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Chapter 156 Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King

There was a moment of silence in the stone house. Wuqu Xingjun's words were like a stone thrown into a deep pool, breaking the tranquility.

"Authority-based divine power?" Chen Guangrui raised his head, his eyes filled with genuine confusion. "Star Lord, isn't the authority-based divine power of the弼马温 (Bima Wen, a minor official in charge of horses) already verified by the seal in my possession? This other seal..."

The amiable smile on Wuqu Xingjun's face deepened, as if he had anticipated the question. He stroked his beard, leaned forward slightly, and adopted a somewhat candid posture.

"Guangrui, do you think the Imperial Stables is just a sinecure where you manage the stables and distribute fodder?" His voice was low, carrying a hint of seriousness.

"These celestial dragon horses and steeds are the mounts for all the gods and immortals to travel the four directions, and they are indispensable resources for the heavenly soldiers and generals when they go to war. You, as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses, are of great importance!"

Chen Guangrui listened attentively without interrupting.

Wuqu Xingjun continued, "That second seal is no ordinary one. It contains the divine power to control all beasts and command ten thousand cavalry. In war, you, as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses, must hold this seal and stand in formation with the commander-in-chief before you can command them as if they were your own arms, allowing the heavenly horses and spirit beasts to unleash their greatest power to break through the enemy's formation. This is the true authority of the Imperial Horse Administration."

Chen Guangrui's heart skipped a beat; so that's how it is. He immediately grasped the key point.
"Why is something so important not in my possession?"

The God of War, Wuqu, showed a hint of helplessness on his face. "This matter is also related to your predecessor. The one from Flower Fruit Mountain who held the position of Keeper of the Heavenly Horses back then also knew of this seal and went to ask for it back. At that time, this seal was being kept by General Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King..."

He paused deliberately before continuing.
"Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, said that since he was new to the area and unfamiliar with military affairs, it wouldn't be too late to hand over the seal after he became more familiar with it. At the time, Li Jing was very polite, so he agreed to postpone it for a while. Who knew... that monkey would rebel against the Heavenly Court later. This delay meant that hundreds of years had passed. Li Jing was busy with military affairs, and the position of head of the Imperial Horse Stable had been vacant for a long time, so the seal remained with him."

Wuqu Xingjun spoke these words flawlessly, clarifying the origin and importance of the seal while distancing himself from the matter and shifting the responsibility and difficulties to others.

Chen Guangrui tentatively asked, "In the Star Lord's opinion, how should I retrieve this authority seal? Should I ask Heavenly King Li for it?"

The helplessness on Wuqu Xingjun's face deepened, as if he were lamenting an extremely difficult matter. He shook his head repeatedly and spread his hands, saying...

“Difficult, very difficult! Li Tianwang commands the heavenly army, holds a high position and great power, and is upright and values ​​rules and laws. He has kept this seal for many years, which is an implicit approval. If you, a newly appointed stable boy, rashly go to ask for it, he will most likely refuse you sternly on the grounds that you are not familiar with military affairs and lack seniority. Besides…”

The God of War lowered his voice even further, leaning closer to Chen Guangrui, his tone carrying a hint of admonition.

“Guangrui, you are unaware of this. Li Tianwang is highly respected in the Heavenly Court. He is known for his impartiality, law-abiding nature, and incorruptibility. Moreover, he has a deep connection with the West. Who would dare to easily offend him? In the past, some people have tried to find fault with him and bring him down, but what was the final result? They were either convicted of false accusation or reprimanded and punished by the Jade Emperor. This man is too upright. You can't force him to do anything.”

"Unless you can get Laozi to speak up personally, but is it really possible to bother him with such a trivial matter?"

His words were earnest and seemingly for Chen Guangrui's sake, but in reality, they only stirred up the waters further, placing all the pressure on Chen Guangrui.

However, to Wuqu Xingjun's surprise, after hearing these words, Chen Guangrui showed no sign of frustration or difficulty. Instead, his eyes flashed with a sharp light, and a faint but unusually confident smile appeared on his lips.

"Oh? I see." Chen Guangrui's tone was calm, even carrying a hint of knowing smile.

"In other words, Li Tianwang is an upright and honest person who does nothing wrong. If you want something from him, you must have a legitimate reason. So, isn't it legitimate for me, Bi Ma Wen, to ask for Bi Ma Wen's seal?"

Chen Guangrui understood what Wuqu Xingjun meant. Over the years, Li Jing had held the authority over the military seals, and now that the troops were unified, he was used to it. Asking Li Jing for the seals again now would be pointless; he wouldn't give them up easily. Therefore, he first clarified the matter, securing his position, and then considered a solution.

The God of War was slightly taken aback by his reaction, then smiled and said, "It all depends on what people think is right or wrong."

“Star Lord, there’s no need to worry.” Chen Guangrui stood up. “I have a good understanding of the matter of the seal. Thank you for your guidance, Star Lord.”

Looking at Chen Guangrui's confident demeanor, Wuqu Xingjun felt a hint of suspicion, but maintained a concerned expression: "Guangrui, this matter involves Li Tianwang, and it is no small matter. You must not act rashly!"

"Rest assured, Star Lord, Guangrui understands." Chen Guangrui assured again, his tone gentle but not authoritative. "I will know what I'm doing. If everything goes smoothly in a few days, Guangrui will personally visit the residence of Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, and bring back the official seal of authority belonging to the Imperial Horse Administration."

The smile on Wuqu Xingjun's face faded slightly. Looking at Chen Guangrui's inexplicable confidence, he was inwardly unconvinced, but didn't want to say anything directly. He had already said what he needed to say; further discussion would only make him seem meddlesome or have ulterior motives. So he changed the subject...
"I have said all I have to say. You are in a good position. Although Laozi is your former master, the Jade Palace has its own rules. If you really cause any trouble, no one can protect you. Go back to your post."

Chen Guangrui bowed, "Thank you for your guidance, Star Lord. I will remember it."

Wuqu Xingjun waved his hand, transformed into a golden light, and vanished instantly.

After seeing off the God of War, Chen Guangrui did not go to report for duty. His eyes flickered slightly, he made a hand seal, and rode a cloud directly away from the area where the Imperial Horse Stable was located, heading straight towards Flower Fruit Mountain.

...Huaguo Mountain remained bustling with activity. However, in front of the Water Curtain Waterfall, a scene of chaos and disorder unfolded.

"Little bald head, stay still, focus your mind, and concentrate your energy in your dantian. I'm not telling you to suck in your stomach until it's bulging like a drum!"

Sun Wukong was so anxious that he paced around the candy vendor in the arena, scratching his ears and cheeks. His exquisite introductory techniques seemed to be of no use to this little kid.

With his little bald head, Tang Sheng's face was flushed red, his eyes were wide open, and he tried his best to imitate the posture that Sun Wukong taught him. However, his little belly was uncontrollably bulging and contracting, making him look both serious and funny.

Hearing Sun Wukong shout "Freeze!", he hurriedly stood at attention, his little body stiff as a wooden stick. His big, dark eyes looked innocently at the monkey, and he retorted in a childish voice, "I'm heavy! My stomach won't listen to me..."

"Oh dear, this is infuriating!" The monkey slapped his forehead, feeling that teaching this child was even more difficult than when he wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace.

Just then, a cloud descended, revealing Chen Guangrui's figure. Tang Sheng's eyes lit up, instantly forgetting all about cultivation methods. He cheered, opened his little arms, and rushed over like a cannonball, burying his face in Chen Guangrui's arms, "Daddy!"

Chen Guangrui chuckled and squatted down, magically producing an oil paper package from behind his back. The rich, enticing aroma of meat immediately filled the air. He opened the oil paper, revealing several large pieces of steaming hot, richly sauced cooked beef.

"Wow, meat!" Tang Sheng instantly forgot his previous "frozen" state, his mouth watering, pointing at the beef with his little finger, his face full of anticipation.

Sun Wukong was taken aback, blinked his fiery eyes, and pointed at the beef, saying,
"Hey! You little official, you're not being fair! Knowing full well that this little bald-headed monk has a deep Buddhist influence, you still feed him meat? Aren't you deliberately trying to destroy his foundation and make him break the precepts?"

Chen Guangrui tore off a small piece of tender beef and handed it to Tang Sheng, who happily accepted it and carefully blew on it. Only then did Chen Guangrui look up at the monkey, smiling calmly.
“Great Sage, you are mistaken. True cultivation is about cultivating one's character, not about being bound by appearances. As long as one has good intentions and understands the principles of things, even if wine and meat pass through the intestines, the Buddha resides in the heart. Tang Sheng is young and at the age when he is growing. How can he not eat meat?”

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong rolled his eyes and stroked his chin thoughtfully. Although he felt it was somewhat far-fetched, the saying "wine and meat pass through the intestines, but Buddha sits in the heart" was novel and exuded a carefree and unconventional spirit, which suited his taste quite well.

He was a man who despised rules, so he stopped arguing and instead chuckled, taking a bamboo tube jar from a nearby stone cave.
“That’s true! It’s not fun for little kids to eat only dried meat. I have some homemade fruit wine here, it’s sweet and refreshing and won’t give them a headache, it’s perfect to eat with meat.”

As the monkey spoke, he uncorked the bottle, releasing a sweet, fruity aroma of alcohol. He poured a small bowl of clear liquor and handed it to Tang Sheng. And so, the two "unreliable" individuals, one big and one small, began to soothe the child.

"Sweetie, try this fruit wine, it's so sweet!"

"Have some more beef, Daddy bought it especially for you!"

"Yes, only after drinking this will we have the energy to learn the 72 Transformations from me, Old Sun!"

Tang Sheng was so charmed that he was dizzy. He ate beef in his left hand and fruit wine in his right, his little face shiny with oil. He quickly forgot all his frustration from his failed cultivation and his eyes curved into crescents with happiness.

Seeing Tang Sheng enjoying his meal, Chen Guangrui turned to Sun Wukong, who had just been angry, and asked casually, "When I came here earlier, I saw the Great Sage teaching Tang Sheng cultivation?"

Mentioning this, Sun Wukong immediately deflated, plopped down on a nearby rock, and flicked his tail irritably.
"Don't even mention it! This little brat, I've talked myself hoarse trying to teach him, using all sorts of incantations and gestures, but he just keeps daydreaming or his mind wanders, he can't grasp the point at all, it's so annoying!"

Chen Guangrui watched Tang Sheng eat with satisfaction, wiped the sauce from the corner of his mouth, and comforted him.

"Great Sage, do not be impatient. This child is still young and his mind is not yet settled. Everything must be done step by step and cannot be forced. How can your extraordinary abilities be taught in a day or two? Being too hasty will only backfire."

Upon hearing this, the monkey's agitation subsided slightly, and it nodded.
"That's right, that's right. Back in my day... well, anyway, this opportunity has to be realized by himself."

He quickly stopped talking, took a sip of his drink, glanced at Chen Guangrui, and his golden eyes held a hint of mischief.
"But speaking of which, why aren't you doing your job as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses properly? Why are you running around my Flower Fruit Mountain every other day? Is the method I gave you to strengthen your bones and muscles too difficult for you to understand? Or is your job as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses too easy?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Guangrui revealed a meaningful smile, "Your method isn't that difficult. You don't need to study it day and night. Practicing it for one night is enough to get a basic understanding."

Sun Wukong was immediately displeased when he heard him say such a thing.

"Hey, you little official, what a big mouth you have! My old Sun's method is incredibly profound, so many people want to learn it but can't even get close to the basics! And you, after only one night of practice, dare to say you've grasped the surface? You really don't know your own limitations."

Chen Guangrui waved his hand, "I've only just begun to understand it, nothing to brag about. I have something to discuss with you."

But when he said that, the Monkey King became even more excited. "You've only practiced all night and you've already gotten the hang of it? Don't get carried away! Later, I'll test you and see how you've managed to learn even a little bit of the muscle-strengthening techniques I taught you."

Before he could finish speaking, with a hint of eagerness to expose the other man's boasting, he habitually reached out to grab Chen Guangrui's wrist, wanting to pull his "small frame" up to see what he was really made of. However, the moment his hand touched Chen Guangrui's wrist, his expression suddenly changed drastically!
(End of this chapter)