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

Streaks of sword light swept across the mountains, heading towards Aolai Kingdom.

The fierce momentum they had when they arrived had long since vanished, leaving only a deathly silence.

Master Changhe flew at the forefront, his face ashen, his lips tightly pressed together, focused solely on urging his sword light forward.

The Second Elder and the Third Elder followed closely behind, their faces equally grim, their eyes still filled with lingering horror and disbelief.

The tense atmosphere only eased slightly when the familiar outline of the Xuan Guang Sword Pavilion's mountain gate came into view in the distance.

One of the younger disciples finally couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "That dragon demon... it's just too..."

Before he could finish speaking, his companion tugged at his sleeve to stop him.

But these words were like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, creating ripples.

The Third Elder's throat bobbed, his voice dry and hoarse, trembling slightly. He looked at Changhe Zhenren and the Second Elder beside him, as if he were talking to himself.

"Is this Xuan Ling... truly just a wild mountain demon cultivator? Only at the Foundation Establishment stage... at its peak?"

These words seemed to open a floodgate, causing all the pent-up fear and dread that had been building up in everyone's hearts to surge forth.

Although the disciples dared not speak, their eyes were all fixed on the elders in front of them, awaiting an answer.

They are waiting for an explanation that will put their minds at ease.

The Second Elder's body trembled almost imperceptibly. He opened his mouth but could not utter a sound. He simply nodded heavily, then slowly shook his head, his eyes vacant.

One of the disciples, seemingly unable to suppress his fear any longer, said:

"Elder... when he came out, he just casually handed over a sword..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

Those few brief moments were etched into the depths of everyone's soul like a nightmare—

At the summit of Yunmang Mountain, the stone gate of Xuanqing Cave opened silently.

A figure in black slowly emerged, his face calm and his eyes indifferent, as if he had simply come out to enjoy the night view.

Faced with Changhe Zhenren's stern questioning and the fierce sword intent that the Sword Pavilion members were poised to unleash, he merely delivered a single sword strike.

The sword sheath was jet black and appeared unremarkable.

The sword swept past the magnetic scabbard, leaving behind a line of tangible crimson lightning that silently sliced ​​through the night like cutting paper.

Master Changhe suddenly felt a sharp pain between his eyebrows, and his protective sword aura silently dissipated.

The elders and disciples behind him felt a chill run down their spines, their magic swords clanging as if they were about to slip from their grasp.

With a single sword strike, not to mention his lofty ambitions, even his Dao heart was nearly shattered.

"That sword he casually handed over..."

The Third Elder's voice lowered, filled with deep fear and disbelief:

"When we cultivators draw our swords, our spiritual energy circulates and our sword intent surges forth; there should always be a trace to follow."

But his sword strike... seemed effortless, leaving no trace, yet lightning flashed spontaneously, it was simply...

He couldn't find the right words to describe it.

The feeling wasn't like a fellow cultivator going all out, but rather like an elder casually picking up a branch and pointing out flaws in a junior's moves.

Master Changhe listened in silence, his expression growing increasingly grim.

He felt the same way, but as the Grand Elder, he was unwilling to admit it, and even less willing to show weakness in front of his junior brothers and disciples.

Now that his two junior brothers had seen through his scheme, any lingering hope in his heart vanished completely.

"A wild demon cultivator...at the peak of Foundation Establishment?"

Master Changhe muttered to himself, a bitter smile playing on his lips.

This Xuan Ling is no ordinary demon king!

"After returning to the mountain, what happened today must not be divulged!"

Master Changhe finally spoke, his voice cold and stiff, carrying an unquestionable command:

"Everything... will be discussed after the Pavilion Master emerges from seclusion!"

The crowd solemnly agreed.

Mentioning the Venerable Xuan Guang, who had already reached the Golden Core stage, eased the chill in the hearts of the Sword Pavilion members.

The sword light accelerated towards the already opened mountain gate, as if only by returning to the familiar protective array could it gain a sense of security.

The four characters "Xuan Guang Sword Pavilion," which used to be a source of great pride, now appear particularly glaring in front of the mountain gate.

"How about we call it Xuanguang Pavilion..."

One of the more honest disciples muttered something under his breath.

Master Changhe's eyes twitched slightly. He snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves, and rode away on his sword towards the main hall.

Just as they arrived at the main hall, they caught a glimpse of a hurried figure rushing towards them out of the corner of their eye.

The newcomer had a flushed face and was none other than the Fourth Elder, whose temper was as fiery as fire.

At this moment, his face was a mixture of red and white, his Taoist robe was covered in dust, and his hair was slightly disheveled, showing none of his usual composure.

He staggered to the ground, and before he could even bow, he said urgently in a trembling voice:

"Senior brother! Something terrible has happened!"

Master Changhe frowned, the unease that had lingered in his heart since Yunmang Mountain intensifying suddenly, and he shouted in a deep voice:

"Why is the fourth brother so panicked? What kind of behavior is this?"

The Fourth Elder took a deep breath, as if to calm himself, but his words were still hurried:

"It's the Hidden Truth Hall! The treasury... has been emptied!"

"What?!"

These words struck the three elders like a thunderclap, who were still reeling from the fierce battle.

No, we risked our lives to get back even a small portion of the demon palace's treasury.

You come back and tell me your house was burgled?!

The second elder darted forward and grabbed his arm:

"Fourth brother! Explain yourself! What do you mean by 'emptied out'? What about the protective seals? Where is the Silver Armor Guardian?"

The Third Elder's expression also changed drastically, and he said sternly:

"Nonsense! How can we enter if the barrier hasn't been broken?"

Master Changhe felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, and his body swayed almost imperceptibly.

He forced himself to remain calm, but his voice had already taken on a hoarseness that he himself was unaware of:

"When was it discovered? Please explain in detail!"

"This morning, when the disciples on duty changed shifts, they discovered something unusual. The palace gates were intact, but the atmosphere inside the palace was strange."

The disciple dared not enter without permission and hurriedly reported to me. I used my token to open the hall door, went inside, and saw…”

The Fourth Elder gasped for breath, his face filled with horror and despair:

"All the rooms and treasuries were empty, with only fragments remaining. The jade platform... the jade platform was also completely empty!"

The jade slip containing the [Mysterious Light Water Dividing Sword Technique] has vanished! It's completely gone! They practically took the floor tiles and jade shelf with them!

The demonic beast that guards the treasury... is still there, but...

"Then why..." the Second Elder asked hurriedly.

"But all that's left is a pile of ashes."

Every word was like a heavy hammer blow, striking Changhe Zhenren's heart.

The Hall of Hidden Truths is the culmination of hundreds of years of the Sword Pavilion's history, containing the hard work of countless predecessors, numerous rare spiritual materials, elixirs, and cultivation manuals...

Especially on the core jade platform, there are the sect's fundamental inherited cultivation techniques, the supreme true method treasured to this day, and an ancient artifact of unknown origin.

Overwhelmed by rage, coupled with the injuries accumulated from the fierce battle and the immense mental shock, Master Changhe could no longer suppress himself and suddenly spat out a mouthful of bright red blood, his body swaying precariously.

"Elder!"

"Senior brother!"

The second and third brothers hurriedly stepped forward to help him up.

Master Changhe's face was ashen, his eyes unfocused. He gazed at the empty Zangzhen Hall and murmured:

"Our foundation... the foundation of my Sword Pavilion built up over hundreds of years has been destroyed in an instant... destroyed in an instant!"

His voice was hoarse, filled with endless regret and anger, as well as a deep sense of powerlessness in the face of an unknown and powerful enemy.

The instigator of all this had already prepared this resource to condense a demon core.