Tathagata Buddha's eyes immediately lit up.
He had wanted to bring this up just now, but it was unbecoming for a Buddha to ask someone for cigarettes.
Unexpectedly, Tang Sanzang took them out on his own initiative.
For the moment, Tathagata Buddha could not even be bothered to argue over Tang Sanzang calling him "sweetie."
"Hand them over." Buddha laughed domineeringly and waved his hand. Two packs of cigarettes landed in his palm, and he instantly felt the urge to put one in his mouth.
"I paid a hefty price to get these. If you want more next time, well... you know."
Tang Yu chuckled. The meaning was obvious: if Buddha wanted cigarettes again, he would have to trade something for them.
Tathagata Buddha snorted and left directly.
The moment he entered a corner of the Primordial Era, he impatiently put one between his lips.
Hmm?
These cigarettes seemed even better than the ones Lingji Bodhisattva had brought back.
It seemed Tang Sanzang was quite sensible after all. He knew to offer the good stuff to him.
Inhale, exhale...
Refreshing.
This was truly good stuff—an absolute pleasure.
His master had actually given Tathagata Buddha cigarettes on his own initiative?
Sun Wukong could not help giving him another look. He knew his master and the Buddhist Sect had long since clashed in secret, so why was he being so kind?
After Buddha left, Guanyin Bodhisattva waved her hand, and a massive gourd carried the master and disciples across the Flowing Sand River.
Sha Wujing was somewhat afraid of Sun Wukong. Though he had forgotten about Queen Mother, he remembered with perfect clarity how Sun Wukong had cracked his skull open with one strike of his staff.
After crossing the Flowing Sand River,
Tang Yu rode backward on his donkey and opened the system interface.
There was a whole heap of good stuff, but he could not afford any of it. The string of zeros behind the prices made his head spin.
He only had a little over a million Destiny Points right now. All in all, he was still poor.
He had already reached the Human Immortal realm. Should he get something to advance into the Earth Immortal realm?
But making money was the most urgent matter right now.
With money, everything else could be discussed.
Deep within the Primordial Era,
the two sages, Jieyin and Zhunti, saw that their disciples and descendants had nearly come to blows with the Heavenly Court.
A war between Buddhism and Daoism had nearly broken out over a single Sha Wujing.
There was no doubt that someone else was pulling strings behind the scenes.
Unexpected accidents had appeared one after another throughout the Journey to the West. If this continued, the entire Journey to the West Tribulation might be ruined.
No one knew how many years the two of them had spent preparing for this Journey to the West Tribulation.
They had originally become sages by borrowing merit.
"Brother Dao, you can see that we brothers haven't had it easy all these years. We've done our utmost for you. Could you lend us some merit so we can become sages first?"
The Heavenly Dao considered it and found the plan feasible.
Thus, it allowed these two little brothers to become sages first.
"You can pay it back double later."
"Of course, of course. We brothers could even repay you triple in the future."
The two of them agreed repeatedly. Nothing was more important than becoming sages, so they would become sages first and worry about the rest later.
But after becoming sages, they discovered that the only place left for them was the West, an utterly barren wasteland.
The two of them were worried sick.
Their hair fell out in handfuls.
What were they supposed to do?
In this godforsaken place, it seemed impossible to get anything done.
Empty?
Hmm?
Their eyes lit up, and they immediately came up with a solution: they created the wondrous doctrine of emptiness, the Buddhist Sect's Fourfold Emptiness.
Having a doctrine was not enough without people.
The Investiture of the Gods Tribulation had ended not long before. Tongtian had been exiled by Hongjun to the depths of the Primordial Era, and his disciples had scattered in all directions.
Thus, the two of them came up with another solution.
"No people? Our senior brothers can raise some for us."
The two of them first sought out Daoist Duobao.
After a round of persuasion: "Sweetie, look, your Jie Sect is finished. Even your master Tongtian has been exiled to the Primordial Era. Come to my side. I'll make you a Buddha or something."
When Daoist Duobao heard that, one side was "ancestor," while the other was "son." Was there even a choice to make?
Thus, Daoist Duobao donned a kasaya and became Tathagata of Western Heaven.
Once they had their leader, the rest became easy to handle.
Even Guanyin Bodhisattva of their Buddhism had once been Daoist Ci Hang of the Chan Sect.
They had poached quite a few people from the Chan Sect and the Jie Sect.
This was why Primordial Lord of Heaven was dissatisfied with them.
Seeing that the Journey to the West had encountered a variable, the two of them naturally suspected Primordial Lord of Heaven first.
The two of them also felt quite wronged. They had finally found a way to earn merit and repay their debts.
Was it really necessary for someone to stop them and secretly trip them up?
The two exchanged a glance and rose at the same time.
For sages like them, a distance of hundreds of thousands of miles could be crossed in an instant.
Jade Void Palace!
Primordial Lord of Heaven naturally sensed the auras of the two sages and was somewhat puzzled. Why had they come?
Just as he was about to rise and welcome them, boundless pressure suddenly descended.
Primordial Lord of Heaven was greatly alarmed and hurriedly used his magic power to protect Jade Void Palace. Even so, the surrounding area was still caught in the aftermath and reduced to ash.
"What do you mean by this?" Primordial Lord of Heaven glared at the two sages with a livid face.
He found it completely baffling. What was going on?
You two were living just fine in the Primordial Era, keeping an eye on your great scripture-fetching enterprise.
And I was cultivating here in Jade Void Palace. Wasn't that all perfectly fine?
Why did you start fighting the moment you arrived?
"Primordial Lord of Heaven, don't you know?" Jieyin sneered.
"What do I know? I know?" Primordial Lord of Heaven was utterly confused.
You came to my place, attacked without a word, damaged Jade Void Palace, and now you're asking whether I know?
I know your ass.
"Junior brother, why waste words with him?" Zhunti attacked directly.
The two of them had planned the Journey to the West Tribulation for so many years. How could they let it be destroyed by Primordial Lord of Heaven?
This was also a good chance to warn everyone else.
The three began battling one another.
Naturally, the three fought deep within the Primordial Era. Otherwise, with the might of sages like them, the Three Realms might have been shattered.
Tongtian, deep within the Primordial Era, saw this scene and burst into laughter.
He did not understand why they had suddenly started fighting, but he had grudges against all of these sages.
Fight. The more you kill, the fewer there will be.
"Primordial Lord of Heaven, you old fool, you're really not cutting it. Have you spent all these years cultivating on a dog?" Tongtian watched the show while offering commentary. "After all these years, you haven't improved at all."
"And you two Western sages, have you repaid the merit you owe the Heavenly Dao?"
Hearing Tongtian's words, the corners of all three men's mouths twitched.
A gentle force spread outward, and all three of them involuntarily took a step back.
A gentle aura spread through the depths of the Primordial Era.
A black vortex formed in the sky.
A figure gradually emerged from within it.
He was a skinny old man, yet his complexion was ruddy, and countless stars seemed to flow within his eyes.
The moment he appeared, the sages were all stunned.
Taishang Laojun also hurried over and respectfully bowed. "Greetings, Master."
Tongtian and the others also bowed in salute. "Greetings, Master."
The identity of the newcomer was obvious.
The one said to have merged with the Heavenly Dao.
Hongjun!
Before you continue