Tathagata arrived quickly.
It was as if he had been lying in wait beside the Heavenly Court beforehand!
Before Sun Wukong could return to the entrance of Lingxiao Treasure Hall, Tathagata had already arrived at the Heavenly Court with the people of the Western Sect in grand procession. His enormous avatar radiated majesty as he bowed to Haotian.
"Tathagata greets the Great Heavenly Lord!"
The current situation differed from the original course of events.
Many of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas on Western Spirit Mountain were listed on the Investiture of the Gods. Though Tathagata himself was not on it, he was one of the Five Elders of the Heavenly Court, the Buddha Elder. Since Haotian had said "please" and given him a chance to show off, he naturally gave Haotian due respect as well.
Sun Wukong, who had once come and gone as freely as if no one were present, could not help but halt in midair when he saw Tathagata's enormous avatar and its majestic Buddha Light. The corner of his mouth twitched downward.
"What a bore."
"After all that fuss, it's still this..."
"Can't you people come up with something new?"
Sun Wukong grumbled inwardly.
Then he looked at Tathagata with an increasingly solemn gaze.
In his "previous life," he had been pinned beneath Tathagata's Five Finger Mountain. Now that his strength far surpassed that of his previous life, would Tathagata still be able to suppress him? The thought made Sun Wukong's blood boil, and he grew eager to fight...
After Tathagata and Haotian exchanged pleasantries,
Tathagata turned to look at Sun Wukong.
"You reckless monkey... The Great Heavenly Lord took pity on you, born of Heaven and Earth, knowing that your cultivation had not come easily. He bestowed upon you the honored title of Great Sage Equal