Chapter 411 -411: Tathagata Buddha’s Recruitment (First Update!)
“Hmph!”
Guanyin Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva exchanged glances and snorted coldly at the same time. They said nothing more, but their gazes were all focused on the water mirror. With Tathagata Buddha making a move, the battle situation at Flower-Fruit Mountain was likely to undergo earth-shattering changes!
Flower-Fruit Mountain, a battlefield a hundred miles from the mountain gate.
Upon hearing the words of the Jade Emperor, Leng Xuan’s heart suddenly sank. Was Tathagata Buddha going to make a move?
Wasn’t it said that the Heavenly Dao Saint should not interfere in the disputes of the Three Realms? None of the Three Purities had appeared. Would Tathagata Buddha disregard the decree of Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor and help the Heavenly Court against them?
The answer appeared quickly. With a streak of golden light and a loud Buddhist chant resonating through the sky, the figure of Tathagata Buddha, seated on the nine-petaled Merit Golden Lotus, manifested in the air, looking extremely majestic, revealing his Dharma Body as soon as he arrived.
...
“Amitabha! You lower realm demon race, why do you not recognize the heavenly timing and disobey the heavenly mandate? By rebelling against your superiors, what crime should you be charged with?”
The loud Buddhist voice echoed between heaven and earth, and everyone’s face changed color. Although Tathagata Buddha had not yet launched an attack, the overwhelming pressure from the Heavenly Dao Saint already made it difficult for them to breathe.
“Tathagata Buddha, this is a grudge between Flower-Fruit Mountain and the Heavenly Court, and it has nothing to do with your Buddhist sect. By intervening arbitrarily, are you not afraid of violating the decree of Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor and provoking the Daoist Ancestor to impose a punishment?”
Using his strength to resist the pressure, Leng Xuan straightened his spine and shouted up at the golden body of Tathagata Buddha in the sky.
“Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor’s decree? It seems you know quite a bit! However, there seems to be one detail you are not clear about. It is true that the Heavenly Dao Saint must not arbitrarily interfere in the disputes of the Three Realms, but if the Jade Emperor personally requests it, then assistance can be given!”
A sharp glint flashed in Tathagata Buddha’s eyes, and soon a slight smile appeared on his lips, his voice undeniably tinged with sarcasm.
Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor indeed issued a decree before retiring to the Thirty-Six Layers of Da Luo Heaven, strictly forbidding the Heavenly Dao Saints from arbitrarily interfering in the disputes of the Three Realms. Violators would be stripped of their saintly status and cultivation. Therefore, even the Primordial Heavenly Venerate and the Leader of Tongtian would stay quietly in the Supreme Pure Heaven Greenwave Palace and the Jade Pure Heaven Miro Palace, just as the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord would hardly show his face in the Heavenly Court if not for being honored by the Jade Emperor as the Great Offerer of the Heavenly Court.
However, Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor’s decree was issued to the saints who had already attained sainthood at that time. Tathagata Buddha only became a new Heavenly Dao Merit Saint after Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor retired to the Thirty-Six Layers of Da Luo Heaven by establishing the Hinayana Buddhism and proving the Tao and becoming a saint, so the binding power of Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor’s decree on him was minimal.
Besides, since it was the Jade Emperor who asked for his help this time, it did not count as an arbitrary interference in the disputes of the Three Realms, and he had a legitimate reason. Even if Hong Jun Daoist Ancestor knew about it, he would not be able to do much to him.
“Bastard!”
Leng Xuan gritted his teeth in frustration. Tathagata Buddha and the Jade Emperor were not the same; he was a true Heavenly Dao Saint with unfathomable strength. Let alone that most of the demons of Flower-Fruit Mountain were injured, even if they were all in perfect condition and formed the Great Zhou Tian Ten Directions Rotation Formation, they would probably still be no match for Tathagata Buddha!
“Tathagata Buddha, what exactly do you want?”
“My demand is very simple! Surrender yourselves and convert to my Buddhism. My Buddha is merciful and can ferry all beings; thus, your sins will naturally be erased, and the Jade Emperor will no longer pursue them!”
Tathagata Buddha’s words made Leng Xuan and others all frown. What did he mean? Convert to Buddhism? What a joke!
Within Buddhism, there are so many strict rules and prohibitions, things you can’t eat and things you can’t do. If they really joined Buddhism, wouldn’t they all be suffocated to death?
No, absolutely not!
“Buddha, I invited you to subdue the Demon Clan, not to recruit them!”
Seeing Tathagata Buddha attempting to recruit the Flower-Fruit Mountain Demon Race, the Jade Emperor’s brow furrowed immediately. He had agreed to Tathagata Buddha’s conditions only to have him help in eradicating the Flower-Fruit Mountain Demon Race to eliminate future troubles. If the Flower-Fruit Mountain Demo Race converted to Buddhism, wouldn’t all the long-standing deadly conflicts between Heaven and Flower-Fruit Mountain merely benefit Buddhism?
“Heaven possesses the virtue of cherishing life; whether it is through force or persuasion, subjugation is subjugation. What difference does it make?”
Tathagata Buddha slightly raised his eyebrows, unbothered by the Jade Emperor’s threat, “The sea of suffering is boundless, but there is salvation at the turn-back; as long as they are willing to turn back, my Buddhist Sect will gladly open the doors of convenience for them!”
Tathagata Buddha exhibited a face full of righteousness and compassion. However, the Jade Emperor was incredulous, thinking Tathagata was making a clever calculation. Their Heavenly Court and the Flower-Fruit Mountain had fought to mutual devastation; now that he had called for help, Tathagata was attempting to take Flower-Fruits Mountain into Buddhism’s fold, effectively making the Heavenly Court work for the benefit of Buddhism. This would also make the Jade Emperor owe Tathagata a favor which he would have to repay later under agreed conditions. No matter how the Jade Emperor calculated, it was a losing deal!
“Enough! No more needs to be said; we will not agree!”
Leng Xuan did not bother to argue further with Tathagata Buddha and flatly rejected the olive branch extended by him. The Flower-Fruit Mountain Demon Race was trusted to his management by Sun Wukong, and before Sun Wukong’s return, he would never let Flower-Fruit Mountain fall into anyone else’s hands, never!
So, he has refused!
A hint of surprise flashed in Tathagata Buddha’s eyes, and the Jade Emperor felt the same; however, a smug expression soon appeared on the Jade Emperor’s face. Good that they refused! He was afraid that they might not refuse.
With Tathagata Buddha’s proposal rejected, the negotiations broke down, leaving Tathagata Buddha with no reason not to take action. With such a saint of the Heavenly Dao coming forward, even if there were many experts in Flower-Fruit Mountain banding together, they definitely couldn’t stand against Tathagata Buddha!
“Is Dharma Body so impressive? I can do it too! You thieving bald donkey, let your grandpa Six-Eared meet you!”
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The Six-Eared Macaque, known for his volatile temperament, could hardly contain himself. As Leng Xuan spoke out, the murderous intention in the Six-Eared Macaque’s eyes surged. He leaped into the sky, riding the Somersault Cloud towards the towering golden body of Tathagata Buddha. Midway, his Divine Power Dharma Aspect Heaven and Earth was activated, his body also growing to a vast size. Holding the Heaven-supporting Iron Staff, he swung it ferociously at Tathagata Buddha’s bright, radiant bald head.
“Amitabha Buddha!”
Tathagata Buddha chanted a Buddha’s name, his Buddha’s Light shone even more brilliantly. An invisible protective shield emanated from his body, encasing him completely, and when the Six-Eared Macaque’s iron staff struck, it was as if it hit an invisible protective barrier, producing a tremendous roar but utterly failing to break through.
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