Chapter 697

The Nine-Petal Lotus was still the same Nine-Petal Lotus, but the magic power of a Quasi-Saint and that of a Saint were utterly incomparable.

If the magic power at the peak of a Quasi-Saint was one, then the magic power of a Saint was ten thousand, even a hundred thousand or a million.

Under ten thousand times the magic power of a Quasi-Saint peak, although it could not unleash the Nine-Petal Lotus's power a ten-thousandfold, several hundredfold was still achievable.

Blocking Luo Fu's attack was naturally no problem.

After all, Luo Fu's earlier move of wielding the world as a sword, though beyond the norm of a Quasi-Saint, still fell within the Quasi-Saint category and had not touched the Saint layer.

As long as it did not reach the Saint layer, any attack from Luo Fu could be effortlessly dismantled by the Nine-Petal Lotus.

"Amitabha! I wonder if Brother Luo Fu has had his fill? If not, this monk is willing to stand here and let Brother Luo Fu continue his assault."

After summoning the Nine-Petal Lotus to block Luo Fu's attack, Daoist Randeng regained his former composure.

He did not immediately retract the Twenty-Four Divine Beads of the Sea's Stability, but turned to Luo Fu, clasped his hands, and spoke in a gentle tone.

"I've had my fill! Even if I hadn't, now that a Saint has intervened, I could not possibly continue fighting. I do not consider myself a match for a Saint."

Luo Fu released his loosely clenched right hand, glanced at the Nine-Petal Lotus, and said coolly.

Ever since he first saw Daoist Randeng, he had sensed the Nine-Petal Lotus and the aura of Saint Jieyin contained within it.

This was one of the reasons he had chosen to fight Daoist Randeng.

Only by forcing Saint Jieyin to reveal himself could he accomplish what he intended.

Although Saint Jieyin had not spoken or intervened directly, his personal act of wielding the Nine-Petal Lotus to block Luo Fu's attack made it clear that the one now speaking with Luo Fu was not merely Daoist Randeng—but also him.

"Then let us return to the unfinished topic. What conditions would allow the resolution of the karmic ties between my Buddhist sect and you, and the abandonment of interference in the Journey to the West?"

Seeing Luo Fu no longer attack, Daoist Randeng quickly asked the question he had held back.

"It is impossible to refrain from interfering in the Journey to the West."

In response to Daoist Randeng's inquiry, Luo Fu directly stated his position.

It is impossible to refrain from interfering in the Journey to the West.

His mission in the Journey to the West World was precisely to interfere in the Journey to the West, thereby reversing the entire Journey to the West calamity; if he did not interfere, his mission would amount to self-defeat.

Hearing Luo Fu's words, Daoist Randeng interjected eagerly:

"Brother, we agreed beforehand that if you sparred with me, you would agree to change your terms..."

"I haven't finished speaking!"

Before Daoist Randeng could finish, Luo Fu cut him off and continued:

"I will certainly interfere in the Journey to the West, but if Buddhism agrees to my terms, I guarantee I will not personally intervene in the Journey to the West."

He would interfere in the Journey to the West, but that did not mean he would personally intervene.

Unlike other calamities, the Journey to the West, though also a calamity, did not involve the Quasi-Saint layer.

Throughout the entire Journey to the West, few great cultivators personally intervened; even when they did, it was only to clean up the aftermath.

If the Journey to the West truly began, Luo Fu was not suited to personally intervene.

If he personally intervened, it would mean direct confrontation.

If possible, he preferred that the Western Two Saints strike first, rather than he break the rules.

This way, he could maximally ensure that Ancestor Hongjun would not grow suspicious.

Perhaps, the task of reversing the calamity would complete itself.

This moment was precisely Luo Fu's critical juncture toward breaking through to Hunyuan; it was better not to confront Ancestor Hongjun if possible.

If he truly must resist Ancestor Hongjun, it would be far better after he broke through to Hunyuan.

"What are your terms? Brother, speak."

Hearing Luo Fu say he would not personally intervene in the Journey to the West, Daoist Randeng felt a sudden relief.

Preventing Luo Fu from interfering in the Journey to the West was Buddhism's bottom line—and also Daoist Randeng's original intention.

From Luo Fu's attitude and character, Daoist Randeng did not believe the karmic ties between Luo Fu and Buddhism could be resolved.

In comparison, persuading Luo Fu not to personally intervene in the Journey to the West was something Daoist Randeng felt he could better control.

The Journey to the West itself did not permit great cultivators to interfere.

"My condition is this: alter the mode of the Journey to the West so that its outcome has two possibilities—one, the original quest to obtain the sutras; two, the seizure of the sutras."

Luo Fu fixed his gaze on the Nine-Petal Lotus and slowly stated his condition.

His words were meant not only for Daoist Randeng, but also for Saint Jieyin behind the Nine-Petal Lotus.

"Seize the sutras?"

Daoist Randeng's eyes flickered with confusion; he did not quite understand Luo Fu's meaning.

"Seizing the sutras means seizing your Buddhist lineage."

A calm explanation emerged from Luo Fu's lips.

Yet the meaning behind Luo Fu's words was arrogant and tyrannical to the extreme.

"Impossible!"

Upon hearing Luo Fu's explanation, Daoist Randeng's expression changed instantly, and he refused Luo Fu's proposal without hesitation.

Seize one's own lineage?

How could Daoist Randeng possibly agree to such a demand?

Not only Daoist Randeng—anyone else would refuse as well.

A lineage is the foundation of any sect; no sect would permit its teachings to leak out, especially not by being seized.

For another's sect to seize your lineage is a naked insult to every member of your sect.

"Listen to me out. Then decide whether to accept. My condition is this: for this Journey to the West, traveling from the East to the West, there must be eighty-one trials."

Luo Fu anticipated Daoist Randeng would refuse; he cut off Daoist Randeng's next words and continued calmly:

"Since the journey begins in the East, if the eighty-one trials succeed in blocking the sutra-seeker, then as before, it is the East seeking sutras from the West."

At this point, Luofu glanced again at the Nine-Tiered Jin Lian, shifted his tone, and continued:

"If none of the eighty-one tribulations can stop the scripture-seeker, then this Journey to the West is no longer about retrieving the scriptures, but about seizing them."

This was the plan Luofu had come up with.

To turn the retrieval of the scriptures into a seizure of the scriptures.

This idea had only recently occurred to Luofu.

The Journey to the West was the great trend of the Heavenly Dao; although Luofu had taken Sun Wukong from the Tathagata and suppressed the Tathagata himself,

this was still not enough to reverse the calamity of the Journey to the West.

Whether he wanted it or not, the Journey to the West was bound to happen.

Unless he stepped in directly right now and flipped the entire chessboard over.