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

It was like being struck by lightning!

Gu Yang trembled violently, and his scarlet demonic eyes instantly shrank to the size of a pinhead!
He stared incredulously at the spotless, pristine "home" before him, as if it had been licked by a dog, then recalled Lin Zhu's guilty conscience, her flustered departure, and the awkwardness of her final "thank you"...

A truth that is both absurd and cruel to the extreme, like a cold, venomous snake, is biting his heart!

“No…impossible…” Gu Yang muttered to himself, but the undeniable facts before him and the desperate roars of his companions within the core made it impossible for him to deceive himself any longer.

Suddenly, as if grasping at the last straw, he abruptly raised his head, forcing a twisted, almost fanatical smile onto his face, and shouted loudly at the core demonic energy barrier.

"Hahaha! I understand! It wasn't stolen! It's Master! Master has awakened! Master needed power to break the seal, so he absorbed all the demonic energy and 'offerings' from this cave! Yes! That must be it! Master is about to be born! Hahahaha! This is good news! This is incredibly good news!"

Within the core demonic energy barrier, all was deathly silent.

A moment later, an even more shrill wail, filled with endless sorrow and the cry of "You're hopeless!" erupted.

"Gu Yang!!! You idiot! Moron! Is your brain filled with demonic scum?! If Master wakes up, are we still crying here?! Ahhh! I can't take it anymore! Let me die!!!"

Inside the barrier, the guardian demon general watched Gu Yang outside, who was still forcibly "self-conquering" and trying to explain everything with absurd logic. He was so angry that his demon soul trembled and his demonic thoughts became disordered. He felt that his countless years of cultivation were about to collapse on the spot, and he was about to have a stroke!
He had never realized with such despair that the "colleague" he had been saddled with not only might have problems with his abilities, but also with his intelligence... which was probably seriously flawed!

The South China Sea Eye, in front of the core entrance to the Demonic Cave.

Facing the desperate and indignant roars of his companions within the core, Gu Yang frowned, his face filled with confusion and displeasure, and spoke to the surging, thin barrier of demonic energy.

"Hey, you inside, why are you swearing? I'm a high-ranking official under my master, and I've made great contributions. Can't you at least show me some basic respect? Can't you just talk things out?"

"Respect?! I respect your grandmother!!!"

The demonic general within the barrier completely erupted! The invisible demonic energy, like boiling magma, raged against the barrier, conjuring a blurry, stomping demonic shadow that seemed poised to break free and beat Gu Yang a thousand times over! "Are you fucking blind?! Your home! Our home! It's been robbed! Robbed clean! Not a single hair left! The demonic energy! That damned little thief sucked it all dry! All the demonic beasts, whether they fought or not, were all taken away by that bastard! Now this place is cleaner than a beggar's bowl in the mortal realm! And you fucking ask me why I'm cursing?!"

It was like a bolt from the blue!

The confusion and displeasure on Gu Yang's face froze instantly, then were replaced by boundless terror!
He suddenly looked around.

The crystal-clear seawater, the bare rocks, the empty seabed... He had walked back and forth several times before and still felt "unfamiliar," as if something was missing... Now he finally understood!
It was demonic energy! It was that omnipresent, viscous, inky demonic energy that obscured everything! It was those demonic beasts lurking in the darkness, exuding a ferocious aura! They… were all gone!
"Huh! What did you say?!"

Gu Yang's voice changed tone, filled with an unbelievable sharpness.

"Demonic energy... stolen?! All... all the demonic beasts... stolen?!"

He finally connected the eerily clean scene before him with the fact that the place had been "completely looted"!

From within the core came the demonic thoughts of the demon general, who was in so much pain that he was almost weeping blood.

"It's over! It's all over! The demonic energy that had accumulated for billions of years around the cave has been completely drained by that scoundrel! That was the key power for Master's revival! Now... Master's rebirth will be delayed by at least countless millennia! It might even... it might all be for naught!!!"

The Demon General's voice was filled with endless grief and indignation, and accusations against Gu Yang.

"Damn it! Do you know the enormity of your crime?! Dereliction of duty, negligence, letting the wolf into the fold! I was blind! How could I have agreed to let a fool like you guard the Demonic Cave! You are the greatest sinner in the master's revival! Your crimes are unforgivable!!!"

Every accusation was like a red-hot iron, searing deeply into Gu Yang's heart!
He finally came to his senses and realized the enormous mistake he had made! He had been completely fooled by that brat Lin Zhu, not only revealing the secret of the Golden Cicada, but also indirectly causing the Demon Cave to be completely looted, hindering his master's revival! Immense regret gnawed at his demonic soul like a venomous snake!

"what!!!"

Gu Yang suddenly looked up to the sky and let out an extremely shrill roar. His terrifying demonic power erupted uncontrollably, causing the surrounding seawater to boil and the reefs to crack!
His eyes were bloodshot, filled with boundless anger and resentment, staring intently in the direction of Mount Ling, as if he wanted to devour that Buddhist land alive!

"Damn Mount Ling! Damn Buddhism! Damn Lin Zhu! And that treacherous Maitreya! How dare you toy with me like this! I, Gu Yang, swear I will not become a demon until I avenge this! One day, I will wash Mount Ling in blood, grind you all to dust, and vent my hatred!!!"

At the same time, in Heaven.

Lin Zhu, along with Fairy Ni Chang and Xiao Qiong, rode the clouds back to the familiar fairyland.

A serene scene unfolded, with ethereal mists, auspicious clouds, and the melodious calls of cranes, a stark contrast to the eerie atmosphere of the South China Sea eye and the bloodshed at Jinshan Temple.

However, Lin Zhu was somewhat dazed, and her steps were a little unsteady.

He kept replaying Gu Yang's last sincere "thank you" in his mind, as well as the image of the den of demons that he had "cleaned" spotless.

His first time being a "thief" (though he thought he was cleaning up the environment), he got into such an outrageous situation that the victim not only didn't pursue the matter but also sincerely thanked him. This feeling... is too bizarre!
"Husband, what's wrong? You've been distracted ever since we returned from the South China Sea?"

The fairy in the rainbow robes keenly noticed Lin Zhu's unusual behavior, stopped in her tracks, gently took his hand, and looked at him with concern in her beautiful eyes.

"But are there still hidden dangers in that den of demons?"

Lin Zhu snapped out of his reverie, looked at the Fairy of Rainbow Garments' clear and worried eyes, waved his hand awkwardly, and sighed softly.

"Cough... The hidden danger is gone, but... my conscience... I feel a little bit... guilty."

He touched his nose, a rare hint of embarrassment appearing on his face.

Upon hearing this, Fairy Ni Chang was taken aback at first, then smiled sweetly, like the first melting of ice and snow.

She tightened her grip on Lin Zhu's hand, her voice gentle yet carrying a comforting power.

"My husband, why should you feel guilty? You ventured deep into the South China Sea eye, risking your life to purify that ancient demon cave and remove the source of the demonic energy. This saved all living beings in the Three Realms from a great calamity! If it weren't for your intervention, and the demonic energy had been allowed to grow and spread, in time, demons would have roamed freely, and the Three Realms would have been plunged into chaos and devastation!"

She looked at Lin Zhu with unwavering eyes.

"How can such a great act of merit and compassion be tainted by the word 'stealing'? In ancient times, when the sages brought fire to mankind, was that stealing? When the powerful moved mountains and filled seas to create land for people, was that stealing? What you have done, my lord, is to establish a heart for heaven and earth and to establish a destiny for people! It is truly immeasurable merit! If this is considered stealing, then wouldn't the righteous path of the three realms become a joke?"

The fairy's words were like a clear spring, washing away the slight awkwardness in Lin Zhu's heart. He took a deep breath of the pure celestial air, and his mind suddenly cleared, and that little bit of "unease" vanished instantly.

He took the fairy's soft hand in his own and smiled.

"My wife is right! I was being too attached to appearances. Let's go back to the mansion first..."

"Wait a minute," Lin Zhu changed the subject, a hint of mischief in his eyes.

"It's been a long time since I've seen my mother-in-law. Now that you're back, why don't we go to the Moon Palace to pay our respects? Let her see how beautiful my wife is now!"

The fairy in the rainbow dress blushed slightly, but her eyes revealed joy and longing as she nodded gently.

"Yes, I'll listen to my husband."

The three of them then rode on clouds and flew straight towards the cold and bright Guanghan Palace.

In front of the Moon Palace, the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms fills the air, and the Jade Rabbit frolics.

When the Moon Goddess sensed her daughter's presence and personally came out of the palace gates to greet her, the dignified and noble demeanor on her face was instantly replaced by extreme astonishment!

"Ni...Ni Chang?!"

The Moon Goddess stared wide-eyed at her daughter, whose aura was as deep as the sea, radiating celestial charm, and whose body was imbued with the laws of the Great Dao.

She even subconsciously rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was under some kind of illusion! Just a few days ago, when her daughter left the Moon Palace, she was clearly only at the True Immortal realm! How could she have changed so much in the blink of an eye… this aura, this pressure… she was clearly a Grand Luo Golden Immortal! A genuine Grand Luo Golden Immortal!

"Mother!"

The fairy in the rainbow dress smiled and stepped forward, affectionately taking her mother's arm.

"This...this...how is this possible?!"

The Moon Goddess was still in a state of extreme shock, her gaze sweeping back and forth between the Fairy of Rainbow Robes and the smiling Lin Zhu standing beside her.

"Lin...Lin the Prison God? Ni Chang, she...she is..."

Lin Zhu smiled slightly, stepped forward, and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

"Your son-in-law greets Mother-in-law. Mother-in-law, there is no need to be surprised. This is indeed Ni Chang, without a doubt. Your son-in-law just... well, took her out for a short while to break through her cultivation level."

"You made a slight... breakthrough?"

The Moon Goddess raised her voice eight octaves as she pointed at the Fairy of Rainbow Robes.

"From True Immortal to Grand Luo Golden Immortal... and you call that 'slightly'?!"

This is simply unbelievable! Throughout the entire history of the Three Realms, it's unheard of! Even a saint's empowerment wouldn't be this fast!
Faced with the detailed explanation from Fairy Ni Chang (omitting details about the God-Slaying Spear and the Demon Cave, only saying that Lin Zhu used a great opportunity to help her break through) and the real, undeniable aura of the Great Luo, the Taiyin Star Lord finally accepted this dreamlike fact with great difficulty.

But what followed was an even more intense shock! She abruptly turned to look at Lin Zhu, her eyes filled with the gaze of someone looking at a walking, unbelievable miracle! In just a few days, he had forcibly elevated a True Immortal to a Grand Luo Golden Immortal… What did that even mean?! This was beyond the description of a mere prodigy; it was… defying fate! The work of creation itself!

An extremely bold, even somewhat "crazy" idea sprouted wildly in the heart of the aloof and cold-hearted Taiyin Star Lord like weeds, instantly taking over her entire mind!

“This…this ability…” Taiyin Xingjun’s eyes became incredibly fervent. She seemed to see the bright future of Guanghan Palace! Her gaze swept over the beautiful but mostly mediocre Chang’e fairies in Guanghan Palace, and a “grand” blueprint quickly took shape in her mind.

If... if all these Chang'e fairies... married Lin Zhu... wouldn't that mean... wouldn't the entire Guanghan Palace be filled with Great Luo Golden Immortals?!

A Guanghan Palace composed entirely of female Grand Luo Golden Immortals! What a terrifying force that would be! What about the Queen Mother of the West, what about Doumu Yuanjun… they would all have to step aside! She, Taiyin Xingjun, would become the most powerful female immortal in the Three Realms!

This idea is so wonderful! So tempting!

The more the Moon Goddess thought about it, the more excited she became, and the more feasible it seemed! She could almost see the magnificent scene of the fairies of the Moon Palace surrounding the bamboo forest, and then collectively breaking through to the Great Luo realm! An extremely "brilliant" smile, even carrying a hint of... well... "longing" and "calculation," uncontrollably curled up at the corners of her mouth.

That smile, no matter how you look at it, exudes a kind of... "brothel madam seeing a money tree" kind of burning passion and "lewdness"?
"Hehe...hehehe..." The Moon Goddess was completely immersed in his "grand plans" and let out a few chilling low laughs.

Lin Zhu.

"."

Fairy in Rainbow Robes

"."

Looking at their mother-in-law's (or rather, their own mother's) "obsessive" expression and eerie smile, the two instantly felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads! They were so embarrassed they could dig a palace out of their toes!
The Fairy of Rainbow Clothes reacted the fastest, grabbing Lin Zhu's hand and speaking rapidly.

"Mother! We suddenly remembered that we have urgent business at home! We'll come to see you another day! Farewell!"

Before she finished speaking, Fairy Ni Chang practically dragged the still bewildered Lin Zhu away, transforming into two streaks of light and fleeing the extremely eerie Guanghan Palace at an even faster speed than when they arrived! Only the Taiyin Star Lord remained standing there, gazing in the direction they had disappeared, his "grand ambition" and "lewd smile" still lingering on his face, his eyes flashing with unwavering determination.

Just as Lin Zhu had settled Fairy Ni Chang in and was about to check on the spoils of this trip, Taibai Jinxing's familiar yet somewhat urgent call came from outside the palace gate.

"God of Prison! Is the God of Prison present? His Majesty urgently summons him!"

Venus's voice abruptly stopped.

The moment he stepped into the palace, his gaze was fixed on Fairy Rainbow, as if drawn by a magnet!
The eagerness on his face was instantly replaced by unparalleled astonishment. His mouth was slightly open, and his eyes were wide open, as if he had seen some incredible spectacle!
"A...a Great Luo Golden Immortal?!"

Venus's voice trembled, filled with disbelief. (End of Chapter)