456: Chapter 218 Rumors_4 456: Chapter 218 Rumors_4 Tathagata pretended not to hear what Great Emperor Ziwei had said before.
After all, he had already put forward his suggestion.
Whether to act on it was up to Great Emperor Ziwei himself.
The look in everyone’s eyes when they turned to Tathagata Buddha had changed; this fellow truly had a filthy mind and dark methods.
No wonder Great Emperor Ziwei had summoned him.
Only Tathagata Buddha could come up with such a scheme.
Spreading rumors, smearing reputations, there was nothing he would not stoop to.
If it were them, they definitely wouldn’t do such things, they wouldn’t even think of them.
Their approach was to be upright and just, to use legitimate reasons to debate the Jade Emperor down.
Their methods would never be as filthy as Tathagata’s.
“As long as the immortals of the Three Realms believe that even half of those rumors are true, most of the loyal followers around the Jade Emperor would be eliminated.
Then, with the use of some simple schemes, the Jade Emperor would become isolated,” said Gold Star Taibai, squinting his eyes, unable to help feeling impressed, “Buddha’s methods are indeed brilliant.”
“Yes, Buddha’s wisdom is unparalleled.”
“Buddha’s awesome.”
“Buddha is indeed dark.”
“Buddha’s methods are really dirty, but truly clever.”
A group of people praised, but the more they spoke, the more off it sounded.
Tathagata Buddha’s face, initially smiling, could not manage to smile in the end.
He frowned, beginning to feel displeased.
This was what Great Emperor Ziwei had asked him to say, and he too believed this was the most appropriate method for the present.
It could effectively weaken the forces around the Jade Emperor, and when it came time to settle the score with him, fewer living beings would be lost.
What was wrong with such a good idea being a little dirty?
If it wasn’t dirty or dark, would it be called a stratagem?
Throughout history, all schemes have been dark and dirty.
Seeing Tathagata Buddha’s displeasure, Great Emperor Ziwei understood that the others had gone a bit too far.
He cleared his throat and said, “Enough, gentlemen, please refrain from further comment.
Grand Sorcerer, this matter will be handled by you, Gold Star Taibai, and Master Sa.
Should any difficulties arise, you may inform me, and I will help you to resolve them.”
“Many thanks, Your Majesty.”
Tathagata Buddha expressed his gratitude.
“It is I who should thank you, Buddha.
Only you could come up with such a brilliant strategy.
With Buddha’s help, I can rest assured,” Great Emperor Ziwei said with a big laugh.
Tathagata Buddha, however, gave a wry smile.
By suggesting such a scheme today, he estimated that all the immortal officials present were likely to be on guard against him from now on, given that his methods were excessively sinister.
They would surely harbor a vigilant heart against him.
Great Emperor Ziwei, in an excellent mood, dismissed all the immortal officials.
Just as Marshal Tianpeng was about to leave, he was stopped by Tathagata Buddha.
“What are you planning to do?” Marshal Tianpeng asked, staring at him coldly.
Tathagata Buddha smiled slightly, then approached Marshal Tianpeng.
A flash of light appeared in his hand, and a soul light emerged—astonishingly, it was someone’s soul.
When Marshal Tianpeng clearly saw the face of that soul, he was stunned.
“Cuilan…” he said, his voice trembling.
Tathagata Buddha laughed awkwardly, explaining, “Boxun acted on his own initiative; I wasn’t aware and certainly did not command him to do so.
After all, I had no reason to move against you.
But I didn’t prevent Boxun, and secretly preserved your wife’s soul from being destroyed, hoping that one day Marshal Tianpeng would not hold a grudge against this old monk.”
Marshal Tianpeng was at best only half-convinced by Tathagata’s words.
He didn’t believe for a moment that Tathagata had not ordered Boxun’s actions.
But that Cuilan’s soul had been preserved was the thing that pleased Marshal Tianpeng the most.
Looking at Tathagata, his gaze softened considerably.
“As long as Cuilan is safe, I will consider the matters between you and me settled,” Marshal Tianpeng declared in a grave tone.
“Many thanks, Marshal.”
Tathagata Buddha breathed a sigh of relief and thanked Tianpeng.
In his heart, he smiled bitterly, for he had never imagined that a day would come when he would thank Tianpeng, thankful that he did not pursue Tathagata’s responsibility.
Times had changed; as Zhou Wei’s chief military general and a disciple of Lord Taishang, even Tathagata Buddha could not afford to offend Tianpeng easily.
Although Tathagata Buddha was far stronger than Tianpeng, in terms of influence, it wasn’t certain he was more powerful.
Sun Wukong’s brother, the chief military general of Heavenly Court, and a disciple of Lord Taishang—whoever considered moving against Tianpeng would have to think twice.
Upon receiving Gao Cuilan’s soul, Tianpeng did not waste time with small talk and promptly headed for his master’s abode.
With Lord Taishang’s methods, it would be easy for Gao Cuilan to rebuild her body.
Watching Tathagata Buddha, Gold Star Taibai sighed, “Buddha really does calculate without omission, having preserved Gao Cuilan’s soul.
Now, Tianpeng will definitely not hold any grudge against Buddha.”
Tathagata Buddha also sighed, “A single act of kindness has borne such good fruit today; it’s true that saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.”
“Hehe.”
Gold Star Taibai let out a cold chuckle.
Master Sa, however, greatly admired Buddha, not hiding the appreciation in his eyes.
He was sincere in his respect for such planning by Tathagata Buddha.
Master Sa considered himself among the more astute in the Heavenly Court, but compared to Tathagata Buddha, he was outclassed—not by just a little.
No wonder Great Emperor Ziwei invited Tathagata Buddha instead of entrusting the task of dealing with the Jade Emperor to them.
Even if it had been entrusted to them, they might not have been able to handle the Jade Emperor and certainly would not have done a better job than Tathagata Buddha.
Afterward, they wasted no more words and began to arrange their tasks.
The Jade Emperor, meanwhile, was oblivious to all this and even if he had noticed, he wouldn’t have cared.
He wasn’t there for the sake of the Great Heavenly Venerate’s position; to put it bluntly, he simply didn’t regard the position of Great Heavenly Venerate as important at all.