572: Get the first impression

When the monk appeared, all eyes in the vicinity instantly focused on him!

There was no dazzling brilliance, yet he shone far brighter than those so-called Heavenly Gods and Buddhas in the sky. The Aura of a single person instantly overwhelmed the entire scene.

Nearly all the Immortals and Buddhas held their breath as they stared at Tang Ku, their eyes filled with bewilderment and confusion.

"Is this the Holy Monk? This bearing, this power, this essence... uh... did the Holy Monk just wake up?"

The Daoist beside Li Chengqian, with a mix of admiration and utter perplexity, uttered the last sentence.

"You don't understand!"

Li Chengqian said, "This is what you call the bearing of a Holy Monk. Languidness that reveals boundless wisdom... uh... or maybe he really isn't fully awake yet!"

Tang Ku looked up, glanced at the myriad Heavenly Gods and Buddhas filling the sky, a faint smile appearing on his face, but he did not speak.

"So that's how it is... Tang Sanzang is truly Tang Sanzang. This is seizing the initiative, overpowering us with his Aura!"

Compassionate Guanyin said with a helpless, bitter smile.

"Amitabha, Amitabha!"

Bhaisajyaguru suddenly stepped forward. After looking around at the surroundings, he said helplessly, "He chose the terrain well. Although we are positioned above, we seem like a group of lofty, yet insubstantial, gods, Buddhas, and Immortals. His own Mortal-like demeanor, however, resonates more with ordinary people!"

"Exactly. Look at all the Cultivators below. They have already focused all their attention on him... Luck seems to have already begun flowing towards him..."

Beside him, a Buddha who was all smiles, very similar to Maitreya Buddha, spoke in a deep voice.

An Arhat, unable to bear it any longer, suddenly stepped forward. He came to a position above Tang Ku, looked down, and said with narrowed eyes, "Tang Sanzang, since you wish to debate the Buddha Dharma and compete in magic with us, why are you so negligent? Could it be that you look down upon us Buddhas and all the Immortal Gods present?"

"Oh no, it's the Arhat Who Subdues Tigers... his temper is the most explosive. Now he's going to fall right into Tang Sanzang's trap!"

Compassionate Guanyin inwardly cursed the situation, but wanting to pull him back was already impossible. She could only brace herself and let him proceed.

Tang Ku suddenly raised his head, smiled, sat cross-legged on the ground, shifted into a more comfortable position, and said with a laugh, "So it's the Arhat Who Subdues Tigers. Your words leave me somewhat confused... May I ask, where is the Buddha? And where are the Immortal Gods?"

The Arhat Who Subdues Tigers roared like a lion, his voice filled with anger, "We, the Buddhas of the Western Paradise, all Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and the assembly of monks and nuns are right before your eyes. Can it be that you do not see us? The various Heavenly Gods of the Celestial Court are also all here. Are your eyes dim with age? Or do you simply look down upon us?"

"Hehe, Amitabha, Amitabha. This Poor Monk does not mean that!"

Tang Ku smiled faintly.

"Then what do you mean? It was agreed upon to debate the Dao and compete in magic on the ninth day of the ninth month. Have you grown timid? Otherwise, why put on such an act?"

The Arhat Who Subdues Tigers said in a deep voice.

Tang Sanzang chuckled and said, "Am I putting on an act? Hehe, this Poor Monk doesn't think so! In my eyes, whether they are Buddhas of Heaven and Earth, Immortal Gods, demons, monsters, or all living beings, they are all equal existences. Why must we differentiate between what's a Buddha, what's a Bodhisattva? Among Immortal Gods, there are Heavenly Soldiers and Heavenly Generals, there are Tianzuns and Star Officers, with a clear hierarchy and strict Ranks, making it difficult for Mortals to even glimpse their backs. Then I ask you, is the so-called Buddhist compassion for all and the saying that all beings are equal, and the Daoist saying that all things are like straw dogs, all just empty talk?"

Well, the expressions of all the Immortal Gods, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas present changed, because Tang Ku's words were essentially cursing everyone in the heavens!

"Hehe, this little monk... is interesting!"

Grand Tutor Wen stroked his beard and smiled.

"Hmph, what a sharp tongue! I have long heard of Tang Sanzang's eloquence, and today I have witnessed it!" The Arhat Who Subdues Tigers said sternly, "Back when you were the Golden Cicada, you were already causing trouble everywhere. Today, I will teach you a proper lesson..."

*Whoosh!*

A golden light flashed in mid-air. A string of prayer beads transformed into eighteen towering mountains in the sky, crashing down towards Tang Ku.

Tang Ku smiled disdainfully, "When you can't win the debate, you resort to using force and pressure. Is this the Dao of your Buddhist sect?"

Guanyin and the various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas were already inwardly cursing the Arhat Who Subdues Tigers for being a terrible teammate. By resorting to force, they were even less justified.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!...*

No one could clearly see Tang Ku's movements. They only saw a golden flash of lightning flicker back and forth, and then the eighteen mountains shattered into countless pieces of rock, tumbling down the mountainside.

"Arhat Who Subdues Tigers, come back here! Without my permission, you are not to attack again!"

Guanyin helplessly called out to the Arhat Who Subdues Tigers.

"But... he insulted us..."

The Arhat Who Subdues Tigers said indignantly.

"Your debating skills are far inferior to his. It's better not to go out and embarrass yourself!"

Manjusri Bodhisattva suddenly stepped forward and said calmly.

"Hmph, so we just let him be this arrogant?"

The Arhat Who Subdues Tigers snorted coldly.

"You come back. We have others to deal with him!"

Maitreya beckoned to him. Only then did the Arhat Who Subdues Tigers relent. After glaring at Tang Ku a few times, he returned to the crowd. Still fuming, he stared at Tang Ku with knitted brows and glaring eyes.

No one knew that, right after the mountains exploded earlier, the Arhat Who Subdues Tigers had taken advantage of the Dust to wink at Tang Ku.

Tang Ku, however, watched his figure, narrowed his eyes, and thought to himself, "Thank you!"

"I was sent by the Dragon Subduing Arhat to help you build momentum..."

A voice transmission made Tang Ku suddenly understand. After all, there weren't many reckless fellows who would step forward at such a time. Even with the Arhat Who Subdues Tigers' explosive temper, it was unlikely he would lose composure like that.

From the very beginning, he had sensed that this Arhat Who Subdues Tigers might be acting.

"I wonder how much they've been helping me in secret..."

Thinking that both the Arhat Who Subdues Tigers and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva were in the Du Xin Domain, he knew these two must be secretly assisting him. After all, these two Buddhist Disciples' philosophies were basically completely aligned with his own.

"Amitabha, Amitabha. We do not presume to be lofty gods and Buddhas. It is merely that through cultivation, we have attained our respective fruits..."

A Bodhisattva who appeared somewhat thin but had a solemn expression and an imposing face stepped forward. It was none other than Vajramusti Bodhisattva.

This Bodhisattva was also highly renowned within the Buddhist sect. Apart from the subduing and demon-vanquishing power of his fist mudra, he was even more celebrated throughout the entire Buddhist community for his profound understanding of Buddhist principles.

"And the deeper the understanding of the Buddha, the more profound the Buddha Dharma becomes. This is more beneficial to the Buddhist Dao and to all beings in the Universe. We cultivate meditation, cultivate the Buddha, cultivate immeasurable Dharma, all for the purpose of universally saving all beings. Therefore, the 'all beings are equal' you speak of refers to beings beneath the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. They are foolish and unenlightened, prone to warfare and killing, greedy, cruel, and tyrannical. Various evil deeds and consequences befall them. This is the inherent nature of Mortals. Hence, there is equality in that aspect, not that they are born with equal status!"

"Exactly!"

Tang Ku suddenly narrowed his eyes and smiled, "The original intent of the Buddha has been distorted by your misinterpretation of the Buddha's teachings!"

Note: 'Vajramusti Bodhisattva' is used here as the translation for Vajra Fist Bodhisattva, which literally means 'Diamond Fist Bodhisattva'. This is a known figure in Buddhist iconography.