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Chapter 168 Reward doubled

The stone door to the alchemy room slid open silently. An indescribable aura rushed out. It wasn't the heat or fragrance of elixirs one might expect, but rather a gentle warmth tinged with a quiet, detached feeling, as if stepping into a frozen moment in time.

The interior was exceptionally simple, with only the Bagua furnace in the center, exuding Taoist charm, and four smooth, mirror-like jade walls. The fire in the furnace was not intense, but emitted a warm light, making the entire space tranquil and profound, causing one to involuntarily hold their breath and concentrate.

Chen Guangrui stepped inside, and the stone door behind him immediately closed silently.

His steps were steady, his gaze fixed on a figure standing in front of the stove with his back to him.

The man was tall and slightly thin, dressed in an ordinary plain-colored Taoist robe, with snow-white hair casually tied back with a single wooden hairpin.

He was intently gazing at the faint purple aura flowing within the furnace, his figure seemingly merging with this space, this alchemy furnace, and even the invisible "Dao," giving one a sense of indescribable intimacy while simultaneously conveying an insurmountable distance.

He was none other than Laozi.

Chen Guangrui stopped about three zhang away from the alchemy furnace, bowed respectfully, and spoke in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft.

"Chen Guangrui, from the Imperial Horse Administration, has been summoned to pay his respects to the Ancestor."

The figure standing in front of the stove slowly turned around.

Chen Guangrui finally saw the true face of the master of the Tushita Palace.

His face was clear and sharp, his beard and eyebrows were all white, and his eyes were as deep as an ancient well, calm and still, yet seemingly containing the profound truths of the birth and death of the universe. His face did not bear many wrinkles of time, but only a kind of indifference that had seen through eternity.

Lao Jun's gaze fell on Chen Guangrui. His gaze was not scrutinizing, yet it seemed to reveal everything.

He skipped the pleasantries and spoke directly, his voice gentle and calm, yet carrying an undeniable weight.

"Chen Guangrui, do you still remember what you said to me in the Taoist temple when you were in the mortal world and had nowhere to go?"

Chen Guangrui did not avoid that gaze and nodded.

"At that time," Laozi's voice remained calm.
“You once told me a story about a monk traveling west, encountering a group of demons who blocked his path, and a monkey who protected him. You called it Journey to the West.”

He paused,

“You spoke briefly at the time, and didn’t go into detail about many things, but some of the key points have now come true.”

Chen Guangrui felt a slight chill in his heart, but remained outwardly calm.

"However, fate is ever-changing; how can it always go as one wishes?"

Laozi's gaze seemed to pierce through the alchemy furnace, looking towards an unknowable distance.
“There will always be some detours that deviate from the established path. Just like that monkey, isn’t he living a good life on Flower Fruit Mountain now? And that black bear that was supposed to be guarding the forest actually raised his club and killed Kui Mu Xingxiu.”

There was no anger in his tone, only a cold statement.

Chen Guangrui remained silent for a moment. He knew that it was time to appropriately express his loyalty.
"From the moment the Ancestor saved me, I entered the trajectory set by the Ancestor. I had no choice in it and did not want to get out."

Lao Jun nodded slightly.

"It's common to be unable to control one's own destiny. Of all the beings in this world, how many can truly be in control of their own lives?"

His gaze fell back on Chen Guangrui, "But as long as the price is right, no matter how difficult the path, someone is willing to take it. Two Nine-Turn Golden Pills, a box of second-grade pills from the Doushuai Palace will ensure your foundation is solid, and the position of Bi Ma Wen in the Imperial Stables will give you a foothold in the Heavenly Court. Plus... that ginseng fruit."

Hearing Laozi's words, Chen Guangrui nodded. Last time, when he went down to the mortal realm with Jinlu and Yinlu, he only did a small task, yet he received a generous reward.

Chen Guangrui even felt that, given the price, he would have been somewhat embarrassed not to have gotten a bear paw from the Black Bear Spirit for Laozi to try.
However, upon hearing Laozi mention "ginseng fruit," Chen Guangrui's eyes narrowed sharply, and shock finally surfaced on his face.

It seems that Laozi knew about this matter, and not only did he know, but he also appeared to have played an important role in it.

He had always suspected that Guanyin Bodhisattva had tampered with the ginseng fruit tree at Wuzhuang Temple and set up a scheme that not only prevented him from succeeding in his plan to remove Zhu Ganglie from the pilgrimage team, but also accelerated the cooperation between Donghua Dijun, Zhen Yuanzi of Wuzhuang Temple, and Buddhism.

However, Chen Guangrui never expected that this patriarch of the Tushita Palace was also hiding behind the scenes.

Laozi seemed to have seen through his thoughts, his tone remaining completely calm.

"Of course, the Bodhisattva in the South Sea did indeed put Zhen Yuanzi's lineage into a deep sleep, making it easier for you to act. But if you let her have her way..."

Lao Jun's voice carried a very subtle, almost imperceptible chill.

"We will never allow Wuzhuang Temple to suffer such severe damage. That osmanthus tree is Zhen Yuanzi's most prized possession."

Chen Guangrui felt a chill rise from the soles of his feet. The depth of thought and the subtlety of methods employed by these powerful figures who held authority over the three realms far exceeded his imagination.

They were like invisible giant hands, manipulating the pieces, and he was just one of those pieces with a price tag.

Laozi didn't linger on the topic of ginseng fruit, as if it were merely a trivial transaction. He then changed the subject...
"The reason I summoned you here is indeed because of the Kui Mulang incident, but it is not just about that."

He casually raised his withered finger and pointed it at the empty space beside him.

A faint, almost dissipating, shimmering white light appeared out of thin air, struggling to coalesce into a blurry humanoid phantom—the remnant soul of Kui Mulang!
The soul was extremely faint, with empty eyes, clearly having suffered unimaginable damage.

Chen Guangrui's pupils contracted slightly. To bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded—in front of Laozi, it was so…effortless?
"It is not difficult for me to restore his physical form."

Lao Jun's voice was calm and undisturbed. With a gentle flick of his finger, Kui Mulang's remnant soul vanished like smoke, as if it had never existed.

“I am not saving him now, not because I cannot, but because his death has made me realize one thing: Mount Ling has overstepped its bounds.”

Laozi uttered the words "Lingshan has crossed the boundary" with utmost calmness, as naturally as stating that dawn had broken. However, to Chen Guangrui, it was like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

The fact that Laozi himself has determined the nature of the matter suggests that the delicate balance between Heaven and Mount Ling may have been broken.

"Today I went to the Jade Emperor's palace," Laozi said, his gaze returning to the alchemy furnace, his tone regaining its usual calm and control.

"Recently, demons and monsters have been causing chaos in the mortal realm, including some nominal gods from Heaven who have wandered into the mortal world and disrupted human order. We must send capable people down to the mortal realm to capture them and bring them to justice, so as to uphold the authority of Heaven."

He paused for a moment, and finally revealed Chen Guangrui's true purpose for this trip: "Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, will lead the troops, and you will be his deputy, to descend to the mortal realm to subdue demons."

Chen Guangrui's mind raced, and he seemed to have figured out Laozi's thoughts.

Kui Mulang secretly entered the temple, and was killed by those who came to learn the scriptures.

So, you wicked creature who descended to the mortal realm without permission from the Buddhist sect, and those who are close to the Buddhist sect and descended to the mortal realm without permission, it's reasonable for us, representing the Heavenly Court, to kill you, right?

However, Li Jing's appointment as commander was unexpected, but upon reflection, it made perfect sense, so he could only reply in a deep voice, "Yes, sir."

Lao Jun slightly turned his head, his deep gaze falling on Chen Guangrui once again. This time, the meaning contained in his gaze became even more profound and unfathomable. "If the Buddhist sect makes a move, then we will make a move as well."

Laozi's voice lowered slightly, carrying an undeniable determination.

"Where you make your move is up to you. However, I want you to make sure that this time, the Buddhist sect suffers the most."

As the last few words were uttered, the gentle, flowing Daoist aura in the alchemy room seemed to freeze for a moment. An invisible, icy killing intent quietly spread out, only to be instantly smoothed out by the warm glow of the Eight Trigrams Furnace, as if it had never existed.

Laozi then said, "The Jade Emperor has his reasons for sending Li Jing to lead the army. You can either follow this Heavenly King or ignore him. I only need you to make a move that satisfies the Jade Emperor and also makes Buddhism suffer."

Laozi's words resonated deeply in Chen Guangrui's heart.

In particular, Laozi's statement, "You can pay attention to Li Jing, or you can ignore him," already grants him considerable authority.

If Li Jing were to descend to the mortal realm to deal with Buddhism, that would be easier to handle.

However, the pagoda in Li Jing's possession was, after all, a Buddhist artifact. Now that he had descended to the mortal realm, he was bound to target the forces of the Tushita Palace.

Then Chen Guangrui could completely ignore Li Jing and go find his own strength to do his own thing.

That's how things work in Heaven. If something goes wrong, Laozi can cover for Chen Guangrui, but he can't take action himself.

Chen Guangrui took a deep breath, concealing all emotions in his eyes, and bowed again, "Guangrui understands."

Laozi was very satisfied with Chen Guangrui's attitude and said,

"Now that Kui Mulang has perished, the position of the Twenty-Eight Constellation Star Lord cannot remain vacant for long. After this matter is over, if you can handle your duties properly, you can go to that constellation position for some experience. As for the authority of the Fire-Tending Taoist and the authority of the Horse Keeper, they will be in your hands."

The position of a star constellation? Chen Guangrui's heart skipped a beat. Although the position of Bi Ma Wen was a substantive official post, it was of low rank and mainly involved managing horses.

The Twenty-Eight Constellation Star Lords are righteous gods of the Heavenly Court, holding high positions and wielding great power, guarding their respective celestial domains. This is more than just a promotion; it's a meteoric rise. Having only been in the Heavenly Court for a few years, they've already gained Laozi's favor. Tell me, in the entire Heavenly Court, who else has achieved such speed?

Laozi (the Supreme Lord Lao) painted a picture of a pie for him today, but Chen Guangrui knew that if he did this job well, the pie he could eat would be even bigger than the picture.

Thinking of this, he suppressed his surging joy, maintained a respectful demeanor, but his mind began to race.

Laozi's generosity was one thing, but this mission to the mortal realm was by no means easy. The Jade Emperor appointed Li Jing as commander-in-chief and himself as deputy, a pairing that itself seemed awkward. Li Jing's pagoda was a gift from Buddhism; sending him to fight against Buddhism? This whole affair seemed suspicious.

Laozi's saying, "You can follow him, or you can ignore him," was an instruction to act expediently, but acting expediently requires resources.

Thinking of this, Chen Guangrui bowed again, his tone carrying just the right amount of earnestness.
"I will forever remember the great kindness of our Ancestor and will do my utmost. However..."

He paused briefly, "Subduing demons in the mortal realm is fraught with peril. Heavenly King Li is in command, with numerous powerful celestial soldiers under his command. Guangrui is all alone and may not be up to the task, thus tarnishing the prestige of the Tushita Palace. I wonder if the Ancestor... could allocate some manpower to assist him?"

The Jade Emperor sent Li Tianwang, who could lead heavenly soldiers and generals. If I went down alone, I wouldn't be able to command anything.

He cautiously raised his eyes and looked at Laozi's back.

Lao Jun did not turn around, but simply uttered a soft "Oh," with a slight upward inflection at the end, as if he had expected it.

Chen Guangrui made a snap decision and called out names directly.

"For example... the two celestial attendants, Golden Furnace and Silver Furnace? They were last time..."

Chen Guangrui is experienced now; with these two boys, the rewards can be doubled.

He hadn't expected that, before he could finish speaking, Lao Jun slowly turned around. His deep gaze fell on Chen Guangrui's face, carrying a hint of understanding, and even more so, a barely perceptible trace of helplessness.

"You..." Laozi's voice was calm and composed, revealing no emotion.

"The two of them accompanied you on your last business trip, and they've become somewhat restless since then. How can the alchemy room, a place of utmost importance, be left unattended every time?"

Chen Guangrui knew that his hopes of getting a capable assistant were dashed. Lao Jun had made it clear that the last time was an exception and shouldn't be taken as a precedent.

But he was thick-skinned enough to compromise, resorting to a somewhat shameless plea.

"The Ancestor's words are correct. What about... Senior Green Ox? He possesses immense magical power; if he could..."

"That ox has gone somewhere else," Laozi interrupted him, his tone still calm.

“I sent him to guard Jindu Mountain. Those Buddhist pilgrims should learn a lesson and know that the Heavenly Court is not without its own people.”

He paused, noticing the fleeting disappointment in Chen Guangrui's eyes, and finally relented.
"Alright. For this mission, whenever you need any help, or if you need to clean up the mess later, I can lend a hand."

A promise to help!

Chen Guangrui's heart skipped a beat. If he could get help from Laozi, then he must have a trump card.

He immediately bowed deeply, his voice filled with genuine excitement and gratitude.

"Thank you, Ancestor! Guangrui will certainly not fail your trust!"
The first meeting yielded results far exceeding expectations, with a promotion on the horizon, and even Laozi's personal guarantee of success—it was all worth it!

Filled with immense satisfaction, Chen Guangrui respectfully withdrew from the alchemy room.

The stone door slid open silently, and the unique cool and quiet atmosphere of the Tushita Palace outside filled his nostrils, invigorating him. It seemed this trip hadn't been in vain.

However, before the relaxed smile on his face could fully unfold, his gaze suddenly froze when he looked at the corridor outside the alchemy room.

Beside the jade steps of the corridor, the two attendants, Jinlu and Yinlu, were not on duty or busy as usual, but were closely surrounding a celestial soldier dressed in the standard silver armor of the Heavenly Court.

The "heavenly soldier" had his back to Chen Guangrui, and was talking animatedly, spitting as he spoke. He gestured vigorously with one hand, while his other hand seemed to be secretly forming a small soundproofing spell, covering only the three of them, clearly not wanting the sound to reach the alchemy room.

The Golden Furnace Boy's eyes lit up, and his mouth stretched into a wide grin, completely abandoning his usual composed demeanor. The Silver Furnace Boy was even more exaggerated, his face turning bright red, his hands tightly gripping the hem of his clothes, his body leaning slightly forward, his head almost touching the "heavenly soldier's" chin.

An extremely ominous premonition, like a cold snake, instantly coiled around Chen Guangrui's heart.

The posture of this "heavenly soldier," the habit of gesturing wildly while telling stories...

Chen Guangrui's mind went blank for a moment, and he instantly recognized that familiar feeling.

Sugary!

(End of this chapter)