Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 532 - 526: Cultivation Breaks Through to Peak Quasi-Saint [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1

Chapter 532: Chapter 526: Cultivation Breaks Through to Peak Quasi-Saint [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1

Everyone was stunned. It seemed that no one had expected Tathagata to hold Ao Lie in such high regard. However, what Tathagata said also seemed to make sense. Ao Lie had grown into the foremost person of the Dragon Clan, with strength that reached the heavens and penetrated the earth. Although he was not yet a Quasi-Saint, reaching the pinnacle of Daluo at his current age meant it was only a matter of time before he would become a Quasi-Saint. This person would definitely become a pillar of the Dragon Clan and must be secured.

However, all the Buddhas felt it was unlikely Ao Lie could be subdued, as he had been opposing Buddhism for more than just a day or two.

Guanyin said, "It is indeed impossible to give up on Ao Lie, but to subdue him, that is truly too difficult."

Ran Deng Buddha suddenly said, "Haven’t you all noticed that once someone gets involved with Sha Chen, they change? The fates we determined have changed, and it’s all because of Sha Chen. Anyone related to him has become an uncertain factor."

Everyone paused, and upon closer thought, it seemed to be the case. Each of them frowned deeply.

Zhunti said, "If you all say so, it seems that I really should go and see him. Alright, let’s proceed one by one."

The Buddhas were all baffled, not understanding what Zhunti meant by his words. Could it be that, aside from wanting to see Sha Chen, he also intended to visit someone else?

The Goddess of Mercy asked, "May I ask the Saint, what should be done about the affairs of Maitreya Buddha and Buddha Xianglong?"

Zhunti said indifferently, "Send them to undergo Samsara, though Maitreya has already undergone Samsara. As for Xianglong, not yet; I plan to personally send him on his way."

The Buddhas nodded in agreement. Despite their immense strength, not everyone was qualified to send these top-tier powerhouses to Samsara. Because top-notch powerhouses who wanted to undergo Samsara could not be received by hell, they had to be sent to the Samsara Platform personally, and then Saint Hou Tu had to be requested to take action. If Saint Hou Tu did not act, the Samsara Platform could not be opened. Then, that powerhouse could only remain as a lonely ghost. After all, seeking a new physical body was not as suitable as rebirth through Samsara. If a supreme powerhouse of Buddhism fell, Saint Hou Tu would delay for a time, because Buddhism did not get along with Saint Hou Tu. With Zhunti personally intervening, things would be much better.

Everyone felt relieved and left everything to Saint Zhunti to handle.

Zhunti suddenly said, "Buddha, Jin Chanzi has also fallen into Samsara, right?"

Tathagata said, "According to the time, he has been dead for some days now and should undergo Samsara in the Netherworld."

Zhunti said, "Then I shall personally see him off as well."

Tathagata was taken aback, then nodded slightly, though his heart was somewhat puzzled. Saint Zhunti seemed to be intervening in quite a few matters this time! He felt a sense of urgency; if Saint Zhunti were to start intervening in many matters, whose orders would Lingjiu Mountain follow then!?

Zhunti disappeared from the spot quickly, and the Buddhas turned their gaze towards Tathagata, waiting for his instructions.

Tathagata said, "Disperse, all of you. Let’s do as the Ancient Buddha previously suggested: bring all of Sha Chen’s followers to Lingjiu Mountain. I shall personally enlighten them."

All understood this was to cut off Sha Chen’s retreat. They retreated one after another, each going down to attend to their own duties.

Ran Deng Buddha looked deeply at Tathagata; he hadn’t expected Tathagata to subtly implicate him at the very end. Tathagata’s initiative in stating it was Ran Deng’s suggestion wasn’t to credit him with merit, but to establish a karmic link. The karma for hunting down Sha Chen’s followers originated from Ran Deng Buddha’s proposal, making it his greatest karmic burden. If trouble arose in the future, or if Sha Chen sought revenge, Ran Deng Buddha would be the primary culprit.

Ran Deng Buddha asked, "Buddha, you have been to Flowing Sand River. May I ask how difficult it really is to enter?"

Tathagata replied, "Not hard, but neither is it easy."

Ran Deng said, "If you and I joined forces, could it be made easy?"

Tathagata was silent for a moment, then said, "If it were before, perhaps. Now, I’m afraid not."

Ran Deng sighed, "What a pity." Then he rose to his feet and added, "Buddha, be wary. The old monk has already sensed that person’s aura, and he could come to Lingjiu Mountain at any time."

Tathagata was taken aback, seeming to know who the person Ran Deng Buddha referred to was. After a moment of silence, he said, "Let him come. With his current strength, coming here would be a path to death. However, I have calculated that he is a disaster for our Buddhism. It’s just that the great calamity of the Westward Journey has not yet begun, and his disaster is trivial for now."

Ran Deng Buddha said, "Please, have the Saint act to erase this disaster."

Tathagata said indifferently, "There is no need."

He didn’t want everything to be managed by the Saint, and he felt that this disaster could be utilized. Moreover, he himself didn’t know how the great calamity of the Westward Journey would unfold. As for matters further in the future, they would be addressed when the time came.

「Flowing Sand River.」

Sha Chen was still in seclusion, cultivating. He needed to break through to the next realm as quickly as possible because he felt a sense of crisis. He also knew that after killing Maitreya and Xianglong, he could no longer truly stay out of it. Sooner or later, people from Buddhism would come looking for him. Tathagata had already visited Flowing Sand River and certainly knew that the river was impregnable and couldn’t simply be breached by force. If they were to come then, they would surely come in a group, or someone even mightier than Tathagata would appear. Sha Chen, originally an even match with Tathagata, would probably not be his opponent the next time Buddhists came if he didn’t become stronger. He must break through; he must become stronger.

Sha Chen was refining the Blood of Zulong. Indeed, the mana within his body kept improving, and his physique was strengthening as well. This was because Zulong itself had immense strength and an invincible physical body. Its heart’s blood was simply a treasure for a strength cultivator. Sha Chen himself was a physical powerhouse, having already reached Great Accomplishment in the Primeval Chaos Law Body. He only needed another step forward to become stronger. By then, his physical body would be comparable to the strongest Ancestral Witch. Moreover, he was now primarily cultivating mana, and his mana cultivation was also continuously rising. Once his mana cultivation reached Peak Quasi-Saint, it would make him much stronger in battle. Even if he could not truly match a Saint by then, it would at least ensure he wouldn’t be completely powerless when facing one.

「A year later.」

Sha Chen completely refined the Blood of Zulong, and his cultivation finally stepped into the Quasi-Sage Peak realm. His physical body had reached the Peak Primeval Chaos Law Body half a year ago. During the past six months, he had been continuously strengthening and consolidating his physical body. Because he discovered that upon reaching the Peak Primeval Chaos Law Body, his physical body still seemed to be a Bottomless Cave, as if there was no end. He knew that there was likely a long journey ahead in this realm, and once he reached the end, he might become invincible in the world. As for his cultivation, it had finally, at this moment, stepped into the Peak Quasi-Saint realm.

"Congratulations to the host for the breakthrough in cultivation. You have the following choices."