Chapter 142 The 142nd day of making the game at Wuzhuang Temple...

While everything was calm and peaceful in the Wuzhuang Temple, the important event of the Investiture of the Gods in the human world was still proceeding in an orderly manner.

Since Jiang Ziya returned to the world with the Investiture of the Gods list...

camp.

Jiang Ziya, holding the Investiture of the Gods, assisted the Marquis of Zhou, obeyed the will of Heaven, eliminated evil spirits, and restored a bright and peaceful world to humanity.

Shen Gongbao became the Grand Preceptor of the Shang Dynasty, used his power to defy fate, punished the rebels, and ushered in a prosperous era where humans and demons coexisted in the Shang Dynasty.

This all stemmed from the fact that two disciples of the Primordial Sage of Kunlun chose different rulers in the human world, thus creating the two major camps of Shang and Zhou.

From the perspective of following the will of Heaven, many disciples of the Chan Sect were ordered by their master to join the Zhou Marquis's forces. However, since Shen Gongbao was still their senior uncle, many disciples were invited by Shen Gongbao to the Shang Dynasty to take charge.

Meanwhile, some disciples of the Jie Sect who had entered the world also joined the Shang Dynasty's camp because of the sight of Wen Zhong and the Shang Dynasty's humans and demons living together.

Suddenly, disciples of both religions frequently entered the world, making headlines everywhere, causing unrest in people's hearts and turmoil in the political situation.

However, judging from the backgrounds of most players in both camps, the Chan Sect made a big show of establishing power for the Zhou Marquis, while the Jie Sect was not to be outdone and each displayed their abilities in the Shang Dynasty.

On the surface, it was a struggle over the current affairs of the human world, but in reality, it had become a contest between the Chan and Jie schools of thought.

The same applies on the battlefield.

Nezha launched a night raid and broke through Qinglong Pass, killing two former garrison commanders, Zhang Guifang and Qiu Yin.

Yang Jian fought a great battle against the four Demon Brothers at Jiameng Pass, and with the help of Jiang Ziya's God-Slaying Whip, he captured Jiameng Pass.

Yang Ren used the Five Fire Fans to eliminate Lü Yue's Plague Formation, and Lei Zhenzi scaled the city walls to seize Chuanyun Pass;

Jinzha and Muzha infiltrated Youhun Pass, and together they broke through the pass and reunited with their younger brother Nezha.

In the battle formation diagram, Zhou Hou's call to arms was met with overwhelming support. With the full assistance of the Chan Sect, he broke through dangerous passes and was already approaching Chaoge.

However, there is still a major pass in front of Chaoge City that has not been breached. Near Jinji Ridge in the west, there is a pass called Lintong Pass, which is the heart of Chaoge.

Now, only one in ten of the Shang Dynasty's generals remains. Grand Tutor Wen Zhong has perished at Jue Long Ridge. Queen Daji and Imperial Advisor Shen Gongbao are protecting the King's safety in Chaoge City. Now, only Imperial Tutor Kong Xuan remains to guard this important pass.

"This Kong Xuan is no ordinary man. He is the offspring of the first phoenix in the world. No one knows where he learned his skills. All that is known is that he cultivated under the tutelage of several sages. Later, he was appointed as the imperial tutor by King Zhou and lived a secluded life. Now he has appeared in Lintong Pass and is very troublesome."

In the Zhou Dynasty's camp, most of the generals who could hold discussions here were third-generation disciples of the Chan Sect. It had been too long since Kong Xuan's study trip to Kunlun, and his teachers rarely mentioned this matter. As a result, everyone knew very little about this imperial tutor who came from the Nuwa Temple but lived a secluded life.

All that was known was that his strength was formidable, and none of those present were his match; even when their superiors were called upon, they returned empty-handed.

In the end, it was Jiang Ziya who personally visited the sage at Kunlun and obtained some information about Kong Xuan from the White Crane Boy.

However, their understanding was only superficial, leaving everyone confused. But there was one person among them who knew Kong Xuan very well.

This person was not from the Chan Sect, but an unknown rogue cultivator who called himself Lu Ya. He had superb cultivation and always carried a yellow gourd on his back.

Back then, before the Ten Deadly Formations, it was this Lu Ya who used the Seven Arrows of Nailhead to curse Zhao Gongming, who had descended to the mortal realm without permission, to death. His methods were unfathomable, sending chills down one's spine.

Fortunately, Lu Ya only came to Zhou Dynasty to collect faction points through the game interface and did not often come into contact with the generals of Zhou Dynasty. Everyone's impression of him was that he was a highly skilled but taciturn master cultivator.

Now that the people of the Zhou Dynasty could do nothing about Kong Xuan, they all invited their respective masters. The second-generation masters were powerless and did not want to disturb the sage, so in the end they invited the deputy leader of the Chan Sect, Daoist Ran Deng.

Daoist Ran Deng was naturally very familiar with Kong Xuan, who had a karmic connection with him, but unfortunately, both the Sage and Yuan Yi intended to conceal Kong Xuan's information, so he couldn't speak up.

Everyone knows that the West is remote, and the two sages of the West often come to this prosperous land of the East to find talented people and beautiful things to spread Buddhism in the West.

However, most of these talented individuals had already joined the Chan and Jie sects, and they couldn't forcibly take away the disciples of the sages. So they could only sigh in vain, convert some birds and mounts, and consciously return to the West.

But now Kong Xuan is all alone, and being of humble origin, he is openly without any support or ties, making him the most suitable candidate for the West.

This scheme is bloodless, but it is actually very insidious.

If he were truly captured and taken to the West, it's uncertain whether he would become a disciple or a mount whose life and death are controlled by others. It would be better for him to be listed on the Investiture of the Gods earlier, and perhaps he could even obtain some sinecure as a celestial official.

Lu Ya, listening from the side, broke out in a cold sweat, realizing that this deputy leader of the Chan Sect was no ordinary person. If Senior Brother Kong Xuan was indeed from the impoverished Phoenix Clan as he claimed, then this predicament was truly unavoidable.

It's just a pity that Senior Brother Kong Xuan has the entire Wuzhuang Temple behind him, with Teacher Yuanyi, Uncle-Master Zhenyuanzi, Uncle-Master Hongyun, and even the person above him all able to support him.

However, during the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, these later relationships could not be discussed, but it was impossible for him to stand by and watch his senior brother be humiliated.

Lu Ya tugged at the hood that concealed his face and spoke in a hoarse voice: "What's so difficult about that? Why bother the Sage with just a mere Kong Xuan? As long as my teacher takes action, Kong Xuan will naturally be insignificant."

"Why should I provoke a Western Buddha when my Eastern Heavenly Court is in charge of its affairs?"

After saying this, Lu Ya didn't care about the Zhou Dynasty people's reaction. He simply set a three-day deadline and hurriedly flew towards the Wuzhuang Temple.

The formation of Wuzhuang Temple recognized his aura and allowed him to return to the ginseng fruit tree without any hindrance.

Before the bird arrived, its cry preceded it: "Teacher, teacher, something terrible has happened!"

"Those two shameless Westerners have their eyes on Senior Brother's body!"

Yuan Yi was utterly shocked; the command to issue the task in his hand was almost revoked.

She turned around and saw that the small golden-red flame had stopped in front of her in an instant. Who else could it be but Lu Ya, who had skipped class before the great calamity to prove himself?

Sure enough, people become wild when released, and birds do too. I wonder what they've learned outside, because they start spouting out shocking and outrageous things.

"Teacher, that Ran Deng has long been involved with those two in the West. When the great calamity began, the heavenly secrets were in chaos, and Senior Brother deliberately hid himself. If those two in the West really have such intentions..."

The Golden Crow is born from the sun, and under its light, no secret can be hidden. Lu Ya knew the intricacies among these older generation cultivators, which is why he saw through Randeng's sinister intentions at a glance.

Now is a critical moment, and the teacher cannot leave Wuzhuang Temple. If it really is the Sage who attacks the eldest brother, even if the teacher intervenes later, the eldest brother's grievances will be unforgivable.

It's true that concern can cloud judgment. Yuan Yi watched Lu Ya chattering away on her shoulder, completely forgetting the extraordinary methods Kong Xuan had used to discipline his disciples. She also remembered that Kong Xuan was just as talkative when he was born, and her heart softened a little.

He couldn't help but offer a few kind words of explanation: "Your senior brother has his own plans, so you don't need to worry about this."

Yuan Yi flicked Lu Ya's forehead with his fingertip, transforming him from a bird back into human form. However, this time Lu Ya was not the solitary, withdrawn, and gloomy middle-aged man he had been in Zhou's camp. Instead, he was a radiant young man with golden hair and a bright smile on his face.

If Jiang Ziya and others who had been in contact with Lu Ya were to see him in this state, they would naturally be astonished.

Yuan Yi, however, was used to this: "You've come to see me, so naturally you have important business to attend to. Let's get down to business."

"Oh, right!" Lu Ya punched his left fist into his right palm. "I've come to ask my teacher for help in breaking through Lintong Pass."

"Teacher, you don't know, my senior brother was despicable at Lintong Pass. Relying on his divine light, he snatched all our magic treasures away in a flash. He even deliberately brushed me a few more times, brushing all my fur off."

"We're all birds, who doesn't love this plumage? It must be that my senior brother is jealous of my glossy feathers and wants to use this trick to compete with me for the title of the most beautiful bird in the world."

Lu Ya had been pretending to be a reclusive master for several years, and he was so frustrated that he couldn't stop talking once he started, spouting all sorts of pleasing words that he had heard in the mortal world.

Combined with his youthful appearance, he truly had a cheerful and endearing quality.

But even a pistachio can't guarantee he'll always be happy. Lu Ya was speaking happily when he heard a voice behind him.

"I had no idea you were talking about me like that behind my back."

Lu Ya froze, not daring to move for a moment. He could only slowly turn his head and give a bitter smile: "Senior Brother..."

The newcomer was none other than Kong Xuan, dressed in a golden robe. He glanced at Lu Ya briefly, then said, "I heard that Lu Ya, the Taoist from Zhou's camp, went to seek help from my master. I knew it was you who came to Wuzhuang Temple, so I came here to capture you and boost the morale of my army."

After all, the rumor that "Lu Ya can take a life with a single move without lifting a finger" had already spread throughout the Shang and Zhou army camps.

If Kong Xuan were to use Lu Ya's head as a sacrifice to the flag, the morale of the Zhou Dynasty would certainly be greatly diminished.

Seeing that Kong Xuan was not joking, and knowing that he was no match for his senior brother, Lu Ya quickly ran forward, crying out, "Teacher, save me!"

Kong Xuan frowned. His master clearly only had two disciples, himself and Dapeng. The other disciples of Wuzhuang Temple only called their master "Master" and "Immortal Master," but Lu Ya kept calling him "Teacher."

The fact that Master didn't tell Lu Ya to change his mind suggests that he might actually be considering taking this kid as a disciple.

Lu Ya took the opportunity to hide behind Yuan Yi: "Teacher, please save me. I can't just lose my life in Wuzhuang Temple. It's not right for fellow disciples to kill each other in broad daylight."

Yuan Yi smiled enigmatically: "I won't interfere in matters concerning your faction."

Lu Ya's eyes widened in surprise. He had come to Wuzhuang Temple to ask his master for help in breaking through Lintong Pass, not to give away his own camp to his senior brother for nothing.

But if the teacher doesn't intervene, he really won't escape the grasp of Senior Brother Kong Xuan.

Lu Ya gritted his teeth and took out a seed from his sleeve: "This is a sacred object of Nuwa that Master Fuxi gave me. It was with this that I obtained the game qualification under the name of the Sage Nuwa. I want to use this to ask Lord Yuanyi to help me drive away Kong Xuan, the Imperial Tutor of the Shang Dynasty, and break through Lintong Pass."

Looking at the vibrant Nuwa artifact beside him and his eldest disciple gradually approaching, Yuan Yi was unusually caught in a dilemma.

She couldn't possibly hurt her eldest disciple's feelings over a mere object.

To everyone's surprise, Kong Xuan simply stepped forward, snatched the seed from Lu Ya's hand, and agreed, "Okay."

As he spoke, he handed the seeds, along with a small boat in his palm, to Yuan Yi.

Then Kong Xuan pulled Lu Ya out from behind Yuan Yi and used a fiery red feather fan to blow away all the stray hairs that Lu Ya had fallen.

"It's been a long time since we last met. I want to see if you've improved over the years."

As he spoke, he pulled Lu Ya along to give Yuan Yi a farewell bow: "This disciple will no longer be able to accompany Master by his side every day. May Master's wishes be fulfilled."

After bowing, he dragged Lu Ya away from Wuzhuang Temple, leaving only Lu Ya's echoing words, "Senior Brother, what do you mean?" in the air.

Under the tree, Yuan Yi once again summoned the Yin-Yang Fish and the jade pendant, counting the small boats drifting in the windless air and the seeds bursting with life. He felt that Wuzhuang Temple was unusually quiet at this moment.

Behind the ginseng fruit tree, Dapeng emerged from the shade and gently placed another Bodhi seed on the small boat.

"So, only one more is needed."

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Author's Note: Collect all the sacred artifacts and summon [the ultimate]!

The finale countdown is on! [fireworks]