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*****
"This... this is impossible!"
Zhun-ti and Jie-yin buckled under the crushing weight of the Twenty-Four Sea-Fixing Beads. They struggled to retaliate, only to find their cultivation leaking away like water through a sieve. The very merit that had allowed them to ascend to Saintship was now flowing directly into George.
In less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea, the two had fallen from the Saint Realm, regressing to the peak of the Great Magus stage.
"How can this be? How is this possible?" They were utterly bewildered. They could not fathom how anyone could swallow the Twelve-Grade Merit Golden Lotus so quickly, ascend to Saintship instantly, and then suppress two established Saints to drain their merit. It defied every law of the Great Dao they knew.
"Today, I am the Buddha," George declared, his eyes erupting with infinite Buddhist light as he looked down at the two pinned to the ground. "I have renamed the Western Sect to the Buddhist Sect. I shall induct you both into the fold as Zhunti Buddha and Jieyin Buddha. Do you accept?"
George's effortless suppression of the duo wasn't just due to the lotus. Even before becoming a Saint, his combat power—honed by devouring various worlds—was already equal to a Saint of Merit. Furthermore, as he broke through in this world, his clones in the Dragon Ball and Saint Seiya universes had also accelerated their fusions, causing a feedback loop of skyrocketing power.
By the time he struck, George was far beyond a "novice" Saint. And because he had officially claimed the title of Ancestor of Buddhism, the destiny of the West shifted to him, pulling the rug out from under the original two.
"We... obey the decree of the Buddha!" Jie-yin and Zhun-ti exchanged a weary, defeated look. They knew the alternative was a one-way trip into the cycle of reincarnation.
As they submitted, Buddhist light surged into them. They were now George's subordinates, bound to his will, though their strength stabilized at a level just below Saintship—still far stronger than any ordinary Great Magus.
The Recruitment of the Dragon Race
"Come. Follow me to the East to 'save' more souls," George commanded.
Instead of heading straight to help Tongtian, George led his new followers to the Three Immortal Islands.
"Where are the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas?" George's voice vibrated through the deep.
Ao Guang and the other three Dragon Kings emerged from the waves, leading the remnants of the Dragon and Demon races. "The Dragon Kings are here! We pay our respects to the Buddha!"
"Are you willing to enter my Buddhist Sect?" George smiled.
"We are!" Ao Guang answered without a second's delay. George had discussed this with them before the war. The Dragons were tired of hiding from the Heavens and the Chan Sect. They didn't seek their ancient glory; they just wanted to live in the light again. Joining a new Saint's sect was their winning bet.
George waved his hand, bathing the dragons in golden light. Instantly, their karmic burdens were washed away, replaced by the peaceful aura of Buddhism. Whether a god, immortal, or buddha, all were recognized by the Heavenly Dao. Once inducted into the Buddhist fold, their past "crimes" were officially erased.
"This is as good as any three thousand 'Red Dust Guests,'" George noted. While the Western Saints of legend stole Jie Sect's outer disciples to build their numbers, George had the entire Dragon race.
The Battle at Sishui Pass: Enter the Buddha
George arrived at the Ten Thousand Immortal Array, manifesting as the Great Sun Tathagata. With one hand, he swept through the battlefield, pulling the disciples of the Chan and Ren Sects—including the Great Magus Xuandu—into his internal world to be "converted."
Then, he turned his gaze toward Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun.
"Great Sun Tathagata Palm!"
This wasn't the palm of a future Buddha; this was a strike backed by the power of three integrated multiverses and the collective faith of the new Buddhist Sect.
"What is this?!" The two Saints, already struggling against Tongtian, were caught off guard by this new, terrifying variable. They had calculated everything except a black dragon stealing the West's destiny and turning the Western Saints into his lackeys.
BOOM!
Golden light shattered the air. The Saintly bodies of Taishang and Yuanshi began to crack, and their souls vibrated with the impact. They were on the verge of true fall.
The Arrival of the Ancestor
Just as George prepared a finishing blow, the sky filled with ten thousand auspicious clouds and the scent of exotic incense. An old Daoist, carrying a bamboo staff, walked slowly through the air.
High atop the nine layers of clouds, on a prayer mat, the truth is realized.
Outside the dark yellow of Heaven and Earth, I am the honored teacher.
One breath transforms into Hongjun.
"He finally appeared," George thought, smiling rather than fearing. He had pushed the two Saints to the brink specifically to draw out Hongjun Laozu.
"Disciple greets the Teacher! May you live as long as the Saints!" The Three Purities immediately ceased their fighting and bowed deeply. George and the Buddhist disciples followed suit. Regardless of his motives, George knew his journey was tied to this old man.
"Fame and wealth are for mortals; anger is for children," Hongjun said softly, looking at his three disciples. "You are Saints, eternal and indestructible, yet you fall into such petty delusions. You disappoint me."
He gave them three pills to restore their Saintly bodies and then issued a decree: "From this day forward, the disciples of the Three Sects shall not interfere with the Investiture. Return to your manors." He looked at George. "The same applies to the Buddhists."
"We obey!" George and the Saints replied in unison. George had saved the Jie Sect and secured his own power; the mortal war between Shang and Zhou was now beneath his concern.
The Truth of the Multiverse
"You four, follow me," Hongjun commanded. In the blink of an eye, they were inside the Purple Cloud Palace. After dismissing the Three Purities to the inner chambers, Hongjun looked at George.
"You have many questions, don't you?"
"Indeed, Grandmaster. Please, enlighten me!" George said, choosing the most respectful title possible.
"Do not worry. To be honest, even I didn't expect you to make it this far," Hongjun explained. "Years ago, I made a bet with OAA (One Above All). We each sent an ordinary person into the other's world to see who would grow stronger. We've done this many times, but most died early. This time, we both cheated a bit."
Hongjun chuckled. "I gave you the avatar ability. He sent a man named Tony Stark into one of my worlds to play at 'Cybernetic Cultivation.'"
George's jaw nearly dropped. "So... who's stronger? Me or Tony?"
"You are," Hongjun said, "but even if I win the bet, OAA will never let your original body leave his realm alive—especially not to come to my Primordial World."
"Why?" George asked, though he already had a hunch.
"Exactly what you're thinking," Hongjun confirmed. "The 'bet' is a cover. We are trying to devour each other's worlds. When I sent you, I hid a Seed of Primordial Chaos in your body. It collects the flaws in OAA's laws. If you return to me, I can use that seed to dismantle his multiverse. OAA has likely done the same with Stark. If Stark returns to Marvel with knowledge of my world, I am in danger."
George sighed. Even the creators of multiverses weren't free from desire. They were in a cold war for total dominance.
"So, the Living Tribunal's promise to let me leave if I broke the seal... that was a lie?"
"The release was a real promise," Hongjun clarified. "But OAA never promised you'd survive the trip back to me. He has no intention of letting me touch that Seed of Primordial Chaos."
(End of Chapter)