"Old Tathagata, stop talking nonsense and get on with it." There was no turning back once he started. From the moment he stepped onto the demon-slaying platform, Sun Wukong never thought of admitting defeat, even though he had no chance of winning.
"You are so stubborn." Tathagata scolded, and showed no mercy. Each of his palms carried the aura of destroying the world.
At that moment, the demon-slaying platform was filled with only the whirling wind and the occasional shattering of jade, leaving barely a trace of a shadow. Thanks to the Jade Emperor's production of the Qiankun Bagua Mirror, the gods were able to see Tathagata and Sun Wukong within. Despite the one-sided battle, Sun Wukong refused to concede, despite his desperate attempts to evade and countless blows sent flying. Tathagata was unable to capture the wicked monkey. When had he become so powerful? This was the Tathagata Palm, the Left Tathagata Palm combined with the Right Tathagata Palm. The gods watched with horror, their understanding of Sun Wukong deepened. If this wicked monkey wasn't eliminated, he would be a source of endless trouble.
The two men fought relentlessly, leaving the Demon Slaying Platform completely ravaged. The once mirror-smooth surface was instantly covered with countless spiderweb-like cracks, large and small. Some jade was even lifted and shattered into dust during the clash.
"Puff!" Sun Wukong knelt on one leg on the ground and spurted out another mouthful of blood. He was already at the end of his strength.
Tathagata swung down another heavy palm. Sun Wukong was unable to dodge and his battered body fell heavily on the demon-slaying platform like a rag.
The monkey, who was once so arrogant, was finally about to be declared dead, just one palm away.
The gods watching the battle fell into ecstasy.
The Jade Emperor had even decided where to hold the celebration banquet. The Queen Mother was thinking about how many peaches to serve at the banquet. The Jade Emperor was wondering how he could refine this monkey...
However, at this critical moment, Tathagata stopped his palms and stood on the demon-slaying platform.
The gods looked at each other in bewilderment.
Somehow, a wave of panic rose within Tathagata. The once dilapidated Demon Slaying Platform, now covered in shattered jade, revealed several ravines. These ravines, seemingly created by the recent fight, exuded an ancient aura that terrified Tathagata. This was something Tathagata had never experienced since achieving enlightenment.
"Cough... cough cough... Old Tathagata, why... did you stop? You're not... going to take action?" Sun Wukong finished his words with difficulty, and finally managed to get up by supporting himself with the fire stick in his hand, staring at Tathagata with burning eyes.
"What is this?" Tathagata asked hurriedly.
"Have we been discovered? Hahaha... cough... cough cough..." Sun Wukong laughed loudly, looking up at the sky. He laughed a little too hastily, which hurt his wound and made him cough again. "So what? What's coming can't be avoided."
The more Tathagata looked, the more frightened he became. Was this really the Demon Slaying Platform? For the first time, Tathagata began to doubt his own understanding.
As its name suggests, the Demon Slaying Platform is a place for slaying demons and the most heinous criminals. It's a round, bare, mirror-clear stone platform, devoid of any ornamentation, standing abruptly against the vast expanse of the heavens. The origins of the Demon Slaying Platform date back to the very beginning of the universe. It simply stands there, a place untouched and unchanging, unchanging with the passage of time. It's a truly unique place. Furthermore, this stone platform can draw forth the Nine Heavens' Thunder Tribulation, slaying any demon or evil spirit. Hence, it was given the name "Demon Slaying Platform" by the Heavenly Palace, carrying the mission of slaying demons and eliminating evil.
This is the Demon-Slaying Platform that everyone knows.
But why are there these gullies under the Demon-Slaying Platform, and what are these gullies?
"Do you want to know what these gullies are?" Sun Wukong was thin and his black robe was already tattered. The corners of his mouth were scarlet and there was an extremely strange smile, like a demon tempting God to fall.
"Then I'll show you clearly." Sun Wukong gripped the fire stick tightly with trembling hands, bit his tongue, and, with the last of his strength, slammed it down on the demon-slaying platform. A surge of rich spiritual energy instantly spread in all directions, shattering broken jade into powder wherever it passed.
When the powder clears...
Tathagata was so shocked that he couldn't even control the Buddha platform he was sitting on, and it shook twice!
There weren't just a few grooves beneath the jade, but hundreds—no, perhaps even more. Each of these grooves held a compelling, sharp aura. Connected, they formed a strange "array"?
"Array diagram"? Calling it an array diagram isn't quite accurate.
Even in a brilliant, intricate, and complex formation, there was always an order to follow. But in this "formation" before him, the lines were randomly laid out, some thick, some thin, some long, some short, with no order at all, as if someone had slashed at them with a knife.
But the powerful aura emanating from the "array diagram" was palpable even to the gods observing through the Qiankun Bagua Mirror. Furthermore, even the Tathagata Buddha, possessing boundless Buddhist wisdom and extensive experience, was so shocked, one can only imagine how terrifying this "array diagram" was. The gods, their previous expressions of joy vanished, and all fell silent, their faces solemn.
This is specially prepared for you and me. A dark light flashed in Sun Wukong's eyes, and then disappeared.
What is this "array diagram"? Even Sun Wukong himself didn't understand it.
In his previous life, Sun Wukong was fortunate enough to ascend to the Demon Slaying Platform, but due to his unforgiving fate and the protection afforded by his immortal magic, the Platform was unable to stop him. Later, after achieving enlightenment, he stumbled upon the Platform again and discovered the secret beneath. This was all thanks to the Jade Emperor. Without him, Sun Wukong would not have developed his Fiery Eyes, and without them, he would have been unable to discover the secrets hidden beneath the platform.
I still remember that moment, when I glimpsed the ravine beneath the stone platform, Sun Wukong trembled uncontrollably, a surge of fear rising within him. The fearless Sun Wukong was actually frightened. Animals instinctively seek out benefits and avoid harm. Even Sun Wukong, long since freed from the animal realm, retained this instinct. Anything that frightened him must be truly extraordinary.
In this life, Sun Wukong meticulously planned to avoid his destined journey westward. He shunned all the events that would have put him on the path. He refused to worship Patriarch Bodhi as his master, instead cultivating in the Water Curtain Cave. He refused to break into the Dragon Palace to steal the Dinghai Shenzhen, instead picking up a firewood stick. He refused to descend into the underworld to alter the Book of Life and Death and guide his descendants in their cultivation. Despite this, fate still brought him to the Heavenly Palace, where he faced Tathagata.
How sad and lamentable!
In my previous life, I had brought disaster upon myself. But what had I done in this life? I had done nothing, so why was I still being pinned down beneath the Five Finger Mountain, assisting Tang Sanzang on his journey westward?
Why? I refuse to accept it! Is it because I'm the only unique and special monkey in the Three Realms? Even if I die, I will still follow my own path.
The desperate Sun Wukong somehow remembered the Demon Slaying Platform. A voice in his heart told him that there he could achieve his wish.
So, Sun Wukong secretly planned in his mind, using the force to his advantage, luring Tathagata, and spending a lot of effort hammering on the demon-slaying platform to help himself come up with the formation diagram.
Hard work pays off, and I finally finished this picture.
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