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*****
"Eh?"
As the Universe Bag was neutralized by that peculiar divine art, both Jieyin and Zhunti let out soft exclamations of surprise.
"It seems yet another fellow Daoist possesses a predestined affinity with our West!"
To break the power of the Universe Bag with a divine art meant the rescuer possessed, at the very least, the cultivation of a Great Daluo Golden Immortal. The two Saints grew slightly more serious—but only slightly. In their eyes, all beneath the level of a Saint were merely ants. Whether the newcomer was a Golden Immortal or a quasi-Saint, they would simply be another soul to "convert" into a new follower of the Western Sect.
"I may have an affinity with your sect, but not today," George's voice echoed.
He transformed into a mass of black clouds, enveloping Yang Jian and the others, then streaked toward the exit of the Heavenly Court. The Two Saints were not about to let them vanish so easily. Zhunti produced the Six Pure Bamboos, lashing out at the black cloud. This treasure could seal a being's six senses; once struck, the victim would revert to their original form, rendered utterly helpless.
"Divine Art: Disarm Your Treasure!"
A brilliant beam of light shot from the black cloud once more.
"Trivial tricks," Jieyin snorted. With a single focused Buddhist hum, he dissolved the beam into nothingness.
"Treasured Wheel of the Heavenly Dance!"
Just as the Six Pure Bamboos were about to strike, the black cloud exploded with blinding golden light. Countless Buddha statues erupted from the radiance, forming a complex formation that isolated Jieyin and Zhunti in an independent space, momentarily stripping them of their six senses.
This was George's modified and infinitely amplified version of the Virgo Saint's ultimate move.
"As expected of Saints, they are truly difficult to handle," George thought. Even though he had caught them off guard and successfully stripped their senses, he knew it would delay them for less than a second.
"Kingdom Within the Palm!"
Fortunately, that fraction of a second was enough. After briefly trapping the Two Saints within his Buddhist kingdom, George did not stay to fight. He immediately manifested an ice mirror and used Mirror Space to teleport out of the Heavenly Court, meticulously scrubbing every trace of his existence as he went.
At his current strength, a true battle against both Western Saints would result in his defeat. He might hold his own against one, but both together? No. The Two Saints hadn't even gotten serious—they hadn't unleashed their divine manifestations, used their sarira pearls, or brought out the legendary Seven Treasure Precious Tree.
Discretion was the better part of valor. Save the disciples and run.
A moment later, Jieyin and Zhunti shattered the Kingdom Within the Palm and reappeared in the empty hall. Their expressions were clouded with confusion.
"He escaped... what is his origin? How could he use the divine arts of our Western Sect?"
The sensory deprivation and the Buddhist kingdom both bore the distinct marks of Western cultivation. Yet, aside from the two of them, the Western Sect currently consisted of minor practitioners; they barely had any Golden Immortals. They attempted to calculate the truth through divination, but the black cloud remained a complete mystery, shielded from their sight. They began to wonder if the Three Pure Ones were behind this.
Meanwhile, back at the Three Immortal Islands, George let out a quiet sigh. He had intentionally used Buddhist-style moves to muddy the waters, hoping to spark suspicion between the Western Saints and the elders of the East. If it worked, great; if not, it was no loss.
His ultimate goal in this Investiture War was to reach Saint-hood himself. By training Wukong and Yang Jian, he was securing powerful allies for that transition. If he could achieve Saint-hood in this world, his other incarnations in the Dragon Ball and Saint Seiya worlds would grow exponentially stronger, allowing him to devour those universes even faster.
But how to achieve it? Of the three paths—Strength, the Three Corpses, or Merit—the Path of Merit was the most stable. His plan was to eventually "supplant" the Western Saints, becoming the true founder of the Buddhist faith and claiming all the merit of its creation for himself. It was a long game, but George had the advantage of knowing the future.
Inside the grotto, Sun Wukong and the Yang siblings knelt before him.
"Master, we acted on our own and attacked the Heavens, dragging you into trouble. Please, punish us!" Wukong cried.
"You can't blame them!" Nezha shouted, picking his nose as he lounged nearby. "That Jade Emperor was being unreasonable. If those two old monks hadn't shown up, we would have won!"
"We were indeed too impulsive," Ao Bing added, reflecting on his own behavior. Usually calm, he had been swept up in the heat of the moment.
"Now you know there is always a higher heaven and a greater power," George said with a smile, waving them up. "I don't blame you. Wanting to save your mother is only natural."
Wukong hopped over, tugging at George's sleeve. "Master, who were those two old men? Why were they so strong?"
George sat on a stone chair and detailed the origins of Jieyin and Zhunti. When the Yang siblings heard they had faced two actual Saints, their faces turned pale with despair. How could they ever save their mother against such power?
"What are you scared of?" Nezha barked. "They can't stay in Heaven forever. When they leave, we hit it again!"
"Nezha's right!" Wukong added. "One day I'll grow strong enough to kick those old men's butts into eight pieces!"
George shook his head. "The Western Saints won't stay, but the Three Pure Ones are about to finish their seclusion. If you barge in then, they will strike. However, do not lose heart. You've consumed enough Flat Peaches and Golden Elixirs to boost your power significantly. Train hard, and I will find a way to save your mother."
"Thank you, Master!" the siblings cheered.
George turned to Ao Bing. "Go and fetch your master, Shen Gongbao. I have matters to discuss with him."
Shen Gongbao's position was currently awkward. Though he lived on the islands, he was still a disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun. When the Investiture War officially began, Yuanshi would surely summon him back. George knew Shen Gongbao was a key figure in the upcoming tragedy, and while he didn't plan to stop the war—as he needed the chaos to achieve his own goals—he intended to ensure the details didn't follow the Saints' original script.
(End of Chapter)