Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 298: Tongtian’s Hatred and Conflict
With a thoughtful hum, Tathagata gave himself some face and said, "But what if someone disrupts my subjugation of the monkey? I’m not absolutely certain I can take this person down."
At these words, Zhunti and Jieyin also fell into contemplation, especially Jieyin, whose normally brooding face was now even more furrowed.
The West truly was plagued with disasters, and now things had come to this; there was no telling what set-backs might arise when the Journey to the West officially began.
"Let’s do this!" Zhunti suddenly broke the fleeting calm.
"I will bestow upon you the Power of the Saint. Should that person appear, wield it at the critical moment to obliterate them and eradicate future troubles!" Zhunti spoke with the composure of an old monk deep in meditation, yet his voice was filled with murderous resolve, and his gaze was too intimidating to meet.
If it weren’t for the variables, his disciple, Shan Shi Bodhi Patriarch, would have already taken the Intelligent Stone Monkey as a student, transmitting teachings and bestowing kindness as heavy as a mountain.
Once the matter of Journey to the West was settled, Sun Wukong, the main character of the calamity, would earn him, as the master, a sky-full of Merit Points.
Among the Saints, his cultivation and strength were the weakest; he was counting on these Merit Points to significantly enhance his cultivation.
Now, to his dismay, the Intelligent Stone Monkey had become another’s disciple, and his plans had failed right from the start.
As one might imagine, Zhunti’s loathing for Chen Nuo, the disruptor, was deep-seated.
With these thoughts in mind, Zhunti pointed a finger, and a streak of golden light infused into Tathagata’s body.
He then said, "This Power of the Saint can be used freely once, raising any of your techniques to the level of a Saint’s power."
Zhunti did not give much, for he felt there was no need; he always believed that if he encountered that person, it would surely be an instant kill.
In his view, Chen Nuo’s cultivation was at most that of a Quasi-Saint, slightly stronger than Tathagata’s.
With Tathagata’s own formidable strength, and now augmented by the strike of a Saint, subduing this person would be more than sufficient.
"The poor monk thanks the Saint for bestowing the Law!" Feeling the surging power within him reaching its peak, Tathagata was overjoyed.
With the aid of the Power of the Saint, even if the person behind that monkey had incredible skills, they would still be unable to withstand it; by then, he would directly suppress the monkey with overpowering force. If the person behind the scenes didn’t show up, all the better. If they did...
A coldness appeared on Tathagata’s large face; he would surely exterminate them as a warning to others!
And, Tathagata’s eyes held a concealed joy; he could also meditate on this Power of the Saint to enhance his own cultivation.
Tathagata’s confidence rose, and he gave a Buddhist salute, "The poor monk will ensure that the monkey is successfully subdued!"
"Good." Jieyin nodded, his normally gloomy face easing somewhat.
If they could truly eradicate the person who had been causing turmoil, the future development of Buddhism would no longer suffer setbacks.
The great flourishing of Buddhism was within reach.
Zhunti waved his hand, "You may return for now. There are many matters within Buddhism that require your attention and leadership!"
"Yes." Tathagata agreed, and took his leave.
Indeed, he was eager to return and ponder over the mysteries of the Power of the Saint.
In another secret chamber within the Zixiao Palace, Tongtian was sitting cross-legged, immersed in the study of Divine Sword Intent. Since returning from Chen Nuo, he had been primarily focused on this path.
Tongtian had thought his swordsmanship had reached its limit, but he hadn’t realized it was only the beginning.
A casual stroke of the sword could annihilate worlds, a height even he found difficult to achieve.
As the aura of Tathagata faded, Tongtian slowly opened his eyes, the usually sharp and penetrating gaze now carrying complexity.
For his once-prized first disciple, he felt more disappointment than hatred.
His diligent guidance had helped his disciple to reach the realm of a Quasi-Saint, with combat power that was envied among peers, even challenging veteran Quasi-Saints.
But now, times had changed. His proudest disciple had become the official leader of Buddhism.
Ridiculous, pitiful, lamentable!
For a while, Tongtian had no interest in further meditation; he took out some Peach Blossom Brew and took a big gulp.
The sweet taste of the drink calmed Tongtian’s mood a bit; though drinking to drown sorrows often deepened them, the subtle sweetness of the Peach Blossom Brew could truly soothe the heart.
He bowed his head, looking at the wine in the jar, a hint of worry in his Heavenly Eye.
Ever since he had returned, the production of Peach Blossom Brew had not ceased, never dropping below five small jars a day, and now, there wasn’t much left in stock.
However, he had grown accustomed to drinking it; without it, he felt somewhat uneasy.
Alas!
Tongtian couldn’t help but heave a sigh.
Dilemma!
If only he could go out and buy wine at any time, he thought with a multitude of feelings.
But to leave, he must have his teacher’s permission, and after the last battle with Laozi and Primordial Saint, he guessed his teacher would not agree.
The previous consent was an unexpected joy; unless there was something that could move his teacher!
Tongtian pondered in his heart.
Magical Treasures? Cultivation methods?
A barely detectable twitch at the corner of his mouth, he dismissed the thought; after all, the Magical Treasures were mostly given by his teacher.
As for creating his own cultivation methods? He reckoned those would be even less impressive.
With his heart in turmoil, Tongtian’s gaze remained fixed on the jar before him, from which the scent of peach fragrance was wafting.
His vacant stare gradually retracted, and a thought began to form in his heart.
If he shared the Peach Blossom Brew with his teacher, perhaps the happiness would lead to approval?
He dared to guarantee that no other wine in the Three Realms could match the flavor of the Peach Blossom Brew; maybe the teacher would even let him go out to buy it often!
Thinking this, Tongtian unhesitatingly took another big gulp.
He might as well enjoy it for the next couple of days! It’d be best to drink until only one small jar was left, and then go to his teacher; after finishing one jar, there would be none left.
Wouldn’t that mean he could descend to the Lower Realm?
His last visit to the Chaos Residence had been all about drinking, and if Shopkeeper Chen’s restaurant offered such delectable wine, surely the food must be even better.
If he truly could get out, he would definitely indulge in a thorough tasting.
Tongtian stretched lazily, lying flat and floating midair, looking utterly content, with one hand clutching the wine jar, beginning to savor it carefully.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please slow down! Your humble servant can’t keep up!" Taibai Jin exclaimed as he watched Haotian speeding ahead without stopping.
Haotian, without turning back and maintaining speed, transmitted his voice: "Why the rush? This is me being considerate of you! Otherwise, could you even see my shadow?"
Haotian spoke with a sense of urgency, he was eager to have hotpot!
"Besides, if you’d just asked Chef Wukong to prepare the pot in advance, would I need to go to this trouble?"
Taibai Jin: "..."
It was so hard on him, wasn’t it Your Majesty who had said to report back as soon as the purchase was complete?
However, Taibai Jin only dared to complain inwardly.
The two, one after the other, arrived at the Imperial Kitchen, which used to be a secluded and quiet place.
Because for immortals, fasting is the most basic ability.
Thus, few immortals would dine daily, under the pretext of keeping the body pure, believing that food might contain impurities that could affect cultivation to some extent.
As a result, the primary function of the Imperial Kitchen was to prepare meals for grand occasions.
But everything changed after Sun Wukong showed off his culinary skills at the Flat Peach Feast. From morning till night, immortals were continuously coming and going from the Imperial Kitchen.
