"Haha, Lord Ketu, thank you very much." Nezha cupped his hands in thanks.

Cao Ya waved his hand and said with a smile, "You're too kind. I'm good friends with Yang Jian and Yang Chan. Since Brother Nezha has this wish, it's just a small favor, so I'll do my best to help."

Intimidating the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King was not a big deal for him, especially since it wasn't the Jade Emperor in person.

Within the Heavenly Court, apart from a few weak Primordial Chaos Realm experts, there was no one else who could make Cao Ya wary.

In fact, even among the unorthodox saints, Cao Ya was confident that he could fight those who had just entered the path, such as the Queen Mother of the West, the Golden Spirit Mother, and the Taiyi Heavenly Venerable. Even if he lost, he would be able to protect himself.

Only the Jade Emperor, a veteran weak Primordial Chaos cultivator, has reached the pinnacle of this realm and is the ruler of the Heavenly Court...

Cao Ya felt it was best not to provoke the Jade Emperor! As for the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, he was indeed a confidant of the Jade Emperor, but no one had actually killed him. So, what grounds did the Jade Emperor have to do so?

What divine authority... A mere Star Lord position isn't high-ranking to begin with. Abolishing it won't affect Cao Ya at all, and it won't diminish his strength.

"It's a pity, he is still my father, otherwise..." Nezha suddenly sighed.

Sometimes, I really want to ask Erlang and the others to give the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King a good beating!

But his mother would be sad again... Nezha didn't care about his father, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King; the two were like oil and water. But he still didn't want his loving mother to shed tears.

Immediately, Nezha shook his head, putting aside other thoughts, and smiled at Cao Ya and Marshal Tianpeng:

"I have been in the Heavenly Court for two or three million years, but I have never been to the Imperial Horse Stables. I am about to take a look."

Marshal Tianpeng curled his lip and said, "What's so interesting? I'm only curious because Sun Wukong is here."

The three of them then flew towards the Imperial Stables, because the Heavenly Palace in the Heavenly Court was a stable space and they could not travel through it.

"The Heavenly Court has quite a few departments," Cao Ya clicked his tongue, looking around at the numerous palaces and pavilions.

The Thunder Department, Fire Department, Fighting Department, Plague Department, etc., each have their own departments, and immortals and gods fly in and out.

"There are many gods, but in the past, there were only a few big cats and little cats," Marshal Tianpeng laughed.

"So the Investiture of the Gods was caused, which affected the whole land..." Nezha was not happy. He was also a person caught in the calamity of the Investiture of the Gods. He encountered too many things. He was reckless and there was a lot of killing. Corpses were everywhere. Even if his true spirit had not been dispersed, he was on the Investiture of the Gods. This result was definitely not good.

Good clergy are few and far between; most have neither abundant divine power nor any future prospects.

Ordinary deities, such as other star lords and generals, can still cultivate and progress without hindrance.

But for those on the Investiture of the Gods... even advancing to the next minor realm is harder than ascending to heaven!

Although Nezha achieved sainthood through physical means and was not subject to such limitations, a number of disciples from the Chan Sect also made the list, though not as many as those from the Jie Sect, and none of them were well-known second or third-generation disciples.

Moreover, the pagoda that Nezha was imprisoned by the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King was also a result of a calamity.

Otherwise, Nezha would have descended to the mortal realm long ago, either to the realm of earthly immortals or to Guanjiang Estuary, instead of staying in the Heavenly Court.

Marshal Tianpeng kept his mouth shut. It was indeed inappropriate to mention the Investiture of the Gods in front of the person destined for calamity.

“The calamity is brewing. Even without the ‘Investiture of the Gods,’ there will be other disasters. However, those involved may not necessarily be us.” Nezha sighed softly, a rare bitterness appearing on his handsome face.

“History has been set and cannot be changed,” Cao Ya comforted him. “Being able to become a Quasi-Saint is always a good thing.”

In his view, the "Investiture of the Gods" was inevitable. Even if the Jade Emperor didn't speak up, Dao Ancestor Hongjun would likely find another opportunity to summon the Three Pure Ones and have them sign the Investiture of the Gods. This was simply an irreversible trend!

Among the three thousand mortals listening to the lecture at Zixiao Palace, the most powerful ones, even Hongjun, had to find a way to control them.

Because he aligned himself with the Heavenly Dao, many of the originally neutral Chaos Gods sided with Rahu.

Despite his advantages, Hongjun could not afford to underestimate him and would surely devise a countermeasure.

The preaching at Zixiao Palace is not only a way to spread the Dao throughout the primordial world and expand the Dao of Heaven, but also a way to bestow blessings upon three thousand mortals.

With the "carrot" in hand, the next step is naturally to take out the "stick" and strike from time to time.

Incidentally, it released the calamity energy, prevented the Heavenly Dao from spiraling out of control, and boosted the development of the Heavenly Court—a triple win.

"Hmm." Nezha nodded. At the Great Luo Realm, one could be considered a master in the Primordial World. If one was a Quasi-Saint, one would be even more qualified to be called a "Great Power" or "Great Divine Power." No matter what powerful force one was in, the number of Quasi-Saints was extremely limited.

As a powerful being who has achieved physical sainthood, Nezha still yearns for and hopes to reach the weak Hunyuan Realm.

Standing to the side, Marshal Tianpeng muttered to himself, "This Third Prince is already at the seventh level of Quasi-Saint... and I'm only at the second level of Quasi-Saint! As for Lord Jidu, let's not even mention him, everyone knows how terrifying he is!"

Just then, several figures flew out from the continuous temples of the Thunder Department. Wen Zhong, the Lord of the Thunder Department, led a large number of gods to see the group off with great respect.

"It's the Divine God of the Divine Palace, along with the God of Wealth and the Immortal Maiden of Compassion!" Marshal Tianpeng exclaimed in alarm.

The "Great God of the Three Altars and Seas" of the Chan Sect is here. I hope nothing bad will happen to him.

However, considering that this place is a sacred place of the Heavenly Court, the disciples of the Chan and Jie sects also had reservations.

They wouldn't give me a friendly look... Even if they secretly sabotage or trip me up, they wouldn't do anything out in the open.

Unlike Marshal Tianpeng, the real Nezha remained calm and composed.

Having stayed in the Heavenly Court for over a million years, how could I not have encountered a leader of the Jie Sect?

They often pretend not to see each other.

“Besides, Ketu Star Lord is also here…” Nezha turned his head slightly and glanced at Cao Ya.

There are many rumors circulating in the prehistoric world about the relationship between this Star Lord Jidu and the Holy Mother of Ghost Spirits of the Jie Sect.

But Nezha believed that most of the rumors were unfounded and baseless, but the goodwill was definitely real.

However, this has nothing to do with him.

"Lord Ketu, how have you been lately?" Zhao Gongming, the God of Wealth, asked with a smile. Apart from Cao Ya, he was also very courteous to Nezha and Marshal Tianpeng, without showing any contempt or hostility.

The same applies to Jinling Shengmu and the Three Immortals; they did not act impolitely and thus did not invite criticism from others.

Cao Ya and the other two returned the greetings but did not ask them why they had gone to the Thunder Department.

Perhaps it's just a reunion among the disciples of the Jie Sect... If there's really some scheme going on, it's better not to know!

“Lord Ketu, if you have some free time, you may visit the Dipper Palace,” said the Holy Mother Jinling with a smile.

Because of the Investiture of the Gods, Cao Ya rescued the Holy Mother of Ghost Spirit in order to repay a debt of gratitude, which was highly appreciated by the immortals and gods of the Jie Sect.

"Of course I will pay a visit," Cao Ya replied. To be honest, he had never actually been to Doufu Star Sea.

This was clearly just polite talk, and the Holy Mother of Golden Spirit smiled without exposing it.

Zhao Gongming asked curiously, "Lord Ketu, you are usually in the Northern Star Sea, and occasionally you only go to the Earthly Immortal Realm. You rarely set foot in the Heavenly Palace. Why have you come here today?"

There was nothing to hide, Cao Ya answered truthfully.

Nezha and Marshal Tianpeng stood to one side, neither interrupting. The members of the Jie Sect, after exchanging greetings, only spoke with Cao Ya. They had no feelings for Marshal Tianpeng, but Nezha, a third-generation disciple of the Chan Sect... did not utter any harsh words, all as a result of restraint.

"So he went to see the newly appointed弼马温 (Bima Wen, the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses)..." the God of Wealth Zhao Gongming suddenly realized.

"I've heard about this too. A powerful figure above the Quasi-Saint level is actually a stable boy..."

At this point, Zhao Gongming gave a cold laugh, as if he had something to say.

Just then, Yunxiao coughed lightly.

This is the Heavenly Court headquarters. If you have any complaints about the Jade Emperor's actions, please don't voice them.

Although they felt quite indignant about Sun Wukong's official title.

The Jade Emperor's arrangement is highly problematic!

Reminded by Yunxiao, Zhao Gongming realized what was happening and chuckled. Though he didn't say it explicitly, his attitude was crystal clear. He was dissatisfied with Sun Wukong and looked down on the Jade Emperor's petty nature!

"Lord Jidu, I'll take my leave now," said the Holy Mother Jinling. She gave Zhao Gongming and the Three Immortals of Sanxiao to immediately leave the Heavenly Palace with her and head to the Dou Mansion.

If we stay any longer, who knows, Zhao Gongming might actually say something earth-shattering!

They were indeed at odds with the Jade Emperor, obeying his commands but not his summons, but they were also cautious, fulfilling their divine duties properly so as not to give the Jade Emperor any leverage over them.

So, how could one not control their mouth in the Heavenly Palace? They've stirred up unnecessary trouble!

Having gone to the Dou Mansion, where the Golden Spirit Mother's authority resides, she is comparable to someone who has just entered the Weak Primordial Realm. However, she has avoided the Jade Emperor's perception and is therefore unharmed.

Immediately, the Golden Spirit Mother, the Three Immortal Maidens, and Zhao Gongming all flew away.

"It seems that news of the new弼马温 (Bima Wen, a low-ranking official in charge of horses) has already spread throughout the Heavenly Court." Marshal Tianpeng muttered to himself.

"A quasi-saint of high rank, serving as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses..." Nezha snorted.

"Let's go." Cao Ya shook his head. In the Heavenly Palace, it's best to be careful with your words and actions to avoid incurring the Jade Emperor's wrath!

Here, with the Jade Emperor's abilities, even if a Primordial Saint were to personally come, he could still put up a fight.

Cao Ya and the two of them soon arrived at the Imperial Horse Stables.

"Greetings, Supreme God!" The supervisors, deputy supervisors, clerks, and strongmen of the Imperial Stables all bowed and showed reverence upon seeing Lord Ketu, the Great God of the Three Altars and Seas, and Marshal Tianpeng.

"Where is Sun Wukong?" Nezha asked.

Marshal Tianpeng scratched his head. He wanted to ask directly, "Where is Bi Ma Wen?"

"Your Highness, Lord Bi Ma Wen has gone to graze the heavenly horses," the supervisor replied respectfully.

Both Nezha and Marshal Tianpeng couldn't help but laugh when they heard this.

"弼马温" (Bima Wen, a lowly official in charge of horses)... If this gets out, aren't you afraid of being laughed at?

The gods of the Imperial Stables smiled obsequiously. To these three great gods... no, to most of the noble gods in the entire Heavenly Court, the position of Bi Ma Wen was not even rank, not even an official, but merely a clerk.

However, from their perspective, the stable boy is truly an adult, in charge of their own promotion!

Cao Ya turned his head and looked at a large river shrouded in clouds and mist in the distance, and said, "He's back."

As expected, the horses neighed and galloped like tigers, their hooves exuding a powerful aura that swept over us!

On the tall, majestic celestial horse leading the way sat a dashing and handsome Monkey King. Upon seeing Cao Ya and the others, he patted the horse's neck, seemingly giving them some instructions, before leaping into the Imperial Stables.

All the celestial horses entered in a grand procession, without trampling or chaos.

Those celestial horses were all plump and strong, which shows that the Monkey King was very responsible and had no oversights.

"You're quite diligent, Bi Ma Wen!" Marshal Tianpeng laughed loudly.

"Who are these three...?" The Monkey King, having just arrived in Heaven, did not recognize any immortals or gods, and asked the Supervisor.

The supervisor answered respectfully in return. The弼马温 (Bima Wen, a low-ranking official in charge of horses) was their superior, and this one was none other than the Monkey King from the celestial realm, possessing extremely high cultivation! He was the strongest弼马温 in history!

"So you are Jidu Xingjun, the Great God of the Three Altars and Seas, and Marshal Tianpeng. I have long admired you."

The Monkey King nodded in agreement, which was not an exaggeration. He had heard of Jidu Star Lord and the Great God of the Three Altars and Seas before, back in the Immortal Realm. He had also heard people mention Marshal Tianpeng a few times.

"We've come here especially to pay our respects, Sun Wukong. Do you have any good wine or food?" Nezha asked with a smile.

Sun Wukong's eyes lit up, and he immediately ordered his subordinates to set out a sumptuous feast.

This was the first time in a long time that a deity had come to visit him at the Imperial Stables.

Previously, gods had indeed come, but they were all for the celestial horses. The supervisors could simply register them. However, he was bored, so he personally herded the celestial horses, coming and going like the wind, enjoying a carefree life.

The group took their seats, and food and wine were served, with toasts exchanged. There was no meat involved; Sun Wukong, who disliked meat, preferred a pure and simple diet. Cao Ya and the other two were perfectly content; the celestial fruits and wine from Heaven were delicious enough.

Then, Sun Wukong also invited the supervisors to sit, unlike many deities who, relying on their strength and power, discriminate against weaker beings. The Monkey King treated everyone equally; in Sun Wukong's eyes, those of high or low rank were all the same beings, their strength differing but their status unrelated.

Cao Ya gazed at the scene with admiration, thinking to himself, "The Monkey King, Sun Wukong, truly deserves our respect!"

“Sun Wukong’s strength should be more than just the seventh or eighth level of Quasi-Saint…” Cao Ya pondered. Sun Wukong’s aura was incredibly profound and unfathomable, probably reaching the limit of the Quasi-Saint realm!

This is something that not everyone can perceive due to Sun Wukong's immense power.

Suddenly, Sun Wukong looked at Cao Ya, a hint of confusion in his eyes, and asked, "Lord Ketu, why do I feel that you look somewhat familiar?"

Cao Ya's heart skipped a beat. He had been watching the birth of the stone monkey for a long time. Even though he observed it from afar with the power of the laws, Sun Wukong still had an impression of it in the dark. When he became stronger through cultivation, he would notice it.

“Perhaps it’s because I come from the Immortal Realm? I’ve traveled to the Four Continents, and who knows, I might have stayed at Sun Wukong’s Flower Fruit Mountain for a while,” Cao Ya said.

"Really?" Sun Wukong scratched his head, not quite sure.

However, given Sun Wukong's personality, he didn't take such matters to heart. It was only because it was his first time meeting Jidu Xingjun, yet he felt a vague sense of familiarity, that he asked the question.

"I've been in Heaven for a while now, and I plan to return to the Immortal Realm soon, bringing my monkey followers with me to see the magnificent Heavenly Palace," Sun Wukong said with a smile, confident that his monkey followers would be delighted!

Nezha and Marshal Tianpeng's eyes twitched. If that were really the case, wouldn't the Jade Emperor go crazy?

Is the Heavenly Court truly the Jade Emperor's, or has it become Sun Wukong's second Flower Fruit Mountain?

"There's no need to rush," Cao Ya laughed. "Once you've become familiar with all the gods and immortals, and secretly bring your monkey followers along, no one will complain."

"We still need to pay attention to the Heavenly Laws... at least on the surface, we can't violate them."

"Even actions taken behind the scenes must be properly handled."

Actually, Cao Ya wanted to remind Sun Wukong to avoid a repeat of the Journey to the West.

However, considering the Jade Emperor and the Buddha, and that it was within the Heavenly Court, it was not appropriate to be too explicit.

"I'm happy to associate with immortals and gods, but as for other things..." Sun Wukong laughed, "I'm not a murderer or arsonist. Does the Heavenly Law only govern good people and not evil people?"

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Lord Ketu, Third Prince, Tianpeng, come, let's drink!"

Sun Wukong's carefree spirit and unrestrained character are truly captivating.

Cao Ya raised his glass and couldn't help but smile.

Indeed, Sun Wukong, if he acted like that, he wouldn't be Sun Wukong!