The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 276 - 244: Yuan Shi’s Bold Calculations of Various Heavens

Chapter 276: Chapter 244: Yuan Shi’s Bold Calculations of Various Heavens

Tathagata walked into the rear hall, which was a forbidden area of Mount Meru, accessible only to the Three Worlds Buddha. All other Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Vajras, and so forth, unless decreed by Tathagata’s law, could not enter; those who trespassed would receive severe punishment!

As the rear hall was a sacred area, it naturally contained many secrets. In the center of the hall was a large Formation, within which was encircled a golden Sharira.

Tathagata knelt before the Formation and prayed, "Supreme Heavens above, your disciple reports: The agreement of the Journey to the West, signed between Buddhism and Daoism, has been breached when the Scripture Seeker reached Wuzhuang Temple and caused great calamity by damaging Zhen Yuanzi’s pepino fruit tree, a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root. Without the Essence of Heaven and Earth, it cannot be restored. I beseech the Various Heavens to grant your disciple the Essence of Heaven and Earth, to safely navigate this calamity!"

Tathagata had been so terrified at Wuzhuang Temple that he nearly died there, and finding no other recourse, he had come here to seek aid.

The golden Sharira trembled slightly and a voice emerged, asking, "With your abilities, why not forcefully rescue those people?"

Tathagata hastily replied, "Your disciple has indeed tried, but a Purple Divine Sword emerged midway, nearly costing your disciple his life."

Another voice rose from the Sharira, saying, "The Purple Divine Sword, it must be Hongjun, who forged the Magical Treasure with Hongmeng Purple Qi. Escaping with your life from his hands is no easy feat."

Tathagata then said, "Is it truly him? But if Hongjun wanted to kill me, wouldn’t it be as easy as flipping his hand? Why did he let me escape?"

Yet another voice said, "It seems that Hongjun was grievously injured and recuperating. The one who came to kill you was merely a few of his thoughts attached to the sword. Had it been his true form, even hundreds of you would have been slain!"

Tathagata pondered briefly and asked, "When will the Various Heavens arrive? I see the next occurrence of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man is nearly upon us, and with it, a great calamity for heaven and earth."

The first voice responded, "I have already sensed the weakening of the Heavenly Dao Laws in this world. When the Five Decays of Heaven and Man occur, we will naturally break through the Heavenly Dao restrictions and descend to the Four Great Continents! At that time, the fate of the Eastern Land will shatter, barbarians from the North will invade, the Human Path will be lost, dynasties will rot, and with the loss of fate, this realm will surely perish!"

"Let’s discuss this later, we should first think of a way to revive the pepino fruit tree!"

"Indeed, that pepino fruit tree, being transformed from a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root, is not something ordinary people can revive! However, we control a world of our own, naturally possessing the Essence of Heaven and Earth to provide for your use, reviving the pepino fruit tree is but a trivial matter. However, sending the Essence of Heaven and Earth to West Cow He State will create quite a stir," someone mused.

Tathagata asked, "Then what can be done?"

One of them replied, "The gods of this realm were all severely injured in the Middle Ancient Times, while we have long since recovered and fear them not! You call upon All Buddhas to set up the Guiding Great Formation of Three Thousand Buddhas, and we will send the Essence of Heaven and Earth over, along with the Nine Great Projections, to deplete some of their strength too."

Tathagata was immediately overjoyed and exclaimed, "Good! Your disciple will then have All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas establish the Guiding Great Formation to welcome the descent of the Projections of the Heavens!"

Meanwhile, Tathagata exited the rear hall and ordered his disciples to ring the Great Bell. Immediately, the bell’s ringing reverberated across the Four Great Continents, summoning the Bodhisattvas and Buddhas who were meditating in secret, all coming to Mount Meru to await the World Honored One’s decree, and even the leaders of the Esoteric Sect came forth. The ringing of this bell by Tathagata surely foretold a momentous event.

The Three Pure Ones had solemn expressions, and Laozi said, "Tathagata seems to have communicated with the heavens, this action likely aims to guide the Essence of Heaven and Earth to revive the pepino fruit tree, though it is uncertain if it will lead to the summoning of the celestial projections."

Yuan Shi added, "As long as the Heavenly Dao Laws do not weaken, the Various Heavens cannot enter our Heavenly Dao World, and can only descend as projections. While the heavenly projections are immensely powerful, for our side’s Various Heavens, aren’t they just a powerful supplement? This is indeed a life-risking strategy!"

Heaven-Penetrating remarked, "This strategy all comes from you; success or failure, it’s all on Yuan Shi! I just hope it doesn’t harm the people!"

Yuan Shi, being the most scheming among the Three Pure Ones, had significantly profited in the Divine Enthronement battle, though he underestimated Zhunti and Jieyin, getting counter-schemed instead, losing several disciples. Buddhism immediately established a stronghold in West Cow He State and flourished.

Jieyin and Zhunti established Buddhism, which was the True Dharma entrusted in dreams by the heavens. With different doctrines, disputes naturally arose; the Mystic Sect and Buddhist sect clashed violently, accruing karmic forces. The Heavenly Dao felt the surge in karmic forces and naturally unleashed a slaughter to settle these karmic forces, significantly reducing the strength of the multitudes within the Heavenly Dao World, allowing the heavens to take advantage of the vulnerability.

It’s not that Buddhism is inherently bad; the doctrines of Buddhism are profound and vast, and a single Buddhist scripture is enough for an ordinary person to study for a lifetime. However, Buddhism truly serves as a medium for the heavens to infiltrate this Heavenly Dao world; otherwise, they would not have passed the Buddhist law to Jieyin and Zhunti, nor would they have transmitted both the Mahayana and Theravada, causing countless disputes over the doctrines between Zhunti and Jieyin and creating some grudges.

The schemes of the heavens are indeed perilous!

This time, Yuan Shi had requested Hongjun to attach his thoughts to the Divine Sword to kill Tathagata, but unfortunately, it was unsuccessful, and Tathagata escaped. Of course, the Freedom Heavenly Devil Lord spoiled the plan, attempting to drag Wukong’s three Primordial Spirits into the World of Heavenly Demons. Knowing that Wukong was destined by fate and that he was to seize a slim chance of survival, Hongjun turned back and injured the eyes of the Heavenly Demon Lord with a sword strike, giving Tathagata the opportunity to flee.