As soon as Tathagata finished speaking, not only was Sect Leader Tongtian completely baffled, but Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun, who had been watching from the sidelines, felt as if their brains couldn't keep up, either.
What was all this supposed to mean?
Wasn't it an obvious fact that the Three Pure Ones were at odds?
And as for the Four Saints ganging up on someone?
Sure, it didn't look good for their reputations, but it had really happened!
How had it become a case of the Three Pure Ones playing the Two Saints of the West for fools?
That was not something they could go around saying!
If those two idiots actually believed it, getting them to act as their pawns in the future would be much harder!
With that in mind,
before Tongtian could even figure out how to explain that the Three Pure Ones really were at odds, Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun arrived together.
"Junior Brother, you certainly made us search high and low for you!"
"Oh?"
At their words, Sect Leader Tongtian looked up at Taishang Laojun's kindly expression and Yuanshi Tianzun's impassive face beside him. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Senior Brothers, shouldn't you be helping Buddhism spread its teachings? What do you want with me?"
"Help them spread their teachings? As if they deserve it!"
Yuanshi Tianzun's temper was as fiery as ever. The moment he heard Sect Leader Tongtian say that, he couldn't help retorting:
"Allowing them to spread their teachings is already the limit. How could I possibly help them do it?"
"Second Senior Brother, that doesn't sound right."
Meeting Yuanshi Tianzun's puzzled gaze, Sect Leader Tongtian feigned confusion. "As I recall, weren't you the one who took the initiative to hand them the right to spread their teachings?"
"..."
Yuanshi Tianzun's expression stiffened. He clearly hadn't expected Sect Leader Tongtian to have that retort waiting for him. He wanted to explain, but didn't know what to say.
Seeing this, Taishang Laojun cursed the useless fool under his breath and smoothly took over.
"Junior Brother, the eastward transmission of Buddhist teachings was decreed by the Dao Ancestor and the Heavenly Dao. It has nothing to do with us."
"Is that so?"
Sect Leader Tongtian smiled without committing himself. "In that case, may I ask what urgent business brought you two Senior Brothers here to see me?"
"Uh..."
Taishang Laojun's expression stiffened, too.
Something wasn't right.
Hadn't they come to see Tongtian because Tang Sanzang and Guanyin had been taken out, hindering Buddhism's eastward transmission?
What were they supposed to say now?
After all, he'd just said that the eastward transmission had nothing to do with them. Was he supposed to turn around and use it to pick a fight?
The more Taishang Laojun thought about it, the more confused he became. He looked up at Tongtian. Had the man done this on purpose, or was it just a coincidence?
"Junior Brother, do you really have no idea why we came looking for you?"
Seeing Taishang Laojun suddenly fall silent, Yuanshi Tianzun snapped back to his senses and immediately turned his ire on Tongtian.
He wanted revenge!
He was always the one who humiliated others. Since when had anyone dared to humiliate him?
"Senior Brother, I really don't know."
Sect Leader Tongtian shook his head with a smile, his tone teasing. "Why don't you spell it out? What exactly brought you here?"
Before Yuanshi Tianzun could answer, Sect Leader Tongtian paused and slapped his forehead as if suddenly realizing something.
"Could it be that you felt terrible about ganging up on your little brother with outsiders last time, and came to apologize?"
"If that's it, there's no need!"
"Sure, you were willing to team up with outsiders to harm your little brother for the sake of fortune, but would I really hold a grudge against you?"
"Don't you agree?"
"???"
Under Sect Leader Tongtian's mocking gaze, Yuanshi Tianzun's old face turned red, then black, then white. His body trembled despite himself.
He couldn't take it anymore!
If he didn't beat that bastard Tongtian to a pulp today, he wouldn't deserve to have been publicly humiliated like this.
But—
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Before Yuanshi Tianzun could think of an excuse to start a fight, a violent disturbance in the Chaos interrupted his impulse.
"What's going on??"
Feeling the shockwaves of battle coming from the Chaos, Yuanshi Tianzun snapped back to his senses and instinctively turned to Taishang Laojun.
Who was fighting?
Jieyin, Zhunti, and Tongtian?
That couldn't be right!
Wasn't Tongtian right here?
Had Jieyin and Zhunti failed to notice that Tongtian had returned, and were still in the Chaos trying to outwit "himself"?
"Junior Brother, go take a look!"
Taishang Laojun frowned as he gave the order. His instincts told him something about this was off.
Or rather, he didn't think the Two Saints of the West could be that stupid.
Surely they hadn't failed to notice that Tongtian had left?
If that really was the case, then there could only be one explanation: they were up to no good.
"Fine!"
Yuanshi Tianzun didn't hesitate. He answered and transformed into a streak of light, flying toward the Chaos.
"Master!"
Seeing this, Bi Xiao called out to Tongtian anxiously. She knew her master was fighting two opponents in the Chaos.
If Yuanshi Tianzun joined the battle too...
"Don't worry!"
Journey to the West Tongtian sent her a reassuring message with a smile. "Junior Sister Nuwa has already gone after them. If they really come to blows, we won't be at a disadvantage!"
"Besides..."
Glancing at Taishang Laojun's solemn expression, Sect Leader Tongtian's smile deepened. "Your Eldest Martial Uncle isn't one to act on impulse. He won't enter the fray without being sure of victory!"
And that was exactly the case.
When Yuanshi Tianzun failed to return, Taishang Laojun felt inexplicably uneasy. He forced a smile, hoping to smooth things over.
"Junior Brother Tongtian, Buddhism must have suffered a heavy blow from this. What do you plan to do next?"
"Huh? Me?"
Tongtian pointed at himself in feigned surprise. "Senior Brother, what do you mean? Of course I'll follow Master's instructions and continue reflecting on myself in Biyou Palace!"
"..."
Taishang Laojun could barely maintain his already strained smile. He wanted to ask: Is this how you reflect on yourself?
Good grief!
He kept saying he was going to reflect on himself, but then he took the remnants of the Interception Sect and wiped out Buddhism in the blink of an eye?
What the hell...
Wait!
Taishang Laojun glanced over the crowd behind Tongtian and suddenly noticed something odd. Hadn't Duobao long since defected from the sect and become Tathagata of Buddhism?
Then who was this?
And hadn't Dingguang Xian become Joyful Buddha of Buddhism?
Who was this one, then?
And there were Piluxian, Lingya, Qiushou...
He could accept it if Tongtian had brought back those whose souls had been scattered. But how had another one appeared out of nowhere?
Could this one be a fake?
Taishang Laojun frowned and extended his divine sense, examining Daoist Duobao, Dingguang Xian, and the others. At last, he reached a conclusion.
They were the real deal!
Not only were these people not some sort of transformed impostors, but even their soul auras showed no sign of having been corrupted by Buddhism.
"Junior Brother Tongtian, who are these people?"
Unable to suppress his curiosity, Taishang Laojun raised a hand and pointed at Daoist Duobao, who was still facing off against Tathagata and the others.
"If I remember correctly, Duobao defected from the sect quite some time ago. Could it be that you missed him so much that you had Junior Sister Nuwa sculpt another one for you?"
By the end, Taishang Laojun couldn't help laughing. Even he thought his guess was absurd.
But when he looked up...
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