512: Preaching to Tang Sanzang!

His gaze swept back and forth between Lu Jiuyuan, the Monkey King, and little Nezha.

Lu Jiuyuan's demeanor was elegant and noble, unfathomable, and that move just now demonstrated a Realm far beyond his imagination.

The Monkey King's unyielding, heaven-defying spirit was indeed eight or nine parts similar to the disciple in his memory.

Although little Nezha looked different, his Aura was pure and spiritual, and the energy radiating from the Magic Treasure on his body could not be fake.

More importantly, if they were truly demons sent by No Heaven, since his full-force strike had just been suppressed, the other party completely had the power to instantly severely injure or even kill him, so why waste breath?

All signs indicated that what the other party said... might not be false.

"Apologies, this Tripitaka was reckless! Please forgive me!"

"The ignorant are not to be blamed!" Lu Jiuyuan set down his wine cup, waved his hand casually, and a stone stool appeared beside him. "Sit. Let's talk slowly."

Tripitaka hesitated slightly, but eventually walked over to the stone stool and sat down.

Lu Jiuyuan did not mind and simply explained concepts like "World Projection" and "Other-Self" in a way that Tripitaka could understand.

"...Therefore, Wukong and Nezha are indeed the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven and the Great Deity of the Three Altars from another similar world. I am the Heavenly Emperor who rules over one of the heavens, and the Jade Emperor of this world is merely one of my Incarnations.

Coming here this time is merely for travel," Lu Jiuyuan concluded.

Tripitaka frowned as he listened; these concepts were too profound for him, but having cultivated to his Realm, he was not entirely ignorant of the Universe and spacetime.

Upon careful consideration, he felt the logic was self-consistent and did not seem fabricated.

Especially when thinking of the Tathagata Buddha's saying, "One flower, one world; one leaf, one Bodhi," and the Buddhist scriptures also mentioning the "Major Thousand Worlds."

"If that is truly the case... This poor monk was reckless."

Tripitaka pressed his palms together and nodded slightly, an apology, but his tone remained firm:

"However, Mount Lingshan is in distress, the Buddha has been Reincarnated, and the Three Realms are in a critical moment of survival. This poor monk has to be cautious. For the offense just now, please... Your Majesty, forgive me."

"No matter." Lu Jiuyuan waved his hand, not caring at all. "Your zeal as a Protector is understandable.

However, Tripitaka, your skill just now truly opened my eyes."

Mentioning cultivation, Tripitaka's spirit lifted slightly, and a trace of pride flashed in his eyes: "The Buddha once said that compassion is in the heart, but also in action. To save all living beings, one needs wisdom, but also the power of a Protector.

When demons run rampant, if one only knows how to chant scriptures and meditate, how is that any different from a lamb waiting to be slaughtered?

This poor monk has cultivated for ten lifetimes, accumulating Karma, and in this life, I have endured eighty-one tribulations; what has been honed is not just my Buddha heart!

When preaching to others, if you want them to listen carefully, holding scriptures in one hand and showing your fists in the other is the most effective method!

If the other party cannot understand the scriptures, This poor monk can also demonstrate his martial arts."

The Monkey King and little Nezha nodded repeatedly; those words made so much damn sense!

"That makes sense!" Lu Jiuyuan gave Tripitaka a thumbs up.

"amitabha." Tripitaka's expression eased slightly after hearing this, but the worry between his brows did not dissipate.

He glanced in the direction of Lingshan and said in a deep voice: "Since Your Majesty claims to rule over the heavens, I wonder what your view is on the current crisis of Lingshan changing masters, the Buddha's Reincarnation, and the collapse of the Three Realms?

That Buddha Wutian occupies Lingshan, blinds the heavenly secrets, and calls himself the Buddha. More than half of the thirty-three-day deadline has passed. If the Tathagata Buddha cannot return by then, the sentient beings of the Three Realms fear they will fall into eternal darkness."

"With the Monkey King gone, who will save the Tathagata Buddha? Who will save the Three Realms from this crisis?"

He paused and looked sharply at Lu Jiuyuan: "Your Majesty, as the Lord of the Heavenly Court and the Supreme of the Three Realms, are you just going to watch the sentient beings suffer and the Heavenly Court sink?"

This question was blunt, even accusatory, which fit the temper of this Tripitaka perfectly!

"The Three Realms should have been under my lead! To resolve the calamity of the Buddhist sect, the Tathagata personally went to the Hall of Miraculous Mist and borrowed the Thirty-Three Heavens from me!" Lu Jiuyuan said:

"I had a fight with him, gave him a black eye, and took pity on him, so I agreed.

That is how the situation of Buddha Wutian occupying the Three Realms came to be.

Because of him, sentient beings are suffering. I felt ashamed, so I sent this world's Monkey King to go play in other worlds!"

"But without Wukong, who will find the seventeen ancient Buddha sariras? Who will protect the Buddha's Spirit Child?" Tripitaka asked the question he cared about most.

Lu Jiuyuan shook his head: "I don't know. What does that have to do with me? It's none of my business!"

"The fixed fate that the Tathagata set himself, shouldn't he be the one to deal with it?"

Tripitaka stood up abruptly, his monk's robe fluttering without wind, and his nine-ringed staff struck the Void Realm with a "clang," sending out ripples.

He stared at Lu Jiuyuan, the Buddha light in his eyes like lightning, with hidden anger surging.

"Your Majesty, This poor monk cannot agree with what you said!"

Tripitaka's voice was sonorous and powerful: "The Tathagata Buddha went to the Heavenly Court to borrow time to overcome the calamity for the sake of all living beings and to seek a glimmer of hope for the Three Realms.

Since Your Majesty promised, you accepted this Karma. Now that the calamity has spread and sentient beings are suffering, how can Your Majesty say 'what does it have to do with me'?

How is this any different from a cold person who watches the flood waters rise while standing idly by?"

He stepped forward, his Aura awe-inspiring: "Furthermore, Your Majesty even sent away the only key to breaking the calamity of this world, Wukong!

This act is no different from removing the firewood from under the cauldron! Your Majesty claims to be ashamed, but your actions are all about cutting off hope!

This poor monk dares to ask, what exactly does Your Majesty intend to do? Are you going to sit by and watch Buddha Wutian completely control the Three Realms, or are you waiting to see the Tathagata Buddha fail, or even... happy to see it happen?"

Little Nezha's eyes widened, and the Monkey King also put away his playful expression, scratching his ears and cheeks as he looked at Lu Jiuyuan, wanting to know how the old man would respond to this aggressive monk.

Lu Jiuyuan remained calm, even pouring himself another cup of wine. He gently swirled the wine cup, watching the amber liquid ripple in the cup, a meaningful curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"Tripitaka, you say the Tathagata acted for the sake of all living beings, and I agree. He sacrificed himself to enter the calamity, and his courage is commendable," Lu Jiuyuan said slowly:

"But you are wrong to say that I am standing idly by and cutting off hope."

He looked up, his gaze calm yet profound, as if it could pierce through layers of space and time: "I sent away the Monkey King precisely to give him, and the Tathagata, a real opportunity."

"What opportunity?" Tripitaka frowned.

"An opportunity to break and then establish."

Lu Jiuyuan set down his wine cup and tapped his fingertip lightly on the stone table. A hazy light and shadow image emerged, vaguely showing the flow of Luck in the Three Realms of this world,

where Lingshan was located, a deep black mist coiled, and in the direction of the Heavenly Court, although purple energy was present, it appeared somewhat unstable.