Honghuang: My understanding is beyond belief. I am the first immortal of Jiejiao.

"Ah."

Lin Zhu suddenly chuckled, a sound like ice shattering, causing the temperature in the entire Lingxiao Palace to drop several degrees.

He suddenly opened his eyes, his dark pupils seeming to hold the movement of stars, yet also like an abyss that devours all light.

"Shut your mouth!"

Lin Zhu roared, and the sound wave shook the several golden dragon pillars in the hall.

"Let me give you a number: five Nine-Turn Great Luo Golden Pills! Plus ten Nine-Turn Great Rejuvenating Pills!"

"what?!"

"This this."

The hall erupted in an uproar, with the various deities exchanging bewildered glances, their faces filled with disbelief.

Even the usually composed Venus couldn't help but gasp.

Laozi's wrinkled old face instantly turned bright red, and his white beard stood on end in anger.

"How dare you, you brat! The Nine-Turn Great Luo Golden Pill can enable a Great Luo Golden Immortal to break through the bottleneck. I, Laozi, can only refine one pill for ten thousand yuan, and the required materials are hard to find even after searching the entire Three Realms! You just ask for five? This is worse than robbery!"

The Jade Emperor coughed softly on his dragon throne to conceal his shock.

He had originally planned to plead for Lin Zhu to get a Great Luo Golden Pill, but he didn't expect this kid to have such a big appetite.

The Jade Emperor quietly wiped the cold sweat from his brow and decided to remain silent.

Lin Zhu sneered repeatedly, his right hand already resting on the hilt of his knife.

"Since Laozi thinks I'm robbing him, then why don't you..."

He slowly drew his Immortal-Slaying and God-Slaying Sword. The moment the sword was drawn, the entire Lingxiao Palace was illuminated by a blinding, cold light.

"How about I just rob it once?"

"Wait a minute!"

Laozi hurriedly summoned the Vajra Bracelet, and a golden light blocked Marshal Tianpeng's path.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, why are you in such a hurry? Everything can be discussed!"

Marshal Tianpeng was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, his crotch soaked with sweat, and he no longer possessed any of the imposing presence of Marshal Tianhe.

Lin Zhu's knife tip was only an inch away from the Vajra Bracelet. He tilted his head and looked at Laozi with a half-smile.

"Oh? Then how does Laozi think we should discuss this?"

Laozi gritted his teeth, his white beard trembling uncontrollably.

"Four pills. Four Nine-Turn Great Luo Golden Pills, plus two Nine-Turn Great Rejuvenation Pills. This is my bottom line, not one more!"

The immortals in the hall were once again in an uproar.

This number far exceeded their expectations. You should know that even the Jade Emperor's treasury did not contain a single Nine-Turn Great Luo Golden Pill.

Lin Zhu squinted, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.

A moment later, he flipped his wrist and the precious sword was sheathed.

"make a deal."

Marshal Tianpeng let out a long sigh of relief, then collapsed to the ground like a rag doll, his face covered in tears and snot.

"Many thanks to Laozi for saving my life, and many thanks to Fellow Daoist Lin for your mercy."

Just when everyone thought the matter was over, Lin Zhu suddenly spoke again.

"Wait a minute."

These two words struck like a thunderbolt, sending a shiver down the spines of all the immortals in the hall.

Even the Jade Emperor involuntarily sat up straight, his brows furrowed.

Laozi's face was ashen.

"Lin Zhu, don't push your luck!"

Lin Zhu merely brushed off non-existent dust from his sleeves, his tone eerily calm.

"Death penalty can be avoided, but living crime cannot be avoided."

The temperature inside the hall plummeted as soon as those eight words were uttered.

Only then did the immortals realize that Lin Zhu had no intention of letting Marshal Tianpeng off easily.

A glint flashed in Laozi's eyes, and he suddenly spoke.

"Since that's the case, why not punish Tianpeng with two thousand blows, banish him from the Heavenly Gate, and send him to the animal realm to be reborn in the cycle of life and death? When he has attained enlightenment again, he can return to serve the Heavenly Court."

This suggestion sent chills down the spines of all the immortals.

Two thousand blows are enough to shatter an immortal body, and being banished to the animal realm is an extremely severe punishment.

What puzzled them even more was that the one who made this suggestion was none other than Laozi, Tianpeng's backer.

Marshal Tianpeng suddenly looked up, his pig face filled with disbelief.

"Laojun! How could you treat me like this? At the Peach Banquet back then, I followed your instructions."

"shut up!"

Laozi's expression changed drastically. With a flick of his sleeve, a golden light sealed Tianpeng's mouth.

"You wretched creature! I, Laozi, went to great lengths to save you, and instead of being grateful, you dare to spout nonsense!"

Marshal Tianpeng stared wide-eyed, unable to utter a sound, and could only shake his head desperately.

Laozi turned to Lin Zhu and spoke rapidly.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, this fiend has committed grave sins. I will carry out the punishment now to avoid offending the eyes of you immortals."

Before Lin Zhu could respond, Laozi had already raised his whisk, and a golden light slashed down, striking Marshal Tianpeng squarely between the eyebrows.

"what!"

Marshal Tianpeng let out a shrill scream, and his entire immortal body was covered in countless cracks, like porcelain.

His celestial infant was forcibly destroyed, and his primordial spirit transformed into a stream of light, which was guided by Laozi to be cast into the mortal realm of animals.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing today's check-in. Rewards have been issued!"

A crisp system notification sounded in Lin Zhu's mind. He smiled slightly as he felt the several treasures that had suddenly appeared in his sleeve.

Four Nine-Turn Great Luo Golden Pills, two Nine-Turn Great Rejuvenating Pills, plus the Dragon Roar Flute, White Jade Ring, and Three Lights Divine Water that I just acquired—today's harvest is simply unbelievably abundant.

"The system is getting more and more considerate."

Lin Zhu was secretly delighted, but on the surface he maintained a calm and composed demeanor.

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, all the immortals' eyes were focused on Lin Zhu.

Just now, this newly appointed star lord actually dared to confront Laozi head-on, which angered the sage so much that he turned and left.

What's even more shocking is that Laozi actually left behind those incredibly precious elixirs before he left!
"How is this possible?"

Venus nearly dropped his whisk, his old face filled with disbelief.

Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, frowned and whispered to Nezha beside him.

"Just who is this kid? Even a saint..."

Nezha's eyes gleamed with a strange light as he spoke softly.

“Father, this man is definitely not simple.”

Lin Zhu felt a surge of satisfaction as he watched the shocked, envious, or awe-inspiring gazes directed at him from all directions.

He calmly stored the pills into his system space, leaving only two acquired spiritual treasures to play with in his hands.

"Fellow immortals, is there anything else?"

Lin Zhu looked around, his tone as relaxed as if he had just had a cup of tea with Laozi.

The entire Lingxiao Palace was completely silent.

The Jade Emperor sat on the dragon throne, his forehead still damp with cold sweat.

He quietly wiped the sweat from his palms, feeling a lingering fear in his heart.

That's Laozi! One of the Three Pure Ones, a Heavenly Sage! This kid Lin Zhu actually dared to demand the pill so forcefully; what if the Sage got angry?
Thinking of this, the Jade Emperor couldn't help but shudder.

If a sage is angered, the entire Heavenly Court may be reduced to ashes.

Strangely, although Laozi was furious, he seemed to have some reservations and eventually compromised.

"Let's withdraw from court."

The Jade Emperor's voice trembled slightly; all he wanted now was to end this thrilling court assembly as soon as possible.

The immortals felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and they all bowed and took their leave.

Lin Zhu casually cupped his hands in greeting, turned and left gracefully, leaving behind a hall full of complicated gazes.

Meanwhile, at the foot of Fuling Mountain in the human world, a farmhouse...

"Ow Oo"

The sow's painful screams echoed through the makeshift pigpen.

Several farmers stood around, their faces filled with anticipation. "It's born! It's born!"

An old farmer with a wrinkled face shouted excitedly.

In the muddy pigpen, several pink piglets emerged one after another from under the sow's body.

They were covered in slime and filth, struggling to find their mother's nipple.

"One, two, three, six! A good harvest this year!"

The old farmer's wife counted the newborn piglets, a satisfied smile on her face.

However, no one noticed that one of the piglets, at the moment of its birth, had a human-like look of shock and fear in its eyes.

"Where am I? How did I get here?"

In the pig's mind, a voice was screaming wildly.

Memories flooded back: He was Marshal Tianpeng, a celestial general commanding 80,000 naval troops of the Milky Way! He was banished to the mortal realm for stealing peaches of immortality, but Laozi had promised to reincarnate him as a human and allow him to cultivate again.
"Ow!"

A piercing squeal escaped from the unusual little pig as it frantically twisted its body, trying to break free of its filthy form.

Why is this little pig so noisy?

The old farmer frowned as he looked at the unusually active piglet, then reached out and picked it up.

Tianpeng should now be called Zhu Ganglie. He looked at his short pig hooves and round belly in horror.

What devastated him even more was the indescribable stench that wafted in from all directions—the distinctive stench of a pigsty, a mixture of feces and rotting feed.

"No! This isn't true!"

Zhu Ganglie roared inwardly, but only a series of "oink oink" sounds came out.

The old farmer casually tossed him back next to the sow.

"Eat your milk properly, get fat and sell it for money."

Pigsy fell into the mud and realized his predicament in despair.

He, once the mighty Marshal Tianpeng, has now become a domestic pig at the mercy of others!

"Laozi, you've lied to me!"

Zhu Ganglie roared in his heart, his hatred spreading like wildfire.

He clearly remembered that it was Laozi himself who fed him the so-called "reincarnation pill," promising to let him be reborn as a human and start cultivating again.

But now? He's become a pig! And according to the law of reincarnation, he'll have to endure at least five hundred years of reincarnation in the animal realm before he can be freed!
The sow's rough tongue licked Zhu Ganglie's body, making him so disgusted he almost vomited.

The other piglets crowded around to grab the teats, and Zhu Ganglie was pushed to the very edge, only able to get the least amount of milk.

"Damn it! Get out of my way, all of you!"

Pigsy used all his strength to knock aside the other piglets and take the best spot.

Although he was a piglet, he still retained the memories and some of the abilities of Marshal Tianpeng.

"Ow!"

The piglet that was knocked aside squealed in dissatisfaction.

The old farmer's wife exclaimed in surprise:

"This little pig is so fierce, it will definitely grow to be the biggest one."

Pigsy ignored him and continued to suckle the milk frantically.

He needs nutrition, he needs strength. Even if he's a pig now, he'll find a way to change his fate!
"Laozi, Heavenly Court, you just wait!"

While nursing, Zhu Ganglie made a vow in his heart.

"Once I regain my strength, I will make you pay the price!"

Inside the Star Palace, Lin Zhu lay lazily on a soft couch, with Xiao Qiong nestled obediently in his arms.

This little Qilin has gotten even fatter recently, and it feels even better to touch.

"Xiaomei, Xiaonuan, come here."

Lin Zhu called out.

Two maids immediately ran from outside the palace, carrying brooms and dustpans. They had just been sweeping the courtyard.

"What's the master's order?"

Xiao Mei asked respectfully, her big eyes full of admiration.

Since Lin Zhu made a name for himself at the Peach Banquet, the two maids have held him in even higher esteem than before.

Lin Zhu smiled and took out the two acquired spiritual treasures that the system had rewarded him with.

"This is for you."

"This is."

Xiao Nuan stared wide-eyed at the Dragon Roar Flute and the white jade ring in Lin Zhu's hands.

Even the lowest-grade immortal artifact is a thousand times better than the brooms they are currently using.

"Give the Dragon Roar Flute to Xiaomei, and the White Jade Ring to Xiaonuan."

Lin Zhu handed the two magical treasures to them respectively.

"From now on, use this as your weapon. Stop fighting with brooms and dustpans; they look pathetic."

Xiao Mei and Xiao Nuan stiffly accepted the magic weapon, their hands trembling slightly.

A postnatal spiritual treasure! This is a rare treasure even in the immortal realm; many heavenly generals use nothing more than this.

"Master, why do our fingers always get tangled up?"

Xiao Mei looked at her slender, white fingers with distress; her delicate index and middle fingers had somehow become entangled again.

Xiao Nuan nodded vigorously beside her. She was trying to form a hand seal, but when she twisted her wrist, her entire palm bent at a ninety-degree angle, causing her to burst into tears from the pain.

Lin Zhu sighed and gently touched the two women's foreheads.

A flash of blue light appeared, and his brows furrowed even more.

"His primordial spirit is incomplete by 30%, no wonder he can't even control his human form."

Inside the palace, moonlight streamed through the window lattices onto the jade floor.

Lin Zhu paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering and stirring up gusts of breeze.

"This can't go on like this."

He suddenly stopped.

"The True Spirit Imprint can only be received if the primordial spirit is intact. You should first go to the quiet room to cultivate the 'Taiyin Nourishing Spirit Technique' and refine the Xuan Yin Ring that I gave you last time."

Xiao Mei and Xiao Nuan exchanged a glance and responded in unison.

"Yes, Master."

As the two turned around, Xiao Nuan's left foot tripped over her right foot, and she almost fell over.

Lin Zhu quickly caught him, then helplessly rubbed his temples.

"Lin Zhu!"

A fiery red figure rushed in like a whirlwind, and Xiao Qiong stood in front of him with her hands on her hips.

"They all have things to do, but what about me?"

Lin Zhu looked at the spirited young woman in red before him and his lips twitched involuntarily.

Xiao Qiong's two tufts of hair on her head twitched with her movements, and she disdainfully pushed the Demon Emperor Sword hanging at her waist behind her back.

"Don't you have the Demon Emperor Sword?"

Lin Zhu feigned composure.

"This broken sword isn't even as good as my fist!"

Xiao Qiong slammed his fist into the stone pillar beside him, and the entire pillar was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks.

"I want an even more powerful magic weapon!"

Lin Zhu's ears turned slightly red, and he coughed lightly.

"Use this for now, and we'll give you something better later."

"From now on, from now on, every time after that!"

Xiao Qiong stomped her foot angrily, and the ground immediately sank three inches.

"Last time in the East China Sea you said you'd refine a treasure for me if you found the Dragon Ball, but where is it now? Did you eat it like candy?"

Lin Zhu broke out in a cold sweat, unsure of how to respond, when suddenly the jade slip in his bosom vibrated.

He took it out to examine it as if he had been granted a pardon, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"The Three Lights Divine Water has arrived!"

Xiao Qiong was about to persist when Lin Zhu transformed into a streak of light and rushed out of the hall, leaving only one sentence behind. (End of Chapter)