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

The old man fishing by the river put away his fishing rod, which then transformed into a radiant dragon-headed walking stick and rode away in a flash of light...

Five hundred years of accumulation, the catalysis of cultivation techniques, and the talent attracted from all walks of life under Li Shimin's "education for all" policy, at this moment the Tang Dynasty showed a terrifying war potential and a cohesive force of shared hatred against the enemy that far exceeded any other era!

This is not just an army, but a total mobilization of the entire human cultivation community in the Southern Continent! The idyllic picture of peaceful cultivation has been suddenly torn apart, revealing the long-hidden, incomparably sharp wartime edge hidden beneath!

Lin Zhu felt the immense aura and soaring fighting spirit converging from all directions, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, surging towards the western border. Looking at Li Shimin beside him, whose eyes were firm and whose mind was at ease, Lin Zhu finally understood that this Tang king's declaration of war was by no means impulsive.

This is a total war that has been prepared and accumulated for five hundred years, waiting only for the right opportunity and direction!
The world is about to change.

Snowstorm City, a majestic city standing in the western border of Jambudvipa, backed by continuous snow-capped mountains and facing the vast Gobi Desert, has now become the frontline hub and the eye of the storm in the Tang Dynasty's all-out war against the Buddhist kingdom of India.

The atmosphere in the city was tense yet orderly. Squads of elite armored soldiers patrolled back and forth, the sounds of horses' hooves, commands, and the clanging of craftsmen working on weapons filling the air. Cultivators, warriors, and extraordinary individuals from all over the Southern Continent, responding to the call to action, also arrived one after another. They were uniformly incorporated into different camps, some responsible for city defense, some as mobile forces, and some forming special squads for reconnaissance and sabotage.

The entire Snowstorm City, like a massive and sophisticated war machine, began to roar into action.

The military council hall in the city is now the core command tent of the Tang Dynasty's western expeditionary force. On the huge sand table, the positions of both sides are clearly marked. The red flags representing the Tang Dynasty are densely packed, radiating outward from the Snowstorm City as the core, demonstrating a powerful ability to assemble and mobilize troops.

The small golden flags representing the Buddhist kingdom of India were mainly gathered around a city model that was specially enlarged and marked, about a hundred miles to the west.

“Lord Prison God, please look,” Li Shimin said, pointing to the golden city model on the sand table with a slender wooden stick in his hand. His voice was steady but carried a hint of coldness.

"This city is called 'Golden Lotus Fortress'. It is the largest and most fortified fortress built by the Indian Buddhist Kingdom in the past fifty years, sparing no expense and national strength, a hundred miles away from the border of our Great Tang Dynasty."

Its city walls were fifteen zhang high and over five zhang thick, constructed entirely of diamonds and refined iron blessed with Buddhist secret techniques. They were also engraved with numerous defensive runes and formations, said to be able to withstand continuous bombardment from a Nascent Soul stage cultivator.

Lin Zhu stood with his hands behind his back beside the sand table, and nodded slightly upon hearing this.

His gaze pierced through the command tent, and his divine sense had already silently swept across a hundred miles away.

The "Golden Lotus Fortress" was indeed extraordinary, with a faint Buddhist light emanating from it. The monks patrolling the city walls were clad in gleaming armor, exuding a fierce and powerful aura. Furthermore, several formidable auras lurked within the city, clearly belonging to Buddhist cultivators stationed there. Behind the city, there were continuous camps and mountains of grain and supplies, demonstrating the Indian Buddhist Kingdom's long-term ambition to resist and even counterattack.

"The location of Jinlian Fortress is extremely crucial."

Li Shimin continued his analysis, drawing a line on the sand table with a wooden pole.

"This place is located in the buffer zone between Jambudvipa and Aparagodaniya, but it leans more towards Aparagodaniya. If our Great Tang can conquer this city, we can advance unimpeded, our military might reaching the heart of the Buddhist kingdom of India, and even... threatening the edge of Aparagodaniya!"
This city can be considered the most important barrier erected by the Western Buddhist sect on earth to hinder the westward expansion of our Great Tang Dynasty, and also one of the reasons why the Indian Buddhist kingdom dared to repeatedly provoke our dynasty.

Inside the command tent, besides Li Shimin and Lin Zhu, there were also Yuchi Gong, Li Jing, and several key civil and military officials who had accompanied the army, such as Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui. Everyone looked solemn as they stared at the sand table.

"Your Majesty, the Golden Lotus Fortress is impregnable; a direct assault would result in heavy casualties."

Fang Xuanling stroked his beard and pondered.

"Could we send a surprise force to flank them and cut off their supply lines, or contact the tribes in Xiniuhezhou who are dissatisfied with the rule of the Buddhist Kingdom of Tianzhu, and launch a pincer attack from both inside and outside?"

Du Ruhui then said.

"Our army has recently gained the allegiance of heroes and righteous men from all directions, and their morale is high. However, their composition is complex, and command and coordination will take time. It would be better to first send elite troops to harass the enemy in rotation, exhaust their men, and find their weaknesses. At the same time, we should speed up the forging of city-breaking weapons and assault equipment."

"General Yuchi has just recovered. He can lead a cavalry force to patrol the flanks of the fortress and strike small detachments that are out of the city to scout and transport supplies. This will accumulate small victories into a major victory and also serve as training ground for the troops."

Another general offered advice.

The group discussed various tactics and strategies, each offering their own insights. Li Shimin listened attentively, nodding occasionally or raising questions, clearly having given the matter considerable thought.

Lin Zhu listened quietly without interrupting. Military campaigns, troop deployment, and national strategy were not his forte.

His past experiences consisted mostly of personal or small-scale struggles, law enforcement, and even battles with top-tier figures.

Such large-scale wars, which often involve hundreds of thousands or even millions of troops and affect the fate of two countries or even two continents, are far more complex than the scope of individual military force.

His original plan was to eliminate, with swift and decisive action, those Buddhas, Arhats, and Bodhisattvas who might interfere in the war and were hiding behind the Golden Lotus Fortress and even the Buddhist Kingdom of India.

With his current strength, coupled with the God-Slaying Spear, unless a being of the level of the Medicine Buddha or even stronger is personally in charge, ordinary Buddhist masters would find it difficult to withstand him. To capture the enemy, one must first capture their leader. By severing the "hand" that the Western Paradise is extending into the mortal battlefield, the chances of the Tang Dynasty's mortal army defeating the Indian Buddhist Kingdom, which has lost its supernatural support, will greatly increase.

But the thought only flashed through his mind before he suppressed it. The reason was simple—risk and cost.

The Medicine Buddha's sneak attack outside the South Heavenly Gate, the terrifying shimmering light, and the ruthlessness and decisiveness displayed by the White Lotus Child wielding the Azure Lotus Banner—all these served as a wake-up call for Lin Zhu. The Western Paradise, in its pursuit of its goals, was becoming increasingly unscrupulous and ruthless.

He is currently on the front lines, seemingly free, but in reality, he could become a target for the enemy's concentrated efforts to hunt him down. The Heavenly Origin Demon Stones were exhausted when he severely injured the White Lotus Child, and he cannot provide that level of burst damage again in the short term.

Even with his own cultivation and the God-Slaying Spear, he dared not say he could escape unscathed if he were to face a carefully planned ambush by multiple beings of the same level, or some strange magical treasures or formations bestowed by a sage.

More importantly, he judged that the one in a hurry now was not him, but the Western Paradise!

The Journey to the West plan stalled from the moment Jin Chanzi's physical body was destroyed. Sun Wukong was "protected" by him in the Heavenly Prison, and the Western Paradise couldn't directly retrieve him. The only elixir that could save Jin Chanzi was still in Lin Zhu's hands.

The Western Paradise sent the White Lotus Boy to create a catastrophe on Earth, with the real purpose of forcing him to show himself, make a deal, or set an ambush. Now that the White Lotus Boy has escaped with serious injuries, the plan has failed, and the Western Paradise has lost both its wife and its army, while time is ticking away.

"The matter of the Journey to the West involves the workings of the Heavenly Dao and the grand plan of Buddhism to expand eastward, and cannot be delayed."

Lin Zhu calmly analyzed the situation.

“The longer Jin Chanzi’s primordial spirit is delayed, the more difficult it will be to recover, and it may even completely dissipate. As for Sun Wukong, although he is nominally imprisoned, as long as I don’t release him, the Western Paradise can’t do anything. Tathagata… and the Jieyin and Zhunti behind him are probably more anxious than I am right now.”

He estimated that, given the Western Paradise's usual modus operandi and their current predicament, Buddha could only hold out for three more days at most. If, within three days, he couldn't somehow obtain the Nine-Turn Great Rejuvenation Pill from him and resolve Sun Wukong's problem, the subsequent tribulations of the Journey to the West would completely spiral out of control, and the entire plan might collapse. At that point, even Buddha wouldn't be able to bear the blame from the Sage.

Therefore, Lin Zhu decided to remain still and observe the situation.

His presence in Fengxue City served as both an invisible support and deterrent to the Tang Dynasty, and also put pressure on the Western Heaven.

He wanted to see what other tricks the Western Paradise would pull next. Would they continue to inflict even greater carnage on Earth? Or... would they finally lower their heads and send someone to "have a proper talk"?
The strategic discussion came to a temporary halt, and the specific tactical details would be refined and executed by the subordinate generals. Li Shimin dismissed most of his ministers, leaving only two or three trusted confidants, such as Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, and Li Jing in a corner. The command tent fell silent for a moment.

Li Shimin rubbed his temples. The continuous mental strain and intense planning had left him feeling somewhat tired, even with his current level of cultivation.

He waved to the two men, Tu and Du, telling them to go and rest first. He then walked to the window, gazing at the vast Gobi Desert and the faint outline of the Golden Lotus Fortress in the distance, remaining silent for a long time.

Suddenly, he turned around and looked at Lin Zhu, who had been standing quietly to the side. His eyes held a rare kind of bewilderment and inquiry that transcended the status of an emperor, and he asked.

"Your Majesty, I... have a question that has been lingering in my mind for a long time, but I am unsure whether I should ask it."

Lin Zhu looked up.

"Your Majesty, please speak freely."

Li Shimin took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

"Lord of the Prison, your cultivation is boundless, and your knowledge is vast, far surpassing that of a mortal emperor like myself. In your eyes, what is the meaning of our existence as mortals?"

He walked to the sand table, his fingers unconsciously tracing the models representing cities and armies, his voice low and confused.

"I have read through the history books and seen the lives of the common people. They toil day and night for food and clothing, for the future of their children and grandchildren. Some work hard to create, some are cunning and cause trouble, and some live mediocre lives. Some emperors and generals are diligent and create a prosperous era, while others are foolish and tyrannical, leaving behind a legacy of disaster for thousands of years."

The myriad aspects of human life, love and hate, the rise and fall of dynasties, may be praised or criticized in the writings of historians, and may be commented on by the common people.

“But,” his tone suddenly became agitated, carrying a hint of barely concealed grief and resentment.

"What about in the eyes of those high and mighty gods and Buddhas? In the eyes of the White Lotus Child, the Guide Saint, and even... in the eyes of those seemingly compassionate Buddhas and Bodhisattvas?"
Are we, these mortals, these so-called 'common people,' truly nothing more than... a busy bunch of ants? Are the cities and houses we build like anthills in their eyes, our births, aging, sickness, and death like insects molting, and our joys and sorrows, our patriotism, nothing but meaningless noise and dust?

He stared intently at Lin Zhu, as if trying to get an answer from this celestial being who had transcended the mortal realm, an answer that could bring peace to his soul.

"We occupy this 'human realm' all to ourselves, seemingly thriving and flourishing with a brilliant civilization. But in essence, are we nothing more than... slaves and livestock providing incense offerings, prayers, and meritorious deeds for gods and Buddhas?"
Confined to this seemingly vast, yet actually tiny, world that even gods and Buddhas could traverse in the blink of an eye? What is the purpose of our existence? From a higher perspective, are our struggles, our efforts, our ideals, our sacrifices… simply a joke?

This is a heavy question that strikes at the very depths of the soul.

It stemmed from Li Shimin's shock and helplessness at witnessing the easy slaughter of 140,000 of his subjects, the casual killing of Yuchi Gong, and the pale insignificance and responsibility of his imperial authority in the face of absolute power. It also stemmed from his fear and reaction to the White Lotus Boy's "ant theory".

He was not only questioning Lin Zhu, but also questioning himself and the ultimate value of the existence of all mortals.

Lin Zhu fell silent.

Although he was a quasi-saint at the half-step level, surpassing countless living beings and able to decide the life and death of countless mortals with a single thought, his roots were ultimately those of a human.

He experienced the joys and sorrows of ordinary people, felt the warmth and affection of humanity, and fought for the order and justice in his heart.

Even with his immense power, deep down he still retains the emotions and stance of a "human being," upholding things that he considers more important than power—such as compassion for the innocent, adherence to justice, keeping promises, and loyalty to friends.

He was wary that he might become like those ancient sages or certain Buddhas, completely detached from emotions, with only cold calculations and an "innocence" of absolute rule-following remaining.

That might be a higher "Tao," but in his view, it meant losing the most precious thing about being a "human being."

Therefore, he could not be unaware of Li Shimin's confusion and questioning at this moment, and even... empathized with him.

After a long while, Lin Zhu slowly spoke, his voice calm yet carrying a power that pierced through the fog.

"King Tang's question goes straight to the heart and touches upon the fundamental confusion of the Three Realms. I... cannot give you a definite answer. Because the answer may not be unique, or perhaps, each living being needs to find and define it for themselves."

He looked into Li Shimin's eyes and saw the undiminished light of his persistent search for answers, then changed the subject.

"However, I may be able to tell you some... history that has been deliberately buried or distorted in its transmission. Knowing the past will allow you to see the present more clearly, and perhaps... it will also help you understand why mortals are in their current situation and what heights they once reached."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's spirits lifted, and he quickly straightened his clothes and respectfully cupped his hands in greeting.

"Please enlighten me, Lord God of Hell! I am all ears!"

Lin Zhu walked to the center of the command tent and casually set up a simple barrier to isolate the conversation from the outside world.

His gaze became distant, as if he had traveled through endless time and space, returning to the ancient times when chaos first opened and the world evolved.

"The human history you know roughly begins with the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, the Xia, Shang, Zhou and Qin dynasties."

Lin Zhu said slowly.

"But before that, there was an even more distant and magnificent primordial era."

At that time, the main players in the world were not humans, but... the witches and demons.

Li Shimin held his breath, knowing he was about to encounter true secrets of heaven and earth, far exceeding what was recorded in historical texts. (End of Chapter)