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

The stench of blood had not yet dissipated from the market, and the scorched earth and remains silently testified to the carnage that had just occurred.

Chen Jiao stood still for a moment, slowly suppressing the ripples in his heart caused by the power of the stars.

His expression returned to its usual calm and serene state.

He turned around and looked at Whale Cloud and Xuan Gu Shangren behind him.

"This place is not safe to stay for long."

Chen Jiao's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable determination:

"Fellow Daoist Jingyun. Since Jingxiao has already made a deal with the tiger, he will surely know about this upheaval in the market."

"You can no longer return to the Dragon Whale Clan's territory."

Upon hearing this, the color drained from Jingyun's face even further.

He gazed at the devastated territory and the corpses scattered everywhere, his lips moving.

Ultimately, it turned into a heavy sigh, filled with deep weariness:

"What you say is absolutely right, fellow Daoist."

After this incident, there is no turning back for me and Whale Howl.

He looked at Chen Jiao, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "It's just the Flowing Cloud Sea..."

"The situation at sea remains to be seen."

Chen Jiao interrupted him, his tone calm:

"Find a secluded place to hide. Do not reveal yourself unless I come in person."

With a barely perceptible flick of his fingertip, a wisp of ethereal black dragon energy silently disappeared into Whale Cloud's sleeve:

"With this aura, I can find you."

Jingyun solemnly cupped his hands and bowed deeply:

"Whale Cloud will obey your command, fellow Daoist! Be careful in all matters!"

After saying this, he took one last look at Whale Cloud Pavilion, then his figure flickered and transformed into a barely perceptible stream of water.

Silently blending into the surrounding chaotic water element fluctuations, like a drop of water entering the sea, leaving no trace.

Chen Jiao watched him leave before turning to Xuan Gu Shangren, who had been standing silently to the side, his mind still unsettled.

"Fellow Daoist Xuan Gu."

Chen Jiao spoke, his voice pulling Xuan Gu back from his shock:

"The matter discussed with Whale Cloud today should not be discussed with outsiders for the time being."

Master Xuan Gu shuddered and quickly bowed, saying:

"Fellow Daoist, rest assured, I know the importance of this matter and would never dare to reveal even a little bit!"

"The whale's roar threatens to harm us; this humble Taoist vows to slay it!"

Master Xuangu couldn't help but ask in a low voice:

"Fellow Daoist, why not inform the Dragon Maiden to capture this traitor, Whale Roar?"

Chen Jiao's gaze was calm, and his voice was deep and clear:

"What good will it do to startle a snake before it comes out of its hole? We should just wait and see."

Upon hearing this, Master Xuangu felt a chill run down his spine and immediately understood.

The whale's roar is still exposed. If we alert the enemy, it will not be good. It is better for the enemy to be in the open while we remain in the shadows, and control the situation.

He now held the Demon King of the Flood Dragon in awe to the core and dared not disobey him in the slightest, so he nodded hastily.

Chen Jiao nodded slightly, said no more, and turned to walk towards the Crystal Palace.

Master Xuangu dared not be negligent and quickly mounted his escape light, carefully following behind.

The two walked in silence, breaking through the water, and soon returned to the shimmering, colorful waters of the Dragon Palace.

The palaces remained unchanged, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals patrolled as usual, and the faint sounds of string and wind instruments drifted in, as if the bloody massacre outside had never happened.

Upon entering the Crystal Palace, maids were already there to greet us.

Inside the side hall, pearls glittered and water rippled gently.

Seeing that Chen Jiao and Xuan Gu were dressed neatly and breathing steadily, as if they had not experienced a fierce battle, Ao Ying felt somewhat relieved.

But a lingering worry still lingered between his brows:

"You two fellow Daoists have returned?"

I just heard that the Dragon Whale Market was attacked, and I am very worried about it.

"How are you two fellow cultivators? Were you injured?"

Her tone was concerned, and her gaze swept over the two of them carefully.

Master Xuangu stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and reported, his tone heavy with lingering fear:

"Your Highness, this is indeed the case."

A group of exceptionally fierce demons, including three Golden Core demons, suddenly stormed into the market, killing anyone they saw, with the intention of destroying the market!

Fellow Daoist Xuanling and I happened to be in the market, and narrowly escaped being caught in the crossfire!

He omitted some details, only saying:

"Fortunately, Fellow Daoist Xuanling possessed great supernatural powers and fought bravely, which enabled us to defeat the demons and save our lives."

However... those demons were extremely vicious. When they saw that things were not going well, they either destroyed themselves or fled far away, and they failed to capture any prisoners alive.

Its origins and background are difficult to ascertain at the moment.

Chen Jiao sat quietly to the side, his expression calm and unchanging. After Xuan Gu finished speaking, he nodded slightly and added:

"The demons are ruthless and decisive, unlike ordinary bandits."

The market suffered significant losses.

His tone was calm, revealing little emotion.

Upon hearing this, Ao Ying frowned, her delicate fingers unconsciously tapping the edge of the bed.

The strength of these three Golden Core demons is beyond the reach of ordinary forces.

She hesitated for a moment, a cold glint flashing in her eyes:

"It seems someone is unable to contain themselves and wants to stir up trouble in my domain!"

She looked at Xuan Ling, her tone softening, tinged with gratitude:

"Thanks to Fellow Daoist Xuan Ling's intervention, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable. Are you alright, Fellow Daoist?"

"It's alright," Chen Jiao replied calmly.

Ao Ying took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, and said in a deep voice:

"I have taken note of this matter! I will definitely increase manpower and conduct a thorough investigation of the sea area!"

The expedition to Blackwater Abyss is imminent; we absolutely cannot afford any more mistakes!

Immediately, she revealed a bright smile and said:

"I feel very bad that you two fellow Daoists have been frightened this time."

A small banquet was then held in the Pearl Hall to help the two of them calm their nerves and wash away the dust of travel.

Chen Jiao nodded in agreement and followed Ao Ying into the banquet hall.

During the banquet, the music resumed, dancers gracefully moved about, and fine wines and delicacies filled the air with fragrance.

Ao Ying sat in the main seat, with Princess Wansheng sitting close to her side.

Princess Wansheng was dressed in a flowing light blue fairy dress today, looking radiant and beautiful. Her lovely eyes were constantly shifting, sometimes whispering and laughing with Ao Ying, and sometimes curiously sizing up Chen Jiao.

Master Li Yang had already arrived. Upon seeing Chen Jiao and his companion, he quickly rose to greet them, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture and smiling:

"Fellow Daoist Xuanling, Fellow Daoist Xuangu! Upon hearing about the events at the market, I am both astonished and amazed!"

Fellow Daoist's superb abilities are truly awe-inspiring!

He was straightforward, and his admiration was evident in his words.

Ao Ying smiled and raised her glass:

"Fellow Daoists, let us set aside our worries today and focus only on our friendship. Please drink this cup to the brim!"

The banquet atmosphere was harmonious and joyful.

True Man Li Yang and Venerable Master Xuan Gu had a pleasant conversation and exchanged some cultivation experiences.

Princess Wansheng would occasionally whisper to Ao Ying, but her gaze would always seem to drift towards Chen Jiao.

Chen Jiao sat calmly at the table, sipping the Dragon Palace wine and listening to the laughter around him, his gaze as serene as a deep pool.

Occasionally, when their eyes met, they would merely nod slightly, showing no emotion.

Meanwhile, in another heavily guarded side hall of the Crystal Palace.

General Whale stood with his hands behind his back, and in front of him, a water mirror reflected the tragic scene of the market being reduced to scorched earth.

His face was ashen, his eyes a mixture of anger and apprehension, which finally culminated in a cold snort:

"Xuan Ling, what a Flood Dragon Demon King!"

You've ruined my plans! But... there's a generous gift prepared for you by the master in the Blackwater Abyss!

Let's see how long you can keep up this arrogance!

The water mirror shimmered briefly, then vanished without a trace.

……

Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens lies the Tushita Palace of the Heaven of Separation from Hatred.

Amidst the swirling purple mist, the palace gates, imbued with a natural Daoist charm, silently slid open a crack.

A figure in a black robe with dark hair and a sword at his waist slowly walked out of the palace; it was none other than the True Lord Huangtian Jingfa.

"The power of stars?"

Let's see how long you can keep up this rampant!