Are Heavenly Venerates and Buddhas Born to Their Stations?

Guoshi Wang Bodhisattva's expression turned extremely grim. He wanted to continue attacking Wu Zhiqi, but Guanyin and Manjushri stopped him.

Before Wu Zhiqi had accepted recruitment by the Heavenly Court, he had merely been a demon. If they attacked him then, they would naturally have been vanquishing demons and evil, doing a good deed for the countless living beings of the Three Realms.

But now that Wu Zhiqi had joined the Heavenly Court and received the Jade Emperor's Imperial Edict, attacking him again might trigger a war between the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Sect.

The loss would outweigh the gain!

Besides, Guoshi Wang Bodhisattva alone was absolutely no match for Wu Zhiqi!

Had Guoshi Wang Bodhisattva not been so overconfident earlier and joined forces with Guanyin and the others, they might have been able to capture Wu Zhiqi before the Heavenly Court recruited him.

But now that the opportunity was gone, they could only choose to let the matter rest.

"Amitabha!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva recited a Buddhist invocation and looked at Wu Zhiqi. "Fellow Daoist Wu Zhiqi, now that the Great Heavenly Venerate has granted you a god position, you should create less slaughter in the future. Only then will you live up to the Great Heavenly Venerate's grace!"

Hearing this, Wu Zhiqi said irritably, "How I conduct myself is none of your business! I am the Water Official Great Emperor. Naturally, I shall protect the living beings of the Three Realms!"

Having been suppressed for endless years, he naturally understood that in this age, if he rebelled against the established order, he would certainly be forcefully suppressed.

That was why, when Xuan Yin secretly transmitted a message and told him to proactively seek refuge with the Heavenly Court, he had not hesitated and directly stated his intentions!

"Excellent! Excellent!"

Guanyin Bodhisattva did not grow angry. She merely shook her head. "Fellow Daoist Wu Zhiqi, take care of yourself!"

With that, she left with Guoshi Wang, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and the Eighteen Arhats. Today's affair had indeed been a miscalculation on the Buddhist Sect's part!

Guoshi Wang Bodhisattva was filled with unwillingness, yet there was nothing he could do. His golden body had been shattered, and repairing it would not be easy!

This time, not only had he failed to win face for the Buddhist Sect, but he had even lost his golden body. His influence within the Buddhist Sect would surely decline greatly in the future.

Before long, Wu Zhiqi returned to the Heavenly Court with Taibai Jinxing and formally accepted his appointment. Within the Heavenly Court, matters of Water Elemental Power were managed by the Water Virtue Star Lord. After considering it for a moment, the Jade Emperor had Wu Zhiqi return to the Huai River.

However, having received the Jade Emperor's Imperial Edict, all matters concerning Water Elemental Power across the Four Great Continents now fell under his jurisdiction. He was far more powerful than the former Water Calamity Lord.

The only difference was that after receiving a god position, he had to abide by the Heavenly Rules. It was no longer possible for him to stir up wind and waves as he had before!

"Come out!"

After returning to the Huai River, Wu Zhiqi sensed a familiar aura and immediately spoke. "I have yet to thank you for helping me escape this time, Fellow Daoist! But I wonder, what plans did you have in rescuing me?"

Xuan Yin slowly revealed himself, exposing the origin aura of the Six-Eared Macaque. "Why be so courteous, Brother? You and I are brothers of the same origin!"

"Six-Eared?"

A shocked look appeared on Wu Zhiqi's face. As an ancient Demon Sage, his knowledge naturally surpassed that of ordinary people. He naturally knew of the Four Mixed Monkeys.

Xuan Yin smiled and bowed to Wu Zhiqi. "Gu Yue Fang Yuan greets Elder Brother!"

Although Patriarch Bodhi had promised that if he helped Sun Wukong escape his destined fate and leap beyond the chessboard, he would give him a share of the Intelligent Stone Monkey's origin, Xuan Yin had no plans to scheme against Wu Zhiqi for now.

Taking his origin might greatly advance Xuan Yin's cultivation, but it would not help Sun Wukong escape his destiny in the slightest.

Moreover, it would affect the Dao heart he had painstakingly tempered.

Xuan Yin naturally would not sacrifice the essential for the trivial.

"Hahaha!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Zhiqi immediately patted Xuan Yin on the shoulder and laughed. "Good brother, if not for you, who knows how much longer I would have remained suppressed?"

Xuan Yin smiled. "It was only what I should have done! To be honest, I rescued you because I wanted to find a powerful backer to look after me! Among our monkey clan, I fear there is no one stronger than you, Elder Brother!"

He spoke with complete frankness!

At present, he was merely at the Golden Immortal realm. He truly needed Wu Zhiqi's strength.

Wu Zhiqi could not help feeling pleased upon hearing this. He had become famous in ancient times and had heard plenty of praise, but never praise from one of his own brothers!

Furthermore, in his view, Xuan Yin was merely a Golden Immortal and could not possibly threaten him. Naturally, he was willing to acknowledge this brother of the same origin.

After exchanging pleasantries, Xuan Yin continued, "Elder Brother, our other two brothers have also successfully entered the world!"

"The Intelligent Stone Monkey is named Sun Wukong. He has now taken a Great Power as his master, and I imagine it will not be long before he is expelled from his sect!"

"As for the Arm-Reaching Ape Monkey, he is named Yuan Hong. Like you, Elder Brother, he has received the Heavenly Court's Imperial Edict and is now the Four Wastes Star Lord under the Ziwei Great Emperor!"

"After some time, perhaps the four of us brothers can have a proper reunion!"

Wu Zhiqi frowned upon hearing this. "That Yuan Hong now serves under the same Ziwei Great Emperor as I do. Keeping in touch with him will not be difficult! But Sun Wukong has taken a renowned master, so why would he be expelled from his sect?"

Although Xuan Yin had merely described the two men's identities, Wu Zhiqi was no fool. He immediately sensed that something was amiss.

Of course, Xuan Yin had deliberately exposed this flaw to Wu Zhiqi.

"Alas!"

Xuan Yin sighed. "Wukong finding a renowned master should make me happy for him. But Elder Brother, you should know that my talent is hearing the voices of the Three Realms and Six Paths. By chance, I overheard some information. Several Great Powers in the Three Realms are plotting against Wukong. I fear he will become a chess piece!"

"What?"

Wu Zhiqi immediately flew into a rage. "Who dares scheme against our brother?"

Xuan Yin remained silent. He merely pointed at the sky, then pointed west.

"This..."

Wu Zhiqi immediately calmed down. Whether it was the Heavenly Court or the Buddhist Sect, both were colossal powers, and neither was something he could provoke at present.

Yet he had just acknowledged Xuan Yin as his brother and boasted so boldly. If he ignored Sun Wukong, what face would he have left as the eldest brother?

Xuan Yin also saw Wu Zhiqi's dilemma. "Rest assured, Elder Brother. Though the karmic entanglements around Wukong are extremely complicated, we can still hide in the shadows and give him a little help!"

The enemy was in the open; they were in the shadows!

Wu Zhiqi instantly understood Xuan Yin's meaning. His expression turned strange. "Brother Fang Yuan, could it be that you want to turn the tables and scheme against those people?"

Each of the Four Mixed Monkeys possessed shocking talents. He himself commanded Water Elemental Power and possessed the divine ability to Avoid Death and Extend Life. The Six-Eared Macaque could eavesdrop upon the Three Realms and Six Paths. The Sun Wukong and Yuan Hong he had not yet met surely also possessed abilities that made the gods and Buddhas of the heavens fear them!

"Precisely!"

Xuan Yin nodded.

Hearing this, Wu Zhiqi immediately began to form some ideas, but he worriedly said, "If the matter is exposed, this elder brother of yours will not be able to withstand the pressure!"

"Elder Brother, you underestimate yourself too much!"

Xuan Yin smiled. "In the past, you were the Water Ape Great Sage. But now, you are the Water Official Great Emperor, appointed by the Heavenly Court to govern the Water Origin Great Dao of the Three Realms!"

"What is the difference?"

Wu Zhiqi was somewhat confused.

Though seeking refuge with the Heavenly Court meant he no longer had to be suppressed, it could not increase his strength, could it?

Xuan Yin smiled mysteriously and looked at Wu Zhiqi. "Elder Brother, do you know the Ancestor of Earth Immortals?"

"Of course!"

Wu Zhiqi nodded. "Who does not know the great name of Zhen Yuanzi, the Ancestor of Earth Immortals? Even the Three Pure Ones of the Mystic Gate treat him with great respect!"

"That's right!"

Xuan Yin smiled. "Zhen Yuanzi enjoys such prestige for two reasons. First, he opened up the Great Dao of Earth Immortals. Second, he controls the earth veins of the Four Great Continents!"

"If he can refine the earth veins of the Four Great Continents, then as the Water Official Great Emperor, can't you refine the Water Veins of the Four Great Continents?"

"Are Heavenly Venerates and Buddhas born to their stations?"

"As the Water Official Great Emperor, it is only right and proper for you to refine the water veins of the Three Realms. Once this succeeds, who in the Three Realms would dare make a move against you?"