Wenliu Buddha's gaze swept across the mocking smile on Chu Xingchen's face, then took in the expression on Huawu True Buddha. It took only a moment before he had made his calculations.
"Since there is news, we should naturally rush to support. However, if Huawu True Buddha plans to stay here in reserve for any contingency, that is fine. The two of us can go reinforce."
The Golden Armor Buddha looked at Wenliu in confusion.
Huawu True Buddha looked like he had problems overflowing from every pore. How could he be trusted at a moment like this?
Wenliu ignored the Golden Armor Buddha's bewildered look and turned back to Chu Xingchen.
"As for Daoist Friend Chu, this poor monk advises you to return and rest as soon as possible."
Chu Xingchen said in a flippant tone:
"Are you really a monk? 'This poor monk,' my foot."
Wenliu smiled without responding. When dealing with someone sharp-tongued, the most important rule was to not take their words to heart.
Being articulate was itself a considerable ability, but in a face-to-face encounter, as long as you did not take things seriously, the effect of that ability would be far less potent.
Wenliu tugged at the Golden Armor Buddha. The next moment, Buddhist golden light manifested around them. They deliberately remained in place for a moment, as if answering Chu Xingchen's question, before transforming into a streak of rainbow light and departing.
The Golden Armor Buddha cast a resentful glance at Chu Xingchen, but still followed Wenliu's advice and chased after him.
Huawu True Buddha stood in place, watching the two of them depart with calm eyes.
Chu Xingchen's expression returned to normal. He said in an even tone:
"The Buddhist sect truly is full of talent. Even the Secular Buddha is no slouch — figured things out in just a few moves and passed the burden right back to you."
Seeing Wenliu choose to take the other Buddha away and leave Huawu True Buddha, the Karma Buddha, behind made it abundantly clear that he had grasped the key point.
The fundamental reason for preserving the Radiant Buddha was, in essence, the Buddhist sect's concession to the Secular Buddhas on the matter of worldly interests.
What was truly frightening was not the Mahayana Buddhist Teachings. After all, the Mahayana Buddhist Teachings could not brainwash their Tribulation Transcendence cultivators. What was frightening were the Karma Buddhas who would take those teachings as creed and genuinely carry out the severing.
What harmed the Secular Buddhas' interests was not the Mahayana Buddhist Teachings — it was those Karma Buddhas.
Now Runan's attitude was clear.
Being able to kill the Radiant Buddha and solve the problem once and for all would be ideal.
But using this opportunity to strike at the Karma Buddhas was also acceptable to them.
So whether the intelligence about the Radiant Buddha was true or false was not the critical point.
If Huawu True Buddha chose to let the Radiant Buddha go, then from no angle whatsoever could Runan let Huawu True Buddha off lightly.
If another purge campaign were to be launched, it would be a significant blow to the Karma Buddhas.
Even if the Radiant Buddha survived, the Secular Buddhas were not something he could shake.
The most critical detail of all was that when the Radiant Buddha was let go, no Secular Buddha was present. Under those circumstances, the effect of opposition would be at its best.
Huawu True Buddha naturally understood all of this as well. He simply gave a light smile.
"The one who should have a headache is not me. This Buddhist sect, in my eyes, can hardly be called the same Buddhist sect as before. Leave it all to Runan to handle. You have achieved your purpose. Let him go. I will not stop you."
At those words, Chu Xingchen crushed a jade token at his waist.
In just a moment, Wukong arrived at high speed with Donggua.
Huawu True Buddha first gave Wukong a slight nod of acknowledgment. His gaze passed over Donggua, and he did not say anything more.
Wukong returned the greeting with a bow.
Chu Xingchen spoke directly: "Keep Donggua safe and go find Daoist Yuyang."
Wukong naturally understood that now was not the time for conversation. He swept Donggua along with him and quickly headed in Daoist Yuyang's direction.
Once they left this realm, with no Tribulation Transcendence cultivator standing guard, it meant Wukong had escaped the encirclement.
Huawu glanced at Wukong's retreating figure, then waited a moment longer. But the Radiant Buddha did not appear. His expression turned puzzled.
"Where is he?"
Chu Xingchen said in a calm tone:
"The intelligence they received was real. A group of Tribulation Transcendence cultivators — a sweep of their Divine Sense would tell them everything. The odds of fooling them were far too low."
Huawu frowned. "You sent him to his death? Without him, without the Mahayana Buddhist Teachings, will the Buddhist sect even bother with you anymore?"
"The Buddhist sect is no third-rate faction, nor a sect that leaves openings so easily." Chu Xingchen exhaled. "If the Radiant Buddha truly wants to break out of the encirclement, he will need a bit of a gambler's instinct."
"You call this gambling?" Huawu True Buddha stared at Chu Xingchen in disbelief. "With that many Tribulation Transcendence cultivators, how could he possibly escape?"
Chu Xingchen glanced at Huawu True Buddha.
"Anything with a chance of success is called a gamble. Anything with no chance is just wasted effort."
"All I need is for him to briefly show his face — just enough for them to confirm that what they see is the real thing."
"In any case, the Radiant Buddha did not pass through here today."
"If anyone asks you, just tell the truth."
"You also do not need to make any unnecessary moves. If you do, trust me — the chances of you making things worse are far higher."
"The reason the three sects trust me, aside from my good looks and natural ability to win people over, is that I have never botched a job."
"And I also believe that once this matter is done, the next time I make an outrageous proposal, you will not react quite so dramatically."
Having finished speaking, Chu Xingchen gave a slight cup of the fists and prepared to take his leave.
Huawu True Buddha listened for a while but truly could not understand what Chu Xingchen was trying to do. Seeing that he really intended to turn and leave, he immediately called out:
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
"Naturally, I am going to perform a little magic trick for the Buddhist sect."
Chu Xingchen did not look back. He tossed off those words, then transformed into a streak of rainbow light and was gone.
Huawu True Buddha watched Chu Xingchen's receding figure and sighed softly. His gaze then turned toward the direction of the Radiant Buddha.
At this moment…
He could only trust him for now.
He hoped Wukong would not have misjudged this man, and that he himself had not misjudged him either.
"Mm… you sure know how to live well."
Yuankong gnawed happily on a steamed bun and a strange-looking immortal fruit that tasted extraordinary and contained extremely potent spiritual energy.
Although he had long since transcended the need for mortal food, Yuankong would never refuse a free meal from Chu Xingchen.
Besides, these immortal fruits were immensely rich in spiritual energy. Eating a single one was worth over a month of bitter cultivation.
Who knew how many spirit stones these things were worth? He was going to eat until Chu Xingchen's heart bled!
Lin Luoyu sat across from Yuankong and reached over to pour him a cup of tea.
"Slow down. You must be tired from the long journey."
Yuankong swallowed the fruit and licked the immortal fruit juice that had dripped onto his hands from eating too fast. He nodded with satisfaction.
"Not bad. Though your escorts are all the quiet type. I have no idea why I was even brought here."
Daoist Yuyang looked at Yuankong with undisguised distaste. Dressed like a beggar and filthy to boot — was this not at least a Golden Core cultivator? Could he not wear something clean?
A Golden Core True Person's body was without leakage. Even without special attention, their bodies would not become dirty.
But clothes were a different matter.
Especially when Daoist Yuyang saw Yuankong lick his palm and appeared to also lick his grimy sleeve in the process…
Daoist Yuyang looked at Yuankong with some uncertainty.
"Is this guy even any good?"
Hearing those words, Yuankong turned to look at Daoist Yuyang and decisively raised a thumbs-up.
"This senior has sharp eyes indeed. Knowing I am no good — apologies for the intrusion, I will take my leave now."
Watching Yuankong try to get up and leave, Daoist Yuyang decisively raised his hand and used spiritual energy to push him right back into his seat.
"That shameless trick of eating and then running — he has certainly picked up a few of someone's finest traits."
Watching Yuankong's dejected expression at being unable to make a break for it, Daoist Yuyang silently raised his estimation of the monk a few notches.
Who knew… maybe this Golden Core monk had come dressed like this on purpose.
Perhaps he was deliberately playing the fool to catch others off guard.
But then again, what use could a Golden Core monk possibly be?
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