Chapter 98

Guanyin Bodhisattva nodded, not minding Yang Zhen's rudeness.

In Guanyin Bodhisattva's heart, since Yang Zhen was the disciple of that person, he was destined to be bound to the Buddhist cause. Perhaps Yang Zhen was a bit mischievous and casual, but some things were not as simple as thinking they could be done or not done. Just like Sun Wukong, no matter how much Yang Zhen might frolic outside, he would eventually have to return to the Buddhist fold.

It seemed that their fate was decided the moment they became disciples.

Although Yang Zhen also wanted to deny this, he had to admit that in this world, without a powerful backer, one would find it difficult to move forward. No matter how many karmic debts were owed or how much calamity was caused, they would all be settled in the next great heavenly calamity. But to safely survive the great heavenly calamity, one needed a strong backer.

Based on Yang Zhen's speculation, the next great calamity was likely to unfold between Buddhism and Daoism. After the Battle of the Gods, Buddhism flourished, while Daoism suffered a decline in talent. The Primordial Heavenly Sovereign and the Supreme Sage were outmaneuvered by the two saints of Buddhism, and even the leader of the截教 (Jie Jiao) had many of his disciples converted by the Bodhi Saint.

The enmity between these saints was deep.

Yang Zhen had no bias towards Buddhism or Daoism. In his previous life, Yang Zhen was an atheist, and in this life, he was a deity with no particular faith.

But to find a backer, he had to choose between Buddhism and Daoism. The Chongtian Sect looked down on the demon race, the Human Sect rarely took disciples, and the Jie Jiao Sect was reclusive. The only choice left for Yang Zhen was Buddhism.

There was no other way.

After pondering for a moment, Yang Zhen agreed to Guanyin Bodhisattva's request to escort the scripture seeker to Vulture Peak. Taking a deep breath, Yang Zhen said, "Bodhisattva, since the matter is settled, I will descend to the mortal world in a few days to find a scenic place and wait for the scripture seeker. However, there is one thing I am not clear about, and I hope the Bodhisattva can enlighten me."

"What is it?" Guanyin Bodhisattva asked.

Yang Zhen smiled and played a little game, "When the Bodhisattva goes to the Southern Continent to choose the scripture seeker, you will surely pass by my place. At that time, the Bodhisattva can come to me."

Guanyin Bodhisattva nodded and said, "Very well."

After confirming Yang Zhen's involvement, Guanyin Bodhisattva discussed some specific details with the Jade Emperor. However, Yang Zhen was not interested in these matters and left the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Walking on the jade path of the Heavenly Palace, Yang Zhen sighed. He never thought that after fighting to the death against the Dragon King, he would have to leave the Heavenly Court before his official promotion. Recalling the plot of *Journey to the West*, Yang Zhen felt a bit frustrated. He was ultimately just a pawn, forced to follow the path laid out by the saints. If he made a wrong step, he might never recover.

In the end, it was all due to a lack of power and not becoming a saint.

Reflecting on the history of the primordial world, how many talented and gifted individuals ultimately met tragic ends? The ancient deities aside, even the likes of the Three Pure Ones and Zhao Gongming had no power to resist the great calamity. Even the leader of the Jie Jiao Sect, Duobao Daoist, had to follow Laozi and convert to Buddhism.

Yang Zhen wandered around the Heavenly Court, pondering his future path. Since he could not refuse *Journey to the West*, he decided to follow along for now. Once the mall system was updated, he would see if there were any new features. Yang Zhen believed that the mall system was the foundation of his existence in this world. His current achievements were largely due to the mall system.

As he walked, Yang Zhen found himself in a place he had never been before. It was a vast, boundless starry sky. The surrounding light was sometimes gentle, sometimes intense, and countless strange stone peaks floated in the air, moving according to certain rules. Yang Zhen gazed at the starry sky, standing like a statue in the night wind, looking into the distance.

The full moon hung in the sky, and tonight's moon seemed particularly bright. Viewing the moon from the Heavenly Court was like seeing it up close, large and round. The pale yellow moon emitted a pale yellow glow, creating a very peculiar scene.

At this moment, Yang Zhen suddenly had the urge to see the Moon Palace's fairy.

In his previous life, although Chang'e had stolen the elixir, it did not tarnish her perfect image; she was always a symbol of beauty. In this mythological world, Chang'e's ascent to the moon had a different explanation, but Yang Zhen had not inquired about it.

But combining his previous knowledge, Yang Zhen's desire to see Chang'e became even more urgent.

Thinking of it, he acted. Yang Zhen rode the clouds and flew towards the Moon Palace.

It was very quiet, and Yang Zhen did not encounter any deities on his way. Upon arriving at the moon, the first person Yang Zhen saw was Wu Gang, who was chopping the osmanthus tree with an axe. After looking at Wu Gang curiously for a moment, Yang Zhen saw that Wu Gang ignored him and decided to leave him alone, heading directly to the Moon Palace.

This time, Yang Zhen came to the Moon Palace to see a beauty. They say beauty can soothe the soul, and Yang Zhen hoped that Chang'e's beauty could alleviate his inner distress.

Entering the Moon Palace, Yang Zhen saw Chang'e dancing in the main hall. Under the silver light, Chang'e, dressed in white, danced gracefully in the spacious hall. Her beautiful dance and captivating aura made it seem as if she was admiring her own beauty, but her delicate figure also seemed to be telling a story.

In the past, Yang Zhen did not know how Chang'e had lived alone for thousands of years in this lonely environment. Was she not lonely? But seeing Chang'e now, Yang Zhen realized that what had sustained her all along was her memories.

Seeing an outsider, Chang'e stopped dancing and turned to look at Yang Zhen, frowning and asking, "Who are you...?"

Although Chang'e's tone was indifferent, her voice was beautiful, almost making one overlook the coldness in her words. Yang Zhen couldn't describe her voice, but it was a sound that could calm the mind.

"I just wanted to see the fairy, nothing more," Yang Zhen smiled.

Chang'e smiled faintly, not saying anything more. The spacious hall fell silent again. For thousands of years, Chang'e rarely saw outsiders, and over time, she had forgotten how to interact with people. Yang Zhen, on the other hand, didn't know what to say, feeling extremely awkward for intruding on a beauty. But one thing was certain: Chang'e was indeed a beauty.

"The Moon Palace cannot be entered without permission!" After a moment of silence, Chang'e suddenly said.

Yang Zhen, snapped back to reality, said awkwardly, "I apologize. I just saw the moon was so bright and round tonight, and I wanted to come and see."

"I will play a tune for you," Chang'e walked to the ancient zither and said to Yang Zhen.

Yang Zhen was taken aback, not expecting Chang'e to play for him, but then he smiled and said happily, "Thank you! I will listen attentively."

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