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

When a saint's avatar dies, the balance of this great calamity has already been established.

What shocked Laozi was that Yin Ziyu's Transcendent Divine Sword was so powerful, and at this moment Yin Ziyu held the Hunyuan Five Elements Formation in one hand and the Transcendent Divine Sword in the other.

The power of transcendence can sever laws and rules, yet none of the laws can bind it.

At this moment, Hongjun's heavenly punishment of Zhunti caused panic and shock among the saints.

The situation has now reached a critical juncture. Even the Primordial Celestial Venerable, his eyes filled with panic, rushed to the Supreme Purity Heaven and anxiously asked, "Elder brother, now that this great calamity has succeeded or failed, we are gradually losing ground. What should we do?"

At the same time, Jieyin and Zhunti rushed over in a panic, asking Laozi in unison, "Fellow Daoist, how should we deal with this great calamity?"

Now that they've basically used up all their trump cards, the sage descended to the mortal realm only to be punished by Hongjun.

Lao Tzu looked solemn and began to ponder. He remained silent for a moment, now bearing the heaviest burden in the world.

Lao Tzu gazed upon the ever-changing Three Realms, and after a long while, finally sighed and slowly said, "So be it, let us relinquish this great calamity!"

"what!"

In an instant, all three sages were stunned and speechless!
Upon hearing this, Yuanshi Tianzun looked on incredulously and said solemnly, "Give up? Elder brother, are we really going to surrender the order of heaven and earth completely? With our strength, we may not be unable to defeat them!"

Laozi shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with endless helplessness, and said, “Of course, with our strength, we may not be unable to defeat them. However, even if we win, what is the meaning? Now the Three Realms have all rebelled, and the hearts of all beings have changed. Even if we can win in terms of force, how can we then balance the lives of all beings in the Three Realms? The path of faith has already failed, and to completely defeat them, a sage must descend to the mortal realm. We are powerless to fulfill the will of the Heavenly Dao, and we must also consider the will of our teacher. Since we are powerless to maintain this great calamity, why should we continue to do so? I also have some means, but I am powerless to completely defeat them.”

Upon hearing this, Jieyin, Zhunti, and Yuanshi Tianzun all frowned deeply, their expressions extremely unpleasant.

However, Lao Tzu pointed out the most fundamental problem: a sage cannot defeat his opponent without descending to the mortal realm. Furthermore, the Heavenly Punishment of Hongjun, along with the participation of Haotian Yaochi, already represents the will of Hongjun.

Lao Tzu and others also have to take this into consideration.

The fact that all the independent cultivators have rebelled means that this path of faith that promotes the Three Realms has already died. First of all, the most fundamental order cannot be promoted, so what good is it if they barely win?
In other words, when faced with the country's financial crisis, the emperor introduced reform measures, but they resulted in opposition from everyone in the country. How could such a policy be implemented?

It can be said that the fundamental reason for the failure of this great calamity is not the lack of power, but the failure of the Dao itself, just like Wang Mang.

The reforms implemented caused widespread rebellion throughout the three realms, from top to bottom, and even if one wanted to turn back, there was no going back.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable said angrily about the rebellion of the rogue cultivators, "These ants dare to be so bold!"

Laozi waved his hand, his expression calm, and said, "This has little to do with them; it's because Ziyu's scheme was too ingenious. The path of faith does indeed have a great flaw, having lost the trust of the masses. And this person's desire for transcendence has given Zhen Yuanzi and others a glimpse of the possibility of attaining the Dao. As a result, he has naturally lost the hearts of the masses. Above, we cannot appease the hearts of Quasi-Saints and Great Luo Golden Immortals; below, we cannot fully control the wishes of the masses. Now we have lost the ability to completely annihilate them. If we forcibly defeat them, but cannot completely eliminate the hidden dangers, even if we maintain this order, what good will it do?"

Zhunti frowned and said, "If we fail, the Buddhist fortune will not be able to be maintained. What should we do then? The two fellow Daoists already have a great fortune, but the Buddhist sect is in danger of collapse!"

Lao Tzu looked down at the mortal realm and said, "The Ten Thousand Buddhas Formation is about to collapse. Now that the Demon Cave in Xiniu Hezhou has been wiped out, the collapse of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Formation will reduce the number of Buddhas, and the fortune will be able to maintain the survival of Buddhism. Let us wait for the future!"

Upon hearing Laozi's words, Jieyin and Zhunti frowned deeply, realizing that Wanfo was now being used as a pawn.

Jieyin sighed, "Very well, I will send a clone to bring my disciple to Mount Sumeru to preserve his foundation! I'm sure Tongtian Nuwa won't stop me!"

Lao Tzu calmly said, "This great calamity's order is ceded to them. Yuan Shi, have your disciples return to Kunlun and seal the mountain!"

Yuanshi Tianzun frowned and said, "Elder brother, what if they wipe them all out?"

Laozi shook his head: "No, we haven't finished using Ziyu yet, how can we kill him all? The principle of yin and yang is the way. Isolated yang cannot last, isolated yin cannot exist. What they want to fight for is the order of heaven and earth, and they understand the way of it. If we kill them all, then they will be causing trouble from within. Their opponents are the balancers and the enablers!"

Zhunti then asked, "In that case, when will the mountain be closed?"

Lao Tzu pondered for a moment and said, "Since you have already attained the mind of transcendence, you must also practice transcendence. The opportunity will come when you attain enlightenment!"

Yuanshi Tianzun then asked, "Elder brother, what kind of order do they control in the world?"

Lao Tzu said with a solemn look: "When the original mind reaches its ultimate point, it is the sublimation of the will of all beings. The ultimate goal is to use the will of all beings to achieve the Way of Man, so as to ensure that we lose the power to defeat the opponent. However, how can Heaven allow it to smoothly achieve the Way of Man? When it attains enlightenment, that will be the time for the opportunity to arrive."

Jieyin nodded and said, "If the human path is formed, the earthly path will also emerge accordingly. Ziyu's plan to create the Nine Phoenixes was for this purpose. These Nine Phoenixes control the twelve laws. Could this be the Great Dao of Pangu's power?"

Laozi nodded in agreement: "Indeed, Jiufeng is the only hope for the Wu Clan. They failed to eliminate Jiufeng during the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period, which allowed her to wait for Ziyu and master the twelve laws, enabling her to initially grasp the Great Dao of Power. Now that Houtu is unable to leave the Underworld, if the Human Dao is formed, then Jiufeng will be the first saint to form the Underworld Dao!"

During the conversation, Laozi basically deduced the future development of Yin Ziyu and Jiu Feng.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable said, "The Heavenly Dao cannot allow the separation of the origin to allow the human and earthly paths to take shape. Therefore, the time when Ziyu attained the Dao is the opportunity. In that case, I, the humble Daoist, will issue a decree ordering my disciple to return to Kunlun and gather those who control the order of the Three Realms!"

"Very well, then this humble Taoist priest shall discuss this with Nuwa Tongtian!"

"."

A sage's plan is naturally based on knowing that it cannot be spoken of, and a contrived plan must also be based on seeing through the future of a multi-million dollar scheme. Those who do not turn back until they hit a wall are not sages.

To know that something is impossible yet still make plans—that is the mark of a sage.

The four sages discussed briefly and then finalized their decision.

"Junior Sister Nuwa, Junior Brother Tongtian."

Lao Tzu's voice echoed, and Nuwa and Tongtian resounded in the Upper Heaven: "In this great calamity, I have decided to relinquish the order that we have been fighting for in this great calamity to you!"

Upon hearing this, both Tongtian and Nuwa were surprised, their faces filled with astonishment.

Tongtian and Nuwa were both incredulous. They never expected that Laozi, who was always calm and composed, would admit defeat so readily after only losing Subhuti.

After all, a man as shrewd as Lao Tzu would surely have a backup plan. He would surely have methods that no one could predict!
This turn of events came so suddenly that even the two sages were momentarily stunned. In this cataclysmic event concerning the order of heaven and earth, all parties would inevitably fight to the death, but Lao Tzu's decision had shattered expectations.

Tongtian gave a bitter laugh: "Junior sister, we were just preparing to face the siege of the four saints, but I didn't expect to admit defeat!"

That's right, one of Lao Tzu's backup plans was to have four sages besiege two sages, and then have the sages' clones appear in the lower realm. This was also a way to break the deadlock, but we didn't get to see that moment.

Nuwa was filled with surprise and asked again to confirm, "Senior brother, are you serious?"

Laozi remained calm and said indifferently, "The path of faith can no longer be promoted in the Three Realms, and the Journey to the West has truly failed. Even if a great war of saints were to break out in our chaos, continuing the struggle would only severely damage the Heavenly Dao. As the head of the Six Saints, how could I disregard the Heavenly Dao and insist on doing this? Even if another saintly avatar descended to the mortal realm, they would not be able to completely annihilate them, and the order of the Heavenly Dao would ultimately collapse. Since this Ziyu can stir up such waves and change the cultivation pattern of the Three Realms, I am willing to make this concession in this great calamity. The Human Sect, the Chan Sect, and Buddhism will all close their mountains and sects and no longer participate in the change of the order of the Three Realms. What do you two think?"

Lao Tzu's voice was calm and unhurried, yet it truly shocked Nuwa and Tongtian. Lao Tzu was completely unconcerned about his movements, and the two had no choice but to admire him.

The desire for transcendence has triggered a rebellion throughout the three realms, and this is the true catalyst for the outcome of this great calamity.

Although Lao Tzu still had some strength left, it had lost its meaning.

This is why Yin Ziyu has not emerged into the world since perfecting his transcendent heart. This is because the decisive battle undermines the foundation of the Journey to the West. Success or failure does not depend on how many people die in the Three Realms. Even if a few quasi-saints die, it is insignificant to a saint.

However, changing the balance of power in the three realms and undermining the foundation of faith is the key to success or failure!

Upon hearing this, Nuwa and Tongtian immediately used their sacred secrets to traverse the endless void and communicate with Yin Ziyu, who was in the midst of the great war in the Three Realms.

"Ziyu, Laozi has informed me that he has acknowledged the failure of this great calamity and that the three religions will be sealed off. What are your thoughts, Ziyu?"

After listening for a moment, Yin Ziyu said, "Laozi is no ordinary sage. He knows that all living beings are rebelling, the Journey to the West has failed, and order cannot be maintained. However, we do not need to push him too far!"

Nuwa then asked, "So, shall we agree to their demands? The great war of the Chaos Saints has not yet broken out. If we push them too far, the two of us are no match for the four of them, and even more Saint avatars will descend into the world! If we allow them to be deified, there will be hidden dangers in the future!"

After a moment's thought, Yin Ziyu made a decisive reply: "Sage Tongtian, Holy Mother, can we agree to their request? The hidden danger is also an opportunity for us. If the great enemy of the Three Realms is wiped out, it will be the most dangerous time for internal strife to arise!"

After hearing this, Tongtian said, "It is very good that Ziyu thinks this way. In that case, I will inform the Four Sages that as long as the number of people in the Investiture of the Gods is completed, Ziyu can break this Ten Thousand Buddhas Formation!"

Yin Ziyu naturally understood that if the Journey to the West failed, the fate of Buddhism would inevitably collapse, and so many Buddhas had become a burden, so they were treated as expendable pawns.

Similar to the path taken by the Jie Sect in the past, after the Investiture of the Gods, only seven members of the Jie Sect remained, yet they maintained the sect's fortune without losing it, and even improved upon it.

The great war between the three realms was still ongoing, but the outcome was unknown; the sage had already made his decision.

Yunxiao stood in the formation, his magical power surging around him. He exchanged a glance with Yin Ziyu, their hearts in perfect harmony.

The two attacked simultaneously. Yin Ziyu's Transcendent Divine Sword unleashed its unparalleled sharpness, tearing apart all illusions between heaven and earth with divine light. Carrying supreme power that transcended heaven and earth, it slashed towards the Ten Thousand Buddhas Formation.

At the same time, Yunxiao activated the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation with all his might. The innate evil energy within the formation surged forth like a raging tide, echoing Yin Ziyu's sword energy, and rushed towards the Ten Thousand Buddhas Formation.

In an instant, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Formation was shattered as if the sky had collapsed and the earth had split open under the impact of these two terrifying forces.

The golden Buddhist light and the black baleful aura collided, bursting out dazzling rays of light and deafening roars that continued incessantly.

Although the Buddhas in the Thousand Buddhas Formation tried their best to resist, they could not withstand such a powerful offensive. One by one, the Buddha bodies shattered and turned into countless streams of light that dissipated into the world. Countless Buddhas perished as a result.

Manjushri and Samantabhadra, the two bodhisattvas, were powerless to reverse the calamity and perished as a result, thus being listed on the Investiture of the Gods.

When Guanyin Bodhisattva witnessed this scene, she was so frightened that her face turned pale with fear. She dared not linger for a moment and hurriedly turned around and fled to Mount Ling.

Yunxiao watched this scene, a complex look flashing in his eyes, and murmured, "Junior Brother Lingya Immortal, Junior Brother Qiushou Immortal, you have avenged your grudges."

Yin Ziyu remained calm and said, "Randeng is currently battling Kunpeng with the Twenty-Four Heavens. You have a great karmic connection with Randeng, so you should go and settle it now."

Yunxiao nodded without hesitation and said in a deep voice, "Okay!"

When Yunxiao led the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation into the array space of the Hunyuan Heluo, a battle between the three great arrays that shook the heavens and the earth began.

Within the Hunyuan Heluo Formation, Kunpeng, wielding the Hetu and Luoshu, used the powerful formation to trap Randeng within it.

Twenty-four worlds hung in the sky, slowly rotating and releasing the power of the twenty-four worlds, attacking Kunpeng.

At this moment, Yunxiao's Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation joined the battle, making the situation even more thrilling.

Within the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation, innate malevolent energy surged wildly, like giant black dragons rushing towards the Twenty-Four Heavens.

Wherever the innate evil dragon passed, space distorted, as if it wanted to devour everything.

Under this powerful impact, the light of the Twenty-Four Heavens began to flicker and teeter on the brink of collapse.

Upon seeing this, Kunpeng immediately activated the power of the Hunyuan Heluo Formation, echoing the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation to form a pincer attack.

In an instant, the powers of the three formations collided and intertwined, making the entire formation space colorful yet filled with an aura of destruction.

The powerful airflow raged, destroying everything in its path.

The earth cracked, the mountains shattered, and the sky seemed to be torn into countless fragments. How could Randeng be a match for the combined forces of the two? In the end, he also died and was listed on the Investiture of the Gods. The Sea-Stabilizing Pearl fell into the hands of Yunxiao, and the cause and effect of this Investiture of the Gods was thus resolved.

Yunxiao, holding the Sea-Stabilizing Pearl, muttered to himself, "When the Journey to the West ends and my elder brother returns, this Sea-Stabilizing Pearl will once again be in his hands!" (End of Chapter)