Chapter 680
Be smarter after Chapter 680
This unusually "friendly" attitude and gaze sent a chill down the spine of the already terrified White Lotus Child.
Strangely, under this peculiar aura, the White Lotus Child, who was originally filled with resentment and fear, involuntarily felt a sense of guilt that was hard to describe, as if he had done something wrong and had let down the person in front of him.
Although his reason was screaming frantically, reminding him that the person in front of him might report him to the dragon clan, who were frantically searching for him, Lin Zhu's "harmless" and even somewhat "caring" appearance made him forget to immediately lash out or resist.
Lin Zhu walked up to Bai Lian Tong Zi and leaned down slightly. The two were so close that they could almost feel each other's breath.
He reached out, his movements so gentle as if afraid of disturbing something, and slowly, with a strange sense of comfort, gently stroked the white lotus boy's hair, which was disheveled and stained with blood due to the Dragon Emperor's tearing and the injury to his primordial spirit.
"Fellow Daoist Bai Lian," Lin Zhu said, his voice gentle and warm, like a spring breeze brushing past one's ear.
"Look, the scenery of Mount Ling is quite beautiful today. But... Fellow Daoist, you seem to be in a hurry. Is there something urgent? Do you need... my help?"
His tone was incredibly sincere, and his eyes were clear, as if he were truly just a kind-hearted passerby.
The White Lotus Boy was somewhat bewildered by Lin Zhu's sudden "gentleness." He subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of non-existent saliva, his throat dry, and managed to force out a smile that was more like a grimace, his voice trembling.
"Lord Prison... Lord Prison is joking... I... I just wanted to find a quiet place to heal my wounds..."
"Healing?"
Lin Zhu raised his eyebrows slightly, his smile softening even more. He continued to gently stroke the head of the White Lotus Boy, as if comforting a frightened little beast.
"Yes, I should take good care of my injuries. But..."
He paused, his smile unchanged, but his eyes deepened slightly, carrying a hint of persuasion, and asked softly.
"Fellow Daoist Bai Lian, do you... know what might happen next?"
The question seemed abrupt, yet it made Bai Lian Tong Zi's heart skip a beat.
Of course he knew! Next, he would either be captured by the dragons and tortured to death, or... this seemingly gentle God of Hell in front of him might use some unknown means to deal with him!
A strong will to survive allowed the White Lotus Child to temporarily suppress his fear. He tried his best to put on the most humble and ingratiating expression, almost crying as he pleaded.
"Lord Prison God! Lord Lin! I beg you... I beg you to have mercy! Spare my life! I know I was wrong! I really know I was wrong! As for Prince Ao Lie... I was deceived and confused for a moment! If you are willing to let me go, I am willing to form a good relationship with you and repay you handsomely in the future! I beg you!"
He tried to persuade Lin Zhu with the promise of "forming good relationships" and "repaying generously," even though he knew the chances were slim.
After hearing his plea, Lin Zhu's gentle smile remained unchanged, and even became more radiant.
He withdrew his hand from stroking the white lotus boy's head, and instead gently patted his shoulder, as if to comfort him and tell him not to be nervous.
Then, Lin Zhu asked a question in an almost innocent and curious tone.
"Oh? To cultivate good karma? Fellow Daoist White Lotus, do I... look like a good person?"
The White Lotus Child was taken aback upon hearing this. Looking at Lin Zhu's handsome face, now bearing a "gentle" smile, and recalling his previous righteous and awe-inspiring demeanor as he rebuked the Western Heaven, and his repeated "sincere" attempts to "dissuade" him... Subconsciously, he shook his head—it doesn't look like him! Not at all! This person is definitely a black hole inside!
However, he had only shaken his head halfway when he suddenly realized something was wrong! It was too late to say "like"!
"Snapped--!!!"
A crisp, extremely loud slap suddenly rang out at the entrance to this relatively secluded mountain valley!
Lin Zhu's hand, which had just been gently patting Bai Lian Tong Zi's shoulder, had somehow transformed into a slap, striking Bai Lian Tong Zi's left cheek with lightning speed!
Lin Zhu didn't hold back at all with this slap! Although he didn't use the God-Slaying Spear or too much magic power, with his current physical strength and cultivation, even a casual slap from him was by no means ordinary!
"puff--!"
Caught off guard, the White Lotus Child was sent spinning like a top by the slap. His left cheek swelled up visibly, turning bright red and purple, with a thin trickle of pale gold blood seeping from the corner of his mouth! He felt a burning pain on half his face, his ears were ringing, stars were flashing before his eyes, and his mind went completely blank!
"You...you hit me?!"
The White Lotus Child covered his face, staring blankly at Lin Zhu, seemingly still reeling from the sudden violence.
He's a near-saint! A child of saints! How could he have ever received such a direct and extremely insulting slap?!
Lin Zhu shook his hand as if he had just swatted a mosquito, his smile still gentle, his tone even carrying a hint of "justified" helplessness.
"Look, you're shaking your head yourself, you don't think I'm a good person."
"Then why should I, a 'not a good person,' have any consideration for you? Of course, I'll just do whatever's best for you."
Upon hearing this, the White Lotus Child nearly spat out a mouthful of blood! What... what kind of logic is this?! So, just because I said you're not a good person, you can just hit me?!
He trembled with rage. The strange "guilt" he had just felt had vanished, leaving only boundless shame and resentment. His fists clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white, and the faint, shimmering Buddhist light around him began to flicker erratically again, as if he wanted to fight to the death.
Lin Zhu, however, seemed oblivious to his anger. Instead, she leaned closer, lowered her voice, and spoke in a teasing tone, as if sharing a secret.
"What? You want to fight? Or you want to shout? Actually... if you were to shout 'I, the White Lotus Child, am here!' right now, I guarantee that in three breaths at most, that most temperamental Purple-Gold Dragon Emperor would pounce on you like a shark smelling blood. How about... we try it? I'll shout with you? I'll count to three?"
As he spoke, Lin Zhu actually opened his mouth slightly, as if he was about to shout.
"No!! Don't shout!!"
The White Lotus Boy was so frightened that his soul almost left his body, and the little courage he had just mustered to resist instantly collapsed! He quickly loosened his fist, forced that fawning smile that was even uglier than crying, waved his hands repeatedly, and his voice was trembling with sobs.
"Lord Prison God! Grandpa Lin! I was wrong! I shouldn't have talked nonsense! You...you are of course a good person! A very good person! A kind-hearted person! Please, please don't shout!"
He was truly terrified. Falling into Lin Zhu's hands, though he didn't know what would happen, at least offered him some room to maneuver, even if it meant being blackmailed. But if the dragon clan were summoned, it would truly mean certain death, annihilation of both body and soul!
"Oh? A good person?"
Lin Zhu seemed satisfied with the answer. He withdrew his gesture of shouting, and his smile became even more "warm". He leaned closer again, almost touching the White Lotus Boy's ear, and whispered the question.
"Then... take another look. Does Lin look like a good person now?"
Looking at Lin Zhu's handsome face, so close yet filled with "expectant" eyes, Bai Lian Tong Zi was torn between two conflicting emotions. Saying "it doesn't look like him" would get him beaten, but saying "it does"... he gritted his teeth, clinging to a sliver of hope, and nodded forcefully.
"So alike! Absolutely! Lord Lin, you are a living bodhisattva reincarnated, the greatest good person in the Three Realms!"
He thought he should get the answer right this time, right?
"Snapped--!!!"
Another resounding, merciless slap landed squarely on the White Lotus Boy's right cheek! It sent him spinning half a circle, his right cheek instantly swelling up, symmetrical to his left, making him look exactly like a freshly baked pig's head! "Ouch!"
The White Lotus Child screamed in agony, clutching his burning, throbbing cheeks, tears welling in his eyes.
He looked at Lin Zhu with immense grievance, his voice trembling with tears.
"Why...why?! I said you seemed like a good person!!"
Lin Zhu rubbed his wrist, giving him a "you just don't understand" look, and said matter-of-factly.
"If you say I'm like a good person, then you're mocking me, saying I'm two-faced and hypocritical. I, Lin, will naturally fight back resolutely against such malicious slander to set the record straight. Only by attacking from both sides can fairness be demonstrated."
White Lotus Boy.
"..."
He opened his mouth, only to find that any words seemed so pale and powerless at this moment.
An indescribable mix of intense pain, humiliation, fear, and suffocation welled up inside me. My nose stung, my eyes reddened, and pale golden tears welled up in them.
He was a dignified quasi-saint, a disciple of a saint, yet today he was treated like a three-year-old child, his head slapped repeatedly until it was swollen like a pig's head, and he dared not resist or make a sound! This feeling of humiliation was worse than being killed!
Lin Zhu seemed not to see his tears. He moved his fingers, his eyes gradually turned cold, and his tone lost its previous "gentleness," becoming flat and carrying an unquestionable authority.
"These two slaps are for the hundreds of thousands of innocent souls slaughtered by your unjust army outside the Snowstorm City in Jambudvipa. When you slaughtered living beings in the Western Paradise, did you ever think that they would feel pain and cry?"
Before Bai Lian Tong Zi could react, Lin Zhu's slap landed again!
"Snapped!"
"This blow was for Crown Prince Ao Lie! Though young and impetuous, he was righteous and wanted to atone for his sins, but he was brutally murdered by you, you idiot!"
"Snapped!"
"This lash is for those fellow cultivators in the Western Paradise who were reprimanded by you, who felt aggrieved but dared not speak out! Relying on their status as the Sage's attendant, they acted arrogantly and recklessly!"
"Snapped!"
"This time, I drew my own blood! I was framed and framed by you from the Western Paradise for no reason, and almost became a scapegoat!"
Lin Zhu showed no mercy, each slap containing magical power, making the White Lotus Child dizzy, his cheeks swollen high, and blood constantly seeping from the corner of his mouth. His originally pale and tender child face had now completely turned into a swollen and bruised pig's head, looking extremely miserable.
The physical recovery ability of a quasi-saint realm cultivator is extremely strong, but Lin Zhu's slap seemed to carry some kind of power that inhibited recovery, causing the swelling to linger for a long time.
Lin Zhu stopped smoking when he felt he had smoked enough, and shook his slightly numb hands.
The White Lotus Child slumped to the ground, covering his face and sobbing softly. Where was even a trace of the saintly child's majesty? All he wanted now was to get away from this devil as quickly as possible!
"Lord...Lord of the Prison...you've already beaten me, you've already scolded me...please...please spare me...I'll never dare to do it again..."
The White Lotus Child pleaded incoherently, his voice sounding strange due to the swelling of his cheeks.
Lin Zhu looked down at him, his face regaining its calm expression. He spoke slowly, his voice clear.
"Let you go? Fine. However, as the God of Law Enforcement in the Three Realms, I am responsible for upholding the laws of Heaven. You have committed heinous crimes by murdering the Dragon Prince and instigating conflict. You may be spared the death penalty, but you will not escape punishment. Leave behind any valuables or things you shouldn't be carrying, consider it... your payment for your life."
Upon hearing this, Bai Lian Tongzi was initially relieved, as long as he wasn't killed! But then he tensed up again, wondering if it was something valuable.
"No... I don't know what Your Excellency desires?"
Lin Zhu's gaze fell on the depths of the White Lotus Boy's robes, which, though tattered, still revealed his extraordinary nature. His tone was firm and unwavering, like a strict father instructing his son.
"The Azure Lotus Banner. Hand it over."
The White Lotus Child trembled violently, suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with horror and resistance.
"No...no! This is a priceless protective treasure bestowed upon me by the Guiding Teacher! It is a symbol of sainthood! How can I..."
"Oh? A sacred relic?"
Lin Zhu interrupted him, a hint of sarcasm on her face.
"Then you should hold onto your sacred token and wait here for the dragons to come. Let's see if they recognize it and if they'll spare your life because of this flag?"
As he spoke, Lin Zhu made a gesture as if to shout towards the battlefield.
"No! I'll give it to you! I'll give it to you!!"
The White Lotus Boy was so frightened that his soul almost left his body, and his last bit of hesitation was crushed by fear.
With trembling hands and enduring excruciating pain, he forced out a faint but pure azure light from the depths of his own primordial spirit with great difficulty.
The radiance gathered with difficulty in his palm, eventually transforming into a small, exquisite flag phantom, neither made of silk nor hemp, with a faint blue lotus phantom on its surface, exuding a pure and unblemished aura that is impervious to all laws—it was the original mark of the Azure Lotus Treasure Flag!
Although it is not the flag itself, this mark also contains a portion of the treasure's power and authority!
Lin Zhu unceremoniously reached out and grabbed the illusory cyan flag, feeling the immense, purifying power and the vitality of the innate wood element contained within it, and felt satisfied. However, he didn't show it on his face at all; instead, he shook his head slightly reproachfully.
"Why didn't you know better earlier? Why suffer all this pain? Remember, be smarter in the future. Bow your head when you should. Don't be stubborn for no reason. You'll lose your life and become a laughingstock."
The White Lotus Boy lowered his head, suppressing the heartache and humiliation of handing over the precious treasure, and mumbled a reply.
"Yes...yes...I will remember..."
But deep within his lowered eyes, a deep-seated resentment and a hatred that vowed "a thousandfold revenge in the future" almost overflowed. (End of Chapter)