"Thank you, Buddha."
The Dragon King of the Southern Sea naturally lingered no longer and promptly took his leave.
"Ao Qin's attitude changed far too much, didn't it? Just like that, he turned his back on us and refused to honor what we agreed on before?"
The Dragon King of the Southern Sea had barely left before Maitreya could no longer hold back his complaints.
"Maitreya, enough. We didn't foresee such a tremendous upheaval in the Dragon Clan either. Ao Qin no longer has any say in things. What good does blaming him do?" Wenshu could not help admonishing him.
"Buddha, are you truly going?" Maitreya Buddha looked at Tathagata.
"Of course. How could I not? This is a matter significant enough to affect the future of the Three Realms. The Dragon Clan is rising, and our Western Lands must rise as well. There is only so much fortune in this world. Naturally, I must go and sound out that Dragon Emperor's attitude."
Tathagata had clearly made up his mind, while the eyes of the Bodhisattvas on Spirit Mountain flickered with thought.
Indeed, the Dragon Clan sought prosperity, and the Western Lands sought a great resurgence too. At present, no clash between these two powers in the Three Realms was apparent, but in the future, that might well change.
Meanwhile, at the Heavenly Court.
"Ao Shun, your Dragon Emperor actually chose to ascend the throne at the Black Water River. This... he must have grand ambitions!"
The Jade Emperor looked at the invitation in his hand, then at Ao Shun below.
He, too, had never expected such a tremendous change in their respective standings.
In the blink of an eye, they stood as equals.
Of course, the Heavenly Court was not pursuing the matter now. Both sides had tacitly accepted