Journey to the West: Man in heaven, working nine to five

#1807 - Defeat the Demons, White Lotus Boy

In the Heavenly Court's Hall of Universal Brightness, the Tathagata arrived. The Jade Emperor sat upon his throne, a pair of eyes gleaming with hints of primordial chaos. Seeing his arrival, he calmly spoke, "I wonder, what brings the Tathagata Buddha here today?"

At that moment, only the two of them were present in the Hall of Universal Brightness; the other deities were absent.

Hearing this, the Tathagata proclaimed a Buddhist invocation, saying, "Heavenly Venerable, regarding the previous matters, there were many misunderstandings, all caused by the machinations of the Demon Clan."

These words were somewhat impassioned, clearly indicating that the Jade Emperor, and indeed the entire Daoist sect, were dissatisfied with the Tathagata's actions.

After all, such beings rashly interfering in the affairs of the lower realm disrupted the rules of the Three Realms.

The Tathagata, knowing he was in the wrong, slowly raised his hand, and a golden lotus flower floated into the hall, landing before the Jade Emperor.

"This is a Primordial Golden Lotus, offered as a token of apology. May the Heavenly Venerable accept it."

The Jade Emperor did not refuse, accepting it and then asking, "Then, what brings the Buddha here today?"

"I wish to join forces with the Heavenly Venerable to eliminate the Demon Clan," the Tathagata said in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's expression subtly changed, and he said in a low voice, "The Demon Clan is entrenched within the Infernal Purgatory. To eradicate them completely would be extremely difficult. Does the Buddha perhaps have a plan in mind?"

The Tathagata nodded: "As the Heavenly Venerable said, I propose that the Heavenly Court and Spirit Mountain jointly dispatch a large army to subjugate the Demon Clan. Even if we cannot eradicate them completely, we can severely damage them, thereby preventing them from continuing to wreak havoc in the Three Realms."

The Jade Emperor did not respond. He looked at the Tathagata, seeing his dignified appearance and piercing gaze, which did not seem to be joking.

Therefore, he began to ponder what the other party was truly up to.

The Jade Emperor did not believe that the Tathagata would suddenly have a whim to attack the Demon Clan, nor did he believe that the other party was acting impulsively due to this setback. Behind it, there must be other unspeakable secrets.

So he asked, "This matter requires careful consideration. I wonder, what specific plans does the Tathagata Buddha have?"

The Tathagata immediately replied, "My Spirit Mountain will dispatch elite disciples, all of whom I am willing to have led by the Heavenly Court, so that we may fight the enemy together with a common hatred."

It seemed to be full of sincerity.

After all, they were handing over command, so when the fighting truly began, the Heavenly Court would not be at a disadvantage.

However, the Jade Emperor keenly perceived the key point. He suddenly asked, "Which general does the Buddha wish my Heavenly Court to send to lead this army?"

"I observe that the Prison God Chu Hao is quite remarkable, capable of breaking my Buddha Kingdom in his palm. His strength is extraordinary. If he were to lead the army, he would surely severely damage the Demon Clan," the Tathagata finally revealed his purpose.

These words immediately resolved the Jade Emperor's doubts. So, he had come for Chu Hao.

He did not immediately agree but said, "That Prison God Chu Hao is currently protecting Tang Sanzang and his disciples on their journey, which may be inappropriate."

"Venerable Guanyin is secretly watching over Tang Sanzang and his disciples, and the Ancient Buddha Dipankara is also constantly watching the Demon Clan. The Heavenly Venerable need not worry," the Tathagata said.

After thinking it over, the Jade Emperor decided to use a delaying tactic: "This matter is, after all, of great importance. Please grant me some time, Buddha. I will discuss it with the deities of the Heavenly Court and then give a decision."

"Very well," the Tathagata said, knowing that things could not be accomplished overnight, and did not press too hard.

After leaving the Heavenly Court, the Tathagata did not return to Spirit Mountain, but instead went to the Thirty-Third Heaven, heading into the Chaos.

In that endless Chaos, where time and space ceased to exist, a region that even Quasi-Sages could not touch, the Tathagata revealed his true form. He headed west, and soon saw a vast palace.

The palace stood in the Chaos, its entire body emitting golden light. Even before approaching, one could hear ethereal Buddhist sounds echoing within.

The Tathagata showed a pious expression, put his palms together, and slowly floated over.

Soon, he arrived before the palace. As he approached, the palace suddenly twisted and changed, transforming into a giant golden lotus. The golden lotus bloomed, and dazzling golden light spread out. On the lotus platform, the vanished palace reappeared.

The Tathagata could not help but sigh: "The methods of the Sages are indeed extraordinary."

After speaking, he stepped into the golden lotus.

The next second, the world spun, the void twisted, and he appeared in a great hall.

Inside the hall, it was empty, with only a young attendant sweeping.

Seeing the Tathagata's arrival, the attendant raised his eyes: "Tathagata Buddha?"

The Tathagata slowly bowed to the attendant, and then asked: "I wonder, where is the Sage?"

"My master and my uncle have long ceased to care about worldly affairs, roaming freely in the Primordial World, their whereabouts unknown. What does the Tathagata Buddha seek them for?" the attendant said in a low voice.

It turned out that this attendant was the disciple of the Guide, the White Lotus Attendant.

The Tathagata was well aware of the White Lotus Attendant's words, which meant that the Sages did not want to see him.

After all, if they wanted to see him, the Sages would certainly have appeared.

He did not force it, but simply explained his purpose: "Now, in the Three Realms, the Demon Clan is wreaking havoc, repeatedly obstructing the Journey to the West. I have discussed with the Jade Emperor and plan to subjugate the Demon Clan, so I have come to inform the Sages."

The Tathagata spoke unhurriedly, seemingly coming to inform, but in reality, seeking the Sages' help.

Such a major event as subjugating the Demon Clan, without the support of the Sages, he himself would not have much confidence.

As a race that had existed for countless years in the Primordial World, eradicating them would require enormous effort. A slight mistake could lead to misjudging cause and effect, damaging merit and virtue, which would greatly harm one's cultivation.

Despite the Tathagata's confident assurances to the Jade Emperor, he still needed to consult the Sages before taking action.

The White Lotus Attendant naturally understood his intentions, and said softly, "The matter of subjugation should not be rushed. Although my master is not here, I happen to be free. Why don't I go with you to take a look?"

Upon hearing this, the Tathagata was overjoyed.

Although the Sages were unwilling to see him, they had sent a disciple, which could be considered a statement of their attitude.

"That would be excellent," the Tathagata said.

"Let's go then," the White Lotus Attendant nodded.

At the same time, on the other side, Chu Hao was greatly surprised to learn that the old fellow Tathagata had actually agreed to his request.

He looked at Guanyin in front of him and said, "Little Guanyin, are you sure you didn't lie to me?"

Guanyin rolled her eyes at him: "The Buddha values your strength."

Clearly, Chu Hao now had the qualifications to speak to the Tathagata on equal terms, which was why he had agreed to these requests.

This saved Chu Hao a lot of trouble. He continued, "When will that Peng come to report to the Law Enforcement Hall?"

"Please, Prison God Chu Hao, resolve the matter before you first," Guanyin said.

The tribulation of Lion Camel Ridge had not yet ended, and Tang Sanzang and his disciples were still trapped inside.

"Easy, easy," Chu Hao smiled slightly.