Chapter 142

The moment the twelve-grade golden lotus of merit reappeared in the world, the entire Western Lingshan was bathed in Buddha light, and the sound of Sanskrit chanting resounded throughout the Three Realms.

At the same time, as the supreme treasure that suppressed the fortune of the Buddhist sect, the twelve-grade golden lotus of merit was reunited.

A golden pillar of fortune shot into the sky from Lingshan.

Within that golden pillar of light, there were Buddhas expounding scriptures, Bodhisattvas lowering their brows, Vajras glaring, and Arhats manifesting holiness... all kinds of strange phenomena arrived one after another.

At this moment, all the great beings in the Three Realms felt something and cast their gazes toward the West.

In the Heavenly Court, the Jade Emperor looked at the golden pillar of fortune that pierced through heaven and earth, frowned slightly, and then returned to calm.

In the Tushita Palace, Taishang Laojun, who was refining elixirs, paused the cattail fan in his hand, glanced at the West, shook his head, and continued to fan the furnace fire.

Inside the Huoyun Cave, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors opened their eyes simultaneously, looking at the Buddha light shooting into the sky with different expressions, which eventually turned into a sigh.

Deep in the North Sea, Kill Kun Peng felt the golden light shooting up from the Western Heaven, and his face turned ashen.

"Damned Mosquito Daoist!" He slapped the throne beside him.

If it weren't for the Mosquito Daoist going mad and attracting Zhunti, that three-grade golden lotus of merit would have been his for the taking.

His heart was burning with rage, yet he was helpless.

Below the Sages, all are ants; even if Kill Kun Peng were stronger, he would not dare to truly challenge two Sages.

In the Netherworld Blood Sea, Ancestor Ming He looked toward the West.

"It was a bargain for those two fellows."

The changes in the outside world did not affect the two Sages deep within Lingshan in the slightest.

Looking at the twelve-grade golden lotus of merit suspended in mid-air, perfect and flawless, radiating golden light of merit, smiles appeared on their faces.

"Senior Brother, this golden lotus of merit is finally complete!" Sage Zhunti said.

How many years had it been? Ever since the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, this supreme treasure had remained incomplete, becoming a permanent pain in his heart.

Today, it was finally whole!

Sage Jieyin was also filled with emotion; he reached out and gently stroked the lotus petals.

With this complete supreme treasure to suppress the sect, the fortune of Buddhism would ascend to a higher level.

In the future, when the Buddha Dharma spread to the East and flourished in the world, there would be no more worries.

Thinking of the spread of Buddha Dharma to the East, Sage Jieyin spoke faintly toward the void: "Rulai, come see me immediately."

His voice was not loud, but it instantly crossed space and reached the ears of the Buddha Rulai, who was expounding scriptures to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the Great Leiyin Temple.

Rulai, who was expounding scriptures, paused slightly, and the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas beneath the lotus throne looked at him with some confusion.

Rulai did not explain, but merely nodded slightly toward the crowd below.

"Today's scripture expounding ends here."

After speaking, his figure disappeared from the lotus pedestal.

The next moment, he had already appeared in the Buddha Land where the two Sages cultivated.

"Disciple Rulai pays respects to the two Sages."

Rulai bowed respectfully to Zhunti and Jieyin.

Outside, he was the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Buddhas, the Present Buddha, with a revered status.

But here, he could only consider himself a disciple.

"No need for formalities." Sage Jieyin signaled for him to rise.

Sage Zhunti asked: "Rulai, how is the matter of the Journey to the West proceeding?"

This was the matter he cared about most at the moment.

Whether the Buddhist sect could flourish and whether its fortune could ascend to a higher level depended on this Great Tribulation of the Journey to the West.

Upon hearing this, Rulai's expression became solemn, and he quickly replied: "Reporting to the Sages, the matter of the Journey to the West is, on the whole, proceeding smoothly."

"The scripture seeker, Jin Chanzi, has already successfully reincarnated. The protectors have also been basically selected. On the Heavenly Court's side, the Jade Emperor has also agreed to cooperate; we are just waiting for the right moment to officially start the Great Tribulation."

Hearing this, Sage Zhunti nodded with satisfaction.

"Hmm, that is good."

However, Rulai's next words made his brows knit together again.

"It is just that there have been some variables regarding one of the key people involved in the tribulation," Rulai said.

"Oh? What variables?" Zhunti asked.

Rulai organized his thoughts and reported the matters concerning Sun Wukong to the two Sages.

From Sun Wukong's birth, his apprenticeship, his seizing of treasures in the Dragon Palace, the clearing of his name in the Underworld, his ascent to the Heavenly Court, his resignation, his return to the lower realm, the establishment of the Demon Alliance, his self-proclamation as king on Mount Huaguo, and his opposition to the Heavenly Court...

Every single detail was laid out.

When he heard that Sun Wukong had not fallen into the Heavenly Court's trap, but had instead raised a massive demon force in the lower realm and openly challenged the Heavenly Court, Sage Zhunti's face had already become quite ugly.

He snorted coldly: "A mere stone monkey, daring to defy the mandate of heaven and escape control!"

In his view, Sun Wukong was a chess piece they had prepared for the Great Tribulation of the Journey to the West.

A chess piece should have the awareness of a chess piece and honestly follow the path arranged by the chess player.

But now, this chess piece not only refused to listen but also wanted to jump off the board and become a chess player himself?

This was intolerable!

"How is the strength of that Demon Alliance now?" Sage Jieyin did not get angry; he asked calmly.

Rulai quickly replied: "Reporting to the Sage, the Demon Alliance is led by Sun Wukong and has gathered six great demon sages, including the Bull Niu Mowang and the Niu Mowang Jiao. The number of demon kings and demon generals under his command is countless. The momentum is huge, and it has already become the strongest demon force outside of the Northern Beiju Luzhou."

"What is more troublesome is that by his side, there is a human named Su Chen. This person's background is mysterious, and he is full of wisdom and schemes. The current Demon Alliance is almost entirely planned by him, orderly and far beyond what ordinary demons can compare to."

After listening to Rulai's account, Sage Zhunti's face was gloomy.

In his view, this Great Tribulation of the Journey to the West was a trend of the Heavenly Dao, and the Buddhist sect was destined to flourish; everything should have proceeded logically.

But now, because of one disobedient monkey, the entire plan had been disrupted.

"It is just a disobedient monkey. Since he refuses to enter the tribulation, I will use a little divine ability to make him obediently enter it!"

Zhunti prepared to take action himself, to get Sun Wukong back on track without anyone noticing.

Hearing this, Sage Jieyin, who had been silent on the side, spoke up.

Sage Jieyin's gaze was as calm as water as he looked at Zhunti and said: "Junior Brother, have you forgotten the Dao Ancestor's prohibition?"

"After the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, the Dao Ancestor Patriarch Hongjun summoned us six Sages to the Zixiao Palace to set the rules."

"Sages are not allowed to interfere in the affairs of the Three Realms at will. If there is any violation, the Heavenly Dao will not tolerate it!"

"This..." Zhunti's face suddenly turned ugly.

Of course, he remembered this rule.

During the Battle of the Investiture of the Gods, several Sages entered the fray, fighting until heaven and earth collapsed and the Primordial World shattered.

It was precisely because that battle almost destroyed the world that the Dao Ancestor Patriarch Hongjun issued a decree to set this rule, used to restrain Sages like them who stood high above.