May the world be peaceful and stable without conflict
The Jade Emperor had no intention of intervening in the children's quarrel. The Queen Mother only uttered a curt "hmm" and addressed a few words to the ceremonial officer who had brought the message. The ceremonial officer had been struck on the head by a cup thrown by the quarreling deities, leaving a large swelling. He was just about to ask the others in the Shennong Hall for some elixir to take.
He hurried down the stairs and announced to Hu Ziyu and the other two, "Masters Linghong and Linghu, we are both lacking in consideration and have behaved inappropriately in front of the palace. You will be grounded for a month, starting at midnight tonight, and will be placed under the care of the Jade Rabbit Master of Taiyin Palace and the Secretary of Wenchang Palace, respectively." Linghong and Linghu knelt in gratitude, then replied in unison, "Your Highness obeys."
In the past, whenever they bickered or fought, whether on the streets of Xianjing, the Galaxy Railway, or at the gathering place of the immortals, they always stopped immediately, believing that excessiveness was as bad as excessive. Afterward, they would clean up the mess themselves, replacing the broken beams and painted buildings, bridges, and roads. As a result, the criminal justice officials were too lazy to pursue the matter, and the Ministry of Justice simply treated it as a comedy series.
This time, an exception was made to impose a punishment, although it was only a formality of house arrest. The two new priests would have to go to other places for internship starting next week to supervise their own assistants. To be frank, this action would have no real effect. However, the fact that the Queen Mother fulfilled Hu Ziyu's wish was a great honor for the newcomers.
The ceremonial officer continued, "Furthermore, Rabbit God is highly skilled and courageous, and has made significant contributions to peacemaking, making him a role model for the gods. Therefore, the Queen Mother grants him an additional 5,000 merits and a one-level salary increase. This is decreed—" The gods were stunned by these words. How could the same action, performed by founder Hu Tianbao, reduce merits and defer punishment, while his successor, Hu Ziyu, increased merits and a salary increase? It was truly puzzling.
Hu Ziyu was terrified, frozen in time, not knowing how to respond. Ling Hong tugged at his clothes and whispered, "Hurry up and thank the Holy Lord for His Grace."
Hu Ziyu had no choice but to follow the instructions. After the Queen Mother stood up, the members of the Taiyin Palace cheered loudly.
The two farces ended, but the lively and noisy atmosphere has not subsided.
The geomancer, the temple boys, the mobile security team, and related staff immediately rushed forward, completing the hall's renovations at lightning speed. Ling Hong picked up the shoe that Hu Ziyu had kicked far away and put it back on. The newly appointed immortal god returned to his seat, and the reporters took their places, preparing to broadcast the awards ceremony live.
The Moon God stuffed a handful of wedding candy into the sleeve of the ceremonial officer. The officer thanked him profusely and hurriedly stuffed a few into his mouth. Hu Ziyu had just narrowly dodged two powerful balls imbued with three hundred years of cultivation, and the lingering fear still lingered. After being forced to unleash his forbidden techniques, and then receiving favors from the Queen Mother, the level of shock was like a belly-up upset on a Linghong. He had intended to remain a low-key human... no, a god, but since ascending to heaven, he had been living in constant fear, constantly on edge, with no time for rest.
I'm really tired.
After returning, he still had to prepare for the apparition ceremony that would take place in two days. Before that, he just wanted to take a bath, have some fun, and then roll back into his pink bed with a white rabbit pattern and have a good sleep.
While wandering in the void, Hu Ziyu vaguely heard someone calling his official name.
The ceremonial officer didn't respond, but instead shouted louder, "Congratulations to the Jade Rabbit Temple Master of the Guanghan Palace in the Taiyin Hall—the Rabbit God Hu Zi Yu—for winning this round's greatest prize: one Overlord Peach, five thousand merits, five thousand additional connections, fifty thousand celestial coins, and one hundred autographed photos with the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother!"
"Eh, eh, eh, eh—" Before his seat had even warmed up, Hu Ziyu was scooped up again to receive gifts and thanks. Congratulations were endless, and the reporters were urging him on. Flashbulbs flashed one after another, nearly blinding him.
The Moon God sent a female fairy to hand him a magic weapon called "Storage Bag" to put the gifts in. The space inside was endless, not inferior to the personal props of a certain blue robot cat.
Hu Ziyu took it, and the first thought that flashed through his mind was, "If I ever encounter an embarrassing situation again in the future, I can jump in and hide."
Ling Hong accepted the prize and hung it around his waist. The ceremonial officer approached Hu Ziyu and said, "The Queen Mother has ordered you to select the second and third place winners."
"Huh?" Hu Ziyu was exhausted, wanting to sit back down. After being tossed around by the big shot, he instantly lost all his energy. It seemed the Queen Mother intended for him to offend all six Palace Masters and colleagues simultaneously. Hu Ziyu felt that, with the exception of himself, the performances of the newcomers in his class were all top-notch, but it wouldn't be good to have all six of them finish second.
He glanced at the reactions of the Palace Master and the others. Taiyin Xingjun smiled silently, while the Dragon King and the others looked indifferent. He couldn't get the answer he wanted from their expressions.
"That's all!" Hu Ziyu thought. When he was alive, he was often looked down upon because of his sexual orientation and temperament. The worst that could happen after he ascended to heaven was that he would continue to live a life that was looked down upon and disdained by others.
With a deep sigh and a shrug of his shoulders, Hu Ziyu shot a look of apology to the newly appointed priests. Taking the microphone from the ceremonial officer, he declared, "I believe that those who can do what others cannot are truly masters. Therefore, only those who rely on true ability, not magic power, can be considered superior performances."
"So, according to you, who should be the second and third place winners?" The Queen Mother's jade-like face suddenly appeared around the hall through a 360-degree surround projection screen. Everyone present was shocked, and Hu Ziyu and the ceremonial officer were also shocked. Hu Ziyu took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, and when his breathing became calm, he said: "I have been weak since childhood, so I envy those who are strong and healthy, especially those who are agile, strong, wise and brave, upright and kind. I would like to award the second place to Ms. Liang Yanqi, the night patrol assistant." As soon as he finished speaking, the City God Temple erupted in cheers, and someone honked a horn disassembled from a police aircraft, flashing the red and blue warning lights used for patrols.
"The City God Palace thanks you! The Forensic Department welcomes you!" The immortals of the Taiyin Palace turned around and wanted to shake hands and say hello with the members of the City God Palace on the left, but when they heard that someone was openly poaching them, they all retreated.
Hu Ziyu stood in the hall, oblivious to the actions of the other hall masters, and said, "And third place goes to Tiger Lord, an agent of the Land Administration Hall. Promoting opera culture and upholding traditional martial virtues is truly a fine deed and should be highly commended." Now, it was the turn of the entire Land Administration Hall to stand and applaud. Wan Taian, overjoyed, also stood up, waving and kissing the four immortals. "Thank you, thank you, Rabbit, for your kindness! The new Taiwanese opera 'Tiger's Wanderings,' starring me, will be rebroadcast on PTS starting today. Welcome to watch!"
"The Land Administration Hall thanks you! The Geography Science Laboratory welcomes you!" On the side, another immortal imitated the City God Hall and shouted loudly.
The immortals from the Taiyin Palace and the Dizheng Palace only shook hands halfway when they quickly pulled their hands back.
The ceremonial officer announced, "Congratulations to the two above! They will receive a basket of first-class peaches, one thousand merits, one thousand taels of silver, and a trophy." Some cheered, others cursed. Several dragon relatives and friends protested. The more agitated among them threw whatever they could find into the center of the hall—cups, bowls, plates, napkins, snack boxes, and even empty chairs.
"You damned bastard, are you giving me any face? You've offended the Haixian Ao family, and you'll have to bear the consequences in the future!"
"Shameless stinky gay, I wish you a long and lingering night of chrysanthemum blossoms, and a broken heart when the flowers fall!"
Taiyin Xingjun, Dragon King Ao Guang, Ling Hong, and Ao Botong all stood up, shouting and scolding, ready to fight. The ceremonial officer was terrified and grabbed Hu Ziyu and tried to retreat behind the beam.
Hu Ziyu stood proudly, patting the ceremonial officer's hand to indicate that he was fine. "I'd like to ask the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother to add a few more awards," he said, raising his head to the projection screen above him.
The Queen Mother replied, "Rabbit God, please feel free to speak."
"I want to give the Best Courage Award to Zhu Yi Zhenjun, who was only fourteen years old and unfortunately died in a failed heart transplant operation. He was also a talented writer; I want to give the Best Creativity Award to Yue Lao Temple's Peach Blossom Palace's Speed Matching Section; I want to give the Best Potential Award to the Fortune God Temple's Windfall Section Lottery Section; and I want to give the Best Popularity Award to the Palace Master of the Suanni Palace of the Dragon King Temple. As for the prizes and bonuses, I strongly suggest that Ling Xiao Temple do not need to use any more budget and can just allocate them from my share." Hu Ziyu said.
A tall glass cup came out and smashed towards Hu Ziyu's head. Hu Ziyu sensed the murderous intent and quickly flicked his fingers, shooting out a magic bullet that smashed the dragon bully's hidden... no, hidden weapon to pieces.
He had already exhausted all his mana, so naturally, this high-speed bullet, imbued with mana, was borrowed from Ling Hong. The Martial God, who had earlier exchanged blows with Ya Zi, shouted "good riddance" and clapped his hands vigorously. Without a microphone nearby, he used his mana to teleport: "Little rabbit, the Martial God Temple welcomes you, too!" Hu Ziyu was startled and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. "Your Excellency, I'm too kind! How can I even have a place in the Martial God Temple? Unless..." He had originally intended to say "cut it off and start over," but after thinking about it, he decided that wasn't formal enough, so he replaced it with "reincarnate."
"Haha, a newbie can simultaneously fight against two immortals with three hundred years of cultivation. What else could this be but extraordinary talent?! My opinion of the Jade Rabbit Temple and the Rabbit God has changed drastically this time, hahaha!"
"No... I was just lucky, not worthy of being ranked alongside those who have made outstanding military achievements," Hu Ziyu said. Of course, in addition to luck, he also used a bit of cleverness and cunning.
Today he was facing the Shuangbi brothers, who were somewhat wary of him. If it were someone else, he would probably have been beheaded.
The Queen Mother said: "The Rabbit God has taken office and it is not appropriate to transfer him within a hundred years. We can discuss the transfer later." The business card of the Pharmacy Department of Shennong Temple was just handed to the seat in Taiyin Temple when it was burned beyond recognition by the palm fire of Ling Hong.
The Queen Mother looked down at Hu Ziyu and asked, "Did the Rabbit God propose to add more awards in order to appease the public's resentment?"
"No." Hu Ziyu shook his head. He knew that no matter what he said, he wouldn't be able to convince or satisfy everyone. So, he might as well follow his heart and speak freely. "I sincerely believe that every newcomer is excellent, each with their own unique and outstanding qualities, so everyone should receive a prize."
"Okay, then, why do you think I want to give you the power to decide the subsequent rankings?" the Queen Mother asked again.
What the hell?—Hu Ziyu wailed inwardly. This question was even more difficult than the linked questions he'd encountered in the Mathematical Olympiad. It was either a challenge or a test, nothing more. After all, in this celestial realm, most people were straight men and women who disliked homosexuality. The fact that the gods of the Upper Heavenly Court, which was mostly civil servants, had chosen him as the top of the list would inevitably draw the ire of many homophobic immortals. However, this was not the right answer. After a moment's hesitation, he decided, "Because it's your wish."
"Wish," the Queen Mother said, raising the last syllable. "Yes, I wish for a world without conflict, a world of peace and stability. I understand that you, even at the cost of breaking the law, tried to stop the Twin Brothers. This should have been a punishment that reduced my merit, but you instead added to my merit. So, in your heart, you must hope that every inauguration banquet will be a success. No... not just the inauguration banquet, but the entire heavenly realm, the human world, and the ghost realm, may be filled with peace and joy." "Oh," the Queen Mother said, her lips curved upward, a smile brightening her expression. "Since the Rabbit God thinks so, you can all assume I think so too." The Queen Mother then instructed the ceremonial officers and others to quickly produce four more medals, including one for the Best Courage Award. Later, the boys from the High Heaven Palace would distribute them to the various units. As for the gifts, the Queen Mother didn't want Hu Ziyu to pay for them, so she used some of her own inventory and treasures to give the new priests some accessories.
The chaotic official banquet ended here. The Jade Emperor and Queen Mother left first, followed by the gods in heaven. Only then was it the turn of the guests to leave.
The Moon Lord told Ling Hong to take Hu Ziyu out for a stroll on the streets of Xianjing later, as it was a rare opportunity to go out, so there was no need to rush back. She herself had some things to do before taking a group of female immortals to the department store for a shopping spree.
"Come on, come on! Those who want to be interviewed, stand at aisle one; those who seek love, go to aisle two; those who want to poach, stand at aisle three so that I can give you a good beating first; those who just want an autographed photo, come to aisle four, it's fifty taels per photo, no bargaining allowed; for other requests, please go to aisle five." Taiyin Xingjun got a megaphone and a loudspeaker from somewhere and instantly acted as Hu Ziyu's agent. In the blink of an eye, several aisles surrounded by red velvet pillars appeared on the ground, each at least a hundred meters long.
Several female fairies from the Taiyin Palace typed out the numbers one to five on their PADs and held them high above their heads to act as neon indicator lights.
Reporters from all walks of life swarmed over, and dozens of microphones were stretched out in front of Hu Ziyu. One hit his cheekbone and another hit his chin.
Ling Hong and Wu Gang hurriedly pulled Hu Ziyu back and told the reporter to get the number plate before coming up.
Ao Botong finally managed to get everyone out of the way and ran towards the Taiyin Palace where the immortals were. "Zi Yu! My relatives and friends have offended you. I apologize on their behalf. Please don't..."
Before Ao Botong could even say the three words "hate me", Taiyin Xingjun pushed him into the queue.
"Okay, okay, courtship, huh? Number two, please." Ling Hong used a PAD to time the conversation. Each reporter was only allowed to ask two questions, and no questions were allowed after someone had already asked them. Furthermore, each media outlet was limited to five minutes. A Lingxiao Palace Information Department staff member won the first lottery and handed the microphone to Hu Ziyu.
"How do you feel now?" asked the clerk.
"First question," Ling Hong said. Hu Ziyu rolled his eyes inwardly. How could the quality of these reporters be the same everywhere? After swallowing, he said, "I'm truly humbled to be recognized, loved, and supported by so many adults. Even now, my heart is still beating so fast."
"Will you accept Long Wuzi's confession?" the clerk asked again. Ao Botong pricked up his ears, ready to receive an answer that would most likely break his heart.
"Well, I just met Brother Suanni and I'm not familiar with him, so I can't answer this question." Hu Ziyu thought again: Why didn't this reporter do some homework first? Didn't they say that Chu Tianqi was asking for ghost marriages everywhere, which made a big fuss? He should be able to find it with just a random search.
The clerk was about to speak when Ling Hong grabbed him by the front of his shirt. The next moment, he was like a human rocket, shooting towards Ziwei Palace with great joy.
"Second question answered, next!" Ling Hong said. A reporter from an independent newspaper stepped forward. "May I ask what your future career plans are?" This time, the people in the third row leaned forward. Hu Ziyu nodded. "Haha, the Queen Mother said you can't change jobs for a hundred years. So, for now, I think I should familiarize myself with my own business, do my best to fulfill my duties, and avoid getting the assistant official angry."
"So, now that you've won first place, who do you want to thank the most?" Hu Ziyu smiled. "I'm grateful to everyone who helped me, including those at Taiyin Palace, Yutu Temple, Jinchan Institute, and the Security Department. But if I had to choose the one I'd be most grateful to, Linghong would be the first choice." Linghong remained expressionless, saying, "Next!" The reporter obediently stepped aside, followed by a private media correspondent.
"Will you agree to the ghost marriage request of the candidate for the Money-Giving Boy?" It seems that this person has done some homework.
"I will never agree to that." Hu Ziyu answered firmly. "So, what do you think of the relationship between the two brothers?"
"I'll do my best to suppress the urge to write their names into the marriage register." Hearing this, Ling Hong was about to explode, but since the other party was his master, he couldn't scold him in public. Ling Hu and Zhu Yi Zhenjun, who had still not left, heard this. One of them was outwardly angry, but his heart was in deep conflict; the other smiled, but secretly delighted. After the special envoy finished his questions, he immediately scurried away to a position where Ling Hong couldn't catch him. He followed up with a dozen more questions related to personal relationships, but Hu Ziyu was exhausted from answering them, and he brushed them off with a few brief sentences.
Finally, there was a female student from Lingxiao Academy's News Department. Lingxiao Academy was unusual; its students were not immortals who had ascended to the highest rank, like Hu Ziyu and Ling Hong. Instead, they were descendants of royalty or local hegemons, gifted individuals born with immortal blood.
The female student asked: "How will you deal with the prizes and points you get?"
"I will share it with the immortals and friends who have helped me, whether it's bonuses, merits, or peaches."
"Then, if you could only split the Overlord Peaches into two and give one to the most important person, who would you give it to?" Hu Ziyu didn't notice anything strange and answered without hesitation: "Of course it would be Linghong! He has put in the most effort and has good intentions, and he takes the best care of me. If I have to choose, I will definitely share it with him." The female student's eyes sparkled and she nodded repeatedly.
The reporters were busy scribbling, each one intent on coming up with a sensational headline. Ling Hong held his forehead with his hand and lamented, "Forgive me, I do not wish to establish a relationship of mutual benefit with you..."
"Sharing the peaches? You mean the incident between Duke Ling of Wei and Mi Zixia." After hearing the key words, Hu Ziyu realized that he had fallen into a trap and laughed dryly a few times.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely cut it with a knife. I won't take a bite before handing it to you." "This isn't just a matter of how to divide it..." Ling Hong sighed. Suddenly, he turned around and saw that Ling Hu and Zhu Yi Zhenjun, who had been waiting in aisle five, had returned and left at some point.
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