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

The words of Yaoming Sili Tianjun and Baihu Jianbing Shenjun were finalized.

The atmosphere inside the hall was tense. All the gods held their breath, their eyes fixed on the Radiant Heavenly Peaceful Law True Lord beneath the steps.

Chen Jiao did not get angry or rush to defend himself as everyone expected.

He knew in his heart that his sudden acquisition of great power, the establishment of his own government and the command of the exorcism institute, was undoubtedly an infringement on the power and interests of certain people.

Little did they know whether it was merely a selfish act by a god or a group of old interest groups.

Thoughts raced through my mind as I silently speculated.

Yaoming Sili Tianjun is in charge of some of the Heavenly Court's rituals. He belongs to the Tian Shu Academy, but is also under the jurisdiction of Dongyang Yuyi Palace.

Chen Jiao felt a chill run down his spine. The head of the Nine Luminaries?

However, the stance of the White Tiger Supervisor God is somewhat difficult to guess.

He is one of the Four Divine Lords, belonging to the Fighting Department, and is in charge of killing and warfare, and is also in the Exorcism Bureau.

Guarding the western clouds, it is still under the jurisdiction of the Great Emperor Gouchen.

Amidst the chaos, Chen Jiao found it difficult to make a decision and simply decided to stop thinking about it.

He felt no turmoil in his heart, nor the slightest fear.

In the struggle for supremacy, how can we cling to old ways?

The Heavenly Court is riddled with problems and urgently needs swift and decisive action!

He remained calm, not even glancing at the two deities who had launched the attack.

He merely raised his eyes slightly, his gaze falling upon the hazy imperial face atop the steps. His voice, though not loud, was clear and resonant, like a gentle spring gurgling through the hall:

"Great Celestial Venerable."

He first bowed to show his respect to the Jade Emperor.

After the ceremony, he slowly turned around and faced the direction where the Celestial Master of Ceremonies and the White Tiger God were located.

His gaze swept across the scene calmly, without joy or anger, yet possessing an air of profound composure and unwavering strength.

"The Celestial Lord of Ceremonies is concerned about the heavy responsibilities of the Northern Exorcism Institute and fears that I, being young and inexperienced, may fail to live up to His Majesty's grace. These are the words of a wise and experienced ruler, and I understand them."

He spoke calmly, then abruptly changed the subject.

Still understated, yet imbued with an undeniable air of authority:

"However, the Heavenly Court has always promoted people based on merit and rewarded them accordingly, assigning them positions according to their abilities."

This humble one, though unworthy, has, in the Eastern Frontier battlefield, followed the law in slaying generals and breaking through enemy lines.

The Exorcism Bureau, which governs the laws of the Three Realms, prioritizes not seniority, but whether one understands the law, fears the law, and enforces it with unwavering resolve!

He turned his gaze to the Celestial Master of Ceremonies, his tone still calm, yet each word clear:

"The Heavenly Ruler is in charge of the system of rites and ceremonies. He should know that the law does not tolerate sentimentality, nor does it change based on age."

If seniority alone could determine everything, why establish the Arctic Exorcism Hall? Simply ranking by age would suffice.

Upon hearing this, the stern face of the Celestial Master of Ceremonies stiffened slightly, and he was momentarily speechless.

Chen Jiao's words avoided getting bogged down in seniority and went straight to the core responsibility of the Arctic Exorcism Institute—the rules and laws of heaven!

Chen Jiao surveyed the gods in the hall, his voice booming like a great bell, resonating in the hearts of every immortal and deity:

"As for establishing a government office and setting up a military headquarters, this is an extraordinary time to do extraordinary things!"

The demons are watching us closely; we must be determined and make bold moves!

If we seek stability in everything and follow the old ways step by step, how can we achieve the great victory of vanquishing the demons in the East?

Since the Great Celestial Venerable has commanded your humble servant to establish a government, it means that he intends to set forth new rules.

The Thunder Palace of the Heavenly Pivot is established specifically to conquer demons and exorcise evil spirits; it is a public instrument for upholding the law and eliminating demons! It is not for pleasure.

As for any needs, I will consider the urgency and report truthfully, and will certainly not waste the resources of the Heavenly Court.

My only wish is for peace and order in the Three Realms, so that I may share the burdens of the Great Heavenly Venerable!

His tone was magnificent, and the confidence and sense of responsibility he conveyed made many of the initially skeptical gods and immortals secretly nod in agreement.

Before he could respond, Chen Jiao turned his gaze to the White Tiger God and said calmly:

"The White Tiger God Lord's suggestion to send someone to assist is well-intentioned. However..."

He paused briefly, though the murderous aura emanating from him, a testament to his battlefield experience and control over life and death, did not emanate outwards.

Yet even a seasoned warrior like the White Tiger God felt an invisible pressure.

"The matters handled by the Exorcism Bureau are not ordinary military affairs, nor are they matters of deliberation."

The Exorcism Court is in charge of criminal law and trials, holding the power of life and death. It is most incompatible with multiple departments issuing different powers and unclear responsibilities!

If someone is sent to assist in the judgment, is it to help with the judgment, or to monitor and obstruct the process?

Who will issue the order, and who will be held responsible?

If one needs assistance in everything, hesitates when encountering problems, and constantly seeks instructions, where is the authority of the law? Where is the efficiency?

What if, at that time, some heinous villain uses this as an excuse to delay and miss the opportunity to fight?

He did not directly reject the so-called assistance, but pointed out the special nature of the Arctic Exorcism Institute's function.

Efficiency and authority are necessary; if obstacles are placed upon them, they will only cause harm.

This reasoning is not only logical and reasonable, but also based on upholding the authority and dignity of the Heavenly Court's laws.

Finally, Chen Jiao's gaze swept over the two of them again, his voice still calm, yet carrying a resolute force:

"Since the Great Heavenly Venerable has granted me this position, he trusts that I am able to understand the law and uphold justice."

Your humble servant will certainly perform his duties diligently, adhering to the law and basing his actions on facts. He will not shrink back because of his youth, nor will he be arrogant because of his power.

As for whether he can handle the job...

He paused slightly, his tone carrying a faint yet confident and disdainful undertone:

"Let's wait and see how it goes."

Having said that, he said no more, turned to face the Jade Emperor, bowed again, and stood silently.

The entire response was neither a forceful rebuttal nor falling into the other party's rhetoric.

Be neither humble nor arrogant, and be reasonable and well-founded.

The hall was completely silent.

The gods were all awestruck by this impeccable yet restrainedly domineering response.

The Celestial Lord of Ceremonies and the White Tiger God Lord had shifting expressions, hesitant to speak, but found it difficult to find suitable words to refute them.

I thought that this Lord Yilie was always taciturn and not good at speaking or being witty, but I never expected him to be so quick-witted!

Every word the other party said made sense, and they analyzed the pros and cons so thoroughly.

If you continue to argue, it will only reveal your narrow-mindedness and ulterior motives.

On the steps of the imperial palace, the Jade Emperor's crown tassels trembled slightly, and a faint voice seemed to emanate from it, revealing neither joy nor anger:

"What the True Lord Jingfa said is very much in line with my wishes."

This matter need not be discussed further.

He received the imperial decree and was granted the seal of office.

A single sentence sealed the deal.

The Celestial Lord of Ceremonies and the White Tiger God had no choice but to bow and agree, silently retreating to their ranks, their expressions somewhat unnatural.

The tense atmosphere inside the hall quietly dissipated, replaced by a deeper scrutiny and reverence for this newly appointed True Lord.

Chen Jiao remained standing still, his black robe as dark as ink, as if the turmoil just now was nothing more than a gentle breeze brushing past the mountain rocks, leaving no trace.

The debate was settled, but the established rituals remained unchanged.

Venus stood smiling, looking peacefully at Chen Jiao, awaiting his response.

The entire Lingxiao Palace seemed to freeze at this moment.

All eyes were on one person.

Despite the thousands of stares, Chen Jiao remained calm.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze passing over His Majesty Dan, and looked at the blurry yet majestic figure on the Nine Dragon Throne.

Subsequently, it proceeded steadily.

Chen Jiao showed neither elation nor fear, as if the rewards he received were entirely reasonable.

He bowed calmly, his voice clear and steady:

"Your humble servant accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude."

We will do our utmost to repay Heaven's grace.

The Jade Emperor sat on his nine-dragon throne, his gaze lingering on Chen Jiao for a moment behind his crown. He nodded slightly but said nothing, yet his attitude spoke volumes.

Venus held a jade plate in his hands, on which sat a square seal, entirely purple-gold and entwined with nine thunder patterns.

The seal knob is a thunder beast with its head raised and roaring. The bottom of the seal is engraved with four ancient Taoist characters, "Huangtian Jingfa," which is the seal of the True Lord.

Beside the seal is a scroll of black ribbon embroidered with silver thunder patterns, shimmering with light.

With steady steps, he walked up to Chen Jiao.

Chen Jiao slowly raised his hands, his fingertips steady and without the slightest tremor, and steadily accepted the heavy seal and the magnificent ribbon.

The seal felt heavy as a mountain, yet it seemed to be connected to him by blood.

The instant his fingertips touched the seal—

"Buzz—!"