Mount Ling.
Purple energy flowed from the east for a hundred thousand miles.
Dragons and phoenixes soared through the sky in auspicious signs.
These sudden celestial phenomena immediately drew the attention of countless gods and buddhas.
"Another disciple of my Buddhist sect has broken through to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm?"
The Tathagata rejoiced.
All the buddhas also showed expressions of relief.
In the Three Realms, Taiyi Golden Immortal was not the strongest, but it was the dividing line between strength and weakness.
The Western Heaven was, after all, a latecomer among the Three Realms.
In terms of power, it was inferior to the Heavenly Court and Mount Kunlun.
However, with two Taiyi Golden Immortals achieved on Mount Ling in a single day, it was naturally a cause for great joy.
Yet, normally, all the buddhas studied Buddhist scriptures in the Great Thunderclap Temple.
From the buddhas above to the Arhats below, none had left.
Then who could this disciple who had broken through at this moment be?
"Let this seat deduce, and we shall know."
The Tathagata immediately began to calculate with his fingers.
And one breath later, the smile on his face froze.
Immediately after, his brows furrowed.
This clearly indicated a major problem!
"My Buddha, who exactly has broken through?"
"How can it make my Buddha wear such an expression?"
Guanyin asked with concern.
"Jin Chanzi!"
The Tathagata uttered a name.
As these three words were spoken, a clamor erupted throughout the Great Hall.
"Jin Chanzi?"
"How is that possible?"
All the buddhas looked incredulous.
It was the critical moment for Jin Chanzi's reincarnation and transmigration, yet he had broken through.
For countless years, Jin Chanzi had never taken this step. This was his inner demon.
However, at the critical moment, Jin Chanzi's inner demon was resolved.
And he had successfully stepped into the realm of the powerful.
How could he be willing to descend into reincarnation now?
"Sun Monkey!"
"It must be him!"
"Jin Chanzi had only just come into contact with him, and he broke through to Taiyi Golden Immortal. Is there such a coincidence in this world?"
Guanyin gritted her teeth and said angrily.
At the same time, Guanyin was also extremely regretful.
She had known earlier that Sun Kong possessed a pile of Nine Revolutions Golden Pills.
Helping Jin Chanzi break through would have been a matter of minutes.
But she had actually suggested that Jin Chanzi persuade Sun Kong. Wasn't this asking for trouble!
Now that Jin Chanzi's cultivation had greatly increased, he would absolutely refuse to abandon his cultivation and enter reincarnation.
If he didn't enter reincarnation, how could he become Tang Sanzang?
Without Tang Sanzang, who would embark on the Journey to the West?
Damn monkey, you have ruined the great cause of my Buddhist sect!
"Guanyin, are you saying that Jin Chanzi's breakthrough was Sun Monkey's doing?"
"And that the Bull Demon King achieving Taiyi Golden Immortal was also Sun Monkey's credit?"
"A mere stone monkey, and only a Taiyi Golden Immortal, how could he possess such great ability?"
At this moment, someone raised a doubt.
The cultivation of immortals was one step more difficult than the last.
Even with the blessing of heavenly treasures, the cultivation required to advance a realm was calculated in tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions, and even tens of millions of years.
Unless Sun Monkey was Taishang Laojun, with endless immortal pills.
Otherwise, helping two Golden Immortals achieve the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm in one day was unimaginably difficult.
"This!"
Guanyin was temporarily speechless.
She couldn't tell all the buddhas that Sun Kong would produce hundreds of Nine Revolutions Golden Pills at once, could she?
Moreover, she had even been tricked by Sun Kong for a few Nine Revolutions Golden Pills and had her Jade Net Bottle taken away.
Such a shameful matter, how could she possibly say it out loud!
"Let's set aside the matter of Sun Monkey for now."
"The urgent task is that after Jin Chanzi's successful breakthrough, he will definitely not want to enter reincarnation."
"This matter concerns the grand trend of the Journey to the West, and we absolutely cannot comply with Jin Chanzi."
"Everyone, please quickly find a way to make Jin Chanzi willingly enter reincarnation!"
The Tathagata interrupted the buddhas in a timely manner, shifting the topic back to Jin Chanzi.
Make Jin Chanzi willingly enter reincarnation?
How was that possible!
Since Jin Chanzi converted to Buddhism, he had cultivated for at least hundreds of thousands of years.
During all this time, he had dreamed of breaking through to Taiyi Golden Immortal and then obtaining a Golden Immortal position on Mount Ling.
Now, his dream was finally about to come true.
Yet, all the buddhas wanted him to abandon his cultivation and descend to the mortal world to become a mortal.
Did they really think Jin Chanzi was an idiot!
"Perhaps, we should simply tell Jin Chanzi the truth."
"Originally, my Buddha intended to reserve the fruit status of the Venerable Alms Bowl Buddha for Jin Chanzi."
"The benefits of achieving Buddhahood in one lifetime are far greater than those of Taiyi Golden Immortal."
"Unless Jin Chanzi has a problem with his brain, he would never refuse."
Puxian said enviously.
"Indeed!"
"The grand trend of the Journey to the West concerns the rise and fall of Buddhism, how can it be revealed casually?"
"If anything goes wrong, neither you nor I can bear the consequences."
"This matter is to be dropped!"
The Tathagata was furious and reprimanded Puxian in public.
The Tathagata's caution was not without reason.
It was like telling an ordinary person that as long as they worked hard, they would definitely become a rich man in the future.
Then this ordinary person would work desperately, even risking their life.
But if the same words were told to a second-generation rich kid, would he work as hard as an ordinary person?
The Journey to the West was indeed a reality show planned by Mount Ling and the Heavenly Court.
However, the four main actors must perform with sufficient authenticity to convince the beings of the Three Realms.
Ultimately, Mount Ling did not just want four powerful enforcers to become permanent employees.
Their true goal was to replace the Heavenly Court and enjoy the incense offerings of the East!
"Originally, persuading just one monkey was enough."
"Now there's Jin Chanzi too, it's truly a cause for worry!"
Guanyin sighed with a troubled expression.
...
...
[Ding, the host has shocked the Tathagata, reward: Illumination of Buddha's Light (Divine Ability)]
[Ding, the host has shocked Guanyin, reward: Three Luminaries Divine Water (Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure)]
[Ding, the host has shocked Manjushri, reward: Demon Subduing Pestle (Innate Spiritual Treasure)]
[Ding, the host has shocked Puxian, reward: Three Flowers Gathering at the Top (Divine Ability)]
[Ding, the host has shocked Maitreya Buddha, reward: Curse of the Poisoned Immortal (Divine Ability)]
[Ding...]
A series of reward sounds entered Sun Kong's ears.
Sun Kong had become numb from hearing them.
He had known early on the importance of Jin Chanzi to Mount Ling, so it was only natural that Mount Ling's buddhas would react so strongly when Jin Chanzi broke through to Taiyi Golden Immortal.
However, this was only the beginning.
On one side, the buddhas insisted on Jin Chanzi entering reincarnation.
On the other side, Jin Chanzi was unwilling.
The conflict between the two needed a process of struggle.
Of course.
Relying solely on Jin Chanzi, he was no match for all the buddhas.
Without external assistance, even if Jin Chanzi achieved the Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal realm, he would still have to become Tang Sanzang.
Otherwise, the Journey to the West would be over.
Therefore, the one who could decide whether the Journey to the West would exist was not Jin Chanzi, nor all the buddhas of Mount Ling.
It was Sun Kong, who already knew everything.
It was time to showcase his great deception skills!
"Congratulations, Elder, on achieving your wish."
"Does Elder plan to share this good news with the Tathagata?"
"If you think so, you are jumping into a fire pit."
"Has Elder considered that the Tathagata is still angry with you for dozing off while listening to the teachings?"
"If you go back now, aren't you just asking for trouble!"
"Even when a child of a mortal argues with their parents, they still sulk for a while."
"Only after the parents' anger has subsided somewhat do they go home, so as to avoid a beating."
"Why doesn't Elder run away from home and return only after the Tathagata's anger has subsided!"