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

Bodhi Patriarch slowly opened his eyes, his gaze deep and peaceful, showing no displeasure at being disturbed.

His gaze pierced through the cave wall, glancing at the eastern horizon where Chen Jiao had departed. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he stroked his beard and spoke softly:

"Oh? What do you think of him?"

The young Taoist thought for a moment and answered honestly:

"The child is dull-witted and cannot see clearly. He only senses that the demeanor is calm and composed, unlike the ferocious nature of ordinary demons, and that the child speaks respectfully and politely."

"Calm and respectful is merely an outward appearance."

Bodhi Patriarch slowly said:

"If the heart is clouded, even the most respectful demeanor is merely deliberate. If the heart is clear, even a touch of wildness is a sign of true nature."

The young Taoist seemed to understand but not quite, and asked again, "Then the whisk in the library..."

The Bodhi Patriarch looked at the young Daoist boy, a hint of guidance in his eyes, and smiled:

"Foolish child, the so-called mental defilements, for ordinary people, are greed, anger, ignorance, pride, and doubt. For cultivators, they are obstacles of knowledge and views, restlessness of magical power, and disordered thoughts."

The dust is thick, and over the years, a sliver of light may be visible; but the dust is thin, and the spirit is pure, and even in a short time, a bright mirror can be seen hanging high.

He didn't surpass others through decades of hard work; he simply had a heart free of much worldly dust.

To reach this state, both innate talent and acquired perseverance are indispensable.

The young Taoist was still confused, but he clearly understood the patriarch's high praise for Xuanling.

He clicked his tongue in amazement, then asked curiously:

"Then... if the Patriarch values ​​him so much, why not let him stay in the cave to cultivate?"

With his talent, if he could receive personal instruction from the patriarch, wouldn't his future achievements be limitless?

Upon hearing this, Patriarch Bodhi smiled slightly and shook his head, saying:

"When fate brings us together, we gather; when fate takes us apart, we scatter. His path lies not on this mountain, but in the vast universe. Our meeting today, and our discussion of the Way, is also a matter of fate."

The young Taoist was shocked by the high regard his master held for the demon immortal and dared not ask any more questions.

He simply lowered his head and said, "The child understands."

"When you cultivate yourself in the future, you should always wipe away the dust from your mind and not let it accumulate."

As for the speed of entry...

Bodhi Patriarch withdrew his gaze, looked at the young disciple, and said gently:

"Everyone has their own season, which cannot be forced, and comparison is also useless."

"The right path is to safeguard one's own small territory."

After speaking, Bodhi Patriarch closed his eyes again and said no more.

Upon seeing this, the young Taoist immediately fell silent, stood with his hands at his sides, and focused his attention on his nose and mind.

He still pondered the patriarch's evaluation of that black-robed demon immortal, thinking to himself that if he had the chance to meet him again in the future, he would definitely ask him for guidance.

…………

Chen Jiao rode a tiger eastward, and the journey was uneventful.

Passing through the vast sea of ​​clouds and skimming over the boundless mountains and seas, familiar scenes gradually come into view.

Where the sea meets the sky, a continuous stretch of green shadows appears, like a giant dragon lying on the waves; this is Qingchi Ridge.

The main peak, Yunmang Mountain, is majestic, appearing and disappearing amidst the vast sea of ​​clouds.

Looking down, after several months away, the scenery of Qingchi Ridge has changed again.

Scattered across the foothills and slopes are many newly built village houses and courtyards, with paths leading to the fields and wisps of smoke rising from chimneys, giving them a touch of human warmth.

Squads of demon soldiers, dressed in uniform dark blue armor and with strict discipline, patrolled the area. Upon seeing their king approaching on a tiger, they stopped at a distance to salute, their eyes filled with awe and fervor.

The Yunmang Market seemed to have expanded outwards again, with faint sounds of people and a convergence of precious light and spiritual energy, making it even more bustling and prosperous than when Chen Jiao left.

Clearly, Chen Jiao's infamous reputation and rumors, coupled with the careful management by Xuan Gu Shangren, Qing Yuan Yao Jiang, and others, contributed to his success.

This has made the name of Qingchi Ridge increasingly well-known in the southern part of Dongsheng Shenzhou, attracting more cultivators and merchants to come here.

Chen Jiao did not linger in the market. His tiger-like shadow stirred up a few wisps of mist, and he went straight back to the Xuanqing Cave atop Yunmang Mountain.

The demon soldiers on guard in front of the cave had already noticed.

Upon seeing the King's return and the enormous, striped tiger beneath his throne, which they had never seen before, they were all terrified and hastily prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to look up.

Chen Jiao waved for him to step back and then floated down from the tiger's back.

The Demon Lord Xiaoyue let out a low roar, his body swayed slightly, and he transformed back into the appearance of a burly man, silently standing behind him.

Everything in the cave was as it was before, clean and dust-free, indicating that it was regularly maintained.

Upon hearing that the Great King had returned to the mountain, the core subordinates, including Master Xuangu, the Green Ape Demon General, Black Fat, Shrimp Big, and the three Flower Fairy Sisters, quickly gathered in the front hall of the cave.

Everyone was delighted to see Chen Jiao and bowed respectfully.

"Welcome back to the mountain, Your Majesty!"

Chen Jiao calmly swept his gaze over the crowd.

Everyone's cultivation has improved, and there is no arrogance or impatience in their expressions, showing that they have not slackened their cultivation due to the expansion of their power.

"It's been months, everyone has worked hard."

Chen Jiao said calmly, "I have observed the changes in the mountains along the way, and they have been quite effective."

Master Xuangu stepped forward, bowed, and began to report on various matters in a steady and clear manner:

"Thanks to Your Majesty's great fortune, all is well in the mountains..."

Chen Jiao listened attentively, occasionally asking a question or two, to which everyone answered respectfully.

During his absence, Qingchi Ridge did not become complacent; on the contrary, it managed all affairs in an orderly manner, steadily expanded its influence, and made its foundation more and more solid.

This saves him from many mundane troubles.

Seeing the villages of ordinary people at the foot of the mountain, Chen Jiao understood that this was the inevitable result of a thriving power that could provide protection, and also a sign of the convergence of fortune.

Finally, he asked, "Where is Tianyang?"

Master Xuangu hurriedly said, "Since Fellow Daoist Tianyang came to serve the King on His orders, he has been in charge of the forging of weapons at the Forging Institute opened in Dongshan."

Recently, as requested by Steward Green Ape, I've been attempting to forge a batch of standardized magical artifacts and concealing armor, and there's been considerable progress. Should I summon him?"

"No need, just let him focus on forging weapons."

After hearing the report, Chen Jiao nodded slightly, which was considered an expression of approval:

"Well done. The rules remain the same. All matters shall be discussed and decided by Xuan Gu and Qing Yuan, and important matters shall be reported to me."

"I need to meditate for a while. Unless it's something important, don't disturb me."

"As Your Majesty commands!"

Everyone responded in unison, their expressions respectful.

Chen Jiao gave some further instructions, bestowing upon them some items from Xiniu Hezhou that would benefit their cultivation, and then dismissed them.

Everyone was grateful, bowed again, and filed out, leaving the cave's front hall quiet once more.

Chen Jiao stood up and said to the Demon Lord Xiaoyue:

"Go to the mountains and choose a place to cultivate in seclusion, and contemplate what you have gained over the years."

The Demon Lord Xiaoyue respectfully agreed and walked out of the cave with steady steps. A little demon led it to a secluded cave with abundant spiritual energy to settle down.

Chen Jiao then entered the quiet room deep inside the cave.

The stone gate closed silently, isolating the inside from the outside.

The quiet room is simple, with only a futon and an incense burner. The four walls are empty, drawing on the spiritual veins of the earth and connecting with the starlight from beyond the sky.

Chen Jiao sat cross-legged on the futon, closed his eyes and concentrated.

The perfect harmony and unimpededness brought about by the completion of the Nascent Soul stage make the perception of the union between God and the Dao increasingly clear.

However, he did not rush to consolidate his cultivation. Instead, he focused his mind on the sea of ​​consciousness and carefully comprehended the supernatural power technique taught by Patriarch Bodhi.

The Dharma has no name; the opening is:

"The law of heaven and earth is infinitely large and infinitely small; its changes are determined by the mind and reside in a single thought."

Heaven is the highest and greatest, formless and without appearance; Earth is the thickest and heaviest, bearing all things.

If one follows its meaning and embodies its form, then one's body can encompass the universe, or be as small as a mustard seed.

Greatness is not merely about size, nor is smallness merely about insignificance. It lies in the flexibility of one's mind, in the reflection of one's true nature…

It is precisely—[Following the laws of Heaven and Earth]!

The profound and mysterious essence of the incantation resonated and lingered within Chen Jiao's spiritual realm.

He sat quietly on the futon, his mind clear and focused, carefully pondering the fundamental principles of the universe.

This is not simply a technique for changing the size of the physical body, but involves an understanding of the fundamental imagery of heaven and earth.

When one cultivates to the highest level, one can correspond to the celestial stars, standing tall and majestic, grasping stars and the moon; and when one merges with the earth's veins, one can shrink and disappear without a trace.

It is the foundation of extremely superior physical supernatural powers and escape techniques.

Chen Jiao had long been familiar with this supernatural power.

In his previous battles, he had revealed his true form as a dragon, tearing through the sky with his claws, but that was more of a battle where he was activating his bloodline instincts and drawing upon the power of heaven and earth.

Compared to truly mastering the laws of nature and the universe, this is merely touching upon a superficial understanding.

They know its greatness and power, but they do not understand its methods and principles.

Now, having received the complete Dharma teachings personally from Patriarch Bodhi, every word a gem, pointing directly to the source, I realize that all my previous actions were merely superficial.

"The large is not merely enormous, the small is not merely insignificant..."

Chen Jiao silently pondered this in his heart, and gradually began to understand.

Enlarging does not mean becoming an empty shell that merely adds to the target.

True greatness is when one's mind and will align with the boundless and lofty heavens, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth to empower oneself, causing every inch of one's body and every bit of one's magical power to expand and solidify.

It is itself a walking mountain, a moving sky.

The small aspect refers to the mind and spirit resonating with the profound and subtle nature of the earth, gathering all outward energy, refining the origin, hiding it in a mustard seed, leaving no trace, yet capable of unleashing the power of thunder at any moment.

"It lies in the flexibility of one's mind, in the reflection of one's true self..."

This is the key. The pivot of change lies entirely in the turning of one's mind.

Wherever the mind moves, the body responds.

Regardless of the magnitude of the changes, one must not lose sight of one's true self, but must always reflect upon one's fundamental path and the origin of one's bloodline.

For Chen Jiao, the body of the ancient Xuanjiao was a creature that controlled thunder and water, possessing a profound nature and a powerful force.

This is one of his true natures.

Based on this authenticity, we reflect the vastness of the sky and the depth of the earth.

Chen Jiao suddenly understood, and then his mind was immersed in this profound and mysterious understanding and experimentation.

Time stands still in the quiet room, and the bright pearl shines eternally.

He sat quietly, his breathing long and regular, his heart imprinting the Dao, and the Dao sensing the heavens, his figure frozen like a sculpture under the radiance of the pearl.

Only the aura emanating from his body seemed to resonate slightly with the quiet room, the spiritual energy of Yunmang Mountain, and even the more distant sky.

My mind and spirit soared to the highest heavens.