Discussing Mahayana Buddhism with the Two Sages of the West?

Lion Camel Ridge.

The stench of blood mingled with the reek of corpses, blending with demon qi that shot into the heavens and turning everything within a thousand li into a murky, foul haze. Waves of wailing drifted out from within.

"In the Western world, there are two immortal blessed lands. Mount Sumeru is the sacred ground of the Two Sages of the West, while Spirit Mountain is guarded by their direct disciple, Maitreya Buddha."

"Beneath the Buddha's feet, demons and evil fiends slaughter the human race. How laughable..."

Lingxiao stood atop the World-Destroying Black Lotus, looking down at the crisscrossing auras below.

Killing intent surged in his heart, and the Kongtong Seal trembled.

After the Demon Race had slaughtered the human race without restraint to forge the Witch-Slaying Sword, ninety-nine percent of humanity had become corpses. Although the human population had continued to recover since then, it was already difficult for it to compare with what it had once been.

Most humans now lived and multiplied across the Eastern Continent. Those who had migrated to the Western Continent had gradually developed a civilization and faith uniquely their own.

The humans here believed in the Western Sect, firmly convinced that by doing good deeds and accumulating merit, they could enter the Western Paradise.

[ Ding! God-tier selection task successfully refreshed! ]

[ Choice One: Destroy Lion Camel Ridge and slaughter the demons. Reward: Xiantian Thunder Astral Origin. ]

[ Choice Two: The root of Lion Camel Ridge lies in the dealings of the Western Sect, the Golden-Winged Great Roc, and the others. Confront the Two Sages of the West face-to-face. Reward: top-grade Xiantian Spiritual Treasure, Demon-Suppressing Sword. ]

[ Choice Three: Persuade the Two Sages of the West and ask them to handle this matter. Reward: top-grade Xiantian Spiritual Treasure, Buddhist Path Relic! ]

The system's voice suddenly rang through Lingxiao's mind.

Three god-tier choices lay before Lingxiao!

"This humble Daoist understands now!"

"The reason the Western Sect indulges the Golden-Winged Great Roc and the others in their evil deeds at Lion Camel Ridge is, first, that they do not wish to forge karma with the Interception Sect and the Demon Court. Second, this matter benefits the Western Sect's efforts to gain believers among humanity."

"After the Interception Sect Heavenly Rules were abolished, the Golden-Winged Great Roc came to Lion Camel Ridge to massacre humans. From that time onward, the humans of the Western Continent gradually began believing in the Western Sect, without even needing the Western Sect's followers to convert them."

Lingxiao muttered to himself, suppressing the fury in his heart.

As Heavenly Dao Saints, Jieyin and Zhunti had nevertheless allowed the Demon Race to run rampant across the Western Continent, turning countless humans into bloody food in demon mouths and making Lion Camel Ridge into a forbidden land.

Destroy one Lion Camel Ridge, and countless more Lion Camel Ridges would appear in the future.

In the original history of the Primordial World—

During the Journey to the West Calamity, Tang Sanzang and his disciples left the Tang Dynasty of the Eastern Land to journey west in search of scriptures. Yet once they passed beyond the borders of the Tang Dynasty of the Eastern Land, the demons grew increasingly numerous and increasingly difficult to deal with.

The root of it all was the Western Sect's indulgence!

Without suffering and torment, why would humanity believe in the Western Paradise?

"System, this humble Daoist chooses Three!"

After considering it for a moment, Lingxiao immediately made his choice.

Confronting the Two Sages of the West face-to-face was not something he was foolish enough to do. Given how shameless those two fellow disciples were, how could they possibly admit to the dealings between the Western Sect and the Demon Race?

Therefore, he could only probe indirectly and lure them with profit!

[ Congratulations, Host, for obtaining the top-grade Xiantian Spiritual Treasure, Buddhist Path Relic! ]

Within the system space, Buddhist Path merit shone brilliantly.

The Buddhist Dharma was boundless, suppressing evil fiends and allowing one to comprehend the Buddhist Path.

With merely a flicker of divine sense, Lingxiao understood the wondrous uses of the Buddhist Path Relic. Compared to using the Twelve-Grade Merit Golden Lotus to suppress the Western Sect's fate, this Buddhist Path Relic was the best choice.

Thus, an idea arose in Lingxiao's mind...

Immediately afterward!

Standing upon the World-Destroying Black Lotus, Lingxiao headed for Mount Sumeru. He carefully sorted through his plan from beginning to end, ensuring that he would not be so passive when facing the Two Sages of the West.

On Mount Sumeru, spiritual grass and spiritual flowers swayed gently.

During the Dao-Devil Conflict, the earth veins of the Western world had been detonated by the Devil Ancestor Luo Hou. From then on, the Western world became a barren land, with only Mount Sumeru and Spirit Mountain remaining as two immortal blessed lands.

However, after Zhenyuanzi began repairing the earth veins of the Primordial World, the world origin and spiritual qi of the Western world had gradually begun to recover. Though it still could not compare to the Eastern Continent, it was at least no longer so desolate.

"This humble Daoist Lingxiao has come to visit the two Saints!"

His Dao voice rang out grandly, echoing through the air.

Lingxiao stood a hundred thousand li from Mount Sumeru, gazing at the merit golden light filling the sky and listening to the Sanskrit chants that affected the soul. A faint smile gradually curved his lips.

Could the Two Sages of the West resist the temptation of the Buddhist Path Relic?

"The arrival of the Qinghua Emperor of the Eastern Pole truly brings glory to Mount Sumeru! Fellow Daoist Lingxiao, come with this humble Daoist. The two masters are awaiting you at the summit of Mount Sumeru."

Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Buddha wore an elegant Daoist robe. He clasped his hands in a Daoist salute to Lingxiao, then stepped upon a phantom lotus and led Lingxiao toward the summit of Mount Sumeru.

The Western Sect of today was not yet the Buddhist Sect of later times.

Few Western Sect disciples wore kasayas. Only the Western Sect's believers dressed in monk's robes and shaved their heads, demonstrating their respect for the Buddha and their yearning for the Western Paradise.

Those of the Western Sect who had attained the Dao generally bore fleshy cranial protuberances atop their heads, symbolizing nobility, wisdom, and perfection—such as Maitreya Buddha and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

"Thank you for the trouble, Fellow Daoist!"

Lingxiao followed beside Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Buddha, a faint smile on his face.

Among the disciples of the Western Sect, only a scant few could be entrusted with great responsibilities, and Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Buddha was one of them.

Had Daoist Randeng, Daoist Duobao, Lu Ya, and the others not joined the Western Sect during the Investiture of the Gods Calamity, Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Buddha would, at the very least, have secured the fruition of a Buddha Patriarch.

"While the various sects contend, the Western Sect alone has grown dominant—it is truly lamentable! But now that I am stepping in, those people may fall, or they may be entered upon the Investiture of the Gods, but they must never be allowed to switch allegiances unscathed."

"In the Primordial World, the sects ought to remain balanced. Only the Heavenly Court can command the whole board!"

Lingxiao narrowed his eyes slightly as he calculated inwardly.

Jieyin and Zhunti had originally been nominal disciples of Hongjun the Dao Ancestor. Later, in order to prove their Dao and attain sainthood, they established an unorthodox path. In a sense, this was an act of defiance against Xuanmen and Hongjun the Dao Ancestor.

Yet in the end, this deed benefited the Primordial World, and so it was acknowledged by the Heavenly Dao.

A moment later!

At the summit of Mount Sumeru, strange phenomena arose one after another.

Beneath the Bodhi tree, Jieyin and Zhunti sat cross-legged upon lotus platforms. They wore plain, unadorned Daoist robes, their auras carrying the charm of returning to simplicity and truth. Behind them, golden lights of Buddhist and Daoist merit flickered in and out of sight.

"This humble Daoist, Lingxiao, greets the two Saints!"

"I have come uninvited; I hope you will forgive my presumption!"

Lingxiao bowed slightly and raised his hands in a Daoist salute toward the two.

Setting aside all other prejudices, Jieyin and Zhunti's Dao hearts—as well as their grand vow to restore the Western World at any cost—were worthy of his respect.

"Young friend, you have come because of Lion Camel Ridge, have you not?"

Jieyin nodded lightly and watched Lingxiao sit down cross-legged.

From the instant Lingxiao had appeared at Lion Camel Ridge, Jieyin had known his purpose. Yet he was somewhat puzzled—why had Lingxiao come to Mount Sumeru?

Could it be that he intended to stir up some waves?

"A Saint's divine abilities are boundless. My thoughts cannot be hidden from you two."

"However, destroying Lion Camel Ridge is merely one minor purpose of mine. I have come this time to discuss the Dao with the two Saints. More precisely, to discuss Buddhist Dharma and speak of the Buddhist Dao!"

His words would not cease until they shocked the world!

Lingxiao's tone was calm as he looked at Jieyin and Zhunti.

Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Buddha, standing behind the Two Sages of the West, was instantly left agape by Lingxiao's words. The image of unruffled composure he had maintained for countless eons cracked somewhat at this moment.

The Two Sages of the West had comprehended the Buddhist Dao and Buddhist Dharma before establishing the Western Sect.

Was Lingxiao not simply showing off before an expert—acting like a clown?

"Discuss Buddhist Dharma and speak of the Buddhist Dao!"

"Young friend Lingxiao, your words are startling indeed. They have caught us brothers somewhat off guard. What kind of Buddhist Dharma and what kind of Buddhist Dao do you wish to discuss?"

Zhunti did not grow angry. Instead, he asked with a beaming smile.

Lingxiao's origin and aptitude were both comparable to those of the foremost innate divine spirits, and he was also the Eastern Pole Qinghua Emperor personally invested by Hongjun the Dao Ancestor. Zhunti did not believe he was merely spouting nonsense.

"Young friend commands the World-Destroying Black Lotus and the Godslaying Spear. Both are supreme treasures of the demonic path. One must know that Buddha and demon cannot stand together, so do not disappoint this humble Daoist!"

Stroking his beard, Jieyin smiled at Lingxiao.

At this, Lingxiao remained utterly unmoved.

"A single thought makes one a Buddha; a single thought leads one into demonhood!"

"Among Buddhas, there are false Buddhas; among demons, there are also true demons! Whether one is Buddha or demon lies within a single thought. If one labors tirelessly for the living beings of the Primordial World, then even a demon is a Buddha!"

Lingxiao looked at Jieyin, his tone neither hurried nor slow.

Then, his words took a turn.

"What this humble Daoist wishes to discuss with the two Saints is Mahayana Buddhist Dharma..."