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

Yin Ziyu came here for two reasons: first, Zhen Yuanzi was on his journey to the West; second, Zhen Yuanzi was the master of the Earthly Immortals.

Zhen Yuanzi, the Lord of Earthly Immortals, is not an Earthly Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, or Mysterious Immortal, but rather a being from the entire Earthly Immortal Realm.

In other words, the head of the scattered immortals in the Earthly Immortal Realm is, to put it bluntly, the head of the scattered immortals in the Four Continents.

Others do not have the authority to represent the Earthly Immortal Realm, Zhen Yuanzi does, Kunpeng can only influence the Northern Underworld Demon Clan, the Styx River has its own Asura Realm, and the Queen Mother of the West was the head of the female immortals, but she has now been replaced by Yaochi.

Zhen Yuanzi is the same ruler as the world, the head of the earth immortals. This title was personally bestowed by the Dao Ancestor and has never been replaced.

Yin Ziyu's most direct purpose in coming to Wuzhuang Temple was to set his goal for the Great Tribulation, which was to convey his core principles to all living beings.

Furthermore, the discussion on the Dao explored potential problems with faith, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of spiritual cultivation versus faith cultivation, prompting reflection from all sides of the Three Realms.

The Wuzhuang Temple of Zhen Yuanzi is the most important link, and it expounds its core principles, which wins the support of Zhen Yuanzi and the scattered immortals of the Three Realms, because the scattered immortals of the Three Realms represent the attitude of all living beings.

Although there are many mortals in the Three Realms, they do not have the power to represent the attitudes of all living beings.

Zhen Yuanzi's status is somewhat similar to that of an opinion leader in the Three Realms, which is why it is necessary to discuss the Dao with Zhen Yuanzi. Yin Ziyu knew that if he came, the Buddhist sect would definitely send someone.

Zhen Yuanzi was originally supposed to be conferred the title of god during the Great Tribulation, but when Wukong and his companions arrived, Zhen Yuanzi had to repay the karmic debt by opening the mountain gate. After Zhen Yuanzi opened the mountain gate, Yin Ziyu arrived. As soon as Yin Ziyu arrived, the Buddhist sect became uneasy and would definitely send someone over.

This is the process in question.

Seeing that Zhen Yuanzi and Guanyin were both frowning and deep in thought, Yin Ziyu immediately said, "Great Immortal, you have experienced the long years of the Primordial Era and the Ancient Era. You must be very clear about the things of the Primordial Era. I hope that you will not hesitate to enlighten me."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi couldn't help but sigh softly, his gaze seemingly traveling through time back to the distant ancient era.

For such a master, the beauty of the ancient times is a beauty that one can never return to, even in the dead of night.

Now that Yin Ziyu has brought up this matter, Zhen Yuanzi is deeply moved.

Zhen Yuanzi slowly said, "In the primordial era, the chaotic aura had not yet completely dissipated, and the innate spiritual energy between heaven and earth was extremely abundant. Cultivators at that time could directly absorb this rich spiritual energy to temper their physical bodies and primordial spirits, single-mindedly pursuing the state of merging with the Dao. In such an environment, cultivators could more easily comprehend the mysteries of the rules of heaven and earth, and even create their own cultivation systems based on their own understanding. It was truly a unique and flourishing era. However, now, times have changed. The innate spiritual energy no longer exists, and the acquired spiritual energy is also extremely scarce. The Three Realms today are far inferior to them!"

Upon hearing this, Guanyin Bodhisattva immediately replied, "It is precisely because of the current state of the world that spiritual energy is scarce, while the number of living beings in the world is increasing day by day. If all beings in the Three Realms were to cultivate using spiritual energy, then this limited resource of spiritual energy would inevitably be quickly depleted, and the Three Realms would collapse as a result. Only the path of faith advocated by my Western Paradise can save the Three Realms and prevent them from being destroyed due to the depletion of spiritual energy. Otherwise, the Three Realms will inevitably fall into the abyss of exhaustion of spiritual energy and ultimate collapse."

Upon hearing this, Yin Ziyu glanced at Guanyin indifferently and said, "Does the Bodhisattva not think that this path of faith is actually a case of drinking poison to quench thirst?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva smiled slightly and calmly replied, "Fellow Daoist, your words are an exaggeration. How can you say it's like drinking poison to quench thirst? With the number of sentient beings increasing daily, and reincarnation determined by merit and virtue, if sentient beings have the power of their vows, then immortals and gods will no longer need to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Watching the three of them talk back and forth, Sun Wukong felt completely bewildered, as if he were in a fog.

Sun Wukong couldn't understand these profound words at all, but he was unwilling to give up. He could only force himself to listen, until he was scratching his head in frustration, but he still gained nothing and became increasingly anxious.

However, Sun Wukong was naturally competitive and dared not ask questions rashly, for fear that asking would make him appear ignorant and tarnish his reputation as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Just then, Pigsy sauntered in. Monkey King, as if seeing a savior, immediately grabbed him and asked anxiously, "Pigsy, what do they mean by talking about spiritual energy, faith, and saving the Three Realms?"

Pigsy scratched his head sheepishly and said, "Brother Monkey, in my opinion, they're probably talking about cultivation methods. Some people cultivate by absorbing spiritual energy, while others cultivate by relying on the offerings of believers. They're debating which cultivation method is better."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong suddenly understood and interjected without hesitation, "Oh dear, why argue about such a trivial matter? I think those who want to cultivate using spiritual energy should use spiritual energy, and Bodhisattvas who can receive offerings from believers should cultivate using faith. Why do we have to be so clear about it?"

Upon hearing Sun Wukong's words, the three of them looked at him in unison, speechless for a moment.

The debate among the people concerns the grand trend of the future of the Three Realms, which is far more complex than simply the methods of cultivation.

After hearing this, Yin Ziyu looked at Guanyin Bodhisattva with piercing eyes and retorted without mercy: "What the Bodhisattva said seems reasonable, but in fact, faith and cultivation have many drawbacks and cannot be examined in detail."

Upon hearing this, Guanyin immediately said, "Fellow Daoist, are you aware that the spiritual energy shortage in the Three Realms is becoming increasingly severe? Look at the mountains and rivers; their spiritual veins are depleted. Not to mention innate spiritual energy, even acquired spiritual energy is becoming increasingly scarce. Many beings wish to cultivate, but they struggle to make progress due to the lack of spiritual energy. However, the path of cultivation through faith offers a different way. Believers offer their prayers to their objects of faith with sincere hearts. This prayer power can provide cultivators with a continuous source of strength. For those beings who lack blessed lands and cannot obtain sufficient spiritual energy for cultivation, cultivation through faith is undoubtedly a path of hope. The primordial world has reached a point where change is imperative. Do you intend to obstruct this great trend of Heaven and become a person who defies Heaven?"

Regardless of the circumstances, Guanyin must emphasize the correctness of faith and cultivation, and the moral high ground of saving the Three Realms in accordance with the general trend.

This discussion concerns the correctness, rationality, and irrefutability of the Journey to the West, which is to say, the general trend must be clearly understood.

Moreover, this was a debate in front of Zhen Yuanzi, a leading figure among the wandering immortals of the Three Realms.

After listening, Yin Ziyu said with a profound look, "What the Bodhisattva said is indeed in line with the general trend of declining spiritual energy. However, once faith and cultivation sweep across the three realms, a situation will emerge. Immortals and gods will be high above, treating mortals as servants to be driven around. With just a little supernatural power, they can attract mortals to blindly worship them and offer incense and prayers."

"Mortals who are opportunistic will also exploit and even coerce immortals and gods. Once the immortals and gods fail to satisfy the selfish desires of mortals, or fail to protect them in time during certain calamities, mortals will become resentful and may even abandon their faith. Is such a relationship of mutual exploitation and coercion truly the right path to save the three realms?"

Yin Ziyu's voice echoed in the main hall of Wuzhuang Temple. Zhen Yuanzi frowned slightly, lost in thought. He had to admit that Yin Ziyu's deduction made sense. Yin Ziyu looked at Zhen Yuanzi and Guanyin Bodhisattva, his tone unhurried yet seemingly carrying a hint of sharpness: "I have heard that Guanyin Bodhisattva enjoys extremely high prestige among mortals, and the power of faith is strong. Countless devout men and women worship the Bodhisattva. Whether they are praying for a smooth marriage, abundant wealth, or many children, they all come to sincerely worship Guanyin Bodhisattva."

Guanyin said, “Indeed, the power of faith can unite people’s hearts and give all beings something to rely on. In this way, there will be less strife and more peace in the world. When all beings in the Three Realms embark on the path of faith and cultivation, the demand for spiritual energy will be greatly reduced, which will give the spiritual energy of heaven and earth a chance to recuperate. Over time, the spiritual energy in heaven and earth may be replenished again, which is the inevitable trend to save the Three Realms from the predicament of spiritual energy depletion!”

It must be said that what Guanyin said makes a lot of sense. It seems that it was indeed to save all living beings in the Three Realms, so that spiritual energy would no longer be consumed and would be re-accumulated.

Yin Ziyu then turned his gaze to Zhen Yuanzi: "If the Three Realms truly follow the trend of faith and cultivation as the Bodhisattva has said, and the spiritual energy of Wanshou Mountain gradually becomes insufficient, would the Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi be willing to condescend to go to the mortal realm and reveal his divine presence in order to gain the power of faith from the mortals?"

These words were like a thunderclap that exploded within the Wuzhuang Temple.

Zhen Yuanzi's expression hardened slightly, and a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes.

Guanyin Bodhisattva's expression remained compassionate and serene, yet a hint of fear flickered deep within her eyes.

Sun Wukong, however, stared wide-eyed at everyone, scrutinizing them as he pondered the intricacies of the situation.

Sun Wukong scratched his head, wondering what they were talking about.
They were speaking normally, so why couldn't I understand a single word?

The atmosphere in the main hall became heavy. Everyone in the Three Realms was pondering and discussing the debate at Wuzhuang Temple. This was not just about individuals; it was about the future changes that would affect the immortals and gods of the Three Realms, and they had no choice but to discuss it.

Upon hearing Yin Ziyu's question, Zhen Yuanzi frowned, a solemn expression appearing on his face.

Zhen Yuanzi is a divine being born with the power of heaven and earth, and has always upheld the sacredness of his origins throughout the long years.

For Zhen Yuanzi, although the path of faith has its significance, deliberately going to mortals to display supernatural powers in order to gain faith and compete with immortals for the power of faith is a disgraceful act.

It's safe to say that even a sacred face cannot exist; it's simply a loss of class.

Zhen Yuanzi was born in the ancient times, and what he pursued was to follow the great way of heaven and earth and comprehend the great way through his own experience, rather than pandering to mortals in order to gain so-called faith and offerings.

Zhen Yuanzi shook his head: "If that's the case, I absolutely cannot do it. However, Wanshou Mountain Immortal Realm is a top-tier grotto-heaven in the Three Realms, and its innate spiritual energy is sufficient for my disciple and me to cultivate!"

Nowadays, apart from the top-tier immortal mountains inhabited by these great gods, there is no innate spiritual energy in the Three Realms. This is why the struggle for the Three Mountains was so important back then.

In the vast Three Realms, places with innate spiritual energy are truly few and far between, and each one is extremely important. Once the end of Dharma arrives, these immortal mountains can be used to resist it.

Although Zhen Yuanzi claimed to have a sacred mountain, he also showed resistance to this trend.

Zhen Yuanzi doesn't want to resist the trend now, but a person without foresight will have immediate worries. What should he do if the spiritual energy of his immortal mountain is depleted in the future?
Although Guanyin Bodhisattva was nervous upon hearing Yin Ziyu's words, she continued to explain the path of faith and cultivation: "The spiritual energy of the Three Realms is no longer as pure and abundant as it was in ancient times; it has become increasingly impure. Many cultivators who wish to directly absorb spiritual energy for cultivation have found themselves facing numerous difficulties. Not only is it difficult for spiritual energy to be transformed into their own cultivation after entering their bodies, but it often causes many hidden dangers. Now, the time for change has come, which is why this great trend exists!"

"Under these circumstances, it is in line with the general trend to gather divine status through the faith and prayers of ordinary people. If ordinary people have sincere faith or have accumulated immeasurable merits, they can obtain the opportunity to be deified. Once they are deified, they become gods and can ascend through the prayers and prayers of all living beings. Isn't this a new path to ascension for all living beings?"

"Deities, receiving the blessings of incense and prayers, are naturally obligated to protect the beings within their realm. In this way, the cycle of reincarnation in the three realms is completed. Mortals hold deities in awe and faith, accumulating merit in hopes of being granted divine titles and quickly becoming gods. Meanwhile, the deities, nourished by the blessings of incense and prayers, grow ever stronger, becoming even more capable of protecting mortals and maintaining world order. This cycle continues indefinitely, ensuring peace in the three realms. This cultivation of faith is truly the inevitable path to saving the three realms."

Yin Ziyu smiled faintly after hearing this: "There may be other ways. A new cultivation system may not be impossible. What the Bodhisattva said is a bit too much!"

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi's eyes lit up. The secret realm system he had previously deduced was indeed impressive and might not be unable to replace this method.

Upon hearing this, Guanyin's momentum was slightly dampened, and she immediately said, "Fellow Daoist's deduction system seems to only allow for the cultivation of Xuanxian at most!"

Upon hearing this, Yin Ziyu had already prepared his rebuttal, explaining what would happen in the Dharma-ending Age.

"Guanyin Bodhisattva strongly advocates the path of faith and cultivation, but its drawbacks are numerous. Firstly, the highest realm that can be reached through the path of incense offerings is only the Golden Immortal level. For cultivators who pursue the supreme Dao and transcend reincarnation, this is undoubtedly a dead end."

"Secondly, while faith may seem glamorous, once it collapses, those deities who rely on the offerings and prayers of believers to maintain their existence may face the danger of falling, becoming completely controlled by their followers. How tragic it is that dignified gods and immortals must entrust their safety to the whims of mortals!"

"Thirdly, believers are filled with endless desires, seeking fame, fortune, blessings, and longevity. These worldly desires, in the process of being transmitted through faith, are very likely to pollute the divinity of the gods. If this continues, the divinity will be tarnished, and the gods' fall will only be a matter of time."

"Fourth, once the path of faith spreads throughout the Three Realms, a struggle for incense offerings will inevitably arise. In order to compete for more faith power, gods are very likely to engage in divine wars. And every divine war will generate countless karmic entanglements, causing the karmic consequences of the Heavenly Dao to accumulate rapidly, eventually dragging the entire Three Realms into an abyss of no return."

"Fifth, once a deity chooses to accept the incense offerings and prayers of believers, they must respond to their requests. If they make the slightest mistake and fail to fulfill the believers' wishes, those prayers will instantly backfire. In this way, the deity will not only fail to benefit from the faith, but will also be harmed by the power of the faith, which is a great loss."

Yin Ziyu thoroughly analyzed the numerous drawbacks of faith cultivation, all of which are problems that inevitably arise in the Dharma-ending Age. At this moment, Yin Ziyu presented his analysis in the form of deduction, which immediately aroused heated discussions among all parties in the Three Realms.

It seems that faith has become the prevailing trend, but the consequences Yin Ziyu spoke of are also highly likely to occur. For a moment, the eyes of all the immortals and gods in the Three Realms were fixed on Wuzhuang Temple, and everyone was discussing it. (End of Chapter)