Journey to the West: I really want to improve!

Honestly, it's not that Mu Xin is putting on airs, but he simply doesn't care about the 6,000-year-old peaches anymore.

When Sun Wukong wreaks havoc at the Peach Banquet, he will be forced to kidnap himself, and he can eat the nine-thousand-year-old peaches as he pleases.

Not to mention the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir that awaits you at the Tushita Palace, which is far more potent than any peaches of immortality.

Thinking of this, Mu Xin couldn't help but swallow hard. It looked so damn tempting!

"Alright, alright, look at you! Six thousand years of peaches have made you so hungry, it's outrageous!"

"The peaches of immortality are good, but they are ultimately external forces. You still have to rely on your own cultivation. Don't put the cart before the horse."

"With your current cultivation level, it's difficult to advance any further. You need to speed up your cultivation improvement, lest you find yourself unable to keep up when your position becomes available!"

Taibai Jinxing said with a hint of disappointment, "I'm satisfied with my disciple Mu Xin in every way, but his cultivation level is really not up to par."

With his own cultivation level, it was quite embarrassing that his disciple was only a mid-level immortal.

"You can't compare me to you... I've already tried my best!"

"I guarantee I'll reach the later stages of the Immortal Realm within five hundred years!" Mu Xin said, forcing himself to speak.

"You'd better be able to do it!" Venus's tone was one of disbelief.

……

Not long after Mu Xin left Su Ming Palace, he received an invitation from the Queen Mother of the West. People from Yaochi personally delivered the invitation to Mu Xin.

"Oh my, what ethereal breeze blew our most beautiful sister from Yaochi here?"

"Please come in, please come in. Your mother has so many people under her command, yet she assigns this arduous errand-running task to you. She has no consideration for people at all."

The visitor was Dong Shuangcheng, the chief maidservant of the Queen Mother of the West, who was skilled at playing the jade flute and was a key figure in the Peach Banquet.

It must be said that the girls of Yaochi are indeed beautiful. Mu Xin's attitude was very kind, not because he coveted their beauty, but because they were of different status.

Before Dong Shuangcheng could react, Mu Xin handed him a cup of hot tea.

"You're too kind. It's just my job."

"One doesn't hit a smiling face, let alone the adopted son of the Queen Mother of the West," Dong Shuangcheng replied politely.

"What do you mean by duty or extra duty? I'm only doing this because of the Empress Dowager's influence, that you personally came to deliver this invitation."

As they spoke, Mu Xin took out an exquisite brocade box from his sleeve and stuffed it into the other person's hand without saying a word.

"This is a pearl cream I bought from the Nanhai Huian Walker a few days ago. I heard it can nourish the skin like a fairy, so it's perfect for you, sister."

"If you don't accept it, it means you think my gift is not presentable, and I won't dare ask you to smooth things over for me next time."

Mu Xin spoke with great tact. Although he was a bit glib, he handled it very well. Plus, being the adopted son of the Queen Mother of the West made him not annoying at all.

After some back and forth, Dong Shuangcheng accepted Mu Xin's gift. After all, it wasn't anything valuable, so it wouldn't matter even if the Queen Mother of the West found out.

"By the way, sister, I have something to ask of you."

"As you know, I'm a bit of a scatterbrain and don't understand the rules of these palace banquets. Are there any rules that I should pay special attention to for this year's Peach Banquet?"

"And how were this year's seats arranged? Are there any individuals on the invitee list that deserve special attention?"

"Sister, you serve Mother every day, so you know the inside story better than anyone else in the entire Heavenly Court. Give me a heads-up so I can prepare in advance and avoid making a mistake that displeases Mother and causes trouble for you sisters, right?"

Dong Shuangcheng chuckled and then said, "I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but I dare not speak presumptuously about the details of the banquet due to palace rules. I hope you will understand."

"However, this year's Peach Banquet is attracting extra attention from all sides, and Her Majesty has instructed that everything should be done with caution and prudence in mind."

"As long as you remember to avoid discussing promotions and gossip at banquets, you will naturally be safe and sound and will not cause Your Majesty any trouble."

After saying that, she bowed slightly and said, "It's getting late, and I need to return to Yaochi to report back. I'll take my leave now."

After Dong Shuangcheng left, Mu Xin chuckled. The meaning of Dong Shuangcheng's words was all too clear: although he was the Queen Mother's adopted son, he was still a minor figure at the Peach Banquet, and the greatest dignity was to remain calm and avoid trouble.

However, the Heavenly Court is pragmatic; strength, seniority, and faction are the real currencies, while prestigious titles are merely superficial.

Whether or not one has a presence at the Peach Banquet is not important. Being able to take advantage of this grand event to get things done is more meaningful than any superficial glory.

Mu Xin rubbed the invitation with his fingertips, pondered for a moment, then got up and headed straight for the Great Sage Equaling Heaven's Mansion.

"Senior brother, I just received an invitation to the Queen Mother of the West's Peach Banquet. I wonder where you'd like to sit? That way, we can look out for each other."

Mu Xin handed the invitation to Sun Wukong and casually picked up the tea on the table and drank it all in one gulp.

"An invitation?" Sun Wukong was taken aback and slammed the half-eaten peach in his hand onto the table.

"That Queen Mother! The Heavenly Court is holding its Peach Banquet, but I'm the only one left out!"

"You ask me where I should sit? I don't even have an invitation to step into the Jade Pool, what seat am I supposed to sit on!"

This was exactly the effect Mu Xin wanted. Before this, Sun Wukong was very certain that he would receive an invitation to the Peach Banquet.

He'll definitely be furious if he doesn't receive an invitation now, so that his true feelings can be revealed in the later scene of his havoc in Heaven.

After all, their previous plans were prone to errors without the support of emotions, and the fact that Sun Wukong was not invited to the Peach Banquet was the best emotional boost.

"Senior brother is right! This is not a small matter of missing a post; it's a blatant slap in the face, a dirty trick on your name, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven!" Mu Xin added fuel to the fire, afraid that Sun Wukong would lose his temper.

"There's absolutely no way they forgot; they did it on purpose! They think you've become more docile since you went to Heaven, so they're deliberately pushing their luck to see if you can swallow this insult!"

"To put it bluntly, what the hell am I in Heaven? I'm just someone who benefits from the Queen Mother's favor, holding the empty title of adopted son. I have no merit whatsoever, yet I still received this invitation!"

"They wouldn't even send a tattered invitation to the Monkey King's residence! Isn't that looking down on you?"

"Isn't this blatantly telling the Three Realms that in their eyes you're not even as good as a sycophantic clown!"

Mu Xin knew exactly what Sun Wukong cared about, so he used the old-fashioned strategy: first, he would take control of the high ground, and then deal with the rest later.

First label them, then choose sides; this tactic is both advantageous and avant-garde.

The current Sun Wukong has not yet gone through the journey to the West, and his political wisdom still needs to be improved. Mu Xin led him astray with just a few words.

"I'll storm the Peach Banquet right now and show them that I, Old Sun, am not someone to be trifled with!"

The golden cudgel appeared in Sun Wukong's palm in a flash, twirled between his fingers, and then slammed heavily onto the ground, making the beams and pillars of the entire Great Sage Equaling Heaven's mansion tremble with a loud clang.