This appears in the book by Xu Zhonglin (許仲琳 1567—1620), The Investiture of the Gods  (.Fengshen Yanyi  封神演義), but since the story is set centuries before the arrival of Buddhism in China, it is anachronistic, but typical of Buddhist attempts give an imported religion greater authority among the Chinese. In another legend, Laozi was said to have journeyed to India where he became the Buddha, or in some versions, taught him, thus giving Buddhism ancient Daoist roots.