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

Sun Wukong felt a sudden chill run down his spine as he sensed the vast and unfathomable Buddhist power emanating from the Medicine Buddha! This aura... although different from that of the Tathagata Buddha, the oppressive feeling, the level that seemed to be subtly in harmony with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, was definitely not wrong!
This is also a Buddha who is all-powerful and all-encompassing! His strength is probably no less than that of Tathagata! He immediately became nervous, gripped the golden cudgel tightly, and looked at Lin Zhu, wondering how Lin Zhu would deal with it.

Lin Zhu paused slightly, but did not immediately thrust down.

He slowly raised his head and looked at the Medicine Buddha, who was suspended in mid-air and bathed in Buddha light. He raised his eyebrows slightly, and his face showed not the slightest fear, but rather a mixture of surprise and...contempt.

He looked the Medicine Buddha up and down a few times, as if confirming something, before asking in an almost lazy tone, full of provocation.

"Who...do you think you are?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the Bodhisattvas Sunlight and Moonlight changed slightly. A hint of displeasure also flashed in the eyes of the Medicine Buddha, but he quickly suppressed it.

He maintained a compassionate and peaceful expression as he spoke slowly.

"This humble monk is Bhaisajyaguru, the Buddha of Lapis Lazuli Light, who governs the Eastern Pure Land of Lapis Lazuli. Benefactor Lin, Acala is a Dharma protector of our Buddhist sect. Even if he has committed a wrong, he should be dealt with according to the precepts of our Buddhist sect. I beg Benefactor Lin to consider that... this humble monk once saved your life at the Great Thunderclap Temple, and spare his life, handing him over to this humble monk to take back to Mount Sumeru for judgment. What do you say?"

He deliberately mentioned "Da Leiyin Temple" and "saved my life," attempting to use this "favor" to exert pressure and ease the situation.

Sun Wukong, who was listening from the side, was taken aback and puzzled.

Lin Zhu stormed the Great Thunderclap Temple on Mount Ling back then? And was he saved by the Medicine Buddha? What other stories are there in between?
But the Medicine Buddha had a different plan in mind.

He deliberately obscured the truth of what happened back then—it wasn't that Lin Zhu needed his help, but rather that Lin Zhu had attacked Mount Ling for some reason, putting the Great Thunderclap Temple in grave danger. In order to protect the foundation of Mount Ling, he, the Medicine Buddha, was forced to make a compromise after weighing the options, and it could even be said that he betrayed Maitreya Buddha, with whom he had a relatively good relationship at the time, in order to make Lin Zhu "stop".

In his own words, however, this incident became a story of him "saving" Lin Zhu's life.

He believed that Lin Zhu should at least acknowledge some of this "favor," or at least give him a way out.

However, after hearing the Medicine Buddha's words, Lin Zhu was slightly taken aback, as if recalling something. Then, as if he had heard a huge joke, he couldn't help but burst into laughter!

Hahaha! Hahaha!!!

The laughter was unrestrained and loud, full of undisguised mockery and ridicule, which sounded particularly jarring on the battlefield where the chill of death had not yet dissipated.

After laughing for a while, Lin Zhu finally managed to stop. He wiped away non-existent tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes, looked at the Medicine Buddha whose face was gradually darkening, and slowly asked with a malicious grin.

"Medicine Buddha, you said... you saved my life at the Great Thunderclap Temple?"

He paused, and without waiting for the Medicine Buddha's reply, he continued speaking to himself, his voice suddenly turning cold.

"How could I possibly remember... back then, it was because of some 'trivial matter' that I impulsively stormed your Great Thunderclap Temple on Mount Ling."

"Back then, I almost tore down the plaque on your main hall, and not a single Buddha or Bodhisattva in the hall dared to breathe loudly."

Lin Zhu's gaze sharpened like a knife, piercing straight at the Medicine Buddha.

"As for you... it seems that in order to protect your spiritual foundation and prevent me from completely destroying it, after weighing the pros and cons... Oh, right, didn't you discuss it with your 'brother' Maitreya Buddha at the time?"

In the end… it seems that you, with your 'great sense of justice' and 'consideration for the greater good,' proactively shifted some responsibilities to Maitreya, and even provided some 'favors,' which made me feel it was pointless and give up?"

With each word he spoke, the Medicine Buddha's expression grew increasingly grim, while the Bodhisattvas Sunlight and Moonlight showed astonishment and unease. Clearly, even they might not fully know the inside story.

Lin Zhu finally shrugged and asked in an extremely absurd tone.

"So, Medicine Buddha, you call this... 'saving my life'?"

"Your abacus beads are about to fall into my face!"

Sun Wukong listened intently from the side, his fiery eyes wide open. Although he was a lawless demon king and his actions were often arrogant and violent, he had his own set of principles: being reckless yet extremely loyal and straightforward.

Hearing the Medicine Buddha glorify his past betrayal of Maitreya Buddha in exchange for a peaceful life on Mount Ling as "saving Lin Zhu's life" and even try to claim credit for it, he felt a surge of malice rush to his head, more unpleasant than if he had swallowed a fly!

"Pooh!!"

Sun Wukong spat fiercely in the direction of the Medicine Buddha. Although the distance was still far, the action was extremely insulting.

He grinned and cursed with a face full of contempt.

"What a Buddha! What a Lapis Lazuli Light Tathagata! I, Old Sun, have truly opened my eyes today! You Buddhists often talk about the equality of all beings and the importance of compassion, but I think you, you bald monk, are simply not human! You are not even as despicable or shameless as the most vile and shameless monsters in the mountains!"

He grew angrier as he spoke, and slammed his golden cudgel heavily on the ground, causing the mountain rocks to crack.

"Back in the day, I, Old Sun, befriended all the demon kings in the world and saw many treacherous and cunning people! But even the most shameless demon wouldn't do something as despicable as betraying his sworn brothers just to save his own life and protect his territory, and then shamelessly claiming it as a success to claim credit and rewards!"
You, on the other hand, not only did it, but you also spoke of it with such high-sounding self-righteousness and self-assurance! You're worse than a monster! I, Old Sun, am ashamed to be considered a fellow cultivator with you!

Sun Wukong's words were scathing and merciless, tearing apart the hypocritical mask of compassion worn by the Medicine Buddha.

When Sun Wukong pointed his finger at him and berated him so vehemently, especially comparing him to a "despicable monster," even with his profound Buddhist cultivation and excellent self-control, the compassionate and peaceful expression on the Medicine Buddha's face began to crumble, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes. However, he quickly regained his composure, coldly snorting and dismissing Sun Wukong's rebuke with disdain.

"You ignorant monkey, what do you know? Mount Ling is the foundation of Buddhism in the Three Realms, the source of all Buddhas! If Lin Zhu had been allowed to act recklessly back then, destroying the Great Thunderclap Temple, shaking the foundation of Mount Ling, causing the collapse of faith in the Three Realms, and disrupting the order of heaven and earth, how many lives would have been lost? What kind of boundless calamity would have been caused? My actions back then, though seemingly indebted to Fellow Daoist Maitreya, were in fact for the sake of all living beings and the stability of the Three Realms! Moreover, they saved Lin Zhu from immense karmic consequences! This is a great act of kindness and merit! How could you, a monkey who only knows how to fight and is ignorant of destiny, possibly understand this?"

His words once again elevated "betraying one's brothers" to the "righteous" level of "saving the common people" and "avoiding catastrophe," as if he had suffered a great injustice and made a huge sacrifice.

Lin Zhu and Sun Wukong both gasped in shock upon hearing this! They weren't convinced, but rather stunned by the old monk's shamelessness!

Lin Zhu rubbed his temples, his tone carrying a rare sense of absurdity.

"In all my years, I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen anyone as shameless as you. To be able to talk about betrayal and selling out friends for personal gain in such a fresh, elegant, and righteous way, you are truly one of a kind."

He even added with a touch of emotion.

"In comparison, although that old man Tathagata is strong and domineering, and scheming, at least... he is someone who dares to take responsibility for his actions, unlike you who are hypocritical and disgusting."

Upon hearing this, not only did Sun Wukong nod in deep agreement, but even the heavily injured Guanyin Bodhisattva in the distance, and the Immovable King whose life hung by a thread with the God-Slaying Spear pressed against his neck, were stunned.

Although they knew that the Medicine Buddha was deep and cunning, they never expected that this Buddha, who was known for his pure and compassionate image, would be so shameless! This completely overturned their previous understanding!
Desperate to survive, Fudo Myo-o disregarded everything else and shouted hoarsely.

"Buddha of Medicine! Save me! Please save this humble monk! You...you have been kind to Lin Zhu, he...he should listen to you! Make him release me!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhu coldly glanced at the clueless blue goose at his feet, then thrust the tip of the God-Slaying Spear forward another half step, piercing the shimmering light at the neck of the Dharma Image, and sneered.

"Your memory is worse than a dog's. You've forgotten the pain once the wound has healed? No, your wound hasn't healed yet. Didn't you hear a single word I said?"

He was too lazy to waste any more words with Acala, so he looked up at the gloomy-faced Medicine Buddha and his tone turned cold.

"As for you, Medicine Buddha, I have no interest in wasting my breath on a fellow who betrayed his brothers and is proud of it. Take your 'great kindness' and 'merit' and go back to where you came from. If you dare to make a sound again, don't blame me for being merciless with my spear and 'delivering' you as well."

When the Medicine Buddha saw that Lin Zhu was unmoved by any gentle persuasion or coercion, he became extremely angry.

He believed he had already given Lin Zhu ample face, even going so far as to reveal his past misdeeds, but the other party showed no appreciation whatsoever. Instead, he joined forces with that demon monkey to humiliate him to the extreme! How could he, as a Buddha and a future candidate for the second-in-command of the Western Paradise, possibly save face?

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and once again put on that seemingly compassionate but actually condescending expression. He raised his head and spoke in a tone that said, "I'm thinking of you."

"Benefactor Lin Zhu, why be so stubborn? I am only doing this for your own good, and I don't want to expose you to your face. You seem powerful now, but you are actually in a dilemma. If you really kill the Immovable King, you will have forged an irreconcilable blood feud with the Western Paradise!"
The Buddha, and indeed the entire Vulture Peak, will never let this go! At that time, you will face endless pursuit and retaliation from the Western Paradise; though the Three Realms are vast, there may be no place for you to stand!

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Sun Wukong with a meaningful look.

"And this demon monkey Sun Wukong is the key to the great calamity of the Journey to the West, the culmination of hundreds of years of planning in the Western Paradise! If you take him away today, you will be seizing a great opportunity from the Western Paradise and severing the Buddhist sect's eastward expansion! Can you bear such karmic consequences?"
"Take my advice. While there's still room for maneuver, go along with it and hand over Fudo Myoo and Sun Wukong to me. I'm willing to intercede for you before Buddha, and perhaps this feud can be resolved. What do you say?"

These words, seemingly meant to persuade, were in fact threats and inducements, portraying Lin Zhu's "situation" as fraught with danger and attempting to force him to comply.

Lin Zhu scoffed after hearing this, his laughter filled with disdain and mockery.

"Frightened by the revenge of the Western Paradise? Hahahaha! Medicine Buddha, have you forgotten that I have been frightened, schemed against, and even 'at odds' with you Western Paradise for more than five hundred years?"

His gaze suddenly sharpened like a knife, as if piercing through time and space.

"Back then, when I stormed the Great Thunderclap Temple, if you hadn't exchanged the 'Taiji Pill' for the news of the 'Immortal Trapping Sword' and the 'Immortal Severing Sword,' do you think I would have given up so easily? From that moment on, my patience with your Western Paradise was exhausted!"

The God-Slaying Spear in his hand trembled slightly, emanating a chilling demonic aura.

"Now, you still want to use this trick to scare me? Let me tell you, I've tolerated you for far too long! Today, let alone Acala, even if the Buddha himself came, I would kill him without hesitation!"

Acala was terrified, but seeing the Medicine Buddha right in front of him, he seemed to regain some confidence and started shouting again, oblivious to his own mortality.

"Lin Zhu! You...you dare to disrespect the Medicine Buddha! The Medicine Buddha is the World Honored One of the Eastern Pure Land of Lapis Lazuli, whose Dharma is boundless! You...you try to touch me! The Buddha will surely annihilate you, body and soul!"

"Oh?"

Lin Zhu slowly lowered his head, looking at the Immovable King at his feet, who resembled a clown. The killing intent in his eyes was like tangible ice, instantly freezing the Immovable King, even his primordial spirit seemed to be frozen! "Try it? Then... let's try it."

The moment the words left his mouth, Lin Zhu suddenly flipped his wrist!
"How dare you, Shuzi!!!"

Seeing this, the Medicine Buddha finally tore off his mask of hypocrisy and let out a furious roar filled with shock and rage! He never expected that after he personally intervened and explained the consequences, Lin Zhu would still dare to kill him right in front of him! This was not only killing the Unmovable King, but also trampling his dignity and his authority as a Buddha underfoot!
However, his angry shout came too late.

"puff--!"

The dark tip of the God-Slaying Spear pierced the forehead of the Immovable King's avatar with unparalleled precision and without any obstruction! That was precisely where the core of its primordial spirit resided!
The instant the spear tip pierced his body, the extremely violent and ferocious destructive demonic energy, like a flood bursting its banks, surged wildly into the Dharma form and primordial spirit of the Immovable King! The Immovable King's already damaged defenses were instantly melted away like snow under the sun before this god-slaying spear demonic energy that could destroy all laws and annihilate primordial spirits!
"what--!!!!"

A piercing wail, filled with extreme pain and despair, erupted from the mouth of the Acala Buddha! But the wail lasted only a moment before it abruptly stopped!

The indigo-blue image of the King of Light seemed to have been drained of all its power and vitality, instantly freezing and then rapidly turning into ashes, starting from the pierced center of its forehead!
Not only the Dharma form, but also the primordial spirit, true spirit, and remaining physical essence and lifelong cultivation power within it were forcibly drained, extracted, and ultimately annihilated by the incomparably domineering devouring and destructive characteristics of the God-Slaying Spear, transforming into the purest energy turbulence and nothingness! (End of this chapter)