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

Chapter 81 Marshal Tianpeng
Faced with Kui Mulang's questioning, Chen Guangrui naturally wouldn't reveal the truth.

"I suppose it was because I was sincere that my prayers were answered. In front of the Laozi Temple, I burned incense and prayed, bowing my head more than a hundred times. Perhaps it was this sincerity that finally moved the old man and saved my life."

Upon hearing this, a knowing glint flashed in Kui Mulang's deep eyes; he had clearly sensed the reservation in Chen Guangrui's words. However, understanding the importance of knowing when to stop, he didn't expose her. Instead, he took over the conversation with a warm smile.
“Good. Sincerity leads to understanding, which shows that you have a deep connection with my Taoist sect. This is a good story. Please come with me.”

The two rode on clouds, flying towards the Heavenly Court high in the nine heavens. During the journey, Chen Guangrui asked…

"Did you find that old acquaintance on your journey west, Star Lord?"

Kui Mulang sighed softly, a thin layer of sorrow settling between his handsome brows.
"Although you have pointed out the direction, Xiniuhe Continent is vast and boundless, with a population of more than ten million. To find a single person is truly like finding a needle in a haystack."

Chen Guangrui nodded, as if it were a casual remark.
"What you're worried about, Star Lord, is reasonable. However, if I may forgive my humble opinion, you are all people of the Heavenly Court. When it comes to such a major matter as reincarnation in the mortal realm, how could Judge Cui Jue of the Underworld not take care of things? Star Lord, you might as well think about it: if it were your old friend, what kind of family and what kind of appearance would he most like to be born into? If you search for the judge's files based on this idea, perhaps you can narrow down the search considerably."

Kui Mulang paused slightly, glanced at Chen Guangrui, and a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes.

He paused for a moment, then slowly nodded, his tone remaining calm and composed.
"Hmm... what the Taoist priest said makes some sense. Thank you for the reminder."

Before long, thousands of auspicious clouds appeared ahead, and magnificent palace complexes emerged above the sea of ​​clouds.

The walls, made of glazed tiles, and the beams, adorned with precious jade, exude a peaceful and sacred radiance.

Flocks of cranes gracefully danced among auspicious clouds; nimble monkeys, carrying celestial fruits, leaped among carved beams and painted rafters. Such a scene was majestic and magnificent, far surpassing anything found in the mortal realm.

Upon first seeing it, Chen Guangrui couldn't help but look around, secretly marveling at it.

Seeing this, Kui Mulang pointed to the various palaces,

"Brother Chen, please look. That radiant golden light, towering above all the heavens, is the Lingxiao Palace."

As they walked, Kui Mulang explained things to Chen Guangrui, hoping he would gain a quick understanding of the Heavenly Court.

Taking advantage of the pause in Kui Mulang's introduction, Chen Guangrui asked cautiously,

"Star Lord, I am new here and unfamiliar with the Tushita Palace. Besides Laozi, who else resides here? Is there anything I should pay special attention to?"

He asked directly, probably wanting to find out everything in one go.

However, Kui Mulang shook his head slightly.

"Master Chen, there's no need to bother asking about these things. You are different from those Taoists in the palace who specialize in alchemy and cultivation. Since Laozi has specially summoned you here, he has his own arrangements for you. As for the others and the rules, just follow your heart and observe etiquette. There's no need to care too much about others."

His words were watertight, highlighting Chen Guangrui's special status while cleverly avoiding specific personnel introductions.

Upon hearing this, Chen Guangrui remained expressionless, but a very subtle change flashed in the depths of his eyes.

His mind, however, was already perfectly clear:

Since Laozi took action, it must be because his words had an effect. Since he saved him, he would naturally assign him a corresponding task.

The two quickly arrived at the Tushita Palace, located on the thirty-third heaven. Kui Mulang asked Chen Guangrui to wait outside the palace gate while he went inside to report to Laozi.

Then, a majestic and ancient palace sits there, surrounded by purple mist and fragrant incense, exuding an atmosphere of natural harmony without being extravagant.

Chen Guangrui stood outside the door as instructed, admiring the wonderful fairyland. He saw white deer strolling leisurely in the sesame fields, cranes singing idly in the pine forest, red cliffs standing tall, and exotic flowers blooming everywhere, creating a serene and secluded atmosphere.

"Hey! What are you doing here, you wild Taoist priest, sneaking around like this?"

Suddenly, two clear but wary shouts rang out.

Two exquisitely beautiful young Taoist boys rushed out of the door, hands on their hips, staring at him warily. The one on the left wore a Taoist robe with gold trim, holding a small jade whisk; his face was taut, his eyes sharp, giving off an air of unapproachability.

On the right was a Taoist robe with silver trim, and a string of freshly refined, fragrant golden pills hanging from his wrist. Although he was curious, his face also carried a hint of arrogance, as if he loved to show off and was afraid that others would not know that he was in charge of his precious treasures.

Looking at their distinctive Taoist robes and their mature demeanor, Chen Guangrui roughly guessed who these two people were.

He cupped his hands and said, "Please forgive me, two celestial children. I am Chen Guangrui, summoned by Laozi, and I am here to await Kui Mulang Xingjun's report."

"Chen Guangrui?"

The Silver Furnace Boy tilted his head. Upon hearing the words "Summoned by Laozi," the wariness in his eyes lessened slightly, but he couldn't resist his curiosity. He puffed out his little chest and shook the golden pill string on his wrist.

"I've never even seen you before, how did you manage to be summoned by the Ancestor?"

Chen Guangrui laughed. He had just taken to the skies and was already being questioned by a child?

He looked at the Silver Furnace Boy's ostentatious air, then glanced at the Gold Furnace Boy beside him, whose little face was still tense and whose brows were furrowed. He deliberately lowered his voice and said to the Silver Furnace Boy,
"Shh! Fairy Boy, keep your voice down! I... of course I have secret methods! But I can only tell you about them."

Upon hearing this, the Silver Furnace Boy was very pleased. "Yes, just tell me. If you tell him, he might even tell on you."

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

As expected, the Golden Furnace Boy immediately bristled, his little face turning bright red with anger.

"Yinlu, look at his shifty appearance. He's clearly trying to sow discord. The Ancestor wouldn't easily summon such a suspicious person. He's definitely lying!"

Silver Furnace Boy had initially felt a bit favorably toward Chen Guangrui because of his words, but Jin Furnace's shout, especially the accusation that he might "tell on" him, immediately angered him as well.
"You're talking nonsense! Who are you to tell us what to do about our ancestors' affairs? I think you're just jealous that I know too much. How many recipes do you even know for making elixirs?"

As she spoke, she deliberately shook the beads on her wrist even louder.

"Who's jealous of you? I think you're the one who's been fooled by his sweet talk!" The Golden Furnace Boy stomped his feet in anger.

"You're slandering an innocent person!"

"You are the stupid one!"

Chen Guangrui stepped back and watched with amusement as the two children argued back and forth, their faces turning red, and it looked like they were about to come to blows.

Just as the two were about to grab each other's Taoist robe collars, steady footsteps came from inside the palace gate. Kui Mulang came out and saw the two boys and Chen Guangrui watching the show. A hint of helplessness appeared on his face.

"All right."

Kui Mulang's voice was calm, yet authoritative. The two boys immediately released their grip as if they had been choked, each letting out a snort and turning their heads away, their small chests heaving. Kui Mulang ignored them and turned to Chen Guangrui, saying solemnly, "Daoist Chen, Laozi has given an order."

Chen Guangrui quickly bowed and said, "Please give your instructions, Star Lord."

Kui Mulang looked at the sullen Golden Furnace and Silver Furnace Boy, then at Chen Guangrui, his expression becoming somewhat strange, as if he felt that this combination was a bit... mismatched.

But he still clearly conveyed his message.
"Laojun Zuyan said: You, Chen Guangrui, are to immediately take these two... um,"

He paused, seemingly considering his words, "...The two boys, Jinlu and Yinlu, descended to the mortal realm together to visit the Yunzhan Cave on Fuling Mountain."

Chen Guangrui was startled, almost thinking he had misheard. Taking these two half-grown kids, who were always ready to fight at the drop of a hat, down to the mortal realm to do a mission?
What kind of medicine is Laozi (Laojun) up to?

He was utterly dumbfounded. What kind of task was this? It was clearly taking two kids out to play! And two particularly difficult kids at that!

Kui Mulang seemed to see through Chen Guangrui's inner thoughts, coughed lightly, and added,
"This matter...has another reason. Laozi also mentioned,"

His expression turned serious, and his gaze towards Chen Guangrui held a deeper meaning.
"...The current owner of the Cloud Stack Cave is the former Marshal Tianpeng, who was appointed by the Heavenly Court."

He paused deliberately, giving Chen Guangrui time to process his words, before slowly speaking.
"...He has been banished to the mortal realm for some reason...and has been there for many years."

Chen Guangrui's expression froze instantly.

Seeing that Chen Guangrui seemed stunned and didn't quite understand after hearing the words "Marshal Tianpeng," Kui Mulang repeated them clearly.
"He is none other than Marshal Tianpeng, who once commanded 80,000 naval troops of the Heavenly River and was appointed by the Heavenly Court."

He assumed Chen Guangrui was unaware of his identity and explained simply.

"Marshal Tianpeng made a mistake while drunk many years ago, and was therefore banished to the mortal world by the Jade Emperor. It has been quite some time since then."

If you flirted with Chang'e, just say you flirted with Chang'e. Don't go on about "being indecent after drinking" or "making some mistakes."
Chen Guangrui wasn't unaware of who Marshal Tianpeng was; rather, the image of Zhu Bajie, played by Ma Dehua in his previous life, kept replaying in his mind, causing his thoughts to churn.

"We haven't even met Monkey King yet, and Pigsy has already barged in?"

He was momentarily dazed. He knew that since Laozi had saved him, there would definitely be subsequent actions against Buddhism. However, he hadn't expected that the attack on Buddhism would start with Marshal Tianpeng.

Seeing that Chen Guangrui remained silent with a strange expression on his face, Kui Mulang did not find it strange.

He believed that Chen Guangrui had just obtained his divine position and was receiving a mission directly from Laozi for the first time, so he was bound to be nervous, which is why his behavior seemed unusual.

So he gently comforted her.

"Fellow Daoist Chen need not worry. Laozi has instructed that the two attendants, Golden Furnace and Silver Furnace, will be in charge of this matter. You still hold an official position in the mortal realm, so you only need to lend a hand when necessary."

The moment the words left his mouth, the two boys who had been listening intently nearby immediately erupted in an uproar.

The Golden Furnace Boy's face hardened, his neck stiffened, and his voice, though clear, was filled with deep dissatisfaction.

“This time, the two of us can get things done without anyone else’s help!”

Despite his limited knowledge, he was extremely confident in himself and the prestige of the Tushita Palace.

The Silver Furnace Boy, as if his tail had been stepped on, leaped forward, the golden pill beads on his wrist jingling, and with his other hand swiftly pulled a bottle from his robes, as if afraid no one would see it.

"That's right, that's right, did you see that? The Jade Bottle! A magic weapon given by the Ancestor! Dealing with someone who was banished to the mortal realm is a piece of cake! We can handle it ourselves, we don't need him getting in our way!"

He proudly brandished the treasure in his hand, a powerful magical artifact that Laozi had used to subdue various deities.

Kui Mulang suddenly felt a headache coming on. These two boys clearly didn't understand what Laozi was trying to do, so he quickly explained.
"You two celestial attendants have misunderstood. We are not asking you to arrest him, but to summon him back and reinstate him to his original position, understand? It's a good thing! We need to invite him back to the Heavenly Court to take command of the Heavenly River Navy again!"

The Golden Furnace Boy blinked, his little brows furrowed, clearly finding the task far too easy.
"Oh? That's even simpler! We'll just go and tell him, 'Hey, the old man wants you to go back to be a marshal!' Wouldn't he be happy to come with us right away?"

"What if he's not happy about it?"

The boy with the silver furnace eagerly spoke, his little face beaming with anticipation.

"If he's not happy about it, then we'll...we'll ask him to go back again!"

He deliberately shook the jade bottle in his hand in front of Kui Mulang, the meaning of which was self-evident.

After speaking, the Silver Furnace Boy seemed to have solved all the problems. With a wave of his small hand, he generously said to Chen Guangrui,

"Hey! You, the one tending the fire! Just go back to your mortal life and be an official! With the two of us handling this, we'll make sure it's handled perfectly! And when we recall Tianpeng, you'll get a share of the credit too!"

He simplified the official title of "the Taoist who tidied the furnace and burned the fire" to "the one who burned the fire".

Kui Mulang wanted to offer a few more words of advice, trying to clarify the key points, such as why Tianpeng was demoted, and that the matter might not be so simple.

But the two boys were already blinded by the excitement of completing Laozi's task "easily," and they only thought Kui Mulang was being long-winded.

"Alright, alright, Star Lord, don't worry!" The Golden Furnace Boy waved his hand impatiently.

"That's right, watch us!"

Silver Furnace Boy was even more impatient. Before he finished speaking, the two of them rode on a cloud, and with a whoosh, they transformed into two streaks of light, flying towards the lower realm without looking back. Even Kui Mulang didn't have time to give any instructions, let alone bring Chen Guangrui, who was responsible for "secondary assistance," along.

Watching the two disappear in an instant, Kui Mulang sighed helplessly, turned to Chen Guangrui, his face full of apology and worry.
“Fellow Daoist Chen, look at this… I really didn’t expect the two celestial children to be so impatient. After all, this is a task personally assigned by Laozi. I hope that after you descend to the mortal realm, you can take good care of them.”

Chen Guangrui knew perfectly well that Laozi, on the surface, "assigned" the task to the two boys and gave them powerful magic weapons, but he also made it clear that he only needed to play a "minor role" in his spare time while serving in the mortal world.

The intention couldn't be clearer:
Under normal circumstances, there is no need to intervene. Just let the two children learn from their experiences, unless there are Buddhist forces or other unexpected dangers involved.

Their role was more like that of lookouts, their only responsibility being to ensure no other forces interfered. Whether the mission succeeded or failed, the ultimate responsibility lay with the two boys.

So he readily cupped his hands to Kui Mulang and said, "Rest assured, Star Lord, I will keep an eye on things. If there is anything I can do to help, I will do my best."

However, he couldn't help but show a puzzled expression and asked Kui Mulang,
"Star Lord, Marshal Tianpeng is an important general in the Heavenly Court, and his reinstatement is no small matter. I always felt that Laozi's actions were unpredictable... Why send only two... two lively celestial children to carry out such an important task, and even bestow upon them precious treasures to descend to the mortal realm?"

Chen Guangrui's words revealed his true inner confusion.

(End of this chapter)