No one expected the situation to turn out like this, with the various Buddhas emerging only to end up covered in dust and ash.

"Who on earth did this!" a Buddha yelled furiously.

His voice, full of rage, echoed between heaven and earth, and his bloody face appeared extraordinarily ferocious.

Since attaining enlightenment, how many years had it been since he had suffered such an ordeal? It was a humiliation beyond measure.

The person behind the scenes was clearly intent on making fools of them all. The power of the self-destruction was indeed no small matter, but it was not fatal for a Buddha.

"No good!" someone suddenly shouted.

"Look around quickly!"

Reminded by him, everyone looked around and realized that the range of the explosion was extremely vast—within several hundred miles, not a blade of grass survived, let alone the disciples.

If it had been a normal day, the various Buddhas could have protected the disciples in this region. Unfortunately, the incident was so sudden that no one expected these brutal Monsters to choose self-destruction at the first moment, preventing the various Buddhas from protecting the surrounding disciples in time.

As a result, the force of the self-destruction was enough to fill the area with the wails of disciples.

Now, looking around, there were disciples lying on the ground screaming in pain everywhere. The shockwave generated by the self-destruction carried terrifying heat, and anyone who got close suffered severe burns.

Xiniu Continent was Buddhist Sect territory, and ever since the Buddhist Sect had unified this place, so many years had passed without such a vicious event occurring that the tragic scene before them almost felt like a dream to the various Buddhas.

"Bastards!" The Buddhas could no longer maintain their composure and cursed loudly.

Their voices echoed between heaven and earth as countless divine senses swept the surroundings, trying to root out the person behind it all.

But the Black Robes were well-prepared, and had orderly retreated after the arrival of the various Buddhas. By now, they had already fled to who knows where, leaving the Buddhas empty-handed and even more frustrated.

They called themselves Buddhas, wise ones, but now they had been played like pawns, and they couldn’t even figure out the true identity of the opposition. It was an utter disgrace.

Some wanted to roar in fury towards the sky, venting the frustration in their hearts.

"They came prepared, and by now they’ve probably gone into hiding. The best course of action is to quickly treat the injured. These are all disciples of our Buddhist Sect, and we cannot let any further harm come to them," an Ancient Buddha said with a sigh.

The disciples were the foundation. The Ancient Buddha even suspected that the attackers had deliberately caused so many to be injured, knowing that the Buddhist Sect could not stand idly by. But with so many people, complete treatment wasn’t something that could be achieved overnight.

"Amitabha Buddha, well said, well said," a Buddha murmured with a sigh.

The golden Buddha’s Light enveloped the land, providing a sense of comfort to those who couldn’t stop wailing, easing their pain.

The Buddhas also employed their own methods, attending to the injured.

The originally chaotic scene gradually stabilized.

A thousand miles away, in a deep cave, a group of Black Robes gathered together.

"Master, the Buddhist Sect has not pursued us and has instead started treating the injured," a person reported in a low voice as he walked into the cave from outside.

"It seems the Buddhist Sect also has capable individuals. Tell them to remove the traps; they are pointless now," the lead Black Robe ordered with a wave of his hand.

They had deliberately left misleading information behind. If the people from Mount Ling had searched hastily, they would have found it and fallen into another trap already prepared for them.

Who would have thought that the Buddhist Sect’s people could judge the situation with such calm, opting first to treat the injured? He wasn’t too disappointed, though; it had been a mere convenience. If it had worked, all the better; if not, it was not a big deal.

The Black Robe followers all looked at their leader with eyes full of worship and excitement. It was this great person who, since starting to lead them, had accomplished many great feats in a short period of time.

And now, they had even used a Secret Technique to manipulate the surrounding Monsters to besiege Mount Ling and had successfully ambushed Various Buddhas of Mount Ling. Such a success was something they had not even dared to dream of in the past.

No wonder this person had won the favor of the one above.

"My lord, what should we do next?"

A group of people stared eagerly at their leader; at this moment, this great person had already become their faith, making them follow his commands without question.

"Next, we should take a good rest."

He looked around and saw the longing in his followers’ eyes.

"Do not be hasty, there will be plenty of opportunities to prove yourselves. Now that we have successfully ambushed the Various Buddhas of Mount Ling, they will certainly not let this go easily. If we act rashly, it is easy to fall into their trap. Do not underestimate these people—they are all powerful beings who have lived through countless years, and their wisdom is not to be belittled. It was only their carelessness this time."

The leader said with a smile, clearly understanding the psyche of the Various Buddhas of Mount Ling.

"You all should take this time to rest well and replenish your strength, and as for Mount Ling, naturally someone will take care of it."

"We’ve done what we promised, now it’s time for that one to perform. I hope Mount Ling can withstand it." After saying this, he began to laugh heartily.

The laughter echoed through the cave, startling the bats deep within and causing them to all fly out in a flurried rush.

And this person also vanished within the cave.

"Brothers, since that’s the case, disperse and find a place to rest properly."

The Black Robe followers scattered, each with a smile on their face.

In the Nine Heavens, within the Lingxiao Treasured Palace.

A black shadow suddenly appeared—it was the same person who had just vanished from the cave.

"You’re back, how did it go?" the Jade Emperor asked gently, opening his eyes and looking at him.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, everything is going according to plan. It’s time for the Demon King to exert himself now; this is his only chance to break free."

"Little Monkey, you’ve done well. Take this chance to rest up," said the Jade Emperor with a light sigh.

"Marx has been suppressed beneath Mount Ling for many years now. He and the Buddhist Sect have a mutually antagonistic relationship, yet he has been used by the Buddha to strengthen the Buddhist Sect. Should he break free, he will certainly not reconcile with the Buddhist Sect, and by then, we will not have to worry about our own sect," the Jade Emperor spoke somberly.

"Your Majesty is divinely astute, holding everything within your grasp," said the Divine Exorcist Great Sage, uncharacteristically offering flattery.

"It is merely taking advantage of the situation. Marx is not one to abide by rules; he can be utilized but not trusted. From now on, it’s up to his own fate, and we should no longer interfere."

"As you command."

The two in the Lingxiao Treasured Palace looked in the direction of Mount Ling, seemingly anticipating the unfolding of a grand spectacle.

The disturbance at the foot of Mount Ling was quickly reported to the summit, as the collective self-destruction of the Monsters had caused a great commotion, clearly visible even from atop Mount Ling.

The earth-shattering aura made many fear for their safety, worried about the safety of the Various Buddhas.

"Rest assured, although the power is strong, the thought of harming the Buddhas is nothing but a delusion."