"The Buddha has finally shown himself." Cao Ya was solemn. The connection between the Heavenly Court and Mount Ling was becoming increasingly close. The Jade Emperor was not confident, so he simply invited the Buddha from the Primordial Saint Realm to come.
This Buddhist leader, having attained enlightenment for countless years, is an outstanding figure even within the sacred realm.
According to the information from Huoyun Cave, it's hard to say who is stronger among the three great Buddhist leaders, Jieyin Daoist and Tathagata Buddha, but the weakest is undoubtedly Zhunti Daoist.
Of course, this is limited to Buddhism. In the realm of Hunyuan, Zhunti Daoist is not bad.
Moreover, even the weakest Hunyuan can crush a weak Hunyuan and annihilate countless immortals and demons in the blink of an eye!
"Sun Wukong, this is the end for him." The Great Emperor of the North Pole and Marshal Tianpeng both shook their heads.
The "Great Sage Equal to Heaven" is incredibly powerful. His fighting prowess is unparalleled, and he can even rival the Jade Emperor!
But the Buddha has arrived... How can such a qualitative difference be bridged? Even one or two Chaos Treasures cannot withstand it.
"It's about to end. The sage has appeared, and everything will be settled." All the immortals, gods, Buddhas, demons, monsters, and ghosts in the heavens sighed.
Below the level of a sage, all are but ants! Even a weak Hunyuan is merely a bit larger and poses little challenge.
"However, to have reached this point, defeating billions of celestial beings in the Heavenly Court, and advancing all the way to the Lingxiao Palace, where they clashed with the Jade Emperor twice, nearly shattering the Lingxiao Palace and collapsing the Heavenly Palace..."
"I have to say, we underestimated Sun Wukong at the beginning."
"His abilities are terrifying; he is simply the strongest quasi-saint in history!"
"Now, only a saintly figure like the Buddha can suppress Sun Wukong..."
The crowd was amazed and deeply admired Sun Wukong for achieving such incredible feats! Surpassing even a Quasi-Saint!
However, what happened next left everyone speechless!
"Buddha..." Sun Wukong stopped attacking the Lingxiao Palace, turned around, leaned on his golden cudgel, and gazed into the distance.
The Jade Emperor immediately breathed a sigh of relief. With Buddha himself present, how could Sun Wukong possibly cause any trouble?
He no longer faces the crisis of being dethroned by Sun Wukong.
"Hoo." The enormous golden Buddha, with an eternal and indestructible aura, sat cross-legged on the lotus platform.
Behind the Buddha at Lingshan, there were more than ten masters from the Great Thunderclap Temple following him.
However, the ancient Buddha Dipankara, the future Buddha Maitreya, the Medicine Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Lingji Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and others did not arrive; they were all on Mount Ling, watching this battlefield.
"You audacious monkey! The Buddha has arrived! Why are you not welcoming him?" a Bodhisattva shouted, rebuking Sun Wukong.
Sun Wukong glanced at it, his eyes blazing with fierce determination, bursting with overwhelming fighting spirit, stunning the mortal world!
Although he had followed the Buddha, the Bodhisattva still felt a tightness in his heart and almost suffocated.
Even if he was a quasi-saint, under Sun Wukong's golden cudgel, it would be remarkable if he could withstand the second blow! Most likely, he would be instantly killed by a single blow!
But thinking that the Buddha was right beside him, and he wasn't facing Sun Wukong alone, what was there to be afraid of?
Immediately, the Bodhisattva's courage increased, and he raised his eyebrows and glared, about to angrily rebuke Sun Wukong.
Just then, the Buddha spoke, his voice booming, saying, "I heard you want to seize the Jade Emperor's throne. You're not even human. You are a monkey spirit who has attained enlightenment. The Jade Emperor has gone through 1,750 kalpas, each lasting 129,600 years. Do the math, how many kalpas has he endured? The position of 'Heavenly Emperor' is rightfully his, and he should be the 'Great Heavenly Venerable' forever."
Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Buddha, don't try to fool me. Within the Three Realms, who doesn't know that the Jade Emperor was once the Dao Ancestor's attendant? The reason he was promoted to 'Heavenly Emperor' is because the Dao Ancestor backed him up, isn't it?"
"As for the so-called 1,700 tribulations... hehe, that's because I first reserved the position of 'Heavenly Emperor' and then went to the mortal world to shut up the mouths of the masses."
The Buddha laughed, pointed at Sun Wukong with his finger, and said, "What a clever monkey!"
"Hmph." The heroes sneered inwardly, a mocking tone in their voices. If it weren't for the Dao Ancestor's backing, could the Jade Emperor of yesteryear have even been able to establish the Heavenly Court and become the Heavenly Emperor? What a joke! Back then, he was just an unconventional saint who had just entered the weak Hunyuan realm. Although he was powerful, did he even deserve to rule all the heavens?
The Dragon Clan, Phoenix Clan, Qilin Clan, Witch Clan, and Demon Court—these five major forces were all extremely powerful in the past, far surpassing the Hunyuan level. Later, they even needed sages to oversee them. Yet, even so, they only occupied a portion of the heavens. In the same era, there were other major forces vying for supremacy with them!
Not to mention, there are many chaotic demons who have yet to be born and have already dominated the primordial world.
Now, all the surviving demon gods have appeared in the world. With the accumulation of countless eras, there are more and more great supernatural beings. The five major forces mentioned above, though dead, still wield considerable power and should not be underestimated.
Even though the Primordial Saint Realm can indeed establish a top-tier Daoist temple in the universe, to nominally unify all the heavens... is simply a pipe dream. Yet, the Heavenly Court has managed to do it.
The Golden Spirit Holy Mother, the Queen Mother of the West, the Old Mother of Lishan, and the Taiyi Heavenly Venerable all attained enlightenment in the last million years or so, and were merely ordinary weak Hunyuan beings.
Millions of years ago, how could a single Jade Emperor command the power of the Heavenly Court and dominate the nine heavens and ten earths?
Isn't it just because of the support of "Dao Ancestor" Hongjun? Other holy realms have to give him some face.
For example, the underworld is nominally subordinate to the Heavenly Court.
But in comparison, the Underworld, built by the Holy Land's Empress Houtu Pingxin, is far inferior to the Jade Emperor's!
The Celestial Venerable of Morality would have no need to create a weak Hunyuan Realm clone to open the Heaven of Separation and Hatred. The Tushita Palace is also an institution of the Heavenly Court. Even if the Jade Emperor has no jurisdiction over it, it is indeed so in terms of classification.
The Chan Sect, Jie Sect, and other sects, during the Investiture of the Gods, had their immortals listed on the list. Even if they obeyed orders but not proclamations, they dared not disobey.
Yuanshi Tianzun and Lingbao Tianzun had to admit that they were still afraid of Daozu Hongjun.
Of course, the kindness shown to the Taoist patriarch in preaching the Tao in the past is also crucial.
Even the Jade Emperor of today doesn't have the power to realize such a scenario, let alone billions of years ago!
Therefore, when the heroes learned of his supposed tribulations and adventures, they might have shown admiration on the surface, but deep down they were extremely disgusted.
This is why the Jade Emperor's authority has never been able to be effectively enforced or subdued by the celestial beings.
It's because he took shortcuts and used back channels to get to his position.
Some deities, sensing the Jade Emperor's weak state of primordial chaos and the existence of the Dao Ancestor, believed that the Jade Emperor would one day become a saint and fully control the Heavenly Court, and thus they joined his ranks.
Sun Wukong's revelation secretly pleased the heroes, who were eager to see the Jade Emperor's expression.
Unfortunately, the Jade Emperor remained seated in the Lingxiao Palace and did not come out. Instead, his divine power surged forth, repairing the breach in the Lingxiao Palace that Sun Wukong had created.
This greatly disappointed the assembled heroes.
"The martial world... well, the primordial world, isn't just about fighting and killing, it's about human relationships and worldly wisdom!" Cao Ya murmured.
This statement applies to any universe.
From the vast universe at seven stars to the mundane world at one star, nothing can escape the complexities of human relationships.
"Sigh." The Great Emperor of the North Pole and Marshal Tianpeng both gave a wry smile.
Since the Dao Ancestor Hongjun is involved, who dares to openly criticize him? Even discussing him behind his back is something few would dare to do. After all, Hongjun is one with the Heavenly Dao, overlooking the entire universe!
The ancient Demon Court's dominant position in the Great World was earned through countless battles fought by figures like Donghuang Taiyi and Demon Emperor Dijun over a long period of time. Beneath the throne lay countless bones.
Unlike the Jade Emperor, who ascended to heaven in one step! This has caused resentment among the immortals and demons, making them unable to believe him.
Therefore, how could the Jade Emperor possibly gain any prestige? It was already a favor that he didn't openly mock him.
Meanwhile, the Golden Spirit Mother, the Old Mother of Lishan, the Taiyi Heavenly Venerable, and others, in their respective temples, also sneered.
Inside the Jade Pool, the Queen Mother muttered to herself, "Thank goodness, I'm not the 'Heavenly Emperor,' unlike the Jade Emperor, who is the target of everyone's criticism... My usual way of doing things is not as domineering as the Jade Emperor's; I'm more concerned with protecting my own little territory and not allowing others to trespass."
"However, judging from the current situation, the Jade Emperor's throne is facing great challenges."
"Even if I can't seize the position of 'Heavenly Emperor,' it seems I still have a chance to expand my power?"
"Moreover, my cultivation in the Immortal Path is already at the Weak Primordial Chaos stage, so I am qualified to expand my divine duties."
The Queen Mother muttered to herself that her former obedience had inevitably given rise to other thoughts after she became an unconventional saint, especially since the Jade Emperor's poor situation had aroused some covetous intentions.
After all, she and the Jade Emperor were both attendants of the Dao Ancestor. How could Hongjun possibly favor one over the other?
The concerns of the Holy Mother Jinling and the others did not exist for the Queen Mother of the West.
Back then, the Jade Emperor was a weak Hunyuan, and her cultivation was inferior, which is why the other party took the initiative.
"My subordinates are not as powerful as those of the Jade Emperor's faction, so I need to win over some deities."
After careful consideration, the Queen Mother of the West decided that Erlang Shen Yang Jian and others would be good choices.
Compared to the Jade Emperor, she could have made even greater promises.
“You impudent monkey, if you want to seize the Heavenly Palace, none of the immortals and Buddhas of the Three Realms will agree.”
As the Buddha spoke, he stretched out his palm and said with a smile, "How about I make a bet with you?"
"I've heard you're incredibly fast at somersaulting. If you could somersault out of my palm... you wouldn't need to compete with the Jade Emperor for the throne. The position of 'World Honored One' on Mount Ling would be yours, how about it?"
"If you cannot escape, you should quickly descend to the mortal realm, cultivate for several more eons, and then return to the celestial realm to compete for a position."
The Buddha's palm is broad and expansive, with narrow, elongated lines, exuding an ancient Taoist charm.
Sun Wukong flicked his golden cudgel and laughed, "Buddha, here you go again! Do you really think I, Old Sun, am easy to fool? The 'Buddha Kingdom in the Palm' technique is renowned throughout the Three Realms; within one hand lies a vast world. If I were to jump in, wouldn't I be walking into a trap?"
"You call yourself a Primordial Saint, how could you engage in such swindling and deception?"
After saying that, Sun Wukong raised his golden cudgel high, and divine light burst forth. He actually struck at the Buddha!
"How dare he..." The crowd's eyes twitched. That wasn't the Jade Emperor of the weak Hunyuan realm; that was the Buddha Tathagata of the Hunyuan Saint realm! He still wielded his Ruyi Jingu Bang and charged forward...
"This is the Monkey King! He dares to fight no matter what powerful force he faces!" Cao Ya exclaimed in amazement.
The Buddha smiled faintly, raised his palm, and gently swept it out. With a boom, the heavens and earth spun, and the three thousand great paths seemed to collapse. Within the universe, only the sound of Buddhist teachings and Zen echoed.
"Huh?" Suddenly, the Buddha was unusually surprised.
Sun Wukong, his hair bristling and his eyes flashing with lightning, struck out with his staff, causing space and time to collapse!
That supreme fighting spirit almost manifested itself in the vast world, becoming a rule within the universe.
"Clap clap." The Buddha's light, unleashed by the Tathagata Buddha, was pierced through by Sun Wukong amidst the terrified gazes of the assembled heroes. Unstoppable, Sun Wukong's golden cudgel shook the World Honored One, causing even the lotus platform to tremble.
"What???" Countless immortals and demons suddenly stood up.
A casual strike from the Primordial Saint Realm was blocked by Sun Wukong, and it even shook the Buddha?!
Even if the Buddha didn't use any supernatural powers, he was still a Primordial Chaos being!
Sun Wukong is only aiming for the ninth level of Quasi-Saint; he hasn't even reached the Weak Primordial Chaos realm yet...
"Hiss!" Even the Jade Emperor in the Lingxiao Palace was startled, his expression one of astonishment.
Then he felt relieved that he hadn't made a move openly. Otherwise, how could he have withstood the attack of the Buddha? The Jade Emperor would have had to use all his trump cards to compete for supremacy.
"Amazing!" Cao Ya exclaimed in admiration. This generation's Sun Wukong was simply an extraordinary prodigy!
Yes, in every universe, if there were a Sun Wukong, he would be incredibly powerful!
"Well done, Sun Wukong! I underestimated you." The Buddha smiled, his five fingers forming a hand seal. Zen chants filled the air, and shimmering Buddhist light rose, finally subduing Sun Wukong and slapping him down from the heavens all the way to the western part of the Southern Continent of the Earthly Immortal Realm!
"Boom..." The ear-piercing roar echoed between heaven and earth.
The five fingers of the Buddha seemed to have detached, possessing a strange power that held down Sun Wukong, making it difficult for him to break free.
"Boom!!" At this moment, the entire Southern Continent seemed to tremble.
A towering peak, seemingly an ancient sacred mountain, rose abruptly from the ground, pressing down on the Monkey King at its lowest point.
"Ah!!" Sun Wukong roared, his golden cudgel bending, so he simply put it into his ear. He supported the earth with both hands, his power spreading throughout the celestial realm. The pressure was borne by the entire world. Then, he did his best to lift up the Buddha Mountain.
"Om Mani Padme Hum." The Buddha recited the Buddhist mantra, which manifested as six large syllables that floated across the heavens and landed on Jambudvipa in the mortal realm, where they were engraved on the Buddha Mountain.
In an instant, some supreme holy power began to spread, stabilizing Mount Fo. No matter how hard Sun Wukong tried, he could not escape and was completely suppressed under the mountain.
“Sun Wukong, I will suppress you with the Five Elements Mountain. After many tens of thousands of years, when the calamity is over, you will be released. As for the Jade Emperor’s position, there is no need to argue about it,” the Buddha said with a smile.
At this moment, only Sun Wukong's head was visible from under the Five Elements Mountain.
The immortals and demons of the four directions, upon witnessing this, could not help but sigh.
Sun Wukong, who possessed invincible strength, could withstand a weak Hunyuan and move the lotus platform of the World Honored One, but in the end, he could not overcome the two major realms to fight against the World Honored One!
But Sun Wukong's performance had already shaken heaven and earth, and even the Primordial Saints were very surprised.
They all greatly admired Sun Wukong.
No one believed that Sun Wukong was incapable of overthrowing the Jade Emperor.
Judging from his final performance, it's really uncertain who would win if he went against the Jade Emperor and fought against someone of a higher level.
All we can say is that the "Great Sage Equal to Heaven," the "Monkey King," Sun Wukong, is indeed a hero of all time!
Throughout history, there has only been one such person.
"Under the Five Elements Mountain, how many years have passed in this lifetime?" Cao Ya sighed.
The Buddha's terror is such that unless another saint intervenes, who can rival him?
Despite numerous deviations, in the end, Sun Wukong was still imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain.
Cao Ya's emotions were quite complex.
"It's still a matter of strength... If I were already at a seven-star combat level..."
Cao Ya smiled wryly. Seven-star level, how easy is it to achieve?
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