Great Demon Sun Wukong

Although Zhu Bajie was still very confused and puzzled by everything that had happened, he smiled contentedly when he felt the surging fire power within him. No matter how this power had come about, as long as it could be used for me, that was enough. With great power, some hatreds could finally be more than just buried in the heart.

Just as Zhu Bajie was about to wield this power, a stream of information suddenly came from the nine Golden Cores inside his body. This information was intermittent and kept expressing one thought: "I need energy, I need to devour!"

Upon receiving this information, Zhu Bajie almost reflexively released all the Solar Gold Fire within him. At the same time, Zhu Bajie slowly ascended towards the location where Buddhism was convening the Buddha Selection Assembly. Zhu Bajie had a feeling that something incomprehensible was happening to him. This fire, it seemed, was not just the simple Solar Gold Fire.

The flames that Zhu Bajie released into the sky seemed to swirl for a few circles before all at once, like a gust of wind, they headed towards the place of the Buddha Selection Assembly. There, gathered almost all the monks of Buddhism.

Soon, the sky-covering Solar Gold Fire appeared before all the Buddhist disciples. Seeing so many people, the Solar Gold Fire seemed to be conscious, as endless flames gradually condensed into nine huge Three-legged Golden Crows. After these nine Golden Crows let out a resounding cry, they each charged towards the Buddhas below.

In the perception of these Three-legged Golden Crows, these Buddhas contained vast amounts of energy. And this energy was exactly what they needed.

The remaining flames made their transformation into smaller Three-legged Golden Crows, and amid the piercing screeches, they met the monks who were now showing fear.

For Buddhism, this was simply a catastrophe. Those Buddhas with great power could resist the attacks of the nine Golden Crows at first, but as time passed, the Buddha's power of these Buddhas weakened. The Golden Crows, however, grew stronger and stronger. Slowly, regardless of whether it was the Buddhas or the rest, they all began to disperse.

But how could these countless, varying sizes of Golden Crows allow these people to retreat smoothly? These were all sources of energy.

Among the cries of the nine Golden Crows, these relentless smaller Golden Crows actually arranged themselves into a Myriad Crows Formation. Those trapped within the formation saw even their last hope of escape shatter.

However, Buddhism was, after all, Buddhism. When escape seemed hopeless, these Buddhas, Arhats, and Buddhist Soldiers all unleashed terrifying combat power, and no one feared death any longer. The true meaning of Buddhism was completely manifested at this moment.

As Buddhism made their desperate stand, the Golden Crows started to suffer casualties. Initially, the attacks on the Golden Crows by the people of Buddhism had no effect; after all, the Golden Crows were transformations of the Solar Gold Fire and had no physical bodies. Even if they were dispersed, they could instantly coalesce again.

So later on, the Buddhist disciples all changed their method of attack to using seals instead of futile assaults. Suddenly, various kinds of Seal spells emerged endlessly. It was at this moment that the Golden Crows finally began to diminish.

By now, Zhu Bajie had also finally rushed over from the Great Treasure Hall. Seeing that although the Golden Crows were at an advantage, they were also being diminished, Zhu Bajie felt a painful sense of loss. Every Golden Crow lost meant less of Zhu Bajie's Solar Gold Fire.

Zhu Bajie was instantly furious, thinking that if this continued, even if he could annihilate everyone, he might not have much Solar Gold Fire left. In his rage, what Zhu Bajie did not realize was that although the number of Golden Crows had decreased, their physical forms had become more solid.

These Golden Crows were not just about killing those monks, after all. With every kill, several Golden Crows would swoop down in an instant to completely devour everything about the person. With each devouring, the Golden Crows grew more consolidated.

Watching the Golden Crows being continuously diminished, Zhu Bajie was very anxious, but he did not know how to control these Golden Crows. From the beginning to the end, these Golden Crows seemed to have their own consciousness.

"Could it be that I need to control them like I did with the Red Lotus Karma Fire before?" He could not care less at this point—it was time for a last-ditch effort. He had to try, or if all the Golden Crows perished, wouldn't he be knocked back to his original state?

With a single thought, Zhu Bajie's consciousness entered the nine Golden Cores within his body, trying to generate more Solar Gold Fire. However, as soon as his Divine Sense touched the Golden Cores, he felt a scorching heat that seemed to refine his soul.

Then, the nine Golden Cores began to tremble on their own, and after the trembling, they suddenly flew out of Zhu Bajie's body, each entering one of the nine Golden Crows.

Having received the origin power of the nine Golden Cores, the nine Golden Crows suddenly burst with golden light. What were mere shadows of Golden Crows had now almost condensed into physical forms. From a distance, they looked like nine living Golden Crow deities, no longer bearing any trace of being mere shadows.

The Buddhist Buddhas who had been evenly matched with the nine shadows of the Golden Crows felt an unstoppable tremendous heat the moment the Golden Cores entered the bodies of the Crows, and then, the nine Buddhas of Buddhism were instantly devoured by the nine Golden Crows. Flesh and Buddha's power alike were completely devoured without a trace.

Maitreya Buddha, Medicine Master Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Dipankara Buddha, Vairocana Buddha, Ratnasambhava Buddha, Nirmanakaya Buddha, as well as Bodhisattva Manjushri and Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. The nine strongest in Buddhism thus fell.

They did not die in the last great war nor did they die while chasing Sun Wukong, but ultimately, they met their demise at the hands of Zhu Bajie, a figure whom no one had taken seriously. And it was the downfall of nine in one fell swoop!

These nine represented Buddhism's last combat power, the hope and pillar of all Buddhist disciples. Among them, Dipankara Buddha and Amitabha Buddha were even Saints at the early stages of enlightenment. Yet, in the hands of the Three-legged Golden Crows empowered by the nine Solar Gold Elixirs, they were effortlessly struck down!

There was definitely something wrong with these nine Golden Crows! Even at their peak in Ancient Times, their strength had only reached the Emperor Level Peak, which was why they were successively shot down by Hou Yi, a Saint at the level of cultivation.

How much more should a living Golden Crow, only of Emperor Level strength, be mentioned, let alone the souls that had been sealed for who knows how many years? But now, these nine soul state Golden Crows not only killed and devoured the Buddhist Buddhas of the same Emperor Level Peak strength but also executed Amitabha Buddha, whose power far surpassed their own.

In Buddhism, Amitabha Buddha was only second to Tathagata Buddha in terms of strength! Yet, he still could not escape the fate of downfall.

With the energy of nine devoured Buddhas absorbed, all nine Golden Crows emitted joyful cries. Then they shrank down and transformed into nine palm-sized birds, flying back into the body of Zhu Bajie.

Then, Zhu Bajie suddenly let out a roar. This roar was filled with disbelief and amazement, along with an uncontrollable ecstasy!

Because Zhu Bajie had become a Saint!

Suddenly, heaven and earth rejoiced, and from the depths of the void, countless colorful petals rained down. Soon after, celestial music sounded, and a beam of golden light cascaded from the void, enveloping Zhu Bajie's head.

At this moment, Zhu Bajie was completely immersed in the enlightenment of the various Great Dao of heaven and earth, with the most profound understanding being that of the Fire System.

After a long while, the celestial music faded, and the rain of flowers vanished. Zhu Bajie opened his eyes. Below him, the Buddhist disciples were still in shock, not thinking of escape. As Zhu Bajie realized the Heavenly Dao, everyone stared blankly at him. Could it be that Zhu Wuneng, who used to be bullied by everyone, had now actually become a Saint?

Just as Zhu Bajie opened his eyes, a sorrowful lament rose between heaven and earth! This caused Zhu Bajie, who was just about to say something, to freeze, and then he suddenly remembered—the woeful lament must be because two Saints from Buddhism had just perished, causing heaven and earth to mourn together.

The moment this dirge began, all Buddhist disciples wept inconsolably. It was not only because the supreme figures of Buddhism had fallen but also for the future of Buddhism itself. One could imagine that from now onward, Buddhism would surely decline, or even face extinction.

Looking down with a sigh, Zhu Bajie also felt many regrets in his heart. During this brief moment as Zhu Bajie looked down, a stunning figure floated gracefully to the ground not far from Zhu Bajie.

This woman was dressed in a white robe, yet her face was veiled in white. Although her features were obscured, the crescent-shaped mark on her forehead was distinctly visible.