Red Dust Pure Land

"Beauty often sleeps. I brought her to the Golden House three years ago, and she's slept for three years straight, rarely waking. Even when there's a huge commotion outside, she isn't disturbed." The Meng Jiang Emperor explained; otherwise, the three of them wouldn't have dared make such a racket, like they were crossing a Thunder Tribulation.

"Don't you dare look—Beauty is mine!" The Meng Jiang Emperor's composure slipped again, and Jiang Li grabbed him by the scruff and hauled him out of the Golden House, snapping him back to his senses.

Seeing this, the Wei Emperor and Zhang Konghu quickly left the Golden House as well; they'd nearly lost their composure like the Meng Jiang Emperor just now.

"Where did you find this person?"

"During a western hunt, I ventured deep into the forest alone, hoping to bag a black bear, but instead I found a celestial beauty sleeping on an ancient tree. I knew myself to be a Mortal Body, unworthy to touch her, so I used Void force to carry her back to the palace and built the Golden House to shelter her. Jiang Human Emperor, do you feel nothing when you see her?"

"Feel? She's beautiful."

"That's it?" The Wei Emperor asked.

"The most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"That's it?" Zhang Konghu asked.

"That's it."

"No urge to claim her for yourself, to enshrine her and gaze upon her?"

"None."

"Jiang Ge (Jiang Human Emperor) has a mind beyond ordinary men." What else could the three say? That was all they could say.

"This woman is of great importance. I'm going to the Red Dust Pure Land to confirm some things. I ask both emperors to guard your hearts and not be blinded by her beauty. And Konghu, watch the Golden House door—don't let anyone in before I return."

Jiang Li gave his instructions but still felt uneasy. He crushed a jade slip and laid down a grand formation.

Perhaps because he'd poured all his talent into combat and cultivation, Jiang Li was utterly clueless about formations, alchemy, artifact forging, and the like. Now, setting up formations relied entirely on the jade slips given to him by the Dao Sect Master.

He'd tried learning these things himself, but after multiple attempts, he'd completely given up on the Hundred Arts of Cultivation.

For now, Jiang Li could only hope to Ascend to the Immortal Realm. He'd heard that becoming a Carefree Celestial Immortal would let one comprehend all laws from a single law—maybe then he could grasp a fraction of the Hundred Arts.

Hopefully, the system would really let him ascend.

In the Western Region of Nine Provinces, two major sects stood out: the Buddhist Sect, known for compassion and charity, and the Red Dust Pure Land, which housed only women.

The Buddhist Sect cultivated merit and did good deeds across the land, seeking blessings for the next life, and was widely known. The Red Dust Pure Land was nearly hidden from the world, with few members venturing out. People only knew its name, not its people, so many legends surrounded it, but their truth was extremely low.

Legend said the women of the Red Dust Pure Land considered clothing filthy and thus went scantily clad—Jiang Li knew this was false.

Legend said a Red Dust Pure Land disciple couldn't be touched by a man, or she'd have to marry him—Jiang Li knew this was false.

Legend said the Red Dust Pure Land was tranquil and never angered—Jiang Li knew this was false.

Legend said the Red Dust Pure Land's founder was peerlessly beautiful, enough to shake the Buddha—Jiang Li knew this was true.

Jiang Li stood outside the Sect Protecting Array and called out loudly, "Jiang Li presumes to visit the Red Dust Pure Land uninvited; I hope you'll forgive the intrusion!"

"Since it's an uninvited visit, then forgive us for not receiving you."

A voice Jiang Li recognized came from within the array, the disgust in it undisguised. It was Qingyu Daoist, the Sect Leader of the Red Dust Pure Land.

Jiang Li knew the reason. Qingyu Daoist had once been smitten with a Buddhist Son of Mount Sumeru, but that Buddhist Son had been corrupt at heart, and Jiang Li had slain him. Though Qingyu Daoist later moved on and fell for another Buddhist Son, she still held a grudge over her former lover's death.

Afterward, an Immortal Tree in the Red Dust Pure Land was on the verge of death, and they issued a reward to the world: whoever revived the tree could pick any treasure from the Treasure Vault.

Jiang Li revived the tree and came to claim his reward. Qingyu Daoist kept her word and let him enter the vault to choose, but her words were laced with sarcasm. Enraged, Jiang Li took the vault's key, forcing the Red Dust Pure Land's disciples to descend the mountain and earn money by any means, giving rise to many poignant love stories.

Ten years later, Jiang Li finally returned the key.

"Master, Jiang Li... the Jiang Human Emperor visits. How can we be rude?"

Another voice Jiang Li recognized came from within the array—crisp, pleasant to the ear.

The Sect Protecting Array opened, and Jiang Li saw two white-robed Daoists standing at the mountain gate. Both were strikingly beautiful, but one wore a face full of disgust, while the other smiled warmly.

The latter was the Pure Heart Saintess of the Red Dust Pure Land, whose cultivation and prestige within the sect had already surpassed her master, Qingyu Daoist.

She had once secretly told Jiang Li that the only reason she didn't want to become Sect Leader was one thing.

The title "Pure Heart Daoist" didn't sound good.

"The Jiang Human Emperor's grace remains as free and unfettered as ever. Pure Heart admires it." The Pure Heart Saintess greeted Jiang Li with a bright smile, a far cry from her usual distant, polite demeanor.

Qingyu Daoist thought to herself, Use your brain. When has Jiang Li ever come to you without a reason? 'Free and unfettered'—this time's no different; he definitely has business.

"It's been years, and the Pure Heart Saintess is still as gentle as ever—far better than some unreasonable Daoist."

The Pure Heart Saintess covered her mouth with a light laugh, while Qingyu Daoist's veins bulged. She quickly calmed herself: You can't beat him, you can't beat him...

"I've come this time to ask for your advice." Jiang Li stopped joking and spoke seriously.

"Please, Jiang Human Emperor, come up the mountain and speak." The Pure Heart Saintess invited Jiang Li into the Red Dust Pure Land.

Once up the mountain, Jiang Li recounted the situation of the beauty he'd found in the Meng Jiang Dynasty. The Pure Heart Saintess and Qingyu Daoist both grasped the gravity of the matter.

"I suspect she's your sect's founder—she's revived!" Jiang Li finally voiced his guess.

Jiang Li had never met the Red Dust Pure Land's founder, but he'd seen her portrait in the Treasure Vault. At the time, he'd been stunned by her beauty, and it left a deep impression on him.

In the Nine Provinces, only reincarnation was spoken of; no one had ever heard of the dead coming back to life. Jiang Li's claim defied common sense, yet the Pure Heart Saintess and Qingyu Daoist didn't immediately refute him.

In fact, they seemed to acknowledge part of Jiang Li's words!

The truth is, their founder simply cannot be judged by common sense.

Long ago, before the Immortal Ascension Ladder was severed, an immortal descended to the mortal world and chose to remain in the Nine Provinces, never returning to the Immortal World.

That fairy was as beautiful as a saint; every glance and frown carried a unique charm. Not even men could resist—even women at the Tribulation Stage were powerless against her allure.

According to that fairy, her beauty had stirred the hearts of many titans in the Immortal World, who sought to claim her as their own, even coming to blows over her. With no other choice, she fled to the Nine Provinces.

Yet the Nine Provinces were no better than the Immortal World. Wherever she went, conflict followed. The difference, however, was that she was an immortal—invincible in the Nine Provinces. Even if disputes arose because of her, she could quickly suppress them.

When the Dao Sect Living Fossil heard of such a woman, he went to see her in person. After their meeting, he sighed in admiration, saying, "This woman is the embodiment of Heavenly Dao's 'beauty.' Both immortals and mortals are but straw dogs before the Heavenly Dao—who could resist its charm?"

At first, people thought the Dao Sect Living Fossil was merely describing the fairy's beauty. But after witnessing her allure—which transcended age, gender, and even species—they realized he had meant it literally.

This woman was the embodiment of Heavenly Dao's "beauty."

The fairy established the Red Dust Pure Land in the Western Lands and called herself the Red Dust Fairy.