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

Jiang Lingzi's gaze swept over everyone in the hall, then she smiled calmly:

"To be honest, ever since that Flood Dragon Demon King went into seclusion, I have been secretly patrolling the area around Qingchi Ridge with my spirit birds."

My spirit bird can blend into the wind and clouds, concealing its aura so that even a Golden Core cultivator would find it difficult to detect. After years of observation, I know it very well.

The Flood Dragon Demon King had been in seclusion in his quiet chamber for a long time, and his aura had become stagnant, like a stubborn rock or a withered tree, which was definitely not the usual sign of someone who was in seclusion and gathering strength.

His forces numbered in the tens of thousands, including shrimp soldiers, crab generals, mountain spirits, and tree monsters, and he also gathered quite a few Golden Core cultivators.

Despite their apparent strength, they are all mere ants, and to this day, no one has been able to break through the Nascent Soul barrier.

"If Xuan Ling were alive, he could still suppress them; if Xuan Ling were dead, they would be nothing but a disorganized mess, mere clay chickens and tile dogs."

"As for Fellow Daoist Slaying the Dragon..."

Jiang Lingzi laughed again and said, "Fellow Daoist, have you not heard of the origin of his Daoist name? Over the years, countless evil dragons and ferocious pythons have died by his sword."

Even if Xuan Ling emerges from seclusion, the outcome of his battle against Fellow Daoist Zhan Jiao, whose divine sword technique is specifically designed to counter it, remains uncertain.

Even if a swift victory cannot be achieved, it is not difficult to maneuver for a while and probe their strengths and weaknesses.

He picked up the warm spiritual tea in front of him, took a small sip, and said leisurely:

"Fellow Daoist, please don't worry. This is just a trial balloon; success is welcome, but failure is also fine."

Qingchi Ridge, an eight-hundred-mile-long sacred mountain and blessed land, is fitting for the virtuous to reside in.

As the Grand Master Dongxu listened to his clear and logical analysis, the worry on his face gradually disappeared, and he nodded and smiled:

"In that case, I was just worrying unnecessarily. Fellow Daoist Zhan Jiao's swordsmanship is indeed superb, and I have witnessed his prowess firsthand."

The Flood Dragon Demon King had dominated the southeast for a long time, and his arrogance was well-deserved to meet this calamity.

The Golden Core elders in the hall listened to the two Nascent Soul Grandmasters' analysis.

Their tense minds relaxed, and they were filled with righteous indignation, speaking up one after another.

Upon hearing this, the elder at the next seat, whose face was as red as a jujube, snorted coldly and replied:

"What the sect leader says is absolutely right! That Flood Dragon Demon King, relying on his cultivation level, has seen his power grow increasingly stronger in recent years, and his caravans roam freely across the land."

He has squeezed out the markets under our sect's jurisdiction, making them increasingly deserted, and he has monopolized the sources of many rare spiritual materials!

If this continues, where will my Spirit Control Sect find its footing?

Another elder slammed his fist on the table in anger and said:

"That's not all! Yunmang Mountain is a naturally beautiful and spiritually rich place, and it is rightfully inhabited by virtuous people."

It's a waste that such a precious thing has been taken over by a scaly, horned monster!

Not to mention the mountain's spiritual veins, mineral deposits, and medicinal herb fields... which one wouldn't be coveted?

"Exactly! The Qingchi Ridge trade route is bustling with spirit stones and silver coins flowing like rivers every day."

There's also the Yunmang Market in Yunmang Mountain, which has now become the largest trading place for cultivators in the southeast, attracting all sorts of independent cultivators and small sects.

The spirit beasts and birds tamed by my Spirit Control Sect are priced according to the rules of that market, and are not allowed to raise prices arbitrarily. This is truly outrageous!

"There are also several spirit stone veins from before, located in the ambiguous border area between our sect and Qingchi Ridge."

Back then, Xuan Ling claimed it as his territory and sent demon soldiers to forcibly occupy it without showing any mercy!

The crowd chimed in with their own opinions, all expressing their dissatisfaction and resentment towards Qingchi Ridge's rapid rise over the years.

Jiang Lingzi slightly raised her hand, suppressing the discussion.

He rose, strolled into the hall, his eyes gleaming. He first smiled at Grandmaster Dongxu, then surveyed the assembled elders, and said in a deep voice:

"In this vast surrounding area, is it only my Yuling Sect that is wary of the Jiao Demon King's growing power?"

His Qingchi Ridge estate, the Yunmang Mountain market, and the eight trade routes connecting the southeast—aren't they all tempting targets?

In the past, no one dared to confront him directly; they all simply stood by and watched.

He paused, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and then said:

"Today, Fellow Daoist Zhanjiao is the one who is testing the waters."

Whether it succeeds or fails, as long as it exposes a weakness in Xuan Ling, or damages his strength, or throws him into disarray...

At that time, there will be far more than just one or two people secretly coveting it.

After Jiang Lingzi finished speaking, she felt that she had thoroughly analyzed the situation, and all the pent-up emotions in her heart had been relieved. She felt a great sense of relief, and a hint of pride appeared between her brows.

He recalled that when Xuan Ling broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, he sent out invitations widely, and many cultivators from the southeast went to congratulate him.

The Yuling Sect, however, did not send any envoys. They felt that the Jiao Demon King was nothing more than a creature covered in scales and wet, who had only gotten a lucky break and dared to call himself a king, occupying Mount Ling.

What merit do I have to receive the respect due to a legitimate sect leader?

"If a suitable opportunity arises..."

A glint flashed in Jiang Lingzi's eyes, and she muttered to herself in a barely audible voice:

"I might have to offer this Demon King a taste of my treasured [Mysterious Pivot Beast Taming Talisman], and then recruit him into my sect."

"Only by serving as a guardian spirit beast that protects the mountain can one live up to one's cultivation and demonstrate the orthodox methods of the Xuanmen (mystical sect)."

As he was lost in thought, a smile still lingering on his face, he suddenly sensed something amiss in the atmosphere of the hall.

Looking up, I saw the Great Master Dongxu, who had just been echoing my words.

His face was ashen, his eyes wide open, staring intently at the direction of the main seat behind him.

The seven Golden Core elders stood frozen, some even tilting their teacups, unaware that spiritual tea was spilling out.

Some trembled slightly, and their foreheads were instantly covered with fine cold sweat.

Jiang Lingzi's heart sank suddenly, and her smile froze on her face.

A chill ran up from my tailbone and instantly spread throughout my limbs and bones.

Jiang Lingzi's heart sank suddenly, and her smile froze on her face.

A chill ran up from my tailbone and instantly spread throughout my limbs and bones.

He slowly turned around.

A figure had appeared on the main seat sometime earlier.

Dressed in dark robes, with an upright posture, he casually leaned back in his sect leader's chair.

The young man rested his head on one hand, his crimson eyes half-open, gazing at him with a calm and indifferent expression.

All the arrays and restrictions in the hall, and all the warnings from the alert spirit birds,

All divine sense probes failed to detect when this person entered or how he took his seat.

The hall was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Only that person's calm and clear voice rang out, each word striking Jiang Lingzi's heart.

"In that case, fellow Daoist, why don't you tell me in detail? Who are the people who share your thoughts?"

"I will also pay them a visit one by one."

If it's not the Flood Dragon Demon King Xuan Ling, then who is it?

Not long after, over Jinyun Mountain.

The clouds surged like ink, and a black dragon emerged from the azure sky, coiling among the mountains.

Its body was like black iron, with gleaming scales and armor, and its eyes shone with a red-gold light, like stars shining down.

The dragon raised its head high, let out a long roar that ripped through the sky, and the sound shook the surrounding wilderness, silencing all the mountains and forests.

Immediately, the dragon grasped its claws, and an incomparably blazing crimson lightning bolt descended from the heavens, condensing into a lightning spear between its claws.

The black dragon slammed its giant claw, which held a spear, down towards the main peak of Jinyun Mountain below.

The thunder spear fell.

In an instant, the world lost its color.

Only the crimson lightning spear pierced through the field of vision, accompanied by a deafening roar as if the earth's veins had collapsed and the universe had been overturned, before crashing into the mountain!

The main peak of Jinyun Mountain, along with the pavilions, towers, and array formations of the Yuling Sect, which had been built up over hundreds of years, suddenly sank under this attack.

Then the rocks crumbled, dust billowed into the sky, and the spiritual energy roared and dissipated.

The majestic Lingshan Mountain was instantly shattered by the earth's cracks and its peaks collapsed.