"Oh, Assistant Buddha, you must be my protector! I, Sun, joined Spirit Mountain with good intentions, working for our Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhist gates. Why does no one understand me?"
"Everyone treats me like a monster who eats for free, not thinking that the Tathagata Buddha, who was supposed to cede his position to me, my sworn father, is the one who wronged me the most."
"If you don't believe me, look at the surveillance footage of him going to the Pure Land. Although I couldn't divine what happened after he entered, I haven't seen him come out since!"
"Since it was him who went there, then who is this person who just destroyed himself here?"
"What exactly have I, Sun, done wrong? Just tell me, you criticize me one moment and then even Heaven's Dao doesn't deem me in violation. The next moment you praise me, pushing me to be Buddha when I don't even want to be."
"Now, this has happened. How am I supposed to face anyone?"
"I have been wholeheartedly dedicated to our Spirit Mountain."
"Now, when outsiders ask me, I don't know whether to answer or not. I can't possibly ask that Second Sect Master, Daoist Zhunti, to come out, can I?"
"Although it's obvious to all that they are the ones behind this, and my sworn father is executing it, I truly don't want them to be in trouble. Can you give me a way out? Or, just kill me?"
"For Spirit Mountain, for the Western Religion, and for everyone, I can die, only hoping my sworn father and the two Sect Masters will not toy with me, Sun."
"I am just a monkey demon. No matter how much I court death, no matter how recklessly I provoke, it's just like a child without parents seeking warmth. Why must you abuse me like this?"
"Wuwuwu!"
Compared to the staged performance of Tathagata Buddha and the two Sages of the Western Religion, Sun Kong was much simpler. He knew that his previous reckless behavior had offended many Buddhas in Spirit Mountain, making it difficult to win their allegiance.
Constantly clashing with these people didn't seem right; he had to change his approach.
Now, with the Seven Great Sages about to descend, he would face immense risk even if he didn't want to ascend.
To avoid this danger and to unite everyone after his countless reckless acts, he had to change his strategy temporarily.
He would no longer solely rely on courting death to shock others and gain rewards.
Instead, he would use another method: crying. Yes, the ultimate skill of that Liu Xuande from hundreds of years ago. Crying, using tears to shock everyone in a reversed manner.
To gain sympathy.
To gain support.
And to gain unknown rewards from this first-ever attempt. From this perspective, he was truly the first innovator of this era!
Using the "Seven-Star Formation of Marquis Wu," Sun Kong had deduced the scenes of Tathagata Buddha traveling to the Pure Land of the Western Religion. Although he couldn't monitor what happened after he entered, these scenes alone proved half of his words to be true.
Furthermore, Tathagata Buddha had planned this with only the two Sages of the Western Religion, without informing anyone. Thus, when the images of two Tathagata Buddhas appeared, everyone, including the Burning Lamp Buddha, was shocked!
Although, the Burning Lamp Buddha and others immediately realized that this was likely Tathagata Buddha's ploy to trick Sun Kong into ascending and dealing with the Seven Great Sages for him.
It was a conventional tactic to divert the conflict.
This was originally within their plan to use Sun Kong together. However, the suddenness and lack of prior consultation made the Burning Lamp Buddha and the others displeased.
Coupled with Sun Kong's tearful performance, the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain felt uneasy. They didn't side with Sun Kong 100% because of this, but they feared being the next to be tricked!
So.
Before Sun Kong could further curse Zhunti and Jieyin, the two unrighteous Daoists, with his death-courting methods, the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain who heard this...
Were all blown away on the spot, one by one!
"So, what the Buddha said about ceding his position was all a lie? In reality, it was to manipulate our emotions, and then deal with Monkey Kong when he arrived?"
"How does this sound so outrageous?"
"This is like those corrupt and incompetent rulers in the mortal world, who forge evidence of rebellion against a minister to sow discord among other ministers!"
"The Buddha is the ancestor of our Spirit Mountain's myriad Buddhas, and someone we have revered for millennia. How did he suddenly become so selfish, so… alas!"
An Arhat, who had been repeatedly ignored and hurt by Tathagata Buddha, was the first to stand out and express his dissatisfaction after hearing Sun Kong's words.
Although he and others still feared Tathagata Buddha's authority and the support of the two Sages of the Western Religion for him, they couldn't help but feel some sympathy for Sun Kong, who was so skilled at courting death that he was reduced to tears. This prompted him to speak out.
Although his sigh didn't represent him siding with Sun Kong or being unhappy with Tathagata Buddha, it was followed by more expressions of indignation.
"Exactly, exactly. The Buddha can do anything, but he shouldn't use such despicable methods. While Sun Monkey is indeed unruly, we agree he should be disciplined."
"This is for his own good and for the good of Spirit Mountain."
"But why this time, without any notice, using such despicable means that even we can't stand it?"
"More than that, when Tathagata and our Assistant Buddha joined the Western Religion back then, why is he the head and our Assistant Buddha merely the second-in-command?"
"I once suspected if he used some special means. Now it seems he did. Even his adopted son doesn't cover for him, so why should we?"
"That's right. Before, we all thought Sun Monkey was Spirit Mountain's biggest troublemaker, our arch-enemy. Now it seems Tathagata is. Sun Monkey can eliminate his own kin for righteousness, but he is even more reckless than Sun Monkey."
"With such a Buddha, should we still revere him?"
"Instead, why don't we revere the Assistant Buddha? Otherwise, I'm truly worried that Spirit Mountain will be ruined by Tathagata before the Journey to the West even begins!"
As more Buddhas of Spirit Mountain joined the ranks of those dissatisfied with Tathagata and denouncing him, the outcome that the two Sages of the Western Religion and Tathagata Buddha had expected did not materialize.
Instead, it backfired.
It turned into a scene they never anticipated: Monkey Kong eliminating his own kin for righteousness, and the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain waking up from their despair!
Although, up to this point, it was only those dissatisfied with Tathagata Buddha, plus those from the Burning Lamp Buddha's faction attacking Tathagata Buddha.
Saying he was unworthy of being Buddha and must yield to Burning Lamp.
However, the three of them knew clearly that this trend would not stop even if Tathagata Buddha returned. Instead, with Sun Kong changing his strategy this time, replacing constant death-courting with crying and eliminating his own kin for righteousness, the conflict and contradictions between him and the Buddhas decreased, while their interests gradually converged.
It was very likely that they would unite and overthrow Tathagata in the near future.
If that were to happen.
Even the two Sages of the Western Religion would be unable to maintain the situation!