Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

Time passed quietly, and for mortals, a span of a hundred years constituted an entire lifetime.

Yet, for Immortals and Buddhas, even a millennium was not considered very distant.

Since the Deification Calamity until now, it was just a mere near two thousand years, to all the heavens' Immortals and Buddhas, the Deification Calamity was like just yesterday, not very far back in time.

Since ancient times until present, the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity, the Shaman-Demon Calamity, the Deification Calamity, and today's Journey to the West Calamity, the first three calamities each spanned tens of millions of years apart.

Only this Journey to the West Calamity happened just over a thousand years after the Deification Calamity, these two calamities were too closely spaced.

However, precisely because of this, Sect Master Tongtian suffered the greatest losses during the last Deification Calamity, with the Sect of Intercepting nearly wiped out. Therefore, everyone understood that Sect Master Tongtian was still on a rampage.

Moreover, given Sect Master Tongtian's temperament, no one dared to provoke him at this time.

A Saint at his peak of killing aura, who would dare to court death?

It was precisely for this reason that when the news of the Absolute Immortal Sword's appearance broke out, all beings—whether they were gods from the Heavenly Court or Buddhas from the Buddhist Sect—felt a shiver in their hearts.

Therefore, when Golden Hair Lion saw the Absolute Immortal Sword, his continuing expression of horror and lingering fear was completely within reason, right?

With Golden Hair Lion's words falling, the entire Great Thunder Monastery was plunged into dead silence at the time, and all the Buddhas felt a palpable dread, not to mention Golden Hair Lion who had witnessed the power of the Absolute Immortal Sword.

No one spoke, there was complete silence inside the Great Thunder Monastery; many of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas had complex expressions on their faces.

After all, when the Sect of Intercepting was scattered to the winds, the two Saints of the Western Religion took in three thousand Worldly Guests into their fold, and that revived the entire Buddhist Sect's foundation.

And most of these people had been poached from the Sect of Intercepting.

Without dwelling on that, even now, sitting atop the Lotus Platform, wasn't Tathagata's previous incarnation Taoist Duobao, the direct disciple under the seat of Sect Master Tongtian?

Therefore, upon hearing the news of the Absolute Immortal Sword, many in the Great Thunder Monastery had very complex feelings.

"Buddha..."

In this silence, a Buddha spoke up, palms together, bowing in reverence to Tathagata: "This emergence of the Absolute Immortal Sword, could it be... the fall of Baosheng Buddha, was it...?"

"No!" As the Buddha spoke out, Tathagata didn't even think before shaking his head and saying, "If it were a Saint's doing, why would they bother to hide their form?"

"Then? Could it be that someone received the will of a Saint? So..." Nodding slightly, since Tathagata's previous incarnation had been Sect Master Tongtian's direct disciple, he was naturally very familiar with Tongtian's temperament. Since he spoke in this manner, those seated naturally believed him, and they followed with their own inquiries.

"That's also impossible. If a Saint were to take action, they would do so themselves. Even if their true form couldn't descend upon the three realms, their power could definitely reach across them, there's no need to have others do it for them!" Tathagata continued shaking his head, giving his answer.

"Then, what insight does Buddha have?"

After Tathagata negated his own guesses twice, the Buddha stopped talking and instead, respectfully asked Tathagata with his head lowered.

"As Bodhisattva of Golden Light has said, that mysterious person who could wield the Absolute Immortal Sword..."

At this point, Tathagata seemed lost in a certain memory, saying, "I once heard Saint mention, to wield the Four Swords of Slaying Immortals, one would need the cultivation level of a Great Luo Peak, a Half-Step Quasi-Saint, to barely be able to swing them. From this, it can be inferred that the mysterious person in black is at least at the Great Luo Peak of cultivation!"

"Hmm, that makes sense!" The various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from the Thunder Monastery each nodded their heads.

A Saint's words become law upon utterance; since the Saint once spoke such words, the matter must certainly be true. Thus, this mysterious person in black had to be at the cultivation level of at least a Great Luo Peak, even possibly that of a Quasi-Saint?

"Secondly, the Four Swords of Slaying Immortals are the treasured possessions of the Saints. Since that mysterious person in black could obtain the Absolute Immortal Sword, he must certainly be someone who was directly taught by a Saint!" As he spoke, Tathagata lowered his head and fell silent.

"A direct disciple of a Saint? With no reason or cause, how could a Saint directly impart their Supreme Treasure!?" Hearing Tathagata's words, the Buddha found it strange and pressed on with his questioning.

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However, before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt his sleeve being gently tugged.

The Buddha was surprised, turning to look, and realized it was Manjushri Bodhisattva pulling at his sleeve and subtly shaking her head, signaling him to stop talking.

This Buddha was perplexed, and seeing the odd expressions of the other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas around him, was suddenly shocked into realization.

A Supreme Treasure that a Saint carried with them given to someone else? What could that indicate? It must mean that a Saint had accepted another direct disciple, right?

Otherwise, who could obtain the Absolute Immortal Sword, a Supreme Treasure imparted by a Saint?

And thus, it made sense.

The one who committed the murder was neither a Saint nor acting under a Saint's decrees but was the mysterious person in black acting on their own volition.

And yet, with the Absolute Immortal Sword in hand, if that person wasn't a direct disciple of Sect Master Tongtian, how would it be explainable?

Moreover, it wasn't just Baosheng Buddha who was slain—even the Empress seemed to have been killed!?

Such a murderous nature, with no regard for consequences, strikingly resembled Sect Master Tongtian, didn't it? Suggesting they weren't trained by Sect Master Tongtian would be improbable!

In the past, the Sect of Intercepting once held immense influence, with thousands of immortals coming to pay homage. But since its collapse, had the Saint secretly taken on another direct disciple and even groomed them to be on the cusp of Quasi-Saint status?

Nowadays, there is only one disciple under Sect Master Tongtian, which is why he is even more doted upon, even being bestowed the Absolute Immortal Sword?

This seems to make sense?

It's not like during the grand heyday of the Sect of Intercepting, when myriads of immortals came to pay homage, and there were numerous disciples—the distribution of Dharma Treasures would have to be considered, lest it be uneven.

Suddenly understanding, this Buddha remained silent, recalling how Tathagata, in his previous life as Taoist Duobao, was the foremost disciple under Sect Master Tongtian, yet he never received a treasure like the Absolute Immortal Sword.

Now that Sect Master Tongtian has accepted a new disciple and even bestowed such a treasure, it was clear what Tathagata was thinking.

No wonder Tathagata was now bowing his head, saying no more.

With Tathagata bowing his head in silence, naturally, no one in the Great Thunder Monastery dared to speak either.

The entirety of Great Thunder Monastery again fell into silence.

After a long while, finally, Tathagata's expression returned to calm.

Tathagata's gaze swept over everyone present, and after a moment of silence, he asked, "Amitabha, the murder of Baosheng Buddha must be thoroughly investigated by our Buddhist Sect. Who is willing to shoulder this responsibility?"

This question from Tathagata made everyone in Great Thunder Monastery bow their heads further.

Their manner was akin to students in a classroom faced with an exceedingly difficult question from the teacher, unsure of the answer, thus lowering their heads to avoid eye contact.

Are you kidding? Who was Baosheng Buddha? Just below the Three-World Buddha in cultivation level, a being at the cusp of Quasi-Saint level, yet cut down by a single sword strike!

Even the Empress seems to have been killed.

Investigate this matter now? Could one not potentially be risking one's own life?

Besides, Sect Master Tongtian is currently fuming. Even if this matter were thoroughly investigated, and assuming the final disciple suffers some misfortune, would Sect Master Tongtian possibly disregard the rule that Saints cannot enter the Three Realms again? Who could guarantee that?

So, who would be tasked with this investigation?

All the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas bowed their heads, avoiding eye contact with Tathagata, silently praying within their hearts that Buddha would not notice them.

Gazing around the room, with everyone's head bowed like quails, Tathagata remained silent for a moment, not in a rush to speak again.

But everyone whose gaze was swept over by Tathagata felt as if it was tangible, a secret panic within their hearts, praying not to be the one chosen by Buddha.

"Manjusri, this matter will be entrusted to you to investigate thoroughly. Whatever you request will be granted!" After a long silence that left everyone sweating profusely, Tathagata finally spoke, assigning the task to Manjusri in an unquestionable tone.

"Why me!?"

Manjusri felt his composure exploding.

Although he himself had reached the level of Daluo Golden Immortal, he held only the title of a Bodhisattva.

With so many Buddhas present, why entrust this task to a Bodhisattva like him?

Is this appropriate?

Though feeling overwhelmed, Manjusri's face became extremely unsightly, yet he did not dare to voice any objections because of Tathagata's firm tone.

Whatever you request will be granted?

That is to say, any demand he makes for the sake of the investigation will be obliged, right?

But with such a hot potato in hand, what use was authority to him?

Sigh...

Putting aside what Manjusri was thinking at that moment, as Tathagata spoke with absolute authority and assigned the task firmly to Manjusri, all others in Great Thunder Monastery secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Indeed, many of them felt their backs drenched in cold sweat, and the atmosphere lightened considerably for a time.

Of course, the looks directed at Manjusri varied—some schadenfreude, others sympathetic.

"Yes, Buddha..." With a distressed expression and no chance to refuse, Manjusri could only accept the task.

"Very well, since Bodhisattva of Golden Light mentioned that the Empress might also have been harmed, Samantabhadra, go to the Heavenly Court and see what the situation is with the Jade Emperor!" Tathagata said, moving on from the matter without further delay after Manjusri nodded and accepted the task.

"I shall respectfully obey the Buddha's decree!" Samantabhadra stepped forward and bowed to acknowledge the command.