From Under One Person: Sincere Journey Through the Heavens

Jiang Liu smiled slightly, blew a breath into the heart of the little white dragon, and transformed it into the true form of the jade dragon covered in blood. He sawed off its last remaining dragon horn and took the dragon pearl from its neck, causing its aura to drop by seven-tenths, making it no longer a true dragon, but reduced to an insect or snake on the ground.

"If one wishes to transcend the mortal realm and transform into a true dragon, this kind of external elixir must not be cultivated."

Jiang Liu put away the dragon horn and pointed to the dragon pearl, saying, "Back then, the Bodhisattva sawed off your dragon horn and took your dragon pearl when he kicked you; it was for business."

The reason I cut off your dragon horns that grew back on your past journey to the West and the dragon pearl that you cultivated once again is to teach you cultivation and to make you understand a principle.

"If you don't cultivate the intangible elixir of body and mind, but only seek this tangible elixir pearl, it's all in vain. Once someone reveals the root cause and removes it, you'll be at their mercy."

That's all.

To the astonishment of Kui Lang, Bai Hua Ai, and the others, a jade dragon flew out from Jiang Liu's body, then transformed into streams of light that entered the little white dragon's hundred orifices.

It is precisely the spirit of the flowing river.

With the spirit entering his body, the little white dragon's injuries were completely healed, his white scales shimmering, and he transformed into a white horse.

It is:

The jade dragon transformed into a white horse, its four hooves pointing westward.

Its body is covered in dragon scales, and it has a spirited appearance.

Mounting the white horse, Jiang Liu held the dragon pearl in his hand and laughed heartily, "I'm lending you my horse for now to help you embark on your cultivation path. Don't worry that I'll keep your dragon horns and dragon pearl; these two are excellent for crafting magical artifacts. Once you've regained your human form and true dragon body, I'll return them to you."

"I would rather give it to my senior brother."

Longma has attained the Great Dao. Although he has only just begun his cultivation, he already looks down on the dragon pearls he cultivated in the past.

“Cultivation requires inner seeking, but if one walks the world without external aids, the path to enlightenment will be difficult.” Jiang Liu advised, making a final decision to temporarily store the dragon pearl and dragon horn within his golden core.

Na Kui Lang and Bai Hua Ai stepped forward to flatter him: "The Monkey King is incredibly brave. He was able to turn that evil dragon into a white horse. He is no less than the pilgrims from five hundred years ago."

Upon hearing the word "evil dragon," the white horse neighed, turned its head, and snorted directly at Kyu-lang's face, spitting out a breath that startled Kyu-lang, who quickly retreated.

"Ha ha!"

Jiang Liu dismounted, stroked the white horse's mane, and said to Kui Lang, "Brother, don't be afraid, this horse won't hurt you."

"It doesn't hurt people, but it scares them."

Kui Lang dusted himself off and tidied his hair. He was quite bold, though. He ordered his servant to take a saddle from the wagon and gave it to Jiang Liu, saying, "I hope you will accept it, sir. A horse without a saddle, bridle, and reins is difficult to control."

"Thank you, brother."

Jiang Liu accepted it and thanked him.

No need to thank me.

Kui Lang said happily, "You are protecting my wife and me on our journey to Baoxiang Kingdom. I will only provide you with food, but you are expected to deal with the demons along the way. This makes me feel uneasy."

I'll feel at ease only if you accept it.

Jiang Liu's body and mind are both in the human world, and he knows that ordinary people talk a lot about human relationships and worldly affairs.

Not to mention that the cultivation "atmosphere" in this primordial world is quite bizarre.

It looks glamorous on the outside, but is rotten on the inside.

They follow the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak. They fight openly and secretly to compete for fortune, spiritual essence, and immortality. Even the Monkey King, whose primordial spirit was transformed into him, almost became addicted to it in the past. Only in the end did he see through it and undergo nirvana through death, which allowed his primordial spirit to be completely restored, and he then became the "chosen one" whose heart and spirit were one.

Let alone an ordinary person like Kyu-lang?

thereafter.

The group set off again.

The journey would last about two months. Along the way, they encountered many tigers, leopards, wolves, mountain spirits, and wild monsters. All those who did not cultivate good karma and dared to harm the caravan were killed by Jiang Liu, their souls entering the netherworld for reincarnation.

Before long, a cluster of mountains and forests came into view. It was the height of summer, with lush pine trees and verdant bamboo. In the depths of the forest, there seemed to be towering pavilions and orderly palaces.

So this is where we arrived.

Jiang Liu understood immediately. He saw the sun setting in the west and the sky darkening. He heard Kui Lang ask, "Hero, what lies ahead?"

"It looks like a temple."

Jiang Liu said, "But since it's built in the mountains and forests, it might be plagued by demons. It would be better to rest in a nearby town."

Chapter 1388 Seven Wolves with Malicious Intentions

"How could there be demons in a temple?"

Although Kui Lang was a businessman, he was also a Buddhist and did not believe that the mountain temple was a place of demons. However, as night was falling and the forest was dark, he did not insist on going to the mountain temple. Instead, he followed Jiang Liu's instructions and went to a nearby town to rest. He planned to take his wife to the forest temple to worship Buddha and offer incense the next day, praying for a safe journey ahead.

Upon entering the town, which was bustling and prosperous, I saw:

A hundred alleys and ten streets, three lanes and five markets. In the hundred alleys and ten streets, every bamboo house reflects the verdant green; in the three lanes and five markets, every painted beam shines brightly. The city gate towers are bathed in the evening glow, their gold paint gleaming; within the town's wide roads, galloping horses gallop leisurely. Teahouses boil water, the aroma filling half the street, enticing the senses; restaurants cook, the smoke rising, the warmth filling the alleys, tempting the palate.

While not as prosperous as Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty, it was still a place of dazzling lights and revelry; though its grandeur could not match that of Bianjing in the Song Dynasty, it was still a place of extravagance and decadence.

It's a good place to settle down and do business.

"Brother, why don't you just start your business here?"

The group entered the city and found an inn. Jiang Liu asked the waiter to feed the white horse good fodder. Although it was a dragon, it had become a horse today, so it should behave like a horse and eat grass to fill its belly. He then teased Kui Lang.

"That won't do."

Kui Lang shook his head and refused, "The silk and ceramics on my cart are top-quality goods. Only by selling them to the emperor of Baoxiang Kingdom can I make a lot of money."

Jiang Liu laughed: "This town may not be as prosperous as the capital, but it is peaceful. I imagine there are wealthy families who can afford your goods. Why go west? There are many tigers, leopards, wolves, mountain spirits and monsters along the way, which could be deadly."

"To be honest, my wife and I went to Baoxiang not just to sell goods, but also to fulfill a wish of my wife."

Kui Lang said in a low voice, "My wife was originally a princess of the Baoxiang Kingdom. Ten years ago, when Baoxiang Kingdom was in turmoil, the emperor wanted to send the princess to the Tang Dynasty to avoid disaster."

Who knew that the Tang Dynasty had long since fallen and that the Song Dynasty was now in power? The soldiers who had protected the princess all the way were all dead, and the princess had married me, a merchant.

It's all because my wife is homesick...

cough!

"Because in my youth I was like a hero, harboring a dream of chivalry, I set out to see just how magnificent the Western Kingdom of Treasures truly was."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liu chuckled, knowing that this Kui Lang was a loving husband and not the same person as Kui Mulang in "Journey to the West".

But little did they know.

The innkeeper overheard their conversation and learned that they were going to Baoxiang Kingdom to do business. He guessed that their carriage must be carrying good goods from the Song Dynasty. He became greedy and, while Jiang Liu and the others were asleep, left the inn, left the town, and headed into the mountains.

"who?"

In the mountains and forests, a werewolf dressed in a robe, standing upright and wielding a large axe, leaped out from the path and blocked the waiter's way. "How dare you trespass on Black Wind Mountain?"

"Wolf Warrior!"

The waiter was startled and quickly knelt down, kowtowing and saying, "It's me, Wang Xiao'er."

"It's you."

The wolf warrior recognized Wang Xiao'er, lowered his raised axe, and asked with a smile, "You've come to bring me wine?"

There is no wine.

Wang Xiaoer shook his head. Seeing the wolf warrior's unfriendly gaze, he quickly said, "But I have a big deal to offer the warrior. All I need is for the warrior to share a sip of soup with me."

Wolf Warrior became interested and asked, "What kind of business?"

"A group of merchants from the East have come to town to sell silk and ceramics to Baoxiang Kingdom. I heard that one of the merchants' wives was once a princess of Baoxiang Kingdom..."

Wang Xiaoer truthfully said, "Under the cover of night, you gather your brothers, launch a night raid on the town, seize the silk to make clothes, take the porcelain bowls as your possessions, and then send the princess of Baoxiang Kingdom to your king. Who knows, you might be able to exchange it for wealth and glory."

Upon hearing this, Wolf Warrior sneered: "Is it you who has taken a fancy to the belongings of that passing merchant?"

"The strongman is wise."

Wang Xiaoer flattered him.

The wolf warrior sneered repeatedly, but agreed to go and guard the inn. He then invited six brothers, namely a wolf assassin, a wolf archer, a wolf guard, a wolf swordsman, a wolf bodyguard, and a wolf scout, to tell Wang Xiaoer what he had said. Together they discussed the plan to enter the town to steal, rob, and kidnap women.

The wolf assassin's eyes were cold and sharp as he agreed, "I carry throwing knives on my back, they're fast and ruthless, I'll be responsible for killing them, giving them a quick death."

Wolf Guard agreed: "I have been diligently patrolling the mountain, but the King has not promoted me. I guess my merits are not enough... The King usually preaches to us in human form, and it seems that he also likes human women. If I kidnap a princess and give her to the King, I will surely be promoted."

Wolf Swordsman took a sip of wine, thinking that this raid down the mountain might bring some profit, and agreed.

The wolf guard said, "I'll go down the mountain too. If I get any benefits, I can offer them to the king. Who knows, I might be able to stand out from the guards and become Lingxuzi's deputy."

Upon hearing this, the wolf archer's eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained calm and continued drinking.

The wolf scout said, "Let's go! Let's go! When the king is in a good mood, he might teach us even more mysterious magic."

Seeing that none of the five wolves had any objections, the wolf warrior was also pleased. Only the wolf archer drank his wine without saying a word, which caught his attention. He finally spoke up and asked, "Master Wolf, what do you think?"

Unlike the other six wolves, this wolf archer was an old subordinate of the old Ling Xuzi from five hundred years ago. He was the oldest, skilled in archery, and could easily hit a target from a hundred paces away.

This is also the main reason why Wolf Warrior invited him over.

Although they had cultivated from crawling on all fours to walking upright, they only possessed some martial arts skills no different from those of mortals. They did not know any magic or supernatural powers, and only knew some simple illusion techniques, which they were not proficient in. They were just the lowest-ranking demons. If they went to a town and a large number of people gathered there, they could be beaten to death with sticks.

Therefore.

Wolf archers are needed.

This wolf archer has cultivated for nearly seven hundred years. Although he is still a minor demon and his energy is declining, he is ultimately an "old wolf" with plenty of experience.

Take him along, just in case.

"go."

Old Wolf put down his chipped wine bowl and agreed.

If you do not agree—

These wolf cubs might just try something dirty with him.

Although he had cultivated for five hundred years longer than these little wolves, he did not possess the supernatural powers of this mountain king, nor had he refined an inner core. He could only replenish his blood and absorb spiritual essence to prolong his life.

But he knew that those humans were the most intelligent of all beings, and even without cultivation, their spiritual essence was far greater than that of lesser demons who had achieved cultivation.

It's just a cannibalistic profession...

If things go wrong, it will attract Taoist priests and Buddhist monks—the king isn't afraid, but he's worried about them causing trouble.

However, he is old and frail. If he could devour one person, the increase in his cultivation and lifespan would be far greater than if he devoured a hundred rabbits.