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Chapter 178 Take me to see Chang'e taking a bath!

In the center of Wanmaping, Chen Guangrui stood tall like a pine tree, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire area. A deathly silence reigned, broken only by suppressed breathing and the still-murmured gasps of astonishment from the distant heavenly soldiers.

The expressions of the heavenly generals beside Li Jing had shifted from initial shock to solemnity. They exchanged glances, each seeing a deep unease in the other's eyes.

He's already trained his warhorse to this extent, and it's not over yet. What other tricks does he have up his sleeve?
Chen Guangrui didn't look at anyone, but simply put the whistle to his lips again.

"Woo!"

The clear whistle pierced the heavy air for the third time.

The thousands of celestial horses that had stood solemnly like statues just moments before suddenly came to life. They shook their heads violently, their manes flying, and their four hooves firmly planted on the cloud platform, like soldiers poised for battle. A magnificent, crimson dragon steed emerged from the ranks, standing firmly at the very front of the formation like a natural leader.

Chen Guangrui's whistle suddenly became short and forceful.

"Da-da! Da-da! Da-da!"

The crimson steed moved at the sound, its head held high, and began to stride. Its steps were steady and rhythmic, each hoof landing precisely on the beat of the whistle, producing a crisp and uniform "clack".

Immediately afterwards, all the Pegasus horses in the first row simultaneously raised their front hooves and then stomped them down heavily at the same time.

boom!
Thousands of hooves landed in perfect unison, their sounds converging into a deep, resounding drumbeat that seemed to tremble the very ground beneath their feet. This was no longer a chaotic stampede, but a precisely calculated march.

"Da-da! Da-da! Da-da!"

With the crimson dragon steed leading the massive black torrent, it began to advance towards the viewing platform, keeping pace with Chen Guangrui's precise whistle.

Each step was accompanied by the simultaneous rise and fall of thousands of hooves, the sound like rolling thunder, carrying an overwhelming momentum that could crush everything in its path. The uniform sound of hooves struck the hearts of every witness, so heavy it was almost suffocating.

The heavenly generals on the viewing platform subconsciously straightened their backs, their hands unconsciously pressing on the hilts of their swords at their waists, their knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

Having been through many battles, they naturally understood the meaning behind this terrifying discipline: absolute control.

Li Jing's hands, resting on the jade railing, dug deeply into the cold jade, his face so dark it seemed to drip water. He had never imagined that the authority he had relinquished as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses would wield such terrifying power in Chen Guangrui's hands. A strong sense of regret and resentment surged in his chest; if he had known it would turn out this way, he would never have handed over that authority.

The formation advanced to a distance of about 100 zhang from the viewing platform.

"Uh-huh!!!"

The crimson dragon steed suddenly let out a long, powerful neigh that seemed to pierce the clouds and split rocks.

"Neigh!!!"

As if receiving the final command, the entire cavalry formation, thousands of celestial horses, simultaneously raised their necks to the sky and let out a deafening neigh that resounded through the clouds, silencing all other horses!
The sound coalesced into an invisible torrent powerful enough to tear eardrums, instantly sweeping across the entire cloud platform outside the South Heavenly Gate. The air distorted in the sound waves, and the clouds were dispersed by the sound. All the heavenly soldiers and generals watching, including the commanders on the platform, felt their scalps tingle and goosebumps rise all over their bodies.

This is not merely the neighing of horses; it is the most awe-inspiring declaration from a silent and valiant army to its commander and to all those who have underestimated them.

"Good!" Nezha clapped his hands sharply, his face beaming with undisguised joy and excitement, his voice so loud it drowned out the lingering neigh of the horse.

"Chen Guangrui, you're really something! That was satisfying!"

Seeing Li Jing's ashen face and stiff posture, the frustration in his heart vanished, replaced by a feeling of immense relief.

Nezha's cheer was like lighting a fuse.

"it is good!"

“Amazing!”

"Oh my God!"

"Is this horse possessed by some kind of spirit?"

"Wow, this is the first time I've ever seen horses march in a square formation. The sheer scale of it is terrifying!"

The deafening cheers and incredulous exclamations erupted like a pent-up torrent, instantly sweeping across the entire cloud platform outside the South Heavenly Gate.

The gasps of amazement were even more surging and powerful than the sound of horses' hooves, filled with pure shock and admiration.

The onlookers could no longer contain their excitement. Many jumped up excitedly, waving their arms vigorously, their faces filled with excitement and disbelief.

Their eyes burned with fervor as they gazed at the orderly, steel-like formation of horses, which had just emitted a powerful neighing.

"See that? That's real skill!" an old soldier exclaimed, patting his comrade on the shoulder.

"Wow, just a whistle and they're all in this state, even more synchronized than when we're drilling." Another young soldier exclaimed in amazement.

The official in charge of Wanmaping was so excited that his face turned red, and he gestured wildly, repeatedly talking to the people around him.

"Incredible! Absolutely incredible! Vice Commander Chen's methods are unprecedented and unheard of!"

Tang Sheng had already jumped to Nezha's side, his little face flushed with excitement. He tugged at Nezha's red ribbon, tilted his head back, and his big eyes gleamed with mischief as he asked in a childlike voice that everyone around could hear,
"Third Prince, isn't the horse amazing? When are you going to take me to the Moon Palace to see the Moon Goddess Chang'e bathing?"

Nezha's smile froze instantly, and his face turned bright red from the base of his neck to the tips of his ears. As the mighty God of the Three Altars and Seas, being asked such a question in public by a six-year-old monk felt like being roasted over a fire.

"You little bald monk! What nonsense are you spouting!" He lowered his voice, gritting his teeth, "Keep your voice down, how could I take you to do something like that?"

Tang Sheng immediately pouted, her big eyes instantly welled up with tears, and her voice rose in a pitiful tone.

"Third Prince, are you... are you trying to renege on your promise and lie to the child? You just agreed..."

His pitiful appearance, as if he were about to cry and had been deceived by the whole world, drew strange looks from many of the heavenly soldiers around him.

Nezha felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze, his face burning with embarrassment, even more so than if he had been pricked by the Fire-Tipped Spear. He, Nezha, was a man who wouldn't lose face even in defeat, let alone try to renege on a debt with a child—how could he possibly save face if word got out?

"Who's trying to renege on their debt?" He stiffened his neck, cautiously glancing around at the people, afraid that if he raised his voice, someone would hear him. But his voice lowered. "Can we...can we find something else?"

"Then..." Tang Sheng's eyes darted around, the grievance on his face vanished instantly, and he leaned closer to Nezha, lowering his voice even further, with a hint of urging.

"Your dad is always making things difficult for my dad. Why don't you go over there right now and stab him to death? How about that? It's easy!"

Nezha almost choked on his own saliva, glared at Tang Sheng, and said irritably,
“He’s not my father, and I want to stab him to death too, but now, I’m afraid it’s not possible.” Even if he wanted to, he knew the timing was definitely wrong, not to mention that Li Jing was gripping the tower tightly in his hand.

Tang Sheng sighed like a little adult, seemingly disappointed, then quickly adopted a serious expression.
"Then tell me, if you can't do this and you can't do that, what can you possibly do?"

Being mocked by a child, Nezha felt he had never been so wronged, but he really couldn't say anything. After all, Tang Sheng said he couldn't do something.
"Why don't you ask one more question? Just ask one more question, and I'll be sure to help."

"Well... you don't have much to do with your dad anyway, he won't even let you be the vanguard. Why don't you secretly help my dad exorcise demons? We can make a great contribution and make him furious."

Looking at Tang Sheng's innocent little face, then at Chen Guangrui's tall figure in the distance, and thinking of Li Jing's indifference and the Giant Spirit God's smugness, Nezha's "going it alone" thought resurfaced.

However, he knew in his heart that if he followed Chen Guangrui, he would be doing things that would benefit the Tushita Palace. If the Buddha were to blame him, he would really have no way of explaining himself.

However, he was already in this predicament, and if he refused again, it would make him seem like Nezha was afraid of trouble.

"Fine...fine!" Nezha gritted his teeth, as if he had made a huge decision.

"As long as it's not explicitly forbidden by Buddha, I, the Crown Prince, can lend you a hand. However, since the army hasn't moved yet, I still need to stay put."

He specifically emphasized "by the way" and the current situation.

In other words, he will continue to accompany the army on its expeditions, and once Chen Guangrui receives news of who they are going to fight, Nezha will step in to help.

He added a condition: as long as Buddha didn't forbid him from doing it, he could do it.

Nezha thought that if Buddha forbade him from doing it then, he wouldn't do it either. After all, it was agreed upon beforehand, so it wouldn't be considered cheating.

"It's a deal." Tang Sheng immediately beamed and extended his little finger. "Pinky promise!"

Nezha looked at that tiny finger, his face twitched again, and finally, helplessly and quickly hooked his little finger with it, thus acknowledging the "deal".

In the center of Wanmaping, Chen Guangrui felt a strange sense of control, as if his mind were intimately connected with thousands of celestial horses, as if he were controlling his own arm.

The Spirit-Controlling Rhinoceros Pill that Laozi had sent via Golden Furnace and Silver Furnace, combined with the authority seal of the弼马温 (Bima Wen, a low-ranking official in charge of horses), had an effect far exceeding his expectations. This gave him a deeper understanding of controlling certain birds and beasts. He flipped himself onto the lead crimson dragon steed, flicking the reins lightly. The dragon steed neighed, its four hooves flying, its steps still neat and even, and under the complex gazes of the celestial generals, it came to a steady stop in front of the viewing platform.

He looked down at Li Jing, whose face was ashen, and said in a calm, unwavering voice, "King Li, the warhorses are trained and ready for great use. Now, in this command tent, do I have the right to speak?"

Li Jing's lips were pressed tightly together, his jawline taut as if carved by a knife, and he did not answer. A silence and awkwardness filled the air.

Chen Guangrui didn't wait for his reply. His gaze swept over the equally grim-faced generals behind Li Jing, and he spoke again, his voice carrying clearly throughout the entire area.
"I have completed my duties. I wonder if the Heavenly King's 100,000 heavenly soldiers are well-trained in terms of discipline and appearance? Are they able to obey orders as strictly as these warhorses?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the heavenly generals on the viewing platform changed.

The breathtaking parade they had just witnessed, especially the perfectly synchronized and awe-inspiring formation and the final neighing of ten thousand horses, weighed heavily on their hearts like an invisible mountain.

If the heavenly horse is like this, then if the heavenly soldiers cannot perform far better, or are even just mediocre, then where will the face of these generals and the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King be placed in comparison?
However, they all knew in their hearts that it was simply a pipe dream to make 100,000 heavenly soldiers synchronize with such precision down to the millisecond! Even the most basic task of forming a neat formation was impossible to achieve with such breathtaking precision when so many people were gathered in such a short time.

An immense pressure instantly enveloped every general.

Li Jing's face turned from ashen to crimson, his chest heaving slightly. Chen Guangrui's actions were clearly a blatant provocation, a naked challenge.

But the other side has just demonstrated its undeniable capabilities, and its demands are made under the banner of strict military discipline. If he backs down, where will his authority as commander be?
He slammed his hand on the jade railing, his voice filled with suppressed anger, almost a roar.

"Beat the drums! Gather the troops! How can my heavenly soldiers be inferior to warhorses? Let Vice Commander Chen see what the majesty of the Heavenly Court is, Giant Spirit God!"

"Your subordinate is here!" The Giant Spirit God's heart tightened, and he stepped forward with a stiff upper lip.

"Immediately issue the order: all units must assemble and begin martial arts practice!" Li Jing's command was resolute.

The thunderous sound of war drums rose urgently, like a death knell.

Chaos erupted instantly on the platform. Messengers scattered in all directions, and shouts from officers of all ranks rose and fell.

"Gather the troops, quickly!"

"Line up! Get moving!"

"Battalion A, move fast!"

"Stand still in your designated spot!"

"Don't push, follow behind!"

The heavenly soldiers, who had been standing solemnly in the distance, were thrown into disarray by this sudden order. Soldiers rushed out from their various tents and sentry posts, like countless streams flowing into a river, but far from being in perfect unison.

The footsteps were chaotic and disorderly, and the clattering of armor plates created a cacophony. Some ran in the wrong direction, some tripped over their companions, and the formation became crooked and shaky, like a disturbed anthill.

The generals rushed through the chaos, shouts and commands mingling together, creating a scene of utter confusion.

Nezha crossed his arms, looked down at the chaotic scene below, then glanced at the orderly, statue-like horse formation beside him, and a sneer curled at the corner of his mouth.

Several generals stood behind Li Jing, their faces alternating between pale and flushed. Some shook their heads slightly, some stared down at the ground, while others nervously watched the progress of the assembly, their foreheads beaded with sweat.

Li Jing's hands, clasped behind his back, had nails that almost dug into his palms. The contrast between these nails and the steely cavalry formation from before was glaringly obvious.

However, this is not the most difficult part.

When the various heavenly soldiers finally managed to form crooked, uneven square formations, still catching their breath...

Without comparison, these things would be understandable; the Heavenly Army's soldiers were in high spirits. But with the comparison just now, these soldiers seemed somewhat disorganized.

The giant god was sweating, but he had to continue. He also gave orders in a professional manner, instructing his soldiers to eat.

After the message was relayed, there was a brief silence. Then, the messengers and junior officers began shouting at the top of their lungs, their voices echoing across the massive platform, tinged with exasperation.
"Eat! The vanguard has ordered us to eat immediately!"

"Get the rations out, quick!"

"What are you all standing there for? Eat!"

The soldiers seemed to wake from a daze, frantically trying to untie the ration bags and water pouches from their waists, or to retrieve the makeshift food boxes carried on their backs. Their movements were hurried and disorganized.

"Wow!"

A young soldier, nervous, dropped the flatbread and cured meat he had just taken out onto the ground. He hurriedly squatted down to pick them up, but his comrade, who was also taking out his rations, accidentally stepped on them. The soldier cried out in pain, almost fell, and dropped his food all over the ground.

"Hey, watch out!"

"Why are you pushing!"

Where is my water bladder?

Similar scenes played out in every square formation that barely maintained its shape. The sounds of armor clashing, food box lids falling off, rations spilling, and soldiers' low complaints and shouts mingled together, far more jarring and noisy than when they were lining up.

At this point, people even felt that it was actually a good thing that the Pegasus couldn't talk, at least there wasn't so much noise.

The generals stood before their respective ranks, their faces even more grim than before. They tried to maintain order.
"Silence! What kind of behavior is this!"

"Hold on tight, don't waste any food!"

"In order, in order!"

However, the awkwardness of the order itself and the soldiers' instinctive resistance and discomfort made any effort to maintain order seem futile and laughable.

The eating habits were varied and strange. Some people stood and wolfed down their food, some squatted down and nibbled at it, and some held their rations and forgot to eat, just looking around blankly. The chewing sounds were scattered and disjointed, completely unlike the uniform "rustling" sounds that the Pegasus had made when it was eating.

Li Jing stood in the center of the viewing platform, his face no longer ashen, but deathly pale.

He stared intently at the chaotic scene below, his nails digging deep into his palms, almost embedding themselves in his flesh. Compared to the Pegasus formation beside him, which still stood as neatly and solemnly as steel sculptures, the contrast was as stark as a resounding slap across the face of the commander.

Nezha, arms crossed, watched with great interest, a mocking smile almost reaching his ears. He even deliberately raised his voice a few decibels as he spoke to Tang Sheng,
"Tsk tsk, look at this, now that's what you call the majesty of the Heavenly Court! It's much more spectacular than the circus we just watched, isn't it?"

Tang Sheng immediately nodded vigorously in agreement, her big eyes sparkling with mischievousness, and chirped in agreement.
"Yes! Third Prince is right, there are so many people, it's so lively!"

Their words, like needles, pierced the ears of every general on the reviewing stand. The generals' faces flushed red and then turned pale.

The Giant Spirit God wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground. He stood behind Li Jing, his burly body slightly hunched, the enormous pestle seemingly too heavy to lift.

The shock of the utter silence of ten thousand horses still echoed in his ears, and the steel-like, perfectly synchronized movement of the cavalry was still vivid in his mind. Yet now, his 100,000 heavenly soldiers were performing even the most basic act of unified eating in such a chaotic and disorganized manner, resembling a rabble.

A profound sense of shame, like an icy tide, instantly overwhelmed all the celestial soldiers and generals. In this silent contrast, the so-called majesty of the Heavenly Court seemed so pale and powerless, even somewhat comical. Before everyone's eyes, 100,000 celestial soldiers were utterly humiliated by a herd of celestial horses.

Chen Guangrui sat upright on the crimson dragon steed, his gaze calmly sweeping over the chaotic scene below, before slowly raising it to meet Li Jing's fiery gaze from the viewing platform.

He didn't speak, but his calm gaze was more powerful than any words.

The unified meal finally ended amidst the commotion. The fact that the 100,000 heavenly soldiers did not turn it into a farce was already a testament to their disciplined military bearing.

The Giant Spirit God looked at Li Jing's face, which was so gloomy it was almost dripping with water, and then at the expressionless Chen Guangrui. He swallowed hard, steeled himself, and gave the order conveyed in Li Jing's eyes in a tone that was as authoritative as possible but couldn't hide a hint of absurdity.

"All departments, listen to my command! Immediately comply and unify... um... excretion!"

The order was given, and the 100,000 heavenly soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment.

The unification issue?
Are we to do what those horses did, dig holes in unison under the watchful eyes of everyone, and then...?

The air seemed to freeze. Every soldier's face was filled with bewilderment, shock, shame, and disbelief.

They subconsciously glanced at each other, then at the imposing yet extremely embarrassed Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King on the high platform, and then at the seemingly detached Vice Commander Chen Guangrui opposite them.

A vast, silent, and absurd stillness enveloped the entire cloud platform outside the South Heavenly Gate.

(End of this chapter)