The prehistoric infrastructure maniac

Chapter 159 Jiang Ziya

Shen Gongbao? Shi Mo was somewhat speechless, then laughed and said, "Shen Gongbao is indeed an important figure who can influence the Investiture of the Gods, but the person who will preside over the Investiture of the Gods in the future may not necessarily be him."

"You will find out who the chosen one is in the future to preside over the conferment of gods," Shi Mo said, and a familiar, surging aura of a saint suddenly appeared.

As Zhen Yuanzi gracefully flew over, followed by a thin, tall, and elderly man with white hair and beard who had not yet attained immortality, Jin Yuan respectfully knelt down and bowed, saying, "Welcome, Sage!"

"Greetings, Uncle-Master Zhenyuan!" Ziwei and Gouchen also hurriedly stood up and stepped forward to pay their respects.

Shi Mo then focused his gaze on the tall, thin middle-aged man behind Zhen Yuanzi. He looked unremarkable, but his eyes were deep and bright, and he appeared quite energetic.

"Hehe, alright, no need for formalities," Zhen Yuanzi said with a wave of his hand and a smile, then stepped forward to Shi Mo and said, "Brother Shi Mo, I've come here specifically to deliver your disciple!"

"Jiang Shang respectfully wishes the Sage good health!" The tall, thin, middle-aged man in a gray robe behind Zhen Yuanzi also hurriedly knelt down to pay his respects to Shi Mo.

"How about it, Brother Shi Mo? What do you think of the disciple I chose for you?" Zhen Yuanzi asked with a smile.

Before Shi Mo could speak, Gou Chen couldn't help but frown and say, "Uncle-Master Zhen Yuan, he's so young and hasn't even achieved immortality yet. His talent for cultivation is truly astounding."

Before Gou Chen could finish speaking, Ziwei, who was looking at Jiang Shang thoughtfully, quickly pulled him aside.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shang, looking somewhat dejected, respectfully knelt before Shi Mo and said, "Jiang Shang is devoted to the Dao, and I hope that the Sage will have mercy on me and accept me."

"Oh? Then I'll see just how sincere and persistent you really are," Shi Mo said with a faint smile, and directly instructed Jin Yuan, who was standing beside him, "Jin Yuan, take him away!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Jiang Shang said with some surprise and excitement, and then hurriedly left with Jin Yuan.

Zhen Yuanzi, who stepped forward and sat opposite Shi Mo, asked with a smile, "Brother Shi Mo, are you going to test him further?"

“Father, you’re not really going to take that Jiang Shang as your disciple, are you? He doesn’t seem like the type to become an immortal. Even if he manages to become an immortal, what great achievements can he make? There are plenty of people in the human race who are stronger than him! I’m afraid no one in Nebula City would even hire him,” Gou Chen couldn’t help but say.

Ziwei poured Zhenyuanzi a cup of wine before saying, "Father, Uncle-Master Zhenyuan, is he the one who holds the mandate of heaven to bestow the titles of gods?"

"What? Him? To be in charge of the Investiture of the Gods? How is that possible? He can barely even become an immortal, let alone an Investiture of the Gods?" Gou Chen couldn't believe it.

“Don’t underestimate anyone! Difficulty in achieving immortality doesn’t mean you can’t shoulder great responsibilities,” Shi Moze said.

"How can someone who cannot become an immortal be granted the title of god?" Gou Chen clearly couldn't understand it.

Shi Mo said noncommittally, "He's indeed not ready yet, which is why I had Jin Yuan take him to learn how to cultivate spiritual plants and herbs, grow spiritual fruits, and brew wine."

"Father, are these related to the Investiture of the Gods?" Gouchen asked with a strange expression.

"It's not directly related, but if you can't even do these things well, even if you transcend tribulation and become an immortal, you probably won't know anything except cultivation. How can you shoulder the great responsibility of being conferred a god?" Shi Mo shook his head slightly and said.

Ziwei smiled thoughtfully and said, "That's right! The things in the orchard and garden, although they seem tedious, are also a form of cultivation. Casting spells to bring rain, for example, if one's cultivation is too weak, one cannot do them well! However, it seems that just learning these things is not enough."

"Oh? Ziwei, then tell me, what else should I teach him?" Shi Mo asked with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

“Actually, it seems there’s no need to teach him much. Sending him to the senior brother’s place and letting him gain experience in the Eight Treasures Cloud Light Pavilion and Nebula City is enough,” Ziwei said.

Upon hearing this, Shi Mo nodded with an even wider smile and said, "That's right, I was just about to send him to Nebula City to see for himself. Since he can't become an immortal for the time being, it's never a bad thing for him to learn more."

"Brother Shi Mo, you wouldn't be planning to wait until he's about to descend the mountain before taking him as your disciple, would you?" Zhen Yuanzi couldn't help but ask.

Shi Mo said noncommittally, "We'll see when the time comes. Actually, I don't really like trouble, so I still need to think about whether or not to take him as my disciple."

Gou Chen was speechless upon hearing this, while Zi Wei chuckled slightly.

More than ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. In a garden more than 100,000 miles away from Jiuding Iron Fork Mountain...
With a loud bang and a clap of thunder, a torrential downpour began, instantly drenching some of the seedlings in the garden, causing them to fall over in disarray.
"Oh my god! Jiang Ziya, what are you doing? I only asked you to water the garden, not to make it rain. Are you showing off your magic here?" A barefoot middle-aged man ran over, looking at the messy garden, and said irritably.

Wearing a straw hat and resembling an old farmer, Jiang Ziya was somewhat flustered: "My senior brother, I accidentally made the rain heavier; the spiritual energy here is just too abundant."

"Alright, alright, stop causing trouble here. Honestly, after cultivating the Dao for so long, you can't even control this little Sweet Rain Technique. You should go pick fruit!" The middle-aged man, not wanting to hear Jiang Ziya's explanation, waved his hand and said repeatedly.

At the same time, with a wave of his hand, the dark clouds and lightning that had gathered in the sky dissipated.

Reluctantly leaving the garden, Jiang Ziya, looking somewhat dejected, had just arrived at a nearby orchard and hadn't even picked a few spiritual fruits when he saw Jin Yuan drifting over.

"Brother Dao!" Jiang Ziya quickly bowed upon seeing Jin Yuan. He was no longer a novice in cultivation and already knew that although Jin Yuan was born into the demon race and attained enlightenment as an old ape, he was already a Great Luo Golden Immortal who lived as long as heaven and earth and was the same age as the sun and moon. Moreover, he had long followed Shi Mo and was in charge of a huge orchard. Even though Gouchen and Ziwei were the emperors of the Heavenly Court and sons of sages, they treated Jin Yuan with great courtesy.

Moreover, Jin Yuan did take good care of him. He taught him almost everything, including cultivation methods and various spells, making him no different from a teacher.

"Ziya! How has your cultivation been lately?" Jin Yuan asked with a gentle smile.

Upon hearing Jin Yuan inquire about cultivation, Jiang Ziya couldn't help but say bitterly, "Brother Dao, I'm afraid I truly lack the aptitude to become an immortal!"

"Hehe, cultivation cannot be rushed!" Jin Yuan laughed. "Master wants to see you. Come with me to Eight Treasures Peak!"

"The sage wants to see me?" Jiang Ziya immediately became nervous and uneasy upon hearing this.

I've been here for over ten years. Although I do gardening and farming work, the plants here are all celestial fruits and plants. The rich spiritual energy here is comparable to a blessed land!

Many of the cultivators and spirit beasts working here are, in Jiang Ziya's eyes, unfathomably powerful, almost all of them having transcended tribulation to become immortals. Yet, they usually don't even have the chance to see Shi Mo.

Compared to them, Jiang Ziya was more aware of his own shortcomings in cultivation.

Therefore, Jiang Ziya was really worried that Shi Mo would kick him off the mountain.

Previously at Wanshou Mountain, he had encountered people with higher cultivation levels than himself. Even a mere attendant or strongman had transcended tribulation and become an immortal. Jiang Ziya was constantly being discouraged and was almost losing confidence in his cultivation.

Filled with trepidation, Jiang Ziya followed Jin Yuan to the summit of Babao Peak. Upon seeing Shi Mo sitting cross-legged under the Mother Peach Tree, he immediately knelt down respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Sage!"

"Ziya, you've been here for over ten years now. Although your talent for cultivation is only average, you've been quite diligent. Stop calling me Sage, just call me Teacher! From now on, you'll be my disciple in name only," Shi Mo's words brought tears of joy to Jiang Ziya's eyes.

Seeing Jiang Ziya's excited expression, Shi Mo continued, "Everyone has their own opportunities in the path of cultivation. Your path of cultivation is not something you can achieve by simply burying yourself in hard work. The road is long and arduous, and you need to go out and see more of the world."

"I plan to send you to your senior brother for some training. I have important responsibilities to entrust to you in the future, so don't disappoint me!" Shi Mo's words made Jiang Ziya even more excited and curious.

However, Shi Mo did not elaborate, and Jiang Ziya naturally did not dare to ask any more questions. He simply went back to pack and prepare, and then followed Jin Yuan to a nebula city where Duobao's avatar was stationed.

Not long after, in the Purple Cloud Palace, amidst the chaos beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, all the saints gathered once again.

Hongjun Daozu simply stated directly: "The reason I summoned you here is to sign the Investiture of the Gods and determine its ownership."

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi Tianzun, who had become somewhat excited and expectant, immediately frowned and asked, "Signature? Does Master mean that we, the Sages, will decide who makes the list?"

“Indeed! No one knows better than yourselves how your disciples, each sect, are of character, destiny, and fate,” Hongjun Daozu nodded slightly.

As he spoke, Hongjun flipped his hand and took out the Investiture of the Gods, presenting it to Laozi: "Laozi, you are the head of the Three Pure Ones, so you should sign this Investiture of the Gods first!"

Lao Tzu didn't say much upon hearing this. After a moment's thought, he waved his hand and dozens of names appeared on the Investiture of the Gods list. They were all virtuous ministers and generals of the Yin Shang Dynasty, or sons of kings and nobles.

After all, he was destined to be deified and would serve in the Heavenly Court, in charge of the stars and constellations. Ordinary mortals simply did not have the qualifications or the fortune to do so.

“Yuanshi.” Immediately afterward, Hongjun glanced at Yuanshi Tianzun, and the Investiture of the Gods floated before him.

Seeing that he could not refuse, Yuanshi Tianzun had no choice but to sign a few names.

“Brother, there are more than three hundred righteous gods in the Zhou Tian realm. You only signed a few people, and they are all third-generation disciples of Yu Xu. How are we supposed to gather the rest?” Tongtian Sect Leader frowned as he saw Yuanshi Tianzun’s stingy manner.

Yuanshi Tianzun then said, "Third brother, my Jade Void Sect has many Daoist immortals among its disciples, and we don't have many disciples, so we shouldn't be on the list. On the other hand, your Intercepting Sect has many disciples, and they are a mixed bag. It would be better to sign more of them, which would also be a way to cleanse the sect."

"What do you mean by that, brother? If you're unwilling to let your disciples be listed, do you expect my disciples from the Biyou Sect to fill the Investiture of the Gods list?" Tongtian Sect Leader was immediately annoyed upon hearing this.

"Third brother, second brother didn't mean that, it's just that your disciples are indeed a mixed bag," Laozi said.

Before he could finish speaking, the Tongtian Sect Leader said angrily, "Eldest brother, there's no need to say any more. I know what second brother means. However, I absolutely will not agree to using my disciples to make up the numbers."

“Tongtian,” Hongjun directly presented the Investiture of the Gods to Tongtian, the leader of the sect.

Helpless, the Tongtian Sect Leader could only grit his teeth and sign dozens of names.

Next, Nuwa readily signed off on some of the demon race, while Jieyin pondered for a moment before signing off on a few who were destined to be associated with the West.

(End of this chapter)