Chapter 684 - 4: The Buddha Mother Integrates the Dao, Jade Void Enters Buddhism

Chapter 684: Chapter 4: The Buddha Mother Integrates the Dao, Jade Void Enters Buddhism

"Dao Fruit, heh..."

The Buddha Mother was suppressed in the Guixu, looking up at that massive, Heaven-Reaching hand, and muttered to himself:

"A thousand schemes, ten thousand gambits, all to finally attain the Dao Fruit, but..."

"It seems there are differences between Dao Fruits as well."

He lowered his eyelids slightly, his expression growing more and more indifferent. As if sighing, as if lamenting, he continued to mutter to himself:

"Even after attaining the Dao Fruit, I still have to follow someone’s will. I’m still... a target for anyone to bully."

"This Dao Fruit Position is meaningless."

In a daze, the Buddha Mother recalled many, many things.

He had only possessed his Dao Fruit for a few tens of thousands of years in real time,

but in those tens of thousands of years, he had been at the beck and call of Bodhi and the Demon Ancestor, forced to kowtow in the Purple Cloud Palace, scared into bowing by Lu Xuan, and now, he was being casually suppressed by some unknown Dao Fruit Cultivator.

Dao Fruit, Dao Fruit...

"Ha!"

The Buddha Mother began to laugh, but his laughter was tinged with sorrow. He whispered:

"I may be a Dao Fruit Cultivator, but how am I any different from a Daluo ant?"

He was originally the first peacock between heaven and earth, and of all the countless creatures in the world, none were prouder than the peacock.

The Buddha Mother’s body gradually hunched over. He grew despondent, and the spirit befitting a Dao Fruit Cultivator dissipated.

An inner demon was born.

Suddenly, the Buddha Mother muttered, "What is that?"

He saw an ocean of light—surging, sinking, and turning. In it, he saw an indescribable particle, lifted up by the sea of light and presented before him.

The Buddha Mother reached out and dazedly held the indescribable particle. Understanding, insight, and knowledge flooded his mind.

"This is... [Time]."

"A [Time] that surpasses the Dao Fruit."

"This is... a Transcendent Trait."

The Buddha Mother raised his head and subconsciously bent at the waist. As he bowed in worship, he looked into the depths of the ocean of light and asked:

"Who are you?"

From the depths of the ocean of light, a lone, blurry figure sat cross-legged and spoke softly.

"Peacock, when have you ever bent your waist for another?"

The Buddha Mother froze, standing stiffly on the spot, stunned for a long time.

He suddenly burst into tears.

In a daze, within that sea of light, the Buddha Mother saw his past. He saw the birth of the first peacock between heaven and earth, saw that peacock wield the five-colored light and roam freely across the world,

He saw that peacock dominate the God-Sealing Years, carrying out ten thousand schemes, swallowing Maitreya to obtain half a Dao Fruit, then using himself as a pawn to have Lu Xuan wield the Qing Ping Sword to destroy Maitreya, thereby securing his Dao Fruit completely.

Until then, he had never once bowed his head.

Then, everything changed.

The Buddha Mother’s eyes were bloodshot. He asked softly:

"What else could I have done?"

"You can take the final leap," the figure said calmly. "Merge with this Transcendent Trait, perform an Integration Dao with it. This Transcendent Trait can alter the years and history of a Dao Fruit Cultivator. You can overturn the past and start all over again."

"Good, good, good!"

The Buddha Mother felt the grain of [Time] in his hand—something that surpassed him, something that could once again encompass a Dao Fruit that had already escaped the flow of Years—

and he immediately believed the words of the creature in the sea of light.

He put his palms together, entered a state of [Supreme Forgetting Emotions], and severed all thoughts. He gradually merged with that Transcendent Trait, gradually performing the Integration Dao.

He felt himself ascending to a higher state.

"I have achieved Integration Dao..."

The Buddha Mother’s voice stopped abruptly.

.........

"Fellow Daoist Houtu, I trust you’ve been well."

Sakyamuni Buddha gave a slight bow, a smile on his face, as he subtly glanced at Lu Nian, who was cultivating quietly not far away.

There was no sense of fragmentation about the girl.

’Houtu’ was also smiling at this moment. She gestured with her hand.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Sakyamuni, on finally taking this step. Please, sit."

Sakyamuni Buddha slowly took a seat, sipped his hot tea, and calmly gazed at ’Houtu,’ a profound look flashing in his eyes.

’There is no sense of fragmentation about Houtu, but just as the Lady said, she has indeed been replaced by Fu Xi...’

’A Dao Fruit cannot be replaced unless one willingly gives it up.’

’Houtu’ smiled and spoke:

"May I ask what brings my Fellow Daoist here today?"

Sakyamuni Buddha thought for a moment, then said calmly:

"Although I have attained the Dao Fruit, the path ahead is unclear to me. I have come to discuss the Dao, and I ask for Fellow Daoist Houtu’s guidance."

"Of course."

The two Dao Fruit Cultivators conversed, discussing the Dao with one another. Celestial flowers rained down, Golden Lotuses bloomed from the earth, and all sorts of wonders manifested in exquisite detail.

When their discussion of the Great Dao was finished.

"So, has my Fellow Daoist found enlightenment?" ’Houtu’ asked with a smile.

"Still confused, still confused..."

Lu Xuan sighed, but his mind was racing. ’How can I get Xiaonian away safely?’

Across from him, a conflicted expression suddenly appeared on ’Houtu’s’ face. Seeing this, Lu Xuan, in his guise as Sakyamuni Buddha, couldn’t help but ask:

"Fellow Daoist, what is it?"

After a long silence, ’Houtu’ looked up, her expression solemn to the extreme.

"I no longer wish to involve myself in these many disputes... And in the past, I’ve had no grievances or enmity with Fellow Daoist Sakyamuni. Our paths are even similar, as we both hold compassion in our hearts..."

After a pause, ’Houtu’ seemed to make up her mind and revealed everything:

"Just now, when I was discussing the Dao with you, Shakyamuni, I observed that you wish to advance further to deliver all living beings and relieve their suffering. You truly possess great compassion... To be honest, I have a Dharma that might be able to help you..."

"It may help you, Fellow Daoist, ascend to the heavens in a single step!"

Hearing this, Lu Xuan’s heart skipped a beat. He gave a meaningful smile and bowed.

"Then I ask for your guidance, Fellow Daoist ’Houtu’!"

.........

「Meanwhile.」

Purple Cloud Palace.

"An unknown Dao Fruit Cultivator?"

Lu Xuan poured Ancient Bodhi Buddha a cup of wondrous tea shimmering with Buddhist light, seemingly frowning.

"I can feel the Buddhist Path in great decline, and I myself have been weakened."

"I came precisely for this matter."

Ancient Bodhi Buddha sighed.

"The Journey to the West is imminent, yet such a thing has happened. An unknown Dao Fruit Cultivator... I don’t know which Fellow Daoist’s incarnation it is. I can’t see it clearly at all!"

After a pause, he performed a solemn bow.

"Therefore, I wish to ask Fellow Daoist Purple Cloud to come out of seclusion!"

Lu Xuan put down his teacup and asked gently:

"What should I do? Please, speak freely, Fellow Daoist."

"I wish to ask you, Fellow Daoist, to come out of seclusion, enter the Human World, and establish a Buddha Land. Are you not in charge of the Jade Void Daoist Palace now? Why not transform the Jade Void into a part of the Buddhist Sect, turn the Twelve Immortals into the Twelve Buddhas, and re-establish Spirit Mountain!"

Pausing, Ancient Bodhi Buddha continued,

"Then, we can have Sun Wukong enter your Spirit Mountain, and the Journey to the West will be a great success. Besides, that monkey is your disciple to begin with..."

Lu Xuan appeared shocked and waved his hands repeatedly.

"Impossible, impossible! Although I am temporarily replacing the Primordial Lord and acting as the Yuqing of The Three Pristine Ones, I have no control over the disciples of that sect. Fellow Daoist, have you forgotten how four disciples of the Jade Void once entered the Buddhist Sect, only to leave with a massive amount of its fortune?"

Bodhi bowed again.

"You only need to hold out until the Journey to the West is over. There is no other way now. We can only take the risk. Even if the disciples of the Jade Void return to the Daoist Sect after the Primordial Lord returns, taking with them a vast amount of fortune again, but..."

His eyes burned brightly as he continued,

"But by then, we will have already won. What does a mere bit of fortune matter? The most crucial part is that if you, Fellow Daoist, join the Buddhist Sect with your identity as [Yuqing], it will cause the Daoist Sect to decline sharply and the Buddhist Sect to flourish greatly!"

A hesitant look appeared on Lu Xuan’s face. He said softly,

"Are you so certain you can trust me, Fellow Daoist? In the past, the four immortals of Jade Void entered the Buddhist Sect and then left, taking countless fortune with them. If I enter the Buddhist Sect as Yuqing and then leave again, the Buddhist Path... would truly be in peril!"

Bodhi was silent for a moment, his expression solemn.

"I trust you."

A moved expression appeared on Lu Xuan’s face. He too was silent for a long time, then nodded heavily.

"I will certainly not fail to live up to your expectations, Fellow Daoist!"

Bodhi was overjoyed.

"I will naturally do everything in my power to assist you, Fellow Daoist!"

With that, the two Supreme Beings bowed to each other. A brilliant smile spread across Lu Xuan’s face.

’What a good person.’

.........

Huaguo Mountain.

"Today, we shall become sworn brothers..."

Sun Wukong was dead drunk.

"From now on, I shall be... the Great Sage Equal to Heaven!"

"Then I’ll be the Great Sage Who Pacifies Heaven!" Ox Demon King, who had just rushed over from the Kongtong Immortal Realm, thumped his chest, producing a loud THUMP THUMP.

"Then I’ll be the Mountain Shifting Great Saint!" said a smiling Celestial Demon, transformed from an Old Peach Tree from Dragon Tiger Mountain.

"I’ll be the Exorcist Great Saint!" declared a Great Saint of the Demon Race with a solemn expression. He was the manifestation of an Ancient Tree Branch that had gained sentience after being stained with Emperor’s Blood and had once whipped several Daluo.

"I’ll be the Chaotic Heaven Great Saint!" the direct heir of the Kunpeng said cheerfully.

"And I’ll be the Sea Overturning Great Saint!" Ao Xianzhi said, grinning broadly.

"I’ll just be the Ventilation Great Saint!" Ben Bo’Erba exclaimed, overjoyed.

Sun Wukong took another huge gulp of wine, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Good, so good..."

He laughed heartily.

"I turned my back on the Celestial Realm, but I never thought I’d be able to meet such dear friends! This is truly a great fortune, a great fortune indeed!!"

As he spoke, he wiped away his tears, his heart churning with inexplicable emotion. After leaving the Celestial Realm, he had been downcast and despondent for a time.

It was a good thing he had met these six brothers and sisters!

Sun Wukong put down the wine jar. He suddenly remembered that old ghost in the Douluo Palace and his heart filled with hatred. He grabbed the Ruyi Dog-Beating Stick and swung it fiercely.

"I won’t hide it from you all. These past few days, I’ve had an extremely bold idea. Do you want to hear it or not?"

"Out with it!" Ox Demon King boomed. "Wukong, since we’ve become sworn brothers, your business is our business. If you have an idea, just say it!"

Sun Wukong exhaled heavily and nodded firmly.

"In the Celestial Realm, I met a powerful enemy, but all the Immortals protected him. I’m not happy about it, not happy at all!"

He paced back and forth.

"I want to fight my way up to the Celestial Realm! I wonder if you all can help me? Can you help me?"

The six Great Saints looked at each other.

’Fight our way up to the heavens?’

’This... isn’t such a big deal.’

The six of them were all familiar with the Journey to the West. They immediately nodded, and not a single one refused.

"Good, good, so good..."

Sun Wukong exclaimed,

"My sworn brothers and sisters, when it comes to spirit, you surpass those so-called Immortals in the heavens by who knows how much! Getting to know you all is Old Sun’s great fortune, it truly is Old Sun’s great fortune!"

He paused, and just as he was about to say more, he suddenly sensed something. His brow furrowed, and he strode out of the Water Curtain Cave, with all the Great Saints following behind him.

They looked into the distance and saw an Emperor Chariot slowly approaching. A True Phoenix pulled the chariot, and sitting upon it were a middle-aged man and a young woman in green.

"HEY!"

Sun Wukong raised the Ruyi Dog-Beating Stick high and roared in fury:

"It was these two who gave me trouble back then! And I even glimpsed that middle-aged man in that old ghost’s Daoist Palace in the Celestial Realm. He’s definitely no good either!"

Saying this, the monkey shot a fierce sideways glance at the bewildered Ventilation Great Saint, Ben Bo’Erba.

"Brother, I know you have a history with these two. For your sake, I won’t kill them, but I have to return that beating they gave me!"

After a pause, Sun Wukong’s voice boomed:

"Everyone, I wish to wage war on the heavens! Since these two have arrived, why don’t we give them a good thrashing first, and then march on the Celestial Vault? How about it?"

The six Great Saints opened their mouths but all fell silent.

On the Emperor Chariot, Lu Xuan was a bit speechless. Just as he was about to speak, a thought suddenly struck him.

"Interesting..."

The Goddess glanced sideways.

"What is it?"

Lu Xuan smiled, his expression full of meaning.

"Houtu told my Shakyamuni incarnation that she wants to help me... with Integration Dao."

After a pause, he continued,

"And... I agreed."

"However, I asked ’her’ to help me integrate with the Three Thousand Great Dao."