206: Feel confident

Two orbs of light, each taller than a person, radiated from Tang Ku and Guanyin; Tang Ku's was a brilliant gold, while Guanyin's was a dazzling, blinding white.

In a flash, their figures completely vanished, replaced by two massive orbs of light that violently collided. Subsequently, space in all four directions, up, down, and eight sides, shattered abruptly, and both time and space experienced a momentary stagnation.

Suddenly, countless vortexes appeared within a hundred cubic meters around them, then continuously spread outwards. However, just before these black vortexes reached the ground, the light from both figures abruptly disappeared, and the clash of Power ceased, as if their confrontation had been nothing but a dream.

The shattered space and twisted time also returned to normal in that instant, as if this terrifying event had never occurred.

Both looked at each other with expressions that were neither smiling nor not smiling, remaining silent for a long time.

"How do you feel?"

Tang Ku was the first to speak.

"Your understanding of Law has already caught up to mine!"

Guanyin frowned slightly, "The only thing that puzzles me is, how did you manage it? After all, you've only been exposed to Law for a few days. Why such immense progress?"

"Hehe, it's actually very simple!" Tang Ku smiled, "As I said before, I merely grasped the most basic Power Law!"

"Because it's simple, it's pure—is that the principle?"

Guanyin pondered for a moment, seemingly understanding what Tang Ku meant, and said in a deep voice, "The Dao of time I comprehended is too complex, like extracting one program from the Universe and meticulously listing it out. But you, you merely tap a few characters and can easily grasp its mysteries... Hmm, I understand..."

"I'm a rather lazy person and don't want to delve into such profound issues!"

Tang Ku raised his fist and said coldly, "And now, I don't need to think about such complex things. What I need now is to smash every conspiracy I can imagine with my fist, so... Power is supreme!"

Another faint golden light appeared, but immediately after, within this golden light, a blood-red Evil Qi slowly spread from Tang Ku's glabella, only to instantly retract and vanish without a trace.

How could Guanyin not see this scene? He couldn't help but ask in surprise, "You can control Evil Qi at will? Do you not have a Heart Demon?"

"With a firm Zen heart, where would a Heart Demon come from?"

Tang Ku smiled boldly, "Now I have bestowed upon myself a title; Buddha of Sandalwood Merit is a thing of the past. Now, I am called Guangdu Xin Buddha! And in the Western Buddhist Realm, there are no so-called True Buddhas anymore. Even if my Master, Tathagata Buddha, were to be resurrected, he would not be considered a True Buddha!"

"How arrogant, but wonderfully arrogant!"

Guanyin showed a hint of approval, "Is this your Zen heart? Hehe, just like the World-Honored Tathagata back then, 'Above and below the heavens, I alone am honored'? Truly worthy of Master and disciple!"

"Not the same, completely different!"

Tang Ku shook his head in denial, "'I alone am honored'? That's too selfish! I merely want to bury all those who are neither human nor ghost, who have committed all manner of evil deeds. That is all!"

Guanyin was stunned. What did he see?

In his eyes, he saw Power Of Will, like that produced by the great vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in the past!

"If this enemy truly grows, the consequences will be unimaginable... World-Honored One, World-Honored One, why did you teach such a disciple?"

Guanyin had some regrets. He truly wanted to bring Tang Ku under his command, but now it seemed impossible.

The best way now was to nip the threat in the bud.

However, he had no confidence in being able to keep Tang Ku here, because their previous confrontation had already shown that even if he truly made a move, it would be a mutually destructive situation.

Although he knew that Tang Sanzang was not his opponent, and he would ultimately win, even if he did win, it would be a Pyrrhic victory. Now was a time when all sides were watching intently; those powerful opponents might be lurking in the shadows, observing him. If he and Tang Sanzang fought to a decisive end, the victor would undoubtedly suffer a sneak attack from those hidden figures. At that point, he would truly be unable to resist anyone!

"If I die, then the current Buddhist Realm will be a disorganized mess... I cannot die. I must gather the Buddhist Realm together and concentrate its Power before the Buddha returns. That is the true supreme Karma. Being aggressive and confrontational is not my style!"

In an instant, thoughts raced through his mind!

All that thinking happened in but a moment.

"Alas, I was reckless!"

Finally, Guanyin sighed, "You are no longer someone I can control, just as Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva said, your wings are now fully grown, but you are no longer a person of the Buddhist Realm... Hmm, let's make an exchange, an exchange of information. You and I each ask one question. Regardless of whether it can be answered, let's consider today as if I never came. How about it?"

Tang Ku frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "Is there any meaning in that?"

"Actually fighting would be meaningless!"

Guanyin said without reservation, "Once a mutually destructive outcome occurs, no matter which of us ultimately wins, the mantis stalking the cicada will take advantage of it! Therefore, we cannot go to war!"

"Smart people also have a drawback: they have too many things to weigh..." Tang Ku had to admit this point, slowly nodding, "Then you ask first, but I may not be able to answer you!"

Guanyin thought for a moment, then said, "The imperial jade seal... is it no longer in Li Shimin's hands?"

Tang Ku smiled, "I can actually answer that... Hmm, tomorrow the Crown Prince will officially ascend the throne, and there needs to be a ceremony for the Legacy of the imperial jade seal, but that's just a ceremony. In fact, the handover of imperial power was completed tonight; the imperial jade seal is in the hands of the new emperor, Li Chengqian!"

Guanyin suddenly realized, "So that's why you're so fearless? That's right, you know that as long as imperial power is stable, the Formation of the Four Heavenly Kings won't have much effect. And you are also a great Buddhist scholar; whether Mahayana or Hinayana, you have the most authority to speak. Trying to control the populace with the Buddhist Realm is almost a delusion, because you are 'the Buddhist Realm,' and 'the Buddhist Realm'... is you!"

"Hehe, that's why from the very beginning, I never took the Formation of the Four Heavenly Kings seriously, because they simply wouldn't succeed!"

Tang Ku smiled, "Speaking of which, you deliberately sent Dragon Subduing Arhat to tell me this news, didn't you? The purpose was to have the Four Heavenly Kings test my strength... Hmm, I have to say, you succeeded!"

"Indeed, it was not a wasted trip!"

Tang Ku smiled faintly, "Then it's my turn to ask?"

Guanyin nodded, making a gesture to invite him.

"What I want to ask is..."

Tang Ku tilted his head, thought for a moment, "The true purpose of sending me down to the mortal world for the Western pilgrimage..."