Chapter 16: Stripping the Buddha's Seat

In the ruins, dust had not yet settled.

Rulai Buddha? No, he should now be called that heavily injured fat monk.

He lay limp among the rubble, the robes symbolizing the supreme of the Three Realms reduced to a few tattered strips hanging on his body.

The large footprint on his chest was blackish‑purple, deeply sunken.

At least eight ribs were broken.

But that wasn't the most painful.

The most painful was his face.

That face, spat on by Sun Wukong and then stepped into the mud.

Sun Wukong pulled back his foot.

He rubbed his shoe sole on Rulai's bald forehead.

"Why aren't you speaking?"

Sun Wukong looked down at him, a hint of mockery on his thunder‑god face.

"You were just able to speak a moment ago, weren't you?"

"What 'turning back is shore', what 'laying down the butcher's knife'?"

"I, Old Sun, have now let it go."

Sun Wukong hoisted the Golden Cudgel onto his shoulder.

"Why don't you ferry me across?"

Rulai's lips trembled.

Black blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth.

He wanted to speak, but his throat could only produce a bellows‑like "he‑he" sound.

That was because his lung lobes had been pierced.

Sun Wukong curled his lip.

Boring.

He turned away, no longer looking at this defeated subordinate.

His gaze fell upon the nine‑grade golden lotus pedestal, cracked in half yet still hovering in midair.

That was the symbol of the Fómén.

It was the supreme treasure of the Xīfāng Jiào, used to suppress qi‑luck.

Sun Wukong walked over.

He reached out and patted the lotus petals.

It felt icy cold, exuding a rich sandalwood fragrance.

"Nice thing."

Sun Wukong muttered.

Then.

In the horrified, desperate gazes of the heavenly gods and buddhas, his figure flickered and he leapt straight onto it.

He turned around.

His buttocks descended.

He sat down.

Boom—!!!

At the exact moment Sun Wukong's buttocks touched the lotus pedestal,

all of Ling Shan shuddered violently.

Roar—!!!

A mournful dragon roar exploded in everyone's sea of consciousness.

That was not a true dragon.

That was the Fómén's qi‑luck golden dragon.

It wailed.

It felt fear.

It sensed that a demon god, not belonging to the Fómén and even bearing a blood‑deep grudge against it, had seized that supreme throne.

Above the Da Lei Yin Si, auspicious clouds had originally twined.

But now they suddenly grew dim.

The golden qi‑luck dragon coiled atop Ling Shan's peak, which had originally been myriad zhang in length.

Now its body seemed to have been sliced through the waist by an invisible blade.

Golden dragon blood sprayed the heavens.

Its length instantly shrank by thirty percent.

Qi‑luck backlash!

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Beneath the hall, those with weaker cultivation among the arhats and bhikkhus all spat out a mouthful of blood.

Even bodhisattvas such as Wénshū and Pǔxián instantly turned deathly pale, their forms swaying on the verge of collapse.

They sensed it.

Their connection with the Fómén had been severed by a thread.

The qi‑luck halo that had originally blessed them dimmed.

You beast! How dare you!

The Zhunti Saint standing aside finally couldn't hold back.

That's his lifeblood!

That's the savings he and his Senior Brother Jieyin scraped together, bit by bit, from fighting the autumn winds in the east day and night!

Zhunti was just about to raise his hand.

Huh?

A nasal sound came from beside him.

Bodhi Patriarch held the tea cup steaming with magma bubbles, and gently blew a breath.

A drop of tea splashed out.

It landed on the back of Zhunti's foot.

Zizzle.

Zhunti's Saint dharma body was directly burned through a hole.

Master...

Zhunti was in so much pain tears were about to fall; the hand he had just raised, following the motion, turned into scratching his head.

Um... I mean, this monkey's sitting posture is quite unique.

Bodhi Patriarch snorted and continued drinking tea.

On the platform.

Sun Wukong wriggled his buttocks.

His eyebrows furrowed into a knot.

What a piece of junk.

He patted the Liántái beneath him with a look of disdain.

It's rock-hard, not even as good as the stones of Mount Huaguo that Old Monkey Sun owns.

And there's a strange smell.

A filthy smell.

Sun Wukong stood up.

He looked at the Liántái he had just sat on, as if looking at an unsatisfactory toilet.

Since sitting is uncomfortable,

then let's not keep it.

Sun Wukong lifted the Golden Cudgel in his hand.

There was no warning.

And no nonsense.

Smash!

Whoo—

The black Tiěbàng, wielding the power to destroy heaven and earth, heavily struck the heart of the nine‑grade golden lotus.

Clang—crack!!!

This was the innate treasure of the Jieyin Saint of old; although during the Conferment of the Gods the Mosquito Dàorén sucked away three grades, demoting it to nine‑grade, it remains an innate spiritual treasure.

Indestructible.

But under the empowerment of the Chaotic Demon God's power.

Under the weight of the Golden Cudgel, enough to shatter stars.

It shattered.

Like glass struck by an iron hammer.

Golden fragments scattered in all directions.

Countless Buddhist lights shattered.

The auspicious aura that once shrouded Ling Shan completely dissipated.

No——!!!

In the ruins, the Tathagata let out a wail like a cuckoo crying blood.

That was his natal treasure.

Liántái shattered.

His Dao foundation was destroyed.

What's the wailing for?

Sun Wukong jumped down from the Liántái wreckage and kicked aside a piece of golden lotus Debris blocking the way.

He walked up to the Tathagata.

Looking down from above.

Starting today.

In this world, there is no Tathagata Buddha.

Sun Wukong's voice was loud.

It spread throughout Ling Shan, even penetrating the thirty‑three heavens.

And there's no Shakyamuni either.

Sun Wukong bent down, grabbed the Tathagata's messy hair in one fist, and forced him to lift his head.

Looking at that face covered in blood and grime.

Sun Wukong smiled.

He smiled a little cruelly.

"You think that's right?"

"Duo Bao Dàorén."

Boom!

When those four characters were spoken.

It was more shocking than the Lotus Platform just shattered.

Inside Da Lei Yin Si, a Deathly Silence prevailed.

All arhats and bodhisattvas widened their eyes, looking at the Tathagata in disbelief.

Duo Bao Dàorén?

Who is that?

That is the senior disciple under Tongtian Jiaozhu of the Tongtian Sect!

That is the Tongtian traitor who, during the Investiture of the Gods war, was taken by the Supreme Lord Laozi and later turned from barbarian into a Buddha!

This is the greatest taboo of Fómén.

It is also the past the Tathagata most refuses to mention.

Now.

This monkey, in front of the entire Three Realms, bloodily tore it open.

"You... you are talking nonsense..."

The Tathagata's gaze averted, that was Fear Heart Demon originating from deep within the soul.

He is afraid.

Afraid of that name.

Afraid of the blue‑clothed swordsman trapped in Zi Xiao Gong.

Beyond the Thirty‑Three Heavens.

Zi Xiao Gong.

A black‑clothed youth seated on a straw mat suddenly opened his eyes.

In those eyes seemed to contain four murderous celestial swords.

He heard it.

He saw it.

"Hahahahahaha!"

A burst of maniacal laughter echoed within Zi Xiao Gong.

He laughed until tears streamed.

"Good! What a Sun Wukong!"

"Good one, Duo Bao!"

Tongtian Jiaozhu rose, the sword qi from his body surged skyward, even shaking the gates of Zi Xiao Gong.

"Traitor!"

"You also have today!"

Ling Shan.

The Tathagata felt that killing intent coming from beyond Heaven.

He trembled all over, a warm sensation rose in his crotch.

He urinated.

The dignified Buddha Patriarch was scared into urinating.

"How?"

Sun Wukong released his grip, disdainfully wiping on the Tathagata.

"Did you think of your master?"

"Wasn't it glorious when you betrayed the Tongtian Sect and defected to Xīfāng Jiào?"

"Why are you like a dog now?"

Sun Wukong turned, looking at Zhun Ti and Jie Yin standing nearby.

"You two saints."

"Your eyes that collect trash aren't much either."

Saint Jie Yin's already bitter, resentful face now looks so bitter it could drip bile.

A slap.

This is stripping Xīfāng Jiào's face skin and throwing it on the ground to trample.

If they acknowledge Duo Bao's identity.

Then what is Xīfāng Jiào?

A shelter?

A traitor concentration camp?

"Wukong, you must not be rude."

The previously silent Bodhi Patriarch suddenly spoke.

He set down the tea cup he was holding.

He leisurely walked up to the Tathagata.

Duobao oh.

Bodhi's voice was gentle, like that of a kind elder.

Although you're a traitor.

Although you betrayed your master and destroyed your ancestors.

Although you gave up your ancestors for a Buddha Patriarch's position.

Every 'although'.

It was like a sharp dagger stabbed into the Tathagata's chest.

But.

Bodhi changed the subject.

You also count as talent.

After all, to have cultivated the three words 'shameless' to the peak of Quasi-Saint.

In these Three Realms, aside from these two worthless disciples of mine.

Bodhi pointed at Zhunti and Jieyin.

That's you then.

Zhunti and Jieyin wanted to die.

Master, scold him if you want, but don't drag us into it!

The Tathagata had completely collapsed.

His Dao Heart shattered.

He lay on the ground like a puddle of mud.

Former glory, former schemes, former ambition.

At this moment.

All turned to nothing.

Sun Wukong looked at this scene and found it boring.

Kill him?

Dirty hands.

Letting him live like this, being spat upon by thousands and hunted by the Sect of the Cut, might be worse than death.

Sun Wukong's gaze began to wander inside the hall.

Finished fighting.

He'd also vented his anger.

Time to collect some interest.

His nose twitched.

He smelled a fresh fragrance.

It was a scent different from sandalwood.

Carrying spiritual energy, carrying vitality.

Sun Wukong followed the scent and looked.

His gaze passed through the Daxiong Baodian and fell upon a huge pool behind the mountain.

The pool water sparkled, with several golden lotuses floating on it.

Each drop of water seemed like liquefied spiritual energy.

That's……

Sun Wukong's eyes lit up.

That's the Eight Treasures Merit Pool.

It is one of the foundations of the Western Teaching.

It gathers the vows of billions of believers, can cleanse karmic obstacles, and rebuild the Golden Body.

Master.

Sun Wukong pointed at the pool, turned to Bodhi, and grinned.

I've worked up a sweat, and I'm covered in blood and mud.

Old Monkey Sun is going to take a bath.

You don't mind, do you?

Zhunti Saint's eyelid twitched wildly.

That's merit water!

A single drop equals a mortal's hundred years of ascetic practice!

You're using it to take a bath?!

No……

Zhunti was about to say 'no'.

Bodhi Patriarch had already nodded.

Go ahead.

Wash yourself clean.

Don't bring fleas back home.

Sun Wukong cheered.

Like a kid who's seen a swimming pool.

He held the Golden Cudgel, leapt, and turned into a golden light.

He charged straight for the back mountain.

「Little ones！」

「No, I, Old Sun, am alone。」

「Going to take a bath! 」