Sage Battle, Hongjun Appears

The Tathagata Buddha's eyes immediately lit up.

He had wanted to bring this up earlier, but it wasn't appropriate for a Buddha to ask someone for cigarettes.

He hadn't expected Tang Sanzang to offer them proactively.

For the moment, he couldn't be bothered to fuss over Tang Sanzang calling him "Treasure."

"Hand them over," the Buddha said with a domineering smile, waving his hand. Two boxes of cigarettes landed in his grasp, and he felt an immediate urge to put one in his mouth.

"These cost this poor monk a great deal of money. If you want more next time, well, you know."

Tang Yu chuckled, his meaning clear: if he wanted more cigarettes next time, he'd have to trade for them.

The Tathagata Buddha snorted and left directly.

Upon entering a location in the Primordial Era, he immediately and impatiently put a cigarette in his mouth.

Hmm?

These cigarettes, he thought, seemed even better than the ones Lingji Bodhisattva had brought back.

It seemed this Tang Sanzang was quite sensible, knowing to show filial piety with good things.

Inhale, exhale...

So satisfying.

These were truly good things, pure enjoyment.

His master was actually giving cigarettes to the Tathagata Buddha?

This made Sun Wukong look at him a second time. He knew that his master and Buddhism had already fallen out in secret, so why would he be so kind?

As the Buddha departed, Guanyin Bodhisattva waved her hand, and a giant gourd lifted the master and disciples across the Flowing Sand River.

Sha Wujing felt a bit of fear towards Sun Wukong. Although he had forgotten about the Queen Mother, he clearly remembered being hit on the head by Sun Wukong's staff.

After crossing the Flowing Sand River.

Tang Yu rode his donkey backward and opened the System interface.

There was a pile of good stuff, but he couldn't afford to exchange for any of it. The long string of zeros behind them made him feel dizzy.

He currently only had a little over a million Destiny Points; overall, he was still poor.

He was now at the Human Immortal stage. Should he get something to advance to Earth Immortal?

However, the immediate priority was to make money.

With money, everything else would be easy.

Deep within the Primordial Era.

Sages Jieyin and Zhunti saw their disciples and almost got into a fight with the Heavenly Court.

Just because of one Sha Wujing, a great battle between Buddhism and Taoism was almost triggered.

Undoubtedly, someone else was interfering from behind the scenes.

Unexpected incidents kept occurring as the Journey to the West progressed. If this continued, it seemed the Journey to the West Tribulation might be ruined.

No one knew how many years they had prepared for this Journey to the West Tribulation.

They themselves had become Sages by borrowing Merit.

"Brother Dao, look how hard my brother and I have worked over the years. We've done our best for you. Can you lend us some Merit so my brother and I can become Sages first?"

The Heavenly Dao considered it and deemed this method feasible.

Thus, it allowed these two junior brothers to become Sages first.

They would repay it doubly later.

"Definitely, definitely. My brother and I will even repay you threefold later."

The two readily agreed. Nothing was more important than becoming a Sage; becoming a Sage came first.

However, after becoming Sages, the two discovered that the only place left for them was the Western Heaven, this empty and barren land.

The two were distressed.

Their hair fell out in clumps.

In this godforsaken place, it seemed they couldn't get anything done.

Empty?

Huh?

The eyes of the two lit up, and they immediately had an idea. They created the "Empty Wonderful Intent," which was Buddhism's Four Great Emptinesses.

But with the method, they still needed people.

At that time, the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation had just ended. Tongtian was banished to the depths of the Primordial Era by Hongjun, and his disciples were scattered.

Thus, the two had another idea.

No one, our senior brothers cultivated us.

Two people were the first to find Daoist Duobao.

After some persuasion, "Brother Bao, look, your Jie Sect is finished. Your master, Tongtian, has even been banished to the Primordial Era."

"Come to me, and I'll make you a Buddha or something."

When Daoist Duobao heard this, one side was his ancestor, and the other was his disciple. Did he even need to choose?

Therefore, Daoist Duobao put on a kasaya and became Tathagata of the Western Heaven.

Once the leader was in place, it was easier for those behind him.

Even their current Buddhist Guanyin Bodhisattva was Daoist Ci Hang from the Chan Sect.

The Chan Sect and Jie Sect, these two brothers, had been poaching people from each other for a long time.

This also led to Primordial Lord of Heaven's dissatisfaction with them.

Seeing that the Journey to the West had encountered a variable, the two naturally suspected Primordial Lord of Heaven first.

The two also felt quite wronged. They had finally found a way to earn Merit and repay their debts.

Why were they being stopped like this? Someone was tripping them up behind the scenes.

The two exchanged a glance and rose simultaneously.

For them, Sages, a distance of hundreds of thousands of miles was just a blink of an eye.

Jade Void Palace!

Primordial Lord of Heaven naturally sensed the aura of the two Sages and felt a bit strange, wondering why they had come.

Just as he was about to rise and greet them, an immense pressure enveloped him.

Primordial Lord of Heaven was greatly alarmed and hurriedly used his magic power to protect the Jade Void Palace, but the outer areas were still affected, turning into dust.

"What is the meaning of this?" Primordial Lord of Heaven looked at the two Sages with a darkened expression.

He felt somewhat bewildered. What was going on?

You were doing fine in the Primordial Era, and you were also paying attention to your scripture-fetching great undertaking.

I'm also cultivating here in the Jade Void Palace, isn't that good?

Why did you start fighting as soon as you arrived?

"Primordial Lord of Heaven, don't you know?" Jieyin sneered.

"Know what? I know." Primordial Lord of Heaven was a bit dumbfounded.

You came to me and started fighting without a word, even destroying some of the Jade Void Palace, and you're asking me if I know?

I know your grandmother!

"Junior Brother, why waste words with him?" Zhunti attacked directly.

The Journey to the West Tribulation, how many years had these two planned for? How could it be ruined by Primordial Lord of Heaven?

Taking this opportunity, it was also a chance to warn others.

The three of them began to fight.

Of course, the three of them were fighting deep within the Primordial Era, otherwise, with their Sage-level power, the Three Realms might have been shattered.

Tongtian, who was watching this scene from the depths of the Primordial Era, burst into laughter.

He didn't understand why they started fighting out of the blue, but he held grudges against these Sages.

"Go ahead, kill one and have one less."

"Primordial, you old fogey, you're no good. Have you been cultivating dogs all these years?" Tongtian commented while watching the show, "You haven't made any progress all these years."

"And the two Sages of the West, have you repaid the Merit you owe the Heavenly Dao?"

Hearing Tongtian's words, the corners of the three men's mouths twitched.

A gentle force spread out, and the three of them couldn't help but take a step back.

A gentle aura spread from the depths of the Primordial Era.

A black vortex formed in the sky.

A figure gradually emerged from it.

It was a thin old man, but his skin was ruddy, and his eyes seemed to contain myriad stars.

As soon as he appeared, the Sages couldn't help but be stunned.

Taishang Laojun also rushed over and respectfully bowed, "Greetings, Master."

Tongtian and the others also bowed in unison, "Greetings, Master."

The identity of the person was self-evident.

The one who supposedly merged with the Heavenly Dao.

Hongjun!