FVN Chapter 269 The Patient Lao Tzu, Two-Year Prophecy!
Chapter 269 The Patient Lao Tzu, Two-Year Prophecy!
Chapter 269 The Patient Lao Tzu, a Prophecy from Two Hundred Years Ago!
"Settling accounts with karma?" Lao Tzu raised an eyebrow slightly. "What karma?"
Sun Wukong sneered: "Back then, you refined me, Old Sun, in the Eight Trigrams Furnace for forty-nine days. Have you forgotten that debt, Laozi?"
Laojun remained silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled: "So that's what it is, Wukong. Back then, you wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, disrupted the Peach Banquet, and stole countless elixirs. You should have been annihilated. I placed you in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, firstly to refine the remaining elixir power within you, and secondly to help you cultivate your Fiery Eyes. Your current state is largely due to the fortunes you've gained over these forty-nine days."
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong burst into laughter: "What a stroke of luck! Laozi, I, Old Sun, never asked you for any stroke of luck. You refined me like an elixir for forty-nine days, almost roasting me into cooked meat. Is that what you call a stroke of luck?"
"If it weren't for my resilient fate, I would have been reduced to ashes long ago!"
Lao Tzu remained calm: "Then, in your opinion, what should be done?"
Wukong stood up and looked directly at Laozi: "I, Old Sun, don't want anything else from you. Just smash that Eight Trigrams Furnace for me, and then apologize to me in public. That will settle this matter."
Upon hearing this, Grand Master Xuandu could no longer contain himself and roared, "Wukong! How dare you, a mere Victorious Fighting Buddha, make your teacher's benevolent corpse apologize to you?"
Wukong glanced at him sideways: "I'm talking to the old man, and you keep interrupting me. Do you think my golden cudgel isn't hard enough?"
Having said that, he reached out, and the Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel) flew out from his ear, growing taller in the wind, transforming into a length of twelve feet, as thick as a bowl, gleaming with golden light.
"The Iron Pestle of Merit!?"
Sensing the immense power of merit emanating from the Golden Cudgel, Grand Master Xuandu's expression changed, but he still stubbornly refused to back down.
Laozi raised his hand to stop the Grand Master Xuandu. He looked at Wukong, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes: "Monkey," Laozi said calmly, "Cause and effect are inextricably linked, and the way of Heaven is not always right. You caused a great disturbance in the Heavenly Palace back then and were imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain for five hundred years. That was the cause. Now you are settling the accounts of cause and effect, but you have also sown the seeds of the future."
"What bullshit aftermath?" Sun Wukong's eyes flashed.
Laozi did not answer directly, but gave Sun Wukong a meaningful look: "The Dao Ancestor ordered me to cultivate my character and temperament. You monkey, you may smash this furnace if you want, or apologize if you want, but—"
He paused, his voice becoming distant: "The wheel of destiny turns; what reaches its peak must decline. Today you rely on the power of Buddhism to settle scores with me, but what will happen when Buddhism weakens in the future?"
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong sneered: "Old man, don't try to fool me with those words. I only know that if you don't give me an explanation today, I'm not leaving."
Laozi quietly looked at Wukong, then suddenly smiled. His smile was full of profound meaning. Then, to Xuandu's astonishment, he waved his sleeve, and the Bagua Furnace that had accompanied him for countless years collapsed into ruins.
Grand Master Xuandu stared in disbelief, his eyes wide with astonishment.
The teacher—the teacher actually showed weakness to this little monkey?
Not only Xuandu, but even Sun Wukong was taken aback. He did not expect that Laozi would be so decisive.
"Monkey, I've smashed this Bagua furnace, and I've fulfilled my courtesy. Have you cleared your karma?" Laozi said indifferently, without even glancing at the Bagua furnace.
"this----"
For a moment, Sun Wukong didn't know what to say.
According to Houtu Niangniang's plan, even though Taiqing Laozi has fallen from his holy position, his arrogance remains. He will definitely not tolerate her making things difficult for his good corpse.
Then, they could take this opportunity to cause another ruckus in Heaven and directly implicate Buddhism.
Unexpectedly, this Taiqing Laozi seemed to have changed his nature and become so patient. He was practically defecating on the other party's head, yet the old man remained so calm.
"No, we must inform the Sage Houtu about this."
Sun Wukong thought to himself, his eyes darting around, and said, "You old man are smart enough to know what's good for you. Today, our karma is settled. If you dare to provoke me again, I'm afraid it will be the Sages Zhunti and Jieyin who will take action."
Before leaving, he did not forget his mission and stirred up another wave of hatred for Buddhism before drifting away.
After Sun Wukong left, Xuandu cautiously spoke, "Master—"
"It's alright. The way the Buddhist sect acts is very similar to the Jie Sect of yesteryear. When things reach their peak, they will inevitably decline. I'm afraid their fortune will begin to wane within two hundred years."
Laozi spoke softly, and a faint, almost imperceptible white light suddenly appeared in his eyes.
The news of Sun Wukong's purge of Laozi quickly spread throughout the Three Realms.
On this day, Haotian summoned his trusted confidants, including Venus, to the Jade Pool.
"Gentlemen," Haotian said, sitting upright in front, his voice cold and clear, "you've all heard, haven't you? That mischievous monkey actually managed to force Laozi to smash the Eight Trigrams Furnace in public, causing him to lose all face."
Upon hearing this, the gods looked at each other in bewilderment, and none of them dared to speak.
Taibai Jinxing, as his most trusted confidant, forced himself to speak: "Your Majesty, Sun Wukong is only so arrogant because he has the support of the two Buddhist saints. In terms of true strength, he is only at the early stage of Quasi-Saint. If he really dares to provoke us, we will not cooperate with him as we did when he wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace."
Upon hearing this, Haotian sneered: "You're right, Sun Wukong is just a mere early-stage Quasi-Saint, I could easily destroy him with a flick of my hand, however..."
He paused, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes: "However, the entire Buddhist sect stands behind him. Even if saints cannot set foot in the celestial realm, would those Buddhas and Bodhisattvas just stand by and watch Sun Wukong be bullied?"
Upon hearing this, all the gods in Heaven fell silent.
They all knew in their hearts that Haotian was right. The Buddhist sect had just finished absorbing the immeasurable merits when Sun Wukong came to cause trouble for Laozi, saying that he would never believe it without the tacit approval of the Buddhist sect.
Moreover, everyone understood that Sun Wukong's visit was nothing more than a test by Buddhism. Laozi probably knew more, which was why he held back and did not make a move.
After a long silence, Venus couldn't help but ask, "Heavenly Emperor, are we just supposed to stand by and watch that monkey take advantage of our kindness?"
Haotian's face was gloomy: "Of course not, it's just that the time is not right yet."
"opportunity?"
Haotian looked down at the gods below, then looked to the west, where golden light shone brightly and Buddha's light shone everywhere.
He spoke slowly: "Although Zhunti and Jieyin have attained the Great Golden Immortal of Primordial Chaos, they are still within the Heavenly Dao. If Buddhism becomes the only dominant force, it may displease the Heavenly Dao, and the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods may very well be repeated."
Upon hearing this, the gods' eyes lit up.
Yes, you monkeys have powerful backers, but does our Heavenly Emperor not have any?
If you really anger Haotian and then complain to Hongjun Daozu, even if you are a Hunyuan Wuji Jiluo Jinxian, you'll be in big trouble!
Thinking of this, Venus couldn't help but ask, "Heavenly Emperor, what is the purpose of summoning us this time?"
Haotian nodded, and then set up a barrier to isolate the entire Yaochi from the outside world.