Chapter 027: The Golden Light Barrier

After Kinnara turned dark and became the Buddha Without Heaven, before he could take revenge on his former superior, Upatissa, the latter was defeated by the rising star of Buddhism, Tathagata Buddha.

Thus, Tathagata Buddha became the leader of Mount Meru, the Buddha of all Buddhas, ruling over Mount Meru.

Having accumulated sufficient power, the Buddha Without Heaven decisively attacked Mount Meru, not only killing Dipankara Buddha but also forcing Tathagata Buddha into nirvana, and unifying the Three Realms, imprisoning the Jade Emperor and Lord Laozi.

From this, it is evident that his power is absolutely top-tier in the Three Realms.

So Wang Bo had no doubt that he could easily defeat Tathagata Buddha on Mount Meru, along with many bodhisattvas and arhats, forcing Tathagata Buddha and the bodhisattvas and arhats to join forces and seal off Mount Meru.

After a swift journey, Wang Bo finally arrived at Mount Meru, and he ascended along the mountain path toward the Great Thunderclap Monastery.

But just as Wang Bo passed the mountainside and was nearing the summit, a faint golden light enveloped the entire peak, including the Great Thunderclap Monastery.

Wang Bo could no longer advance a single step.

This layer of golden light seemed thin, like an eggshell that would shatter at a touch, but in reality it was extremely tough; otherwise, it could not have blocked the countless celestial beings, nor even the Buddha Without Heaven.

Those outside could not enter, and those inside could not leave.

Standing before the golden light barrier, Wang Bo tried several methods but could not bypass the thin golden light to enter the Great Thunderclap Monastery on Mount Meru.

If he could not meet the Buddha Without Heaven, Wang Bo would have no way to send him back to his hometown.

What to do?

After some thought, Wang Bo finally turned to his cheat system, hoping it could come up with a good idea.

[No way, I'm just an emotionless machine. How could I have a good idea? Maybe you should put this aside for now and look for other transmigrators.]

"Since you say that, I can only tell you that I have no way either." Wang Bo sighed and said, "In that case, let's wait until this barrier is broken by the Buddha Without Heaven."

Wang Bo believed that the Buddha Without Heaven, trapped in the Great Thunderclap Monastery, would surely find a way to break the barrier.

Since he had no way, and the cheat system had no way, he could only wait for the Buddha Without Heaven to come up with a solution.

It wouldn't be too late to meet him after he came out.

Anyway, Wang Bo had plenty of time. As for looking for other transmigrators—well, that was impossible.

It wasn't that Wang Bo wasn't trying, but that he had no way. In the meantime, Wang Bo could leisurely enjoy his current good life.

He certainly didn't mind.

Afterward, Wang Bo returned from Mount Meru to his mansion in Luoyang. After the projection dissipated, the main body absorbed all the memories of the projection and understood the whole story. He couldn't help but click his tongue a few times.

The Buddha Without Heaven—now that was a ruthless character.

He never expected that the transmigrator in this world would be this one.

It was a pity, though, that he was trapped on Mount Meru and couldn't get out.

He wondered how things were inside.

But on second thought, it didn't seem to have much to do with him. Time to scram, scram. He'd find a way to meet the Buddha Without Heaven after he came out.

Until he came out, he'd just stick to his comfortable little life.

He just didn't know when the Buddha Without Heaven would finally come out—a hundred years, two hundred years, or a thousand years later.

……

The next day.

Wang Bo got up early, washed his face, swallowed a mouthful of morning purple qi, and was about to have breakfast when Miss Duan appeared with Chen Xuanzang.

Wang Bo saw the two and waved, "Come, sit here, let's eat together."

Miss Duan sat down carelessly.

Chen Xuanzang pressed his palms together and bowed to Wang Bo, "The young monk has heard from Miss Duan that if not for the benefactor saving me, I would now be dead. Here, I thank the benefactor for the rescue."

"Don't mention it," Wang Bo said with a smile. "As the saying goes, medicine cures only the incurable, Buddha ferries only the fated. Although I put in some effort to save you, the main reason is that your life was not meant to end."

When he saw Black and White Impermanence that day, Wang Bo knew that even without his intervention, they would have brought Chen Xuanzang before Kṣitigarbha, and Kṣitigarbha would never let Chen Xuanzang die.

So even if Wang Bo hadn't acted, Chen Xuanzang would have survived.

All things considered, Wang Bo really hadn't done much.

But Chen Xuanzang clearly didn't see it that way; he was very courteous to Wang Bo. Only after repeated invitations did he sit down and have breakfast with Wang Bo and Miss Duan.

Wang Bo didn't eat anything too greasy in the morning—just three items: soy milk, fried dough sticks, and steamed buns.

Although Chen Xuanzang couldn't eat the steamed buns, he could have soy milk and fried dough sticks.

Miss Duan, however, refused nothing and ate several baskets of buns in one go.

Wang Bo did not tell Chen Xuanzang and Miss Duan about the sealing of Mount Ling. But during the meal, he suddenly remembered that Chen Xuanzang seemed to have a master in the mortal world.

This master was slovenly, ate meat and vegetables without restraint, and even ate chicken legs in front of Chen Xuanzang, claiming he had already let go.

He had a bit of a Daoji flavor, that is, the Arhat Subduing Dragon.

But as everyone knows, the Arhat Subduing Dragon reincarnated as the Living Buddha Daoji during the Southern Song Dynasty, and now is the Tang Dynasty, so this master was probably not Daoji.

Moreover, Chen Xuanzang is the reincarnation of Golden Cicada, the second disciple of the Tathāgata Buddha.

Whether in cultivation or Buddhist doctrine, an arhat of the Lesser Vehicle is not qualified to be Chen Xuanzang's master.

And in the story, Chen Xuanzang's master had a greasy face, a constant smile, and a stout figure, very much like Maitreya Buddha.

So Wang Bo couldn't determine who this mysterious master of Chen Xuanzang really was.

Wang Bo wanted very much to ask Chen Xuanzang, but in the end he held back. After all, even if he asked, he might not get useful information from him.

Therefore, Wang Bo said nothing.

After breakfast, Chen Xuanzang felt he had rested enough, so he stood up and took his leave from Wang Bo, wanting to leave this place.

Wang Bo did not stop him; he had the steward take one hundred taels of silver from the accounts and gave it to Chen Xuanzang as travel expenses.

But this time, Chen Xuanzang absolutely refused to take it, repeatedly declining.

Miss Duan couldn't stand it anymore. She picked up the silver and stuffed it into Chen Xuanzang's arms, saying, "A grown man, why all this fuss? Since he's giving it, just take it."

Then, before Chen Xuanzang could object, she cupped her hands to Wang Bo, said goodbye, and dragged Chen Xuanzang away.

Wang Bo saw the two to the door, watched them leave, and then returned.

Wang Bo was also curious about their future: would Chen Xuanzang end up with Miss Duan? Now that Mount Ling was sealed and the Journey to the West had fallen through, what kind of development would the two have?