Don't let Yu Ding take on any more disciples.

Chapter 517 Heavenly Court Investigates Deficiencies; You Killed Your Martial Uncle (Large Cup)
The Jade Emperor closed the memorial and sighed with a hint of melancholy.

I didn't miscalculate my step of descending to the mortal realm;
He bet that without a leader, the immortals in Heaven would have no way to elect a new Heavenly Emperor, and he wasn't wrong.
This time, even her own daughter almost got involved in the election, but in the end, she still couldn't escape the words "fate has decreed it." It's truly unbelievable...

The Jade Emperor glanced at the sky above and sighed, "Taibai, you have done a great service by finding me this time. I really don't know how to thank you."

Now that the die is cast, and Heaven is his superior, he has no choice but to 'thank' Venus.

Venus trembled and hurriedly said, "This time, the one who found Your Majesty first was not this old minister. This merit... this old minister is unworthy of it."

The Jade Emperor then remembered and said, "Oh right, and that heavenly general, could you please find out his name and what position he holds in the Heavenly Court?"

"Your Majesty, that is the Kunzhong Divine General. He was received by the Primordial Emperor before he left when he ascended from the lower realm."

Venus said, "At that time, the Curtain-Raising General's Dao heart was damaged because of Erlang Zhenjun, and he was unable to fulfill his duties and had to retire. Before the tribulation, the Primordial Emperor appointed him as one of the twelve nominated heavenly generals for the position of Curtain-Raising General."

"Having made such a great contribution, why bother with a nomination?"

The Jade Emperor waved his hand and said, "Immediately issue an edict to promote the Kunzhong Divine General to the Curtain-Raising General, so that he may serve me from now on."

Taibai hurriedly replied, "Yes!"

Kunzhong, Kunzhong, everything I, Lao Bai, have said is the truth.

Heaven's favor is unpredictable; you'd better pray for good fortune from now on.

"And one more thing!"

The Jade Emperor pondered and said, "The Demon-Subduing God disregarded human life and almost triggered a war between gods and humans. The Li family father and son were punished, and he cannot pretend that nothing happened."

He said, "Go, demote him to the mortal realm first so he can experience the life of an ant in his eyes, arrange some tribulations for him, and see how well he performs before deciding whether to hire him."

Venus quickly replied, "Yes!"

Seeing the Jade Emperor begin to lower his head and seriously deal with matters, Venus's eyes revealed a look of delight.

changed!

After reincarnating and undergoing tribulation, this Heavenly Emperor seems to be truly different from before.

Although I seem to have become busier, compared to the leisurely life before... being busy is good.

Otherwise, he would feel ashamed to accept the salary given by the Heavenly Court.

He turned around and went to help the Jade Emperor draft an edict, which would then only require the Emperor's seal to be affixed to form a heavenly decree.

"Wait a minute, the Heavenly Treasury is empty of spirit stones, and there's even a deficit of ten trillion? Didn't the Innate Emperor have eight trillion back then?"

Suddenly, the Jade Emperor looked at a memorial and exclaimed in shock, "The Heavenly Army's military supplies amount to 520 billion? From the time the Primordial Emperor left until I ascended the throne, it's only been two months at most. What, have you been burning through money like this during these days of war with the various races of the prehistoric world?"

Venus silently said, "Five times!"

"five……"

The Jade Emperor choked for a moment and coughed dryly, saying, "But they've already repaired the palace and paid for it, so why is there still such a huge expenditure... Hmm, is it just my imagination? These past few times, apart from that roc, something seems to be similar."

"Similar? No, how is it similar?"

Taibai Jinxing said quietly, "Our Heavenly Court governs not only the Primordial World, but also the Great Thousand World, the Middle Thousand World, the Lesser Thousand World, and so on. When demons and ferocious beasts cause trouble in those worlds, we need to send heavenly soldiers and generals to subdue them. All of these require the support of spirit stones, pills, and military equipment."

As Taibai recounted the story, the Jade Emperor's lips twitched: "So, a single trip costs at least 500,000? How much is a celestial soldier's annual salary these days?"

He originally intended to gain some benefits for himself this time.

The result was unexpected... unexpected...

Taibai Jinxing said, "About... twelve Heaven-grade spirit stones, plus a year-end bonus of thirty Earth-grade spirit stones."

The Jade Emperor exclaimed in surprise, "Twelve pieces! That's one hundred and fifty earth-grade spirit stones! Even a cultivation sect that occupies an entire prefecture would only earn about that much a year. Isn't this offer far too generous?"

Seeing that his emperor had gone through a tribulation and reincarnation in the mortal realm and even knew the prices of goods on earth, Taibai sighed with relief.

It's not easy!

Despite his relief, he smiled wryly and said, "It's already improved five times."

"Five..." The Jade Emperor's lips twitched again, he had a guess, and looked at Taibai.

Sure enough, Taibai said, "Every time the Heavenly Court encounters a crisis, a large number of heavenly soldiers and generals leave their posts. If the benefits are not high, we can't retain them."

The Jade Emperor paused for a moment before sighing, "If only there were people who were both obedient and capable, and didn't cost any money... Wait a minute, how's the investiture of the gods going?"

He seemed to understand why this great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods had occurred.

Those spirit stones are only needed by minor heavenly soldiers and immortals. What use would a real immortal have for them?

The immortals and great immortals need high-quality things like peaches of immortality and golden pills.

Taibai pondered for a moment and said, "As far as this old minister knows, it is currently underway."

"Keep pushing!"

The Jade Emperor nodded: "As long as we can get through this period, our Heavenly Court will be fine once the Eight Heavenly Gods return to their positions. They don't need spirit stones and such things."

Venus sighed, "Actually, these deficits are still a minor problem for the Heavenly Court. If some hidden dangers are exposed in the future, the harm will be even greater."

"Such a huge deficit is just a minor problem?"

The Jade Emperor was taken aback and asked, "What other hidden dangers are there?"

Venus shook his head and said, "Too many."

"Too many..." The Jade Emperor's lips twitched, and he snorted somewhat unconvinced, "Then tell me about them."

Venus glanced at the Jade Emperor, opened his mouth, and then chose to remain silent.

The Jade Emperor snorted, "Why are you mute? Is it because you don't have anything to say, or because you dare not speak?"

"The heavenly soldiers and generals killed innocent people and took credit for others, which is why there was the calamity of the ape demon back then. The heavenly laws were imperfect, which is why there was the calamity of Erlang Zhenjun. There were also some heavenly generals who deceived their superiors and were corrupt internally, and so on."

Venus said, “Your Majesty… cough cough, if the Heavenly Court, right under the nose of the Primordial Emperor, is like this, what about the Underworld below the Heavenly Court? There is also the Serpent God, who is only a mountain god but acts arrogantly among mortals. Don’t the other earth gods, mountain gods and local deities have similar problems?”

"Oops, my old friend..." The Jade Emperor angrily pushed all the memorials and other items on the table in front of him to the ground.

"What are those inspector spirits doing?"

The Jade Emperor rose angrily and said, "Investigate! Investigate for me! The guardian deity is upright and incorruptible, and never shows favoritism. He shall take the lead in this matter, with the Curtain-Raising Deity as his assistant."

"Investigate every department of Heaven and every deity of the Underworld from top to bottom, without fear of offending anyone. It's perfect timing, before the Eight Righteous Gods return to their positions, to sweep away all the corrupt practices and those parasites, and let the winds of righteousness blow in."

After saying that, he angrily turned and left.

As he stepped out of the Tongming Hall, a golden light flashed around him.
The Heavenly Emperor's enormous Dharma form, golden imperial robes and crown, and divine wheel behind his head all disappeared, leaving only a figure in white robes, the size of an ordinary person, as he departed.

Venus bowed deeply, too frightened to utter a single word or even breathe loudly.

This is a job that harms others, benefits no one, and offends people.

The investigation will offend people wherever it goes, but it must be admitted that this will indeed make things better for the Heavenly Court.

"Your Majesty is truly different now..." Taibai slowly straightened up, looked towards the door with emotion, then glanced at the scattered memorials on the ground, shook his head, and bent down to pick them up.

when!
Just as I picked up a few books, ten drumbeats and four bell tolled.

Taibai Jinxing, who was picking things up, paused and looked up at the door in surprise.

Something seems wrong!

As the saying goes, there is a morning bell and an evening drum. In the morning, the bell is rung and the drum is played to announce the time. In the afternoon, the drum is played first and the bell is played later to announce the time. The bell is not rung when it is late at night.

Ten drumbeats and four bell tolls... that's the hour of You (5-7 PM)... the fourth quarter of an hour?
Wait a minute!
Venus suddenly widened his eyes. "The fourth quarter of the hour of You (5-7 PM)... isn't this the time when the Heavenly Court is off duty in the afternoon?"
He looked down at the memorials he had picked up, and suddenly his hands clenched, his mouth twitched, and the veins on his forehead bulged. He had an urge to smash the memorials on the ground.

He was actually happy about the Heavenly Emperor's return and his newfound serious and responsible attitude!

Limited to before the drums and bells ring...

So this person's 'good' habit of never working overtime hasn't changed at all!
"I'm so angry! The problems in the Heavenly Court are so huge!"

The Jade Emperor, his expression grim and angry, asked, "Eh? How did I end up here?"

He was startled soon after realizing that he had somehow wandered to the pond in the Imperial Garden.

"Alas, I shouldn't have gotten so angry."

A gentle breeze lifted the Jade Emperor's furrowed brow, and as he gazed at the water, his mood improved considerably, and he began to reflect.

Yaochi controlled the family finances. In order to prevent his daughter from experiencing the hardships he had endured, he had the foresight to save up a small treasury for her over the years.

The title of Heavenly Emperor sounds impressive and looks glamorous, but if you think about it carefully, the Heavenly Emperor's throne is rotated, and the Heavenly Court is not his private property.

Although he is the Heavenly Emperor, he is just an employee and no different from others.

Since that's the case, then let's keep public and private matters separate... Taking a small salary isn't unreasonable, is it?

He did it extremely cleanly back then, leaving no trace whatsoever. Of course, even if it were discovered, it wouldn't matter.

What does the Jade Emperor have to do with the problem of the Jade Emperor?

This is a perfect opportunity to bring up all the problems left behind by Haotian, both to thoroughly investigate and resolve them, and to settle all outstanding issues.

We can't let the historical issues left by Haotian affect the Jade Emperor, right?
Only when the Heavenly Court is cleaned up will the new Jade Emperor feel comfortable and be able to do his job properly, right?
Upon realizing this, the Jade Emperor felt relieved and looked at the Imperial Pool with a strange smile on his face.

"Let's celebrate with a couple of fishing rods."

The Jade Emperor came to a tree and kicked it. The tree crown shook and a whole set of fishing equipment, including fishing rods and baskets, fell down.

Leaving aside the Jade Emperor, the entire Heavenly Court was shaken by the issuance of his three imperial edicts upon assuming the new Heavenly Emperor position.

The first decree was not problematic; the Kunzhong Divine General was promoted to the Curtain-Raising General for his meritorious service in finding the new Heavenly Emperor.

The second decree... wasn't a big deal either. One of the unlucky ones was the Demon-Subduing God, who was banished to the mortal realm to experience the life of an ordinary person.

But the third imperial edict had a much bigger problem.

This decree involved all departments of the Heavenly Court, from the highest gods and immortals to the lowest heavenly soldiers, all of whom had to be investigated.

No, it's not just the Heavenly Court!
Even the earthly deities and the underworld... all places under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Court must be investigated!

Their work, income, expenses, everything must be investigated!

What alarmed the gods even more was that the one being investigated was a righteous, incorruptible, impartial, and unforgiving guardian deity.

Tushita Palace.

"Master, Master, something bad has happened!"

Jinling and Yinling ran into the Tushita Palace, where they saw flames raging in the Bagua Furnace, and only a tower was being reforged.

Beside him, Laozi was intently watching the screen, holding the controllers in both hands, trying to complete the level.

The 'Pangu' he controlled had a beast skin around its waist, strong muscles, bronze skin, a Chaos Bell on its head, and a head of black hair. It waved the Pangu Banner in its right hand repeatedly at the Chaos Demon God in front of it, sweeping out waves of Chaos Sword Qi. However, the sword Qi only caused sparks to fly when it hit the Demon God, and the Demon God's health gradually decreased.

Suddenly, the Chaos Demon roared, and the terrifying sonic waves shattered the stones in the chaos. Even the bright golden light of the Chaos Bell dimmed and eventually shattered.

Soon, Pangu coughed up blood, collapsed, and the screen went gray.

"Hiss... The damage from the Pangu Banner in the later stages is really weak, it's not enough at all. The Chaos Bell can't withstand it at all. Without synthesizing the Heaven-Opening Axe, we can't fight at all. Where is this Taiji Diagram?"

Laozi's lips twitched. Who would have thought that in reality, his true self wielded the Taiji Diagram, but in this game, he found the Pangu Banner and the Chaos Bell, only lacking the Taiji Diagram to synthesize the Heaven-Opening Axe.

This is simply... outrageous!
At this moment, two children rushed in, looking panicked.

Laozi glanced at them and said, "I sent you to the Jade Emperor's celebration in my place, and you came back looking like this? It took half a day, and the celebration lasted quite a while."

As for him, he's at a crucial point in clearing the game and doesn't have time!

Jin Ling quickly said, "Master, news just came from Heaven that the Jade Emperor has issued an edict to investigate the accounts of all departments of Heaven."

The Supreme Being said indifferently, "Let them investigate. What business is it of ours?"

Yinling said, "Not only the Heavenly Court, but also the Underworld, the Earthly Deities of the Human Realm, and so on, we must investigate them all, and we must also investigate our Tushita Palace."

"The Tushita Palace also needs to be investigated..."

Laozi's expression changed, and he raised an eyebrow, saying, "Our Tushita Palace... isn't lacking anything, is it?"

Jin Ling exclaimed in alarm, "How could it not be bad? We've sent quite a lot to Master Taiqing and Master Xuandu. Last time, Master Kongxu also brought a few gourds. And that kid Yinling sometimes steals elixirs to eat like candy."

In the end, they even started tattling.

Yinling retorted angrily, "You...you're talking nonsense! You're the one who ate like that, and you almost ate yourself to death that time. Another time, the Green Ox saw you and fed you, and another time..."

The two became increasingly agitated as they talked and eventually started fighting.

Laozi looked on with a headache and said with a stern face, "Quickly go and check how much is still missing."

Once he spoke, Jinling and Yinling had no choice but to stop fighting and begin checking the accounts.

A moment later, Jin Ling held up an account book and said, "Based on a gourd containing 108 pills, we still owe the Heavenly Court 385 gourds of golden pills!"

Yinling added, holding up a book as well: "There are also 816 gourds of Azure Sky Pills and 1352 gourds of Heaven-Returning Pills!"

Jin Ling then said, "Five hundred and thirty-two gourds of Pure Void Pills, and six hundred and fifty-two gourds of Creation Pills."

Yinling said, "Eight hundred and fifty-four..."

Jin Ling: "We also used up several hundred gourds for social obligations."

Hiss... Hearing the report from the two children, even Laozi gasped: "How could there be so many?"

The two children looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Don't panic, don't panic!"

Laozi pondered, "By the way, how much did Yang Jian eat when he made havoc in the Heavenly Palace last time?"

Jin Ling said, "There are probably around seventy-two gourds."

"Has it been reported?"

"not yet!"

Jin Ling glanced at Yin Ling and said, "That kid was too playful and forgot about it. Later, the Jade Emperor went to undergo his tribulation."

"It's good to be playful, it's good to be playful."

Laozi nodded repeatedly: "Yinling, change it to seven hundred and twenty gourds!"

Yin Ling's eyes widened: ∑(っ°Д°;)っ?
Laozi glared at him and said, "What are you standing there for? Quickly find it and change it!"

Yinling whispered, "Master, Yang Jian is a member of the Jade Void Sect and also a disciple of the Jade Cauldron Immortal!"

Laozi said confidently, "I only said 720 and not 7200 because he is Yu Ding's disciple. My pill helped him when he was in danger. Now it's my turn to ask him for help in an emergency. Is that too much to ask?"

That makes sense... Silver Spirit Boy's lips twitched and he quickly went to find the written memorial.

Taishang pondered for a moment and said, "Jinling, go and write it again... Back then, Yuan Hong broke into the Tushita Palace and stole 810 gourds. Make it up to 99 for him."

Jin Ling said weakly, "But Master, Yuan Hong didn't come to our Tushita Palace back then."

Laozi glared and said, "Who saw it? There are only a few of us and an ox in the Tushita Palace. If we say he came, then he came. By the way, remember to tell the ox so that it doesn't slip up later."

"Oh!"

Jin Ling's lips twitched, and she quickly wrote it down.

Laozi pondered for a moment and asked, "Who else has dared to break into the Heavenly Court?"

Jin Ling cautiously reminded him, "And there's Princess Longji, Master. Should we write about her?"

Laozi said irritably, "Idiot! Of course... no way. Didn't you see what happened to Fu Yuan back then? The daughter of the Primordial Emperor, do you want this little ancestor to break into the Tushita Palace again?"

Jin Ling Tong Er shuddered.

Yuan Hong and Yang Jian were somewhat cautious back then, and their attacks only resulted in injuries, not deaths.

But this one was different; he was the most murderous among those who caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, and he truly intended to kill them.

Fu Yuanxian is the most qualified to speak on this matter.

The Supreme Being asked, "Who else?"

Jin Ling said, "There was also a giant roc, but they didn't fight. It's said that it circled around the Lingxiao Palace and left quickly."

Taishang nodded: "Write it down. This roc stole about 1,080 gourds of elixir."

Eighteen thousand… Jin Ling’s scalp tingled at the thought, and her hand trembled as she wrote: “Master, what if they find out and come looking for us?”

"We just took it for reimbursement. How would they know if they weren't from Heaven? Who else could it be?"

"And there are also Li Jing and his six sons from Chentang Pass, but..."

"No buts, six people? That's good, five hundred each..."

"Master! Master!"

Jin Ling stopped the beaming Tai Shang and said with a wry smile, "Li Jing is a disciple of Master Xiao Tai Xu, and also one of our own. Moreover, his sons all have powerful connections."

Upon hearing this, the Supreme Elder tapped his head: "So it's one of our own. Oh, how could I have forgotten about that? How much of the debt has been settled and how much is left?"

Jin Ling picked up the two books, glanced at them, and said, "Forty percent have been sold... there are probably still sixty percent left."

There are still 60% left... Laozi sighed and said, "How come there are still so many? But this project is quite large. It will take several years to finish investigating. You two hurry up and do the accounting. After you're done, you can refine pills together. I've trained you for so long, it's time for you to try your hand at it."

As the saying goes: those above just give a few words, while those below run themselves ragged.

At this moment, as the Jade Emperor made a sudden decision by the Imperial Water, the entire heaven and earth were busy after hearing the news.

……

Meishan!

"A balance of tension and relaxation, in accordance with the natural order..."

One day, Yuan Hong was at leisure and, following Yu Ding's advice, stopped his cultivation and walked in the mountains, pondering these two sentences.

Suddenly, he felt something on a whim, as if he had been carrying something on his back, but upon closer inspection, he realized there was nothing there.

"Could it be that I've gotten caught up in some karma... but that shouldn't be the case, I haven't left the mountain all these years."

However, he followed the path of the Immortal Warrior and was not skilled in divination, so after a moment's thought, he immediately went back to find the strategist, the Old Man of the Divine Mountain.

That is, Bai Ze!
"What burden have they carried..."

The old man of the sacred mountain was creating in a pavilion nestled against the mountain and by the water. Upon hearing this, he was somewhat surprised and performed a spell to deduce the truth. Suddenly, he shuddered, blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and he looked up at the sky with a look of astonishment and doubt.

"Strategist, how are you? Are you alright?" Yuan Hong asked in alarm.

The old man of the sacred mountain pondered and said, "The Great Sage is probably taking the blame for someone else."

Yuan Hong's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "Who is it?"

The old man of the sacred mountain shook his head and smiled, "As the saying goes, fortune and misfortune are interdependent, and suffering a loss is a blessing. Great Sage, you don't need to ask any more questions."

Yuan Hong pondered for a moment, then didn't ask any further questions. "Brother, brother, something terrible has happened!"

Suddenly Zhu Zizhen ran over and said, "A giant ape has appeared on the other side of the mountain. It is incredibly strong, and even with our combined strength, we cannot defeat it."

"A giant ape?" Yuan Hong looked up and said, "Let's go take a look!"

He took only one step, and his figure vanished like a gentle breeze.

"Sigh!" The old man from the sacred mountain looked at Yuan Hong as he left with a strange expression. After all, he was a Great Luo who had severed two corpses, and there were not many people who could hurt him in this way.

He was just curious: how could Yuan Hong, a demon king, take the blame for a saint?

Is it that person from Jade Void Palace?
At this moment, amidst the mountains, a gigantic, ferocious ape stood atop a mountain, its eyes bloodshot, frantically pounding its chest and emitting sound waves like the beating of a drum.

Six divine lights flashed rapidly around it, unleashing a series of divine powers that struck the giant ape, but like water droplets falling into the sea, they did not even cause a splash.

Conversely, although the giant ape was enormous, it was agile and quickly knocked the divine light to the ground with a single slap, turning it into Yang Xian, who was coughing up blood and looking terrified.

The giant ape followed closely behind, pounding its chest and unleashing a beam of blazing golden light that shot towards Yang Xian, leaving Yang Xian utterly horrified.

The other five monsters and Niu Dali in the divine light were shocked. Suddenly, Yuan Hong appeared out of thin air and stood between the golden beam of light and Yang Xian. With a wave of his right hand, he shattered the golden light.

"Not a living being?"

Yuan Hong looked at the giant ape with surprise, and for some reason felt a strange sensation.

His true form is an ape, and coincidentally, another giant ape appears in his territory... It's too much of a coincidence.

Suddenly, he raised his hand and unleashed a burst of blazing golden flames that instantly enveloped the giant ape. Then, the giant ape's body began to shrink continuously, eventually transforming into a palm-sized crystal monkey doll.

The little monkey looked intently at something.

After just one glance, Yuan Hong was stunned. It would be perfect if there were more immortals or Taoist priests giving lectures nearby.

"Big brother, are you alright?"

"What kind of treasure is this? It's incredibly powerful, almost comparable to a Golden Immortal."

The monsters arrived, still somewhat shaken and panting, asking questions. Among them were Celestial Immortals, yet they had almost lost one of their members during their long struggle.

"This!"

Yuan Hong's eyes flashed as he said, "We can call it a war puppet, or a puppet."

He could sense that this crystal ape was far more than just a battle puppet, but he still needed to study its other powerful features.

"Congratulations, brother, on obtaining this priceless treasure!"

A moment later, in the pavilion.

"Wow, how exquisite! The design and the craftsmanship... even the most skilled craftsmen in the Three Realms couldn't have made this."

The old man from the sacred mountain looked at the little monkey with amazement and said, "Great Sage, may I take it apart and study it?"

"No borrowing!"

Yuan Hong snatched it away: "If you want it, design it yourself!"

……

Guanjiang Estuary, Zhenjun Temple.

Some celestial officials brought imperial wine and other items to the immortals who would be participating in the celebration in the future, but who were of high status.

"The coronation ceremony of the new Heavenly Emperor?"

Yunhua hurriedly asked, "What about the Jade Emperor, the Queen Mother of the West, and the others?"

Xiao Tianjiang said with a wry smile, "How would I know? I only know that the new Heavenly Emperor is called the Jade Emperor, and that he is a friend named Zhang who was found by Venus in the mortal world."

Watching the heavenly soldiers depart and the imperial wine and celestial pearls they brought into the courtyard, Yunhua asked in surprise, "Zhang Youren? Erlang, isn't that the same name as before..."

Yang Jian asked knowingly, "It shouldn't be... such a coincidence!"

The Heavenly General whispered to Yunhua, "Fairy, you treated us well when you were in Heaven. Today I'll give you some news. The new Jade Emperor has issued three imperial edicts, one of which is to strictly investigate the losses and work of various departments in Heaven."

Yang Jian curled his lip: "What does this have to do with Guanjiangkou? Are you going to investigate Guanjiangkou?"

The heavenly general coughed and said, "Investigate all departments of the Heavenly Court and all the deities of the Underworld, from top to bottom and from head to toe."

Yunhua glanced at Yang Jian, whose calm and composed expression changed slightly.

After the people from the Heavenly Court left, Yunhua said, "Second Brother, come with me, I have something to ask you."

Yang Jian had no choice but to follow. The two arrived at the hall, where Yun Hua suddenly raised his hand and set up a barrier before sitting down above it.

Yang Jian also wanted to sit down.

Yunhua suddenly looked directly at Yang Jian and said, "Erlang, kneel down!"

Yang Jian:"……"

Although he was a little confused, he still obediently knelt down: "Mother, what are you doing?"

“Normally, I wouldn’t interfere with your private matters now that you’re older, but I have to ask this time.”

Yunhua stared at him and said, "Are you colluding with Yuan Hong for some kind of scheme? Or are you trying to raise a bandit to enhance your own power?"

Yang Jian met Yun Hua's gaze and opened his mouth: "I..."

But he, who was usually so eloquent, couldn't say a word in front of his own mother.

Yunhua said, "No matter what answer you give today, your mother will believe you. As long as you can convince your mother, you will be able to convince the Heavenly Court in the future."

Yang Jian's hand, which had been gripping the fan tightly, loosened and then tightened again...

"Erlang, you must remember one thing: you are the disciple of Jade Cauldron Immortal, a guardian deity of the Chan Sect, and... no matter what, you must not degenerate and associate with demons to disgrace your sect and master," Yunhua admonished.

Yang Jian shook his head and said, "My association with Yuan Hong is not a disgrace to my sect or my master."

Yunhua laughed angrily: "He is a demon, a great enemy of the Heavenly Court. You are a deity. Do you think the Jade Cauldron Immortal would be happy that you two are on the same page?"

Yang Jian coughed and said, "That's hard to say!"

Yunhua stood up angrily and said, "Erlang, do you know what you're saying?"

Yang Jian finally made a decision and looked up, saying, "I know, because we are of the same lineage."

"You...what are you talking nonsense about?"

Yunhua seemed struck by lightning, somewhat dazed, and sat back down.

“I’m not making this up. I know the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts, and so does he. He even became my disciple before me, so he’s my senior brother. It’s just that Master forbids him from going down the mountain to tell anyone.”

Yang Jian smiled wryly and said, "It's because we were taught by the same master that we can't determine a winner no matter how we fight."

Yunhua murmured, "Impossible! How could you possibly be from the same lineage as him? How could the Jade Cauldron Immortal possibly take a demon as his disciple?"

"In your eyes, there is still a distinction between demons, humans, and immortals."

Yang Jian sighed, "But in his eyes, these distinctions and prejudices no longer exist. That's probably why he was able to become the Grandmaster's personal disciple!"

Yunhua was somewhat persuaded, but was still shocked and incredulous.

Yang Jian asked, puzzled, "Mother, how...how did you find out about this?"

“Didn’t your mother tell you? This is what I used to do in Heaven.”

Yunhua glanced at her son and said indifferently, "I can tell how much you and he robbed from the Heavenly Court with just one look."

Yang Jian:"……"

No, those were accounts he personally kept. From the perspective of the Heavenly Laws, there's absolutely no problem with them. Is it that obvious?

He suddenly stood up and was about to leave.

"I have already covered up the problems in your accounts."

A sly glint appeared in Yunhua's eyes: "Even if the Jade Emperor himself came in the future, he wouldn't be able to find out the slightest problem."

Yang Jian said, "I will check the Heavenly Laws again."

"By the way, Mother used to be in charge of the Heavenly Laws as well."

"Mother is unaware that some of the heavenly rules have changed!"

"Not much has changed. Over the years, I've seen new Heavenly Laws and Human Laws added to your residence. I've studied them in my spare time, and I even helped you revise some of your annotations since you didn't understand them very well."

Yang Jian:"???"

He looked at his mother in shock and scratched his head in bewilderment.

Awesome! Awesome!
Yunhua suddenly seemed to remember something: "Yuan Hong... Jade Cauldron Immortal... Wait, Yuan Hong caused trouble in the Heavenly Court?"

Yang Jian nodded.

Yunhua exclaimed in shock, "You went there too, Longji went there too...you guys..."

Yang Jian quickly waved his hand and said, "I dare not think too much about it, Mother. We all have our reasons."

Yunhua paused for a moment, then suddenly looked at Yang Jian with a strange expression and said, "This time, it's Li Tianwang and his son..."

Yang Jian quickly shook his head: "Mother, please don't overthink it. I guarantee that this matter has absolutely nothing to do with my master. Besides, Li Tianwang and his son both have masters."

Yunhua said with some excitement, "Isn't there still one Water Zha and one Earth Zha who don't have a master? Earth Zha has already claimed to be Yuan Hong's disciple, and everyone guesses that Water Zha is your disciple, but we all know that he is not your disciple. So whose disciple is he?"

"I don't know, Mother. We can't just say things without evidence." Yang Jian felt a chill run down his spine.

Yes, Shui Zha didn't know who he was before.

But Yuan Hong brought him here and introduced him to their junior brother, Ao Bing!
Yunhua nodded, then lowered his head to think: "The Heavenly Court's Mirror of Heaven can record past events. If I could take a look, I might be able to find clues to investigate."

Yang Jian nodded and said, "Mother, don't worry about these things. What I told you today must not be told to anyone. Go and see Third Sister when you have time."

For the first time, he felt completely outmatched in terms of intelligence and wit.

Yunhua nodded: "I know that."

……

Boo!
With a cry, a crane flew to Five Dragon Mountain, circling outside Cloud Cave and calling out, "Uncle-Master! Uncle-Master!"

In front of Yunxiao Cave, a valiant young Taoist priest, holding a sword, walked upright and stopped curiously when he saw the crane.

Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, was meditating on his cloud bed when he heard the sound. He opened his eyes, came outside the cave, and laughed, "White Crane Boy, you've come?"

The White Crane Boy said, "Uncle-Master, the Master says that Uncle-Master Ziya is about to face a life-or-death crisis and needs your help!"

Manjushri, the Heavenly Venerable of Vast Dharma, bowed towards Kunlun Mountain and said, "As you command!"

The white crane flapped its wings and disappeared like a white lightning bolt.

Manjushri looked at Xiqi and said, "Disciple, it's time to go down the mountain!"

Jinzha nodded, then leaped up, dressed himself, and slung his sword over his shoulder.

A beam of red light fell upon the Xiqi Prime Minister's residence and transformed into Jiang Ziya and the Four-Unlikes.

Jiang Ziya was taken aback when he appeared. Smoke and dust filled the mansion, sometimes flames raged, and sometimes water vapor filled the air, causing him to cough even before he landed.

While he was coughing, Jiang Ziya suddenly twitched his ears but before he could move, he was hit in the stomach by something long and thin. The blow made his eyes bulge out and almost took half his life. He fell off the Four-Faced Beast and onto the ground, staring blankly upwards, almost passing out.

He seemed to see himself running in the sunset.

"Oh, what a calamity..." Jiang Ziya thought, then saw Si Bu Xiang glance at him and stand to the side.

Jiang Ziya: "..."

"Wait! I think I heard Uncle-Master Ziya's voice."

This is Ao Bing's voice.

"Impossible. With his limited cultivation, Uncle Ziya wouldn't be able to return from Kunlun Mountain in less than ten days or half a month."

"Cough cough... Pfft!" That wretched brat Nezha!
"It really is my martial uncle!"

As Ao Bing spoke, he quickly dispersed the dust on the ground and was immediately taken aback: "Uncle-Master, what... what's wrong with you?"

Jiang Ziya looked at Ao Bing, who had rushed over to help him up. Hmm, empty-handed, it wasn't Ao Bing.

Then, with difficulty, he turned his head to look to the side.

Nezha ran over in surprise: "Uncle-Master, what are you doing lying on the ground? It's cold on the ground, get up quickly... Oh no, where did this ugly monster come from and kill my Uncle-Master?"

He spotted Longxuhu immediately, kicked him to the ground, and then slammed him down with a side elbow.

Longxuhu rolled over in terror, and the ground shook from Nezha's elbow strike, creating a large crater.

"I am not a monster, I am Longxuhu, the newly accepted disciple of the immortal!" Longxuhu shouted, clutching his head.

Empty-handed... Jiang Ziya, unwilling to accept defeat, tilted his head and fainted.

Nezha then stopped, exclaiming in shock, "Oh no! My uncle is dead! Ao Bing, you've killed my uncle!"

"Bullshit, I've been feeding you moves with my bare hands the whole time. I didn't touch anything just now, it must have been you."

Ao Bing angrily said, "It's all because you insisted on challenging me to a duel. Now you've caused trouble. By the way, where did my martial uncle come from? I didn't even notice him."

Nezha shook his head: "I didn't find it either, and of course I didn't touch it. Anyway, it's either me or you, it's definitely you or him!"

He pointed at Longxuhu.

"Hurry up and save people!"

Ao Bing glared at Nezha and led him into the main hall.

Neither of them noticed the strange creature that had appeared in the yard, and it was leisurely lying down in the garden.

Inside the Prime Minister's bedroom.

Jiang Ziya lay half-reclined against the quilt, his face pale, his lips trembling slightly, and his gaze sharp as he looked into the room.

Ao Bing, Nezha, and Longxuhu stood side by side.

Fortunately, he, an old man with a virgin body, had mastered the Innate Qi Gong and had a good physical foundation, so he was still able to lie here.

Otherwise, any ordinary person would die if hit by either of these two kids.

One is a True Immortal at Perfection, one is a Celestial Immortal at Perfection, and one has a thousand years of cultivation...

He had foreseen his impending doom, but he hadn't anticipated that it would almost happen in his own home.

At this moment, he gave the three men a chance to explain themselves.

Ao Bing said, "Uncle-Master, you know me. It couldn't have been me. If I had done it, you might have..."

That makes sense... Jiang Ziya looked at Nezha with a stern face.

Ao Bing also looked at Nezha.

Nezha said, "Why are you all looking at me? You know me, Uncle-Master. If it were me, you would be... *cough*!"

He made a gesture of sticking his tongue out.

Jiang Ziya's lips twitched as he looked at Longxuhu.

Longxuhu became anxious: "I have already been accepted as a disciple by the immortal, how could I do something that would betray my master and ancestors?"

Jiang Ziya remained silent, thinking that Long Xuhu was definitely out of the question.

After all, disciples who are beaten and subdued by his God-Slaying Whip will be very obedient for a short time.

Then, either of the remaining two has the ability to kill him with a single blow, perhaps because he didn't use his full strength in the previous exchange.

"You did it, it must have been you!"

"Hu Ming, it's clearly you, it's definitely you!"

But while he was pondering, Ao Bing and Nezha started arguing again. Jiang Ziya was exasperated and angrily said, "Shut up!"

He felt safe with these two on the battlefield, but now he's very upset about having them in his life.

It's truly despicable that two younger people bullied an old man like him because he wasn't skilled enough to use his magic to find out the truth.

Ao Bing and Nezha became obedient after being scolded.

Jiang Ziya suddenly said, "Brother Sibuxiang!"

"Huh?" The two were taken aback.

Immediately afterwards, the two saw a strange creature with a dragon's head, a phoenix's beak, and a qilin's body walk in through the door, with a half-smile on its face.

Ao Bing and Nezha felt a sudden tightness in their hearts as the beast stared at them, sensing that it was no ordinary creature.

"Uncle-Master, what is this thing? It looks so strange," Nezha asked in surprise.

"so rude!"

Jiang Ziya snorted, "This is the Four-Unlikes, the divine beast under the command of the sect leader. The sect leader sent it to help me, so you are not allowed to neglect it from now on."

Ao Bing hurriedly said, "Greetings, Martial Uncle!"

Nezha quickly bowed as well.

Si Buxiang looked at the two of them and just smiled meaningfully.

"Senior brother, did you see it clearly just now?"

The Four-Faced Beast nodded and nudged its head closer to Jiang Ziya's ear.

"Get out. I know who did it, but thankfully it was me who was hurt today, not someone else. I hope this ends here and never happens again."

After listening, Jiang Ziya swept his sharp gaze over the three and said, "Long Xuhu is my disciple. He is not very skilled and is honest. You two are the senior brothers, so you are not allowed to bully him."

Ao Bing and Nezha quickly replied, "Yes!"

The three of them quickly left and closed the door behind them.

Only after hearing them walk away did Jiang Ziya clutch his stomach, grimacing and breaking out in a cold sweat, but he still endured the pain and said, "I don't believe you didn't see it, senior brother."

"They're here to help you. Even if you find out, what can you do? If you develop resentment towards them, how will you get along with them?"

Si Bu Xiang said, "Fortunately, you handled it well just now. I believe that either of them was unintentional. They did not mean to hurt you. It's just that I appeared at the wrong time. Blame me if you must!"

Jiang Ziya grinned and said, "How dare I!"

Great, the case is solved!

PS: Here's the chapter from last night. I need to take a day off to go to the provincial hospital the day after tomorrow, as it's a long journey. I'll let you know in advance and try to catch up later.