Chapter 63: The Waters of the Journey to the West Run Too Deep! The Great Secret Behind Erlangshen, the Judicial True Lord! [10W/4]
The Star Goddess of the Dipper smiled brightly and glanced at the other two silent Star Gods. Stretching out her slender, delicate finger, she first pointed to the Star God on the left and said, "Look, his name is Fu. Call him whatever you like—Fellow Daoist Fu, or Lord Star Fu."
"Di Nu!" The Star God named Fu arched his eyebrows and rebuked angrily, "I am a Star God, not some damn Lord Star."
Just as his voice fell, the final Star God seated at the head lightly coughed, "Fu, mind your words. All the Lords Star of the Heavenly Court are our brothers and sisters. Not to mention the Sun and Moon, just take our elder brothers Ziwei and Chengzhang—haven't they treated us quite well? Why fly into such a rage?"
Fu did not reply, simply picking up his bronze wine cup and gulping the contents down in one breath. "Fellow Daoist Jiang, I have been rude. I shall fine myself a cup as apology; please forgive me."
Jiang Wang hurriedly said, "Star God Fu jests. What rudeness? We immortals and deities are not made of stone. It is one thing to hide one's emotions before outsiders, but why suppress oneself in front of one's own family?"
Fu's eyes lit up. He laughed heartily as he looked at Jiang Wang, his gaze filled with satisfaction.
Having placated Fu, Jiang Wang looked toward the last Star God, who was staring back at him.
Jiang Wang cupped his hands in greeting. "I have heard much of your great name, Star God Huben."
Star God Huben was a rare and formidable figure among the Star Gods, and one of the very few who had won the admiration of the Grand Supreme Exalted.
He belonged to the Taimai Enclosure.
Although the Taimai Enclosure was not as noble as the Ziwei Enclosure, among the three hundred and sixty-five celestial bodies of the heavens, it still held a middle position, superior to the Tianshi Enclosure.
To put it simply, the powerful Lords Star and Star Gods were all concentrated in the Ziwei Enclosure, such as Ziwei, Chengzhang, the Sun, the Moon, and the Big Dipper.
By the time one reached the Taimai Enclosure, the power of the stars dropped off by a significant margin.
And reaching the Tianshi Enclosure, the power of the stars fell by yet another massive margin, leaving them fit for little more than serving alongside heavenly soldiers and generals.
As for why Heavenly Officials were not mentioned, it was because nearly all Star Gods of the Tianshi Enclosure held official Heavenly Official posts; comparing them to Heavenly Officials was quite unnecessary.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang is too polite." Star God Huben stepped forward. Arriving before Jiang Wang, he looked him up and down with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Are you an old acquaintance of the Four Heavenly Kings?"
The status of the Four Heavenly Kings in the Heavenly Court was somewhat peculiar.
To say they were on the same level as great deities like Erlang Shen would be overestimating them. Combined, the Four Heavenly Kings did not carry as much importance for the Heavenly Court as Erlang Shen alone.
Erlang Shen, the foremost God of War of the Heavenly Court, was no empty title.
Jiang Wang knew little else, but he knew this: if the Judicial God was not the strongest among the deities, how could the other gods possibly acknowledge him? That single fact alone spoke volumes about the strength of Erlang Shen Yang Jian.
Yet while the Four Heavenly Kings fell short of Yang Jian, to say their status was low would also be incorrect.
For the identities of the Four Heavenly Kings were simply too unique.
Put it this way: the Four Heavenly Kings were not merely "deities of the Heavenly Court"; they were also "Dharmapalas" of Lingshan.
Yes!
That's right.
The Four Heavenly Kings were not just Heavenly Kings of the Heavenly Court; they were also protectors of Lingshan.
Otherwise, Lingshan would never have so easily consented to the Four Heavenly Kings becoming the guardians of the four great continents.
Their duty of guarding and managing the continents had received the dual approval of both the Heavenly Court and Lingshan.
Otherwise, if the Heavenly Court had tried to forcefully insert Heavenly Kings as guardian deities in Xiniu Hezhou, the difficulty would likely have been immense.
After all, the demons of Xiniu Hezhou enjoyed very close ties with the Buddhas currently residing on Lingshan.
Without the Buddha's nod, the Heavenly Court could forget about ever setting foot in Xiniu Hezhou.
The specific reasons were kept shrouded in deep secrecy by all immortals, though Jiang Wang had a fair guess of what might have transpired.
Buddhism had evolved from the former Western Teaching. Ever since the Dao Ancestor established the rule that saints must remain in seclusion, the two saints of the Western Teaching, Zhunti and Jieyin, had constantly worried about finding a successor.
As luck would have it, during the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods, the two saints forcibly poached an immortal from the Profuan Gate to serve as the Buddha.
This immortal was none other than Duobao Daoren, the Senior Disciple of the Jiejiao Sect.
As for why this Duobao Daoren could become a Buddha, the underlying history was rather complex.
The personal disciples of the Sage Tongtian actually numbered only four: Duobao Daoren, Our Lady of Turtle Spirit, Our Lady of Wudang, and Our Lady of Golden Spirit, alongside seven personal attendants including Wuyunxian, the Golden-Hooped Immortal Minsui, Piluxian, Lingya Xian, Qiushou Xian, Jinguang Xian, and Charlier-Eared Dingguang Xian.
As for Zhao Gongming and the Three Madams, they could only be considered outer disciples of the Jiejiao Sect.
Back then, the Sage Tongtian set up the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation, only to be thoroughly beaten up within it by the Sage Taiqing and the Sage Yuanshi.
Duobao Daoren mustered his courage and attacked Laozi within the formation—his own grand-uncle.
Unsurprisingly, he was captured by Laozi and locked away in the Eight Views Palace.
Of course, Duobao hadn't attacked Laozi out of sheer brainless bravado.
Jiang Wang guessed that long before this wave, Duobao Daoren had already reached a consensus with Laozi to transform the barbarians into Buddhists.
After all, Laozi had only a single disciple, the Great Master Xuandu; Laozi could hardly let the Great Master Xuandu enter Buddhism.
As the eldest disciple of the Sage Tongtian, Duobao Daoren possessed formidable Daoist cultivation. To end up on the Investiture Register was merely supplying manpower to the Grand Supreme Exalted, an outcome the Three Teachings found mutually unacceptable. Rather than ascend the Investiture Register, it was far better to follow behind Laozi and transform into a Buddha.
And Laozi's decision to transform the barbarians into Buddhists could also be seen as a consensus reached between the Profuan Gate and the Western Teaching.
Both sides understood each other well, taking what they needed.
If the Western Teaching wished to preach in the Primordial World, the Three Teachings of the Profuan Gate could hardly sit idly by and simply let the Western Teaching flourish.
Yet the situation at the time was that the rise of the Western Teaching had become an established trend; not only had they forcibly converted numerous disciples of the Profuan Gate, but they also held the Dao Ancestor's oral decree.
Since the Three Teachings of the Profuan Gate could not prevent the rise of the Western Teaching, the only remaining method was naturally to ensure that the Western Teaching had elements of the Profuan Gate within it, and vice versa.
Laozi transforming the barbarians into Buddhists was a solution acceptable to both parties.
Duobao Daoren became the Tathagata Duobao, ruling over the Eastern Pure Wonderful World.
Figures like Burning Lamp, Puxian, and Cihang also became Buddhas or Bodhisattvas.
It could be said that the higher echelons of the Western Teaching suddenly gained many practitioners of the Profuan Gate, allowing the Western Teaching and the Profuan Gate to coexist peacefully.
The Four Heavenly Kings were similar figures to the Buddha Duobao; they held official posts in both Lingshan and the Heavenly Court.
Thus, in terms of status, the Four Heavenly Kings were nearly on par with Yang Jian.
Capable of rivaling the Judicial God, the Four Heavenly Kings were beings who—aside from the few Heavenly Emperors and special immortals—could essentially walk sideways through the Heavenly Court without a care.
That one of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Heavenly King Duowen, had shown him unusual care made the situation rather intriguing.
From the perspective of the Star Gods, either the Heavenly King Duowen knew Jiang Wang—perhaps sharing a causal link from before the Investiture calamity—or Jiang Wang was simply appreciated by the Heavenly King due to his innate talent or other qualities.
Regardless of which it was, it indicated that Jiang Wang's future prospects were boundless.
To middle and lower-tier immortals, Jiang Wang was a prized piece of pastry.
Because many immortals in the Heavenly Court lacked any path of advancement, destined to remain heavenly soldiers until their dying breath.
Should a possibility of promotion arise, certain immortals would seize it with every ounce of their strength.
"It is merely the Heavenly King elevating me; the Heavenly King and I have only met once." Jiang Wang raised his hands politely toward Star God Huben, his expression unchanged.
"Fellow Daoist is too modest." Star God Huben pulled Jiang Wang to a seat at the head of the table, personally pouring him a cup of wine. "Come, Fellow Daoist, drain this cup to the bottom. From today onward, we are friends."
The warmth of Star God Huben made Jiang Wang feel slightly uneasy.
To become friends on the very first day they met—such friendship was truly worthless.
Still, everyone was merely putting on a performance, much like the words he had just spoken to Star God Fu.
"Very well! Star God Huben is magnanimous, so Jiang shall not stand on ceremony either."
Jiang Wang took the wine cup from the Star God's hand and swallowed the wine in a single gulp.
With the cup of wine down his throat, Jiang Wang quickly established a harmonious rapport with Star God Huben, while the Star Gods Di Nu and Fu also took their seats.
As for the heavenly general, he had been forgotten. While Jiang Wang and the three Star Gods drank, the general stood silently below.
After a moment, Jiang Wang noticed the heavenly general below and blinked in surprise.
Does this fellow lack all tact? Why hasn't he left yet?
After a brief thought, Jiang Wang decided to throw the general a helping hand.
To reiterate, having more connections in the Heavenly Court meant having more paths; no matter how minor a heavenly official or general, everyone had their own avenues to tread.
To give the simplest example, the question: Which faction in the Heavenly Court was the most tightly knit?
Was it the fellow disciples of the Chan Sect who had ascended the Investiture Register? Or the immortals who had died in battle during the Shang and Zhou dynasties?
None of them!
It was the disciples of the Jiejiao Sect.
Those Jiejiao disciples who had ascended the Investiture Register were exceptionally united within the Heavenly Court.
So united that if one Jiejiao disciple had trouble, they all rushed forward together.
Consequently, the Jiejiao disciples also formed the group of immortals plagued by the worst nepotism.
They pulled one another along, forming an almost endless chain of immortals.
Much like Jiang Wang's superior's superior, Zhao Gongming—who commanded the heavenly soldiers of Jiang's unit—was one of the big brothers of the Jiejiao immortals.
As the God of Wealth of Martial Prowess, the network of immortals connected to Zhao Gongming was countless.
Take this heavenly general, for instance; he was actually embedded within Zhao Gongming's network! Otherwise, given his realm of cultivation, how could he possibly serve as a heavenly general stationed at the Southern Heavenly Gate?
How many heavenly generals desired to come to the Southern Heavenly Gate, yet how many could ever realize that wish?
Rather than saying Zhao Gongming pushed him to this position, it was more accurate to say that the numerous former disciples of the Jiejiao Sect had pushed him here.
Following the Master Tongtian being taken away into confinement by the Dao Ancestor, the Jiejiao Sect existed in little more than name.
The conduct of the Jiejiao disciples in the Heavenly Court was largely a form of silent resistance.
Jiang Wang smiled at the heavenly general and asked, "Why does Fellow Daoist stand over there? Could it be you fear the three Star Gods will refuse to pour you an extra cup of wine?"
Star God Di Nu glanced at the heavenly general and smiled. "Fellow Daoist Jiang is quite right. Do you think we Star Gods would fear your draining our walnut wine? Hurry and take a seat."
The heavenly general cast a grateful look at Jiang Wang. Jiang Wang merely smiled and continued drinking.
Three rounds of drinks later, a trace of gentle intoxication appeared in Jiang Wang's eyes.
Must be said, this walnut wine truly tasted exceptional; no doubt why it had become the premier immortal brew in the hearts of middle and lower-tier immortals, its reputation and status even vaguely threatening to surpass that of the Peachy Wine.
After all, the Peachy Wine was high and out of reach, something middle and lower-tier immortals could never touch.
As for this walnut wine, so long as one was thick-skinned enough to beg the Seven Fairies, such kind and gentle maidens would certainly never refuse.
"What is Fellow Daoist Jiang pondering?"
Star God Di Nu raised her cup from afar to clink it with Jiang Wang's, smiling, "Could it be you are reminiscing about the mortal realm?"
In the Heavenly Court, speaking casually of longing for the mortal realm was strictly taboo.
Because longing for the mortal realm carried the exact same meaning as what Jiang Wang's past life often called "wanting to fall in love."
Yet speaking bluntly of "wanting to fall in love" was likewise forbidden in the Heavenly Court.
Heavenly law stipulated that immortals could not marry and bear children, and naturally, they could not date either.
As for why... from a certain perspective, when this heavenly law was formulated back then, it was actually quite fair!
The Grand Supreme Exalted of that era believed that all things possessed a sliver of vitality, and within the six paths of this world, every path offered a chance to achieve immortality. Yet if immortals of the Heavenly Court could intermarry and have children, wouldn't the children of immortals be immortals as well? Even if they weren't immortals initially, having immortal parents meant they would inevitably become immortals sooner or later.
If that were the case, with immortals pairing up among themselves, where in all heaven and earth would ordinary cultivators find any chance of advancement?
Therefore, the Grand Supreme Exalted laid down the rule that immortals serving in the Heavenly Court were not allowed to couple up; discovery would result in the most brutal punishments.
Yet in reality, up until now, quite a few immortals discovered to have married and had children still existed.
Very few, however, actually faced the mandatory death penalty; the majority of punishments involved confinement or imprisonment.
This resulted in most immortals dreading heavenly law, while discussing it privately with more vigor than anyone else.
"Haha, Star God Di Nu jests." Jiang Wang held his luminous night cup high, the translucent jade goblet gleaming brilliantly under the light, extraordinarily beautiful. "Jiang's only pursuit is the Dao; those worldly matters hold no interest for me."
"Oh?"
Star God Fu praised from the side, "Fellow Daoist Jiang has a lofty spirit. Though we Star Gods possess boundless years, we scarcely dare claim to seek the Dao with a single heart."
With that, the eyes of the three Star Gods dimmed slightly.
The lifespan of a Star God was indeed vast, owed not only to their realm of cultivation but also to their inherent nature.
Most Star Gods were unable to leave their stellar bodies for extended periods.
In essence, they were the stars themselves; so long as the stars endured, the Star Gods would not perish. Provided they did not court death, Star Gods could live as long as heaven and earth.
Perhaps this excessively long lifespan caused Star Gods to lack dedication to the Dao. Aside from the rare few Lords Star who managed to break through, most Star Gods simply muddled through life relying on their innate talents.
Because their innate talents were so formidable, they could easily muddle their way into becoming Mysterious Immortals or Golden Immortals.
Ordinary cultivators undergoing cultivation all the way might at best become human immortals, with those stepping into the Heavenly Immortal realm being exceedingly few.
Truly, comparing immortals to immortals could anger an immortal to death.
Yet perhaps due to a lack of ambition, most Star Gods remained just like that for a lifetime, even while living as long as heaven and earth!
Within the Heavenly Court, they still had to walk on eggshells, terrified of provoking a deity of peerless combat prowess.
Hot-tempered figures like Yang Jian and Nezha were not easy to reason with.
Especially the Judicial God Yang Jian, whose temper was stubbornly fierce; he even dared to contradict the Grand Supreme Exalted, occasionally leaving the Exalted in awkward situations.
"The three Fellow Daoists need not fret; the three thousand Great Paths are open for anyone to walk! Why harbor such melancholy?" Jiang Wang spoke in a clear voice, "I have brought a few gifts for the Star Gods. Would you care to take a look?"
With that, Jiang Wang produced three jade bottles of pills.
The three bottles drifted slowly toward the three respective Star Gods.
Upon seeing the pills, the expressions of the three Star Gods turned somewhat peculiar.
"Fellow Daoist also knows alchemy? Didn't you say you were single-mindedly pursuing the Dao?" Star God Huben held his bottle with a bizarre expression.
Alchemy and the Dao of Cultivation were not the same path.
The Supreme Elder Lord was powerful in alchemy because he was powerful in his own right! Alchemy was merely icing on the cake for the Supreme Elder Lord.
During one's weak phases, very few people cultivated both paths concurrently!
Not only did it yield no benefits to cultivation, but it also dispersed one's focus, making the future path of cultivation increasingly fraught with obstacles.
The corners of Jiang Wang's lips curved upward slightly: "My Dao is the Dao of Alchemy!"
Naturally, this was false.
Jiang Wang's Dao was certainly not the Dao of Alchemy.
Alchemy... how to put it? Among the three thousand Great Paths, it belonged to the unorthodox branches.
Yes.
Strictly speaking from principle, it was not the orthodox Dao.
The orthodox Dao referred to fundamental rules such as Force, Space, and Time.
Whereas paths like Alchemy and Arrays were secondary applications utilizing Force, Space, and Time.
They were equivalent to packaging above the level of rules.
Consequently, different paths naturally held different statuses.
Rumor had it that a special sage still resided in the primordial chaos to this day. That sage had not attained enlightenment within the Primordial World but in the chaos, and possessed such formidable strength that even the Dao Ancestor without the aid of Heavenly Dao power would not be his match.
That sage walked precisely the Dao of Space.
In the eyes of normal immortals, the Dao of Alchemy was a minor path, for not every immortal was the Supreme Elder Lord capable of reaching the pinnacle of alchemy.
Normal immortals would only choose to walk the Dao of Alchemy when promotion seemed utterly hopeless, trading for some extra benefits to secure their survival.
Some immortals pursued alchemy primarily to prolong their lives; living one more day meant the possibility of advancement grew slightly larger.
"Fellow Daoist has lofty ambitions." Star God Huben raised his cup from afar to touch Jiang Wang's. "Yet this Dao of Alchemy differs from other paths; among all the deities of the Heavenly Court, only the Elder Lord walks at the very front. The difficulty is beyond what we can imagine."
Huben and Di Nu nodded in agreement.
Jiang Wang smiled slightly and waved his hand. "These are hardly issues at all. I walk the Dao of Alchemy simply because I have a passion for it. Why don't the three Star Gods inspect the immortal pills in your hands? Having only recently embarked upon the Dao of Alchemy, the immortal pills I refine may not entirely suit your tastes, but I invite your appraisal."
With that, he produced yet another bottle and placed it before the taciturn heavenly general.
"For your guidance, Heavenly General, Jiang is deeply grateful. This pill is called the Lesser Enlightenment Pill, which can enhance one's comprehension of Daoist laws. Please accept this meager token of my appreciation."
The silent heavenly general finally revealed a smile upon his face.
He looked at Jiang Wang with heightened gratitude, cupped his hands in greeting, accepted the Lesser Enlightenment Pill, and drained the remaining walnut wine in his cup.
Jiang Wang shared a drink with him and quietly awaited the three Star Gods' judgment of his refined pills.
The three Star Gods exchanged glances, turning the jade bottles over in their hands.
Through the translucent jade, they beheld the pills resting quietly within—three perfectly round pills.
Though the Star Gods might lack supreme strength, they were certainly well-traveled.
The three Star Gods almost instantly perceived that the quality of the pills within the bottles was superior.
While quite a few immortals in the Heavenly Court practiced alchemy as a secondary pursuit, the pills refined by most were absolute garbage!
This was precisely one of the reasons why the Supreme Elder Lord's pills were so hard to come by.
It was truly because the immortal pills refined by other immortals were utterly inedible.
Without treating alchemy as one's primary path, refining good pills was exceedingly difficult.
"Oh?" Star God Di Nu stared at the jade bottle and let out a soft exclamation. "I'm starting to believe what Fellow Daoist said; your talent is truly rare in this world. To refine flawless Lesser Enlightenment Pills while at the Heavenly Immortal realm is simply incredible."
The other two Star Gods clicked their tongues in wonder.
Among the numerous immortals of the Heavenly Court, those truly capable of refining immortal pills numbered only a handful.
The Supreme Elder Lord was without peer as number one, capable of refining any kind of pill.
The Lunar Star God ranked second, closely followed by the Fu, Lu, and Shou Stars.
The Eastern Florescence Emperor had not yet returned to his position, but given his methods, his attainment in the Dao of Alchemy should rank second only to the Elder Lord.
Jiang Wang offered a few modest remarks.
In truth, though he had refined these pills, they differed slightly from his usual works.
These bottles of pills had all been aided by the Creation Jade Disc.
The Creation Jade Disc cleared the spiritual platform, allowing Jiang Wang to enter a state of selflessness, thereby enabling him to forge flawless immortal pills.
After appraising the pills, the three Star Gods exchanged glances, seemingly discussing something.
After a moment, the leading Star God Huben stood up, cupped his hands toward Jiang Wang, and said, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, we wish to ask you a favor—to help us refine some pills. Might we trouble you to accommodate us?"
"Oh? I wonder what kind of pills they might be?" Jiang Wang sipped his wine leisurely.
His primary objective in coming today was to pick up some commissions—commissions for refining pills.
Refining pills entirely on his own meant relying on pilfered materials. Though he could freely enter and leave Zhao Gongming's herb garden, after all, they weren't his own goods; stealing too often made one feel somewhat ashamed.
Thus, Jiang Wang had devised this method: helping others refine pills while charging a labor fee.
Using others' materials to hone his alchemy skills, while others obtained the immortal pills they desired.
A win-win.
He was certain someone would be willing to commission him because immortals capable of refining good immortal pills and willing to do so for others were definitely a minority in the Heavenly Court.
The three Star Gods spoke their request in immediate unison.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, we require Puppet Pills! Of course, if you could continue supplying us, that would be even better. We will provide the materials."
The so-called Puppet Pills, once consumed, would cause the primordial spirit to continuously split until it ultimately formed a primordial spirit puppet.
A primordial spirit puppet was rather unique; compared to ordinary puppets, it resembled an avatar more closely.
The difference was that a puppet forged from the primordial spirit, aside from not being the true body, could perform every single action the true body could.
A puppet transformed by a Puppet Pill possessed the characteristics, all magical power, and cultivation level of the original body.
For the Star Gods to want this item, they most likely wished to sneak away from the Heavenly Court and wander about elsewhere.
Otherwise, what would Star Gods want with Puppet Pills?
They weren't ordinary heavenly officials weighed down by busy duties who needed an avatar puppet to help handle paperwork.
Star Gods neither needed to leave their stellar bodies nor bore any troublesome tasks.
Most Star Gods merely needed to operate the stars step by step in routine fashion.
Under such circumstances, why would they need Puppet Pills?
To put it plainly, they wanted to go and experience the bustling mortal world.
Though most Star Gods considered Lords Star to be traitors, if asked whether they envied the Lords Star their freedom of movement, the answer would almost certainly be yes.
Long ago, such a Star God had indeed appeared within the Heavenly Court.
That Star God was a brash brute.
He simply left behind a clone and ran off!
Because of this individual's actions, over half of the Heavenly Court had plunged into crisis.
Stars lacking a guiding Star God not only saw their trajectories thrown into complete chaos but also lost the power of "converting the chaos."
Presently, the spiritual Qi of the Great Chiliocosm, aside from a tiny fraction originating from the natural spiritual veins of the Primordial World, derived mostly from the chaotic Qi converted by the stars.
This was also why Star Gods could not move about casually.
A single Star God out of alignment meant the entire Star God system would collapse.
Consequently, the conversion of chaotic Qi would fail, leading to unimaginable consequences.
Back then, the Grand Supreme Exalted had originally intended to severely punish the derelict Star Gods. Later, Taibai Jinxing had an audience and apparently said something to the Exalted, causing that final punishment to never be implemented.
Yet ever since then, a vague rumor had circulated within the Heavenly Court: so long as a Star God could obtain a Puppet Pill, they could bypass the ironclad rule prohibiting them from leaving their stellar bodies.
Once the rumor spread, the Star Gods were overjoyed.
Yet the problem that followed was that the immortals in the Heavenly Court capable of refining Puppet Pills... were vanishingly few.
The Star Gods lacked the clout to beg the Elder Lord.
Witnessing the yearning gazes of the three Star Gods, a trace of hesitation flashed across the depths of Jiang Wang's eyes.
This Puppet Pill was actually a trap.
The Puppet Pill was a supreme trap!
Jiang Wang was unclear on the exact events of the past; by the time he transmigrated, that incident had long since passed.
He had only heard that back then, the Grand Supreme Exalted had flown into a rage due to the Star Gods abandoning their posts, demanding immediate execution of heavenly punishment—extracting immortal tendons and stripping immortal bones! Every execution method must be employed, making an example of them so that Star Gods would never dare shirk their duties again.
Later, Taibai Jinxing persuaded him, and the Exalted's anger subsided.
It was also following this that the rumor regarding "Puppet Pills" allowing Star Gods to briefly leave their bodies and descend to the mortal realm began circulating through the Heavenly Court.
Who had spread such a rumor? Jiang Wang did not know!
However, he knew... after such a massive incident occurred, could a mere rumor really resolve everything so simply?
Was that possible?
Absolute impossibility.
Taibai Jinxing was no benevolent grandfather from television; he was a bonafide star of slaughter and martial divinity.
Furthermore, Taibai Jinxing was not a Star God! He was a Lord Star!
The title Taibai Jinxing was merely because he served as the Grand Supreme Exalted's emissary, possessed a gentle demeanor, and because his true body was the Morning Star, he acquired the moniker Taibai Jinxing.
To be precise, Taibai Jinxing should be addressed as the "Venus Lord Star."
In the Heavenly Court, every immortal knew that Lords Star and Star Gods were at odds. The ones with great fame outside were all Lords Star; once outside the Heavenly Court, how many people even knew who the Star Gods were?
Jiang Wang did not know what method Taibai Jinxing used to placate the Exalted's anger, but he was certain the Exalted's fury could never vanish because of a so-called "Puppet Pill."
To put it another way, these Puppet Pills were a more alternative form of heavenly punishment, as well as the Grand Supreme Exalted's final mercy toward the Star Gods.
If the Star Gods obediently rotated the stars along their designated tracks, then past misdeeds would be forgiven.
Yet if the Star Gods harbored ulterior motives and still wished to abandon their posts, they could blame no one for the strictness of heavenly law.
Hence Jiang Wang felt some hesitation.
He knew how to refine Puppet Pills; such pills were quite ordinary, and many immortals routinely prepared one or two.
Just in case, occasionally shedding one's shell like a cicada in the form of a puppet wasn't a bad thing.
Yet could such ordinary immortal pills truly help the Star Gods escape their shells?
Star Gods, puppets...
A terrifying thought suddenly flashed through Jiang Wang's mind.
This was simply substituting a peach for a plum...
Yet he quickly banished this dark notion from his mind!
If the Grand Supreme Exalted had truly done that, wouldn't Taibai Jinxing have been killed by the Emperor Ziwei and Emperor Chengzhang?
No matter how incompatible Star Gods and Lords Star were, they were still brothers and sisters.
Not to mention that the Great Emperors Ziwei and Chengzhang were still around, the nominal matriarch of all Star Gods, Doumu Yuanjun, currently held an official post in the Heavenly Court as well!
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, what do you say? Can Puppet Pills be refined?" The three Star Gods wore eager expressions, looking barely able to contain themselves.
Jiang Wang glanced at the heavenly general and signaled him with his eyes.
The heavenly general was a clever fellow and immediately grasped Jiang Wang's intent.
He cupped his hands toward the three Star Gods. "Three Star Gods, do not pressure Fellow Daoist Jiang! The Daoist didn't say he wouldn't do it, but once these Puppet Pills are exposed, I fear quite a few Star Gods will come looking for Fellow Daoist Jiang to refine them. By then... he might simply be overwhelmed! After all, Fellow Daoist Jiang still has duties at the Southern Heavenly Gate."
The three Star Gods exchanged glances.
Star God Di Nu stepped forward, smiling apologetically. "Fellow Daoist Jiang, it was we who were too hasty! Do not worry; the reason we wish to commission you for Puppet Pills is simply that we have not been able to descend to the mortal realm to visit a friend in far too long! The three of us only require a single Puppet Pill. Do you think that is possible?"
"There is something I know not whether I ought to speak of."
Jiang Wang hesitated for a moment.
"The three Star Gods must all understand that the Heavenly Court's current punishment for Star Gods abandoning their posts is extremely severe. You wish to descend to the mortal realm to see an old friend? I wonder which friend that might be? If there is truly a need, I can handle the errand on behalf of the three of you, so you needn't trouble yourselves."
He dared to refine Puppet Pills, but he dared not casually hand them over to Star Gods.
Ever since his transmigration, Jiang Wang had learned many deep secrets within the Heavenly Court from his peers.
The greatest secret was a piece of gossip concerning Tianpeng and Chang'e.
Ranked second was the issue of the Star Gods.
Star Gods must not descend to the mortal realm.
If a Star God descended without permission, even if they performed no small tricks, their inherent nature would cause the myriad stars to unconsciously illuminate wherever they passed. Occasional stellar illumination mattered little; the gathering spiritual Qi would quickly dissipate.
However, should a Star God appear too frequently, or linger somewhere for an extended period, the local spiritual Qi content would surge dramatically, surpassing surrounding regions.
Wasn't that broadcasting clearly to all living beings that the gods of the Heavenly Court were irresponsible?
What would living beings in other places think?
This was something the Grand Supreme Exalted could not tolerate; even more intolerable was that the chaotic Qi would suffer turbulence because Star Gods left their bodies.
Compared to the former, the latter was far graver.
As for unfairness toward living beings, the Heavenly Court held absolute authority to override all questioning.
Yet if chaotic Qi could not transform into spiritual Qi... to the myriad immortals, it amounted to utter blasphemy.
Could the myriad immortals possibly be made to cultivate while immersed in chaotic Qi?
Even a Golden Immortal contaminated by that stuff would have their foundation stained, and whether they could preserve their three flowers atop the head was highly questionable.
Aside from Grand Golden Immortals, which deity dared to venture recklessly into the chaos? None existed.
The Star Gods were left utterly speechless by Jiang Wang's remarks.
They clearly had not expected Jiang Wang's disposition to be so stubborn; what harm would it do just to agree?
The three Star Gods exchanged glances, hidden traces of annoyance lurking in their eyes.
Each of them understood in their hearts.
What friends could Star Gods possibly have in the mortal realm? Saying "friend" was merely giving themselves a diplomatic out, yet this heavenly soldier before them simply refused to play along.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, you jest! How could our friend be someone for you to visit? That would violate the principles of Dao," Star God Huben stepped forward, smiling dryly. "Does Fellow Daoist have other thoughts? Feel free to state them; so long as it is within our power, it is no trouble at all."
A smile finally broke across Jiang Wang's naive-looking face.
"Haha, Star God Huben jests. Jiang has no excessive demands! I am simply curious about the cultivation secrets of the Star Gods; rumor has it that your cultivation lineages all trace back to the Patriarch Pangu? Jiang would dearly love to observe them."
The three Star Gods wore bizarre expressions.
"Just this request?" Star God Di Nu seemed somewhat speechless.
"Right, what else could it be? Jiang is merely an ordinary heavenly soldier; what could I possibly demand of three Star Gods?"
Star God Fu shook his head. "Hah! The Daoist is truly... truly humorous."
The demeanor of the three Star Gods relaxed instantly.
The cultivation methods of the Star Gods were indeed inherited from Patriarch Pangu, but this heritage was truly not as heaven-defying as outsiders imagined.
What was inherited was the "cultivation method of Star Gods" rather than just a "cultivation method," and naturally, only Star Gods could practice the "cultivation method of Star Gods."
Jiang Wang was merely an ordinary heavenly soldier; what could he possibly accomplish even if he acquired the "cultivation method of Star Gods"? Could he cultivate himself into a Star God?
Star God Huben was even more direct. With a grand wave of his hand, a jade slip materialized before Jiang Wang.
Jiang Wang and the Star Gods concluded this transaction.
As for whether they had become friends, that depended entirely on how each individual viewed the matter.
In Jiang Wang's view, if friendship could be forged over a single meal of drinks, then such friendship was cheap indeed.
To put it bluntly, it was merely an exchange of interests.
"Come, come, come, Fellow Daoist Jiang, these are the materials for the Puppet Pills; we have already prepared them."
Star God Huben retrieved an exquisite cloth pouch from somewhere and handed it to Jiang Wang.
After a brief mental probe, Jiang Wang instantly perceived the peculiarity within the pouch.
The materials inside—let alone a single Puppet Pill—were more than sufficient for ten or even a hundred!
Had these Star Gods lost their minds? Were they planning a rebellion? Gathering this many Puppet Pills all at once.
"This..." Holding the Universe Pouch, Jiang Wang for a moment knew not how to respond.
This business transaction carried rather heavy risks; internal conflict stirred within his mind.
"Fellow Daoist need not worry!"
Star God Di Nu followed up on Huben's words, "We harbor no malicious intent. We only require a single Puppet Pill from these materials; do you see that as acceptable? The rest may serve as your remuneration. Moreover, we will also allow you to peruse our respective Star God cultivation methods."
"Indeed, Fellow Daoist Jiang need not fret. If anything goes wrong, the fault is ours alone; you are merely responsible for refining the Puppet Pill. Does heavenly law dictate that refining Puppet Pills is forbidden?"
The three Star Gods stared fixedly at Jiang Wang, exerting immense pressure upon him.
"Very well, since all of you have put it this way, if I were to refuse to grant you face, that would be Jiang's fault." Jiang Wang gripped the Universe Pouch tightly and smiled. "I accept this task. Will you serve as witness, Heavenly General?"
The heavenly general, who had been acting as part of the scenery nearby, raised his head with an awkward expression.
At this moment, he wished nothing more than to avoid involvement altogether.
The heavenly general had lived in the Heavenly Court far longer than Jiang Wang; how could he possibly have remained ignorant of the dark secrets Jiang Wang had heard of?
Furthermore, this immortal gathering had been hosted upon his invitation.
"Daoist... am I... am I truly qualified for this?" The heavenly general hesitated. Having witnessed the entire process, to deny any connection was impossible, yet to acknowledge one was something he dared not do under any circumstances.
Should Star Gods abandon their posts once more, causing chaotic Qi to flood into the Heavenly Court and the Six Realms, he would undoubtedly be implicated beyond escape.
Thus, the heavenly general was completely numb.
This Daoist Jiang looked completely harmless from the start, bonding effortlessly with the three Star Gods, and now dragging him into the water—he was clearly trying to tie everyone present onto the exact same rope.
Jiang Wang calmly awaited the heavenly general's reply.
He had no fear that the heavenly general would refuse.
For the eyes of the three Star Gods were currently locked onto him; if the heavenly general declined to agree, whether Jiang Wang could safely leave the Palace of the Sun's Guard remained questionable.
After a long moment, likely buckling under the immense pressure, the heavenly general finally nodded.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang and the three Star Gods, I swear upon the Heavenly Dao to bear witness to this fair transaction."
The oppressive atmosphere instantly dissipated.
The Star Gods waved their hands casually, and wine cups filled with walnut wine materialized before Jiang Wang and the heavenly general.
"Then a pleasant cooperation to us all! Bottoms up."
The three Star Gods drained their walnut wine with heroic abandon.
Jiang Wang and the heavenly general followed suit immediately.
"Then Fellow Daoist Jiang and the heavenly general enjoy yourselves here at the Palace of the Sun's Guard. We cannot leave our stellar bodies for long, so we take our leave."
With the wine finished, Star God Huben bid farewell to Jiang Wang and the heavenly general.
Star Gods Huben and Di Nu echoed the exact same sentiment before the three departed hand in hand.
Watching them leave, the heavenly general smiled bitterly at Jiang Wang. "Ah, Daoist, Daoist, you have truly ruined me."
"Hmm?" Jiang Wang picked up his wine cup, took a sip of the walnut wine, and his eyes filled with enjoyment. "Could this walnut wine fail to suit the heavenly general's palate?"
Seeing Jiang Wang play dumb, the heavenly general offered no further retort, merely smiling wryly again and again.
The two remained silent, each sipping their own walnut wine.
After several more rounds of drinks, the heavenly general sighed, cupped his hands toward Jiang Wang, and said, "Drink slowly, Daoist; I must go outside to receive a few friends. If you wish, you are welcome to join me."
"I shall pass! I have yet to fully savor this walnut wine." Jiang Wang refused.
This single business transaction with the Star Gods was already sufficient.
Among the heavenly general's friends, there might indeed be immortals with formidable backgrounds, but to Jiang Wang, they no longer mattered. Could they possibly possess anything comparable to the Star God cultivation methods—something he currently urgently lacked?
"Very well, then enjoy yourself to the full, Daoist. Should you require anything, you may contact me; I shall be nearby."
"Many thanks for the hospitality, Heavenly General."
"Think nothing of it. Thanks to your blessing, the two of us are now grasshoppers tied to the same rope," the heavenly general remarked with unmistakable grievance in his tone.
Jiang Wang laughed heartily. "Go on then, Heavenly General. Who can predict the future? Perhaps one day the heavenly general will feel immensely grateful for having served as a witness today!"
The heavenly general stared at Jiang Wang for a moment, shook his head, and departed while letting out a sigh.
Jiang Wang drank the walnut wine of his own accord.
The fragrance of the wine was rich.
After several more cups of walnut wine, Jiang Wang glanced toward the side of the palace, raised his hands in a salute, and said, "Fellow Daoist has been watching from over there for quite some time; why not come out and share a cup with me? Do you find my manner of drinking unappealing?"
From the moment the three Star Gods departed, Jiang Wang had perceived someone observing him.
Once the heavenly general left, that sensation of being watched grew increasingly intense.
Yet within the Heavenly Court, safety was guaranteed; nobody would dare make trouble here.
Those who dared make trouble in the Heavenly Court generally met no good end!
The only two exceptions with favorable outcomes were the future Monkey King and Chenxiang.
Given the Monkey King's background and his status as a figure bound to undergo the calamity, little need be said—he couldn't die even if he wanted to.
As for Chenxiang, by seniority and ties, he was inextricably close to Erlang Shen; no matter how severe the Heavenly Court's punishment, could they possibly penalize the Judicial God's own biological nephew?