Donghuang Ziji

Chapter 923 One Blow Shatters the Heavenly Demon
At the same time that Chu Tai noticed the traces of the Heavenly Demon, ten thousand Buddhas bloomed in the Tongming Hall, and a phantom of a large Buddha with a peaceful smile appeared.

The Buddha's body seemed to stand tall, about the size of Mount Sumeru, filling the heavens and earth. After it appeared, it expanded infinitely, and the brilliant Buddha light solidified, making the surrounding void feel shattered.

Viewers invariably felt a strange pressure, as if they had suddenly been burdened with the weight of three mountains and five peaks, making it difficult to move an inch.

Before the Buddha, Sun Wukong, wearing a phoenix-winged purple-gold crown, golden chainmail, and lotus-silk cloud-walking shoes, looked exceptionally thin and short. Even though he had used the Law of Heaven and Earth to transform into a giant ape ten thousand feet tall, he could only rely on his golden cudgel to stabilize his body.

The immense pressure caused the void beneath his feet to begin to collapse, but the collapse was constantly being rebuilt under the Buddha's light behind his head, which was filled with wisdom, compassion, perfection, and merit. Or rather, Sun Wukong was being absorbed into that Buddha's light at this moment.

"Great Sun Tathagata?"

Sun Wukong's eyes flashed with murderous intent, leaving only a sliver of clarity. Under the Buddha's light, a faint black aura emanated from the golden cudgel in his hand.

Above the Heavenly Emperor's head, layers of auspicious clouds and auspicious energy rose, and within the precious light, the phantoms of immortals and gods appeared, protecting his body and keeping him untouched by any dust.

The Heavenly Emperor looked at the Buddha's Great Sun Dharma Form, whose entire body shone with light. The Buddha-nature of wisdom, compassion, and merit shone like sunlight throughout the three realms and ten directions, dispelling all darkness and ignorance. Clearly, it had reached an extremely profound state and was gradually guiding the true meaning of the Buddha in other realms.

Therefore, under this radiance, all things, whether tangible or intangible, colored or colorless, all sentient beings in the mortal world, and all phenomena of heaven and earth, can be clearly understood, obstacles can be broken, inner and outer can be subdued, and enlightenment can be attained.

However, Sun Wukong's situation was very special; his demonic obstacles originated from the Heavenly Demon.

This demonic essence is even above that of the Buddha, and it possesses a complete theory, a worldview belonging to the demonic path, containing evil wisdom and destructive power, all of which are the essence of the demonic path. Even if one were to attain enlightenment, it would only make the demon more distorted and changed.

For such beings, so-called salvation is nothing more than brainwashing.

This clearly violates some of the true essence of Buddhism, which the Buddha himself could not do; he could only guide Sun Wukong to see that something was wrong.

But at this moment, Sun Wukong was also in pain. Under the guidance of the Heavenly Demon, he had already understood the true nature of the power within the Golden Cudgel.

His fate was not controlled by the Heavenly Emperor, but by himself. The self that had attained enlightenment wanted to redeem the Three Realms, Six Paths, and Ten Directions, so he abandoned his own Dao fruit and merged into this golden cudgel, which then multiplied into countless forms, appearing in the Three Pure Ones' world and in all time and space.

This was all to help Sun Wukong maintain his true nature and suppress the Heavenly Demon.

'But is this really what you want?'

Wisps of black energy swirled around Sun Wukong's ears, and the voice of the Heavenly Demon echoed in his heart.

'You're also Sun Wukong, so why should he be able to decide your future?'

In a daze, Sun Wukong saw another version of himself, wearing a golden robe, with wisdom and compassion flowing in his eyes, and a perfect light hanging behind his head, just like the Buddha before him.

'Just because he attained enlightenment early?'

The voice of the Heavenly Demon contained no seduction, nor any slander; it was like a friend whispering in your ear, speaking up for you.

Or is it because part of your cultivation level comes from him?

A series of thoughts surfaced in Sun Wukong's mind. Although they were immediately cut off, some were still affected, and the black aura on the golden cudgel became increasingly dense.

Or perhaps it's because his great aspiration is compassionate enough to save the most people?

The Heavenly Demon's voice lowered, then suddenly rose: 'But on what grounds? On what grounds can he fall into silence while you suffer countless torments there?'

The demon, his voice lowered again, materialized a face and appeared beside Sun Wukong: 'If everyone were like this, it would be fine, but why is there an exception? Tell me, what makes him so special?'

Chu Tai, standing outside the Tongming Hall, suddenly looked up in the direction of Sun Wukong. The face beside him turned to look at him, and its appearance was exactly the same as Chu Tai's.

Chu Tai was startled and was about to say something when the Heavenly Demon vanished without a trace.

The clarity in Sun Wukong's eyes gradually faded, and he felt he was going crazy.

He had previously thought that everything he was being manipulated was something he had tacitly approved, so what right did he have to be angry?
Now, who should he brandish his golden cudgel at?
Unable to suppress such thoughts, the power of the Heavenly Demon is limitless.

Seeing Sun Wukong's pain, the Buddha sighed and said, "If you don't know who to attack, why not attack me?"

Sun Wukong looked up at the Buddha, his eyes gradually gathering blood-red light, and laughed, "Want to attack you?"

"Indeed, in terms of the current convergence of causes and conditions, you are a manifestation of the Victorious Fighting Buddha. Now that you have fallen into attachment, it is natural for me to enlighten you. It just so happens that you were quite angry with me for suppressing you for five hundred years back then. Today is the perfect time to release that anger, so that you can come from nothing and return to nothing."

'Here we go again? Did you hear that? Those same old platitudes again.'

The voice of the Heavenly Demon whispered in Sun Wukong's ear, its tone full of sarcasm.

'Listen to his words. Is he really doing this for your own good? If you win, your obsession will dissipate, and you'll return to your true self. If you lose, you'll be imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain for five hundred years, your anger and resentment suppressed, before you embark once more on the journey to the West to obtain the scriptures, achieve perfect merit, and become a Buddha.'

Is this really what you want?

The demon continued to bewitch him, and countless chaotic noises echoed in Sun Wukong's ears. In front of him, countless phantom images of Sun Wukong appeared.

These Sun Wukongs may have become demons, Buddhas, or immortals. They all seem to have broken free from the influence of the inner Dao fruit of the Golden Cudgel. But in the end, they all returned to the path of saving the world. For the sake of all living beings in the Three Realms and the Six Paths and Ten Directions, they ultimately sacrificed themselves to suppress the turbid energy of the Heavenly Demon in one place, thus creating an opportunity for the next evolution of the world.

"Look, his Dao Fruit has been influencing you! Rather than staying in this illusory haven of comfort, why not turn the impossible into the possible, break through everything before you, and create your own future? Fortunately, that Daoist Chu Tai's Taiyi Dao Fruit has bestowed upon all beings the Taiyi of humanity, which, combined with the spiritual essence bestowed upon them by the Heavenly Emperor, is enough to sustain your life."

'And so, I became your puppet completely, didn't I?'

Sun Wukong scoffed at it, but the Heavenly Demon knew this was an opportunity.

"How can you say that? Once you break through everything before you, you've already obtained a portion of the Dao Fruit, turning the impossible into the possible. With a little more influence from the Great Dao of Taiyi, you'll become a third-party force below us and the Heavenly Emperor. I'll be your collaborator at most; how could I possibly control your life?"

After saying this, the Heavenly Demon vanished, leaving behind only some information about his Dao Fruit and some information about Chu Tai's Great Dao.

Sun Wukong didn't look, but the power of the Dao Fruit was still influencing him in the dark, making him very agitated, and his gaze toward the Buddha Tathagata became filled with resentment.

He gripped the golden cudgel tightly, then loosened it slightly, then loosened it to a certain extent before gripping it tightly again.

'What should I do?' Sun Wukong was somewhat confused, and suddenly a few streams of light flowed from the Taiyi Dao that was floating in his heart.

Under the boundless radiance of the Buddha's form in the outside world, this stream of light quickly became complete, radiating immeasurable and boundless brilliance.

In a trance, a precious wheel appeared, containing many concrete truths, and a phantom divine bell floated within it.

Sun Wukong was startled and whispered, "The Great Dao of Taiyi?"

'You're not wrong to call me that. I seem to understand even more now why the Heavenly Emperor sees me as a hope.'

Chu Tai's voice echoed in Sun Wukong's heart, and the phantom of the divine bell swayed slightly.

The invisible sound waves echoed all around, making Sun Wukong's mind a little more relaxed.

What's wrong with you right now?

Sun Wukong looked at Chu Tai with some curiosity.

"And now? What you see before you is the Supreme Unity of Heaven. When I was cultivating, I split my own Supreme Unity Dao into two, transforming them into the Heavenly and Human Paths. The Supreme Unity of Heaven hangs high in the sky. Although I control it, I cannot use it, because once I do, I will fall from Heaven into Man. I can only use the portion of the Supreme Unity of Man that belongs to me."

'Therefore, rather than doing it myself, I'd rather create an avatar, allowing it to wield a portion of the power of the Human Taiyi, while I myself combine the Taiyi Dao Fruit with the Heavenly Taiyi, maintaining the perfection of the Dao Fruit. Simultaneously, when the avatar borrows power from me, I can also send down a portion of the Heavenly Taiyi as assistance. As for ordinary times, the Heavenly Taiyi can only serve as a way to help all beings cultivate the Great Dao of Taiyi, a form of feedback from the Great Dao that helps all beings.'

Sun Wukong was somewhat puzzled: 'It sounds good for all living beings, but in that case, will the Great Dao of Taiyi still be yours? If I'm not mistaken, under these circumstances, enough people cultivating the Great Dao of Taiyi could interfere with it and affect your power.'

'Indeed, I observe the Great One of Heaven through the eyes of all beings, and regard the perfection of the Great One of Humanity as the self-observation of the Great One of Heaven. Since I am influenced by their power, there is no reason to borrow power from all beings without bearing the corresponding responsibility.'

Chu Tai, from the Heavenly Supreme One, calmly replied: 'But I don't have much desire for sentient beings. The borrowed power will also assist them in their cultivation on ordinary days. Just like now, you are feeling lost and encountering a calamity. Your corresponding Human Supreme One resonates with this, which will then resonate with me, the Heavenly Supreme One, and I will bestow power to help you.'

'After this, your cultivation for a long time to come, as well as your supplementation of Taiyi, will not directly affect me, after all, I don't owe you anything.'

Chu Tai's answer made Sun Wukong smile: "Don't you owe me anything? I'm quite..."

Chu Tai didn't give Sun Wukong a chance to finish speaking, saying directly, "Actually, I think you don't need to think so much. That Sun Wukong probably doesn't think that much either. To him, any choice you make is meaningful; whether you follow the path he's laid out isn't important."

'After all, you are also him, and you should understand that he is aware of your nature to resist being bound.'

At this point, Chu Tai added, "Also, only take half of what Tianmo says seriously. Although he will tell you many truths and give you a lot of correct information, most of this information is problematic."

"What you're saying really hurts me. Was there anything wrong with the demonic fruit I gave you? Aren't you also trying to comprehend the power to turn the impossible into the possible?"

The demon's voice suddenly rang out, and Chu Tai rang out again, striking the Eastern Emperor Bell to suppress it. He then looked at Sun Wukong and said, "I've suppressed this guy for you. Now it's up to you to understand. Whether you fight the Buddha again or follow the destiny you've chosen, it's up to you."

'It's all up to you, you heard me…'

The demon's voice came again, this time weaker, and Sun Wukong easily grabbed it and refined it with a backhand.

"Ha ha ha ha……"

The Heavenly Demon's laughter echoed in the ears of Chu Tai himself, the Heavenly Emperor of the Journey to the West, and the Heavenly Emperor of the Immortal Manifestation and Transformation.

"He refined it, he refined it, this round is mine..."

"when!"

As the bell rang, Chu Tai's true form shattered the demonic aura that was thrashing about in front of him. The Heavenly Emperor, who manifested the Dao and transformed into the Heavenly Manifestation, then struck the Eastern Emperor Bell. The vast sound of the bell echoed through countless dimensions, continuously compressing the power of the demonic beings.

The Heavenly Demon paid no heed, venting his emotions wildly. Beneath this seemingly out-of-control emotion, countless twisted feelings were materializing, changing, and influencing all living beings around him, trying to make his power resurface a little.

But Chu Tai struck the Eastern Emperor Bell with his other hand, sending it into the world of Journey to the West, and the Buddha Tathagata had an epiphany.

As Sun Wukong raised his hand and struck out with a palm, the man who had just refined demonic energy sensed it and swung his golden cudgel upwards.

"Heavenly Demon, take this from my old Sun!"

The Buddha's palm descended, covering the Eastern Emperor Bell. This great hand, large enough to encompass Mount Sumeru and containing all the essence of Buddhist teachings, could not completely cover the Eastern Emperor Bell. Instead, it transformed into hundreds of millions of Buddhas' Dharani mantras, evolving into the Tripitaka, the twelve divisions of Buddhist scriptures, and eighty-four thousand subtle Sanskrit characters, which surrounded the Eastern Emperor Bell.

At that very moment, Sun Wukong's golden cudgel struck the Eastern Emperor Bell.

In an instant, the fruits of the three Buddhas' paths within shattered simultaneously, and countless scriptures on the surface simultaneously shone brilliantly.

The golden cudgel was thrown back and began to crack inch by inch, but the true nature within it was revealed and shone brightly.

The Buddhas of Mount Ling were moved and simultaneously chanted their names to bestow blessings.

The Buddhas murmured softly, the Bodhisattvas chanted sutras, and boundless vows gathered, yet they could only serve as auspicious clouds surrounding the Eastern Emperor Bell, as decoration.

Sun Wukong roared to the sky, brandishing his broken golden cudgel, and continued to strike the Eastern Emperor Bell.

This time, black energy surged forth, and the Path of the Heavenly Demon manifested between the broken Golden Cudgel and the Eastern Emperor Bell.

With an ancient bell tolling, countless temporal and spatial orders collapsed, and the laws and principles of the Dao were reorganized. Among the layers of fragments, the Heavenly Demon Dao Fruit was crushed bit by bit by the Eastern Emperor Bell. Sun Wukong himself was also crushed by the reaction force, bleeding profusely, with countless blood mists surrounding him.

The power of the Heavenly Demon continued to twist, and his voice reappeared in Sun Wukong's ears, constantly questioning him.

What good will doing this do you?

'You've been tamed by them after all...'

'You ultimately chose Wukong…'

Sun Wukong's eyes were bloodshot and bleeding as he roared, "What I choose has nothing to do with you! I just want to beat you up right now, go to hell..."

(End of this chapter)