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

The Heavenly Court, the Lingxiao Palace.

Thousands of auspicious clouds slowly drifted around the palace, their rosy glow and auspicious aura seemingly layered upon layer.

Strands of flawless clouds spread out toward the steps of the Lingxiao Palace.

A unicorn strolled among the clouds, and a majestic Taoist sat atop it, with three eyes on his forehead.

There was a celestial being in golden armor with red hair, holding a spear and halberd, moving amidst intertwined thunder and fire.

There are drifting clouds and shimmering waters, and raging flames; all are moving forward, each with its own methods.

There were also groups of familiar celestial officials whispering to each other or exchanging thoughts, guessing about the rewards to be bestowed at today's court assembly.

This is because the generals of the Thunder Department and the gods of the Fighting Department who conquered a demon cave in the Eastern Celestial Realm have all returned to the Heavenly Court.

Today is the day to bestow rewards.

"I've heard that His Majesty intends to bestow upon someone the title of True Lord. I wonder who possesses such merit and honor?"

"A title bestowed upon him as a True Lord? Is that really true?"

"I had only heard rumors before, but such a grand scene is rare these days, so it must be true."

After all, bestowing the title of True Lord is no small matter!

"Yes, what a magnificent sight."

Lei Zu himself has arrived, along with the Three Officials, the Four Saints of the North Pole (except for Tianpeng Dazhenjun), the Four Generals of Thunder, Fire, Plague, and War, and all the stars in the heavens have come…”

A deep, thunderous roar resounded from above the two divine generals, who looked up.

But then they saw a red-browed lion with flames flying and a blue-maned lion strolling among the clouds. A serene and beautiful Bodhisattva sat on the blue lion, and seemed to notice the two of them, so he lowered his eyes and nodded slightly in greeting.

The two water deities quickly bowed in respect, and only after the Bodhisattva had departed did they sigh softly:

"Even Manjushri Bodhisattva from Buddhism has come!"

Such a grand display is rarely seen in hundreds of years. All the immortals knew that today's imperial decree was probably no ordinary event.

This must be no ordinary True Lord status. The immortals and gods were pretty much certain of their guess.

His gaze involuntarily lingered on the faces of several generals with the most outstanding achievements, especially the commanders of the Thunder Department and the star lords of the Fighting Department who were in charge of killing.

Chen Jiao was dressed in a black battle robe with gold patterns. He was tall and straight with a cold face. He walked with his hand on his sword, and occasionally a ray of blazing white lightning would flash in the depths of his eyes.

Feeling the gazes of the immortals and gods, Chen Jiao remained calm, but a sense of emotion rose in his heart.

Having transmigrated here, I have neither the foundation of a sect nor the fortune to befall me; I am merely a rootless duckweed.

After cultivating in the mortal realm for three hundred years, he finally ascended to heaven and became a celestial being.

For a hundred years, he subdued demons and monsters in the Thunder Department, cleansing away evil influences. He rose step by step from the position of Thunderbolt Captain, accumulating merits until he became the Demon-Slaying Marshal, and was awarded the title of Yilie Tianjun!

Just as Chen Jiao's emotions were beginning to stir, the clouds behind him began to move slightly.

A majestic general, dressed in a deep purple marshal's robe with thunder patterns, approached on a cloud.

It was none other than Li Gang, the senior Marshal of the Guanghua Train Corps.

He put on a warm smile and cupped his hands in greeting:

"In this campaign to vanquish the demons in the Eastern Pole, Chen Tianjun led his troops with overwhelming force, breaking through the demon's lair one after another, and establishing unparalleled merit. We, his comrades, are truly filled with admiration."

As he spoke, his gaze seemed to casually sweep across Chen Jiao's calm face, trying to discern a trace of ambition or expectation within it.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao slightly turned his head, nodded in return, and spoke calmly:

"Marshal Li is too kind."

The feat of vanquishing the demon was the result of the concerted efforts of all colleagues and the bravery of the soldiers; the dragon dared not claim credit for it.

A barely perceptible glint flashed in Li Gang's eyes, but his smile remained warm as he casually remarked:

"Indeed, the Heavenly Lord is young and promising, and is highly regarded by the Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable."

This time, in the Eastern Extremity Demon Extermination Campaign, they even defeated a demon god's avatar, achieving remarkable feats.

Given time, it wouldn't be impossible for him to ascend to the position of True Lord.

Chen Jiao's expression remained unchanged, as if he had only heard a casual greeting, and he calmly replied:

"Thunder and rain are both blessings from Heaven."

We will simply do our duty and await divine judgment.

His words were earnest, completely disregarding any personal ambitions and focusing solely on his duties. There was not a trace of eagerness for the position of True Lord; he seemed utterly indifferent.

Upon hearing this, Li Gang's smile deepened slightly. Just as he was about to speak again, he suddenly heard a clear laugh from the side.

Then, an elderly celestial official, dressed in the robes of the Fire Virtue Palace and exuding the fiery aura unique to the Fire Department, stepped forward.

It was Zhao Yan, a celestial official of the Fire Department who was on good terms with Li Gang.

His voice was booming, and he bowed to Li Gang with his hands clasped, then smiled and said:

"The position of True Lord is no small matter; it cannot be obtained by anyone but those with great merit, virtue, and supernatural powers."

In my opinion, Li Gang, the Marshal of the Jinhua Train of the Thunder Department, has accomplished a great deal and is highly qualified, making him worthy of this position!

Marshal Li has commanded his generals and officers in numerous campaigns over the years. In this campaign against the demons in the Eastern Celestial Realm, he led from the front, destroying the enemy's lair, and deserves the highest honor!

As soon as he finished speaking, several celestial officials and celestial bureaucrats nearby who were already close to Li Gang or intended to curry favor with him began to whisper in agreement:

"What Immortal Zhao says is absolutely right!"

"Marshal Li's qualifications and achievements make him the best candidate."

"That makes perfect sense..."

For a moment, the area around this small gimbal seemed to have a bit of a fan-driven atmosphere.

Upon hearing this, Li Gang's smile widened, but he waved his hand in feigned humility:

"Hey everyone, be careful what you say!"

The will of Heaven is unfathomable; how could we presume to fathom it? Everything awaits His Majesty's divine judgment.

His gaze, however, drifted back to Chen Jiao, wanting to see how he would react.

Chen Jiao ignored him, only gazing at the misty sea of ​​clouds.

Immortal Official Zhao Yan stroked his beard and laughed:

"Marshal Li, why be so modest! You have commanded a part of the Thunder Department for many years, and you have made great contributions and have a long history of service."

Some young and inexperienced individuals may have made some contributions by chance, but how can they compare to the marshal's centuries of diligent work?

In my humble opinion, the position of True Lord today belongs to none other than the Marshal!

Li Gang feigned displeasure and waved his hand to stop the crowd:

"Stop talking nonsense! His Majesty's will is wise and discerning, and the truth will prevail."

However, a hint of smugness and anticipation could not be hidden in the corners of his eyes and brows.

Hearing Zhao Yan's sarcastic remarks, Chen Jiao's eyes turned cold, and he was about to retaliate.

A clear, cold, and slightly sharp female voice rang out from the fighting formation at the side and rear:

"Oh? Isn't what you all say rather biased?"

Following the sound, everyone looked and saw a heroic goddess general from the Doubu tribe, dressed in silver-white star-patterned armor, riding on clouds. Her brows exuded a valiant and righteous aura; she was none other than Xingxiu Xinyuehu.

Her gaze swept over the few celestial officials who echoed her, finally settling on the face of the fire department official, where she retorted without hesitation:

"The Immortal Official's words are biased. How can the merit of vanquishing demons in the Eastern Pole be judged solely by breaking through the acupoints?"

If someone hadn't intercepted the demonic tide reinforcements from beyond the heavens and defeated the demon god's avatar at the crucial moment, how could Li Gang have so easily stormed into the lair?

Such a feat of turning the tide, is it not considered a great achievement or a great supernatural power?

When it comes to rewarding merit, it should be based on military achievements!

If high positions are granted solely based on seniority, wouldn't that discourage the soldiers who have fought and bled on the front lines?

Her voice was clear and resonant, sounding particularly powerful in front of the auspiciously auspicious Lingxiao Palace.

These words immediately left the few who had echoed them looking embarrassed and speechless for a moment.

"Hmph, intercepting reinforcements and breaking through the enemy's defenses is important, but it is ultimately a supporting task. Winning by taking risks is nothing compared to Marshal Li's upright and honorable victory in front of the enemy and sweeping away their strongholds."

The position of True Lord is related to the face of the Heavenly Court, and requires a combination of virtue, talent, and dignity, with seniority and prestige being indispensable!

How could one seize power based on just one or two risky feats?

Fire official Zhao Yan snorted coldly, quite displeased that Xin Yuehu was brushing his face.