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

Chapter 153 A Drop of Blood
When Sun Wukong heard that Chen Guangrui dared to bet on those old foxes from the Imperial Horse Stables, he was naturally interested and readily agreed. Only after agreeing did he ask, "You want me to promise you something? Tell me quickly, what is it?"

Looking into his burning gaze, Chen Guangrui calmly said, "I haven't decided yet. In any case, this matter must be within the Great Sage's capabilities. If the Great Sage finds it difficult at that time, then we can simply not do it."

Sun Wukong blinked his fiery eyes, stroked the fur on his chin, and rolled his eyes. He agreed to do something; it wasn't difficult, and he wouldn't lose anything if he didn't. It seemed like he couldn't lose out no matter how he calculated it.

He slapped his thigh hard, "Alright, it's settled then! My word is my bond, I will never go back on it."

He then took another step closer and said in a rather chivalrous tone,

"However, on another note, you little official have now made a huge grudge against those monks in the Western Paradise by tearing down that Buddhist scroll at Five Elements Mountain. I, Old Sun, know that those monks are as petty as a pinhole and hold grudges the most. If they ever come looking for trouble for you, just come to Flower Fruit Mountain and call me, Old Sun, and I'll definitely come to your aid and beat them to a pulp!"

Chen Guangrui knew in his heart that Sun Wukong's words were true, but he showed no fear on his face. He simply said, "Thank you for your kindness, Great Sage. However, I am now an official promoted by the Tushita Palace. Does the Buddhist sect really dare to make things difficult for the people of the Tushita Palace?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's arrogant expression instantly transformed into a cynical mockery. He chuckled coldly twice, shook his head repeatedly, and pointed a finger at something.

"You, you're still too green. You're from the Tushita Palace? Yes, you're just a Taoist priest who tends the fire, and a minor official like the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses. Do you think that if something happens to you, the old officials will stand up for a nobody like you?"

He narrowed his golden eyes, a hint of detached detachment in them, and said, "If a great Buddha from the Buddhist sect were to come knocking on your door and give you a piece of his mind, let's see if Laozi would care about your petty affairs!"

Chen Guangrui remained silent. Sun Wukong's words were like ice needles, piercing the last shred of hope in his heart.

Indeed, since returning from the Five Elements Mountain, despite receiving decrees from Laozi and being promoted, he has not even had a single meeting with him. The Daoist patriarch's coldness and aloofness have already spoken volumes.

It seems that we cannot rely on Laozi to resolve the grudges within Buddhism.

Who knows, one day someone might try to trip him up, and Laozi might not even save him.

We still need to start with ourselves. With the monkey's cultivation method, Chen Guangrui can also improve his strength without the aid of elixirs.

At least if the Buddhist community is truly framing him, he has the ability to protect himself.

Then, while holding the position of Bi Ma Wen (弼马温), one should cultivate good relationships and strive to be promoted a few more steps.

At least Laozi considers him important, so the Buddhist sect will think twice before causing trouble.

Ultimately, in the world of Journey to the West, many relationships and forces are already established, making it quite difficult to strengthen oneself.

Chen Guangrui bent down and whispered to Tang Sheng, "I have to go to Heaven to do some work. The rules there are strict, and children can't go for the time being. You stay here and play with the Great Sage for a few days. I'll come to see you whenever I have time, bring you delicious food, and teach you to write and read. Is that alright?"

Tang Sheng's little mouth twitched, and her round eyes instantly filled with tears. She clung tightly to Chen Guangrui's leg.

"No, no, Tangsheng wants Daddy! Wherever Daddy goes, Tangsheng will go! Don't separate us! Waaah, Daddy, don't leave Tangsheng..."

The cries were heart-wrenching, and the little body trembled violently from the fear of separation.

Looking at Tang Sheng's grief-stricken appearance, Chen Guangrui felt a surge of emotions.

This child is very likely the one who was transformed from the drop of blood on the summit of Five Elements Mountain, which was infused with the essence of Jin Chanzi's soul.

A single drop of blood could give birth to such a vibrant and lively life, so deeply attached to him.
The causal connections involved were far beyond his comprehension. Why did this child have such a profound fear of separation, as if the two of them had truly been together for a long time?

He suppressed his doubts and gently but firmly embraced Tang Sheng's small body, comforting her for the first time as "Daddy."
"Sweetie, Daddy isn't abandoning you. Daddy's just gone on a mission, and I'll be back when I'm done. Daddy promises you, I'll come to see you often and teach you skills, okay? Look, isn't Flower Fruit Mountain wonderful? It's full of flowers and fruits, and this Great Sage Sun can even transform into a bird for you..."

Chen Guangrui patiently coaxed her for a long time and solemnly promised several times before Tang Sheng's earth-shattering cries gradually turned into suppressed sobs. With tears in her eyes, she let go of her tightly clenched little hands, but her big eyes remained glued to Chen Guangrui, filled with unease.

"Sigh, this child..." Sun Wukong scratched his head, watching from the side. The child's crying was more troublesome than a fight. He waved his hand helplessly.

"Hurry up and go, lest he cry and ruin the spiritual energy of my Flower Fruit Mountain!"

After bidding farewell to the Monkey King, Chen Guangrui rode a cloud and returned directly to the Tushita Palace outside the Thirty-Three Heavens of Heaven.

Outside the palace gates, the Golden Incense Burner Boy and the Silver Incense Burner Boy craned their necks in anticipation. As soon as they saw Chen Guangrui's figure land, the two hurriedly went to greet him.

"Mr. Chen, you're finally back!" The Silver Furnace Boy spoke first, his face beaming with joy, but the sudden movement aggravated his injury, causing him to hiss involuntarily. The Golden Furnace Boy was more composed, but his eyes were also full of gratitude. He solemnly presented two items. One was a small, smooth jade gourd, its mouth sealed with a talisman; the other was a slightly thick, blue cloth bag.

“Mr. Chen,” the Golden Furnace Boy said sincerely.
He pointed to the jade gourd, "These are two Nine-Turn Golden Pills that the master bestowed upon us brothers."

He then gestured to the blue cloth bag, saying, "Inside are some substandard pills that we've saved up. Some of them have the effect of strengthening the body and consolidating the foundation."

"Thanks to your meticulous handling of everything, this task was successfully completed. Please accept this, Mr. Chen, as a small token of our appreciation!"

The Silver Furnace Boy nodded repeatedly, staring longingly at Chen Guangrui.

Chen Guangrui's mind raced. He thought to himself, "I just got the cultivation method at Flower Fruit Mountain. The monkey said that I needed Laozi's Nine-Turn Golden Elixir to achieve twice the result with half the effort. I didn't expect to get the Golden Elixir as soon as I came back. That monkey even mocked me for being a low-ranking official and not being able to get the Golden Elixir. Now look at me, I'll scare him to death."

It's just unknown how quickly this golden elixir, combined with cultivation methods, will allow him to improve.

Chen Guangrui accepted the jade gourd and cloth bag with composure, and bowed deeply to the two boys, saying, "I appreciate the kindness of you two celestial boys, thank you very much."

A sense of感慨 (gan3kai3, a feeling of mixed emotions, or mixed feelings) crossed his mind. Working for these powerful "second-generation immortals" meant that the credit went to them, but the real benefits fell into his hands.

Only then did he notice that both boys had some bruises on their faces. The Golden Furnace Boy had a slightly swollen mouth and a small bruise on his right cheekbone, while the Silver Furnace Boy's bruises were more obvious, with a dark bruise under his left eye and a cut on his mouth, making him look quite disheveled. Who could have injured Laozi's boys within the Doushuai Palace's reach?
"What's wrong with you two celestial children...?" Chen Guangrui asked with concern.

"Having a dispute with someone? Who would dare to be so bold in the territory of Tushita Palace?"

The Golden Furnace Boy's eyes flashed, and he looked somewhat embarrassed. He pursed his lips and remained silent; in fact, his ears turned slightly red.

The outspoken Silver Furnace Boy couldn't help but complain, "Hey, don't even mention it! It's all because of my argument with my brother! We were arguing, and somehow the Master overheard us, and then I got a scolding and a beating for no reason! I'm so incredibly unlucky!"

He became more and more aggrieved as he spoke, looking completely bewildered. "In the past, when my brother and I were arguing and fighting by the fire, pulling each other's hair and rolling around, we were often caught by the master. At most, we would just get a scolding. What happened this time? We just used a few words we heard in the mortal world to exchange ideas, and the master got so angry? I was beaten for no reason. Am I wronged?"

Looking at the bewildered and aggrieved look on the Silver Furnace Boy's face, and then at the Golden Furnace Boy's embarrassed ears turning red, Chen Guangrui instantly understood just how "exciting" the "sparring" was.

This also confirms some of Chen Guangrui's speculations. He taught the two boys the curse "born of pigs and raised by dogs" to prove their relationship with Laozi.

Now that Laozi heard the two children cursing like that, he immediately started beating them. This matter is probably pretty much settled.

Chen Guangrui struggled to keep his expression straight, almost bursting out laughing. He could only clear his throat in a serious manner and say tactfully,
"Ahem... You two should be more careful with your words in the future."

At this moment, Jinlu Tongzi, seeing Chen Guangrui's composed expression, hesitated for a long time before finally lowering his voice and speaking, offering a kind reminder.
“Mr. Chen, the Imperial Horse Stables, that place is probably not a good place to stay.”

He paused, as if carefully choosing his words, "The title of Bi Ma Wen sounds more prestigious than that of a fire-tending Taoist priest in our Dou Shuai Palace, but it's too far away. It's far from the alchemy room, and naturally, it's far from the master's protection."

He lowered his voice even further, analyzing the situation like a little adult.

"I've heard that the officials in the Imperial Horse Stable are deeply entrenched and have been working for many years. They have different thoughts and are very slick. It's probably not an easy job for them."

He mustered his courage, looked directly into Chen Guangrui's eyes, and said sincerely, "If you find it difficult to go to the Imperial Stables, I... I can try to plead with the Master to see if... you can stay in our Tushita Palace?"

Silver Furnace Boy immediately chimed in, his face full of anticipation, "Yes, yes, it would be great if you stayed, Mr. Chen, please stay!"

Chen Guangrui took in the sincerity on the two children's faces, and felt a warmth in his heart. He gently stroked the medicine he had put away, a peaceful yet firm smile appearing on his face.
“I appreciate the kindness of the two celestial children. One must always walk the path step by step. Since I have been appointed as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses by the grace of Laozi, I will certainly obey the order and do my best to fulfill my duties.”

Jinlu and Yinlu nodded, but their expressions still showed unease.

Chen Guangrui then joked from the side,
"You all say that the Imperial Horse Administration is a bit troublesome, and I've heard that too. But you know me. Just because the Imperial Horse Administration is troublesome doesn't mean I'm easy to deal with."

At this point, Chen Guangrui was still very confident.

"It's just becoming a stable boy, but it's a promotion. I'll go and see who has the most sophisticated methods."

(End of this chapter)