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

Is this a show of defiance against me? The Tang Emperor sneered inwardly, but outwardly remained calm and composed, maintaining the demeanor of an emperor. He looked down at Xiao Xing, who was being helped up with a bruised and swollen face, and the old beggar holding the treasure, and asked in a deep voice.

"Minister Xiao, what's wrong? Why are you in such a panic?"

The atmosphere inside the palace hall was subtle.

Despite the excruciating pain, Xiao Xing forced himself to deliver the prepared speech, which was full of praise for the two treasures and a subtle implication that this was the will of Heaven, and that His Majesty should follow the will of Heaven and accept Buddhism. There was even a hint of a subtle threat, as if the Tang King would suffer unforeseen consequences if he refused.

However, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, sat upright on the dragon throne, his face calm and unmoved. He was not angered by Xiao Xing's words, and did not even lift his eyelids.

He merely glanced indifferently at the Guanyin Bodhisattva below, who still maintained the appearance of a mad beggar, her head bowed and eyes lowered, and asked in a tone that revealed neither joy nor anger.

"Oh? Since it's a Buddhist treasure, what specific benefits does it offer? Is it merely for its appearance and imposing presence?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva was extremely anxious, hoping to complete the handover quickly and leave this place of trouble that made her feel so stressed. Upon hearing this, she hurriedly followed the procedure, first giving a long and eloquent boast.

"Your Majesty, this robe of mine is so powerful that if a dragon wears a single strand, it can avoid being devoured by a roc; if a crane wears a single thread, it can attain the wonder of transcending the mortal realm and entering sainthood! Wherever I sit, ten thousand gods pay homage; wherever I move, seven Buddhas accompany me!"

This robe is made of silk spun from ice silkworms, woven by celestial maidens, and crafted by goddesses. It is adorned with wish-fulfilling beads, mani beads, dust-repelling beads, and wind-stabilizing beads; it also contains red agate, purple coral, luminous pearls, and relics… its whiteness surpasses the moon's, its redness rivals the sun's!

She paused, then pointed to the nine-ringed tin staff.

"This staff, forged from copper and inlaid with iron, has nine interlocking rings, and nine sections of immortal vine that remain forever young! I tire of its gaunt, bony form, and it lightly carries white clouds down the mountain. The Fifth Patriarch of Mahakasyapa roamed the heavenly palace, and Luo Bu, searching for his mother, broke through the earthly barrier..."

She spoke at length, listing the "extraordinary" features of the cassock and staff. If it were an ordinary emperor, hearing such wondrous things, he would probably have been tempted long ago.

However, Emperor Taizong of Tang listened expressionlessly, tapping his fingers absently on the armrest of his dragon throne. His eyes showed no interest whatsoever, but rather grew increasingly indifferent, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible... annoyance.

After the Bodhisattva finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the hall. Only then did the Tang Emperor speak lazily, his tone carrying undisguised aloofness.

"It sounds wonderful and lively. However, I am but a mortal emperor, and all I seek is peace and prosperity for the country and the stability of the empire."

These matters of gods and Buddhas are too ethereal and unrealistic; what practical benefit do they bring to the country and its people? I have no interest in them.

Guanyin Bodhisattva's heart sank, realizing something was wrong. Why wasn't the Tang Emperor following the script? She quickly added an explanation.

"Your Majesty, this treasure is not to be sold under duress. If there is anyone who respects the Three Jewels, rejoices in good deeds, and takes refuge in the Buddha, it will be given to them for free! But if there is anyone who is hypocritical, insists on buying it, and seeks personal gain, it must be sold to them at a high price, not a penny less! This is the law of karma!"

She attempted to use this concept of "fate" to guide the Tang emperor to "respect the Three Jewels" so that he could accept the treasures in a logical manner.

To everyone's surprise, the Tang Emperor became even more annoyed and suddenly waved his hand, his tone carrying the unquestionable majesty of an emperor.

"Enough! I said I don't care! What do you mean by fate or destiny? I don't understand! Guards, show them out!"

This shout of "Send the guests away!" was like a bucket of cold water being poured over her head, instantly driving Guanyin Bodhisattva crazy!

She had planned everything meticulously, but she hadn't anticipated the Tang King's reaction! Seeing that the plan was about to fail completely, she was both anxious and afraid. She was worried that she wouldn't be able to complete the mission and would be unable to explain to Buddha when she returned. She was even more afraid that if she delayed any longer, that evil star Lin Zhu would appear out of nowhere!

In her desperation, she didn't care about anything else. Fearing that the King of Tang had seen through something and was deliberately testing her, she simply steeled her heart!
"Since Your Majesty respects Buddhism, this treasure will be presented to Your Majesty! Farewell!"

She practically shouted those words, then, as if throwing away a hot potato, she put down the brocade bat cassock and the nine-ringed staff in her hands, disregarding all decorum, and turned to use her abilities to escape this place of trouble!
"stop!"

"Get her!"

When the guards outside the palace saw that the old beggar dared to be so disrespectful in front of His Majesty and even throw away "filth," they immediately shouted and rushed in, wanting to capture him.

However, Guanyin Bodhisattva's figure only swayed slightly, like a ghost, and easily "flashed" out from the gap in the encirclement of several elite guards at a speed and angle that mortals could not comprehend.

In the blink of an eye, they had disappeared at the entrance of the main hall, leaving behind only a group of bewildered guards and the two "Buddhist treasures" carelessly tossed on the ground.

As the Tang Emperor watched Guanyin Bodhisattva's hasty departure, his face showed no joy at obtaining the treasure; instead, a clear displeasure was evident on his face, and he let out a cold snort.

"Hmph, you ungrateful wretch! I am already showing mercy by not punishing you for startling the emperor!"

He then turned his cold gaze to Xiao Xing, who was groaning on the ground, and scolded him.

"Xiao Xing! Look at the kind of people you've attracted! Get out of here and reflect on your actions!"

Xiao Xing trembled with fright. Ignoring the pain, he scrambled to his feet, kowtowed, and fled the main hall in a disheveled state.

After everyone had left, leaving only the Tang King in the empty hall, the feigned majesty and displeasure on his face slowly faded, replaced by a deep weariness and loneliness.

He slowly sat back on the dragon throne, raised his hand to rub his throbbing temples, looked at the gray sky outside the palace, and let out a long sigh.

"Sigh... I'm at their mercy, like a fish on a chopping board... Being an emperor is such a humiliating job..."

Just as he was feeling down, a familiar voice, tinged with a hint of mockery, rang out silently behind him like a spring breeze.

"What's wrong? Brother Tang, are you already discouraged?"

Upon hearing this voice, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, was as if he had been given a shot of adrenaline, and he sprang up from his dragon throne! The gloom on his face vanished instantly, replaced by uncontrollable ecstasy!

"Boss! You've finally arrived!"

He was so excited he almost danced for joy, as if he had seen his closest relative. He opened his arms and rushed towards Lin Zhu, who had somehow appeared in the corner of the hall and was leisurely eating a tribute apple, wanting to give him a warm hug.

Seeing this, Lin Zhu's lips twitched slightly. He subtly swayed his body, perfectly avoiding the Tang King's "attack." He casually sat down on the brocade stool next to him, crossed his legs, took a bite of an apple, and mumbled something.

"Don't give me that, I have no interest in men."

The Tang King missed his target, but he didn't care at all. His face was still full of fawning smiles. He jogged over to Lin Zhu's side, rubbed his hands together, and asked with concern.

"My lord, are you alright in the underworld? You must be exhausted. Would you like to rest for a bit? Have something to eat and drink? By the way, the girls admire you so much, they've been clamoring to meet you, the great hero who saved our father and the Three Realms..."

Lin Zhu was somewhat exasperated by the Tang King's overly enthusiastic attitude, especially when he heard him start promoting his daughter again. She quickly raised her hand to stop him. "Stop! Let's get down to business! Stop with this nonsense!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Let's get down to business!"

The Tang king immediately suppressed his smile, but the excitement in his eyes remained undiminished.

"With your arrival, I feel much more at ease! With you here, all those Western Buddhas are nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs! What should we do next? I'll follow your advice!"

Lin Zhu slowly finished eating the apple, precisely tossed the core into the incense burner in the distance, clapped his hands, and said calmly.

"What to do? Just let it be! Eat and drink as usual, the Water and Land Assembly will proceed as planned, and Chen Xuanzang will continue to be employed. As for you, just go with the flow and act according to the circumstances."

"Let nature take its course? Or act according to circumstances?"

The Tang king was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly realized what he meant and a knowing smile appeared on his face.

"Understood! I understand! Your Excellency is trying to be mysterious and lure the enemy out! Rest assured, I will cooperate fully and will not let you down!"

He patted his chest to assure them, then seemed to remember something, leaned closer, lowered his voice, and asked cautiously with a hint of wariness and probing.

"Um... Your Excellency, I have another idea, though it's not fully formed yet, and I'd like to ask for your consideration..."

"explain."

Lin Zhu replied casually.

The Tang Emperor rubbed his hands together, revealing a "simple and honest" smile that was completely out of character for an emperor, and said.

"I intend to...find an opportunity to organize a large army and attack the Buddhist kingdom of India!"

"puff--!!!"

Lin Zhu had just picked up a cup of tea that a palace maid had served her and taken a sip when she heard this, and she immediately spat it all out, almost choking!
He stared wide-eyed, as if he were seeing the Tang emperor for the first time, looking him up and down at this emperor who had a "I'm very honest" expression.

"What...what did you say? Attack the Buddhist Kingdom of India?!"

Lin Zhu almost doubted that there was something wrong with her ears.

"Do you even know who's behind the Buddhist Kingdom of India? It's the Western Paradise, Mount Ling! It's the Buddha himself! Your mortal dynasty dares to attack a Buddhist kingdom protected by countless gods and Buddhas?! Have you lost your mind?!"

Tang Wang was sprayed with tea by Lin Zhu, but he was not angry. Instead, he chuckled, wiped his face, and maintained his "simple and honest" expression as he explained.

"My lord, you are unaware of the truth! Ever since you bestowed upon me that supreme martial arts technique—'The Ninth Set of National Middle School Broadcast Gymnastics—The Rising Sun'—and allowed me to promote it throughout the country, the results... have been truly astonishing!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, gesturing wildly.

"Originally, it was expected that such a profound technique would require one to train one's body and bones from childhood and cultivate for ten or eight years before achieving some success and possessing power that transcends the mortal realm."

Unexpectedly, after the entire population began cultivating, the progress was faster than anyone could have imagined!

Many adults who originally had no cultivation foundation actually developed a faint sense of Qi and gained a small amount of cultivation after persisting in practicing this exercise!

Although it's not much individually, there are so many of them!

"Now, the number of soldiers in our Great Tang army is more than double what it was before! Moreover, the overall cultivation level has improved by at least one level! And the morale is incredibly high!"

A sharp glint flashed in the Emperor's eyes.

"I have carefully considered this. If my Great Tang had such a powerful army when we clashed with the Buddhist Kingdom of India back then, those Indian bald... uh, I mean Indian Buddhist soldiers would never have been able to invade! In fact, I could have taken the initiative to strike and crush India, thus demonstrating the prestige of my Great Tang and completely driving that damned Buddhism out of my Eastern lands!"

He brandished his fist, his face radiating confidence and... a deeply hidden ambition.

Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, originally believed that he could only rely on the magical set of radio calisthenics to give the Tang Dynasty the military power to change the course of history once the next generation grew up. After all, cultivation requires innate talent and cannot be achieved overnight.

However, reality gave him a huge surprise!

"Boss, you don't know this!"

The Tang king explained excitedly.

"According to the investigations conducted by my cultivators and the intelligence gathered from various regions, the reason why the cultivation of the entire population has progressed so rapidly is not entirely due to the profoundness of the cultivation methods. The more important reason seems to lie in something that happened five hundred years ago!"

Five hundred years ago?

Lin Zhu raised an eyebrow, a vague premonition in her heart.

"Exactly!"

The Tang Emperor slapped his thigh hard.

"About five hundred years ago, the human world experienced an extremely rare 'chaotic storm.' It is said that at that time, the celestial phenomena were disordered and the spiritual energy was violent, sweeping across the entire Southern Jambudvipa, especially within our Great Tang Dynasty, which was most deeply affected!"
Although the storm caused some damage, it also brought unexpected changes—it seemed to fundamentally alter the bloodline and constitution of all living beings within the borders of our Great Tang!

“Since then, newborn babies seem to have been baptized by some kind of invisible spiritual power, and their physiques have become far more suitable for cultivation than their predecessors! It’s just that there is no suitable and widely available cultivation method, so this potential has been buried.”

The more the Tang king spoke, the brighter his eyes became.

"Until you bestowed upon me that set of 'The Ninth Set of National Middle School Broadcast Gymnastics - The Rising Sun'!"
This cultivation method seemed tailor-made for them; practicing it was incredibly smooth and effortless, with almost no obstacles! Many ordinary people who were originally considered to lack cultivation aptitude actually activated their innate talent for cultivation after practicing this method!

Upon hearing the keywords "five hundred years ago" and "chaotic storm," Lin Zhu was first taken aback, then suddenly realized, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

Five hundred years ago... wasn't that when I had just arrived in this world, and I was fighting with a few ignorant extraterrestrial demons, and accidentally shattered space, causing some chaotic spiritual energy to leak into the human world?
At the time, I thought it was a small matter and repaired the spatial rift casually without paying any attention to it... I never expected that it would cause such a chain reaction.
It changed the fundamental nature of the entire Tang Dynasty human race?!
He then realized that his unintentional "small mistake" back then had actually propelled an extra "plot" far beyond expectations five hundred years later!
This web of cause and effect is truly mysterious and unfathomable. (End of Chapter)