Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

Emperor Taishang Li Yuan had long passed away, and the only person who could be called the emperor today was Li Shimin. It seemed that even though she had driven away the Dragon King of the Jing River, Li Shimin still could not survive and had to go to the underworld.

With mixed feelings, Wen Jiao flew to Daming Palace in her Yang Shen state. She saw the emperor's coffin parked in the White Tiger Hall. Crown Prince Li Chengqian, civil and military ministers, concubines and girls all wore mourning clothes and cried in front of the hall.

As if they sensed her presence, two ministers in the crowd raised their heads and glanced in her direction. One of them had white hair and beard, and was vigorous. Although he was old, he was full of energy. He was Li Ji, who was seen on Zhuque Street that day. The other one had a frosty appearance, bright eyes, and an imposing manner. It was obvious that he had extraordinary skills. Wen Jiao guessed that he was Wei Zheng.

Five years ago, Wei Zheng was appointed as a human official by the Jade Emperor for his great merits in protecting the people and assisting the king. This was a sensational event, and everyone knew about it, from the common people to the officials and the five hundred spiritual officials of Mount Wudang. Although Wen Jiao was still practicing in the mountains and isolated from the world at that time, the beautiful snake that was punished by the Candlelight Discipline to serve her was able to move freely. After hearing the news, she gave her a lot of gossip.

She thought about the panic and helplessness she felt twelve years ago when she learned that Chen Guangrui was going to harm her and she wanted to ask for help from the human officials but found that Wei Zheng was not yet a human official. Now she finally met Wei Zheng, who had become a human official, and she had become a Taoist female cultivator through her own efforts. Wen Jiao was overwhelmed with emotions.

The two men saw that she was a righteous person with a round and round look in her eyes. They looked at her appearance and found that she was exactly the same person that His Majesty had ordered to find a few days ago. They knew that she had no ill intentions and that the most urgent task was to guard Li Shimin's spirit, so they looked away.

At the same time, Wen Jiao also glanced open her eyes. Because she saw a translucent soul sitting up from the coffin, ignoring everything outside the palace, and walking out leisurely. The soul was surrounded by dragon energy as it moved. It was obviously Li Shimin's soul, and at this moment, it was being pulled by the power of the six reincarnations and was about to embark on the road to the underworld.

She suppressed all thoughts in her heart, summoned her true energy, and shouted to Li Shimin's soul: "Emperor Tang, please stay!"

Li Shimin's spirit had already floated outside the Five Phoenix Tower. He could only see the Imperial Guards welcoming him to go hunting in the West Hills. He was about to mount his horse happily when he suddenly heard Wen Jiao's call. He immediately shuddered, and his feet, which had been floating in the air, sank to the ground. He also became much clearer. He looked up and saw Wen Jiao flying towards him. He bowed from a distance and said, "It turns out to be Master Lei Feng."

Wen Jiao tripped and almost scattered the cloud.

Li Shimin continued, "Last time, Master, you drove away the Dragon King of Jing River. Before I could thank you, Master, you left. Today, we finally meet again. I ask you to stay for a while and allow me to host a banquet to express my gratitude. Otherwise, I will be very upset. By the way, in which immortal mountain cave do you practice?"

Before Wen Jiao could say anything, he started talking to her in a rush, and she couldn't help but choke: "I am a cultivator under the seat of Wudang Mountain's Demon-Slaying Heavenly Venerable."

The name of the Demon-Subduing Heavenly Venerable was well-known in the Southern Continent. Upon hearing this, Li Shimin praised him, "So you are the descendant of the True Lord of the North Pole. You are indeed a great man, extraordinary." He waved his hand and said, "I will send someone to offer sacrifices at Mount Wudang someday to give the Demon-Subduing Heavenly Venerable a new title. Hmm, let's call him the True Lord of the Mysterious Tortoise Spiritual Response. How do you think?"

Even for the Jade Emperor, being conferred an honor by the emperor of the mortal world is a great honor. Wen Jiao thought to herself that she could achieve such fame for this master whom she had only met once, which was also a way to repay her teacher's kindness. Upon hearing this, she immediately went with the flow: "It depends on the Emperor Tang's consideration."

Li Shimin smiled and said, "I hope you don't have any objections. I was planning to go out hunting today. Now that I have met you, I might as well order the Imperial Guards to return to the palace... Where are my Imperial Guards?"

But when he looked around, he realized that there was no one else here except himself and Wen Jiao. It was only then that he realized something was wrong: "Am I dreaming again?"

Wen Jiao reminded him, "Emperor Tang, you have been ill ever since the day when the Dragon King of Jinghe River caused trouble for you. Now your soul has left your body. If I don't come to stop you, your soul will embark on the road to the underworld."

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, then he remembered what happened recently, and said suddenly: "Yesterday I was holding the prince's hand to talk about state affairs, now I remember it, it seems like it happened in my previous life."

"That's how it is when Yin and Yang are separated." Wen Jiao said, "Tang Emperor walked from the White Tiger Palace to here. All the strangers he met along the way didn't see you, and you also ignored them. That's the truth."

Li Shimin suddenly had an idea: "If I walk back like this and lie back in my own body, can I come back to life?"

Wen Jiao didn't know if it was feasible or not. If Li Shimin's soul was out of his body, she could push him back. But if his life span was really over, she didn't have the ability to revive the dead. Even a man as capable as Sun Wukong had to ask Laojun for a soul-resurrection pill to revive the king of Wuji.

He did not hide anything and said frankly: "I can help Emperor Tang return to his body, but I am not sure whether he can return to life smoothly."

Li Shimin said decisively: "Then I will ask the immortals to help me. I want to give it a try. If I succeed, I will be resurrected. If I fail, I will die. I am already in this state now. What can I do even if I fail?"

"No, no." An old man wearing a black gauze hat and a rhinoceros horn gold belt came from nowhere, smiling, and knelt down with his robes fluttering. "Your Majesty, please forgive me for coming so late to meet you!"

Wen Jiao quickly dodged to the side, but she felt a chilly wind blowing on her face, and a chilling ghostly aura penetrated her internal organs, so she could not help but take three more steps away. Li Shimin had no time to pay attention to her strange behavior, but asked in surprise: "Who are you? Why can you see me?"

The old man replied, "My name is Cui Jue. When I was in Yangcao, I served as the Minister of Rites in front of the late emperor. Now I am the chief judge of Fengdu."

Li Shimin smiled and said with genuine joy, "Thank you for welcoming me, sir. Duke Wei Zheng of Zheng said to me that he is an old friend of yours and has a handwritten letter that he wants me to pass on to you, sir."

They had a pleasant conversation afterwards. Cui Jue patted his chest and promised that Li Shimin was only going to the underworld for a visit, and he would bring him back safely just as he had brought him there.

Wen Jiao watched all this happen with cold eyes.

In this world, peddlers, high-ranking officials, royal relatives, gods and Buddhas, from the nine underworlds to the nine heavens, are all circles one after another. If you feel that they are out of reach, it is only because you have not squeezed into their circle of friends.

Obviously, Wei Zheng, with the help of a letter, successfully helped Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, to break into the circle of friends of the civil service system in the underworld.