Chapter 453: The Meditation and Enlightenment Ranking List
In the distance, the Jade Emperor and a host of other immortals noticed Ye Tian arriving alongside Sun Wukong. They were clearly surprised by the sight.
"Ye Tian, you're here again," the Jade Emperor said, visibly displeased. Just thinking about the last time Ye Tian had teamed up with Di Jun to stir up trouble made him uneasy.
"What's the matter? Don't tell me you're thinking of fighting me again?" Ye Tian replied.
"No, I have no such intention."
Just then, the Golden List Livestream began broadcasting again. This time, the ranking was called the Meditation and Enlightenment Ranking!
"The Meditation and Enlightenment Ranking?" Ye Tian echoed, caught off guard. He hadn't expected such a list to even exist.
"All participants in this round must engage in meditation and attempt to comprehend the Dao. The deeper one's enlightenment, the higher their ranking. The period for this ranking is one month. After a month, the rankings will be finalized."
Ye Tian quickly understood the rules: from now on, there would be a month during which any registered participants could join this ranking broadcast by the Golden List.
However, this wasn't exactly Ye Tian's strong suit.
Ordinary cultivation sessions—those were effortless for him. But meditation and Dao comprehension? He had little interest in that.
Still, since he had already entered the competition, he had no intention of backing out. As long as something made sense and was reasonable, he would see it through.
"Wukong, what rank do you think you'll get this time?" Ye Tian asked.
Sun Wukong scratched his head a little awkwardly. Truth be told, while he was fond of training, he wasn't into meditation and Dao comprehension. The announcement of this new ranking had really caught him off guard.
"I might not rank very high this time," Wukong admitted. "I've never really been into this kind of thing. But Tang Sanzang—he's very into it!"
"Tang Sanzang, huh?"
"Yeah, he's really passionate about it."
Ye Tian chuckled, having nearly forgotten about him. "Then let's go find Tang Sanzang and have him join the Golden List."
"What? You want him to participate?"
"Why not?"
Wukong looked at Ye Tian in surprise. "Is that really allowed?"
"Of course it is. Let's head over now!"
A short while later, they met up with Tang Sanzang. Seeing them return so soon, he greeted them cheerfully, "Wukong, you're finally back! Now that you're here, let's get back on the road."
"Not just yet. I came to tell you something. The current Golden List ranking is the Meditation and Enlightenment Ranking, and I think you'd be a great fit for it."
"The Meditation and Enlightenment Ranking? Are you serious? You're not tricking me, are you? That sounds too unlikely to be real."
"It's real, Master. I think this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you. If you manage to take first place, imagine what kind of reward you'd receive!"
Tang Sanzang was clearly intrigued. His eyes sparkled with interest. This was definitely a rare chance for him.
"Ye Tian, do you think I should enter?" he asked.
Looking him straight in the eye, Ye Tian replied, "Yes. Participating in this Golden List could be a real opportunity for you. I believe you've got a great chance of taking first place."
Ye Tian gave a faint smile. He knew very well that Tang Sanzang, being the reincarnation of Golden Cicada, had a deep affinity for meditation and enlightenment. This sort of challenge should be right up his alley.
"Alright then. How do I sign up?" Tang Sanzang asked.
"I can take you to register," Ye Tian offered.
"But if I go now… would that count as breaking the rules?" Tang Sanzang hesitated. "Tathāgata Buddha tasked me with journeying to the West to obtain the scriptures. What if he finds out and blames me?"
"Blame you?"
Ye Tian looked at him and said, "Don't worry. I've got your back. No one will dare do anything to you. If Tathāgata or Guanyin criticize you for this, it only means they're not as skilled in this area as you. Don't you think I'm right?"
Tang Sanzang considered his words and nodded. He had a point. Why was it that others could participate in the Golden List Livestreams, but he couldn't?
It wasn't fair at all.
If they could go, then he should be able to as well. And if they couldn't, then nobody should. He finally made up his mind. If the opportunity was there, he'd seize it.
In the past, he hadn't participated in the Golden List because his strength was lacking. But this time, the ranking was centered around meditation and enlightenment—his area of expertise!
"I've made up my mind, Ye Tian. Take me to sign up," Tang Sanzang said resolutely.
"Great! Let's go right now."
Once inside the Golden List Livestream venue, Ye Tian helped him register. At that moment, they ran into Tathāgata Buddha. Upon seeing Tang Sanzang, Tathāgata was visibly surprised.
"Tang Sanzang, shouldn't you be on your way to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures? What are you doing here?"
"Buddha," Tang Sanzang said nervously, keeping his head low. "I'm here to take part in the Golden List. The current ranking is the Meditation and Enlightenment Ranking. If I can place well, it would be a great honor and an incredible opportunity."
"But Tang Sanzang, don't forget your responsibilities. You have a mission—to journey to the West. And now you're thinking of joining the Golden List? This is absurd!"
Before Tathāgata could continue, Ye Tian interrupted, "Buddha, don't you think you're being a bit petty? All Tang Sanzang wants is to earn a spot on the Golden List. How is that petty?"
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