Journey to the West: Starting from Changing Sun Wukong’s fate
Chapter 537 - 456 Ksitigarbha King Turns into a Demon, Meets Ran Deng_2

Chapter 537: Chapter 456 Ksitigarbha King Turns into a Demon, Meets Ran Deng_2

The group pressed on, no longer concerning themselves with the whereabouts of Ksitigarbha King.

In fact, after Ksitigarbha King returned, he did not go back to the Underworld. He had always kept Samantabhadra by his side and never left him in the Underworld; this was merely an excuse for Jieyin.

An excuse that would allow them to travel to the east of the Eastern Sea with peace of mind.

At this moment, Ksitigarbha King concealed his aura. Although he could not transform into a rainbow and fly directly through the sky—which greatly slowed down his pace—neither Tongtian nor Wang Yang could detect him, and nobody could sense his presence.

So, bit by bit, he arrived at the foot of Mount Meru and gazed at the mountain, where demonic Qi wreaked havoc, prompting a sincere smile from Ksitigarbha King.

"Who goes there?"

Just as Ksitigarbha King was about to ascend the mountain, two figures shrouded in demonic Qi emerged from Mount Meru and obstructed his path.

"I’ve come to see Wu Tian."

Ksitigarbha King stated bluntly.

"What a joke, do you think you can simply see the No-Heaven Buddha as you wish?"

One of the figures sneered in response.

However, his sneer quickly froze on his face.

As for his form, it gradually dissipated.

"Fellow Daoist, what brings you here?"

After the figure from the Demon Clan faded away, Wu Tian stepped forward, addressing Ksitigarbha King.

"Daoist Wutian, I am here under orders to visit Ancient Buddha Ran Deng," Ksitigarbha King said, showing no hostility toward Wu Tian. However, as he spoke, surges of demonic Qi rose suddenly from his body.

Seeing this, Wu Tian understood, but he kept his composure and responded, "Ancient Buddha Ran Deng has been imprisoned. If Fellow Daoist wishes to see him, please come inside Mount Meru for a chat."

With that, Wu Tian led the way, with Ksitigarbha King following closely behind.

Behind his head shone thousands of Buddha’s lights, continuously purifying the demonic Qi above Mount Meru.

Wu Tian pretended not to notice this, completely ignoring it.

However, once the two arrived on Mount Meru and entered the Great Hero Treasure Hall, Wu Tian dismissed all the Buddhas of Mount Meru, leaving only themselves in the entire hall.

Ksitigarbha retracted the Buddha’s light, and demonic Qi surged on his body in an instant, his face revealing an intoxicated expression.

"Feeling the Buddhist Law every day is quite uncomfortable; this feels much better!"

Facing this form of Ksitigarbha, Wu Tian was not at all surprised, as if he had expected it all along.

"Ksitigarbha Fellow Daoist, you could stay on Mount Meru and transform into a demon. Nothing would be forbidden to you," Wu Tian told Ksitigarbha King.

"Wu Tian, you have your matters, and I have mine. Let me see Ancient Buddha Ran Deng, and I will leave on my own," Ksitigarbha replied, his tone implying a sense of superiority even when addressing Wu Tian.

Such an attitude irked Wu Tian, but he said nothing and instead, telepathically summoned Black Robe to bring forth the Haotian Mirror.

The Haotian Mirror held Buddhists and Buddhas, and naturally, it was better for Wu Tian to handle it, so Haotian temporarily left the mirror in Wu Tian’s care.

"Buddha Ancestor!"

Black Robe arrived promptly before Wu Tian without delay.

But he was soon startled to see Ksitigarbha King there. Black Robe gasped, then laughed, "Isn’t this the Buddhist Ksitigarbha Pusa? Buddha Ancestor, has he come to surrender to the Luo Net?"

"Black Robe, this Ksitigarbha Pusa is one of our Demon Clan and stands with us,"

"Let Ksitigarbha Pusa go in to see Ancient Buddha Ran Deng."

Wu Tian’s words struck a chord with Black Robe; he had not expected Ksitigarbha King to be part of the Demon Clan.

But seeing Ksitigarbha King truly standing there, he had no doubt in his heart.

Black Robe immediately took out the Haotian Mirror and handed it over to Wu Tian.

Wu Tian received the Haotian Mirror and nodded at Ksitigarbha King, "Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment!"

Wu Tian activated the Haotian Mirror, and a gate of light appeared in the Great Hero Treasure Hall.

"Enter through this gate, Fellow Daoist, and you will see Ancient Buddha Ran Deng,"

Haotian spoke again to Ksitigarbha King.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist." Ksitigarbha King smiled faintly and walked directly into the gate of light.

After watching Ksitigarbha King enter, Black Robe looked at Wu Tian and asked, "Buddha Ancestor, isn’t Ksitigarbha a Buddhist Bodhisattva? When did he become one of the Demon Clan?"

It was impossible for Black Robe not to be curious.

A Bodhisattva who was actually from the Demon Clan—if proven true, would certainly become the greatest joke of Buddhism.

"You should not concern yourself with this matter any further. If I’m not mistaken, he must have been possessed by a member of the Demon Clan."

Wu Tian shook his head,

unwilling to elaborate on Ksitigarbha’s situation.

In fact, he only knew that someone from the Three Realms belonged to him; as for who it was, he had only confirmed today that it was Ksitigarbha.

In terms of shock, Wu Tian was hardly less surprised than Black Robe.

"Do we of the Demon Clan have some business to attend to?"

Black Robe asked, somewhat curious.

"In time, you will naturally come to know. Don’t ask too much now!"

Wu Tian glanced at Black Robe and said with a smile.

"Yes, Buddha Ancestor!"

Black Robe dared not say anything more and nodded.

...

In the Haotian Mirror, upon entering, Ksitigarbha saw the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng who had been brought in, but the two great Bodhisattvas, Manjushri and Samantabhadra, who were also captured, were nowhere to be seen.

As it happened, after Wu Tian and the others returned to Mount Meru, Manjushri and Samantabhadra were released from the Haotian Mirror and imprisoned within Mount Meru.

Only Ancient Buddha Ran Deng was left inside.

However, this was even more favorable for Ksitigarbha, who now stepped forward towards the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng, until he stood directly in front of him.

"Junior monk Ksitigarbha pays his respects to Ran Deng."

Ksitigarbha Pusa knelt directly in front of the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng and spoke.

It was at that moment that Ran Deng opened his eyes, startled to see Ksitigarbha there, and asked, "Ksitigarbha, weren’t you guarding the Underworld? How did you get caught and brought here, too?"

Seeing Ksitigarbha Pusa there, the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng’s first instinct was alarm.

After all, Ksitigarbha had always been guarding the Underworld, so his presence here meant that Wu Tian must have extended his reach into the Underworld itself.

Most importantly, if they did not spare even Ksitigarbha, then Wu Tian was certainly determined to target Buddhism, resolved to utterly annihilate the Buddhist lineage!

The implications behind this left the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng increasingly desperate.

"There is no need for such speculation, Buddha Ancestor Ran Deng. I am not here because they captured me, but because I came voluntarily,"

Ksitigarbha said with a faint smile, looking at the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng, "The great calamity of the Three Realms began with the battle at Beiju Luzhou. If this calamity can’t be crossed, then the Three Realms will not exist, so I have come to see Buddha Ancestor Ran Deng."

Inside the Haotian Mirror, it was dark as pitch, the surroundings filled with a dim, yellowish dusk.

Even in such an environment, there was Buddha’s light shining behind the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng, showing no signs of decline.

For the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng, Ksitigarbha’s words sounded somewhat alarmist.

"If the great calamity of the Three Realms is approaching, why not release us to face the calamity together? Since I am imprisoned here, it means the calamity does not require my assistance.

"Since they can do nothing to me, why should I not be content to stay here, chanting scriptures and invoking Buddha, without meddling in idle affairs?"

The Ancient Buddha Ran Deng thought Ksitigarbha was a lobbyist trying to persuade him to leave the Haotian Mirror to cooperate with all beings in the Three Realms and survive the great calamity together.

But this was just wishful thinking on his part. After hearing this, Ksitigarbha simply smiled faintly and did not immediately respond.

A moment of silence made the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng feel that something was amiss. He looked at Ksitigarbha and said, "If you’re not here to persuade me, then why are you here?"

"I am a Buddha of the past among the Three-Life Buddhas of Buddhism. Wu Tian and the others are helpless against me, which is why they have imprisoned me here to prevent me from ever leaving!

"As for you, even though you left Hell and have achieved Quasi-Saint status, to Wu Tian, it would suffice to imprison you under the Great Hero Treasure Hall!

"Why then are you held within this Haotian Mirror?

"If your cultivation level is high and they are helpless against you, they would not imprison you in this place!"

"What exactly are you doing here, Ksitigarbha?"

Although the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng might have been somewhat presumptuous at first, the more he thought about it, the more he felt something was not right.

The Haotian Mirror was not invincible. Although the Wu Tian Mirror was also an Innate Supreme Treasure, it was clearly impossible to imprison too many Quasi-Saints in it.

Just like recently, when he and Manjushri Samantabhadra teamed up, they nearly shattered the Haotian Mirror.

Otherwise, Wu Tian would not have separated them and imprisoned them individually.

It was for these reasons that the presence of Ksitigarbha here seemed all the more suspicious to him.