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

Inside the Heavenly Prison, the atmosphere was lively, and the aroma of wine filled the air; but on the ruins of the Tushita Palace in the Heaven of Separation and Hatred, only the desolate and lonely figure of Laozi remained, along with the embers and scorched earth that silently told of the tragedy.

……

After a satisfying meal and finishing his chores, Lin Zhu remembered that there was a "client" in the Western Paradise who might be anxiously waiting, so he decided to make a trip to Mount Ling to do some "small business".

He rode the clouds to Mount Ling in the Western Paradise. As soon as he arrived outside the Great Thunderclap Temple, before even stepping into that solemn temple, he felt a condensed and tangible oppressive atmosphere rushing towards him!

Inside the temple gate, the gazes of three thousand Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats were like three thousand sharp swords, all focused on him!
There was indeed an undisguised anxiety in his eyes, but even more so, there was an almost overflowing chilling killing intent and overwhelming rage! It was as if Lin Zhu was not a visiting guest, but an irreconcilable enemy, wishing he could rush up and tear him to pieces and throw him into the deepest hell!
Lin Zhu paused, not even stepping over the threshold, but merely peeking inside. Sensing the hostility that almost overwhelmed him, a look of utter boredom immediately appeared on his face.

He yawned lazily, turned around as if to leave, and muttered to himself.

"Looks like I'm not welcome. Oh well, I'm not going to put up with this. I'll just keep my goodwill to myself."

His actions were like adding fuel to the fire!
"stop!"

"Lin Zhu! You stop right there!"

"You wretched creature! Don't you dare leave!"

The three thousand Buddhas suddenly roared with earth-shattering fury, like thunderclaps, shaking the entire Mount Ling!
If it weren't for considerations of saving face and the possibility of needing help, someone would probably have already intervened.

However, Lin Zhu ignored their roars and continued walking slowly outside, his steps even lighter.

Just as Lin Zhu was about to leave, a magnificent and vast golden Buddhist light instantly appeared in front of him, blocking his way.

The Buddha manifested his golden body, forcing an extremely stiff, insincere smile onto his face. His voice carried suppressed anger, yet he had no choice but to soften his stance.

"God of Hell... Now that you've come, why rush to leave? Our Spirit Mountain... warmly welcomes you."

At the same time, the three thousand Buddhas behind him seemed to have received a silent command. Their faces, as if wearing masks of pain, forced out "enthusiastic" smiles that were even uglier than crying, and echoed him in uneven voices.

"Prison God, please wait..."

"Yes, please come inside for a chat..."

"We...respectfully welcome the arrival of the God of Hell..."

The scene was both bizarre and comical.

Lin Zhu then stopped, glanced sideways at the Buddha, then swept his gaze over the group of Buddhas who were laughing in a way that looked worse than if they had lost their parents, and said with a forced smile.

"Since you are so 'sincere' in trying to persuade me to stay, then I will reluctantly sit for a while longer."

He slowly turned around and walked back to the entrance of the Great Thunderclap Temple, but still did not go in. He simply crossed his arms and looked at the Buddha with a leisurely expression, as if to say something.

Fart quickly.

Looking at Lin Zhu's posture, the Buddha felt a tightness in his chest, but thinking of the urgent situation, he could only suppress his anger and get straight to the point, his voice low and carrying an unquestionable tone.

"Lin Zhu, let's not beat around the bush. Hand over the Tai Chi Pill you have to me."

He had expected Lin Zhu to make excuses, set conditions, or even mock him, and he was prepared to deal with all sorts of difficulties.

However, to his and all the Buddhas' surprise, Lin Zhu didn't even raise an eyebrow when he heard this. His reply was exceptionally crisp and decisive, so straightforward that it was unbelievable.

"Okay."

Seeing that Lin Zhu agreed so readily, the Buddha was not at ease; on the contrary, alarm bells rang in his mind!
He knew this ruthless man all too well; there was no way he would be so easy to talk to! There must be a trap!

In order to seize the initiative and prevent Lin Zhu from making exorbitant demands, the Buddha took the initiative and spoke in a seemingly frank and honest tone, setting the tone for the discussion.

"Lin Yushen, let's not beat around the bush. You know the current situation of my Western Heaven. We are penniless and short of money."

This Tai Chi Pill can be a lifesaver in an emergency, but in terms of its value, it's at most... worth only one acquired spiritual treasure. That's all I can offer in exchange.”

His explanation served two purposes: first, to feign poverty, and second, to impose a price limit, thus fixing the value of the exchanged items at the level of acquired spiritual treasures.

He reasoned that even if a normal person was dissatisfied, they would at most try to negotiate on this basis, and would not directly double the price, right?

Moreover, Xitian had just abducted Chen Xuanzang right under Lin Zhu's nose, which was tantamount to slapping him in the face. Given Lin Zhu's vindictive and violent temper, it was already a sign of restraint that he didn't turn on him on the spot. It was already a blessing that he was willing to trade now, so how could he easily agree to this "low price"?
However, Lin Zhu's reaction once again exceeded the Buddha's expectations.

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhu showed no sign of offense or dissatisfaction. Instead, he nodded in agreement and spoke in a relaxed tone.

"Buddha's words make sense, and the price is fair. I have no objections."

His decisive statement stunned the three thousand Buddhas who were bracing for a storm, and then an unbelievable surge of joy welled up in their hearts! Could it be that this evil star has changed his ways? Or is he afraid of the power of Mount Ling and dares not act rashly?

Under the watchful eyes of the Buddha, who was filled with astonishment, and the three thousand Buddhas, who were secretly relieved, Lin Zhu calmly reached out and rummaged in his sleeve.

When he opened his palm, there lay several pills the size of longan, each radiating yin and yang energy, imbued with the Daoist spirit, and exuding an aura of harmony with all things!
One of them was particularly unique. It was not simply black and white, but a chaotic color, as if it contained a trace of the primordial laws at the beginning of creation. A subtle Tai Chi phantom slowly rotated on the surface of the pill, emitting an aura that was both heart-pounding and incredibly desirable—it was the legendary supreme Tai Chi Pill that could reverse Yin and Yang and balance life and death!
"Tai...Tai Chi Pill! It really is a Tai Chi Pill!"

"There's even a top-grade one! A top-grade Taiji Pill!!"

"Jin Chanzi is saved! There is hope for the great revival of Buddhism!!"

The three thousand Buddhas were instantly overwhelmed with excitement, craning their necks and their eyes blazing with intense light. Their previous killing intent and anger towards Lin Zhu seemed to have been diluted by this life-saving elixir!
One Bodhisattva even blurted out in excitement.

"If the God of Hell is generous enough to bestow the elixir, when the journey to the West is completed and the merits are bestowed, our Western Paradise will never forget the God of Hell's kindness and will certainly share the spoils... share a cup with the God of Hell!"

Upon hearing this, even the Buddha couldn't help but glare at the Bodhisattva, feeling that he had misspoke.

But at this moment, his mind was completely drawn to those pills, especially the top-grade Taiji Pill!

He could sense that Chen Xuanzang was saved! However, at this moment when the crowd was excited and victory seemed to be in sight, the Buddha's sense of unreality, which stemmed from his deep understanding of Lin Zhu, grew stronger and stronger.

He forced down his excitement, turned his head, and asked cautiously, in an extremely cautious tone, even with a hint of probing and pleading.

"Lin Yushen... what... what do you want? As long as the Western Paradise can make it..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Zhu interrupted him.

Lin Zhu's face revealed an expression completely different from his usual arrogant and domineering demeanor—it was a mixture of shyness and indifference, as if he were detached from worldly affairs.

He waved his hand gently, his voice so mild it gave you goosebumps.

“Buddha, you flatter me. How could I, Lin Zhu, be the kind of person who covets material possessions and is so calculating?”

His eyes were clear, and his tone was sincere.

"What acquired spiritual treasures, what merits and vows—they are nothing but fleeting clouds. We cultivators should be compassionate and prioritize helping and saving people. Today, seeing that this elixir can save lives and avert disasters, how could I possibly take this opportunity to engage in extortion?"

He tilted his head slightly, looking up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, revealing the image of a virtuous gentleman who "regards money as dirt," and said with a sigh.

"I, Lin Zhu, can assure everyone that I will never think about extorting... uh, I mean, I will never covet any of your benefits!"

These words of "lofty character" silenced all three thousand Buddhas!

Their eyes widened, their mouths gaped open, and the muscles in their faces twitched, as if they had heard the most absurd joke in the world!
Are you not someone who covets material possessions?
You won't resort to blackmail?!

If you, Lin Zhu, don't think about extortion every day, the sun will rise in the west!
The Buddhas inwardly raged, their eyes filled with undisguised sneers and contempt as they looked at Lin Zhu. Pretending! Keep pretending! Let's see how long you can keep up this act! He's definitely afraid of the might of Mount Ling, too afraid to make any demands, so he's just putting on a show!
However, unlike those Buddhas who were blinded by "hope", when the Buddha looked at Lin Zhu's "shy and indifferent" appearance, he felt a chill run from his spine to the top of his head!

He knew Lin Zhu too well; the more harmless this bastard acted, the more vicious his hidden schemes were!
His unusual "obedience" is even more alarming than his outright exorbitant demands!

The Buddha swallowed hard, his throat dry. The extreme sense of unreality, as if he were standing on the edge of an abyss, made his heart pound.

He stared intently at the pills in Lin Zhu's hand, especially the top-grade Taiji Pill, which was the only hope to save the Journey to the West plan!
He slowly, with utmost caution and a barely perceptible tremor, extended his hand toward Lin Zhu's outstretched palm.

His movements were slow, as if afraid of disturbing something, his gaze fixed on Lin Zhu's face, trying to discern any unusualness from that face with its "shy" smile.

The hall was deathly silent, all eyes fixed on the hand slowly reaching for the elixir. The three thousand Buddhas held their breath, their hearts filled with anticipation and a final glimmer of hope—perhaps, perhaps this jinx had truly changed his ways? Or perhaps, in the end, he was afraid of the Sage and dared not truly ruin the Journey to the West?
Just as the Buddha's finger was about to touch the chaotic-colored, top-grade Taiji Pill, and he could even feel the intoxicating Yin-Yang Daoist aura emanating from the pill—

A sudden change occurred!

The "shy and indifferent" smile on Lin Zhu's face vanished instantly, like ice and snow melting away, replaced by an extreme, ferocious smile full of mockery, ridicule, and destructive desire!
His mouth stretched almost to his ears, and his eyes gleamed with a demonic light!

Under the gaze of the Buddha, whose pupils contracted sharply and whose expectant expressions froze on the faces of the three thousand Buddhas, Lin Zhu's outstretched hand suddenly clenched!
"Pfft... Sizzle..."

A faint yet incredibly clear sound, like a dream bubble bursting, exploded in the deathly silent air of the Great Thunder Temple!

The several radiant Tai Chi Pills in Lin Zhu's palm, brimming with vitality and hope, along with the precious top-grade Tai Chi Pill, were instantly crushed into dust under his merciless grip!

The pure Yin and Yang energies, freed from their restraints, scattered and overflowed like headless flies, turning into useless specks of fluorescent light before quickly dissipating into the air...

Only a few wisps of black and white powder, like mocking dust, silently slipped through Lin Zhu's slowly loosened fingers.

Time seemed to freeze completely at that moment.

Inside the Great Thunder Temple, an unprecedented, suffocating silence descended.

The expressions on the faces of the three thousand Buddhas changed from extreme anticipation and hope to utter blankness and bewilderment, then to incomprehensible shock, and finally to despair and horror as if they were witnessing the end of the world!
The Buddha's outstretched hand remained frozen in mid-air, its fingertips only inches away from the empty space where the elixir had been placed.

His face was first unbelievably pale, then flushed with a sickly red, and finally turned into a steely blue like ancient ice!
He slowly, extremely slowly, raised his head and looked at Lin Zhu's face, which was contorted with a ferocious smile.

In the eyes of all the Buddhas, Lin Zhu's smile at this moment was no different from that of a demon that would destroy the world!
With that one grip, he not only crushed the life-saving elixir, but it also seemed to crush all hope in the Western Paradise, and shatter the hearts of the Buddha and the three thousand Buddhas!

A chilling sense of despair, enough to freeze one's soul, overwhelmed the entire Great Thunderclap Temple like a tidal wave.

Dead!

A deathly silence, like an ancient ice field, enveloped the entire Great Thunderclap Temple!

Those few strands of medicinal powder that slipped from between Lin Zhu's fingers seemed not to be dust, but rather the shattered hearts of the Buddhas of the Western Paradise, a desperate symbol of their millennia-long scheme turning into nothingness!
After a brief, suffocating silence—

"Roar--!!!"

"Lin Zhu!! You wretched child!! How dare you do this!!!"

"This is outrageous! This is outrageous!!!"

The anger, fear, and despair that had been building up within the three thousand Buddhas erupted like a volcano being ignited!

One by one, the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats who were usually dignified and benevolent were now ferocious, with veins bulging on their foreheads like dragons, their eyes bloodshot, and they frantically pounded on the lotus pedestals and tables in front of them, letting out deafening roars!

The entire Great Thunderclap Temple trembled at their roars!

"You will be condemned to eternal damnation! You will never be able to be reborn!!"

"Chen Xuanzang is dead! The spirit of Jin Chanzi has vanished! The Journey to the West is over! It's all over!!"

"Heaven is going to destroy my Western Paradise! The eastward transmission of Buddhism... has come to an end!!"

"Our Buddhist sect's millennia-old foundation has been destroyed by this scoundrel!!" (End of Chapter)