Chapter 1059: Chapter 289: The Mazer and the Awakened, Two Sides of One Being

"Is it just because of this?" Karma Tathagata said.

"If you want reasons, there are many. For instance, the outcome is indeed excellent. When the Mountain of Mind and Heart faced a calamity, the Awakened and the once Great Masters Guanyin and Manjusri already perished, allowing the Buddha Country to seamlessly unfold a new Chapter. Moreover, Guanyin and Tan Wuwei were involved in this great battle and can be considered two of the murderers of the Awakened, justifying a complete cleansing of the Buddha Country from top to bottom by the successor."

Jiang Li carefully explained the reason: "Furthermore, the Awakened had long arranged his posthumous affairs, even preparing for a handover. For instance, after the Awakened’s departure, the Buddha Country lost its supreme, becoming incapable of being an enemy to Great Zhou, so forming an alliance with Great Zhou is beyond reproach. When you know the truth and then reverse-investigate, reasons are everywhere."

"However, if you ask about my suspicion, I can tell you, it’s just because of this."

Jiang Li was inherently suspicious.

Especially after having interactions and forming acquaintances with the Awakened, and even more so after learning that the Awakened and Karma Tathagata were originally one.

And now, suspicion seemed to become truth.

"Yes, just because of this, it’s enough."

Karma Tathagata continued to turn the prayer beads, "The Daoist Lord, Heavenly Monarch, and Great Venerable had all interacted with the Awakened and Karma Tathagata long ago, and their impressions had been deeply ingrained. Guangli, Weitu, and the disciples Hui Neng and Hui Lun respected the Awakened and were supposed to be the ones closest to him, yet they were far from actually being close."

"Decades ago, when the Mazer changed his self-title, they might have had doubts but it lasted only a moment, attributing it to the Mazer’s modesty and inner confusion. After all, the great battle back then caused the death of hundreds of thousands of living creatures, and the compassionate Awakened should rightfully repent and feel bewildered."

Jiang Li understood this, because admiration is the feeling furthest from understanding.

As for the later interpretation of the Mazer’s self-title, Jiang Li understood even more because that was how he interpreted Lu Xun’s words back then. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Even for those who knew the relationship between Karma Tathagata and the Awakened, the self-title "the Mazer" made more sense, after all, the Awakened truly became obsessive, leading to Karma Tathagata’s emergence.

The ingrained impression had already taken root, and it was difficult to change.

Even Jiang Li only had doubts since this was just a self-title. As a powerful figure, who doesn’t have a couple of grand-sounding self-titles?

It wasn’t until he witnessed the various arrangements of the Awakened that he finally picked up on his suspicion.

But even so, Jiang Li had no evidence, only various conjectures until he met Karma Tathagata here, which finally gave him certainty.

The Awakened is Buddha, whereas the Mazer is... Demon!

The Awakened and the Mazer are two sides, yet now they are one entity.

"So," Jiang Li returned to the original question, "how should I address the layman?"

As Karma Tathagata? Or the Awakened?

"The Awakened and Karma Tathagata are originally one entity, during the hundred years of meditation, their minds were interconnected and balanced each other, hence the saying ’the Awakened does not be born, the Tathagata does not leave seclusion.’ But others would never expect that the Awakened and Karma Tathagata would reunite in thought during this process and that Karma Tathagata would return to the body of the Awakened."

Karma Tathagata said with a smile, "The Awakened, Karma Tathagata, both are me, but for now, just call me ’Karma Tathagata.’ After all, the Awakened is already dead."

Upon hearing this word, Jiang Li’s heart settled down.

After all, no matter how it was, Karma Tathagata was the Awakened’s devil thought, if possible, the Awakened was still more suitable as an ally. Although the Awakened was also scheming and resourceful...

"Others would not think that as long as the Promotion Ceremony is completed, in the end, the layman would have won everything," Jiang Li also said with a smile.

If he surpasses the True Spirit of the Tathagata Fruit, then it is the promotion of the Awakened.

If the Awakened ultimately fails, then Karma Tathagata will take the stage.

As for the Promotion Ceremony... with the assistance of a third party, how could it not be completed?

Neither the Daoist Lord nor Great Venerable, no matter how omnipotent, could break through the hindrances of both sides to interrupt the Awakened’s Promotion Ceremony. So, from the beginning, the result was already determined.

Whether successful or not, it is the promotion of the Awakened, only the Dao Fruit obtained from the promotion will differ. Either become Buddha or transform into a demon.

"Becoming Buddha, becoming demon, there is actually no difference, Buddha and demon both are me, even that Tathagata Buddha, is solely ’I’ alone supreme,"

Karma Tathagata revealed a hint of regret at this point, "Unfortunately, my disciples and those who practice together with me have failed to realize this. Their ’I’ was suppressed by me."

This is the reasoning of "breaking the Buddha in the temple is easy, breaking the Buddha in the heart is difficult."

To some extent, Weitu and others could also be regarded as followers—followers of the Awakened, except that they were not so blind, not so fanatical, they only did not lose their rationality.

Therefore, the self-title "the Mazer" never even inspired the slightest doubt in them.

This level of trust and veneration actually exists widely in the hearts of people, Weitu and others are not exceptional, but if one wishes to achieve great accomplishments in Buddhist Law, it is still necessary to break this Buddha in the heart.

It’s not about making them as suspicious as Jiang Sikong, who is full of deceit, but about recognizing oneself and sole supremacy.

Of course, there’s no need to elaborate on the last sentence, lest the narrow-minded Jiang Sikong gets angry.

Thus, the biggest question of this great battle was answered: the final victor is the Awakened, which could also be Jiang Li.

The Awakened ascended and left the Buddha Country to Jiang Li. Although nominally, Ksitigarbha succeeded as Chief, in reality, Buddha Country was destined to be under Jiang Li’s rule.

From now on, Jiang Li’s Dao Fruit Divine Power will encompass Buddha Country, and the nation’s power will be at Jiang Li’s disposal.

[When this result was confirmed, Jiang Li keenly sensed a deepening of the fusion between the Green Emperor Dao Fruit and himself, but...]

[It’s not much.]

Jiang Li saw the words appear on the Karma Collection and sensed the fusion of the Dao Fruit and his own cause and effect.

As a Supreme, his perception could already discern everything about himself, grasping the progress of the Dao Fruit’s fusion was not difficult.

’Not much...’

Jiang Li couldn’t help but feel a sense of worry. ’Expanding territory does not dominate the Derivation Method of the Green Emperor Dao Fruit, incorporating Buddha Country only fused a part of it.’

Fuxi, as the leader of the Three Emperors and the first of the Hundred Kings, was historically the first confirmed ruler. His Dao Fruit Derivation Method is certainly related to governance, but from the current situation, simply expanding territories cannot meet Jiang Li’s derivation needs.

Although in theory, as long as one deduction method is determined, it is completely possible to achieve Perfection by relying on quantity. But at the current pace... taking over one Buddha Country can only advance a small part, how many Buddha Countries would it take to reach Perfection?

Based on Jiang Li’s grasp of the Dao Fruit, at least seven or eight more Buddha Countries would be needed to achieve full derivation of the Green Emperor Dao Fruit.

Moreover, these seven or eight Buddha Countries can’t only have territorial size; they also need population and a civilization level comparable to Buddha Country. People are the foundation of governance, territories are to support them.

’When I ascend to the throne in Great Zhou, there should be another improvement, but far from enough for Perfection.’

After roughly estimating the subsequent enhancements, Jiang Li had to set aside relying solely on governance to achieve Dao Fruit Perfection. ’If it were the Yellow Emperor Dao Fruit, the enhancement in this area would be far greater than that of the Green Emperor Dao Fruit. But the Green Emperor—or rather Fuxi—covers a vast range of areas.’

A myriad of thoughts flashed in his mind. Although Jiang Li concealed it well, Karma Tathagata still perceived the increase in Jiang Li’s amount of thought.

This being, now known as the Heavenly Demon Bodhi, had attained great heights in sensing thoughts. Even Jiang Li’s inner turmoil was subtly detected by Karma Tathagata, noticing that beneath Jiang Li’s calm exterior, thoughts surged like tides, but that was enough.

However, there seemed to be some misunderstanding regarding Jiang Li’s thoughts.

"Jiang Tanyue might have other speculations as well, never mind," Karma Tathagata chuckled lightly, "Ksitigarbha, bring the Great Saint over."

As the words fell, the bizarre Demon Realm turned normal, only the edges had faint barriers remaining, isolating inside and outside.

A vortex-like fissure appeared in mid-air, and then a golden light fell, revealing the figure of Sun Wukong, followed by a monk floating down.

Judging by the figure, this should be a Dharma Manifestation.

"Benefactor Jiang, please forgive me. Due to a great vow, I cannot easily leave the Yin World and can only meet through my Dharma Manifestation."

The monk was the semblance of King Zhuanlun, yet compared to the past, this monk emanated a more serene and far-reaching aura, a sense of purity and harmony, more resembling a Buddha than the Victorious Battle Buddha beside him.

"You monk, you’re indeed not dead."

Sun Wukong saw Karma Tathagata and smirked, not surprised. The monkey might not have a belly full of schemes like Jiang Li, but his spiritual sense was sharp enough that he would not revere the Awakened as a Buddha.

Upon seeing Karma Tathagata, he did not shout for a fight but boldly associated the Awakened and Karma Tathagata together, given Jiang Li’s presence.

"Indeed, bald monks have many thoughts."

Sun Wukong scratched his cheek, then looked at the monk and said, "And you, old Ksitigarbha, tell me, what’s going on with you?"

"Ksitigarbha is my excellent teacher and friend. Back in the day, when I came into contact with the Dao Artifact containing the Ksitigarbha King Tao Fruit and awakened its True Spirit, I greatly benefited from him. The method to revive the Great Saint was also deduced by Ksitigarbha. The Great Saint should thank Ksitigarbha greatly," Karma Tathagata said with a gentle smile.

"Amitabha, in encountering the Awakened, if I, a humble monk, did not comply, I might have been struck down by the Awakened,"

King Zhuanlun... or perhaps we should call him Ksitigarbha, made a small joke: "Moreover, I should thank the Awakened for aiding in my reincarnation and protecting my growth."

Thus...

"King Zhuanlun is Ksitigarbha." Sun Wukong pronounced the conclusion.

"Indeed, the erasure of the name of Ksitigarbha was actually to prevent the interference of incense in Ksitigarbha’s reincarnation," Karma Tathagata nodded and said, "For years, King Zhuanlun has been in seclusion in the Yin World, seemingly suppressing the True Spirit of the Dao Fruit, grinding it away step by step, but in reality, re-establishing communication with the Dao Fruit."