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

Chapter 188 Wukong's Ignorance Shocks the World!
Faced with Sun Wukong's astonishing remarks, Qingfeng and Mingyue were at a loss for words and could only invite the four of them to the Wuzhuang Temple.

Sun Wukong and his companions were led into the main hall of Wuzhuang Temple by two Taoist boys, Qingfeng and Mingyue.

At this moment, Sun Wukong stood tall and proud, looking arrogant and smug, thinking to himself that he had finally subdued the two little immortals.

Upon entering the main hall of Wuzhuang Temple, Tang Sanzang's gaze was immediately drawn to the two characters "Heaven and Earth" enshrined in the main hall. Filled with curiosity, he couldn't help but ask a question.

"May I ask, Immortal Child, most Taoist families worship the Three Pure Ones and the Four Emperors, why do you here only worship Heaven and Earth?"

Upon hearing this, Qingfeng looked proud and said with a hint of arrogance in his tone, "The Three Pure Ones are my master's friends, the Four Emperors are merely my master's juniors, and as for the other Nine Luminaries Star Lords, they are not worthy of my master's offerings!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong was first taken aback, then burst into unrestrained laughter, laughing so hard he was doubled over, slapping his thighs as he laughed.

"Bajie, listen to this! These two young Taoist disciples are bragging again!"

Upon hearing this, Pigsy's face immediately showed an extremely embarrassed expression. He wanted to laugh along, but felt it was inappropriate. If he didn't laugh, he was at a loss for what to do because of Sun Wukong's exaggerated reaction.

Seeing Sun Wukong's arrogant laughter, Qingfeng and Mingyue were displeased and said in unison, "What are you laughing at?"

Sun Wukong stopped laughing, a mocking smile on his face. He chuckled and said, "In all the time I've traveled through the Three Realms, I've never seen two celestial children as boastful as you two. Even when I met Laozi, I never saw your master boast like this!"

Qingfeng and Mingyue stared blankly at Sun Wukong, wondering what other shocking words he would utter next.

The atmosphere inside the hall suddenly became tense because of Sun Wukong's mockery, while Qingfeng and Mingyue stared at Sun Wukong with indignation.

Suddenly, the sky began to churn, and a magnificent auspicious cloud slowly descended from the heavens, its auspicious light illuminating the entire Wuzhuang Temple.

Upon seeing this, Qingfeng and Mingyue quickly straightened their clothes and composed themselves, respectfully stepping forward and shouting in unison, "Greetings, Master!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong swaggered out and glanced sideways at the Taoist priest with an air of otherworldly wisdom, asking, "Are you the master of these two frivolous young disciples? Do you know who I, Old Sun, am?"

Zhen Yuanzi tilted his head slightly, looked at Sun Wukong with gentle eyes, stroked his beard and smiled: "Of course I know, but is it the famous Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, who made havoc in the Heavenly Palace?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's face immediately showed a rather satisfied expression. He rubbed the back of his hand and said, "Your master is quite sensible, recognizing me, Old Sun. But your two attendants are really too good at bragging; they're absolutely hilarious!"

After saying this, Sun Wukong couldn't help but slap his thigh and burst into laughter.

Seeing Sun Wukong's appearance, Zhen Yuanzi was not angry at all; instead, he burst into laughter: "Hahahaha!"

Sun Wukong was a little confused by Zhen Yuanzi's sudden laughter and asked curiously, "What are you laughing at?"

Zhen Yuanzi, still smiling, stroked his beard and said slowly, "The Great Sage Equaling Heaven is a guest. Since the Great Sage is laughing heartily, how can I not laugh along with him?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong felt as if he were bathed in a spring breeze, and he found Zhen Yuanzi much more pleasing to the eye.

At this moment, Zhen Yuanzi turned to Qingfeng and Mingyue and said, "Open the mountain gates wide and welcome our distinguished guest!"

At a command, a series of clear bell and drum sounds rang out from within the Wuzhuang Temple, and the entire mountain gate slowly opened, solemn and dignified.

Zhen Yuanzi stepped out himself, and Sun Wukong, his curiosity piqued, hurriedly followed behind, muttering, "What kind of distinguished guest is he? Is he even more honorable than me, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?"

Zhen Yuanzi did not answer Sun Wukong's question, but simply looked quietly into the distance.

Before long, two figures appeared and arrived at the gate of Wuzhuang Temple in the blink of an eye. They were a man and a woman.

The man was elegant and refined; it was Yin Ziyu. Upon seeing Zhen Yuanzi greet him, Yin Ziyu bowed and said, "We are deeply honored by the presence of the Great Immortal."

Beside her, the Goddess Luo smiled slightly and said softly, "I see the Great Immortal again; he truly remains as elegant as ever!"

Looking at the two people in front of him, Zhen Yuanzi was filled with emotion, because back then, Luo Shen came to Wuzhuang Temple and took away two ginseng fruits, which caused the upheaval of the Investiture of the Gods.

Zhen Yuanzi knew that although he had not borne the consequences of the two fruits' affair, it was definitely the scheme of this high priest of the Yin Shang dynasty.

The person before him was now the number one contender in the Primordial Chaos War, and now that he had come to Wuzhuang Temple, Zhen Yuanzi was still very solemn for some reason.

After all, the reputation of this high priest of the Yin Shang Dynasty, who has now come to Wuzhuang Temple when the pilgrims are on their way, is definitely not that of a simple person.

Even Zhen Yuanzi couldn't deduce where Yin Ziyu's sword was aimed.

"Fellow Daoists, please come to the main hall for a chat!"

As soon as Yin Ziyu and Luo Shen stepped into Wuzhuang Temple, Guanyin Bodhisattva in the Great Hall of Lingshan immediately tensed up.

Guanyin knew that the appearance of these two people was by no means ordinary, especially Bi Gan and Yin Ziyu, whose actions were always unpredictable.

At that moment, Guanyin Bodhisattva dared not delay and hurriedly asked the Buddha, who was seated on a lotus throne: "Buddha, Bi Gan and the other two have gone to Wuzhuang Temple together. The great god Zhen Yuanzi has great magical power, and his temple has unique restrictions, so we cannot perceive what is happening inside Wuzhuang Temple. This humble monk begs to go to Wuzhuang Temple immediately to avoid an uncontrollable situation."

After all, Wukong's overthrow of the Dao Ancestor's statue caused enormous damage, the impact of which is indescribable.

Now, in order to cover up this matter, Laozi's prestige has been sacrificed. Now that Yin Ziyu and Sun Wukong are both at Wuzhuang Temple, Guanyin is naturally aware of the seriousness of the situation.

The Buddha nodded slightly, his gaze deep and calm, and slowly said, "Good. Venerable Guanyin, go quickly. With your great wisdom, you are more than capable of handling this matter and can ensure that no unexpected situation arises."

Guanyin Bodhisattva clasped her hands together in reverence and said in a respectful voice, "This humble monk will humbly obey the Buddha's decree."

After Guanyin finished speaking, a flash of Buddhist light appeared around her, and she transformed into a dazzling ray of light, heading towards Wuzhuang Temple, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Just as Zhen Yuanzi welcomed Yin Ziyu and Luo Shen into the main hall and was pondering their intentions, he suddenly sensed something and couldn't help but sigh softly.

Zhen Yuanzi knew that Guanyin Bodhisattva had arrived upon hearing the news.

He immediately said, "I didn't expect that Guanyin Bodhisattva would also be here. This humble Taoist will go and greet her."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang's face immediately lit up with joy, and he put his hands together and said, "I didn't expect the Bodhisattva to come here as well. Amitabha."

Sun Wukong was equally surprised and exclaimed, "I never expected that the Bodhisattva would come here. I, Old Sun, will follow you to welcome her."

Zhen Yuanzi and Sun Wukong quickly arrived at the entrance of Wuzhuang Temple.

Just then, Guanyin Bodhisattva descended, surrounded by auspicious light.

Guanyin Bodhisattva bowed slightly and chanted a Buddhist prayer: "Amitabha, this humble monk greets Zhenyuan Daxian!"

Zhen Yuanzi hurriedly bowed in return, smiling and saying, "So it's Guanyin Bodhisattva who has arrived, please!" In front of Wuzhuang Temple, the atmosphere became subtle for a moment. Various forces gathered here, and a turbulent gathering of events was brewing. It was unknown what would happen.

Now, Yin Ziyu's every word and action is subject to speculation and analysis, because the consequences would be too great if something unexpected happened.

Inside the main hall of Wuzhuang Temple, the atmosphere was solemn and dignified, yet subtly subtle.

Yin Ziyu and Luo Shenan sat to one side, looking relaxed.

As Guanyin Bodhisattva stepped into the hall, Yin Ziyu's lips curled into a faint smile. He then rose, cupped his hands in greeting, and said in a calm yet courteous tone, "So it is Guanyin Bodhisattva who has arrived. It has been a long time!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva looked at Yin Ziyu with calm eyes, nodded slightly, and replied, "So you are the High Priest. I never expected to meet you at Wuzhuang Temple."

Although they were on different sides, Guanyin admired Yin Ziyu, whose countless ingenious schemes had refreshed the level of planning in the entire Three Realms.

The depth of the strategy was such that it was not until many years later that Guanyin Bodhisattva realized it, and she was naturally deeply shocked.

It can be said that since the beginning of the Investiture of the Gods, all parties in the Three Realms have been trying to understand Yin Ziyu's plans and have finally concluded that Yin Ziyu has amazing insight.

Amazing insight combined with amazing execution, a single move to the throat, giving meaning to something simple.

The sight of Yin Ziyu and Guanyin exchanging greetings filled Sun Wukong with utter astonishment.

In Sun Wukong's mind, Guanyin Bodhisattva was a lofty and awe-inspiring being, revered by all beings in the Three Realms.

He can be considered the number one person after the Buddha.

But this person before me can meet Guanyin Bodhisattva on such an equal footing. His status and position are so high that it is hard to fathom. I wonder who this deity is.

Then, Sun Wukong noticed that Guanyin Bodhisattva was also quite respectful to Zhen Yuanzi, and her words were full of courtesy.

This aroused great suspicion in Sun Wukong's heart, and he secretly wondered: "Could it be that those two little Taoist boys weren't lying? Could this Zhen Yuanzi really be a powerful figure?"

Sun Wukong scratched his head, his fiery eyes scanning everyone intently, trying to find clues from the smallest details and unravel the mystery in his heart.

Inside the main hall, the surface appeared calm and peaceful, but in Sun Wukong's heart, it was like a turbulent sea, with all sorts of thoughts rushing in, and his curiosity and confusion about the current situation growing stronger.

Seeing all these figures gathered together, the atmosphere was subtle and turbulent, and Zhen Yuanzi secretly groaned, fearing that this great calamity would be triggered in his Wuzhuang Temple, bringing trouble to this peaceful place of cultivation for no reason.

At that moment, he mustered his spirits and ordered, "Qingfeng and Mingyue, go and fetch some ginseng fruits."

Zhen Yuanzi sent Qingfeng and Mingyue to collect the ginseng fruit, hoping that both sides would not fight here for his sake, and that he would treat them well before sending them away.

If it weren't for the karmic debt of offering tea at the Golden Cicada Ullambana Festival, I would definitely have continued to stay in seclusion. I never expected that with just this one opportunity, neither side would let me go, and they all came while I was repaying my karmic debt.

Qingfeng and Mingyue quickly replied, "Disciples obey!" After saying that, they hurriedly withdrew.

Zhen Yuanzi turned to the crowd, a perfectly timed smile on his face, and said, "It is truly an honor for my Wuzhuang Temple to have the High Priest and my young friend Luoshen grace us with their presence, and for Guanyin Bodhisattva to arrive in such a pleasant manner. How about we take this opportunity to discuss the Dao?"

Now, Zhen Yuanzi is thinking that there must be no conflict, and it is imperative to keep things stable.

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong immediately became interested and exclaimed, "Discussing the Dao? Great! I, Old Sun, love discussing the Dao the most!"

Zhen Yuanzi was at a loss for words, but he couldn't refuse. In the end, he could only say, "Very well, then let's discuss the Dao from the perspective of the Great Sage!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's expression immediately brightened, as if he had been injected with chicken blood. He couldn't wait to say, "Then I, Old Sun, will begin. Let's discuss who is the most powerful in the Three Realms!"

The moment Sun Wukong uttered those words, it was as if a thunderclap had exploded in the main hall of Wuzhuang Temple, instantly freezing the atmosphere in the entire hall.

It should be understood that in ordinary times, discussions about the Dao usually involve exploring one's own Dao, such as the laws of the Great Dao or the order of the Three Realms, and other profound and mysterious topics.

But now Sun Wukong has raised such a seemingly irrelevant topic, leaving everyone looking at each other speechless.

Guanyin Bodhisattva frowned slightly, a hint of helplessness flashing across her expression.

Yin Ziyu's lips twitched slightly, as if he couldn't help but laugh, while Luo Shen covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes full of amusement.

Zhen Yuanzi was both amused and exasperated, secretly lamenting how childish the monkey was, but he couldn't expose him, lest the monkey disrupt their peaceful discussion.

Sun Wukong chuckled and said, "Great Immortal Zhenyuan, please enlighten me. I, Old Sun, see that you possess great magical power, and this young Taoist boy says that the Three Pure Ones are all your friends. I, Old Sun, am truly curious: between you, Great Immortal and Buddha, who is more powerful? Who is truly the number one in the Three Realms?"

At this moment, Zhen Yuanzi's face instantly turned as bitter as a bitter gourd, and his features were almost scrunched up.

What kind of philosophical discussion is this? Zhen Yuanzi felt uneasy, as if a well-read scholar was discussing philosophy with a commoner.

Zhen Yuanzi, filled with helplessness, said with a wry smile, "This humble Taoist knows he is no match for the Buddha!"

Upon hearing this, Pigsy exclaimed in surprise and quickly said, "Great Immortal, why belittle yourself like this? You have been famous for hundreds of millions of years and possess great supernatural powers. How can you be so humble!"

Zhen Yuanzi waved his hand lightly and said calmly, "The Buddha Tathagata is indeed all-powerful and has boundless magical abilities. I truly admire him for that!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong scratched his head and then asked, "Where does the Great Immortal's magical power rank in the Three Realms? We're here to discuss the Dao, so please speak frankly!"

Zhen Yuanzi waved his hand again, his face contorted with worry, and said, "In these three realms, there are countless powerful beings with extraordinary abilities. How dare I presume to rank them?"

Sun Wukong was not about to give up and continued to press, "So who are the most powerful figures in the Three Realms? Where would I rank in the Three Realms for the skills I used when I wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace? And where would Guanyin Bodhisattva rank?"

Zhen Yuanzi's mouth was agape, his face blank, completely at a loss for how to respond to Sun Wukong's series of bizarre questions.

Zhen Yuanzi was truly helpless and could only say, "Throughout the Three Realms, there are countless powerful beings, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. As for the specific ranking of Great Sages and Bodhisattvas, this humble Daoist truly does not know!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva stood to the side, feeling extremely embarrassed and quite uncomfortable.

As for Pigsy, he couldn't hold it in any longer, so he clutched his stomach and ran out, laughing so hard he almost fell over.

Yin Ziyu came to Wuzhuang Temple this time while Zhen Yuanzi was opening the mountain seal, originally with an important plan. He had no choice but to run into Sun Wukong, since if Sun Wukong and the others had not arrived, Zhen Yuanzi would have sealed Wanshou Mountain long ago.

As for Sun Wukong's situation, it was their own doing that brought them trouble. Yin Ziyu shook his head helplessly.

(End of this chapter)