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

"It's nothing serious. I just heard that the sect leader's side has been bullied quite badly by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's people recently. They lost a princess and suffered heavy losses. I'm kind-hearted and couldn't stand it, so I came here to help you beat up Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and vent your anger."

"Beat up Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva?!"

The Styx Patriarch seemed to have heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. He was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but burst into wild laughter, which was full of endless mockery and disdain.

"Hahahaha! You ignorant brat, you don't know the immensity of heaven and earth! This patriarch has fought against Ksitigarbha for countless eons, and his Asura clan has fought against his forces to this day, yet he dares not utter the word 'beat them up'! You are merely a Great Luo Golden Immortal at the peak of his cultivation, how dare you spout such nonsense here? It's utterly ridiculous!"

His laughter ceased, his eyes turned icy cold, and the terrifying magical power belonging to the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm began to surge around him, pressing down on Lin Zhu like an invisible mountain. His voice carried a warning and killing intent.

"Moreover, this place is a sea of ​​blood, on the edge of the underworld! Once you leave the underworld, even the Heavenly Laws of the Three Realms cannot govern this place! Do you believe that I, the patriarch, can annihilate you right now, body and soul, and condemn you to eternal damnation?!"

Faced with this oppressive force that would have shattered the soul of an ordinary Great Luo Golden Immortal, Lin Zhu merely raised an eyebrow slightly, his face still bearing that infuriatingly calm expression.

"Heh," he chuckled softly, his tone calm yet carrying an indescribable arrogance.

"The Patriarch is quite imposing. However, even the Three Saints could only reason with me back then. You... are not worthy to intimidate me."

He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze becoming sharp as a knife, piercing the deepest, most untouchable wound in the heart of the Styx Patriarch.

"But you, the founder, who sits on the Blood Sea and calls yourself the patriarch, are being gradually devoured by the power of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Now even your princess has been killed, yet you only dare to think about sealing off the Blood Sea and act like a coward."

How is this behavior any different from that of the powerless, helpless, and pitiful?

"presumptuous!"

"Arrogant brat! How dare you insult my patriarch!!"

Lin Zhu's words were like igniting a powder keg!

The moment the words fell, the atmosphere of the entire Blood Sea seemed to freeze into ten-thousand-year-old ice!

All the Asura clan powerhouses, whether the four demon kings or ordinary demon soldiers, unleashed a terrifying killing intent in their eyes! Countless gazes filled with violence, ferocity, and destructive aura, like tangible swords, were locked onto Lin Zhu!
The terrifying killing intent and aura merged into one, like a sea of ​​blood surging back, crushing towards Lin Zhu!

He was a Great Luo Golden Immortal at the peak of his cultivation, but amidst the sea of ​​killing intent gathered by the Asura race and countless demons, he was as insignificant as an ant!
However, this "ant" dared to so blatantly expose the Asura race's greatest wound and shame!

"kill him!"

"Tear this damned thing to shreds!"

"Patriarch! Let us cast him into a sea of ​​blood, to suffer the torment of ten thousand souls devouring his heart!"

The shouts of fighting and killing were deafening, and the scene instantly became tense, ready to erupt at any moment!
Lin Zhu, enveloped by the murderous intent of the crowd, seemed completely oblivious. He even had the leisure to reach out and tidy his hair, which was slightly disheveled by the bloody wind. His movements were relaxed and carefree, completely out of place with the grim atmosphere around him.

The face of the Styx Patriarch was so gloomy it looked like it could be wrung out of water.

He stared intently at Lin Zhu, squeezing out each word through gritted teeth.

"Lin Zhu... how did you know that the Ksitigarbha Sect sent people to ambush and kill our clan's powerful members?!"

As he spoke, his icy gaze involuntarily swept over Liu Man and Su Lengyu standing to the side, carrying a hint of barely perceptible suspicion. This matter occurred at the edge of the Blood Sea, a highly secretive affair. How could Lin Zhu have known so clearly and promptly unless there had been an internal leak?

Seeing the Styx Patriarch's suspicion of his subordinate, Lin Zhu couldn't help but sneer, his tone even more sarcastic.

"Ancestor of the Styx, you are a senior who has lived for countless eons, how can your ideas still be so naive?"
Why would you need an inside man for something like this? Just use your brain and figure it out!

He glanced around at the Asuras around him, who seemed to want to devour him alive, and his smile became even more irritating.

"Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva didn't make a move earlier or later, but chose this moment to strike hard. It's not to provoke you and lure you into battle, but to suppress your arrogance and pave the way for his next big move."

Do I really need to teach you such a simple truth?

The Styx Patriarch narrowed his eyes, which had seen through the rise and fall of the Blood Sea for countless ages, and a cold light flashed within them. He stopped beating around the bush with Lin Zhu and directly pointed out Lin Zhu's purpose. His voice was as cold as the wind from the deepest hell.

"Lin Zhu, there's no need to play tricks and show off your words. You were rescued from the Nine Heavens Prison by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's men, losing all face and harboring resentment, seeking revenge."

Now you've come to me, the founder of this sect, simply to use a borrowed knife to kill someone, to provoke me, the Asura race, as pawns, to charge into battle for you, to fight Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva to the death. Is that not so?"

Lin Zhu was not surprised that the Styx Patriarch could think of this.

His amused smile remained unchanged, and he even nodded with a hint of approval.

"As expected of an ancient and powerful being, the Patriarch is insightful and saw through my shallow scheme at a glance."

He then changed the subject, his tone becoming meaningful and carrying a sense of assertive declaration.

"However, Patriarch, do you know? You're in big trouble."

"Are we in big trouble?"

These five words reached the ears of the Styx Patriarch, who found them strangely familiar.

After a moment's thought, his expression changed slightly!
Isn't this exactly the opening line or threatening words that this kid used when he extorted money from the Western Religion and caused chaos on Ling Mountain?!
A strong sense of vigilance instantly surged into the mind of the Styx Patriarch!
He knew full well that Lin Zhu was unpredictable and cunning, and even the two Western Saints had suffered at his hands. Although he himself was also a quasi-Saint, his power was still inferior to the behemoth that was the Western Sect, and he couldn't withstand this kid's repeated antics!

We would rather continue to be suppressed and beaten by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and slowly wear ourselves down than be easily dragged into the mess by Lin Zhu and get involved!
With this in mind, the Styx Patriarch had made up his mind that he must not be deceived by Lin Zhu.

On the surface, he was as cold as ice towards Lin Zhu, seemingly unmoved, but in reality, his fear of Lin Zhu had deepened.

He abruptly waved his hand, interrupting Lin Zhu, who seemed to want to continue speaking, his tone carrying an unquestionable air of dismissal.

"Enough! Lin Zhu, no matter how eloquent you are, this cult leader will not be fooled by you."

"Go back to where you came from! The Blood Sea will soon be completely closed, refusing all outsiders! Please!" After saying this, he actually turned around, flicked his white robe, and made as if to lead the group of Asura clan powerhouses back to the depths of the Blood Sea, no longer paying attention to Lin Zhu.

Seeing this, Lin Zhu did not stop him. He just looked at the back of the Styx Patriarch, smiled coldly, and his voice clearly entered the other party's ears.

"If the patriarch refuses to let me in today, he should not regret his decision if he sees me going to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in the future. At that time, the patriarch's situation will probably not be so good."

The Patriarch of the Styx paused, but did not turn around. He merely snorted coldly, his tone filled with disdain.

"Hmph! Go ahead! You think you can stand against Ksitigarbha? You're just courting death, like a moth drawn to a flame! What is there for this patriarch to regret?"

"confrontation?"

Lin Zhu seemed to have heard something interesting. He shook his head and turned around, seemingly about to leave, while casually leaving behind a startling statement.

"The Patriarch has misunderstood. When did I ever say I was going to 'confront' Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva? My purpose in going there is to cooperate with him and jointly eliminate... a certain stubborn enemy who has been entrenched in the sea of ​​blood for many years."

Cooperation? To wipe out the formidable enemy?!

Lin Zhu's words were like a thunderclap, exploding behind him!
He had just taken two steps—

"boom!!!!!!"

The entire boundless sea of ​​blood seemed to have been thrown into an ancient star, and suddenly it boiled over completely!

The viscous blood waves roared deafeningly, and endless blood surged wildly as if it had come to life. In an instant, it condensed in front of Lin Zhu into a thick, towering, dark red blood wall that exuded overwhelming bloodlust and resentment, completely blocking the entrance to the entire sea of ​​blood!

At the same time, a pressure ten or even a hundred times more terrifying than before, like billions of mountains collapsing at the same time, carrying the boundless rage of the Styx Ancestor, crashed down and locked onto Lin Zhu!

The Styx Patriarch is truly enraged!

Lin Zhu's meaning couldn't be clearer!

If he really led the Three Realms Enforcers to "cooperate" with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, then who could be the target of that cooperation?

Naturally, it was Styx Ancestor and the Asura Clan! Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was already incredibly powerful, and if Lin Zhu's elite force and his official background in the Heavenly Court were added to the mix, the Asura Clan, who were already in a weak position and could only rely on the Blood Sea's terrain to barely hold on, would undoubtedly face annihilation!

This was a hundred times more dangerous than when he faced Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva alone!
Faced with this terrifying scene that could shatter the soul of any being below the Quasi-Saint level, Lin Zhu seemed to be in his own courtyard. He slowly turned his head, looked at the Styx Patriarch whose face was contorted with extreme anger, and gave a smile that could be described as "innocent". He repeated in a relaxed tone.

"Now, does the Pope understand? I intend to use you as a pawn."

"Lin! Zhu!"

The voice of the Styx Patriarch seemed to be squeezed out from the deepest part of the underworld, carrying a chilling coldness and murderous intent.

"Dare you say that again?! Believe me, this patriarch will leave you here in this sea of ​​blood forever, your soul and spirit annihilated, never to be reborn?!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Lin Zhu was not afraid at all; instead, he laughed loudly and arrogantly. His laughter echoed in the sky above the boiling sea of ​​blood, full of irony.

"Tell me to believe? Styx! I spoke to you politely just now, wanting to give you a chance to cooperate in revenge, but you were timid and hesitant, only wanting to drive me away! Now that you hear I want to cooperate with Ksitigarbha, you're enraged and want to kill me to vent your anger?"

His laughter ceased, and his eyes suddenly sharpened like knives, piercing straight at the Styx Patriarch.

"Try it! If you dare to lay a finger on me today, just wait for your blood-soaked empire to be wiped out of the Three Realms by the Heavenly Court and Ksitigarbha in a joint effort! Then, let's see if you'll still be able to... be so impotently furious!"

"Roar!!!"

The Styx Patriarch was completely enraged by Lin Zhu's words!
His killing intent raged like a tangible blood storm, causing the vast sea of ​​blood to surge and roar. Hundreds of millions of Asura beings seemed to feel the patriarch's wrath and let out earth-shattering, frenzied roars!

A terrifying aura soared into the sky, dyeing the entire Blood Sea airspace dark red! The scene was extremely tense, as if the Styx Patriarch would disregard everything and tear Lin Zhu to shreds at any moment!
However, in the heart of this raging storm that was capable of destroying everything, Lin Zhu merely chuckled softly, his tone filled with undisguised contempt.

"Impotent rage".

These four words, like four cold, poisonous thorns, pierced the heart of the Styx Patriarch! They instantly halted his boiling killing intent and rage!
He can't do it!
He suddenly woke up!
The Styx Blood Sea is already in a difficult situation, having been nearly driven to despair by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and can only barely hold on by relying on the advantageous terrain of the Blood Sea.

If we were to offend this powerful and influential figure in Heaven, who is deeply trusted by the Jade Emperor and is himself a lawless and vengeful scoundrel… then the Heavenly Court's power would likely immediately shift to the side of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva! At that time, the Styx Blood Sea would truly be on the verge of destruction!

Killing is out of the question, but cooperating is unacceptable...

The Styx Patriarch clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms. The frustration, anger, and helplessness he felt almost consumed his reason!
He had indeed fallen into what Lin Zhu called "impotent rage"!
Lin Zhu looked at the Styx Patriarch, whose murderous intent was boiling yet he was forcibly suppressing it, his face ashen and his body trembling slightly. He chuckled and slowly gave his final choice, or rather, his final ultimatum.

Lin Zhu looked at the Styx Patriarch, whose murderous intent was boiling yet he was forcibly suppressing it, his face was ashen and his body was trembling slightly, and he couldn't help but sneer in his heart.

He knew the time was right.

Instead of provoking the other party, he calmly revealed his entire plan in a tone as if stating a given fact—a blatant and outrageous conspiracy.

"Patriarch, why be angry? I have always acted in accordance with the rules."

Lin Zhu shrugged, looking completely innocent.

"Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva himself resides in the netherworld, teaching and guiding the souls of the dead. His great vows are awe-inspiring, yet he has not violated any explicit heavenly laws to this day. I also have no evidence that he was directly involved in the prison break. As the law-enforcing prison deity of the Three Realms, I cannot kill a Bodhisattva who has rendered meritorious service to the Three Realms and is highly respected without cause, can I?"
That doesn't make sense.

He abruptly changed the subject, his eyes suddenly becoming sharp as knives, and his voice carrying a chilling undertone.

"However! The Treasure Goddess forcibly broke into my Nine Heavens Prison and abducted a serious criminal; the evidence is irrefutable! Dantuo Dizang, as a prisoner, violently escaped from prison and injured a righteous god of the Heavenly Court; his crimes are even more serious! These two are unforgivable and will undoubtedly die!"
This ironclad rule cannot be changed by anyone! (End of Chapter)