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

Chapter 586 The Truth Only Dao Ancestor Hongjun Knew! The True Protagonist of the Great Tribulation!

When Luofu bestowed upon the Green-haired Lion Demon the status of a Mahayana Arhat, even if Sun Wukong were to observe the Green-haired Lion Demon with his Fiery Eyes of Truth, he would no longer see the demonic aura he had before, but rather the auspicious light of Buddhism.

This fundamental change came too suddenly; Sun Wukong could never have imagined that the demon king of Lion Camel Ridge would suddenly attain the Arhatship at Ruzhen Temple.

As for the familiarity with the Arhat with the curled head, Sun Wukong naturally assumed that he had met him before when he passed by Ruzhen Temple, but he had just not paid attention to it.

After the Arhat with the curled head received the decree from Luofu.

Sun Wukong said impatiently, "I'll trouble you, Arhat, to come with me on this journey."

The Arhat with the bushy head looked at Sun Wukong with a strange expression. If Sun Wukong hadn't actually brought the Four Swords of Zhuxian this time, he probably would have ridiculed this former Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

After all, the relationship between the Green-haired Lion Demon and Sun Wukong at Lion Camel Ridge was more than just a one-time meeting; they had even fought each other more than once.

But now, Sun Wukong didn't recognize his own identity at all.

With a smile and a shake of his head, the Arhat with the bushy head said, "It's alright, Great Sage, this is also due to your destiny."

After watching Sun Wukong and the Arhat with the bushy head leave.

Luo Fu immediately gave instructions to the Seven Emotions Bodhisattva and then began his seclusion again.

In the Three Realms, it is the norm for powerful beings who have achieved great cultivation to go into seclusion.

Very few people, like Sun Wukong and others, frequently travel around, seeking out people to drink and make merry.

In fact, cultivators like Sun Wukong, despite their powerful combat abilities and abundant supernatural powers and spells, are not truly seekers of the Dao.

This is especially evident in characters like Sun Wukong, Yang Jian, and Nezha.

To be precise, they actually belong to the lineage of Dharma protectors.

As for Luo Fu, he was, after all, a Buddha of the Middle Vehicle. In addition, the Dao and principles brought by the fifteen heavens and worlds required Luo Fu to immerse himself in the understanding of the Dao for the vast majority of the time.

Of course, Luo Fu's so-called seclusion this time was not really about comprehending the two great methods of creation and attaining enlightenment in dreams.

Indeed, the moment one came into contact with the Four Swords of Zhuxian, it was impossible to tell whether it was an epiphany arising from the unseen world or a message from the Tongtian Sect Master; the information was truly too terrifying.

The course of Heaven was reversed because of his appearance, and even the calamities were affected.

The unchangeable trend of Heaven destined Buddhism to flourish. Journey to the West was merely the process that propelled this outcome, much like the Investiture of the Gods, where the Investiture of the Gods list was filled with 365 righteous gods—this was the result. In the entire Investiture of the Gods, the Jie Sect and the Chan Sect participated in the fall of Shang and the rise of Zhou—this was the process of the tribulation.

Logically speaking, calamities are predetermined, and even if the process changes, it is a minor change that can be allowed by the will of Heaven.

But now, because of Luofu, the Three Realms have been plunged into another calamity.

When this calamity will occur, how it will unfold, and what its outcome will be—aside from Dao Ancestor Hongjun, who merged with the Dao, probably no one else knows for sure.

Even a sage can only know the outcome of a calamity, but not the process by which that outcome is achieved.

Just like the Tongtian Sect Leader, in order to confer the titles of gods, the six sages gathered at Zixiao Palace and went through three rounds of consultations, but failed to reach an agreement.

However, if the Tongtian Sect Leader had known in advance that the final result of the Investiture of the Gods would be the destruction of his once-prosperous Jie Sect, which had attracted the homage of ten thousand immortals, he would probably have preferred to write the true names of his disciples on the Investiture of the Gods list.

The moment Luo Fu touched the Four Swords of Zhuxian, a profound understanding arose within him.

A tribulation comparable to the tribulation of Journey to the West will unfold around him.

As the core of the calamity, Luofu may not necessarily be in any danger.

His core role is actually more like the character of Haotian in the Investiture of the Gods.

In the great tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, the one who was to face the tribulation was Jiang Ziya, but the true protagonist of the Investiture of the Gods was actually Haotian, who hardly ever appeared.

Who is to say that the Investiture of the Gods was initiated from the very beginning because the Three Realms lacked celestial and terrestrial deities, and it was only after Haotian pleaded with the Dao Ancestor Hongjun that it was triggered?
Subjectively, Luo Fu did not intend to initiate the tribulation, but his arrival led to a reversal of the heavenly order. This reversal was not something that the current strength of the Journey to the West tribulation could match. The difference caused by this mismatch would either increase the strength of the Journey to the West tribulation or initiate a new tribulation.

The combination of these two calamities ultimately filled the gap that needed to be made up after the reversal of the Heavenly Dao.

The reason why the Four Swords of Zhuxian were delivered to Luofu through Sun Wukong's hands is that the Four Swords of Zhuxian were delivered to Luofu through Sun Wukong's hands.

While it's possible that the Tongtian Sect Leader did indeed have instructions involved, it's undeniable that it was also a result of the combination of divine will and human intentions.

The will of Heaven, that is, after the great trend of Heaven has been reversed, requires a new tribulation to make up for it, while the will of man is the result of the active participation and promotion of sages or other powerful cultivators.

Taking over the Four Swords of Zhuxian from Sun Wukong cast a shadow over Luo Fu's heart.

Indeed, the Four Swords of Zhuxian are undeniably very powerful.

However, the Four Swords of Zhuxian are not exactly auspicious.

The original owner of the Four Swords of Zhuxian was the Demon Ancestor Luo Hou, who once rivaled Dao Ancestor Hongjun.

The outcome of the conflict between the Dao and the Demonic Ones, from Hongjun becoming the Dao Ancestor and merging with the Dao, undoubtedly ended with the crushing defeat of Luo Hou, the Demon Ancestor and master of the Four Swords of Zhuxian.

After that, the Four Swords of Zhuxian, along with the array diagram, became spoils of war for Dao Ancestor Hongjun, and were distributed to Tongtian Jiaozhu, one of his direct disciples.

Tongtian Jiaozhu, the second master of the Four Swords of Zhuxian, also suffered a crushing defeat in the Investiture of the Gods, and his lineage and lineage were almost completely severed.

After the Investiture of the Gods, the Four Swords of Zhuxian were scattered among the second-generation disciples of the Chan Sect, and were respectively kept by Guangchengzi, Chijingzi, Yuding Zhenren, and Daoxing Tianzun.

To this day, Luo Fu has become the third temporary master of the Four Swords of Zhuxian.

Yes.

He has now become the temporary master of the Four Swords of Zhuxian.

Demon Ancestor Luo Hou and Tongtian Sect Master truly refined the Four Swords of Zhuxian, but Luo Fu only had the right to use the Four Swords of Zhuxian, not ownership. Moreover, he didn't even have the key array diagram.

At best, the Four Swords of Zhuxian in his hands are nothing more than four invincible weapons that can kill without incurring any karmic consequences.

As the master of the Four Swords of Zhuxian, even if it was only temporary, Luo Fu couldn't help but feel a bit gloomy because of the tragic defeats of Demon Ancestor Luo Hou and Tongtian Sect Master.

Meanwhile, in Luofu, preparations were underway for the calamity that was about to be dominated by him.

Arhat Qiushou, who had come to Lion Camel Ridge with Sun Wukong again, inevitably revealed his identity. Sun Wukong simply couldn't recognize Arhat Qiushou's identity immediately with his Fiery Eyes of Truth.

But when they arrived at Lion Camel Ridge, especially after encountering the Yellow-Toothed White Elephant and the Golden-Haired Roar.

If Sun Wukong still doesn't know that the so-called Arhat with the bushy head is the green-haired lion demon he fought before, then he doesn't deserve his current cultivation level.

"Hey!" The moment Sun Wukong recognized the Arhat with the bushy head, he screamed, and all the monkey hair on his body stood on end.

Although he had seen many disciples of powerful cultivators along the way, some of them were monsters who ruled over mountains in the human world and even did things like eating people.

However, no matter what, it is still somewhat insane that a dignified Buddhist Arhat would do something like turning a great nation like Xiniu Hezhou into a living hell.

After screaming, Sun Wukong quickly came to his senses.

Not right.

He had already figured out the origins of the three monsters from Lion Camel Ridge. The Green-haired Lion Demon was the mount of Manjushri Bodhisattva, the Yellow-toothed White Elephant was the mount of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and the Golden-haired Roar was an old acquaintance, Sai Taisui, whom he had just dealt with in Zhu Zi Kingdom not long ago.

But how could this green-haired lion spirit suddenly transform from Manjushri Bodhisattva's mount into a dragon-headed Arhat under the tutelage of the Buddha Ruzhen in the Middle Vehicle of Buddhism?

After a moment of mental turmoil, Sun Wukong finally realized why no one was willing to help him despite his efforts to seek help from various places.

Even Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva made excuses and refused to see him.

So the real reason actually involves the internal workings of Buddhism.

Even Sun Wukong imagined a grand drama of power struggles within the Buddhist community.

Their westward journey team can be considered as successors of Theravada Buddhism, heading to the Western Paradise to pay homage to the Buddha and seek the Mahayana Tripitaka. Although their lineage is based on Theravada, they are seeking Mahayana.

But the World-Honored One, Tathagata, is himself the ancestor of both Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism.

Only this Buddha Ruzhen, who appeared out of nowhere, is the representative of the Middle Vehicle of Buddhism.

It is fundamentally incompatible with both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.

Now even the mounts of Bodhisattvas are switching allegiances to become disciples of the true Buddha.

Sun Wukong couldn't help but suspect that this was a power struggle within the Buddhist community.

In fact, he had already experienced this kind of power struggle within the Buddhist community once before.

That was when I ran into the Yellow-Eyebrowed King at the Little Thunder Temple.

Behind the Yellow-Eyebrowed King is the Buddha of the East, and his deliberate obstruction of the westward journey is to highlight his own power. Sun Wukong certainly understands that this kind of power struggle within Buddhism is not something a mere mountain monkey like himself can get involved in.

Having recognized the true identity of the Arhat with the bushy head, Sun Wukong, after a brief internal struggle following his scream, quickly adopted a look of self-deception. With an indignant expression, he declared, "So this is the Arhat with the bushy head! I never imagined you were the true ruler of Lion Camel Kingdom! I, Old Sun, failed to recognize you at first glance! Heh heh, come with me to Ruzhen Temple! Today, I, Old Sun, will seek justice from the Buddha Ruzhen!"

The Arhat with the bushy head smiled and said, "Great Sage, you are mistaken. We brothers are merely using this Lion Camel Kingdom to seek enlightenment. Obstructing your journey to the West is in accordance with Heaven and the Dao. Whether it is before the True Buddha or before the World Honored One Tathagata, you have no justice to seek!"

With a quick glance, Sun Wukong, who claimed to have guessed the truth, was not truly so righteous indignation. If it were anything else, he might have taken this opportunity to gain some advantage.

But could he possibly participate in such power struggles within the Buddhist community?
He didn't even question the matter of Lion Camel Ridge. Following the words of the Arhat with the bushy head, he said, "I, Old Sun, can't argue with you, but you have to release my master and fellow disciples first."

“Of course, of course.” The Arhat with the bushy head readily agreed, then looked at the yellow-toothed white elephant and the golden-haired roarer, and said, “My two virtuous brothers, please bring Tang Sanzang and his disciples here and hand them over to Sun Wukong.”

The Arhat with the bushy head and others knew very well what Sun Wukong, the so-called Great Sage Equal to Heaven, was like.

That was nothing more than a grand show staged by the Heavenly Court in cooperation with the Western Buddhist sect.

After all, under the influence of the Great Tribulation and the driving force of the Heavenly Dao, anything can happen.

Jiang Ziya, a disciple of a sage, spent decades cultivating Taoism and immortality in Kunlun during the Investiture of the Gods, yet ultimately failed to even become an immortal.

You should know that even without mentioning him, a single golden pill would be enough to make a mortal become an immortal.

But what about Jiang Ziya, the one destined to face the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods? After decades of arduous cultivation, and even having taken a sage like the Jade Pure Primordial Heavenly Venerable as his master, he was still subject to the effects of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

Even in the cultivation world where strength is paramount, the second-generation disciples of the Chan Sect addressed Jiang Ziya as "Junior Brother," and the third-generation disciples, such as Nezha and Yang Jian, respectfully addressed him as "Uncle-Master."

In the midst of a great calamity, the special nature of those who are destined to face the calamity becomes apparent.

At this moment, the Arhat with the bushy head and the others merely addressed Sun Wukong as the Great Sage. How could this compare to the time when the disciples of the Chan Sect faced Jiang Ziya?

But once the dust settles, who, whether in the Heavenly Court or within the Chan Sect, will still care about Jiang Ziya?
Even during the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, the second-generation disciples addressed him as "Junior Brother" and the third-generation disciples as "Uncle-Master." But once the Great Tribulation began, in their eyes, Jiang Ziya seemed to have vanished.

At this moment, Qiu Shou Xian and the others treated Sun Wukong in much the same way that the disciples of the Chan Sect treated Jiang Ziya during the Investiture of the Gods.

After the yellow-toothed white elephant and the golden-haired roar agreed, he only gave the little demon a single instruction.

In a short while, Tang Sanzang, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, and even the White Dragon Horse were all brought over.

"Wukong!!" Upon seeing Sun Wukong, Tang Sanzang immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

With a hint of excitement in his eyes, he said, "Thanks to you, but you and these kings..."

After his initial excitement, Tang Sanzang quickly realized that something was amiss between Sun Wukong and the demon kings of Lion Camel Ridge.

Sun Wukong waved his furry paw and said, "Master, I, Old Sun, have my own plans. Don't worry, once we leave Lion Camel Ridge, we can continue our journey westward immediately."

Sun Wukong, of course, would not share the truth he had guessed with Tang Sanzang.

Tang Sanzang, unaware of the potential dangers involved, did not actually intend to harm the Lion Camel Ridge Demon King.

Yes.

Mingming saw the devastation that Lion Camel Ridge had become, a living hell, when he entered it.

But at this moment, Tang Sanzang, now freed from his predicament, showed no intention whatsoever of seeking justice for those who had died unjustly.

(End of this chapter)