Chapter 685: The Strong Rule

“I have come only for the sake of all beings in the Three Realms.”

The Buddha wore an ambiguous smile as he turned to Shui Miao and said, “A new order of the Three Realms that is reasonable and just is truly a blessing for all beings. The heavenly court abuses its power and disregards life—it is deeply unpopular. If the heavenly court fails to heed this today, my Buddhist realm, from top to bottom, will absolutely not allow it.”

The Buddha’s words were deliberately vague, neither confirming nor denying.

“So, is the Buddhist realm seeking to provoke a war between immortals and Buddhas?” Tongtian, stroking his beard, said in a calm tone.

The Buddha still wore that same ambiguous smile. “For the happiness of all beings, my Buddhist realm is ready to fight.”

The Buddha had come fully prepared, and his tone was extremely firm.

This was completely different from the Buddha’s usual demeanor. This time, it seemed he had finally revealed his true face.

Seeing the ominous turn of events, Nuwa and Jiutian Xuannü exchanged glances and began communicating mentally.

“Xuannü, the situation has already escalated beyond control. The Buddha’s ascension to replace the heavenly court’s rule over the Three Realms is imminent. To prevent Daoism from being destroyed and to maintain stability in the Three Realms, it’s time for us to step forward and stabilize the situation, minimizing the damage as much as possible.”

“Your Majesty, your thoughts are indeed wise, but I believe under these circumstances, the only way to defuse the crisis is to stand by Shui Miao’s side. What do you think?”

“Precisely. The problem is exactly as you say. In fact, Laozi shares our views. The heavenly court has too many flaws, and its feudalistic ideology is deeply rooted. He had no choice but to resort to this desperate strategy, forcing the situation to develop to this point, so that we could use Shui Miao, this mortal immortal, to change the current state of the heavenly court. However, the Buddha seems to be advancing with great force… so we must act swiftly.”

“Your Majesty, I had already guessed your intentions, but I’m a bit worried. I think the Tathagata must have already anticipated our plans. If he truly intends to seize this opportunity to replace the heavenly court, what should we do then?”

“There’s no time to think of consequences. We’ll deal with each step as it comes. If it comes to that, we’ll have no choice but to fight!”

After this private exchange, Nuwa and Jiutian Xuannü reached a mutual strategy.

“Everyone, the situation hasn’t deteriorated that far. It’s just about amending some of the heavenly court’s systems. Honestly, I also think the current system has its flaws. Making some appropriate adjustments is not unreasonable,” Jiutian Xuannü stepped forward and spoke with reason. “Systems are rigid, but people are flexible. If we end up in a war between immortals and Buddhas over rigid systems, wouldn’t that make us seem rather unwise?”

“Exactly, I agree with Xuannü. Don’t always resort to violence. If the heavenly court has made mistakes, it should correct them. For years, you’ve allowed the situation to spiral out of control, which is also wrong. Shui Miao, representing the mortal immortals, has raised some concerns. What’s wrong with that? But if you insist on causing trouble, I will stand by Shui Miao’s side.” Nuwa stepped to Shui Miao’s side.

Jiutian Xuannü followed suit.

With Nuwa and Jiutian Xuannü taking sides, the Buddha was effectively aligned with Shui Miao as well. Many sect leaders followed suit, choosing to stand with Shui Miao.

The heavenly court’s forces began to waver.

“Uncle, I think Shui Miao’s suggestions are perfectly reasonable. Besides, the Buddhist realm already supports him.”

Erlang Shen spoke up and directly led a group of immortals to stand by Shui Miao.

“Your Majesty the Jade Emperor, after careful consideration and weighing the need to maintain stability in the Three Realms, I also believe that the suggestions put forward by Shui Miao and the God of Culture are feasible.” After saying this, Laozi unexpectedly stepped forward to stand with Shui Miao.

Laozi, the most powerful figure in the heavenly court, actually supported reform. The remaining crowd became restless.

Many immortals followed suit, aligning themselves with Shui Miao.

In no time, Shui Miao’s side became crowded, while the Jade Emperor’s side became sparse, with only a dozen or so immortals remaining.

The change was too sudden…

Shui Miao quickly communicated with Laozi through mental transmission.

“Senior Laozi, what does this mean? Was all of this really your carefully planned strategy?”

“Hehe, Shui Miao, I truly appreciate your efforts. Without you, I couldn’t have pushed this reform forward. Don’t worry, those immortals you’ve eliminated were mostly puppets I created. Even if there were a few exceptions, I’ve already given them pills to restore them completely.”

“This… this result is too shocking! So from the very beginning, you’ve all been using me? I’ve been nothing but a pawn in your game, and everything I’ve done was already arranged by you?”

“Not exactly. It’s true that we used you, but we were also cultivating you, helping you gain more insights and become stronger. You can’t be considered merely a pawn—you’re part of us. Moreover, while some major events were orchestrated by us, everything else was your own initiative. For example, the matter with Hongjun Daoren, the appearance of Ci’en Daoren, and your swearing of brotherhood with Xuankong and others—none of those were planned by us. However, we all agreed to Hongjun Daoren’s decision to bestow upon you the title of Holy Sovereign of Fengshui. Well, let’s not dwell on this now. The situation is still complicated—we can talk more about it later…”

“Okay… fine…”

After this exchange, Shui Miao was deeply shaken. His mind felt overwhelmed, uncertain whether it was real or a deception.

Seeing that everyone shared a similar sentiment, the Jade Emperor, who had already been somewhat inclined toward reform, suddenly sighed and said, “Since things have come to this, upon reflection, I do admit that I have made some mistakes in the past. Since everyone desires reform, I will also agree to the reform proposal put forward by the God of Culture. However, I have one request—would the Buddha also consider implementing reforms in the Buddhist realm together with us?”

The Jade Emperor was indeed the Jade Emperor—his wisdom and sharpness of thought were extraordinary. He had considered a blind spot that ordinary people would overlook.

With the heavenly court’s reform, the system became more refined, embodying the values of truth, goodness, and beauty.

However, reform also had its drawbacks—diminished authority could lead to instability. If the Buddhist realm took advantage of this weakness at such a critical moment, the heavenly court’s decline would become irreversible.

Therefore, under these circumstances, the Jade Emperor’s proposal to include the Buddhist realm in the reform was a brilliant move.

The heavenly court and the Buddhist realm had long been in conflict, and the Jade Emperor had to be cautious.

If the Buddhist realm also underwent reform, the heavenly court would be free of future worries. By eliminating the Buddhist realm as a potential threat through reform, the heavenly court would not only avoid losses but actually gain significant benefits.

“Exactly, this is a great suggestion! Brother Buddha, you just swore to support Shui Miao’s reform. Now that it’s your turn, surely you won’t go back on your word in front of everyone?” Yuanshi Tianzun seized the opportunity to counterattack.

Tongtian smiled faintly. “As long as Brother Buddha agrees, I will also support the reform and fully implement the guidelines set by the God of Culture. However, Brother Buddha, will you really agree? After all, the Western Pure Land has been under your tight control. Reform may not be so easy.”

All eyes turned to the Buddha, the towering figure, waiting for his final decision.

Surprisingly, all the issues now converged on the Buddha, who had come with such a grand display.

The Buddha’s expression remained ambiguous.

Suddenly, a voice resonated in Shui Miao’s mind.

“Shui Miao, you’ve seen it yourself. The heavenly court’s leaders are all scheming, none willing to submit to another. Right now, they’re simply trying to marginalize our Buddhist realm. If we hadn’t come today, they wouldn’t have so readily agreed to reform. If we leave now, they’ll surely stir up more trouble, causing chaos and disrupting the favorable situation. Therefore, our presence here today is indeed for the heavenly court’s benefit, to ensure your reform plan can proceed smoothly. However, now they demand that we reform as well. Our Buddhist realm is unified, a single family without competing factions. How, then, should we reform?”

“This…”

Shui Miao was taken aback. This was indeed the truth—the Buddhist realm was a single, cohesive faction, unlike the heavenly court with its competing powers.

For a moment, Shui Miao couldn’t think of a response. “Senior Buddha, do you have a solution to this?”

“The matter began with you, so it must be resolved by you. Step forward and explain the differences, making them understand that our Buddhist system is not the same as the heavenly court’s.”

This exchange between the Buddha and Shui Miao happened in an instant.

This statement clearly conveyed the Buddha’s stance—he did not wish to be entangled with the heavenly court.

After a pause, the Buddha, still wearing that ambiguous smile, looked at everyone and then said to Shui Miao in a calm tone, “The young generation has fresh ideas. The Buddhist realm is merely a religious sect, not easily established. It has long been excluded by Daoism. We have no autocracy, no infighting among powerful figures, and no ambitions to seize territory. Our presence in the Western Pure Land and our assistance in reforming the heavenly court are already sufficient. If someone insists we must reform, then we would like to hear Shui Miao’s opinion. Tell us, how should our Buddhist realm reform?”

As the Buddha spoke, everyone began to ponder.

Indeed, the Buddhist realm’s existence had not been easy. The immortal realm was dominated by Daoism, leaving little room for other sects.

Shui Miao was now in a difficult position.

At once, he sent a mental transmission to the God of Culture.

Upon learning the situation, the God of Culture smiled faintly and sent back his thoughts, “In the end, it’s all about the struggle between sects. Brother Shui Miao, you’ve been used by them. They’ve focused all the conflict onto you, placing their bets on you. Now, it may seem as though your words will determine the fate of the Three Realms, but in reality, your words hold no real power. Whatever you say, they will oppose it, continuing their endless quarrels. After all, even sages and great beings are driven by self-interest.”

“Senior God of Culture, what should I do then?”

Shui Miao suddenly felt lost, unsure of his next move.

After a moment of contemplation, the God of Culture replied, “The world is actually very simple—it’s a world ruled by the strong. They fight and quarrel because none of them holds absolute superiority over the others. Therefore, your choice is to leave. Use the excuse of seeking Hongjun Daoren and depart for the depths of the universe to cultivate and strengthen your power. When you’re strong enough, return. Then, whatever you say, no one will dare to oppose.”

“Strength determines supremacy!”

Shui Miao was deeply moved. Indeed, this was the truth. The only way to change one’s fate is to become stronger.