Journey to the West: The gods and Buddhas panicked when the monkey was trapped inside him.

The next morning, auspicious clouds rolled in outside the Imperial Horse Stable.

Marshal Tianpeng, clad in gleaming silver armor, swaggered through the gate.

The supervisors, deputy supervisors, and clerks of the Imperial Horse Administration were leading the guards in counting the fodder in the courtyard.

Upon looking up and seeing this powerful general from the Heavenly Court approaching, he was so frightened that he quickly dropped what he was doing and scrambled forward to greet him.

"We pay our respects to Marshal Tianpeng!" The supervisor led a group of celestial officials in bowing and paying their respects.

Marshal Tianpeng waved his hand before slowly and deliberately speaking.

"Get up, everyone."

The supervisor quickly stood up and approached with a beaming smile.

"It is an honor for our Imperial Horse Stables to have the Marshal grace us with his presence. May I ask what brings you here today?"

Marshal Tianpeng, with his hands behind his back, deliberately put on a stern face and questioned.

"Where is your newly appointed head official? I, the commander, have personally come to the Imperial Stables, and he puts on airs by not even coming out to greet me?"

Cold sweat instantly broke out on the supervisor's forehead. This Marshal of the Heavenly River Navy was not someone they, as low-ranking celestial officials, could afford to offend.

However, he also dared not easily offend the newly appointed person in charge.

The supervisor quickly put on a forced smile and began to explain cautiously.

"Marshal, please calm down! Marshal, please calm down!"

"Our esteemed master has been in seclusion in the back hall for the past few days, and he instructed us subordinates not to disturb him."

"It wasn't that I intentionally wanted to avoid the Marshal."

"I really didn't mean to slight you, Marshal!"

Marshal Tianpeng's eyes widened.

"Seclusion and ascetic practice?"

"What kind of Taoist practice does a mere stable boy like him have!"

"I came here on important business. If he delays my mission, can he bear the consequences?"

"Go and summon your manager immediately!"

"Tell him I want to see him, and I want to see him now!"

"You've delayed the appointed time, and I'll hold you accountable!"

Marshal Tianpeng was overjoyed when he heard this; now he had a perfect excuse!

He feigned extreme displeasure.

"Cultivation? Does he dare to disobey the rules of Heaven? I have been ordered to select some excellent mounts for our Heavenly River Navy."

The supervisor trembled with fear and dared not utter a single word of dissent, nodding repeatedly in agreement.

"Yes, yes, yes! I'll go and inform them right away!"

The supervisor wiped his sweat and hurriedly turned around, running towards the back hall.

In the quiet room of the rear hall of the Imperial Horse Stable.

Sun Wukong was sitting cross-legged on a futon, breathing in and out spiritual energy.

Just then, there was a rapid knocking at the door.

"Master Tang! Master Tang, are you inside?" The anxious voice of the supervisor pierced through the door of the meditation room, directly interrupting Sun Wukong's cultivation.

Sun Wukong suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils blazing with golden light, and pushed open the door to the quiet room.

"What's all the noise about! Didn't I tell you not to bother me unless it's absolutely necessary!"

The supervisor was so frightened that his legs went weak and he knelt on the ground, explaining with a pained expression.

"Please forgive me, Your Excellency! A distinguished guest has arrived!"

"Marshal Tianpeng of the Heavenly River Navy has come in person!"

"The Marshal specifically requested several fine celestial horses and insisted that you personally go to receive him!"

"The Grand Marshal is throwing a tantrum in the front yard!"

"I have no other choice; I simply cannot afford to offend that Grand Marshal. That is why I have dared to ask you, sir, to make a decision!"

When Sun Wukong heard that they had only come to choose horses, he found it even more absurd and laughable.

"He wants to choose a horse. Are all of you dozens of people just sitting around doing nothing? Why don't a few of you just come and take him to the stables to choose?"

Sun Wukong waved his hand unhappily.

"He needs to come all this way to bother me with this trivial matter? He thinks he's so important! I'm not going!"

Sun Wukong turned around and was about to close the door again.

He didn't have time to bother with these celestial beings who ran errands in the heavens.

"You mustn't do that, sir!"

The supervisor was so anxious that his eyes turned red, and he reached out and grabbed the door frame tightly.

"Marshal Tianpeng was a high-ranking military officer in the Heavenly Court, holding command of 100,000 naval troops!"

"That's a proper Grand Marshal!"

"His orders are simply too difficult for his subordinates to disobey!"

"If the lord doesn't go today, he'll definitely cause a huge scene at our Imperial Stables!"

"I hope that, for the sake of the bigger picture, you will be so kind as to make a trip to the front hall!"

Sun Wukong snorted disdainfully, preparing to hurl a few more insults in direct refusal.

Just then, Li Chen, deep within his sea of ​​consciousness, suddenly spoke up to stop him.

"Wukong, don't get angry yet. There's something strange about this. You'd better go out and meet this Marshal Tianpeng."

Sun Wukong paused, and asked in his mind with a puzzled expression.

"Brother, what's the big deal? He's just asking for horses. Let him choose one and leave."

Li Chen's voice was solemn as he carefully analyzed the current situation.

"Things are definitely not that simple."

"Marshal Tianpeng is, after all, a powerful general in his own right, with countless subordinate officers and adjutants under his command."

"Why would he personally come to the Imperial Stables to run errands for something as trivial as choosing a mount?"

Sun Wukong scratched his cheek, also feeling that something was amiss.

"Brother, do you mean this Tianpeng is after me, Old Sun?"

Li Chen responded very affirmatively.

"He's definitely here for you. He came here and specifically asked to see you. There's definitely something going on here."

"But I'm also wondering why Marshal Tianpeng wants to see you."

"If he was instructed by the Buddhist sect to deliberately come and make things difficult for you, the timing doesn't match up."

"You've only been in heaven for three days, and you've been quietly cultivating in the meditation room, being very honest and dutiful."

"The Buddhist sect's plans shouldn't be implemented so quickly; it doesn't align with their strategy of proceeding gradually."

The more Li Chen analyzed it, the stranger it seemed.

Marshal Tianpeng was a true core figure in Taoism, a direct descendant of Laozi.

With his esteemed status, he has no need to curry favor with Buddhism, much less do such lowly and dirty work for them.

Thinking of this, Li Chen solemnly began to explain to Sun Wukong.

"Wukong, the Heavenly Court is a very complex place, and we know nothing about Marshal Tianpeng's intentions."

"As the saying goes, 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.' Go see him and see what he really wants."

After listening to Li Chen's words, Sun Wukong found them to be very reasonable and waved his hand impatiently.

"Alright, alright!"

"Lead the way! I, Old Sun, want to see just how imposing this Marshal of the Heavenly River Navy really is!"

In the front yard.

Marshal Tianpeng was pacing back and forth in the courtyard with his hands behind his back.

He was actually feeling quite uneasy.

I wonder if the monkey will actually eat the story it made up.

My master had repeatedly instructed me that I had to play the whole act perfectly and that I absolutely could not reveal the slightest flaw.

If others find out about sending the Golden Elixir, it will be a huge problem.

Just as he was pondering this, Sun Wukong strode over with great swagger.

Marshal Tianpeng looked Sun Wukong up and down a few times.

Although the monkey was dressed in ordinary imperial horse stable official robes, he couldn't hide his unruly demon king aura.

Marshal Tianpeng immediately adopted the airs of a great general, deliberately clearing his throat and drawing out his tone.

"So you're Sun Wukong, the new head of the Imperial Horse Stables?"

Sun Wukong crossed his arms and held his head high, his arrogance no less than that of the marshal.

He completely disregarded this high-ranking official.

"That's right, it's me, Old Sun!"

"I heard you want to see me, Old Sun."

"Just say what's on your mind, I'm very busy!"

Marshal Tianpeng also had some doubts.

This monkey truly lives up to its reputation; it has quite a temper.

If he weren't on a mission, he would definitely have lost his temper by now.

However, in order to successfully complete the task of delivering the gift, Marshal Tianpeng forcefully suppressed his displeasure.

"My Tianhe Navy urgently needs several excellent horses for steeds!"

"I, the Marshal, have personally come to this Imperial Stables to select a few absolutely top-notch horses!"

Marshal Tianpeng strode up to Sun Wukong, his tone extremely forceful.

"Since you are in charge of the Imperial Stables, you must know the situation of the Heavenly Horses best."

"You personally select the best horses for me! Make sure you bring out the finest horses from the entire Imperial Stables!"

Marshal Tianpeng paused deliberately at this point, staring intently at Sun Wukong.

"If the horse you choose satisfies this marshal, I will reward you handsomely!"

These words were spoken in a grand and dignified manner, appearing entirely like a general showing concern for his subordinates and preparing to give them benefits.

Sun Wukong remained expressionless on the surface, but in his mind, he immediately began an emergency communication with Li Chen.

"Brother, this fat man is talking very strangely! Who comes to pick out a horse and then offers a hefty reward?"

"Isn't it normal for a high-ranking official from Heaven to pick a few horses at random?"

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, Li Chen was also completely bewildered.

"This is indeed very illogical."

"I have absolutely no idea what Marshal Tianpeng is up to."

"But since he's come to us of his own accord, let's go with the flow. You do as he asks and accompany him to choose a horse."

"Let's play it by ear and see what tricks he's up to!"

Sun Wukong silently agreed.

"Understood, brother! I'll go meet him right away!"

After ending the communication in his mind's eye, Sun Wukong immediately put on a smiling face.

"Since the Marshal thinks so highly of me, Old Sun, then I certainly can't let you make this trip for nothing."

"Come with me, I guarantee I'll pick out some of the most spirited horses for you!"