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

The hall was resplendent in gold and filled with a spiritual aura.

Above the main seat, a magnificent plaque inscribed with "Sun Shines Over All Heavens," cast in spirit gold, hangs high, reflecting the empty position of the sect leader.

The three elders were all startled when they saw Jiangxiao Zhenren. They stood up in unison, their bodies radiating spiritual light and bursting with energy.

None of them expected that the mad Taoist who had harmed Master Yuming would dare to so brazenly enter the sacred grounds of the mountain gate and appear before the main hall.

For a moment, no one spoke up.

Elder Linghui was the first to react, his eyes instantly turning bloodshot as he shouted sharply:

"Jiang Xiao! You madman, you killed my sect leader and ruined the reputation of my sect, and you still dare to come to my door today!"

Today is the perfect day to settle both old and new scores! Senior brothers, quickly activate the mountain-protecting formation and summon the Azure Crab Demon Lord. We must not let this villain leave this place alive!

His body was surging with magical power, his robes fluttered without wind, and his hand was already on the hilt of the sword at his waist, but because of the other party's fierce reputation for killing Yu Ming, he did not dare to make a move immediately.

Elder Mingxiao quickly scanned the area outside the hall, and his divine sense spread out instantly.

However, he did not notice any signs that the mountain-protecting formation had been activated, nor did he see any reaction from the Crab Demon Lord who was stationed in the guest courtyard. His heart sank.

He forced himself to remain calm and said, "Jiang Xiao, the sect leader has already died at your hands due to our previous grudges."

I, Xuanri Mountain, have never sought revenge against you, yet you have come to my door today. What is the reason for this?

Do you really think there's no one on Mount Xuanri who can bully me like this?

Elder Zhengguang took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and stepped forward to block his two junior brothers behind him.

He is the backbone; we must not lose our composure at this moment.

He looked at Chen Jiao with a deep gaze and said, "Master Jiangxiao, your conflict with the sect leader was a private duel outside the city. Life and death are left to fate."

Now that you have trespassed into the gates of my Xuanri Mountain, do you truly intend to fight to the death with the Xuanri Mountain lineage?

Fellow Daoist, your cultivation is profound, but the thousand-year foundation of Xuanri Mountain is not something to be trifled with.

The Thunder Dragon Lord and my sect are watching over and helping each other, and the Azure Crab Demon Lord is also in the guest courtyard.

"If you are willing to leave today, my fellow Daoist, perhaps we can temporarily set aside our past grievances."

Elder Linghui, feeling aggrieved listening from behind, couldn't help but growl:

"Senior brother! What's the point of talking to this madman! He killed my sect leader without cause, ruined my sect's reputation, and now he's come here to bully us again. How can we..."

"Junior brother!"

Upon hearing this, Elder Mingxiao hurriedly stopped him, cold sweat already beading on his forehead.

He could see more clearly that this Taoist priest was able to pass through the mountain gate's restrictions silently and enter the main hall. His cultivation and methods far exceeded their expectations.

The calmer one appears on the surface, the stronger their murderous intent is likely.

It would be unwise to provoke the other party at this moment.

Elder Mingxiao turned to Chen Jiao, his tone softening, and said:

"Fellow Daoist Jiangxiao, since the establishment of our sect at Xuanri Mountain, we have always been at peace with the world, upholding the righteous path of the Sun and educating the people of this region."

Even though I have some disagreements with you, fellow Daoist, they are not irreconcilable feuds. You possess great supernatural powers, why bother…”

Elder Linghui, however, could no longer contain himself. Seeing his two senior brothers' weak words, he became even more furious.

"He is clearly taking advantage of our sect's lack of manpower and is showing off his power while the sect leader is still alive! Senior Brother Zhengguang, Senior Brother Mingxiao, why waste words with him!"

"Activate the grand formation, join forces with the Azure Crab Demon Lord, and today we will surely tear him to pieces!"

Chen Jiao nodded slightly, as if he had finally heard everything, or as if he hadn't heard a single word.

"There is no misunderstanding. I killed Yu Ming and beat Ri Yao."

He raised his right hand and grasped the hilt of the ancient, sheathed longsword at his waist.

"Clang!"

Crimson flames overflowed from the sheath, illuminating the entire hall in vermilion and also highlighting the instantly pale faces of the three elders.

next moment.

The high-hanging golden plaque inscribed with "Sun Shines Over All Heavens" silently transformed into a large cloud of gold dust, which drifted down.

…………

…………

Based on your reading history, we recommend [website name - likely a website name] to you.

Two young cultivators dressed in the outer sect robes of Xuanri Mountain were taking advantage of a brief break from the fire to sit side by side on the cool stone steps.

The heat from the furnace and the stuffiness of the alchemy room had not yet dissipated, and the two men's faces were covered with traces of smoke and fire, and they looked exhausted.

The younger disciples wiped the sweat from their brows, gazed at the distant main peak shrouded in mist and shimmering with golden light, spat, and muttered:

"Sigh, we've been refining seven batches of [Water Gathering Pills] day and night. Even the strongest person couldn't withstand this."

The medicinal herbs in the storeroom are almost gone, and the elders keep urging us to hurry up.

"I heard that a few days ago, Senior Brother Wang and the others were sent to the lower temple to collect the stipends again. This time, they'll probably make quite a bit of money."

Upon hearing this, the older disciple sighed, rubbing his aching legs, his expression gloomy.

"Let's say less. Don't you know what the situation is like in the mountains these days?"

With the sect leader gone, everything depends on that Dragon Lord. For those of us without any connections, it's already a stroke of luck that we can keep this job.

Receiving official allowances? That's a lucrative job for the inner disciples; it's not for us to covet.

"We should be incredibly grateful if we can refine this batch of pills safely and without any problems."

The young disciple, his face contorted with anger, said again:

"In the past, at least we could compete based on our own abilities, but now? It all comes down to who can flatter that sideways-walking crab the best!"

"How dare you say such things? Watch your tongue!"

The young disciple realized he had spoken out of turn, and lowered his head sheepishly, saying nothing more.

He gazed at the outline of the palace on the main peak, which appeared even more magnificent in the afterglow of the setting sun, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Just then, the sky suddenly darkened and then brightened again!

The two of them subconsciously looked up.

A sword light appeared, its origin unknown, as magnificent as an inverted curtain of the sky, suddenly stretching across the vast expanse.

A vast aura poured down, and though high in the sky, the ancient trees covering the mountains below were as if struck by a gale, their crowns swaying violently and emitting a muffled wail.

"What...what is that?" the young disciple asked, his voice trembling.

The older disciple opened his mouth wide, before he could even respond.

A soft "whoosh!" pierced through the mountain wind and forest whistling, reaching my ears.

Before the two could react, a deep, muffled boom came from the mountaintop!

Following the sound, one could see the main hall, entirely cast in spirit gold, symbolizing the supreme authority of Mount Xuanri.

In the center of the hall, a smooth, mirror-like crimson cut suddenly lit up.

Then, the upper part of the entire hall slowly slid down along the cut.

Rock fragments flew everywhere, dust billowed into the sky, and the chaotic flow of spiritual energy transformed into a howling wind, making the two of them almost lose their footing.

Just now.

Three dazzling, fist-sized orbs of light shot frantically into the sky from the ruins of the collapsed main hall, seemingly trying to plunge into the distant clouds.

It is the natal golden core of a Golden Core cultivator!

The crimson sword light, stretching across the sky and still possessing its lingering power, swept back silently from a great height.

The three golden pills suddenly lost their brilliance, and before their pure magical power could dissipate, they were completely annihilated by the remaining sword energy.

For a moment, only the rumbling echoes of the collapsing palace and the wailing of the mountain wind whistling through the broken walls remained between heaven and earth.

On the ruins of the main hall, only a figure in crimson robes stood with a sword in hand, his robes fluttering slightly in the wind.

Silently overlooking the Xuanri Mountain, which has undergone a dramatic transformation in an instant.

The two outer disciples stood frozen in place, like two clay sculptures, a bone-chilling cold rising from their feet to the top of their heads.

After a long silence, the eldest disciple finally spoke, his lips trembling, in a barely audible whisper:

"Mount Xuanri... is gone..."

The young disciple's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, staring blankly at the ruins.

"What...what do we do?"