As Shen Fuxing had predicted, the moment Giant Spirit God stepped into Lingxiao Palace, he was bound with God-Binding Ropes by the Heavenly Soldiers on either side and forced to kneel.
The Jade Emperor slammed the table and shouted, “Giant Spirit God, first you sold contraband and disrupted the Heavenly Court, and now you’ve privately crafted concealed weapons in your residence. Are you planning a rebellion?”
With just a few words, Giant Spirit God suddenly felt his head grow heavy.
Well, with two black pots placed on top of it, how could it not be heavy?
He first kowtowed to the Jade Emperor and then explained the purpose of selling the anti-harassment spray.
Although he didn’t deny that he had indeed wanted to earn some Merit from it, he neither admitted guilt nor revealed who had instructed him.
The Jade Emperor impatiently cut him off, having no interest in hearing his defense about protecting female immortals.
What a joke—if low-level female immortals in the Heavenly Court had to carry anti-harassment spray just to go outside, wouldn’t that clearly indicate his lax governance, turning a blind eye to the absurdities of harassing and humiliating female immortals?
Giant Spirit God might be a bit slow-witted, but after spending so many days with Shen Fuxing, he had grown a bit smarter.
Coupled with Shen Fuxing’s words before he came, he understood that the Jade Emperor had no intention of listening to his explanations, and a wave of desolation surged in his heart.
In the vast Nine Heavens, why did it feel like a black sesame dumpling?
Recalling his early days in the Heavenly Court, Taibai Jinxing had clearly told him that the Heavenly Court was a place full of love. It was busy, yes, but labor was the most glorious.
He had believed this for thousands of years and upheld it for thousands of years, but now he felt a hint of weariness.
But as things stood, he had no time to ponder matters of good and evil. All he wanted was to quickly absolve Shen Fuxing of blame.
That girl was a good child, still young. He, having lived for thousands of years, was a man of honor—there was no way he would let a little girl suffer punishment alongside him.
With a determined gaze, Giant Spirit God looked up at the Jade Emperor and solemnly kowtowed. “Your Majesty, all the recent events were solely my doing. I take full responsibility for my actions and submit to Your Majesty’s judgment!”
The Jade Emperor snorted coldly and was about to sentence him to the Celestial Prison for severe punishment when a divine attendant reported that Taibai Jinxing was requesting an audience outside the palace.
The Jade Emperor’s expression turned cold and stern as he flicked his sleeve. “Summon him.”
The gray-robed Taoist, with a fly-whisk draped over his arm, entered the hall with a smile, followed by a young girl dressed as a Celestial Attendant—none other than Shen Fuxing, the mastermind behind the series of events in the Heavenly Court.
“Your Majesty, what has stirred such anger? I bring joyful news. Might Your Majesty temporarily set aside your thunderous wrath and grant me the honor of sharing it?” Taibai Jinxing said with a smile.
The Jade Emperor leaned back slightly, his expression indifferent, clearly showing little interest. “Oh? What joyful news do you have, my dear minister?”
Shen Fuxing decisively stepped forward. “Your Majesty, this humble immortal has a treasure to offer.”
The Jade Emperor glanced at her dismissively. A mere Celestial Attendant—what treasure could she possibly offer him?
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the obvious tension on Giant Spirit God’s face. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze shifting thoughtfully before settling on Shen Fuxing.
As cunning as he was, he slowly raised the corners of his lips and asked in a relatively gentle tone, “What treasure do you offer?”
Shen Fuxing looked up, meeting the shrewd and authoritative dark eyes above her. Though her mind churned with mischief, she maintained a respectful expression. “This humble immortal dares to request that Your Majesty dismiss all attendants.”
The Jade Emperor waved his hand, signaling everyone to withdraw.
Only the two of them remained in Lingxiao Palace.
Knowing that the one above saw everything clearly, Shen Fuxing didn’t beat around the bush and asked kindly, “I wonder how the two divine lords, Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Ear, are faring?”
She laid everything out on the table right from the start. The Jade Emperor did not respond immediately, instead scrutinizing her carefully.
There was no doubt—this young girl before him was the mastermind behind Giant Spirit God’s strategies.
For someone so young to face the Emperor alone, undaunted by the majesty of the Heavenly Court, showed remarkable courage.
The Jade Emperor sneered coldly, “How dare you even ask? Knowing full well they were sent by Us, you still dared to ambush them with hidden weapons. Do you not fear the wrath of Heaven, which could reduce you to dust?”
Shen Fuxing’s expression remained unchanged, her calmness causing the Jade Emperor to frown. “Your Majesty, let’s speak plainly. I am well aware of my humble status and how difficult it is for someone like me to gain an audience with you. All this commotion was merely to propose a trade with Your Majesty.”
Her previous dealings with Yama and Taibai Jinxing had taught her that the heavens and the mortal realm were no different.
Both were driven by fame and profit, so she had no fear that the Jade Emperor would refuse her.
Intrigued, the Jade Emperor asked, “What kind of trade could you possibly offer Us?”
Shen Fuxing retrieved an object from her sleeve—the Dusk of the Dung Beetle, a hidden weapon she had modified by combining a mortal grenade with Giant Spirit Anti-Wolf Spray.
“Your Majesty, please observe. This item is refined from Giant Spirit Anti-Wolf Spray. Its purity, power, and destructive force have all been significantly enhanced. Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Ear serve as excellent examples.”
“If Your Majesty remains unconvinced, you may summon Heavenly King Li to test it.”
“To my knowledge, the annual cost of repairing and manufacturing weapons for the Heavenly Soldiers is immense. Yet, the production cost of this item is less than one-tenth that of a single sword. If Your Majesty were to adopt this for your own use, it could save a considerable amount of expenditure.”
A flicker of interest passed through the Jade Emperor’s eyes.
Forging a single immortal sword required fifty Merit points, and after each battle, thousands or even tens of thousands of swords needed reforging or repairs.
The annual expenses were far from trivial.
A weapon with such low production costs, immense power, and the ability to reduce wear and tear on the Heavenly Soldiers’ weapons was something he had dreamed of possessing!
Seeing the burning desire in his eyes, Shen Fuxing continued to bait the hook. “Your Majesty is well aware of the disturbances caused by the Anti-Wolf Spray in the Heavenly Court recently.”
“By regulating this item and restricting its use to the Heavenly Soldiers on the battlefield, we can effectively maintain peace and order in the Heavenly Court.”
She lifted her eyelids slightly, her innocent appearance starkly contrasting with her words, which were more ruthless than any unscrupulous merchant’s. “Moreover, by marketing it as capable of instantly defeating Heavenly King Li, we could produce a limited batch, inflate the price, and sell it to Spirit Mountain—generating additional revenue.”
The Jade Emperor’s fingers twitched, his anticipation growing.
Whether it was savings or extra earnings, it would all end up in his coffers.
Knowing his eagerness, Shen Fuxing poured fuel on the fire. “Most importantly, Your Majesty rules over the Three Realms as a sage sovereign for all eternity. During the last banquet at the Heavenly Court, the Buddhas from Spirit Mountain witnessed our embarrassment for no reason.”
“The Bodhisattvas and Arhats of the West have worked together for thousands of years—surely, there must be some grievances among them.”
“When chaos erupts in Spirit Mountain, Your Majesty can find an excuse to visit them for tea. Then, you can laugh heartily and humble their pride.”
Her words ignited the Jade Emperor’s passion completely.
As Shen Fuxing described the scene, he could almost visualize Tathagata’s face shifting through shades of green and white, a kaleidoscope of expressions more vivid than a revolving lantern.
Exhilarating!
While others might doubt Shen Fuxing’s claims, the Jade Emperor understood perfectly.
On Spirit Mountain resides the Victorious Fighting Buddha, that monkey-headed fellow who has always been unruly. If he got his hands on such an amusing object, he’d surely infuriate Tathagata into a state of hyper-masculinity.
Hahaha, just thinking about it brings immense satisfaction!
With a few persuasive words, Shen Fuxing successfully claimed the MVP of the entire scene, coaxing the Jade Emperor into a state of blissful oblivion.
Having sat on the dragon throne for half a day, he still couldn’t suppress the upward curve of his lips, continuing to grin foolishly.
In stark contrast to the joyous atmosphere of Lingxiao Palace, the Third Prince’s hall in Yunlou Palace was shrouded in cold solemnity.
Numerous Celestial Attendants knelt on the ground, not daring to breathe loudly, fearing that even the sound of their breath might disturb the Third Prince and earn them a piercing through the heart with his Fire-Tipped Spear.
The reason was simple: Shen Fuxing had been absent from work for several days.
When Nezha returned from vanquishing demons, there were no carefully offered snacks from his little follower on the table.
He sent messages asking where she had gone to die, but there was no reply. Calls went unanswered as well.
The Great God of the Third Altar, lowering himself to contact his own follower, only to be ignored by her.
Nezha’s temper had never been good, and his patience was even scarcer.
The dazzling red light surrounding him—whether it was the Sky-Mixing Silk sensing its master’s anger and growing restless, or the Samadhi True Fire already condensed into a blazing, tangible flame—was unclear.
In any case, if Shen Fuxing dared to return, everyone in Yunlou Palace, even Heavenly King Li, would have to respect her as a true warrior.