"Rulai, this is a discord within your Spirit Mountain's Lesser Vehicle Buddhism. Because of a mere Sun Houzi, your scheme has been instantly thwarted."
"We never imagined that after we supported you to become the Spirit Mountain's Buddha, you would be so useless. After millions of years, you still haven't unified everyone internally, and you've given the Buddha Randeng and others an opportunity?"
"With such a stellar move, how are we two supposed to evaluate you?"
"Furthermore, look at that Sun Houzi. Although he courted death countless times recently, causing shock and outrage with his outrageous behavior, he has now learned to play by the rules."
"On one hand, he truly grieves for your feigned death, earning our admiration. He revealed the truth only to the Buddhas, keeping it from leaking and thus preserving the Spirit Mountain's dignity. On the other hand, he has shown the courage to eliminate relatives for the greater good, turning you into the enemy of all Buddhas in an instant."
"Regardless of whether he intends to continue causing trouble or has other motives, with this single act of inciting discord among the Buddhas and accelerating their dissatisfaction with you, you couldn't learn this in ten thousand years."
"For now, we don't wish to force you, nor do we want you to truly fall. However, as the Patriarch of Ten Thousand Buddhas whom we have nurtured for so many years, you must come up with a plan."
"Could it be that you intend to simply watch as all the Buddhas oppose your return, causing our plan of billions of years to fall apart?"
More and more of the Spirit Mountain's Buddhas were dissatisfied with the Buddha Rulai. They did not directly join Sun Kong's side, but instead chose to support another, relatively better candidate.
That candidate was none other than the Buddha Randeng!
Witnessing these events unfold without being able to directly intervene, Jieyin Daoist of the Western Sect remained silent, but Zhunti Daoist was clearly agitated!
His agitation stemmed from Sun Kong's more brilliant tactics this time, which shifted from his usual direct courting of death and causing shock, to an act that even Buddha Randeng admired – his display of righteousness in sacrificing kin.
It was truly perfect.
His agitation also stemmed from their carefully devised plan, which had barely been implemented before Sun Kong exposed it, without showing any results.
Worse still, as the Spirit Mountain's Buddhas began to defect, even the Two Sages felt awkward about continuing to defend the Buddha Rulai, or about taking action to punish Sun Kong, or simply to suppress the Buddhas.
His agitation was further fueled by seeing that the Buddha Rulai, who witnessed all this, could only muster anxiety and rage, but no other effective means to control the situation.
He could only watch as Buddha Randeng remained silent, yet was gradually being pushed by the Buddhas into the position that belonged to him!
It had to be said.
Compared to Sun Kong, the master of mischief and the king of acting, the Buddha Rulai, the foremost expert of the Spirit Mountain, seemed utterly incompetent.
Just as Zhunti Daoist lamented his misfortune and criticized his lack of initiative, merely two or three breaths later, Jieyin Daoist, the Great Sect Leader who usually didn't meddle much.
Finally, he broke his usual silence.
As expected.
His words echoed the wishes of the Buddhas and the trend of the Spirit Mountain, siding with the Buddhas and Sun Kong at the expense of Rulai!
"Rulai!"
"Your disciple is here, please enlighten me, Great Sect Leader. It's not that Rulai is incompetent, but this Monkey is too cunning. He incited the Buddhas with just a few words, as if they had forgotten how they were tormented by this Monkey."
"Reporting to the Two Sect Leaders, Rulai did have a matter on his mind previously that he didn't disclose. According to the Jade Emperor, this Monkey might be the seed of the eighth Saint."
"During this period, it's not that Rulai lacks the ability to manage the Spirit Mountain, nor do I wish to forcefully unify hearts and minds, but it's the Heavenly Dao itself..."
"Alas! I beg the Two Sages to continue to support me no matter what. Otherwise, it's fine if I lose my position as Buddha, but if this Monkey truly achieves Sainthood, it will be troublesome."
"You have seen the stubbornness of this Monkey. He is already tormenting enough without being a Saint. If he becomes a Saint, perhaps even you will not have an easy time."
Facing the indifferent gaze of Jieyin Daoist, the Buddha Rulai knew that he was in deep trouble this time, and could only shift the blame.
He intended to use Sun Kong's "background" to make the Two Sages continue to support him.
However.
It was better not to mention the Jade Emperor's supposed records.
The moment this was brought up, Jieyin Daoist frowned slightly, clearly not believing such a claim that they themselves had not foreseen. Zhunti Daoist, after a brief divination.
Discovered that the entire Heavenly Court was shielded.
Instantly, he flew into a rage!
"Rulai, how foolish you are!"
"Although that Jade Emperor was someone we chose to cooperate with you, did you not consider that if Sun Houzi were truly the seed of the eighth Saint, would we two not know?"
"Even if this matter is shielded by the Heavenly Dao, and no one else knows until he becomes a Saint, have you considered that if Sun Houzi is truly a seed for Sainthood, would the Jade Emperor not offer half of the Heavenly Court to win him over?"
"Ah, you, what can I say about you?"
"Whether the Jade Emperor's words are true or not, and the reason for the sudden shielding of heavenly secrets, I do not know much about. However, I am certain that this matter is suspicious."
"Furthermore, while Sun Houzi has consistently courted death and gained benefits like joining the Spirit Mountain by tormenting others, have you considered this."
"Perhaps he did this not out of fear of death or to disrupt the Journey to the West, but because he saw through your irresponsibility and feared being abandoned by you, his adoptive father, thus taking this desperate risk?"
"To be honest, at first, we all believed your explanation that Sun Houzi and Jin Chanzi must be kept in the dark and used. "
"But now, looking back, it seems we were all confused by your foolishness. Don't blame me for my temper, nor for my scolding. Your actions, which bring sorrow to loved ones and joy to enemies, are simply a betrayal of the Spirit Mountain and of us."
"Now, do you still want to sow discord between us and Sun Houzi?"
"If I were you, I would quickly go back, apologize to all the Buddhas, and if you can preserve your position as Buddha, quickly mend your relationship with the Buddhas and Sun Houzi, and work together to promote the Journey to the West."
"If you can't, then abdicate. I think Buddha Randeng is quite good. Although his cultivation is not as high as yours, he is more steady and cautious, and his relationship with Sun Houzi and the Buddhas is ten times stronger than yours."
"Don't make further excuses for yourself. If you were wrong, you were wrong. If you lost, you lost. After admitting your mistake this time, if there is an opportunity in the future, we can still support you!"
Zhunti Daoist's scolding was so thorough and satisfying, yet it pushed the Buddha Rulai to the brink of extreme humiliation, almost causing him to turn against them.
Anyone could see that the Buddha Rulai had made a mistake this time, but at most fifty percent. The other fifty percent was due to Sun Kong's change in tactics, using methods that were easier to incite people with, to stir up the Buddhas.
It was indeed too vicious.
It was indeed too precise!
But Rulai lacked the courage, the boldness, and the justification to turn against the Two Sages at this moment. He could only swallow the bitter fruit and prepare to abdicate.
However.
Just then, Sun Kong from the Spirit Mountain started causing trouble again.
This time, it was no longer simple courting of death, nor ordinary acting of grief, but a more terrifying masterstroke!