Daoist Duobao's actions had left not only Bi Xiao and the Interception Sect disciples dumbfounded. Even Sect Leader Tongtian and Xuanming, who were watching over the battle nearby, looked startled.
"This..."
Watching Daoist Duobao hammer Buddha Tathagata until he was completely dazed, Xuanming came back to his senses and scratched his head.
"Grandmaster, I think I understand why you didn't deal with him!"
"You understand? What do you understand?"
Sect Leader Tongtian glanced up at the scene, then looked down at Xuanming and shook his head in exasperation.
"Was I not dealing with him? I brought him here so he could die knowing why!"
"Uh..."
Xuanming paused, then murmured in surprise, "Grandmaster, I thought you didn't want to use a future mistake to deal with Eldest Martial Uncle in the present!"
"Hmm???"
Sect Leader Tongtian mulled over Xuanming's words, then nodded thoughtfully. "Not using a future mistake to punish Duobao in the present? Where did you hear that kind of reasoning, you brat? It seems rather interesting!"
"..."
Xuanming's mouth twitched. He didn't dare say another word and hurriedly turned his attention back to the scene.
By now, the battle had reached its boiling point.
Although Buddha Tathagata had no idea what was going on, he didn't simply sit back and take the attacks raining down on him. He summoned his magical treasures and began defending himself, even counterattacking.
That put Daoist Duobao at a disadvantage.
After all, he was tens of thousands of years behind Buddha Tathagata in cultivation. On top of that, Tathagata had learned a few new things after joining Buddhism. It took only a short while for Duobao to show signs of defeat.
But he hadn't come alone. The entire Interception Sect stood behind him!
After taking one of Tathagata's blows head-on, Daoist Duobao turned to look behind him and shouted, "Fellow disciples, why haven't you come to help me?!"
"Coming!!"
Although Bi Xiao had been accusing Daoist Duobao of betraying the sect, as long as Sect Leader Tongtian hadn't said otherwise, he was still the Interception Sect's Senior Brother.
Therefore,
At Daoist Duobao's call, the Interception Sect disciples, including Golden Spirit Mother and Holy Mother Wudang, surged forward all at once.
Now it was Tathagata's turn to be overwhelmed!
After all, he was only at the peak of the Quasi-Saint realm. Facing several late-stage Quasi-Saints and even peak Quasi-Saints, one wrong move could shatter the body he had only just created.
"Everyone, this is a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!"
After instinctively retreating dozens of miles, Buddha Tathagata watched the Interception Sect disciples across from him lower their hands. As he sent a distress signal to Buddhism, he smiled bitterly and stalled for time.
"I still have no idea what's going on. If I'm going to die, shouldn't I at least die knowing why?"
"What is there you don't understand?"
Bi Xiao planted her hands on her hips and pointed at Buddha Tathagata, shouting, "You traitor! You betrayed the Interception Sect and committed countless misdeeds. We've come from the past to deal with you!"
"This..."
Tathagata froze at her words. What did she mean, they had come from the past to deal with him? Could it be that they had already found a way to leap beyond the river of time?
Impossible!
What if they were all Quasi-Saints, just like him? Even if a Saint stood before them, so what?
Could Jieyin, Zhunti, or even his former master, Sect Leader Tongtian, claim to travel freely through the river of time?
Let alone bring such a large group of people along!
Impossible!
It was absolutely impossible!
They had to be some faction that didn't dare show its face, using the appearances of these former Interception Sect disciples to suppress Buddhism!
That had to be it!
Having convinced himself he'd figured everything out, Buddha Tathagata's wavering resolve steadied at once.
"Amitabha!"
Buddha Tathagata softly intoned a Buddhist chant and stared at the Interception Sect disciples across from him, his voice full of disdain.
"Cowards who hide their faces, dare you reveal your true forms?"
Seeing the people across from him staring blankly, Tathagata decided he must have hit the mark, so he added, "If you dare attack Buddhism, then don't be afraid of its retaliation! Hiding your faces won't help you in front of the Saints!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Hearing Tathagata grow more and more arrogant, Sect Leader Tongtian could no longer hold back. He appeared in midair.
"Duobao, I've revealed myself. What do you have to say?"
"???"
Buddha Tathagata's expression stiffened. The words at the tip of his tongue promptly died in his throat.
What did he have to say?
Shouldn't the question be what he dared to say?
What could he say!
Good grief!
Back when Yuanshi Tianzun and the others were beating us senseless, you old rascal were nowhere to be seen.
And now?
All he'd done was leave the Interception Sect and join the Western Teachings. Was it really worth chasing him down to kill him, when you were a Saint?
It absolutely wasn't!
The more Tathagata thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt. Just as he was about to lie down and accept the mockery, a ripple suddenly appeared in midair.
Then the voices of Daoist Jieyin and Zhunti rang out, gritted with anger.
"Fellow Daoist Tongtian, you certainly made us search high and low for you!"
"Oh?"
Sect Leader Tongtian seemed to have noticed them long ago. He showed no surprise, instead watching them with a smile.
"Fellow Daoist Jieyin, Fellow Daoist Zhunti, what business do you have with me? Have you come to apologize?"
Without waiting for Jieyin and Zhunti to answer, Tongtian waved a hand grandly, facing their stiff expressions.
"I told you long ago: what's past is past. There's no need to dwell on it!"
"See? I've already forgotten how you two ganged up on me back then and fought me for three whole days and nights, plus another three hours, yet still failed to defeat me!"
"I remember correctly, don't I?"
"You?!"
Jieyin and Zhunti had already looked sorrowful, and after Tongtian seized the chance to berate them, their expressions grew even darker.
Still, hearing Tongtian's sharp words, they couldn't help feeling a little puzzled.
"Fellow Daoist Tongtian, you've changed quite a bit since we last met!"
"Really? I think so too!"
Sect Leader Tongtian nodded in agreement.
He had noticed it himself.
Ever since he learned that his two elder brothers had shamelessly attacked his disciples, he'd felt a liberating sense of having cast off all restraint.
In the past, whenever he encountered Chanjiao's disciples, or even those from the Western Teachings, he treated them all as if they were his own disciples.
After all, adults' grievances shouldn't involve children. Wasn't that the most basic principle?
But now?
To hell with that!
If Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun could do those things, why couldn't he?
Forget the people of the Western Teachings. Even if he ran into Chanjiao's Twelve Golden Immortals right now, he could slap every last one of them to death!
"You?!"
Jieyin and Zhunti clearly hadn't expected Sect Leader Tongtian to change so much. For a moment, they didn't know what to say. In the end, Randeng and the others' arrival broke the stalemate.
"Milords, something terrible has happened!"
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