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

Chapter 168 The Buddha is in a dilemma, and establishes his authority through his inner power!
"Brother, the Jie Sect has indeed obtained the Four Swords of Zhuxian and the sword formation. Their future power is immense and difficult to control! The remaining seven members of the Jie Sect have resolved the original problem of the Jie Sect's Ten Thousand Immortals. Their achievements are immeasurable!"

In the midst of chaos, the Primordial Celestial Venerable discussed this matter with Lao Tzu!

Lao Tzu said calmly, "Second brother, although the Jie Sect has taken the Four Swords of Zhuxian, it has also isolated itself. Since the Jie Sect has won, it is for the best. At present, the fortune of Mahayana Buddhism is unstable, and the Jie Sect has no supreme treasure to suppress its fortune. Let the two sides compete in the Journey to the West calamity!"

I don't care at all how powerful the Jie Sect is. I'll sit back and relax. There are advantages to winning and advantages to losing!
Yuanshi Tianzun naturally understood Laozi's plan. "What you say is very true, elder brother. Now that the Jie Sect's Four Swords Formation for Exterminating Immortals has been withdrawn again, it will make the journey to the West and the rise of the West extremely difficult. If this is the case, then the Jie Sect is going against the tide!"

After listening, Lao Tzu said calmly, "Indeed, the Jie Sect obtained the supreme treasure, but it also went against the tide of history. For my sect and my second brother, the Chan Sect, this is a great opportunity."

Laozi, the Primordial Beginning, naturally had his own plans regarding this Ullambana Festival, which was crucial to changing the格局 (geju, a concept encompassing the overall structure and overall situation) of the Three Realms.

Just as Yin Ziyu had predicted, for the Chan Sect, victory or defeat was acceptable in this competition.

There are advantages to winning and there are uses to losing.

Just like the Yin-Yang principle, Yin arises from Yang, and Yang arises from Yin.

If the Jie Sect is defeated, and the Chan Sect gathers the Zhuxian Sword Formation, it will be a sweeping victory for the Jie Sect. If the Chan Sect is defeated, it will put the Jie Sect in a difficult position, leaving them with no way out but to go against the tide.

This, in turn, allowed others to teach, while the Chan sect sat on the mountain watching the tigers fight, remaining calm and collected.

The competition among the Great Luo Golden Immortals, which had not yet reached the Quasi-Saint level, caused the entire Ullambana Festival to become somewhat out of control. Originally, Buddhism was trying to establish its authority, but all the changes caught the Buddhist sect off guard. They should have used the strategy of sowing discord among the Jie Sect and isolating them to produce the array diagram.

So, with the four swords in the Chan Sect and the formation diagram in the Jie Sect, the Chan Sect would never hand over the four swords to the Jie Sect.

The Zhuxian Sword Formation will never be fully assembled, yet everything happened so unexpectedly. A single competition not only brought glory to the Jie Sect but also caused the situation to spiral out of control, and ultimately, the future of the entire Three Realms.

Now that the Zhuxian Sword Formation of the Jie Sect has returned in its entirety, what should be done about the future of Journey to the West?
Also, how will this Obon festival end?

"Jin Chanzi, this is Bodhi Tea, sent by Patriarch Subhuti. You should deliver it to the five immortals: Zhen Yuanzi, the Lord of the Styx River, the Queen Mother of the West, Kunpeng, and Leize, and offer them the tea with utmost respect!"

"Disciple will humbly obey Master's decree!"

Bodhi tea is produced by the Bodhi tree, one of the five innate spiritual roots. It contains the innate laws of the Great Dao, and those who are destined to drink it will benefit greatly.

This is formed from the essence of a sage. Now, Zhunti is the Bodhi tree of the five innate spiritual roots, so this Bodhi tea is the most precious of the five innate spiritual roots.

When the Bodhi tree becomes sacred, the efficacy of its leaves will surpass that of all other spiritual roots in the entire primordial world.

Jin Chanzi first presented the Bodhi tea to Zhen Yuanzi: "Senior Zhen Yuanzi, my master has instructed me to bring you a cup of tea. Please, Senior Zhen Yuanzi, drink it!"

Jin Chanzi held the jade cup in both hands. The tea in the cup was as clear as amber, with a few Bodhi leaves floating among them, faintly revealing the innate Dao.

Zhen Yuanzi lightly waved his whisk, and before he even touched the teacup, he felt a familiar aura of the Great Way of the Sage wash over him.

The Bodhi leaf clearly embodies the Great Dao insights of the Sage Zhunti.

At this moment, Zhen Yuanzi was shocked and his pupils shrank. He saw the Bodhi leaf suddenly unfurl, and the surface of the leaf revealed the Great Dao Proverb, which was the mark of Zhunti Daoist's enlightenment.

"Bodhi leaf! No, this is the treasure of a sage's enlightenment; I am not worthy to enjoy it!"

"What magnificent Mahayana Buddhism! What a sage like Cundi! What a grand spirit!"

Zhen Yuanzi couldn't help but exclaim in amazement; the Bodhi Tea truly moved him.

Now, Zhen Yuanzi's realm is so high that he is on par with the world, and there is almost nothing in the entire Three Realms that can move him.

However, this Bodhi tea is indeed one of them. Now that the Jie Sect has withdrawn the Zhuxian Sword Formation and the situation in the Three Realms has changed, Zhen Yuanzi is well aware of the purpose of Mahayana Buddhism in offering him tea.

Jin Chanzi stood with his head bowed: "Please, Great Immortal, drink this. This is my master's decree. Please, Great Immortal, drink this!"

Upon seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi's mind became even clearer. This was not a tea delivery at all; it was clearly the Buddhist sect using Bodhi Tea to test the stance of the Earth Immortal lineage!

Now that the Jie Sect has the Zhuxian Sword Formation, drinking it will allow them to remain neutral, while not drinking it might lead to them favoring the Jie Sect.

For independent cultivators, it might be best to wait and see.

"Fine, I'll repay this debt of karma whenever I pass by Wuzhuang Temple on my journey to the West!"

Please convey this message to the Buddha.

Zhen Yuanzi handed the empty cup back: "This tea is good, but I can hardly accept it. Once the journey to the West begins, I will wait quietly at Wuzhuang Temple to settle this karmic debt!"

The Buddhist monks offer a cup of tea with no demands, but Zhen Yuanzi, being honest and kind-hearted, naturally wouldn't drink it for nothing.

Jin Chanzi served Bodhi tea to the other great gods in turn. The other great gods were amazed to see that the situation of the Ullambana Festival had changed several times in a row, yet the Jie Sect had completed the perfection of its own fortune.

Now that the Jie Sect has the power to protect itself, the independent cultivators no longer need to take sides and can simply observe.

The fact that Buddha sent Bodhi tea clearly indicates his hope that the wandering monks would remain neutral in the future journey to the West.

Since none of these great masters wanted to make enemies of Buddhism, they all drank this tea.

The match between the two was still ongoing.

"Buddha, in this competition among the Great Luo Golden Immortals, should this humble monk continue to compete against the Great Luo Immortals of the Three Realms?"

At this moment, Maitreya Buddha asked Tathagata about the current situation, which seemed to be stuck here. Everyone looked at Tathagata!
The Buddha then looked at the crowd, awaiting their suggestions.

Guanyin Bodhisattva cupped her hands and said, "Reporting to Buddha, Jin Ling has taken back the Four Swords of Zhuxian under the guise of the competition, which has greatly enhanced the reputation of the Jie Sect and damaged the prestige of the Chan Sect. If this is not continued, it will be embarrassing for our Buddhist sect!"

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement with Guanyin Bodhisattva's words.

Since the Ullambana Festival, all of the Buddha's and all the Buddhas' plans have been disrupted. The original plan to establish authority could no longer be carried out, and instead, the Jie Sect became famous as a result.

Therefore, the supernatural powers displayed by the Great Luo Golden Immortals of the Jie Sect today, such as the clone technique and the top-level law-based supernatural powers, are beyond the ability of other Great Luo Golden Immortals in the Three Realms to match.

It can be said that a scheme was ultimately thwarted by others. Buddha was not unprepared; at least at the Taiyi Golden Immortal level, he gained immense prestige.

However, merely possessing the Taiyi Golden Immortal level is insufficient; the mid-level Daluo level has essentially failed. Although Buddhism has prepared for the Daluo Golden Immortal level, the momentum is already waning. Yunxiao, at the early Quasi-Saint stage, defeating Kong Xuan is tantamount to Yunxiao intercepting Kong Xuan, the Buddha's greatest trump card, at the Quasi-Saint stage.

It can be said that all the plans for the entire Ullambana Festival have been disrupted, and future arrangements will likely benefit others.

But should the current discussion among the Great Luo Golden Immortals continue?

If it's not going to proceed, how do we stop it?

It can be said that if a first Grand Luo Immortal does not emerge, and the competition among Grand Luo Golden Immortals stops, Buddhism will lose face.

We cannot allow the entire Obon festival to end in such a disgraceful manner because of this incident.

At this moment, Dipankara Buddha spoke.

"Amitabha Buddha, Buddha, this humble monk also agrees with Guanyin's words of following the decree. As for the debate between quasi-saints, the scattered cultivators have now chosen neutrality, while the Human Sect and the Chan Sect will certainly support our Buddhist sect. After the Great Luo is over, we can no longer use supernatural powers for competition, but can discuss the Dao in this way."

Ran Deng immediately explained the quasi-sage's method of expounding the Dao.

At this moment, Tathagata's expression was uncertain: "Continue. No matter what, we must determine the first Great Luo. If the Great Luo competition is stopped because of this, it will be an embarrassment for our Buddhist sect. As for the Quasi-Saint level debate, we will follow the plan of Dipankara Buddha! Maitreya Buddha was unable to sever his corpse and enter the Quasi-Saint level because of this plan. This time, we will trouble the Future Buddha!"

"Amitabha Buddha, this is simply my duty!"

Like Yun Zhongzi of the Chan Sect, Maitreya Buddha is a trump card of the Great Luo Golden Immortal level in this Ullambana Festival. Both are capable of infinitely advancing to the Quasi-Saint realm and have perfected their own path.

"This humble monk is Maitreya Buddha. May I ask which fellow practitioner has come to offer guidance?"

The future Buddha of Buddhism, Maitreya Buddha, personally stepped forward. At this point, having reached the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, he actually had very few people left to choose from.

On the Shang side, Yin Ziyu had the highest cultivation level, and there was no one else.

The Jie Sect has now established its authority. With a thought, Yin Ziyu instantly appeared in the sea of ​​clouds!
"Bi Gan, the high priest of the Yin-Shang dynasty, has met the future Buddha!"

When Yin Ziyu appeared in the sea of ​​clouds, it immediately caused everyone to become solemn.

Unexpectedly, the high priest of the Yin Shang Dynasty personally came out to challenge. However, to be honest, only Yin Ziyu on the Yin Shang side had reached the peak of cultivation, while Luo Shen was only at the initial stage.

Of course, Yin Ziyu's reputation doesn't stem from his cultivation level, but rather from his unpredictable and cunning schemes.

However, no one had ever witnessed Yin Ziyu's actions before, and now that this high priest of the Yin Shang Dynasty had personally taken action, it naturally sparked a lot of discussion.

"I didn't expect the high priest to make a move. I wonder how powerful he is!"

"Since the time of the Investiture of the Gods, this person has been adept at planning the grand schemes of the primordial world. His insightful abilities are rare since the beginning of time. It is said that this person entered the Dao through the mind, not by practicing Laozi's Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Technique, but by deducing a secret realm method to replace it. It can be seen that his comprehension is also extremely remarkable. This time, he must have extraordinary supernatural powers."

"This Ullambana Festival was originally intended to establish the authority of Buddhism, but it has instead become a victory for the Jie Sect and the Yin Shang Dynasty. Since this person has personally taken action, he clearly has a sure-fire way to win!"

"This person has developed a new method of cultivation, focusing on the path of the mind. However, this is not surprising. Before the Dao Ancestor attained enlightenment, there were many different cultivation methods in this primordial world. Only those who could enter the Quasi-Saint realm could attain the Great Dao. I wonder if this person can enter the Great Dao!"

"To comprehend a new system, one needs great fortune and prestige. Clearly, this person intends to seize the title of the First Great Luo Immortal. Could it be that this person can reach the Path of the Primordial Golden Immortal without severing the corpse?"

"."

There was much discussion in all three realms, clearly showing that everyone was extremely curious about Yin Ziyu's strength and wanted to see just what kind of supernatural powers he possessed.

Since the Investiture of the Gods, Yin Ziyu has amassed great prestige throughout the world, so his appearance at this time naturally caused a sensation throughout the Three Realms.

Maitreya Buddha looked at Yin Ziyu before him, his expression immediately becoming solemn: "Fellow Daoist, your name resounds throughout the Three Realms, yet you have never made a move before. Today, this humble monk is the first to experience your supernatural powers!"

Yin Ziyu nodded and said, "It would be my great fortune to be able to compete with the Future Buddha!"

"It's a perfect opportunity to witness the High Priest's divine powers, please!"

Maitreya Buddha was cautious at heart, yet his face was full of smiles. His plump body suddenly transformed into a sixteen-foot-tall golden body, and the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss on his robe shone brightly. Immeasurable Buddha light surged from the top of his head, condensing into the phantom image of a thirty-three-layered Mount Sumeru behind him.

As the direct disciple of the guide, and one of the few top-tier talents in the entire West, his supernatural abilities are naturally extraordinary.

Maitreya Buddha was naturally cautious about Yin Ziyu, and first of all, he protected him with the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!
"Fellow Daoist, are you familiar with this humble monk's Great Supernatural Power of Consciousness-Only Without Boundaries?"

With a flick of his finger, Maitreya Buddha caused countless mirror images to suddenly appear around Yin Ziyu, all of which were causal branches that had not yet occurred.

This is the fusion of the laws of cause and effect and the laws of time mastered by Maitreya Buddha, illuminating countless possibilities in the future, truly a single thought can produce myriad results.

Yin Ziyu looked at Maitreya Buddha's move and said calmly, "Since Buddha knows that I attained enlightenment through my mind, how can I be deluded by these myriad futures? My future belongs to my true mind. There is nothing outside the mind, and all dharmas are empty! The fire of conscience dispels delusion!"

With a soft shout, Yin Ziyu instantly unleashed nine-colored heart flames around his body, each flame scorching the karmic shackles of the past and future.

Although Maitreya Buddha had a smile on his face, his entire body was surging with laws, trying to pull Yin Ziyu into this illusory future.

Maitreya Buddha is the Buddha of the future; this is the fundamental path of Maitreya Buddha.

This supernatural power is naturally very powerful. The laws of Maitreya Buddha within it have already been perfected. Ordinary Great Luo Immortals are instantly pulled into the illusion of the future and cannot extricate themselves!
Among them, the Great Luo Golden Immortal has not yet severed his good and evil corpses; those who have not severed their corpses are bound by expectations of the future.

When one's magical power is inferior to that of Maitreya Buddha, when one's mastery of the laws is inferior to that of Maitreya, or when one's laws are overcome by the Tao that integrates cause and effect and time, one can say that there is no way to escape.

This shows that he has received the true teachings of Jieyin. Jieyin could make Hongyun give up his position just by looking at his bitter face, which shows how powerful he is.

However, Yin Ziyu was an exception. Yin Ziyu's true path was that once a Great Luo Golden Immortal had seen through good and evil, the thoughts of good and evil could not trouble his heart!
Infinite threads of cause and effect, and the maxims of the laws of time, converge to create countless visions of the future, all aimed at disturbing Yin Ziyu's mind.

Yin Ziyu's inner fire instantly transformed into a towering pillar of fire, with the Great Dao of Reason at its core, remaining unmoved by the pull of this future illusion.

In an instant, all the illusions of the future were gradually burned away by Yin Ziyu's conscience!
The next moment, the pillar of conscience crashed down on Maitreya Buddha's Mount Sumeru. The thirty-three layers of the mountain collapsed one by one, and each collapse was accompanied by a roar that could not be followed in the past or bound to the future.

At Yin Ziyu's brow, boundless Dao of the Original Mind emerged, and Maitreya Buddha's Great Dao of the Future Mind was like receding tide, revealing the true world that had been obscured by the illusion of cause and effect.

"What a profound statement: 'Nothing exists outside the mind, all dharmas are empty.' Well then, my path has been overcome by yours, my fellow Daoist. You have triumphed!"

(End of this chapter)