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

Chapter 163 A disastrous start and a decline in momentum!
At that moment, almost everyone was shocked. What on earth had happened?
Why has the Ullambana Festival turned out this way? What is the connection between them?
What exactly are these parties planning?
It's chaos, everything is chaos.

Guang Chengzi was stunned. He had just contacted these powerful rogue cultivators and was about to form an alliance. Why had the situation changed so drastically?
Soon, many eyes fell on Buddha.

Seeing his trusted confidant Dingguang Xian killed by Kong Xuan, Buddha was naturally extremely embarrassed, but he could not blame Kong Xuan.

Kong Xuan was the Buddha's mother, like one's own mother. Since one's own mother killed a Buddha and left, Tathagata knew that Kong Xuan was filled with anger and needed someone to take responsibility for this.

Otherwise, Kong Xuan would have suffered a blow to his Daoist heart due to this undeserved calamity.

For a moment, the entire Ullambana Festival became very quiet, and even the Buddha did not know who to blame.
Accusing the Jie Sect?

It seems that this won't work. Bixiao merely rebuked Dingguangxian for betraying the sect, ultimately shifting the conflict to Kong Xuan, who was then defeated.

The key point here is whether Kong Xuan wins or loses. If Kong Xuan wins, his prestige will naturally rise greatly, and he will successfully complete the rise of the Phoenix Clan. Dingguang Xian may then become a meritorious official.

But Kong Xuan was defeated, and that was the real tragedy.

What does this mean? It's like having a hundred million dollars but not wanting to gamble, but your best friend drags you to a casino and makes you lose everything.

If you don't kill him, you'll be miserable for the rest of your life.

However, if you take 100 million to gamble and make 10 billion, then you should thank this guy.

This was the key to the outcome of Kong Xuan's battle against Yun Xiao, and it was the crux of Yin Ziyu's entire plan. However, at this moment, everyone was completely bewildered.

The bewilderment lies in whether this change was intentional or a coincidence. This has left almost everyone unable to judge the overall situation.

Although the Obon festival is relatively quiet at this time, the discussions in small circles are even more lively.

"Fellow Daoists, Kong Xuan suffered a crushing defeat, which led to the death of Dingguang Xian. Was this a plot orchestrated by the Jie Sect?"

"Perhaps, in my humble opinion, the Jie Sect must have intended to kill Dingguang Xian on this trip. Tathagata presented the Zhuxian Formation Diagram with the intention of forming an alliance, but the Jie Sect still hasn't changed its plans?"

"In my humble opinion, he is not like Fellow Daoist Kunpeng!"

"Oh, what profound insights does Fellow Daoist Styx have to offer?"

"Bixiao's sudden attack this time was clearly not premeditated, but rather a response to the situation. The conflict between Bixiao and Dingguang Xian seems to be a deliberate attempt to stir up trouble. Perhaps Bigan knew that the alliance between Jiejiao and Buddhism would isolate Yin Shang, hence this attempt to stir up trouble under the guise of treason. Kong Xuan's karmic connection with the Phoenix Clan is known to everyone in the Three Realms. Not only that, but he also has dragon liver and phoenix marrow as ingredients, making him even more despicable than a mount. Bixiao is clearly stirring up trouble and drawing attention to the Phoenix Clan. In my opinion, Bixiao is using Dingguang Xian to stir up the Phoenix Clan's karmic connection, forcing Kong Xuan to take this matter seriously at this moment. Otherwise, the son of the Primordial Phoenix will lose face. This will bring out the karmic connection that everyone despises, creating a confrontation between Kong Xuan and the Three Immortals, thereby resolving the potential alliance between Buddhism and Jiejiao!"

Everyone nodded in agreement after Styx's deduction.

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi immediately said, "Although the situation is chaotic and difficult to understand, this scheme must have come from the hands of Bi Gan!"

The Queen Mother of the West immediately asked, "How can you be so certain that it was Bi Gan who did it?"

Zhen Yuanzi couldn't help but sigh, "This Bi Gan truly lives up to his reputation as having a seven-aperture exquisite mind. His insight is astonishing. Before the Investiture of the Gods, Bi Gan understood the bloodline disputes among the three families of the Xuanyuan lineage, including the discord between Chong Houhu and Ji Chang. He believed that my two ginseng fruits caused the Xuanyuan lineage to fall apart, thus imbuing the ginseng fruits with the weight of bloodline and the weight of merit. Back then, in the East Sea incident, the mere fact that a willow branch was sent to Penglai was given the potential to launch an attack, forcing the three great masters to immediately choose to dissolve their weapons and enter the cycle of reincarnation!"

After listening, Styx continued, "What the Great Immortal said is very good. Now, with the Ullambana Festival approaching, all parties from the Three Realms are gathered here. It is the perfect time and place. All of Bigan's plans require this opportunity. He used the Azure Phoenix as a pawn to force Kong Xuan to stand up for his clan. It was obvious that Bigan expected Yunxiao to defeat Kong Xuan. Now, my question is whether the Golden Spirit Mother approves of Yunxiao's participation in the battle. As for the fact that Yaochi used the peaches of immortality to resolve this grudge, it seems to be the reason for Kong Xuan's anger. However, there is no need to worry about it too much!"

"Perhaps the Three Immortals gained too many opportunities from Bi Gan, and are now repaying this karmic debt?"

"."

Meanwhile, Guang Chengzi, the Antarctic Immortal, Xuandu, and others were also secretly discussing this matter.

Nowadays, the Obon festival seems to have instantly formed countless small groups of people talking.

The discussions between the Renjiao and Chanjiao sects are indeed more reliable than those of the Sanxian sects, but it is currently impossible to determine whether Yin Ziyu has seen through the relationship between the Renjiao and Chanjiao sects in their treatment of Buddhism.

At this moment, everyone was discussing the matter, but there were still many doubts, meaning that they could not fully deduce the whole story.

If it cannot be deduced, it is impossible to determine the positions of all parties.

The alliance had to be postponed for the time being. Guang Chengzi had spent a lot of time arguing with the Antarctic Immortal, but it all came to nothing.

However, these wandering immortals now speculate that Yin Ziyu is worried that the alliance between Buddhism and the Jie Sect will isolate the Yin Shang Dynasty.

However, since it was the Jie Sect that made the move, did the Golden Spirit Mother approve of the Three Immortals taking action? Could there be internal disagreements within the Jie Sect?
After all, they can't even see through the fake alliance between Buddhism and the Jie Sect, so they naturally can't deduce the real situation from it.

Yin Ziyu's entire scheme was based on his understanding of the true nature of the Buddhist alliance, but no one else could see through it.

Meanwhile, Tathagata and the Chan Sect members were wondering whether Yin Ziyu had actually figured it out. If he had, then that was quite terrifying.

It can be said that one wrong step led to another, and the whole chaotic situation basically boiled down to one point: the Buddha was a true friend of the Jie Sect, yet he was also a traitor to the Jie Sect. This fundamental issue determined the core problem of the entire scheme.

If the root cause cannot be deduced from this, the whole matter cannot be fully understood.

Yin Ziyu's direct approach of starting with the fact that Duobao was a traitor and that the Chan Sect and the Ren Sect had prior knowledge of each other, and then devising a plan, naturally made everyone feel incredulous.

Because they have not yet overturned the Buddha's judgment that the Jie Sect had any ties to the Buddha, all subsequent judgments are wrong.

At this time, the death of Dingguangxian meant that Buddhism, having just been established, suffered such a crushing defeat due to being outmaneuvered, which was a tremendous setback.

This has even shaken the overall momentum of Buddhism.

This made Buddha extremely anxious and even somewhat frustrated.

It can be said that the Ullambana Festival, which had just begun, suffered such a crushing defeat. This was a huge blow to the Buddha's reputation, and it was imperative to recover it as soon as possible.

Otherwise, its power will inevitably decline as a result.

At this moment, Buddha knew that he had to stabilize the situation no matter what.

"Amitabha, Fellow Daoist Jinling, is it your intention that Bixiao made things difficult for Dingguang Immortal?" The Buddha's words were a reproach. Jinling Holy Mother said, "Fellow Daoist Tathagata, you, as the eldest brother, should know Bixiao's character best. I have never allowed her to question Dingguang Immortal. However, the cause and effect of the Investiture of the Gods is here, and the matter of Dingguang Immortal has finally come to an end!"

Upon hearing the words of the Holy Mother Jinling, Tathagata gazed at the corpse of Dingguang Xian, and a look of pain suddenly appeared in his eyes.

"That's it!"

Suddenly, he let out a sigh.

"Fellow Daoists should know that the Investiture of the Gods was a great calamity of Heaven's will, and also a great calamity for the Jie Sect. How could human strength resist it? In the past, when the Four Sages besieged us, even though I possessed abilities that reached the heavens and the earth, I was like an ant trying to shake a mountain. My act of being captured and becoming a Buddha was not my own will, but rather a scheme devised by the Sages. Although I am now the head of Buddhism, I have never forgotten the incense of the Jie Sect for a single day. I have taken in my old followers and protected my fellow disciples, all to leave a glimmer of hope for life in the cracks of Heaven's will."

"Dingguang Xian's defection was truly a matter of fate. What difference would it have made whether he betrayed or not at that time? Seeking a glimmer of hope was perfectly understandable. Today, his demise due to karma can be seen as the end of his past entanglements."

The Buddha's words instantly gained the approval of all parties. The Buddha emphasized the force majeure and protected his fellow disciples, while also explaining that Dingguang Xian was not wrong, but was forced by the situation.

Upon hearing this, Yin Ziyu immediately understood that this was an attempt to appeal to emotions. After all, Buddha could not blame Kong Xuan for Dingguang Xian's death, nor could he condemn the Jie Sect.

The Buddha's words left Golden Spirit Mother and Yunxiao and the others speechless.

Upon hearing this, Yin Ziyu remarked that Buddha was firmly holding onto the position of justice and did not want to lose it at all.

Yin Ziyu's goal for this Ullambana Festival was to make the Jie Sect and the Shang Dynasty the representatives of the East, forcing the Ren Sect and the Chan Sect to take sides, while Tathagata's plan was to isolate them and pave the way for the Journey to the West.

Others might not understand, but Yin Ziyu did; this was the fundamental conflict between the two sides.

Only by isolating the Jie Sect and the Shang Dynasty can the pressure on the Journey to the West be reduced in the future. Otherwise, the Jie Sect's cooperation with independent cultivators could cause even greater unpredictable changes.

The importance of the Journey to the West needs no further explanation. This is the only opportunity the West has had since the beginning of time. Winning the Journey to the West will usher in a period of true glory for the West. The great fortune of the three realms will converge on the West. Whether it is the Jie Sect of Buddhism, the indigenous sect, or the Chan Sect, they will all unite as one due to the rise of fortune, allowing Mahayana Buddhism and the Tathagata to truly have the possibility of unifying the three realms and seeking the primordial chaos.

If the journey to the West fails, Mahayana Buddhism may fall apart as a result.

Indeed, under these circumstances, Buddha has essentially received Fu Jian's script. The Journey to the West is like the Battle of Fei River: win and unify the world, lose and it will fall apart.

All the plans were designed to ensure the success of the Journey to the West; this was the fundamental purpose.

Therefore, Tathagata was naturally cautious and would not repeat the situation of Xiqi, a point that Yin Ziyu also understood.

Yin Ziyu's plan was to set the tone for the East-West conflict at the Ullambana Festival, and have the Jie Sect and the Shang Dynasty represent the East.

The Journey to the West in the future will be completely different from the original Journey to the West. The original Journey to the West was destined to succeed, but the current Journey to the West is much more difficult because of the powerful opponents.

"Ziyu, how should we deal with Tathagata's strategy now? I'm afraid the rogue immortals still believe that Tathagata is aligned with the Jie Sect!"

The Holy Mother of Golden Spirit was still at a loss as to how to respond.

Yin Ziyu said calmly, "While it may clear Dingguang Xian's name, what about Qiu Shou Xian and the other two? What about Jin Gu Xian? What about Lu Ya? No matter what, the Three Immortals of Sanxiao and Lu Ya are sworn enemies, and Ran Deng is also a major karmic debt. If these two karmic debts are not resolved, it cannot last long. No matter what, Tathagata will not allow these karmic debts to be resolved. Now that Dingguang Xian has died because of this matter, if Tathagata is asked to hand over Lu Ya and Ran Deng, then it will be enough to believe Tathagata's sincerity. Otherwise, showing up the array diagram to plot will only make him a laughing stock!"

When Tathagata begins to present the formation diagram, uses the guise of fellow disciples, and offers them incentives, the Jie Sect will inevitably be unable to immediately resolve this karmic conflict.

The problem here still boils down to information asymmetry. If everything is based on the premise that the Jie Sect is unaware that Duobao is a traitor, and that Mahayana Buddhism is powerful and joins forces with the Jie Sect to seek revenge, then whether it's Dingguang Xian, Randeng, or Lu Ya, they all need to prioritize the overall situation and temporarily give up.

This means that one is now trapped in this situation and unable to escape.

When they learned that Duobao was a traitor and accurately pinpointed the other party's scheme, Dingguang Xian, Qiushou Xian, Jinguang Xian, Lingya Xian, Jingu Xian, Randeng, and Lu Ya would all become weaknesses and fall into Yin Ziyu's trap of making Tathagata constantly prove his innocence.

So, this play ultimately couldn't continue.

If it is true that Tathagata entrusted all these people to the Golden Spirit Mother, then it is enough to know that Duobao was truly devoted to the Jie Sect, and at the same time, he truly dismantled the entire Mahayana Buddhism.

Of course, Buddha could also criticize the Golden Spirit Mother for not considering the overall situation, but how could he say such things?

Upon hearing Yin Ziyu's words, Jinling Shengmu, Sanxiao, and the others couldn't help but admire him.

Golden Spirit Mother immediately laughed and said, "In that case, we will gradually dismantle the Buddha's bewitching heart. If we really agree to send people away, Mahayana Buddhism may fall into internal strife! What if the other party sees through it?"

Yin Ziyu nodded: "That's right. If we can see through it, we can simply use the orthodox Xuanmen sect as a shield. Let Fairy Bixiao handle this matter!"

Upon hearing this, Bixiao was naturally smug: "Elder sister, you always said that this fairy's personality is not stable, now you know how important I am!"

Upon hearing this, Yunxiao was immediately taken aback and couldn't help but sigh, "Perhaps, many situations do require someone with Third Sister's temperament to accomplish, while being too cautious is not advisable!"

Yin Ziyu explained, "That's right. Bixiao's nature is most effective against hypocrites, making it the easiest way to break the deadlock. Her true nature has long been known to all parties in the prehistoric world, so this is only natural. However, someone like Fairy Yunxiao cannot do this!"

Bixiao and Nezha are basically born with this kind of nature. As for hypocrites, they will fight on the spot without hesitation, just like Nezha, who can cut himself off on the spot.

Moreover, such people are the most intelligent, and they don't care who the other person is at all, even if it's a saint.

When dealing with people like Bixiao and Nezha, it's best to be honest. If you're hypocritical, you'll inevitably end up making a fool of yourself.

Bi Xiao was quite pleased with Yin Ziyu's words.

"Of all the beings in the Three Realms, only Ziyu truly understands me. Indeed, this fairy despises hypocrites the most! Hmph, Duobao, I sensed something was amiss back in the Jie Sect. Since he still clings to old friendships, I'll take over the rest!"

After Bixiao finished speaking, she immediately stepped forward and went directly into the sea of ​​clouds to look at Tathagata.

In an instant, everyone looked at Bixiao, even Buddha frowned.

Bixiao then pointed towards the Three Great Masters and said, "Speaking of mounts, my Jie Sect disciples, the Seven Immortals, Qiu Shou Xian, Ling Ya Xian, and Jin Guang Xian are all the mounts of the Three Great Masters. Buddha Tathagata, I wonder if you could allow them to return to the Jie Sect?"

(End of this chapter)