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

Tang Sanzang became even more excited, grabbed Lin Zhu's sleeve, and earnestly extended an invitation.

"Immortal Master! Your magical power is profound and your temperament is extraordinary! Moreover, this humble monk has a feeling that you always appear when I am in danger, confused and helpless, like a beacon in the darkness!"

You must be a savior sent by Heaven to guide this humble monk! Immortal Master, why not...why not join us on our journey to the Western Paradise to seek the true scriptures? With you by my side, this humble monk feels at ease!

His invitation was truly heartfelt, showing that he regarded Lin Zhu as a source of spiritual support and a protective charm.

Forest

Lin Zhu was taken aback by Tang Sanzang's sudden invitation, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

However, he was inwardly sneering.

Trust? Savior? What a ridiculous farce!

Every time I appear, there's always a reason behind it.
Either you Western Paradise have caused some trouble, or I'm going to collect some "security maintenance" fees!

You monk, with your fragmented memory and muddled mind, actually mistake me for a living bodhisattva who saves you from suffering? That's utterly absurd!

Just as he was scoffing inwardly, preparing to find an excuse to decisively refuse this absurd invitation, the familiar and authoritative system notification sounded in his mind without warning.

"Ding! A special invitation has been detected from the key figure 'Tang Sanzang', triggering a chain of hidden quests."

[Unexpected Changes in Journey to the West!]

"Task Option 1."

Accept Tang Sanzang's invitation and join the journey to the West to retrieve Buddhist scriptures. Mission rewards.

Unknown (depending on the degree of interference with the Journey to the West calamity; extremely high risk, potentially triggering a purge at the level of a saint).

"Task Option Two."

Refuse Tang Sanzang's invitation and cleverly elevate your own status. (Task reward)

100,000 points of merit and virtue! Final reward includes...

【The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation Diagram (Fragment 3)】, 【Heavenly Treasure: Fragment of the Celestial Auspicious Cloud (1/4)】!

Introduction to 【Fragments of the Celestial Auspicious Clouds】.

A rare treasure of the heavens; if all four pieces are collected, they can be combined to form the complete Celebration Cloud of All Heavens.

The auspicious cloud unfolds, impervious to all magic and immune to most supernatural powers and spells, possessing extremely formidable defensive capabilities. Even with initial mastery, it can withstand the suppression and imprisonment of powerful supernatural abilities such as the Buddha's "Buddha Kingdom in the Palm" and "Five Fingers Transforming into a Mountain"!

This series of prompts, especially the description of "fragments of the Heavenly Auspicious Clouds," made Lin Zhu's heart skip a beat!

The fragments of the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation Diagram! And it's the third part! Plus the three Immortal Slaughtering Swords I already possess…

And this Heavenly Celebration Cloud?! Immune to magical damage?! It can even withstand the Buddha's Palm-sized Buddha Kingdom and the Five Finger Mountain?!

This is simply a top-tier life-saving artifact!

The system is... clearly telling me to refuse, but not in a simple way; it's trying to make me 'raise my value'? Interesting!
He instantly realized that the system was offering him a way out, allowing him to both refuse this hot potato and reap the greatest benefits from it!

I have to take this assignment! And I have to perform it well!

In stark contrast to Lin Zhu's excitement was Guanyin Bodhisattva, who was extremely anxious and almost about to explode!
In the brief moment that Lin Zhu was stunned, Guanyin Bodhisattva's voice, like a barrage of bullets, flooded into Lin Zhu's ears, filled with terror and warning.

"Lin Zhu! How dare you?! The Journey to the West is a plan laid out by our Western Paradise over tens of thousands of years, a merit ordained by the Heavenly Dao! If you dare to interfere and join in, you will be openly stealing the merit of a saint, and you will surely be punished by lightning, your body and soul destroyed!"

"Don't forget the treaties that the Heavenly Court signed with all parties! High-ranking immortals and gods are not allowed to directly interfere with the Journey to the West! As the law enforcement god of the Three Realms, you should set an example!"

"The three thousand Buddhas of the Western Paradise have long harbored extreme fear and hatred towards you! In order to ensure the smooth progress of the Journey to the West, Buddha even painfully sacrificed the two swords of Zhuxian, and was even persuaded by Laozi... If you join now, you will be making an enemy of the entire Western Paradise, and Buddha will never tolerate any further changes!"

"Reject him immediately! Right now!!"

She was genuinely panicked!

Has Tang Sanzang gone mad?! He actually invited Lin Zhu, that scoundrel, to join the pilgrimage team?!

Isn't this like inviting a wolf into the house and destroying our own Great Wall?!

The thought that the merits of the Journey to the West might be shared or even dominated by Lin Zhu, and the memory of being humiliated by Tang Sanzang riding on her back, brought a surge of old and new grudges to Guanyin Bodhisattva's mind. She was furious and could no longer care about anything else. She shouted at Tang Sanzang in a stern voice.

"Tripitaka! Stop talking nonsense! The journey to the West to obtain the scriptures requires you to measure the earth step by step with your own two feet and sincerely worship in order to show your sincerity and obtain the true scriptures! How can you rely on the strength of others and take shortcuts?!"

She tried to persuade Tang Sanzang with grand principles, her voice sounding somewhat sharp due to her urgency.

"Why did you suddenly invite others? This is your own path to merit!"

However, at this moment, after drinking a few cups of vegetarian wine and reuniting with his childhood friend, Tang Sanzang's suppressed demonic nature and self-awareness seemed to rise up considerably.

Upon hearing Guanyin Bodhisattva's question, he turned his head indifferently, his eyes no longer filled with the previous reverence, but instead with a hint of impatience, and coldly replied.

"Shut up."

These two simple words struck Guanyin Bodhisattva like a thunderbolt, leaving her frozen in place.

Tang Sanzang continued indifferently.

"This journey to the West is my own; whoever I invite to accompany me is my prerogative. You... need not say anything more."

"you……!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva was so angry that her whole body trembled with Buddhist light. She pointed at Tang Sanzang, unable to utter a single word.

Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, witnessed the stark contrast in Tang Sanzang's demeanor—from a refined and virtuous monk to drinking and playing drinking games with a rough man, and now to speaking coldly to Guanyin Bodhisattva.

His face showed surprise, but after all, he was an emperor. In a flash, he felt that this elusive quality, which was both Buddha and demon, might actually be... "not a loss"?
At least, there's no need to worry about him being completely controlled by Buddhism.

Lin Zhu took it all in. He knew perfectly well that Tang Sanzang's almost schizophrenic transformation was mostly due to the unstable effects of the low-grade Tai Chi pill and his lingering demonic heart. A faint pang of guilt crossed his mind, but seeing Guanyin Bodhisattva's embarrassed, anxious, and nearly insane appearance, he found it quite amusing. Ignoring Guanyin Bodhisattva's murderous glare and frantic telepathic warnings, he calmly straightened his sleeves, a mysterious, enigmatic expression on his face. He turned his gaze leisurely to Tang Sanzang and asked in a peaceful tone.

"Tang Sanzang, are you sure... you want to invite me to accompany you?"

He paused deliberately, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping towards the direction of the Western Sacred Mountain, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

Have you ever considered... what the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the Western Paradise think?
Will they... agree?

These words were like throwing a huge rock into a calm lake!
Guanyin Bodhisattva could no longer hold back and, disregarding the need for telepathy, cried out in a hoarse voice.

"Lin Zhu! Don't you dare sway him! The Journey to the West is none of your business! If you insist on going your own way, disaster will surely befall you!"

Lin Zhu seemed not to hear her warning at all, and just looked at Tang Sanzang with a smile, waiting for his answer.

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang frowned, but instead of backing down, he revealed a righteous indignation.

He straightened his back, raised his voice a few decibels, and spoke with conviction.

“Why do you say that, Immortal Master? This humble monk bears the heavy responsibility of traveling west to obtain the scriptures, which is to spread Buddhism in the Western Paradise. It is a great merit and a great deed! Since it is a good deed, why can’t I invite a strong person to help me? It is perfectly reasonable for this humble monk to want a powerful assistant!”

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, as if he had suffered a great injustice, and even began to question the arrangements made by the Western Paradise.

"Do the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Western Paradise only consider this monk's sincerity if he suffers hardships, goes through eighty-one tribulations, and almost loses his life?"
If they deliberately set up numerous disasters and obstacles along the way to test this poor monk, what about the people of the world? What about those who might suffer because of demonic chaos?

With a burning gaze and a self-righteous sense of "justice," Tang Sanzang uttered a soul-searching question.

"If that's really the case, then how is this journey to the West any different from fraud? Wouldn't such actions be the work of heartless and ungrateful people?!"

When Tang Sanzang uttered those shocking words about the "deceit and heartlessness of the Western Paradise," Guanyin Bodhisattva felt a chill run from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head, and instantly cold sweat soaked through her clothes on her back!
How dare he say that?!
How could he think that?!
Could it be... that he has already sensed something?
Did he know that many of the subsequent eighty-one tribulations were secretly arranged by the Western Paradise to temper him and to demonstrate the difficulty of the Buddhist teachings?
Oh no! If he confirms this idea, and then Lin Zhu, that wicked star, joins the team, coercing and guiding them all the way, will Journey to the West still be Journey to the West?

Wouldn't that turn us into an expeditionary force to conquer the Western Paradise?!

The thought of that terrifying scene filled Guanyin Bodhisattva with a suffocating fear.

She even had an absurd and desperate thought.

If... if things really can't be salvaged, being sold to Lin Zhu as a maid might... be better than facing Buddha's wrath? At least... this guy, though despicable, is at least pleasing to the eye and strong...

She was startled by her sudden thought, her cheeks inexplicably burning, followed by immense shame.

She shook her head violently, dismissing the unrealistic idea, and instead stared intently at Lin Zhu with her beautiful eyes, which held seven parts warning and three parts pleading that she herself was unaware of, as if to say something.

"Please, don't say yes! Reject him!"

Under the complex and indescribable gaze of Guanyin Bodhisattva, Lin Zhu's unfathomable smile slowly faded. He looked at Tang Sanzang, whose face was full of "sincerity" and "expectation," and gently, yet with unparalleled clarity, shook his head.

"I appreciate the Venerable Master's kindness."

He spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable resolve.

"The journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures is indeed a meritorious undertaking. If one can participate, one might even receive the 'favor' of the Buddhas of the Western Paradise..."

He deliberately paused slightly on the word "favor," glanced at the pale-faced Guanyin Bodhisattva, and continued.

"However, this path, though desirable, is not my way. As the God of Law Enforcement in the Three Realms, I am bound by my duties and worldly affairs, and I simply cannot spare the time to participate in this journey to the West."

His refusal was presented in a grand and dignified manner, highlighting the benefits of the Journey to the West while also demonstrating his attitude of "duty-bound".

"He...he actually refused?!"

When Guanyin Bodhisattva heard Lin Zhu personally refuse, the heart that had been hanging in her throat finally fell back into her stomach with a "plop," and she felt completely exhausted, her back already soaked in cold sweat.

She secretly rejoiced.

Thankfully... thankfully, this jinx wasn't blinded by greed and wasn't tempted by the endless merit... At the same time, the absurd thought of that "maid" from earlier unconsciously flashed through her mind again, and her face immediately burned with embarrassment.

However, Lin Zhu's next words caused her emotions to fluctuate wildly once again, like riding a roller coaster!
Lin Zhu suddenly changed the subject, his playful smile returning to his face. His gaze seemed to casually sweep over Guanyin Bodhisattva before he addressed Tang Sanzang in a tone that was half-joking and half-serious.

"However... if one day, the three thousand Buddhas of the Western Paradise can humble themselves and respectfully invite me; or if some Bodhisattvas can sincerely sing a song of 'Conquer'... then I might consider helping you out."

"Sing...sing about conquering?!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva was taken aback at first, but then she understood the humiliation in Lin Zhu's words. Her beautiful face turned from white to red, and then from red to green with anger!

She gritted her teeth and sent a humiliating and indignant telepathic message directly at Lin Zhu.

"Lin Zhu! You are arrogant! conceited! Shameless! How dare you blaspheme the Bodhisattva like this! You...you will die a horrible death!"

Lin Zhu ignored the muffled curses that sounded like mosquitoes buzzing in her ears, and simply looked at Tang Sanzang with a smile.

Tang Sanzang was somewhat disappointed by Lin Zhu's decisive refusal, but his mind was more focused on the upcoming journey and his "Brother Lu" by his side, so he did not insist.

He remained polite and bowed deeply to the Tang King and Lin Zhu.

"In that case, this humble monk bids farewell to my royal brother and to the immortal master."

And so they set off.

Having said that, he called to the impatient monk Lu and his two trembling followers, led the silver-maned horse, and finally embarked on the journey westward.

When walking with Monk Lu, Tang Sanzang seemed to have completely shed his disguise, appearing exceptionally excited. He put his arm around Monk Lu's shoulder and whispered about some "funny things" from the past, occasionally letting out a hearty laugh.

Guanyin Bodhisattva looked at Tang Sanzang's completely different transformation and felt extremely strange, her heart filled with unease.

But in any case, the pilgrims have finally set off! The great calamity of the Journey to the West has officially begun!

The thought of this instantly overwhelmed me with joy and excitement, washing away all my unhappiness and worries!
She felt a powerful and pure force of merit and vows converging on her through the mysterious connection with the heavens!
This is just the beginning, and already tens of thousands of merits have been earned!
The Journey to the West has begun! Merit has arrived!
With these merits, I will surely break through the bottleneck and advance to the quasi-saint level in one fell swoop! At that time, let's see who dares to underestimate me!

She was so excited she was almost incoherent, even blurting out the words to Tang Sanzang's departing figure. (End of Chapter)