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

The moment they left, a chaotic sword aura descended from the sky, cleaving the spot where the two had just stood into nothingness.

Looking back through the distant clouds, Lin Zhu felt a lingering fear.

"That was close."

"The Holy Mother of Wudang said in a deep voice."

"Although Yuanshi Tianzun is no longer in the Three Realms, the restrictions he left behind are still terrifying. We must plan this carefully."

Lin Zhu nodded, touched his brow, where traces of purple aura still lingered.

"At least we now know the secret of Huangzhong plum and have found a way to cultivate it."

He gazed into the distance, his eyes burning with ambition.

"The chaotic energy. It seems I have to go back to where the Chaotic Green Lotus is."

In Lin Zhu's sea of ​​consciousness, a golden light suddenly exploded, transforming into a data stream like countless stars.

His pupils contracted slightly as he watched the data rapidly recombine, eventually coalescing into a line of dazzling text.

[Ding! Host meets ultimate requirements; the most considerate system in all realms has been successfully activated!]

"finally come!"

Lin Zhu clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles cracking sharply.

He had been waiting for this moment for far too long, so long that he couldn't even remember how many nights he had spent simulating the various benefits the system might bring.

The system interface rippled like water, with new text continuously appearing.

[The secrets of Heaven have been thrown into chaos by the Great Tribulation of Journey to the West. An urgent mission is hereby issued: Before the journey begins, awaken Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing. The rewards for this mission are as follows.]

Lin Zhu's gaze instantly froze on the few lines of golden text flashing in the void.

The first reward made him gasp for breath.

"Is the time required for Huangzhong plum fruit production accelerated a million times? Is one year being used as a million years?"

His Adam's apple bobbed; this was a reward tailor-made for him.

You should know that the Huangzhong Plum tree that grows on the top of Kunlun Mountain blooms once every three thousand years, bears fruit once every three thousand years, and takes another three thousand years to mature.

Even with his supernatural powers, he could only barely accelerate the ripening process to once every hundred years by using the chaotic energy.

[Reward 2. A set of Yellow Plum fruits (1 purple fruit, 3 purplish-gold fruits, 6 golden fruits, and 9 yellow fruits)]

[Reward Three. One billion years of cultivation (directly infused)]

"hiss"

Lin Zhu gasped, his mind reeling.

What is the concept of a billion years of cultivation? Enough for a mortal to become a saint on the spot! Not to mention that set of yellow plum fruits, the purple one could probably allow someone to directly touch the threshold of the Heavenly Dao.

He suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly, the sound of which shook the snow on the summit of Kunlun Mountain, causing it to fall in a flurry.

"System, oh system, you're like a mind reader!"

"Sir?"

The voice of Our Lady of Wudang came from outside the temple, tinged with worry.

Lin Zhu suppressed his smile and with a flick of his sleeve removed the restriction.

Then came the four fairy maidens of the Jie Sect: Wudang, Jinling, Guiling, and Huoling, their skirts fluttering like four colorful clouds.

"Did something go wrong with your cultivation?"

The Holy Mother of Golden Spirit asked with concern.

She was also holding a jade teapot in her hands, the rising steam carrying the unique fragrance of Huangzhong plums.

Lin Zhu took the teacup, took a sip, felt the surging spiritual energy within his body, and shook his head with a smile.

"Not only will it not cause any problems, but it will also bring great good fortune."

He put down his teacup, his expression suddenly becoming serious.

"I need to leave the mountains for a while."

The four women were all startled upon hearing this. The Holy Mother of the Tortoise Spirit said urgently.

"The Three Realms are currently in turmoil; why has the young master suddenly..."

"rest assured."

With a light tap of her fingertips, Lin Zhu sent a verdant bamboo shadow blooming in the hall, transforming into four crystal-clear jade talismans that landed in their palms.

"I have reforged the Kunlun Grand Formation; whoever possesses this talisman may enter and exit freely. Furthermore..."

He paused.

"The Bamboo Avenue will only open when all four of you arrive. Remember that."

The Holy Mother of Wudang took the jade talisman and keenly sensed something.

"Is your journey, young master, perhaps related to the Journey to the West?"

Lin Zhu smiled but did not answer, only patted her shoulder.

"Take good care of the house. When I get back, I'll take you to the Thirty-Three Heavens to pick stars."

The Holy Mother of Fire chuckled.

"Young master is boasting again."

But the worry in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

"Xiao Qiong, let's go!"

Lin Zhu called out from outside the hall.

With a whoosh, a golden streak of light shot into the hall, transforming into a little girl with a pigtail sticking straight up—his mount, the Golden-Winged Roc.

"Master, where are we going?"

Xiao Qiong excitedly tugged at Lin Zhu's sleeve.

"Go first."

Before Lin Zhu could finish speaking, his expression suddenly changed.

He raised his sleeve, rolled up the small dome, and transformed into a stream of light, darting out of the main hall.

The four women hurriedly chased after it, only to see a faint, emerald-green tail flame gradually dissipating in the sky.

At the foot of Kunlun Mountain, the Emperor of Fengdu was directing tens of thousands of ghost soldiers to trim the flowers and plants.

These artisans from the underworld skillfully pruned the originally wild and untamed spiritual plants of the sacred mountain into various regular geometric shapes.

"Make this side a little rounder!"

The Emperor of Fengdu pointed to a grove of purple bamboo and shouted.

"We must show our reverence for His Majesty the God of Hell!"

The ghostly soldiers readily agreed. Their hands flickered with ghostly fire, and the purple bamboo twisted and grew automatically, eventually forming a giant, clasped-hands human figure.

The Emperor of Fengdu stroked his long beard with satisfaction, then suddenly turned around as if he had noticed something, and saw Lin Zhu arriving on a cloud with Xiao Qiong.

"Lord of the Prison God!"

He was so excited that he stumbled and almost tripped over the hem of his clothes.

"How do you like this 'Greetings, Lord God of Hell' themed garden? Next time, I plan to do 'The God of Hell's Might Shakes the Three Realms'."

Lin Zhu's lips twitched, and she quickly interrupted.

"as long as you are happy."

He simply couldn't understand why this ruler of the underworld had suddenly become his fanatical follower.

Little Dome lay on the cloud, pointing to another landscape taking shape in the distance.

"Master, look! They're putting your face together over there!"

Lin Zhu looked closely and saw that tens of thousands of spider lilies were arranged to form the outline of his profile, with glowing ghosts adorning his eyes, which were blinking eerily.

"Farewell!"

He covered Xiao Qiong's eyes and rode away on a cloud at breakneck speed.

Behind them came the shouts of the Emperor of Fengdu, still full of enthusiasm.

"Please remember to come back and see the panoramic light show!"

Lin Zhu finally breathed a sigh of relief after flying a thousand miles.

Xiao Qiong peeked out from his arms and asked curiously.

"Master, why is that strange old man so afraid of you?"

He's not afraid.

Lin Zhu shook his head helplessly.

"Forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I told you."

He suddenly turned serious and pressed down on Xiao Qiong's head.

"do not move!"

The clouds suddenly stopped.

A green bamboo pattern appeared between Lin Zhu's eyebrows, and his divine sense spread southward like a tide.

A moment later, his face turned ashen.

"What a courage!"

In the South China Sea, a black tornado stretching to the sky and connecting the earth is forming.

That was no ordinary storm, but a destructive hurricane composed of the purest demonic energy.

Even more terrifying, a pair of scarlet eyes could be vaguely seen at the eye of the storm, looking down upon the world.

“Great terror.” Lin Zhu squeezed out these three words through gritted teeth.

He calculated with his fingers and discovered that the demonic cave, which should have been sealed, had actually been torn open by human hands.

Xiao Qiong clung to his arm, trembling.

"Master, what is that? It's a terrifying aura!"

"Something wants to trigger a great calamity ahead of time."

Lin Zhu sneered, a fighting spirit igniting in his eyes.

"Perfect timing to test the cultivation level the system has given me!"

He formed a hand seal with one hand, and the auspicious clouds beneath his feet instantly transformed into jade-like bamboo leaf-shaped magical artifacts.

With a clear and melodious sword cry, nine beams of azure light pierced through the air from the direction of Kunlun, forming a mysterious sword wheel behind him.

"Let's go to the south coast first."

Lin Zhu said in a deep voice.

"If this storm makes landfall, it could kill or injure millions. Where would that leave my dignity?"

Dark clouds loomed over the South China Sea.

Lin Zhu stood in mid-air, his green robe fluttering in the wind, his brows furrowed as he gazed at the black demonic energy storm that was expanding wildly before him.

This demonic energy is more troublesome than imagined. If left unchecked, it could cover the entire South China Sea in less than a century.

"System, analyze the scale of this demonic storm."

Lin Zhu silently recited in his heart.

[Ding! An ancient-level demonic energy storm has been detected, its scale equivalent to three times that of the chaotic storm released by the host last time. Chaotic storms nourish all things, but this demonic energy storm will corrupt all living beings it comes into contact with. It is estimated that it will take four hundred years to fully form.]

A glint of light flashed in Lin Zhu's eyes.

"A four-hundred-year suppression mission, rewarded with four hundred million years of cultivation? This is a good deal!"

Without further hesitation, he formed a hand seal, and his entire body radiated a dazzling golden light.

The power of the third revolution of the Nine Revolutions Pangu True Body Technique was fully unleashed, condensing behind him into a Pangu phantom that was a thousand feet tall.

"seal up!"

With a soft shout, the phantom of Pangu clasped his hands together, and countless golden runes surged from his palms, transforming into chains that coiled around the black demonic energy.

The demonic energy surged violently, emitting a piercing shriek, as if millions of vengeful spirits were wailing at the same time.

Lin Zhu remained unfazed and continued to unleash his magical power.

He knew this would be a protracted battle, but it was worth it for those four hundred million years of cultivation!

Time flies, and four hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Above the South China Sea, the originally raging demonic storm has been completely suppressed, transforming into a black sphere wrapped in golden runes, hovering above the sea eye.

Lin Zhu let out a long sigh of relief and withdrew the sealing technique that had lasted for four hundred years.

[Ding! Mission complete. Reward of 400 million years of cultivation has been issued, plus an additional wisp of golden merit light.]

Lin Zhu felt the magical power within his body surging like a river, and his cultivation level was rising steadily.

He couldn't wait to check his own condition.

[Name: Lin Zhu]

[Realm Level: Mid-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal (requires 2.6 billion years of cultivation to reach the next level)]

[Cultivation Technique. The Third Revolution of the Nine Revolutions Pangu True Body Technique (950 million years are needed to reach the Fourth Revolution)]

[Magic Items: Chaos Pearl (Enhanced), Immortal-Slaying Sword (Enhanced)]

[Magic and supernatural abilities. Great Sealing Technique (Mastery), Heavenly Eye (Mastery).]

[Merit. A ray of golden light emanating from merit (effect unknown)]

"Not bad, you're one step closer to the late stage of the Great Luo realm."

Lin Zhu nodded in satisfaction, then thought of the enlightenment task that the system had mentioned before.

"Now it's time to go to the Flowing Sand River to find that Curtain-Rolling General."

He transformed into a streak of red light, piercing the sky, and in the blink of an eye arrived above the Liusha River.

The Liusha River was turbulent and its waters were a strange dark red, as if they had been stained with blood.

Wronged spirits occasionally surface on the river, emitting mournful howls.

Lin Zhu activated his Heavenly Eye, his gaze penetrating the murky river water and reaching the riverbed.

A burly but hunched figure was seen crawling laboriously along the riverbed, seemingly searching for something.

"That's General Curtain Roller?"

Lin Zhu frowned slightly.

The figure at the bottom of the river was hideous, with bluish-black skin covered in scars and scabs.

His hair was as messy as withered grass, and his eyes were cloudy and lifeless, with only the occasional flash of brilliance revealing traces of his former status as a general in the Heavenly Court.

The Curtain-Rolling General, or rather, Sha Wujing in his current form, is groping in the mud and sand at the bottom of the river with his crippled fingers.

Every movement was excruciatingly painful, because every hour, seven flying swords would fall from the sky and pierce his chest.

"here we go again"

Sha Wujing suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with fear.

Seven beams of cold light pierced through the water, precisely penetrating his body.

Blood instantly stained the surrounding waters red. Sha Wujing gritted his teeth and let out a suppressed roar of pain.

Lin Zhu could see it clearly from the river and couldn't help but shake his head.

"The once mighty General of the Curtain-Raising Army has fallen so low."

After the flying sword punishment ended, Sha Wujing trembled as he continued to grope around at the bottom of the river.

His movements became increasingly hurried, and he muttered to himself.

"We must find the fragments of the Glazed Lamp. The Jade Emperor said that if we collect all the fragments, we can return to Heaven."

But the next second, his expression suddenly twisted, and he slammed his fist into the rocks at the bottom of the river.

"It's a lie! It's all a lie! That glass lamp is nothing but a hoax."

Before he could finish speaking, he clutched his head in anguish, caught in a state of inner conflict.

"No, you can't think of it that way. I accidentally broke the glass cup; it was my fault."

Lin Zhu could see his inner struggle and decided to show herself to him.

He cast a water-repelling spell and slowly sank into the river.

Sha Wujing suddenly looked up alertly, his cloudy eyes fixed on the sky.

"Who?"

"Old friend."

Lin Zhu's voice came through the river.

Sha Wujing instinctively stepped back and bumped into a rock at the bottom of the river.

"Impossible! No one but those being tortured can descend into this Flowing Sand River! You...you were sent by the Heavenly Court?"

Lin Zhu had already arrived three zhang away from him, his golden light separating the river water and creating a waterless space.

He looked at the former general who had once served as the curtain-raising officer, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

"I am not a person of Heaven."

Lin Zhu said calmly.

"I was just passing by when I saw that you were so determined, so I came to talk to you."

Upon hearing this, Sha Wujing was taken aback for a moment, and then let out a shrill laugh.

"Hahaha, obsessed with something? I was banished to the mortal realm, suffering the pain of flying swords piercing my chest every day, all because I accidentally broke a glass cup! Do you know that at the Peach Banquet that day, I carried the plate for five hundred years until my hands were stiff!"

Lin Zhu listened quietly without interrupting.

"I was originally a mortal who cultivated to become an immortal, and became the Curtain-Raising General through my military achievements."

Sha Wujing's voice gradually lowered.

"I thought I had finally made something of myself, but who knew that in the eyes of the Heavenly Court, I would always be inferior. Those born with immortal bones would only be reprimanded for their mistakes, while I..."

As he said this, he suddenly looked at Lin Zhu with alarm.

"Who are you? Why are you listening to me?"

Lin Zhu smiled slightly.

"I told you, I was just passing through. But..."

He changed the subject.

"Do you really believe that someone would be banished to the mortal realm and subjected to such cruel torture simply for breaking a glass lamp?"

Sha Wujing shuddered, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"The great calamity of the Journey to the West is about to begin, and the Heavenly Court needs someone to face it."

Lin Zhu said meaningfully.

"And you, General Curtain Roller, are nothing more than a pawn that was chosen in advance."

"Nonsense!"

Sha Wujing suddenly flew into a rage, his mutilated finger pointing at Lin Zhu. (End of Chapter)