Daoist Wutian and others, who had been waiting at the base of Mount Meru, watched as several long rainbows seemed to fly out of the mountain.
"Let’s go, our opportunity has arrived."
Daoist Wutian’s eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke to the person beside him.
Suddenly, figures began to move, a group of people following Daoist Wutian’s steps towards Mount Meru.
"The outside is up to you, I’ll go in first!"
Not far from the Great Hero Treasure Hall, Daoist Wutian spoke to Ghost Car.
After the great war between sorcerers and monsters, Ghost Car had fled and later joined Daoist Wutian in the Demon Realm, becoming one of his trusted aides.
Moreover, after all this time, he had become a Quasi-Saint.
Thus, Daoist Wutian felt relieved handing the periphery of Mount Meru to him.
Of course, with the current strength of Buddhism, they were essentially powerless to resist. In order to prepare for the battle against various sects, all the Taiyi Golden Immortals of Mount Meru had already departed.
The most powerful Immortal outside was merely a Heavenly Immortal.
This time, they were determined to succeed.
The next moment, Daoist Wutian flashed, and in an instant, he had vanished from the spot, and a Black Lotus gradually took the form of Daoist Wutian. Facing the old monk who was meditating before him, Daoist Wutian brought his hands together and exclaimed, "Buddha Ancestor Ran Deng!"
"You’ve come after all."
Upon hearing Daoist Wutian’s voice, Ancient Buddha Ran Deng slowly opened his eyes, his expression devoid of any surprise, as if he had been waiting there all along.
"The calamity of Daoist Wutian was set by you, wasn’t it? Since we’ve already made a pact, naturally we must adhere to it. From today onwards, Mount Meru is under my control, Daoist Wutian, for thirty-three years."
"After thirty-three years, when Tathagata’s reincarnated body returns and defeats me, Mount Meru will still be yours.
If you lose, there will no longer be Buddhist Mount Meru in the Three Realms, only a Demon Cult Mount Meru."
Daoist Wutian spoke in a calm tone, but he was still somewhat excited inside.
Ever since the calamity of Daoist Wutian had been set, he had been looking forward to this day.
"Tathagata’s reincarnated body has been gone for twenty years, and will return in thirteen more years."
"Daoist Wutian, even if I let you have Mount Meru now, what can you do in three years?
You do realize, the very reason demons are called such is because they are repudiated by these Three Realms."
"If not for the Demon Realm having become part of Heavenly Dao, you might not have existed anymore."
Ancient Buddha Ran Deng remained far calmer than imagined, continuing his persuasion as he looked at Daoist Wutian’s face.
The calamity of Daoist Wutian was indeed a pact between Buddhism and the Demon Realm, and also a course set by the Heavenly Dao. However, after this pact ran into problems during the major ordeal in Journey to the West, it was essentially voided.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have delayed letting Daoist Wutian join Buddhism until now.
By now, it’s likely that many in Buddhism had forgotten about the calamity of Daoist Wutian, remembered only by Daoist Wutian himself.
"Buddha Ancestor Ran Deng, thirty-three years, nothing will change."
Daoist Wutian, upon hearing Ran Deng’s words, showed no faltering in his resolve, his face even broke into a small smile, as if everything was within his control.
"Tathagata has reincarnated at the Qiao Family Estate, the reincarnated youth named Qiao Ling’er, who will return after thirty-three years."
"What, what do you plan to do?"
Buddha Ancestor Ran Deng, realizing Daoist Wutian spoke so accurately of Tathagata’s reincarnation, became anxious.
After all, if anything happened to the reincarnated body, Tathagata would never be able to return.
The faint hint of Tathagata’s True Spirit in Qiao Ling’er could be considered a fragment, or it could represent all of Tathagata.
"What do I plan to do? Don’t worry, although I am a demon, I won’t harm the reincarnated body of Tathagata."
"I just want Buddha Ancestor Ran Deng to remember that my control over Mount Meru for thirty-three years begins the moment I stepped onto Mount Meru."
"As for when Tathagata reincarnates, what does that have to do with me?"
Daoist Wutian laughed, filled with joy.
Ran Deng’s calm demeanor had been unsettling to him, and finally seeing his expression change, Daoist Wutian felt his goal had been achieved.
"Do you believe that I would risk all my cultivation to keep you from claiming Mount Meru?"
"Don’t forget, the strength of my Mount Meru far outweighs your Demon Realm!"
Ran Deng stood up, holding Buddha Beads in one hand and pointing at Daoist Wutian with the other.
"I believe, of course I believe."
"But Zhun Ti, Jieyin are all absent, and all those above Taiyi have gone to Jambudvipa."
"Mount Meru has just been further depleted with Guanyin and Samantabhadra leaving. How many people could possibly be left now?
Not to mention I am not without allies!"
As he spoke, a figure appeared beside Daoist Wutian — Yaochi!
This truly unsettled Ran Deng.
With the Jade Emperor concerned with Jambudvipa, and Yaochi following him to Mount Meru to overturn it,
It could be said that everything was meticulously planned.
With Mount Meru’s current manpower, they were fundamentally unable to stop them.
"Ancestral Master Ran Deng, please step into the Haotian Mirror!"
Yaochi took out the Haotian Mirror, a Spiritual Treasure granted to Haotian by the Ancestral Master.
The Haotian Mirror emitted a beam of white light, enveloping Ran Deng.
In an instant, Ran Deng had disappeared from their presence.
"Daoist Wutian, with Ran Deng trapped in the Wu Tian Mirror, Mount Meru is now yours."
Yaochi looked at Daoist Wutian and continued, "I just hope you remember the original promise."
This time, choosing to cooperate with the Demon Realm while the major battle raged in Jambudvipa to seize Mount Meru was truly effortless.
"This matter, I naturally understand. Rest assured, Fellow Daoist!"
Having heard Daoist Wutian’s words, Yaochi nodded and then vanished from his presence.
Watching Yaochi leave, Daoist Wutian smiled slightly and headed straight for the Great Hero Treasure Hall.
At that moment, in the Great Hero Treasure Hall, besides Zhun Ti, Jieyin, and other remaining Buddha Ancestors, Tathagata was also there.
Seeing Daoist Wutian suddenly appear, they all braced as if facing a great enemy.