CHAPTER 533: CHAPTER 473, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

Hao Tian chuckled and said, "The Four Seas Dragon Palace is no ordinary place; it represents the Azure Dragon Realm in the outside world. When the Dragon Palace celebrates, our Heavenly Court should also offer a token of goodwill. Let the Jade Emperor send a congratulatory gift over!

It also shows the intimacy of our Heavenly Court."

Turquoise Pool nodded with a smile and said, "Indeed, it should be so!"

Her tone paused, and Turquoise Pool looked up at the sky, speaking leisurely, "Taibai has descended to the Lower Realm!"

"Have you collected all your Immortal Peaches?"

"I had the Seven Fairies collect them, and distributed some to the Four Imperial, Judicial Temple, and various Main Gods."

Heavenly Emperor sighed and said, "Let the Jade Emperor shoulder the following matters! I believe he can handle it.

Let’s go; I’ve heard of a place with great hot springs. We should take a soak."

The two of them drifted away, in the mortal world where people sing and drink merrily, strolling nonchalantly just this once.

...

Above Huaguo Mountain, Demon Qi billowed and murderous intent loomed, with all kinds of Demon Spirits, none absent.

Each brandishing swords and spears, wielding knives and staffs, they roared and leaped about.

Suddenly, a White Cloud floated over slowly, with an old man standing upon it.

A demon jumped onto the Demon Cloud and bellowed, "Who goes there?"

Gold Star Taibai said cheerfully, "I am an Angel sent by God with a Holy Decree, requesting the presence of the Monkey King of Shuilian Cave on Huaguo Mountain. Please relay the message!"

"It’s a minor God from the Heavenly Court!"

"Despicable minor God from the Heavenly Court, capture him!"

"Don’t let him bewitch our Great King!"

...

The Demons roared in anger, rising on their Demon Clouds, staring furiously at Gold Star Taibai, surrounding him.

Immediately, two Demons stepped forward, grabbed Gold Star Taibai, and yanked him down from the Cloud Head, frightening him into screaming continuously.

One demon shouted, "Capture him and present him to the Great King!"

"Exactly, let the Great King decide his fate."

"Flay him and boil him in oil."

"No, better to flay and eat him while he’s still alive!"

"Grilling is better!"

"Steaming is better!"

...

The Demons yelled and clamored.

Gold Star Taibai appeared terrified on the surface, bowing again and again while lamenting, "I’m just an old man, not tasty at all, please spare this old one, Great Kings?"

A majestic Monkey General strode up, sternly saying, "What’s all this noise? The Great King is in the midst of Enlightenment and needs peace."

A demon hurriedly offered flattery, saying, "General Beng, we’ve captured a spy from the Heavenly Court and were about to deal with him."

General Beng sized up Gold Star Taibai.

Gold Star Taibai quickly said, "General, I am not a spy! I am an Angel sent by God, with a Holy Decree here requesting the presence of the Monkey King of Shuilian Cave on Huaguo Mountain."

General Beng pondered for a moment and then said, "Take him to see the Great King!"

The Demons immediately swarmed around Gold Star Taibai, pushing and clamoring toward Shuilian Cave.

All along the way, chickens flew and dogs leaped until they reached the front of Shuilian Cave; the demons stopped their steps.

General Beng said: "Come in with me!" He grabbed Gold Star Taibai’s shoulder and leaped toward the inside, whooshing through the water cascade and into the cave mansion.

Inside the Shuilian Cave, Sun Wukong was standing with one foot on the ground and the other on a stone chair, holding a writing brush in one hand and biting another in his mouth. He was furiously copying scriptures, his face and lips smudged with quite a bit of ink.

Gold Star Taibai hurriedly bowed and said joyfully: "I have seen the Monkey King! Monkey King, I have finally seen you."

Sun Wukong glanced up and his gaze suddenly became intense. Putting down the writing brush in his hand, he chuckled coldly and said: "Who could it be, if not Gold Star Taibai?

You even dare to visit me! You deceived me into ascending to Heaven, to serve the Jade Emperor as a stable hand. You really did right by me!"

Gold Star Taibai immediately wore a bitter expression and said: "It was not my intention to deceive you, Great King. It was really because there was no available divine position in the Heavenly Court; hence, the position was somewhat beneath Your Majesty.

In fact, I have been working on Your Majesty’s behalf this entire time. As soon as there is a divine vacancy, I will immediately fill it for Your Majesty."

"Really?"

"Absolutely true! This old man would not dare to deceive Your Majesty again. Your Majesty, think about it, since Your stay in the Heavenly Court, have I ever neglected you?"

Sun Wukong leapt up and backward, sitting back in his royal seat, legs crossed, and chucklingly said: "When I was at the Imperial Stables, this old stable hand did come to visit me several times, and indeed treated me well, so I’ll believe you this time.

Speak quickly and then leave; I’ll spare your life this time. I’m busy!"

Gold Star Taibai joyously said: "Thank you, Great King!

I have come this time precisely to bring some joyful news to the Great King!"

Sun Wukong curiously asked: "What joyous news is that?"

"Today I tell the Great King that because you, Great King, disliked the insignificant position and fled from the Imperial Stables, all the officials of the surveillance department reported it to the Jade Emperor.

The Jade Emperor decreed: ’All appointments start humble before becoming honorable, so why disdain the humble?’ Immediately, King Li led the Immortal of Colossal Spirit down to the Mortal World to capture you.

However, they were defeated by the Great Saint’s vast Divine Skills.

King Li returned to Heavens and reported: ’The Great Saint raised a banner and declared himself "Great Sage Equalling Heaven".’

The military generals wanted to prevaricate, but it was I who risked the blame to report it to the Jade Emperor, to avoid raising an army and beseech the Great King’s appointment.

The Jade Emperor consented to the petition, so I am here to invite you."

Sun Wukong’s eyes shone brightly, laughing heartily: "Thanks! Thanks! But I wonder if there really is such an official title as ’Great Sage Equalling Heaven’ in Heaven?"

Gold Star Taibai smiled kindly: "Originally there wasn’t, but this old man requested the Jade Emperor to create this position. The Jade Emperor and all the officials have already agreed, and I have just come on their order; should there be any failure to fulfill this, Your Majesty can place the blame upon me."

Sun Wukong’s eyes shifted, and thoughts flickered through his mind. Now I call myself Great Sage Equalling Heaven, but what’s the difference between that and a wilderness Demon King?

If I could be officially conferred this title by the Heavenly Court, it would be rightfully justified. In the future, when I meet Emperor Gouchen, I could also stand tall and proud.

Sun Wukong chuckled with excitement and called out: "Old stable hand, I trust you this time, and I’ll accompany you to the Heavenly Court once more."

Gold Star Taibai smiled kindly: "Let’s go! Let’s go!"

Both of them rode on a cloud towards the Heavenly Court.

Afterward, Sun Wukong was naturally conferred by the Jade Emperor as the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, to watch over the Immortal Peach Orchard.

After being conferred as the Great Sage, Sun Wukong swaggered around the Heavenly Court; all of the Immortal Gods he encountered treated Sun Wukong with smiles. For a time, Sun Wukong’s popularity was unmatched.

...

Two days later, Sun Wukong, carrying a bag of flat peaches, hopped and skipped along the familiar road to the location of Bird’s Nest. His shrewd monkey eyes scanned everywhere. Where there once stood a palace now lay a pond with not a trace of the palace remaining.

Sun Wukong scratched his head and said strangely: "Odd, very odd, I clearly remember this is where Emperor Gouchen’s Emperor Palace used to be, where’s the palace gone? How could it disappear?"

Sun Wukong wandered around the pond, intending to find Emperor Gouchen and tell him about becoming the Great Sage, to show off proudly. Unexpectedly, he couldn’t find him. Could the Emperor have moved away?

A cool voice suddenly sounded: "What are you looking for?"

Sun Wukong immediately halted his steps and turned his head to look.

Out of nowhere, a woman stood on the little bridge above the pond, dressed in a black form-fitting long gown, adorned with bone ornaments on the black gown, appearing somewhat eerie.