Chapter 302 - 448 Dispute_2

Having spoken, he cast a haunting glance at the Vajra guarding the gate, causing the previously arrogant fellow to feel rather embarrassed and lower his own head.

Seeing this, Taibai Jinxing also smiled and said, "It seems that even your Buddhist Sect is not the pure land it’s rumored to be!"

"Star Lord jests, where in the Three Realms is there truly a land of purity? The Buddha has said: ’If I do not enter hell, who will?’ We as cultivators naturally should be in places of conflict, all in order to restore purity to the Three Realms," replied Gālan with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Taibai Jinxing was quite astonished. He took a curious look at this Dharma Protector Garlan and noticed his profound gaze and an aura of dignity about him, with a sparkle of wisdom flashing in his eyes.

"I didn’t expect that this old man’s eyes were dim, and that the master here is indeed a wise person!" Taibai Jinxing said with a sigh.

"Star Lord is too kind; I am merely a minor Galan of Mount Ling, and there are many more learned and capable than I—hardly worth mentioning," said Garlan with great humility.

As they bantered, they slowly made their way towards the summit of Mount Ling, and soon saw the resplendent Mahavira Hall bathed in golden light.

Innumerable Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and countless Arhats were all seated inside, with the grand sound of chanting echoing through the heavens.

In front of the great hall was a small pond in which grew golden lotuses, radiating light.

Huge pillars entwined with fierce-looking Divine Dragons—not statues but real divine creatures—quietly coiled around the stone pillars, silently listening to the preaching inside.

In the center was an enormous golden Lotus Platform, upon which sat a laughing Buddha with bare chest and a joyful expression—none other than Maitreya, the current master of Mount Ling, the Future Buddha Ancestor.

"It turns out to be Taibai Jinxing who has come. Our last encounter was at the Buddha’s Tuber Festival," Maitreya said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Taibai Jinxing also smiled and said, "Indeed, the impermanence of the world is astonishing. In the blink of an eye, the Buddha Ancestor from the East has taken his seat on the throne."

Maitreya burst into hearty laughter and said, "Amitabha Buddha, it is just the trust of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas."

After exchanging pleasantries, it was naturally time to get to the point. Taibai Jinxing spoke up loudly, "Today I come to Mount Ling firstly to congratulate the Buddha Ancestor from the East on ascending to his position, and secondly to seek an audience with that audacious Demon King Niumo. I hope the Buddha Ancestor will grant me this favor, so that I may return and report to His Majesty, sparing this old man a difficult predicament."

Upon hearing this, Maitreya said, "The Great Strength Bull Demon King serves as a protector of our Buddhist Sect. He went to the Heavenly Court by my order, expressly inviting His Majesty the Jade Emperor to attend a ceremony. Alas, he met his end at the Gate of the Southern Heavens. I am unaware of the specific details and would be grateful if the Star Lord could enlighten us."

"The Buddha Ancestor is a person of vast divine skills and should naturally understand cause and effect. That Demon King, for reasons unknown, went berserk, attempting to destroy our Gate of the Southern Heavens and showing no regard for the Heavenly Court. With no other choice, all immortals from the Heavenly Court could only intervene. Unfortunately, the protector’s strength was lacking, and he was killed—an event both tragic and lamentable. Yet the majesty of the Heavenly Court cannot be violated, and I hope the Buddha Ancestor can hand over his corpse so that I may bring it back and demonstrate the righteousness of Heaven and Earth," said Taibai Jinxing.

Taibai Jinxing’s words were neither servile nor overbearing but they revealed the knife beneath the cloth, preemptively striking and assigning guilt to the Demon King, seizing the moral high ground and pressuring the Buddhist Sect to concede.

However, the Buddhist Sect was not so easily bullied. One could hear the ringing laughter as they replied, "Why the Demon King went mad is also of concern to us. However, his body contains our Sect’s secret techniques and cannot be carelessly shown to others. Please convey to His Majesty that the Buddhist Sect regrets its inability to comply. As for the reasons, once the Buddhist Sect has fully investigated the matter, we will naturally explain everything to the Heavenly Court."

Taibai Jinxing’s brow furrowed slightly upon hearing this; he had not expected Maitreya to so bluntly refuse. He observed the reactions of those around him and filed them away in his memory.

He then said slowly, "If this is the case, then this old man will return to report back."

With that, he did not linger further, departing directly from Mount Ling and returning to the Heavenly Court.

But Maitreya swept his gaze around solemnly and said, "I am aware of the thoughts of everyone present here, but the time has not yet come. I hope that you can all unite, for the glory of the Buddhist Sect is just before us. Do not err and lose your way."

The words of Maitreya were light, yet his tone was incredibly heavy. He could no longer tolerate the arbitrary decisions of these belligerents and thus issued a stern warning.

Upon hearing this, many among the crowd shifted their eyes subtly, realizing that Maitreya was issuing his final ultimatum.

Fortunately, this revealed the true intentions of the Buddha, and as long as they understood his purpose, they would naturally cease their clamoring. After all, what they sought was a war that could open the path to ascension. Whether it started immediately was not of great urgency, for they had already waited so many years and did not mind waiting a few more days.

Taibai Jinxing rose on a cloud and headed straight for the Heavenly Court, his expression no longer relaxed but rather extremely grave.

In Maitreya’s eyes, he saw flames named ambition. This newly appointed Buddha was not one to be content with the status quo; war between the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Sect was inevitable.

"Alas! The Three Realms are yet again headed for a period of great unrest," sighed the weathered Immortal.

When he reported this outcome to the Jade Emperor, the Jade Emperor spoke softly, "My subject, what insights have you gained from your journey to Mount Ling?"

Taibai Jinxing pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "The Buddhist Sect is powerful, and their ambitions are not small. Conflict has become inevitable!"

"I understand. Star Lord, you have worked hard. Go back and rest well," said the Jade Emperor softly.

Taibai Jinxing slowly exited the Lingxiao Treasured Palace, silently returning to his own Star Lord’s Residence, while inside the Lingxiao Treasured Palace, the Jade Emperor sat facing the empty hall, his gaze deep and inscrutable.

The news of the Demon King’s death spread quickly thanks to certain individuals, reaching all corners of the Three Realms in no time. Everyone from gods and demons to mortals was shocked to hear it.

After all, the current Demon King was no ordinary Demon King but a Buddhist who had taken a vow and earned the title of a Protector within the Buddhist Sect.

His sudden death at the Gate of the Southern Heavens could not help but lead to wild speculations, especially since the conflict between the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Sect was increasingly coming to the fore, even if no one had completely torn off the façade just yet.

To those who heard the news, some were terrified, sensing the breath of a great calamity. Each major calamity had scattered the souls of countless Cultivators, which was undoubtedly terrible news for some.

For others, however, it was joyous news. After all, should the Buddhist Sect truly declare war on the Heavenly Court, it would be the greatest opportunity for many with ambitions.

Although this affair seemed to dissipate quickly due to the cold handling by the Jade Emperor and the Buddhist Sect, the impact was just beginning to ferment, soon to swell into a great wave that would engulf all living beings in the Three Realms and change the course of history.

And the Cultivators caught in the midst of this epochal tide could feel it rolling in. Who would rise with the wind, and who would never recover, was no longer in the hands of each individual.

Lin Fang, who resided in a small world, also heard this news. His mind suddenly flashed with the scene of his parting with the Demon King. Perhaps on that day, the Demon King had already anticipated his own demise, which was why he had asked Lin Fang to take his followers with him.

"Sigh!" Lin Fang let out a soft sigh, took out a flask of wine, and slowly poured it onto the ground as a tribute to his old friend. Regardless of anything, it was after receiving his power that Lin Fang had come to this day.

For those who once followed the Demon King, hearing this news brought a flood of emotions. That was their king, the person they had once followed, the man who stood tall and unyielding. Even though they knew that being captured by the Buddhist Sect sealed his fate, hearing the news of his death still seemed unbelievable.

"Is our King really dead?" the Wolf King asked quietly.