Chapter 751: Bad Behavior

Chapter 752: A Turn for the Worse

The atmosphere in the High Heavens Pavilion was rather tense.

Yuqin Xuanya requested permission, and all the military generals unanimously agreed. The civil officials on the side remained silent, and the Jade Emperor on the high platform had a serene expression.

It was widely known that this matter was strongly promoted by Taibai Jinxing. When Li Jing led his army to fight the demons of Mount Huaguo, Taibai Jinxing had been continuously pushing for this. Now that the military generals were expressing dissatisfaction, it was naturally up to Taibai Jinxing to step forward and resolve the situation.

The small jade curtain in front of the Jade Emperor gently swayed. He glanced at the fake Taibai beside him, who smiled, bowed to the Jade Emperor, and then turned to Yuqin Xuanya.

The fake Taibai slowly said, "Marshal Yuqin, this matter was not decided by a single word; it was discussed in the High Heavens Pavilion. Why was it not objected to then, but now you are asking His Majesty to retract his decree? If so, where is the Heavenly Might, and where is His Majesty's prestige?"

"May I ask, Star Lord?" Yuqin Xuanya spoke calmly, taking half a step forward while gripping her sword. Her bright eyes stared intently at the white-robed elder. For some inexplicable reason, Xuanya felt a strange sensation in her heart, but she forcefully suppressed it, choosing to address the matter at hand. She firmly stated, "When this matter was discussed previously, how many immortals and gods were present, and how many Heavenly Court generals were there? The reason Xuanya stands here today is that the Star Lord's conduct is truly unconvincing."

"What's that?" The fake Taibai frowned and said, "Could it be that even when discussing confidential matters of heaven and earth in the High Heavens Pavilion, we must inform Marshal Yuqin?"

Yuqin Xuanya replied, "If it wasn't publicly announced before, why are you now claiming that all immortals and gods already knew?"

"Marshal Yuqin, are you implying that His Majesty the Jade Emperor's decree still requires the agreement of all immortals and gods?" The fake Taibai replied with a smile, "His Majesty the Jade Emperor is benevolent and places great trust in all immortals and gods, often showing them much care and being reluctant to reprimand them. But Marshal Yuqin, do not forget that this Heavenly Court must abide by His Majesty the Jade Emperor's decree, and it is His Majesty's word that constitutes the divine mandate. Today, under the guise of offering counsel, you have acted offensively towards His Majesty the Jade Emperor, showing contempt for heavenly might and disobeying heavenly rules. What crime do you deserve?"

Yuqin Xuanya lightly pressed her lips together, lowering her head in silence. She couldn't argue with him. It was clear he was not an opponent on her level.

The fake Taibai then voluntarily stepped back half a pace and said, "Marshal Yuqin, I know you possess a sincere heart, but you have merely been instigated and used by others, which led to today's events. 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' is merely an empty title. Giving it to the Handsome Monkey King, what harm can it possibly do to the Heavenly Court? What Marshal Yuqin just said was actually a bit exaggerated.

"The Handsome Monkey King is a primordial stone embryo, originating from a heaven-mending stone. He possesses great merit and immense power, and his character is quite good. He merely came into close contact with demons after his birth, thus acquiring the lineage of a demon. Now, with the Five Continents stable and the Four Seas peaceful, the Heavenly Court governs the Three Realms. It cannot solely focus on conquest and warfare; it must also learn adaptability. All myriad spirits under heaven are considered demons. Since demons cannot be fully eradicated or killed off, it would be better to enlighten them, allowing them to also exist in heaven and earth. Demons, humans, and primordial beings are all living creatures. Marshal Yuqin, do not stubbornly believe that because you are human, all demonic beings in heaven and earth must be eliminated. Your perspective is too narrow; you should look to the future."

"But..." Yuqin Xuanya paused, and a passage of words inexplicably surfaced from the depths of her heart. It was a warm voice, speaking slowly and calmly about the Three Realms' beings he had arranged, mentioning... mentioning...

"Marshal Yuqin," the fake Taibai said with a smile, "you might as well just!"

"Star Lord, you are mistaken!" Yuqin Xuanya suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing with resolve, and firmly stated: "The myriad spirits are not entirely demons; myriad spirits are just myriad spirits. The term 'demon' originated from the Demon Court, who initially called themselves the Sacred Race, and later the Demon Race. Among humans, 'demon' is a derogatory term, but within the demon race, it means 'wise stars.'

"Currently, the Three Realms encompass Heaven, Earth, and Man. Now there are six types of beings: human, spirit, immortal, devil, demon, and ghost. Spirit beings only need to shed their demonic lineage to return to their original appearance as one of the myriad races. The demons of Mount Huaguo, though mostly born within the last ten thousand years, are controlled by the lingering will of the ancient Demon Court. They carry much karma and act without restraint. Even if there are benevolent ones among them, they are exceedingly few. How can such demons be assimilated into the Heavenly Court? Even if a demon king born from such a race possesses noble character and complete virtue, how can they be granted the title of 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven'? The phrase 'Equal to Heaven' implies parity with Heaven, and *that* is the true disrespect to His Majesty the Jade Emperor!"

For a moment, the fake Taibai's eyes narrowed slightly.

The atmosphere in the High Heavens Pavilion grew heavy again. The immortals remained silent, and His Majesty the Jade Emperor continued to sit expressionlessly on his throne, as if he had heard nothing.

On Spirit Mountain, by the Lotus Pond.

Li Changshou watched the water mirror technique opened by Buddha Duobao, gazing at his 'poisonous' junior sister's pretty face. In his heart, he recalled all the circumstances of their first meeting at the Immortal Du Sect. This was her drive, this was her spirit. Even with limited understanding, she would uphold her own justice; that was the radiant Yuqin Xuanya.

Li Changshou silently gave a thumbs-up.

Beside him, Duobao's expression also softened slightly. He slowly said, "Xuanya is quite good. She can render the Heavenly Dao incarnation speechless, a bit like— *cough* —the Heavenly Dao taboo."

(A true automatic censoring.)

Li Changshou was currently disguised as Void Bodhi, so he naturally had to consider what Void Bodhi should say. Although a showdown was imminent, he had to respect his opponent and do everything within his power to the extreme, as even the slightest fraction of a moment could influence the final outcome. Since he sought stability, he naturally had to see it through to the end.

Therefore, Li Changshou said, "This female immortal is likely in danger."

"Friend, you are mistaken," Buddha Duobao slowly said. "Leaving aside that His Majesty the Jade Emperor will protect this female immortal, even the Heavenly Dao taboo's friends in the Heavenly Court will shield her. The Heavenly Dao is certainly omnipotent in this world, but it cannot act as it pleases or do whatever it wishes. There is always a balance. What the Heavenly Dao must consider is that harming Yuqin Xuanya would surely provoke dissatisfaction among many powerful experts towards the Heavenly Court, which would be absolutely unprofitable."

Duobao paused, then added, "This poor Daoist— *cough* —this poor monk will also act if necessary. At worst, I will bring Yuqin Xuanya back to Spirit Mountain for protection, and if needed, send her out of the Great Desolation to reunite with that Heavenly Dao taboo."

Li Changshou silently thanked his senior brother in his heart, but on the surface, he merely gave a lukewarm nod. Just as he was about to say something to disrupt the situation, another familiar voice came from the water surface.

Dong Mu Gong.

"Um... Your Majesty, this old subject has something to say."

Dong Mu Gong bowed and stepped forward. The Jade Emperor slowly nodded, saying warmly, "Mu Gong, just speak freely. Whatever you say, you shall be pardoned."

Duobao's eyebrows twitched, and Li Changshou chuckled inwardly. Junior Sister Yuqin had him, the Heavenly Dao taboo, and his many friends backing her, which was why His Majesty the Jade Emperor simply watched her confront the fake Taibai without intervening. But when Mu Gong, who only had the Jade Emperor's backing, stepped forward to say something to alleviate the awkwardness, the Jade Emperor actively protected him.

Listen as Dong Mu Gong spoke warmly: "Marshal Yuqin, and all colleagues who are dissatisfied with this matter, what is done is done. The Heavenly Court cannot change its decrees overnight. In this old subject's opinion, bestowing the title of 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' upon the Handsome Monkey King was indeed somewhat... hasty. However, Star Lord Taibai also considered the Heavenly Court's interests. This matter is merely a disagreement among colleagues regarding the governance of the Three Realms, not a major dispute. Let us not make His Majesty bear such blame on your behalf. Instead of continuing to debate this matter, it would be better to think of remedies, to see if there's a solution that satisfies both sides, one that can curb the arrogance of the demon race without damaging the Heavenly Court's prestige or disrupting the Three Realms' operation."

Having spoken, Dong Mu Gong bowed to the Jade Emperor, lowered his head, returned to his place, and softly exhaled.

Taibai Jinxing also slowly nodded, stepped back half a pace, and stood beside the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor slowly said, "Esteemed ministers, let us discuss."

"Your Majesty!" Li Jing was the first to speak: "Your humble general is willing to lead troops to destroy the demons of Mount Huaguo and, within a hundred years, wipe out all ancient great demons in the Three Realms!"

"Your Majesty!" Star Lord Wenqu stepped forward and saluted, "Since the Great Sage Equal to Heaven has submitted to the Heavenly Court, benevolent demons among the demon race can also become our Heavenly Court's allies. This can serve as an opportunity to dismantle the demonic lineage."

Another minister said: "Your subject believes this is improper. The demon race has long been a menace to the Heavenly Court. In the past, the Heavenly Court declared them enemies of heaven and earth. If we now extensively recruit them, how can it not affect Heavenly Might?"

"This humble general is foolish, but I think it would be better to exterminate all demons above the Heavenly Immortal realm and disperse the remaining demons into the wilderness."

"One must consider whether these demons above the Heavenly Immortal realm have descendants or close friends. If they harbor resentment towards the Heavenly Court, it will only cause more unrest in the world."

At that moment, with one minister speaking after another, the High Heavens Pavilion became unusually lively. Yuqin Xuanya had already retreated to the side. She had given her counsel with a willingness to die, and now she could be considered to have successfully withdrawn.

However, upon seeing this scene, Li Changshou felt a slight helplessness in his heart. This foolish girl was clearly being used as a pawn by the Heavenly Dao...

Meanwhile, above the Thirty-Three Heavens, in the Zixiao Palace directly above the Great Desolation.

The Dao Ancestor and the gray-robed old Daoist sat beside the Jade Plate of Creation, both with somewhat grave expressions, observing the situation in the High Heavens Palace. They were not fretting over how to maintain the script, but rather assessing the trajectory of today's events.

The gray-robed old Daoist solemnly asked, "Why has another variable emerged that neither you nor I can directly control?"

"Yuqin Xuanya's connection with Li Changshou is too deep; her being influenced is inevitable," the Dao Ancestor said, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes. "Once this matter is settled, control her soul to prevent her from causing any further trouble."

"The key now lies in the variable." The gray-robed old Daoist firmly stated, "According to the path we set, Sun Wukong's rebellion against Heaven should have occurred after the Peach Banquet. Today, the immortals and gods have already escalated this matter. If the demons of Mount Huaguo are not destroyed later, it might be difficult to resolve. Thus, the entire plan is no longer under control."

"The impact won't be too significant," the Dao Ancestor said. "Such a variable is merely caused by the instability of human hearts. You just need to find the right moment to arrange for Yuqin Xuanya to lead troops to conquer Mount Huaguo. Let this variable be used to our advantage."

The gray-robed old Daoist solemnly asked, "When Li Changshou escaped from heaven and earth, this poor Daoist had already sealed off the Heavenly Dao. There shouldn't have been any more variables. Now such a variable has emerged. If it's not due to this poor Daoist's insufficient deduction of the Great Dao, then it must be... The 'one that escaped' did not actually escape."

The Dao Ancestor was silent for a moment, then said, "Is there any activity in the Kunpeng Secret Realm?"

"No activity. Li Changshou is indeed there... the Paper Avatar method?"

"He likely hasn't fully comprehended the hidden path of the Paper Avatar; otherwise, the Jade Plate of Creation would have reacted." A sharp glint flashed in the Dao Ancestor's eyes. He said, "You should investigate the Kunpeng Secret Realm again. I will once more try to comprehend the Jade Plate of Creation. Yuqin Xuanya will be dealt with as we just discussed."

"Understood." The gray-robed old Daoist assented, and his figure gradually faded into nothingness.

In the High Heavens Pavilion, the immortals and gods discussed back and forth but ultimately could not come up with a mutually beneficial solution. The method with the least negative impact was actually to declare throughout the Three Realms that Sun Wukong was a primordial spirit embryo, not a demon, and had a profound connection with Goddess Nüwa. The Heavenly Court, out of respect for Goddess Nüwa, had bestowed upon Sun Wukong this empty title. This could barely explain the situation. Afterward, the demons gathered on Mount Huaguo would be swiftly eradicated, and a wave of demon-extermination and evil-purging would be launched throughout the Three Realms, clearly separating Sun Wukong from the demon race.

Most immortals and gods believed this was feasible. Some immortals also suggested inviting the Great Sage Equal to Heaven to join the discussion, but the fake Taibai Jinxing directly refused, citing that 'the Great Sage Equal to Heaven has no official rank and thus cannot enter the High Heavens Pavilion.'

Mu Gong sighed, "In this case, the Heavenly Court has failed the Great Sage Equal to Heaven." The immortals remained silent, but the Jade Emperor said, "The original demon residents of Mount Huaguo can be spared from death." This could be considered a gesture towards Sun Wukong's feelings. However, Sun Wukong was currently drinking in the Great Sage Equal to Heaven's residence, completely unaware of what was happening to him.

Just as the immortals and gods believed the matter was settled and that Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li could handle the aftermath, the fake Taibai spoke again. The old man said with a smile: "Marshal Li Jing, today's campaign arose from Marshal Yuqin's counsel. Shouldn't half the credit also go to Marshal Yuqin? Your Majesty, perhaps Marshal Yuqin should also lead the troops. This would allow for proper reward distribution after the battle."

At that instant, the Jade Emperor, Mu Gong, and several Jie Sect immortals with sufficiently high Dao cultivation and unimpaired memories in the High Heavens Pavilion subtly frowned. On Spirit Mountain, by the Lotus Pond, Li Changshou's and Duobao's expressions were a rare synchronicity, both furrowing their brows. But Li Changshou quickly sneered, saying, "Marshal Yuqin is likely in trouble."

"How strange," Buddha Duobao wondered, "Yuqin is just a minor Golden Immortal. How did she end up being targeted by the Heavenly Dao? She was the one who offered counsel today, and if she's also the one leading the expedition to Mount Huaguo, and the monkeys there suddenly die again, won't that monkey absolutely despise her? Killing someone's heart is no different from this."

Li Changshou sighed faintly in his heart, instantly understanding why the Dao Ancestor was targeting Yuqin. A variable. Influenced by him, the calamity of the Journey to the West had produced a variable through Yuqin's interference. If the Dao Ancestor were more cautious now, he might begin monitoring the Three Thousand Great Daos. After all, the Dao Ancestor had gone to great lengths to make him, the 'one that escaped,' leave heaven and earth, allowing the Heavenly Dao to temporarily achieve 'completion' and freeze that state of 'completion.' A single instant, an eternity.

Never mind, it's not a major issue. Li Changshou watched the situation in the High Heavens Pavilion, already preparing to reveal himself and rush there to protect Yuqin, and then take the opportunity to have a showdown with the Heavenly Dao.

However, before he could make up his mind, several streaks of light flew from outside the High Heavens Pavilion, revealing their true forms at the entrance and stepping into the hall. The first person, dressed in grand festive robes, with a long, beautiful beard, radiated golden light, embodying abundant good fortune. It was none other than Marshal Dragon and Tiger, the God of Wealth, Zhao Gongming.

As soon as Zhao Gongming appeared, he bowed slightly, cupped his fists in salutation to all sides, a constant smile on his face, yet subtly exuding an aura of authority. Behind him were the four 'working' Zhengshen who attract treasures, gather valuables, bring wealth, and facilitate trade. All the immortals and gods saluted in unison, and the Jade Emperor also showed a slight smile.

Zhao Gongming chuckled, "Your humble god greets Your Majesty!"

"Hmm," the Jade Emperor raised his hand, signaling Zhao Gongming to dispense with formalities, and said warmly, "God of Wealth, you are not attending to Doumu Yuanjun in the Doumu Palace. What has brought you here?"

"Your Majesty, your humble god has come to ask Your Majesty for a marshal," Zhao Gongming sighed. "My two children are quite restless in their mother's womb, so I thought, perhaps I could invite an upright and steadfast general to go and 'shake them up' a bit."

The military generals immediately puffed out their chests and raised their heads. Zhao Gongming then smiled again, "Ideally, it should be a female general. After all, there's a pregnant female immortal at home, so a male immortal wouldn't be appropriate."

The Jade Emperor chuckled, "Then, how about Marshal Yuqin?"

"Couldn't be better, couldn't be better," Zhao Gongming said, turning to Yuqin Xuanya with a smile. "She's the one."

Yuqin Xuanya's delicate brows furrowed slightly. She quickly said, "God of Wealth, your humble general still needs to lead an expedition to the lower realms..."

"Ah, Marshal Yuqin, what do you see beneath your feet?" Zhao Gongming suddenly spoke. Yuqin Xuanya instinctively lowered her head, only to see several gold ingots lying at her feet. In that brief delay, streams of light flashed around her, and a yard-long gold ingot appeared out of thin air, trapping Yuqin Xuanya within it.

"This is the reward for Marshal Yuqin!" Zhao Gongming said cheerfully, then repeatedly cupped his fists towards the Jade Emperor and the fake Taibai. He motioned for Generals Zhaobao, Nazhen, Zhaocai, and Lishi to step forward, and they carried the gold ingot, flying out of the High Heavens Pavilion. "Your Majesty, please attend to your important affairs. Your humble god will now return to protect the mother and children."

The Jade Emperor said, "If you need anything, seek it in the Jade Pool. Go quickly."

"Heh heh." Zhao Gongming gave a thick-skinned chuckle and swiftly departed the High Heavens Palace.

The fake Taibai remained silent throughout. The Jade Emperor then took the opportunity to order Li Jing to lead the Zhengshen of the Doubu to eliminate the demons of Mount Huaguo, sparing Sun Wukong's monkey descendants. Li Jing accepted the order and quickly rushed to the East Heavenly Gate. There, the army was already waiting.

In the Underworld, at the ruins of the Sea of Blood, beneath the Reincarnation Tower.

Wisps of gray mist swirled, coalescing into the Dao Ancestor's imposing figure. He frowned, glancing at Ksitigarbha in the Reincarnation Tower, then with a sweep of his large hand towards the tower's base, he silently shattered the enormous spirit core. But even with the Heavenly Demon Venerable's spirit core shattered, that Great Dao remained in the Great Desolation, becoming a rule of the Great Desolation that the Heavenly Dao could not erase.

Li Changshou...

The Dao Ancestor's nostrils quivered slightly, clearly indicating genuine anger. After all, the feeling of being played was truly unpleasant. Throughout heaven and earth, waves of Heavenly Dao power swept back and forth; meanwhile, 'Void Bodhi,' sitting by the Lotus Pond, subtly frowned and sighed inwardly.

As expected... He could only do one thing next, and he only had one chance to do it. The Kunpeng ship was still far from the Great Desolation, so he had to remain calm. As long as the Kunpeng ship approached the Heavenly Dao's boundary, the initiative would still be in his hands.

(End of Chapter)