What kind of existence is the Earth God/Earth God in Journey to the West?

In Journey to the West, the Earth God was a kind of folk belief. It was usually believed to be a god who blessed the growth of crops, blessed the safety of the family, and drove away evil spirits and plagues. In the novel, Sun Wukong had met the blessings of the Earth God many times while he was on his way to the Western Paradise to obtain Buddhist scriptures. For example, in the battle between Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King, the Earth God/Earth Lord appeared to help suppress the demon beast. On Sun Wukong's journey to the Western Paradise, the Earth God would also appear regularly to guide and bless Sun Wukong. In Journey to the West, the Earth God was an influential deity who not only protected the people's peace and lives, but also represented justice and fairness. He was one of the important objects of faith for the people.