556. Chapter 540: Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons
Beneath a sala tree, a young monk in a plain white robe held a string of bodhi prayer beads as thick as a little finger. He was chanting sutras.
Each time he chanted a sutra, the lotus flower before him would open and close. Within the lotus flower, which emitted a hazy golden light, a World Evolution and Operation was faintly visible.
Each time the golden lotus flower opened and closed, the world enveloped by its lotus petals would undergo Destruction and Restart.
In Tang Dynasty Chang'an, the Li Tang Dynasty replaced the Sui Dynasty. It was unclear if the Li Tang Dynasty's rise was illegitimate, after all, a cousin had seized the throne from his own cousin.
The Xuanwu Gate Incident was even more taboo among the people. A saying circulated in later generations:
Emperor Taizong of Tang, who imprisoned his father and killed his brothers; Li Shimin, who deceived his mother and took his sister-in-law.
After years of war, demon monsters ran rampant within the Tang Dynasty, and the common people were suffering greatly. Even the Li Tang Emperor was in a state of distress.
This also gave rise to a new profession—Exorcists. Cultivators throughout the land, whether for money, fame, or profit, greatly curbed the disaster of demon monsters.
In the sixth year of the Zhenguan era, the imperial court issued a decree establishing the Demon Extermination Bureau. Grand Commandant Tang Song's Tiqi were dispatched in all directions, vowing to sweep away all demon monsters under the heavens.
The black city walls, dozens of zhang high, extended east and west for an unknown distance. The massive moat was like a silver dragon encircling the city. In front of the enormous city gate, dozens of Soldiers in black armor stood Guard at the Entrance, each possessing astonishing momentum and considerable martial arts skill.
A torrent of bustling traffic converged from all directions, surging in and out of the massive city gate. The sound of human voices was deafening, presenting a magnificent and extremely prosperous sight.
Four young women carried a veiled sedan chair, appearing outside Chang'an City.
Whoosh!
A slight qi flow lifted, revealing the appearance of a pale-faced young man.
"Chang'an..."
Empty Lord looked around. Everyone he saw had a steady aura, with few who were unskilled in martial arts.
With a thought, Empty Lord paid the entrance fee. The four hired young women carried him through the massive city gate, and then his eyes lit up as the appearance of the city's interior was displayed before him.
What came into view were streets dozens of zhang wide, entirely paved with white flagstones.
On both sides of the streets were tea houses, wine shops, pawnshops, and workshops. The streets extended east and west, seemingly without end, only the sound of human voices, bustling and lively, could be seen.
Centered around the tall city gate tower, the houses on both sides were arranged like fish scales, including tea houses, wine shops, and even weapon shops and auction houses, etc., incredibly lively.
One must know, this was only the edge of the city. What kind of prosperous sight would the city's center present?
"Hmm?"
Empty Lord's heart stirred slightly, his gaze shifting. He saw a man in short attire walking down the middle of the street.
His entire body exuded a vast and utterly Yang and utterly Rigid momentum, like a Great Sun hanging high at noon. He was also a great expert!
"Five Elements Fist, you've come too!"
Empty Lord coughed twice, calling out to this old Acquaintance.
Step, step. Five Elements Fist walked step by step to within dozens of zhang of Empty Lord, then stopped. "Empty Lord?"
His voice was hoarse and rough, sounding like clashing metal when he spoke, though his dialect was a bit thick.
"They all say this Tang Song is the number one Exorcist under heaven. I don't accept it. I'm here to spar with him!"
Five Elements Fist asked, "What about you?"
Empty Lord, Heavenly Crippled Foot, and Five Elements Fist were hailed as the three most top-tier Exorcists under heaven before Grand Commandant Tang Song emerged.
All along, the three had been vying with each other, constantly seeking the title of the number one Exorcist under heaven.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Tang Song appeared, the title of the number one Exorcist under heaven was bestowed upon him by everyone.
Empty Lord was also unconvinced and came to Chang'an City, wanting to seek guidance from Grand Commandant Tang.
Empty Lord was about to answer, when he looked up,
In the distance, a young man with a cold expression walked over.
The young man walked among the crowd, seemingly completely unremarkable.
Although the young man was about a li away, Empty Lord had a feeling that his arrival was for him.
Step, step. The young man's face was cold and unsmiling. He stopped. "Empty Lord, Five Elements Fist?"
"The Grand Commandant is waiting for you."
The young man's voice had no fluctuation, merely a barely perceptible nod.
With that, he turned and left.
Decisive and clean, without hesitation.
Empty Lord and Five Elements Fist exchanged glances and moved to follow his footsteps.
Amidst the surging crowd, the few people maintained a distance of dozens of zhang, walking one after another down the long street.
After walking for over forty li down the long street, the population gradually thinned, and the architecture became taller and taller, until the young man stopped. The two arrived before a vast residence.
This residence had red walls and yellow tiles, and its gate tower was dozens of zhang high. Two Xuanwu statues squatted at the Entrance. This was precisely the Headquarters of the Demon Extermination Bureau.
"Let's go."
The young man stepped into the residence. The four cold-faced young Guards at the Entrance swept their gaze over Empty Lord and Five Elements Fist.
For some reason, the two only felt a bone-chilling cold.
"Grand Commandant!"
Empty Lord took a deep breath. With his current spiritual sense, he couldn't even detect the qi signature of the few Gatekeepers. Either the Gatekeepers' cultivation base was more profound than theirs, or these few were not human.
This Grand Commandant was unfathomable!
Step, step. Empty Lord got out of the sedan chair and, together with Five Elements Fist, followed behind the cold-faced young man, stepping on the jade-like Ground. The three passed through the courtyard, walked through the Great Hall, and arrived at a small courtyard.
"Grand Commandant, Empty Lord and Five Elements Fist have been brought."
The cold-faced young man bowed slightly at the door, his hoarse voice sounding.
"Come in!"
Inside the Room, a gentle voice sounded.
"Yes!"
The Room was not large, only dozens of zhang, with simple furnishings. Before the desk by the window, a handsome young man wearing a daoist robe, smiled as he looked at the three.
He didn't look like the head of the Tang Dynasty's primary violent agency, but rather a well-read scholar.
Tang Song's deep eyes swept over Empty Lord and Five Elements Fist. He had a grasp of their cultivation base and nodded with a smile. "Sit."
Empty Lord and Five Elements Fist were not polite. They stepped forward and sat opposite Tang Song.
Tang Song assessed Empty Lord and Five Elements Fist. Neither had achieved the immortal path. Empty Lord's cultivation base was deeper, at the Primordial Spirit level. Five Elements Fist was slightly weaker, at the Nascent Soul level.
Under Tang Song's gaze, Empty Lord and Five Elements Fist felt uncomfortable. For some reason, they always felt that there was an indescribable, strange color in that gaze.
With their cultivation base, they actually felt somewhat restless.
"I heard you're the number one Exorcist under heaven. I don't accept it. I want to spar with you!"
Five Elements Fist couldn't sit still under Tang Song's gaze and stood up directly.
Tang Song frowned slightly. Five Elements Fist's body trembled slightly, and he couldn't help but shiver all over. This instinct was like a rabbit before a giant dragon, the kind that would drop dead upon hearing its roar.
Tang Song raised his eyebrows slightly. Five Elements Fist plopped down onto the chair with a thud.
Tang Song smiled and said, "You two have come at just the right time. My Demon Extermination Bureau happens to be short of two Commanders. You two will do!"
"Commander!"
Empty Lord saw Five Elements Fist's reaction and was shocked by Tang Song's cultivation base, but he didn't understand why they were suddenly made Commanders.
He was about to refuse, but as the words reached his lips, a mountain-like pressure pressed down, making it impossible for him to speak.
"You walk the path of sword cultivation, but your sword qi is not practiced well enough, damaging your kidney water. If you continue practicing, you'll have to change your name to Kidney Deficiency Lord. You need to manage your time well. Take this Sky Escape Sword Art!"
As Tang Song spoke, he smiled and took out a few secret manuals from under the desk. "Five Elements Fist, you walk the Beast Form Method path. I have a Xingyi Twelve True Form Changes here, you can take a look!"
Tang Song handed the secret manuals to Empty Lord and Five Elements Fist.
Empty Lord and Five Elements Fist took the two secret manuals. Tang Song smiled with satisfaction, stood up, and said, "Alright, you two can go report now!"
"Yes! Grand Commandant!"
Sitting on the chair, Tang Song rubbed his forehead. He always felt like he had forgotten something.
Transmigrating to this World of Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, Tang Song had considered many scenarios.
He had even considered facing Tathagata as soon as he entered this World, but he hadn't expected that he wouldn't find the Five Elements Mountain.
Not only the Five Elements Mountain, but also Gao Village and that fishing village were nowhere to be found. There wasn't even a person named Chen Xuanzang in this World.
There was nothing he could do. He didn't know the depth of Tathagata in this World, so he had to borrow the Tang Dynasty's national fortune.
No emperor didn't want longevity. With a single divine serum, he easily became the Grand Commandant of the Demon Extermination Bureau. With the imperial dynasty's qi luck added to him, he nominally commanded all cultivators under heaven.
In ancient times, this was called the National Preceptor.
However, Tang Song disliked the inauspiciousness of the title and changed it to Grand Commandant.
After all, according to historical records, National Preceptors always seemed to be villain BOSSes!
How could he, so upright and righteous, be a villain?
With two production lines for armed robots moved in, the core force of the Demon Extermination Bureau was no longer lacking.
Cockroach demons, rat demons, grasshopper demons, they were all swept away.
He also helped Li Er extensively renovate the entire Chang'an City.
With high-yield crops and the iron smelting method, Grand Commandant Tang's status in the Tang Dynasty could be described as transcendental and saintly, implicitly holding the Title of a Sage.
But Tang Song always felt that something wasn't right. He seemed to have forgotten something.
Tony Stark, Clark Kent? Iron Man and Superman?
Why would he think of them? Strange! Two years later, Shuixi Village.
The three-story bamboo building by the water was layered. Living off the mountain by the mountain, living off the water by the water, the villagers of Shuixi Village lived by fishing.
However, recently, the waters near them were troubled by fish demons, and there had been human lives lost. There was nothing the Village Chief could do but go to the town to invite an Exorcist.
On the bamboo raft, a Taoist Priest wearing a daoist robe and holding a peach wood sword was chanting sutras. He was performing Yu Step and Heavenly Stem under his feet. He gestured with the corner of his eye to his disciple. The two disciples beside him lit two wine jars and threw them down without hesitation.
Thud! Thud! Two muffled sounds brought up several splashes of water. An Ancient Fish, comparable in size to a small boat, floated to the Water Surface.
The Taoist Priest stroked his long beard somewhat smugly. The two disciples paddled the bamboo raft towards the shore. "Alright, folks, the fish demon that was harming you has been eliminated by me. You can fish in peace from now on!"
Several fishermen used a hook net to pull the huge Ancient Fish ashore.
"Taoist Priest, a small token of appreciation, a small token of appreciation!"
The Village Chief handed a bag of silver fragments to the Taoist Priest.
"This fish doesn't seem like a fish demon!"
A young man with messy hair like a bird's nest, dressed in rags, leaned on a stick and examined the Ancient Fish.
"This fish has grown a bit large, but it is inherently gentle. It's not the one that killed people!"
The Taoist Priest's eyes rolled. This person was here to steal his business. "Boy, who are you?"
The beggar pressed his palms together and said, "This humble monk is Chen Xuanzang, an undisciplined disciple of Mahayana Buddhism, and an Exorcist!"
"Exorcist?!" The Taoist Priest gave a cold laugh. "Do you have identification?"
Chen Xuanzang was stunned. "Identification? What identification?"
The Taoist Priest cupped his hands slightly towards the Direction of Chang'an City, showing respect:
"The current Grand Commandant Tang of the Demon Extermination Bureau has established a grading system for Exorcists. We receive stipends from the imperial court. This humble Taoist Priest is, though untalented, a registered Exorcist!"
Chen Xuanzang was speechless.
"Did your husband die?!"
The Taoist Priest narrowed his eyes, fully utilizing the capabilities of the masses. In just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Chen Xuanzang was beaten up and hung on the other side of the Ancient Fish.
Flying Fish Robe, Embroidered Spring Blade. Tang Song rode a dark horse, followed by dozens of Subordinates of the Demon Extermination Bureau also on horseback.
They all wore Embroidered Spring Blades and Flying Fish Robes for no other reason than Grand Commandant Tang thought it was cool.
The reason Tang Song appeared here was that local Demon Extermination Bureaus were garrisoned by armed robots, and information was interconnected. Whenever a fish demon caused trouble in any area, it would be reported to Grand Commandant Tang. After screening, Tang Song would wait for the rabbit by the stump in this location.
Indeed, he caught this simpleton, Chen Xuanzang.
In the fishing village, a demon monster that was half-fish and half-beast was brought ashore by the fishermen in an almost joking manner.
Chicken-nest-headed Chen Xuanzang held a prayer wheel, opened a Three Hundred Nursery Rhymes before him, and began to "deliver all living beings from suffering"! Tang Song's mouth twitched slightly, feeling speechless.
His cultivation base and magic power could see the essence of this fish demon. If they were to fight, among the few Subordinates he brought, only Five Elements Fist and Empty Lord could firmly suppress this fish demon.
Indeed, it was a group of actors colluding to trick a fool.
"Five Elements Fist, go test the depth of that woman! Get that fish demon over here!"
Looking at the Exorcist who suddenly popped out, Meiji, cough, no, Miss Duan.
Tang Song's gaze flickered as he stroked the white fox in his arms.
Miss Duan's origin should be inseparable from the Buddhist Sect, but he didn't know if she was that Great Compassion Guan Yin Bodhisattva.
But it didn't matter, he would know by trying!
Behind Tang Song, Five Elements Fist, wearing a Flying Fish Robe, cupped his fists and received the order.
His body rumbled, his blood qi surging like a great river. The intense qi flow billowed, causing the trees in the surrounding mountains and forests to rustle.
Five Elements Fist leaped up directly, lifting his foot like a fierce tiger leaping over a ravine, crossing over three hundred zhang. His foot lightly tapped, and he stood on the top of the bamboo building.
"That girl, I am a Commander of the Demon Extermination Bureau. By order of the Grand Commandant, hand over that fish demon!"
Miss Duan put her hands on her hips and pointed at Five Elements Fist. "I don't care about any Grand Commandant or not. This fish demon was caught by me, and I'm taking it to collect the reward money. If you want it, give me silver!"
Five Elements Fist frowned slightly. By his nature, he didn't want to hit a woman. He reached into his robe and took out a bag of silver fragments.
He threw it to Miss Duan.
"Here's the silver, give me the things!" Five Elements Fist opened his hand.
Miss Duan weighed the silver in her hand, holding a fish-shaped cloth puppet in her left hand, and looked at Chen Xuanzang.
"Hey, you're also an Exorcist. Tell me, should I give him this fish demon?!"
Chen Xuanzang looked at the cloth puppet in Miss Duan's hand, pressed his palms together and silently chanted twice, then looked up at Five Elements Fist. "Benefactor, what use do you have for this fish demon?"
Five Elements Fist said impatiently, "Why are you talking so much nonsense? Of course, I want this fish demon to lock it in the Demon Suppressing Pagoda! Do you want to leave it Outside to harm people?! If you keep dawdling, I'll seize it!"
As he finished speaking, the fist intent around his entire body surged up into the sky, vast and mighty, utterly Yang and utterly Rigid.
His slender figure stood tall and heavy like a mountain. The fist intent was vast as the sky, pressing down.
Buzz, buzz, buzz! The Ground trembled slightly, and the entire bamboo building shook violently.
"Roar!"
"Hmm?!"
There was no Five Elements Fist before her eyes. A white-browed fierce tiger the size of a Small Mountain stood on the top of the bamboo building, licking its claws at her.
The joking and scolding Miss Duan finally changed expression. A cold light burst forth from her eyes, piercing the sky.
"If you want to fight, let's fight! Who's afraid of you!"
Before the Chen Xuanzang beside her could dissuade her, Miss Duan waved her hand, and a golden ring flew out from her hand, striking towards Five Elements Fist's face.
"Good timing!"
Five Elements Fist's entire body skin made a sound like a bowstring being drawn. His figure remained still, his eyes wide open. Two scalding hot qi flows, like thunder, sprayed out from his nostrils.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The billowing qi flow stirred up smoke and dust everywhere. In his two eyes, it was as if two small suns were burning! Facing Miss Duan's golden ring.
His left palm, held vertically before his chest, suddenly spread open and extended.
Whoosh! Amidst the shrieking sound of the air being instantly torn apart, it was like a fierce tiger extending its claw, untraceable. It seemed without form or shadow, but was actually extremely fierce and powerful!
Clang! Amidst a dull thud like a bronze bell being struck, Five Elements Fist's claw directly struck the golden ring.
Rumble! The Ground trembled violently. Large plumes of smoke and dust billowed up, then were blown in all directions by the explosion's gang wind and qi flow! Crack! Crack! A thunderclap from flat ground! Countless thunder-like explosions immediately sounded from the bamboo buildings extending for several li, directly collapsing into pieces.
"Fool, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"
Miss Duan grabbed Chen Xuanzang's hand and darted away towards the distance.
"Ha!"
Five Elements Fist suddenly exhaled and shouted.
In an instant, carrying the fierce and powerful qi flow, he chased after the two.
"Come back!"
A flat and clear voice sounded in Five Elements Fist's ear, carrying an irresistible domineering aura.
Tang Song stroked the white fox. A ball of golden light circled before him. It was the qi signature of Miss Duan and Chen Xuanzang that he had just intercepted.
"Grand Commandant!"
"Return to Chang'an!"
(end of chapter)