Hiss!
The pressure inside Biyou Palace was terrifyingly low.
If Duobao and the other Eight Great Disciples entered now, they absolutely would not be able to withstand such pressure.
Even if they were Peak Quasi-Saints!
Tongtian had directly stated the consequences, and the saints all rather agreed.
But precisely because they understood its horror, the saints' minds were unsettled.
If they had not experienced the Investiture of the Gods Calamity,
the saints would never have worried about this.
In the saints' understanding, beneath the Heavenly Dao, saints were immortal and indestructible.
As long as they were saints, who could endanger their lives?
But after the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, such wishful thinking no longer existed!
What had Yang Mei, Hongjun's puppet avatar, said?
He would suppress the saints for several epochs.
Moreover, Yang Mei had not merely been talking. He truly possessed the ability to do so.
What had the saints thought at the time?
What did it matter if Yang Mei suppressed them for a few epochs?
Looking back now, it was all deeply frightening!
If Yang Mei had truly suppressed them for several epochs, the Heavenly Dao would likely have changed long ago!
And what would the consequences of such a change be?
They would perish!
Truly perish.
Even if Hongjun had failed to steal the Heavenly Dao, he would have made the saints swallow the Saint-Slaying Pill and separated their primordial spirits from the Heavenly Dao.
That way, not only would the saints be unable to keep their sainthood, they might not even keep their lives!
Fortunately, Tongtian had delivered that axe strike.
Otherwise, the saints might truly have perished!
Yet even now, although the Investiture of the Gods Calamity had passed, they remained in danger.
Yuanshi and Tongtian had made it perfectly clear.
If Hongjun wanted to steal the Heavenly Dao, he would inevitably have to eliminate saints like them.
As the foundation of the Heavenly Dao's rule over the Primordial Era, they were naturally its protectors.
Hongjun wanted to steal the Heavenly Dao?
The saints would absolutely not agree!
They would certainly stand against Hongjun. That was beyond doubt!
Every saint understood this well.
Yuanshi took a deep breath.
"Rise of the West was pushed forward by Hongjun. He will not allow anything to go wrong with this Investiture of the Gods Calamity!"
"If we dare do anything to sabotage it... he will certainly come after us!"
The saints fell silent at once.
After understanding Hongjun's intentions, the Four Saints of the Mystic Gate naturally did not want the West to rise.
No!
They did not want the West to rise according to Hongjun's design!
Yet during the joint deliberations at Zixiao Palace, whether they had been willing or not, the saints had all agreed.
The Heavenly Dao had recorded it all. That was the most troublesome part.
Tongtian thought for a moment.
Then he said with a frown,
"We cannot act casually. Hongjun said that we saints are not permitted to act."
"Otherwise, Hongjun will have an excuse!"
Taishang, Yuanshi, and Nuwa all looked grim.
They recalled the questions Tongtian had specifically raised during the discussion over the Investiture of the Gods.
A fresh wave of fear rose within them.
If Tongtian had not raised those questions, Hongjun would likely have made them swallow the Saint-Slaying Pill and stripped them of their status as saints long ago.
It seemed this was a taboo!
Taishang slowly said,
"Even if we do not act, it will not be difficult to prevent the Rise of the West from proceeding."
The three saints all looked toward Taishang.
Taishang sneered. "So what if we do not act? Can Buddhism gather the Ninety-Nine Eighty-One Tribulations without going through us?"
He paused.
"Below the Heavenly Court, it is time for the saints' disciples to make a move as well!"
The three saints' eyes lit up at the same time.
Western Buddhism Spreading East was indeed inevitable.
But for Journey to the West to take place, it could not avoid the Mystic Gate.
Among the Mystic Gate's disciples, leaving aside everyone else, there were the eight disciples of Biyou Palace...
What could the West use to fight them?
Taishang's words were brimming with killing intent!
Tribulations, tribulations.
If Rulai dared show himself, what would be so strange about killing him once more?
Yuanshi frowned. "It is merely that Haotian of the Heavenly Court... will be difficult to control."
Haotian had once been Hongjun's gatekeeping attendant.
Was there any need to say which side he would favor?
Tongtian chuckled. "Senior Brother, there is no need to worry about that."
"Haotian is not a problem!"
"You must know that Hongjun's plot to steal the Heavenly Dao is an absolute secret. Apart from us four saints, no one in the Primordial Era knows of it!"
Yuanshi thought about it and realized that was true.
Even the wise could make mistakes. He had not expected that he himself had overlooked this matter.
Tongtian leisurely said,
"Not to mention that Haotian rose to his position through the recommendation and support of us Three Pure Ones, given the Karma of the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, he ought to contribute as well."
Hmm?!
The three saints all looked over. Was there some Karma involved here?
Why did they not know about it?
Tongtian then recounted that old chain of Karma.
Nuwa said disdainfully,
"Zhunti truly has no class. He actually plotted against Fairy Yunhua, and even kept talking about killing her?!"
"He truly is beneath contempt!"
Yuanshi nodded. "So it is the matter of Yang Jian's mother. That can indeed be used."
"I will have Yang Jian make a trip."
Among Chan Jiao's disciples, Yang Jian was one of the few who had not gone astray. Though he was a third-generation disciple, his cultivation had reached the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.
He was one of the disciples Yuanshi focused on nurturing.
Yet no matter how much he was nurtured, he still could not compare with the Eight Immortals of Biyou Palace.
Yuanshi had never been able to forget Jinling!
Tongtian paused, then smiled again.
"Actually, our situation is not that bad!"
Eh?!
The three saints did not understand.
They were currently facing Hongjun's immense terror. One slight misstep, and they would fall into a bottomless abyss.
Yet Tongtian looked so relaxed?
He truly was relaxed.
Tongtian smiled.
"Have you fellow Daoists forgotten that Lord of Seven Kills is still within the Boundless Sea of Blood?"
Demon Ancestor Luohu!
Taishang, Yuanshi, and Nuwa were instantly invigorated!
That was right, how had they forgotten him?
Tongtian said flatly,
"Luohu returned from the river of time. If he had not brought back a mission bestowed upon him by the Heavenly Dao, who would believe it?"
"The Rise of the West Hongjun seeks to achieve is utterly unforgivable in Luohu's eyes."
"The Rise of the West in Luohu's eyes is completely different from Hongjun's!"
"The flourishing of the Demon Sect is the scene Luohu believes the West ought to have!"
The saints all agreed.
"How could Luohu tolerate Buddhism occupying the Western World?"
"You must know that when Dao and Demon fought, Mount Sumeru was the sacred mountain of the Original Demon Cult!"
Yuanshi's eyes lit up.
"In that case, we need not act."
"That way, we will not give Hongjun an excuse to act!"
"Besides..."
"We can lend Luohu a hand according to the changes in the calamity."
Yuanshi said fiercely,
"After all, we are saints of the Heavenly Dao. Naturally, we have the duty to maintain the balance of Yin-Yang!"
The saints exchanged glances and smiled together!
They were, after all, saints of the Heavenly Dao.
Protecting the Heavenly Dao was their mission!
The atmosphere among the saints immediately relaxed.
They were all saints. Once they made up their minds, they would naturally do everything in their power to accomplish it.
There was no room for any other miscellaneous thoughts.
Yuanshi put the matter aside and quickly said to Tongtian,
"Junior Brother, let us discuss Jinling's matter instead!"
Tongtian was speechless. "Senior Brother, must you be so impatient?"
Yuanshi solemnly said,
"A great change in the Primordial Era is imminent. No one knows what the Primordial Era will look like in the future."
"At present, it has become a tradition for the great saintly sects to hand matters over to the second generation!"
"Buddhism is now governed by Rulai. In Biyou Palace, Martial Nephew Duobao has also taken up the mantle. In the Human Sect, Martial Nephew Xuandu is outstanding enough that Senior Brother need not worry!"
Yuanshi smiled bitterly.
"Only Chan Jiao... lacks successors!"
"If we do not seize the time now, we may have no time left later!"
"One step behind, every step behind!"
"When that time comes, Chan Jiao truly will have no way forward at all!"
Nuwa fell silent.
When it came to the inheritance of one's Dao lineage, one was bound to fight for it with all one's strength.
There was no mercy to speak of.
Since they had come this far,
Yuanshi simply laid the matter bare!
"Chan Jiao differs from the other great sects as well."
"Chan Jiao's doctrine is to clarify the true principles of heaven and earth and expound the proper theories of heaven and earth."
"It has always followed the path of the upper echelons."
"Disciples suited to this path are exceedingly few."
He paused, then said helplessly,
"Even Guang Chengzi and Chi Jingzi, the teachers of Human Race emperors, are somewhat lacking in temperament."
"The Investiture of the Gods Calamity exposed all their flaws of character!"
"To be honest, their performance has brought me shame!"
"For them to lead Chan Jiao... they are utterly unqualified!"
The great powers all looked at one another, speechless.
Yuanshi was right.
To control Chan Jiao, one not only needed sufficiently profound cultivation and strength, but also the ability to control everything.
Such disciples would be cultivated as core members, even leadership material, in any sect.
Where could they possibly be so easy to find?
It was not that Yuanshi's standards were too high, but that a great sage sect had to demand such high quality!
Yuanshi was clearly dissatisfied with the disciples he had cultivated.
He did not want to settle.
Thus, Yuanshi sought Tongtian's help.
Tongtian pondered for a moment.
"After the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, Jinling was appointed Doumu Yuanjun. She should be able to meet Senior Brother's requirements."
The Eight Immortals of Biyou Palace had all attained godhood in the flesh.
As the victorious side, the divine posts they received were all quite high.
Naturally, the Eight Immortals could not go in person. They each left behind an incarnation in the Heavenly Court to inherit the Heavenly Dao's Merit.
Tongtian nodded.
"Since Senior Brother has brought this up, I will summon Jinling and ask for her opinion."
He said to Yuanshi,
"But Senior Brother, if Jinling is unwilling, I will not force her."
Yuanshi was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed. "Junior Brother, rest assured."
Tongtian then summoned Jinling.
He told her about the matter directly.
"Your Dao requires you to independently lead a sect before you can have a chance to attain the Dao."
"Your Uncle-Master Yuanshi is desperate for capable people and wants you to lead Chan Jiao."
"All the Saints are here. As your master, I am asking for your opinion."
Jinling was stunned. She had never expected to receive such news.
For a moment, she hesitated.
Leading a great sect was an exceedingly rare opportunity.
But if she went to Chan Jiao, would that not mean betraying Biyou Palace?
Yuanshi spoke up. "Martial Niece, joining Chan Jiao does not mean you will no longer be a disciple of Biyou Palace."
"Junior Brother Tongtian does not establish a great sect."
"If you wish to attain the Dao, you need to lead a great sect. This matter brings you nothing but benefits."
Tongtian smiled. "Exactly so!"
Jinling's doubts vanished, and she immediately said, "This disciple is willing!"
Yuanshi was delighted and clapped his hands with a laugh. "Jinling, from now on, you shall be Chan Jiao's second-generation sect leader!"
"I will announce it to the entire Primordial Era!"
Before he could inform the Three Realms,
Wudang came hurrying over.
Tongtian asked curiously, "What is it?"
Wudang bowed to the Saints.
Her voice was slightly hurried. "Master, this is bad! Martial Uncle Wukong has gone to the Heavenly Court!"
"Hmm?! Sun Wukong has gone to the Heavenly Court?"
Tongtian was briefly stunned, then waved his hand. "He is a Quasi-Saint and carries a body full of magical treasures. He will be fine. No one can bully him."
Wudang became even more anxious.
"Master, an Angel descended just now to deliver an invitation to the Peach Banquet."
"Martial Uncle Wukong asked one extra question—whether they had invited him."
"As a result, that Angel spoke disrespectfully and angered Martial Uncle. He has now gone to reason with Haotian Shangdi!"
What?!
Tongtian was somewhat speechless.
He had thought that Monkey was someone who understood propriety. How had he gotten into a dispute with a mere Angel?
Yuanshi's expression shifted as a thought struck him. He frowned. "Martial Niece, you are saying that Angel spoke disrespectfully?"
Wudang nodded. "Yes!"
Yuanshi sneered.
"Buddhism has made its move!"
The three Saints all looked over, utterly puzzled.
What did this have to do with Buddhism?
Yuanshi explained,
"What place is this? Biyou Palace, a Saint's sacred ground."
"Could that Angel delivering the invitation possibly not know?"
"Any cultivator who arrives at a Saint's sacred ground will keep their tail tucked between their legs."
"Saints, and even their disciples, are not people they can afford to provoke."
The Saints' expressions changed.
Yuanshi said slowly,
"Anyone capable of serving as a messenger Angel must be smooth and tactful. How could they dare speak disrespectfully at a Saint's sacred ground?"
Yuanshi sneered.
"I would never believe that no one was pulling strings behind this!"
The Saints' faces darkened.
This was a scheme against them, right before the Saints' eyes in Biyou Palace!
The shameful part was that the scheme had actually succeeded!
A Saint's primordial spirit was entrusted to the void of the Heavenly Dao, existing everywhere and nowhere.
Not to mention plotting against a Saint's disciple,
the moment anyone entertained such a thought, the Saint would sense it at once.
But by sheer coincidence,
Tongtian had gathered the Saints to discuss important matters, disrupting the Heavenly Secret beforehand!
And so,
while no one could probe what the Saints were saying,
it also obstructed the senses of the Four Saints of the Mystic Gate.
Thus, Sun Wukong had been successfully plotted against at the gates of Biyou Palace on Jin'ao Island in the East Sea!
The four Saints looked grim.
Yuanshi gritted his teeth. "I had originally planned to have Yang Jian properly speak with Haotian, but it seems there is no need now!"
Taishang said slowly, "Let Taishang Laojun make the trip instead!"
The three Saints looked at one another and said in unison, "Agreed!"
Haotian was eating from the inside and working against them.
Whether Haotian had ordered this or not, the Angel had been dispatched by him, so he had to take the blame.
Wudang asked anxiously, "Master, Senior Uncles, Martial Uncle Wukong will not suffer a loss, will he?"
Taishang, Yuanshi, and Nuwa all looked toward Tongtian.
They had never met Sun Wukong.
They knew little of his cultivation.
Tongtian sneered. "Do not worry. In this Primordial Era, he is the only one who bullies others. Anyone else who wants to bully him is still far too early!"
Taishang advised, "Junior Brother, do not be careless. Haotian is also a Peak Quasi-Saint, and he has the righteousness of the Heavenly Emperor..."
Tongtian did not take it seriously.
"Senior Brother, rest assured."
"Fellow Daoist Wukong is covered from head to toe in magical treasures. To completely break through his defenses, a Saint would have to act..."
"Otherwise, who could possibly defeat him?"
Hmm?!
The three Saints stared at Tongtian in astonishment.
Tongtian smiled meaningfully.
"Fellow Daoists, have you forgotten whose disciple Fellow Daoist Wukong is?!"
Taishang, Yuanshi, and Nuwa suddenly understood.
They all relaxed.
Sun Wukong was the disciple of the great expert Senior Lin from Penglai Immortal Island!
Monkey's cultivation did not amount to much in the Saints' eyes.
But if someone plotted against Monkey, where would that leave the great expert of Penglai Immortal Island?
Could a mere Saint bear the great expert's wrath?
Tongtian continued,
"Senior Lin entrusted Fellow Daoist Wukong to me, yet I allowed him to be plotted against."
"Senior Lin did say that Fellow Daoist Wukong should settle his Karma from Journey to the West."
"But he has still suffered a silent loss."
"If I do not do something, would I not be letting down their scheme?"
Yuanshi hurriedly reminded him,
"Junior Brother, the Rise of the West cannot be stopped by us!"
Tongtian laughed loudly.
"Senior Brother, do not worry!"
He directly opened a spatial gate and bowed toward the Six Paths of Reincarnation. "Fellow Daoist Pingxin, I wish to give Buddhism a lesson. I ask that you lend a hand!"
Pingxin readily replied, "I already know. Fellow Daoist, rest assured!"
The two Saints settled the matter with remarkable simplicity.
The three Saints of the Mystic Gate found it rather strange.
The two Saints had spoken without beginning or end, making them rather difficult to follow.
Tongtian explained,
"For Western Buddhism Spreading East, Buddhism must spread its teachings through the Human Path."
"Rulai must have cast the disciples of Western Teachings into the Six Paths of Reincarnation under the pretense of restoring their Dao Hearts."
"Since that is the case, if I ask Fellow Daoist Pingxin to punish them, would that not honor their efforts?!"
The three Saints all agreed.
When Pingxin attained the Dao in the past, it was Tongtian's Primordial Violet Qi that she had inherited.
Moreover, Pingxin had been able to raise her cultivation and beat the two Saints of the West because of her Karma with Tongtian.
Now, by punishing the disciples of Western Teachings, she could actually repay part of her Karma to Tongtian.
How could Pingxin not be satisfied?
Tongtian gazed calmly toward the Western World.
"They must be celebrating, right?"
The Four Saints of the Mystic Gate all sneered.
The two Saints of the West probably had no idea that catastrophe was already upon them!
On Mount Sumeru in the Western World,
Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged smiles.
Zhunti smiled. "Haotian is quite tactful. I did not expect him to agree so easily."
He had previously intended to scheme against Monkey.
He had done so through Haotian.
He had thought Haotian would not dare, since it meant plotting against a Quasi-Saint at a Saint's sacred ground.
But he had not expected Haotian to agree so readily.
Sure enough, anyone who could become the ruler of the Three Realms was a smart person!
Jieyin let out a long breath of relief.
"Sun Wukong falling into our scheme is only the beginning."
"Next, Rulai will make his move and properly suppress that Monkey."
Jieyin sighed.
"Suppressing that Monkey will not be easy. He is at the Quasi-Saint realm!"
Zhunti reassured him,
"Senior Brother need not worry. World Honored One Rulai has now fully recovered his cultivation. Suppressing Monkey will not be a problem."
Jieyin smiled bitterly.
"How could I not worry?"
"This Monkey is a Quasi-Saint. With him participating in Journey to the West, the quality of the eighty-one tribulations has risen by an entire level... I wonder whether Rulai can withstand it!"
Zhunti did not think much of it.
Before you continue