Red Dust Pure Land

"The beauty slept often. I brought her to the Golden House three years ago, and she slept for all three years. She rarely woke during that time; even if there was a tremendous commotion outside, it would not wake her," the Meng Jiang Emperor explained. Otherwise, the three of them would not have dared make such a racket, as though they were undergoing a Thunder Tribulation.

"You are not allowed to look! The beauty is mine!" The Meng Jiang Emperor seemed on the verge of losing control again, but Jiang Li grabbed him with one hand and carried him out of the Golden House. Only then did the Meng Jiang Emperor come back to his senses.

Seeing this, the Wei Emperor and Zhang Konghu hurriedly left the Golden House as well. They had nearly lost their composure just like the Meng Jiang Emperor.

"Where did you find this person?"

"During a western hunt, I ventured alone into the depths of the forest. I had intended to hunt a black bear, but instead discovered a beauty as lovely as a Heaven Immortal sleeping beneath an ancient tree. I knew myself to be a Mortal Body, unworthy of touching such a beauty, so I used the force of the Void to carry her back to the imperial palace. I built the Golden House to shelter her. Human Emperor Jiang, did you feel nothing upon seeing her?"

"Feel? She was very beautiful."

"That was all?" the Wei Emperor asked.

"Among all the women I have seen, she was the most beautiful."

"That was all?" Zhang Konghu asked.

"That was all."

"Did you not feel the urge to claim her for yourself and enshrine her for your own admiration?"

"No."

"Jiang Ge's temperament truly surpasses that of ordinary people." What else could the three say? That was all they could say.

"This woman is of great importance. I will make a trip to the Red Dust Pure Land to verify some matters. I hope the two sovereigns will guard your hearts well and not let beauty cloud your eyes. And Kong Hu, keep watch over the Golden House's door for me. Do not let anyone enter before I return."

After giving his instructions, Jiang Li was still uneasy. He crushed a jade slip and set up a grand Formation.

Perhaps because all his talent points had been placed into combat and cultivation, Jiang Li understood nothing of formations, alchemy, artifact refinement, and the like. Whenever he set up a formation now, he relied entirely on the jade slips the Dao Sect Master had given him.

It was not as though he had never tried learning such things himself. After many attempts, he had completely given up hope on the Hundred Arts of Cultivation.

Jiang Li could only hope to ascend to the Immortal World. He had heard that after becoming a Carefree Celestial Immortal, one could comprehend ten thousand techniques through a single method. By then, he would probably be able to learn one or two of the Hundred Arts of Cultivation.

I hope the system can really help me ascend.

The Western Region of Nine Provinces had two sects that drew the most attention. One was the Buddhist Sect, which embraced compassion; the other was the Red Dust Pure Land, which contained only women.

The Buddhist Sect performed good deeds throughout the land for merit, cultivating blessings for their next lives, and was the best known to the masses. The Red Dust Pure Land was nearly reclusive, with few of its members venturing outside. The world had heard its name but never seen its people. Thus, countless tales circulated about the Red Dust Pure Land, though very few held any truth.

There was a rumor that the women of the Red Dust Pure Land considered clothing filthy, and thus wore nothing to cover their bodies. Jiang Li knew this was false.

There was a rumor that disciples of the Red Dust Pure Land could not be touched by men, or they would have to marry them. Jiang Li knew this was false.

There was a rumor that the Red Dust Pure Land remained tranquil and inactive, never growing angry. Jiang Li knew this was false.

There was a rumor that the founding ancestor of the Red Dust Pure Land possessed beauty without equal through the ages, enough to shake the Buddha's heart. Jiang Li knew this was true.

Standing outside the Sect Protecting Array, Jiang Li called out loudly, "Jiang Li has come to visit the Red Dust Pure Land uninvited. I hope you will forgive my presumption!"

"Since you have come uninvited, then forgive us for declining to receive you."

A voice familiar to Jiang Li came from within the formation, its disgust utterly undisguised. It belonged to Daoist Qingyu, the Sect Leader of the Red Dust Pure Land.

Jiang Li knew the reason. Daoist Qingyu had once been devoted to a Buddhist Son of Mount Sumeru, but that Buddhist Son had harbored wicked intentions and had been slain by Jiang Li. Though Daoist Qingyu had later transferred her affections and become devoted to another Buddhist Son, she still had not forgotten the vengeance owed to her former lover.

Later, an Immortal Tree in the Red Dust Pure Land had been on the verge of death. They offered a reward to the world, declaring that whoever saved the Immortal Tree could choose any one treasure from the Treasure Vault.

After Jiang Li saved the Immortal Tree, he came to claim his reward. Daoist Qingyu kept her word and allowed him into the vault to make his selection, but her words were laced with mockery. In his anger, Jiang Li took away the key to the Treasure Vault, forcing the disciples of the Red Dust Pure Land to descend the mountain and find ways to earn money, giving rise to many tear-jerking love stories.

Jiang Li did not return the key until ten years later.

"Master, Jiang Li... the Human Emperor Jiang has come to visit. How can we be so discourteous?"

Another familiar voice reached Jiang Li from within the formation, crisp and melodious.

The Sect Protecting Array opened, and Jiang Li saw two white-robed Daoists standing below the mountain gate. Both were outstandingly beautiful. One wore an expression of utter disgust, while the other beamed with a smile.

The latter was the Holy Maiden of the Red Dust Pure Land, the Pure Heart Saintess. Her cultivation and prestige within the sect had both surpassed those of her master, Daoist Qingyu.

She had once secretly told Jiang Li that there was only one reason she did not wish to become Sect Leader.

The title "Jing Xin Daoist" did not sound nice.

"Human Emperor Jiang, your bearing remains as elegant as ever, free and unrestrained. Jing Xin admires it." The Pure Heart Saintess greeted Jiang Li with a radiant smile, entirely unlike her usual smile that kept others a thousand miles away.

Daoist Qingyu thought, Where is your brain? When has Jiang Li ever come looking for you without something happening? Free and unrestrained, my foot. He must have business again this time.

"After so many years apart, the Pure Heart Saintess remains as gentle as ever. You are far better than a certain Daoist who throws tantrums without reason."

The Pure Heart Saintess covered her mouth and laughed softly. Veins bulged on Daoist Qingyu's forehead as she hurriedly consoled herself, You cannot beat him. You cannot beat him...

"I have come this time to seek your guidance on a matter." Jiang Li stopped joking and spoke seriously.

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

Once they had gone up the mountain, Jiang Li described the beauty he had discovered in the Meng Jiang Dynasty. The Pure Heart Saintess and Daoist Qingyu both understood the gravity of the matter.

"I suspect she is your sect's founding ancestor. She has come back to life!" Jiang Li finally voiced his conjecture.

Jiang Li had never met the founding ancestor of the Red Dust Pure Land, but he had seen her portrait in the Treasure Vault. At the time, he had been stunned as though seeing a celestial being, and it had left a deep impression on him.

Nine Provinces only had tales of reincarnation and rebirth; there had never been any account of the dead returning to life. Jiang Li's words truly defied common sense, yet the Pure Heart Saintess and Daoist Qingyu did not immediately refute him.

They actually acknowledged some truth in Jiang Li's words!

Their founding ancestor truly could not be judged by ordinary logic.

Back when the Immortal Ascension Ladder had not yet been severed, an immortal descended to the mortal world and remained in Nine Provinces, never returning to the Immortal World.

That fairy was beautiful beyond sanctity. Every smile and frown carried a unique charm. Not only men—even women at the Tribulation Transcendence stage could not withstand her allure.

According to the fairy, her beauty had stirred the hearts of many great powers in the Immortal World, who wished to make her their forbidden possession and did not hesitate to fight fiercely over her. Left with no choice, the fairy fled to Nine Provinces.

The situation in Nine Provinces was not much better than in the Immortal World. Wherever the fairy went, conflict erupted. But unlike in the Immortal World, she was ultimately an immortal, an invincible existence in Nine Provinces. Even when disputes arose because of her, she could swiftly suppress them.

When the Dao Sect Living Fossil heard of such a woman, he went personally to see her. Afterward, he praised her, saying, "This woman is the manifestation of 'beauty' in the Heavenly Dao. Before the Heavenly Dao, immortals and mortals alike are but straw dogs. Who can resist the allure of the Heavenly Dao?"

At first, people thought the Dao Sect Living Fossil had merely been describing the fairy's beauty. But after witnessing her charm transcend age, gender, and even species, they realized that the Dao Sect Living Fossil had meant exactly what he said.

This woman was the manifestation of "beauty" in the Heavenly Dao.

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