Why Were Nezha, Leizhenzi, and Yang Jian Not Among the 365 Gods in the Investiture of the Gods?

After the three teachings—Chan, Jie, and Humanity—signed the Investiture of the Gods at Biyou Palace, the task of conferring divine titles fell upon the Chan Sect's leader, Yuanshi Tianzun. However, since the investiture was a time-consuming and labor-intensive endeavor, Yuanshi Tianzun delegated this responsibility to Jiang Ziya, who had no affinity for immortality, instructing him to assist a virtuous ruler and confer divine titles on his behalf.

Given Jiang Ziya's limited cultivation of only forty years and his relatively weak strength, Yuanshi Tianzun dispatched disciples from the second generation of the Chan Sect to assist Jiang Ziya in completing the investiture. Thus, Taiyi Zhenren sent Nezha, Yuding Zhenren sent Yang Jian, Yunzhongzi sent Leizhenzi, and Qingxu Daode Zhenren sent Huang Tianhua and Yang Ren, among others.

With the help of these third-generation disciples of the Chan Sect, Jiang Ziya led the Zhou army to defeat King Zhou of Shang. After capturing the Shang capital, Zhaoge, Jiang Ziya returned to the Fengshen Terrace on Mount Qi, where he hung the Investiture of the Gods list and began conferring divine titles on behalf of his master. In this process, Jiang Ziya appointed a total of 365 heavenly gods, including third-generation disciples like Huang Tianhua, Yang Ren, Tuxingsun, Han Dulong, and Xue Ehu, who had assisted him during the war.

However, seven individuals who also aided Jiang Ziya—Yang Jian, Nezha, Leizhenzi, Li Jing, Jinzha, Muzha, and Wei Hu—were not included in the Investiture of the Gods. After completing the investiture, the original text states:

"We, your humble servants, were originally mountain hermits. We were sent down by our masters to assist in overcoming calamities and quelling chaos. Now that peace has been restored, it is proper for us to return to the mountains and report back to our masters."

In other words, after helping Jiang Ziya complete the investiture, these seven individuals bid farewell to King Wu and Jiang Ziya, received their permission, and returned to their respective masters.

So, why were Nezha, Leizhenzi, and Yang Jian not among the 365 gods? Let's first examine the criteria for being included in the Investiture of the Gods.

During Guangchengzi's three visits to Biyou Palace, Master Tongtian revealed the criteria for being listed in the investiture. The original text states:

"The three teachings have jointly discussed the investiture. Among those listed are loyal ministers and righteous individuals, as well as those who cannot achieve immortality but can attain divinity. Their fates vary in depth and connection, so the gods have different ranks, and their deaths occur at different times."

From Master Tongtian's words, we can derive three key points:

1. Loyal and righteous individuals from the mortal world can be listed, such as Huang Feihu, Bi Gan, and Deng Jiugong.
2. Cultivators with shallow roots and no chance of achieving immortality can also be listed, such as Huang Tianhua, Zhao Gongming, Han Dulong, and Xue Ehu.
3. The most crucial point: one must die to be conferred a divine title. For example, King Zhou's two treacherous ministers, Fei Lian and E Lai, were standing right beside Jiang Ziya, but Jiang Ziya had to execute them first before conferring divine titles. This is because one cannot be conferred a divine title while alive; death is a prerequisite.

Returning to the case of Yang Jian, Nezha, and the other seven individuals, although they assisted Jiang Ziya in the Investiture War, their fates differed from those like Huang Tianhua and Tuxingsun, who died in battle and thus were conferred divine titles. In contrast, Yang Jian, Nezha, Leizhenzi, and the others survived the war, which disqualified them from being listed in the investiture.

However, not being conferred divine titles was ultimately a good thing for these seven individuals. Being listed as heavenly gods would have subjected them to the rule of the Heavenly Emperor, stripping them of their freedom. This is particularly significant for cultivators like Yang Jian and Nezha. For mortals like Huang Feihu and Deng Jiugong, being conferred divine titles was beneficial, as it freed them from the cycle of reincarnation.

Additionally, being listed in the investiture meant losing one's physical body, which in turn meant that one's cultivation could no longer progress. The level of cultivation at the time of investiture would remain unchanged forever. In contrast, Yang Jian, Nezha, Leizhenzi, and the others returned to their masters after the war, where they could continue cultivating under their guidance. This meant their cultivation could still improve, and with the right opportunities, they might even achieve sainthood.

In summary, Yang Jian, Nezha, and Leizhenzi were not included in the Investiture of the Gods because they survived the war, making them ineligible for divine titles. Although they were not conferred divine titles, the original text describes their outcome as "ascending to sainthood with their physical bodies," which is a far better fate than being listed in the investiture.

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