became more talkative, slapping his thigh and exclaiming:

"Speaking of the Heavenly Court's regulations, do you all remember the time a hundred years ago when the Heavenly Court's Water Department officials descended to the mortal realm for inspection? Tsk tsk, the pomp and circumstance, the majesty..."

Water God stroked his beard and laughed, "How could I not remember? Although that Heavenly Official was only at the Golden Core stage, he was as insignificant as a mustard seed in the heavens, yet he represented the might of heaven in the mortal realm. We, the gods of mountains and rivers, all had to travel a hundred miles to greet him with utmost respect."

The Black Wind Mountain God chuckled and lowered his voice, saying:

"Speaking of which, a notable figure once emerged from the nearby Aolai Kingdom. It is said that he was also guided to the Heavenly Court in his early years and served in the Department of Water..."

The local deity of Yunmang asked curiously, "Oh? Is that so? Which deity is involved?"

The Black Wind Mountain God sighed with regret:

"He was one of the founders of the Xuan Guang Sword Pavilion, a Nascent Soul True Immortal. It is said that he was proficient in swordsmanship, slaying demons and protecting the righteous path. After achieving perfect merit, he was invited to heaven and given the position of Sword Master Immortal Official."

Unfortunately, hundreds of years have passed, and there has been no sign of it showing any concern for its hometown…

Upon hearing this, the White Stone Mountain God nodded slightly, his tone carrying a hint of reverence:

"The Heavenly Court is busy with its duties and has strict rules. It is not a place where one can descend to the mortal realm at will. To be able to obtain this celestial opportunity is already a stroke of good fortune."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and the topic shifted back to something else.

Throughout the meal, Chen Jiao remained seated, sipping his tea. Upon hearing this, his eyes flashed almost imperceptibly, and he understood.

So the Xuan Guang Sword Pavilion has such a background.

Although a Nascent Soul Sword Master official serving in the Water Department was not of high rank and seemed to have faded ties with the sects in the lower realms, he still maintained a relationship that could not be ignored.

After a moment's thought, he smiled nonchalantly, not taking it to heart.

He was just a Heavenly Official.

I am the Heavenly Ruler.