283: Chapter 187: Confused 283: Chapter 187: Confused At this moment, the style of the battle had completely changed.
Between Tathagata and Yang Jian, it was like a duel of the incumbents.
But Sun Wukong attacked like a beast.
This completely unstructured assault actually made Tathagata rather frustrated.
For example, when he slapped at Sun Wukong, and Sun got hit, he immediately clung to his arm and bit down hard.
Tathagata formed a dharma seal and blasted it toward Master Erlang.
Master Erlang did not dodge at all, and instead, struck out with his blade.
Just as Tathagata thought Master Erlang was trading injury for injury, Wukong charged over.
Then, to Tathagata’s shock, he directly blocked the dharma seal.
Sun Wukong’s complexion turned pale, evidently wounded.
But Yang Jian’s attack had also struck Tathagata.
He wasn’t really afraid of being hit by Tathagata at all because Sun Wukong had intercepted all the attacks.
Consequently, none of Tathagata’s strikes hit Master Erlang.
But whenever Master Erlang struck, he always left wounds on Tathagata.
Sun Wukong, at this point, could be said to be the strongest meat shield.
He blocked all of Tathagata’s attacks, allowing Master Erlang to strike.
The cooperation between the two was seamless.
Everyone saw through Sun Wukong’s intentions; he planned to exhaust Tathagata to death with his own immortality.
The look in everyone’s eyes changed when they gazed at Sun Wukong; he was too insane.
Tathagata was immensely powerful, and to exhaust Tathagata to death, it was likely that before anything happened to Tathagata, Sun Wukong would die first.
A spark of fury flashed in Tathagata’s eyes; he had not anticipated Sun Wukong to be so troublesome.
His current way of fighting was utterly reckless.
If Tathagata did not wish to engage in a fight to the death, he would have to fall back.
If he retreated, his title as the Lord of the Buddhist Realm would not be easy to reclaim in the short term.
Additionally, with the Heavenly Court’s support for Amitabha Buddha, both parties would end up in a deadlock.
This was the scenario Tathagata least wanted to see.
But looking at the situation now, unless he was ready to disregard everything, that was the only possibility of eliminating Sun Wukong.
Tathagata still had plans he hadn’t set in motion; to rashly deplete himself in an attempt to kill Sun Wukong might prove to be a loss not worth the gain.
Even though he felt Sun Wukong could be one of the strongest enemies on his path ahead.
Thinking this, he retreated, evading the duo’s attacks.
Wukong and Master Erlang were momentarily stunned, and then smiles spread across their faces.
For Tathagata to retreat had too many implications.
To some extent, it was as though he had already lost.
Realizing this, both Sun Wukong and Master Erlang laughed.
They also ceased their attacks, and Sun Wukong even said, “Tathagata, you’ve come to your senses, ready to pay respects to Amitabha Buddha, the Master of the Buddhist Realm.”
Tathagata spoke indifferently, “Heh, a Master of the Buddhist Realm who relies on the help of others, what right does he have to make me bow?
If he dares to confront me directly and defeat me, then maybe I’ll acknowledge his title, but that’s absolutely impossible right now.”
Sun Wukong wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth and sneered, “If that’s the case, let’s invite Lord Amitabha Buddha for a life-and-death battle against you right now, to the bitter end.
I’d like to see if you have the courage to accept the challenge.”
Amitabha Buddha’s expression changed slightly, the phrase ‘to the bitter end’ making him slightly uneasy.
At that very moment, Sun Wukong transmitted a message, “Don’t worry, he wouldn’t dare to allow himself to be too heavily injured.
His battle with us just now was proof.”
Amitabha Buddha felt a stir in his heart and chose to believe Sun Wukong’s words.
Thus, Amitabha Buddha stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Tathagata as he said, “In that case, Tathagata, let us battle, a fight to determine the true master, to see who is the rightful Lord of the Buddhist Realm.
We shall not rest until one of us is dead.”
A massive aura erupted from Amitabha Buddha.
He chose to face Tathagata Buddha directly, and suddenly, a knot in his heart unraveled.
All these years, his avoidance of Tathagata Buddha and reluctance to clash with him head-on naturally amounted to a heart demon or mental block.
Now that Amitabha Buddha was standing before Tathagata, he suddenly felt that Tathagata was not at all frightening.
Amitabha Buddha’s eyes shimmered with Buddha’s Light as he stared at Tathagata Buddha, his expression growing ever more resolute.
He pressed his palms together and said to Tathagata Buddha, “Buddha, please make your move.”
In an instant, Tathagata Buddha’s face turned sour.
Under everyone’s gaze, Tathagata Buddha hesitated.
But he quickly realized it wasn’t right; even if he was hesitant, he couldn’t let the crowd see it.
Tathagata Buddha regained his composure and said calmly, “I can engage in a life-and-death battle with you, but you must assure me that after our fight, no one will take advantage of my weakened state to strike.”
Tathagata Buddha’s words carried an underlying message, also providing an excuse for his reluctance to fight.
To truly engage in a life-and-death battle with Amitabha Buddha, Tathagata was afraid.
Not because of anything else, but because he did not want to deplete his strength.
This would greatly impact the plans he had calculated and would not achieve his original goal.
At this time, Tathagata harbored a deep hatred for Sun Wukong.
If it weren’t for his meddling, there would not have been so many troubles.
Amitabha Buddha responded indifferently, “I give you my word.”
Tathagata Buddha suddenly laughed, scorn evident in his voice, “Do you think I would believe you?
Amitabha Buddha, being a member of the Buddhist Sect, you’ve colluded with outsiders and acted against your own brethren.
You truly do not deserve to be the Master of the Buddhist Realm.”
With those words, Amitabha Buddha’s expression changed slightly.
He quickly replied, “Tathagata Buddha, even now you are trying to sow discord.
I am the Master of the Buddhist Realm appointed by the Heavenly Court.
Your refusal to accept my rule and the Heavenly Court’s dispatching of a strong enforcer to quell the rebel is a perfectly normal affair.
The entire Three Realms belong to the Heavenly Court, and naturally the Buddhist Realm is no exception.
Surely you do not truly, as the Great Saint and others have said, disdain the heavenly laws and even harbour thoughts of rebellion, plotting against the Heavenly Court, right?”