"Is this the location of the Star Lord Ketu, who was appointed by the Great Celestial Venerable a few years ago? What a malevolent star!"
With his red hair, ferocious appearance, and bulging muscles, the celestial deity arrived at Jidu Star via a spatial teleportation array set up by the Heavenly Court, occasionally lingering on certain stars along the way.
The gods peered at Ketu and sighed inwardly, thinking that living on this star would probably hinder cultivation and prevent one from attaining the Great Dao, as its boundless malevolent energy was too easy to bewitch the mind.
"The star lord of this ominous star is a hot potato... Hey, even if he is one of the Nine Luminaries, I would never want him."
The deity thought to himself that the Jade Emperor's move was to send away the Star Lord Cao Ya, whose plans and strategies were far-sighted and far-reaching. Cao Ya could only see a part of it and could not know the whole picture.
If I could understand the Great Celestial Venerable's thoughts, would I still be just a Curtain-Raising General? I would have been promoted long ago, becoming a Mystic Immortal, or even a Golden Immortal...
The gods sighed, for the Heavenly Court belonged to the Jade Emperor, and the positions of many gods could be decided by the Jade Emperor with a single word.
The divine position in the Heavenly Court is not just an empty title; it has real effects. The power of incense offerings from heaven and earth gather here to boost one's cultivation, making it difficult not to improve.
Of course, this refers to deities who are listed on the Investiture of the Gods. If a deity is listed on the Investiture of the Gods, their physical body is destroyed, their soul dissipates, and even the last bit of their true spirit is subject to human control, then that is a different story.
Otherwise, why would so many cultivators be vying for the divine positions in the Heavenly Court?
However, the disciples of the sage looked down on them.
Ordinary independent cultivators, or even immortals and Buddhas from small sects or large and medium-sized sects, all yearn for a divine position in the Heavenly Court, to build a temple, to control the incense offerings, to comprehend the Great Dao, and to become a Great Luo Immortal.
In the entire universe, the number of Great Luo Immortals is extremely limited, barely exceeding a handful.
Under the sage's tutelage, there is the Primordial Sage who personally instructs and teaches him the Primordial Immortal Techniques. However, most of his direct disciples are Golden Immortals, occasionally Mysterious Immortals, and some nominal disciples are only Celestial Immortals.
The number of disciples of saints in the Great Luo Realm can be counted on two hands.
I am only a Celestial Immortal, having served as the Curtain-Raising General for millions of years, and I am still just a Celestial Immortal, barely touching the threshold of the Profound Immortal realm... It's hateful that the incense offerings for the Curtain-Raising General are far too few, and with the distribution among the gods of Heaven, they are even more meager. Otherwise, I might have already become a Profound Immortal...
Sigh, running errands for the Great Celestial Venerable might please him, and with his golden words and jade decree, he might bestow upon you a high-ranking divine position, bringing endless blessings... Ha, what a pipe dream! I'd better send the message to Lord Ketu first...
I wonder what level of cultivation Ketu Star Lord Cao Ya has reached now? If he's still at the Refining Spirit Returning to Emptiness stage, it's a disgrace to the Great Heavenly Venerable and the Heavenly Court... Sigh, Ketu Star is an ominous star, what kind of offerings can it possibly have? Even if the Heavenly Court shares some of the spoils, it'll be meager, at most a little better than my Curtain-Raising General...
However, in such remote places, one must be wary of malevolent energy, lest it corrupt one's mind and confuse one's true spirit... Now that I've become the Curtain-Lifting General, at least I can see the Great Heavenly Venerable from time to time, thus gaining favor with the Emperor...
You want me to be the Star Lord Ketu? I'd fucking refuse...
Huh, these formations...
General Rolling Curtain muttered to himself for a while, then suddenly exclaimed in surprise, realizing that the planet Jidu was filled with array formations, some hidden, some revealed, crisscrossing and nested in layers, extremely complex, a mixture of killing arrays, trapping arrays, defensive arrays and many other array formations.
"As expected of a Star Lord, he certainly has some skills." General Curtain Roll secretly clicked his tongue in amazement. He had only ever seen such an extremely complex mixed formation in the caves of those ancient monsters.
The Heavenly Court also has them, but they are spread across most of the universe and starry sky. How could a mere celestial being possibly see the whole picture?
The Curtain-Roller General cleared his throat and said loudly:
"Lord Ketu, by the decree of the Jade Emperor, please come out and meet me."
The sound contained divine power, spreading throughout the planet Ketu and echoing in all directions.
General Juanlian dared not rashly venture into Jidu Star.
Those many formations are not to be underestimated.
Inside the cave, Cao Ya, who was in deep meditation, opened his eyes and frowned. What could the Jade Emperor possibly want at this time?
Are you suggesting I go on a business trip?
Cao Ya's heart sank. Going to the depths of the starry sky, or some blessed land or small world, that was fine. But if it meant going down to the mortal realm, to the prehistoric continent...
At such times, anyone who goes to the prehistoric continent, whether they like it or not, will be trapped in a calamity from which they cannot extricate themselves.
Cao Ya agreed to become the Star Lord of Jidu for two reasons: firstly, it was the Jade Emperor's decree, which he dared not disobey; and secondly, it was an opportunity to escape the prehistoric continent and avoid the unpredictable center of the universe.
Regardless of his feelings, Cao Ya still went out, not daring to disrespect the Jade Emperor's envoy.
He's not a disciple of a saint.
The Jade Emperor could easily deal with him.
You should know that the Jade Emperor is a six-star Quasi-Saint!
You have to admit it.
Upon exiting the constellation Ketu, Cao Ya bowed and said:
"This humble Taoist has failed to greet you properly. May I ask your name, and what decree the Jade Emperor has issued?"
General Rolling Curtain quickly bowed, his heart filled with shock. In his perception, Lord Jidu Cao Ya possessed a profound aura, seemingly containing many fragments of the Great Dao Laws, making his strength extremely terrifying.
A Mystic Immortal... or a Golden Immortal?!
The Curtain-Roller was horrified and incredulous.
As far as he knew, when Cao Ya became the Star Lord of Jidu a few years ago, he had only just reached the stage of Refining Spirit and Returning to Emptiness, and had not even reached the stage of Gathering Emptiness and Merging with the Dao. How could he have jumped to the Golden Immortal realm in such a short time?!
No wonder the Jade Emperor bestowed a title upon Cao Ya, who was still at the stage of refining spirit and returning to emptiness, so that's why...
General Curtain-Roller suddenly realized that such a talented and promising individual should indeed be seized and brought into the Heavenly Court as soon as possible.
The Great Celestial Venerable's vision is indeed far-sighted... This humble god has no choice but to give his life...
At this moment, General Curtain-Roller was filled with admiration for the Jade Emperor.
"This humble god, Curtain-Roller, greets Lord Ketu." General Curtain-Roller's attitude was respectful, and his strength was undeniable, leaving no room for argument.
Cao Ya was taken aback.
"The Curtain-Rolling General?!" Cao Ya exclaimed in surprise.
"No, no, you can't accept that. Just tell me to roll up the curtain, that's all," the Curtain-Rolling General said, waving his hands repeatedly.
Cao Ya blinked. At this time, the Curtain-Raising General was already serving in the Heavenly Court?!
In the future Journey to the West pilgrimage team, General Curtain-Raising, whose Buddhist name is Sha Wujing, is the third junior brother and receives the attention of all the gods and Buddhas.
Even the most attention is focused on the master and the eldest brother.
I've been the Star Lord of Ketu for many years, and I've never left the Heavenly Court nor had any contact with my colleagues there. I really don't know what the Heavenly Court is like now... They already have the Curtain-Raising General, so has Marshal Tianpeng appeared as well...?
After the initial surprise, Cao Ya regained her composure.
With so many versions of himself, living in so many universes, he's seen countless protagonists, let alone supporting characters.
It was quite unexpected that the Curtain-Raising General was already serving in the Heavenly Court at this time.
“General Curtain Roller, the Jade Emperor’s decree…please speak,” Cao Ya said.
"yes."
General Curtain-Roller respectfully delivers the Jade Emperor's message:
"Now that the peaches are ripe, the Queen Mother of the West will soon hold a grand peach banquet. As a high-ranking deity in our Heavenly Court, Lord Ketu should attend the banquet and cannot refuse."
Cao Ya pondered, utterly perplexed. The Peach Banquet? What were the Queen Mother and the Jade Emperor thinking, holding a banquet at such a crucial moment?
After delivering the message, the Curtain-Roller General said with a smile:
"Star Lord, I have delivered the message from the Great Heavenly Venerable and will be returning now."
Cao Ya came to his senses and bowed, saying:
"Ketu Star is desolate, and there's nothing to offer as a gift to General Curtain-Raising. Please forgive him."
"How dare I, how dare I," said General Curtain Roller. After bidding farewell to Cao Ya, he traversed the starry sky, activated the teleportation array, and returned to the Heavenly Court via the same route.
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