Chapter 997: Helpless Spirit Mountain, the defecting Fighting Victorious Buddha (3/5, seeking subscriptions)

Hearing Nezha's words, Tathagata was simply speechless.

I, the boss of Spirit Mountain, am still here, and you are actually asking Guanyin to rebel; this is simply not taking me, the Lord of Spirit Mountain, seriously.

"Nezha, do you also want to wade into this muddy water?" Tathagata asked in a deep voice.

If it were in the past, Tathagata would not waste words with Nezha.

However, this moment was different.

He discovered that he actually could not see through Nezha's strength, and coupled with that spear thrust from the Pure Land earlier, he already understood—the strongest person in the Pure Land was Nezha.

Since when did Nezha become a Taiyi Golden Immortal realm expert?

"Tathagata, there is no Nezha here, only the Light Fighting Heavenly Venerable!" Nezha's fighting spirit was awe-inspiring, his long spear pointing toward the sky. "I am the Dharma-Protecting Heavenly Venerable of the Pure Land; how can you say I am wading into muddy water?"

"Fighting Heavenly Venerable?"

Among the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain, Sun Wukong was somewhat speechless.

You have stolen my title.

Fighting Heavenly Venerable, isn't that "370" the Fighting Victorious Buddha of Spirit Mountain?

However, he had no intention of putting in any effort.

Whether it was the pilgrimage for scriptures or becoming the Fighting Victorious Buddha, his own will was very small.

It was as if a hand was pushing him forward from behind; his fate was not his own.

Although he could not resist, he could certainly go through the motions without putting in real effort.

Watching Yang Jian and Nezha confront Spirit Mountain, he felt a sense of schadenfreude in his heart.

"Since you are obsessed and refuse to repent, then do not blame me for the methods of Buddhism."

Tathagata's anger flared up instantly.

As the Lord of Spirit Mountain, he was a Taiyi Golden Immortal realm expert.

He had been in the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm for many years, so he naturally would not fear Nezha, this newly promoted Taiyi Golden Immortal.

After speaking, he reached out and grabbed toward Nezha.

His palm did not grow larger, yet it gave people a feeling of covering the sky and blocking the sun, as if the sky had suddenly darkened.

This was precisely the divine ability of the Law of Space.

Nezha chuckled: "A petty trick."

If it were an ordinary Taiyi Golden Immortal, they would naturally have no power to resist when facing such a method.

Tathagata's World in the Palm was famous throughout the realms; that was no exaggeration.

However, Nezha had just experienced the baptism of the River of Time and Space, and his understanding of the Dao of Time and Space was even above Tathagata's.

Although these understandings had not yet transformed into divine abilities, using them to break Tathagata's divine ability was an easy matter.

He raised his spear and stabbed toward the sky; instantly, the sky seemed to have a hole torn in it, and sunlight shone down; that feeling of covering the sky and blocking the sun, enveloping the world, disappeared.

Splash!

A drop of golden blood fell, landing in the Pure Land of Merit, transforming into a golden pool, nourishing the many lotus flowers and making the Pure Land of Merit even more sacred and extraordinary.

"This..."

The Buddhas of Spirit Mountain were stunned; they never expected that the World Honored One would be defeated in just one move.

Especially Sun Wukong.

He was most familiar with Tathagata's methods.

This World in the Palm had truly caused him endless suffering; he never expected that Nezha would defeat it with just one strike.

"Since when did Nezha become so terrifying?"

Sun Wukong's scalp tingled. "If I had encountered the current Nezha when I wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, wouldn't I have been defeated miserably?"

In the void, Nezha's avatar watched his true body display great power, his gaze burning.

He had also experienced the baptism of the River of Time and Space and had his own understanding of the Dao of Time and Space.

However, if he were to deal with Tathagata, he certainly could not do it so easily.

In fact, because of the difference in realm, he could only ensure that he would not be defeated.

"You truly have some methods!" Tathagata withdrew his palm and stared at Nezha. "No wonder you dare to split the fortune of Buddhism. Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, join me in subduing the demon!"

As he finished speaking, the people of Spirit Mountain, who had been prepared for a long time, unleashed their divine abilities, adding their magic power and fortune to Tathagata.

Instantly, the Buddha light on Tathagata shone upon the Three Realms and Six Paths.

Seeing this, Nezha looked toward Yang Jian and said: "Second Brother, let us settle the outcome in one stroke."

"Very well."

Yang Jian nodded; as he finished speaking, the infinite light power of the Pure Land behind him responded, falling upon Yang Jian.

Nezha and Yang Chan also added their own magic power to Yang Jian.

In just an instant, Yang Jian's momentum reached its peak; he swung the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear and slashed toward Tathagata.

This strike was less of a battle between Tathagata and Yang Jian and more of a confrontation between the Heavenly Court and Spirit Mountain.

Originally, there was not much difference between Spirit Mountain and the Heavenly Court.

Coupled with the fact that after the pilgrimage, the Heavenly Dao was destined to favor Spirit Mountain.

In this battle, Spirit Mountain's victory was originally a foregone conclusion.

As a result—Nezha became a Taiyi, and the Heavenly Court had announced to Heaven and Earth in advance, making the Pure Land of Merit the orthodox one.

With this, the situation was directly reversed.

Boom!

The light power and the Buddha light collided; Yang Jian retreated several miles, landed in the Pure Land of Merit, and sat on the lotus platform, his expression solemn, as if he had been pushed by Tathagata to return to his position, sitting in the position of the Light Heavenly Venerable in a justified and honorable manner.

(Note: The source text split this sentence across two lines.)

As for Tathagata's side, it was not so easy.

The Arhats and Bodhisattvas coughed up blood, and Tathagata's face was pale.

He looked up at the sky, somewhat doubting life.

"Has the trend of Buddhism's flourishing been cut off just like this?"

"It was like this in ancient times, and it is like this today. Oh Heaven, isn't it said that the Heavenly Dao is impartial? Why is the path of my Buddhism's rise so difficult!"

Of course, Tathagata could only say such things in his heart.

He was not an ordinary person, but a Taiyi Golden Immortal.

When ordinary people question the Heavenly Dao, the Heavenly Dao is too lazy to pay attention.

For a Taiyi Golden Immortal, their voice can reach the Heavenly Dao directly.

If he dared to say this, it would be questioning the Heavenly Dao; when the time came, not only would he suffer, but even Spirit Mountain would suffer along with him.

Now the Pure Land of Merit had no weak strength and had received the affirmation of the Heavenly Dao.

If Spirit Mountain were defeated, the Buddhist fortune would flow completely to the Pure Land of Merit; wouldn't that be making a wedding dress for Erlang Shen and Nezha?

"Since the Will of Heaven is such, I will no longer force it."

Tathagata took a deep breath, suppressed his injuries, and his face regained a sense of solemnity. "Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, let us return to Western Heaven Spirit Mountain."

"Yes, World Honored One."

The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas were also clever; when things were impossible, they naturally did not want to risk their lives. Seeing Tathagata retreat, they felt a sense of relief in their hearts.

Just at this moment, a golden light flew out and landed on the Pure Land of Merit.

"World Honored One, Old Sun feels that this Pure Land of Merit is not bad, so I will stay here today. I wonder what the World Honored One and the Light Heavenly Venerable think?"

Seeing Sun Wukong run away, Tathagata's expression turned ugly.

Yang Jian was very happy and said: "Of course, we are overjoyed."

Tathagata glanced at Sun Wukong, said nothing more, closed his eyes for a few breaths, suppressed the anger in his heart, and led the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to disappear into the void. ===== CHAPTER 998 =====