Heaven-Defying Rebel Sage
Chapter 241 - 233: The Three Sages Deliberate in Tushita Palace

Chapter 241: Chapter 233: The Three Sages Deliberate in Tushita Palace

The war between Buddha and demon ended with the Buddhist sect defeated, and Tathagata fleeing the scene.

Wukong ventured alone deep into the western deserts to find Five Fingers Mountain, where Tathagata had used to suppress Xiao Qing. He himself had once been pinned under the very same mountain. Fortunately, Xiao Qing had resolved her ordeal; otherwise, she would have faced suppression for the second time. Xuan Ming had played a role in calculating this outcome.

Xiao Qing, suppressed under Five Fingers Mountain, fell into a drowsy stupor each day. One day, she suddenly felt lighter, as if she was about to float away.

Opening her eyes, she saw that Five Fingers Mountain had been lifted from her body and was rising slowly.

Xiao Qing didn’t dare to delay, and quickly flew out for several miles before she stopped.

It was indeed Wukong who had uprooted Five Fingers Mountain. Seeing Xiao Qing escape, he laughed heartily, released his grip, and with the Creation Heavenly Mechanism Staff in hand, smashed the Five Fingers Mountain into rubble, ensuring it would never exist again. Although he had rescued Xiao Qing, he still couldn’t resolve his hatred for Tathagata; after all, he had let him escape!

Xiao Qing was slightly stunned but could not help shouting excitedly, "Brother Monkey!"

Wukong carried the staff on his back, hands resting on it, and lazily strolled over, saying, "You’ve had it tough!"

Xiao Qing smiled and said, "You are a great hero of the Demon Tribe, while I am just a mere snake spirit with meager mana. For the entire Demon Tribe, it’s worth it for me to make such a sacrifice!"

Wukong squinted, smiling, "Soon, we’ll be free, and no one will dare to oppress us anymore."

Xiao Qing smiled with joy, looking at the colorful dawn in the sky as if she saw hope.

Xiao Qing said, "I haven’t seen my sister for a long time; she must be worried to death. I need to go see her."

Wukong flipped his palm, and a talisman appeared, "Take this talisman with you; should you encounter any danger, I will be able to sense it."

Xiao Qing took it with delight, "Thank you, Brother Monkey!"

The naive and carefree little demon.

Many things need not be said; it is enough to keep them in the heart, silent and joyfully.

Leaving Xiao Qing to return to the Eastern Divine Region to reunite with Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian, let’s put that aside for now.

All the allied forces had withdrawn. Wu Zhiqi and Yuan Hong led the Demon Tribe’s army back to Southern Ridge Demon Mountain. The Demon Tribe also needed time to recover. However, the Heavenly Court’s military strength compared to the Buddhist Sect is perhaps only weaker, not stronger. After a few years of recovery, they would be able to take on the Heavenly Court. The only thing that made Wukong wary was the Thirty-Three Heavens Divine Artifact.

It must be said that the Jade Emperor’s vision was not great. The state he had brought himself to included his own mistakes, one bad move leading to another, bringing him to the current predicament. Stubborn people often end up this way.

The Demon Tribe’s battle with the Buddhist Sect was clearly observed by the Jade Emperor, who finally realized his mistakes and the true strength of the Demon Tribe. It was terrifying; the Heavenly Court was definitely no match! The only thing he could rely on was the Thirty-Three Heavens Divine Artifact, but there was the Eastern Emperor Bell to counter his Divine Artifact, so what could he do? Was it only left to dust and ash?

The Jade Emperor was not reconciled, so he dispatched Venus to the Reincarnation Netherworld to persuade Lady Peace not to interfere. Xuan Ming’s and Wukong’s matters were not widely known, which is why the Jade Emperor ended up making such a blunder, causing Venus to be scorched by the fiery Zhu Rong with Samadhi True Fire, running out of there.

Aside from the Medicine Buddha who surrendered and Tathagata who fled, all Buddhist Primordial Golden Immortals were annihilated and ascended to the Deification Platform.

Ultimately, if Nether River had not withdrawn, the fight would have continued. With his retreat, the battle turned to outnumbering the enemy, so how could the Buddhist Sect not be defeated? Mosquito protector also met his tragic end, regretting why he descended Mount Sumeru, to think he escaped the Investiture of the Gods Period during the Middle Ages, only to ascend the Investiture Platform now.

Lu Ya was also furiously infuriated, unable to believe Nether River would act so unscrupulously, making the Buddhist Sect suffer such a stifling defeat. Nonetheless, as a Saint, he couldn’t intervene, and even if he did, the price would be too high, which he was unwilling to pay. So he could only seethe in anger.

Luo Hou had not expected Tathagata to sacrifice the Turning Wheel Sage King, channeling Great Magical Power to blast open the Heavenly Dao Laws, and sweep away Tong Tian Sect Master. Tong Tian had been a reliable ally, and letting Tathagata sweep him away seemed like a loss. Luo Hou also regretted his hasty decision to let Tong Tian settle karma with Wukong; he could have waited longer.

At that moment, in the Jade Purity Heaven of the Thirty-Three Heavens, in Tushita Palace, the three saints of Taoism congregated.

The Lord of Primordial Beginning slowly said, "The war between Buddha and demon has come to a conclusion, and Sun Wukong’s next target is the Heavenly Court. Now the Jade Emperor is seeking help everywhere but nobody wishes to heed his requests. Even the other Great Emperors within the Heavenly Court practice deceit. After the collapse of the Heavenly Court, should we rebuild it?"

The Tong Tian Sect Master nodded, "If the Heavenly Court is not rebuilt, who will govern the Three Realms? It will lead to chaos again!"

The Lord of Primordial Beginning continued, "In that case, if we rebuild it and conflict with Sun Wukong arises, what should we do?"

Tong Tian Sect Master said, "It’s simple. Hand the Investiture of the Gods to him, let him appoint the gods, and let him choose the position of the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Lord of the Ten Thousand Heavens. All he wants is equality for all beings, to govern Heaven by law, where there is law to be followed, there must be law enforcement, rather than to overthrow all authority."

Laozi nodded and added, "Tong Tian’s junior brother is right. Sun Wukong is not trying to overthrow all authority. He knows that without government control, who knows how chaotic the world would become, with various beasts and ghosts running amok without any organization. When the time comes, simply hand the Deification Platform over to him, let him appoint the gods and the position of the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Lord."

Both Lord of Primordial Beginning and Tong Tian Sect Master agreed, "Good!"

Laozi continued, "The only thing that did not feel perfect, the only regret about this battle between Buddha and demon, is that Tathagata actually escaped."

Lord of Primordial Beginning said, "He actually mastered the secret method of sacrificing the Turning Wheel Sage King, which was something we could not foresee. After all, he is the highest deity of the Buddhist Sect. This time, his escape to the Chaotic World is more likely to bring misfortune than fortune, and when Sun Wukong becomes a saint, he will naturally go and settle their karma. Even if he flees to the ends of the earth, it will be useless!"

Laozi looked at the Tong Tian Sect Master and said, "Tong Tian, you have accepted a good disciple!"

The sages calculated with their fingers and thoroughly understood Tathagata’s situation.

Tong Tian Sect Master was also burning with anger. It turns out that even as far back as the Investiture of the Gods Period in the Middle Ages, Tathagata, who was then known as Duo Bao Taoist, had foreseen the decline of the Jie Taoist Sect and actively provoked Laozi within the Slaying Immortals Sword Formation. Who would dare provoke a Saint like Laozi? Duo Bao Taoist took the initiative, claiming to be a teacher, but in reality, he was seeking life in the face of death!

Sure enough, Laozi captured him with his Wind Fire Wheel, then took him beyond Hangu Pass and turned him into the Buddha.

Thus, Duo Bao Taoist escaped a great catastrophe and avoided being listed on the Investiture of the Gods!

"Hehe, hehe! This fellow’s calculations are indeed meticulous, daring to plot even against the mind of a saint. He truly has boundless gall. He wasn’t afraid that senior brother would accidentally beat him to death," Tong Tian Sect Master sneered.

"He probably also felt that his luck was not yet exhausted, and with the Western Religion inheriting the luck, he mustered the courage to contest me," said Laozi, stroking his beard and speaking slowly.

"Indeed, what courage, what a scheme!" sighed Lord of Primordial Beginning.

It’s always the Saints who plan against others, but who would have thought that a defiant disciple would emerge from the disciples of Tong Tian Sect Master. Sensing the decline of Jie Taoist Sect’s luck, he plotted against Laozi and ultimately fled westward from Hangu, transforming from a barbarian into a Buddha, achieving the respect of governing an era. But this, too, is now the past.

"After the battle of the demon gods, the Investiture of the Gods can be handed over to him," Tong Tian Sect Master said, unwilling to discuss Tathagata any further.

"Yes, this time the Heavenly Court will be stronger than ever before," said Laozi.

"I have already issued a decree, as soon as the battle between Buddha and demon begins, Wu Dang will take my disciples with the Six-Soul Banner, which is extremely wondrous and can sever the connection to the Divine Court’s will," said the Tong Tian Sect Master.

There were many prominent members of the Jie Taoist Sect once serving in the Heavenly Court. Once the battle of the demon gods begins, some will inevitably be annihilated. After all, Tong Tian Sect Master still remembered the mentor-disciple relationship of the past years, and they were not traitors, but had entered the Heavenly Court out of necessity. It was only reasonable and proper to try and save them.

"Good! The calamity of the Meeting of Yuan is drawing closer, and we should no longer fight amongst ourselves. There is no need for the sects to contend any further. If you want to take back your disciples, just do it, but avoid dabbling in major karma," Laozi said with implicit meaning.

This major karma naturally referred to what was implicated by the descent of the tenth saint, and Tong Tian Sect Master understood it clearly.

Tong Tian Sect Master bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you for the reminder, senior brother. Tong Tian understands it very well."

Lord of Primordial Beginning also said, "I also have many disciples serving in the Heavenly Court. In a few days, I will issue a decree to have them resign and come up to the Jade Purity Heaven for cultivation."

Lord of Primordial Beginning didn’t want his disciples to suffer too much in the battle of the demon gods, and he also wanted to avoid the major karma, which is why he acted in such a way despite the saint’s pride.

With most official positions in the Heavenly Court held by Jie Taoist Sect members, and a few from Chan Taoist Sect, if the leaders of these two sects called their disciples back, what would become of the Heavenly Court? The Jade Emperor would truly be alone!

Lord of Primordial Beginning’s disciples had mostly taken official positions in the Heavenly Court on their own, without being listed on the Investiture of the Gods, so they could simply be called back by decree, resign, and come up to the Jade Purity Heaven to cultivate, without the need for the complications of Tong Tian Sect Master, who had to wait for the battle of the demon gods to begin and use the Six-Soul Banner to capture them one by one during the Jade Emperor’s fight with Wukong.

Before the Heavenly Court is destroyed, the three sage have already begun to draw off the firewood from under the cauldron, a true case of everyone pushing over a falling wall.

It appears that the Heavenly Court truly ought to be extinguished, with all three founders acting in such a way. What more is there to fight for?

While the three saints discussed affairs here, there, the Victorious Fighting Buddha was preparing to level Mount Sumeru to establish the Western Paradise.

To find out what happens next, please tune in to the following installment. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users can go to m.qidian.com to read.)