Chapter 971

Sun Wukong: "Old Sun has thought of one possibility—your worlds, the two True Lords, the Western Journey has already ended, hasn't it?"

Yang Jian: "Correct. Great Sage Equaling Heaven long ago became the Battle Victory Buddha."

Erlang Shen: "The same goes for me."

Sun Wukong: "I recall the Dao Lord saying that after the Western Journey, Buddhism and Daoism flourished, while the Heavenly Court's fortune declined and it was no longer the master of heaven and earth. Yang Chan, my little sister, ran into trouble—she fell in love with a mortal—"

"Perhaps this was Heaven's calculation, meant to weaken the Heavenly Court's authority and dignity."

Su Xiao: "Wow, Great Sage, you're so smart! Now it all makes sense. The Heavenly Rules represent the power of heaven and earth, the dignity of the Heavenly Court. Change the Heavenly Rules, and the Heavenly Court's dominant status changes."

"No wonder Wang Mu eventually reincarnated. She must have known the Heavenly Court's fate was sealed and went into the cycle to ride out the storm."

Sun Wukong: "Of course I'm smart. Do you think I'm just an idiot in your eyes?"

Jin Chan: "What else? Aren't you always being manipulated?"

Sun Wukong: "Old Monk, stop talking nonsense—why keep bringing up things that make me miserable?"

Yang Jian: "Great Sage's words have opened my eyes. It seems merely taking away the Precious Lotus Lamp won't stop what's coming."

Erlang Shen: "So there was this kind of calculation all along. For me—my eventual death in battle was also a great blow to the Heavenly Court's honor and dignity. The Heavenly Court's dominant status changed."

"The Heavenly Court's dominant status changed."

Xiao Yan: "I never thought the legendary love story was actually caused by Buddhism and Daoism flourishing and the Heavenly Court's decline. Give me back my love story! Another childhood illusion shattered."

"Another childhood illusion shattered."

Su Xiao: "Stop talking—True Lord is already fed up. You're just watching the show. Can't you think of a solution?"

Xiao Yan: "What can I do? This is the natural evolution of heaven and earth. Can I defy heaven itself?"

Su Xiao: "Alright, you're still weak—you don't have that kind of power."

Xiao Yan: "I know I'm weak! You don't have to say it out loud! 【Frustrated】"

Erlang Shen: "What should we do now?"

Yang Jian: "That's exactly what I want to ask. I don't care whether the Heavenly Court remains the master—I just can't let my sister become a sacrifice in Heaven's plan."

Su Xiao: "Brother Taixuan, what do you think?"

Zhang Taixuan: "This situation has happened before. You've heard of Laozi transforming the Hu into Buddha, right?"

Su Xiao: "Yes. But isn't that just a trope from Honghuang novels?"

Zhang Taixuan: "It's essentially the same. This same tactic can work here too. As long as the Jade Emperor and Wang Mu don't care about face, they can directly offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, decreeing themselves the Ancestor of All Buddhas and the Mother of All Buddhas!"

"Ancestor of All Buddhas and the Mother of All Buddhas!"

Zhang Taixuan: "Then Buddhism would still flourish, and fortune wouldn't drain away."

Yang Jian: "This… this method is indeed excellent. But I doubt Wang Mu or the Jade Emperor would accept it, nor would the Daoist immortals. This is a struggle over the Dao lineage—if they use this method, the Daoist immortals will likely rebel outright, and war with the Heavenly Court will break out."

"War with the Heavenly Court will break out."

Erlang Shen: "Indeed. Transforming oneself into Buddha and seizing the highest position in Fomen is a brilliant plan. But it's devastating to the Heavenly Court's dignity. It would also shake its very foundation. Nine out of ten immortals in the Heavenly Court are Daoist. If the ruler of the Heavenly Court becomes the Ancestor of All Buddhas, what's left for them to do here?"

It would shake the very foundation of the Heavenly Court. Nine out of ten immortals in the Heavenly Court are Daoist immortals. If the ruler of the Heavenly Court became the Ancestor of All Buddhas, what would they be doing in the Heavenly Court anymore?

Su Xiao: "Wait, Brother Taixuan—you say declaring yourself the Ancestor of All Buddhas makes you the Ancestor of All Buddhas? That's too illogical!"

Zhang Taixuan: "It's perfectly logical. The Heavenly Court still holds the authority of heaven and earth—it still has the right to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth. Second, the Buddha is merely one of the Five Elders. The Heavenly Emperor and Wang Mu's status is naturally higher. Elevating themselves above him is perfectly reasonable."

She was naturally above him; to bestow her position as an imperial edict above his head was perfectly reasonable.

Xiao Yan: "That does make sense. Too bad this method is doomed to fail. 357 What a pity."

Yang Jian: "May I ask the Dao Lord—is there another way?"

Zhang Taixuan: "How does the Heavenly Court's strength compare to Lingshan?"

Yang Jian: "If Wang Mu and the Jade Emperor join the battle, the Heavenly Court can overpower Lingshan."

Su Xiao: "Wait, isn't Laozi in the Heavenly Court?"

Zhang Taixuan: "Which Laozi? The Laozi of the Honghuang world? Or which world's Laozi?"

Su Xiao: "They're different?"

Zhang Taixuan: "Of course they're different. In the Honghuang world, Laozi is a Saint—his combat power is naturally immense. But in Yang Jian's world, Laozi isn't a Saint—he's just an ordinary Taiyi Immortal, not a battle-oriented immortal. His combat power isn't that terrifying—it won't change the outcome."

"It won't change the outcome."

Su Xiao: "Ah, that's too weak."

Zhang Taixuan: "You laugh at how weak he is? Wait until you reach his realm, then match his combat power before you talk."

Su Xiao: "I have so many divine arts—how could I lose to him? He's not even a Saint!"

Xiao Yan: "Do more divine arts guarantee victory?"

Yang Jian: "Although Laozi's strength can't decide the battle, he is still among the top figures in the Three Realms. Don't underestimate him, Miss Su."

PS: Couldn't sleep at night, couldn't wake up in the morning—delayed a bit, but I won't miss the fifth watch.