Chapter 1374 - 601: Zhen Yuanzi’s Scheming, The Saints Shall Return (2)
Chapter 1374: Chapter 601: Zhen Yuanzi’s Scheming, The Saints Shall Return (2)
Upon thinking of this, both Duobao Tathagata and Maitreya breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as Wuzhuang Temple remains neutral, everything still has room for maneuver.
The tense atmosphere inside the main hall quietly eased up.
Dipankara gave Zhen Yuanzi a deep look and eventually closed his eyes slowly, saying no more, which meant he acknowledged this statement.
Duobao Tathagata was about to speak, intending to say a few pleasantries to gloss over the matter.
Just then.
Outside the hall, a golden light rushed in with a nearly frenzied speed, directly kneeling at the center of the hall.
It was the Jiedi God who had been ordered to monitor the westbound group outside Wuzhuang Temple. His face was pale and his expression panicked, his speech trembling: "Reporting... reporting to the World Venerable! The... the calamity of Wuzhuang Temple went... went wrong!"
Duobao Tathagata frowned and said: "What is it that causes such panic?"
Jiedi God swallowed, his voice quivering: "The Qin Monk and his disciples did not topple the Ginseng Fruit Tree! They... they ate the fruit and just left!"
Duobao Tathagata’s expression froze instantly: "What?"
Did not topple the Ginseng Fruit Tree?
Ate the fruit and just left?
How could this be possible!
Inside the hall, all the Buddha Bodhisattvas were also stunned.
Each one looked at each other in confusion.
Buddhist Sect had expended effort and collaborated with Zhen Yuanzi to set up this calamity specifically to make Sun Wukong topple the Ginseng Fruit Tree, thereby deepening the bond between the Ancestor of Earth Immortals and the Buddhist Sect’s Qi Fortune.
But now, Xuanzang and his disciples have just directly left?
The smile on Maitreya Buddha’s face disappeared without a trace.
Dipankara Buddha, who had just closed his eyes, suddenly opened them again.
Duobao Tathagata took a deep breath and asked in a deep voice: "What exactly is going on? Speak clearly!"
Jiedi God dared not hide anything and quickly recounted everything he saw outside Wuzhuang Temple in detail.
From Zhen Yuanzi’s enthusiastic hospitality, offering Ginseng Fruits.
To the Qin Monk and his disciples accepting gladly, eating with relish.
And then finally.
The master and disciples patting their buttocks, swaggering away, without any conflict, not even a harsh word.
The whole process was as calm as an ordinary visit among friends.
After hearing this, the entire Great Leiyin Temple fell into a silence as dead as a tomb.
Everyone’s gaze unconsciously turned in unison towards the only outsider in the hall—Zhen Yuanzi.
Zhen Yuanzi spread his hands, with a perfectly "innocent" look on his face: "Three daoists, you can hardly blame me."
"I’ve already left as agreed, giving their master and disciples ample space and time to make mistakes."
Then, Zhen Yuanzi turned to the Jiedi God who delivered the message: "Did that troublemaker Sun Wukong really not cause any trouble?"
"Re... reply, Great Immortal."
The Jiedi God was suffocated by the presence of the three Buddhas and Zhen Yuanzi, stammering: "That Great Saint Sun... not only did not cause trouble but also treated the disciples in the temple with respect, ate the fruits, and then went on his way with the Qin Monk."
Zhen Yuanzi turned to the three on the Lotus Platform, spread his hands with an innocent look: "Three daoists, this... this is indeed strange."
"For the sake of cooperating with Buddhist Sect to perform this play, I specially instructed my disciples to annoy Sun Wukong with their words, ensuring to provoke him."
"Who would have thought this troublemaker has changed his ways."
Zhen Yuanzi shook his head, sighed deeply, and in a tone full of "regret," said: "It’s the first time I’ve seen someone who defies logic, having no greed for the Ginseng Fruit."
His words were watertight, extricating himself completely, instead making him seem like an innocent victim who tried hard yet failed.
Inside the hall, the Buddhist Sect members looked at each other in bewilderment.
Literate and courteous?
Abiding by rules and norms?
Are you sure these are descriptions of Xuanzang and his disciples?
Sun Wukong’s temperament, who in the Three Realms doesn’t know?
He’s a person daring to tear the heavens apart at a moment’s displeasure.
Wasn’t he arrogant and domineering when he caused chaos at the Heavenly Palace?
And now, faced with the Heaven and Earth Spirit Root like Ginseng Fruit and the disciples’ "provocation," he actually restrained himself?
This is illogical!
This totally contradicts the Buddhist Sect’s character analysis of him!
On the Lotus Platform, Duobao Tathagata, Dipankara, and Maitreya all had faces as ugly as could be.
The script was totally rampaged.
Everything they meticulously planned had turned into a joke.
In Zhen Yuanzi’s heart, however, there was a continued cold laugh.
Cooperate?
I, the poor Daoist, cooperate with you to act, and then watch you tie me completely to the Buddhist Sect’s chariot?
Dream on!
Qin Monk Xuanzang is the envoy of Qin.
Sun Wukong is a War General personally enlightened by the Crown Prince.
Sha Wujing has long submitted to Qin.
In this Westward Journey group, except for Zhu Bajie who is still vacillating, the core already belongs to Qin.
This Western Tour Calamity, from the start, was never about the eastward spread of Buddhist Law but rather Qin’s law expedition to the west!
And now, it’s just the very beginning.
Later, the Buddhist Sect will find that none of the eighty-one ordeals they arranged will follow their script.
By then, they will truly realize what a formidable opponent they are facing.
Zhen Yuanzi recalled sad matters to restrain himself from laughing.
Duobao Tathagata stared fiercely at Zhen Yuanzi, his heart burning with rage.
He realized he had been fooled!
This old fellow Zhen Yuanzi had never intended to truly cooperate with the Buddhist Sect!
Yet, he couldn’t erupt.
Because Zhen Yuanzi did follow the script to "leave," it was the Qin Monk and his disciples who did not "cooperate," how could he hold them accountable?
Duobao Tathagata also knew that further obsession over Wuzhuang Temple’s affair was pointless, so he simply changed his tack, saying: "Daoist, let’s not speak of Wuzhuang Temple for now."
"You are a former guest from Purple Cloud Palace, of extraordinary insight. Regarding this calamity sweeping the entire Primordial Heaven and Earth now, may I ask... your perspective?"
Upon hearing this question, all Buddha Bodhisattvas held their breath.
Even Dipankara and Maitreya refocused their gaze onto Zhen Yuanzi.
Facing the expectation of everyone, Zhen Yuanzi stroked his beard and said: "Heavenly Dao cycles, where there is prosperity there must be decline."
"This calamity is not accidental, but a thorough reckoning of causes and effects accumulated over countless Primordial Meetings."
He raised his head, his gaze seeming to pierce the Spirit Mountain’s dome, staring into the endless Chaotic Void.
"Calamity is filtering."
"Filtering out those who can adapt to the new world, filtering out the traditions that can lead the next era."
"And when the Heavenly Dao Rules reach perfection... the Saints will return."
Boom!
The words "Saints will return," like four Chaos Divine Thunders, exploded in the minds of all the powerful beings within Great Leiyin Temple!
Saints!
They are beings superior to all, holding dominion over the Heavenly Dao, their words becoming law, eternal!
Ever since the Divine Enthronement Calamity, Hong Jun issued a decree, and the Saints have all withdrawn into Chaos, not stepping into the Primordial.
Countless Primordial Meetings have passed, and all beings have grown accustomed to the era without Saints.
But now, Zhen Yuanzi, a venerable Immortal from the Purple Cloud Palace era, claims Saints are coming back!
On the Lotus Platform, the faces of the three Buddhas instantly showed varied emotions.
Duobao Tathagata and Dipankara Buddha’s faces bore unmistakable solemness.
Saints returning!
This is definitely not good news for them!
Why has Buddhist Sect achieved today’s prosperity?
Isn’t it because the Taoist Sect’s Three Pure Saints have long been in Chaos, not concerning themselves with worldly matters?
Once the Three Pure Ones return, the Taoist Sect will inevitably flourish, and the Buddhist Sect will face the most direct impact!
Moreover.
Duobao Tathagata was the senior disciple of Jie Sect, the direct disciple of Tongtian Sect Master.
During the Divine Enthronement battle, Jie Sect was destroyed; he was captured by Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad, transformed from Hu to Buddha, eventually becoming today’s The Buddha.
Saints will return?
His mentor, Tongtian Sect Master, is he returning too?
The mentor imprisoned in Purple Cloud Palace, eternally barred from taking a half-step, is he returning?
For him, is this good or bad?
Will he return to his sect or... face swords and soldiers?
...