Simultaneous travel: I am proving the great way in the heavens.

Chapter 585 The Spokesperson of the Tongtian Sect Leader! A Huge Change Sweeping Through the Three Realms!
The Daoist patriarch Hongjun once said that the general trend of Heaven is irreversible, but minor trends can be altered.

However, this is based on the premise that the workings of the Heavenly Dao itself will not produce variables like Luo Fu, which are completely beyond the scope of cognition.

He can no longer be considered a variable, but an anomaly, like an existence that is completely incompatible with the laws of heaven. He suddenly wedged himself into the world, giving it new life and reversing the general trend of heaven.

This reversal would certainly be welcomed by those high-ranking saints.

However, at this critical juncture, the appearance of Luo Fu is not a good thing for the vast majority of cultivators, including himself.

Putting aside other factors, the fact that the Heavenly Dao obtained the alien laws brought by Luofu caused a certain degree of reversal in the process of its growth and decline. This made the intensity and strength of the Journey to the West Tribulation unable to match the general trend of the Heavenly Dao.

That's right.

The tribulations of the Journey to the West were originally a decrease in intensity and severity as the world moved towards the end of the Dharma era. However, when the great trend of the Heavenly Dao reverses, the intensity of the tribulations must be matched with the evolution of the Heavenly Dao itself.

What if the current tribulations don't reach the required level? Of course, we can either increase the intensity of the Journey to the West tribulations or add another tribulation.

Whether Luo Fu himself was willing or not, from the moment he was constantly bet on by those truly high and mighty beings, Luo Fu himself became the core of another calamity directly intertwined with Journey to the West.

Just like in the Investiture of the Gods, which seemed to be a calamity of gods and immortals, the Jie Sect, the Chan Sect, the Western Sect, and the Human Sect took the opportunity of the fall of Shang and the rise of Zhou to launch a fierce battle.

However, the true core of the Investiture of the Gods calamity is anchored in Jiang Ziya, the one destined to face this calamity.

Those who faced the tribulation of the Journey to the West were Tang Sanzang and his disciples.

Therefore, when the new calamity merges with the calamity of the Journey to the West and occurs at the same time, the core person who will be the one to face this calamity can only be Luofu.

This is why he continues to receive the favor of sages, and various inheritances and magical treasures are delivered to his door one after another.

A normal person destined to face a calamity should be like Jiang Ziya or Tang Sanzang, the core of the vortex that stirs up the chaos, but unable to control the vortex of the great calamity.

The unique nature of Luofu allows him, as the one destined to face the calamity, to exert a near-dominant influence over this calamity that occurs simultaneously with the Journey to the West.

Now, Qiu Shou Xian is asking Luofu for a Dharma name, which is similar to how Tang Sanzang gave Dharma names to Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, and others.

Although Luo Fu was unaware that he had become the core of a calamity occurring simultaneously with the Journey to the West, since he had decided to take Qiu Shou Xian into his sect, he inevitably needed to make Qiu Shou Xian complete the process of changing sects.

After a moment's thought, Luofu said, "Your original form is a blue lion who has attained enlightenment through cultivation. The Great Adornment Sutra says, 'The great Dharma sound of the Tathagata has subdued all heretics. Just as the roar of a lion terrifies all beasts, so too does the Pratyekabuddha vehicle. Although I attained enlightenment through karmic connections, the lion inherently possesses Buddha-nature. Now that you have entered my lineage of Ruzhen, you will become a dragon-headed Arhat under my tutelage."

In Buddhist scriptures, the lion itself symbolizes majesty.

Since Luofu Temple accepted Qiushou Xian into the Ruzhen lineage, it was natural to grant him a righteous path.

Moreover, given Qiu Shou Xian's cultivation level, within the current Ru Zhen lineage, apart from Luo Fu, there might not be many who could defeat him, including the Seven Emotions Bodhisattva.

However, the lineage of Dharma has never directly determined the level of one's attainment based on cultivation and strength. This is true for Buddhism, Taoism, and the Heavenly Court.

Like Sun Wukong, who was at least a Taiyi Golden Immortal with an indestructible body, he was initially only appointed as a minor official in the Heavenly Court, known as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses. Even after he raised the banner of rebellion, donned the ochre-yellow robe, and was eventually granted amnesty by the Heavenly Court after a great battle, despite demonstrating his supernatural powers, in the Heavenly Court, his so-called Great Sage Equal to Heaven was still just a nobody in name only, and he didn't even receive an immortal title.

Even though Qiu Shou Xian himself was quite powerful, beside Manjushri Bodhisattva, he, who was once one of the seven attendants of the Jie Sect, could only serve as a mount.

They can't just turn around now and sit in a high position at Ruzhen Temple, can they?
Luo Fu also vaguely sensed that the events surrounding him one after another were not simple, which is why he gave Qiu Shou Xian the status of Qiu Shou Arhat.

Otherwise, even if he were to take Qiu Shou Xian into Ru Zhen's lineage, he could at most become a Dharma Protector.

Qiu Shou Xian was already content to become an Arhat of the Middle Vehicle lineage. After all, he had been a mount for who knows how long since the Investiture of the Gods. Now he could finally turn his life around.

With his hands clasped together, Qiu Shou Xian bowed to Luo Fu and said, "This disciple thanks Buddha!"

As the voice faded, the figure of the wiry-headed immortal instantly changed.

The image of the blue-faced, fanged creature, previously sinister and ferocious, instantly gained a touch of majesty. Its sideburns, resembling a fleshy topknot, had now completely transformed into a Buddha-like appearance.

Having attained the highest rank, the Thousand-Headed Immortal was no longer a mount or monster, but a legitimate Arhat of the Middle Vehicle lineage.

Luofu has just conferred a title upon Qiushou Xian.

The Bodhisattva of Seven Emotions arrived outside the meditation room in a panic, requesting an audience.

When he learned from the Bodhisattva of Seven Emotions that Sun Wukong, the eldest disciple of Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures, had come to request an audience.

The newly ordained Arhat, the green-haired lion demon, immediately bowed and said, "Buddha, Sun Wukong must have come for Tang Sanzang. I was ordered by the Vulture Peak to descend to the mortal realm as a demon and recruit 48,000 monsters, all for the sake of the cause and effect of the eastward transmission of the Mahayana Tripitaka Sutra."

The Seven Emotions Bodhisattva showed a strange expression at the obvious initiative of the Arhat with the curled head.

The red-robed bodhisattva at the head said, "Arhat with the curled head, you may not know this, but Sun Wukong did not come here simply to ask for help. He brought four swords with murderous intent."

The Arhat with the bushy head was taken aback, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes. His tone became more urgent as he asked, "May I ask, Bodhisattva? Those four immortal swords... are they named 'Slay, Slaughter, Trap, and Annihilation'?"

Luo Fu's eyes flashed, and his mind went blank for a moment.

WTF?

Four immortal swords? Slaughtering and Trapping? Aren't these the Four Swords of Zhuxian?

The Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation, which is said to be one of the three great killing formations of the prehistoric world and cannot be broken by anyone other than the Four Sages, was just delivered to us by Sun Wukong in such a pristine state.

What makes Sun Wukong so special? Does he have any connection whatsoever with the Jie Sect?

The Seven Emotions Bodhisattvas were unaware of the terrifying power of the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation. After all, they were merely insignificant figures accompanying the Jade Emperor on his journey to immortality, perhaps knowing some secrets of the Three Realms. But they had absolutely no idea about the past of such a powerful being.

Regarding the so-called Four Swords of Immortal Slaying mentioned by the Arhat with the Curly Head, the Bodhisattva of Seven Emotions merely felt that the name was indeed a bit too boastful.

After all, becoming an immortal is an opportunity that countless beings yearn for but cannot obtain!
Without understanding these things, the Bodhisattva of Seven Emotions would naturally be unable to empathize with Luofu and the Arhat with the Curly Head.

The seven sisters nodded naturally and said, "Indeed, how did you know?"

At this moment, neither Luofu nor Qiushou Luohan had the mind to respond to the Seven Emotions Bodhisattva sisters.

Sun Wukong, wielding the Four Swords of Zhuxian, has come knocking. This is an extremely serious matter, not only for Luofu, but for the entire Three Realms. It's no exaggeration to say that mishandling it could even trigger a massive upheaval that sweeps across the Three Realms.

The Four Swords of Zhuxian are not merely magical weapons; they also, to a certain extent, symbolize the sage Tongtian Jiaozhu of the Shangqing Jie Sect. This is similar to how magical weapons like the Taiji Diagram and the Pangu Banner are seen as incarnations of the Taiqing Sage and Yuanshi Tianzun in the Human Sect and the Chan Sect, respectively.

Luo Fu and the Arhat with the bushy head hurriedly got up and went straight to greet them outside the mountain gate.

Sun Wukong, being merely a nobody, simply did not have the status or qualifications to warrant Luo Fu personally going to greet him.

At least Luofu is now a Buddhist temple, specifically the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, the ancestor of the Middle Vehicle of Buddhism, like a true Buddha.

However, the Four Swords of Zhuxian brought by Sun Wukong could not be ignored by Luofu.

The Seven Emotions Bodhisattva was not stupid after all. Seeing Luo Fu's cautiousness, he naturally sensed something unusual.

Sun Wukong's mere identity is clearly not enough to warrant such caution from Luo Fu. Therefore, there is only one explanation: the so-called Four Swords of Zhuxian—Zhu, Lu, Xian, and Jue—seem to have an unknown cause and effect.

Outside the mountain gate, the lineage of Ruzhen Zen Temple has set up an unprecedented display this time.

When Luofu arrived at the mountain gate with the Seven Emotions Bodhisattva, the Dragon-Headed Arhat, and others.

Even Sun Wukong was startled.

The current Sun Wukong knows his own limitations. Of course, he won't be like he used to be, calling himself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Especially now, Sun Wukong is protecting Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures. After years of hard work, isn't all he's doing this for the sake of achieving enlightenment?

Luo Fu, on the other hand, can even grant others enlightenment.

The two sides are completely different in terms of status, identity, and strength.

"This disciple is terrified. How could I dare trouble the Buddha to come in person? It is I who should go and pay my respects to the Buddha." Sun Wukong said with trepidation.

Just as he was about to step forward to pay his respects, the four immortal swords he had been carrying on his back suddenly began to unleash waves of magical power.

In the blink of an eye, the four swords of Zhuxian flew towards Luofu like swallows returning to their nests.

In the blink of an eye, it fell into Luo Fu's hands.

The moment Luo Fu came into contact with the Four Swords of Zhuxian, he seemed to understand something. A momentary look of seriousness flashed across his brows, and then he sighed softly and said, "Wukong, you came here for your master, didn't you?"

“That’s right, that’s right!” Sun Wukong clasped his hands together, looking extremely respectful.

"Tang Sanzang's merits will be fulfilled after his ordeal at Lion Camel Ridge." After a slight pause, Luofu said, "The Arhat with the Curly Head!"

For the Arhat with the curled head, perhaps his previous allegiance to Luofu and the Middle Vehicle Dharma lineage was simply to get rid of his identity as a mount.

However, after witnessing the entire process of the four swords of Zhuxian flying towards Luofu, Luofu's identity changed completely in his mind.

To a certain extent, the Arhat with the bushy head has even regarded Luofu as the spokesperson of the Tongtian Sect Master.

Don't assume that just because Daoist Duobao followed the Sage Taiqing to the West, converted the barbarians to Buddhism, and became the Buddha, the current World Honored One of Buddhism, the Seven Immortals who served as disciples of the Jie Sect would receive special treatment or even preferential treatment from the Buddha in Buddhism.

On the contrary, Duobao Daoren converted from barbarians to Buddhism, becoming the Buddha of the Hinayana lineage. To some extent, his significance is comparable to the concept of many Golden Immortals of the Chan sect abandoning Taoism for Buddhism.

Perhaps, at the beginning, Duobao Daoren was indeed forced into this situation. But in Buddhism, what he gained clearly far surpassed what he received during the Jiejiao period, when the two Western Saints voluntarily abdicated and relinquished their positions, handing over the Mahayana lineage and unifying Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism. Such a position as a leader was obviously incomparable to the mere status of the senior disciple of the Jiejiao sect.

From the moment he accepted the conversion of barbarians to Buddhism, the senior disciple of the Jie Sect, Duobao Daoren, ceased to exist, and was replaced by the Buddha of Buddhism.

When facing Tongtian Jiaozhu of the Shangqing Jie Sect, Duobao Daoren might still have some of the master-disciple relationship he once had.

However, when it comes to beings like the Seven Immortals, he will inevitably only stand on the side of Buddhism.

This is why Qiu Shou Xian, Ling Ya Xian, and Jin Guang Xian, who were the seven immortals who served the Tongtian Sect Leader in the past, served as the Bodhisattva's mounts for so long.

From a standpoint of principle, it is impossible for the Buddha to remove the identity of Qiu Shou Xian and others as mounts.

Of course, if these former disciples of the Jie Sect were able to escape the calamity, then the World-Honored One, Tathagata, would not interfere.

After all, even within the Jie Sect, Daoist Duobao didn't have a particularly deep relationship with the Seven Immortals who served him.

In terms of status, Daoist Duobao was a direct disciple of the Tongtian Sect Leader and served the Seven Immortals. To put it nicely, he was following the Tongtian Sect Leader, but in reality, he was nothing more than a servant.

Not to mention, among the Seven Immortals who served the Master, there was also the Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal, who betrayed the Tongtian Sect Leader at a crucial moment.

This made Daoist Duobao even more displeased with the Seven Immortals who served him.

Under such special circumstances, when Qiu Shou Xian, who had been enslaved for so many years, saw that Luo Fu had actually gained the approval of the Tongtian Sect Leader, and was also the key to his escape from the identity of a mount.

The old immortal with the bushy head and his mount, the blue-haired lion spirit, are now a thing of the past. He is now a mid-level Dharma lineage Arhat with a bushy head. Naturally, he will have an unprecedented level of support for Luofu, this mid-level Buddha.

"The disciple is here."

"You should send Sun Wukong on a journey to resolve Tang Sanzang's predicament in the Lion Camel Kingdom," Luo Fu casually instructed.

Sun Wukong blinked, looking at the Arhat with a puzzled expression.

Although his discerning eyes could see through the transformation techniques of demons.

However, if it is a powerful being, or a cultivator who has attained enlightenment, then the effectiveness of his Fiery Eyes will be greatly reduced.

In fact, Sun Wukong's fiery eyes are more about observing auras.

Unfortunately, just now, the Green-haired Lion Demon successfully landed on land and, in an instant, transformed from the mount of Manjushri Bodhisattva into an Arhat of the Middle Vehicle lineage.

Although Sun Wukong felt that the Arhat with the bushy head in front of him seemed very familiar, he could not connect the Green-haired Lion Demon with the Arhat with the bushy head no matter what.

This is not surprising, after all, the green-haired lion spirit, although he has the cultivation of an immortal, is still a demon in terms of identity. Now, he has become a mid-level Buddhist Arhat, and even his sideburns have turned into a Buddha's topknot.

(End of this chapter)