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

"Shh! Shh! Shh!"

Forbidden!

All the law enforcers, whether they had just broken through or were consolidating their realm, immediately sprang into action upon hearing the call. Their movements were as swift as lightning, and in just a few breaths, they had already formed a neat and imposing array on the square, exuding a chilling aura!

An immense and powerful aura, mixed with various formidable forces, surged out from the formation like a tangible tsunami!

It instantly cleared away the remaining clouds and mist in the sky, leaving the area within a radius of ten thousand miles clear and bright, with only a chilling atmosphere pervading the air!

This team's strength is terrifying!
In terms of top-tier combat power, those who are clearly at the level of Great Luo Golden Immortal include Jiu Feng, the Ancient Heavenly Eagle who has just recovered and advanced to the late stage of Great Luo, and the Abyss Golden Turtle!
That's three or more!
There were more than a dozen powerful beings at the Taiyi Golden Immortal level!

They were surrounded by celestial light, with laws subtly appearing around them, making them pillars of strength in any faction.

There were dozens more at the Golden Immortal realm! Their auras were refined, and their eyes were piercing.

There are over a hundred True Immortals, who serve as the core members of the team.

The largest number of them were celestial beings, numbering over three thousand!
These celestial beings are not ordinary celestial beings from the common celestial army camp who have cultivated up through meager incense offerings and rudimentary techniques. They all have a steady aura and sharp eyes, clearly indicating that their foundation is extremely solid!

More importantly, since Lin Zhu took charge of the Nine-Layer Heavenly Prison, he has invested a massive amount of resources! The amount of pills distributed on a regular basis far exceeds what outsiders can imagine, not to mention that this time almost everyone received top-grade pills!
In addition, the large number of top-quality weapons and armor that Lin Zhu had "extorted" from the Western Paradise last time were all given priority to the law enforcers of the Nine Heavens Prison!
This makes each member of the team far more powerful than ordinary immortals of the same level!
It can be said that this is an extremely elite and fierce army, armed to the teeth and built with elixirs and top-notch equipment!

Without the intervention of a quasi-saint level expert, this team would be able to sweep through the vast majority of Daoist temples in the Three Realms!

Even Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, if surrounded, would not escape being beaten to death!
Lin Zhu stood before the formation, his eyes flashing with golden light, like two shrunken suns. He said no more nonsense, and suddenly swung his arm forward with a thunderous roar.

"set off!"

"Roar!!!"

"I will obey the decree of the God of Hell!!"

The three thousand enforcers responded in unison, their voices booming so loudly that the buildings of the Heavenly Court seemed to tremble slightly!

The team set off without concealing their tracks; instead, they swaggered and headed aggressively towards the underworld!
The overwhelming power of the three thousand celestial beings gathered together was like a moving natural disaster, stirring up the wind and clouds and causing the laws to roar. Before even leaving the Heavenly Court's territory, it had already caused a violent tremor in the Three Realms!

Countless divine senses swept in from all directions, and upon sensing the movements of this team and its undisguised, soaring killing intent, they were all greatly alarmed!
"They really went!"

"The target really is the Netherworld!"

"A major event is about to happen in the Three Realms!"

Far to the west, in the Great Thunder Temple.

The Buddha, seated on the lotus throne, suddenly opened his eyes. Those eyes, which were full of endless wisdom and compassion, were now filled with solemnity and a hint of... indescribable unpleasantness.

His first reaction wasn't about the underworld, but rather a sudden tightness in his chest, an instinctive thought.

"Could it be... that some blind fool in my Western Paradise has provoked that evil star again? The pain of the Buddha from the East losing his arm is still fresh in our minds!"

The Immovable King, who was standing to the side, seemed to have guessed the Buddha's worries and quickly reported in a low voice.

"This is not a matter for my Western Paradise. It is reported that it was the Treasure Goddess, an emissary under Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who forcibly broke into the ninth level of the Heavenly Prison and abducted the serious criminal, Dantuo Ksitigarbha. The Heavenly Court... does not seem to have taken a strong stance."

Lin Zhu, the God of Law Enforcement in the Three Realms, must have been enraged by this, which is why he mustered his troops and set off for the Netherworld to seek revenge.

Fudo Myo-o's face showed worry.

"My Buddha, Lin Zhu acts without restraint. This time, he left in anger. If a great battle breaks out with the forces of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the consequences could be far-reaching and detrimental to all living beings in the Three Realms! Should we..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted fiercely by the Buddha.

"Shut up!"

Li Jing was so frightened by the Buddha's angry shout that his liver and gallbladder were shattered. Before he could react, a tremendous force struck him!
"puff--!"

Li Jing, like a spinning top that had been severely whipped, spun uncontrollably in the air for a full ten rotations before crashing face down onto the smooth floor of the Great Thunder Temple in an extremely undignified manner, making a muffled "thud".

He lay on the ground, trembling all over, not daring to lift his head. He felt a burning pain on his face, but even more so, a deep sense of shame and indignation.

The three thousand Buddhas looked at Li Jing, who was lying on the ground like a dead dog, without any sympathy on their faces. Instead, they all looked at him as if he were a fool.

This Li Jing, he really knows how to bring up the most sensitive topics. Didn't he see that Buddha was already troubled by the matter of Lin Zhu and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva? He still dared to jump out and suggest some "solutions," he was just asking for trouble.

The Buddha looked at Li Jing lying on the ground, his anger surging, but when he thought that Li Jing was the only heir left by the Ancient Buddha Dipankara, he could not kill him. He could only swallow his anger and his face was terribly gloomy.

Seeing this, Guanyin Bodhisattva knew that she could not let Li Jing, this fool, continue to anger the Buddha. She quickly stepped forward, put her hands together, and changed the subject in a gentle but urgent voice.

"Buddha, calm your anger. The prison god Lin Zhu is currently heading to the underworld with thunderous fury to seek revenge on Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and has no time to spare. This is the perfect opportunity for our Western Paradise to promote the Water and Land Assembly in the mortal realm of Jambudvipa! We can take advantage of this opportunity to put the eastward transmission of Buddhism into practice."

Fudo Myo-o immediately seconded the agreement, his tone filled with disgust for Lin Zhu.

"What Guanyin Bodhisattva said is absolutely right!"

Lin Zhu is the biggest troublemaker in the Three Realms! With him around, nothing can get done.

Now that he is restrained by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, this is the perfect opportunity for us to act! We should immediately convene a grand assembly of water and land offerings to select a pilgrim for the journey to the West!

"A troublemaker?"

Upon hearing this word, the Buddha's eyes widened suddenly, and he glared fiercely at Acala, who was so frightened that he quickly lowered his head.

Although he might think so in his heart, could he say such a thing in front of three thousand Buddhas?

However, Guanyin's suggestion truly resonated with the Buddha.

He took a deep breath, suppressed the chaotic emotions in his heart, and said in a deep voice.

"That's fine.

The Venerable Guanyin.

"The disciple is here."

"You shall then travel to Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty in Jambudvipa, and ensure the smooth convening of the Water and Land Assembly. You shall also take this opportunity to select the chosen one to retrieve the scriptures! This matter concerns the great prosperity of our Buddhist community and cannot be allowed to fail!"

The Buddha solemnly gave his instructions.

"I will obey the Buddha's decree!" Guanyin Bodhisattva bowed and accepted the order.

The Buddha waved his hand wearily.

"Go."

Guanyin Bodhisattva did not linger any longer. She transformed into a beam of clear light and swiftly left the Great Thunderclap Temple, heading straight for Jambudvipa (the southern continent).

Seeing that the Buddha had made a decision, the three thousand Buddhas each began to make their own calculations.

Most people felt that Lin Zhu was currently locked in a fierce battle with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and could not possibly spare the time to interfere with the Water and Land Assembly. Perhaps the Western Paradise could truly succeed this time.

……

On the other side, Lin Zhu led a large contingent of law enforcers from the Three Realms, marching in a mighty and menacing manner toward the Netherworld.

However, Lin Zhu, as the leader, did not travel with the main group.

He possesses the [Golden Crow Transformation into Rainbow Technique], which is the fastest speed in the world. When used at full power, it far surpasses ordinary escape techniques.

He instructed Bifang, Taigu Tianying, and others to lead the main force forward according to plan, while he himself transformed into a golden rainbow that was indistinguishable to the naked eye and went ahead, intending to first go to the Netherworld to "scout out the way," or rather, to deliver a "surprise" to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

A golden rainbow streaked across the sky, its speed seemingly transcending the boundaries of time and space.

As they passed over the Southern Continent, above the borders of the Tang Dynasty, a system notification suddenly sounded in Lin Zhu's mind.

"Ding! Special target detected."

Chen Xuanzang, the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi. Status.

Lonely and dejected, with an uncertain future.

"Issue an instant task."

Offer assistance to the lost pilgrims, granting them a glimmer of hope and strength. (Quest reward)

May my vows and merits amount to 50,000 points!

The golden rainbow that Lin Zhu had transformed into suddenly paused in mid-air, revealing his figure.

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze piercing through the clouds, instantly locking onto a young novice monk—Chen Xuanzang—who was sweeping fallen leaves in a temple below, his brows furrowed with a hint of confusion and loneliness.

"Oh? Little Xuanzang?"

Lin Zhu's lips curled into a playful, sinister smile. With a swift movement, he appeared silently before Chen Xuanzang like a ghost.

Chen Xuanzang, who was silently sweeping the floor with his head down, suddenly felt a blur before his eyes, as if the brilliant sunlight had been blocked. He subconsciously looked up and saw a celestial being in white robes, with a face so handsome that words could not describe it, standing in front of him with an expression that he could not understand, a smile that was not quite a smile.

Chen Xuanzang was startled by this sudden, dreamlike scene, and the broom in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".

He looked at Lin Zhu, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him, a mixture of awe for the extraordinary being and a strange, indescribable sense of familiarity.

Even more bizarrely, he felt a sudden, extremely intense, and inexplicable sharp pain in his...buttocks? Or rather, in some embarrassing area! It felt as if something had ripped him apart! But there were no wounds there, and no one had touched him!
The pain came suddenly and strangely, as if it were some kind of mark from the depths of the soul causing a dull ache!
Looking at Chen Xuanzang's bewildered, terrified, and pained expression, Lin Zhu naturally understood the source of that "pain deep in his soul"—it was the demonic imprint left by the "deep affection" of Gu Yang's "good friend" back then, which was still subtly influencing this reincarnated body.

He spoke with great interest, his voice tinged with a hint of mockery.

“Little monk, your face is dark and your eyes are dull. It seems that a great calamity is about to befall you.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuanzang was first stunned, then somewhat amused and exasperated. He endured the strange pain, clasped his hands together, and tried his best to calm himself down.

"Amitabha.

This... Immortal Master, this humble monk is devoted to Buddhism and practices pure cultivation. How could there be any great calamity? Immortal Master, please do not tease this humble monk.

Moreover... the immortal's appearance doesn't resemble the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas depicted in the temple murals..."

Seeing Chen Xuanzang's completely bewildered expression, Lin Zhu immediately understood.

The Chen Xuanzang before him was merely the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi. His true primordial spirit—Jin Chanzi—was currently deep in his soul, his memories yet to awaken.

Only when Chen Xuanzang dies in this life, or encounters a great opportunity that stimulates his primordial spirit to leave his body, will Jin Chanzi's memories and power truly return.

"The Western Paradise has certainly made a good plan."

Lin Zhu instantly understood the key to it.

This arrangement ensures that Jin Chanzi, a Buddhist disciple with impeccable lineage, becomes the pilgrim, while also preventing him from interfering with the journey by relying on his powerful past life and background. This allows the journey to the West to accumulate merit "fairly and justly," thereby gaining the approval of Heaven.

Jin Chanzi is an indispensable key piece in the game of Journey to the West.

Thinking of this, Lin Zhu's sinister smile deepened. He stared at Chen Xuanzang, deciding to add another variable to this game.

With a thought, a dazzling lotus platform with thirteen petals, radiating boundless golden light, appeared out of thin air beneath him—it was the [Thirteen-Petaled Golden Lotus of Merit]!
A vast, pure, compassionate, and majestic Buddha light instantly spread out from the bamboo grove, illuminating the entire courtyard as if it were a sacred Buddhist land!
Chen Xuanzang had never seen such a sight before. He was immediately stunned by the pure Buddha light and the sacred lotus platform. His mouth was agape, and his eyes were filled with shock and piety. His previous doubts vanished instantly. He felt that the white-robed immortal in front of him must be some peerless Buddha he had never known before!

Just as Chen Xuanzang was filled with excitement, Lin Zhu flipped his hand, and a seemingly plain pill, but with a faint, violent golden light flowing inside, appeared at his fingertips. It was the [Mortal Berserk Pill], whose effects were unknown.

“Little monk, you are destined to be with Buddha. Today I will bestow upon you a great fortune.”

Lin Zhu's voice became grand and ethereal, as if it possessed some kind of bewitching magic.

"This elixir can grant you supreme power when your life is in danger, when you are most desperate and helpless, to help you slay demons and monsters, save all living beings, and clear your path ahead!"

He flicked the pill lightly, and the Mortal Berserk Pill transformed into a faint light, silently disappearing into the depths of Chen Xuanzang's sea of ​​consciousness between his brows.

"Remember," Lin Zhu's figure began to slowly become transparent, his voice seeming to come from beyond the heavens.

"Act solely based on your will, and strive with courage and diligence. All those gods and demons in the world are, at times, nothing more than paper tigers..."

As the words faded away, Lin Zhu's figure completely disappeared from the spot, as if he had never appeared at all.

Chen Xuanzang stood there blankly for a long time before he came to his senses.

He touched his forehead, recalling the "mysterious Buddha's" last words, especially the phrase "demons and monsters are paper tigers." The young monk's handsome face was filled with deep doubt and confusion. (End of Chapter)