Ksitigarbha nodded, saying nothing.
In reality, Di Ting's heart was a tempest. The master of a Kalpa, changed so easily? Was the current Buddha so ruthless? Di Ting heard the thoughts of the Six-Eared Macaque, and thus, he was terrified, daring not show the slightest hint of his apprehension.
Indeed, the Six-Eared Macaque had thought, *The Buddha wants to replace Sun Wukong, and I am the one the Buddha has arranged!*
Upon hearing this, Di Ting dared not expose him and simply passed the buck back to Spirit Mountain.
And so, the two Sun Wukongs fought their way to Spirit Mountain and met the Buddha.
After a discourse on the Four Great Monkeys, the Buddha immobilized Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong was utterly shocked. At this moment, he understood. The Buddha intended to kill him, and the replacement had already been chosen!
As expected, the Six-Eared Macaque directly raised his staff and struck Sun Wukong on the forehead.
Thus, a wisp of Sun Wukong's soul entered the Underworld, while the Six-Eared Macaque, under the name of Sun Wukong, continued his journey to the West to retrieve the scriptures.
Zhu Bajie hurried to inquire about the situation. Upon learning that they had traveled from Heaven to the Underworld and then to the Buddha, he finally distinguished between the real and the fake. The fake Sun Wukong had already been beaten to death by him with a single blow.
For some reason, Zhu Bajie frowned upon hearing this, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity.
Although the Six-Eared Macaque tried his best to imitate Sun Wukong afterward, Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie still noticed some discrepancies. Tang Sanzang silently recited the Golden Fillet spell, only to find that the Sun Wukong before him showed no reaction. He sighed and continued his journey.
Zhu Bajie watched all of this unfold. From that day on, he no longer called the Monkey King "Monkey Brother" but "Eldest Brother."
Because he understood that while the "Monkey Brother" had sometimes bullied him, he had treated him like a brother. But this current one had killed his brother, and he could do nothing but endure and remain silent.
In the Underworld, Emperor Fengdu brought Sun Wukong's soul over and sighed, "Sun Wukong, to reach this point, I truly did not expect it. That kid Duobao is still so dark-hearted!"
Sun Wukong's sorrow was greater than his death. Yet, at this moment, he felt a hint of release.
Yes, release. His life would no longer be controlled by others!
"This is the Ginseng Fruit and the Three-Light Divine Water, which can rebuild your foundation. This Green Lotus Dharma Seal can also protect your soul. Whether you can cultivate again depends on yourself!" Emperor Fengdu finished speaking and cast Sun Wukong's soul into the Ginseng Fruit. Gradually, Sun Wukong reformed his physical body, but at this moment, all his cultivation was gone.
"I shall pass on my lineage's Daoist methods to you!" Emperor Fengdu said, pointing a finger at Sun Wukong's forehead. He then sent Sun Wukong to Flower-Fruit Mountain, the place where the monkey had first grown.
Returning to Flower-Fruit Mountain, Sun Wukong was overwhelmed with emotion. At this moment, he was just an ordinary monkey. The other monkeys on Flower-Fruit Mountain didn't mind an extra monkey; after all, they were all monkeys, and what did one more matter?
Later, Sun Wukong chose a cave dwelling and began to cultivate.
Meanwhile, back with Tang Sanzang and his disciples, they endured the ninety-nine and eighty-one tribulations and finally arrived at Spirit Mountain. They met the Tathagata and successfully obtained the true scriptures.
After bringing the scriptures back to the Great Tang, Tang Sanzang went to Spirit Mountain to receive his title.
He was enfeoffed as the Candana Merit Buddha.
The Six-Eared Macaque was also enfeoffed as the Victorious Fighting Buddha.
Zhu Bajie became the Altar Cleanser, Sha Wujing became an Arhat, and the White Dragon Horse became the Heavenly Dragon of the Eightfold Path, Guangli Bodhisattva.
Thus, the merits of the Journey to the West were fulfilled.
Buddhism also expanded through Tang Sanzang's teachings. However, because Buddhism lacked a spiritual treasure to suppress its great fortune, its fortune was greatly depleted. Although it flourished for a time, it was no different from before.
This was thanks to the Blood Mosquito devouring the Third-Rank Merit Golden Lotus, damaging Buddhism's treasure for suppressing fortune.
In Shouyang Mountain, Taiqing Laozi suddenly opened his eyes and let out a clear shout. Instantly, Laozi's good, evil, and self-corpses all returned. Taiqing Laozi's aura grew stronger and stronger, and the entire Primordial World felt it. All eyes turned to Shouyang Mountain. What was happening?
They all knew that the Saints were punished to be outside the Heavens. However, Taiqing Laozi attained the Dao by severing three corpses, not by the Heavenly Dao. He had merely separated his self-corpse to become the Human Race Saint, Li Er.
Outside the Heavens, Tongtian and Yuanshi also looked towards Shouyang Mountain. Minghe curled his lips. "What is this Taiqing Laozi doing? Is he about to break through? That's unlikely!"
"Big Brother is about to break through!" Tongtian said excitedly.
Yuanshi nodded as well.
Just then, Minghe's voice came, "Breakthrough my ass! Wishful thinking!"
Tongtian was instantly furious and was about to go fight Minghe. Yuanshi followed. Did this Minghe really think he was invincible just because he had become a Saint? Now that they were all punished to be outside the Heavens, two against one was more than enough.
Minghe sneered, "You two have given your spiritual treasures to your disciples. Are you still trying to spar with me? Come on!"
Tongtian and Yuanshi immediately stopped. It was true that they had given their spiritual treasures to their disciples, but this scoundrel Minghe had not. He still possessed the Innate Supreme Treasure, the God-Slaying Spear. Forget it, let's see what happens. If Big Brother breaks through, we'll deal with this scoundrel later!
At this moment, Taiqing Laozi's aura grew stronger and stronger. Finally, after reaching a critical point, it erupted completely. Taiqing Laozi entered a brand new realm.
"Not bad, you indeed have great talent. You have broken through the limitations of a Saint. This realm is called the Ancestral God Realm!" At this moment, Hongjun appeared beside Taiqing Laozi and said with a faint smile.
"Ancestral God Realm?" Taiqing Laozi was puzzled. Shouldn't it be the Heavenly Dao Realm?
"Indeed, it is the Ancestral God Realm. Now that you have broken through, I can tell you some things!" As Hongjun spoke, he reached out and grabbed Jieyin and Zhunti, pulling them over.
Simultaneously, outside the Heavens, a spatial rift appeared before Yuanshi and Tongtian, and Hongjun's voice came from within, "Hurry!"
Yuanshi and Tongtian immediately stepped into it. Nuwa and Minghe also heard Hongjun's summons and entered the spatial rift, appearing in Shouyang Mountain the next moment.
"Greetings, Teacher!" Yuanshi and the others bowed.
"Oh, and two more!" Hongjun waved his hand again, and several rifts opened.
Li Er in the Huoyun Cave and Empress Pingxin in the Underworld also stepped into the rifts and were transported before Hongjun.
Hongjun nodded and said, "Now that everyone is here, and since Taiqing has broken through, it's time you all knew about these matters."
Hearing that Taiqing Laozi had broken through, Minghe was the most incredulous. After all, he had always considered Taiqing Laozi his rival. Now that the other had broken through, could he still be so arrogant?
Taiqing Laozi glanced at Minghe. *Bastard, I've broken through. Don't provoke me, or I'll seal you!*