Chapter 138 - 138 136 Disciples of the Elder Lord

138: Chapter 136 Disciples of the Elder Lord 138: Chapter 136 Disciples of the Elder Lord Xingtian paid no attention to anyone else and simply nodded at Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong also nodded slightly in greeting. Glancing at Sandalwood Merit Buddha, Xingtian said impatiently, “Sun Wukong, why bother talking so much to such a filthy thing? If he dares to slander you, just kill him with one strike of your staff. If you’re unwilling to act, I can help you; I loathe these filthy creatures the most.” The last time he had let Jin Chan go, he had some regrets already. He was actually looking for an opportunity to chop him down. “The great god speaks the truth; why should I waste words with such filth? If he provokes me again, I will kill him,” said Sun Wukong. Having said this, Sun Wukong signaled to everyone and descended towards Kunlun. Sandalwood Merit Buddha’s face turned iron blue. Flames of anger shot from his eyes as he glared at Sun Wukong and shouted, “Sun Wukong, I challenge you to a duel.” “What?” All the immortals gods were shocked; they looked at Sandalwood Merit Buddha, wondering where he got such courage. The immortals and buddhas who were planning to attend the banquet immediately halted, interestedly watching the scene unfolding before them. Rage flared in Sun Wukong’s eyes, as he was extremely impatient with Sandalwood Merit Buddha’s unrelenting harassment. Now Sandalwood Merit Buddha wanted to duel him? He must have eaten the courage of an immortal. “Fine, Old Sun agrees. It’s a fight to the death,” said Sun Wukong. He drew out his Golden Hoop and was about to take action. Sandalwood Merit Buddha’s face changed instantly, and he shouted, “Sun Wukong, you’re mistaken. I didn’t mean to fight with you physically, but to compete in Buddhist law and decide the victor.” Even those from Mount Ling felt embarrassed to the point of wishing the ground would swallow them up. Sandalwood Merit Buddha had become a laughingstock, and they all lost face because of him. Laughter from the surrounding immortals and buddhas could be heard, but Sandalwood Merit Buddha didn’t feel disgraced at all. “What’s the matter? Since it’s a contest, we should compete in what we excel at. I’m not adept at fighting, so what’s wrong with competing in Buddhist law?” Sandalwood Merit Buddha said earnestly, not believing he had done anything wrong but rather appearing quite self-righteous. Sun Wukong was so annoyed that he laughed. He shook his head, retracted his Golden Hoop, and turned to leave. To continue engaging with such a fool would only lower his own standards. Seeing Sun Wukong walk away, Sandalwood Merit Buddha sneered and said, “You indeed are feeling guilty, afraid of this poor monk, not daring to face me in battle. This time, I am the victor.” “Shut up,” Lamp-Burning Ancient Buddha couldn’t help but scold. Sandalwood Merit Buddha’s expression froze at once, and he hurriedly reigned in his demeanor. “You bring us disgrace; do not speak again later. If you dare to speak once more, I will cripple your cultivation and banish you to the cycles of reincarnation, never to return to Mount Ling,” Maitreya Buddha said coldly. It was too shameful. Sandalwood Merit Buddha, this peculiar case, made them lose face in front of the entire Three Realms. Sandalwood Merit Buddha was startled and dared not speak again. With both buddhas angered, anything more he said would be to his own detriment. However, in his heart, he still felt wronged. What had he done wrong, after all? Entering inside Kunlun, indeed, it was worthy of being called the ancestral ground of immortals. Fragrant orchids perfumed the air, immortal cranes danced, spiritual springs cascaded, and immortal qi wafted throughout. Here, ever-bright lamps of glazed tiles shone, casting a celestial glow that never faded, spirit beasts frolicked everywhere, every sight was a picturesque scenery of the immortal clan. Many immortals who came to Kunlun for the first time were utterly captivated. Kunlun Mountain was rich in spiritual qi, with the sound of Dao reverberating. Here, it was exceedingly easy to comprehend the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. The Great Dao of Heaven and Earth represents order, law, the origin of heaven and earth—not a purposeful existence. It is the fundamental reason that heaven and earth are able to exist. No one can fully understand all the orders of heaven and earth, not even The Three Pure Ones. The order of heaven and earth was not created by anyone, but developed over long epochs of time, being the fundamental evolution of heaven and earth. The guests presented their invitations, and naturally, someone guided them to their seats. The Three Pure Ones and Four Heavenly Kings had not yet arrived; it was unknown if they would come. Sun Wukong sat in the front row, a seat for top-tier deities, which basically put him on the same level as the Four Heavenly Kings. Queen Mother of the West held him in high regard and treated him generously. After all, Sun Wukong only held the title of Great Sage Equalling Heaven. Everyone knew that was nothing more than a method used by the Jade Emperor to appease Sun Wukong back in the day, If talking about status and authority, the title of Great Sage Equalling Heaven couldn’t justify sitting in that position. Even Lamp-Burning Ancient Buddha and the others sat beneath Sun Wukong, which some members of the Buddhist sect found rather hard to swallow. Amitabha Buddha, however, was sitting right next to Sun Wukong and said, “Great Saint, the last misunderstanding, please don’t blame me.” Sun Wukong indifferently responded, “Amitabha Buddha, both you and I clearly know who plotted against us. Since you’ve said so, I will let the matter rest. However, I have a reminder for you.” “Please speak, Great Saint,” said Amitabha Buddha with a smile. Sun Wukong laughed, “If someone’s plan succeeds and he returns, even if he can’t dominate the Three Realms, his strength and power are likely to swell to a higher level. By then, I’m afraid there won’t even be a place for the Supreme Honored Buddha within the Buddhist sect.” Without waiting for Amitabha Buddha to respond, Sun Wukong continued, “Of course, if Amitabha Buddha can endure becoming the underling of some guy, then treat this as if Old Sun has said nothing.” “What exactly do you mean, Great Saint?” asked Amitabha Buddha through telepathy. He was not content being suppressed by Tathagata anymore. After so many years of forbearance, Amitabha Buddha thought he had caught an opportunity. It turned out to be a fleeting joy. If Tathagata successfully returned, power in Mount Ling would surely increase significantly. By then, he would have no more chance for a comeback. Even his very existence might be irreparably doomed. This had become more than a matter of dignity and reputation; it was about life itself. The buddha says that all is emptiness, life and death need not be taken too seriously, all is illusory. But they just say that; in their view, death is merely the end of a mortal’s fleshly body, the self still exists. But if one dies after becoming a buddha, then that is true annihilation. Even a buddha does not truly wish to die. “I have always been contending with the Tathagata,” Old Sun began, “but as you also know, Tathagata is overwhelmingly powerful. Having just entered the Realm of Heavenly Venerate, I am not his match. I hope that at the critical moment, you can intervene to aid Old Sun. Compared to that old hard coin Tathagata, I would much rather see you as the Lord of the Buddhist Realm.” The visage of Amitabha Buddha shifted, weighing his thoughts. Sun Wukong waited with a cheery smile for Amitabha Buddha’s response. Soon, the voice of Amitabha Buddha came through, “Great Saint, I agree. But if it does not succeed, I also hope that the Great Saint can act to save my life.” “Aren’t you the one with an Immortal Body?” Sun Wukong was somewhat puzzled. Amitabha Buddha gave a bitter smile and said, “In this world, what truly is indestructible? It is merely that under certain conditions, it’s difficult for others to kill me. However, if I fall into Tathagata’s hands, he has all the time in the world to kill me. If not in a thousand years, he could do it in ten thousand years, or take a hundred thousand years to kill me. Even the indestructible can be worn down eventually.” In this regard, Sun Wukong agreed. He also felt that there was no such thing as true immortality in this world. What is called immortality is only relative. To become immortal, one must only grow stronger. “Very well, Old Sun will join forces with you. Even if we can’t take down Tathagata, he will not be able to kill you,” he consented. Sun Wukong agreed. Amitabha Buddha revealed a trace of delight, exhaling a sigh of relief in his heart. As long as Tathagata was alive, the pressure on him was immense. “In the future, should the Great Saint have any commands, simply notify this old monk, and I shall fulfill them.” “Good,” Sun Wukong nodded. Before long, the sacred immortals and Buddhas of the Three Realms had mostly arrived. The Queen Mother of the West came, majestic and regal, her beauty unparalleled and breathtaking, bearing an immense authority that few present dared meet her gaze. She nodded gently, saying to the various immortals, Buddhas, and divine beings, “I am grateful that so many great immortals have come to attend my birthday banquet.” The crowd replied, insisting it was their honor. No sooner had she taken her seat than the Four Heavenly Kings arrived, each bringing treasured gifts. After the Great Emperor Ziwei sat down, he winked at Sun Wukong as a gesture of greeting. Sun Wukong glanced at him and gave a slight nod. “Save me a few peaches of immortality later. There are quite a few people under me who need to enhance their strength,” Sun Wukong transmitted his voice. The expression of the Great Emperor Ziwei froze; he wished he could pretend he didn’t know Sun Wukong. Knowing beforehand, he wouldn’t have greeted him, and now he had lost several peaches of immortality for no good reason. Though for him, peaches of immortality were not really something rare. But it was still frustrating. After the Four Heavenly Kings were seated, the Queen Mother of the West stood up and announced, “May I invite the Three Pure Ones.” Everyone rose to their feet, immortals, Buddhas, demons, and gods alike. The status of the Three Pure Ones in the Three Realms was too lofty; none, whether they be immortals, Buddhas, demons, or gods, dared to show them disrespect. Even the Jade Emperor would stand up to welcome them. The Yuanshi Heavenly Venerate, Lord Taishang, and Lingbao Dao Venerate appeared together. Instantly, the sound of the Dao roared louder, becoming ever clearer, as if the three were representatives of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, almost as embodiments of the Dao itself. All the immortals, Buddhas, demons, and gods present experienced small epiphanies, their strength advancing a small step forward. Even Xingtian looked solemn, his eyes filled with reverence as he regarded the Three Pure Ones. At that moment, Sun Wukong was astonished to find that accompanying Lord Taishang was Zhu Bajie. When had he gotten so close to the Elder Lord? After the Three Pure Ones had taken their seats, everyone else sat down as well. By then, the immortals and Buddhas present recognized the person beside Lord Taishang. “Marshal Tianpeng.” “Altar Cleanser.” “Zhu Bajie? How could it be him? How did he end up by the Elder Lord’s side?” Many were perplexed, their gazes filled with disbelief as they stared at Zhu Bajie. Sandalwood Merit Buddha couldn’t help but stand up; he called out to Zhu Bajie, “Wuneng, your master has missed you dearly.” After Sha Wujing and Little White Dragon had perished, Sandalwood Merit Buddha felt his only reliance was Zhu Bajie alone. Zhu Bajie looked back at him coldly, wordless. Instead, he bowed respectfully to Sun Wukong. Seeing Zhu Bajie ignoring him, Sandalwood Merit Buddha grew irritated. He scornfully said, “You ungrateful beast, how can you fail to recognize even your own master now? Are you too planning to be as heartless and ungrateful as that Husun?” Zhu Bajie hadn’t spoken when Lord Taishang intervened. “Silence.” With a simple wave of his hand, Sandalwood Merit Buddha was flung away, crashing heavily onto the ground and spitting out a mouthful of blood. The surprised faces of the divine beings around made evident how rare it was for Lord Taishang to take action. Yet today, he had struck Sandalwood Merit Buddha. Filled with dread, Sandalwood Merit Buddha knelt on the ground, fearfully saying, “I beg the Elder Lord’s pardon, it was unintentional, please forgive me.” With tranquil composure, Lord Taishang spoke, “Tianpeng is my disciple, whom I have enlightened into becoming an Immortal. Even if you are Buddha from the West, you have no right to insult my disciple.” The declaration caused a stir through the crowd. Everyone looked at Marshal Tianpeng with envy. He turned out to be the disciple of the Elder Lord, a fact he had never mentioned over the years. How deeply he had kept it hidden! Marshal Tianpeng spoke, “I only recently learned myself that the Immortal who enlightened me was none other than the Elder Lord. That is why I returned to the fold. It was never my intent to keep it from everyone.” “Congratulations to Marshal Tianpeng,” “Congratulations to the Elder Lord on obtaining such an excellent disciple.” ... Cheerful voices of congratulations rang out, all directed towards the master and disciple. Meanwhile, Sun Wukong sat serenely, uninterested in unnecessary formalities with Tianpeng. Sandalwood Merit Buddha returned to his seat, his head bowed, his face seething with animosity.