Chapter 686: The Despair of the Buddha! The Means That Restrain Buddhism!

One need not fear the ten thousand, only the one in a million.

No one knows what other cards Luo Fu still holds.

"What? The Saints did not grant any means to break the seal? Then what am I to do—remain trapped beneath Mount Wuzhi? I am the Lord of Buddhism!"

Upon hearing Daoist Randeng's reply, the Buddha's face revealed disappointment and anger, along with a deeply hidden sense of helplessness.

After confirming that even his true form could not free himself from Mount Wuzhi, the Buddha's only hope lay with the Two Western Saints.

But the Two Western Saints had no intention of rescuing him.

This plunged the Buddha, whose Dao heart had just been severely wounded by Luofu's weight, into involuntary despair and rage.

His despair was directed at the Two Western Saints; his anger was mostly aimed at Luo Fu, yet a small part was also aimed at the Two Western Saints.

He was the Buddha, the World-Honored One of Buddhism, the nominal Lord of All Buddhas.

With such status, after being sealed by Luo Fu, why had the Two Western Saints not lifted a finger to rescue him? How could he not feel despair and rage?

Fortunately, the Buddha still retained his reason; these emotions lasted only a moment before he suppressed them.

After quelling these feelings, the Buddha's entire aura sank, as if he had accepted his fate. He looked at Daoist Randeng and asked:

"Then why have you come here? Merely to visit me?"

"Amitabha! My primary purpose in coming is naturally to pay respects to the World-Honored One; secondarily, I hope to hear your thoughts on Daoist Luo Fu."

Seeing that the Buddha had regained composure, Daoist Randeng stated his purpose.

Luo Fu appeared out of nowhere in the Three Realms; the only ones who had ever encountered him were Sun Wukong and the Buddha.

Sun Wukong had already been taken away by Luo Fu, leaving only the Buddha.

Even though he knew Luo Fu had become the Buddha's shame, Daoist Randeng still had to come here to seek the Buddha's opinion for the sake of the Journey to the West.

"Daoist Luo Fu? Indeed—the Journey to the West is our sect's grand plan. Now, Daoist Luo Fu has become an unavoidable obstacle in this journey; we must find a way to resolve the karmic ties between him and our sect."

After calming down, the Buddha also deduced the reason for Daoist Randeng's visit.

Upon hearing "Luo Fu," the Buddha's face no longer held the initial fury—only complexity.

"My evaluation of Daoist Luo Fu is only two things: unfathomable, and inexplicable."

Without much thought, the Buddha gave his honest assessment of Luo Fu.

This was his true, heartfelt evaluation.

"Unfathomable" referred to Luo Fu's origins and methods.

He had subdued the Buddha effortlessly, leaving even the Two Western Saints powerless.

After calming down, the Buddha had also figured out why the Two Western Saints had not rescued him.

It was not that they did not want to—they simply could not.

He was Buddhism's face; if they could have freed him, the Two Western Saints would have done so without hesitation.

They would have acted not for the Buddha's sake, but for Buddhism itself.

The Mount Wuzhi he conjured with a mere flick of his hand could not be broken even by Saints—such a method was truly unfathomable.

"Inexplicable" referred to Luo Fu's actions.

He still could not understand why Luo Fu had chosen to subdue him—and why he had chosen Mount Wuzhi to do it.

Mount Wuzhi was meant for Sun Wukong.

The only reason the Buddha could imagine for Luo Fu's action was to avenge Sun Wukong.

He intended to subdue Sun Wukong with Mount Wuzhi—so Luo Fu used Mount Wuzhi to return the favor.

But he was the Lord of Buddhism; subduing him was a direct slap to all of Buddhism's face.

All just to avenge Sun Wukong, he was willing to stand against Buddhism itself.

Such behavior was truly inexplicable.

"Unfathomable, inexplicable?"

Hearing the Buddha's answer, Daoist Randeng nodded slightly and asked further:

"Then why do you think Daoist Luo Fu opposes our Buddhism?"

"I do not know why Daoist Luo Fu opposes our Buddhism. But I know he sealed me to avenge Sun Wukong. Since it was to avenge Sun Wukong, it must be connected to the Journey to the West."

Without caring whether his guess was reasonable, the Buddha spoke it out plainly.

"To avenge Sun Wukong, so he sealed you?"

This guess made Daoist Randeng frown slightly.

He did not find the guess absurd—in fact, he found it deeply logical.

Precisely because of that, he found it especially troubling.

If this guess was correct, it meant Luo Fu was someone who acted without reason, disregarded consequences, and was extremely tyrannical and mad.

And Luo Fu would inevitably continue interfering in the Journey to the West.

After all, Sun Wukong was the central figure of the Journey to the West.

Someone who acted irrationally, disregarded consequences, yet possessed unfathomable power—such a person was undeniably difficult to deal with.

"I understand. Next, I must meet Daoist Luo Fu in person. If you do not wish to see him, you may avoid him."

No matter what kind of person Luo Fu was, he must meet him first and see whether their karmic ties could be resolved.

"There is nothing to avoid. Do whatever you wish!"

Having accepted that he could not leave Mount Wuzhi for now, the Buddha became utterly indifferent, surrendering completely.

Daoist Randeng had no patience to console the Buddha; his mind was entirely focused on how to handle Luo Fu.

"Amitabha!"

Chanting a Buddha's name, Daoist Randeng immediately mobilized his power to strike against the seal of Mount Wuzhi.

This was not done to break Mount Wuzhi's seal.

With Daoist Randeng's strength realm, even if he wished to break the seal of Mount Wuzhi, it would be impossible.

The reason for striking the seal of Mount Wuzhi was to send a message to Luo Fu.

Luo Fu is too mysterious; no one in the Three Realms knows his whereabouts.

Mount Wuzhi was personally arranged by Luo Fu; it must bear Luo Fu's imprint.

As soon as the seal of Mount Wuzhi is disturbed, Luo Fu will surely sense it, and the message will be delivered directly.

Shhh!

Indeed, as Daoist Randeng had guessed, the seal of Mount Wuzhi bore Luo Fu's imprint.

Shortly after he disturbed the seal of Mount Wuzhi, a blue-green figure crossed space and appeared at Mount Wuzhi.

That figure was Luo Fu.

Just after refining the God-Slaying Spear and the Twelve-Petaled World-Ending Black Lotus, and dealing with the demonic energy pocket left by Demon Ancestor Luo Hou, Luo Fu sensed the seal of Mount Wuzhi being disturbed again.

And the method of disturbance did not resemble breaking the seal—it was more like sending a message.

Luo Fu immediately understood: this was Buddhism seeking him.

Having just acquired the Twelve-Petaled World-Ending Black Lotus, which gave him leverage over Buddhism, Luo Fu had originally planned to find some time to speak with Buddhism.