People in Conferred Gods: Rising from humble beginnings, I am the God of Wealth

"What? Young friend, do you intend to hinder the flourishing of Buddhism and defy the Dao Ancestor's command once again?"

Zhunti Daoist narrowed his eyes slightly, and an invisible pressure descended, enveloping Yang Xuan.

In the past, Yang Xuan held the initiative in matters concerning the Buddhist celestial realms, leaving the two Western saints helpless.

But this time, the two of them are in control!

Knowing how difficult Yang Xuan was to deal with, Zhunti had no intention of wasting words and immediately slapped a heavy label on him.

If you dare to object, you are disobeying the Dao Ancestor's decree and showing disrespect to the Dao Ancestor!
If you're just being disrespectful to me, I'll tolerate it. But if you're disrespectful to the Dao Ancestor, don't blame me for being impolite.

Punishing those who disrespect the Dao Ancestor is not considered bullying the weak!
Although the Second Sage is said to be half a step into the Primordial Chaos realm, there is still an immeasurable distance between him and a Sage.

Even the pressure released by Zhunti was not something a sub-saint could easily resist.

Under the oppressive aura of Zhunti, Yang Xuan immediately felt immense pressure.

However, over the years he has established spatial teleportation networks and the Three Realms Network, deepening the understanding of business principles among the beings of the primordial world, and his cultivation has significantly improved.

Even now, he wouldn't be completely powerless to resist Zhunti's oppressive aura.

After a moment of silence, Yang Xuan adjusted his state and adapted to Zhunti's oppressive aura, then smiled slightly.

"The rise of the West is ordained by Heaven and the decrees of the Dao Ancestor. I will not go against Heaven or defy the decrees of the Dao Ancestor."

Upon hearing this, Zhunti was slightly taken aback, but then breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Yang Xuan was probably just giving him a way out and was actually admitting defeat.

After all, this was the will of the Dao Ancestor, and the subsequent Journey to the West tribulation was also due to the rise of Buddhism.

Even sages like Taiqing and Houtu refrained from objecting out of respect for the Dao Ancestor.

Without the support of these sages, what kind of trouble could Yang Xuan, this troublemaker, possibly cause?

But just as he breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Yang Xuan, this troublemaker, was all bark and no bite and wouldn't cause too much trouble regarding the Journey to the West rules,
But then Yang Xuan spoke again:
"However, if my understanding of the heavenly secrets is correct, then what the heavenly secrets reveal should be the rise of the West, not the rise of Buddhism."
The Dao Ancestor's meaning seems to be simply that the West should prosper, the Western earth's veins should be repaired, and the primordial world should be restored to its original state.
Whether Buddhism flourishes or not seems to have nothing to do with the decrees of the Taoist patriarch, does it?

Yang Xuan's gaze swept over Tathagata, Jieyin, and Zhunti, revealing a half-smile.

Everyone present could have guessed what he was talking about.

However, the two Western saints have always associated the West with the former Western religion, which is now Buddhism.
It tells all living beings in the primordial world that Buddhism is equivalent to the West, and the flourishing of Buddhism is equivalent to the flourishing of the West.

Everyone present knew that this claim was somewhat far-fetched, especially at this stage, when Buddhism's influence over the West was far less than before.

Mountain gods and earth gods, as well as the heavenly court and the underworld, also wield considerable influence in the West.
In addition, with the construction of space teleportation arrays in the Three Realms of the Primordial World, many beings now travel to the West through the teleportation network to earn merit by repairing the ley lines.

If you were to say that Buddhism is equivalent to the West, I doubt anyone present would agree.

The only ones who proposed this idea were the two Western Saints, the few Heavenly Saints in the primordial world. Even if they didn't agree, they could only endure it. They couldn't possibly disobey the Saints' will, could they?

But now that Yang Xuan has spoken frankly, the concerns of everyone present have lessened considerably.

Zhen Yuanzi, Haotian, the three emperors of the human race, and others all showed expressions of sudden realization, as if they had only realized this after hearing Yang Xuan's words.

Even Houtu's face showed a look of sudden realization at this moment.

This perfectly illustrates that Yang Xuan was right: the flourishing of the West does not equate to the flourishing of Buddhism.

Therefore, the rules and regulations mentioned by the Buddha earlier are obviously invalid, and Buddhism should not be the main body of the Journey to the West.

Seeing this, the expressions of the Buddha and the two Western Saints grew even more somber.

I thought Yang Xuan was going to make a big splash but then fizzle out, a move that was just a way to save face.

Unexpectedly, Yang Xuan had been laying the groundwork all along, intending to deliver a heavy blow to Buddhism.

If Yang Xuan insists that "the great prosperity of the West does not equate to the great prosperity of Buddhism," then sages like Taiqing and Houtu will have a reason to meet their demise.

If things go wrong, Buddhism might end up gaining nothing this time.

If the Journey to the West Calamity is truly just a formality, then Yang Xuan will definitely seize on this point and urge the Buddhist sect to do more practical things instead of constantly thinking about the 'great prosperity of Buddhism'.

However, considering that the Great Tribulation is a necessary step in the further evolution of the primordial world, if the Great Tribulation in Journey to the West is not just a formality, but has a deeper meaning,

Therefore, the true mastermind behind this great calamity in the Journey to the West might be closely related to Yang Xuan.
To be on the safe side, Yang Xuan did not intend to cling to Buddhism.

Giving Buddhism more benefits and using it as a shield would be a better option.

Yang Xuan remained silent for a moment, then smiled slightly.

"Sage, please don't be impatient. Let me finish speaking. I am not targeting Buddhism, nor will I deny its contributions to the West over the years."
If it weren't for the Western religions of the past, and the Buddhist community's current contributions, the situation in the West would likely be even worse, but..."

At this point, Yang Xuan paused slightly, remained silent for a moment, and then continued:
"However, during the Great Tribulation of Journey to the West, various forces in the prehistoric world needed to share some of their fortune to cross the river to the west, and they have already suffered some losses."

Moreover, in order to restore the primordial world to its original state, I believe that all forces within the primordial world are willing to allocate manpower to jointly repair the western ley lines.

Yang Xuan's gaze first swept over the three emperors of the human race, and then fell on the group of powerful beings below.

"Do you all agree with what I have said? Would you be willing to work together to repair the western ley lines for the sake of the integrity of the primordial world?"

"The meaning of the Emperor of Destiny is the meaning of the Heavenly Court. The Heavenly Court can send people to the West at any time to repair the earth's veins," Haotian immediately stated.

"The decrees of the Great Emperor of Fengdu point to the sword of the Underworld, and the Underworld is willing to obey the Great Emperor's command!"

The Styx Daoist exuded murderous intent, looking nothing like someone who wanted to repair the earth's veins, but rather someone who wanted to attack Mount Sumeru.

"The Earth Immortal Sect..."

Zhen Yuanzi, Kunpeng, and others followed suit and made their statements.

As Yang Xuan said, the westward migration of fortune from various parts of the primordial world was bound to cause them losses.

To then make them cooperate with Buddhism in staging this play, obeying its commands, using themselves as stepping stones to uphold Buddhism's authority, is truly frustrating.

On the contrary, Yang Xuan's suggestion was more acceptable to them.

Restoring the Western Earth Veins is arduous, but at least there is merit to be gained, and one is not subject to interference from the Buddhist community, nor is one used as a stepping stone by the Buddhist community. It is much better than the system set by the Buddha.

However, it is clear that the Buddhist community would not agree to Yang Xuan's proposal.

If we really do as Yang Xuan said, in the end it will only restore the Western Earth Vein to its original state, and the Buddhist sect will still not gain any benefit. What is the point of the two Western Saints running to Zixiao Palace to cry and complain for thousands of years?
Zhunti immediately voiced his objection, his attitude firm and showing no intention of backing down.

They seemed to be saying, "If you don't cooperate, we'll go to Zixiao Palace and ask the Dao Ancestor to settle this."

They have been crying and complaining in Zixiao Palace for thousands of years. If they really make a scene in Zixiao Palace, the Dao Ancestor will most likely still side with them.

Neither Yang Xuan nor Houtu and other sages wanted things to develop to this point.

Moreover, this matter is not without room for negotiation. What Yang Xuan and the two Western Saints said was merely to express their positions and attitudes.

Next, a series of negotiations will be conducted based on our own position and bottom line.

Everyone present was a powerful figure of great stature in the primordial world, including several saints, so there was no room for petty squabbles. Everyone's minds worked quickly, and after several rounds of discussion, they had already discerned each other's bottom line.

Ultimately, both sides compromised.

The two Western Saints sighed helplessly and agreed to relinquish their leading role in formulating the rules for the Journey to the West.

At the same time, since the monkey head was an incarnation of the five-colored stone, but wanted to join the West, Nuwa should also be given some compensation.

Correspondingly, other forces in the prehistoric world, unable to obstruct the westward transfer of destiny, also had to cooperate with the monkey head in putting on a show to some extent.

Having gained control over the Journey to the West charter, the various factions in the prehistoric world had no objections after Yang Xuan agreed.

Having the power to formulate the charter gives one a lot of room for maneuver.

Moreover, the initiative is still in Yang Xuan's hands. Even if he wants to cooperate with the monkey to put on a show and promote the dignity of Buddhism, it is unlikely that he will become a stepping stone for Buddhism.

In the following period, everyone began to formulate the rules for the Journey to the West, with Yang Xuan at the core.

To reiterate, considering that the Journey to the West tribulation may have already undergone changes, and there may be deeper implications behind it,
Yang Xuan decided to follow the original script as closely as possible, letting the Buddhist sect and the Journey to the West team act as stepping stones, only changing some details.

For example, Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace.

Letting Sun Wukong fight his way to heaven is no problem, but letting him break through the Heavenly Court is out of the question.

The Heavenly Court is so powerful now that even a Quasi-Saint couldn't possibly break through it.

Furthermore, the prehistoric world is now in the information age, with the Three Realms Network in place.
If the original script had been followed exactly, with Sun Wukong breaking through the Heavenly Court, it would have been obviously a lie, and no one would have believed it.

The same principle applies to Sun Wukong's rampage in the underworld.

With the stubborn Styx River guarding the Underworld, not to mention Sun Wukong, even the sons of the two Western Saints, if they dare to cause trouble in the Underworld, they will be killed with a single sword stroke.

The two Western Saints, including the Buddha, knew that Yang Xuan was right, so they remained silent and tacitly accepted this statement.

At the same time, their hatred for Yang Xuan intensified. If it weren't for this damned Three Realms Network, they could have still managed to operate.
At the very least, it can deceive some ordinary beings, thereby increasing one's prestige and gaining a large number of believers.

But now, forget about it. In just a few thousand years, the Three Realms Network has spread throughout the Three Realms of the Primordial World.

Even ordinary beings who have not yet become immortals can obtain a Three Realms Jade Talisman, which, along with the Three Realms Network, allows them to browse information about the Three Realms without leaving their homes.

In this situation, it is simply impossible for Buddhism to exploit the ignorance of ordinary beings to create some outrageous scenarios and boost its prestige.

Seeing that the two Western Saints remained silent, Yang Xuan then presented his plan.

In the story of Sun Wukong's havoc in the Heavenly Palace, he could only penetrate ten miles into the Southern Heavenly Gate; any more would seem too unrealistic.

If the West could cultivate Sun Wukong to the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, and then go a little further ahead.

But breaking into the Lingxiao Palace? Forget about it, it's unrealistic. Even a quasi-saint couldn't do it.

Regarding causing havoc in the underworld, Sun Wukong could cause a minor disturbance and return to the mortal realm alive.

As for tearing up the Book of Life and Death and beating up the gods of the underworld, forget about it.

Especially regarding tearing up the Book of Life and Death, even if Yang Xuan threw the Book of Life and Death, which is now the Book of Fate, in front of Sun Wukong, he would not have the ability to tear it up.

Even if Sun Wukong really had the ability to destroy the Book of Life and Death, if he did so, he would be rejected by the underworld and might even face divine punishment.

Just one question: can the two Western saints bear such a price?
Of course, if Sun Wukong's cultivation level is higher, some scenes can be added as appropriate, allowing Sun Wukong to fight a few more battles.

Finally, there's the story of the Journey to the West team's westward journey.

With a gentle wave of his sleeve, Yang Xuan revealed a cloud mirror.

On this cloud mirror lies the westward journey path of the Journey to the West team.

The prehistoric world of today is vastly different from that of later generations, and the westward journey routes in later legends are clearly not applicable.

The route devised by Yang Xuan started in Kyushu, headed north, passed through the far north of the primordial wilderness, the immortal volcano, and many other places, and finally headed west towards Mount Sumeru.

Since it is a tribulation to overcome, it is natural to suffer more hardships.

Furthermore, eighty-one difficulties must be set up in these places along the way, symbolizing the return to oneness.

According to the agreement, these calamities would be the responsibility of the forces in various parts of the prehistoric world.

For example, if they pass through the far north, the demon race is responsible for setting up the calamities; if they pass through the Undying Volcano, the phoenix race will set up the calamities.

Upon hearing this, Zhunti immediately became displeased.

Although the previous agreement was that all forces in the prehistoric world had to cooperate with Sun Wukong in putting on a show.

But there are many tricks to acting out the scene. As long as you admit defeat in the end and let the Journey to the West team pass, it won't be considered a breach of the agreement.

Anyone with eyes can see that if the Journey to the West team were given all eighty-one tribulations, they would definitely not have an easy time.

If such an outcome occurs, Buddhism will not only fail to gain prestige, but will likely suffer a significant loss.

Especially in today's information age, if you don't handle these 81 tribulations well, you might end up doing 81 live streams, which would be incredibly embarrassing.

The two Western saints naturally could not agree, so a new round of tug-of-war began.

This matter involves too many forces, and with Yang Xuan withstanding the pressure from the two Western Saints, it is clear that the two Western Saints cannot get what they want.

However, the two Western Saints were unwilling to back down easily. If they could not gain an advantage in Heaven and the Underworld, and if they could not gain an advantage even after going through eighty-one tribulations, wouldn't they have been busy for nothing?
Ultimately, the matter was not settled and would be discussed again after Buddha suppressed Sun Wukong.

Seeing that the negotiations could not reach an agreement, Yang Xuan, Haotian and the others did not linger and immediately departed using their escape lights, leaving in a rather unpleasant manner.

The two Western Saints watched Yang Xuan's departing figure, snorted coldly, and the projections that had descended also disappeared, returning their minds to their original bodies.

With Yang Xuan causing such trouble, the Buddhist sect's gains in the Journey to the West calamity will definitely be greatly reduced.

If the eighty-one tribulations are not handled properly, Buddhism can basically say that it will gain nothing at all.

The only advantage is that the repair time of the Western ley lines will be shortened by many years.

But isn't it just a matter of time before the Western Earth veins are repaired? What difference does it make whether we gain anything or not?
If it weren't for Yang Xuan taking the lead, even if others objected in the end, the situation wouldn't be so bad, and they might even have been able to take the lead instead of being in such a passive position now.

"We should have disregarded everything and brought them to the West back then!"

Zhunti said fiercely, truly regretting his past actions. Jieyin also sighed helplessly, his face full of regret. It was too late to say anything now.

Yang Xuan could guess to some extent what the two Western Saints would do, but he didn't care. As long as Houtu was still a powerful figure, the Saints wouldn't dare to do anything to him.

In fact, even during the Great Tribulation of Journey to the West, he was only worried that there was a deeper meaning behind it and that it was related to him, but he didn't take it too seriously.

If things go smoothly, perhaps before the great calamity of the Journey to the West officially arrives, he will be able to take another step forward, or at least half a step!

The key to all this lies in utilizing the Other Shore Flying Boat and the Three Realms Network to further refine the trade routes! (End of Chapter)