The myth begins with the Lotus Lantern

Chapter 259 Awarding Officers
"Please enlighten me, sir." Ding Lin immediately thought of the deal between Wang E and the gaunt Golden Immortal, but unfortunately he was penniless at the moment. Although he had the will, he was powerless. He could only straighten his face and bow deeply.

Wang E looked at Ding Lin's serious expression and was quite satisfied. He waited a moment, but seeing no response from Ding Lin, he shook his head again. Perhaps thinking of the cover he had just given, he smacked his lips a few times before finally speaking and continuing, "To become a celestial being, both talent and hard work are indispensable. It seems that you were previously only focused on cultivation, to the point that you were completely ignorant of human relationships. Well then, I find you somewhat agreeable, so I will tell you."

"The initial appointment to the Celestial Immortal realm is at the fifth rank. Above the fifth rank, according to the rules, it is no longer up to the Hall of Immortal Selection to decide. Now that the Great Celestial Venerable is in seclusion, we are temporarily following a special case, but it is unlikely to last long. In the past, the Hall only had the power to recommend officials, which had to be submitted to the Great Celestial Venerable for a final decision. In other words, being appointed to the fifth rank already qualifies one to enter the Great Celestial Venerable's field of vision and, in theory, qualifies one to have an audience with the Great Celestial Venerable."

"But that's only in theory."

"In the Heavenly Court, unless one can wear a purple robe, there are hundreds of thousands, if not hundreds, of people who wear vermilion. With so many people, how could the Great Heavenly Venerable possibly keep an eye on them all? Most of the time, he still approves based on the recommendations from below. Whether you stay in the department or are sent to a post outside, you must pay attention to maintaining a good relationship with your superiors. If the superiors are pleased, that's good; if they are displeased, that's bad."

"As for the first official appointment later, there is no need to worry. The Hall of Immortal Selection will be temporarily supervised by Emperor Wenchang. The Emperor is the most fair and especially likes upright people. As long as they are not too reckless, he will not make things difficult for them. The positions he recommends are mostly based on merit, with little personal bias. I will take you to see the Emperor. As long as you do not violate the Emperor's taboos, there will be no problem," Wang E said.

"Thank you for your guidance, sir." Ding Lin bowed again.

“While it’s true that being overly polite is never a bad thing, sometimes you can’t just keep bowing,” Wang E said, raising his hand to touch his nose.

Ding Lin smiled bitterly to himself. Although he knew perfectly well what was going on, he was short of money and could only pretend to be confused, putting on an ignorant and thoughtful appearance.

"You should go back and carefully consider my words. These things are no simpler than cultivation. If you can understand them, they will greatly benefit you in the future. This time it's alright since it's with the Emperor, but if you can't understand them in the future and don't know how to adapt, you will suffer."

Wang E wasn't angry. As he spoke, he led Ding Lin through the main gate into the main hall.

The spacious hall was silent, with the door of the duty room opening from time to time. A junior official in blue robes would be seen carrying documents or walking with his head down, moving about in a hurry, but everything was in good order.

After passing the main hall, there was another long corridor, with several twists and turns. The further in you went, the fewer people you saw, and the more luxurious their clothes became. After passing through several courtyards, Wang E finally stopped in front of an antique courtyard in the deepest part of the city.

"Your humble servant is Wang E, a spirit officer of the Thunder Department. I am here today to recommend talents while on duty at the Ascension Platform," Wang E said respectfully, bowing low.

"Has another celestial being emerged from the Ascension Platform? Let's bring him in." A gentle voice came from the courtyard.

"As the Emperor commands." Wang E led Ding Lin to bow again before straightening up and walking towards the courtyard. The barrier had been opened, and as they passed through the door, ripples spread out like water, as clear as the azure sea.

……

"This is the Hall of Immortal Selection. The Emperor has already bestowed upon you the title of Immortal, and you are now a registered Immortal Official. However, without the Heavenly Register, your title is not entirely legitimate."

"Since you are going to heaven to assume the duties of 'Kang Jinlong,' you should first complete your celestial registration. With the Emperor's letter, this trip is just a formality." Another guest arrived in front of the Hall of Immortal Selection. The first person was dressed in a light purple robe, with a handsome face, but he gave people a sense of falseness. He was none other than the Southern Dipper Star Lord.

Behind him followed a young man in a dark red official robe. Although he had a heroic air about him, he was somewhat androgynous, which made him look particularly awkward.

"Remember, no matter what your name is in the mortal realm, now that you have entered the heavens, only the name recorded in the Heavenly Register is your true name, Crimson Scales," said the Southern Dipper Star Lord.

...In the courtyard, there is a small bridge over a stream, white walls and black tiles, without any extravagance, creating a pastoral landscape.

This place may no longer be the Hall of Immortal Selection, but rather the rear of the hall, an official residence arranged according to the wishes of Emperor Wenchang.

Wang E, familiar with the place, led Ding Lin to the eaves of the main house. The wooden sliding door was open, and they stood in front of it, not daring to cross the threshold. They stood one after the other on the porch, heads bowed, quietly listening to the soft rustling of ink and paper coming from inside.

for a long time.

I finally put down my pen.

"Is this the newly promoted celestial being?" Emperor Wenchang's voice was deep and mellow.

"Golden Scales pay respects to the Emperor." Ding Lin bowed, feeling a gaze fall upon him. It was not sharp in the slightest, but rather profound and vast. For a moment, he had the illusion that all his hidden secrets had been seen through.

Ding Lin quickly regained his composure and stared at the ground.

"Not bad." Emperor Wenchang gave a definite conclusion, still without any emotion, and slowly continued, "His physical body is robust, his bloodline is boiling with ancestral energy, and his cultivation and magic power have reached the middle stage. It is the kind of aura that can only be achieved by a true dragon body and top-level cultivation techniques. It is incomparable to those celestial immortals who were lucky enough to achieve it before. If there are no accidents, he should be able to ascend to the Golden Immortal level within ten thousand years."

Wang E was somewhat surprised and glanced at Ding Lin out of the corner of his eye.

Ding Lin's face became even more respectful, still keeping his hands at his sides and his eyes straight ahead, but his heart was in his throat. He couldn't help but be alarmed that he had been seen through so easily.

He behaved in a proper and unremarkable manner, not as upright as Wang E had reminded him. If Emperor Wenchang was truly as Wang E described, then such a performance would be sufficient. However, it should be noted that sometimes going too far is as bad as not going far enough.

"Dragons love water. So, we are short of a deputy general under Tianpeng. You will be temporarily assigned to the Heavenly River." Emperor Wenchang gave the position in a casual tone, as if he were offering a steamed bun rather than a fifth-rank official position.

"The Great Celestial Venerable is in seclusion. I hereby bestow upon you the Five Dragon Seal. Officials below the third rank may issue temporary decrees on their own authority. Your name is sufficient." Inside the room, the rustling sound of writing rang out again. The next moment, the writing stopped, and Ding Lin felt a wave of heat wash over his face. Before he could react, his vision blurred for a moment. When he saw clearly again, his blue robe had been replaced by a red robe with cloud patterns and flying seal script. The official seal hanging at his waist had also become a jade edict.

An imperial edict flew out from inside the house.

"Go, take my decree and report to the Heavenly Canopy in the Milky Way," said Emperor Wenchang.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing this official position," Ding Lin said respectfully.

“I did not bestow the official title upon you; I merely acted on behalf of the Great Heavenly Venerable to command you,” Emperor Wenchang added.

(End of this chapter)