"Golden Cicada, once you descend to the mortal realm, don't forget your master's instructions."
Golden Cicada pressed his palms together before Guanyin, his manner exceedingly humble. "Rest assured. This disciple will not fail you."
"Too bad. You're too late."
A voice came out of nowhere. Chen Tong appeared before them with the Ninth Princess.
"Little monk, all you did was doze off in class, and your Buddha cast you into the mortal world to experience birth, old age, sickness, and death, and suffer the pains of reincarnation. Do you resent him?"
"Amitabha!" Golden Cicada looked serene. Curious about the sudden arrival, he said, "Patron, I don't understand what you mean. Descending to the mortal realm is a way to enlighten all beings and attain ultimate bliss. Where is the suffering? Where is the resentment?"
"Hmph, that foolish bald monk got sold out by his Buddha and is still feeling smug about it. He's beyond saving." Chen Tong lowered his voice and muttered to the Ninth Princess beside him.
"Brother Chen, I think we should leave. Can't you see how angry Bodhisattva Guanyin looks?" The Ninth Princess tugged at Chen Tong's sleeve.
"Hmph, she never looked that good to begin with. Neither man nor woman." Chen Tong tossed out the remark without warning. His voice wasn't loud, but the danger in it made the Ninth Princess beside him too scared to even look up.
"Hmph!" Bodhisattva Guanyin sneered. "Your whispered conversation has certainly delighted me."
"Bodhisattva, please forgive us. We didn't mean to offend you." The Ninth Princess was about to drop to her knees, but the moment her legs bent, an inexplicable force straightened them again!
As she wondered what was happening, a faint voice reached her ears. "I permit you to kneel before heaven and earth, and before your parents. Other than that, nothing in this world is worthy of your knees."
"Ah... Brother Chen!" The Ninth Princess stared blankly at Chen Tong's calm face. Bodhisattva Guanyin's expression had already darkened, and Golden Cicada hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over. "Patron, if you have nothing else to do, you should leave at once."
"Fine. As long as you don't descend to the mortal realm, I'll leave right now."
"Absurd!" Before Golden Cicada could react, Guanyin flared up. "Since when is it an outsider's place to interfere in Buddhist affairs? Leave at once if you know what's good for you, or don't blame me for showing no mercy."
"Mercy?" Chen Tong sneered. "Guanyin, we're strangers. What mercy could there be between us? I may not be able to beat Old Thief Tathagata, but do you think I can't deal with underlings like you?"
As soon as Chen Tong finished speaking, a green willow branch shot straight toward his forehead, aiming to smash it open.
"Brother Chen, look out!" The Ninth Princess was worried, but her reaction was too slow. By the time she called out, Chen Tong had already dodged the attack.
"Golden Cicada, time is almost up. Hurry and descend to the mortal realm. I'll deal with this brat," Guanyin reminded him.
"Hmph, as long as I'm here, you're not going anywhere." Chen Tong spun around, leaving behind only an afterimage. By the time he reappeared, he was already in front of Golden Cicada.
Golden Cicada jumped in fright. "Patron, what are you—"
"Come with me!" Chen Tong grabbed his hand, but Golden Cicada wrenched himself free. "I'm not going! Time is almost up. I have to descend to the mortal realm."
"In your dreams!" Chen Tong reached out to stop him. Golden Cicada's expression darkened, and he struck with a palm. Chen Tong blocked with all his might, and a wave of energy sent them both flying apart. They didn't stop until they had each retreated more than a dozen paces.
"As expected of Old Thief Tathagata's second disciple. Your mind may be rigid, but your cultivation is undeniably impressive."
Chen Tong had barely finished praising him when Guanyin attacked. More than a dozen green willow branches shot toward him.
"Golden Cicada, what are you waiting for? Hurry and descend to the mortal realm. Time is almost up!"
The willow branches were slender and seemed to pose no threat, yet they pinned Chen Tong down, leaving him unable to stop Golden Cicada for the moment. Damn it, is the mission going to fail?
"Jiu—!" Chen Tong was about to ask Jiu'er to hold Golden Cicada back, but he saw a streak of pink light dart past.
The Ninth Princess wasn't very fast, but she still managed to get in Golden Cicada's way.
"I don't know why Brother Chen wants to do this, but if it's what he wants, he must have his reasons. Master, please listen to him."
"Amitabha!" Looking at the ethereal and adorable young woman before him, Golden Cicada didn't know what to do. Just then, Guanyin's voice came from where she was fighting Chen Tong. "Golden Cicada, there's no time. Hurry and descend to the mortal realm."
"But..." Looking at the girl before him, Golden Cicada could only say, "Female patron, please move aside."
As he spoke, he sent a beam of Buddha Power toward her. The Ninth Princess raised both hands to block it, then suddenly shifted her gaze and let her strength go. The Buddha Power sent her flying far away. Golden Cicada froze, then flew after her without hesitation.
"Jiu'er!!" Seeing this, Chen Tong's heart lurched, then turned to fury. "You really think I can't beat you?"
Chen Tong formed a divine seal with both hands. Thunder filled the sky, bolts of lightning spreading everywhere as the heavens darkened. Soon, only wild flashes of lightning remained, bearing the might of an apocalypse.
Guanyin looked up at the sky, her expression growing grave. Could this be the Jade Emperor's Five-Thunder Divine Method? How could he know it...?
"Let the nine thunders descend! You can die now!"
As Chen Tong's furious roar rang out, dozens of lightning bolts as thick as barrels crashed down from the sky and struck Guanyin. At the same time, Guanyin withdrew all her divine power to withstand the apocalyptic Heavenly Lightning.
Chen Tong relaxed for an instant, then hurriedly flashed to the Ninth Princess's side. He struck at Golden Cicada with his palm. Golden Cicada was focused on checking her injuries, and Chen Tong moved too quickly. Caught off guard, Golden Cicada was blasted dozens of meters away, his Buddha image barely able to keep its footing.
"Jiu'er, are you all right?" Chen Tong helped her up, his face full of concern.
"Brother Chen, the master didn't mean any harm. Why did you hit him so hard?" The Ninth Princess said reproachfully.
"He didn't mean any harm? Just now, he—"
"Oh, that was on purpose." The Ninth Princess rolled her eyes at him.
By now, the sky had returned to its former brightness, and the wild lightning had disappeared. At some point, Guanyin had come to Golden Cicada's side. She let out a faint sigh.
"Alas, Golden Cicada, do you realize you've missed the time to descend to the mortal realm?"
"Amitabha. This disciple knows he was wrong." Golden Cicada bowed humbly.
"Alas, so be it. Let your master decide what becomes of you! But..." Guanyin's expression turned cold. "Before that, we must take this brat back to Spiritual Mountain to answer for his crimes."
"Brother Chen, Bodhisattva Guanyin is coming over. What do we do now?" The Ninth Princess clung tightly to Chen Tong's left arm, too timid to look up.
"It's fine. I may not be able to beat her in the sky, but can't I beat her at sea?"
As he spoke, Chen Tong glanced down at the sea. This was Guanyin's territory, and if he wasn't mistaken, the South Sea lay beneath them. If he gave it his all, he could reach the surface in an instant. Just then, the system's icy voice rang out!
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