"Precisely, what kind of major event would necessitate the Tathagata Buddha employing such a method to secretly converse with the Monkey King?"
"Could it be that he's truly going to become his adoptive father?"
"Then what does that make us..."
Just as the Burning Lamp Buddha harbored this thought,
He felt a pang of displeasure, a sense of being utilized by the Tathagata Buddha.
Meanwhile, Guanyin and the other three felt a surge of resentment. They dared not confront the Tathagata Buddha, nor could they blame the Burning Lamp Buddha for not attending to business.
They could only offer cold smiles!
"Deputy Buddha, this situation is truly heartbreaking. Our sacred Spirit Mountain nearly fractured because of that Monkey King."
"Indeed, indeed. You are the second-in-command of our Spirit Mountain. You must have a good talk with the Tathagata Buddha."
"We all know that the Monkey King, relying on the support of Nuwa and his status as the elder martial brother of the Journey to the West and the future Victorious Fighting Buddha, constantly threatens us."
"We can tolerate this and overlook it."
"After all, it is for the sake of the grand scheme of Spirit Mountain and the great undertaking of the Journey to the West."
"However, in the end, he will only be an ordinary Buddha, called the Victorious Fighting Buddha, which sounds imposing. In reality, he is merely a watchdog for the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain."
"Wasn't our original plan for him to replace those unworthy disciples, and under the guise of the Victorious Fighting Buddha, guard the gates of Spirit Mountain and face more tribulations?"
"How is it that we remain unchanged in our original intentions, and you have not, yet the Tathagata Buddha... Alas, what will become of this if it continues?"
"It cannot be that after all our hard work, he will truly become the third-in-command of Spirit Mountain, directing all of us, can it?"
"Even if we don't care, you are the Deputy Buddha. Don't you feel..."
Before the four could finish their sarcastic remarks,
The Burning Lamp Buddha, already fuming, knew they were trying to sow discord.
However, simultaneously, as the things the four mentioned were gradually happening – Sun Kong becoming increasingly presumptuous and self-destructive, and the Tathagata Buddha increasingly reprimanding him in public while indulging him in secret –
The Burning Lamp Buddha's anger was nearing ten thousand,
About to erupt for the second time!
Suddenly,
Two familiar Venerables arrived, namely the direct disciples of the Tathagata Buddha, Ananda and Kashyapa, who were seeking them.
"What are you here for?"
"Aren't you accompanying your master and his adopted son, Monkey King, for a song and dance, celebrating how they've taken control of Spirit Mountain?"
Before the Four Great Bodhisattvas could speak, the Burning Lamp Buddha, with a hint of his anger, posed this question.
Ananda and Kashyapa on the opposite side were taken aback.
They had no idea where the Burning Lamp Buddha's fury originated.
However, they quickly apologized and immediately conveyed the Tathagata Buddha's original message.
It wasn't to distance himself from them,
Nor was it to drive them away.
Instead, it was an invitation for these five to come over, stating that both the Tathagata Buddha and Sun Kong had a major matter that required their consultation!
"Is this true?"
"So, the Tathagata and Monkey King didn't rehearse beforehand, but thought of this plan on the spot because others were making too much of a fuss, forcing them to secretly..."
"Oh, we understand, we get it now. Venerables, please go ahead, we will follow shortly."
The Burning Lamp Buddha and the other four instinctively felt that this was false.
But upon receiving repeated confirmation from Ananda and Kashyapa that it was true, the five immediately felt that the Tathagata Buddha had not distanced himself from them nor forgotten them.
It was simply that the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain were too rowdy, making private conversations difficult, hence the need for secret discussions.
Thinking this,
They felt the Tathagata Buddha was treating them quite well.
As important as ever!
Given this, the Burning Lamp Buddha and the other four, their anger turning to joy, wasted no more time and, without any politeness, arrived at the Tathagata Buddha's palace while others were still arguing.
Upon entering, they heard the Tathagata Buddha and Sun Kong discussing two major matters that would influence the future of Spirit Mountain and the calamity of the Journey to the West!
"Since you, Wukong, insist that this Six-Eared Macaque possesses some demonic abilities, and is located at a specific coordinate in the void of chaos."
"I, as Buddha, will no longer argue with you, but we must make an agreement. You must remember, now that everything has been laid bare, the Journey to the West will be even more difficult to manage."
"Furthermore, next month, representatives from all sides will be coming to negotiate the details of the Eighty-One Tribulations. Your presence is required, so I cannot assist you, but you must return as soon as possible."
"Otherwise, if in the future of the Journey to the West, there are any aspects you are dissatisfied with, do not blame me."
The Tathagata Buddha, who had been fuming just moments ago, now appeared as benevolent and resigned as a father towards Sun Kong.
His words carried multiple layers of meaning.
Firstly, as Sun Kong grew stronger, the Tathagata Buddha gradually shifted from his initial intention of merely using him as a pawn, and began to include him in a core group of six.
Making him the seventh insider!
He was even planning for these seven to jointly negotiate the details of the Journey to the West tribulations with outsiders, demonstrating his profound consideration.
Secondly, Sun Kong's status had been further elevated. While the other five were envious, they also heard astonishing news from him.
The Six-Eared Macaque defecting to the demons?
The revival of the demons?
A specific coordinate in the void of chaos?
The five understood none of these matters, but being core members of Spirit Mountain, they could infer some fragmented clues after some thought.
And were instantly shocked anew!
"Buddha, Wukong, is what you two just said true?"
"It's truly strange. We just performed a divination and could not ascertain the whereabouts of that Six-Eared Macaque, nor could we divine any heavenly secrets related to the Heavenly Court."
"Could it be that the Heavenly Court, after their previous defeat, colluded with the Six-Eared Macaque? But how much power could a mere Six-Eared Macaque possess?"
Despite their shock, the five, considering themselves the architects of the Journey to the West tribulation, still found it hard to believe that a Six-Eared Macaque at the peak of Golden Immortal cultivation could make Sun Kong and the Tathagata Buddha so grave.
Upon hearing this, Sun Kong was too lazy to repeat himself.
The Tathagata Buddha, however, was quite patient and recounted to these five insiders the new Six-Eared Macaque, Wuzhiqi, wormholes, and other matters that Sun Kong had mentioned in the past quarter of an hour.
As Sun Kong had kept quiet about Zhu Laoban and Sha Laozong, the two time-traveling tourists,
Even the Tathagata Buddha did not mention this, instead treating Sun Kong's recklessness, madness, and their shock as mere anxiety.
And thus,
The Tathagata Buddha shifted from 100% utilization of Sun Kong to a fifty-fifty partnership, a mutually beneficial arrangement!
"What in the world is all this?"
"Could it be that the Journey to the West, as decreed by the Heavenly Dao, is undergoing a new change because of this?"
"Also, Wukong, you mentioned going to a specific coordinate in the void of chaos. Are you just going like that, aren't you afraid of dying... Damn, you've broken through again?"
The Burning Lamp Buddha and the other four were stunned as they suddenly witnessed his cultivation increase by a small realm.
This time, the system provided a reward as usual, and the reward was...