Marvel's Magic Master

"Fellow Daoist Black Dragon, what brings you here in such a hurry?"

When Shen Gongbao arrived at George's cave, a look of doubt appeared on his face.

George poured Shen Gongbao a glass of wine:

"I've calculated that the Three Pure Ones will soon emerge from seclusion, and so I have a plan."

He explained Shen Gongbao's situation and part of his own plans.

"Brother Leopard, what do you think?"

Shen Gongbao remained silent for a long time after hearing this.

If he did as George suggested, he would completely break with the Chan Sect and also completely offend his master, Yuanshi Tianzun.

Previously, he could only be considered to have fallen out with his senior brother, the Boundless Immortal Venerable, but if his master, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, could uphold justice after emerging from seclusion...

He still has a chance to return to the Chan Sect, and even a chance to continue competing for the Twelve Golden Immortals in the future.

"Okay, okay. I promise you!"

However, after some hesitation, he agreed.

Having gone through so much, he had long since seen through it all.

Throughout the entire Chan Sect, apart from that fat pig Taiyi Zhenren, there were very few people who truly respected him.

He couldn't believe that his master, Yuanshi Tianzun, would be completely unaware of all the things that Wuliang Xianzun had done.

So if he still holds onto hope, what awaits him will not be justice, but rather even more disgusting exploitation.

It would be better to cooperate with George.

If it really works out, then not only can the dragon race return to the four seas, but he can also bring his family the status and respect he has always wanted.

Although the process may be somewhat dangerous, he is willing to take that risk.

This can be considered revenge for all the grievances he has suffered over the years.

Three days later, the same voice appeared in the minds of disciples of the Chan Sect in various places.

"All disciples of the Chan Sect, listen to my command and return immediately to the Jade Void Palace on Kunlun Mountain."

In this world, King Zhou of Shang is tyrannical and has brought disaster to the people. The reign of King Tang has come to an end, and a sage ruler of the Western Zhou has emerged.

"I will command Jiang Ziya to descend the mountain with the Investiture of the Gods."

Upon hearing the decree from the Primordial Celestial Venerable, Shen Gongbao nodded to George and then rode a cloud toward the Jade Void Palace on Kunlun Mountain.

Not long after Shen Gongbao left, the Three Immortals found George:

"Master has emerged from seclusion. Come with me to Biyou Palace to pay my respects!"

They had promised George that once their master, the Tongtian Sect Leader, emerged from seclusion, they would introduce him to the Tongtian Sect Leader's tutelage.

George readily agreed and followed the Three Immortals to Biyou Palace.

Although his clone's actual combat power had reached the threshold of sainthood, his true cultivation level, according to this world, could only be described as quasi-saint.

Therefore, becoming a disciple of Tongtian Jiaozhu of the Jie Sect is not a bad thing.

Putting everything else aside, just being able to listen to the Tongtian Sect Leader preach would definitely be incredibly beneficial.

Moreover, his status as a disciple of the Tongtian Sect Master made it easier for him to carry out his subsequent plans.

Flying eastward, it wasn't long before a small island shrouded in auspicious clouds and swirling with propitious energy came into George's view.

It is Jin'ao Island, the location of Biyou Palace, the residence of the Tongtian Sect Leader.

The island is adorned with magnificent palaces and pavilions, exotic flowers and rare herbs, and countless celestial birds and mythical beasts, showcasing its extraordinary beauty and charm.

"Truly worthy of the Jie Sect's reputation for attracting ten thousand immortals to pay homage; this is far more grand than the Jade Void Palace!"

In terms of overall appearance, Biyou Palace is not much better than Yuxu Palace, but the cultivation level of the surrounding Jie Sect disciples is far superior.

The disciples of the Chan Sect who currently possess relatively high levels of cultivation are Wuliang Xianweng, the Twelve Golden Immortals, and some third-generation disciples.

Although the remaining disciples were numerous, their cultivation levels were truly disappointing.

Even combined, they wouldn't be enough to defeat Nezha and Ao Bing.

No wonder the Boundless Immortal Elder went to great lengths to hunt demons and refine elixirs to improve the cultivation of the disciples of the Chan Sect.

Let's take a look at the Intercepting Sect side.

The seven immortal attendants of the Tongtian Sect Leader are: Wuyun Immortal, Jingu Immortal, Pilu Immortal, Lingya Immortal, Qiushou Immortal, Jinguang Immortal, and Changer Dingguang Immortal.

Each of them possessed strength comparable to a mid-tier Golden Immortal among the Twelve Golden Immortals.

His four direct disciples are: Daoist Duobao, Holy Mother Jinling, Holy Mother Wudang, and Holy Mother Guiling.

Although Daoist Duobao was defeated by Guangchengzi's Heaven-Turning Seal, Guangchengzi was the strongest among the Twelve Golden Immortals.

Therefore, his strength is not bad, and he has a cultivation level close to that of a Great Luo Golden Immortal.

Moreover, after being captured by Laozi, when he transformed into a Buddha in the future, he stole the merits of the two Western Saints and directly became a saint, transforming into the Tathagata Buddha, the leader of Buddhism.

His inspiration for achieving sainthood came from this place.

The Holy Mother Jinling fought against three men—Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Cihang Daoren—along with the three who had subdued Lingya Xian, Qiushou Xian, and Jinguang Xian.

It's equivalent to holding his own against six opponents.

The Holy Mother of Wudang, a mid-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal, was one of the few disciples of the Jie Sect who escaped unscathed during the Investiture of the Gods war.

The future Old Mother of Lishan, Bai Suzhen's master.

The Holy Mother of the Tortoise Spirit was also defeated by Guang Chengzi, but she also had a cultivation level close to that of a Great Luo Golden Immortal.

Then there are the outer disciples, the chief disciple Zhao Gongming, a peak Great Luo Golden Immortal, whose twenty-four Sea-Stabilizing Divine Pearls possess boundless power.

His battle record is verifiable: he killed Jiang Shang, captured Huanglong Zhenren, and injured Guangchengzi, Chijingzi, Yuding Zhenren, Daoxing Tianzun, and Lingbao Dafashi.

They chased after the Taoist Ran Deng, cut Ran Deng's sika deer in two, and killed the wandering immortal Xiao Sheng.

Needless to say, the Three Immortals set up the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation, cutting off the three flowers on the tops of the twelve Golden Immortals' heads and the five qi in their chests.

In the end, it was only after Yuanshi Tianzun and Taishang Laojun shamelessly took action themselves that it was finally subdued.

Besides these top disciples, there are also the Ten Heavenly Lords of Jin'ao Island and the Four Saints of Jiulong Island, whose strength is at the Taiyi Golden Immortal level.

And many third and fourth generation disciples whose cultivation was no less than that of the second generation disciples.

Examples include Wen Zhong, the Grand Tutor of the Yin Shang Dynasty; Yu Yuan, the Immortal of One Qi; the Holy Mother of Fire Spirit; Yu Hua; Hu Lei; Ji Li; Yu Qing, and so on.

It should be noted that at the end of the Investiture of the Gods war, even with the Jie Sect suffering heavy casualties, the Guide Daoist was still able to use the Qiankun Bag to take away three thousand Jie Sect disciples and convert them to Buddhism.

Most of the celestial deities listed on the Investiture of the Gods, such as the Nine Luminaries, the Twenty-Eight Mansions, and the One Hundred and Eight Heavenly Generals and Earthly Fiends, also came from the Jie Sect.

Therefore, when the disciples of the Jie Sect gathered at Biyou Palace to pay homage to the Tongtian Sect Leader, it was no exaggeration to say that ten thousand immortals came to pay tribute.

If it weren't for the machinations of Yuanshi Tianzun and Taishang Laojun, who shamelessly took matters into their own hands, the Jie Sect could have utterly crushed the Chan Sect.

The disciples of the Jie Sect were all familiar with each other, and many of them were demons with long lifespans, some of whom had existed since the beginning of time.

They don't have many ulterior motives, and most of them have straightforward personalities.

After the Three Immortals mentioned introducing George to the Tongtian Sect and discovered that George's cultivation was quite remarkable, they all behaved rather kindly.

George also took the opportunity to build relationships with everyone, and quickly became familiar with the disciples of the Jie Sect. "The Sect Leader has arrived!"

As the voices of the Seven Immortals of Sui Temple echoed in Biyou Palace, a young man dressed in a Taoist robe landed on a seat in front of the palace amidst a dazzling array of light.

"Meet the leader!"

All the disciples of the Jie Sect bowed to the seated Tongtian Sect Leader.

The Master of Heaven casually waved his hand:

“I’ve already said, we’re not those rigid people from the Chan Sect, we don’t need to be so concerned about etiquette.”

Since he has opened the door to convenience and taught without discrimination, he naturally doesn't care about the formalities that ordinary people would care about.

"This time, my two senior brothers and I created the Investiture of the Gods in order to conform to the will of Heaven, help the Heavenly Court increase its strength, expand its power, and better manage the Three Realms."

This list of gods concerns the three realms, and even I, the leader of this sect, do not yet know who will be on the list.

Only after death, when one is absorbed into the list, will the truth be revealed.

In the Three Realms, those with profound cultivation mostly come from our three religions, so those on the list should also mostly be disciples of our three religions.

Therefore, my Jie Sect is no exception.

"Master, is being listed on the Investiture of the Gods a good thing or a bad thing?"

Zhao Gongming, the eldest disciple of the outer sect, spoke up on behalf of everyone.

Everyone has known about the Investiture of the Gods for a long time, but they are not very clear about whether being listed on the Investiture of the Gods is a good thing or not.

The Master of Heaven casually conjured a flask of wine and drank it:

"Whether it's good or bad depends on who it is. It's not a good thing for you, but it's a great thing for those who have no hope of becoming immortals in their lifetime."

"Why?"

Bixiao clearly did not understand the meaning of the Tongtian Sect Leader.

Yunxiao, however, showed a look of understanding and explained on behalf of the Tongtian Sect Leader:
"Since one can only be listed on the Investiture of the Gods after death, it means that the physical body has been destroyed and only the primordial spirit remains. Moreover, it is estimated that they will be subject to the restrictions of the Heavenly Court in the future and will never be carefree again."

Therefore, for us, it is considered poison and should not be included on the list.

However, for the other disciples who could not become immortals, even if they were driven by the Heavenly Court, at least they had become gods and no longer needed to enter the cycle of reincarnation.

"Good, so from now on, you should all stay in your respective caves and cultivate in seclusion, and do not go out casually."

After the Investiture of the Gods is completed, everyone can enjoy their freedom!

The Master of the Heavenly Sect nodded and issued a decree.

He knew that there must be disciples of the Jie Sect on the Investiture of the Gods list, but as long as the disciples listened to his decree and stayed in their caves to cultivate, they would not be killed and would naturally not be on the list.

If anyone doesn't listen to advice, then so be it. As their master, he has fulfilled his responsibility by reminding them to this point.

After all, the three religions should be equal, and it's unacceptable to only include disciples from the other two religions on the list, as long as it's roughly the same.

Moreover, although being listed on the Investiture of the Gods means losing one's carefree life, it's not the worst outcome. At least it doesn't mean being reincarnated again or being completely annihilated.

"Unfortunately, your two senior brothers don't think so."

George roughly guessed what the Grandmaster was thinking and muttered to himself.

The Tongtian Sect Leader thought that since there were many disciples of the Jie Sect, it wouldn't be a big deal to allocate some of the third and fourth generation disciples to the sect.

Unexpectedly, his two senior brothers, Yuanshi and Daode Tianzun, wanted all the disciples of the Jie Sect to participate, and he preferred not to participate at all.

By the time you finally realize it, it's too late.

That's why he was so angry that he personally set up the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation.

Anyway, there are only so many spots on the Investiture of the Gods list. As long as enough people are killed in the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, the list will be full and the Investiture of the Gods calamity will be over.

Little did he know that his two senior brothers not only joined forces but also sought help from outsiders, determined to exterminate his Jie Sect.

"Your disciple obeys!"

The disciples bowed again.

They knew that the Tongtian Sect Leader didn't care about etiquette, but they respected their master, who taught without discrimination, from the bottom of their hearts.

Therefore, he bows every time from the bottom of his heart.

"Okay, back off!"

The Tongtian Sect Leader waved his hand, preparing to dismiss his disciples so they could return to their caves to cultivate.

At this moment, Yunxiao beckoned George to come forward:

"Master, I have something to report to you."

She quickly gave a brief overview of George's situation.

The Grand Master of Heaven looked George up and down, a hint of surprise on his face, then nodded:

"Since you have no master, then join my Jie Sect and become an outer disciple!"

He teaches without discrimination, but that doesn't mean he'll accept anyone as a disciple.

He would not accept those with special backgrounds, such as disciples of other sects.

He would accept those with mediocre talent who didn't meet his standards, but he would have his own disciples or his disciples accept them.

Only those with excellent aptitude, no special background, and strength at least at the Golden Immortal level or above.

He will only accept disciples based on his mood.

Of course, there are differences between disciples.

His personal disciples were those he personally selected, guided from a young age, and prepared to become his closest disciples who would become the successors of the Jie Sect in the future.

Attendant disciples were originally servants who served the palace, but due to their good aptitude, they became disciples and were mainly responsible for managing miscellaneous affairs of Biyou Palace.

Outer disciples are those who already possessed considerable cultivation and their own cave dwellings, and who joined his sect after listening to his teachings.

The outer disciples of the Jie Sect were the most numerous.

Finally, there are the independent cultivators, who are a group of cultivators who have heard him preach but have not become his disciples or joined the Jie Sect.

He made a great vow to help all sentient beings attain enlightenment, and he would never drive away anyone who came to preach.

"Disciple, I pay my respects to the Master!"

George performed the apprenticeship ceremony according to the rules of the Jie Sect.

In fact, the Jie Sect didn't have many rules. The apprenticeship ceremony was quite simple, basically just verbally confirming the relationship and informing the other disciples of the Jie Sect.

And that was it, without any grand ceremony.

Fortunately, most of the disciples, except those who are officials in the court, are here now, so there's no need to even notify them.

"Alright, ask your Senior Sister Yunxiao about cultivation methods. If there's anything you don't understand, ask your Senior Sister Yunxiao too."

If you still have questions, come to Biyou Palace and ask me in person.

The Master of Heaven reached out and pulled out a magical artifact, which he then tossed to George.

...(End of chapter)