Crisis

But I'm not Sun Wukong. Just because he can't escape your Five Finger Mountain doesn't mean I can't. Chen Tong clenched his fists, his expression tense, ready to flee.

As if sensing Chen Tong's intentions, Tathagata smiled faintly, seemingly unconcerned by everything.

"Little friend, don't you want to save Sun Wukong anymore?"

Chen Tong, whose expression was tense, froze. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind!

What's going on? Does he know I tampered with the Journey to the West plan? That's impossible. Only I knew about this, how could he know? Is he just guessing? Yes, he must be guessing. Chen Tong didn't overthink it and immediately solidified his belief.

"Tathagata, I have no friendship with Sun Wukong, nor any connection. Your question is very strange."

"Heh heh~" Tathagata gave a noncommittal smile. "Little friend, my Buddhist sect emphasizes non-action. Whether it is or isn't, it is in your heart. Why don't you come up and sit for a while?" As he spoke, Tathagata waved his Buddhist hand, and a prayer mat hung in the air.

Chen Tong immediately became vigilant. This old thief, who appeared to do nothing but was actually doing everything, feared that if he sat down, he would fall into his trap. Hmph, does he really think I'm an idiot?

Chen Tong looked around, then sat cross-legged in the water. "I naturally love water. I think this place is quite good. If you have something to say, hurry up and say it."

"So that's how it is!" Tathagata seemed to understand something, a deep meaning flashing in the depths of his eyes. "Very well, I invited you here, little friend, simply to ask you to hand over the item!"

"Item?" Chen Tong was stunned. "What item?"

"Little friend, an innocent man is guilty when he possesses a treasure. You should understand this principle." Tathagata's tone was still gentle, but with a hint of coldness.

Chen Tong narrowed his eyes. At this point, how could he not understand what was going on? This old thief was just like the Jade Emperor, surely thinking he had some divine artifact of the Heavenly Dao on him.

"What if I don't hand it over!" Chen Tong's voice also grew cold, as if he was about to fight if they disagreed.

"Heh heh!" Tathagata sneered. "With your Golden Immortal cultivation, how can you protect this divine artifact of the Heavenly Dao? Hand it over to me, and you can have peace."

As he spoke, a faint golden light emanated from Tathagata's body, and golden characters began to spread outwards!

"Although I don't know what kind of divine artifact of the Heavenly Dao you are hiding, after observing you for a few days, I suspect it is related to water. Such a divine object has never appeared even in ancient times, so how could I not be tempted?"

Chen Tong looked at the golden characters spreading around him, forming chains and cages. He showed unconcealed disdain on his face.

"Hmph, since you know it's related to water, you should also know that in water, nothing in heaven and earth can trap me."

He thought, and with a turn of his mind, cold sweat broke out the next second. Damn it, I can't mobilize my divine power. What... what is going on?

"Hahaha!" Seeing Chen Tong's predicament, Tathagata burst into laughter, though the sound was extremely jarring.

"Stop wasting your energy. This river is the Spiritual River of my Spiritual Mountain, formed by the power of sentient beings' faith and nurtured by my laws. As long as I don't wish it, you cannot escape."

Chen Tong struggled with all his might, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't mobilize his divine power. His body felt as if it were imprisoned.

"Damn it!"

System, are you still alive? Give me a solution quickly.

Chen Tong glared at Tathagata, wishing he could tear apart this hypocritical fellow.

"Old thief!" Chen Tong angrily pointed at Tathagata. "If you have the guts, release me and let's have a fair fight. What kind of Buddha are you, resorting to such petty tricks?"

Tathagata neither got angry nor happy. He slowly extended his left golden hand, then bent his five fingers. Chen Tong, who previously could not mobilize his divine power, now couldn't even move his body!

It's over. Am I going to die here today? Feeling his body unable to move, this was the greatest crisis Chen Tong had ever felt, as if death was beckoning him.

System... System... Hurry... Save me! Chen Tong shouted inwardly, hoping the dormant system would wake up.

Under the illumination of Tathagata's palm, Chen Tong was completely exposed. A vast divine sense continuously bombarded his mind, trying to probe all his secrets.

"Ah!!"

The intense pain in his mind made him let out a heart-wrenching scream, as if he wanted to shatter the heavens, but Tathagata was a supreme being. As long as he didn't wish it, no one could hear the commotion here.

Tathagata slowly opened his eyes, looking at Chen Tong with interest. "The item on you truly makes me incredulous. You even know the Jade Emperor's Five Thunders Technique."

Tathagata gave Chen Tong a deep look, then continued to assault the barrier in his mind. Tathagata knew that was where the divine artifact of the Heavenly Dao must be.

"Ah!!!"

Chen Tong had reached the limit of pain. What is the limit? It's when you can't bear any more pain, yet you can't faint. That is the limit.

Tathagata continued his assault. Suddenly, his brow furrowed, and the laws that permeated his body dimmed slightly. In an instant, Chen Tong seized this gap and quickly escaped from here, leaving only a faint voice behind!

"Old thief Tathagata, as long as I, Chen Tong, am alive, you will await my wrath."

Tathagata looked at the disappearing Chen Tong, his expression quite solemn, yet tinged with a hint of strangeness.

Just now, when he was assaulting Chen Tong's mind, a force had phản ứng his divine sense! "What kind of divine artifact of the Heavenly Dao is this, to possess such power?" Tathagata's heart was unable to calm down for a long time.

In the boundless sea, beneath the deep blue water, Chen Tong lay flat, his eyes closed. Two bloody streaks ran down his cheeks, his face as pale as a sheet of paper, floating aimlessly like a corpse.

At this moment, a vortex appeared ahead, disturbing the surrounding seawater and creating ripples. Interspersed within were sounds of playfulness, like a neighborhood girl splashing in the water.

"Princess, stop playing. The Dragon King will blame us if he finds out."

"Yes, Princess, let's go back quickly."

"Hehe!" A mischievous voice rang out, beautiful and pleasant, tender yet ethereal.

"You two! It's not often that I, this Princess, get to come out and play. Why would I go back now? Come on, keep playing with me."

The girl who called herself Princess, with a playful laugh, turned around to move forward again when she suddenly discovered a corpse ahead. Her beautiful eyes widened in surprise, and out of curiosity, she flew forward quickly.

The two maids exchanged glances and quickly followed. When they reached the corpse, they screamed, "Ah!" and whispered tremblingly, "A... dead... person."

"Princess!"

They quickly stopped her as the Princess was about to touch the corpse. The Princess rolled her eyes at them. "It's just a corpse, what's the big fuss about?"

Then she examined the corpse before her closely. His face was handsome, his eyes like peach blossoms, his lips like cherries. Such a handsome man, it was a pity he was dead.