However, the Jie Cult itself embraced all without discrimination, and the Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning often opened the door to convenience for all living beings, periodically expounding on the Great Dao.
Any living being who listened to the Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning's sermon could address him as 'Teacher,' and could reluctantly be considered a Disciple of a Saint.
Yuan Hong's origin was somewhat mysterious, but to have cultivated the Eight Nine Arcane Art to success, his background was certainly extraordinary.
And with the Eight Nine Arcane Art, Yuan Hong's strength was far beyond that of an ordinary Profound Immortal, even Daoist Shi Ji.
"Uncle Yuan's strength is that great?" Nezha asked in surprise.
He had sparred with Yuan Hong before and knew that Yuan Hong was very strong, but to be invincible below the Golden Immortal realm, that was a bit exaggerated.
This couldn't help but make him yearn; one day, he too would be invincible below the Golden Immortal realm, or even invincible among Golden Immortals.
This time, his complete powerlessness before Daoist Shi Ji indeed made him abandon his arrogance.
He decided that in the coming period, he would diligently Cultivate and would not stop until he achieved a Breakthrough.
Under the gazes of King Zhou and Nezha, Daoist Shi Ji and Yuan Hong quickly engaged in battle.
Daoist Shi Ji wielded the Taia Sword, using Jie Cult Daoist techniques, and her strength was indeed extraordinary.
Yuan Hong, on the other hand, stood firm like a mountain, his One-Qi Water-Fire Staff flying up and down, nullifying all of Daoist Shi Ji's various techniques.
From this, one could actually see the gap in strength between Yuan Hong and Daoist Shi Ji, and the gap was not small.
One was furious, bringing out her prized magical treasure, already fighting with all her might.
The other was calm and composed, using only a few moves from beginning to end, not even employing any Daoist techniques.
Even they, the onlookers, could see it clearly; Daoist Shi Ji naturally became more and more alarmed as the fight progressed.
"Who exactly is this person? His strength is so formidable, why have I never heard of him before?" Daoist Shi Ji thought to herself.
Most of the strong individuals in this world came from the Three Religions; although there were some rogue cultivators, their strength could never be this formidable.
She had heard of some great mighty figures, but these great mighty figures generally rarely appeared in the world.
This person in front of her, like her, was at the Profound Immortal cultivation level, but his strength was so formidable, it was something she had never seen in her life.
Seeing his effortless demeanor, how could she not know that he was clearly holding back?
If they continued to fight, there would be no other outcome than self-humiliation.
"Today, I admit defeat; the matter of my attendant's death is hereby dropped!" Daoist Shi Ji said, then turned and left.
Since she couldn't win, seeking justice naturally became impossible; if she didn't leave now, her dignity would truly be lost.
With Daoist Shi Ji gone, the matter was temporarily concluded, and King Zhou and the others naturally returned to Chaoge.
Nezha, having learned his lesson this time, decided to work hard and go into seclusion for a period of cultivation.
King Zhou also didn't idle; he knew very well that though the matter seemed to be over, it had actually just begun.
Daoist Shi Ji, being outmatched this time, probably wouldn't bother Nezha again.
But the person plotting behind the scenes would definitely not give up, and another move was inevitable.
And as long as that person behind the scenes made a move, they would inevitably reveal a flaw, and he would be able to follow the clues.
The bait had been cast; now it was just a matter of when the person plotting behind the scenes would take it.
On the other side, Daoist Shi Ji was still fuming, but could only helplessly return to her cave dwelling.
It was her own lack of skill; seeking revenge was naturally out of the question, especially since the other party had held back.
With that person's strength, if he had been ruthless, directly killing her would probably not have been difficult.
For the sake of an attendant, she wouldn't go as far as to invite fellow Jie Cult disciples to seek revenge on King Zhou again.
What else could she do? That was the Human Sovereign, after all; she could only swallow this anger.
Coincidentally, her Master had also said recently that with the Descent of the Investiture of the Gods, all Jie Cult disciples should Cultivate in seclusion and avoid causing trouble.
She planned to return and seal her door, cultivating in seclusion for a period to avoid what was unpleasant to the eye and heart.
As she thought, she couldn't help but quicken her pace, but the next moment, she stopped again.
Unbeknownst to her, a figure had appeared before her, and she hadn't noticed him at all.
"It's you? I've already voluntarily admitted defeat; what do you mean by stopping me now?" Daoist Shi Ji asked, secretly vigilant.
The person who appeared before her was not unfamiliar to her; it was Yuan Hong, who had just fought her.
However, what puzzled her was that she had already voluntarily admitted defeat, and Yuan Hong had not made things difficult for her.
Yet, he came to find her afterwards and stopped her; what was he trying to do?
Moreover, for some reason, although this person was Yuan Hong, he felt a bit strange to her.
Just as she was secretly vigilant, Yuan Hong said nothing, merely extending his left hand.
The next moment, a great sense of crisis surged into her heart; she wanted to act, but found that she was already unable to move.
When did he make his move? Not only was she completely unaware, but she also had no ability to resist.
It wasn't that she hadn't fought Yuan Hong before; she admitted that Yuan Hong's strength was above hers, but it couldn't possibly be this terrifying.
Golden Immortal? Grand Unity Golden Immortal? Why would a strong individual of this level disguise himself as Yuan Hong to kill her?
But at this moment, no matter how many questions she had in her heart, in the face of the terrifying strength of the approaching person, everything seemed pale and powerless.
"Killing to silence, destroying the body, and then framing someone—what a good scheme!"
Just then, a voice rang in Daoist Shi Ji's ear, and the terrifying power covering her instantly vanished without a trace.
Two figures appeared before her; one of them was not unfamiliar to her, it was King Zhou, whom she had met not long ago.
Why had King Zhou come? And from King Zhou's words, it seemed he had already known that someone was going to attack her.
That Yuan Hong, upon seeing King Zhou, was clearly surprised, as if he hadn't expected King Zhou to appear at this time.
However, that Yuan Hong's reaction was also quick; he turned and left directly, without the slightest hesitation.
"Since you've come, do you still think you can leave now? Can you even leave?" King Zhou said disdainfully.
There was no need for him to act; the Five-Colored Divine Light rotated, a red light appeared, and swept towards Yuan Hong.
To ensure everything was foolproof, he had asked Kong Xuan to personally make a move this time; how could Yuan Hong escape?
The Five-Colored Divine Light swept away everything; in an instant, it had already reached that Yuan Hong.
Yuan Hong naturally wouldn't surrender; he used several Daoist techniques in a row, but none of them had any effect.
Then, Yuan Hong took out several magical treasures, but they all went without return, suppressed by the Five-Colored Divine Light.
By this point, Yuan Hong was clearly somewhat flustered, and he took out another magical treasure, which was clearly much more powerful than the previous ones.
But unfortunately, in front of Kong Xuan's Five-Colored Divine Light, unless it was a Prenatal Supreme Treasure, nothing else would work.
Under the red light's embrace, Yuan Hong had already been swept into it, on the verge of being suppressed.
But just then, a white light flashed, so dazzling that King Zhou and the others couldn't open their eyes.
When everything returned to normal, where was the figure of that Yuan Hong from before?
"That person just now was a Grand Unity Golden Immortal; I don't know the cultivation level of the person who made the final move!" Kong Xuan said.
That Yuan Hong who wanted to kill Daoist Shi Ji was a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, which was actually quite exaggerated.
Daoist Shi Ji was only a Profound Immortal; for a Grand Unity Golden Immortal to personally come and kill her, how highly did they regard Daoist Shi Ji?
Moreover, that mysterious strong individual just now was naturally not Yuan Hong, but was disguised as Yuan Hong.
However, even Kong Xuan failed to see through the mysterious strong individual's disguise, which made his methods somewhat terrifying.
All of this actually made it easy to see that the mysterious strong individual wanted to create the fact that Yuan Hong had killed Daoist Shi Ji.
This was what King Zhou had just mentioned: killing to silence, framing someone, and finally splashing dirty water on him.
What kind of grudge, what kind of resentment, would require such elaborate scheming against him?
As for the person who made the final move, Kong Xuan not only failed to stop him, but didn't even know his strength.
One must know that Kong Xuan was a Quasi-Saint; to be able to achieve such a degree, how terrifying was the strength of the person who came?
"I already know who made the move; this matter, from now on, will become interesting!" King Zhou said with a smile.
Although he failed to keep the other party, since the fish had already taken the bait, his goal had actually been achieved.
Chapter 84: King Zhou's Great Kindness, a Rebirth of Grace!
I was originally a stubborn rock, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, sun and moon for countless years, and only then did I manage to attain the Dao and transform into human form.
Later, I was fortunate enough to hear the Saint, Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning, expound on the Great Dao, and only then did I join the Jie Cult, becoming a Disciple of a Saint.
After tens of thousands of years of arduous cultivation, though the Great Dao was not yet achieved, I had already become a Profound Immortal, and my cultivation could be considered to have entered the inner sanctum.
Cultivation is not easy, and the path of the Great Dao is long; I dared not slacken in the slightest, usually cultivating peacefully in the White Bone Cave of Skull Mountain.
But recently, my attendant was killed without reason, so I naturally had to seek justice.
Who would have thought that the person who killed my attendant was actually King Zhou's Disciple? That King Zhou, as the Human Sovereign, was indeed as domineering as the rumors said.
The extremely domineering King Zhou said he wanted to settle the grievances with a battle; for us cultivators, this is normal.
But that strong individual under King Zhou, named Yuan Hong, was indeed very terrifying; I was no match for him at all
There was nothing to say about being inferior in skill, so I could only swallow my anger and prepare to return to my cave for cultivation.
Who would have thought that Yuan Hong would appear again on the way back? Just as I was wondering, Yuan Hong attacked.
It was then that I realized the person in front of me was not Yuan Hong at all, but a mysterious powerful individual disguised as Yuan Hong.
The strength of this mysterious powerful individual was terrifying, and I had no power to fight back; I was about to die.
At this moment, King Zhou actually appeared, and it seemed he had long anticipated that a mysterious powerful individual would try to kill me.
Along with King Zhou, another powerful individual appeared, who, like that Yuan Hong, was someone I had never heard of.
The mysterious powerful individual disguised as Yuan Hong was already strong enough, but in front of the powerful individual named Kong Xuan, he was so vulnerable.
According to Kong Xuan, the mysterious powerful individual disguised as Yuan Hong was a Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
Even a Grand Unity Golden Immortal was vulnerable in front of Kong Xuan, so how high was Kong Xuan's cultivation?
What's more, at the last moment, another mysterious powerful individual intervened and rescued the mysterious powerful individual disguised as Yuan Hong.
Even Kong Xuan didn't know who the newcomer was, let alone his identity. How terrifying was that person?
Too many things happened that day, making it difficult for me to process in a short time.
I just came to seek justice for my attendant, how did things become so complicated?
First the Human Emperor, then mysterious powerful individuals like Yuan Hong and Kong Xuan, and then a Grand Unity Golden Immortal trying to kill me?
Thinking about it carefully, I am just a Jie Cult Disciple, and my cultivation is not top-tier. I usually don't make enemies with anyone.
Just as I was in doubt, and even at a loss as to what to do, King Zhou's next words enlightened me.
According to King Zhou, the death of my attendant was clearly a secret conspiracy by someone.
Nezha never struck a fatal blow from beginning to end, yet my attendant, Bi Yun, died inexplicably.
Indeed, everything was as the mastermind had anticipated. Upon hearing the news, I was furious.
I came to Chaoge, found the culprit Nezha, clashed with King Zhou, and finally had a big fight.
The only thing the mastermind didn't anticipate was that King Zhou had seen through everything long ago, so he put on a show.
Hearing this, a huge wave had already surged in my heart, and my gaze towards King Zhou had changed.
In my opinion, the mastermind's scheme was incredibly clever and left no trace. How did King Zhou see through it?
Not only did he see through the mastermind's conspiracy, but he could also accurately predict that the mastermind would come to kill me?
Even at this point, I was still somewhat confused, not understanding why the mastermind had gone to such lengths to plot against me.
It was King Zhou's subsequent words that enlightened me and made me understand the key to this matter.
I am a Jie Cult Disciple, and also a direct Disciple of a Saint. My status in the Jie Cult is not high, but it is certainly not low.
King Zhou is the King of Great Shang, and Great Shang has always had an inseparable relationship with the Jie Cult, with many Jie Cult disciples serving as officials in Great Shang.
If I, a Jie Cult Disciple, were to die at the hands of King Zhou, what would happen to the relationship between the Jie Cult and Great Shang?
According to King Zhou, if someone were to further sow discord, it would probably not be difficult for Great Shang and the Jie Cult to turn against each other.
At this point, I broke out in a cold sweat. I had never imagined that this matter had such a deep meaning.
I had heard some Senior Brothers say that my Jie Cult had a great connection with the establishment of Great Shang, and thus our destinies were intertwined.
If Great Shang's destiny flourished, my Jie Cult would be as stable as Mount Tai. Conversely, if Great Shang's destiny weakened, my Jie Cult would also be affected.
It doesn't matter if I die, but if I become a pawn for others to plot against Great Shang and the Jie Cult, even if I die, I will not be reconciled.
Imagine, if Great Shang and my Jie Cult turned against each other, or even fought fiercely, what would be the outcome?
Great Shang would likely not be a match for my Jie Cult, and its national destiny would weaken, perhaps even plummet.
But if Great Shang's destiny weakened, it would still affect our Jie Cult, and at that point, it would only be a mutual loss.
Who is it? Who devised such a malicious scheme? And who is targeting Great Shang and the Jie Cult?
Breaking out in a cold sweat, I now admired King Zhou even more. Fortunately, King Zhou was here this time.
Although I had been cultivating in my cave, I was not entirely unaware of recent events.
I had long heard that King Zhou had undergone significant changes recently, suddenly becoming wise and mighty.
Slaying deities was already enough to make people look at him with new eyes, and his subsequent personal expedition was something we Jie Cult disciples talked about for a long time.
After all, in Beihai, King Zhou made even the Chan Cult Twelve Golden Immortals suffer, and all of us Jie Cult disciples were delighted to hear about it.
Later, when the various Lords of a State rebelled, and Great Shang was on the verge of chaos, many Jie Cult brothers were worried about it.
But King Zhou, once he acted, swiftly quelled the rebellion of the Lords of a State.
Wise and mighty, ambitious, diligent in governance, and so on, had become everyone's perception of King Zhou.
I originally thought there might be some exaggeration, but after truly meeting King Zhou, I realized the rumors were not false.
This time, I unwittingly fell into someone else's scheme and almost became a pawn for Great Shang and the Jie Cult to turn against each other.
King Zhou not only saved my life but also saw through these schemes long ago, which truly made me admire him boundlessly.
What impressed me even more was that King Zhou not only saw through these schemes long ago but also knew who was plotting behind the scenes.
Even though I experienced these events, I still had no idea who the mysterious powerful individual disguised as Yuan Hong was.
Not only did I not know, but even the unfathomably powerful Kong Xuan didn't know.
I was still wondering how King Zhou knew, but before I could ask, King Zhou proactively explained everything.
It turned out that the flaw had appeared long ago, but I had never noticed it.
The number of Grand Unity Golden Immortals in the entire world is not large; counting them, there are actually only a few.
Starting from this point, the scope has actually narrowed considerably, but this cannot be considered conclusive evidence.
The key was that the mysterious powerful individual disguised as Yuan Hong, just before being suppressed by Kong Xuan, still revealed a trace of a flaw.
It was that final magical treasure that exposed the mysterious powerful individual's identity, because that magical treasure had karmic power.
Karmic power is very special; Jie Cult disciples rarely Cultivate it, but it is a symbol of the Western Religion.
Although the Western Religion is not well-known, it is also a Saint's lineage, and the Western Religion has two Saints.
But what puzzled me was, the Western Religion's strength is not great, and it cannot be compared with the Three Religions at all, so how dare they conspire behind the scenes?
Moreover, merely a magical treasure with karmic power doesn't really prove anything.
Perhaps it was stolen, or obtained through some other means, merely a trick to mislead, which is not impossible.
But before I could voice my doubts, King Zhou explained on his own, saying that the biggest flaw was actually the person who made the final move.
King Zhou said that even if that magical treasure, or the mysterious powerful individual disguised as Yuan Hong, was truly a Western Religion Disciple, it wasn't conclusive evidence.
Since he could disguise himself as Yuan Hong and escape Kong Xuan's notice, it was also normal for him to disguise himself as a Western Religion Disciple.
But the person who made the final move was indeed incredibly powerful, possibly even surpassing Kong Xuan.
It was at this moment that he realized Kong Xuan was actually a Quasi-Saint, a top-tier powerful individual below a Saint.
In the entire world, Quasi-Saint powerful individuals are few and far between, and all of them have names and reputations. A Quasi-Saint like Kong Xuan, who suddenly appeared, is unique.
Someone whose strength is even above a Quasi-Saint like Kong Xuan, counting them all, there are actually only a few people.
If it was truly the Western Religion, and they possessed such strength, there's no need to even guess who made the move.
Just as I was filled with doubt, thinking of a terrible possibility, King Zhou produced more evidence.
I don't know what method King Zhou used, but he actually condensed everything that had just happened into an image.
And it wasn't just an ordinary image; even the aura of the battle just now was perfectly reproduced, making one feel as if they were there.
According to King Zhou, they still couldn't 100% confirm the identity of the mastermind.
But if his Master were to act, with the Saint's supreme methods, the mastermind would surely have nowhere to hide.
I agreed deeply. King Zhou was right; this matter was not small at all, and it was very serious.
Plotting against me was minor; plotting against both the Chan Cult and Great Shang, that was a huge matter.
Thinking of the terrible consequences, I couldn't help but feel a little scared. Such a matter should naturally be reported to my Master as soon as possible.
Moreover, King Zhou was right, Master, as a Saint, would surely be able to make the person plotting behind the scenes have nowhere to hide.
Just as I was rushing to Biyou Palace to see my Master, King Zhou spoke again.
He said he was afraid that I, being of low status in the Jie Cult, would not be heard, so he specially asked Grand Tutor Wen Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong to accompany me.
I couldn't help but feel grateful. King Zhou was right; there were countless Disciples like me in the Jie Cult.
It was extremely difficult for me to even see my Master on a normal day; going to see him now, I really might not be able to.
Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong was different; although he and I were both Jie Cult disciples, his Master was Golden Spirit Mother.
Senior Sister Golden Spirit is one of Master's four direct Disciples, and in the Jie Cult, she can be said to be the core of the core.
With Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong making an appearance, this matter would definitely be taken seriously, and I would be able to smoothly meet my Master.
I have to say, King Zhou is not only exceptionally wise, having seen through the conspiracy early on, but also considers me so thoughtfully.
I had once been aggressive towards King Zhou; now that I think about it, it was truly inappropriate.
This time, King Zhou not only saved my life but also made me aware of being plotted against.
Such a great kindness, it's practically a life-saving grace; I'll definitely have to repay it well in the future.
Afterward, Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong and I went to Biyou Palace on Golden Turtle Island, preparing to meet my Master.
With Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong leading the way, we successfully met Senior Sister Jin Ling and explained the whole story.
Upon hearing the news, Senior Sister Jin Ling was furious, and then she took us to see my Master.
This was all thanks to King Zhou's arrangements; if Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong hadn't led the way, I wouldn't have known when I could meet my Master.
After my Master heard the whole story, I took out the image King Zhou had given me and stated my conjectures.
Actually, I was just repeating what others had said; these conjectures were all King Zhou's ideas, and I merely reiterated them.
However, to avoid implicating King Zhou, I didn't reveal this, treating it as my own conjecture.
Even if I was wrong, I would only be reprimanded by my Master, while King Zhou could remain uninvolved.
After listening to my conjectures, my Master was silent for a while. Just as I was feeling uneasy, my Master drew the Green Lotus Sword.
I still remember how angry my Master was at that time, as if his reverse scale had been touched; I had never seen him like that before.
My Master only said, "That Zhunti dared to deceive me like this," and then hurriedly left Biyou Palace.
Upon hearing my Master's words, I realized that King Zhou's various conjectures were indeed all correct.
The Zhunti my Master spoke of, wasn't he one of the Six Sages, and also the leader of the Western Religion, Sage Zhunti?
The one who made the final move was actually Sage Zhunti?
This was something I never expected, but I finally understood why my Master was so furious.
A Sage personally intervening to scheme against Great Shang and the Jie Cult means they completely disregarded my Jie Cult; how could my Master not be angry?
My Master drew the Green Lotus Sword and left Biyou Palace. If nothing unexpected happens, he should be going to settle scores with Sage Zhunti.
Thinking that a Sage battle might break out soon, I was both shocked and somewhat relieved.
What virtue and ability do I possess! I was actually personally targeted by a Sage?
Of course, a small character like me is no different from an ant in the eyes of a Sage; I was probably just a pawn.
However, no matter what, I was still targeted by a Sage, but I survived.
In the entire world, which living being targeted by a Sage can still survive?
My survival cannot be attributed to good luck, because being targeted by a Sage is, in itself, the greatest misfortune.
It was all because of King Zhou; if not for King Zhou, I would have already died.
I pondered for a long time and finally decided that after this matter is resolved, I will go to Great Shang to serve as an official.
At most, I'll spend a hundred years diligently serving King Zhou, which can be considered repayment for King Zhou's life-saving grace.
Chapter 85: Sword Suppresses Spirit Mountain!
"Do you think Tongtian Sect Leader, this Sage, will directly kill his way to the foot of Spirit Mountain?" King Zhou said.
At this moment, they had returned to the palace and were drinking with Kong Xuan.
Grand Tutor Wen and Daoist Shi Ji had already gone to Biyou Palace; now it depended on what Tongtian Sect Leader, this Sage, would do.
Having been plotted against by the Western Religion behind his back, given Tongtian Sect Leader's temperament, this matter would absolutely not end well.
"This matter concerns the Sage's reputation; Tongtian Sect Leader has no choice but to act!" Kong Xuan said indifferently.
King Zhou nodded. Kong Xuan was right; anything involving a Sage's reputation is absolutely not a minor matter.
Just like Nüwa, after being defiled by him, King Zhou, she had to act, otherwise, what would become of a Sage's reputation?
Tongtian Sect Leader was the same; having been schemed against by the Western Religion in such a way, if he didn't act, he would lose face completely.
However, this matter could be big or small; it could cause a huge uproar, or it could be minimized.
But, given Tongtian Sect Leader's fiery temper, there would definitely be a good show to watch this time.
"I didn't expect it to be the Western Religion, but on second thought, it's actually quite reasonable!" King Zhou sighed.
He already had many opponents: the brewing Chan Cult and the watchful Heavenly Court.
Just these two were not easy to deal with, not to mention Nüwa who wanted to punish him.
Now, another Western Religion has emerged; in this world, he was almost universally opposed.
He had been thinking about why the Western Religion would scheme behind the scenes.
Ultimately, although the Western Religion was a Sage's lineage, due to the barrenness of the West, the Western Religion's strength was not very good.
It was not on the same level as the Three Religions; how could the two Sages of the Western Religion be content?
The Investiture of Gods had been decided, and for the Western Religion, this was undoubtedly a heaven-sent opportunity.
If the Chan and Jie Cults fought fiercely, suffering heavy losses, wouldn't the Western Religion's opportunity arise?
Therefore, it was not strange for the Western Religion to stir up trouble behind the scenes and sow discord.
In the original plot, Taiyi Zhenren killing Daoist Shi Ji directly ignited the conflict between the Chan and Jie Cults.
But what puzzled him was that the current situation had changed completely; Nezha was not a Chan Cult Disciple.
If the Western Religion wasn't scheming against the Chan Cult and Jie Cult to sow discord between them, why did they target him?
But then he thought, if the Chan Cult and Jie Cult really became estranged, the Jie Cult would probably be greatly affected.
Ultimately, the current situation was that the Jie Cult was dominant; even if the Chan Cult and Western Religion allied, they would not be a match for the Jie Cult.
Nezha becoming his Disciple meant he could no longer be used to sow discord between the Chan Cult and Jie Cult, so they simply used him to scheme against Great Shang and the Jie Cult.
Although the Western Religion wanted the Chan Cult and Jie Cult to fight to the death, their main goal was still to weaken the Jie Cult.
The Jie Cult, with its myriad immortals coming to court! This was a behemoth, pressing down on everyone, making it hard to breathe.
"What is the Western Religion? Even with two Sages, they are just clowns!" Kong Xuan said with extreme disdain.
With his untamed personality, he naturally looked down on the Western Religion's method of scheming behind the scenes.
Besides, he wasn't exaggerating; although the Western Religion was a Sage's lineage, how many people had heard of the Western Religion?
"If you underestimate the Western Religion, you'll suffer greatly!" King Zhou said helplessly.
Conspiracies and schemes, though not grand, were not entirely useless; in fact, if used well, they could have excellent results.
Now that he thought about it carefully, in this Investiture of Gods, if anyone was the biggest winner, the Western Religion was definitely one.
The Heavenly Court goes without saying; the deities on the Investiture of Gods Ranking List were all under the Heavenly Court's jurisdiction, and after the Investiture of Gods, the Heavenly Court would also be extremely glorious.
But looking back, the vast Jie Cult vanished, and the Chan Cult didn't become a big winner either, suffering heavy losses.
Only the Western Religion, which remained low-key during the Investiture of Gods, managed to take in a group of Chan and Jie Cult disciples into its fold.
Before the Investiture of Gods, who ever truly looked at the Western Religion?
But after the Investiture of Gods, with the decline of the Chan and Jie Cults, the Western Religion actually became the most prosperous Sage's lineage.
Undoubtedly, in this Investiture of Gods, the Western Religion, which quietly made a fortune, was the biggest winner.
Even the untamed Kong Xuan, during the Investiture of Gods, wasn't he defeated by a Sage of the Western Religion and became the Great Bright King Peacock of Spirit Mountain?
Thinking this way, compared to the Chan Cult and the Heavenly Court, the Western Religion was the existence he should be more wary of.
"Tongtian Sect Leader has acted! He actually directly suppressed Spirit Mountain with his sword!" Kong Xuan suddenly said.
Tongtian Sect Leader had acted, and without any concealment, he went directly to the entrance of Spirit Mountain, holding the Green Lotus Sword.
Otherwise, with a Sage's methods, if he didn't want anyone to see this battle, Kong Xuan wouldn't have known that Tongtian Sect Leader had acted.
"The show has begun; it would be too regrettable to miss it!" King Zhou said with a smile.
When Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong and Daoist Shi Ji went to Biyou Palace, this matter no longer had much to do with him.
With Kong Xuan, a Quasi-Sage, it wasn't a problem for him to watch this battle from afar as a spectator, even if not up close.
Just like now, with Kong Xuan's help, he saw a solitary figure, holding a precious sword, standing outside Spirit Mountain.
It must be said that Tongtian Sect Leader, this Sage, was truly unique, not caring at all about others' opinions.
As a Sage, he should naturally have the grandeur of a Sage; three thousand miles of purple qi coming from the east should be standard procedure.
But Tongtian Sect Leader stood alone with a single sword outside Spirit Mountain, without any grand display.
Moreover, Tongtian Sect Leader's face was ashen, looking murderous, and anyone who saw him could feel the Sage's fury.
He did not conceal his emotions or his aura, putting everything clearly before everyone.
As if telling everyone that today, he, Tongtian Sect Leader, was going to suppress Spirit Mountain with his sword, and he was going to settle scores with the Western Religion.
But for everyone, this was not only an extremely terrifying scene but also an extremely puzzling one.
"That? Is that the Grand Pure Sage? What on earth happened?"
"Appearing so murderously outside Spirit Mountain, could it be that the Western Religion offended the Grand Pure Sage?"
"What is the Grand Pure Sage going to do? Will a Sage battle break out next?"
...
Tongtian Sect Leader made no attempt to conceal it; in just an instant, the news of Tongtian Sect Leader suppressing Spirit Mountain with his sword spread throughout the entire world.
Everyone who heard the news was puzzled, not understanding why the Saint, the Lord of Heaven, appeared outside Lingshan Holy Land with such murderous intent.
From the current situation, it was not difficult to see that the Western Religion must have offended the Lord of Heaven, which is why he directly came to their doorstep.
For the Lord of Heaven, with his esteemed status as a Saint, to personally come to the main entrance of Lingshan Holy Land, one could imagine how serious the matter was.
However, what puzzled countless people was how bold the Western Religion was to dare to infuriate the Saint, the Lord of Heaven, to such an extent.
One must know that the Lord of Heaven is not only a Saint, but also the leader of the Jie Sect, to whom myriad immortals pay homage.
With the strength of the Western Religion, to provoke the Lord of Heaven to such a degree, wasn't this seeking their own demise?
"Zhunti, I have already come in person, and you still won't come out to see me?"
The Lord of Heaven's vast voice resounded through heaven and earth, and everyone could hear the monstrous rage contained within his words.
Such anger, and even directly calling out the Saint Zhunti by name, immediately made countless people tremble with fear.
The Western Religion also had a Saintly lineage, and the Western Religion also had Saints, and the Lord of Heaven was clearly here to settle accounts with Saint Zhunti.
Seeing the Lord of Heaven's furious appearance, everyone was worried whether a Saint battle would erupt in the next moment.
That was a Saint! Once a great battle erupted, destroying heaven and earth would probably be an easy feat.
"Senior Brother Tongtian is so furious; I wonder what this is all about?"
Under the gaze of all, a figure appeared before the Lord of Heaven, it was indeed the Saint Zhunti of the Western Religion.
Compared to the Lord of Heaven, Saint Zhunti's display was much grander.
When he appeared, golden springs gushed from the ground, golden lotuses rained from the sky, Buddhas smiled while holding flowers, and boundless auspicious phenomena filled the heavens.
"Zhunti, do you really not know why I came? Are you still feigning ignorance at this point?" the Lord of Heaven said in a deep voice.
At the level of a Saint, though not omniscient and omnipotent, most matters in the world could not be hidden from them.
Since he had come, he had already confirmed some things, and Saint Zhunti must also know why he had come.
"Please forgive my ignorance, I truly do not know why Senior Brother Tongtian has come this time!" Saint Zhunti said.
At this moment, in everyone's eyes, Saint Zhunti appeared to be sorrowful and compassionate.
He gave the impression that he was misunderstood by the Lord of Heaven, yet he was not angry at all, but remained calm and composed.
"Setting aside everything else, Saint Zhunti's thick skin is truly unparalleled in heaven and earth!" King Zhou shook his head and said.
The Lord of Heaven had arrived at the main entrance of Lingshan Holy Land with murderous intent, clearly convinced that Saint Zhunti was scheming against the Jie Sect.
Saint Zhunti, being a Saint, could not possibly leave traces when he acted. Even if the Lord of Heaven personally deduced, it would be difficult to discern anything.
Back then, he had given the images to Daoist Shi Ji, which recorded the entire incident from beginning to end.
How that mysterious expert disguised himself as Yuan Hong, and how that mysterious expert finally made his move.
This was a technique of the domain, recreating everything that had happened in the past through the natural world, and when viewed, it was as if one was present at the scene.
With the Lord of Heaven's strength, under such immersive conditions, it was only natural for him to recognize Saint Zhunti.
And Saint Zhunti, seeing the murderous Lord of Heaven, should have realized some things.
No matter how puzzled he was, Saint Zhunti, upon seeing the Lord of Heaven, should have known that he had been exposed.
After all, they were all Saints; if they didn't have absolute certainty, how could they have escalated to this point of open hostility?
But when facing the furious Lord of Heaven, Saint Zhunti still denied everything.
And to remain so unfazed and composed, Saint Zhunti's thick skin was truly beyond what ordinary people could achieve.
"Good! Very good! Since you don't want to reason with me, then let's not reason, and let the sword in my hand settle this grievance!"
The Lord of Heaven laughed in extreme anger, pointing the Green Lotus Sword in his hand at Saint Zhunti, and sword energy soared into the sky.
At this instant, countless beings were once again terrified. The Saint had not yet acted, but the terrifying aura had already shaken the entire world.
Below the Saint, all are ants!
At this moment, perhaps everyone gained a clearer understanding of this saying.
Even the unruly Kong Xuan now looked solemn, his entire body tense, as if he was extremely nervous.
"How can Senior Brother Tongtian be so unreasonable? You suddenly appeared before Lingshan Holy Land, and immediately started shouting about fighting and killing!
No matter what the reason, you must speak clearly and let me understand the cause and effect of the matter!" Saint Zhunti still said expressionlessly.
Facing the terrifying sword energy that soared into the sky, he still appeared calm and composed, with even a hint of confusion on his face.
Anyone seeing this couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled, wondering if the Lord of Heaven had wronged Saint Zhunti.
"You conspired against my Jie Sect, shouldn't there be an explanation for this?" the Lord of Heaven said coldly.
He was exceptionally disdainful of Saint Zhunti's expression, especially that look of feigning ignorance, which truly made him detest him.
But he was a Saint after all; he still had to maintain the demeanor of a Saint. He wanted to see what tricks Saint Zhunti could pull.
"I have never conspired against the Jie Sect. Senior Brother Tongtian, if you say so, do you have evidence?" Saint Zhunti said.
How could a dignified Saint, who had deliberately concealed his actions, leave any traces?
If it was just a guess, without any proof, and he adamantly denied it, what could the Lord of Heaven do to him?
"Evidence? Why should I talk about evidence with you? If I believe it's you, then it's you!" the Lord of Heaven said coldly.
At this point, he no longer wanted to waste words with Saint Zhunti, and the Green Lotus Sword in his hand tore through the void.
Terrifying sword energy permeated between heaven and earth, converging into a towering giant sword, which slashed down.
This sword was terrifying beyond measure; Saint Zhunti and the entire Lingshan Holy Land were the targets of this single sword.
"The Lord of Heaven is indeed overbearing; the Western Religion is going to suffer now!" King Zhou said with a smile.
The images he gave to Daoist Shi Ji were actually only to confirm some things for the Lord of Heaven; they truly couldn't be considered solid evidence.
If Saint Zhunti was determined to quibble, he had all sorts of reasons, which was why Saint Zhunti remained calm and composed from beginning to end.
But the Lord of Heaven didn't care about evidence at all. If he believed Saint Zhunti did it, then Saint Zhunti did it.
Even if Saint Zhunti truly didn't do it, he would have to begrudgingly admit it.
He was just that overbearing and incredibly decisive, not listening to Saint Zhunti's explanations at all, and directly taking action.
"Senior Brother Tongtian is going too far; then we shall have a fight!" Saint Zhunti said in a deep voice.
He had thought it was foolproof, but the Lord of Heaven's direct action was somewhat beyond his expectation.
Now that the Lord of Heaven had made his move, and even seemed intent on breaking Lingshan Holy Land with his sword, he had no choice but to respond, even if he didn't want to.
Amidst the terrified gazes of countless people, a Saint battle began!
Chapter 86: The Pinnacle of Immortality, No Predecessors, No Successors!
"It's a pity that Mortals cannot witness a Saint's battle!" King Zhou sighed.
For countless people today, it was a day that left them dumbfounded and broke out in cold sweat.
The Saint, the Lord of Heaven, came alone with his sword, suppressing Lingshan Holy Land, and explicitly demanded to settle grievances with Saint Zhunti.
From the Lord of Heaven's words, everyone learned that Saint Zhunti had conspired against the Jie Sect.
Such a grievance indeed could not be resolved peacefully, and it was understandable for the Lord of Heaven to be enraged and challenge Lingshan Holy Land with his sword.
There was nothing more to say after that; a great battle between the two Saints, the Lord of Heaven and Zhunti, was inevitable.
However, just as everyone was eagerly anticipating, they simply could not see the battle between the two Saints.
In the world, there were many legends about Saints, but no matter what kind of legend, Saints were always at the pinnacle of existence.
Saints transcended heaven and earth, were immortal and indestructible, capable of creating heaven and earth with a single thought, and destroying all living beings with another.
In everyone's eyes, Saints were omnipotent beings, beings they could only ever look up to.
Everyone knew the power of Saints, but since ancient times, the number of times Saints had acted was extremely rare.
It was already uncommon for a Saint to act, let alone two Saints engaging in combat with each other.
Therefore, for countless people, this Saint battle was absolutely something they could not miss.
King Zhou was actually the same. As King Zhou, when the Investiture of the Gods arrived, Saints would also become his opponents.
He still wanted to take this opportunity to witness how powerful Saints truly were and how omnipotent they were.
But at this very moment, no matter how wide he opened his eyes, he still couldn't clearly see how the Lord of Heaven and Saint Zhunti were fighting.
A Saint's battle, Mortals cannot see! Saints had already transcended heaven and earth; their combat had long reached an unimaginable level.
However, seeing Lingshan Holy Land trembling and the entire Western Land shaking continuously, everyone knew how terrifying this battle was.
"It's a pity, I can't see this battle either; I can only know the power of a Saint from the aftermath!" Kong Xuan said helplessly.
Originally, he didn't have any special feelings about Saints, even thinking that Saints were nothing special.
But upon truly witnessing a Saint battle, merely from the vast aftermath, he realized the gap between himself and a Saint.
"Since the Lord of Heaven has come, this matter will not be easily resolved!" King Zhou said.
This time, the Lord of Heaven did not conceal anything, grandly arriving at the main entrance of Lingshan Holy Land. Was it just to fight Saint Zhunti?
No! With the temperament of the Saint, the Lord of Heaven, if there wasn't some explanation, the matter would never end easily
Just as he finished speaking, a giant sword appeared between heaven and earth, and in the astonished eyes of countless people, it slashed towards the Lingshan Holy Land.
"Tongtian, how dare you?" Sage Zhunti's exasperated voice also rang out at this moment.
The Lingshan Holy Land was the Foundation of their Western Religion, not only housing countless Disciples of Western Religion, but also being a Holy Land for cultivation that Western Religion had operated for many years.
At this moment, with such a sword strike from Sect Master Tongtian, the Lingshan Holy Land could be destroyed in an instant.
This was to destroy the Foundation of their Western Religion!
Their Western Religion was already not strong, incomparable to the Three Religions; if the Lingshan Holy Land were destroyed, their Western Religion would probably never recover.
"Hmph! When you schemed against my Jiejiao, did you ever consider the consequences? Today, I shall destroy your Lingshan Holy Land with one sword!"
Under everyone's gaze, the giant sword fell, directly striking the Lingshan Holy Land.
"Rumble!"
A roar like the destruction of the world sounded, and in the astonished eyes of countless people, the Lingshan Holy Land split open.
Yes! The Foundation of Western Religion, which had been managed for countless years, was directly split open by Sect Master Tongtian's single sword strike!
And within the Lingshan Holy Land, there were countless Disciples of Western Religion; under such a complete destruction, how could they escape?
Watching countless Disciples of Western Religion about to die tragically on the spot, a golden lotus appeared, protecting all the Disciples of Western Religion within the Lingshan Holy Land.
"Senior Brother Tongtian, for you to destroy my Lingshan Holy Land today is truly too much!"
As this voice sounded, a figure appeared, sitting on a golden lotus platform, with boundless auspicious phenomena appearing around him.
One who could possess such boundless auspicious phenomena was naturally another Sage of Western Religion, Sage Jieyin.
When the Lingshan Holy Land was about to be destroyed, the other Sage of Western Religion still couldn't help but make a move.
However, from the current situation, the Lingshan Holy Land was still cut in half by Sect Master Tongtian's sword.
Although none of the Disciples of Western Religion died, the Lingshan Holy Land could not be completely unaffected.
From this, it can actually be seen that the power of Sect Master Tongtian, this Sage, is indeed terrifyingly so.
"Jieyin, you've come at a good time. You probably had a hand in the scheme against my Jiejiao. Let's settle it together!"
Even when facing two Sages, Sect Master Tongtian showed no fear, even speaking of fighting two Sages simultaneously.
Everyone was dumbfounded, no one had expected Sect Master Tongtian to be so overbearing, they were all too shocked to speak.
"Hmph! Tongtian, don't bully others too much. If you dare to destroy my Biyou Palace, do you think we wouldn't dare to destroy your Biyou Palace?"
Sage Zhunti was truly enraged as well; Sect Master Tongtian's sword just now nearly annihilated the Foundation of their Western Religion.
Although his Senior Brother Sage Jieyin had intervened in time, the Lingshan Holy Land was already in ruins at this moment.
That single sword strike alone had already caused their Western Religion heavy losses, yet Sect Master Tongtian was still unwilling to stop.
He refused to believe that with him and his Senior Brother joining forces, with the power of two Sages, they couldn't defeat Sect Master Tongtian?
"Hahahaha! What if you all come at me together? Today, I will set up the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation right in front of your Lingshan gate. What can you do?"
Facing the two Sages of Western Religion, Sect Master Tongtian not only showed no fear, but his Face was full of disdain.
With a wave of his hand, four immortal swords appeared, and in an instant, a murderous aura soared into the sky, sending shivers down everyone's spines.
"Sages are indeed terrifying. Their methods probably haven't even shown one-tenth of their true power!" King Zhou said.
How terrifying the power of the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation was, the mere phrase "cannot be broken by less than four Sages" was actually enough.
Sages were already omnipotent, transcending heaven and earth, yet the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation required four Sages to break?
At this moment, feeling the soaring murderous aura, besides shock, he also felt an unspeakable dread.
In this Investiture of the Gods, he would inevitably become an enemy of Sages. Could he truly win?
Moreover, he only had a short twenty years. Was it really possible to possess the strength to contend with Sages?
It wasn't that he belittled himself, but that the power of Sages had surpassed other beings too much, reaching an unimaginable level.
However, even if he couldn't contend with Sages, was he just going to wait for death?
No! He had no choice at all. Even if there was no chance, he could only do his best now.
What's more, with the Human Emperor's Spirit Hall, he wasn't entirely without a chance.
"Senior Brother Tongtian, you've already vented your anger with that sword strike. How about we let this matter rest here?" Sage Jieyin sighed and said.
He had intervened in time just now, but still couldn't completely block Sect Master Tongtian's sword.
How terrifying Sect Master Tongtian's power was no longer needed to be said, but this was clearly not all of it.
When the Zhuxian Four Swords appeared, his heart couldn't help but "thump," and his expression became even more solemn.
That was the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation that could not be broken by less than four Sages!
If Sect Master Tongtian truly set up the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation in front of the Lingshan Holy Land, even if he and Junior Brother Zhunti were fine, the Lingshan Holy Land would definitely be completely destroyed.
At this point, he had no choice but to humble himself and concede; this time, their Western Religion had indeed gone too far.
It wasn't that they couldn't scheme against Jiejiao; this was a major plan that their Western Religion had set long ago, and it was absolutely impossible to abandon.
But even if they schemed against Jiejiao, they should have at least done it more secretly. How could Sect Master Tongtian have caught them red-handed?
"Hmph! For the sake of Master, Zhunti, you and I shall go to Chaos for a battle, only then can this matter be settled!" Sect Master Tongtian said.
Hearing this, King Zhou couldn't help but shake his head. In his opinion, Sect Master Tongtian, this Sage, was ultimately not ruthless enough.
Western Religion had already been scheming against Jiejiao, and even wanted Jiejiao to be annihilated; this was already a complete tearing of Faces.
Going to Chaos to fight Sage Zhunti would at most be beating Sage Zhunti fiercely to vent some anger, that's all.
Having finally caught Western Religion red-handed, instead of pushing Western Religion to its demise, he was still being soft-hearted?
He couldn't help but shake his head again. Perhaps it was precisely because of Sect Master Tongtian's mindset that Jiejiao would eventually be completely annihilated.
A world-renowned battle of Sages thus ended. As for the battle between Sect Master Tongtian and Sage Zhunti in Chaos, it was not something ordinary people could witness.
For King Zhou, being able to uncover the mastermind behind the schemes this time was already a huge gain.
Knowing that there was still an existence like Western Religion hidden behind the scenes, he had gained another opponent in this world.
However, for now, Western Religion and the Human Clan did not have a direct conflict. Even in the Investiture of the Gods, Western Religion probably would not directly target Great Shang.
In any case, Chanism and Jiejiao were Western Religion's most direct competitors; scheming against the Human Clan was also to sow discord.
Moreover, with Sect Master Tongtian causing such a stir, for a long time to come, Western Religion would probably not dare to act recklessly again.
Without Western Religion stirring up trouble behind the scenes, he could use this rare opportunity to Cultivate in peace and allow Great Shang to develop rapidly.
"Wait! Western Religion has been scheming behind the scenes all along. Was it them who acted in that Nüwa Temple?"
Suddenly, King Zhou thought of a possibility. Since he had transmigrated, this had always been his biggest doubt.
From past memories, he knew that in that Nüwa Temple, due to a gust of evil wind, the former King Zhou had inexplicably composed lewd poems.
It was indeed inexplicable, because afterwards, the former King Zhou also didn't know why he had done such a thing.
He had always speculated whether someone had secretly made a move, causing King Zhou to do such absurd things.
The only doubt was who could lay hands on King Zhou, who was the Human Emperor, and succeed in the end.
With the Human Clan Luck protecting him, even Nüwa couldn't personally act against King Zhou, so who could act against King Zhou?
But if a Sage made a move, risking a certain price, could they succeed?
He wasn't very sure, but he knew that Human Clan Luck was not invincible, nor was it omnipotent.
A Sage personally making a move, risking the backlash of Human Clan Luck, might indeed have a chance of success.
In fact, in the entire world, if anyone could scheme against the Human Emperor, it could only be a Sage.
And in the entire world, there were only six Sages. Excluding Nüwa and Sect Master Tongtian, there were only four Sages left.
Thinking this way, the two Sages of Western Religion were highly suspicious, not to mention this current incident.
Sage Zhunti dared to scheme against Great Shang and Jiejiao; scheming against the Human Emperor was probably a matter of course for this Sage.
"If there's a chance in the future, I can use this matter to test Nüwa!" King Zhou thought to himself.
All along, Nüwa had been engaging in a distant struggle with him; this Sage probably wouldn't cease her activities either.
If he could divert the trouble and find the mastermind who framed him, he might be able to shift Sage Nüwa's attention.
Speaking of which, whether it was the Xuanyuan Tomb Three Demons or Yun Zhongzi, they had been quiet for some time.
He didn't know what they were plotting in the dark, but being silent for so long, they were probably up to no good.
Returning to the royal palace, he once again entered the Human Emperor's Spirit Hall, and quickly entered a deep state of cultivation.
It had been some time since he received the Chu Heavenly Emperor's inheritance. Although he hadn't broken through to the Immortal King Realm, he was about to make another Breakthrough.
Advancing further in the Red Dust Immortal Realm, theoretically, the next Realm would be the Immortal King Realm.
But after receiving the Chu Heavenly Emperor's inheritance, he truly understood that he had not yet reached the limit in the Red Dust Immortal Realm.
The Red Dust Immortal was already considered a Peak Domain, capable of suppressing all immortals in the world, but at the pinnacle of immortals, there was still the apex of the pyramid.
The Apex of Immortals! No ancients before, no future comers after, vast and boundless, only one goes forth alone.
A Red Dust Immortal could contend with a Quasi-Immortal King, but could absolutely not be an Immortal King's opponent.
However, if one stood at the Apex of Immortals, contending with a slightly weaker Immortal King and ultimately emerging victorious, it was not an impossible feat.