On the Dragon-Slaying Platform, I was executed and became Yang Jian's brother-in-law.

In the visions of Laozi, it was originally a beautiful picture of harmonious relations between ruler and subject, loving husband and wife, and peaceful and idyllic life. The North Sea was calm and undisturbed, Su Bai sat high on the throne of the Dragon King, with the Three Holy Mothers by his side adding fragrance to his life, and the former members of the Overturning Sea Gang under his command returning to his side. He was like a carefree and leisurely lord.

However, as Su Bai shed those two lines of tears, the scene instantly became eerie and terrifying.

The Heavenly Court, the Lingxiao Palace.

The Jade Emperor, who had been smiling at Su Bai for being well-behaved, suddenly froze, his smile cracking and turning into an unbelievable, iron-blue color.

"This...this wretched child!"

The Jade Emperor slammed his hand on the armrest of his dragon throne, producing a dull thud that sent the celestial clouds scattering within the hall. His chest heaved violently, and his fingers trembled slightly as he pointed at the image in the water mirror.

"I...I have always believed that I have treated him well!"

The Jade Emperor took a deep breath, trying to calm the rage that surged to the top of his head, but the resentment in his voice was impossible to suppress. "Back then, that monkey was just a stone monkey. Although I appointed him as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses, it was because of his humble origins, wanting him to gain some experience first! But what about Su Bai? Huh?"

"In this deduction, I gave him ample face! He is the Dragon Lord of the North Sea! Not some insignificant official, but the ruler of a water system! I even tacitly allowed him to retain the old members of the Overturning Sea Gang, and I turned a blind eye to his affair with Yang Chan, and even bestowed a marriage upon him!"

The Jade Emperor grew increasingly angry, almost rising from his throne. "Such treatment was never even given to Tianpeng or Juanlian in their prime! I thought it was an offer of amnesty, a sign of favor! And what did I get? This brat is still not satisfied? He wants to cause trouble again?!"

Taibai Jinxing stood aside, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, and said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, please calm down. This... this Jiao Demon King seems to be truly untamed. Even high-ranking positions and generous salaries cannot erase the rebellious spirit in his bones."

"Rebellious? This isn't just rebellious, this is an ungrateful wretch!" The Jade Emperor gritted his teeth. "I enfeoffed him in his hometown of the North Sea, allowing him to return home in glory—what an honor! And yet, all he's thinking about is rebellion!"

If Su Bai disliked the low rank, that would be one thing, but this was already an extreme favor. If he still rebelled, how would the Heavenly Court ever appease the demon race again? Did they have no face left?

Western sacred mountain, Great Thunder Temple.

In stark contrast to the somber atmosphere in the Heavenly Court, the Western Buddhas, though maintaining their solemn and dignified appearances, could not hide the gloating in their eyes.

"Amitabha."

The Buddha sat high on his lotus throne. Although he did not laugh loudly, the curve of his lips was deeper than usual. "It seems that this Benefactor Su is indeed a hot potato."

Guanyin Bodhisattva, standing to the side, nodded slightly, her tone tinged with relief: "Laojun previously predicted that if Su Bai did not reincarnate, it would be a calamity for our West. Now it seems that if we recruit Su Bai to the Heavenly Court, it will be a calamity for the Heavenly Court."

"Good, good, good."

Manjushri Bodhisattva chimed in, "This Flood Dragon King is arrogant and unruly, just like that mischievous monkey, and even more unpredictable. The Jade Emperor's attempt to tame him with high-ranking positions and generous rewards is nothing but wishful thinking. Now it seems that diverting trouble eastward is not such a bad thing after all."

The Buddhas of the West felt incredibly comfortable.

They were terrified when they saw the timeline with Red Boy, fearing that Su Bai, that evil star, would really destroy the West. Now, thanks to the "amnesty line" deduced by Laozi, Su Bai, this scourge, remains in Heaven and is causing trouble within its walls.

This is a double blessing for the West! They don't have to worry about Su Bai causing trouble at Mount Ling, and they can also watch the Heavenly Court fall into chaos, weakening the fortunes of the Xuanmen. Why not?

"Laojun's deduction is truly marvelous," Maitreya Buddha said with a smile, his belly jiggling with laughter. "It not only revealed Su's true nature to us, but also served as a reminder to the Jade Emperor—some people cannot be appeased."

While the gods and Buddhas in the sky were all thinking different things, some angry and some smirking, the plot continued to unfold in Laozi's water mirror.

Deep within the Crystal Palace of Beihai, in an extremely luxurious warm pavilion.

Su Bai put down the luminous glass in his hand. The wine was clear and cold, but it reflected his bloodshot eyes.

Yang Chan gently grasped Su Bai's hand, her watery eyes filled with concern and confusion. She sensed the overwhelming sorrow emanating from Su Bai, a heaviness that even amidst the comforts of a gentle embrace and the highest echelons of power could not dispel.

"Husband, what's wrong with you?"

Yang Chan asked softly, her voice gentle, like a spring breeze caressing a frozen lake, "Now that His Majesty has pardoned your crimes and bestowed upon you the title of Dragon Lord of the North Sea, I can also stay by your side. Isn't this the day we've always longed for? Why... why are you still so heartbroken?"

Su Bai grasped Yang Chan's hand in return, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force. He raised his head, his gaze piercing through the luxurious crystal palace ceiling, as if looking down at the distant and unreachable Five Elements Mountain.

"Chan'er, this wine... is too bitter."

Su Bai's voice was hoarse, tinged with a sob, "I remembered five hundred years ago, in the Water Curtain Cave of Flower Fruit Mountain, the days when I, the monkey, and the old ox, drank wine from large bowls and ate large chunks of meat. Back then, although we were demons, and the Heavenly Court regarded us as worthless weeds, we lived freely and authentically!"

"But what about now?"

Su Bai suddenly stood up, his magnificent dragon-lord robe standing out starkly. "The monkey is trapped under the Five Fingers Mountain, drinking molten copper and iron pills every day, suffering endless hardships; the old ox is being manipulated by the West, and now he is walking on thin ice; the rest of our brothers are either dead, scattered, or imprisoned..."

"I, Su Bai, now live a life of luxury, sitting high on the throne of the Dragon King, receiving the worship of ten thousand dragons. But every time I raise my wine cup, I seem to see the monkey struggling under the Five Fingers Mountain, and the old ox's helpless, sighing face. How can I drink this wine?! How can I enjoy this blessing in peace?!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Chan's delicate body trembled slightly. She was a person who valued loyalty and righteousness above all else; otherwise, she wouldn't have risked defying the Heavenly Court to save Su Bai back then. Hearing Su Bai's heartfelt words now, she felt a pang of sorrow in her heart.

"Husband..." Yang Chan's eyes also welled up with tears, but there was a hint of hesitation in them. "But, that monkey... Sun Wukong, although he is trapped under the mountain, didn't Buddha say that when the five hundred years are up, a pilgrim will come to rescue him and free him? At that time, he will be able to achieve enlightenment, which can be considered a good ending."

"A good home? Hahahaha!"

Su Bai seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. He threw his head back and laughed, his laughter filled with sorrow and mockery. "Chan'er, you're too naive! You actually believe in that Western nonsense?"

He whirled around, his gaze fixed intently on Yang Chan, and said, enunciating each word clearly, "Five hundred years from now, the one who emerges from under the Five Fingers Mountain may still be the same Sun Wukong, but he will certainly no longer be the 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' of yesteryear!"

"The journey to the West, ostensibly to obtain scriptures, is in reality a 'heart-refining' process! It's meant to temper his pride, smooth out his rough edges, put a tight headband on him, and turn him into an obedient dog, a 'Victorious Fighting Buddha' who only knows how to vanquish demons and monsters and is always meek and subservient!"

"By then, the world will no longer have the Great Sage Equaling Heaven who dared to change the heavens and earth and dared to curse the Jade Emperor; only a dull puppet, stripped of its soul, will remain!"

Su Bai's words were like heavy hammer blows, striking Yang Chan's heart and the hearts of all beings in the Three Realms who were watching all of this.

In the Heavenly Court, many military generals and immortals wore expressions of shame. Although Sun Wukong was arrogant back then, his spirit and energy had indeed earned the secret admiration of many immortals.

Meanwhile, at the Western Paradise, Buddha's expression darkened slightly. Su Bai's words were truly scathing, directly tearing away the veil of pretense surrounding the Western path of salvation.

In the scene, Su Bai took a deep breath, the drunkenness in his eyes dissipated, replaced by a chilling glint.

"Not only that, Chan'er. Do you know what this so-called grand trend, this so-called westward journey, is actually paved with?"

Su Bai pointed outside the hall, as if pointing to the vast multitude of living beings, "The Heavenly Court and the West have joined forces to stage this play. In order to complete the eighty-one tribulations, how many lives will be lost? How many innocent demons, because they have no background, will become the souls of those monkeys with their clubs, becoming cold numbers on their merit books?"

"They are high above, using heaven and earth as their chessboard and all living beings as their pieces. Does this debt really disappear just because I became some kind of Dragon King of the North Sea?!"

Yang Chan turned pale upon hearing this. Although she was the Third Holy Mother, she had lived on Mount Hua for many years and had never thought deeply about these matters. Now that Su Bai had laid bare these truths, she felt a chill run from her feet to her head.

"My husband..."

Yang Chan gripped Su Bai's sleeve tightly, her voice trembling, "I know you value loyalty and righteousness, and I know this world is unjust. But... that's the West! The West's rise is now the inevitable trend of Heaven, even my uncle... even the Jade Emperor has to avoid its advance, and Laozi can only go with the flow. How... how can we possibly win?"

She wasn't afraid of dying; she was afraid of Su Bai dying.

The horrific scenes from her previous life were still vivid in her mind; she didn't want to experience the pain of losing her beloved again.

"If we confront each other head-on, it will be like throwing an egg against a rock, and I know that the odds are against me."

Su Bai gently stroked Yang Chan's long hair, the madness in his eyes gradually subsided, turning into a bottomless pool. "In the last prediction, it was the same kind of reckless killing as Red Boy. Although it was exhilarating and leveled Mount Ling, it ultimately resulted in mutual destruction and even implicated you and the Blood Sea."

At this point, Su Bai paused, turned his head to look east, which was the direction of Flower Fruit Mountain and also the direction of Five Elements Mountain.

"So, this time, we can't rush it."

Su Bai's voice turned low and calm, revealing a profound shrewdness that seemed to have a knack for calculating the world. "Since they enjoy acting and scheming, then we'll play along. If they want to travel west, we'll wait for them on their journey; if they want merit, we'll steal it from them; if they want to smooth out the monkey's horns, I'll protect the monkey's very breath!"

"This time, we must plan this carefully!"