Chapter 39 - White Tiger Blessed Land, Xuanhuang Pagoda
Chapter 39: White Tiger Blessed Land, Xuanhuang Pagoda
“No way. In the Flood, fighting is inevitable. I know you’ve been intimidated by those Purple Sky Guests, but it doesn’t matter. With your teacher here, those Purple Sky Guests would not dare do anything. However, I cannot protect you forever. Sooner or later, you must learn to stand on your own.” Laozi advised.
Xuan Qing nodded silently. “Then, Master… is the secret realm you are sending me to dangerous?”
“Do not worry. That secret realm is a fragment of the White Tiger’s Blessed Land. There is not much danger. A few demonic white tigers and devilish cultivators—nothing beyond your current cultivation level.” Laozi stroked his beard as he spoke.
“White Tiger Blessed Land fragment? Master, you mean the Divine Beast White Tiger?” Xuan Qing asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
“Indeed. The Divine Beast White Tiger Clan is among the few Divine Beast races in the Flood. In terms of power, they stand only behind the Dragon, Phoenix, and Kirin tribes. They once resided in the heart of the Western Lands. Unfortunately, after Luo Shuhu seized control of the West, he attempted to subjugate the White Tiger Clan. But they resisted fiercely. In the end, the main lineage was slaughtered, and countless clan members were demonized. Many of their Blessed Lands were shattered and scattered, tainted by demonic energy. The core of their territory was overrun and became the seat of the demonic sect.” Laozi recounted with sorrow.
Xuan Qing’s eyes widened as he stared at the demonic land before him. “Master, this place… was once the White Tiger’s Blessed Land?”
“Yes. This is indeed the White Tiger Blessed Land, also known as the Western Core Land,” Laozi said with emotion.
The First Heavenly Father added, stroking his beard, “Xuan Qing… This secret realm might still conceal some of the White Tiger Clan’s remaining treasures.”
“Remaining treasures? Senior Uncle… if the White Tiger Clan was defeated by Luo Shuhu, would the Demon Clan not have already scavenged everything?” Xuan Qing asked, skeptical.
“The Divine Beast White Tiger Clan, once ruling the West, amassed countless treasures. Though most were taken by the Demon Clan, there are always remnants. Especially in these scattered fragments of the Blessed Land, many have not been thoroughly searched. There might still be valuable things left behind,” Tongtian said.
Xuan Qing looked between his master and senior uncle. So, they want to send me on an adventure under the guise of cultivation…
He hesitated, then asked cautiously, “Master, since I am going to cultivate, may I take a few treasures with me?”
“What treasures do you wish to bring?” Laozi asked, raising a brow.
“I would like to take the Xuanhuang Pagoda with me.” Xuan Qing’s voice was serious and resolute.
Laozi twitched, inadvertently snapping off a bit of his beard. Yuanshi Tianzun paused, while Tongtian laughed aloud.
“Haha! Little Xuan Qing, you’re too adorable! Bringing the Xuanhuang Pagoda to fight enemies? What kind of cultivation training is that? The Xuanhuang Pagoda is the premier postnatal defensive treasure! It exudes Xuanhuang Qi—no law can breach it. With that, you’d sleep through a battle while devil cultivators beat themselves to death outside! Haha!” Tongtian was thoroughly amused.
Even Laozi looked speechless. His disciple asking to bring such a treasure on an ‘adventure’… With the Xuanhuang Pagoda, even if Xuan Qing did nothing, it would be hard for those devil cultivators to even scratch him.
The First Heavenly Father finally said gravely, “Big Brother, teaching Xuan Qing should be done step by step. But this at least shows he has some sense of danger.”
Laozi sighed and nodded. “Very well. I shall allow it. I will leave behind a restriction. Unless you are in mortal danger, the Xuanhuang Pagoda will not activate.”
After all, he is my disciple, one I created myself… I cannot help but worry. If a true crisis arises, the pagoda will protect him.
Xuan Qing breathed a sigh of relief. With my life guaranteed, this trial should be safe enough.
The Xuanhuang Pagoda flew into view. Xuan Qing raised his hand and merged it into his body with practiced ease.
With that done, Laozi flung his sleeve. A burst of Daoist light swept Xuan Qing away and sent him into one of the White Tiger Blessed Land fragments.
Somewhere in the Western Flood
Xuan Qing did not know exactly how he arrived. It seemed with a simple flick of his master’s sleeve, he had been transported.
He began examining his surroundings carefully. Though Laozi had told him this was a fragment of the White Tiger’s Blessed Land, everything here was unfamiliar.
As he stepped forward, he felt a dense yet sharp demonic aura swirling in the air.
“There is sharpness within the demonic qi… It must be the Qi of Geng Jin. This truly is a White Tiger Blessed Land fragment.” Xuan Qing murmured. He quickly suppressed his breath and activated a divine ability.
Executing the art Shadowing the Sky, Covering the Earth, a technique born from the Great Dao of Concealment, he hid his presence completely—masking his aura, shielding heavenly fate, and rendering himself invisible to most senses.
The Purification Gourd floated from his waist and enveloped him, cleansing the surrounding demonic qi.
“The demonic qi here is much thinner than that in the Sealed Land. My Purification Gourd can easily purify it. Otherwise, just resisting the demonic aura would be exhausting,” he murmured.
Remaining alert, he surveyed his surroundings. “Zi Yun, observe with me. If anything feels off, inform me immediately.”
He did not wait for a response. Whether Zi Yun answered or not, he moved carefully forward. Though the terrain was unfamiliar, he had the Xuanhuang Pagoda for protection, and Laozi had assured him no enemy here exceeded his strength.
Even so, Xuan Qing remained cautious.
As he walked deeper into the fragment, the Geng Jin Qi thickened. He saw broken buildings and jagged rocks radiating sharp metallic qi, tainted with demonic energy.
“This was once the White Tiger’s Blessed Land… Even though it is now broken, it still holds such rich Geng Jin Qi. What a pity,” Xuan Qing sighed.
“The White Tiger Clan was born attuned to Geng Jin Qi. Their bodies could refine auras into pure metallic essence. Naturally, their land is steeped in this energy,” Zi Yun explained.
Xuan Qing nodded as he ventured deeper.
He wandered for some time and saw nothing—until a sudden, distant roar echoed through the land.
“Roar…”
The cry did not end. It grew louder, deeper, and more numerous.
Xuan Qing’s eyes sharpened. He braced himself.
The ground trembled. The Geng Jin Qi swirled violently as the demonic aura thickened and then focused.
With a boom, ruins and mountain ridges in the distance exploded. From the rubble surged massive beasts—tigers, dozens of them.
These were no ordinary tigers. Their fur was pitch black, their eyes blood-red, and they radiated raw brutality. Each beast stood over ten meters tall, with powerful limbs and ferocious strength. The ground shattered beneath their steps, and demonic qi poured from their mouths, mingling with the Geng Jin Qi. Wherever they passed, forests collapsed and stone turned to dust.