Sun Kong was hesitating in surprise.
From the crowd, a person emerged whom he had never expected!
It was none other than the senior disciple of the Great Vehicle Buddhism of the Western Teachings, whose cultivation was on par with Chan Master Wu Chao and Peacock Mingwang, but whose status was even higher than anyone else's.
Maitreya Buddha.
His appearance signified that today's events truly involved the two Sages of the Western Teachings, Daoist Jieyin and Daoist Zhunti!
"Greetings, Squad Leader Sun, greetings, Deputy Squad Leader Randeng. I, this humble Buddha, have a few words I wish to say to Squad Leader Sun."
"If you ask me, considering Squad Leader Sun's contributions to our Western Teachings over these past centuries, calling him Squad Leader is too disrespectful. He should be addressed as Ancestral Patriarch Jie!"
"After all, we have diligently cultivated Buddhist teachings for many years with no progress, yet he has found a new path, astounding others with his recklessness to gain advancement. This is the new Great Dao, worthy of our admiration."
"Therefore, long before coming out this time, I suggested to my master, Daoist Jieyin, and my uncle, Daoist Zhunti, that not only the Lesser Vehicle Buddhism of Spirit Mountain, but even the Great Vehicle Buddhism..."
"...should be placed under the command of Ancestor Sun."
After saying these words,
Maitreya Buddha, whose status was several levels higher than Tathagata Buddha, Randeng Buddha, and even Sun Kong, surprisingly abandoned his expected animosity towards Sun Kong.
Instead, he sincerely knelt down.
His kneeling prevented Randeng Buddha and the others from remaining standing. They all rose and moved below, kneeling before Sun Kong!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three kowtows each, signifying their attitude towards Sun Kong had truly reached a level of utmost respect, surpassing that of an ancestor.
None of this brought Sun Kong any joy. Instead, he instinctively felt something was amiss.
He instinctively wanted to leave.
But then.
At this moment, the voices of the two Sages of the Western Teachings echoed from the sky above Spirit Mountain.
It was none other than...
confirming Sun Kong's official title as Deputy Buddha, the head of the Death-Seeking Training Class, and the "Ancestor Sun" as he was called by many, and other special treatments!
"Wukong, why be so humble? When I, Bodhi Patriarch, enlightened you back then, was it not with the hope that you would surpass your predecessors?"
"Now, you have won the hearts of the people of the Great Vehicle and Lesser Vehicle Buddhism of the Western Teachings without using any force. This is your good karma."
"If not now, when will you accept the worship of all with peace of mind?"
Daoist Zhunti's words left Sun Kong speechless.
This was not the end.
Seeing that Sun Kong still had many doubts, fearing that he was being set up for a fall and might face trouble later, the great leader of the Western Teachings, who rarely spoke casually.
Daoist Jieyin.
Even broke his usual silence.
With his first words, he made a momentous promise to Sun Kong, and swore upon his True Spirit as a Sage, which was entrusted to the Heavenly Dao.
Sun Kong had no choice but to believe!
"Sun Wukong, the calamity of the Journey to the West began with you, rose with you, and changed with you. Do you truly think the demons' methods are easy to deal with if you refuse to accept the people of the Great Vehicle and Lesser Vehicle Buddhism now?"
"I know your worries, but I swear upon my True Spirit as a Sage entrusted to the Heavenly Dao that this is not a setup, nor is it a trap for you. If I break this oath, or if it truly harms you in the future, let my True Spirit as a Sage be destroyed by the Heavenly Dao. You are a wise person; you know what that means."
"You are also a practical person. Currently, your arrangements seem perfect, but in reality, there are many variables. Without their help, not only will your lineage of New Flower Fruit Mountain suffer, but our Western Teachings will also be unsettled."
"I do this for you, for the Journey to the West, and for the Western Teachings. Please consider it carefully!"
After speaking.
Daoist Jieyin and Daoist Zhunti no longer urged Sun Kong.
But at this moment, Sun Kong truly had no way to refuse their help. If nothing else, the four great demon gods of the Asura Sect alone...
Their cultivation was beyond Sun Kong's.
Without the people of the Great Vehicle and Lesser Vehicle Buddhism as subordinates, if Sun Kong himself did not intervene, the outcome of the human-demon war in the mortal realm would be uncertain.
And Sun Kong knew too well the consequences if Rahula succeeded.
At best, it would endanger the first round of the Journey to the West in the Land of Immortals.
At worst, it could destabilize the Heavenly Dao. As someone most supported by the Heavenly Dao and Patriarch Hongjun, Sun Kong would surely be the first to be held accountable!
"Good heavens, others only get a pillow when they're sleepy. Here I am, not even sleepy yet, and two Sages are sending me a pillow."
"Not only is it impolite to refuse their offer. Second, they have all sworn upon their True Spirits as Sages. It seems there really is no scheme. Even if there is, their price is even higher, right?"
"Since it's come to this, I, Old Sun, will be sensible this once and cooperate with these bald monks to see how it goes."
"Even if they turn on me, I, Old Sun, am not afraid. If it comes to that, my most revered mother, Empress Nuwa, will surely not stand by and watch."
An hour later.
After much deliberation, Sun Kong finally temporarily accepted the sincere surrender of the Western Teachings' followers. Given that their oaths were sworn upon their True Spirits as Sages, he did not overthink it.
Instead, he settled into the position of head of the Death-Seeking Training Class.
Then.
According to Sun Kong's plan, with the "voluntary" cooperation of these Great Vehicle and Lesser Vehicle Buddhist factions, two major tasks were accomplished in one go.
First, he divided them into classes.
Randeng Buddha, along with other Buddhas and the Eight Great Bodhisattvas, formed the first class, which Sun Kong himself would personally instruct in how to seek death and continue to provoke the demons – an advanced class.
The Three Thousand Buddhas constituted the second class, a secondary advanced class.
The Five Hundred Arhats were the third class, the regular class.
The Eight Hundred Vajras and Three Thousand Jieti, being the lowest in cultivation, naturally formed the fourth class, the reserve class.
Of course.
While he trusted the two Sages of the Western Teachings, it did not mean Sun Kong held absolutely no reservations towards the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain.
On the very first day of teaching, he hid three advanced techniques for seeking death, only revealing one of the most basic techniques he had used since his transmigration:
Mindless passion, mindless opposition.
He used this technique to teach these people how to deal with demons, the Jie Sect, and the Heavenly Court!
Then.
Something astonishing happened that even stunned Sun Kong.
The system immediately counted the behavior of these people going out to provoke the Jie Sect, the Heavenly Court, and the demons as his own, and granted him rewards!
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for mastering the skill of establishing the Death-Seeking Training Class. Although you have not directly shocked the targets, you have indirectly succeeded through others.]
[This indirect shock and indirect alteration of karma grants seven-tenths of the reward to the host and three-tenths to them.]
With the system's confirmation, Sun Kong felt even more at ease. After dividing them into classes, he immediately gathered everyone and launched a thunderous assault.
The new target.
The demon army in the mortal realm!
...
Western Teachings.
Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Just as Sun Kong was directing the Buddhas to move out with a mix of suspicion and temporary trust, Daoist Jieyin and Daoist Zhunti, who had sworn upon their True Spirits as Sages just moments before.
Suddenly let out a cold, sinister laugh!
It seemed.
They did not care about their oaths as Sages at all, and were truly harboring more terrifying schemes against Sun Kong!