Chapter 750: The Elegant Admonition

"The Great Sage Equal to Heaven? Sun Wukong?"

Somewhere in the Three Thousand Worlds, at a Heavenly Soldier outpost.

Ao Yi looked at the jade talisman in front of him, listening to the discussions of several generals, feeling somewhat puzzled.

He still had the face of a youth. Although he had previously grown into a young man, for some reason, Ao Yi felt more comfortable maintaining this appearance.

Now, Ao Yi was also one of the most powerful marshals in the Heavenly Court outside the Five Continents. Under his command were not only a large number of skilled and brave martial generals but also many Dragon Clan masters ready to provide support at any time.

With the power of the Dragon Palace suppressing the Three Thousand Worlds, and working with the Linxian Hall and the Immortal Alliance, the Three Thousand Worlds could be kept largely stable.

Hearing Ao Yi's murmur, the heavenly generals on either side whispered among themselves, all about Sun Wukong.

Some heavenly generals dismissed it, saying, "When the cat's away, the monkeys will play." Others sensed something unusual and tried to analyze the intentions of their superiors.

"Don't speculate on such useless matters," Ao Yi said.

The generals quietly assented.

"However," Ao Yi murmured, "the title 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' is truly grand. The Heavenly Court has always valued the official conferment of divine positions. A title that doesn't fit into the Heavenly Court's divine hierarchy, I wonder what its specific purpose is."

The generals chuckled, their discussion growing more animated than before.

"Hmph!"

A soft snort came from outside the tent, followed by a wave of pressure. All the generals stood up simultaneously and cupped their fists.

A figure entered through the tent flap, clad in battle armor with a black cloak draped over his back. He had a hooked nose and sharp eyes; it was the Phoenix Clan master, the Golden-Winged Great Peng.

He entered the tent, walked directly back to his seat below Ao Yi, and sat there, looking rather disgruntled.

The generals dared not speak. Ao Yi asked with concern, "Marshal Jinpeng, what's wrong?"

"Don't even mention it!"

The Golden-Winged Great Peng cursed, "Why would the Heavenly Court ennoble a demon king as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven? The Heavenly Court's prestige is a complete joke!"

"Don't be anxious, Marshal Jinpeng," Ao Yi said gently, "There must be more to this matter."

The Golden-Winged Great Peng's expression softened slightly.

It was strange, the marshal originally holding Ao Yi's position was none other than the Golden-Winged Great Peng. Due to multiple drunken indiscretions where he expressed dissatisfaction with the Heavenly Court and the Heavenly Dao, he had been demoted by the Heavenly Court.

Logically, the Golden-Winged Great Peng should have harbored some resentment towards Ao Yi. The Heavenly Court had also intended to use the Dragon Palace to keep the Golden-Winged Great Peng in check, even having Ao Yi bring many of his clan's masters into the camp.

But unexpectedly... things were very harmonious.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng not only didn't make things difficult for Ao Yi but was quite gentle with him, voluntarily taking on many tedious tasks.

Due to Ao Yi's arrival, the Golden-Winged Great Peng had become much calmer, no longer causing trouble when drunk. The Tongming Palace received this feedback and consequently did not transfer the Great Peng later on.

At this moment, Jinpeng sat in a comfortable chair, stretching out his body and slowly letting out a breath.

"This 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' business is somewhat displeasing, but there must be a scheme against the demon race behind it. I just don't know when the Heavenly Court changed its approach, no longer pursuing outright extermination of demons, but instead focusing on peaceful enlistment."

Ao Yi smiled, "The higher-ups have their considerations. Perhaps they're telling the demon race a story, tricking all those old demons in hiding to gather, and then catching them all in one fell swoop. Previously, Marshal Li Jing's siege of Mount Huaguo, though militarily clever, had too strong a scent of luring demons. The true masters of the demon race all hid behind the scenes, not daring to show themselves. Now the Heavenly Court suddenly pulls this move, and the demon race might be somewhat confused. If Sun Wukong just stays stably in the Heavenly Court for a period, and then the Heavenly Court releases news, opening convenient doors for the demon race, those old demons might be the first to rush out, fearing that the opportunity will be snatched by their juniors. The demon race truly is like that."

Jinpeng and the other heavenly generals pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng wondered, "How could the demon race fall for such a simple trick?"

"Well..." Ao Yi spread his hands and said with a wry smile, "Besides explaining it this way to the Heavenly Court, what other reasonable explanation could there be? The Heavenly Court's enlistment of a demon king this time is truly puzzling. Simply put, the unrest among the people and the uneasiness among immortals and gods caused by this move cannot be offset by adding one more master. Not to mention, it's a title like 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven'."

Jinpeng's forehead was lined with dark veins, and he laughed, "I almost believed your whole spiel just now!"

Ao Yi gave a weak smile, tapping his fingers on the table, lost in thought.

A martial general nearby whispered, "Your subordinate heard that some time ago, many immortals and gods were dissatisfied with this matter and wanted to jointly petition to revoke that demon king's title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven. But for some reason, the matter eventually fizzled out."

"It's said to have been suppressed by Taibai Jinxing."

"To put it bluntly, the way that esteemed figure handled the Handsome Monkey King, Sun Wukong, this time, always makes one feel there's some unspoken relationship between them."

"Watch your words, watch your words."

"Cough!"

Ao Yi cleared his throat and said, "There have been no wars in the Three Thousand Worlds recently. Generals, please fulfill your duties and keep a close watch on those restless immortal sects. That's all for today. You may all return to your quarters and rest."

The generals stood up, cupped their fists in salute to Ao Yi, and then retired. As they left, they were still muttering about whether Taibai Jinxing and the Great Sage Equal to Heaven had some unspoken secret.

This was the Three Thousand Worlds, where the Heavenly Dao's oversight was far less stringent than in the Five Continents, so the heavenly generals weren't overly concerned. Furthermore, the Heavenly Court's handling of this matter was indeed improper, so drawing criticism was normal.

After the generals left, the Golden-Winged Great Peng sighed.

"What's wrong?" Ao Yi asked, "Still no progress?"

"No," Jinpeng shook his head slightly, "I can't find it. I don't know where to look. The shadow in my heart is still very faint."

Ao Yi's face also darkened somewhat. He sat in the comfortable chair, silent, his youthful face showing a hint of bewilderment.

The young dragon murmured, "Why can't I even remember a shadow..."

Jinpeng encouraged him, "Don't overthink it. A venerable expert once told me that when the time is right, you'll remember. I myself caught a glimpse of that figure in my heart when I was pursuing extreme speed. He was sitting on a rocking chair with his back to me, playing with two jade talismans in his hands. For some reason, I felt at peace, just wanting to wait for him to give a command. And next to me, there were shadows of you and Princess Longji."

"Don't say too much," Ao Yi pointed to the tent ceiling.

Jinpeng pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow, not taking it seriously.

"The Great Sage Equal to Heaven," Ao Yi sighed, "I don't know what Taibai Jinxing is truly up to, but I have a feeling that a great disaster for the demon race is not far off."

Jinpeng smiled and said, "Why don't I go back to the Heavenly Court and measure the weight of that Great Sage Equal to Heaven? Perhaps I can even catch the demon extermination war."

"Hey," Ao Yi quickly said, "It's not appropriate for us to abandon our posts without authorization. Returning to the Heavenly Court requires a transfer order from the Tongming Palace. This is the rule; don't give ambitious individuals a chance to make trouble."

"Alright," Jinpeng agreed. "If there's nothing urgent in the army, I'll go try to break through extreme speed again. Perhaps the day I break through is when I'll recover my lost memories."

With that, Jinpeng stood up, cupped his fists in salute to Ao Yi, turned, and left the main tent.

After Jinpeng left, Ao Yi sat behind the desk, lost in thought for a while, until ripples of space appeared behind him, revealing two elderly dragon-headed figures.

"Your Highness," the old dragon on the left whispered, "Don't think too much; you might draw the Heavenly Dao's displeasure."

Ao Yi nodded in acknowledgment, rose, and walked towards the screen in the corner of the tent. Beyond the screen was a soft couch. He lay down on his side, closed his eyes, and concentrated, but found himself in no mood to meditate.

The two elderly dragon-headed figures protecting Ao Yi exchanged glances, both silent.

Their Second Highness was truly having a difficult time.

Mount Ling, by the lotus pond.

Li Changshou quietly guarded the Golden Cicada, his mind mostly blank, occasionally performing divinations.

It had been some time since Sun Wukong's second ascent to Heaven, and the unfolding of events was largely within Li Changshou's predictions.

This time, his ascent to Heaven was naturally met with great importance by the Heavenly Court. He was bestowed with a mansion, awarded spirit stones, and given many other benefits, yet Sun Wukong was merely made a 'figurehead' immortal god, not involved in any official duties.

Sun Wukong was content with this leisurely life, spending his days wandering around the Heavenly Court, making acquaintances with many idle immortals and gods, and even joining several banquets organized by Heavenly Court dignitaries. For example, the Xuan Tan Grand Meeting hosted by the God of Wealth, or the small marriage class overseen by the Old Man Under the Moon. The monkey ate immortal fruits and drank immortal wine daily, occasionally watching dances by fairies, quite enjoying himself and seemingly forgetting about Mount Huaguo.

While Sun Wukong enjoyed himself, Mount Huaguo became increasingly bustling.

The Heavenly Dao had gone a bit too far this time. If one were to infer by common sense, Mount Huaguo was still a 'minefield'. The Heavenly Court had many sharp swords hanging near Mount Huaguo, and demon masters would usually avoid it. So how could they gather here? Yet, the demon masters came anyway, harboring some unrealistic ideas, wondering if they could each receive titles from the Heavenly Court. They were truly being incredibly naive.

The demon race had always been cunning, especially those seasoned old demons who had previously evaded the Heavenly Court's pursuit and the Great Spirit Explosion of Heaven and Earth. Li Changshou strongly suspected that the Heavenly Dao had directly influenced the minds of these demon masters or simply controlled them to arrive near Mount Huaguo, preparing them for a mass culling. Otherwise, this situation simply couldn't be explained.

Setting aside the animosity between the demon race and the human race for a moment, while the demon race was generally inferior, they were still living beings. If viewed from the perspective of living beings, this was merely another instance of the Heavenly Dao abusing its power.

Of course, Li Changshou was also pleased to see these old demons cleared out. Therefore, at this moment, he not only remained still but even slightly postponed his own plans.

Mount Huaguo had now become a sacred land for the demon race. Veteran demon masters roamed about, claiming their own caves on Mount Huaguo; new demon talents gathered, showcasing their abilities in various places. The monkey spirits of Mount Huaguo also became a rather special group, with various factions showing them considerable care, hoping to use them to get closer to the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong. Consequently, there was less demonic mischief in Nanshan Continent, as many demons began to restrain their less capable subordinates, forbidding them from harming people outside, lest it affect the grand plans of the demon race.

What grand plans? Merely the delusional hope of submitting to and being used by the Heavenly Court.

'The Dao Ancestor's game has become a stagnant pool, merely fishing for loach in dead water.'

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Li Changshou suddenly felt a familiar aura swirling around him, and then heard a soft chuckle near his ear.

"When did fellow Daoist arrive at Mount Ling?"

A faint golden light shimmered behind him, coalescing into the figure of Buddha Duobao, enveloped in golden radiance.

Li Changshou did not turn around, but instead gazed at the pond in front of him, watching Duobao's reflection in the water... his golden kasaya, curly hair, long earlobes, and prosperous appearance. He nearly burst out laughing.

*Cough*, don't think about his first meeting with Senior Brother Duobao, don't think about Senior Brother Duobao's heroic bearing when battling the Seven Emotions Incarnations. Calm, calm.

Li Changshou quickly composed himself but did not respond, as if he hadn't heard Duobao's words. Duobao didn't overthink it either. He slowly moved forward on his lotus platform, coming to rest beside 'Xupu Ti', a slight smile in his eyes as he gently said:

"Fellow Daoist, have you come to visit the Buddha of Ten Thousand Ages?"

'Xupu Ti' kept a straight face, glanced at Duobao, and coldly said, "Is the Buddha speaking to this humble Daoist?"

"Of course," Duobao said gently, "Does Fellow Daoist Puti still resent me for seizing the fortune of your Western Sect?"

"Hmph!" 'Xupu Ti' flicked his sleeve. "Does the Buddha wish to boast about his glorious achievements from back then?"

"Boast? Why would I boast?" Duobao chuckled. "Fellow Daoist's cultivation seems to have advanced again, yet also seems to be sealed in your Dao realm. Working for the Heavenly Dao, the rewards are usually quite good, aren't they? Can't envy, alas, can't envy."

Veins immediately pulsed on 'Xupu Ti's forehead. How did he get infected by Senior Brother Taiyi? A dignified Buddha, supposedly on the same level as the Dao Ancestor, what's with the sarcastic remarks?

Li Changshou feigned annoyance, saying, "The Buddha also seems to have been unwillingly pushed into his current position, confined within Mount Ling. I merely wonder, how many of the Buddha's treasures remain now?"

Duobao was hit where it hurt, and glared at Xupu Ti before him.

Li Changshou's mind stirred. According to the script the Dao Ancestor insisted on, Duobao would definitely go to the Heavenly Court to subdue the monkey later, which could be very helpful. But, was Senior Brother Duobao still trustworthy at this point? Li Changshou felt a slight doubt in his heart, and he couldn't speak to probe, nor could he covertly communicate with Duobao again, not under the watchful eyes of the Heavenly Dao and Saint Jieyin, as he had with Laojun. The risk was a bit too high, and the potential reward insufficient.

These thoughts flashed through Li Changshou's mind in an instant, and he added: "Buddha, there is no Western Sect anymore, and Buddhism is showing signs of great prosperity. You, as the esteemed leader of a major sect, why bother to mock a suffering immortal like me?"

Duobao gave a weak chuckle and uttered a Buddhist chant. "One should be more peaceful. No need to dwell on past encounters; you and I do have a common plight. Puti, do you still remember the Heavenly Dao's taboos?"

Li Changshou was silent for a moment, then replied, "I remember."

"With your Dao realm, it's normal that you remember," Duobao sighed. "I truly miss his days in the world; now there's only monotony. I wonder how he and my Junior Sister Yun Xiao are doing. That fellow truly got a good deal!"

Li Changshou reminded him, "He is my enemy."

"Exactly, that's why I'm complaining to you," Duobao chuckled. "We're both connected to him, isn't that our only connection?"

Li Changshou: ...

"Puti, do you think that fellow will come back?" Duobao squinted and smiled. "Descending from the heavens, fighting his way back to the Primordial World, so unrestrained and joyful. However, then you'd be anxious, worrying if you'll be dealt with. Alas, I don't know how to face him, how to explain my current situation, having inadvertently become a Buddha and now having to spread the doctrines of the Western Sect everywhere."

Li Changshou was about to utter a few sarcastic remarks, to remind Duobao not to be so 'unrestrained', but just as he was about to speak, his spiritual sense subtly quivered. He felt a change in Daoist Duobao's aura.

He turned his head and saw Duobao frowning slightly, performing a divination with his fingers, staring at his palm. Soon, Duobao shed his previous relaxed expression. A wave of pressure emanated from around him, and he looked up, gazing in the direction of the Heavenly Palace.

Li Changshou asked, "What's wrong, Buddha?"

"It's none of your concern," Duobao said coldly. He pressed his palm towards the lotus pond in front of him, opening a cloud mirror which revealed the scene in the Lingxiao Palace.

In the grand hall, a female immortal clad in golden armor stood amidst the civil and military officials, directly facing the Jade Emperor on his throne and the fake Taibai beside him. The immortal's figure was almost perfect; the form-fitting battle armor added a sense of power to her otherwise slender curves, and her simply tied ponytail accentuated her striking heroic aura. It was Youqin Xuanya.

At this moment, she cupped her hands, bowed her head, and spoke loudly: "Your Majesty, I, your humble general, speak with little influence, and my remonstrance today risks overstepping my bounds. I willingly accept punishment. However, the Heavenly Court's ennoblement of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven is unjust! Sun Wukong has no merit, no military achievements, and was originally an enemy the Heavenly Court sought to eliminate. If the Heavenly Court grants such a reward merely because of his formidable power, won't all powerful beings in the Three Realms become enemies of the Heavenly Court in the future, just waiting for the Heavenly Court to enlist them? How can this satisfy the Heavenly Court soldiers and generals who spilled their blood fighting demons, or the heroic souls lost on Mount Huaguo? I implore Your Majesty to revoke this decree! Heavenly generals would rather fight a powerful enemy to the death than drink with them."

Beside Youqin Xuanya, most of the martial generals bowed their heads, cupped their fists, and joined in the petition.

On the high platform, the Jade Emperor's expression was as usual, but the fake Taibai beside him had a stern look.

By the lotus pond on Mount Ling, Duobao stared at the scene, his Dao resonance surging around him, already preparing for spatial relocation.