Chapter 722
Forcing Guanyin to Dance is Outrageous
Before long, a dark mass of several hundred people appeared, with the lowest cultivation level being the peak of True Immortal, and a considerable proportion being Golden Immortals. Each of them possessed a fierce aura and sharp eyes, and having experienced the baptism of the Western Heaven War, they had an even more solemn and murderous air.
They stood in their usual ranks, their eyes all fixed on the solitary figure standing outside the prison gate, clad in flowing white robes, with a dignified and solemn appearance—Guanyin Bodhisattva.
The atmosphere was inexplicably heavy and... eerie.
The law enforcement officers were thinking to themselves.
The leader suddenly gathered everyone together, and they were facing the famous Guanyin Bodhisattva from the Western Paradise. What was going on? Negotiation? Demonstration? Or... was a fight about to break out? But the leader hadn't come out yet, and Nezha, the commander, had only told everyone to line up, without giving any further battle orders.
Guanyin Bodhisattva stood quietly in place, holding a vase and willow branch, her gaze calmly sweeping over the group of Heavenly Enforcers who had quickly assembled, were disciplined, and exuded an air of authority. She was slightly surprised.
The strength of the Nine-Layer Heavenly Prison was indeed not to be underestimated, far surpassing that of ordinary Heavenly Court departments. However, she did not show it on her face, but her slightly furrowed eyebrows revealed that she felt a little puzzled and impatient with Lin Zhu's actions of not showing up for a long time and instead gathering so many people.
She released a faint, cool aura belonging to a half-step quasi-saint, not as a deliberate attempt to exert pressure, but the natural difference in their life levels still made some of the weaker Golden Immortal enforcers in the front row feel a slight suffocation and a heavy weight in their hearts.
At that moment, a defiant voice rang out.
"Hey! What are you doing standing in front of our prison? Can't you see we're doing construction? You're blocking our way!"
The one who spoke was the Ancient Sky Eagle, which has always had a fiery temper. Although it sensed Guanyin's power, it couldn't help but provoke her because this was its own territory and its leader was right behind it.
Guanyin slightly shifted her gaze, giving the Primordial Sky Eagle a fleeting glance. With just that one glance, an even more solid and chilling pressure, unique to a half-step Quasi-Saint, instantly enveloped the Primordial Sky Eagle like an invisible mountain!
The Primordial Sky Eagle felt as if all its feathers were about to freeze. Its massive demonic body suddenly sank, its bones creaking under the strain. The flow of its demonic power instantly slowed down. It groaned, its face flushed red, and it was so overwhelmed by the power of that single glance that it could not speak. Its eyes were filled with horror!
"You mere Great Luo demon bird, do you dare to make a racket in front of me?"
Guanyin's voice was clear and cold, devoid of any earthy sentimentality, yet it contained an undeniable majesty.
"Go back."
This scene sent a chill down the spines of all the law enforcers! A half-step quasi-saint was terrifyingly powerful! A single glance was enough to leave the Primordial Heavenly Eagle, a Grand Luo Golden Immortal, in such a sorry state! Only then did they truly realize that the Bodhisattva before them was not even in the same league as the ordinary Buddhas and Arhats they had encountered in the Western Paradise!
The slight arrogance that had just arisen in the hearts of many law enforcement officers due to their repeated meritorious deeds under Lin Zhu's guidance was quickly cooled as if doused with ice water. It was replaced by a heavy pressure and… a trace of shame and anger at being slighted. When has our Nine-Layered Heavenly Prison ever been so suppressed with its doors blocked?
"Guanyin! How dare you!"
A furious roar rang out, and Nezha, riding his Wind-Fire Wheels and wielding his Fire-Tipped Spear, charged to the front of the group like a blazing fire, blocking the path of the still-recovering Primordial Eagle. His small face was filled with rage, and he met Guanyin's gaze without fear. "This is the Nine-Layered Heavenly Prison, a sacred place for the Heavenly Court to enforce the law! How dare you run wild here and intimidate my Heavenly Prison soldiers!"
Guanyin looked at Nezha, a faint hint of mockery flashing in her eyes.
"So it's the Great God of the Three Altars and Seas. What, you think you've gotten some good fortune and luckily stepped into the threshold of a half-step Quasi-Saint, so you're qualified to rant in front of me? You're nothing but a smug child. Step aside, I'm looking for Lin Zhu, it has nothing to do with you, don't humiliate yourselves."
These words were utterly blunt, directly belittling Nezha as a "prosperous child" and disregarding the hundreds of elite law enforcers around him.
Upon hearing this, all the soldiers in the Heavenly Prison glared angrily, their fists clenched. However, feeling the vast and unfathomable aura emanating from Guanyin, and knowing that apart from Nezha, no one on their side could truly stand against her head-on, their anger was mixed with a sense of powerlessness and frustration.
They suddenly missed the days when Boss Lin Zhu was around. With him there, who would dare to be so arrogant, no matter who you were, even if you were a bodhisattva or an arhat? Everyone would be polite, or even humiliated.
With their leader absent, they truly realized that the Nine-Layer Heavenly Prison's resources were still somewhat lacking when facing truly top-tier experts.
Guanyin took in everyone's reactions and sneered inwardly. It seemed that Lin Zhu was indeed not nearby, or was deliberately hiding. She would first suppress the arrogance of these ignorant and arrogant prison guards, and then negotiate with Lin Zhu to retrieve Sun Wukong later; it would likely be much easier that way.
Just as Guanyin's aura grew increasingly cold, preparing to teach Nezha another lesson and completely solidify her power—
A clear, melodious laugh, filled with undisguised mockery and disdain, seemed to come from the heavens above, yet also seemed to echo in everyone's ears, clearly reverberating above the main gate of the Nine-Story Heavenly Prison.
"Ha, I was only a step late, and someone is already eager to teach my subordinates a lesson? Guanyin Bodhisattva, you... you're not very big, but you have quite the nerve."
That cool, mocking voice acted like an invisible spell, instantly shattering the oppressive aura created by Guanyin.
Lin Zhu's figure appeared on the steps in front of the main gate of the prison at some unknown time. With his hands behind his back, his plain white robe fluttered in the breeze, and he looked down at Guanyin Bodhisattva in the arena with a half-smile on his face.
The moment he appeared, the tense nerves of the law enforcers in the Nine Heavens Prison immediately relaxed, and their eyes burst with uncontrollable joy and excitement!
The pent-up frustration from being overwhelmed by Guanyin's imposing aura vanished instantly. His back straightened unconsciously, and his face regained its confident and triumphant air, as if saying, "My boss is here, let's see who dares to be arrogant now." The authority of a law enforcer returned in a flash!
The moment Guanyin Bodhisattva saw Lin Zhu, a barely perceptible hint of gloom flashed across her serene and compassionate countenance.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the anger that had risen within her from Lin Zhu's comment, "Small in size but big in words," and regained her seemingly calm but actually distant demeanor. Her voice was as clear and cold as an icy spring as she cut straight to the point.
"Lin, the God of Hell, has finally shown himself. Enough with the small talk. I have come by the decree of the Buddha. I beg you, God of Hell, to release my Buddhist protector, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong, safely. The journey to the West is ordained by the Heavenly Way and concerns the fate of the Three Realms. It cannot be delayed. I implore you, God of Hell, to grant me this favor."
She paused, her tone carrying a subtle warning.
"If the God of Hell insists on making things difficult and hindering the journey to the West, it is probably not a wise move. Although our Western Paradise has experienced twists and turns, its foundation is still intact. In order to protect the Heavenly Way, we will not hesitate to use thunderous means."
These words were both soft and hard, clearly stating that they were acting on the Buddha's orders, while also invoking the grand pronouncements of "destiny of Heaven" and "the fate of the Three Realms," and finally implying that the Western Paradise still possessed power, attempting to put pressure on Lin Zhu.
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhu's smile deepened, but it didn't reach her eyes.
He didn't answer directly, but instead asked slowly, as if it were a casual conversation.
"Great Bodhisattva Guanyin, before you ask for people, why don't you take a look around first?"
He raised his hand and casually pointed to the huge construction site next to the nine-story prison, where work was in full swing. "Guess where these tens of millions of shirtless workers, who are building my Hall of Law Enforcement, came from?"
Guanyin looked in the direction he was pointing. Although she had already learned about it from the intelligence, her pupils still involuntarily contracted slightly when she saw with her own eyes the countless "workers" covering the mountains and fields, dressed in tattered monk robes or simply bare-chested, sweating profusely as they carried huge spiritual agate bricks and carved star-shaped purple-gold beams.
That aura, that appearance, they were clearly the guardian Buddhist soldiers of her Western Heavenly Spirit Mountain! A full hundred million! Yet at this moment, they were like the most humble laborers, sweating profusely in front of the Heavenly Prison! Before she could answer, Lin Zhu pointed to the various dazzling materials piled up like mountains beside the construction site.
"Guess again, whose house did these spirit agates used to build the walls, the colorful glazed crystal bricks used to pave the floor, the star-purple gold and ten-thousand-year-old warm jade used to make the beams and pillars, and those scattered fragments of agarwood jade Buddhas and fragments of ice marrow Bodhisattva statues... 'relocated' from?"
Every piece of material seems to be silently mocking the former luxury and present disarray of the Western Paradise.
The rich aura of Buddhist treasures and the lingering power of merit and vows unique to the Western Paradise stung Guanyin's eyes, causing her to feel a surge of blood rushing to her throat, and her face instantly turning from white to blue, and then from blue to green!
She knew about this beforehand, but the impact of hearing about it was worlds apart from witnessing it firsthand! To see her family's wealth emptied out, becoming a source of pride for her enemies; to see her own sons reduced to slave laborers at their beck and call! It was as if the face of the Western Paradise had been repeatedly rubbed into the ground and then sprinkled with salt!
Guanyin's chest heaved violently, and her breathing became somewhat unsteady, but she managed to restrain herself from losing her composure on the spot.
She had considered taking direct action to destroy the materials and rescue the Buddhist soldiers. But reason told her that she simply couldn't do it under Lin Zhu's watchful eye!
The opponent's strength is unfathomable; even Amitabha Buddha is wary of him. His bizarre defense makes him impossible to attack. To act rashly would only bring shame upon oneself and make the Western Paradise a laughingstock once again.
"you you……"
Guanyin pointed at Lin Zhu, her fingers trembling slightly, and was speechless with anger.
Lin Zhu seemed oblivious to her livid expression, instead displaying a sincere expression of gratitude. He cupped his hands in a slight bow towards the west and spoke earnestly.
"Speaking of which, I must thank my fellow Daoists from the Western Paradise for their 'generous donations' and 'strong support.' Without the 'building materials' and 'construction workers' you sent, I don't know when my Law Enforcement Hall would have been built."
The Western Paradise's noble character, public-spiritedness, and generosity are truly exemplary in the Three Realms. We, the inhabitants of the Nine-Layered Heavenly Prison, will forever remember this and are eternally grateful!
"puff--!"
Guanyin finally couldn't hold back any longer. She felt a sweet taste in her throat and almost spat out a mouthful of blood! She forced it down, but her face was extremely pale. She pointed at Lin Zhu, and her voice became sharp with extreme anger.
"Lin Zhu! You...you've gone too far! You're utterly...utterly shameless!"
Lin Zhu shrugged, looking completely innocent.
"I am speaking the truth. How is this deception? Were these workers and materials not 'sent' from the Western Paradise? Am I wrong?"
"you……!"
Guanyin was so angry that she trembled all over, and the Buddha light around her began to flicker and dim unsteadily.
She knew she couldn't win an argument with this sharp-tongued, thick-skinned guy, and that continuing the argument would only make her angrier.
She abruptly flicked her sleeves, forcefully suppressing her surging blood and qi, her voice as cold as a knife, as she revealed her last trump card.
"Lin Zhu! Stop your nonsense! I have come here on official business, bearing the decree of the Buddha! If you insist on obstructing the Journey to the West, you will be going against the Heavenly Dao and against the Buddhist sect! The Buddha said that if you persist in your ways, you will suffer countless calamities and be trapped in the cycle of reincarnation forever! At that time, don't blame me for not warning you!"
These words already carried a strong sense of threat, and even implied a curse.
Lin Zhu picked at his ears, as if he had heard some noise, and an impatient look appeared on his face. He casually replied with a slang he had picked up from some unknown small world.
"Don't try to scare people with that old bald monk, Buddha."
His decrees? To me, they're less effective than stones in a latrine. A thousand calamities and endless tribulations? Let him first make sure his own backyard doesn't catch fire, his subordinates don't become idiots, and he doesn't fail to pay wages.”
"You...you dare to blaspheme Buddha like this!!"
Guanyin was filled with shock and anger. She stomped her lotus foot so hard that the ground trembled slightly.
She had never heard anyone dare to use such vulgar language to describe the Buddha! This Lin Zhu was simply the number one madman in the Three Realms!
"Blasphemy? Not at all, just stating the facts."
Lin Zhu pursed her lips and turned to leave.
"Alright, if there's nothing else, please leave. I'm very busy and don't have time to listen to your chanting. As for Sun Wukong? Maybe I'll consider it when I'm in a better mood."
Seeing that Lin Zhu was really about to leave, Guanyin became anxious.
She knew that force wouldn't work, and gentleness would be even less effective. Recalling the Buddha's weary yet resigned instructions before his departure, she gritted her teeth, her voice softening, yet still tinged with resentment.
"Lin Yushen! Wait! Buddha said that due to various misunderstandings on Mount Ling, some... items were lost. The Western Paradise can let this matter go, considering it...consider it a good deed!"
"As long as you hand over Sun Wukong and allow the Journey to the West to continue, everything in the past can be wiped clean! You...you mustn't be ungrateful. You should know that the strength of the Western Paradise is far beyond your imagination. If you are truly pushed to the limit, it will be a fight to the death, and you may not come out unscathed!"
This was practically a plea and an ultimatum. They would no longer pursue the losses from the theft and robbery, only asking to get Sun Wukong back.
Lin Zhu didn't stop walking, nor did he even bother to turn around. He simply waved his hand, and his voice came lazily.
"Fish die, net break? Do you Western Paradise even have a 'net' anymore? Probably just a pile of fish bones left. As for revenge? It's not the first time. Next time, remember to prepare more 'compensation.' The materials and workers this time were quite good; the more the better."
His words, spoken casually, were like a dull knife, cutting deep into Guanyin's heart once again.
The law enforcers in the surrounding nine-layered prison listened, wanting to laugh but daring not to, struggling to suppress their laughter, but their eyes practically overflowed with satisfaction and admiration for their leader. So satisfying! (End of Chapter)