Investiture of the Gods: I am Bigan, the Master of Conspiracy

Chapter 158 The Ullambana Festival: All Parties Arrive!
The people of the Renjiao and Chanjiao sects arrived at the entrance to the Saha world.

When Guang Chengzi first saw Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Avalokiteshvara standing in the welcoming line, their aura of quasi-saints was as deep and imposing as a mountain.

This angered Guang Chengzi, because these three people had made him a laughingstock and ruined his plan to defeat the Jie Sect and rule the Three Realms.

This also deprived the Chan Sect of the possibility of strategic offensive, and its reputation plummeted.

Guang Chengzi did not hate Yin Ziyu, who had plotted this, as they were already enemies. Yin Ziyu had seen through the three of them, but he used this as a pretext to lift the siege of the East Sea, so there was nothing to say about it.

You can only say they're impressive, but these three were traitors. If they hadn't had that thought, they wouldn't have been tricked by them.

Upon seeing these three people, Guang Chengzi's Fantian Seal trembled violently in his sleeve, as if he wished he could kill them.

At this moment, Yun Zhongzi said, "Senior brother, don't be impulsive!"

Guang Chengzi looked at the three of them and couldn't help but shout angrily: "Hmph, traitors! You betrayed your sect in the past, and now you use the power of the West to steal the position of Quasi-Saint. You are truly shameless!"

Before Guang Chengzi finished speaking, the immortals of the Chan Sect behind him, including Chi Jingzi and Yu Ding Zhenren, also looked angry.

In contrast, the three officials remained indifferent to this.

The three people put their hands together in prayer and chanted in unison, "Amitabha."

Guanyin Bodhisattva smiled, her eyes filled with compassion: "Fellow Daoist Guangcheng, we discussed the Dao at Yuxu Temple in the past, and we meet again at Lingshan today. Why be so fixated on sectarian disputes?"

Samantabhadra calmly replied, "The paths to enlightenment may lead to different destinations, so why speak of betrayal?"

Manjushri Bodhisattva, on the other hand, speaks more sharply.

Manjushri Bodhisattva's gaze was icy as he stared directly at Guang Chengzi: "In the past, we monks devoted ourselves wholeheartedly to the Chan Sect and never failed our master. However, observing your actions, you have plundered the great sect's fortune, leaving the three of us without a path to enlightenment or advancement. Fellow Daoist, you have made things difficult for us in every way, frequently threatening us with sect rules, treating us like mere nominal disciples. If we do not seek another path, we will only be trapped in this corner, forced to beg for a living in the Western Paradise. Fellow Daoist, you immediately call us traitors. I would like to ask, those who commit such unjust acts and cut off the path of advancement for their fellow disciples, are they not traitors within their own ranks?"

The three great officials exuded a quasi-saintly aura that rivaled the golden immortal aura of Guang Chengzi and the others, causing the surrounding immortals and gods to hold their breath in awe!
After all, the karma of the three realms will be stirred up during this Ullambana Festival, which naturally attracts attention from all sides.

Manjushri's words struck at the heart of the matter, instantly enraging Guang Chengzi.

Seeing the tension between the two sides, Grand Master Xuandu quickly reached out and pressed down on Guang Chengzi's shoulder: "Junior brother, please calm down. Don't let the heretics laugh at us and ruin the dignity of our sect!"

Upon hearing this, Guang Chengzi immediately calmed down.

At this moment, Maitreya Buddha also arrived, his plump body swaying with golden light spreading across the land, his long arms outstretched as if embracing the moon, his smiling face bringing endless peace and instantly dissolving the tense atmosphere.
"Fellow Daoists, you have come from afar as guests. Please take your seats and observe the ceremony. Any questions or arguments can be discussed leisurely after this humble monk has prepared fragrant tea and fresh fruit."

Maitreya Buddha's influence was indeed powerful. As a direct disciple of Jieyin, he quickly affected everyone. Guangchengzi had no choice but to follow suit. The storm was temporarily dispelled by Maitreya Buddha's smiling face and benevolent heart.

This is the way of the Jieyin lineage. Jieyin once infected Hongyun with bitterness alone, making Hongyun willingly admit his mistake.

Maitreya Buddha, on the other hand, takes the opposite path to Amitabha Buddha. Just looking at his smiling face, it's almost impossible to bear making things difficult for Maitreya.

After the arrival of the Human Sect and the Chan Sect, almost all the famous immortals and gods from all over the Three Realms arrived, and now they are just waiting for the protagonist to arrive.

The momentum of Mahayana Buddhism in the West has been established; now it's up to the merchants in the East to seize control. This is the true protagonist of this Ullambana Festival.

It is important to know that since the Investiture of the Gods, Yin Ziyu has led the Yin Shang and the Jie Sect to dominate the trending topics in the Three Realms, with countless ingenious schemes that have influenced the major trends in the Three Realms.

The attempts by the Renjiao and Chanjiao sects to suppress him all ended in failure. These major events made Yin Ziyu a renowned figure in the Three Realms, a true protagonist.

It's like the struggle between Chu and Han, one is the current Buddha, and the other is Yin Ziyu.

Even though Yin Ziyu's cultivation level is far inferior to these great gods, his aura is undeniable, and no one will underestimate him.

Yin Ziyu did not keep everyone waiting for long. Soon, Yin Ziyu arrived with two important ministers of the Shang Dynasty, Luo Shen and Wen Zhong, as well as some young talents.

Yin Ziyu transformed into auspicious clouds with boundless thoughts and brought everyone there.

The five elements' laws and mantras flowed around him, and the five colors of divine light—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—intertwined. The laws of time, like a dragon soaring through the sky, appeared and disappeared like the illusory image of the long river of time. The laws of space, like a dense spider web, caused the folds of the void to rise and fall one after another.

Above his head, a golden wheel of sixty Jiazi merits spun, its golden light shining, as if the origin of heaven and earth resonated with Yin Ziyu.

This formation is familiar to all parties in the Three Realms. It was used to assist Emperor Xin in his battle against the Sages and to help Tongtian break through the Primordial World. Although such achievements are no longer enough to reach the Sage level in the current Three Realms, they should not be underestimated.

Luo Shen stood beside Yin Ziyu, her black hair cascading down like a galaxy, the entire Luo River transforming into a jade belt encircling her.

The threads of cause and effect around him were faintly visible, each thread connecting heaven and earth, and each thread reflecting various past and future phenomena.

Wherever the two passed, the void trembled, and the sound of laws resonating hummed, causing everyone in the Spirit Mountain World to change color.

Currently, Yin Ziyu and Luo Shen are both only Great Luo Golden Immortals. However, Yin Ziyu's cultivation is beyond human comprehension, while Luo Shen's flower has reached the ninth grade, and her law of cause and effect is perfected. She destroyed Xiqi with the power of cause and effect. Given time, she will surely become a mid-stage Quasi-Saint.

Although the Flower Blooming Nine Grades only offers a slight chance of reaching the Primordial Chaos stage, it is a certainty that it will reach the mid-stage of Quasi-Saint!
As for the concept of the primordial world, to inevitably reach it is to have already reached it, and to inevitably perish is to have already perished.

Just like a death row inmate on his way to the execution ground, whether his car breaks down or he encounters a traffic light, it doesn't change the outcome.

The Investiture of the Gods was a dead end. Before the Investiture of the Gods even began, it was like a death sentence had not yet been handed down. It was at this time that Yin Ziyu began to plot the killing of the three warriors by the two fruits to open up a way out.

Instead of waiting until the other party has already made a move before responding, by which time everything is already decided.

At this moment, Maitreya Buddha was already greeting us with a smile.

The Maitreya Buddha smiled amiably, clasped his hands, and said, "The grand sacrificial ceremony of the Yin-Shang dynasty has arrived; this humble monk has been waiting for quite some time."

Yin Ziyu nodded to Maitreya Buddha and said, "It is a great honor to be greeted by the future Buddha. Seeing the future Buddha's smiling face is like a spring breeze and gentle rain, nourishing my body and mind."

Maitreya Buddha sized up this renowned high priest of the Yin Shang Dynasty, feeling cautious and worried about being tricked by him, yet his demeanor was truly admirable.

Maitreya Buddha repeatedly replied, "How dare I! How dare I!"

After speaking, he gestured to Guanyin Bodhisattva: "Please, fellow Daoist, accompany Guanyin Bodhisattva to the Saha World for a chat."

Yin Ziyu looked at Guanyin Bodhisattva and cupped his hands, saying, "In the past, our two families were enemies because of the East Sea incident. It was only to relieve the crisis in the East Sea that we had no choice. Please forgive us, Bodhisattva!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva and the other two were taken aback by Yin Ziyu's words. "Fellow Daoist, there's no need for this. This is actually a favor to us. Otherwise, the three of us might never have been able to take the step of Quasi-Saint. Only by reaching the West can we achieve our goal. Our two families were once enemies, so it's understandable that you schemed against us. There is no cause and effect involved!"

Seeing the three men's magnanimity, Yin Ziyu couldn't help but admire them inwardly.

These three individuals were among the most talented and gifted in the Chan Sect, but unfortunately, despite sharing the same exceptional background and aptitude as Guang Chengzi, they were defeated in the struggle for favor.

Just as Yin Ziyu and his group arrived, the Jie Sect members followed closely behind.

The members of the Jie Sect are not part of Yin Ziyu's group. If they were to follow Yin Ziyu, Yin Ziyu's reputation alone would inevitably affect the Jie Sect's sense of presence and independence.

Therefore, Yin Ziyu arrived first, while the Jie Sect arrived later.

The Holy Mother Jinling rode in a seven-fragrant chariot. Under the canopy, she held a dragon and tiger jade ruyi, its golden light flowing. Wherever she passed, the stars stopped turning, and even the laws of heaven and earth trembled slightly.

The Three Immortal Maidens arrived riding blue phoenixes. Yunxiao was in the center, her crimson crown shining in the sun, her wings spread wide enough to blot out the sky. Qiongxiao and Bixiao followed closely behind, each riding a blue phoenix. The three phoenixes cried out together, their voices shaking the nine heavens. As their tail feathers fell, they transformed into a sky full of divine thunder, cracking the void wherever they passed.

The Holy Mother of Tortoise Spirit and the Holy Mother of Wudang displayed the power of quasi-saints, shocking everyone in the Saha world.

The Seven Immortals of the Intercepting Sect arrived together. The might of the Golden Spirit Mother was like Mount Tai pressing down, the divine thunder of the Three Immortals was like ten thousand horses galloping, and the Ren water of the Turtle Spirit was like an abyss and a prison. The seven forces of energy echoed each other and actually condensed into a primordial killing array in the void.

Everyone was shocked to see the arrival of the Jie Sect's lineup.

The Ten Thousand Immortals of the Jie Sect no longer exist, but the combined power of the Seven Immortals of the Jie Sect today far surpasses that of the Ten Thousand Immortals.

She used to be bulky and unable to walk, but now she is lean and capable, which is a huge difference.

Maitreya Buddha then led the disciples of the Jie Sect into the Saha World, and by then all the beings from the Three Realms had arrived.

Yin Ziyu followed the three great masters into the Saha world.

The Great Thunder Temple atop Mount Ling in Xiniu Hezhou is actually the entrance to the Saha world.

After Yin Ziyu entered the Saha World, the entire Saha World was filled with auspicious light, and beautiful flowers and jade trees were planted all over the fields. The Buddhist believers were carefree and chanted scriptures with their palms together. The Buddhist sound turned into flowing light around their bodies and then condensed into golden lotuses that bloomed at their feet.

The Saha World is infinitely vast. Yin Ziyu followed the three great masters to the Zhenleiyin Temple, which stood majestically in the clouds at the center of the Saha World, its imposing presence reaching the sky like the sun and moon hanging in the air.

The pillars of the Great Thunderclap Temple are over a million feet tall, with coiled dragon carvings winding around them. The dragons' eyes open and close, and Buddha's light overflows from them. The temple ceiling is adorned with hanging beads, each of which reflects the image of the three thousand worlds.

The flying eaves and brackets hold the sun, moon and stars, and the wind chimes on the eaves gently vibrate, their sound carrying for millions of miles, startling countless Kalavinka birds into flocks, scattering a rain of mandala flowers between their wings.

Yin Ziyu looked around and saw that the temple was suspended in the air, with thousands of golden chains hanging from its bottom. The chains were connected to the Six Paths of Reincarnation diagram, which was slowly rotating. He could faintly hear the sounds of prayers from all living beings.

The entire Leiyin Temple is like the axis of heaven and earth. Wherever the Buddha's light shines, the mountains and rivers turn golden, and the streams turn into sweet dew, which makes people's hearts clear and worldly thoughts disappear.

Leiyin Temple is actually similar to the Lingxiao Palace. The Lingxiao Palace is also infinitely tall, and Haotian sits on the throne. His true form is millions of feet tall, while the height of other immortals and gods is determined by their rank.

The same applies to the Great Buddha Hall. The Buddha is the most revered, sitting cross-legged on a twelve-petaled golden lotus, standing tens of millions of feet tall. Other Buddhas, such as the Great Luo Golden Immortal, can be a million feet tall, while the Taiyi Golden Immortal can be a hundred thousand feet tall.
However, since all the great deities have come here today, the Buddha did not display his enormous golden form, but treated them all equally.

The place for discussing the Dao is where three thousand divine mountains rise from the ground, their peaks reaching into the heavens, some covered in snow, some ablaze with flames, some cascading like ribbons of water, and some shrouded in mist.

This is a discussion among the top gods of the Three Realms, so it cannot take place inside the Great Hall of the Buddha. Instead, it will take place on three thousand divine mountains, with the top powers at the forefront.

In the middle lies a vast sea of ​​clouds.

Yin Ziyu led the Great Shang lineage to reside atop the White Jade Divine Mountain, a mountain with white jade as its base and purple gold as its rock, ranking among the foremost divine mountains of the Human Sect, the Chan Sect, and the Jie Sect.

The immortals of the Jie Sect resided on Biyou Divine Mountain, which was entirely dark green like jade, demonstrating the great care the Buddha had taken.

Yin Ziyu looked at the three thousand sacred mountains, arranged in an encircling formation, with a vast sea of ​​clouds in the middle. Upon seeing this, Yin Ziyu understood.

Luo Shen, realizing the divine arrangement, immediately used a secret technique to ask, "Ziyu, is there a deeper meaning behind this sea of ​​clouds?"

Yin Ziyu then said, "Isn't this sea of ​​clouds between the sacred mountains a perfect setting for a competition?"

"Just as Ziyu predicted, Duobao truly had this intention! In all these ten thousand years, he has not revealed it at all."

"The matter was accomplished in secrecy, so Duobao's caution is perfectly understandable!"

"."

"Namo Amitabha! This humble monk thanks all fellow practitioners for gracing us with your presence at the Vulture Peak Ullambana Festival."

After all the immortals and gods of the Three Realms had taken their seats on their respective sacred mountains, in the main hall, the Tathagata sat cross-legged on a twelve-petaled golden lotus and looked down at everyone. Buddhist chants suddenly arose, lingering endlessly. Golden light shone brightly in the hall, and Buddhist light surged like a tide. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifested one after another, their Dharma forms solemn and incomparable.

Soon, numerous Buddhas and Bodhisattvas appeared in the main hall, their hands clasped together as they looked at the crowd.

The six quasi-saints—Peacock King Bodhisattva, Dipankara Buddha, Vairocana Buddha, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva—have caused a sensation.

There were also Maitreya Buddha, Medicine Buddha, Kuru Sun Buddha, and a host of other peak-level Great Luo Golden Immortals, whose strength completely overwhelmed other forces.

At the same time, all three thousand Buddhas of Buddhism are enshrined in the Mahavira Hall.

After all the Buddhas of Mahayana Buddhism appeared, everyone's attention first fell on the Holy Mother Tortoise Spirit.

Since these were all once disciples of the Jie Sect, and Buddha was once the chief disciple of the Jie Sect, now that the immortals of the Jie Sect have arrived and have formed an adversarial relationship, what form will this Ullambana Festival take, and how will the Golden Spirit Mother deal with this cause and effect?

Everything is peaceful now, but danger lurks within that peace.

When everyone's gaze, including that of the great gods of the Three Realms, fell upon the Golden Spirit Mother, the entire Ullambana Festival suddenly seemed somewhat eerie!
After all, the Buddha and the Golden Spirit Mother represent the strongest forces in the East and West, respectively.

Furthermore, the emergence of Buddhism and the Jie Sect have a great karmic connection.

Upon seeing this, the Golden Spirit Mother looked at the Buddha and said, "Elder Brother, it's been a long time. I never imagined that we would meet again today. You have already become a Buddha. It's truly astonishing!"

(End of this chapter)