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

"Paper...paper tiger?"

Is this some profound Buddhist verse?

He scratched his bald head, feeling that what had happened today was too bizarre and beyond his comprehension.

Chen Xuanzang touched his brow. Although the elixir melted instantly upon entering his mouth, as if it had merged into the depths of his soul without leaving a trace, his heart was filled with indescribable joy.

The white-robed "Buddha" who suddenly appeared and then mysteriously disappeared must have bestowed an extraordinary elixir, which might just be the key to resolving my future tribulations!
He carefully kept this "opportunity" hidden deep in his heart, not daring to reveal it in the slightest.

Just as he calmed himself down and prepared to continue chanting sutras to soothe his agitated emotions, the door to the meditation room was pushed open rudely, and five seemingly ordinary monks with scrutinizing eyes walked in. They were none other than the Five Directions Protectors in disguise.

They were nominally monks staying at the temple, but in reality, they were monitoring Chen Xuanzang day and night to prevent any accidents from happening.

Upon seeing them, Chen Xuanzang's initial joy was instantly replaced by a strange sense of unease and wariness.

Over the years, these people have been like maggots clinging to his bones, interfering with everything he does. Several times, when he was really craving meat and wanted to sneak some to satisfy his cravings, they "coincidentally" discovered him and strictly stopped him, calling it "protecting Buddhism." It's truly hateful!

"The Buddha just bestowed this treasure; we must not let these bastards discover it!"

Chen Xuanzang thought to himself.

"If they find out, they'll definitely try to seize it by trickery and force, saying things like 'this item is against Buddhist principles' or 'I'm keeping it safe for you,' and other such nonsense!"

Thinking of this, Chen Xuanzang straightened his face and reprimanded the Five Directions Protectors in an extremely rude manner.

"Get out! Who let you in? You're always following me around like a shadow, aren't you annoyed? Keep looking? Believe me, this humble monk will 'exorcise' each of you today?!"

The Five Directions Protectors were already used to Chen Xuanzang's occasional "rebellious" outbursts, taking it as just childish behavior. They exchanged glances, found nothing unusual, and were too lazy to waste words on him, so they silently withdrew from the meditation room.

However, right after the Five Directions Protector left, Chen Xuanzang seemed to suddenly be possessed by an evil spirit!
A sudden, violent glint flashed in his eyes, a stark contrast to his usual timidity and meekness. His eyes instantly became bloodshot, his chest heaved violently, and he began to curse loudly towards the doorway.

"You insolent fools! A bunch of bald monks! Always meddling in everything! Do you really think I'm made of clay?! Sooner or later... sooner or later..."

He grew angrier and angrier as he spoke, and a nameless fire shot straight to the top of his head. He angrily raised his palm, gathered all his strength, and slapped hard on the stone platform of the Buddha statue enshrined beside him!
"Oh!"

There was a muffled sound.

"what--!!!"

Immediately following was a piercing scream.

Chen Xuanzang clutched his right hand, which was now unnaturally bent and throbbing with excruciating pain. Cold sweat poured down his forehead from the pain, and he rolled on the ground in agony. The violent aura he had just felt was instantly replaced by the agony, leaving only helpless wails.

"Help...it hurts so much...my hand...my hand is broken..."

If Lin Zhu had seen his actions, he would have been amazed.

The effects of that [Mortal Berserk Pill] were initially thought to be unknown, perhaps even useless to him. However, judging from Chen Xuanzang's inexplicably stirred-up aggression and subsequent self-harming behavior, it seems...

This little monk, who suppresses the flames of rebellion within him, might actually play an unexpected "role" in certain extreme situations.

……

Thousands of miles away, Lin Zhu, who had just left, heard a system notification in his mind.

"Ding! Mission complete! Successfully bestowed the elixir upon Chen Xuanzang, the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi. Reward of 50,000 points of merit has been issued!"

Feeling the increase in merit within his body, Lin Zhu nodded in satisfaction.

In this way, he is only 250,000 units of merit and vows away from breaking through to the half-step quasi-saint realm.

"The reward for the mission to subdue the forces of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is 200,000 merits... After completing it, you can find a way to get another 50,000, which is not difficult."

Lin Zhu was making plans in his mind.

He suddenly remembered something. Previously, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, had built many "Temple of the God of Law Enforcement in the Three Realms" for him in various places in Jambudvipa (the southern continent of the Western Regions) to express his gratitude, and they were worshipped by mortals.

The power of incense offerings can also be transformed into the power and merit he needs!
With a thought, Lin Zhu used the Golden Crow Transformation Rainbow Technique and instantly arrived in the Southern Continent, above a rather magnificent "Three Realms Law Enforcement Prison Temple".

He concealed himself, and no one could detect him.

Looking down at the majestic statue below, which resembled him by seven or eight points, Lin Zhu reached out and grabbed the statue's head from a distance.

"Suck!"

He used his supernatural powers to draw upon the incense offerings and prayers belonging to him from this temple and even from the entire Jambudvipa region!

In an instant, invisible to the naked eye, but in Lin Zhu's perception, countless tiny golden points of light, filled with piety and awe, swarmed into his body from all directions of Jambudvipa, especially within the borders of the Great Tang Dynasty, like fireflies that had been summoned!

A moment later, the absorption was complete.

Lin Zhu checked the harvest.

Forty-eight thousand five hundred and forty-six points and forty-four merits of vows.

"Tsk, it even has odd and even numbers."

He pursed his lips, saying that although it wasn't quite 50,000, it was close.

He re-examined his own level requirements and found that he was still about 210,000 units of vow power and merit short of being half a step into a quasi-saint.

"Hmm, round it down a little more, and that should be about right."

Lin Zhu thought to himself casually.

After collecting the merits, Lin Zhu used his divine sense to remotely perceive the location of the Three Realms Enforcement Team.

This realization caused him to frown slightly.

"These guys... why haven't they reached the border of the underworld yet? Are they sightseeing?"

Lin Zhu was speechless.

"Not a hint of tension. Could it be that they don't know the Golden Crow Transformation Rainbow Technique and are just going to walk there on their own two legs... or perhaps ride the clouds and stroll over? What a leisurely and elegant lifestyle!"

He shook his head, too lazy to wait for these "slow-paced" subordinates any longer. "Fine, I'll go ahead and meet that Styx Ancestor."

Having made up his mind, Lin Zhu stopped lingering. His figure transformed once again into a dazzling golden rainbow that was difficult to see with the naked eye, tearing through space and directly disappearing into the realm of the Netherworld, a place filled with yin energy and isolated from the mortal world!
……

Beyond the Netherworld, at the edge of that boundless sea of ​​blood, where waves of blood surge and vengeful spirits wail.

The Styx Ancestor, the ancient power who created the Asura race and wielded the path of slaughter, had an extremely ugly expression at this moment, so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip from it.

Before him, on the smooth black reef, lay three corpses side by side. The two on the left were demon envoys of the Taiyi Golden Immortal level, dressed in black robes, their auras already dissipated.

The one on the right is a woman with a beautiful but lifeless face, wearing a blood-red battle dress—she is one of the top ten princesses among the seventy-two princesses of the Asura clan, possessing the cultivation of the early stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal!
The four demon kings Mara, Shiva, Vishnu, and Rudra, along with the four demon generals Indra, the demon mother, Vinayaka, and Rudra, stood around, their faces grim, their teeth clenched, and their bodies surging with barely suppressed killing intent and grief.

Princesses Liu Man and Su Lengyu were deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of their sisters. Their beautiful eyes were filled with tears, and their clenched fists were so tight that their nails almost dug into their palms.

Tianfei Wumo, the Daoist companion of the Styx Ancestor, was no longer the elegant and noble woman she usually was. She gritted her teeth fiercely, her voice as cold as ice, filled with deep-seated hatred.

"Ksitigarbha! This is outrageous! You allowed that beast Di Ting to ambush and kill my daughter! I, Umo, swear I will not rest until I avenge this!"

The Styx Ancestor remained silent, his eyes deep and cold.

How could he not understand that the fact that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva sent Di Ting to assassinate one of his top-ranking princesses and two demon messengers was by no means a simple provocation?

This is more like a signal that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva may be about to make a big move, first clipping his wings, or testing his bottom line!
An unprecedented pressure weighed on the mind of the Styx Ancestor.

He even began to consider whether to temporarily seal off the entire Blood Sea, ordering all Asuras to consolidate their power, endure humiliation, and temporarily avoid its onslaught? A direct confrontation with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva would come at a far too high cost…

Just as the atmosphere at the edge of the sea of ​​blood reached its most oppressive point, and the Styx Ancestor struggled with his decision—

A clear, slightly languid voice, yet distinctly reaching everyone's ears, suddenly rang out beyond the sea of ​​blood, like a pebble thrown into stagnant water.

"Lin Zhu, the God of Law Enforcement of the Three Realms, has come to pay respects to the Ancestor of the Styx River."

The sound wasn't loud, but it instantly shattered the deathly silence of the Blood Sea, causing all the Asura clan powerhouses, including the Styx Ancestor himself, to suddenly raise their heads and look in the direction from which the sound came with surprise and uncertainty!

The Styx Patriarch was troubled by the increasingly rampant sneak attacks by the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's forces, especially the deaths of one of his top ten princesses and two demon envoys. His heart was filled with murderous intent and resentment, and he was weighing whether to temporarily endure and seal off the Blood Sea.

Just then, he heard that Lin Zhu had come to visit, and his heart stirred.

Tianfei Wumo, who was standing to the side, was filled with grief and indignation because of the tragic death of her beloved daughter. When she heard the name Lin Zhu, she remembered that he seemed to have some inexplicable connection with her daughter. She subconsciously thought that he was her "son-in-law" who had come to help or comfort her after hearing the bad news.

She suppressed her grief and addressed the patriarch of the Styx Cult.

“Ancestor, since it is…it is him who has come, why don’t I go and greet him to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings or conflicts.”

However, the Styx Patriarch slowly shook his head, a profound light flashing in his eyes that had seen through the rise and fall of the eternal Blood Sea.

"No, this child... is extraordinary. I, the founder of this sect, shall personally greet him."

"what?!"

"The Pope himself is going to greet us?!"

"This... what virtue or ability does a mere prison god of the Heavenly Court possess to make the patriarch condescend to such a high position?"

Upon hearing this, not only was Tianfei Wumo stunned, but the four demon kings, four demon generals, and many Asura clan powerhouses around her were also extremely shocked!

What is the identity of the Styx Patriarch?
He was an ancient being who lived as long as heaven and earth, who created the Asura race and was in charge of killing. Even if the four Heavenly Emperors himself came, he might not be able to personally greet him! Now, he is being treated with such courtesy by an unknown Heavenly deity?
The Styx Patriarch ignored the astonishment of the crowd, for he had his own plans.

Starting about five hundred years ago, he vaguely noticed that Lin Zhu was an "anomaly" in the Three Realms.

At that time, Lin Zhu was only at the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, yet he was able to repeatedly disrupt the heavenly order and do many astonishing things.

After that, the Styx Patriarch paid more or less attention to every "big move" Lin Zhu made, whether it was disrupting the Journey to the West, extorting money from the Western Paradise, or even confronting the Sage.

He even secretly intervened to help Lin Zhu restrain the power of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, allowing Lin Zhu to recover some of his disadvantages.

He knew that although Lin Zhu's cultivation level seemed "not high", his ability to cause trouble, his audacity, and the possible causes and effects behind it were far beyond what ordinary people could imagine!

This is a "troublesome figure" who even Western religions find troublesome, yet they have to make concessions on certain matters!
Now, this "troublesome figure" has come knocking on our door, and at a time when Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has just successfully launched a sneak attack, and our morale is low, leaving us in a dilemma. The Styx Patriarch sneered inwardly.

"In the past, I only watched him stir up trouble elsewhere, but I never expected to be scrambling for it myself today. I, the patriarch, would like to see what 'guidance' you have here for!"

Having made up his mind, the Styx Patriarch no longer hesitated.

……

As Lin Zhu stepped into the sea of ​​blood, his vision was immediately filled with an endless expanse of crimson.

Beneath their feet lay a viscous, churning sea of ​​blood of unknown depth, while the air was thick with the stench of blood and the faint wails of countless vengeful spirits, creating a magnificent yet chilling scene.

"Tsk tsk, this is a sea of ​​blood..."

Lin Zhu looked around with great interest, even sniffing as if savoring the smell of blood, before making a teasing remark in a voice only he could hear.

"If this amount of blood were used to make duck blood vermicelli soup, it would probably be enough for all the gods and monsters in the Three Realms to drink for hundreds of years, right?"

His nonsensical idea, though spoken softly, seemed to be sensed by something deep within the sea of ​​blood.

next moment!
“Rumble——!!!”

The once calm sea of ​​blood suddenly erupted into a raging torrent! The viscous blood waves rose up like mountains, then parted to the sides under the control of some force, creating a passage.

The Styx Patriarch, dressed in an immaculate white robe, stood in stark contrast to the surrounding crimson environment, resembling a solitary and domineering white Asura flower blooming above a sea of ​​blood.

He slowly walked out of the blood wave passage, followed by the four demon kings, four demon generals, and many elite Asuras, all exuding murderous intent and with different expressions.

The Styx Patriarch's gaze, like two sharp swords, instantly locked onto Lin Zhu, carrying a scrutinizing and unquestionable majesty. He spoke coldly, his voice echoing above the sea of ​​blood.

"Lin Zhu, why don't you uphold your laws in your Heavenly Court and come to this filthy sea of ​​blood? What brings you here?"

Faced with this terrifying spectacle and the oppressive aura of the Styx Patriarch, Lin Zhu merely patted his sleeves casually, as if brushing away non-existent dust, before raising his head to meet the Styx Patriarch's gaze, grinning to reveal his gleaming white teeth. (End of Chapter)