Hu Le flipped off the ox's back and stood steadily on the ground.
Just then, a large group of immortals, led by the Tongtian Sect Leader, quickly came to greet them.
Some young Taoists, with respectful expressions, carefully paved a path to the reed hut with yellow earth, lit incense in their hands, and scattered flower petals, filling the sky with a strange fragrance.
"Brother Dao." The Tongtian Sect Leader smiled and bowed to Hu Le.
"Fellow Daoist." Hu Le returned the greeting.
Immediately afterwards, the surrounding immortals stepped forward one after another, shouting in unison: "Greetings, Senior Uncle! Greetings, Teacher! Greetings, Ancestor!"
The immortals took turns paying their respects to this Taoist saint.
Then, surrounded by the immortals, the two holy leaders walked side by side toward the reed hut.
Meanwhile, the water and fire attendants from Biyou Palace carefully led the saint's mount aside and took meticulous care of it.
After the two leaders were seated, Hu Le looked around and asked, "Where is Xu Shilin?"
Upon hearing the summons, Xu Shilin stepped out from under the reed awning without hesitation.
With steady steps and upright posture, he stepped onto the reed hut in the blink of an eye.
After standing still, Xu Shilin respectfully bowed to the two religious leaders and saints: "Greetings, Senior Uncle... May I ask what important matter you have summoned me for?"
Hu Le smiled and stretched out his right hand, gently grabbing at the air.
In an instant, a beam of light flashed, and a Investiture of the Gods appeared in his palm!
Hu Le looked at Xu Shilin in front of him and said earnestly, "This is the Investiture of the Gods, which is of great importance. I hereby specially order you to hang it outside the reed hut to announce it to heaven and earth, so that those who are destined may return to their divine positions."
After saying that, he handed the Investiture of the Gods to Xu Shilin.
Xu Shilin carefully accepted the Investiture of the Gods and solemnly nodded, replying, "Disciple obeys!"
Then, holding the Investiture of the Gods, he walked backwards down from the reed hut.
Upon reaching the outside of the reed hut, Xu Shilin held the Investiture of the Gods in his hands, the sunlight shining on it and making it radiate a dazzling light.
He took a deep breath and then slowly hung the Investiture of the Gods on a horizontal bar on the left side of the reed hut.
At this moment, Hu Le took out the God-Slaying Whip again and ordered the Water and Fire Boy beside him to give it to Xu Shilin to use.
Xu Shilin accepted the God-Slaying Whip and bowed to the two patriarchs and saints inside the thatched hut...
Opposite, beneath the golden city, inside the reed hut.
Zhen Yuanzi also saw Hu Le's arrival and became even more restless.
One religious leader or saint was already enough to overwhelm him, and now another one has arrived. This is going to be the death of him.
He only hoped that Vipassi Buddha could quickly invite Amitabha and Cundi to come.
Sun Wukong, who was standing nearby, seemed to sense Zhen Yuanzi's unease and reassured him, "Brother, there's no need to worry. It shouldn't be long before our two sage teachers arrive..."
Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi steadied himself and sighed, "Alas, I hope so."
Just as Zhen Yuanzi was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the two holy leaders, a dazzling beam of light suddenly descended from outside the reed hut.
The clear light fell to the ground like a shooting star, then scattered in all directions. A boy dressed in a water and fire Taoist robe stepped out from the light.
The boy walked lightly to the reed hut and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Is Zhen Yuanzi here?"
Zhen Yuanzi couldn't help but frown.
For someone as dignified as a patriarch, someone who would hold a place even among saints, to be ordered around like this by a mere page from Biyou Palace was truly a disgrace.
However, he suppressed his displeasure and ordered his disciples to lead the water and fire boy into the reed hut.
"I am Zhen Yuanzi. May I ask what brings you here, young boy?" Zhen Yuanzi asked in a calm tone.
The Water and Fire Child raised an eyebrow, glanced at Zhen Yuanzi with disdain, and then raised his voice, saying loudly, "The Sage Master has already graced us with his presence. What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and go to pay your respects, kowtow and beg for your life!"
The reed hut fell silent instantly, and all the immortals and Buddhas turned to look at Zhen Yuanzi.
Zhen Yuanzi forced a smile onto his face, but just as he was about to answer, he saw a boy from Wuzhuang Temple named Qingfeng walk out from below.
Qingfeng, with a serious expression and a stern tone, loudly rebuked, "You little brat, you're too arrogant! So what if they are saints? Our master only ever worships the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, never any religious leaders or saints."
Even if they have some great prestige, they can save that for showing off to their own disciples! We at Wuzhuang Temple won't give them a second thought!
At this moment, the many immortals and Buddhas in the reed hut looked at Qingfeng in great surprise, secretly marveling at how audacious this boy was to say such a thing!
However, what does the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth amount to?
The leaders and saints existed before the creation of heaven and earth, and in terms of their status and position, they were even higher than heaven and earth.
No matter how high Zhen Yuanzi's status is for ordinary cultivators, if he were compared to the leaders of several sects and saints, he would be nothing more than an insignificant ant.
Several sage leaders ruled over countless eons in the primordial world. Heaven and earth, nature, and all the saints bowed down to these sage leaders.
How could Zhen Yuanzi be an exception?!
Upon hearing Qingfeng's words, the Water and Fire Child's face instantly turned extremely gloomy.
His eyes widened, blazing with fury, and he roared at Qingfeng, "You audacious madman! How dare you be so disrespectful to the Holy Master! You must surely have a place on the Investiture of the Gods!"
However, Qingfeng remained unconcerned in the face of the Water and Fire Child's angry rebuke.
He waved his hand dismissively, a sneer playing on his lips, and scoffed, "Hmph, you're nothing more than a mere pageboy under a sage. What right do you have to decide who gets on the Investiture of the Gods list? Such arrogance, aren't you afraid of making a fool of yourself?"
"you……"
The Water and Fire Child was so angry that he was speechless for a moment, but he quickly sighed helplessly and said, "Never mind, as the saying goes, honest advice is hard to hear but beneficial to conduct, and good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the disease."
I meant well by reminding you and trying to save your lives, but you just wouldn't listen. So be it.
I just hope you won't regret it later.
After saying these words, the Water and Fire Child said no more. He stood quietly in place, and suddenly his body emitted a dazzling light.
In the blink of an eye, his body transformed into a clear beam of light, speeding away into the distance like lightning, disappearing from everyone's sight in an instant, and returning to the outside of the reed hut opposite.
When the many immortals and Buddhas saw the Water and Fire Boys leaving, none of them tried to stop them.
After all, everyone knew very well that this Water and Fire Child was someone close to the Sage, whose status and position were extraordinary, and who they could not easily provoke...
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