Di Wu shook his head, wondering what the matter of Nuwa had to do with him; it was all the main body's trouble. Speaking of which, once one's power is immense, everyone becomes idle. The main body yearns to find the meaning of existence, and Nuwa has even developed mortal feelings. He wondered if, as time went on, the other Sages would also start causing trouble.

Shaking off these thoughts, he turned his attention to the Investiture of the Gods. The great tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods was almost upon them, and the Tongbi Ape Monkey Yuan Hong had already appeared on Mount Mei. Perhaps he should summon Zhu Jiuyin to go and look for him.

There was also that wretched Mysterious Art he had cultivated. It was derived by the Two Sages of the West, imitating the Wu Clan's Nine Revolutions Profound Art, and was called the Seventy-Two Earthly Transformations. Furthermore, the Three Pure Ones had also derived a cultivation method, called the Thirty-Six Heavenly Transformations. However, both only grasped a mere essence of the Nine Revolutions Profound Art—powerful in the early stages, but lacking staying power later on.

Speaking of the Mysterious Art, Di Wu recalled Yang Jian, who owed his learning of this art to that fellow. A thousand years ago, the Heavenly Emperor Haotian’s sister, the Fairy Yaoji, secretly descended to the mortal realm and pledged herself to a mortal man, Yang Tianyou. This happened just as the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors concluded, and the Investiture of the Gods list appeared. Haotian was overjoyed, knowing the Heavenly Court was about to flourish, and immediately revised the Heavenly Laws to facilitate future governance. One of these laws stipulated that Immortals and Gods were forbidden from uniting with mortals.

Hardly had the Heavenly Laws been established when Haotian’s sister violated one. If she were not punished, the Heavenly Court would lose all its prestige. Haotian was furious and dispatched Heavenly Soldiers and Generals to apprehend her. By this time, Fairy Yaoji and Yang Tianyou had already given birth to two sons and one daughter, named Yang Jiao, Yang Jian, and Yang Chan, respectively. Disaster struck unexpectedly; their family was instantly broken, their home destroyed. Yang Tianyou was directly struck dead and cast into reincarnation, while Yaoji was suppressed beneath Mount Tao.

The Heavenly Soldiers and Generals intended to kill their children as well, but unexpectedly, a ray of light appeared, sweeping Yang Jian away and depositing him on Mount Mei. A jade slip was left beside him, inscribed with the Mysterious Art. At that time, Yang Jian was less than two years old, innocent and unaware. Coincidentally, the Tongbi Ape Monkey Yuan Hong passed by, discovered him, and seeing the extraordinary jade slip beside the child, couldn't resist picking it up to examine it. He ended up recording the Mysterious Art.

Yuan Hong was also intelligent; seeing the profound nature of the technique, he knew this child was extraordinary. He immediately placed the jade slip back at a distance and departed. Unbeknownst to him, he had already fallen into someone else's scheme. By recording the Mysterious Art, he incurred karmic debt to Yang Jian.

Not long after Yuan Hong left, the Jade Cauldron True Person, a disciple of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, rushed over. Seeing Yang Jian safe, he breathed a sigh of relief, then took him back to the Golden Cloud Cave on Jade Spring Mountain to accept him as a disciple.

As for the remaining Yang Jiao and Yang Chan, they were taken away by the suddenly appearing Zhu Jiuyin. These two also possessed excellent aptitude; Yang Chan was precisely the Three Holy Mothers of later generations. However, Yang Jiao was already four years old. Having witnessed his father’s brutal death and his mother’s abduction, he cried himself senseless, which would inevitably affect his future cultivation.

Now a thousand years had passed; it was time for the three siblings of the Yang family to split the mountain and save their mother. Thinking this, Di Wu slowly walked into the Wu Emperor Hall.

Within the Twenty-Four Heavens, Zhu Jiuyin suddenly opened his eyes. With a mere thought, he summoned the Battle-Worthy Enlightened Buddha, Wuzhiqi, and the siblings Yang Jiao and Yang Chan, examining them thoroughly. Wuzhiqi still looked the same, covered in monkey fur, but he was not gaunt like Sun Wukong in later times; his expression was calm, his bearing majestic, and coupled with that set of wild, leather-armored attire, his appearance was quite impressive.

The siblings Yang Jiao and Yang Chan had also grown. Yang Jiao possessed a heroic countenance, though an imperceptible trace of malevolence lingered within. Yang Chan, however, appeared innocent and lively, looking a graceful young woman of seventeen or eighteen.

"Greetings to the Buddha." The three performed a Buddhist salute to Zhu Jiuyin.

Zhu Jiuyin nodded, turning to Wuzhiqi with a smile and saying, "It is not easy for you to break through to the middle stage of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal after cultivating for a millennium as an Enlightened Buddha."

"It is thanks to the Nine Revolutions Profound Art," Wuzhiqi replied, his voice laced with reverence when speaking of the art; it was truly profound.

Zhu Jiuyin nodded. "You were formed from the essence of the Chaos Demon Ape, so a body-refining technique is indeed more suitable for you." He paused, then continued, "The Chaos Demon Ape will manifest as four monkeys. You, the Six-Eared Macaque, and the Tongbi Ape Monkey have all emerged. Can you sense their locations?"

Wuzhiqi said, "I am unaware of the Six-Eared Macaque, but I know the location of the Tongbi Ape Monkey; he is currently cultivating on Mount Mei and has reached the peak of the Golden Immortal realm."

Zhu Jiuyin stated, "All four of you monkeys share a destiny with my Wu God Sect and are destined to become the Four Great Dharma Protectors of Buddhism. Now that the Tongbi Ape Monkey has appeared, you may go and subdue him."

Upon hearing this, Wuzhiqi understood Zhu Jiuyin's intent. He chanted a Buddhist phrase and set off towards Mount Mei.

Seeing Wuzhiqi depart, Zhu Jiuyin turned his gaze to Yang Jiao and Yang Chan, stating calmly, "You must be eager to know your origins. The time is now right for you to learn the truth."

The pair instantly became excited. They had asked Zhu Jiuyin this question several centuries prior, but he had only replied that the time was not right. Yang Jiao, especially, still harbored the trauma of witnessing his father's brutal death and was constantly yearning for revenge.

Zhu Jiuyin wasted no words; he tapped the foreheads of both youths. Instantly, streams of information concerning Yaoji and Yang Tianyou flooded their primordial spirits. The siblings understood everything, tears welling up and spilling from their eyes, especially upon recalling their father’s violent end. The knowledge that their mother had been trapped on Mount Tao for a thousand years caused them unbearable anguish.

"Please, Buddha, intervene and save my mother!" Yang Chan cried like a pear blossom caught in a torrential rain, kowtowing to Zhu Jiuyin.

Zhu Jiuyin shook his head. "Your mother must be saved by your own hands."

Hearing this, Yang Jiao and Yang Chan immediately pleaded, "Please instruct us, Buddha."

"First, go to Mount Tao and visit your mother. When you both break through to the Golden Immortal realm, you will naturally possess the ability to cleave Mount Tao," Zhu Jiuyin finished, vanishing from the spot.

The siblings were momentarily stunned. A Golden Immortal—how difficult that was! They had cultivated for so long but had only just reached the Taiyi Mystic Immortal realm, even with the aid of numerous spiritual fruits. To advance further to Golden Immortal normally, even with heaven-defying aptitude, would take tens of thousands of years to calculate. Nevertheless, they did not argue. They exchanged a glance and immediately set off for Mount Tao. After so many years, they had not even seen their mother once—truly unfilial.

Meanwhile, the Battle-Worthy Enlightened Buddha, Wuzhiqi, flew for five days before arriving at Mount Mei. Seeing the mountain shrouded in swirling mist and possessing an extraordinary aura, he couldn't help but admire it; this was far superior to his former Tongbai Mountain and could indeed be called an immortal blessed land.

"Who are you, and why have you come to my Mount Mei?" Just then, a stout figure emerged, speaking fiercely. Walking out alongside him was a young man whose gaze was sharp, radiating a sense of danger.

Wuzhiqi immediately recognized their true forms. One was a boar that had achieved enlightenment, and the other, a long serpent that had attained the Dao. Both possessed the Taiyi Mystic Immortal realm, meaning they had some strength.

Wuzhiqi smiled and said, "Yuan Hong and I share the same origin; I have come to acknowledge kinship."

The two were slightly surprised; coming to acknowledge kinship was rare. However, their expressions softened. The serpent demon said, "So that is the case. Please follow me. My elder brother is cultivating in the back mountains and did not come out to welcome you. We ask for your patience."

Wuzhiqi replied, "That is no trouble at all. I am eager to see Yuan Hong's skills so that we may later establish seniority and determine who is the elder and who is the younger brother."

Hearing Wuzhiqi speak so boldly, the two demons instantly developed a favorable impression of him. The pig demon said, "You might be disappointed in that regard. My elder brother has mastered the Mysterious Art created by the Sages, possessing seventy-two transformations. In terms of divine abilities, few can match him; you will likely have to be the younger brother."

Wuzhiqi heard this and laughed, "Is that so?"

"Absolutely certain," the pig demon affirmed.

"Then that is perfect. I also understand a similar technique to the Mysterious Art, and I can compare it with your elder brother."

Hearing this, the two demons immediately became respectful. "Could it be the Daoist Mysterious Art created by the Three Pure Ones Sages?"

Wuzhiqi shook his head. "The technique I wield was not created by a Sage. The one who created this method never managed to attain sainthood throughout his entire life—a pity, a great pity!"

Upon hearing it wasn't created by a Sage, the two demons lost interest and continued leading Wuzhiqi toward the back mountains. They did not know that the person Wuzhiqi mentioned was Pangu, the creator of the heavens and earth, who was far more impressive than any Sage.

As Wuzhiqi walked deeper into the mountain, he encountered several other demons who had achieved enlightenment: a mountain goat, a mountain dog, a wild ox, and a centipede. All were at the Taiyi Mystic Immortal cultivation level. Hearing that Wuzhiqi shared the same origin as Yuan Hong, all four became curious and accompanied him toward the rear of the mountain.

Yuan Hong had sensed Wuzhiqi’s arrival and couldn't help but frown slightly. Nevertheless, he emerged from his cave just as Wuzhiqi approached and immediately spoke, "Greetings, Daoist friend." Simultaneously, he intently sized up Wuzhiqi.

Wuzhiqi also regarded him, noting that Yuan Hong appeared as a burly man, having concealed his monkey form. Wuzhiqi felt a slight displeasure but did not show it, smiling as he said, "We were born from the same source, we are brothers; why be so distant?"

Yuan Hong was slightly surprised upon hearing this. "I wonder, is my brother the Scarlet-Hipped Horse Monkey or the Six-Eared Macaque?"

"With this appearance, I am naturally the Scarlet-Hipped Horse Monkey. The Six-Eared Macaque has six ears," Wuzhiqi stated.

Yuan Hong smiled awkwardly. He had only just noticed that Wuzhiqi had not concealed his monkey form; he had been preoccupied with assessing his cultivation level earlier.

"Please forgive my oversight, brother. What is the important matter that brings you here this time?" Yuan Hong inquired.

"No rush. Let us have a spar first. I intensely dislike the term 'brother' used loosely. It must be either 'elder' or 'younger'; putting them together sounds grating," Wuzhiqi said seriously while smiling at Yuan Hong.

Yuan Hong couldn't help but reply, "That suits me perfectly. What shall we compete in?"

"I heard your transformation abilities are formidable; I shall compete with you in the Way of Transformation," Wuzhiqi declared nonchalantly.

Hearing this, a wave of confidence surged through Yuan Hong, who couldn't help but laugh, "In that case, I shall definitely claim the title of elder brother."

With that, he immediately leaped, transforming into a giant Roc soaring through the sky, exhibiting not a trace of aura, as if he were merely an ordinary giant Roc. The six demons of Mount Mei cheered.

Wuzhiqi gave a faint smile and also leaped. Instantly, a terrifying aura erupted. A Golden-Winged Great Peng appeared, its wings spanning ten thousand li, obscuring the entire sky above Mount Mei. The six demons stood dumbfounded—was this truly the Way of Transformation?

Yuan Hong saw this and conceded, "I am inferior in avian transformation. Let us try another contest."

Saying that, he immediately transformed into a fierce tiger, entirely snow-white, the king among tigers, subtly harmonizing with the White Tiger of the Four Symbols, his aura extraordinary; many living creatures on Mount Mei prostrated themselves.

Wuzhiqi saw this and said nothing more, transforming in a flash into a Qilin, surrounded by an aura of auspiciousness, appearing transcendent and otherworldly. Especially its massive body; the entire Mount Mei could barely accommodate one of its feet, with the other three supported by auspicious clouds.

"Ancient Qilin!" The Six Monsters of Mount Mei cried out in shock.

The Qilin looked down at the tiny white tiger below and said calmly, "Are you convinced?"

Yuan Hong was not one to admit defeat easily and shouted loudly, "One more round!" As the sound faded, he immediately transformed into a colossal Black Tortoise, the largest form he could manifest, completely covering Mount Mei.

When Wuzhiqi saw this, he transformed in response, also taking the form of a Black Tortoise, but his size was boundless—the body of a Bixi. He raised his head, instantly carrying the Three Mountains and Five Peaks of the Eastern Continent on his back, before turning his head around, his two eyes fixed upon the miniature Black Tortoise that resembled an ant. (To be continued)