Chapter 466: Doesn't Want to Be a Mere Decoration
This time, Yang Jian was utterly defeated—he was simply no match for Ye Tian. At this moment, Ye Tian smiled faintly. It was clear he had come here to stir up trouble, probably because the Jade Emperor had taken a disliking to him.
But if the Jade Emperor was going to come looking for trouble, wasn't he afraid Ye Tian would strike back?
It seemed Ye Tian might've been overthinking it. Right now, what mattered most was continuing his meditation—he couldn't afford to waste time.
And once again, leading the ranking was… Tang Sanzang!
This time, Ye Tian was truly speechless. Despite his astonishing speed, he still hadn't caught up to Tang Sanzang. At the moment, Ye Tian was only in second place.
Third was the Buddha Tathāgata—he was actually chasing after Ye Tian too!
"If things keep going like this, I'll only be able to get second place."
Still, as long as he stayed ahead of the Buddha, Ye Tian didn't mind. As for Tang Sanzang, since he was so dedicated, there was no need for Ye Tian to crush his enthusiasm.
If Tang Sanzang truly wanted first place, Ye Tian was willing to let him have it.
After all, Ye Tian had already claimed first place far too many times. Some time later, Yang Jian reported everything to the Jade Emperor.
The Jade Emperor, upon hearing it, flew into a rage. Yang Jian, internally conflicted, had originally wanted to conceal the matter. But after much contemplation, he realized—was it even possible for him to keep it a secret?
He knew it wasn't. Given his strength, there were hardly any in the heavens who could rival him. So when he thought it through, there was really no need to hide it.
"You weren't even a match for him—so what am I supposed to do now?"
"I think it's best we just let this matter go. His power really is too great. If we keep pushing, we'll just end up in a mess. We all know how terrifying Ye Tian is—none of us together could defeat him!"
"But I really can't swallow this humiliation."
"Wait—we should talk to the Buddha."
After a moment of thought, the Jade Emperor decided that seeking out the Buddha might be the right move. Heaven and the Western Paradise should join forces now.
If they combined their power, there might still be a chance to defeat him.
So, after some time, the Jade Emperor traveled to the Western Paradise and met with the Buddha. The Buddha was surprised to see the Jade Emperor arrive.
"What brings you here? Is something the matter?"
"I wouldn't have come if it weren't important. Tathāgata, right now, I want to deal with Ye Tian, but I can't do it alone. That's why I'm hoping you'll lend your strength. If we join forces, we might stand a chance!"
"Is that so?"
"Indeed."
The Buddha sighed. "Haven't you seen the rankings?"
"Rankings? What rankings?"
"The Golden List Livestream. Tang Sanzang is ranked first. I can't even catch up to him right now. If word gets out, it'll be such an embarrassment. I have to focus on surpassing Tang Sanzang. With my power, it's not hard—it's just a matter of time."
The Buddha's meditation and enlightenment skills were indeed superior to Tang Sanzang's. It was just that lately, he'd been preoccupied with dealing with Ye Tian and had gotten distracted, which caused him to fall behind.
Now, if he focused on catching up, he was confident he could reclaim the lead.
But the Jade Emperor said, "Tathāgata, defeating Tang Sanzang is easy—Ye Tian is the real problem. Surely you're not someone who only picks easy targets?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean, Tang Sanzang is under Ye Tian's wing. If you defeat Ye Tian, taking down Tang Sanzang would be effortless afterward, don't you think?"
"This is what they call cutting the problem at the root, right?"
"Exactly—cut off the root, and everything else withers. So now, do you understand my meaning?"
After hearing the Jade Emperor's words, the Buddha suddenly laughed. He was right. If he could deal with Ye Tian now, Tang Sanzang wouldn't be an issue at all.
"Then tell me—how do you propose we work together? I don't want to be some decorative piece."
"He seems to be close with Sun Wukong right now. If we target Sun Wukong, Ye Tian is bound to step in. At that moment, we ambush him—our chances of success would be much higher."
But the Buddha frowned. The idea of a sneak attack didn't sit right with him. He was the Buddha—how could he stoop to such a dishonorable tactic?
"No. I won't do that. Sun Wukong is part of the Buddhist order. I'm already reluctant to use him like this, and now you want to ambush Ye Tian? That's beneath me."
"But if we don't act, Tang Sanzang will end up in first place. Then all of Buddhism will know that when it comes to meditation and enlightenment—you're not as good as him."
"This…"
The Buddha couldn't deny that this struck a nerve. If he wanted first place, he had to surpass Tang Sanzang. But he also knew the one he truly needed to worry about wasn't Tang Sanzang—it was Ye Tian.
Ye Tian's strength was unfathomable. There were several times when the Buddha thought Ye Tian fell short in some areas, only to realize afterward that he had misjudged him.
"So? What do you think? Are you going to go along with my plan? If you do, we're bound to succeed!"
"…Fine. I'll go along with you. But if this fails, you're taking the blame."
"You?"
"What, you're not willing?"
The Jade Emperor gritted his teeth. "If this doesn't work out and I have to take the fall—fine. I swear on my life, if it fails, I'll shoulder all the consequences!"
Meanwhile, Ye Tian had no idea they were plotting against him. He was fully immersed in cultivation, his meditation and enlightenment stats rapidly climbing. Just then, Sun Wukong suddenly appeared!
"Master! I came to find you," he called out.
"…Hm?"
Seeing Sun Wukong arrive, Ye Tian felt something was off. This Sun Wukong… didn't seem quite right.
In fact, he might not be the real Sun Wukong at all—but someone disguised as him.
(Support me and read ahead on Patreøn: patreøn.com/craxxtranslation. Thanks for your support! Don't forget to send Power Stones—300 Power Stones = +1 bonus chapter!)