Lingxiao Hall

Journey to the West,

Beneath Five Finger Mountain,

After helping Sun Wukong remove the golden headband and watching him leave, Sect Leader Tongtian glanced at Xuanming curiously.

"You brat, you're just letting him go like that?"

"What else?"

Xuanming spread his hands. "He's a disciple Zhunti carefully chose. If we don't first let him see Buddhism's true face, wouldn't raising him just benefit Buddhism?"

"Zhunti's disciple?!"

A flash of killing intent crossed Tongtian's eyes. Frowning, he said, "Xuanming, since you know he's Zhunti's disciple, why not just kill him? Do you think there's still room for reconciliation between us and the West?"

"Of course not!"

Xuanming shook his head. Seeing Tongtian's confused expression, he smiled and explained, "Grandmaster, the West has taken so many of our disciples. Isn't it fair for us to take one of theirs?"

"Is that necessary?"

Tongtian still wasn't convinced. He hated traitors more than anything, whether they betrayed him or someone else.

"Of course it is!"

Xuanming's expression grew serious. "At this point in time, he's the one with the best chance of becoming a saint."

"What's more..."

At this, Xuanming's expression shifted. His tone turned a little strange as he said, "If we're being honest, this monkey is Nuwa's child. We should at least show her some respect!"

Sect Leader Tongtian: "???"

While Sect Leader Tongtian and Xuanming argued over whether Sun Wukong's talent was truly exceptional,

at Spirit Mountain,

in the Great Hero Hall,

Tathagata sat at the head of the hall, his expression grave. He had a nagging feeling that something terrible was about to happen, as if some calamity were about to descend.

Yet when he tried to divine what was coming, he found nothing.

"Guanyin Bodhisattva!"

He called for his trusted aide without thinking. Tathagata was about to ask about Tang Sanzang and his disciples when a wail came from beside him.

"B-Bad news!"

"My Buddha, my Buddha, something terrible has happened!"

"..."

Tathagata's face darkened. As he watched an arhat stumble into the hall, his already frayed nerves gave way to a surge of anger.

"Have you no sense of decorum? What, has the sky fallen?"

"Waaah, waaah..."

Bathed in Tathagata's Buddhist voice, the arhat burst into tears. Sobbing, he reported, "My Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva and Jin Chanzi—their Buddha spirits have shattered!"

"What?!"

"That's impossible!"

"How could this happen?!"

As the arhat's words rang out, the arhats and bodhisattvas who had been sitting quietly along the sides of the Great Hero Hall were stunned.

What was that?

Guanyin Bodhisattva and Jin Chanzi's Buddha spirits had shattered?

How could that be possible?

For one thing, Guanyin Bodhisattva was a veteran Great Unity Golden Immortal. In a real fight, even a newly advanced Quasi-Saint might not be her match.

And then there was Jin Chanzi.

As a key piece in Buddhism's plans, he had protective spells personally placed on him by Tathagata and the other Buddhas. Word had it that he was even under the protection of the legendary Saint.

How could the Buddha spirit of someone like him be destroyed?

The Buddhas weren't the only ones who refused to believe it.

When Tathagata came to his senses, he found it just as hard to accept. He reached out before he could stop himself and yanked the Buddha in front of him.

"Speak! Who are you, and what are you doing at Spirit Mountain?!"

"My Buddha, I..."

The Buddha stared at him with bloodshot eyes, his expression despairing. "If you don't believe me, go and see for yourself! Something really did happen to Guanyin Bodhisattva and Jin Chanzi!"

"..."

Tathagata took a deep breath. Reason told him the man had to be talking nonsense. How could anything have happened to Guanyin and Jin Chanzi?

But his body moved on its own, and he vanished from the Great Hero Hall.

The next moment...

BOOM!!

An aura of despair, brutality, and bloodlust surged from Spirit Mountain. Tathagata's voice, thick with murderous intent, rang out for thousands of miles.

"You old Jade Emperor! How dare you?! Do you really think I wouldn't kill you?"

"Men!!"

"Gather a hundred thousand monks! Follow me and flatten Lingxiao Hall!!"

"..."

Hearing Tathagata's furious voice, all the members of Buddhism—whether they were in seclusion, sneaking a bite to eat, or meeting with their lovers—were stunned.

What was that?

Flatten Lingxiao Hall?

Come on!

Buddhism had secured a chance to flourish by backing Chanjiao and Renjiao last time, but they hadn't even started flourishing yet!

Never mind the rest. Their two Saints in the West were no match for Taishang and Yuanshi!

Attacking Heaven right now?

That was like a long-lived man swallowing poison—asking for death!

So,

the ancient Buddha faction, led by Burning Lamp Buddha, stormed furiously into the Great Hero Hall. Once they found Tathagata, they immediately laid into him.

"Tathagata, are you trying to destroy Buddhism?!"

"Exactly! Exactly!"

"Have you even considered what it would mean to start a war with Heaven? Do the Saints know you're being so reckless?!"

"Take back your order, now!"

"If this gets out of hand, how will you answer to the Saints?!"

"..."

Tathagata looked at the Buddhas before him—Burning Lamp, Maitreya, Medicine Master, and Amitabha—who appeared angry but were secretly delighted. Having regained his composure, he could only sigh.

"Guanyin Bodhisattva and Jin Chanzi's Buddha spirits have shattered. If you all think this doesn't matter, then I'll take back my order!"

"What?!"

"That's impossible!"

"The Saints agreed on this! Who would dare interfere? Could there be some mistake?!"

The Buddhas were stunned. Once they recovered, they started talking over one another, every face wearing the look of someone watching the sky fall.

That was right!

The sky had fallen!

No matter who had done this, as the current leaders of Buddhism, they were bound to become the Saints' scapegoats.

So,

after a brief panic, they quickly reached a consensus: they had to drag Heaven into this.

If the Two Saints of the West and the Two Saints of the East fought each other, wouldn't they be too busy to deal with them?

And even if they didn't fight, they could still shift the blame!

What could they do if a Saint intervened?

If the Two Saints of the West were too incompetent to get justice for Buddhism, were they really going to punish their loyal subordinates instead?

And so,

the eight great Buddhas of Buddhism—Quasi-Saints—more than twenty bodhisattvas—Great Unity Golden Immortals—and hundreds of arhats—Grand Unity Golden Immortals—set off with the hundred thousand monks they had gathered, marching in a mighty host toward Heaven.

Meanwhile,

in Heaven,

at Lingxiao Hall,

the Jade Emperor, still unaware that disaster was upon him, frowned at Taibai Jinxing before him, his tone tinged with suspicion.

"You're saying Yunxiao, one of the San Xiao, escaped from Kirin Cliff? And she's now at Heaven, contacting the former members of the Interception Sect?"

"Your Majesty, it's absolutely true!"

Taibai Jinxing looked grave, his voice heavy. "Zhao Gongming, Wen Zhong, and the others have all visited the San Xiao residence in recent days. According to those who saw them, they were wearing unmistakable smiles when they left!"

Jade Emperor: "Tsk~!"