On the Dragon-Slaying Platform, I was executed and became Yang Jian's brother-in-law.

The Western Paradise, the Great Thunder Temple.

Although the main hall was still filled with chanting, the atmosphere had an indescribable sense of emptiness.

Looking around, the Buddhas and Arhats who were usually radiant and solemn all looked as if they had just worked three days and three nights of intense overtime, or as if their energy had been drained by the female demons of the Spider Cave.

The eighteen Arhats all had deep-set eyes and dark circles under their eyes that looked like smoky makeup. They could barely hold their vajras and were using them as walking sticks.

The Eight Vajras were even more pale and sallow, their muscles no longer firm, and they leaned loosely against the pillar, panting heavily.

Even the Buddha, who sat high on the nine-petaled golden lotus, whose originally dazzling golden body was now somewhat dim and lackluster, and whose fingers were trembling slightly as he twirled the prayer beads.

awful.

It's too awful.

In order to infuse Buddhist power into Su Bai, that "bottomless pit," the entire high-ranking officials of Mount Ling have been mobilized in shifts for the past ten days, channeling their cultivation into the Eight Treasures Merit Pool. They have truly exerted every ounce of their strength, and several Jiedi (priests) have almost had their Dao hearts shattered due to excessive force.

"Report—!!!"

Just as the silence was at its most desolate, a weary yet excited voice broke the stillness.

Guanyin Bodhisattva, riding on auspicious clouds (flying rather crookedly), rushed into the main hall with a face full of ecstasy.

"Buddha! World Honored One! It's done!"

Guanyin, disregarding her composure, cried out in a trembling voice, "Just now, this humble monk witnessed it with my own eyes! Emperor Su Bai's entire body shone with golden light, and a halo of Buddhist aura even faintly condensed behind his head! That was a sign that he had been thoroughly... cough, that was a sign that he had been completely converted!"

"His fierceness vanished completely, replaced by a boundless righteousness and compassionate Buddhist spirit! At this moment, he sits cross-legged under the Bodhi tree, his appearance dignified and solemn, resembling a living Buddha!"

Quiet.

The main hall was deathly silent.

All the Buddhas and Arhats who were exhausted to the point of collapse seemed to have been given a shot of adrenaline in that instant, and their eyes widened.

done?

Has Su Bai, the number one troublemaker in the prehistoric world who caused headaches for the Heavenly Court, frustrated the Daoist sects, and was backed by several powerful figures, really been converted by them?!

"Good! Good! Good!!"

On the nine-tiered golden lotus, the Buddha suddenly slapped his thigh and stood up abruptly.

Although his body swayed slightly due to the depletion of his magical power and the suddenness of his ascent, it did not diminish his soaring ambition at this moment.

With a wave of his hand, the Buddha's face showed no trace of fatigue. Instead, it radiated an arrogant and triumphant air of self-assurance.

He looked around at the pairs of adoring eyes, his voice booming like a great bell, resounding throughout the entire sacred mountain:

"Everyone! Did you see that?!"

"This is the method of the West! This is the essence of Buddhism!"

The Buddha extended two fingers, pointing in the direction of the Bodhi Hermitage, spitting as he roared in an extremely down-to-earth, even somewhat bandit-like manner:

"What the hell do you mean 'surprise'... wait a minute!"

"What the hell do you mean by 'Western professional standards'?!"

"That's what you call professional!!"

"I don't care if he's a prehistoric lover who's reincarnated countless times, or some ancient ancestral witch who's regained his memories! Once he enters the gates of my Spirit Mountain and soaks in the waters of my Merit Pool, he's one of my Spirit Mountain people!"

At this moment, Tathagata felt that he was simply the most powerful "pyramid scheme leader" in the Three Realms (scratch that, cult leader).

"Before he entered the mountain, how many people were waiting to see us make a fool of ourselves? The Heavenly Court was watching, the Jie Sect was watching, and Lady Pingxin was watching even more!"

"They all think this is a hot potato, and that Lingshan will be in big trouble!"

"And the result?!"

The Buddha sneered, his expression seeming to say, "Everyone here is trash."

"Only ten days!!"

"Under the influence of the supreme and wondrous Dharma of my Buddhist school, and with the selfless 'care' of his three thousand Buddhas, that hardest bone softened! That biggest variable was leveled!"

"Before the teachings of Western Buddhism, all beings are equal; there are only two words to describe it—"

The Buddha clasped his hands together and delivered his final concluding remarks:

"Conversion!!"

"Namo Amitabha Buddha! May the Buddha be merciful and mighty!!"

The crowd of Buddhas below erupted in cheers. Though physically weak, their spirits were incredibly high. At this moment, they felt that their blood had been shed and their kidneys exhausted over the past ten days had not been in vain!

It was worth it! Absolutely worth it!

"Reveal my decree!"

Seizing the opportunity, a shrewd glint flashed in Tathagata's eyes. "Immediately proclaim this news throughout the Three Realms! Make a huge fuss! Let every corner know!"

"Take the Great Emperor Gouchen, Su Bai, for example. Under the Bodhi tree on Mount Ling, he suddenly realized the suffering of his past and present lives and deeply felt that the mortal world was full of suffering, while only the Buddha's teachings were boundless."

"He has made a great vow to meditate in seclusion on Mount Ling for a hundred years to cleanse his sins."

"If his heart is sincere, a hundred years from now, I may personally shave his head and grant him... the status of an Arhat!"

Upon hearing this, all the Buddhas were astonished, and immediately understood.

This is an attempt to completely bind Su Bai to the Western war machine! And to deliberately call him an "Arhat," who is this trying to disgust? A dignified quasi-saint, a great being, given the title of Arhat? This is clearly a declaration of sovereignty to the outside world—in the West, if you're a dragon, you have to coil up; if you're a tiger, you have to lie down!

……

With the deliberate promotion by Mount Ling, the news spread like wildfire, instantly igniting the entire prehistoric world.

In an instant, the Three Realms were shaken, and all the immortals were in an uproar.

Some were shocked, some were skeptical, but most reacted strongly to the few "victims" who had been paying close attention to Su Bai.

Kunlun Mountain, a sacred place known as Yaochi.

Inside the Peach Garden, an ethereal atmosphere pervades, and peach blossoms bloom in vibrant colors.

The Queen Mother of the West, dressed in a magnificent golden phoenix robe, was casually pruning the branches and leaves of a nine-thousand-year-old peach tree with a pair of top-grade spiritual treasure-level golden scissors.

Behind her, several fairies were kneeling on the ground, reporting the news that had just come from the West.

"...Your Majesty, it's being said that Emperor Su Bai has achieved enlightenment on Mount Ling and wants to become a monk. The Buddha even wants to bestow upon him the title of Arhat..."

"Snap!"

A crisp snapping sound rang out.

The golden scissors in the hands of the Queen Mother of the West, which could cut through iron like mud, actually cut off a main branch of the peach tree, which was as thick as a wrist and contained rich spiritual energy, due to excessive force!

"Oh dear! That's a peach branch that's nine thousand years old!" The fairies were terrified and turned pale.

The Queen Mother of the West didn't even glance at the peach branch.

She slowly turned around, her stunningly beautiful face revealing no emotion whatsoever, only her phoenix eyes held a chilling aura capable of freezing the entire Kunlun Mountains.

"Become a monk? Or an Arhat?"

The Queen Mother of the West sneered and casually threw the deformed golden scissors on the ground with a crisp "clang".

"Has that old bald monk, Buddha, gone mad from chanting scriptures?"

"Who is Su Bai? Is he the kind of person who would shave his head and become a monk just because of a few scriptures? Is he the kind of person who would willingly submit to others and become some kind of Arhat?"

"If he really wanted to become a monk, he would have done so back in my Jade Pool! Why would he need to go to the Western Paradise?"

Although he said that, he had a domineering attitude of "I know him very well, I don't believe it".

But the slight trembling of west Wangmu's fingers betrayed her inner panic.

After all, that's a Western religion, and they're masters of brainwashing. What if? What if Su Bai really lets his inner demons take advantage of his vulnerability and gets completely fooled by those bald monks?

"call……"

The Queen Mother of the West took a deep breath and, forcing herself to remain calm, straightened her sleeves:

"I believe him. Since he dared to go to Mount Ling, he must have his reasons and plans."

After speaking, she turned to look at the divine beast Azure Bird that had been waiting beside her, her tone instantly becoming sharp:

"Bluebird!"

"exist!"

"You shall set off immediately for the Western Spirit Mountain region. Do not get too close, lest you alert the enemy."

"Keep a close eye on the movements of the Great Thunderclap Temple! Especially news about Su Bai!"

"If I really saw him with a shaved head..."

A chilling murderous glint flashed in the eyes of the Queen Mother of the West:

"Then come back and tell me. I'll immediately muster my troops, take the Kunlun Mirror, and head to Mount Ling... to snatch them away!!"

……

East China Sea, Jin'ao Island.

This is the headquarters of the Jie Sect. Although it has become much quieter after the Investiture of the Gods, its soaring sword energy and arrogance have never dissipated.

"Damn it!!"

A furious shout shook the tiles of Biyou Palace.

The Golden Spirit Mother exuded a murderous aura, and the Dragon-Tiger Ruyi in her hand creaked as she squeezed it. The phantom of the Big Dipper behind her swayed wildly, as if it were about to crash down at any moment.

"That stupid disciple! The good-for-nothing!"

The Holy Mother of Golden Spirit heaved with rage. "I told him to go to the Underworld to heal, what was he doing running off to Mount Ling?!"

"A hundred years of quiet meditation? And the attainment of Arhatship?!"

"My disciple Jin Ling, the grand-disciple of the Tongtian Sect Master, is going to be a gatekeeper for that group of Western Sect members?!"

"A complete disgrace! Utterly a complete disgrace!"

"No way! I can't swallow this!"

The Holy Mother Jinling abruptly rose, disregarding the dignity of a great religion and the karma of a saint, and rode a cloud to rush westward:

"I'm going to Mount Ling right now! I'll bring that unfilial disciple back! Even if I have to break his legs, I won't let him become a monk!"

"Senior sister! No!"

Just then, a gentle yet resolute figure stood in front of the Golden Spirit Mother.

It is the Holy Mother of Wudang.

As one of only two pillars of the Jie Sect today, she is much calmer than the Golden Spirit Mother.

"Senior Sister, calm down," the Holy Mother Wudang earnestly advised. "Although Junior Nephew Su Bai acts eccentrically, he is by no means a brainless person. His trip to Mount Ling must have a deeper meaning."

"Profound meaning? What profound meaning? That's Mount Ling! It's a den of wolves!" The Holy Mother of Golden Spirit was still struggling.

"Think about it, senior sister. If he had truly been converted, given Buddha's temperament, he would have already paraded him through the streets with drums and gongs. Why would he just let the news spread?"

The Holy Mother of Wudang held Jinling tightly, "Wait a little longer! Let's see what happens next! If it really comes to that, I'll go with you, Junior Sister! We'll set up the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation and get her back!"

Upon hearing this, the Golden Spirit Mother reluctantly descended from the clouds, but still gritted her teeth and gazed westward:

"Su Bai, you'd better be plotting against them. Otherwise... when you return, I'll be the first to clean house!"

……

Three Immortal Islands.

Compared to the fury of the Holy Mother of the Golden Spirit, this place was filled with desolation and misery.

"Waaaah... Eldest sister... Second sister..."

Bixiao Fairy nestled in Yunxiao's arms, tears streaming down her face, her eyes swollen like walnuts. "Senior brother... is he really going to become a monk?"

"Does that mean I can't call him 'Senior Brother' anymore? I have to call him 'Master' instead?"

"I don't want... I don't want a bald senior brother... Waaaaah..."

Fairy Yunxiao gently stroked her younger sister's back, her brows furrowed and her eyes filled with worry. But she was, after all, the eldest sister, and her thoughts were the most profound.

"Don't cry, Third Sister."

Yunxiao looked westward, his gaze profound. "Something unusual must be going on. Senior Brother, you possess the Great Dao of Time, how could you be trapped by mere Buddhist teachings?"

"But...that's Buddha..." Qiongxiao also wiped away tears beside her.

"Trust him."

Yunxiao took a deep breath and secretly clenched the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron. "He has never let us down. This time, I suppose he won't either."

……

The Netherworld, the Hall of Peace.

The noise and speculation from the outside world naturally reached here as well.

Standing before the Terrace of Longing for Home, Empress Pingxin gazed at the soaring Buddha light in the west and listened to the Buddha's triumphant declaration, a strange expression appearing on her face.

"Conversion?"

"Arhat?"

Empress Pingxin shook her head, a helpless yet amused smile curving her lips.

She is the only one who knows the truth.

She knew how "good" Su Bai's current state was, and she also knew where that so-called "Buddha's light" came from (it's well-seasoned).

"Buddha, Buddha, you are celebrating too soon."

Empress Pingxin sighed, a hint of "sympathy" for the future of the Western Religion in her eyes:

"You have no idea what kind of hungry wolf you've brought in."

"When he'd finished eating and drinking, and then he flipped the table..."

"I hope your Buddhist faith can remain as steadfast as it is now."

Pingxin turned around and looked at the rapidly growing Xuanming remnant soul in the Soul Nourishing Pool, ignoring the storms outside.

"Brother, this move you made was too risky and too brilliant."

"I just don't know... what bigger scheme are you planning?"

I sighed inwardly.