In the past, Tathagata was Randeng Buddha, and he kept this secret for so many years—aside from Randeng Buddha, there was no one else.

Over the years, ancient Buddhas one after another entered Nirvana. Since ancient times, there have been sixteen such figures, including Dragon King Buddha, Liuli Buddha, Treasure Moonlight Buddha...and none of them left behind relics. Nonetheless, Tathagata had sent people repeatedly to search for them.

Unexpectedly, they were all in Song Lin's possession.

This stirred a sense of crisis within Tathagata.

Just now, he also felt Song Lin's strength.

Now that Song Lin has obtained all these relics, if he breaks through to the True Immortal Realm, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Guanyin."

"Disciple is present."

"Go to the Palace of the Polestar to request an audience with the Jade Emperor."

"The Jade Emperor?" The Bodhisattva Guanyin was shocked. Not long ago, those two appeared as though they wished to kill one another—why were they reconciling now?

If they weren't on good terms, wouldn't my trip to the Palace of the Polestar be a fool's errand and put me at risk?

"You may go forth without worry."

Buddhist Sect's Jin Naluo, and Heavenly Court's Emperor Ziwei.

Jin Naluo commands a vast host of devils, while Emperor Ziwei controls a significant portion of Heavenly Court's Star Lords. Alongside the strange, disjointed occurrences throughout the Three Realms in recent years, all these suggest there is an underlying force stirring trouble.

Now that Jin Naluo Bodhisattva has revealed his cards, Heavenly Court should have reached its breaking point too.

The Jade Emperor would likely be interested in collaborating with me.

Tathagata shifted his strategy, deciding to target Song Lin first.

For years, the Heavenly Court and Buddhist Sect fought, whether openly or covertly, with each side gaining its share of victories.

Like two territorial snakes, the two factions also shared mutual interests. Now, however, an unknown power with deep and formidable roots—the proverbial dragon from beyond the river—had emerged, prompting them to put aside past grudges and unite against it.

"Twin Dragons Contending for the Pearl—let's see who claims the Dragon Ball first," Tathagata mused.

This might even be their opportunity to ascend to Golden Immortal status.

Fire and blood between Buddhism and Daoism would surely lead to mutual destruction—a conclusion that both Tathagata and the Jade Emperor acknowledged. Yet, compared to the prospect of breaking into the Golden Immortal realm, such losses were tolerable.

With the emergence of this unexpected force possessing sixteen relics, the path became clear: subjugate this force and obtain the prerequisites for achieving Golden Immortal status.

Twin Dragons Contending for the Pearl is undoubtedly better than Two Dragons Slaying Each Other.

As for which one claims the prize, it will depend on their respective abilities.

South Heavenly Gate.

Shouts of warfare echoed in all directions.

A force of unimaginable scale—a hundred billion strong—broke through the Heavenly Gate, shattered the defenses of the Thirty-two Heavenly Emperors and Eighteen Heavenly Lords, and under the leadership of myriad Star Lords, defected from the Heavenly Court and set up camp on Earth near Kunlun Mountain.

Song Lin and Emperor Zhenwu descended to the Heavenly Court seeking audience with the Jade Emperor, successfully convincing part of its forces to follow them.

Kunlun Mountain.

This place drew various factions from across the realms.

Leading armies of demons were three Great Demon Kings: Qilin Demon, Silver Dragon, and Night Demon Heavenly Demon; along with seventy-two cavernous Demon Kings; a small number of Arhat Monk Soldiers who, though uncorrupted, endorsed Wutian's philosophy.

Additionally, there were the Three Sanmao Heavenly Soldiers and the immensely strong lineage of Star Lord Ziwei.

From the North Pole came the Four Saints: General Black Evil, Tianyou True Monarch, Marshal of the Heavenly Canopy, and Emperor Zhenwu.

Aside from these were the Four Spirits, Seven Luminaries and Four Remnants, Left and Right Assistants, the Twelve Zodiac, the Twenty-eight Star Constellations, Thirty-six Heavenly Gang, Sixty Jiazi, and Seventy-two Earthly Fiends.

An assembly of galactic constellations and all the true beings of the Milky Way.

One could truly call this a gathering of heroes.

Among the crowd, Emperor Zhenwu had the highest cultivation, being a True Immortal, followed by Marshal Tianpeng, who was nearing the True Immortal Realm.

Centuries of patience finally culminated in the establishment of the Central Heavenly Court.

Kunlun Mountain was now home to a newly built Palace of the Polestar that resembled its Heavenly Court counterpart.

This structure was a projection brought into being by Song Lin.

Seated on the imperial throne, Song Lin watched as Zhenwu stepped forward, presenting the God-beating Whip. Without this treasure, they would have forever been pawns in others' schemes.

Accepting the whip, Song Lin rose and gazed at the assembly, announcing, "My peers, since the war between Buddhism and Daoism, the Three Realms have been ravaged. The time has come for us, as bearers of fate, to quell this chaos."

"Henceforth, I proclaim myself Emperor of Central Heaven."

"We pay homage to the Emperor of Central Heaven."

The Ziwei Star is a remarkable celestial object, abiding eternally amidst the heavens. As such, Ziwei Star symbolizes emperors. During ancient times, people believed it was the embodiment of the Heavenly Emperor.

"Zhenwu!"

"Your subject is present!"

"You are hereby appointed Xuantian God, temporarily wielding the Jingzhen Jade Target Sword."

Song Lin produced Mao Ying's Immortal Artifact and bestowed it upon Emperor Zhenwu.

This Magic Treasure was more suited to Zhenwu's use. Song Lin himself possessed the Pure Yang Sword; though it wasn't a True Immortal Immortal Device, its power was sufficient.

Besides, Song Lin was preparing to cultivate his Ninth Golden Core using the last two relics, which required Zhenwu and others to hold the fort for him during the interim.

"Tianpeng, you are appointed Cangtian God, entrusted with the Nine Elders Immortal Capital Seal and Qiankun Treasure Tower."

This arrangement provided three True Immortal-level combatants on their side—ample strength to confront the Heavenly Court.

"Your humble servant accepts the decree!"

The remaining followers already held positions, so Song Lin refrained from awarding additional ranks. Their posts had been assigned according to the Heavenly Court's framework, leaving little need for embellishments.

The additional titles for Zhenwu and Tianpeng, however, served to establish leadership roles.

After all, with multiple factions converging, confirming Zhenwu's authority was necessary to quell dissent.

"The next directive is to hold Kunlun Mountain and eradicate the demonic scourge plaguing Earth, restoring a world of peace and order. If Buddhism or Daoism challenge us, strike them down."

"Understood!"

Having issued his commands, Song Lin retreated to the rear garden to meditate.

Arriving at the Lake Heart Pavilion, he waved his sleeve and conjured sixteen relics, among them Sun Wukong's boneless relic.

The boneless relic represents a formless relic—a sacrificial gesture willingly made by Sun Wukong.

Nonetheless, Song Lin discovered an alternative approach, allowing Sun Wukong to sacrifice without perishing.

Song Lin then produced a five-colored stone.

This was Sun Wukong's original form.

Sun Wukong had relinquished his cultivation energy, but he hadn't dissipated into oblivion.

As a stone, he reverted to his essence.

His spiritual roots remained intact, and with sufficient energy, he could regain his original state.

The sources of this energy naturally lay in Immortal Pills and the River of Life and Death.

Once he absorbed energy from the sixteen relics, Song Lin planned to pass these on to Wukong.

Song Lin held up the relic of Amitabha Buddha, whose power had shaped the Pure Land and cultivated the Earth Dao. This relic would be instrumental in completing his Ninth Golden Core.

He eagerly anticipated the resulting transformation from the Ninth Dao Golden Core.

Achieving it might not make him a True Immortal, but it would certainly rival one.

Afterward, Song Lin entered closed-door meditation, consumed an Immortal Pill, and began absorbing the mana within the relics.

Whoa!

Suddenly, an anomaly emerged.

The relic of Randeng Buddha radiated with brilliance, hovering in mid-air. The remaining fifteen relics lit up simultaneously, converging around Randeng Buddha's relic, and slowly fused into it. Together, they formed a fist-sized, super-sized relic resembling golden amber.

"Hmm?"

To think collecting all sixteen relics would yield a newly combined relic.

This relic surpassed the power of the original sixteen relics combined.

Perhaps this was Randeng Buddha's true purpose behind urging the collection of all the relics.

With this, Song Lin's confidence in completing his Ninth Golden Core rose significantly.

Half a month later.

The armies of the Heavenly Court and Buddhist Sect descended to Earth to quell the rebellion.

Emperor Zhenwu led his forces to confront them head-on, repeatedly repelling the alliance troops.

Palace of the Polestar.

The Jade Emperor watched these events unfold in fury.

What was going on here? His own split soul had betrayed him, and yet he could do nothing to stop the traitor.

What devious magic spell had Song Lin cast—perhaps the handiwork of Lord Lao Zi?

The two Heavenly Lords' tactics proved ineffective against Zhenwu in the mortal realm, and their armies couldn't penetrate Kunlun Mountain's boundaries.

Song Lin even replicated the Palace of the Polestar.

"This boy is a menace. His absence from the battlefield only leads me to wonder what treachery he's plotting. Let us descend in our true forms," Jade Emperor said, turning to Tathagata.

The two erstwhile rivals, who had fought viciously against one another, were now forced into alliance by Song Lin.

"Agreed—enough delay. We strike immediately and divide the spoils afterward."

…

Atop Kunlun Mountain.

Yin Wind, Yellow Sand, Lightning, Gales, Fire Clouds… dyed the sky in vibrant colors, amidst which the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals clashed with scores of celestial Immortals and Buddhas.

Boom!

Suddenly, black clouds shrouded the vast expanse of sky.

The clouds parted, revealing a golden hand and a colossal jade hand.

Tathagata Divine Palm and Heaven's Hand.

At the same time, the Golden Bowl, Yin Yang Mirror, and Heavenly Emperor Seal—True Immortal Magic Weapons—all came forth.

No room was left for escape; their purpose was to obliterate Kunlun Mountain's inhabitants entirely.

As all hope seemed lost.

Song Lin emerged from the Palace of the Polestar.

"Withdraw yourselves."

Today marks the moment of Karma Effect Completion.

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