I am submissive in Journey to the West, I strike hard at the gods

Jiang Wang was well aware that Jiang Ziya was the one with the worst innate talent during the Investiture of the Gods. He could enjoy worldly riches and honors, but judging from Jiang Ziya's magical power, he was a highly skilled person who could move the waters of the North Sea to protect Xiqi City. He might be considered trash compared to his fellow disciples from the Chan and Jie sects, but compared to ordinary people, he was definitely a powerful being capable of moving mountains and overturning seas.

The Investiture of the Gods wasn't just for immortals; many mortals were also on the list, including even Jiang Ziya's wife, Ma, who had no magical powers and was given the title of "broom star."

There is only one reason why Ma was deified: he rose to prominence through his marriage. Otherwise, any other mortal would not even have been qualified to be listed.

Then the question arises: why is it that Ma Shi was qualified to be listed as a deity, while Jiang Ziya could only enjoy worldly wealth and honor?
The answer now lies with him. The patriarch of the human race is enough to explain everything. How could ordinary mortals be qualified to be deified? Even if they had the God-Slaying Whip, they would be killed by the fierce aura of the evil gods on the Investiture of the Gods, leaving not even a trace of dregs. Only those favored by heaven and earth who possess the fortune of the human race can suppress the evil aura of the heavens and remain unaffected by it.

Jiang Ziya did not participate in the Investiture of the Gods, yet he surpassed all the gods on the list. He followed the path of the seven people who achieved sainthood through physical means, such as Yang Jian and Nezha. However, he was the one responsible for managing the fortune of the human race and was the vessel for that fortune.

The fall of King Zhou meant the end of the human emperors in the mortal world. All power fell into the hands of the human race's chieftain. So, who was qualified to shoulder this heavy responsibility during the Investiture of the Gods? Naturally, it was Jiang Ziya, the teacher of the emperor and the Grand Tutor, known to all under heaven.

Moreover, even if Jiang Ziya did not have the status of a human clan leader, as long as he reincarnated, he would still be involved in karma and embark on the path of cultivating immortality. It was only a matter of time before he joined the ranks of immortals. Jiang Wang's current experience has already proven everything.

As for why he traveled from modern society back to Jiang Wang in the prehistoric world, the trick is the same as that of the Great Celestial Venerable. One soul is reincarnated, while the main soul continues to rule the Three Realms. He was just sent to modern society by the Primordial Celestial Venerable, and the remaining soul was reincarnated as Jiang Wang. When the opportunity came, he naturally traveled back and his soul and body became one.

If he and Jiang Wang did not come from the same soul, not to mention a saint, even the other heavenly soldiers and generals around him would be able to sense that his soul was different and immediately revert him to his original form, without even needing a true immortal to take action.

The God-Slaying Whip has long since turned to rotten wood, but the eighty-four spiritual talismans left behind by the Primordial Celestial Venerable, although things are not what they used to be and the Heavenly Court's power has greatly increased, and it can no longer strike whomever it wants, still have the right to "name and criticize" the three hundred and sixty-five righteous gods of the eight departments of the Heavenly Court, and they don't even need to fear the small worlds within their authority.

The others are not worth mentioning, but Doumu Yuanjun is among them. Jiang Wang even suspects that when Pingxin Niangniang returned the eighty-four spirit talismans to him, it was actually to cause trouble for Doumu Yuanjun. The other gods are just bystanders. The reason is very simple: the aftermath of the Wu and Yao tribes in the past has not been extinguished.

“Fellow Daoist Jiang, please don’t think I’m being petty and targeting the Heavenly Court. There’s also the reason for the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang and the Three Powers. As the patriarch of the human race, Fellow Daoist Jiang is the boundary in the Taiji diagram. Although it’s insignificant, it affects the balance of Yin and Yang. That’s why the talisman left by Fellow Daoist Yuanshi back then has not yet disappeared from the world.”

Jiang Wang realized that his thoughts had been noticed by Consort Pingxin, and he understood even more clearly that the equality of all beings under the sage was not just an empty phrase. Even though he had received the help of the rare treasures transformed from the inner core of the Ancestral Dragon and his power had increased significantly, he still had little value in front of Consort Pingxin.

He quickly corrected his attitude, "I couldn't control my thoughts for a moment, and I apologize for any offense I may have caused. However, Your Majesty has asked me to decide on the candidates for the Five Kings of Hell, and I am truly powerless to do so. Could Your Majesty please offer some guidance?"

The question and answer between Jiang Wang and Lady Pingxin was like a bolt from the blue to the ears of the Desolate Emperor and the others. Even though Jiang Wang's magical power and supernatural abilities were only slightly inferior to their own, he was protected by many innate treasures. Yet, Lady Pingxin could still perceive even his thoughts. Wouldn't all their guesses and considerations during this period be completely exposed to Lady Pingxin?
In an instant, the Desolate Emperor and the others realized that they had underestimated the Empress's divine power, as well as the abilities of the so-called saints of this world. These saints were not merely figures at the fourth level of the Spirit Platform in their own world, but were omnipotent and omniscient.

Although they are still one step away from the realm of sainthood, this step far surpasses the millions of steps they have taken before, and the difference in their levels even exceeds the gap between mortals and him.

Before the Empress, they were as pure and innocent as newborn babies.

Looking at this muddle-headed fellow, Empress Pingxin revealed a secret.

"These two matters were originally a headache for me as well, but your appearance has brought about a new change in the world, turning the impossible into possible. Do you still remember the North Sea Black Tortoise that was killed by Fellow Daoist Nuwa?"

Jiang Wang understood immediately. The North Sea Black Tortoise still had a sliver of consciousness. No matter how much the Black Tortoise had mended the sky or how much Nuwa had been merciful, it was impossible to completely destroy the Black Tortoise. Even if the Dao Ancestor intervened, he would leave it a chance to live. After all, it had not done anything evil yet suffered this calamity, and it had made great contributions to heaven and earth. Killing the Black Tortoise would shake the way of heaven and earth and destroy its own foundation.

The Black Tortoise had seen this, which is why it dared to act recklessly and cause chaos. That's why Goddess Nuwa personally settled this feud, but she must have left herself a backup plan.

He pressed on relentlessly, asking, "May I ask Your Majesty, is it that the Black Tortoise is to be appointed as one of the Five Kings of Hell?"

Empress Pingxin looked up and asked, "Do you think the Fifth King of Hell is suitable for the Northern Sea Black Tortoise? If it is willing, why not give it the title of Lord of the Underworld?"

Jiang Wang immediately understood. He knew that the merits of the North Sea Black Tortoise alone made it the most suitable person to serve as the ruler of the underworld. Even the Eastern Peak Emperor could only slink to the sidelines.

"Please tell me, Your Majesty, where exactly is the last glimmer of hope for that black tortoise?"

"Although the North Sea Black Tortoise is destroyed, its four heavenly pillars still exist in the mortal world. As long as you gather the remaining spiritual tortoise energy from the four heavenly pillars, you will have a way to condense it into a primordial spirit. Otherwise, the North Sea Black Tortoise will need to go through 108 eons of life before it can give birth to four incarnations and receive the opportunities from ancient times."

Jiang Wang was well aware of the principle that one is obligated to accept gifts, and he also understood that these words were not meant for him. He was simply acting as a tool and a mouthpiece, so he took the opportunity to inquire about some private matters that were not actually his own.

"Your Majesty, I promised Marshal Tianpeng in Heaven a few days ago that I would avoid being reborn as a pig. I don't know where Marshal Tianpeng has been reincarnated. Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."

Empress Pingxin sighed, "It seems you are also a restless soul. You can't openly oppose the chaos above, so you had to come to me to address the root of the problem. I know a little about Tianpeng's matter. He was destined to undergo a transformation, and although he has temporarily escaped it and been reborn as a human, the calamity remains. If you want to find his whereabouts, you can use your natal treasure to calculate it yourself; you don't need to consult me." Jiang Wang knew, of course, that the Empress did not want the Heavenly Court to interfere in the Underworld's personnel arrangements. The Heavenly Court's numerous troubles alone were enough to make the Empress look down on the Great Heavenly Venerable. Besides, Tianpeng was born to face a calamity, and the Great Heavenly Venerable himself banished him to the mortal realm. With so many restrictions, how could an ordinary person deduce his whereabouts?

As a result, the goddess deliberately kept quiet, firstly to stay out of it, and secondly to let him handle his own affairs without resorting to favors or exchanges. This was in line with the goddess's consistent style of not interfering in matters of the underworld.

Knowing that the matter was now concluded, Jiang Wang extended another invitation to the Desolate Emperor and his party.

"I am currently preparing to travel to Jin'ao Island to pay my respects to my grandmaster, the Tongtian Sect Master. Since you all come from other realms, you might as well come with me and see if we have the opportunity to meet him. By the way, I would also like to ask Your Highness to temporarily allow my disciple to accompany me, as Yuwei may only have this one chance to meet him."

Empress Pingxin's expression immediately turned solemn. After pondering for a moment, she slowly gave instructions to Jiang Wang.

"Fellow Daoist Tongtian has probably made a decision to disappear from the Three Realms from now on. His many inheritances are of no use to you, but you must get your hands on the Immortal Slaughtering Formation Diagram. Even if he deliberately makes things difficult for you, you must pester him relentlessly to obtain the Dao Hand. I will send you on your way."

With a flash of light, the group appeared on the vast sea, with an island appearing and disappearing amidst the swirling mist ahead.

Jiang Wang's brows furrowed in dismay. If he hadn't known the cause and effect of his past life, he could have shamelessly asked the Tongtian Sect Leader for the array diagram. But now that he knew the cause and effect, if he still asked, he would probably be lucky if the Tongtian Sect Leader didn't use him as a sacrifice for his sword.
What were the Four Swords of Zhuxian used for? They were the weapons that Jiang Ziya used to invite the three generations of the Chan Sect to slaughter 84,000 disciples of the Jie Sect in front of the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation. In particular, these weapons were seized from the Zhuxian Formation.

Of course, his origins could not be hidden from the Tongtian Sect Leader. The fact that he handed over the Four Swords of Zhuxian to him was actually a way of venting his anger on his two senior brothers, Laozi and Yuanshi. "These swords of mine fell into your hands back then. Jiang Ziya used them to slaughter my sect members, and their souls entered the Investiture of the Gods Platform and were conferred the title of 84,000 evil spirits. What's wrong with giving them to Jiang Ziya now?"

I thought I had found a treasure, but it turns out that a huge black pot had already been put on my head.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss, and ignorance is indeed a blessing.

At this moment, the Desolate Emperor stared wide-eyed, waiting intently for the island that rose and fell amidst the vast expanse of misty waves in front of him. Since this moment, he had been unable to pinpoint the island's exact location, and even the existence of the island was unknown in his divine sense scan.

With a splash of water below, a beautiful woman emerged from the waves and greeted Jiang Wang, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, no, my name is Yan Cai, greetings to True Monarch Dayan!"

Jiang Wang was startled from his reverie and saw that the person who came was the princess of the East Sea Dragon Palace whom he had met twice before. At that time, he was just an ordinary heavenly general. He never imagined that in just a few years, he would become a high-ranking and powerful Heavenly Court True Lord, with the same status as Erlang Shen and the Third Prince. Since the Dragon Princess was now serving as a punishment in the Thunder Department, he naturally had to step forward and pay his respects.

Jiang Wang naturally had to be polite, since he had a good relationship with the Four Dragon Kings in the lower realm. He would help them out if he could. If he hadn't made that trip to the East Sea back then, he might not have encountered the immortal destiny so quickly.

"Fellow Daoist Yancai, there's no need for such formalities. Seeing your radiant face, it's likely you'll soon reach the True Immortal realm. Congratulations! By the way, what brings you from Jin'ao Island? If you wish to meet the island's master, then come with us and see if there's any opportunity."

Upon hearing this, Yan Cai quickly shook her head, "True Lord, you misunderstand. I was merely passing by and had no chance to visit the island. Moreover, the senior Jin'ao who is holding this island hostage has a strong prejudice against our dragon clan. How could I dare to go and make a fool of myself? I only came to pay my respects to you since you suddenly appeared, and I would also like to invite you and fellow Daoists to the West Sea Dragon Palace for a cup of wine to celebrate my brother's wedding. I hope you will do me the honor."

Nowadays, the Great Evolution True Lord is a big shot in the Heavenly Court. It is said that he has been in the outer realms for a long time, bringing many great opportunities to the gods and immortals of the Heavenly Court. I have met his eldest disciple, the Star Lord Han Su, once. Her magical power is not as high as mine, but she was appointed as a fairy maiden of the Nine Heavens by the Queen Mother. Her status is much higher than mine, a thunder and rain maker.

Furthermore, according to news from the Queen Mother of the West, the feud between the Great Evolution True Lord and the Ancestral Dragon has now been resolved. As a member of the Dragon Clan, whether for my own sake or for the sake of the Dragon Clan, I must try to get closer to him, since he is still the patriarch of the Human Clan.

His uncle had met him in the South China Sea a few days ago and had even helped his cousin Ao Lie obtain the Phoenix Feather. So, since they happened to meet today, he naturally had to take the opportunity to extend an invitation.

Jiang Wang hesitated for a moment, knowing that the White Dragon's marriage was a pretense and his real intention was to join the Western Journey Tribulation. So he decided to bring the Desolate Emperor and these country bumpkins over to watch the show. Besides, the Desolate Emperor was now considered a newly recruited direct descendant of the Earth Goddess, so he didn't rush to take him to the Heavenly Court to see the Great Heavenly Venerable. He would go last, which was also to save face for the two of them.

Besides, the Dragon Palace is arguably the most prestigious place in the prehistoric world, and it's also a melting pot of all sorts of people. If the Desolate Emperor and others want to see the true face of the prehistoric world, the Dragon Palace is the best place to go. It would also be a good opportunity for Ao Yuwei, the little dragon, to get to know the relatives here. At least that was his original plan.

However, since Lady Pingxin gave the Ancestral Dragon's inner core to her master and disciple, it meant that she was also responsible for the affairs of the Dragon Palace.

"How could I refuse the princess's invitation? I just don't know when Ao Lie's wedding is. If there are no further delays, I will definitely bring a few friends with me."

Yan Cai breathed a sigh of relief. "That's wonderful! My brother's wedding is scheduled for the fifth day of the fifth month, which is more than fifty days away. If you're not a high-level cultivator, you'll definitely be able to make it. I'll take my leave now, so as not to upset the seniors ahead."

The Desolate Emperor ignored the departure of the dragon girl before him, keeping his eyes fixed on the island ahead. Suddenly, he sighed, “Your land is indeed far more prosperous than we imagined. The fellow Daoist ahead, whose power was above mine, glanced at me and then dismissed me. It seems that our cultivation has not yet caught the eye of the island’s master.”

Jiang Wang chuckled dryly, "Fellow Daoist, you're too kind. My grandmaster uncle is most skilled in the art of killing, but he doesn't achieve sainthood through killing. Therefore, I am somewhat interested in your visit. However, in my previous life, due to a great calamity, I fought with this grandmaster uncle. It wasn't a big deal when I didn't understand the cause and effect, but now that I do, it's rather embarrassing. That's why I need to use you as an excuse to meet him." (End of Chapter)