Foundations

At this point, Lu Ren turned to look at Tathagata, who stood not far away with a gloomy expression. His face brimming with amusement, he said, "Old Tathagata, why not give Joyous Bodhisattva to me? I have a Nine-Tailed Fox at home from the same lineage as her. If they made their debut together, they'd definitely become hugely popular!"

Tathagata had rushed over in a furious hurry, and seeing Lu Ren's utterly leisurely demeanor, his expression naturally darkened. To be honest, all those Buddhist scriptures and doctrines were merely for fooling people. At their level of cultivation, they had long since discarded their hypocritical masks.

Yet Tathagata was sufficiently composed. He could still maintain appearances and would not behave as shamelessly as Lu Ren. But upon hearing Lu Ren's exceedingly blatant words, he gave a smile that did not reach his eyes and retorted without yielding an inch.

"If Fellow Daoist Lu can persuade Joyous Bodhisattva, I would be happy to help fulfill your wish. But I wonder where this so-called intersex cultivator of yours is. Perhaps Joyous Meditation would suit them better. Why not bring them here and let me properly cultivate them?"

When the Jade Emperor arrived and saw the friendly expression on Lu Ren's face, he felt somewhat relieved. He had been afraid that Lu Ren might suddenly lose his mind, unable to stand seeing others prosper, and smash the Ascension Platform—which they had spent nearly a century planning and vast resources building—with a single punch.

Dressed in a white jade imperial robe, with the Dao Fruit behind his head revolving ceaselessly and immortal Dao scriptures faintly rising and sinking within it, the Jade Emperor's nobility was unmistakable. Yet even this man, weathered by countless storms, did not have a particularly pleasant expression at this moment.

"Fellow