"Just as expected of Senior Brother! You could even see through that?"
Sect Leader Tongtian put on an astonished look and nodded. He even remembered to give Taishang Laojun a thumbs-up.
"That's right!"
"These are people I made after asking Junior Sister Nuwa to use the leftover life-restoring soil to mold them."
Sect Leader Tongtian beckoned Daoist Duobao over. When he came closer, Tongtian smiled and gestured for him to stand in front of Taishang Laojun.
"Senior Brother, take a look. Don't they look alike?"
"..."
Taishang Laojun's face darkened. The words, "Like your mother," caught in his throat, and he couldn't swallow them back down for a long while.
He'd figured it out!
Ever since Daoist Ancestor had locked Tongtian up for a spell, the kid had seemed to cut loose and stopped caring about his image altogether.
But he couldn't do that!
As the eldest of the Three Pure Ones and the greatest Sage in the Primordial World beneath Daoist Ancestor, Taishang Laojun still cared about saving face.
So,
faced with Sect Leader Tongtian's nonsense, all he could do was give a dry laugh and awkwardly change the subject.
"You jest, Junior Brother. Junior Sister Nuwa may be skilled at molding people, but she couldn't mold this level of cultivation."
After speaking, Taishang Laojun didn't give Tongtian a chance to respond. He looked toward the endless chaos, where the battle was growing fiercer by the moment.
"Junior Brother, Second Senior Brother may be in trouble. Shall we go take a look together?"
"Excellent!"
Sect Leader Tongtian nodded indifferently. But after Taishang Laojun went ahead, Tongtian glanced at Xuanming and the others with some concern.
"Boy, if anything seems off, head back first. Understood?"
"Grandmaster, don't worry!"
Xuanming quickly agreed. He knew Tongtian was worried that the shockwaves from the Sages' battle might hit them.
Or, to put it more bluntly, Tongtian feared Jieyin and Zhunti might throw away all pretense and attack them junior disciples directly.
But Xuanming wasn't the least bit afraid.
It wasn't that he was arrogant. Rather, the task to destroy Buddhism was already over ninety percent complete.
Once the task was complete?
Heh!
Just the Hunyuan Grand Unity Golden Immortal Fruit Position could make someone a Sage. Add in the Primordial Violet Qi and the Chaos Supreme Treasure...
He couldn't imagine what the Four Sages of the Journey to the West could possibly use to resist them!
Were they counting on Hong Jun and the Heavenly Dao?
As long as they didn't act too arrogantly or go around destroying heaven and earth, Hong Jun and the Heavenly Dao wouldn't pay them the slightest attention.
Hadn't anyone noticed that no one had come to intervene even after Spirit Mountain was destroyed?
The Heavenly Dao was an arbiter, not a nanny!
Why would it meddle in a contest where everyone relied on their own abilities? Did they really think the West and Buddhism were the Heavenly Dao's darlings?
What a load of crap!
With that thought, Xuanming casually closed the system notification floating in front of him and looked toward Daoist Duobao nearby.
"Martial Uncle Duobao, if you're done catching up, then settle this battle quickly. The longer we wait, the more likely something will change!"
"Understood!"
Daoist Duobao snapped back to his senses, forcing down his shock as he stared intently at Tathagata. "Fellow Daoist, you've seen the situation. If you don't want to suffer before you die, I suggest you cooperate."
"I..."
Tathagata opened his mouth. He wanted to say that the outcome was still uncertain.
But when he looked up and saw the growing crowd of Interception Sect disciples around him, the words on the tip of his tongue became, "Fellow Daoist, the Sages haven't decided the victor yet. Isn't it inappropriate for you to act like this?"
"That's no concern of yours!"
Daoist Duobao expressionlessly waved a hand. The others, led by Golden Spirit Mother, immediately surrounded Tathagata, Randeng, Dingguang Xian, and the rest.
"Fellow Daoist, this is your last chance. Will you talk or not?"
"..."
Tathagata looked around at the Quasi-Saints, all of whom were grinning at him. Sweat immediately poured down his chubby face.
Could he really refuse?
Obviously not!
Forget that he couldn't withstand even one slap from each of these Quasi-Saints. Even if he managed to escape this time, what good would it do him?
He was a man targeted by a Sage!
Unless Tongtian was killed by the Two Saints of the West, there was no way he'd survive, given Tongtian's vindictive nature.
At that thought, Tathagata sighed and simply sat down cross-legged on the spot.
"Fellow Daoist, ask whatever you want."
"Why did you betray the sect?"
Daoist Duobao didn't waste any time. He asked outright, "Given your standing in the Interception Sect and how much our Master trusted you, I can't think of any reason you'd betray the sect!"
"Why? Heh..."
At Duobao's question, Tathagata's lips curled into a smile that was barely better than a grimace.
"Fellow Daoist, do you really need to ask? What else could it be? I wanted to live!"
"Bullshit!"
Daoist Duobao's expression turned cold, and he cursed without hesitation. "The worst that could happen is you give up your body and have your true spirit take a turn on the Investiture of the Gods."
"Besides, so many of our fellow disciples are already on the Investiture of the Gods. Why should you be any different?"
"Heh... You've hit the nail on the head!"
Tathagata raised his large head. The smile disappeared from his face as he sighed. "Fellow Daoist, do you think I'm the same as them?"
"I'm the Interception Sect's Senior Brother, second only to our Master!"
"The Heavenly Court only needs a few ordinary fighters. They don't need the Interception Sect's Senior Brother taking power away from the Jade Emperor."
"So I had only one fate awaiting me: utter annihilation!"
Tathagata paused, a mocking smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "Fellow Daoist, what would you do in my place?"
"Would you just sit there and wait for your soul to be annihilated?"
"Or would you do everything you could to save your own life first, and worry about the rest later?"
"This...!"
As Tathagata finished speaking, Daoist Duobao furrowed his brows. It was indeed a difficult question for him.
By rights, as the Interception Sect's Senior Brother, he shouldn't betray the sect, no matter what fate awaited him.
But what if that day really came?
Would he be able to hold out?
Or, knowing death was certain, how many people could stay true to themselves and face it head-on?
"That still doesn't make sense!"
Just as Daoist Duobao fell into thought, pondering who knew what, Dingguang Xian beside him objected.
"If you ask me, that's all just an excuse!"
Under Tathagata's surprised gaze, Dingguang Xian spoke in a low voice. "You say you betrayed the sect to save your own life. Then why, after betraying it, did you oppress our Interception Sect disciples without restraint?"
Seeing Tathagata about to argue, Long-eared Dingguang Xian snorted.
"Go on, make something up. I'd love to hear what excuse you have for treating Qiushou and Lingya—your fellow Seven Attendant Immortals—like that!"
"Exactly, exactly..."
Hearing this, Qiushou and Lingya stepped forward in displeasure. "We treated you as our Senior Brother, yet you sent us to serve those baldies as mounts?"
"That's outrageous!"
"Deputy Sect Leader..."
Turning to Xuanming, who was still watching the show, Qiushou and Lingya clasped their hands together. "This fellow was obviously brainwashed by Buddhism. We beg the Deputy Sect Leader not to go soft. Clean house at once!"
Before you continue