After stabilizing his cultivation, Jieyin Daoist left the Western Paradise and appeared at the Great Thunderclap Temple in the Western Heaven. His sudden emergence did not go unnoticed by other Saints, who immediately began to speculate on the gravity of the situation.
Since the end of the Investiture of the Gods, Hongjun Daozu had decreed that Saints should not freely enter or exit the mortal realms. But now, Jieyin had disregarded that command, returning to the mortal world—an act that could only mean something monumental had occurred.
It didn't take long for the other Saints to unravel the sequence of events. It turned out someone had undermined the very foundations of the Buddhist order. No wonder Jieyin was in such a hurry. The ill fate of this scripture-seeker was unfortunate; just a few days into the journey, and he'd already died twice. Truly a stroke of bad luck.
Even Laozi, who knew part of the backstory, hadn't anticipated that altering a single mantra would have such an impact. However, as far as he was concerned, it posed no problem; with his Xuanhuang Linglong Pagoda of innate merit, a bit of karmic retribution was trivial.
Tongtian and Yuanshi, however, found the Western religion's misfortune delightful. The situation pleased them immensely, though each began to quietly wonder which mysterious hand was behind this clever scheme.
As for Nuwa, she was entirely indifferent. It had nothing to do with her, after all.
In the Western Heaven, at the Great Thunderclap Temple, a storm of panic spread among the Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and ancient Tathagatas. Even if the Tathagata himself were to appear, it would be insufficient to quell the unrest.
Most of those present were once members of the Chan or Jie sects who had defected to Buddhism after the Investiture of the Gods, seeking the opportunity to attain enlightenment in the realm of Primordial Unity. But now, that chance was fading as their cultivation levels were destabilized by the karmic taint.
Particularly unfortunate was Bodhisattva Guanyin.
It was Bodhisattva Guanyin who had given Tripitaka the Band-tightening Spell, and so, as Tripitaka's resentment grew in his final moments, it was she who bore the brunt of the karmic backlash. Her cultivation fell from the mid-stage to the early stage of quasi-sainthood. Adding insult to injury, she didn't even understand what had happened.
Just as the chaos was about to erupt, Jieyin Daoist arrived.
"Greetings, Saint!"
At the sight of Jieyin, the crowd immediately calmed, for no one dared to make a scene in front of a Saint.
"I am aware of the situation," Jieyin said, his face dark with anger. "I will personally relieve you of this karmic burden."
With grim resolve, he began transferring the karma from the disciples of Mount Sumeru onto himself, though he ignored the broader karmic repercussions rippling beyond. Even within Mount Sumeru, this level of karmic weight was difficult to bear, even for a Saint.
If the foundation of the Buddhist order were not so shallow, he might have refused to bear even this amount.
"Where is the Honored Bodhisattva Guanyin?" Jieyin's face was a mask of displeasure.
"Present, Venerable One!" Bodhisattva Guanyin stepped forward; her expression bewildered. She had been dealt the harshest blow, her cultivation dropped by an entire realm, unlike the others who bore only traces of karmic retribution. Though the Saint was addressing the karma, her lost cultivation would require centuries of arduous practice to regain.
"This debacle began with the Band-tightening Spellyou bestowed. Later, you will return to Dou Shuai Palace once more; the journey to the West must not be interrupted." Jieyin's command was cold and absolute.
"Uh…" Bodhisattva Guanyin was flabbergasted.
This was caused by the Band-tightening Spell? Even if it wasn't in Tripitaka's possession, shouldn't it have been on Monkey King's head by now? How could it have led to such consequences? And another trip to Dou Shuai Palace? She'd rather avoid it if possible; even she had limits to her shamelessness.
"May I respectfully ask the Venerable One, what exactly has transpired?"
"You all will soon find out." Jieyin fell silent and closed his eyes, attempting to deduce who was secretly targeting the Buddhist order.
The disciples of Mount Sumeru exchanged confused glances, unable to grasp the situation.
They didn't have to wait long. Golden-Headed Guardian Deity and Mahagati Devaraja soon returned, flustered and anxious.
"Tathagata, Tripitaka has died… again!"
The Tathagata was dumbfounded. He'd died again.
No wonder Jieyin had commanded Bodhisattva Guanyin to return to Dou Shuai Palace. Clearly, she was going to need to request another favor. The thought of the Buddhist treasury being pillaged again caused a pang of heartache—an unbearable feeling of helplessness.
Upon hearing Golden-Headed Guardian Deity and Mahagati's account, the Tathagatas of Mount Sumeru finally understood the situation and cast uneasy glances at Bodhisattva Guanyin.
How was this, once again, connected to her?
Did Golden Cicada Spirit have some sort of vendetta against her, or was she truly hoping for his demise?
Bodhisattva Guanyin was on the verge of tears. She could swear she had nothing to do with this. Why Tripitaka had donned the Band-tightening Spell, and why he had perished afterward, was a mystery even to her.
"This matter is not your fault. It's evident that another Saint has intervened in the shadows."
Jieyin's voice broke the silence, his tone flat yet firm.
"Thank you, Venerable One, for absolving me," Bodhisattva Guanyin expressed her gratitude with profound relief. Had Jieyin not intervened, she'd once again be forced to bear the blame.
Wait—again?
"This time, bring additional Nine-Turn Resurrection Elixirs. There are forces secretly targeting our order, and they will undoubtedly make more attempts on Tripitaka's life," Jieyin instructed grimly. His divination had yielded no results, proof that another Saint had obstructed his insight.
There were only three Saints in the East capable of such a feat—all potential suspects.
But which one, or was it a combined effort of all three?
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