Among the deities in the hall, only a few were familiar to Shen Fuxing. Instinctively, she turned her large, questioning eyes toward them.
Taibai Jinxing responded with a smile, his entire demeanor exuding an air of “seeing through everything” and “knowing it all,” yet he offered no hints or meaningful signals.
Knowing he was just striking a pose again, Shen Fuxing pursed her lips and quietly shifted her gaze away.
The Giant Spirit God had been grinning foolishly ever since he saw she was unharmed. With his blue face and thick beard, he looked fierce, yet his eyes held a clarity and wisdom comparable to that of a husky.
Shen Fuxing didn’t dismiss him just because he seemed simple-minded. She cast a reassuring glance his way before turning to the one most likely to provide answers—the Great God of the Third Altar, her formidable leader.
But he remained cold, meeting her gaze for only a moment before looking elsewhere.
Compared to a subordinate who had caused such a mess after just three days of inattention, he was clearly more focused on Li Jing.
Fortunately, the power of the Thunderous Divine Fire Pill had been mostly neutralized by Taishang Laojun, leaving only thirteen purple thunderbolts.
Luckily, Sun Wukong had a stroke of inspiration, using the principle of electrical conductivity to direct all the lightning strikes onto Li Jing.
That monkey, after causing trouble, wore an innocent smile as he hopped onto his Golden Cudgel, scratched his face, and eyed her up and down with a gleam in his eyes. His lips curved upward as if in approval, and he nodded slightly.
Only then did he dart over to Yang Jian and Nezha.
“Youren, children are simple-minded and prone to acting impulsively. I’ve already inspected the outside—it’s nothing major. If the buildings are gone, we’ll rebuild them. If funds are insufficient, don’t worry. You can find a way to earn some.”
“Everyone here has attained enlightenment and become deities, seasoned veterans with thousands of years of service. Surely, you can’t expect them to sleep on the streets?”
Taishang Laojun held Shen Fuxing in one arm, his expression benevolent and his tone gentle, yet radiating the authority of a sage.
“Yes, yes, I will immediately arrange for the reconstruction,” the Jade Emperor replied respectfully, bowing repeatedly.
“No rush,” Taishang Laojun raised a hand to stop him, then waved his fly-whisk. A Wind-Fire Mat appeared beside the Jade Emperor’s throne.
Bathed in a radiant glow, the sage sat down on the mat in full view of everyone, still cradling the little Celestial Attendant who, just minutes ago, had been awaiting a death sentence.
He tilted his head slightly, signaling for the Jade Emperor to take his seat as well.
With Taishang Laojun’s arrival, the chaotic Lingxiao Palace gradually regained its orderly state.
Civil and military deities returned to their positions, and the Jade Emperor, under everyone’s watchful eyes, reclaimed his throne.
He turned his head, keeping it slightly lowered, and quietly awaited Laojun’s instructions.
The Jade Emperor’s reverence for the old sage was unmistakable. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Fuxing adopted a vulnerable demeanor—her almond-shaped eyes reddened, tears on the verge of falling, her lashes damp as she cautiously nestled deeper into Laojun’s embrace.
She looked utterly pitiful, delicate, and helpless, silently pleading for Laojun to stand up for her.
The Jade Emperor nearly bit his tongue.
You didn’t cry when you flattened my Heavenly Court, nor when you detonated the Divine Fire Pill without hesitation, ready to perish together. But now you’re shedding tears like a delicate flower?
You damn—
Taishang Laojun glanced at him kindly, the smile never leaving his lips.
…It’s all my fault, all my fault.
In front of his many subjects, the Jade Emperor was forced into an awkward state of restraint.
Laojun turned away, no longer looking at him. His calm eyes held a subtle authority as he smiled down at the deities below. “Although the collapse of a few buildings is no great matter, I am particularly curious—what could have provoked this gentle child to such fury?”
After speaking, he fell silent, fingers toying with the fly-whisk as he quietly awaited the Jade Emperor’s response.
The Jade Emperor glanced from the corner of his eye at the three ticking time bombs below who had yet to sheathe their weapons.
Especially the monkey, who had shed the robe of the Victorious Fighting Buddha and was now clad in the attire of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
With the Golden Cudgel resting on his shoulder, he noticed the Jade Emperor’s gaze and responded with a half-smile.
How foolish! How could I have brought these three together!
The Jade Emperor was filled with regret, his mind racing as he decisively shifted the blame. “This child is a Celestial Attendant from the Cloud Tower Palace. It seems she has some grudge against Heavenly King Li, but the specifics are truly unknown to me.”
Taishang Laojun sat silently, his fingertips twitching slightly as a beam of spiritual light shot into the neglected, charred body of the Heavenly King.
He did not heal him, but merely gave him enough strength to stand and speak.
Li Jing, dazed from being struck by thirteen purple lightning bolts, had no idea when Taishang Laojun had arrived and hurriedly paid his respects.
“Hmm.”
Laojun responded softly, but to Li Jing, it sounded like a thunderous voice carrying an undercurrent of pressure.
He felt suspicious.
He hadn’t made any mistakes, so why did Laojun’s tone sound so unwelcoming?
Rising to his feet and looking up, he saw the pitiful, fragile Shen Fuxing nestled in Laojun’s arms. His expression could no longer be described as shocked—it was more like questioning his entire existence.
What happened? How did that demoness end up in Laojun’s arms??
Turning to look at his colleagues standing on either side, he saw everyone giving him looks that seemed to say, “Good luck.”
Puzzled, he noticed that his rebellious son Nezha had returned, and both Erlang Shen and the monkey were present.
The first two remained focused and relatively proper, but the ever-smiling monkey whispered something into Nezha’s ear. Seeing that the rebellious son ignored him, he went to bother Erlang Shen instead.
Yang Jian raised an eyebrow and replied with something, causing the monkey to shift his gaze toward Li Jing.
“I say, Heavenly King Li, the old official has something to ask you. Why are you staring at me? Could it be that you’ve missed me after all this time?”
In front of Taishang Laojun, only Sun Wukong dared to tease him so playfully.
However, with Laojun having questions to ask, Li Jing had no time to argue with him.
Glaring coldly at him, Li Jing turned to Laojun, his usual arrogance significantly subdued in both speech and demeanor. “I do not know what Laojun wishes to ask, but I will speak without reservation.”
Taishang Laojun spoke slowly, “I heard from Youren that you have some grudge against Fu Xing. It was because of your anger that she blew up the Heavenly Court while refining pills.”
“But in my observation, this child’s temperament is quite steady. She likely isn’t someone who acts recklessly.”
Hearing this, Li Jing understood everything.
What a demoness! Not only did she bewitch His Majesty, but after committing such a heinous crime, she even slandered me in front of Laojun. Truly despicable!
Although Shen Fuxing was huddled in Taishang Laojun’s arms pretending to be pitiful, she wasn’t foolish enough to let Li Jing speak first.
So when Laojun looked down, he saw a small hand clutching his Taoist robe, a fluffy head tilted slightly upward, tear stains still visible on her face, her eyes filled with grievance, and her voice choked with sobs: “Heavenly King doesn’t like me, but I just wanted to find my grandfather. He serves as a Heavenly Soldier in the Heavenly Court.”
“I finally received news of him, and His Majesty promised to reunite us when the opportunity arose, but Heavenly King Li wouldn’t allow it.”
“He went to Third Prince’s palace and beat me, saying all Heavenly Soldiers in the Heavenly Court are under his command. He threatened to find my grandfather and demote him to live as a beast in the mortal realm.”
“I really… I truly had no other choice…”
As she spoke further, she buried her head in Taishang Laojun’s embrace, crying as if overwhelmed with guilt.
Among the ranks of the first-class deities, the ever-impassive Third Prince’s eyelid twitched. Suppressing the urge to cover his face with the Sky-Mixing Silk, he turned his head away.
Yang Jian and Sun Wukong observed his subtle reactions. While the former showed no particular expression, Sun Wukong’s curiosity toward Shen Fuxing had reached its peak.
He had teased Nezha several times, but Nezha remained unresponsive, his face cold as a wooden puppet.
That girl, from such a distance and without even speaking to Nezha, could stir such obvious emotions in him.
Interesting! Truly fascinating!
Sun Wukong’s eyes darted mischievously as he chuckled to himself.
Once this matter was over, he was determined to borrow that little follower of his for some fun.
Unlike Sun Wukong’s cheerful mood, after hearing Shen Fuxing’s words, the Jade Emperor clenched the dragon-headed armrest of his throne so tightly that his molars nearly shattered. His gaze, sharp as blades, glared fiercely at Li Jing.
What difference was there between banishing Shen Yuanling to the mortal realm as livestock and shouting “Horse Tender” three times in front of the Monkey King, then declaring the slaughter of all monkeys in the Flower-Fruit Mountain?
Answer me!