Investiture of the Gods: I am Bigan, the Master of Conspiracy

Chapter 204 Wukong kills Liu Er in a desperate situation, Buddhism loses great power and its fortune collapses!

In fact, Yin Ziyu mixed a trace of saint's blood into Sun Wukong's original essence, which activated the original essence and allowed the Dao fruit to improve itself.

After all, the Chaos Demon Ape's origin was divided into four parts, and its Dao Fruit Laws were incomplete. After obtaining the Saint's Blood, its Laws were greatly improved, and the Chaos Demon Ape's inheritance within it was activated.

When this source merged into Sun Wukong, it immediately began to integrate, since it was originally Sun Wukong's own, and naturally it would not reject it.

For Buddhism, what it needs more is a sensible Six-Eared Macaque, rather than Sun Wukong who wants to investigate everything to the end.

This is like two imperial censors. The Six-Eared Macaque is smooth in everything he does, doing a good job of appearances and making everyone happy. Even though he is the mount of a Bodhisattva and the uncle of Buddha, he can still turn this matter into a great meritorious ending that makes everyone happy.

As for why this country should be eliminated, it can only be because if it is as unteachable as Chechi Kingdom, then it is better to eliminate it. To gods, Buddhas, and even the great gods of the Three Realms, this is nothing more than a trivial matter.

Let the Six-Eared Macaque handle this matter. It's because I've eliminated the demon and added trouble to the situation. You should all go back now. In the end, everyone will be happy, and you, me, and everyone will be fine.

Yin Ziyu needs someone like Sun Wukong to travel to the West, because only in this way can justice be brought to Yin Ziyu's side during this great calamity.

Only by having Sun Wukong investigate the truth, stirring up the general trend, destroying its fortune, and undermining its foundation, could Yin Ziyu's initial plan to gather Sun Wukong's essence be realized.

Sun Wukong's original power was indeed formidable, but Yin Ziyu didn't need it. Yin Ziyu had already reached the peak of the Great Luo realm, and now it was no longer about increasing, but about decreasing.

Moreover, Sun Wukong's value is too great, and the fact that the Buddhist sect took action to eliminate Sun Wukong has effectively pushed him into Yin Ziyu's camp.

Therefore, it is imperative to save Sun Wukong's life and escape this calamity, as the future of the Journey to the West will be driven by Wukong, and Buddhism will effectively lose control over the affairs of the Three Realms.

After this source successfully merged into Sun Wukong's primordial spirit, and with the potential stimulated by Nuwa's saintly blood, the inheritance belonging to the Chaos Demon Ape instantly began to manifest like a tidal wave.

Each of the four great monkeys has its own unique talents and heritage. How much of their potential they can unleash depends on their own opportunities. The Six-Eared Macaque was able to listen to the Purple Cloud Palace from birth, which is an incredibly powerful talent.

However, there was no blood of a saint to help him activate his inheritance, but Sun Wukong, who lost it and regained it, also gained this opportunity.

Sun Wukong felt a tremor in his primordial spirit, and a sense of déjà vu made him feel lost.

In an instant, a towering divine ape appeared within Sun Wukong's primordial spirit.

This divine ape was surrounded by the Great Dao's maxims, its eyes flashing with the divine light of the Great Dao, radiating a terrifying aura.

With a mighty roar that shook heaven and earth, the divine ape brandished a giant golden staff of unknown length, demonstrating a set of astonishing staff techniques for Sun Wukong—the Nine Staffs of Gods and Demons.

As the divine ape danced, a huge, golden monkey appeared out of thin air. This monkey radiated boundless golden light, like a newly risen sun illuminating the entire chaotic world.

The golden staff in his hand was dazzling, as if it had gathered all the power in the world.

The divine ape roared, carrying a world-destroying momentum, and smashed its staff towards the endless chaos ahead.

In an instant, with a loud "boom," the endless chaos shattered like fragile glass, revealing shocking spatial cracks, as if the entire chaos was about to collapse under this blow.

"Roar!"

The golden monkey then roared, its voice like rolling thunder, echoing through the chaos.

In an instant, countless clones burst forth from its body like locusts, rushing swiftly in all directions.

Each clone was lifelike, as if it were the real body, and each possessed immense power.

In an instant, the entire chaotic space was filled with countless golden figures, flashing with a terrifying golden storm.

This storm, like a raging tsunami, swept across with overwhelming force, shattering the chaos of countless light-years into nothingness.

Countless golden staff shadows and monkey clones descended upon the world like war gods, their oppressive aura earth-shattering, as if to crush the entire chaos to pieces.

Under this terrifying pressure, huge cracks appeared in the entire chaotic space, as if it would collapse at any moment.

The golden monkey's body transformed into countless golden shadows, rapidly moving in all directions. Under the oppressive force of the staff technique, it was as if the Great Dao had descended, and all things in the world submitted to it.

However, this seemingly rapid movement, when performed with a staff technique imbued with the endless laws of the Dao, seems to slow down the flow of time, allowing one to clearly witness every breathtaking detail.

Endless shadows of staffs rained down simultaneously, and wherever the golden shadows reached, chaos was mercilessly shattered and destroyed.

Each stick shadow contains the power of destruction and rebirth, as if breaking the old order while also giving birth to new life.

In an instant, the chaos was filled with dazzling light and endless booming sounds, a magnificent sight produced by the collision of the laws of the Great Dao and the power of chaos.

"boom……"

A violent sound, like the Big Bang, came from Sun Wukong's consciousness. The sound was like the first roar at the beginning of the universe, shaking the depths of his soul.

In an instant, time and space seemed to freeze. All the light, the shadows of the staff, and the clones came to an abrupt end, and everything disappeared without a trace, as if the astonishing scene just now was just an illusionary dream.

"That's it? That's all? This is real staff technique! Shadow Splits, almost every one of them is real, with such great power. My old Sun's hairs are nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs!"

Sun Wukong snapped out of his shock and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

At this moment, Sun Wukong was filled with awe at the power of this staff technique, and a strong desire arose within him to master it and become as strong as this monkey.

At the same time, the power of the laws began to merge into Sun Wukong's primordial spirit along with this staff technique; this is the law and the Dao fruit.

Taiyi Golden Immortals begin to come into contact with the laws, and Daluo Golden Immortals begin to comprehend the laws, while Sun Wukong can be said to have no comprehension of the laws and no accumulation of any Dao fruit.

First, the laws and Dao fruits brought by the Nine Divine and Demonic Staffs began to slowly replenish Sun Wukong's foundation.

At this moment, Sun Wukong's fighting spirit burned like a raging fire as he headed straight for Flower Fruit Mountain to fight the monkey who was impersonating him.

Sun Wukong had no idea how significant his battle with this monkey was, as it concerned the success or failure of both sides in this great calamity.

Upon arriving at Flower Fruit Mountain, Sun Wukong spotted the monkey impersonating him, who was clearly also waiting for his arrival.

Upon seeing this, Sun Wukong's eyes widened in fury, his hair stood on end, and he roared, "Where did this monster come from, daring to impersonate me, Old Sun!"

Looking at the monkey in front of him, Sun Wukong felt a surge of murderous intent in his heart, like a flood bursting its banks, which he could not control.

Sun Wukong's eyes turned bloodshot, and he had only one thought in mind: kill him, kill him.

This is the cause and effect of the four monkey spirits. Because if the four monkey spirits want to return to their original origin, they must kill each other, devour each other's origin. This is the innate cause and effect of the four monkey spirits. Even though Sun Wukong is the one who is destined to face the tribulation in the Journey to the West, only the four monkey spirits can kill him.

Upon seeing Sun Wukong arrive, the imposter monkey's eyes also blazed with murderous intent, and he let out a cold laugh: "Heh, kill you, and I will be Sun Wukong!"

Looking at Sun Wukong before him, the fake monkey, the Six-Eared Macaque, was also filled with murderous intent and excitement. Because if he killed the other party and seized his source, his own cultivation would greatly increase, and he would become Sun Wukong. Then he would be able to bypass the Dao Ancestor's decree.

As long as I kill Sun Wukong, and Buddha recognizes me as Sun Wukong, and the Three Realms recognize me as Sun Wukong, then I am Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong, enraged, laughed and roared, "Monster, take this!"

Before Sun Wukong finished speaking, his golden cudgel transformed into a golden light, smashing down on the fake monkey with overwhelming force.

The monkey, however, was not afraid at all, and sneered in return: "What you can do, I can do too; what you can't do, I can also do!"

After saying this, the Six-Eared Macaque conjured an iron rod in his hand that was no different from the Golden Cudgel, and bravely met Sun Wukong's attack.

In an instant, the two figures clashed, their clubs exchanging blows and sparks flying. A powerful shockwave emanated from the two figures and spread wildly outwards, snapping trees and shattering rocks wherever it passed. The entire Flower Fruit Mountain trembled violently in the midst of this fierce battle.

The battle between the two intensified, with each strike delivering a deadly blow, making it difficult to determine a winner for a time.

At the same time, a report from Chechi Kingdom reached the Heavenly Court, stating that a monster had killed the king.

Upon hearing of this turn of events, the Heavenly Court immediately activated its celestial rules, dispatching Li Jing to lead a vast army of heavenly soldiers and generals to attack Flower Fruit Mountain.

Of course, the Heavenly Court also cooperated with the appearance of the fake Wukong to expand its influence and affect the Three Realms to distinguish between the real and the fake.

Li Jing led his heavenly soldiers and generals, which quickly enveloped Flower Fruit Mountain like dark clouds.

Li Jing immediately spotted the two monkeys locked in fierce combat and exclaimed in surprise, "What's going on? How can there be two Great Sages?"

The two monkeys fought fiercely, neither willing to give in, and simultaneously shouted at Li Jing, "I am the real one!"

Li Jing looked at the two almost identical monkeys and was at a loss for how to tell the real one from the fake one.

Meanwhile, the heavenly soldiers and generals had completely surrounded Flower Fruit Mountain.
Faced with two Sun Wukongs, the Heavenly Court officials were at a loss. Li Jing immediately said, "Why don't we ask Elder Tang to use the Tightening-Headband Mantra to distinguish the real one from the fake one?"

When two identical Sun Wukongs appeared in Chechi Kingdom, they instantly caused a huge upheaval in the kingdom.

At this moment, the eyes of the ministers of Chechi Kingdom were fixed on the two monkeys. The matter of killing the king suddenly took a turn, and everyone was shocked to realize that it was actually one of the fake monkeys who had killed the king.

The matter of forcing the imperial advisor to his death was already shrouded in mystery, and now it seems even more enigmatic and puzzling.

At this moment, the cause and effect of Chechi Kingdom began to be settled because of the matter of the real and fake monkeys.

Just when everyone was at a loss, Li Jing asked Tang Sanzang to be brought out and recite the Tightening-Headband Mantra to distinguish between the real and the fake.

After all, the golden headband is a unique constraint on Sun Wukong, and if there is any trickery involved, it can be easily detected.

When Tang Sanzang was invited to stand before him, he frowned and looked troubled, but the situation was urgent, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and begin reciting the Tightening-Headband Mantra.

As soon as the incantation was uttered, something strange happened.

The two monkeys simultaneously clutched their heads, writhing on the ground in pain and howling in agony.

Their expressions were contorted, veins bulged on their foreheads, and large beads of sweat rolled down their faces; they looked exactly the same, suffering terribly.

At this moment, everyone was completely dumbfounded. What they thought was a foolproof method had made the situation even more complicated, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between the real and fake Wukong.

After all, the fake monkey was arranged by Buddhism. Buddhism knows everything about Sun Wukong, including what he has and what he can do. It can be said that they are fully capable of creating a monkey that is even more realistic than the real Sun Wukong.

Furthermore, the Six-Eared Macaque can listen to the Three Realms, something Sun Wukong can do, and the Six-Eared Macaque is more than capable of doing as well. Moreover, since both of them are the origin of the Chaos Demon Ape, it is no problem for the Six-Eared Macaque to be even more like Wukong than Wukong.

At this moment, amidst the excruciating pain, Sun Wukong's heart was filled with turbulent emotions.

Sun Wukong couldn't understand why the monster impersonating him also had a headband.

This golden headband belongs to the Bodhisattva, so why does this demon also have it?
Just as his thoughts were in turmoil, Sun Wukong suddenly remembered what the Holy Mother Jinling had told him—"Do not go to Mount Ling."

These words struck his confused mind like a bolt of lightning. Seeing the monkey in the same excruciating pain as himself, Sun Wukong was instantly filled with fear.

After merging with the original source, Sun Wukong now possessed a significantly enhanced level of comprehension. Although he was still portrayed as ignorant, he had begun to slowly awaken.

Unable to discern the truth, Tang Sanzang eventually went to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, where Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's mythical beast, Di Ting, was summoned.

Di Ting listened intently, but after a moment he only shook his head slightly. Although he knew the truth, he dared not reveal it for various reasons.

Later, when they found Guanyin Bodhisattva, Guanyin Bodhisattva also frowned and looked worried. Helplessly, she told the two monkeys that she herself could not distinguish between the real and fake Sun Wukong in front of her.

Just then, one of the monkeys suddenly opened its eyes wide and roared at the other, "Monkey, since you dare to impersonate me, Old Sun, do you dare to go to the Buddha in Mount Ling to verify the truth!"

The monkey spoke with great certainty and confidence.

Guanyin Bodhisattva nodded slightly and said helplessly, "This humble monk cannot distinguish between the real and the fake. The only option is to go to Mount Ling and ask the Buddha to discern the truth from the falsehood."

Upon hearing this, the real Sun Wukong was shaken as if his heart were in turmoil.

Faced with Guanyin Bodhisattva and countless heavenly soldiers, Sun Wukong had completely lost his way out.

At this moment, Sun Wukong was filled with suspicion: "Why is he so confident that he dares to go to Mount Ling? And why does he have to go to Mount Ling? Could it be... could it be that Buddha wants to harm me and has set some kind of trap? But if I don't go now, wouldn't that confirm that I am an imposter and that even a simple Bodhisattva can defeat me? But if I go to Mount Ling?"

At this moment, the voice of the Golden Spirit Mother rang out from Sun Wukong's primordial spirit.

"Monkey, do not go to Mount Ling, otherwise the real and fake will be controlled by others. This monkey knows all your supernatural powers, and you cannot defeat him. Merging with the Shadow Rift and going to Mount Ling is your only chance of survival!"

At that moment, Sun Wukong instantly understood what the Holy Mother Jinling had said: do not go to Mount Ling.

Sun Wukong suddenly realized that he could no longer prove his authenticity. When all the immortals and gods of the Three Realms could not prove it to him, Sun Wukong began to panic completely.

At this point, the only way to prove one's authenticity is to rely on Buddha. But what if Buddha cannot prove it?

Now that the other party has brought it up first, I cannot offer any rebuttal.

At this point, the distinction between the real and the fake has been reached. The two monkeys are surrounded by the crowd, and whoever shows weakness first is the fake one.

Moreover, there's the headband of Guanyin Bodhisattva, which can take you down in an instant.

Anyone who doesn't dare to go is a fake, and if that happens, they will inevitably be treated as a fake and beaten to death.

Even if he escapes, he will inevitably carry the name of a fake Wukong in the Three Realms, while the one impersonating him will be the real Wukong. The only way out is to go to Mount Ling and see Buddha, hoping that Buddha can distinguish between the real and the fake.

It can be said that now is the most critical moment for Sun Wukong. Unless Yin Ziyu's side can launch a full-scale war against Buddhism at this time, Sun Wukong is facing a dead end.

If everything is completely confused, then who is real and who is fake is entirely up to Buddha to decide, and even now, people like the Golden Spirit Mother have no say in the matter.

If you have a Great Luo Immortal, the opponent has even more. If you have a Quasi-Saint, the opponent still has even more. Once you get involved, their numbers will increase tenfold instantly. Unless the Golden Spirit Mother directly traps the two monkeys with the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation, but if that happens, then countless crimes of obstructing the great trend of the Heavenly Dao will inevitably pile up one after another. This is equivalent to giving the opponent a chance to descend to the mortal realm and intervene with the Heavenly Dao.

There's no way to intervene; Wukong has to overcome this calamity himself.

Although Sun Wukong was filled with doubt and unease, he was fearless by nature. Knowing that there was no way out, he suddenly swung his golden cudgel into the air and shouted, "Monster, how dare you come with me to see Buddha!"

Upon hearing this, another monkey revealed a sinister smile and chuckled, "Monster, you can still escape now, but if you reach the Buddha, it will be your death day."

Sun Wukong, not to be outdone, chuckled and said, "Demon, how dare you! Now we'll go to the Buddha to verify the truth. I want to see what this imposter has to rely on!"

After seeing this, Guanyin said, "You two humble monks are shocked that you cannot discern the truth. Go and see the Buddha!"

Guanyin's urging, coupled with the words of the Golden Spirit Mother, filled Sun Wukong with fear. From Wuji Kingdom to Chechi Kingdom, Sun Wukong instantly felt that a huge scheme was being set up against him.

Now Sun Wukong fully understands that this journey to the West is his final path to survival. If he goes to the Buddha's place, his life and death will no longer be in his own hands, and others will decide whether he is real or not.

"I must kill this demon monkey on the way to the West! And the Nine Divine Demon Staffs in my primordial spirit, although it is only one strike, should be my only key to victory. The opponent knows all my methods, but he will never know this one!" A resolute look flashed in Sun Wukong's eyes, and he wielded his golden cudgel with great force, like a nimble golden dragon, smashing it towards the fake monkey.

The fake Monkey King was equally formidable, wielding his iron cudgel with impenetrable force, meeting Sun Wukong's attacks one by one.

For a time, the two monkeys fought back and forth, the battle raging fiercely and evenly matched.

At the same time, Sun Wukong immediately began to accelerate the fusion of the Shadow Rift he had just obtained with his own primordial spirit, determined to deliver a fatal blow.

From the sea of ​​clouds to the mountains and rivers, wherever they went, the wind and clouds changed color, and the heavens and earth trembled.

In the fierce battle, the two fought their way towards Mount Ling.

At this moment, the other monkey seemed to be certain of his victory, a victor's posture appearing on his face. He sneered at Sun Wukong and said, "Monster, don't blame me for not warning you, once you reach Mount Ling, you will have nowhere to escape."

Yes, the Six-Eared Macaque naturally knew that the Buddha was all-powerful, so why did he still dare to go to Mount Ling?
If one is not absolutely certain, how could one dare to do so?

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong was not afraid at all. Instead, he chuckled and retorted, "Monster, how dare you go to Mount Ling! Once you get there, it will be your death day. You imposter, don't spout nonsense here. Take a few blows from my old Sun first!"

At this moment, Sun Wukong and Liu Er were locked in a fierce battle. Their strengths seemed evenly matched, and neither could gain the upper hand for the time being.

All of Sun Wukong's techniques were completely mastered by his opponent.

At this moment, Sun Wukong began to rapidly integrate the first strike of the Nine Divine and Demonic Staffs within his primordial spirit, and the Law of Destruction was also rapidly integrating into himself.

After all, the Chaos Demon Ape is the Law of Destruction itself, and the Nine Divine and Demonic Staffs are also the Path of Destruction.

Liu Er, who was fighting Sun Wukong, immediately sensed that Sun Wukong's aura had changed, becoming increasingly profound and powerful.

Originally, Sun Wukong had neither Dao Fruit nor Laws, nor did Liu Er. The principle of not passing on the law to Liu Er prevented him from cultivating the laws, and the Dao Ancestor's principle of not passing on the law to Liu Er also damaged Liu Er's origin, making it impossible for him to obtain the laws from his origin.

At this time, Sun Wukong not only improved his strength, but also gained a new understanding and mastery of the laws of the Great Dao.

His cultivation level didn't improve, but his combat power increased many times over in an instant.

"It's now!"

Not far from Mount Ling, Sun Wukong suddenly erupted with boundless fighting spirit, like surging magma.

At this moment, Sun Wukong's eyes instantly turned blood red, like a burning sea of ​​blood, which was the terrifying aura emitted after the Law of Destruction merged into his primordial spirit.

"Shadow Rift!"

With Sun Wukong's earth-shattering roar, it seemed as if time and space themselves were distorted.

In an instant, countless identical phantom images of Sun Wukong appeared out of thin air, centered on Sun Wukong, and rained down on the fake Monkey King like dense raindrops.

Each clone contained terrifying power of law. In an instant, Sun Wukong unleashed a hundred times greater combat power, his might so strong that it seemed to tear the heavens and earth apart.

A duel based solely on strength is completely different from one that involves mastering the power of laws.

Behind Sun Wukong, a huge phantom of a demonic ape slowly materialized.

The demonic ape was surrounded by chaotic energy, and its eyes flashed with a light that could destroy everything. The appearance of the demonic ape further boosted Sun Wukong's momentum to its peak.

Upon seeing this, the other monkey was immediately shocked, its face filled with disbelief, and it blurted out, "No, impossible, how could you have such a move?"

However, this shocking scene also alarmed the Buddhas far away on Mount Ling.

It can be said that the entire Buddhist community planned this very carefully, and made great room for error and all possible variables.

Sun Wukong's combat power is inherently this level, and it is absolutely impossible to change. The only thing to do is to prevent the interference of the Golden Spirit Mother and Yin Ziyu. In response to possible interference, Mount Ling has taken a series of preventative measures.

However, no one expected that Sun Wukong would unleash such combat power; it was completely unexpected and almost impossible.

How could Sun Wukong's temperament, supernatural powers, magical abilities, and mastery of Mount Ling have undergone such a drastic change?

"The Law of Destruction! Oh no, something's wrong with Wukong!"

Ran Deng exclaimed in surprise, his face filled with shock and disbelief.

The Buddha's expression changed drastically. Without a word, he instantly appeared at the scene of the battle: "Stop! Allow this humble monk to distinguish the truth from the falsehood!"

As the Buddha spoke, an enormous Buddha's palm appeared out of thin air, carrying boundless Buddhist majesty and immense power, attempting to separate the two.

However, at this critical moment, a clear and cold voice suddenly rang out: "The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation is activated."

Suddenly, the Golden Spirit Mother appeared, and four divine swords radiating a terrifying aura emerged from her hands.

As soon as these four swords were unleashed, the world was instantly enveloped in a chilling aura, freezing even time and space.

Seeing the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation quickly withdraw, the giant hand dared not take any risks. At this point, the Golden Spirit Mother was no longer worried about interfering, because Wukong had already decided the outcome.

Sun Wukong saw that the giant Buddha's palm was about to intervene, but the Golden Spirit Mother stepped forward and blocked the Buddha's palm with the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation.

Although the Buddha did not show that he wanted to kill him, he intervened when he was about to win. Sun Wukong was extremely clever and naturally knew what the Buddha's intention was.

At this point, it's fair to say that no matter how one participates, their intentions have already been exposed, and it will be difficult to cover up the lie to Sun Wukong no matter what they say.

The Holy Mother of Golden Spirit looked at Sun Wukong, and her voice rose from the depths of his heart: "Monkey, I will hold this for you. Quickly kill this demon."

"Monster, now is your death day."

In that instant, the fake monkey king's face showed fear, and he turned around to run away.

But it was too late. The destructive law unleashed by Sun Wukong, along with countless shadowy figures of monkeys, instantly engulfed it like a surging tide.

A piercing scream rang out, and the fake monkey king was instantly killed, his body falling to the ground.

Its original form was exactly the same as Sun Wukong, but it had six ears, which surprised Sun Wukong.

After Sun Wukong killed the monkey, the Golden Spirit Mother instantly withdrew her four swords and vanished without a trace, as if she had never existed.

Once Sun Wukong kills Liu Er, his calamity is over, and it will be difficult to find someone to replace him, unless it is the Red-Bottomed Macaque who is suppressed on Turtle Mountain.

However, finding the red-bottomed macaque has a significant impact, making it almost impossible to complete the task discreetly.

In other words, during the Journey to the West period, Wukong was absolutely safe.

"Wukong, approach the corpse and merge it into yourself!"

"The Holy Mother Jinling is gone." These were the last words the Holy Mother Jinling left for Sun Wukong. After hearing this, Sun Wukong curiously went to the side of the corpse. Instantly, the corpse began to merge into Sun Wukong's body, including his very essence.

After Sun Wukong merged with this physical body and the origin, his cultivation level instantly increased dramatically. Originally, he was at the third level of the Flower Blooming stage and could only remain at the initial stage. In an instant, his cultivation level began to surge. In the blink of an eye, a turbid aura appeared from the top of Sun Wukong's head, and his cultivation level instantly surged to the mid-stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal.

"How did I, Old Sun, reach the mid-stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm?!"

Sun Wukong was utterly dumbfounded; he simply couldn't believe it.

At this moment, Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva arrived. They were all dumbfounded and incredulous as they watched Sun Wukong kill the Six-Eared Macaque and advance in his cultivation.

The two immediately began to secretly discuss how to handle the aftermath. Now that the Holy Mother Jinling had left, they could decide how to explain it.

Guanyin looked at the scene before her with shock and hurriedly said, "Wukong, why did you kill this monster!"

Sun Wukong stared intently at Guanyin, his mind filled with endless doubts. He frowned deeply and questioned, "Bodhisattva, just now, did you truly not know which of us was the real one?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva looked helpless and patiently explained, "Wukong, this humble monk truly cannot distinguish between them. This demon possesses the same supernatural powers as you, and their auras are similar. This humble monk has exhausted all means, yet it is still difficult to tell the real from the fake."

The Buddha looked at Sun Wukong and said, "Wukong, you were too impulsive. If you hadn't killed this person, you would have known where he came from and why he impersonated you. I was waiting for you at Mount Ling, but you killed him. Now, everything is impossible to verify."

Upon hearing Buddha's words, Sun Wukong felt a surge of suspicion, and his brows furrowed even more deeply.

After all, what had just happened was too strange. He really couldn't tell whether the Buddha had genuinely come to save the demon or, as he claimed, to capture the monkey impersonating him.

Sun Wukong had just personally experienced the crisis. All his life depended on whether Buddha Tathagata could uphold justice. Did Buddha Tathagata really want to kill him?

But who exactly is that woman? She stopped Buddha from intervening, allowing him to calmly kill the monster and even improve his cultivation. Is what Buddha said true or false?
At this moment, countless mysteries plagued Sun Wukong, and there was no explanation for the departure of the Golden Spirit Mother.

Because the Holy Mother of the Golden Spirit has not yet decided to engage in a decisive battle with the opponent, she will not explain to Sun Wukong that the Journey to the West still needs to proceed and cannot be disrupted.

Sun Wukong was filled with resentment and said bitterly, "Buddha, who exactly is this monster? Why does he look exactly like me?"

The Buddha closed his eyes slightly, his two fingers gently pinching together as if he were deducing the secrets of heaven. After a moment, he slowly said, "Wukong, you are the Spiritual Stone Monkey of the Four Chaotic Monkeys, born of heaven and earth, and burdened with heavy responsibilities. This monkey is the Six-Eared Macaque, who is good at listening, discerning reason, knowing the past and the future, and understanding all things. Although you two are different individuals, you share the same origin and have similar supernatural powers, which is why it is difficult for others to distinguish you."

After all, Sun Wukong did not actually go to Mount Ling, nor did he actually face a life-or-death crisis, so he could not judge whether what the Buddha said was true or false.

In other words, one can only truly understand who wants to kill them when they reach the sacred mountain and are on their deathbed. However, since nothing has actually happened, everything is merely one's own deduction, and one's own suspicions cannot be used as evidence.

Therefore, it is impossible to deny whether the Buddha's claim that he was waiting at Mount Ling and only came because he saw Sun Wukong about to kill him is true or false.

Sun Wukong, filled with doubt, stared intently at the Buddha and pressed him for an answer: "Buddha, what is the reason that the Six-Eared Macaque came and did such a thing?"

The Buddha's expression was solemn, his compassionate gaze fixed on the distance. He slowly said, "Wukong, this Six-Eared Macaque is neither among the ten categories of beings nor recognized by the two realms. He was originally an anomaly in the world. Seeing you escort Tang Sanzang to the Western Paradise to obtain the scriptures and perform many meritorious deeds, he became jealous. Relying on his great supernatural powers, he attempted to replace you, embark on the journey to obtain the scriptures, attain enlightenment, and enjoy boundless glory and the reverence of the Buddhist kingdom. As soon as this thought arose, he transformed into an exact replica of you, disrupting the universe and attempting to deceive us."

The Buddha paused slightly, then continued, “The Six-Eared Macaque is skilled in listening, discerning reason, knowing the past and the future, and understanding all things. He knows your experiences and supernatural powers, so he imitated you so perfectly that even gods and bodhisattvas could not tell the difference. All of this is due to the greed, anger, and ignorance in his heart, which led to this disaster.”

Hearing what the Buddha said, Sun Wukong still had doubts in his heart, and thought to himself: "There must be many hidden reasons for this matter. I should ask that woman for clarification in the future."

At that moment, Sun Wukong voiced another question that had been lingering in his mind, looking up at the Buddha and asking, "Buddha, why did the events in Chechi Kingdom escalate to this point? Who killed the Wandering Star Official? And why did they try to mislead me, Old Sun?"

Upon hearing this, the Buddha's expression turned solemn. He immediately clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and began to perform divination.

A moment later, the Buddha suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of anger in them, and shouted sharply, "Ananda and Kasyapa!"

As soon as the words were spoken, Ananda and Kasyapa turned pale, trembling all over as they knelt down with a thud, saying in fear, "Buddha, your disciple knows his sins!"

Upon seeing this, Sun Wukong scratched his head, his face full of surprise, and thought to himself, "Could it be that they were the ones who did all this?"

The Buddha looked at Sun Wukong and said with a heavy expression, "These two are in charge of the faith of this country. It is their followers who have been acting recklessly. In order to cover up their misdeeds, they have coerced and bribed the Wandering Star Official to give false testimony, attempting to disrupt the situation in Chechi Kingdom and mislead you."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong said angrily, "So what the king said was true? Why would a monk do such a thing? What should Buddha do with these two?"

All the great gods of the Three Realms watched this ever-changing scene with their supernatural powers, some shocked, some moved, their expressions varied.

Inside the Wuzhuang Temple, Zhen Yuanzi gazed in the direction of Chechi Kingdom, shook his head slightly, and sighed: "Although the Buddhist sect's actions have been fraught with setbacks, the general trend is irreversible."

The gods of the Three Realms wouldn't care about the truth; that's Sun Wukong's own investigation and is insignificant.

Instead, Buddha chose to demote a subordinate, allowing him to conceal the truth and take responsibility, thus temporarily covering up the matter.

The trend that the great gods of the Three Realms are watching cannot be reversed. The incident in Chechi Kingdom represents Sun Wukong's gradual loss of control, as well as the Buddhist sect's loss of control over the overall situation. They have still lost the means to replace Sun Wukong.

Furthermore, Sun Wukong, carrying the dangers and burdens of Buddhism, will begin to undergo a qualitative change, but Buddhism will no longer be able to resolve this issue.

After all, it was a matter of life and death in a great eon, and its significance was immense. It was not about Sun Wukong investigating the truth, nor about the Buddha cutting off his tail to save his life.

Instead, it has lost ground in a much larger trend. It can be said that this crisis has shifted the balance of power between offense and defense. If this continues, Wukong's sunk costs will overwhelm Buddhism, but Buddhism will be unable to reverse the situation.

Because Wukong has already mastered the laws and merged with the primordial spirit of the Six-Eared Macaque, the truth will inevitably come to Wukong's attention one day.

At that moment, a deep, muffled thud echoed from the depths of Mount Ling.

Immediately afterwards, the entire Ling Mountain trembled violently, as if the sky had collapsed and the earth had split open. Huge cracks, like the mouths of ferocious beasts, spread rapidly across the mountain.

The temples and pavilions that were usually solemn and majestic were on the verge of collapse in the sudden tremor, and the golden glazed tiles fell one after another, making a crisp and ear-piercing sound of breaking.

Upon witnessing this scene, the Ancient Buddha Dipankara was greatly alarmed and couldn't help but exclaim, "This is terrible! It's a backlash of fortune! Please, Supreme Lord, lend a helping hand and stabilize the fortune of Mount Sumeru!"

The Supreme Being naturally understood that Buddhism could not be allowed to collapse, otherwise the Human Teachings and the Chan Teachings would sit idly by and watch the Jie Teachings win this Journey to the West, disrupting the order of the Three Realms, which was unacceptable.

At the urgent request of Ran Deng, even the Supreme Lord Laozi, far away in the Taiqing Realm, sensed the crisis at Mount Ling.

Although Laozi entrusted a portion of the boundless fortune to Haotian, he still controlled a huge amount of the Heavenly Dao's fortune.

At this moment, the Supreme Lord frowned slightly, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes, and then he waved his sleeve.

In an instant, a boundless and majestic fortune surged forth from Laozi's Taiji diagram.

This fortune seemed to materialize, transforming into an incomparably dazzling golden light, rushing straight towards Mount Ling with overwhelming force.

The moment this boundless fortune touched Mount Ling, it was as if a sweet rain had fallen on the parched earth. The fortune of Mount Ling, which was originally teetering on the verge of collapse, was slowly stabilized under the support of this powerful force.

Those shockingly large cracks were also stopped by the influx of Laozi's fortune, and their spread came to an abrupt halt.

The Buddha's light, which had dimmed, now shone brightly again, gradually dispelling the gloom that had enveloped Mount Ling.

The dilapidated temples and pavilions were restored to stability under the influence of this mysterious force.

The monks on Mount Ling, whose faces were initially filled with fear, gradually showed relief at surviving the ordeal.

The great gods of the Three Realms, witnessing this scene, were all filled with emotion. Laozi's intervention undoubtedly saved Buddhism from a great calamity at the critical moment. However, after this battle, the prestige and fortune of Buddhism ultimately suffered an indelible blow.

The reason why Buddhism suffers a backlash is because the failure is irreversible and there is no way to resolve the matter. It is like being sentenced to death and on the way to the death.

As for fortune, it is like the stock market, and it is reflected first on Mount Ling, because all parties in the Three Realms can see it clearly and are disappointed with the Buddhist sect's response to this calamity.

This shift in the will of sentient beings and their disdain led to the Buddhist community being the first to suffer a backlash. The implications are quite mysterious; it's as if sentient beings no longer recognize you and believe you are destined to fail.

The Queen Mother of the West exclaimed, "The calamity in Chechi Kingdom this time was well planned! It allowed all parties in the Three Realms to witness the great cause and effect of the path of faith, and even the passivity of Buddhism in this great calamity war. In addition, the huge increase in cause and effect brought by Wukong ultimately made it impossible for Buddhism to reverse the situation!"

(End of this chapter)