Chapter 699
Specific Process
It was the primordial spirit of the White Dragon Ao Lie!
However, this primordial spirit appeared quite "complete." Although its light was dim and its aura was weak, indicating that it had suffered severe damage, it was not in the miserable state that everyone imagined, where the soul was burned away and the true spirit was annihilated by the "Purifying White Flame." Rather, it looked more like a spirit that had just been awakened after being powerfully injured and falling into a deep slumber.
The scene instantly fell into a deathly silence.
You could hear a pin drop.
All expressions, all thoughts, all emotions seemed to freeze at this moment.
The expressions on the faces of the three thousand Buddhas, especially Amitabha Buddha, were extremely varied, ranging from initial doubt to shock, then to sudden realization, and finally to an indescribable feeling of frustration, anger, and absurdity, as if they had swallowed ten pounds of flies!
Lin Zhu… he already “resurrected” the White Dragon’s primordial spirit?! Or rather, the White Dragon’s primordial spirit was never completely annihilated and has been hidden by him all along?!
His recent ordeal, with its claims of "defying the heavens," "exhausting resources," and "requiring 500,000 units of merit-based divine water, golden relics, three-light divine water, and white lotus seeds..."
Wait, wait, wait—he spoke with such conviction and emotion, as if a grand, earth-shattering resurrection ritual was about to unfold… and this is it? He just pulled it out of his pocket?!
Amitabha Buddha felt a surge of blood rushing to the top of his head, and his golden body couldn't help but sway slightly.
He felt like a complete fool! He was being played like a puppet by Lin Zhu! All those precious treasures he had paid a huge price for, such as the Three Lights Divine Water, the Golden Light Relic, and the 500,000 Concentrated Merit Divine Water... were not for "resurrection" at all, but were simply "toll money" or "hush money" that Lin Zhu had extorted from him.
He was so eager to find out how he resurrected himself, to discover the secrets or flaws in his methods... but it turns out he never intended to perform at all! He was completely fooled like a monkey!
The feeling of being fooled, deceived, and taken advantage of was a hundred times stronger than being simply extorted before! Amitabha Buddha has cultivated for countless eons, when has he ever suffered such a great humiliation? His gaze toward Lin Zhu was as cold as an ancient abyss, and his killing intent was almost tangible.
Lin Zhu seemed completely oblivious to Amitabha Buddha's murderous gaze. He even calmly lifted the little white dragon's bewildered spirit higher to ensure everyone could see it clearly before turning to Amitabha Buddha with an excessively bright smile and an incredibly "sincere" tone.
"Oh dear, thank you so much, Buddha, for your generosity in providing those 'auxiliary materials'! Look how smoothly the White Dragon's primordial spirit has recovered under the 'nourishment' and 'paving' of your treasures! Buddha is so magnanimous! The Western Paradise is so magnanimous! I, Lin, am in awe!"
Every word he spoke was like a poisoned knife, stabbing viciously into the hearts of Amitabha Buddha and all the Buddhist followers in the Western Paradise! Especially the words "auxiliary materials" and "nourishment and preparation," which were full of extreme sarcasm! He had clearly concealed his primordial spirit all along, yet he spoke as if the treasures of the Western Paradise had truly played a crucial role. This was simply killing him out of his spirit!
Amitabha Buddha's face had gone from ashen to completely black, even showing a faint purple tinge.
His lips moved, but he couldn't utter a single word. He felt so choked up that he felt like he was about to explode.
The three thousand Buddhas looked at each other in dismay, their eyes filled with fear and lingering dread as they gazed at Lin Zhu. This boy was not only incredibly skilled and ruthless, but his arrogant and deadly ability to deliver the final blow was unparalleled! Who would dare to deal with him in the future?
Lin Zhu didn't care how aggrieved the people of the Western Paradise were. He carried the primordial spirit of the little white dragon Ao Lie and turned towards the dragon clan camp.
At this moment, the powerful members of the dragon clan also recovered from their initial astonishment.
Their immense divine senses, like the most sophisticated scanners, instantly enveloped the illusory primordial spirit in Lin Zhu's hand, examining it meticulously inside and out countless times.
His bloodline aura is pure and flawless, truly a direct descendant of the West Sea Dragon Clan, and it carries the unique life imprint fluctuations of Ao Lie!
Although the primordial spirit is weak and shows some signs of injury, its origin is stable and its spirituality is intact. It is not fake and there are no signs of it being forcibly pieced together or controlled by external forces!
This...this really is Ao Lie, the White Dragon! The real deal!
"Roar--!!!"
The moment the truth was confirmed, the nine true dragons simultaneously unleashed earth-shattering roars! But these roars were no longer filled with violence and killing intent; instead, they were filled with surprise, excitement, and a tremendous joy of something lost and regained! The terrifying dragon might also receded like a tide; although it remained majestic, it was no longer intimidating.
"Ao Lie! My good nephew! It really is you!"
Lightning flickered faintly in the enormous eyes of the Purple-Gold Dragon Emperor, a result of its excitement.
Its massive head drew closer, its voice booming with a barely perceptible tremor.
The primordial spirit of the white dragon Ao Lie finally came to a complete awakening from its daze.
He first looked blankly at the devastated battlefield, the ruined sacred mountain, and the nine familiar, terrifying dragon elders, then looked down at his illusory primordial spirit body, his eyes filled with confusion.
He only remembered that he had suffered an unimaginable and terrifying attack, his primordial spirit seemed to be completely shattered and dissipated, plunging into boundless darkness... and when he woke up, he was here? And... it seemed that he was not dead?
He subconsciously turned the dragon's head to look at Lin Zhu, who was carrying him.
Lin Zhu had already given him a brief instruction through divine thought, telling him not to say anything more, especially not to mention anything related to the "Investiture of the Gods". Although Ao Lie didn't understand, Lin Zhu had saved his life, so he naturally obeyed.
Upon hearing the inquiries from elders such as the Purple-Gold Dragon Emperor, Ao Lie quickly made a gesture resembling a bow in the void, his voice weak yet clear.
"This unworthy junior, Ao Lie, pays respects to His Majesty the Purple-Gold Dragon Emperor, and to all the Dragon Emperors and Dragon Clan elders! This junior... this junior does not know why I am here, but... it seems I have been fortunate enough to survive?"
His confusion was genuine, which further convinced the Dragon Clan that there must be something fishy about his resurrection process, but the fact that his primordial spirit was real was enough!
"Good, good! It's good that you're back! It's good that you're back!"
The Platinum Dragon Emperor's icy voice softened considerably, and his gaze towards Ao Lie's primordial spirit held the satisfaction of an elder.
The Black White Dragon Emperor spoke slowly, his voice still ancient and clear, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.
“Ao Lie, you must remember that you were able to preserve your primordial spirit and reappear in the world today entirely thanks to this young friend Lin Zhu. It was he who pulled you back from the brink of complete annihilation.”
As it spoke, its enormous dragon eyes swept across the Western Paradise camp, especially Amitabha Buddha, whose face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and added meaningfully.
"If it weren't for your extraordinary skills and kind heart, young friend, I'm afraid that some treacherous and wicked people would have already succeeded, causing my dragon clan to lose a talent and have its lineage cut off."
This is a veiled insult, and the meaning couldn't be clearer.
The three thousand Buddhas' faces turned pale and then red, yet they could not refute it, for it was a fact that the White Lotus Child had committed murder and that Amitabha Buddha had protected him. Now that the aggrieved party had appeared here unharmed, it only made them appear more guilty.
Upon hearing this, Ao Lie immediately bowed to Lin Zhu again, his tone full of gratitude.
"Ao Lie bows in gratitude to Senior Lin... for saving my life! This kindness is like being given a second chance, and Ao Lie will never forget it!"
Although he was not clear about the specific process, since the dragon elders said so, it must be true.
Lin Zhu casually waved his hand, gently pushing Ao Lie's primordial spirit towards the dragon clan.
"No need for formalities, it's just a chance encounter. Since the Dragon Clan senior is here, Fellow Daoist Ao Lie's primordial spirit will be returned to you all. I'm sure the Dragon Clan has its own wonderful methods to help him stabilize and recover, and even reshape his dragon body."
The Purple-Gold Dragon Emperor opened its mouth and exhaled a gentle purple-gold aura, carefully guiding Ao Lie's primordial spirit and protecting it within a ball of pure dragon essence. Having done this, it looked at Lin Zhu, its dragon eyes displaying a complex expression—gratitude, admiration, and a hint of apprehension towards his strength and methods. The Ink-White Dragon Emperor nodded solemnly, its voice reverent.
"Young friend Lin, by rescuing Ao Lie, you not only preserved an outstanding descendant of my Dragon Clan, but also restored the merit and fortune associated with my Dragon Clan through the Journey to the West. The Dragon Clan will forever remember this kindness. We previously promised that any requests would be fulfilled. Furthermore…"
It hesitated for a moment, then its dragon claw swept through the air, and three strange crystals, each about the size of a fist, with a chaotic color, seemingly containing countless phantoms of ancient ferocious beasts galloping and roaring inside, and exuding an aura of bloodline that was both extremely pure and extremely violent, slowly flew towards Lin Zhu.
"These are three 'primordial ancestral beast bloodline essences'."
"Ink White Dragon Emperor explained."
"It was formed by my Dragon Clan from the remains of some fallen top-tier innate demonic beasts at the beginning of the primordial era, after countless years of refinement and condensation. At that time, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was abundant and close to the Dao. The demonic beasts were born with innate qualities, and their blood essence contained the most primal and powerful life force and fragments of the Dao. The ancient demonic Heavenly Court once attempted to use such essence to cultivate pillars of society and suppress destiny."
For demonic beasts possessing ancient bloodlines, this item is an unparalleled treasure, with a very high chance of helping them break through the shackles of their own bloodline, shatter the chains of their cultivation realm, directly reach the Great Luo realm, and perhaps even... glimpse the path to becoming a half-step Quasi-Saint!
It looked at Lin Zhu with a deep gaze.
"Young friend, it seems you have gathered quite a few interesting fellow cultivators from the demon race. These three essences may help them advance further. Consider this an extra gift from my dragon race."
Lin Zhu reached out and caught the three heavy, awe-inspiring crystals, his heart trembling slightly. The essence of the bloodline of a primordial beast! The value of these items was probably no less than that of an ordinary innate spiritual treasure!
For demon kings like the Golden Tortoise of the Abyss, the Primordial Sky Eagle, and the Golden-Winged Roc, who possess ancient bloodlines but are trapped at a bottleneck, this is simply a key to a higher level! The Dragon Clan's gift is both precious and thoughtful, clearly indicating that they have investigated or observed his Nine-Layer Heavenly Prison and catered to his preferences.
"I am unworthy of the Dragon Clan's generous gift."
Lin Zhu didn't stand on ceremony and generously accepted the gift, bowing with his hands clasped in thanks.
He remembered this favor. The Dragon Clan's move was clearly an attempt to curry favor and invest, hoping to forge a positive relationship with him, this "outlier."
When the Purple-Gold Dragon Emperor saw that Lin Zhu had accepted the gift, he laughed heartily, his tone bold and unrestrained.
"Young friend, you're too kind! If you ever need any trouble or help in a fight, just let us know! The Dragon Clan owes you a huge favor!"
Platinum Dragon King also nodded, a rare occurrence, indicating his approval.
However, just as the atmosphere seemed to be easing and everyone was having a good time, the Platinum Dragon Emperor suddenly seemed to remember something, and his cold gaze once again fell on Lin Zhu—or rather, on the fragmented primordial spirit of the White Lotus Child that was still imprisoned in Lin Zhu's left hand.
“Young friend Lin,” the Platinum Dragon Emperor’s voice turned icy again, shattering the brief harmony.
"The primordial spirit of this wretched creature is still in your hands. I wonder... what you intend to do with it, young friend?"
These words immediately caused the atmosphere, which had just eased, to tense up again!
All eyes were once again focused on the pitiful ball of primordial spirit light in Lin Zhu's hand.
The White Lotus Child! The direct instigator of this monstrous disaster! The culprit behind the bloody war between the Western Paradise and the Dragon Clan!
Amitabha Buddha's expression instantly became even more unpleasant.
He had been so enraged by Lin Zhu's series of actions that he almost lost his composure, and the truth about the White Dragon's "resurrection" had left him disoriented, almost forgetting about this matter. Now, with the Platinum Dragon Emperor bringing it up, his heart tightened. No matter how foolish or troublesome the White Lotus Child was, he was still his child, representing his reputation, and... easy to control.
Deep down, he still wanted to protect it, at least not hand it over to the dragon clan.
"Amitabha."
Amitabha Buddha quickly spoke, his voice once again carrying that compassionate tone, and preemptively addressed Lin Zhu.
"This wicked creature has committed grave sins and deserves to die. However, Heaven cherishes life, and true spiritual cultivation is not easy. Now he has suffered all the punishments, and his primordial spirit is so broken that it is almost annihilated. He must have tasted the bitter fruit of his sins and deeply understands the need for repentance."
Perhaps... I would like to ask Benefactor Lin to be lenient and return it to this humble monk. This humble monk will certainly take it back, keep it under strict guard, and use the supreme Dharma to convert it day and night, to eliminate its malevolent nature, to atone for its sins, and to ensure that it never leaves again, thus atoning for its transgressions.
In this way, both compassion and a chance for this wicked person to repent and reform are fulfilled. What do you think, benefactor?
He spoke in a grand and righteous manner, trying to use "compassion" and "conversion" to buy a glimmer of hope for the White Lotus Child, at least to prevent the Dragon Clan from taking away the Sky Lantern.
However, the Buddha, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines and hated the fool White Lotus Boy with a passion, secretly sneered at this moment.
He desperately wanted Lin Zhu to crush the White Lotus Boy to death immediately, or hand him over to the Dragon Clan! This would eliminate this useless and troublesome individual who was always interfering with the teacher's plans.
The fool dangling in front of him is a scourge to the Western Paradise; it can also make Amitabha Buddha resent Lin Zhu even more for losing his trusted attendant, and perhaps in the future, he can use his teacher to deal with Lin Zhu.
Killing two birds with one stone, why not? But he couldn't say it outright, he could only wait and see.
Lin Zhu was incredibly perceptive; out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the Buddha's barely concealed disgust for the White Lotus Child, and a hint of cold anticipation for his demise.
He immediately understood.
Lin Zhu did not immediately answer Amitabha Buddha's "request".
He first weighed the remnant soul of the White Lotus Child in his hand, then a meaningful, slightly playful smile suddenly appeared on his face.
His gaze swept over the tense Amitabha Buddha, the cold-eyed dragon, and the seemingly calm but expectant Tathagata Buddha, before he finally spoke slowly, his voice clearly resounding throughout the entire hall.
"The Buddha's compassion is truly moving. However... this White Lotus Child is ultimately the direct murderer who brutally killed the direct descendants of the Dragon Clan. Whether to forgive him, and how to deal with him... I think perhaps we should ask the victims' opinions?" (End of Chapter)