Central Plains, Great Thunder Sound Temple.
This was the most elite hall of the Buddhist sect, and also the legendary land that all Buddhist cultivators yearned to set foot in.
The Great Thunder Sound Temple stood upon the Western Mountain, seated above the high clouds, with flowing rainbows forming bridges. Spiritual energy surged and transformed into seven-colored radiance, setting off the golden light of Buddhism that shone down from above.
Below the Western Mountain ran a major spiritual vein leading to the Western Ox Continent. In earlier times, the people of the Western Ox Continent had a much simpler nickname for this spiritual mountain—Spirit Mountain.
Only later was the name Spirit Mountain changed by the Buddhist sect.
Roughly only the old folks of the Western Ox Continent still remembered that the Buddhist sect's Western Mountain was originally called Spirit Mountain.
Outside the main hall of the Great Thunder Sound Temple.
Two flood dragons crouched on either side with heads bowed, their bodies coiled upon a massive glazed jade wall. They remained utterly motionless, and only the unrestrained aura emanating from them revealed that these two flood dragons were alive.
Dozens of Arhats and Bodhisattvas stood on either side, all with heads bowed and hands forming Buddhist seals.
"Announcing, the Eightfold True Buddha takes his seat!"
"Announcing, the Flowing Rosy Cloud Sound Buddha takes his seat!"
"Announcing! The Heavenly Response True Buddha takes his seat!"
"Announcing! ..."
One after another, Buddhas who had long been absent from the Great Thunder Sound Temple, whose forms had been hidden away, now emerged into the world today, all converging upon the Great Thunder Sound Temple.
The Buddhist sect's cultivators followed different paths, and there were quite a few opposing views in their philosophies. It was only for various reasons that they had all remained under the Buddhist sect's banner.
There were also Mahayana cultivators who cultivated the Great Dao. Seeking breakthrough to the Tribulation Transcendence realm, or pursuing karmic opportunities and resources, they chose to join the Buddhist sect.
Originally cultivators of the Great Dao, once they achieved Tribulation Transcendence, they also became Buddhas. They took their seats in the Thunder Sound Dharma Temple and had Buddhist disciples bow and address them as venerables.
However, compared to the great sects that carefully cultivated their disciples all the way to becoming Tribulation Transcendence cultivators, there was still a gap.
The Buddhist sect's truly reliable fighters were only the True Buddhas who had cultivated the Buddhist path from beginning to end.
But no matter how one put it, the Buddhist sect had the most Tribulation Transcendence cultivators—this was an acknowledged fact across the world.
As for whether they were genuine or not, that wasn't something people outside the Eighteen Immortal Sects needed to worry about.
At the very least, in the other four continents besides the Central Plains, Tribulation Transcendence cultivators were already legendary figures that one could never hope to see.
Inside the main hall of the Great Thunder Sound Temple.
The great hall was enormous—at a single glance, it filled one with a sense of grandeur.
Arhats stood imposingly at attention. Many Buddhas took their assigned golden lotus seats, and with so many Buddhas present, the golden lotus seats filled the entire hall.
At the central seat of honor sat a Buddha with a dignified appearance and compassionate gaze, his figure somewhat plump. He sat quietly upon a golden lotus, extending his right hand in greeting to every Buddha who entered the hall.
In his left hand, he held a golden prayer bead bracelet etched with Dao rhythm inscriptions, emanating an extremely pure resonant power.
One after another, the Buddhas gradually took their places, and the golden lotus seats became complete.
After the last Buddha was seated, two Arhats closed the heavy golden doors.
Seated at the position of honor—the Present Buddha, Ru Nan.
His gaze swept across the assembled Buddhas. A gentle smile graced his face, and his voice was soft yet carried an unmistakable authority:
"It has been a long time since I last saw all of you. I never imagined we would meet again under these circumstances."
To the left of Buddha Ru Nan, the Eightfold True Buddha saw that they had finally gotten to the main topic and immediately spoke up:
"Buddha Ru Nan, before coming here, I had already heard of this matter. The Xuanqing, Tianyan, and Taidao Sects have jointly entered the Western Ox Continent."
"Yan Yun dismantled the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple, and Daoist Yuyang leveled the Righteous Sound Dharma Temple."
"At the Pudu River, Huang Miao is blocking the way. The supporting Yuan Gui True Buddha still cannot cross the Pudu River even now."
"The three sects have sent either core disciples or Tribulation Transcendence true cultivators. With such strength, let alone pacifying the Western Ox Continent, even sweeping across the four continents would be no difficult feat."
"They're not here to settle matters—they're clearly here to flatten the Buddhist temples of the Western Ox Continent."
"If we retreat now, we'll be forced to retreat step after step. Even this Great Thunder Sound Temple might be taken from us."
Buddha Ru Nan slightly raised his gaze toward the Eightfold True Buddha. He first gave a gentle nod of acknowledgment, then turned his eyes to the rest of the assembled Buddhas and continued asking:
"Beyond what the Eightfold True Buddha has said, are there any other opinions?"
"Since this is a great assembly, regardless of right or wrong, some discussion would be beneficial. Pooling our wisdom is always good."
After his words fell, a calm voice came from the right side.
"Buddha Ru Nan, I have been away for a long time, and I have not concerned myself with worldly matters for just as long. That is why I made sure to gather more information before coming here."
Buddha Ru Nan turned his gaze and saw that it was Buddha Hua Wu. He was actually somewhat pleasantly surprised by this Buddha's arrival.
This Buddha was originally the Buddhist sect's very first Buddhist Son, carefully cultivated from childhood and having achieved the Great Fruition status. Whether in cultivation or conduct, this Buddha was among the very top tier within the Buddhist sect.
However, ever since the Mahayana Buddhist Dharma Rebellion, he had never returned to the Buddhist sect. He had gone alone to the Lotus Mud, saying he was going to paint the Buddha and comprehend the Buddha.
From then on, no matter how great the matter, letters of invitation went unanswered, and summons fell on deaf ears.
But his status remained, and his Buddhist fruits were pure.
Within the Buddhist sect, outsider Buddhas had an unspoken nickname—Worldly Affairs Buddhas.
Only those who were raised in the Buddhist sect from childhood as Buddhist Sons and those who ascended through their own cultivation effort were called—Karma Buddhas.
They first desired to become Buddhas, planted the cause, and finally bore the fruit of Buddhahood.
Those who entered the Buddhist sect through cultivation, with worldly ties unsevered, could only become Worldly Affairs Buddhas.
In the current Buddhist sect, Karma Buddhas were even fewer than Worldly Affairs Buddhas, but Karma Buddhas were the ones who could truly be considered Buddhas.
The bonds between Karma Buddhas were also far stronger than those between Worldly Affairs Buddhas. They were not united by interests, but by the pursuit of truth in their hearts—they were true kindred spirits.
Buddha Ru Nan naturally felt warmth in his heart seeing that True Buddha Hua Wu had come this time.
He didn't even wait for True Buddha Hua Wu to finish speaking before he began nodding.
True Buddha Hua Wu was the Buddha that Wu Kong had brought Donggua to see with his own eyes. After agreeing to Wu Kong's request, he hadn't rushed back to the Buddhist sect. After all, he had been away from the Buddhist sect for a long time, and returning ostentatiously would inevitably raise suspicions.
When taking action in any matter, haste makes waste—this was a simple truth he understood well.
Arriving by invitation, with proper standing and position, only then would his words be accepted.
True Buddha Hua Wu turned his gaze to the other Buddhas:
"Beyond the matter of the three sects entering the Western Ox Continent, I have also heard that violent demon beasts have suddenly been ravaging the Western Ox Continent, bringing death and suffering to the people. The Buddhist sect has been spreading its faith in the Western Ox Continent for many years, and many Buddhist disciples go there for training."
"Yet during this demonic beast rampage, it seems the Buddhist sect has done little to intervene. I don't know the reason—whether it's because they don't want to, or because they can't."
"But if they truly cannot manage it, then hand it over to those who can. The lives of the common people are no less precious than those of everyone here."
"By that logic, the Western Ox Continent is not something the three great sects are trying to take from the Buddhist sect—it's something we ourselves have chosen to abandon."
Buddha Ru Nan fell into contemplation.
The Eightfold True Buddha, seeing Buddha Ru Nan's thoughtful expression, quickly let out a soft sigh:
"The Ten Thousand Buddha Temple and the Righteous Sound Dharma Temple also took in many of the afflicted, and many disciples went there as well. It was just a sudden emergency, and some oversights were inevitable."
"The Western Ox Continent is also the foundation of the Buddhist sect, with believers as numerous as the sands."
"If the Buddhist sect abandons it just like that, what of the great vows made by the Honored Buddha in the past? Can everything simply come to nothing?"
"He can endure no more turmoil now."
"Today the Buddhist sect has even sent Buddhas forth—they were simply blocked at the Pudu River."
"How can you say we did nothing?"
Hua Wu chuckled and shook his head:
"A year ago, there was no one at the Pudu River, yet the demonic beast rampage had already begun. Was it difficult to cross the river then?"
The Eightfold True Buddha didn't dare to answer that.
Hua Wu's tone turned solemn:
"Today there is someone at the Pudu River, and the Western Ox Continent has long been a land of suffering. And now you say crossing the river is difficult?"
"When have we ever only seen our own difficulties, yet failed to see the difficulties of others?"
His words fell.
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A profound silence filled the main hall.
No one dared to give a simple answer.
———————