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

"Let's send her back first."

The crowd parted automatically to make way, and everyone looked at Lin Zhu with awe.

Today's events will likely spread throughout the entire capital very soon.

Lin Zhu smiled bitterly to himself as he walked.

If he had known it would turn out like this, he shouldn't have shown up today.

"what"

A scream shattered the bustling streets of Chang'an.

Yin Wenjiao lost her footing and fell from the embroidered tower. The embroidered ball slipped from her hand and drew a dazzling red arc in the air.

Her gorgeous dress fluttered in the wind, like a colorful butterfly with broken wings.

"Miss!"

The maids' terrified screams rose and fell.

The crowd downstairs instantly stirred. The newly appointed top scholar, Chen Guangrui, had a glint in his eyes and was about to step forward when a white shadow flashed over the heads of the crowd like lightning.

"That is."

Everyone only saw a blur before their eyes, and the white figure appeared ten feet away, steadily catching the falling Yin Wenjiao.

When they saw it clearly, everyone gasped in shock.
He was a young man dressed in a plain white robe, with sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, and a face as handsome as jade.

He held Yin Wenjiao in one arm and deftly caught the embroidered ball with the other, his clothes fluttering without being stained by dust.

"The immortal lord has descended to the mortal realm!"

An elderly man in the crowd knelt down, trembling.

This shout was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples.

The onlookers knelt down, chanting "Immortal Lord!" The women, their eyes gleaming with desire, longed to take Yin Wenjiao's place.

Lin Zhu looked completely bewildered.

He was just passing by when he saw someone fall and he helped them. He never expected it to cause such a commotion.

"Girl, are you okay?"

He looked down at Yin Wenjiao in his arms.

Yin Wenjiao slowly opened her eyes, and what came into view was a face so handsome it seemed otherworldly.

Those eyes were as deep as stars, making her forget to breathe for a moment.

"I'm fine."

Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, and two blushes rose on her cheeks.

Lin Zhu breathed a sigh of relief and was about to put her down when a loud shout came from behind him.

"Shameless scoundrel! How dare you steal this top scholar's embroidered ball!"

Chen Guangrui pushed through the crowd and strode over, his face ashen.

He had been meticulously planning for many days, waiting for this day to catch the embroidered ball and become the prime minister's son-in-law, but who would have thought that a Cheng Yaojin would appear out of nowhere!
Lin Zhu frowned.

"Sir, you misunderstand. I was merely..."

"Just what?"

Chen Guangrui sneered.

"You look so righteous, but you harbor treacherous intentions! I, the top scholar, am a rising star in this court. Who do you think you are to compete with me?"

These words immediately caused an uproar among the surrounding crowd.

"How could the top scholar be so uncouth?"

"Compared to that immortal lord, they are worlds apart."

"Shh, keep your voice down, he's an official."

Lin Zhu gently put Yin Wenjiao down and cupped his hands in greeting.

"I am Lin Zhu, and I have no intention of vying for the embroidered ball. Since it belongs to the top scholar, it is only right that I return it."

As he spoke, he handed the embroidered ball to Chen Guangrui.

Chen Guangrui refused to answer, and instead became even more furious.

"Now you're pretending to be a good person? Why weren't you being courteous when you were grabbing the embroidered ball?"

He turned to Yin Wenjiao.

"Miss Yin, this man's origins are unknown. Don't be fooled by his appearance!"

Yin Wenjiao hid behind Lin Zhu and glanced at Chen Guangrui with disgust.

"Scholar Chen, if it weren't for Young Master Lin's rescue, I would have been dead long ago. Instead of being grateful, you hurled insults at me. Is this the demeanor of a scholar?"

"you!"

Chen Guangrui was so angry that he was trembling all over.

"I am the top scholar of the current dynasty, from an impeccable family, with a bright future ahead of me! What makes him, a mere charlatan, compare to me?"

Lin Zhu shook his head as he listened.

He didn't want to get entangled with such people, but seeing him being so aggressive towards a weak woman, he felt displeased.

"Scholar Chen, fame and fortune are but fleeting clouds, why be so attached to them?"

"fart!"

Chen Guangrui completely dropped his pretense.

"Do you know how much money I spent bribing my way to becoming the top scholar in the imperial examination? I was just waiting for this day to marry the Prime Minister's daughter and rise to prominence! You ruined my plans, I'm not finished with you!"

These blatantly utilitarian remarks not only caused an uproar among the people, but even Prime Minister Yin, who was hiding in the shadows of his boudoir, frowned.

"Master, this Chen Guangrui..."

The butler said in a low voice.

Prime Minister Yin waved his hand.

"I thought he was a promising talent, but I never expected him to be so worthless."

His gaze shifted to Lin Zhu downstairs, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"Is this person truly, as the people say, a celestial being descended to earth?"

Downstairs, Chen Guangrui became even more enraged upon seeing the overwhelming public opinion against him.

"What do you know! I've studied hard for ten years, all for this day!"

He pointed to the bamboo grove.

"What kind of sorcery did you use to make everyone side with you?"

Lin Zhu was helpless.

"Scholar Chen, I am merely passing by."

"Shut up!"

Chen Guangrui suddenly pulled a dagger from his sleeve.

"If I don't teach you a lesson today, I'll write my name Chen Guangrui backwards!"

"careful!"

Yin Wenjiao exclaimed in surprise.

A cold glint flashed in Lin Zhu's eyes, but he didn't move; he simply raised his hand slightly.

Chen Guangrui's dagger seemed to have hit an invisible wall, unable to advance any further.

"This this."

Chen Guangrui stared wide-eyed in horror.

Lin Zhu sighed.

"Scholar Chen, why bring shame upon yourself?"

"Sorcery! This is sorcery!"

Chen Guangrui screamed hysterically.

"Help! Catch the monster!"

However, no one responded.

The people looked at him as if he were a madman.

Yin Wenjiao could no longer hold back and took a step forward.

"Chen Guangrui! You keep calling Young Master Lin a sorcerer, but if it weren't for his intervention, I would have been dead long ago! As the top scholar, you not only show no gratitude to your benefactor, but instead commit murder with a knife. You are utterly shameless!"

She turned to Lin Zhu, her eyes filled with tears.

"Young Master Lin, since the embroidered ball has fallen into your hands today, it is the will of Heaven. I... I am willing."

Lin Zhu quickly waved his hand.

"Miss Yin, I did not intend to catch this embroidered ball."

"I see."

Yin Wenjiao lowered her head, her voice choked with sobs.

"Young master is a recluse of extraordinary wisdom; it's understandable that he wouldn't look favorably upon a mere mortal like me. I do not seek the position of principal wife, but only wish to be a concubine. I hope young master will grant my request."

These words were like a bomb, causing a huge uproar among the crowd.

"Miss Yin is actually willing to be a concubine?"

"If it were me, I'd be willing to be a maid!"

Lin Zhu looked at the group of servants blocking his way and inwardly cried out in alarm.

He had intended to slip away quietly amidst the chaos, but he hadn't expected the people from the Prime Minister's residence to react so quickly.

"Master, please stay."

The head steward bowed respectfully, his attitude respectful yet brooking no refusal.

"Now that you have accepted the young lady's embroidered ball, you are a distinguished guest of our Prime Minister's residence. Please come with this old servant into the residence for a chat." Lin Zhu glanced around and noticed that servants had already silently blocked all escape routes.

He secretly circulated his spiritual power, ready to break through at any moment, but then he thought that if he attacked mortals here, the karma he would incur would probably be even greater.

"I was just passing by; it was an unintentional act, and it should not be taken seriously."

Lin Zhu forced a smile and returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

"Please do me the favor and let me leave."

The old butler's face darkened.

"Young master, you jest. The embroidered ball marriage contest was personally presided over by my lord, and the whole of Chang'an knows about it. You accepted the ball but now you want to leave. What about my young lady's reputation?"

Lin Zhu was inwardly groaning.

He merely glanced at it in the crowd, but the embroidered ball seemed to have eyes and flew straight towards him.

Worse still, he vaguely sensed a faint magical fluctuation on the embroidered ball, which was no coincidence.

Just as the two sides were locked in a stalemate, a commotion arose inside the mansion gate.

The crowd parted automatically to make way, and a middle-aged man in a purple-gold official robe, exuding an air of authority, slowly walked out.

"The Prime Minister has arrived!"

With a loud shout, everyone present knelt down in unison, not daring to utter a sound.

Lin Zhu stood still, and Xiao Qiong beside him showed no intention of kneeling.

The two stood out conspicuously among the kneeling crowd.

Yin Kaishan's eyes were sharp as lightning, and he immediately noticed the standing man and woman.

When he saw Lin Zhu's face clearly, his eyes were filled with surprise.

"This young master has a very kind face."

Yin Kaishan took a few steps closer and carefully examined Lin Zhu.

"May I ask your honorable name?"

Lin Zhu sensed the probing look in the other person's eyes and knew that this prime minister was no ordinary person.

He hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands in greeting.

"My surname is Lin."

"Forest?"

Yin Kaishan raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Could it be the Lin family of Donghai?"

Lin Zhu smiled noncommittally, neither confirming nor denying.

He was indeed surnamed Lin before he transmigrated, but he had never even heard of the Lin family of Donghai.

Upon seeing this, Yin Kaishan's eyes gleamed even brighter.

"Young Master Lin possesses extraordinary bearing, refusing to kneel before me. Could he perhaps be a member of the immortal family?"

Upon hearing this, the servants and maids around him gasped and secretly glanced at Lin Zhu.

You should know that in this mortal realm, cultivators are legendary beings.

Lin Zhu's heart stirred, and he simply went along with what the other person was saying.

"Your Excellency has discerning eyes. I do indeed possess some cultivation, and my passing through Chang'an this time was purely by chance."

That embroidered ball.

"Hahaha!"

Yin Kaishan suddenly burst into laughter, interrupting him.

"Indeed, it is a divine destiny! I knew it; how could an ordinary person possess such magnanimity? Young Master Lin, this marriage selection by embroidered ball is truly the will of Heaven!"

Lin Zhu broke out in a cold sweat.

"Your Excellency is wise; I am a cultivator and should not be entangled in worldly karma."

"Young Master Lin is mistaken."

Yin Kaishan suppressed his smile and said seriously.

"Isn't the pursuit of immortality all about 'fate'? Your receiving my daughter's embroidered ball today is a preordained destiny."

With that, Yin Kaishan waved for everyone to leave, leaving only a few trusted confidants.

He lowered his voice.

"To be honest, my daughter Wen Jiao has been frail since childhood. A fortune teller said that she is destined to face a calamity that can only be resolved by a divine intervention. Today, Young Master Lin has caught the embroidered ball, which is exactly what this prophecy has come true."

Alarm bells rang in Lin Zhu's mind.

This plot sounds so familiar. He seems to have seen a similar scene in a novel before he transmigrated.
Just as he was pondering this, a system notification suddenly sounded in his mind.

[Ding! Side quest detected. Disrupting the heavens.]

[Mission objective: Marry Yin Wenjiao]

[Task Rewards: One hundred million years of cultivation, the modified divine ability "Nine Breaths of Qi Absorption," and clues to the whereabouts of Jin Chanzi's reincarnated spirit.]

[Special Note: You will receive the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation after completing this series of quests.]

Lin Zhu almost choked on her own saliva.

The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation? Isn't that the number one killing formation of the Heavenly Dao in the Investiture of the Gods? He recently obtained the Immortal Slaughtering Sword and was just worried about not having the other three swords and the formation diagram!
"Master Lin?"

Seeing the change in his expression, Yin Kaishan asked with concern.

"But feeling unwell?"

Lin Zhu snapped out of her daze and forced herself to remain calm.

"It's alright. However, Prime Minister, marriage is a serious matter and not something to be taken lightly. I truly have no intention of getting married."

Yin Kaishan's face darkened, and he suddenly clasped his hands and bowed deeply.

"Young Master Lin, as your father, I beg you. If you refuse this marriage, I fear... I fear my daughter's life will be in danger!"

Lin Zhu was startled and quickly stepped aside to avoid the bow.

"What is the Prime Minister doing? Please rise!"

"to be honest."

Yin Kaishan straightened up, tears glistening in his eyes.

"The fortune teller once said that if my daughter is rejected in the marriage proposal, she will not live more than three days. If you, Young Master Lin, find her undesirable, my daughter can be your concubine and will not interfere with your position as your principal wife."

As he spoke, he actually tried to kneel down.

Upon seeing this, the surrounding servants also knelt down and pleaded in unison.

"Please, young master, save my young lady!"

Lin Zhu felt a chill run down his spine.

This situation was putting him in a very difficult position! He looked to Xiao Qiong for help, only to find that the girl had a look of amusement on her face and had no intention of helping at all.

"System, are you sure there's nothing wrong with this task?"

Lin Zhu asked anxiously in his mind.

"I have a feeling this is a huge trap!"

[Host, rest assured, this system never cheats you. The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation is a supreme treasure that even immortals who have endured countless tribulations cannot escape. You won't find another opportunity like this once in a lifetime.]

Lin Zhu gritted her teeth.

A hundred million years of cultivation is indeed tempting, but the phrase "disrupting the secrets of heaven" seems dangerous no matter how you look at it.

Not to mention it also involves the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi.
Wait, Jin Chanzi?

Lin Zhu suddenly widened her eyes.

Could it be Jin Chanzi? The past life of Tang Sanzang, the protagonist of Journey to the West: The Great Tribulation?
"System, tell me honestly."

Lin Zhu questioned in his heart.

"Will this Yin Wenjiao give birth to a son named Tang Seng in the future?"

[The host is indeed intelligent. However, the secrets of heaven are now in chaos, and the future is uncertain. Completing this task will grant you a crucial clue.]

Lin Zhu gasped.

Good heavens, he's trying to steal the reincarnation of the Buddha's second disciple! The karma involved is so immense it could crush ten Great Luo Golden Immortals!

"Let me go! You're abducting a civilian man!"

Lin Zhu struggled, but was dragged into the Prime Minister's residence by four or five burly servants who held her arms.

Yin Kaishan stroked his beard as he stood on the steps, laughing heartily.

"In this city of Chang'an, I am the law! Guards, prepare the wedding hall; the wedding will take place tonight!"

Lin Zhu's face turned deathly pale. He was just a poor scholar who had come to the capital to take the imperial examination. He never expected to encounter such an absurd thing.

He turned to look at the crowd of onlookers on the street, hoping someone could uphold justice, but the crowd just pointed and whispered, and none of them dared to step forward.

"Your Excellency, this is against etiquette!"

Lin Zhu quickly came up with a clever idea.

"Marriage is a major life event, usually decided by parents and arranged by a matchmaker. Is that how you see it?"

"Cut the nonsense!"

Yin Kaishan waved his hand.

"It's a blessing you've accumulated over eight lifetimes that my daughter has taken a liking to you!"

Just then, a young man dressed in brocade robes squeezed out from the crowd; it was none other than the newly appointed top scholar, Chen Guangrui.

"Prime Minister Yin!"

Chen Guangrui bowed with his hands clasped in greeting, his voice loud and clear.

“I am the top scholar personally selected by the Emperor. According to custom, the top scholar should be married to the daughter of the Prime Minister. Why did you choose this nobody?”

Yin Kaishan's face darkened, his gaze sweeping over Chen Guangrui like a knife. (End of Chapter)