"What matter?"
Buddha Dīpaṁkara's face lit up with joy, as if he'd found a savior, tightly gripping Aslan's hand.
He feared the other would retract his words the next second and leave him bearing the loss.
"Calm down—it's a small matter. You just need to help me deliver a message to someone."
Aslan pulled his hand. Realizing he couldn't without force, his face soured.
Buddha Dīpaṁkara saw Aslan's expression, released his hand, and looked at him nervously, with slight anticipation.
"What message? If this little monk can help, please command freely, Your Excellency Aslan. Even if this little monk must risk his life, it's no issue."
He showed a spirit of sacrifice, unafraid of danger.
"Oh? Then indeed only you can do it."
The corner of Aslan's mouth curved. He pulled Buddha Dīpaṁkara and walked into Arcadia.
He brought him to the VIP lounge, personally brewed a cup of tea for Buddha Dīpaṁkara, and served it before him.
(Benefactor Aslan, treating me so politely—this little monk is a bit scared…)
Buddha Dīpaṁkara saw Aslan hosting him like an honored guest. His heart pounded, constantly anxious.
The tea in his hand looked like poison in his eyes.
He couldn't be called an honored guest. He knew well he came as an unwelcome one.
"Your Excellency Aslan, give certainty. What exactly do you want this little monk to do? This little monk truly doesn't deserve such reception from Your Excellency."
Aslan turned, patting Buddha Dīpaṁkara's shoulder friendly.
"Relax—you truly deserve this reception. After all, it's not a difficult matter. Just delivering a message."
(But the more you say that, the more this little monk fears.)
Buddha Dīpaṁkara's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly, daring not make another move.
"Drink—why not drink?"
Seeing Buddha Dīpaṁkara only holding the teacup without sipping, Aslan urged with a smile.
"I'll drink—this little monk will drink now."
Buddha Dīpaṁkara showed a crying smile. Like drinking poison, he downed the tea in one gulp.
"Your Excellency Aslan, now can you tell this little monk what message you want delivered?"
"Of course, of course."
Aslan tightly gripped both of Buddha Dīpaṁkara's hands, saying with an embarrassed face.
"I want you to help deliver a message to Messiah—that in the Campione War, King of the End can descend early through a special method."
Instantly, Buddha Dīpaṁkara's eyes widened, then he smiled stiffly. How he regretted having ears right now.
Was this something a little monk like him should know? Let alone deliver to Messiah—Aslan's most hated Holy Son incarnation?
(Can this little monk still live… ah, no—any chance of reincarnation?)
Due to Buddha's good relations with Queen Earth (Houtu), though the entire underworld system, Six Paths of Reincarnation, etc., had been taken.
But great Tathāgatas in Buddha still specialized in reincarnation—like the Ksitigarbha lineage, committed to recreating reincarnation.
This was why Tathāgata Buddhas could reincarnate. Otherwise, in other Pantheons, a little monk like him wouldn't get such a chance.
But for reincarnation, at least something must remain, right? If truly sent to find the Holy Son incarnation—especially Aslan's most hated.
He definitely wouldn't have reincarnation chance.
"Your Excellency Aslan, pretend this little monk never heard this news. Pretend this little monk never came. This little monk will shed this body and reincarnate now. Regarding his sarira—consider it an apology to you, how?"
With that, he tried pulling his hand hard but couldn't escape Aslan's grip.
Aslan had anticipated Buddha's body-shedding reincarnation tactic. Perfect scapegoat material—couldn't be wasted.
"Bodhisattva Dīpaṁkara, why so desperate? This is just an ordinary small matter."
Aslan tightly gripped Buddha Dīpaṁkara's hand, saying with slight confusion.
Hearing this, Buddha Dīpaṁkara's face turned green.
(Small matter? Small for you, but not for this little monk.)
Believe it or not—after telling Messiah, the next second it'd trigger a great war between Christianity and Buddha?
Given Aslan and Messiah's hatred, Buddha Dīpaṁkara doubted Aslan's good intentions toward the Holy Son.
Ultimately, Aslan would escape, leaving Buddha bearing all hatred.
He'd bear all blame…
"However, if Buddha Dīpaṁkara truly refuses, forget it."
Seeing Buddha Dīpaṁkara had drunk all the tea—the hidden Demon Seed of Dao Heart had entered his body—Aslan released his hands.
"Thank you, Your Excellency Aslan."
Buddha Dīpaṁkara… no, precisely now Demon Dīpaṁkara, clasped his hands and bowed deeply to Aslan.
Due to similar systems, plus Algol's deep Dharma research, and Buddha Dīpaṁkara's nature not truly enlightened.
His grand Tathāgata image and power—all supported by his golden body.
Just defiling this golden body and revealing his true form—he'd naturally fall easily into demonhood.
"By the way, Algol—are you really not considering demonizing all of Buddha?"
"Demonizing other Pantheons is too slow."
Aslan asked Algol inwardly.
"You think I don't want to? It's just Algol doesn't dare."
Algol's annoyed voice appeared in Aslan's mind.
"You think I didn't when challenging the Three Thousand Worlds? That old monk really isn't easy to provoke."
"He… he held that Vajra club and aimed straight at Algol's beautiful face!!!"
Algol said angrily, gnashing her teeth.
Losing to Sakyamuni—she could endure! But hitting her face, leaving a big bump on her head that didn't fade for thousands of years—she couldn't accept at all.
Finally forced to learn Dharma to remove it.
As for now—attacking Spirit Mountain again? Impossible, truly impossible.
She'd rather die outside than step foot on Spirit Mountain.
Hearing this, Aslan couldn't help laughing.
"Probably you trash-talked again, right?"
After all, Buddha shouldn't be that petty—deliberately leaving a bump on Algol's head for thousands of years.
Aslan could guess with a thought—Algol must've trash-talked again, mocking the old monk's hairstyle.
"No need to say it!!"
Algol shouted angrily in Aslan's mind.
Lies don't hurt—truth is a sharp sword.
Guessed right by Aslan—even Algol couldn't hold shame and anger.
But she couldn't do anything to Aslan—she couldn't bear to.
Indeed, Algol's sweet mouth caused trouble back then.
So Algol now reflected. Besides Athena, she never called others ugly again.
Even if she did—not to their face.
"However, back to serious matters. I actually think this is an extraordinary opportunity."
"You remember what happened in the previous Campione world, right?"
Aslan didn't dwell on Algol's past, switching topics.
"The World Honored One's realm has surpassed Two-Digit level. He should've left Little Garden with Great Heavenly Venerable and others back then."
Now—why was the World Honored One still in Little Garden? Aslan didn't think current Little Garden benefited the World Honored One.
Rather, more hindrance.
Through Buddha Dīpaṁkara before him, Aslan could guess how many demons and monsters were on Spirit Mountain.
This Spirit Mountain—rather than a Holy Land of Bliss, better called Buddha's Demon Prison Tower, locking countless redeemed monsters and demons.
In exchange, that Buddha was also enshrined, forced to stay in Little Garden.
But from his feeling toward Buddha—his instinct told him that Buddha also wanted to leave Little Garden with Great Heavenly Venerable and others.
And Algol's demon fall—for Buddha—was also a test.
Perhaps that Buddha also wanted to know—how many true Buddhas, how many truly enlightened on his Spirit Mountain.
"Algol—interested in trying?"
"Let me think."
Algol was slightly hesitant too. She knew well—the place truly suitable for completing her Spirit Status was Buddha.
Buddha's only obstacle for her was the angry big brother holding the Vajra club—physically redeeming others with it on disagreement.
Currently, Aslan and Algol were completely unaware their understanding of Sakyamuni might differ slightly.
After all, in Aslan's understanding and introductions from those around—Buddha's impression was compassion, true Buddha.
While Algol—before awakening—was in the dawn era. Sakyamuni back then was completely different from now.
So Algol was very confused—how Sakyamuni turned Buddha into this.
If returning to the past—Buddhas with quality like Buddha Dīpaṁkara—their hairstyles should've been smashed like this.
However, this verified Aslan's idea—certain possibility.
Algol decided—she'd bet with Aslan this time.
At worst—they'd get beaten together again.
"Can try."
Algol finally nodded, agreeing.
Hearing this, Aslan smiled too, pulling back his thoughts, continuing to observe Demon Dīpaṁkara before him.
"Demon Dīpaṁkara—you don't want your demonization exposed on Spirit Mountain, right?"
Demon Dīpaṁkara looked down at his body, checked his Spirit Status, showing fear.
He found his current Spirit Status had changed from Buddha to Demon Buddha.
(When…)