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

After crying for a while, he raised his face, which was covered with blood and tears, his eyes filled with confusion and sorrow. Like a lost child, he looked at Lin Zhu and asked in a sobbing voice.

"Immortal Master...you...you possess such supernatural powers, why...why didn't you appear sooner? My two attendants...my brother Lu...they...they died so tragically! Buddha...Bodhisattva...didn't they say they would protect the pilgrims? Why...why did they just watch them...watch them be killed by those monsters...Immortal Master, tell me, why is this happening?!"
My brother Lu... he never did anything wrong in his life... why... why him of all people... and I... I can only watch... I can't do anything... I... sob sob sob..."

In the end, he couldn't help but burst into tears again. It was the pain of having nowhere to put his faith after it collapsed, and the deep self-blame and breakdown of his own powerlessness.

He gripped his newly healed left hand tightly, as if it were his only real support.

Lin Zhu watched him cry quietly, without immediately comforting him or explaining that she hadn't come specifically to save him.

His appearance here naturally had its purpose. Completing a certain "task" was one aspect, but perhaps on a deeper level, he wanted to see with his own eyes what this reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, the pilgrim shouldering the great responsibility of traveling west, would become after undergoing such a cruel "baptism," and whether he could be "guided" by him, adding even more unpredictable "trouble" to this already turbulent journey to the west.

When Tang Sanzang's crying subsided and only intermittent sobs remained, Lin Zhu slowly spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an inexplicable sense of authority and credibility.

“I am no ordinary immortal or god, but the God of Law Enforcement and Prison of the Three Realms, who oversees the injustices of the Three Realms and maintains some order in the Heavenly Dao. Today, I passed by and saw that you were crippled and heartbroken, with resentment soaring to the sky, so I showed myself to you.”

The God of Law Enforcement in the Three Realms? Tang Sanzang was stunned for a moment. He had never heard of this title before, but it sounded like he was of extremely high status, in charge of punishment and order? He quickly kowtowed again.

"So it's Lord Prison God! Your disciple has been rude! I beg Your Majesty to avenge my brothers and followers who died tragically! They died so unjustly!"

Lin Zhu shook her head slightly, her tone remaining calm.

"The dead cannot be brought back to life; this is the ultimate truth of the universe, and even I cannot reverse the cycle of life and death. However, I will take care of their souls and make proper arrangements so that they do not become wandering ghosts, and perhaps they can find a chance for a next life. Please rest assured."

Hearing that Lin Zhu would take care of the souls of the dead, Tang Sanzang's grief lessened slightly, and he once again expressed his gratitude with tears in his eyes.

This at least gave him a sliver of faint comfort.

However, Lin Zhu changed the subject, his gaze becoming somewhat profound as he looked at Tang Seng and spoke earnestly.

"Xuanzang, you keep saying you're wronged for your brother Lu, but do you know why he died? And do you know why you're alive?"

Tang Sanzang looked up blankly, his eyes filled with tears.

"Why...why? Isn't it because those monsters are ferocious and eat people? I survived...perhaps it's because...perhaps it's because of Buddha..."

"No."

Lin Zhu interrupted his guess, her voice clear and guiding.

"This calamity, seemingly aimed at you, the pilgrim, is actually primarily targeted at your brother, Monk Lu."

"what?"

Tang Sanzang was completely stunned, almost thinking he had misheard.

"Chong...Chong Brother Lu? Why...why? He's just an ordinary martial monk, following me..."

"Precisely because he follows you and has a close relationship with you."

Lin Zhu said slowly.

“The Western Paradise and the Spirit Mountain are not afraid of you having one or two more guards or attendants by your side.”

What they feared was the method that Lu Xun possessed—a method that might truly 'cultivate a Buddhist mind'.

"Cultivating a Buddha-like heart?"

Tang Sanzang was even more confused.

“Brother Lu… he is a monk, but… he doesn’t study Buddhist scriptures much in his daily life, he…”

“Think back carefully,” Lin Zhu guided.

"You and Monk Lu have been companions since childhood. How did he conduct himself on a daily basis? And how did you come to study Buddhism?"

Tang Sanzang followed the instructions and fell into memories, his face showing a complex expression of nostalgia, sadness, and a hint of confusion.

he murmured.

“Brother Lu… he… he’s straightforward and likes to be active rather than quiet.”

He...he would go to places of pleasure...saying he was just watching the excitement and observing the various aspects of life; he liked to drink, saying that while wine and meat pass through the intestines, Buddha remains in the heart, as long as one has good intentions; he also...liked to fight with others, and would draw his sword to help those in need, sometimes even resorting to violence...the elders in the temple all said he didn't abide by the rules and wasn't a good monk..."

He paused, a look of genuine remembrance and respect appearing on his face.

“But I know that Brother Lu… his heart is set on the light. He never bullies the weak, and he always helps those in need, even if he doesn’t have much money himself. He is loyal and righteous, and he would go to great lengths for his friends… This time, he did it to protect me…”

He choked up again as he said this.

Comparing himself to the present, Tang Sanzang's face showed a hint of bitterness and self-mockery.

"As for me... I eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures every day, respectfully worshipping all the gods and Buddhas, daring not to be negligent in the slightest. I have thoroughly studied the scriptures and can recite them backwards. But... I know myself that my mind is full of distracting thoughts, and sometimes when I see injustice, I feel murderous intent... I have strong selfish desires; I want to obtain the true scriptures, make a name for myself, and bring glory to Buddhism..."

I... I even feel that many of the truths I've truly learned that occasionally bring me peace and enlightenment actually come from Brother Lu's seemingly silly behavior and words... My Buddhist teachings seem to be mostly learned from Brother Lu..."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed across Lin Zhu's eyes.

This Tang Sanzang had some self-awareness and was not completely blinded by the scriptures.

He remained expressionless and nodded affirmatively.

"That is it. Your brother, Monk Lu, may seem to disregard the rules and regulations and act recklessly, but in fact, because of his genuine nature and directness, he has touched upon a certain truth of Buddhahood amidst the turmoil of the world—that is, the freedom of the 'mind' and the openness of 'action'."

He had mastered a certain "correct" method of learning, or rather, his very existence was a manifestation of the "Dharma." And this was precisely what certain beings in the Western Paradise did not want to see; they preferred that you "learn Buddhism" according to their predetermined, rigid "standard" path. Tang Sanzang was struck dumb, frozen in place. Brother Lu… had mastered the correct method of learning? Because he frequented brothels, drank alcohol, ate meat, and fought? This… this was completely contrary to the Buddhist teachings he had received since childhood!

"So...so they want to use a monster to get rid of Brother Lu?"

Tang Sanzang's voice trembled, filled with disbelief.

"Just because...because he might influence me? Make me...not practice Buddhism the way they do?"

"That's understandable."

Lin Zhu remained noncommittal.

"This difficulty, ostensibly a test for those on their pilgrimage, is in reality a means to eliminate the 'outliers'."

Tang Sanzang felt his head buzzing. His already shattered faith had been thrown into an even more chaotic vortex by a boulder. If... if what Lin Zhu said was true... then was Buddha... still the Buddha he knew?

In the chaos, he suddenly looked up, a desperate light burning in his eyes, as if he had grasped a lifeline, and kowtowed repeatedly to Lin Zhu.

"Your Majesty, the God of Hell! You...you know the key to this, you must be a true master! I beg Your Majesty to guide me! How should I learn this Buddhist Dharma?"

On the journey to the West, this disciple is filled with unease and his Buddhist heart is unsettled. Whenever he thinks of Brother Lu and his followers' tragic deaths, of the Buddha… and of those who stood by and did not offer aid, demons arise within him! He begs His Excellency to show him the true path of spiritual cultivation!

He was truly lost at that moment, desperately needing an answer, an answer that could explain all his pain and allow him to keep going.

Looking into his eyes, which were full of longing yet cracked, Lin Zhu knew that the time had come.

He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, but it carried a seductive power, as if he were revealing a shocking secret.

"Since you sincerely seek my advice, I will tell you. The so-called profound meaning of Buddhism, and the thousands of scriptures, are merely superficial appearances. Why was your brother, Monk Lu, able to touch upon the true essence of Buddhahood? It was precisely because he did those things—seeking pleasures and experiencing the love, desire, anger, and ignorance of the mortal world, that he realized that form is emptiness; drinking alcohol and eating meat, indulging in the desires of the palate, that he understood how to overcome the obstacles of the tongue; and fighting and brawling, using force to uphold the righteousness in his heart, that he comprehended the true meaning of the Vajra's wrathful gaze."

Having done these things and overcome these obstacles, he found a 'shortcut' to spiritual practice, and his Buddha-like heart became crystal clear.

He looked at Tang Sanzang's widening eyes and continued.

"Why did the Five Directions Protectors, and even the Western Paradise behind them, sit idly by while Monk Lu was killed? It was because they were afraid! They were afraid that if this 'shortcut' were known and imitated by the world, their system, which required devout worship, ascetic practice, and offerings of incense to obtain 'protection' and attain 'fruition', would be impacted!"
Therefore, those who know the 'shortcut' must be eliminated, so that you, and all the people of the world, can continue to follow the more 'safe' path they have set out for you.

"No...impossible!"

Tang Sanzang shook his head violently, his face drained of color, as if he had heard the most blasphemous and absurd words.

"Buddhist scriptures say that one must observe the Eight Precepts! Not to kill, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to lie, not to drink alcohol... These are the fundamental precepts! Brother Lu's actions violated every single one of these precepts! How could it be... how could it be a shortcut?! Your Excellency, you... you must not speak nonsense! The Buddha's teachings are vast and compassionate; how could he harm someone out of fear? How could he... how could he not understand the true Buddha's teachings?!"

He invoked the most deeply ingrained dogma to refute it, but his voice carried a wavering that he himself was unaware of.

Lin Zhu's lips curled into an almost mocking smile as he looked directly into Tang Seng's panicked eyes and spoke clearly, word by word.

"Because the Buddha you worship may not... understand what true Buddhism is at all."

"If you really want to learn Buddhism, perhaps what you should learn is from your dead monk Lu."

boom--! ! !
These words, like a thunderclap from the heavens, exploded directly in Tang Sanzang's mind! They were like an invisible yet incredibly sharp hammer, slamming heavily onto his already crumbling and cracked foundation of faith!

Buddha...did not understand Buddhism?
To truly learn Buddhism, one should learn from Monk Lu.

Is seeking pleasure, drinking and eating meat, fighting and brawling... a shortcut?

His worldview, all the teachings he had received over the past eighteen years, and the Buddhist scriptures he once regarded as truth, all seemed to begin to distort, deform, and shatter under the weight of these few words! An invisible, cold, and strangely attractive force surged into his mind like a tide, impacting his established cognitive barriers.

This power did not come from Lin Zhu's magical oppression, but from the subversive and unorthodox "reasoning" carried by the words themselves. It was as if a "mysterious success coach" from an unknown field was forcibly prying open his long-closed mental cage in a way that he could not understand but vaguely felt "made some sense".

Tang Sanzang stood frozen in place, his pupils contracted, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a sound.

He felt his mind was in complete chaos, his existing knowledge clashing fiercely with the "new knowledge" Lin Zhu was imparting, neither willing to yield. Lin Zhu's calm face seemed incredibly profound in his eyes, carrying a chilling and unpredictable quality.

Lin Zhu's next words, like a demonic whisper, continued to seep into his ears and into his increasingly guarded mind.

"Do you find this hard to believe? Do you think I'm being blasphemous? Think about it carefully: if you follow the Buddhist scriptures and worship devoutly, practice asceticism and observe the precepts, have you ever truly felt inner peace? Have you ever lived as freely and joyfully as Monk Lu, without any regrets?"
The Western Paradise promises you the chance to obtain the scriptures and achieve enlightenment, but are the tribulations along the way truly meant to test you, or... merely to remove obstacles and ensure you become the 'Buddha' they desire, according to their script?

Each question is like a key, trying to unlock the lock of more doubts in Tang Sanzang's heart.

His eyes gradually shifted from initial shock and resistance to confusion and struggle, and finally, a hint of wavering and searching slowly emerged, even though he himself was unaware of it.

A complete overturning of one's values ​​often begins with a tiny crack. And Lin Zhu is using his own methods to continuously widen this crack.

Tang Sanzang stood there, stunned, as if a thousand voices were arguing in his mind. Lin Zhu's shocking words were like the most potent poison, injected into his already crumbling belief system.

His face was pale, his eyes were unfocused, and his lips were trembling, but he couldn't muster any effective rebuttal.

Seeing his appearance, Lin Zhu knew that the time was right and it was time to add more fuel to the fire, burning the crack into an abyss that could not be healed.

He stepped forward, his gaze sharp as torches, staring directly into Tang Sanzang's bewildered eyes. His voice was not loud, but it carried a piercing sharpness that seemed to see right through appearances.

“Xuanzang, you have been practicing Buddhism since childhood. Have you ever thought about whether what you are practicing is just the surface of Buddhism or has touched the true core? You eat vegetarian food, chant Buddhist scriptures, worship gods and Buddhas, and abide by the rules and regulations every day, thinking that this is the right path to the Pure Land.”

Then let me ask you, according to this method of learning, throughout history, among countless monks, how many have truly attained enlightenment? And how many have been able to enter the Western Paradise?

This question directly touched upon a gray area in Tang Sanzang's understanding.

He answered instinctively, following the instructions in the Buddhist scriptures, but his voice trembled involuntarily. (End of Chapter)