Conferred God: Got cramped at the beginning

Chapter 987 Meeting the Monkey King on Five Finger Mountain

The one who stepped forward was also a True Lord with the rank of Third Grade, named True Lord Yang.

It is the immortal deity behind the Yang family.

Its origins can even be traced back to a kinship with Yang Ren, a third-generation disciple of the Chan Sect and the Tai Sui of the Jiazi year.

"Does True Lord Yang have anything to say?" the Jade Emperor said coldly.

Upon hearing the Jade Emperor's words, Yang Zhenjun, who had stepped forward, immediately shuddered.

"Your Majesty, although it is said that barbarians entering China are Chinese, they are still Chinese."

"But the Wenchang Emperor bears the heavy responsibility of ensuring fairness in the imperial examinations."

"If they have even the slightest selfishness, which makes the imperial examination unfair, it will immediately shake the foundation of humanity."

“If the foundation of humanity is shaken, the foundation of heaven and earth will also be shaken.”

"How could these barbarian tribes from beyond the borders be willing to devote their efforts to ensuring the fairness of the imperial examinations in Pantian?"

Yang Zhenjun said, and then bowed to Li Shimin.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Unlike Yuan Zhenjun, who appeared earlier.

Yuan Zhenjun is directly questioning the qualifications of this Wenchang Emperor.

But Yang Zhenjun had already figured out the situation.

Although this Wenchang Emperor was recommended by Ao Bing, the Jade Emperor, who was Ao Bing's rival, still had considerable respect for him.

Therefore, it is not feasible to directly question the qualifications of this Wenchang Emperor... that would mean challenging the authority of three kings at the same time.

Therefore, we can only resort to a second-best approach and question whether this Wenchang Emperor has the ability to secure his throne from another angle.

If he is not capable enough, even if three kings support him, he will not be able to hold onto the throne of Emperor Wenchang.

At that time, these immortals and gods, and the aristocratic families they support, will still have the opportunity to exert influence on the imperial examination.

"Ability is not demonstrated by words, but by deeds," Li Shimin said.

“That’s right.” Yang Zhenjun nodded and looked at the Jade Emperor.

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, it is ultimately inappropriate to hastily bestow the title of Emperor."

"Now, the first imperial examination in history will be held in the world."

"How about we ask this fellow Daoist to temporarily assume the authority of the Wenchang Temple and preside over this year's imperial examination?"

"If there are no mistakes in the imperial examination, the world will be peaceful and humanity will be tranquil."

"Then bestow upon him the title of Emperor Wenchang."

"On the contrary, the seat of the Wenchang Emperor will be given to someone else."

"What do you think, Your Majesty?"

"That's fine too." Li Shimin pondered for a moment.

Just now, he was so overjoyed by the manifestation of the Wenchang Emperor that he lost his composure. Therefore, he did not consider what if the Wenchang Emperor's stance was not on his side... What if the Wenchang Emperor was truly the kind of person who would rather destroy his own power than be biased towards the aristocratic families?

Or perhaps, this Emperor Wenchang is intent on destroying the very foundation of humanity...

If this Wenchang Emperor is chosen, wouldn't this human emperor bring disaster for ten thousand years?
Now, Yang Zhenjun's words have given him a chance to regret his actions and let him see what Wenchang Dijun's stance really is.

"What does Emperor Wenchang think?" The Jade Emperor's gaze fell on Wenchang, showing him great tolerance.

"Very well." Emperor Wenchang nodded.

"The imperial examination was an unprecedentedly grand human event."

"I……"

"I also want to see what this imperial examination is all about."

"Chengtian, what do you think?" The Jade Emperor then looked at Ao Bing.

“Of course it’s possible.” Ao Bing nodded.

He paid no attention to the situation in Lingxiao Palace, but instead focused his energy on Yuantian.

As the origin of heaven and earth flows, the changes in Pantian at this moment also fall into the Yuantian realm.

During the Yuan Dynasty, the changes belonging to the 'Tang' era began to emerge.

The shadow of Li Shimin... or rather, the Li Shimin that Yuan Tian manifested based on that timeline, is now also manifesting in Yuan Tian.

Within Pantian, different kingdoms in the human world, beings outside of the human race, and so on, are like chess pieces on a game of chess, manifesting little by little on the chessboard of Yuantian, and then serving as anchor points for Pantian.

In the Pan Tian realm, the identity of Emperor Wenchang was finally established... In the Yuan Tian realm, the corresponding Emperor Wenchang had already manifested.

Before Wenchang manifested, the changes surrounding the monkey occurred one by one.

The aura of the Bull Demon King manifested in Yuan Tian... and then, through Yuan Tian, ​​it descended into Pan Tian.

"You scoundrel, how stingy... You've absorbed my essence into the cave you created, yet you won't let me see what you've turned it into." In a daze, the Bull Demon King's dissatisfied voice rang in Ao Bing's ears.

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, time continued to pass.

After the imperial examination was settled, the Journey to the West was also settled in the same way.

And the protagonist of Journey to the West is, without a doubt, the monkey who is still imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain, using the Five Elements Mountain's Five Elements Cycle to hone his indestructible body.

"It's time to meet that monkey," Ao Bing thought, his thoughts drifting from the heavens to the mortal realm.

The last time he returned from Yuantian to Huanpantian, the time when the destiny of the Han Dynasty's three revivals was established, he had the idea of ​​meeting that monkey.

But due to some special reasons, he ultimately failed to see the monkey and returned to Yuantian.

According to Li Nu, when she went to the Five Elements Mountain, the monkey told her that although his havoc in the Heavenly Court was instigated by someone, he himself had also sensed that something was wrong.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." When Ao Bing's figure manifested before the Five Finger Mountain, the Mountain God of the Five Finger Mountain, as well as the surrounding Six Ding and Six Jia, Jie Di Jia Lan, and others, all appeared and bowed to Ao Bing.

As they bowed, the jailers looked at Ao Bing before them, each feeling a sense of unease.

After all, what's pressed under the Five Elements Mountain is that monkey.

Born in Huaguo Mountain, under the Jianmu tree, a monkey who was adopted as a son by the White Tiger Supervisor God.

Over the years, the White Tiger Guardian God has visited the Five Elements Mountain more than once in disguise to see this monkey.

Every time he looked at the monkey, the White Tiger Guardian God couldn't help but feel sorry for it. And this Great Dragon God before him, though he had never said how much he valued the monkey… who knew if the White Tiger Guardian God, who always felt sorry for the monkey, had said anything to this Great Dragon God?

Moreover, over the years, in order to better temper the monkey's indestructible body, the mountain gods, the Six Ding and Six Jia, and the Jie Di Jia Lan have indeed given the monkey some hardships... While those hardships were nominally for tempering the monkey's indestructible body, in reality, a considerable part of them were due to these people's jealousy and hatred towards the monkey.

Think about it, this monkey is cultivating peacefully under the Five Elements Mountain, while those Six Ding and Six Jia, and Jie Di Jia Lan are also trapped in this small space, wasting time with this monkey... They are called guards, but in reality, they are no different from prisoners.

Under such circumstances, one can imagine the dissatisfaction they felt.

"All of you, step back." Ao Bing glanced at them and saw through their thoughts. He then waved his hand, signaling them to leave.

"Follow the law."

Although Ao Bing was not a strong figure in the Buddhist system, after he waved his hand, the Buddhist monks also retreated quickly without the slightest hesitation—as if they had received not Ao Bing's orders, but the Buddha's decree.

After the gods had left, Ao Bing slowly ascended the Five Elements Mountain, following its contours.

This Five Elements Mountain appears to be a mountain, with the five elements rotating... but in reality, what rotates within it is far more than just the five elements.

That is clearly the manifestation of Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, now the Buddha's fruition!
What it connects to is not only heaven and earth, but also the Dao at a deeper level of heaven and earth.

That's why the Five Elements Mountain was able to suppress that monkey.

Otherwise, if he only possessed the wonder of the Five Elements Reincarnation, the monkey would only need to stand the Iron Ruyi Jingu Bang upright to lift up the Five Elements Mountain.

The mountains are filled with jagged rocks, and life is scarce; it is a desolate place.

As he moved along the mountainside, Ao Bing also carefully sensed the aura emanating from the enlightenment of Shakyamuni.

Through the mutual influence of these fruit auras, the aura of the 'Future Star Calamity Venerable' who reverses time and space in the Yuan Tian, ​​and another incarnation of Ao Bing, were also perceived by Shakyamuni.

"Amitabha, good, good, good."

On Mount Ling, Shakyamuni, who was preaching to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, sensed the aura of the 'Future Star Lord' and smiled with a flower in hand.

As the present flows by, another future is also born.

This is a future different from that of Maitreya. Similarly, it is only when the future Star Lord and Maitreya are together that the true manifestation of the future of Buddhism will occur!

Because only the uncertain future is the true future.

If the future Star Lord of Calamity had not manifested, the future of Buddhism would have been in the hands of Maitreya alone, which would have been a complete disaster!

Because that means that Maitreya's words and actions, his deliberations and choices, will not be subject to any restrictions!

If Venerable Maitreya makes any wrong decision and causes any trouble, the entire Buddhist community will find it difficult to extricate itself from the situation.

Because what Maitreya Buddha represents is the 'only' future of Buddhism!

But now, with the manifestation of the future Star Lord of Calamity... the situation has finally undergone a completely new change.

……

Not long after walking along the Five Elements Mountain, the monkey's figure appeared before Ao Bing's eyes.

Compared to the Heavenly Prison, the environment of being imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain was obviously much harsher.

After all, no matter how tired or miserable you are in the prison, there is still a small space where you can move around.

But being pressed under this Five Elements Mountain, it was truly immovable, not even by the slightest bit.

Over the long years, the Five Elements Mountain had become as intertwined with the monkey's flesh and blood.

At first glance, it seems as if the monkey's head grew directly from the Five Elements Mountain.

The hair on his head was coarse, but not messy—clearly, someone often came to groom it for him.

In front of him was a large pile of peach pits—despite the wind and rain, not a single one of these scattered peach pits had sprouted.

When Ao Bing walked up to the monkey, it was still fast asleep, looking weak and listless. Even though its fur had been groomed, it showed no trace of its former arrogance.

"Monkey, it's time to wake up." Ao Bing walked over to the monkey and patted his head.

"Giggle..." This immediately startled the monkey, causing it to shake its head and reveal a fierce expression.

"Who are you, and what are you doing at Five Elements Mountain?" the monkey stared at Ao Bing.

He was locked in the Five Elements Mountain, so he was deaf and blind, completely unaware of the changes happening in the world—he didn't even know what year it was.

"You little monkey, you used to be so obedient, how come you don't know how to be obedient now that you should be the most obedient?" As the voice spoke, a beam of light descended upon the Five Elements Mountain.

That was none other than the White Tiger Supervisor of Soldiers.

In the past, she always came here in disguise, but this time she came in her true form.

"Do I need to tell you who he is?"

"If he hadn't planted the Jianmu tree on Flower Fruit Mountain, where would your manifestation have come from?"

"If it weren't for his prior arrangements, how could so many true dragons have accompanied you all the way, drawing waves to help you cross the vast oceans?"

Seeing her figure and gently leaning against Ao Bing, the monkey immediately understood Ao Bing's identity.

"Could this be my godfather?" The monkey suppressed his fierce demeanor, a smile appearing on his face, his attitude unusually docile.

Hearing the term "monkey," Ao Bing's lips twitched.

Over the countless years, he had seen many descendants of the dragon race—but to call someone "godfather" directly like this monkey... even Ao Bing's journey from Pan Tian to Yuan Tian, ​​and then back to Pan Tian, ​​was unprecedented in history.

Therefore, at this moment, Ao Bing's emotions were more complex and strange than ever before.

"Let's just say that." After glancing at Li Nu beside him, Ao Bing reluctantly accepted this godson, and then carefully examined the monkey's appearance.

Although it was transformed from a divine stone on Flower Fruit Mountain, when it was still a divine stone, Ao Bing obtained a hair from Wuzhiqi that carried Wuzhiqi's essence—influenced by this, the divine stone was conceived in the form of a monkey.

Because it was influenced by Wuzhiqi's origin, this monkey's appearance is somewhat similar to Wuzhiqi's.

Although not as tall as Wuzhiqi, its majestic golden eyes and snow-white teeth are in no way inferior to Wuzhiqi's, making it arguably the most beautiful of all monkeys.

The title of "Monkey King" is indeed well-deserved.

"Godfather, I heard that you are in charge of all the prisons in the world."

"You've come here in person today, could it be that my sentence is finally over?" the monkey asked.

Monkeys are naturally unruly—Wuzhiqi had a water palace to roam freely, but this monkey was stuck in the Five Finger Mountain and couldn't move an inch.

It's easy to imagine how difficult those countless years must have been.

"How long have you been imprisoned here?"

(End of this chapter)