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

"Convert barbarians to Buddhism! Convert barbarians to Buddhism!" The Jade Emperor laughed in fury, "Back then, I thought Taiqing was going to the West to spread the Tao and promote the Xuanmen! Who would have thought he was going to make a deal with the two Western Saints! Using the entire Xuanmen as a bargaining chip!"

Venus also looked grim: "Great Celestial Venerable, although this deduction is not based on actual events, the past depicted in the scene is real... The destruction of the Rakshasa clan does indeed bear the shadow of Laozi..."

"It's more than just a shadow; he's clearly one of the masterminds!" The Jade Emperor sneered. "Laojun is quite the schemer! On the surface, he's the head of the Three Pure Ones of the Xuanmen, but secretly he's been flirting with the Buddhist sect for a long time! No wonder the Buddhist sect has been thriving in the Three Realms all these years; it turns out there's a traitor within!"

Not far away, the immortals of the Chan Sect looked even more grim.

Guang Chengzi, Taiyi Zhenren, Yuding Zhenren, and the other twelve Golden Immortals looked at each other, seeing disbelief and deep anger in each other's eyes.

"We...we were sold?" Master Taiyi murmured, his voice tinged with bitterness.

"It's more than just being sold!" Guang Chengzi gritted his teeth. "We were used as pawns! As sacrifices!"

They finally understood!

After the Investiture of the Gods, why did the Human Sect remain almost unscathed, while the Chan Sect suffered heavy losses?

Why did Taiqing allow the disciples of the Chan Sect to occupy important positions in the Heavenly Court, while he himself used the excuse of the sparse number of members of the Human Sect to send only Laozi to oversee the matter?

On the surface, this appears to be a noble act, done to promote good teachings.

But actually?

This is setting a trap for the Chan Sect!

The Chan Sect and the Heavenly Court were deeply bound together, and then the Chan Sect declined along with the Heavenly Court during the Journey to the West tribulation!

And what about the Human Sect? They remained aloof, even secretly colluding with Buddhism, waiting to divide up the fortunes of the Heavenly Court and the Chan Sect!

"What a brilliant move to use someone else to do the dirty work!" Master Yu Ding's face turned ashen. "What a brilliant move to shift the blame!"

"Do Master and the others... know about this?" Cihang Daoren suddenly asked, his voice trembling slightly.

This question silenced all the immortals of the Chan Sect.

Yuanshi Tianzun, are you aware of Taiqing's scheme?

If he didn't know, it means he was kept in the dark and was tricked by his own brother.

If you knew that... then why did you still let the disciples of the Chan Sect jump into the fire pit?

Either answer is disheartening.

"Let alone Master..." Guang Chengzi gave a bitter smile, "Even we ourselves only just realized it. How could we possibly fathom the thoughts of a sage?"

"But..." Yun Zhongzi couldn't help but say, "If it's really as the picture shows, then haven't we, the Chan Sect, been doing all these years of work for the benefit of Buddhism?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the immortals of the Chan Sect became even more unpleasant.

That's right. If Taiqing and Buddhism are really in cahoots, then all their actions in Heaven over the years have been paving the way for Buddhism.

They even thought they were promoting Taoism and maintaining the order of the Heavenly Court.

Who knew that they were actually helping Buddhism weaken the foundation of Taoism!

"Laojun..." Zhao Gongming said coldly, "It seems this time you've really gone too far. You intended to predict the future and convict Su Bai. Who knew you'd end up revealing your own secrets!"

Golden Spirit Mother also sneered: "When Buddhism annihilated the Rakshasa clan, he helped suppress the Styx River. When Buddhism plotted against Princess Iron Fan, he took her in as his goddaughter and sent her into the trap. How can this be considered a true follower of the Xuanmen (Taoist sect)? He's clearly a lackey of Buddhism!"

"Well said!" Zhao Gongming clapped his hands and cheered, "Lackey! That's a brilliant use of the word!"

Other immortals from the Jie Sect echoed this sentiment, their anger towards Laozi evident in their words.

The Jie Sect and the Chan Sect already had old grudges, and now seeing the Taiqing Sect colluding with Buddhism, they wished they could turn against each other on the spot!

The neutral gods and immortals also had complex expressions on their faces.

The Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden pondered, "If what the image shows is true, then the Grand Pure Sage's plans over the years are probably not just aimed at the Heavenly Court and the Chan Sect... the entire Xuanmen (mystical sect) is within his calculations."

"Converting barbarians to Buddhism..." Li Jing murmured, "So the true meaning wasn't to bring the West under the wing of Taoism, but rather... to bring Taoism under the wing of the West?"

When this speculation was made, everyone gasped in shock.

If that's the case, then the ambition of the Supreme Sage is far too great!

Is he planning to sell the entire Xuanmen sect to the West and then profit from it?

The atmosphere in the Jade Pool became extremely solemn.

All eyes turned to Laozi in the underworld.

The Supreme Lord Laozi, who had always been highly respected and regarded as a pillar of the Xuanmen sect, now appeared strange and terrifying in their eyes.

Laozi's crisis of trust has arrived!

Inside the Jade Pool, the immortals were still whispering about Laozi's various schemes.

The atmosphere was heavy and eerie, and everyone's gaze towards the underworld was filled with complex emotions. Trust, doubt, anger, disappointment... a mix of emotions transformed what was originally a trial for a wicked dragon into a farce that exposed the inner workings of the mystical sect.

"Laojun has kept his hand well hidden..."

"So that's what 'converting barbarians to Buddhism' means..."

"The Three Pure Ones as one? I think it's more like sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams..."

Just as the immortals were whispering among themselves, the scene they were predicting suddenly changed again!

Above the sea of ​​blood, the Styx Ancestor stood proudly.

He looked at the densely packed Buddhist army on the horizon, then at the Heavenly Army soldiers poised to attack on the other side. There was no fear on his face; instead, a cold smile appeared on his face.

"Want them? You'll have to get past me first!"

"Styx, do not remain obstinate!" the Bodhisattva said in a deep voice. "That demonic dragon and Rakshasa woman have disrupted the Heavenly Order and ruined the Journey to the West! If you insist on protecting them, you will be making an enemy of the entire Three Realms!"

"To be an enemy of the Three Realms?" The Styx Ancestor laughed loudly, his laughter filled with sorrow and defiance. "I, the Styx Ancestor, have traversed the primordial world for countless years, what have I ever feared? In the great war between the Lich King and the Demon King, I was fearless! In the first calamity of the Dragon and Phoenix, I was fearless! Now, what is a mere Journey to the West calamity?!"

He abruptly turned to Su Bai and Princess Iron Fan: "Go! Go to Xiniu Hezhou! Gather those tribes oppressed by Buddhism! Tell them that the Styx Ancestor has said it's time to rebel!"

"Grandmaster..." Princess Iron Fan's eyes were red.

"Go!" the Styx Ancestor roared. "Don't let me waste my efforts! I, as his master, will avenge Mara's death!"

Su Bai gave the Styx Ancestor a deep look, and without saying a word, he grabbed Princess Iron Fan and prepared to flee!

"Don't even think about it!"

How could that Bodhisattva let them escape? With a wave of his hand, golden light transformed into a net that enveloped the two of them!

However, at that moment, the Styx Ancestor made a move!

"Yuantu! Abi!"

Two blood-red longswords shot out from the sky, instantly shattering the golden net! Amidst the crisscrossing sword light, they actually carved a bloody path for Su Bai and Princess Iron Fan!

"Killing without incurring karma—that's the true killing sword!" Old Ancestor Styx sneered. "You bald monks of Buddhism, come on! Let me show you what boundless bloodshed truly means!"