Primordial Era: A brick knocks Hongyun unconscious, and he seizes the throne at the start.

Heavenly Court, Heavenly River Marshal's Mansion.

Marshal Tianpeng Zhu Ganglie was in an exceptionally irritable mood today.

He was the leader of the Four Saints of the North Pole, commanding 80,000 celestial naval troops, holding a high position and great power. But lately, he felt as if countless eyes were watching him from the shadows, a constant unease. A few days ago, at a banquet in the Jade Pool, he drank a few too many cups. On his way back, he unexpectedly "encountered" the fairy Chang'e outside the Moon Palace. The fairy smiled at him and invited him into the palace for tea... After that, he couldn't quite remember what happened.

All he remembered was waking up the next day to find himself naked on the banks of the Milky Way, where he was "caught" by patrolling heavenly soldiers. Immediately afterward, the Jade Emperor was furious and reprimanded him for "harassing Chang'e and violating heavenly rules," ordering him to be banished to the mortal realm and cast into the animal kingdom.

"Marshal, His Majesty has issued an order for Venus to escort you to the Reincarnation Platform..." the lieutenant reported in a low voice, his tone reluctant.

Zhu Ganglie's face turned ashen, and he smashed the table with his fist: "I'm innocent!"

He was by no means a lecherous man; everything that happened that day was eerily strange. How could the Moon Goddess Chang'e, so aloof and solitary, invite him without reason? That tea… there must be something wrong with it!

But he had no evidence. The Jade Emperor's decree had been issued, yet not a single deity in the entire court pleaded for him. Even the star lords who had previously been on good terms with him kept their distance.

"Buddhism..." Zhu Ganglie gritted his teeth, recalling that some time ago, Guanyin Bodhisattva had "unintentionally" mentioned that Buddhism wanted to promote the "Journey to the West" and needed several "predestined people" to descend to the mortal world as demons, accumulate tribulations, and eventually achieve perfect merit and attain Buddhahood. At the time, he thought it was just idle talk, but now, thinking back, every word was an implication!

Am I... chosen as a "destined one"? To be banished to the mortal realm with the stigma of "harassing Chang'e," and then reborn as a pig to suffer humiliation, and then for Buddhism to "save and enlighten" me in the future, wouldn't I be eternally grateful and devoted to it?

What a cunning scheme! How ruthless!

"Marshal, the time has come." Venus entered the palace with the imperial decree, followed by a team of golden-armored generals.

Zhu Ganglie took a deep breath, knowing that resistance was futile and would only worsen his crime. He glanced coldly at Venus and strode out of the marshal's mansion.

Just as he was about to be put into the prison van, a clear voice suddenly entered his ears, which only he could hear:

"Marshal Tianpeng, would you like to retain your human form?"

Zhu Ganglie was startled. His gaze swept across the clouds and he saw a Taoist in a green robe (Lu Chen disguised as Qingfeng Taoist) nodding slightly to him.

"You are..." Zhu Ganglie transmitted his thoughts.

"The one who will help you," Lu Chen transmitted his voice, "is someone the Buddhist sect is plotting against you as a pawn on the pilgrimage, intending to reincarnate you as a pig to suffer humiliation so they can control you later. I can help you retain your human form, only acquiring the appearance of a pig, without harming your intelligence. But you must agree to one thing—"

"What is it?" Zhu Ganglie asked urgently.

"Pretend to convert to Buddhism, and secretly obey my commands when we go on our journey to the West. When the time is right, I will help you regain your position as the Heavenly Marshal, or even... rise to a higher level."

A struggle flashed in Zhu Ganglie's eyes. He didn't know who this Taoist was, but he was now at his wit's end. Should he completely become a pig demon, at the mercy of Buddhism, or take a gamble and leave a glimmer of hope?

"I promise you!" he whispered through gritted teeth.

"Alright." Lu Chen flicked his finger, and a wisp of chaotic energy silently entered the depths of Zhu Ganglie's soul. "This energy can protect your true spirit from being obscured and prevent it from being cleansed by reincarnation. When you are reincarnated, I will secretly cast a spell to preserve the foundation of your human body."

As they were talking, the prison van arrived at the Reincarnation Platform.

Venus proclaimed the decree: "Marshal Tianpeng Zhu Ganglie has harassed Chang'e, violating the Heavenly Laws. He is hereby banished to the mortal realm and cast into the animal realm—the womb of a pig! Execution is to be carried out immediately!"

Two divine generals were holding Zhu Ganglie, about to push him into the Well of Reincarnation.

Just as he fell into the well, Lu Chen made his move in the shadows! The Chaos World bricks trembled slightly, and a chaotic light shield protected Zhu Ganglie's true spirit. At the same time, he gently flicked the "Animal Path - Pig Category" area of ​​the Reincarnation Well from a distance—

The trajectory of reincarnation underwent a barely perceptible deflection.

In the lower realm, near the Yunzhan Cave in Fuling Mountain, there is a farmhouse.

The sow gave birth to eight piglets, one of which was exceptionally strong. It was born with a human face and a pig's body, which terrified the farmer who delivered the pig.

"Monster! Monster!" The farmer swung his hoe, ready to strike.

The human-faced piglet spoke up, its voice hoarse: "Don't hit me! I am a celestial being descended to earth, cultivating here. I will not harm anyone!"

The farmer was so frightened that he dropped his hoe and ran away in a panic.

The piglet struggled to its feet, looking at its reflection in the water—a human face with a pig's nose and ears, covered in black hair. Though ugly, it retained a human skeleton and intelligence, and even the foundation of its magical power was not completely lost, only suppressed by the power of reincarnation.

"It's better than turning into a pig completely..." Zhu Ganglie, no, he should be called Zhu Ganglie now, gave a bitter laugh. He touched his brow, where a chaotic mark was slightly warm, and Lu Chen's voice transmission came through:

"Temporarily reside in the Cloud Stack Cave and cultivate the 'Heavenly Demon Transformation Technique' that I taught you. This will gradually refine your pig form and restore your human form. When the pilgrims arrive, proceed according to plan."

A profound and mysterious cultivation technique entered his mind. Zhu Ganglie's spirits lifted, and he staggered towards the Cloud Stack Cave.

The cave had been prepared beforehand. On the stone bed were several bottles of pills, a jade slip containing cultivation techniques, and even a small jar of immortal wine—naturally, Lu Chen had placed them there in advance.

After Zhu Ganglie took the elixir and circulated his cultivation technique, he indeed felt the suppressed magical power within his body begin to loosen, and his pig nose and ears also showed a faint tendency to shrink.

"Who exactly is this Taoist priest?" He felt both grateful and puzzled. "But regardless, I will repay this kindness!"

Years later, Zhu Ganglie had mastered the "Heavenly Demon Transformation Technique" to a minor degree, and could usually transform into a fat man with a black face, though he would still reveal his pig form when excited. He gradually gained fame in the Fuling Mountain area, calling himself "Zhu Ganglie," and occupied the Yunzhan Cave. Occasionally, he would go to Gao Laozhuang to freeload, living a carefree life.

One day, he was drinking in the cave when he suddenly heard Buddhist chanting coming from outside:

"Amitabha Buddha. Pigsy, you have a karmic connection with the Buddha. Would you be willing to take refuge in the Buddha and protect the pilgrims on their journey to the West? When your merits are complete, will you attain the Arhatship?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva arrived, stepping on a lotus.

Zhu Bajie sneered inwardly, but on the surface he feigned a look of fear and surprise, dropped the wine jar, and bowed deeply, saying, "Bodhisattva! This disciple is willing! This disciple is willing!"

Guanyin nodded in satisfaction, bestowed upon him the Dharma name "Wuneng," and taught him a simplified version of the "Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Gang," instructing him to wait here for the pilgrims and not to do evil again.

After Guanyin left, Zhu Ganglie (Wuneng) got up, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and bowed to the east (the direction where Lu Chen was).

"Immortal Master, you gave me this life. From now on, I will go through fire and water without hesitation for any of your orders!"

Inside the bricks of the chaotic world.

Lu Chen smiled slightly as he looked at Zhu Ganglie's actions in the water mirror.

"With Tianpeng entering the game, the monkey is practicing, the curtain has been drawn, and it's time to arrange for the White Dragon to join in..."

"The Journey to the West team is still missing a master."

His gaze turned to Chang'an.

Inside Jinshan Temple, the young Jiang Liuer (Tang Sanzang) is holding a Buddhist scripture, his brows slightly furrowed.

There's a passage in the scripture about the story of "sacrificing oneself to feed a tiger." In the past, he only felt that Buddhism was compassionate when he read it, but today he inexplicably felt... something was wrong.

"It is the tiger's fault to eat people when it is hungry. Why should we feed it with our own bodies? If everyone did this, wouldn't the evil tiger become even more rampant?" he muttered to himself, then suddenly startled and quickly put his palms together in repentance, "Amitabha, this disciple had a deluded thought, I have sinned, I have sinned."

But the seed of doubt had already been planted in his heart.

Lu Chen withdrew his gaze and nodded in satisfaction.

"The tenth reincarnation of Jin Chanzi has indeed not disappointed me."

"So, what's next..."

He looked towards Xiniu Hezhou, in the direction of Lingshan.

"It's time to add some obstacles to Guanyin Bodhisattva's journey to the east to find the scripture seeker."