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

East China Sea.

The vast sky was shrouded in darkness.

The tide surged and churned like countless giant pythons, encroaching upon the azure sea and sky.

Wherever it passed, the azure waves turned into a dead zone, all spiritual energy was annihilated, and a bone-chilling, turbid aura permeated the air.

As far as the eye could see, there was only the deep, dark color of the water; no fish or shrimp were to be seen, and no waves could be heard.

The lines that the Tianhe Navy had painstakingly maintained were already in disarray.

The remaining warships and heavenly soldiers formed isolated small battle formations, like the last few small boats in a storm, violently tossed about in the dark waves.

Every now and then, the heavenly soldiers would run out of strength, their protective divine light extinguished like a candle flickering in the wind, and they would be swept into the tide along with their armor.

Even the Nascent Soul of the Purple Mansion didn't have time to appear before it was completely swallowed up by the extremely yin and turbid energy, and vanished without a trace in an instant.

The deputy commander of the Tianhe Navy, who remained behind, shouted commands at the top of his lungs, his face pale, his eyes bloodshot and filled with despair.

Higher up in the clouds, the reinforcements from the Thunder Department were also locked in a fierce battle.

Lei Gong vigorously pounded his double mallets. Although the drumbeats could still shake the nearby Weak Water, the sound was already showing signs of fatigue and was far less powerful than it had been at the beginning, sweeping across the four seas.

Dozens of golden-armored thunder generals unleashed heavenly thunder, lightning snakes danced wildly, and thunder spears were continuously hurled at the crest of the tide.

The dazzling lightning struck the Weak Water, exploding into clusters of blinding silver light, but it could only slightly slow down the Weak Water's attack.

Ahead of the Weak Water, the light of the magical artifact flickered uncertainly.

Occasionally, a golden-armored general would roar and unleash his most treasured thunder talisman or magical artifact, blasting open a small patch of clarity.

But in the blink of an eye, even more weak waters surged in from all directions.

This amount of aid is like a drop in the ocean compared to the overall crumbling war situation.

Further away, the cultivators, rogue cultivators, and spirits from all over the world who had come to help or watch had already scattered like birds and beasts.

Those with less cultivation, seeing the situation was dire, had already taken flight and fled to other continents without looking back, wishing they had two more legs.

There are also those who harbor侥幸心理 (a gambler's mentality), relying on their limited abilities to try and profit from the chaos.

The moment it was touched by the Weak Water, the protective aura shattered like bubbles, and in an instant, it was completely destroyed, leaving not even a trace.

Fragments of magical artifacts and broken corpses floated on the sea, rising and falling with the tide.

The once magnificent scenic spots of the East Sea, dotted with numerous immortal islands and numerous sects, have now mostly vanished silently into the Weak Water, leaving not even a trace of broken walls and ruins.

Dragon Girl Ao Ying stood on the waves, her light blue palace dress stained with patches of dirt.

Her voice was clear and calm, and with a wave of her hand, gentle water elemental power emanated.

They swept up the panicked and weak aquatic creatures and pushed them towards the clean sea area behind, which had not yet been tainted by the weak waters.

Ao Ying turned to the Turtle Prime Minister beside her and transmitted her voice:

"Order the sea patrol yakshas to light the guiding mermaid lanterns to show the way to the refugees!"

Princess Wansheng is Ao Ying's good friend. Although she is not from the East Sea, she also does her part at this moment.

Her figure moved like a butterfly, flitting among the scattered aquatic creatures, guiding them in the direction of escape.

"Escape to the southeast Coral Trench, avoid the Weak Water direction, and do not turn back! Activate Water Escape at full power!"

Although there was a look of worry between his brows, his movements were not flustered.

The aquatic life is as numerous as the tides, yet orderly.

However, the Weak Water advanced even faster, constantly swallowing up those who lagged behind, their cries of agony being engulfed by the waves.

Not far away, Xuan Ling's clothes fluttered in the sea breeze.

He made a hand seal, and immediately a faint dragon's roar pierced through the water and carried far away.

Within moments, a series of deep, thunderous responses echoed from the depths of the distant seabed.

Immediately afterwards, the sea below began to churn violently.

A gentle blue light began to appear underwater, and the light rapidly expanded.

Nearly a hundred enormous, mountain-like black shadows revealed their true forms at once.

It's a whale.

Nearly a hundred dragon whales.

The leader, Whale Cloud, had a single horn on his forehead that shimmered with light, transforming into a figure dressed in a simple gray robe. He was none other than Whale Cloud, the new patriarch of the Dragon Whale Clan.

His expression was calm as he respectfully bowed to Xuan Ling.

"Brother Dao, what are your orders?"

Xuan Ling's gaze swept across the devastated airspace where celestial soldiers were constantly falling to their deaths, then turned to the still slowly advancing Weak Water Ink Tide in the distance, and he gave a brief order:

"Bring the young and strong men of your tribe to reveal their true forms."

Half of them dived below to receive the falling celestial soldiers; the other half stirred up the ocean currents a hundred miles ahead of the Weak Water.

Even delaying them for a moment would be a great merit.

Upon hearing this, Whale Cloud's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Without hesitation, he clasped his hands in a fist and replied in a deep voice, "Whale Cloud obeys!"

He turned around, facing the deep sea behind him, and let out a long, deep, and powerful roar.

The whistling sound, like muffled thunder rolling across the seabed, conveyed an ancient message.

"Boom—!"

The next instant, the entire sea seemed to boil.

A colossal shadow suddenly rose from the depths of the sea.

Nearly a hundred dragon whales leaped out of the water at the same time, their bodies like mountains and their backs like hills, blocking out the sky and the sun.

The seawater was pushed aside by the enormous body, creating a deafening roar.

Upon hearing the sound, the pod of dragon whales moved and orderly split into two groups.

A group of about thirty giant whales raised their heads and let out a deep, long roar.

Its already enormous body swelled even more, its back becoming even wider and flatter, like a series of moving islands.

They quickly dispersed, swimming below the airspace where heavenly soldiers were falling like raindrops, and steadily caught them.

Another group of about sixty giant whales let out even deeper roars and plunged into the deep sea, rapidly diving towards the direction from which the Weak Water was approaching.

They emitted deep, mournful whale songs, and their massive tail and pectoral fins began to thrash violently and rhythmically, stirring up towering waves.

Thick columns of water shot into the sky, forming a heavy water elemental barrier that fiercely met the slowly advancing front of the Weak Water.

"boom--!"

The water wall collided violently with the weak water.

Although it could not completely stop the momentum of the Weak Water, it did slow down its advance.

The edge of the Weak Water was torn open with countless tiny gaps, buying precious moments for the fleeing aquatic creatures and the heavenly soldiers who came to their rescue.

Xuan Ling stood atop the back of a giant dragon whale, towering majestically before the Weak Water.

He gazed intently into the depths of the Weak Water, as if searching, while the Water Element Sword in his hand shone incessantly, crisscrossing and whistling, cleaving the Weak Water apart.

A hundred dragon whales floated between the sea and the sky, carrying wounded soldiers on their backs, stirring up the tides, creating a magnificent spectacle.

Upon seeing this, both Ao Ying and Princess Wansheng couldn't help but feel a surge of surprise and hope in their eyes.

The fleeing aquatic group felt the pressure lessen and increased their escape speed.

…………

On the coast of the East China Sea, there is a small fishing village called Haiding Village, named for its tranquil sea.

At the village entrance, several dilapidated fishing boats were moored to crooked old wooden stakes, creaking and groaning as they bumped against each other in the increasingly strong sea wind.

The village woman, Yunniang, was quickly and efficiently taking the last few dried fish off the drying rack.

Her husband went to sea with a ship before the New Year, but unfortunately encountered a storm and never returned.

She then took Ah Qi with her and worked as a laundry, sewing, netting, and sail repairman to make a living.

Ah Qi is only six years old, but unlike children who grow up by the sea, he is not wild. Instead, he is rather timid and quiet.

His favorite thing to do was to pester Yunniang and ask her about the mountain spirits and demons on Qingchi Ridge in the east.

"Mother, do the monsters on the ridge really not eat people?"

"Will the fox sister on the ridge really trade mountain fruits for our dried fish?"

"Yes, the mountain lord of Qingchi Ridge has set a rule that the immortals in the mountain will not bully us mortals."

As Yunniang mended the fishing net, she answered softly. Though her eyes showed signs of hardship, they also revealed a tenacious spirit.

The monster Shouli of Qingchi Ridge is a well-known fact in the surrounding villages.

Occasionally, a daring peddler would even take salt and needles to the market at the foot of the mountain to exchange for mountain delicacies with some local demons.

The village children often used the dried fish they had saved to exchange for some sweet mountain fruits, and the fox demon, seeing that the children were young, would often give them a few extra.

Yunniang once traded three baskets of seaweed with an old badger spirit for several herbal remedies to treat colds, which proved quite effective.

When the villagers talk about the ridge, they are less afraid and more familiar with each other like neighbors.

In this world, it's rare to find such a peaceful place. I even feel that the monsters of Qingchi Ridge are more at ease than some people.

She harbored a thought: if she could obtain permission from the mountain demons, she would save up some money and take Ah Qi to the foot of Qingchi Ridge to make a living.

Building a small thatched hut at the foot of the ridge, away from the winds and waves of the sea, would be a good idea.

That day, the sky suddenly darkened to an alarming degree.

Seabirds took flight in fright, and wild beasts fled in terror.

Yunniang was mending clothes when she suddenly felt a strange panic in her chest, and her needle and thread stopped moving.

She looked up at the sea and saw a dark expanse of water silently spreading across the distant horizon, silencing even the sound of the waves as it passed.

The village's experienced old fisherman shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Run! Run to higher ground! Haiyi is coming!"

The fishing village erupted in chaos, filled with screams and barking dogs.

Yunniang scooped up Aqi, hastily wrapped him in an old coat, and followed the panicked crowd toward the hillside behind the village.

"Mother, where are we going?"

Ah Qi put his arm around her neck and asked softly.

"Let's go to Qingchi Ridge!" Yunniang said through gritted teeth, her steps unwavering.

"The mountain lords there have strict rules, and the immortals don't harm people. Perhaps there's a way out."

The mother and daughter desperately fled with the flow of people.

Behind him, the deathly darkness drew ever closer, like a shadow.

It doesn't roar, it doesn't surge, it just silently submerges and devours everything.

The sand, rocks, and even the few wrecked boats on the beach melted away the moment they were touched, leaving not a trace.

Those who ran slowly were lightly touched by the dark edge and turned into wisps of black smoke, without even having time to scream.

Yunniang could even smell an indescribable chilling aura, carrying the salty smell of seawater, yet mixed with a nauseating rotten odor.

She didn't stop walking, and when she turned her head, she was instantly terrified.

The inky waves were like a high wall, only a hundred feet away from them.

Despair surged through her at once, and Yunniang hugged her daughter tightly.

"Mother, I'm scared..."

"Close your eyes."

Yunniang gently covered Aqi's eyes, a metallic taste rising in her throat.

Ah Qi buried his face deep in his mother's arms, his small body trembling slightly.

Darkness instantly enveloped the area above.

However, just as the darkness was about to completely engulf the mother and daughter.

"Buzz..."

A deep yet clear humming sound came from somewhere.

It seemed to come from the heavens, or burst forth from the deepest rock layers of the ocean.

A tiny golden glint, as small as a bean or a millet grain, suddenly appeared in the center of the inky black sky.

A tiny golden glint, as small as a bean or a millet grain, suddenly appeared in the center of the inky black sky.

The point of light rapidly expanded, leaving a dazzling golden trail that tore through the dark sky and plummeted downwards.