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

Chapter 591 The Decisive Battle Between Humans and Demons! A Great Calamity That Reverses the Fate of Heaven!
Luo Fu was well aware of why the Lion Camel Demon Kingdom had suddenly risen up.

It can be said that this great calamity was entirely caused by him.

Originally, the natural order was destined to decline from prosperity, and the calamity of the Journey to the West was actually a symbol of the decline of heaven and earth.

But no one could have imagined that a special being like Luo Fu would suddenly appear. The Dao and principles he obtained from the shared space, which were completely different from the laws of Heaven, were like a powerful stimulant, which reversed part of the process of the decline of the Heavenly Dao.

The tribulations of Journey to the West were insufficient to withstand such a reversal.

If one tribulation is not enough, then another tribulation must be used to make up for it.

Although the sixth prince broke the seal of hell single-handedly, he became the key to triggering this calamity on the surface.

But even without him, there would be others who would do the same thing under the guidance of the will of Heaven.

The grand trend of Heaven dictates that a calamity is inevitable, and this is unchangeable. However, who will initiate it is debatable, and it is also a minor trend that can be altered.

However, Luo Fu, who was the key to this calamity, did not intend to take the blame for the Lion Camel Kingdom.

Ruzhen Temple claims to be the ancestral temple of the Middle Vehicle Dharma lineage and the source of all Pratyekabuddhas.

In fact, from the moment the temple was established until now, it has only been a few short years, and the total number of disciples is less than four thousand.

This also includes Pratyekabuddhas from Buddhism, such as Guanyin riding a dragon, who cannot actually be considered disciples of the Luofu lineage.

At best, only the Seven Emotions Bodhisattva and the recently conferred Arhat titles of the Dragon Head Arhat, Yellow Teeth Arhat, and Golden Light Arhat could be considered his capable subordinates.

Others simply banded together under the banner of Mahayana Buddhism.

Of course, given the identities of the three Arhats before they became mounts, these Pratyekabuddhas would likely do their best. However, it is somewhat ambiguous whether their motivation stems from the fact that Luofu is a mid-level Buddha or from their past relationship with the Jie Sect.

Such ambiguity in people's hearts makes it impossible to unite under the seat of the Middle Vehicle Buddha at Luofu, which will inevitably lead to insufficient fortune in the Middle Vehicle Dharma lineage.

Yes.

The moment the Lion Camel Kingdom truly displayed its grandeur, its aura had already surpassed that of the Ruzhen Zen Temple.

Luck is inherently mysterious.

To some extent, the hearts of the people are also a manifestation of whether or not fortune is being gathered together.

Clearly, Ruzhen Temple cannot do that now.

Luo Fu glanced at the Pratyekabuddha who had volunteered for the battle and said, "The Lion Camel Demon Kingdom has suddenly risen up, which is a great calamity for heaven and earth. It is not something that my Ruzhen Zen Temple lineage can bear alone. My Buddhist Middle Vehicle lineage and Ruzhen Zen Temple can only play a supporting role, not the main one."

After a slight pause, Luo Fu said, "Pass on my decree: Ruzhen Temple shall close its gates."

As Luo Fu's voice faded.

The gate of Ruzhen Temple closed tightly without a sound. Not only that, but the entire temple building also disappeared in a hazy Buddhist light, as if it had been moved by Luofu to Ruzhen Miaofa Tian.

In Luo Fu's view, although he caused this great calamity, it was a cleansing of the cause and effect of heaven and earth.

After all, Luo Fu has only been in the shared space for a short time, and the various demons and monsters suppressed in the eighteen levels of hell cannot be counted on him.

We can't expect him to take the fall when a major catastrophe strikes, can we?
The two world wars are enough to prove one thing: you should never get involved in a war before the outcome is clear.

Of course, a cataclysmic event is different from a world war. Humanity is destined to be the victor, but the meat grinder of the early stages of the war is unavoidable.

Luofu's resources are too limited to sustain this.

It would be wiser to let the various human cultivators fight off the initial wave first, and then wait until the fighting spirit between the two sides has been worn down by the war before letting the intermediate-level cultivators emerge and smoothly join the side opposing the Lion Camel Demon Kingdom. In the end, they can become one of the final victors without any setbacks.

In fact, after Luofu rejected the Pratyekabuddha's request to fight, all the disciples in the hall, including the Pratyekabuddha, showed expressions of approval.

Clearly, they weren't stupid; Ruzhen Temple was simply caught up in this calamity earlier because of its location.

But they weren't willing to become the first wave of cannon fodder in front of the Lion Camel Demon Kingdom.

More than half of the demons and monsters suppressed in the eighteen levels of hell had no direct connection with the underworld. They were almost all powerful figures from the Buddhist and Taoist lineages, including the Heavenly Court. They were captured and temporarily imprisoned in the eighteen levels of hell.

The underworld is not just the domain of Lady Pingxin.

The Empress Pingxin is high above, but the real power in the underworld is actually held by a system of rotating power based on compromises among various parties.

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun, Yin Tianzi, and others each hold power in the underworld for a certain period of time.

Unfortunately, the one who currently holds power in the underworld is none other than Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

After Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, the Ten Kings of Hell went to Heaven to file a complaint, and the complaint they sent to the Jade Emperor was written in the name of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Although the Ten Kings of Hell hold a certain position in the underworld, they are not qualified to directly submit petitions to the Jade Emperor.

The unique operating mechanism of the underworld has created demons and monsters in the eighteen levels of hell, whose strength is almost comparable to that of a regional behemoth.

Even more terrifying is that those imprisoned include, for example, the souls of powerful demons from the Heavenly Court who died tragically at the beginning of the ancient war between the Lich King and the Demon King.

In theory, the souls of these powerful demon race beings should have been completely annihilated in the war between the Lich and the Demon race.

However, by a twist of fate, there must have been some who were lucky enough to survive in the vast Heavenly Court of the Demon Race. Ordinary demons escaped the calamity and scattered in all directions, becoming the remnants of the demon race. But those who died and were left only as souls were naturally suppressed when the new Heavenly Court was first established.

Their calamity has ended, but only their souls remain, signifying that their fate is not yet over.

Suppressing these beings in the depths of the eighteenth level of hell, where they are suppressed in turn by various forces, has naturally become a consensus in the Three Realms.

These beings who escaped from the underworld are far beyond the reach of ordinary human monsters.

Heaven knows what sinister methods these ancient monsters, who have lived since time immemorial, possess.

No matter how compassionate one is, no one in the Pratyekabuddha lineage of Mahayana Buddhism is willing to voluntarily take on the wrath of the Buddha.

As Ruzhen Temple retreated from the world.

The Lion Camel Demon Kingdom spread in all directions in an instant, like the Yellow River overflowing its banks.

The Kingdom of Zhu Zi in the east was the first to suffer, its territory fell, and its human race was massacred. All sorts of mountain spirits and water monsters were taken in by the Lion Camel Demon Kingdom.

The Western Kingdom of Bhikkhu soon followed in the footsteps of the Kingdom of Zhu Zi. Fortunately, the westward journey team set off ahead of time, before the Lion Camel Demon Kingdom destroyed the Kingdom of Bhikkhu.

Otherwise, the Journey to the West would likely be swept up in this enormous catastrophe.

The tribulations of Journey to the West, as an opportunity for the great rise of Buddhism as ordained by Heaven, were not truly unchangeable.

The flourishing of Buddhism was inevitable, but the tribulations of the Journey to the West were not. This is why several people would try to intercept the journey on the way.

The real and fake Monkey Kings, and even the Little Thunder Temple, all considered replacing the pilgrimage team.

The flourishing of Buddhism can be achieved by the westward journey team bringing back the Tripitaka Mahayana scriptures, so it is not impossible to achieve it by taking advantage of this great calamity caused by Luofu.

The Lion Camel Kingdom clearly didn't take the so-called pilgrimage team seriously.

Caught in the midst of calamity, their spirits and souls clouded by the calamity's aura, these powerful figures and demons from the underworld became mere tools for the Heavenly Dao to propel the calamity forward.

They only focused on strengthening themselves, without ever thinking about the long term. Or rather, their long-term goal was to re-establish the banner of the demon race and seize the position of the protagonist of the world from the human race.

As a result, Ruzhen Temple was hidden away in Ruzhen Miaofa Heaven.

The entire Xiniu Hezhou is virtually invincible to the Lion Camel Demon Kingdom.

In all directions, whether it be human dynasties or demon kings of various mountains and forests, all were utterly defeated by the Lion Camel Demon Kingdom's military might.

In a short period of time, the monsters of Xiniu Hezhou were pacified by a single proclamation.

It seems that the human race's position as the protagonist of the world has become less secure in Xiniu Hezhou.

The human race reacted quickly.

If Xiniuhezhou was the Buddhist stronghold in the past, now, with the human race's large-scale westward expedition, the entire Xiniuhezhou is no longer in a situation where it is solely based on the Buddhist sect's views.

In times of great calamity, it is the norm for heroes to rise up together.

The Lion Camel Demon Kingdom swept through human kingdoms and gathered demon strongholds from all over the land. The human coalition from the Tang Dynasty in the East launched a westward expedition like an overwhelming force, and wiped out all the mountain spirits and water monsters they encountered along the way.

In a short period of time, the entire Xiniu Hezhou was divided into two distinct parts.

Starting from the Two Realms Mountain near the Tang Dynasty in the East, extending westward across a vast region, the human race reigned supreme, eradicating all non-humans.

After crossing the Wanshou Mountain and Wuzhuang Temple in Xiniu Hezhou, we arrived at the Women's Kingdom of Xiliang, which was entirely occupied by humans.

Centered on the Lion Camel Kingdom, extending eastward to the Sacrifice Kingdom and westward beyond the Bhikkhu Kingdom, reaching the border of Jinping Prefecture, all are within the territory of the Demon Kingdom. Further west, one reaches the border of the Indian Kingdom, which is at the foot of Mount Ling.

It's not that the Lion Camel Demon Kingdom has a desire to control expansion.

In the East, however, the human race and the demon race have already officially begun close combat.

The difference between ordinary monsters and human soldiers is not that great; in such a war, they are all just lackeys waving flags and shouting slogans.

The true determinants of victory or defeat are the cultivators among the human and demon races.

Xitianling Mountain.

Because of this outbreak of the transvestite conflict.

The Buddhist community had no choice but to secretly urge the westward journey to speed up its progress.

Each time, they narrowly escaped falling into the hands of the Lion Camel Demon Kingdom, managing to stay one step ahead.

However, the outbreak of such a great calamity was destined to have an extremely serious impact on the journey to the West.

Guanyin Bodhisattva stood solemnly on the lotus platform, holding a willow branch and a jade vase in one hand and raising the other in front of her. She nodded to the World-Honored One Tathagata and said, "World-Honored One, now that the demon race has risen again, our Buddhist sect cannot stand idly by. This great calamity is similar to the Battle of the Deer in the past. I wonder which Venerable One you wish to send down to the mortal realm to assist the human race?"

The World-Honored One, Tathagata, sits serenely on a golden lotus of merit, his eyes opening and closing as if radiating boundless wisdom.

He murmured, "Where are Tang Sanzang and his disciples now?"

"Reporting to the World Honored One, Tang Sanzang and his disciples have passed Tongtai Prefecture and Diling County, and will soon arrive at Lingyun Ferry," Guanyin Bodhisattva reported.

"Excellent." The Buddha nodded and said, "Master and disciples, the journey to the West to obtain the scriptures requires overcoming eighty-one tribulations. However, by the time they reach Lingyun Ferry and are reborn, they have only overcome eighty tribulations. They are still missing one tribulation. Let this tribulation make up for it!"

The words of the World-Honored One Tathagata immediately stunned all the Buddhist bodhisattvas, venerable ones, arhats, and monastics around him.

Indeed, the words of the World-Honored One Tathagata are truly terrifying.

What level are the Eighty-One Tribulations? Can they be compared to the current catastrophe involving humans and demons?

It should be noted that while this great calamity between humans and demons is not comparable to the great calamities of the Lich King and the Investiture of the Gods, its upper limit is comparable to the Battle of the Deer.

In the Battle of Zhuolu, the Yellow Emperor of the human race, now the Human Emperor among the Three Sovereigns, resides in the Fire Cloud Cave. His status is so revered that even the World Honored One, Tathagata, must first pay homage to him.

The Three Sovereigns were essentially sharing a single holy position.

The first eighty tribulations of the journey to the West combined cannot compare to a single high-intensity battle in this great war.

Getting the pilgrimage team involved is a joke, isn't it?
When Guanyin Bodhisattva realized that the Buddha truly intended for the pilgrimage team to use this great calamity between humans and demons to make up for the final tribulation, her eyes lit up and she said, "Disciple understands. The Buddha's arrangement is indeed ingenious."

The original eighty-one tribulations, the last of which occurred when the pilgrimage team returned to the Tang Dynasty, suddenly lost their supernatural powers and fell off the Tongtian River.

Ultimately, they had no choice but to cross the river with the help of the old turtle they had previously assisted.

However, the old turtle was enraged because the pilgrimage team forgot to ask the Buddha when they could cultivate to attain human form. In a fit of rage, it threw the entire pilgrimage team into the confluence of rivers, soaking even the Mahayana Tripitaka they had painstakingly obtained.

But this time, with the great calamity between humans and demons, the old turtle of the Tongtian River will never have the chance to reunite with the pilgrimage team.

The Buddha arranged eighty-one tribulations, and in this great calamity between humans and demons, he added the final tribulation, but he did not actually involve the pilgrimage team in it.

Such a calamity, let alone the pilgrimage team, could even endanger the lives of immortals if they were not careful.

However, it is not difficult to make up for a previous calamity by taking advantage of this great disaster.

Guanyin Bodhisattva clearly understood the meaning of the World-Honored One, Tathagata.

However, the Buddha's answer to her was clearly somewhat irrelevant.

Guanyin Bodhisattva wanted to know when and to what extent Buddhism should enter the fray during this great calamity between humans and demons, but the World-Honored One Tathagata directly used this great calamity to make up for the last of the eighty-one tribulations in the journey to the West.

Although no direct answer was received.

However, this irrelevant answer may well reflect the attitude of the Buddha.

Since the Buddha did not make any explicit arrangements, it means that Buddhism will not intervene, at least in the initial stages.

Amidst the flourishing of Buddhism, a great calamity suddenly erupted, reversing the course of fate. Buddhism was destined to be unable to remain uninvolved; all that remained to be seen was how the World-Honored One and Buddhism would proceed.

(End of this chapter)