One person above Qing Huang Ting

Chapter 817 East Meets West, Deceiving the Heavens

"Buddha, that's how it is. I really dare not let my mother and sister stay in the Heavenly Court any longer. I don't know what will happen if I'm not by their side!"

It took Nezha about an incense stick's time to tell the Buddha everything about how he discovered Angri Xingjun's whereabouts and Angri Xingjun's fate.

Nezha's final words were also his heartfelt sentiments.

He just didn't say that his first target for allegiance was not Lingshan, but Hu Xiuwu.

"...So that's how it is, Amitabha."

The Buddha chanted a Buddhist prayer in a low voice, but there was a hint of joy in his tone that even Nezha could detect.

He did not use the "telepathy" to directly probe Nezha's mind. Nezha was a famous war god in the Three Realms. If the "telepathy" were to probe into his mind, Nezha would surely become aware of it.

However, He can also use His telepathy to know whether what Nezha says is true or false, and He can only be more powerful than Princess Gumo.

Unexpectedly, the Queen Mother of the West in Heaven would be so irrational as to act with such hatred.

The Tathagata himself knew about the disappearance of the Bodhisattva Vimalamitra.

He simply didn't care. The reason why Bodhisattva Pilanpo, Bodhisattva Dashengwang, and even Bodhisattva Lingji disappeared or lost their heads in the story was because they were either descendants of Rakshasa, disagreed with the views of Mount Ling, or were simply fools who failed to complete their missions perfectly and instead made a mess of things.

However, eliminating an enemy and using a star lord who is still in office for experiments are two completely different actions.

The former has become commonplace in all three realms, but the latter...

Who isn't afraid of one day becoming a monster, neither human nor ghost, half-demon and half-monster?

Nezha gave the Buddha a deadly weapon aimed at the Heavenly Court.

There's no need for Buddha to do anything; he just needs to spread the news that Nezha is with him, and then spread what Nezha told him.

Naturally, everyone in Heaven felt insecure, which would be a major blow to the Jade Emperor's authority.

"...But since the Old Mother of Lishan has learned of this, perhaps she can kill two birds with one stone..."

Once the Buddha learned of this matter, it would be difficult to keep the whole story from Him. The "knowledge of past lives," one of the six supernatural powers in Buddhism, allows one to know the past and future of others; it is no empty reputation.

There was no powerful figure behind Angri Xingjun to cover his tracks. If the Buddha wanted to, he could see his past.

The Old Mother of Lishan is indeed highly skilled and holds a lofty position in the Three Realms.

The Lishan Laomu Xuanmiao Zhenjing states that Laomu was transformed from Doumu and was an ancient fairy from the Upper Eight Caves.

Doumu Yuanjun is the mother of all the stars in the sky, and Lishan Laomu is her disguise. This explains why Xi Wangmu and she have a very close relationship.

The two are generally of equal status.
This also explains why, in the tribulation of the Four Saints Testing the Mind of Zen in the eighty-one tribulations, the Old Mother of Lishan could play the role of the mother of Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, and others.

The Old Mother of Lishan learned of the scandal in Heaven, but chose to keep it a secret for them.

To remain silent and indifferent is itself a form of taking sides.

'Even the Old Mother of Lishan disregarded the shameful incident of the Star Lord's punishment; she still leaned more towards the Heavenly Court and the Jade Emperor.'

The Buddha could understand the attitude of the Old Mother of Lishan, or Doumu Yuanjun, but that did not mean He approved of this approach.

Doumu Yuanjun is considered one of the Heavenly Court's strongest warriors. Even after learning about this matter, Doumu Yuanjun did not become disloyal to the Heavenly Court, which shows that she is a loyal ally of the Heavenly Court.

You can't help it.

In a flash, the Buddha thought of many things, and then said gently to Nezha:
"Third Prince, rise. I understand your unwavering devotion to your mother and sister,"

"By the way, where are your two older brothers?"

The Buddha asked casually. Nezha was speechless for a moment, his mind racing, and he blurted out the truth: "Those two didn't want to betray the Heavenly Court, so I knocked them unconscious."

Before Buddha could ask the next question, Nezha clasped his hands together and pleaded, "Please calm your anger, Buddha. I will persuade them to stop being blindly loyal to the Heavenly Court."

Jinzha and Muzha also have Buddhist identities; one is a protector of the Buddha's retinue, and the other is Venerable Huian, who is a disciple of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.

Jinzha and Muzha were greatly influenced by their father, and served in the Heavenly Court alongside him, fighting for the Heavenly Court.

However, Nezha's preemptive apology to Buddha was not truly to exonerate his brothers, but rather to deflect Buddha's subsequent questions.

To prevent Him from asking that crucial question,
Where are Jinzha and Muzha now?
Nezha could not, and dared not, tell Buddha that Jinzha and Muzha had rebelled against Heaven because they did not want to cooperate with Nezha, so they were knocked unconscious and left in the Innate Demon Refining Tower.

He had to take the initiative and show weakness in order to interrupt the Buddha's thoughts.

The Buddha looked at Nezha, who had once been unruly but now knelt before him, trembling like a stray puppy.

He was very satisfied, for only He could protect Nezha in the Three Realms.

Mount Ling is severely lacking in fighters like Nezha and Sun Wukong.

Such powerful generals are almost all in the Heavenly Court; there are very few here in Mount Ling.

For Buddha, gaining Nezha's loyalty was a considerable gift.

One Nezha is more useful than Jinzha and Muzha combined.

The Buddha even comforted Nezha because of this, and said with a gentle smile:
“Amitabha Buddha, I am very pleased that you have such a kind heart. Go and take care of your mother. I believe your brother will understand your kindness towards them.”

Nezha, genuinely moved, breathed a sigh of relief, and the tension on his face lessened.

He rose, humbly clasped his hands together, and walked backwards to the entrance of the Great Thunder Temple's main hall before turning and leaving.

Kasyapa glanced at the Buddha, and seeing that the Buddha remained calm and composed, he nodded slightly, left the main hall, and went to see Nezha off.

The Buddha, who was still in the hall, said to Ananda, "Ananda, go and inform them that a sermon will be held tomorrow."

Ananda accepted the order and said, "Yes."

Having received the order, Ananda also left the Mahavira Hall.

Just then, they saw Kasyapa open a passage and send Nezha away.

Ananda thought to himself, "I thought that the new monkey would inherit the position of the Victorious Fighting Buddha, but now it seems that it's hard to say."

Ananda originally thought that the current chosen one would become the Victorious Fighting Buddha, the new generation of the Double Flower Red Stick of Buddhism.

But now, it seems there's still a suspense.

Ananda was still guessing who would win between Nezha and the chosen one, while Nezha was still maintaining the fragile protective shield on his spiritual platform.

This protective shield is like a cloud or mist, making it difficult to see clearly and seemingly neither there nor there.

But it perfectly sealed Nezha's thoughts and distractions within his mind, releasing only his emotions and desires.

This is the protective shield that Hu Xiuwu helped Nezha build.

This was also the key to Nezha's ability to pass the Buddha's test of telepathy.

A combination of East and West.

Upright, shadowless, and brain-sealing symbol.