Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 666 - 660: Tathagata Obtains the Recognition of Heavenly Dao [Subscription Requested]_1

Whether Tathagata had received the recognition of the Heavenly Dao was unascertainable.

But Ran Deng Buddha did indeed pass into nirvana, and the entire Western world was instantly in an uproar.

When a Buddha was cleaning the Ancient Buddha's temple, the discovery of Ran Deng Buddha's shattered divine tablet instantly spread the news. In the blink of an eye, the Western Paradise World descended into chaos.

Countless people wailed in grief, as Ran Deng Buddha's disciples and followers all wept and cried out to heaven and earth.

They all wanted to know what exactly had happened.

As a Peak Quasi-Saint, Ran Deng Buddha possessed sky-reaching strength, limitless mana, and immense divine powers. Under the heavens, there were only a handful who could defeat him.

And the ones who could kill him were only a few Saints.

But no matter who it was, none had a reason to kill him. So, how did Ran Deng Buddha fall?

Countless people were searching for answers. When Tathagata Buddha returned to Lingjiu Mountain, everyone came to Daxiong Hall, waiting for Tathagata to bring them justice.

Tathagata Buddha naturally did not withhold any information, stating outright that Ran Deng Buddha had fallen at Flowing Sand River, forced to self-detonate by Sha Chen.

The entire Lingjiu Mountain was instantly seething. From Buddha to Monk, everyone was filled with uncontrollable rage.

All were clamoring for vengeance for Ran Deng Buddha. In an instant, over 100,000 monks expressed their determination to join forces and seek justice at Flowing Sand River.

Only a very few Buddhas managed to contain their rage, their eyes revealing shock and disbelief.

Their thoughts were not of revenge, but rather of wonder: how had Sha Chen grown so formidable that he could force a Peak Quasi-Saint to self-destruct?

What was even more terrifying was that Tathagata Buddha had gone with Ran Deng and, observing Tathagata's current condition, it was obvious he was significantly weakened.

This indicated that Sha Chen's strength was greater than both Tathagata and the Ancient Buddha combined, something an ordinary Saint could not achieve.

Could it be that Sha Chen had reached the Saint Realm?

But forget a Saint; even an advancement to the Quasi-Saint Realm would cause a disturbance between heaven and earth, drawing countless gazes.

If Sha Chen had reached the Saint Realm, it certainly couldn't be concealed from everyone.

Tathagata knew what everyone was thinking and, with a sigh, said, "Sha Chen has not yet reached the Saint Realm, but he has cultivated his physical body, his mana cultivation, his Primordial Spirit, and various divine powers all to the Great Perfection Realm."

"He also possesses many magical tools, and his command over various divine powers has also reached Great Perfection! Ran Deng and I together were no match for him. Ran Deng was even humiliated and forced by him, eventually choosing to self-detonate to uphold the dignity of Buddhism."

The assembly of Buddhas was even more enraged!

Sha Chen had been portrayed by Tathagata as an unforgivable villain, one who stood completely opposed to Buddhism.

In truth, Sha Chen had anticipated this. Even if he had not driven Ran Deng Buddha to his death, Buddhism would not have let him off lightly.

Medicine Buddha stepped forward and said, "Buddha, Sha Chen has gone too far! He does not take Buddhism seriously, repeatedly killing our high-level monks. He truly cannot be spared lightly. We must not let this pass without consequence."

The Buddhas nodded in agreement, all clamoring for vengeance for Ran Deng Buddha.

"Let's flatten Flowing Sand River now, capture Sha Chen alive, and condemn him to eternal reincarnation!"

"Sha Chen has truly gone too far! He has been given many chances. We let him participate in the great calamity of the Journey to the West to give him a great opportunity, but he failed to appreciate it. Worse, he dared to attack and kill our high-ranking monks!"

"We cannot let this matter go so easily; Sha Chen must pay the price."

"Buddha, how should we handle this? Please lead us back into battle!"

The Buddhas knelt before Daxiong Hall, imploring Tathagata Buddha to lead them in another battle at Flowing Sand River.

But Tathagata Buddha could not possibly return to Flowing Sand River, at least not in the short term.

Moreover, he had gained something from the battle, feeling as if his faith had undergone a form of sublimation.

The gap between a Sub-Sage and a Saint is that a Saint has received the approval of the Heavenly Dao. A Sub-Sage, despite having faith that has immensely boosted their strength—even surpassing ordinary Saints—still lacks the acknowledgment of the Heavenly Dao and ultimately cannot be deemed a Saint.

Tathagata Buddha had not been acknowledged by the Heavenly Dao. But for some reason, after the battle ended, his unwillingness and anger allowed him to sense the call of the Heavenly Dao.

This is an opportunity! If I seize it, I might truly gain the approval of the Heavenly Dao and completely step into the Saint Realm.

With my level of cultivation, if I am acknowledged by the Heavenly Dao, I will immediately enter an exceedingly profound Saint Realm! The current Six Saints of the heavens will become history, and I, Tathagata Buddha, will take control of the Three Realms!

Therefore, I must seize this chance! How could I possibly venture to Flowing Sand River again?

He even contemplated going directly to the Western Paradise World to ask for assistance from the Two Saints of the Western Sect, to see if he could gain the acknowledgment of the Heavenly Dao.

But before he could depart or even make a request, the Two Saints of the Western Sect had already arrived at Daxiong Hall.

When the disciples of Buddhism saw the Two Saints of the Western Sect, they immediately felt as if they had found their backbone, kneeling in a dense crowd on the ground.

Tathagata also descended from Daxiong Hall to pay respects to the Two Western Saints.

Saint Jieyin remained silent, while Saint Zhunti spoke first, "We are aware of the incident at Flowing Sand River. This is a matter of grave importance, and the dignity of Buddhism must be upheld."

The Buddhas, upon hearing these words, let out a sigh of relief, united in their shared animosity.

Saint Zhunti continued, "However, Flowing Sand River is easy to defend but hard to attack. With your capabilities, going there would be tantamount to suicide. Currently, we are both in seclusion, present here only as incarnations."

"If we wish to capture Sha Chen, we will need a long-term plan. Wait for a few years until we emerge from seclusion. With the entirety of Buddhism united in vengeance, Flowing Sand River will surely be obliterated."

Upon these words, the Buddhists knew that Saint Zhunti was asking them to swallow their anger for now.

Though reluctant, they had no choice but to comply.

Saint Zhunti then turned to look at Tathagata Buddha and nodded slightly. "Unexpectedly, you have turned misfortune into a blessing in this battle and have indeed gained recognition from the Heavenly Dao."

Tathagata, who had been unsure and indecisive, was thrilled upon receiving direct confirmation from Saint Zhunti.

He hurriedly said, "Please assist me, Saint."

Saint Zhunti nodded. "The more Saints in our Buddhism, the better. Rest assured. Actually, after the Divine Enthronement War, the Daoist Master mentioned that he would soon open another slot for a Saint."

"It seems the Daoist Ancestor has chosen you. You need to firmly grasp this sense of the Heavenly Dao, and we two brothers will help you become a Saint."

Tathagata quickly expressed his gratitude, and the assembly of Buddhists was elated beyond measure.

And the news of Tathagata being recognized by the Heavenly Dao naturally spread throughout the Three Realms, along with the news of Ran Deng Buddha's passing into nirvana.