Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2300: 167: Hands Tied (2)
Previously on Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant...
The eyes of the massive statue narrowed slightly. Its gaze shifted past Wang Ba, coming to rest on a youth clad in purple robes who was slowly stepping forward from the rear. Despite a flicker of gravity in its expression, the statue’s tone remained perfectly composed:
“Sect Leader Bai, you were the first to violate the regulations… Furthermore, were these rules not established by us?”
Wang Ba’s divine sense swept behind him, confirming that the purple-robed youth, Bai Lechan, was approaching. Bai Lechan walked past Wang Ba with a frigid expression, staring directly at the magnificent Buddha statue before speaking in a low voice:
“Is that so? If that is the case, why have you not made your move yet?”
The Eastern Great Bodhisattva hesitated for a moment. His face soon regained its serenity as he replied deeply:
“The proper moment has not arrived. Why such haste?”
He scrutinized the purple-robed youth as if weighing his options. Gradually, the emotion drained from the statue’s broad face, and he spoke softly:
“This specific round shall be considered your victory. However, the Buddha treasure and the divine beast enforcer must be returned to Wisdom Truth.”
Wang Ba’s face clouded over with anger.
Before he could voice his protest, the purple-robed youth let out a cold, mocking laugh:
“What do you mean by ‘considered’ our victory? In the art of magical combat, outcomes are determined by individual skill. Since we have triumphed, what more is there to say? These Dao treasures and divine beasts are the spoils of our success. By what logic should we hand them back to you?”
“If this displeases you, you are welcome to come to the Cloud Sky Realm and try to take them!”
His stance was unyielding and his voice resonated with absolute certainty, showing no sign of retreat.
Stunned by this sharp reprimand, the Eastern Great Bodhisattva found himself momentarily without a retort.
Wang Ba felt a surge of surprise, but he quickly realized why the Cloud Sky Realm continued to draw so much support from wandering cultivators despite the relentless assaults from the Supreme True Buddha. Beyond the common understanding that their fates were intertwined, the character of Sect Leader Bai of the Cloud Sky Sect was clearly a major factor.
The Eastern Great Bodhisattva took a long, hard look at the purple-robed youth standing before Wang Ba. The youth stood with his hands behind his back, possessing the aura of a divine being. The Bodhisattva then chanted softly:
“Supreme True Buddha… Sect Leader Bai, you are quite bold. I only hope you do not feel regret on the day the Realm finally shatters.”
“There is no need for a monk to fret. Every soul in the Cloud Sky Realm is prepared for that day to arrive,” the purple-robed youth replied indifferently.
The grand image of the statue began to fade away.
The surrounding white light dissolved, and Wang Ba realized he was back in the Void of the Realm Sea, with the purple-robed youth standing right in front of him. Across from them, the Red Bodhisattva seemed to receive a silent command. Though his face was twisted with resentment and fury, he did not dare to stay and quickly vanished into the darkness of the void.
Turning toward Wang Ba, the purple-robed youth offered an appreciative smile and a nod:
“You performed admirably, Taoist Friend.”
Wang Ba did not celebrate. Instead, he asked with a serious expression:
“My thanks, Taoist Brother Bai. That situation just now was…”
The youth chuckled at the question:
“That was merely a technique of the Eastern Great Monk, designed to stealthily pull one’s mind and soul into his Buddha Kingdom. Your Primordial Spirit is quite powerful, yet it lacks a certain degree of resolve, which is why you were ensnared.”
Wang Ba fell silent, his heart filling with a new sense of caution. Because of his specific Dharma Lineage, his Primordial Spirit was indeed exceptionally sturdy, far exceeding his peers and matching those at the middle-stage of Foundation Establishment or even Crossing Tribulation. In terms of raw power, he lacked nothing.
However, it was ultimately a matter of quality versus quantity. Being only in the early-stage of Crossing Tribulation, he could hold his own in standard magical combat, but his fundamental weaknesses were laid bare when facing a powerhouse like the Eastern Great Bodhisattva.
“There are two rounds remaining. Can you still manage, Taoist Friend?” the purple-robed youth asked with genuine concern.
Wang Ba inspected the state of his Primordial Spirit and answered:
“We shall see.”
It was the same reply he had given before fighting the Red Bodhisattva. This time, however, the youth did not worry. He laughed and clapped his hands:
“Excellent! Very well! I shall await your triumphant news then, Taoist Friend!”
Having said that, he stepped back. He did not return to the Realm but chose to remain outside to watch the proceedings. It was clear that while he had driven off the Eastern Great Bodhisattva, he did not want to leave Wang Ba unprotected. He stayed as a deterrent, preventing the Bodhisattva from discarding his dignity to personally ambush Wang Ba. Such a thing was possible; if Sect Leader Bai felt the urge to eliminate a threat like Wisdom Truth, then the Eastern Great Bodhisattva might feel the same about the even more promising Taiyi Taoist.
Standing alone in the Void of the Realm Sea, Wang Ba faced the ranks of Bodhisattvas and Arhats from the Supreme True Buddha. His expression remained fearless. He recalled his various Dao treasures and divine beasts, deactivated his Divine Skills, and returned to his appearance as an ordinary Taoist. He said calmly:
“Next.”
His voice was quiet and carried a hint of fatigue, lacking any overwhelming pressure. Yet, this time, the side of the Supreme True Buddha was met with total silence.
With Wisdom Truth—the strongest of the ten Bodhisattvas—defeated, the remaining monks lost their nerve. They looked at one another, hesitant and uncertain. The sheer presence of one man had caused an entire host of Buddhas to waver.
After a long pause, a Bodhisattva ranked third in their realm finally stepped forward. He hoped that Wang Ba, having fought three opponents including the formidable Wisdom Truth, would be exhausted enough to be easily overcome.
However, the ensuing magical combat was dull. Perhaps out of extreme caution, the Bodhisattva held back on every strike, making the fight pale in comparison to the duel with Wisdom Truth. Wang Ba repelled him with ease. Fearing his own Dao treasures would be confiscated, the monk surrendered immediately and fled.
Following that, no one volunteered. Eventually, the Eastern Great Bodhisattva was forced to personally command a Bodhisattva to go into battle. The result was predictable. Terrified that his Buddha treasure would be seized by Wang Ba, the Bodhisattva launched a half-hearted attack and surrendered instantly, giving Wang Ba no opportunity to strike a decisive blow.