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

He paused, his voice calming down.

“In that case, Ao Lie will take his leave without having come at all. I will not disturb you any longer in planning your military affairs.”

Having said that, he said no more, turned around, and walked slowly away in the direction he had come from, his steps steady yet tinged with a hint of loneliness. His figure appeared somewhat solitary in the light and shadow of the clouds.

Lin Zhu watched him leave, and sighed inwardly.

This Ao Lie seems to be quite different from the rumors. However, this pool is too deep for him to wade into easily.

After Ao Lie's figure disappeared into the clouds, the Flood Dragon Demon King took another step forward.

He didn't show any displeasure at Ao Lie's rejection; on the contrary, his expression became even more solemn, even showing a hint of excitement.

"Lord Prison God, let's set aside the matter of Brother Ao Lie for now. Fu Hai has come here for a second reason, or rather, at the request of another brother, to make an introduction."

"Oh? What else is there? And which brother is it this time?"

Lin Zhu withdrew his gaze and looked at the Flood Dragon Demon King.

The Flood Dragon Demon King took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with an unusual light. He lowered his voice, but spoke each word clearly.

"This brother has quite a connection with you, sir, or rather, with the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong."

Hearing that the lord was here, and knowing that the war here concerned the fate of humanity and the struggle for supremacy in the West, he was filled with turmoil and specially entrusted Fu Hai to come and ask the lord—would you be willing to see him?

He paused, then pronounced the name slowly and deliberately.

"He is none other than the Six-Eared Macaque."

A six-eared macaque?!

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhu's pupils constricted sharply, and for the first time, a clear look of astonishment and seriousness appeared on his face! The meaning represented by this name was far more complex and sensitive than that of Ao Lie! How could he suddenly appear? And why was he contacting him through the Flood Dragon Demon King?
Just as Lin Zhu was deeply shaken by the name "Six-Eared Macaque," and countless secrets and speculations about the true and false Monkey Kings flashed through his mind—

"Report—!!!"

The slightly panicked voice of the Golden Tortoise of the Abyss came again. He practically scrambled over, pointed in the direction outside Wind and Snow City, and said urgently.

"Lord of the Prison! Something terrible has happened! Prince Ao... Prince Ao Lie... he hasn't left! He... he went straight out of the city and to the front lines of the two armies, and he's already... he's already facing off against that Emperor Shitian who challenged him!!"

Lin Zhu's thoughts were occupied by the sudden name "Six-Eared Macaque," which involved countless causes and secrets, and his mind was shaken.

Why would this one of the Four Mischievous Monkeys, with an ambiguous connection to Sun Wukong and who stirred up trouble during the calamity of the True and False Monkey Kings, seek an audience with me through the Flood Dragon Demon King at this moment? What is his purpose? Is he friend or foe? And is there a deeper scheme hidden behind this in the Western Paradise?

Before he could ask the Flood Dragon Demon King any questions, he was abruptly interrupted by the panicked urgent report from the Golden Tortoise of the Abyss!

"Lord of the Prison! Something terrible has happened! Prince Ao... Prince Ao Lie... he hasn't left! He... he went straight out of the city and to the front lines of the two armies, and he's already... he's already facing off against that Emperor Shitian who challenged him!!"

"what?!"

Lin Zhu suddenly turned his head, a flash of surprise and anger in his eyes.

Why is Ao Lie so stubborn? I explained things clearly just now, and he expressed his understanding and took his leave. How could he suddenly go and challenge Di Shitian without permission? What kind of person is Di Shitian? Although he is new to the Western Paradise and acts rashly, accidentally killing his fellow disciple Li Jing, his cultivation as a half-step quasi-saint is genuine!
Moreover, judging from the cruelty he displayed when he tortured and killed Li Jing and his undisguised smugness afterward, he is by no means a kind person. He is vicious and eager to make a name for himself! Ao Lie is only a Golden Immortal. If he were to rashly confront him, wouldn't that be like a lamb entering a tiger's den?

Lin Zhu could almost foresee the scene of Ao Lie's tragic death. Although he was concerned about the trouble that Ao Lie's identity would bring, he was not indifferent to Ao Lie's sincere remorse and desire for atonement, and he was even more unwilling to see a vibrant life be lost at the hands of villains like Di Shitian because of a moment of impulsiveness.

"Go! Go and see!"

Lin Zhu made a decisive move, his figure flashing as he rushed towards the front line of the battlefield outside Wind and Snow City, where the two armies were facing off, temporarily neglecting to answer the Jiao Demon King's follow-up questions about the Six-Eared Macaque.

However, the moment he moved, the cold, mechanical system notification sounded in his mind again without warning.

[Ding! Special character "Little White Dragon Ao Lie" has been detected, determined to intervene in a critical battlefield, triggering the side quest "Dragon Soul Redemption".]

[Mission Requirements. The host must use a "playful yet reluctant" approach to help Ao Lie complete his battle for redemption. Regardless of whether Ao Lie ultimately lives or dies, as long as he exerts his utmost effort and demonstrates his will to atone in this battle, the mission will be considered complete.]

[Mission Rewards. Base merit reward: 100000 points. If Ao Lie survives this battle, an additional merit reward of 0-100000 points will be awarded based on his survival time and performance.]

[Note: The system has detected that Ao Lie's behavior aligns with a potential correction to his destiny's trajectory and holds implicit benefits for the host's future plans. The host is advised to act accordingly.]

Lin Zhu's figure paused slightly in mid-air, a hint of surprise and helplessness flashing across his face. It was the system again! And this time, the mission requirements were so strange—"playing hard to get"? Facilitating redemption? And it was even linked to merit? This was clearly the system pushing things behind the scenes, forcibly forcing Ao Lie into this battle, whether he wanted to or not!
He instantly understood why Ao Lie had appeared here so "coincidentally" and why he was so "stubborn" in challenging Di Shitian.

Behind this, there is probably not only Ao Lie's own will, but also the manipulation of the invisible hand of the system! The system has seen that he needs merit, and is using a high amount of merit, ranging from 100,000 to 200,000, as bait to force him to cooperate in the performance and make Ao Lie complete this so-called "redemption"!
"They really... really went too far."

Lin Zhu cursed inwardly, but didn't stop walking. Whether it was for the mission or not, he had to make sure Ao Lie wasn't immediately killed by Di Shitian. As for "playing hard to get"... he'd just have to wait and see.

At this moment, outside the Snowstorm City, in the sky above the two armies' battle lines.

Ao Lie, dressed in a plain white robe, stood in mid-air, facing the majestic yet murderous Di Shitian, who rode a six-tusked white elephant. His face showed no fear, only a surge of resentment suppressed for five hundred years and a boiling bloodlust.

He held in his hand a seemingly ordinary three-foot-long green sword with faint dragon patterns flowing around it, the tip of which pointed directly at Indra.

"Hey! You bald donkey riding an elephant! Listen up!"

Ao Lie's voice was clear and resonant, yet filled with anger, echoing across the battlefield.

"You, the Buddhist kingdom of Tianzhu, betrayed your promises and tore up the agreement first; then you ordered your troops to massacre the city, harming hundreds of thousands of innocent people! Your despicable acts and cruel methods are no different from those of demons! You are even worse! Today, I, Ao Lie, will act on behalf of Heaven to seek justice for those wronged souls! You, my accomplice in this evil deed, will be the first to be offered as a sacrifice!" His words were righteous and indignant, full of youthful passion and a sense of justice, but... he completely disregarded the difference in strength between the two sides. A Golden Immortal against a half-step Quasi-Saint—this was not just commendable courage, but bordering on recklessness.

Indra sat atop a white elephant, his massive form bowing slightly, his thunderous eyes scrutinizing the white-robed youth before him, whose aura was no more than that of a Golden Immortal, yet who dared to challenge him alone.

After Li Jing's blunder, Di Shitian, though still arrogant, became more wary—who knew if this was another trap set by the Tang Dynasty? Or perhaps, what terrifying background did this young man have?
He did not act immediately, but spoke in a deep voice, his voice like rolling thunder.

"Boy, state your name! Whom do you belong to? And what is your relationship with that Prison God Lin Zhu?"

He's learned his lesson; he always finds out the background first to avoid accidentally killing someone he considers "one of his own" or someone he can't afford to offend.

However, Ao Lie was filled with rage at the moment, only thinking about fighting to the death to atone for his sins, so how could he give a proper answer? Seeing that Di Shitian did not make a move but instead asked questions, he felt that the other party was looking down on him, and his anger intensified, so he shouted sharply.

"I am your grandfather! The grandfather who is in charge of unworthy descendants like you! Enough nonsense! Take this!!"

Before he finished speaking, Ao Lie's figure had already transformed into a white streak of light, becoming one with his sword. With a resolute and indomitable momentum, he swiftly thrust towards the vital point of Emperor Shitian's Dharma Image's chest! The sword light was fierce, accompanied by the faint roar of a dragon, displaying remarkable swordsmanship and pure dragon magic power.

Unfortunately, the gap in skill level cannot be bridged by determination or swordsmanship.

Faced with this fierce sword strike, Di Shitian did not even make any blocking or dodging movements. Only the holy light of thunder surrounding his body, which contained the true meaning of the indestructible Vajra of Buddhism, rippled slightly.

"Ding--!"

A crisp sound, like the clash of metal.

Ao Lie's sword, imbued with all his magical power and determined to succeed, struck the Thunderous Holy Light on Di Shitian's chest, yet it was as if it had pierced an ancient, unyielding Xuan Iron Divine Mountain! The sword tip could not penetrate even an inch; instead, a recoil force caused Ao Lie's arm to go numb, and the longsword almost slipped from his hand! And the Thunderous Holy Light did not even cause a ripple.

Gua sha! Pure gua sha! It can't even break through defenses!

"what?!"

Ao Lie was shocked. He knew there was a gap between him and his opponent, but he didn't expect the gap to be so huge! His full-force attack couldn't even shake the opponent's protective Buddhist light?
Upon seeing this, Indra's eyes flashed a hint of contempt and impatience. So he was just an ignorant and weak upstart. Since he didn't have any powerful connections, things would be much easier.

"How dare an ant's power shake the heavens?"

Di Shitian sneered, not even bothering to use his supernatural powers, and simply raised a finger wrapped in lightning and pointed it at Ao Lie in mid-air.

A thin, yet incredibly concentrated, purple lightning bolt, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, struck Ao Lie's chest in an instant.

"puff--!"

Ao Lie felt as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer. His chest tightened, and he couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood. His body flew backward dozens of feet like a kite with a broken string before he could barely regain his footing, his face already pale. A mere casual flick of the finger had caused him considerable internal injuries.

The vast gap in strength left Ao Lie feeling powerless and desperate. But the obsession and the flame of redemption in his heart were not extinguished; instead, this setback only fueled their burning passion!
"I don't believe it!!"

Ao Lie roared, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes bloodshot.

He no longer pursued any sword techniques or rules. With a swift movement, he pounced again, this time using a rogue-like move that resembled a street fight!

He first opened his mouth abruptly, facing the majestic face of Indra.

He spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva with a "pui" sound; then his body slid down, feinted with his sword, and with his other hand, his fingers were like hooks, and he viciously dug at a certain part of the white elephant under Emperor Shitian's crotch; at the same time, he gathered magic power in his toes and kicked out two sharp gusts of wind towards the huge thunder eyes of Emperor Shitian's Dharma image!

It's not very harmful, but the insults... are off the charts!
These underhanded tactics might be effective against ordinary martial artists, but they were utterly useless against someone like Indra, unable to even scratch him. However, the actions and the intentions behind them thoroughly enraged Indra, this newly promoted guardian deity eager to establish his authority!

"You bastard! How dare you insult me ​​like this?!"

Indra was furious. He had just entered the Western Paradise and had hoped to display his divine power, but he had first mistakenly killed a fellow disciple, and now he had been provoked by a mere Golden Immortal in such a despicable and vile way. It was as if his face had been rubbed into the ground! How could he possibly gain a foothold in the Western Paradise after this? How could he expect the Buddhas and Arhats to respect him?
His anger instantly overwhelmed his last bit of caution.

"Come here!!"

With a roar, Di Shitian made no move, and a huge hand, formed entirely of golden lightning and covering the sky, appeared out of thin air above Ao Lie's head. With his five fingers closed, he easily grabbed Ao Lie, who was still trying to "gouge his eyes," along with his sword, in his palm as if he were catching a chicken!
The terrifying power of lightning instantly invaded Ao Lie's body, sealing his magic power, paralyzing his meridians, and rendering him unable to move. He could only struggle futilely in the giant lightning palm, his face turning bluish-purple from pain and suffocation.

"You little bug, I was going to give you a quick death."

Di Shitian lifted Ao Lie up in front of him, his thunderous eyes flashing with cruelty and violence.

"But how dare you provoke my majesty like this! Very well, I have changed my mind! I will capture you and take you back to the Western Paradise, where I will refine your soul with Buddhist fire and subject you to endless torment as a warning to others! Let the Three Realms know the consequences of offending the guardian deity of the Western Paradise!"

He was determined to use this reckless brat to establish his authority and, incidentally, save face.

However, just as he was about to tighten his grip, completely imprisoning Ao Lie, and then take him back to the camp to slowly prepare him—

A chilling, oppressive, and terrifying pressure, seemingly capable of freezing the soul, suddenly swept across the sky from the direction of Snowstorm City, like an invisible iceberg, instantly enveloping the entire area!

Indra felt a chill and abruptly turned his head to look.

Suddenly, a figure in white appeared in the sky above the Snowstorm City.

The man stood with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering, his face calm, but his deep eyes were like an ancient, icy pool, coldly watching him, or more accurately, watching Ao Lie, which was held in his thunderous giant hand.

It is none other than Lin Zhu, the God of Law Enforcement and Prisons of the Three Realms!
Lin Zhu's gaze lingered for a moment on Ao Lie's face, contorted in pain and struggle, before turning to Di Shitian. His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable penetrating power, clearly reaching Di Shitian's ears. (End of Chapter)