Journey to the West: I really want to improve!

"I'm out." Mu Xin came out of the Tian Shu Marshal's Office and saw Nezha waiting for him outside.

"Greetings, Great God Nezha of the Three Altars and Seas," Mu Xin hurriedly bowed and greeted.

"Alright, enough of that nonsense. Did my father tell you what he's going to do?" Nezha asked, waving his hand.

"Your Highness, King Li has already made arrangements for me. I will complete the task as soon as possible," Mu Xin replied.

"Give me a time, and I'll come to the South Heavenly Gate to find you then," Nezha said.

"Three days will suffice; it won't delay the Heavenly King's business at all," Mu Xin said, giving a timeframe after pretending to think it over.

"Okay, see you in three days." After saying that, Nezha turned into a streak of light and disappeared.

Mu Xin looked back at the Marshal Tian Shu's office and then at the spot where Nezha had just stood, wondering if he should try to get closer to Nezha.

One word: loving father and filial son!

Nezha and Li Jing are nominally father and son, but in reality they are emotionally distant, yet they are deeply bound together by duty and magical weapons.

Nezha once returned his bones to his father and his flesh to his mother, severing all ties with Li Jing. Even after being transformed into a lotus, he still harbored resentment towards his father's resolute decision, showing no ordinary father-son affection.

The exquisite pagoda that Li Jing held was not only his protective magic weapon, but also a tool bestowed by the Heavenly Court to bind Nezha, which constantly suppressed him. The two of them always had a sense of awe and distance when they were together.

Li Jing was the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King and the Grand Marshal of Heaven for Subduing Demons. Nezha was one of the Three Altars and Seas under his command. They fought side by side in the public service and each performed their duties, but they were rarely close in private.

In short, these two do not share a father-son bond, but they jointly uphold the order of the Heavenly Court. When the Three Realms are in danger, they can put aside personal grudges and join forces to fight the enemy. Their duty far outweighs personal grievances.

With that in mind, Mu Xin decided to go see his master first.

……

Suming Palace.

Mu Xin changed his clothes and also brought a few peaches. Although they weren't very old, they were still a token of his goodwill.

"Master, today Li Tianwang sent his Thunder Department men to arrest me and bring me to the Tian Shu Marshal's Office. I was clearly asking for a favor, but you have no idea how awful his attitude was!" Mu Xin cried to Taibai Jinxing.

"Alright, stop playing the victim with me. You're perfectly fine, aren't you?"

"Li Jing couldn't even control his own son, so what good attitude do you expect him to have?"

"I didn't give him a friendly look, so naturally he'll come to you to settle scores," Venus laughed, his words full of disdain.

"Master, you and Li Tianwang have always been at odds, why not take this opportunity..." Mu Xin asked tentatively.

"Li Jing's existence proves my value to a certain extent. He cannot fall for me, and I cannot fall for him either."

"Only by checking and balancing each other can His Majesty feel at ease, which is why I am helping him this time."

"If it were him, he would have done the same."

"Furthermore, the intelligence Li Jing possesses regarding this recruitment of the lower realm is also very important to us."

"Give him some face, and everyone'll look good," Venus said patiently to Mu Xin, putting down his teacup.

The fact that a veteran civil official like Venus has been able to remain in power in the Heavenly Court for so many years shows that he truly has some skills.

There are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. This is perfectly embodied in Venus, no wonder he is the evergreen tree of the Heavenly Court.

"Master, this time Li Tianwang has arranged for me to connect with the Third Prince. The father and son have a bad relationship. Do you think I should take this opportunity to..." Mu Xin asked tentatively.

Venus smiled, poured Mu Xin a cup of tea, and then said:

"No need to think, the entire Heavenly Court knows that the Li family father and son are not on good terms."

"But when it comes to matters of principle, the two have always stood on the same side."

Just as Mu Xin was about to speak, Venus waved his hand to interrupt him.

"I know what you're thinking. You said you wanted to take this opportunity to build a good relationship with Nezha, and even fantasized that Nezha could one day replace Li Jing's position."

"I advise you to give up on that idea. Under the current system of divine office and rules in Heaven, no matter how great Nezha's military achievements or how high his position is, he will never be able to replace Li Jing as the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King and the Great Marshal Who Subdues Demons."

"Li Jing is the Grand Marshal who commands the heavenly troops of the Three Realms. He is in charge of all military affairs, troop deployment, and overall defense. He is the commander-in-chief. Nezha is the vanguard general who is good at charging into battle, killing enemy generals and capturing flags. He is a warrior general who is responsible for attacking and defeating the enemy. Their functions are completely different. If Nezha is promoted, he will only be the head of the vanguard, not the commander-in-chief."

"The pagoda in Li Jing's hands is not only a magical weapon, but also the power to bind Nezha granted to him by the Heavenly Court. It is specifically designed to suppress Nezha's unruly and violent nature and to restrain his supernatural powers. It is the core rule by which the Heavenly Court maintains the relationship between the two. If Nezha replaces Li Jing, the pagoda's checks and balances will fail, and the Heavenly Court will never allow such a risk of losing control."

"Li Jing is a veteran deity of the Heavenly Court, with deep roots and extensive experience. He enjoys the Jade Emperor's deep trust and is the stabilizing force that maintains the stability of the Heavenly Army system. Although Nezha has made great achievements in battle, he is a new generation of deity general. His experience and prestige are far from enough to shake Li Jing's position as commander, and the Heavenly Court will not disrupt the order of veteran ministers guarding the army."

"Li Jing excels at overall planning, maintaining stability, and adhering to regulations, making him an essential commander-in-chief; Nezha excels at bravery, fighting prowess, and defeating powerful enemies, making him a vanguard and core warrior. The Heavenly Court will ensure that each general fulfills their duties and will not allow warriors to replace commanders, thus disrupting the military system."

"Finally, and most importantly, the Heavenly Court values ​​ethical principles, and it is a tacit rule that sons cannot succeed their fathers. Even if Nezha and Li Jing had a past grudge, there was absolutely no possibility of Nezha succeeding his father as commander. This is the bottom line for maintaining the ethical order of the Heavenly Court."

"Nezha's promotion ceiling is the First Vanguard General of Heaven, not the Grand Marshal of Demon Subduing. Li Jing's position as commander is determined by the rules, functions, and checks and balances of Heaven, and cannot be replaced by military achievements."

Mu Xin was indeed thinking that if Nezha could replace Li Jing in the later stages, it would be very necessary to establish a good relationship with him in advance. However, Taibai Jinxing's words poured cold water on his idea.

"Master, look at what you're saying, do I really look like that kind of person?!"

"I was just inquiring about the Third Prince's situation, mainly to better complete your mission!" Mu Xin hurriedly explained.

"Oh, I see. It seems I misunderstood you, old man."

"I was originally thinking of telling you to use Nezha to get closer to Western Buddhism, but now it seems unnecessary."

"Go and prepare the Myriad Tribulations Thunder Pattern Steel that Li Jing wants, so he won't cause you any more trouble." Taibai Jinxing glanced at Mu Xin and chuckled.

"No, Master! Look at my mouth, it's just clumsy!"

"Why don't you tell me how to contact Buddhists through the Third Prince? I've never had any dealings with Buddhism before."

Upon hearing this, Mu Xin quickly patted his cheeks and smiled apologetically.

To participate in the pilgrimage project, information from the Buddhist side is essential; such a good opportunity should not be missed.