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

"His Majesty made this special arrangement; there must be a reason behind it. Your questioning of this matter is tantamount to questioning His Majesty's decision."

Yuan Tiangang was speechless, choked by Li Chunfeng's words. He glared at Li Chunfeng but had no reply.

Just then, a loud announcement rang out.

"Your Majesty is here!"

All the civil and military officials knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

"Long live! Long live! Long live!"

However, Lin Zhu remained seated, eyes closed, resting, without getting up.

Seeing this, Yuan Tiangang was furious. He pointed at Lin Zhu and shouted angrily.

"How dare you! His Majesty has arrived, and you dare not kneel! Do you know what a grave crime this is?!"

But Lin Zhu remained unmoved and maintained a calm demeanor.

Li Shimin entered the court and saw Yuan Tiangang loudly rebuking Lin Zhu. His brows furrowed slightly.

"Minister Yuan, what's all this commotion?"

Li Shimin's voice carried a hint of displeasure.

"Your Majesty! This man has no respect for the Emperor. He dares not kneel when Your Majesty arrives! We beg Your Majesty to punish him!"

Yuan Tiangang said loudly.

"Yuan Qing, how dare you!"

Li Shimin's voice suddenly became stern.

"The hermit Lin is a hermit I specially invited. He has his own temperament. How dare you be so rude?"

Yuan Tiangang was stunned by Li Shimin's rebuke; he couldn't believe his ears.

He always thought that Li Shimin would stand by his side and punish Lin Zhu.

However, Li Shimin rebuked him instead.

He could only swallow his anger and admit that he had overstepped his bounds.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have overstepped my bounds."

Yuan Tiangang lowered his head, his heart filled with resentment.

Li Shimin ignored Yuan Tiangang and walked to the dragon throne, where he sat down.

He looked at the assembled civil and military officials and said.

"I have been feeling uneasy lately, with a premonition that something big is about to happen. Minister Yuan, Minister Li, and Hermit Lin, what are your thoughts?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tiangang immediately stood up and answered first.

"Your Majesty, I observed the celestial phenomena last night and discovered that Venus has recently appeared during the daytime, which is an ominous sign!"

"Oh? How do you say this?"

Li Shimin asked.

"Your Majesty, the appearance of Venus in broad daylight indicates that it is Venus of the Heavenly Court. Its appearance foretells that something significant may be about to happen!"

Yuan Tiangang said smugly.

"anything else?"

Li Shimin asked.

"Your Majesty, I have also discovered that this matter may be related to the popular saying of 'a female warrior replacing the Tang dynasty'."

Yuan Tiangang said.

"A female warrior replacing the Tang dynasty?"

Li Shimin's brows furrowed once more.

"That's right!"

Yuan Tiangang said with absolute certainty.

"I believe this is a divine secret! To stabilize the empire, the female warrior must be torn apart by chariots to prevent future troubles!"

After he finished speaking, he gave Lin Zhu a provocative look, as if showing off his erudition.

He believed that Lin Zhu, that swindler, couldn't possibly know any of this.

He wanted to make Lin Zhu lose face in front of all the officials.

When Lin Zhu first heard Yuan Tiangang's explanation, he thought it made some sense, but upon closer inspection, he found it utterly absurd.

In his view, Venus was just a minor figure by the Jade Emperor's side, at most a gofer. How could Yuan Tiangang describe him as the head of the literary sages and the teacher of the martial gods in the Heavenly Court? Lin Zhu remembered very clearly that yesterday Venus had given Bi Fang a gua sha treatment, but Bi Fang complained that he hadn't done it well.

How could Yuan Tiangang describe such a character as so powerful? Lin Zhu felt that Yuan Tiangang was simply spouting nonsense and talking rubbish.

However, most of the civil and military officials in the court believed it to be true and nodded in agreement.

They felt that Yuan Tiangang's words made sense. After all, Yuan Tiangang was skilled in divination, and in their view, since he had said so, it must not have been unfounded.

The appearance of Venus during the day seems to truly foreshadow something significant.

However, when Yuan Tiangang proposed to hang Wu Nu (Wu Zetian), everyone felt somewhat reluctant.

Although they were seasoned soldiers who could kill three thousand enemies without blinking an eye, they couldn't bring themselves to harm an innocent little girl.

However, Yuan Tiangang's words made them feel as if they had no other choice, after all, he was skilled in divination and knew everything about the Heavenly Court.

The story of the female warrior replacing the Tang dynasty that Yuan Tiangang mentioned originated from a prophecy he made when he told Wu Zetian's fortune many years ago.

At that time, the wet nurse held Wu Zetian and lied that she was a boy. Yuan Tiangang said that she had "dragon eyes and a phoenix neck, and was an extremely noble person."

Upon learning that she was a girl, he exclaimed in amazement, "If she is a girl, her fate is truly unpredictable; she will surely become the ruler of the world in the future."

Thus, the saying "a female warrior replaced the Tang dynasty" began to circulate among the people.

However, Li Shimin was unwilling to make a move on a girl.

Now, Yuan Tiangang sees the planet Venus appear in broad daylight and concludes that this is a sign that Wu Zetian will usurp the Tang throne, and he decides to kill Wu Zetian.

Lin Zhu was surprised; this seemed to be the only point Yuan Tiangang had made.

However, he also realized that this might be a result that the Heavenly Court had deduced long ago, and that the Heavenly Court had already made its calculations when the Human Emperor changed.

Yuan Tiangang had indeed stolen quite a few heavenly secrets, but Lin Zhu really hadn't expected him to describe Venus as so powerful.

Lin Zhu shook his head in disdain at Yuan Tiangang's words and said indifferently.

"Unreliable."

In Yuan Tiangang's view, this was a sign that Lin Zhu was guilty. He was furious and pointed at Lin Zhu, scolding and questioning him.

"What makes you think I'm unreliable? And what can you possibly predict?!"

Lin Zhu still ignored the habit of mortals and closed his eyes to rest.

But Li Shimin's face darkened, and a hint of murderous intent even flashed in his eyes.

Li Shimin had already sentenced Yuan Tiangang to death in his heart. He felt that Yuan Tiangang had gone too far and dared to speak to Lin Zhu like that.

"Yuan Qing, step back!"

Li Shimin spoke calmly, his voice carrying an undeniable authority.

But Yuan Tiangang was not satisfied and continued to point at Lin Zhu and curse.

"His Majesty!
He's nothing but a fraud!
He has absolutely no idea how to tell fortunes!
What right does he have to sit here?!

"presumptuous!"

Li Shimin's imperial aura spread out, instantly creating immense pressure in the court. All the civil and military officials knelt on the ground, trembling. Yuan Tiangang was also overwhelmed by this pressure, and he knelt on the ground in fear, begging for mercy.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

"Minister Yuan, I will say it again: if there is a next time, do you know what the consequences will be?!"

Li Shimin coldly warned.

Yuan Tiangang's resolve to eliminate Lin Zhu grew even stronger; he felt that he was the only fortune teller in the Tang Dynasty. He gritted his teeth and said.

"Your Majesty, since he is so arrogant, let him spout his 'fallacies'! Let all the officials hear just how ignorant he truly is!"

Yuan Tiangang's eyes were full of provocation.

Seeing the curiosity on the faces of the civil and military officials, Li Shimin spoke to Lin Zhu.

"Hermit Lin, since you say that Minister Yuan is unreliable, could you please enlighten me and dispel the fog for me?"

Lin Zhu finally spoke. He slowly opened his eyes and said softly.

"The rise and fall of the Tang Dynasty should not be questioned by Heaven or by spirits, but should be sought within oneself. Remember your ancestors and cultivate their virtues. Always be worthy of destiny and seek your own blessings."

Li Shimin's eyes lit up when he heard this, feeling that it resonated with him.

Although he was nearing the end of his life, he was not senile, just a little confused.

He was an emperor who ruled the Tang Dynasty and loved his people like his own children. Why should the fate of the Tang Dynasty be determined by destiny? He was also angry about the Indian Buddhist kingdom's attempt to govern the world with Buddhism, feeling that those Buddhists were trying to raise people like animals, causing them to lose their sense of self and become their followers.

"Well said! Well said!"

Li Shimin couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

However, Yuan Tiangang suddenly sneered and mocked Lin Zhu, saying...

"Hahahaha! What 'Don't ask the heavens, don't ask the gods'! You piece of trash! You can't even calculate the numbers of heaven, yet you dare to spout nonsense here! You're making a laughing stock of yourself!"

Yuan Tiangang was very excited, feeling that he had caught Lin Zhu red-handed.

He knew that Li Shimin needed fortune tellers to interpret the will of Heaven, and that the Tang Dynasty also needed the protection of Heaven and Earth. Therefore, fortune tellers held a high position in the court.

He believed that as long as he could prove Lin Zhu was useless, he could regain Li Shimin's favor.

However, he did not notice that Li Shimin's face had turned as black as ink, and he was secretly clenching his fists.

Yuan Tiangang was so arrogant and domineering that he repeatedly made outrageous remarks to Lin Zhu.

Lin Zhu, however, didn't care at all. He looked at Yuan Tiangang indifferently and asked in return.

"Does a benevolent ruler govern a country by consulting spirits and deities, rather than the people?"

Yuan Tiangang sneered, feeling that Lin Zhu was trying to change the subject, and said provocatively.

"Is all you can say is these grand principles? If you're so capable, calculate my lineage and my relationship with the Heavenly Court!"

Lin Zhu responded coldly.

"You? Who do you think you are?"

Yuan Tiangang burst into laughter in anger. He pointed at Lin Zhu and said to Li Shimin.

"Your Majesty! You see! This man is extremely arrogant! How dare he insult his subject like this! I beg Your Majesty to tear him to pieces to uphold justice!"

Lin Zhu said that not only does he disrespect ghosts and gods, but ghosts and gods also need to respect him.

"Hahaha! What a joke! What a huge joke!"

Yuan Tiangang laughed loudly, thinking that Lin Zhu had simply gone mad.

Yuan Tiangang proposed a magical duel, claiming that he had a spell that could summon the judges of hell.

"Your Majesty! I have a method that can summon the judges of hell. Please, Your Majesty, consider it!"

Lin Zhu smiled slightly and advised him not to do so, but Yuan Tiangang was full of confidence, believing that he had already made offerings to a judge, and as long as he showed enough sincerity, the judge would appear.

He planned to use this opportunity to get rid of Lin Zhu, and at the same time show off his connections in the underworld to all the civil and military officials and the emperor.

"Your Majesty! Behold my methods!"

Yuan Tiangang shouted, and his disciples brought over a bunch of props and began to set up the altar.

Yuan Tiangang muttered incantations, his expression solemn, occasionally kneeling and kowtowing, and at other times acting like a madman, waving his peach wood sword wildly.

Lin Zhu watched helplessly from the side, feeling that Yuan Tiangang was putting on a show, like he was putting on a circus act.

However, the civil and military officials were amazed by Yuan Tiangang's magic, and some even felt a chill, as if the spiritual energy had been frozen.

They whispered among themselves, filled with awe and reverence for Yuan Tiangang's magic.

Yuan Tiangang's ritual was long and tedious, and Lin Zhu even dozed off in his chair.

Li Shimin watched all this with a cold expression, finding Yuan Tiangang's performance as laughable as a circus act.

However, he patiently waited for the result.

Finally, Yuan Tiangang's magic was complete.

He shouted, pointed his peach wood sword into the air, and a cloud of black smoke rose up. A sinister wind whistled, and a hideous judge of the underworld emerged from the black mist.

The moment the judge appeared, the temperature in the court seemed to drop several degrees.

All the civil and military officials felt a chilling coldness; they trembled and dared not utter a sound.

The judge looked coldly at Yuan Tiangang, who had summoned him, and frowned when he realized it was the person who usually supported him.

He felt somewhat displeased that this mortal dared to summon him so openly in the imperial court.

However, he suddenly sensed something and abruptly looked in another direction. There, Lin Zhu was sitting in a chair, resting with his eyes closed.

The judge's eyes widened instantly; he recognized Lin Zhu as the God of Law Enforcement of the Three Realms!
He was so frightened that his teeth chattered, and he stared in disbelief.

Not long ago, the judge witnessed in the underworld Lin Zhu's rampage, beating up Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and forcibly taking away the Great Golden Immortal Tan Tuo Ksitigarbha.

That silhouette remains a nightmare for all ghosts and gods to this day.

He never imagined that he would encounter this jinx in the mortal realm, within the imperial city of Chang'an.

His body began to tremble uncontrollably; he wanted to run away, but he didn't dare.

He feared that if he made a move, it would attract Lin Zhu's attention, and then his fate would probably be even worse than that of Dantuo Dizang.

Yuan Tiangang looked at the judge, thinking he was intimidated by his magic, and said smugly.

"Your Honor! You've finally arrived! Quickly! Help me catch that swindler!"
How dare he disrespect the underworld!

Upon hearing Yuan Tiangang's words, the judge trembled even more violently.

He looked at Yuan Tiangang, his eyes filled with anger.

He cursed inwardly, "This damned mortal dares to send me to capture Lord Prison God!"
Is he trying to get himself killed?
"You...you mortal...you...you..." The judge pointed at Yuan Tiangang, speechless for a long time.

Yuan Tiangang thought the judge was intimidated by his magic power, and he became even more smug.

he shouted.

"Your Honor! Act quickly! Seize that swindler and let him know that the majesty of the Underworld is not to be violated!"

Upon hearing this, the judge finally lost his temper.

With a wave of his hand, a powerful surge of magic sent Yuan Tiangang flying.

"You idiot! Are you trying to get me killed?!"

The judge roared.

After being slapped away, Yuan Tiangang was completely bewildered, not knowing what he had done wrong.

He looked at the judge and stammered.

"Your Honor, what... what is this?"

The judge ignored him, and he walked shakily to Lin Zhu.

He knelt down with a "plop".

"This humble one greets Lord Prison God! I was unaware of your arrival and have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me!"

The judge's voice was filled with fear and respect.

This scene shocked everyone present.

They looked at the judge kneeling on the ground, then at Lin Zhu who was resting with his eyes closed, and for a moment, they didn't know what to say.

Yuan Tiangang was utterly dumbfounded; he couldn't believe his eyes. (End of Chapter)