Who is the true master of the Roc Demon King?
The two of them couldn't guess.
The current situation in the Three Realms was like a fog, or a muddy pond, unclear to them.
After a moment of silence, the Ox Demon King suddenly burst into loud laughter.
"Why worry about such matters, when you and I, brothers, are united? No one will dare to manipulate us. What is there to be anxious about?"
"I was indeed overthinking it."
Sun Wukong chuckled.
He sealed off the Huaguo Mountain, yet in his heart, he was counting the days.
Some time more, and they would have to set out for the Purple Bamboo Forest.
The Roc Demon King left Huaguo Mountain and hadn't gone far when he was stopped.
"Master Erlang."
The Roc Demon King took on human form, staring warily at the newcomer.
If not Master Erlang, who else could it be?
The Little Sage, Immortal Master Erlang, and the Great God of the Three Altars of the Ocean, Nezha, had blocked the Roc Demon King's path.
Together, these two were no weaker than the pair they had just faced.
Nezha was eager to try, wanting to take action.
Among the seven great sages of legend, the Roc Demon King and the Flood Dragon Demon King were the most mysterious. Now, facing one of them, he was curious to measure the other's capability.
Master Erlang stopped him.
Staring at the Roc Demon King, with his Vertical Eye on his forehead flickering slightly, he smiled and asked, "I just want to know, who exactly is behind the Great Sage Heaven's Equal?"
The Roc Demon King said sharply, "What if I refuse to tell?"
Master Erlang smiled faintly and stepped aside.
"Then leave if you won't tell. I can hardly force a Great Sage."
The Roc Demon King was stunned for a moment, he took a deep look at Master Erlang, then passed by them and quickly left the area.
Watching the Roc Demon King's retreating figure, Nezha felt somewhat indignant.
"Second Brother, why didn't you take action? With our combined strength, we could have surely captured him."
Master Erlang looked towards the East Sea, a faint smile on his face, and said, "Sun Wukong and the Ox Demon King could have captured him too, yet they didn't make a move either."
"Why?"
Nezha was momentarily startled before realizing why.
"They are wary of the master behind the Roc Demon King."
Nodding slightly, Master Erlang confirmed Nezha's speculation.
Nezha found it somewhat incredible.
"That monkey would capitulate too?"
Glancing at him, Master Erlang shook his head with a chuckle.
"You all underestimate that monkey."
...
Within the Purple Bamboo Forest, the Bodhisattva held the Jade Clean Bottle, confronting the Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva.
Beside the Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva were the Sandalwood Merit Buddha, followed by the four great Vajra.
The expression on the Sandalwood Merit Buddha's face was slightly awkward.
His journey to the west had received much assistance from the Bodhisattva.
Now, turning against the very Bodhisattva Guanyin to assist Mahasthamaprapta, even with his thick skin, he felt somewhat out of place.
Mahasthamaprapta brought his hands together and said loudly, "Guanyin, with Tathagata entering parinirvana, returning to nothingness, why do you persist? Come back with me to the Pure Land."
"And if I refuse?"
Replied the Bodhisattva Guanyin.
With a single word, Mahasthamaprapta responded, "Kill."
"Let them all come out."
The Bodhisattva Guanyin smiled faintly.
The Moonlight Bodhisattva and Sunlight Bodhisattva appeared behind Mahasthamaprapta.
As the left and right attendants of the Medicine Buddha, their presence with Mahasthamaprapta carried an obvious significance.
The Moonlight Bodhisattva, with a gentle appearance, persuaded, "Bodhisattva Guanyin, with the Three Realms in chaos, this is an opportune moment for the Buddhist Sect to rise. If Buddhism can unify all, we may reestablish the Heavenly Court and rebuild order in the Three Realms. From then on, the Three Realms would be Buddha's Kingdom, and all beings could be universally saved."
"With the Three Pure Ones still in this world and the Four Heavenly Kings and Five Elders still well, even if a new Heavenly Court is established, it's not something the Buddhist Sect can interfere with. If you harbor such ambitions, it will surely result in disaster, and perhaps the entire Buddhist Sect will be destroyed because of it."
Bodhisattva Guanyin sighed.
Each of the Three Pure Ones and the Four Heavenly Kings along with the Five Elders held more sway than the Buddhist Sect.
Even if the Tathagata was in the world, he would only be equal to the Five Elders and called the Buddha Elder of the West.
However, the Moonlight Bodhisattva just shook his head and laughed dismissively, "The immortals of the Daoist Sect, nothing more than this, where have they the strength of our Buddhist Sect? Those with great divine skills are numerous; why should the Bodhisattva boost others' morale and diminish her own prestige?"
The Bodhisattva Guanyin no longer paid him any attention but turned her gaze towards the Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva.
"Some things can be misunderstood by others, but how can you not understand? Why continue to act recklessly and doom the entire Buddhist Sect?"
She rarely became angry.
The Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva remained silent.
The Moonlight Bodhisattva coldly said, "If the Bodhisattva Guanyin remains obstinate and refuses to see reason, then we will have no choice but to eliminate you."
The Sunlight Bodhisattva stepped forward.
The two of them were brothers, and their father was the Medicine Buddha.
The brothers practiced together and became Bodhisattvas, serving at the side of the Medicine Buddha.
The Bodhisattva Guanyin was ready to make a move.
A sound of derision came.
"Who?"
The Moonlight Bodhisattva turned around abruptly.
A peach pit, like a shooting star, hurtled towards him.
Thump.
The peach pit struck the Moonlight Bodhisattva in the forehead, staggering him.
"Who is it?"
The face of the Sunlight Bodhisattva turned to anger.
The Bodhisattva Guanyin smiled faintly; the monkey had finally arrived.
She sat there, unperturbed, no longer worried.
"The Great Saint has arrived, my apologies for not coming out to meet you; please forgive me," spoke the Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, already aware of the newcomer's identity.
Sun Wukong and his company arrived.
With his Eyes of Golden Flame, he glowed with a golden light and glared at the Sunlight Bodhisattva. With a flip of his eyes, he said, "It was I, Old Sun, who did it. What do you intend to do about it?"
The Sunlight Bodhisattva's expression stiffened.
What could he do?
What could he do?
Under the heavens, who did not find this monkey troublesome?
"Namo Amitabha Buddha."
With his hands pressed together, he uttered the name of Buddha and then fell silent.
"Bodhisattva, Old Ox has come to see you. I thank the Bodhisattva for her dedicated teaching of my son over the years."
Having just landed from the heavens, the loud voice of the Ox Demon King resonated.
Sun Wukong had taken the lead, arriving here first.
Accompanying him were the Iron Fan Immortal, mother and son, and Lady Dragon of Wealth.
The Great Strength Bull Demon King had also arrived, this number one Demon Sage of the Demon Clan, his power undeniably deep and unfathomable in recent years.
"Red Boy is intelligent by nature. Since I have taken him as a disciple, naturally I must teach him with all my heart. There is no need for thanks, Ox Brother," said the Bodhisattva Guanyin with a smile.
"Bodhisattva."
The Lady Dragon of Wealth rushed into the Bodhisattva's arms, crying uncontrollably.
Sun Wukong raised an eyebrow, disliking such weepy scenes the most.
He pointed beyond the Purple Bamboo Forest and asked, "Will you leave on your own, or shall I send you off?"
The Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva's body trembled slightly, his bones still aching faintly.
The Sandalwood Merit Buddha stepped back, hiding himself among the crowd, not wanting to be noticed.
In fact, Sun Wukong did not even glance at him.
To him, this person was insignificant.
The Moonlight Bodhisattva's eyes were icy cold as he said, "Sun Wukong, this is an internal matter of the Buddhist Sect, none of your concern. Leave quickly, lest you lose your life needlessly."
Having been hit in the head with a peach pit by Sun Wukong, his anger was fully aroused, no longer caring that Sun Wukong was troublesome to deal with.
"You wish to kill Old Sun?"
Sun Wukong laughed, his face filled with disbelief as he looked askance at the Moonlight Bodhisattva as though he were looking at a clown.
An insignificant Moonlight Bodhisattva, did he think he was the Tathagata? Actually thinking of killing him, Sun Wukong?