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

The other deities in the hall, including Nezha, couldn't help but feel a chill when they saw the rare, almost "kind" smile on Lin Zhu's face, and subconsciously held their breath.

They knew this Lord Prisoner all too well; the more "beautiful" his smile, the more "unpleasant" things were likely to follow.

Watching his nominal father tremble and stammer incoherently under Li Jing's smile in the face of Lin Zhu's laughter, Nezha's eyes were filled with not only coldness but also undisguised disgust and revulsion. A fence-sitter, a traitor, a bully who preys on the weak, a coward who fears death… these traits were vividly displayed in Li Jing.

Li Jing's psychological defenses finally crumbled completely under that silent, smiling gaze.

He fell to his knees again with a thud, this time not from being beaten down, but from being frightened.

Tears streamed down his face as he screamed desperately.

“I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you everything! It was the White Lotus Child! The White Lotus Child under the guidance of the Sage! He… he came to Mount Ling with the Azure Lotus Banner bestowed by the Sage! That banner… that banner can make people kill mortals without incurring karmic retribution! It was him! He was the one who said that Lord Prison God had the Nine-Turn Great Rejuvenation Pill!”

It was him... he had Buddha send me as an envoy to buy time! As for the others... I really don't know anything else! I beg the Lord of Hell to have mercy! Please grant me a way out!

His words were like a thunderclap, exploding throughout the Lingxiao Palace!

"The White Lotus Child?!"

"The Azure Lotus Banner? Killing without incurring karmic retribution?!"

"The Sage of Guidance... actually intervened personally?!"

"The Western Paradise actually... actually resorts to such methods?!"

The immortals were in an uproar, their faces showing a mixture of shock and anger. The arrival of the sage's attendant, carrying the sage's treasure, was no longer merely a dispute between the Western Paradise and the Heavenly Court; it was a sign that the sage's will was directly intervening!

Even more terrifying is the flag that says "Killing without incurring karma." What does this mean? It means that the other party can attack mortals with impunity without worrying about the backlash from the karmic forces of Heaven!
The smile on Lin Zhu's face finally vanished completely, replaced by a deep, icy coldness.

He stared intently at Li Jing, who was kneeling and begging for mercy, and pressed him for an answer.

"Where is the White Lotus Boy now? What are the plans for the Western Paradise? Speak!"

Li Jing was now completely desperate. In order to survive, he no longer cared about the secrets of the Western Paradise and blurted out everything.

"The White Lotus Boy... he... he took the flag and went down to the mortal realm! I really don't know where he went!"
But... but before leaving, Buddha had a private conversation with the boy, and the little god vaguely heard... heard something about 'Southern Jambudvipa', 'turmoil', 'coercion'... Buddha also said... since 'first courtesy' was ineffective, then the only option was 'second force', that they had to... had to take risks and force the Heavenly Court to release the people and hand over the elixir..."

"Taking a desperate gamble? Forcing the Heavenly Court?"

Lin Zhu's eyes flashed with a cold light, and his killing intent almost materialized.

Just then, outside the Lingxiao Palace, a figure rushed in with a hurried and anxious air, not even bothering to announce his arrival! It was none other than the Liyuan Golden Turtle, who was in charge of intelligence and external liaison in the Nine-Layer Heavenly Prison! His tortoise shell seemed to be steaming, his face was deathly pale, and he collapsed to the ground as soon as he entered, his voice so urgent that it was distorted.

"Report! Lord Prison God! All immortals! Urgent report! The Buddhist Kingdom of Tianzhu in Xiniu Hezhou has suddenly amassed a large army, brazenly tore up the peace agreement, and launched a full-scale attack on the border of the Great Tang Dynasty in the Eastern Land of Nanzhanbuzhou!"

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, all the immortals in the hall paled in shock!
The Golden Tortoise, panting heavily, continued its urgent report.

"The offensive is extremely fierce! It seems that there are supernatural beings in the Indian army who are using evil magic, which our ordinary soldiers can hardly resist! Several border cities have already fallen, and according to the scattered images from the front lines... the cities... the cities have been turned into a sea of ​​blood, with blood surging into the sky!"
The civilians…the civilian casualties are devastating, less than one in ten survived! The border garrison of Jambudvipa is suffering repeated defeats, and the battle line is on the verge of collapse! Furthermore, it has been discovered that an extremely subtle but high-ranking Buddhist aura is faintly visible behind the battlefield, suggesting…suggesting that a powerful figure from the Western Paradise is secretly overseeing the conflict, perhaps even personally intervening in the mortal war!

"boom--!"

This news shocked and angered the immortals even more than Li Jing's confession!
"Shameless! Despicable!"

"They actually attacked the mortal realm! And on such a large scale!"

"Tearing up the peace agreement and launching a sneak attack on a mortal realm! Is this what they call compassion?!"

"Even worse than the demons! The demons still have some reservations, but these people are going to commit annihilation!"

"Using the lives of billions of mortals as bargaining chips to coerce the Heavenly Court! Western Paradise, have you no shame?!"

Anger and disdain echoed throughout the hall.

All the deities wore expressions of disbelief, rage, and deep contempt. The Western Paradise's actions had utterly trampled on the bottom line that all forces had tacitly adhered to—not easily engaging in large-scale intervention, and certainly not indiscriminately killing mortals to achieve their goals! This was even more blatantly unscrupulous than the various sects vying for destiny during the Investiture of the Gods!
Lin Zhu's aura instantly turned icy cold, and a tangible, soul-chilling killing intent swept out like a blizzard! The temperature inside the hall plummeted, and many immortals with slightly lower cultivation levels couldn't help but shiver.

As expected! The Western Paradise did indeed use this tactic! By threatening a catastrophe on Earth, they forced the Heavenly Court to submit! And the one orchestrating all of this is most likely the White Lotus Boy who wields the Azure Lotus Banner and kills without incurring karmic retribution! What a fine phrase, "killing without incurring karmic retribution"! No wonder he dares to act so recklessly!

"The Golden Tortoise that Departs from the Abyss!"

Lin Zhu shouted sternly.

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Pass on my orders!"

Lin Zhu spoke very quickly, but each word was clear and carried an unquestionable determination.

"Nine-layered Heavenly Prison: All cultivators of Taiyi Golden Immortal level and above, except for essential personnel remaining on duty, must assemble immediately! You will lead them to reinforce the Great Tang border in the Southern Continent at the fastest speed! The primary objective is to resist the attack of the Buddhist Kingdom of Tianzhu and protect the mortal people! If any Buddhist cultivators are found participating in the massacre, regardless of their identity, kill them without mercy!"

"As ordered!"

The Golden Tortoise of the Abyss accepted the order without hesitation, turned around and transformed into a streak of light, rushing out of the hall.

"Absolutely... outrageous!"

Nezha was both shocked and furious. Although he had experienced the Investiture of the Gods and was used to life and death, he had never seen such a blatant tactic of using the slaughter of countless mortals as a political bargaining chip! "Using mortals to threaten the Heavenly Court? They are more ferocious than the demons in hell! Even when the Asuras fought, they never saw such a large-scale massacre of mortal beings!"

Lin Zhu was extremely anxious. He knew that every second of delay could mean the death of thousands of ordinary people.

With a swift movement, he was about to transform into golden light and head directly to Jambudvipa.

“Brother Prison God!” Nezha grabbed him and glanced at Li Jing, who was slumped on the ground, pale as a ghost.

"This traitor... what should we do with him? Perhaps we should just behead him and annihilate his spirit as a warning to others!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jing was so frightened that he kowtowed repeatedly.

"Spare me! Lord Nezha, spare me! Lord Prison God, spare me! I've told you everything! Spare my life, and I'll serve you like a slave..."

Lin Zhu paused, glanced at Li Jing who was crying, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes, but he did not agree to Nezha's suggestion. Instead, he said coldly.

"Keep him alive. Take him with you to Jambudvipa."

Nezha was taken aback.

"Take him with you? This..."

"Take it with you."

Lin Zhu repeated the sentence, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Perhaps... it might still be of some use. Keep a close eye on him."

Li Jing was taken aback at first, but then, as if grasping at a lifeline, he immediately kowtowed with gratitude.

"Thank you, Lord Prison God, for sparing my life! Thank you, Lord Prison God! I will certainly atone for my sins and perform meritorious service! I will..."

Before he could finish speaking, Nezha, looking disgusted, stepped forward and, like dragging a dead dog, used his divine power to lift him up and roughly drag him behind him. Li Jing cried out in pain as he was pulled, but dared not resist in the slightest.

Lin Zhu said no more. His body shone with golden light, and with a clear and melodious sound, he transformed into a dazzling golden rainbow that tore through space. With a terrifying speed far exceeding ordinary escape techniques, he directly smashed through the layers of immortal clouds and restrictions above the Lingxiao Palace and shot towards the direction of the Southern Continent in the lower realm! He left behind only a cold sentence that echoed in the ears of the immortals in the palace.

"White Lotus Child... Azure Lotus Banner... Saint's face? These are meaningless before me!"

……

In the human realm, in Jambudvipa (the southern continent), on the border of the Great Tang Dynasty in the east.

The peace and prosperity of the past have long been replaced by towering flames of war, deafening shouts of battle, and desperate cries of agony.

Five hundred years ago, the Tang emperor worked diligently to govern the country, and the nation prospered. His army marched westward and defeated the invasion of the Buddhist kingdom of Tianzhu in Xiniuhezhou, forcing them to sign a treaty of surrender, agreeing to non-aggression and peaceful coexistence for a thousand years.

For the next five hundred years, although there were minor frictions between the two sides, they were generally at peace, border trade gradually flourished, and the people were able to recuperate and thrive.

However, all peace and tranquility have been completely shattered today.

Without any warning or declaration of war, the Indian Buddhist Kingdom's army, which had long been stationed on the border and had been preparing for war, suddenly launched a full-scale and fierce attack on the Tang Dynasty's border at a certain moment, like a flood bursting its banks!

What's even more terrifying is that this army contains many people who are not ordinary monks or military officers.

They were dressed in strange robes, chanting obscure scriptures, and with a wave of their hands, golden Buddha seals would fall, easily destroying the city walls;
Some have hideous faces, resembling both Buddha and demon, riding black winds and poisonous mists, leaving withered vegetation and devastation in their wake; others hide within armies, unleashing large-scale bewitching and fear-inducing evil spells that cause the defending troops to collapse in morale and turn on each other...

Although the Tang Dynasty's border troops were fierce and brave, they were ultimately just mortals. How could they withstand such a dimensional attack from a supernatural force? The defensive line was torn apart in a very short time. One after another, the formidable passes and strategic strongholds that had been built up over hundreds of years collapsed like paper under the attack containing Buddhist power or evil magic.

The flames of war spread with alarming speed towards the heart of the Tang Dynasty. The Southern Continent, which had enjoyed five hundred years of peace, was once again shrouded in the shadow of war and bloodshed. Behind this seemingly abrupt national war, an invisible black hand, originating from the Western Paradise, or perhaps even from a sage beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, was slowly tightening its grip.

Jambudvipa, the western border of the Great Tang Dynasty in the east.

Before the afterglow of five hundred years of peace had completely faded, bloodshed and the smoke of war had already impatiently painted this ancient land anew.

Only five hundred years have passed, far from the thousand-year period agreed upon in the original agreement, when the Indian Buddhist Kingdom of Xiniu Hezhou brazenly tore up the peace treaty that had been bought with the blood and lives of countless soldiers.

Just last night, under the cover of darkness, the Indian army, which had been stationed on the border for many years and was poised to strike, emerged like a venomous snake that had been lying in wait, carrying with it a terrifying aura that sent chills down the spine, and its advance pointed directly at the border of the Tang Dynasty!

That was no ordinary military offensive, but a long-planned lightning attack supported by unimaginable power!

The "Iron Wall Pass," the closest to the border, a formidable city renowned for its sturdiness, garrisoned by 30,000 elite troops, and home to nearly 120,000 civilians, bore the brunt of the attack. The defenders couldn't even muster a decent resistance, because the devastating blow came from a level they simply couldn't comprehend or contend with.

The very few scouts who were lucky enough to witness the scene from nearby high ground recalled it with trembling hands.

At midnight last night, a blurry figure appeared without warning above the Iron Wall Pass. The person seemed to be holding a small, bluish flag, which he casually waved at the towering city walls and dense houses below.

There was no earth-shattering roar, no dazzling light.

In the next instant, the entire Iron Wall Pass, along with the 30,000 soldiers stationed there, the 120,000 civilians living there, as well as the sturdy city walls, towering arrow towers, and rows of houses... seemed to be smashed down from the heavens by an invisible and intangible, yet unimaginably massive, giant hammer!

The earth trembled violently, and smoke and dust billowed into the sky, obscuring the starlight and moonlight.

As the smoke and dust dissipated, the few soldiers who had escaped the calamity by virtue of being at a distant outpost or on patrol saw only a vast ruin, completely reduced to dust and sunken deep underground! There were no screams, no cries for help, because everything had instantly fallen into deathly silence and destruction with that single "swipe".

One hundred and forty-five thousand six hundred and twenty vibrant lives, along with the traces of their existence, were easily and utterly erased on that ordinary night!

This is just the beginning.

After the terrifying figure holding the flag seemed to have "accomplished its main objective" and withdrawn, the Indian army, which had been unable to contain itself any longer, saw its extraordinary "masters"—ascetics clad in strange robes, ferocious-looking guardian monks, and sorcerers riding poisonous insects and beasts—howl like hungry wolves released from their cages as they pounced on the scattered villages and towns surrounding Iron Wall Pass.

Flames, screams, and wails tore through the night sky once more.

This time, the slaughter was far more bloody and slow. The elderly, women, children, and able-bodied who couldn't escape were like lambs to the slaughter before this extraordinary power. Villages were set ablaze, farmland was trampled, and streams were stained crimson with blood.

Fortunately, the generals guarding the other border cities were not incompetent. The earth-shattering destruction and the sudden surge of bloody resentment from the direction of Iron Wall Pass had already alerted them.

Despite their fear and the knowledge that they might be facing an unimaginable enemy, their duty as soldiers and their grief and indignation for their compatriots led them to gather all the city's strongest and most elite soldiers in the shortest possible time and rush to their aid overnight!
A fierce battle erupted in the darkest hour before dawn. The arriving Tang border troops clashed with the rampaging Indian "masters." There were no battle formations, no tactics, only the most primal and brutal fighting. (End of Chapter)