Chapter 263: Great Sage Tathagata, Boundless Power!
Chen Ye was well aware.
Chen Xuanzang could easily remove the lotus.
As long as he found Chen Xuanzang, he could free Sun Wukong.
However…
Searching for Chen Xuanzang now would be quite troublesome. That plump master of his might just be a manifestation of Tathagata. If they were to meet, who knew what would happen?
A wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall.
Unless absolutely necessary, Chen Ye had no intention of facing Tathagata.
Besides…
Chen Ye also wanted to showcase his strength to Sun Wukong, just in case the monkey turned against him the moment he was freed.
"Boom!"
When he struck the cave wall with his fist, a violent tremor erupted.
Sun Wukong was startled.
Unfortunately…
The punch didn't work.
Even though Chen Ye had only used seventy percent of his strength, with his current power, even that was overwhelming—frighteningly so.
In this world, there was almost no material capable of withstanding his fist.
Yet, the cave merely trembled instead of collapsing.
It seemed…
The Five-Finger Mountain created by Tathagata was indeed something extraordinary!
No wonder it managed to imprison Sun Wukong.
"Mr. Chen, your strength is truly astonishing!"
Sun Wukong gave Chen Ye a thumbs-up, his eyes filled with surprise.
Such power was almost on par with his true form.
"Mr. Sun, wait a moment. I will get you out of here," Chen Ye said.
Sun Wukong immediately displayed a touched expression.
Whether he was truly moved or not…
Only he knew.
Chen Ye didn't waste any more time. He leaped out of the cave and landed atop the mountain.
Without hesitation, he transformed into his azure dragon form.
Miss Duan and Lord Void initially wanted to ask something, but the words got stuck in their throats, and they instinctively backed away.
Even a fool could tell that if Chen Ye suddenly took on his dragon form, something big was about to happen.
The next moment…
Chen Ye's enormous dragon body twisted, and his massive tail whipped toward the cave.
Divine Dragon's Tail Whip!
"Boom—"
A deafening explosion echoed.
It was like a thunderclap splitting the heavens and earth.
Even though Miss Duan and Lord Void had already retreated far enough, their eardrums still trembled from the impact.
Amidst the deafening roar, the mountain's peak shattered, sending rocks flying, and the ground quaked violently.
Finally, the cave—imbued with mysterious power—developed a crack.
However…
Just as Chen Ye was about to rejoice…
The crack mended itself.
At that moment!
An enraged voice erupted from within the cave:
"Tathagata! Tathagata! You and I are irreconcilable!!"
Clearly…
Sun Wukong had also seen the crack form and heal itself.
He was both shocked by that bald monk's terrifying power and furious at the cave Tathagata had constructed.
Was this meant to imprison him for eternity?
High above, Chen Ye ignored Sun Wukong's outburst and fixed his gaze firmly on the cave entrance.
Next, he attempted to use his dragon claws to seize the lotus sealing the entrance and tear it away.
And he actually managed to rip it off!
However, even when torn apart, a golden light still connected the severed ends. The moment Chen Ye let go, the lotus seamlessly reattached itself.
It was obvious…
Tathagata had put a great deal of effort into ensuring Sun Wukong remained imprisoned under Five-Finger Mountain.
Relying on brute force alone to break the seal was impossible.
Unless he possessed power comparable to Tathagata's, Sun Wukong could never be freed.
Thus, Chen Ye's plan to dismantle the seal with sheer force ultimately ended in failure.
He didn't use his dragon breath attack again.
Because he could sense that it probably wouldn't work either.
Even if he blew the entire mountaintop to pieces, it would still regenerate, and Sun Wukong would remain trapped.
"So, the only option is to find Chen Xuanzang?"
Having reverted to his human form, Chen Ye frowned and muttered to himself.
Then, he turned his gaze toward Miss Duan in the distance, considering whether to let her give it a try.
Miss Duan also possessed a destined fate, though a tragic one… But fate was fate—maybe it would work?
"Miss Duan, come over and try to break this lotus."
Miss Duan nodded and jogged over to give it a shot, but it was futile.
No matter how much strength she exerted, even if she used every ounce of energy she had, the lotus wouldn't budge.
"So this is the power of the Buddha?"
Miss Duan was astonished.
Chen Ye sighed as well.
A single Five-Finger Mountain had already left him helpless, proving that the gap between him and Tathagata was immense.
Moreover, it was clear that Tathagata had set up the Five-Finger Mountain like a pre-programmed lock—only Chen Xuanzang could lift the seal.
At this point, there was no other choice but to find Chen Xuanzang.
Since Chen Ye didn't want to face Chen Xuanzang's master himself, this task had to be entrusted to Miss Duan.
"Miss Duan, do you remember that young man we encountered back at Gao Village when we subdued the pig demon?"
Upon hearing this, an image surfaced in Miss Duan's mind.
"I remember. That young man was weak and had hair like a madman."
For some reason…
Even though she had only met him twice, Chen Xuanzang had left a deep impression on her.
Chen Ye said, "He is also an exorcist. Go inquire about him, find him, and bring him here."
"Why?" Miss Duan asked curiously.
"Because he is someone with a destined fate—he might be able to break Sun Wukong's seal!" Chen Ye replied.
Miss Duan was surprised.
She hadn't expected that such a scrawny guy would actually possess a destined fate.
"I don't know where he is. If I have to track him down and bring him here, it might take a long time!"
Lord Void, standing nearby, volunteered, "Ahem… An exorcist, you say? I actually have quite a few connections in the exorcist community. Leave this to me!"
Chen Ye nodded and said, "Then I'll leave it to you. Also, during this time, you must ensure Miss Duan's safety. It would be best if both of you disguised yourselves so you're not too conspicuous."
Miss Duan's safety was linked to his father's mission, making it extremely important.
Though Lord Void thought disguises were unnecessary…
He still went along with it under Chen Ye's insistence—wrapping a cloth around his face, leaving only his eyes visible.
Miss Duan did the same.
Once they reached the human marketplace, they planned to buy bamboo hats for further disguise.
Chen Ye didn't know when the reincarnators would arrive, so he could only make as many preparations as possible…
Besides…
He figured…
Once the reincarnators appeared, their main target would likely be him. In that case, Miss Duan might actually be safer staying away from him for now.
That was also one of the reasons he sent Miss Duan to find Chen Xuanzang.
With Lord Void protecting her, there shouldn't be much danger.
On the other hand, things would be more troublesome for him.
If the reincarnators arrived and confronted him, he would have no allies—he could only rely on himself!
Now, it all depended on whether Miss Duan could bring Chen Xuanzang back before the reincarnators arrived.
"I'll escort you down the mountain!"
Chen Ye transformed into his azure dragon form once again and escorted Miss Duan and Lord Void down the mountain.
Additionally…
He needed to purchase some supplies and bring back some food to satisfy Sun Wukong's cravings.
🌟 Unlock the World of Stories with Early Access on Patreon! 🌟
Hello, beloved readers and supporters!
I am thrilled to offer you an exclusive opportunity to dive deeper into our captivating stories before anyone else. By joining the Patreon community, you'll unlock a treasure trove of benefits, including:
📚 Early Access to 20 Chapters: Be the first to explore new chapters, experiencing the twists and turns of our tales well ahead of regular readers. Your journey through our stories doesn't have to wait!
💬 Connect with the Community: Join a vibrant, like-minded group of readers who share your passion. Engage in exciting discussions, share theories, and make new friends who love the stories as much as you do.
👏 Support the Creator: Your patronage directly contributes to the ongoing creation and improvement of the content you love. Be a vital part of the creative journey!
Patreon.com/anish_44
https://ko-fi.com/anish_44