Heaven-Defying Rebel Sage
Chapter 216 - 209: Planning Against the Buddhist Sect at the Water Curtain Cave

Chapter 216: Chapter 209: Planning Against the Buddhist Sect at the Water Curtain Cave

The battlefield before the Lingxiao Treasure Hall in the Heavenly Court was a scene of chaos, where great emperors led their minions into battle and finally stemmed the tide of the demon chiefs’ offensive.

The Jade Emperor arrived with the Thirty-Three Heavens Divine Artifact in hand, radiant with boundless light, resembling a savior. His expression was cold and detached, as if everything was under his control, as if all before him were mere ants! This confidence was bestowed upon him by the Thirty-Three Heavens Divine Artifact, the source of his overwhelming sense of invincibility—he was unbeatable!

"Retreat!" the Taoist Duobao commanded, forcing back the True Martial Emperor with the Heart-Piercing Lock and then bellowed the order.

All the demon chiefs deployed their deadly skills, driving back the enemies before them, then sprang out of the fray.

Following the Taoist Duobao, the demon chiefs used their Escape Techniques, fleeing toward the Northern Heavenly Gate, and straight into the Demon Abyss of the Northern Region.

The True Martial Emperor gasped for air and asked, "Your Majesty, why not pursue them?"

The Jade Emperor slightly closed his eyes, the Thirty-Three Heavens Divine Artifact in his grasp, and said, "Now, our Heavenly Court needs to lie low, heal and recuperate. The battle between the Buddhists and Demons looms near; we should be bystanders, avoid igniting major conflicts that could harm our foundation."

Almost all of the True Martial Emperor’s subordinates were dead or wounded, and he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, knowing he had to rebuild his forces from scratch.

The Jade Emperor’s decision to have him be the first to come here for reinforcement wasn’t without the intention of depleting his strength. After all, among the remaining great emperors, the True Martial Emperor was second only to the Ziwei Great Emperor. Weakening his power would bring many benefits. Now that the Qinghua Great Emperor had his physical body destroyed and was seriously injured, the Jade Emperor had lost a valuable subordinate, which was indeed troublesome.

The Jade Emperor ordered to assist the Queen Mother in rebuilding the Jade Pool within the Thirty-Three Heavens, allocated an area to plant peach trees, and set aside land to cultivate the immortal herbs gathered from the Ten Continents and Three Islands. All the deities were incorporated back into the system of the Heavenly Court.

Let’s set aside for a moment the Heavenly Court’s upheaval and arming for battle.

As for Wukong, he had won a great victory. Thanks to the timely retreat, he did not suffer losses, and instead, it was the Demon Abyss of the Northern Region that had invaded the Heavenly Court and inflicted damage upon it. More celebratory was the fact that the Eastern Emperor Bell of the Eastern Emperor Taiyi—one representing invincibility—was now in their hands. If not for Di Jun’s unexpected appearance, the Eastern Emperor Taiyi was indeed the unrivaled top expert in the world.

The Demon Tribe happily returned to the Water Curtain Cave, held a grand banquet, and drank for three days and nights before resting.

Wukong convened everyone to discuss dealing with the Buddhist Sect.

"I wish to revolutionize the world so that everyone is equal. Yet, the Buddhist Sect, the Heavenly Court, and even the mortal emperors all oppress the people like three great mountains! As for now, the mortal emperors are of some use to us and pose little threat; they can be ignored. If we obliterate the Buddhist Sect, take control of the Heavenly Court, and give a slight push from behind, their governance will crumble. Then, we can establish a new republican government, achieving a world without oppression, exploitation, or discrimination!" Wukong declared loudly.

Revolutionizing the world was no easy feat, as oppression and racial discrimination were prevalent everywhere.

A republic where everyone is equal, governed by law, where every offense is met with punishment—only then can things be set right.

But to accomplish this, the first of the three entrenched mountains to be overturned was the Buddhist Sect!

"The Buddha preaches equality among all beings, so why perch high atop the Spiritual Mount, commanding and dictating? The Buddha preaches compassion, so why not save us with it, instead of pressing down on me for five hundred years, manipulating me at the clap of your hands? The Buddha preaches about feeding one’s flesh to eagles, but why is it that we only see Buddhas fighting fiercely for Incense Willpower, regarding mortals as ants?" Wukong said coldly, "It is because they are all hypocrites, all false Buddhas! Wait until I shatter the Western Heavenly Mountain, establish the Ultimate Bliss World, set up the Ten Directions Country where all beings enter and are truly equal. I will become a Buddha who slays attachment, a true Buddha, not like them—mere false Buddhas!"

There are only two true Buddhas in this world: one is Amitabha, the other is the Victorious Fighting Buddha. The Ksitigarbha King too has come close to this path, but he has yet to succeed. Once successful, he will attain Buddhahood instantly.

Ren Tianxing said, "For the Demon Tribe to be free from discrimination, we must overthrow the false Buddhist Sect!"

Bai Yuhu said, "This Heaven and Earth is in such disarray because it’s too slack. Deities, with their self-proclaimed formidable powers, and Buddhas, with their supposedly boundless Mana, all commit injustices, all using any means to seek benefits for themselves. Now, it’s natural for everyone to vie for benefits, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of disrespecting life. If we were to eradicate these Buddhas and deities and establish a republican nation governed by law, I believe there wouldn’t be such chaos as there is now. Whether human or deity, ghost or demon, anyone who breaks the law will face severe punishment! Only then can we achieve true equality of all beings."

"How is the Buddhist sect’s combat strength now?" Wukong asked.

"Tathagata, Immeasurable Light, Immeasurable Life, Glazed Light King, Pilanpo, Corpse Abandonment, and Merit—these seven are all Primordial Golden Immortal experts. There is also a Mosquito Taoist who has now joined them. Additionally, Indra has broken through to the Daluo Golden Immortal level and stepped into the ranks of the Primordial Golden Immortals. These individuals form the core strength of the Buddhist sect. Moreover, in the Esoteric Buddhism, there exists the seventh Tsangyang Gyatso, Gesang Gyatso. The strength of the Buddhist sect is not weak," said Shen Gongbao.

Wukong nodded and replied, "It’s also fortunate that during the battle in Mount Putuo, we killed many of their Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, protectors, Vajras, and Arhats; otherwise, with our current strength, it would be impossible to attack the Buddhist sect, perhaps even until the onset of the Primordial Calamity. Amitabha Buddha and Zhun Ti Taoist reaped many benefits during The Investiture of the Gods Period, and with such a profound foundation in the Buddhist sect, it would not have been easy to topple this great mountain if it weren’t for the desperate strikes of our Demon Tribe ancestors."

Shen Gongbao stated, "It’s also good that we killed the ancient Buddha Burning Lamp and the Future Buddha Maitreya. Their methods rank alongside Tathagata’s among all the Buddhas. Particularly formidable was Burning Lamp; his twenty-four Sea-Calming Pearls, when used for stealthy attacks, were simply unfailing."

After Tathagata refined the five Vajra Kings, his mana increased significantly, making him a being who is on the verge of touching the Heavenly Dao Laws. He is just slightly behind powerhouses who are one step away from enlightenment, such as the Nether River and the Colorful Undying Phoenix. It cannot be said for certain whether one day he might suddenly have an epiphany and become a Saint overnight. However, in order to confront the Demon Tribe, Tathagata had melted down the five Vajra Kings and all of the Eight Treasures Merit of the Buddhist sect together, with the combined effort of all the Buddhas, forging a Turning Wheel Sage King Great Seal.

The Turning Wheel Sage King is a symbol rather than an actual existence, representing the highest realm of Buddhist Law. He is the supreme deity of the Buddhist sect, even surpassing Amitabha Buddha to whom transforming into the Turning Wheel Sage King was the ultimate lifelong aspiration.

Nowadays, the strength of Water Curtain Cave is not weak. With the assistance of the Ancestral Witch, completely crushing the Buddhist sect is not a pipe dream. When the time comes, Wukong assumes the title of Victorious Fighting Buddha, establishing the Ultimate Bliss World in the Western Direction, founding the Ten Directions Country. All beings entering it shall attain peace, health, wealth, and longevity. He, too, may take this opportunity to slay his own body, eradicate the Three Corpses, fulfill his grand ambition, and thus may achieve the status of a Heavenly Dao Saint!

As for becoming a Great Dao Sage, that path is still long and must be traversed step by step. Since Hong Jun attained the rank of Great Dao Sage by severing Three Thousand Great Paths, and although Wukong—who has severed Three Thousand Great Paths and slain the Three Corpses—is still a Heavenly Dao Saint, it is indeed a peculiar matter. The further one proceeds on this path, the more cautious one must be to avoid a misstep that could lead to a precipitous fall from the cliffs of the Dao.

After pondering for a moment, Wukong said, "The power of the Buddhist sect is also not weak, somewhat on par with the Heavenly Court. However, fortunately, the eleven Ancestral Witches are willing to assist; they are immortal beings, and although they have not yet recovered their peak combat strength, they are more than capable of dealing with a Primordial Golden Immortal. When the time comes, we shall break them one by one."

Nezha suddenly asked, "Wukong, the last time you forged a significant karmic tie with the Nether River, do you think he will sit idly by when you attack the Buddhist sect? He’s bound to stir up trouble using this chance and may even take action against us."

Wukong nodded slightly. The Nether River was indeed a significant threat, having concealed his presence and cultivated diligently for tens of thousands of years, he was only one step away from enlightenment when he himself had severely disrupted the process. Moreover, with Ksitigarbha King’s sudden turn in battle, how could he not harbor resentment towards him? He probably wished more than anything to flay him alive, eat his flesh, and drink his blood. Obstructing someone from enlightenment is an enmity so great that it’s utterly irreconcilable.

Wukong stated, "It’s likely that the Nether River will not remain quiet. He’ll come out and stand against my Demon Tribe. That Mosquito Taoist is inherently linked to the Asura Blood Sea; rumored to have originated there. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Nether River really took this opportunity to take action against me. But now, I already possess the Eastern Emperor Bell, and with the Plain-Colored Cloud Boundary Flag in hand, along with brother Yuan Hong and Wu Zhiqi wielding the Primordial Golden Dou and Golden Crocodile Shears, we should be able to manage."

The Nether River is indeed of high mana and armed with formidable Magical Treasures. In addition, he has refined 480 million Blood God Child clones, making him the foremost figure beneath the Saints. Even Wukong was beaten to the point of vomiting blood, with his Primordial Spirit almost shattered, which attests to his mightiness.

In planning against the Buddhist sect, one cannot fail to take into account the restless factor of the Nether River. The Nether River is indeed set to take action, for the Eight Divisions of Heavenly Dragons flag that the Mosquito protector received was not accepted in vain. Although just a casually fashioned Magic Artifact by Hong Jun, it was nonetheless extremely powerful.

The Eight Divisions of Heavenly Dragons flag contained sealed divine and draconic beings from ancient times. After causing chaos in ancient times, they were effortlessly captured by Hong Jun. Feeling that it was a pity to kill them, he forged them into the Magic Artifact, which was later granted to Amitabha Buddha, who then passed it on to the Mosquito protector.

The Nether River, old and cunning as he is, originally had an unreconcilable conflict with Wukong. Yet, he managed to extort such a potent Magical Treasure from the Mosquito protector. It was only due to the protector’s lack of worldly experience that, boasting some ability, he was captured. Having absorbed the Turtle Spirit Holy Mother, he had since been confined to Mount Sumeru, unable to descend the mountain to comprehend the ways of the world, leading to impulsive thinking.

Now, the protector regrets and feels a twinge of pain at the thought. At that time, he should have just casually offered two Magical Treasures, instead of handing out such a precious one. Truly foolish.

"We must prepare thoroughly this time. From today onwards, I will refine a thousand strands of Chaos Sword Qi every day to arm you for self-defense. Should you find yourselves in danger, you can use them to turn peril into safety," Wukong said.

"Excellent," everyone nodded in agreement.

This Chaos Sword Qi is immensely powerful and doesn’t consume much mana to cast directly, but to intricately refine it like a Magic Artifact for self-defense requires the expenditure of a lot of mana. Wukong could only manage to refine a thousand strands per day using the Eastern Emperor Bell.

To find out what happens next, please stay tuned for the next update. (To be continued. If you like this work, please consider supporting it by casting your recommendations and monthly tickets at Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)