They've all become top scholars in the imperial examinations, and you're telling me this i

Chapter 150 Appointed as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses

Today, the area outside the Tushita Palace is shrouded in mist and filled with the aura of elixir, making it unusually lively. According to the usual practice of the Heavenly Court, most of those coming and going are celestial children and officials under the jurisdiction of the Tushita Palace, as well as a few celestial officials who are close to Laozi and often visit the alchemy room.

Several Taoist priests dressed in simple robes were talking quietly with two Taoist priests from the Doushuai Palace. At this moment, they were gathered in twos and threes on the jade steps outside the palace, all with warm smiles on their faces.

Chen Guangrui arrived on a cloud with Kui Mulang, and as soon as he landed, he was greeted with friendly congratulations from everyone.

"Congratulations on your triumphant return, Fellow Daoist Chen!"

"You handled the task in the mortal realm perfectly this time!"

"Indeed, even Lord Laozi was overjoyed. He made an exception and distributed the inferior pills produced today to us."

A Taoist priest said with a smile, weighing the brocade pouch in his hand, from which a faint fragrance of elixir emanated, "This is all thanks to you."

Everyone nodded in agreement, creating a lively atmosphere.

Although they didn't know Chen Guangrui, that's how it is with immortals; they become familiar with each other as they chat.

Especially since news from the Tushita Palace indicated that Chen Guangrui was highly regarded by Laozi, it was good to say a few more words to him to make him a familiar face, in case he came in handy in the future.

With a gentle smile, Kui Mulang turned to Chen Guangrui and whispered, his voice not loud but loud enough for those nearby to hear.
"Look, this time, don't be shy. This trip was full of twists and turns, but you were able to turn the tide in the end. You deserve the credit for your great contribution."

His tone was sincere, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings with an undeniable air of approval.

Chen Guangrui remained calm, bowing slightly in return to the many eager gazes, his voice clear and steady.
"You immortals are mistaken. Guangrui has come down to the mortal realm on the orders of Laozi to assist the Tang Dynasty's military affairs. The two immortal boys, Jinlu and Yinlu, who are also on the orders of Laozi, are here to carry out this mission."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his attitude sincere.

"The two celestial children are both wise and brave, braving dangers to venture deep into the lair of demons, dealing with formidable enemies such as the Yellow Wind Monster and Bodhisattva Lingji, all for the greater good. As for the matter of Five Elements Mountain..."

He paused briefly and looked at Kui Mulang.
"Star Lord, you are wise. At that time, the Golden Furnace Immortal was temporarily trapped on Mount Sumeru for some reason, and the Silver Furnace Immortal was extremely anxious. The Star Lord Kui came to his aid. As for Guangrui, he just happened to appear at the foot of the mountain at that time. To truly accomplish something, one needs the right timing, the right place, and the right people. How could Guangrui dare to claim all the credit? This achievement should be attributed to the two immortals who worked tirelessly."

His words were clear and logical, attributing all the credit to the Golden Furnace and Silver Furnace attendants appointed by imperial decree, adopting an extremely humble posture, while also highlighting the presence of Kui Mulang at the crucial moment. Upon hearing this, some people showed a look of understanding, while others smiled even more deeply, feeling that this young man was humble and knew how to conduct himself.

Just as everyone was talking, the heavy purple-gold gate of the Tushita Palace slowly opened, and two rows of figures filed out from the misty alchemical atmosphere.

The leader, clad in golden helmet and armor, with a square and dignified face and piercing gaze, was none other than the Martial Star Lord of the Heavenly Court. He held a jade scroll shimmering with radiant light, his expression solemn. Closely following him were the two attendants, Golden Furnace and Silver Furnace.

The Golden Furnace Boy's expression was calm, but his eyes held a more restrained gleam than usual. His steps were steady, while the Silver Furnace Boy couldn't hide the excitement on his face. He tried to keep his lips pursed, puffed out his chest, and darted around with his eyes, curiously and proudly surveying the immortals outside the palace.

The God of War stood still, surveyed the surroundings, and spoke in a loud and authoritative voice.

"The Lord of the Tushita Palace, the Supreme Dao Ancestor, has issued a decree."

The area outside the palace fell silent instantly. All the immortals, including Kui Mulang and Chen Guangrui, stood with their hands at their sides, awaiting the imperial decree.

The God of War unfolded the jade tablet and read it aloud, his voice carrying far and wide.

"Golden Furnace and Silver Furnace Attendants, under the decree of Laozi, descended to the mortal realm to carry out their mission. On this journey, the two attendants were not afraid of difficulties and braved dangerous places, dealing with demons from all directions. Although they encountered setbacks, they ultimately fulfilled their mission. Their loyalty is commendable and their actions are worthy of praise."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the gold and silver censers.
"I hereby bestow upon the Golden Furnace Attendant and the Silver Furnace Attendant one pill each of the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, to commemorate their merits!"

With a flash of golden light, two golden pills, each the size of a dragon's eye and shimmering with nine layers of radiant light, flew out of the jade tablet and landed steadily in the respectfully offered hands of the golden and silver furnaces. The fragrance of the pills instantly filled the air, causing the surrounding immortals to involuntarily gasp and reveal expressions of envy in their eyes. Even in the Thirty-Three Heavens, the Nine-Turn Golden Pill was a rare treasure.

The Golden Furnace Boy, holding the golden elixir, bowed deeply, his gratitude overflowing, his voice trembling slightly.

"Thank you for your grace, Laozi!"

The Silver Furnace Boy was so excited that his face turned red, and he almost jumped up, shouting loudly,

"Thank you for your generous gift, Lord Lao Jun!"

He couldn't help but raise the golden pill a little higher, as if he wanted everyone to see it more clearly.

Then, Wuqu Xingjun's gaze fell on Chen Guangrui, and he continued to read: "Chen Guangrui, you assisted the two boys, Jinlu and Yinlu, in carrying out their duties in the mortal world. You worked diligently and made small contributions that are worthy of being recorded."

"Although you were not officially appointed, you have rendered meritorious service to the Heavenly Court. Now, Laozi has informed His Majesty the Jade Emperor. By His Majesty's grace, Chen Guangrui, for his diligence and meritorious service, is promoted to the position of Bi Ma Wen in the Heavenly Realm, in charge of all affairs of the Imperial Horse Administration. You shall take office immediately."

After the decree was read aloud, the radiant light faded. Wuqu Xingjun closed the jade tablet and nodded slightly to Chen Guangrui, "Fellow Daoist Chen, congratulations."

Outside the Tushita Palace, a subtle silence fell over the area.

The lively atmosphere and celebratory cheers from the distribution of the pills vanished completely, as if the air itself had frozen. The smiles on the faces of the immortals froze, replaced by a barely perceptible look of astonishment. They all lowered their gazes, no longer daring to look at Chen Guangrui in the center of the arena.

The words "弼马温" (Bima Wen, meaning "Keeper of the Heavenly Horses") echoed at the entrance of the Tushita Palace, carrying an indescribable and subtle feeling.

Bimawen?
Although it wasn't a rank-based official position, it was still a promotion compared to the fire-tending Taoist priest of the Tushita Palace. Instead of managing ordinary horses, he was now in charge of the celestial dragon-horses that could ride the clouds and chase the wind. In principle, it was a promotion.

The last person to hold this position had recently escaped from under the Five Elements Mountain, a fact known throughout the Heavenly Court. The Imperial Horse Administration is a very complex place.

However, no one would voice these thoughts at this moment. After a brief moment of astonishment, everyone quickly responded with silent avoidance.

Let Chen Guangrui jump into his own pit.

Compared to this hot and awkward position, the two golden, fragrant Nine-Turn Golden Elixir were much more appealing and desirable.

The Martial Star Lord seemed oblivious to the subtle atmosphere. He put away the jade tablet, turned to Chen Guangrui, and spoke in a businesslike manner.

"Chen Guangrui, make some preparations. I will take you to the Imperial Horse Administration to hand over the seals on another day."

Having said that, he nodded slightly to the other immortals, then rode on a golden light and vanished into the sky in an instant. Only after he left did the tense atmosphere in the arena ease slightly. The other immortals, as if waking from a dream, awkwardly cupped their hands towards Chen Guangrui, uttering insincere congratulations on his promotion and his bright future—all platitudes—while simultaneously quickening their pace and transforming into streaks of light to swiftly depart.

Kui Mulang did not leave immediately. His refined face still carried a gentle smile. He walked to Chen Guangrui's side, hesitated, and finally just reached out and patted Chen Guangrui's shoulder with moderate force, conveying a silent comfort.

At this moment, the Golden Furnace Boy pursed his lips and said earnestly, "Mr. Chen, my brothers and I are truly grateful to you this time. Without your repeated and thorough assistance, things wouldn't have gone so smoothly..."

He spoke slowly, each word carefully chosen, "This credit should rightfully belong to you."

The Silver Furnace Boy nodded hurriedly and thanked him, "Yes, yes, Mr. Chen, it's all thanks to your help!"

He was simple-minded and didn't have a deep understanding of the specific meaning of Bi Ma Wen. He only felt that Jin Lu was right and that Chen Guangrui had indeed been a great help this time.

Chen Guangrui listened calmly to their gratitude, his face revealing little emotion.

He pulled the little monk who called him "Father" closer to his legs before raising his head and looking at the tightly closed purple-gold gate of the Tushita Palace. He calmly asked, "Two celestial children, are we destined to miss seeing Laozi today?"

The Golden Furnace Boy looked somewhat troubled and glanced at his younger brother. The Silver Furnace Boy, quick-witted and outspoken, immediately chimed in.

"We won't see it. The ancestor is refining pills. He's been refining them for quite some time now, but the furnace isn't hot enough yet, so it definitely won't come out. I reckon it'll be a while before it's ready."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear: Chen Guangrui would never see Laozi again.

Chen Guangrui nodded knowingly. The fact that Laozi could issue a decree yet he himself was nowhere to be seen... the implication was self-evident. He didn't press further, nor did he show the slightest sign of complaint.

"In that case, I, Chen, will not bother you any further."

He bowed to the two boys, Jinlu and Yinlu, took the hand of the obedient little monk standing next to him, and turned to leave.

"Take care, Mr. Chen." The Golden Furnace Boy returned the greeting with a bow.

As Chen Guangrui led the strange child away and disappeared from sight, only the two attendants, Jinlu and Yinlu, remained at the entrance of the Tushita Palace. Yinlu was still holding the golden elixir, admiring it with amusement, clicking his tongue in delight.
"Hehe, Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, I must keep this safe."

The Golden Furnace Boy gazed in the direction Chen Guangrui had disappeared, his brows furrowed, and he sighed like a little adult.
"Sigh, if it weren't for Mr. Chen's thorough preparations, our job would probably be in trouble..."

As he said this, a determined look appeared on his face. "Let's give these two golden pills to Mr. Chen. He truly deserves them."

Upon hearing this, the Silver Furnace Boy's eyes lit up, and without thinking, he nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes, give it to him, we absolutely have to give it to him!"

He immediately pouted, seemingly thinking his brother was being stingy.

"Oh, do you even need to think about that? I've been thinking about it for a while now. Two Golden Cores? That's not enough! You're too stingy. If it were up to me, I'd give him all the inferior pills we've saved up. We're guarding the Eight Trigrams Furnace, do we really need a little something like that?"

"What do you know!" The Golden Furnace Boy was immediately annoyed when his younger brother called him stingy, his face flushing slightly.
"Can a second-grade pill compare to the Nine-Turn Golden Pill that Master just bestowed upon us? Don't we know we should give him everything we have?"

He originally wanted to teach his younger brother a lesson for not knowing the value of the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, but then he felt that he couldn't get along with this brat.

"Tch!" Silver Furnace Boy raised his chin. "What treasure? You're just stingy and miserly!"

He pointed at the golden furnace and started shouting.

The Golden Furnace Boy, his sore spot touched, became even angrier and raised his voice, "Silver Furnace! You're being unreasonable!"

"Hmph!" Yinlu jumped up and down, "You're just worried about your precious golden core, you stingy bastard!"

“Those inferior pills were originally meant for him, but you didn’t understand. You’re such a fool.”

The Golden Furnace Boy didn't give his younger brother any face at all and started cursing right away.

After all, the two boys have been arguing for so many years, and they never seem to have any warning before they start.

"You are..." Silver Furnace Boy also entered battle mode, but he was at a loss for words and didn't know how to curse.

"You were born of a pig!" Silver Furnace Boy shouted angrily, blurting out the harsh words he had learned from arguing with people in the mortal world.

The Golden Furnace Boy choked on his words until his face turned purple, and without thinking, he roared back.

"Nonsense, you son of a dog!"

The two children, right there at the entrance of the Tushita Palace, started arguing heatedly about how to repay a favor and who was stingy and who was a scoundrel. Their voices grew louder and louder, and they completely forgot where they were.

Just then, the towering, golden gate of the Tushita Palace silently opened inward. There was no dazzling light, no auspicious clouds swirling around it; it simply slid open a crack.

A slender figure with white hair and beard, dressed in a wide robe, appeared silently at the gate.

It was none other than Laozi. His face was as calm as still water, and no divine light or auspicious energy emanated from him. Yet, he naturally merged with this world, as if he himself were the embodiment of the Great Dao. An indescribable Daoist aura permeated the air, and although there was no pressure emanating from him, it made the surrounding air seem to condense.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his deep gaze first sweeping over the two children who were arguing fiercely, across the empty square outside the palace, as if piercing through the thirty-three heavens. Then, his calm and unwavering gaze slowly lowered and landed on the Golden Incense Burner Boy and the Silver Incense Burner Boy, who were facing away from the palace gate and still arguing and spitting as they spoke.

At first, the two children were arguing so loudly that they didn't notice what was happening behind them.

Lao Tzu stood there quietly, listening.

When he clearly caught the words "You were born of a pig" and "You were raised by a dog," and saw that these two words came from the mouth of the boy who was guarding the Eight Trigrams Furnace under his seat.

The face of Laozi, which was originally like that of a Daoist in the Pure Void Realm, was instantly covered with a layer of thousand-year-old frost.

blacken!

Who is this person being insulted?
(End of this chapter)