Chapter 679
What is Ao Lie?
Lin Zhu was startled by the Jade Emperor's sudden telepathic message, but fortunately, the Heaven-Covering Talisman was extremely effective, and his concealment was not broken.
He turned his head to look at the Jade Emperor, only to find that the Jade Emperor had also used magic to conceal himself and was watching him with great interest.
Lin Zhu's eyes darted around, and he replied with a similar telepathic message, his tone carrying a peculiar "devoutness" and "certainty".
"Your Majesty, I suddenly have a feeling that there is some treasure deep within this sacred mountain calling to me, and that I am destined to be with it. At this moment, the two sides are locked in fierce battle, and there is no one guarding it. This is a golden opportunity, and I intend to... go in and search for the treasure."
"Searching for...treasure?"
Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor was first taken aback, and then the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
He was a man of great stature, and he instantly understood Lin Zhu's subtext—this was not treasure hunting, but clearly taking advantage of the chaos to steal... no, to "take" the treasures of the Western Paradise!
Seeing the Jade Emperor's subtle expression, Lin Zhu immediately added righteously and solemnly.
"Your Majesty is wise. How can the actions of scholars be called stealing? That is called treasure hunting! Treasures have spirits and will choose their own masters."
"Now, the Western Paradise is rife with injustice, its fortunes are in turmoil, and its treasures are covered in dust. It is time for a destined person to retrieve them and bring them back to the light of day! Your humble servant is merely following the will of Heaven to 'invite' them out."
The Jade Emperor was taken aback again by Lin Zhu's "refreshingly unconventional" sophistry, and then a strange expression appeared on his face. He looked Lin Zhu up and down as if he were seeing this subject for the first time. After a while, the Jade Emperor suddenly chuckled, a chuckle that carried an undisguised...excitement?
"What you say, my dear minister, is very reasonable!"
The Jade Emperor transmitted his voice, his eyes gleaming with eager anticipation.
"The treasure will be obtained by the destined one. If the Buddhas of the Western Paradise knew that their own treasures had been fortunate enough to escape this place of right and wrong and follow a righteous and promising person, they would surely be... extremely gratified, wouldn't they?"
He paused, seemingly finding the idea amusing, and continued.
"I... have never experienced what it's like to 'help someone find treasure' before. Since we've stumbled upon this today, it must be fate that we've met. Go ahead and 'search,' I'll keep an eye on things here for you. If any blind monk or worm tries to disturb your 'pleasure,' I'll let you know in advance."
The Jade Emperor's words were tantamount to tacitly approving or even joining Lin Zhu's "treasure hunt"! This supreme ruler of the Three Realms, who usually sat in the Lingxiao Palace, had never had such a "thrilling" experience before. Seeing Lin Zhu's "outrageous" and "righteous" attitude, it aroused a rare playfulness and wicked sense of humor in him.
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhu was overjoyed and solemnly bowed to the Jade Emperor.
"Your Majesty is wise! In that case, it would be disrespectful of me to refuse! Rest assured, Your Majesty, I will certainly 'search for the treasure diligently' and will never fail Your Majesty's expectations!"
After speaking, Lin Zhu didn't delay any longer. He nodded to the Jade Emperor, and then, like a raccoon dog, he took advantage of the aftershocks of the battlefield and the dust and smoke, and enhanced the effect of the Heaven-Covering Talisman. He crouched down and carefully made his way along the edge of the broken walls of the Great Thunderclap Temple towards the depths of Mount Ling, where the Buddhist light and treasure energy were relatively abundant.
Although he was unfamiliar with the internal structure of Mount Ling, as a cultivator, especially one with a system and keen senses, he had an instinctive feeling for places where rare and precious materials and spiritual energy converged.
Where the Buddha's light is pure and restrained, where the fragrance of medicine wafts faintly, where the precious light, though concealed by restrictions, still leaves its mark... all these can guide him.
He avoided several areas where the aftershocks of the battle were most intense, and also bypassed several places that seemed calm but might actually contain powerful restrictions or hidden formations. His movements were light and swift, like a ghost without a physical form.
"Boom!"
A huge piece of the roof, carved with a picture of Buddha preaching, flew with a strong wind and landed not far behind Lin Zhu, creating a deep crater in the ground and sending debris flying.
Lin Zhu didn't even blink, merely adjusting his direction slightly before continuing forward. How could he fear mere falling rocks on the path to treasure? Holding fast to the unwavering belief that "treasure lies ahead, no hardship is too great," Lin Zhu's figure gradually disappeared into the smoke and chaotic light and shadow deep within the sacred mountain.
Meanwhile, the battle in the sky became increasingly fierce.
The dragons' offensive was like a raging storm, relentless and unending. Tail swings, claw strikes, breath attacks, and even the invocation of primordial laws and divine powers... a variety of attack methods emerged one after another, firmly suppressing Amitabha Buddha and the three thousand Buddhas.
The light emanating from the exquisite lotus lamp had dimmed considerably, and the flame flickered like a candle in the wind.
The defensive formation composed of three thousand Buddhas was also in grave danger. Buddhas kept coughing up blood and retreating. Some of the weaker ones were even directly hit by the aftershocks of the dragon's breath, their golden bodies shattered, and they fell with screams.
Amitabha Buddha's face was ashen; he knew in his heart that today's events were unlikely to end well.
Even if he were to hand over the White Lotus Child immediately, it probably wouldn't quell the Dragon Clan's overwhelming rage. What the Dragon Clan wants is likely not just the White Lotus Child's life, but also a heavy price to pay for the Western Paradise, perhaps even... to make an example of him and restore the Dragon Clan's authority!
'That fool Bai Lian… she deserves to die! But she was still a disciple of our master. If she were to be brutally killed by the dragons like this, what would become of our master's reputation?' Amitabha Buddha's thoughts raced through his mind. 'Moreover, nurturing a disciple at the quasi-saint level consumes countless resources; it would be such a pity to lose her like this…'
His gaze swept subtly across the edge of the battlefield, where the White Lotus Child lay paralyzed in the ruins, barely breathing, his spirit nearly collapsed.
A bold and adventurous idea popped into my head.
Taking advantage of the moment when Amitabha Buddha was once again clashing with the attack of the White Dragon Emperor, the Buddha's light was violently fluctuating, and the energy of the battlefield was in extreme chaos, he very discreetly sent a subtle but clear spiritual transmission in the direction of the White Lotus Child.
"Bai Lian! Leave quickly! Take advantage of the chaos, conceal your presence, and escape back to the Chaos Dojo to apologize to the master! There might still be a glimmer of hope! Staying here means certain death!"
The White Lotus Child, who had collapsed to the ground in despair, suddenly received this telepathic message, like a drowning man grasping at a last straw! He felt a sudden sense of relief and was overjoyed at surviving such a disaster! His teacher hadn't completely given up on him after all!
He dared not delay for a moment, enduring the excruciating pain of his primordial spirit being scraped and the weakness of his mutilated body, barely mustered the last bit of magical power, and used the secret escape technique of the Guiding lineage, his body radiating an extremely faint, almost transparent, crystal-like Buddhist light.
His aura rapidly became ethereal and faint, as if trying to merge into the chaotic spiritual energy and dust around him, quietly stealthily moving away from the core of the battlefield and the outer perimeter of Mount Ling... However, just as the White Lotus Child thought he had grasped a chance of survival and was about to escape the edge of this bloody battlefield, disappearing into the shadows of a relatively less damaged palace on the outskirts of Mount Ling—
A slightly surprised, yet then incredibly amused, soft "Eh" sounded not far in front of him.
The White Lotus Boy froze, as if he had been frozen in place, and suddenly looked up.
Behind the half-collapsed pillar in front of him, a figure in white stood there, arms crossed, watching him with a leisurely air, a chillingly bright smile on his face, like a cat playing with a mouse.
If it's not Lin Zhu, then who is it?
Lin Zhu never expected that, following the light of the treasure, he would wander around and find the treasure vault or herb garden he had envisioned, only to run into this "old friend" who was about to sneak away.
Looking at the pale, terrified face of the White Lotus Child, and then at the faint light emanating from his body, and recalling Amitabha Buddha's earlier words of "absolutely no cover-up," he suddenly understood.
'Oh? Is this a plan to sacrifice the pawn to save the king? Or is it that they can't even bear to part with the pawn and want to secretly repair and hide it?' Lin Zhu sneered inwardly.
He stroked his chin, looking at the pale-faced, frightened boy before him, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
'The system's mission is to find treasure... However, although this 'treasure' is a bit damaged, it's still a Saint's Child, a Quasi-Saint... surely it has some good stuff on it? Besides, letting it get away like this would be too easy for the Western Paradise.'
The smile on Lin Zhu's lips grew wider and wider. He slowly straightened up and walked step by step toward the White Lotus Boy.
'Looks like on the treasure hunt, we might also be able to... intercept a 'freebie' along the way?'
Despite the excruciating pain in both his primordial spirit and physical body, the White Lotus Child, relying on the last glimmer of hope brought by Amitabha Buddha's secret telepathic transmission, pushed the concealment and escape techniques of the Jieyin lineage to their limit.
The faint, shimmering Buddhist light surrounding him almost blended into the chaotic and shattered spiritual energy and flying dust caused by the great battle. His aura was erratic and unpredictable, like a ghost. He carefully avoided the most violent areas of energy turbulence and stealthily made his way towards the back of the Great Thunderclap Temple and deeper into Mount Ling.
As he struggled to move, a twisted sense of smugness and relief welled up inside him. 'Hmph! So what if they're dragons? So what if they're the Prison God Lin Zhu? Before the true majesty and cunning of a saint, they're nothing but clowns!' Teacher
They really didn't abandon me! Once I escape back to the Chaos Dojo, I'll cry to my guiding master about my grievances, explaining the crisis I encountered in the Western Paradise and the arrogance of the Dragon Clan. My master will surely stand up for me! Perhaps... I can even turn misfortune into blessing and receive even greater rewards from my master!
He seemed to already see himself safely returning to the sage's abode, while outside, the Dragon Clan and the Western Paradise fought to the death. At that time, he, the White Lotus Child, would still be the high and mighty attendant of the sage!
Ao Lie, the Dragon Clan's revenge, the Prison God's coercion... all of that is just a passing cloud! He even maliciously imagined that once the storm had subsided, he would definitely ask his teacher to use his methods to capture that hateful Prison God Lin Zhu and let him taste the feeling of having his primordial spirit scraped away!
"Hahaha! Let you fight me to the death, what can you do to me? I am a saintly child! My status is noble; how can you mortals easily deal with me? As long as I survive today and escape, I will still live a carefree life in the future!"
The White Lotus Child laughed wildly in his heart. His face, contorted with pain and fear, even managed to squeeze out an ugly smile, the kind that belonged to a lucky survivor.
He identified the area behind the Great Thunderclap Temple, a relatively secluded area where eminent monks usually practiced in seclusion, and whose restrictions might have been loosened due to the great battle, as his best escape route.
However, he was unaware that a figure, like a persistent ailment or a silent shadow, had already quietly appeared behind him.
With the incredible concealment effect of the Heaven-Covering Talisman, coupled with his precise control over his aura, Lin Zhu followed closely behind the White Lotus Child like a ghost that did not exist in this time and space.
He watched the White Lotus Boy's unsteady yet purposeful escape, and saw the twisted expression on his face that occasionally flashed between pain and triumph, and he couldn't help but find it amusing.
This idiot, he doesn't even realize he's about to die, does he really think he can escape?
Finally, after many twists and turns, the White Lotus Boy passed through the ruins of a Zen temple that had been mostly destroyed by the aftermath of the battle, and arrived at the entrance to a relatively secluded mountain valley.
Here, ancient trees reach for the sky, and the spiritual energy remains abundant; even the distant roar of battle seems somewhat distant.
He let out a long sigh of relief, glanced back at the chaotic core of the battlefield where Buddhist light and dragon might intertwined, and a look of relief at escaping death appeared on his face. He was about to muster his last strength to rush into the ravine and use the complex terrain to completely conceal himself...
"Oh, isn't this our esteemed Sage Child, Fellow Daoist White Lotus? Where are you headed? Why are you leaving in such a hurry without even saying hello?"
A voice, full of mockery and familiar as if meeting an old friend by chance, with a hint of a creepy "mischievous laugh," suddenly came from behind a half-person-high, moss-covered reclining ox stone not far to his side.
The White Lotus Child froze instantly, as if struck by lightning! The relief on his face froze instantly, then quickly transformed into boundless horror and disbelief! Like a rusty machine, he slowly and with great difficulty turned his head to look in the direction from which the sound came.
Beside the reclining ox rock, a figure in white robes leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching him with unhurried composure. Sunlight filtered through the broken branches, dappling the man's face and illuminating his handsome features, now bearing an incredibly playful smile—who else could it be but Lin Zhu?!
"You...you...Lin Zhu, the God of Hell?!"
The White Lotus Child screamed as if he had seen a ghost, his voice distorted, filled with extreme fear and bewilderment.
He had been so careful, even using the concealment techniques of the sage lineage, so how did Lin Zhu... discover him, and how did he appear before him so silently?! Had he been following him all along?!
Instantly, the White Lotus Child's face turned deathly pale. The relief and smugness that had just risen within him vanished like bubbles in the sunlight, replaced by boundless coldness and despair! Falling into the hands of this fiend was probably no better than falling into the hands of the Dragon Clan!
Looking at the horrified expression on Bai Lian Tong Zi's face, Lin Zhu's smile became even more "gentle".
He slowly straightened up, dusted off non-existent dust from his body, and then walked leisurely toward the White Lotus Boy.
His demeanor was gentle and refined, like a scholar enjoying spring flowers rather than someone on the edge of a battlefield.
His gaze even carried a strange gentleness, like a neighbor's older brother looking at his mischievous younger brother who has been caught, or like a skilled embroiderer examining a nearly finished piece of fabric, requiring only final touches, her gaze focused and…with the appreciation of presenting it to a beautiful woman. (End of Chapter)