Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 651 - 645: Disturbing the Tathagata【Seeking subscription, Seeking monthly pass】_1

Tang Sanzang burst into laughter. "Wait until my cultivation breaks through to the Quasi-Saint Realm, wait until all the Celestial Gods and Buddhas become restless."

Sun Wukong grinned. "That wouldn't be bad."

"I, Old Sun, really do want to see what it looks like when all the Celestial Gods and Buddhas become restless." He then laughed heartily.

Tang Sanzang looked at him deeply once more. "You also need to work hard on your cultivation. Although you are very strong now, probably having reached the Intermediate Stage of Semi-saint, once you leave Five Finger Mountain, you will have to face all the Celestial Gods and Buddhas."

Sun Wukong's eyes sharpened. He had not expected his own secrets to be seen through by this great Monk before him.

Although the realm of his cultivation appeared to be that of a Pinnacle Daluo, in fact, he felt that once he left Five Finger Mountain, he would be able to immediately break through to the Intermediate Stage of Semi-saint.

Even Tathagata, who came to Five Finger Mountain previously, could not see through this, yet this great Monk before him had such keen insight!?

Tang Sanzang said, "Great Saint, you need not worry. I can't see your secrets. I know all this because it was revealed by my mentor."

Sun Wukong's eyes were even more shocked. "To be honest, I have never met your mentor, yet I have received so many favors from him. I wonder just how strong he is now."

"If there's a chance, I really would like to spar with him."

Tang Sanzang said, "You will have that opportunity soon, but you must endure. Once you leave Five Finger Mountain, all the eyes of the Celestial Gods and Buddhas will be on you, and your strength will no longer remain concealed."

"Once they know you have the power of a Quasi-Saint, whether you will continue to obediently be a lapdog of Buddhism is their biggest concern."

Sun Wukong's face also became a bit solemn. "So this is the real reason why Old Sun hasn't left this place. Otherwise, with heaven and earth so vast, I would have long roamed the Three Realms."

Tang Sanzang nodded with a smile. "That's right. You must find a way to possess the strength that makes all the Celestial Gods and Buddhas wary of you, yet not dare to act against you. Otherwise, even if you have incredible strength, if they wish to suppress you, they will. Then all your efforts would have been in vain, merely benefiting others."

Sun Wukong asked, "If that's the case, what level of cultivation do I need to achieve to have the power to protect myself?"

Tang Sanzang asked, "Do you still remember your archrival, Erlang God Yang Jian?"

"I remember. My current strength has far surpassed his. Next time we meet, I will be sure to gouge out his third eye!" Sun Wukong declared proudly.

Yet Tang Sanzang shook his head, saying, "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I've heard that not long ago, Erlang God Yang Jian caused a great commotion in the Heavenly Palace and rescued Nezha, Red Boy, and others from the grasp of the Celestial Gods and Buddhas."

A light burst forth in Sun Wukong's eyes, his body quivering with excitement, almost causing Five Finger Mountain to crumble.

He anxiously asked, "What exactly happened?"

Tang Sanzang said, "Actually, it's not a major event. This matter is a long story, and I'll tell you more when I have the chance. You just need to know that Erlang God Yang Jian's strength has now reached High-rank Quasi Saint."

HISS!

Sun Wukong could no longer contain himself and actually thought about bursting out of Five Finger Mountain.

Fortunately, Tang Sanzang quickly held him back. "Great Saint, don't be agitated. Even if you are under Five Finger Mountain, you can still cultivate. Coming out now will only attract unnecessary trouble."

Sun Wukong said, "I, Old Sun, can't believe that three-eyed creature is so formidable. But then again, there were very few who could stand as my equal. If he didn't make any progress, I, Old Sun, would look down on him."

Tang Sanzang just smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Afterward, the two of them sat and meditated. Tang Sanzang was hard at work on his cultivation, constantly refining his Primordial Spirit and his body.

As for his cultivation level, though it was something he wanted to break through, what he wanted even more was to enhance his Primordial Spirit.

He decided to let his cultivation level progress naturally.

Sun Wukong, holding his breath, also began to earnestly cultivate. He did not want to fall too far behind Yang Jian; otherwise, wouldn't it be embarrassing if he couldn't defeat Yang Jian after leaving Five Finger Mountain?

As the two of them cultivated on Five Finger Mountain, the Celestial Gods and Buddhas became anxious.

The news reached the Southern Sea, and Guanyin Bodhisattva found out. She immediately went to the Great Thunder Sound Temple to discuss the matter in detail with Tathagata Buddha.

"Honorable Buddha, Tang Sanzang has refused to continue his Journey to the West upon reaching Five Finger Mountain and has not released Sun Wukong. He is meditating under the mountain," Guanyin Bodhisattva reported.

Tathagata Buddha closed his eyes and saw the events unfolding under Five Finger Mountain.

However, he was unaware of the conversation between Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong, knowing only that these two seemed to be getting along very well, without the hostility he had imagined.

This made Tathagata Buddha somewhat uneasy, and he frowned.

"You must personally go to Five Finger Mountain and urge Tang Sanzang to promptly continue his Journey to the West. Tell Sun Wukong to protect Tang Sanzang so he can be granted his freedom afterward," Tathagata Buddha instructed.

At that moment, Ran Deng Buddha appeared, clasped his hands together, and said, "Honorable Buddha, I'm afraid that Tang Sanzang harbors ulterior motives and does not wish to undertake the Journey to the West."

Tathagata Buddha replied, "He was personally sent into reincarnation by Saint Zhunti, erasing the memories of his past and present lives. Now like a blank slate, he holds deep reverence for our Buddhism. How could he dare refuse the Journey to the West?"

Ran Deng Buddha said, "Your words are wise, Honorable Buddha. However, Tang Sanzang's actions are highly suspicious. Guanyin Bodhisattva's strength is insufficient; if she goes to Five Finger Mountain, she may fall victim to that monkey's wrath."

Tathagata Buddha said, "That monkey only appears to have the strength of a Pinnacle Daluo, but in reality, his power has likely reached the Quasi-Saint Realm, and at a very profound level. It seems he has received guidance from an expert, learning to conceal his true capabilities and bide his time. For some reason, his methods remind me of Sha Chen from the Flowing Sand River."

At the mention of Sha Chen, both Ran Deng Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva felt a chill in their hearts.

Maitreya Honorable Buddha and Xianglong Arhat were slain by Sha Chen, and yet Buddhism could not harm Sha Chen in the slightest, unable to seek revenge.

Neither Ran Deng Buddha nor Guanyin Bodhisattva knew that Tathagata Buddha had once visited the Flowing Sand River, only to find himself powerless against Sha Chen.

They were even less aware that Saint Zhunti had also visited the Flowing Sand River, with the same fruitless result.

Sha Chen had, by now, become so powerful that no single individual within Buddhism could confront him alone.

To suppress Sha Chen, it was necessary to mobilize the entire strength of Buddhism. Only that would be the safest and most likely way to suppress him.

Beyond this, there were no other options.

Unless they could divert the threat eastward, prompting other Saints to intervene.

However, even Tathagata Buddha did not expect that Sha Chen could now face Lord Yuan Shi directly and not be defeated.

He instructed Guanyin Bodhisattva to personally visit Five Finger Mountain to expedite Tang Sanzang's and Sun Wukong's Journey to the West.

However, the Ancient Buddha was skeptical of Guanyin Bodhisattva's ability to handle it alone. Tathagata then proposed that his two disciples, Kassapa and Ananda, accompany her.