The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 360 - 308: The Convergence of the Human Path Will - Part 2

Chapter 360: Chapter 308: The Convergence of the Human Path Will - Part 2

Sun Wu bellowed loudly, casting his "The Art of War by Sun Tzu" into the Vast Spirit River. A side sword appeared on the waist of the Great Confucian who, though originally graceful and scholarly, now took on an aura of slaughter and killing. He wrote in the void, "Adhere to the orthodox, win with the unorthodox!"

Confucianism and militarism merged, blending elegance with the art of war. With each stroke of the brush, the air of slaughter was embedded within the words.

"Kill a man within ten steps, leave no trace for a thousand miles," the Great Confucian penned the verse of the Immortal Poet Li Bai, from which a mighty murderous spirit was born.

An essay by a Confucian scholar could inherently contain murderous intent; it’s a vessel embracing all things under heaven, which accommodates everything in the cosmos. However, infused with the essence of militarism, the murderous aura intensified. The Great Confucian wielded his sword as a pen, crafting exceptionally sharp texts, directing verbal and written assaults at the Tathagata, with the killing intent of the militarists bursting forth, practically about to explode the heavens and the earth.

"Militaristic slaughter combined with Confucian orthodoxy?" Wukong was slightly surprised, but upon close consideration, it made sense; the Confucian scholars were adept at lip service and caustic wit, and their essays carried an undercurrent of lethal force. Militarism was inherently about killing; its fusion with Confucianism seemed natural.

Historically, many generals were known as "Confucian Generals," and this evolved Great Confucian elevated this style to its pinnacle.

"Activate the Arhat Great Array!" A thunderous shout commanded, and the Eighteen Arhats presided over the Arhat Great Array. Countless Arhats raised their hands as if propping up the firmament, and an enormous Arhat riding a tiger manifested.

This Arhat lay across the tiger, seemingly asleep. Suddenly awakening, the tiger arose with terrifying might and charged towards the Great Confucian evolved from Confucianism.

"Yin and Yang Integration, birthing all things!" Zou Zi, of the Yin-Yang School, made his move. The Yin-Yang scholars acted together at this moment, conjuring a gigantic Tai Chi Circle, like a grinding mill, which struck the Arhat.

After being hit by the Tai Chi, the Arhat seemed to revert to the origin, transforming into something akin to True Qi. This Tai Chi represented a primordial existence in the world, where Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, and these two are Yin and Yang, the Tai Chi.

"Hum rumble!"

The Great Array continued to operate relentlessly, with scholars of the Hundred Schools of Thought pitching in. Rivers stretched across the void, pressing down, but they couldn’t breach it—the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pilgrimage Formation was too formidable. Even a true Saint would struggle to destroy it; fortunate it was for the Human Sage that they were numerous, else they would have been crushed by the Tathagata in an instant. The Hundred Schools of Thought, which shone brilliantly during the Warring States period, were making their presence felt again, contending against the Tathagata at Mount Meru.

"There is a fish in the North Ming, its name is Kunpeng!" With a roar, Zhuangzi tossed his bamboo slip, which transformed into an immense Kunpeng. Simultaneously, the real Kunpeng descended, becoming one with Zhuangzi, nearly attaining the power of the Sage of the Heavenly Dao.

"Striking through the soaring!" The colossal Kunpeng eclipsed the sun, as if to devour the entire world, and struck forcefully.

"Boom!"

Mount Meru shook, the ground sank, and countless nations in West Cow He State perished in an instant! It was an inevitable tragedy, as mortals suffer when Immortals clash. But after the Heavenly Dao transcends, they will be reborn, untouched by the influence of Immortals and Buddhas, eternally separated, each following their own path.

This revolution had become unstoppable, an inevitable trend, provided that the poisonous tumor named the Tathagata, born amidst the revolution, was excised.

To transcend is to transcend right and wrong, but this is their homeland. If anyone were to transcend, it should be them, not the Otherworldly Heavenly Dao. Thus, they were prepared for a fight to the death.

Under the Heavenly Dao, all creatures are mere ants! For the transcendence of the Heavenly Dao, beings have paid a terrible price. However, the Heavenly Dao is emotionless, impermanent, and desireless. It operates solely on instinct and order, insensitive to the suffering of beings.

The Tathagata commanded, "All Buddhas, join forces, absorb the power of Kunpeng! Otherwise, countless beings present here will be shaken to death!"

The Three Thousand Buddhas took action, each casting a spell, absorbing the horrifying impact of Kunpeng’s strike. This blow held almost the power of a Sage, but the Buddhist sect had the advantage in numbers and had formed the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pilgrimage Formation. The collective fate of the Buddhist sect had reached a pinnacle, and the Formation absorbed much of the force. With the Three Thousand Buddhas dissolving the rest, the force penetrating the Formation was significantly lessened.

"Such a strike holds the might of a Saint; no wonder the Three Pure Ones have had us take the lead. Even they find this Formation difficult to break through. Only at the moment the Formation is breached will they strike directly through the void from millions of miles away," Confucius silently nodded to himself. Within the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pilgrimage Formation, the fortune of the Buddhist sect was concentrated, as was the Power of the Heavens. Even the Leader of the Heaven-Penetrating, known for his formidable offensives, would find it tough to blast through. How could the Tathagata dare to challenge the Three Pure Ones within the Four Great Continents if he didn’t have a trick or two up his sleeve?

Upon their combined strike, Kunpeng and Zhuangzi dissipated, both drenched in sweat, unable to even close the pores on their skin—which showed how much power this strike had cost them.

"The Tathagata indeed has some tricks up his sleeve; no wonder even the Three Pure Ones with their strength do not forcefully attack Mount Meru!" Kunpeng gasped heavily.

Zhuang Zhou grasped the will of Kunpeng—no, that wasn’t the will of Kunpeng any longer, but rather the will of the cosmos, merely conveyed through the analogy of Kunpeng. That will was even grander than the will of Kunpeng itself, embodying the Primordial Chaos, the cosmos, heaven and earth, freedom, carefreeness, transcendence, and eternity! And since the will of Kunpeng was akin to this, their merger allowed them to release an almost saintly strike.

Zhuang Zhou solemnly said, "This Gathering of Ten Thousand Buddhas Formation is nearly indestructible, like an iron barrel! Our combined strike, infused with the will of the cosmos—the greatest will between heaven and earth—almost puts us on par with the Heavenly Dao, yet we still couldn’t break it. The Tathagata is truly