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Chapter 225 Marshal Tianpeng
Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

The immortals' gazes darted back and forth between Chen Guangrui, Li Jing, Xu Jingyang, and Wenqu Xingjun.

Chen Guangrui stood in the hall with his hands at his sides, his face respectful and humble, but he was secretly laughing to himself.

He thought to himself that he had made the right decision to have Sun Wukong inform the Nine-Headed Lion before going to Heaven, thus doing a favor for the Heavenly Venerable Taiyi Jiuku. Now that Li Jing's defeat at Leopard Head Mountain had been exposed in public, the Heavenly Court, for the sake of its reputation, would inevitably launch another campaign in the future. At that time, the Nine-Headed Lion would not be able to escape.

Now that the Nine-Headed Lion has received the news, he should have vanished without a trace, leaving Li Jing empty-handed. This grudge has now been firmly established. The favor owed to the Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun is now securely settled.

Just then, at the forefront of the celestial ranks, a venerable immortal with a refined appearance and a long, deep breath stepped forward—it was none other than the Antarctic Longevity Emperor. He bowed slightly to the Jade Emperor on his throne, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"Great Heavenly Venerable, your subject Antarctic Longevity requests credit for Chen Guangrui. In the battle of Lion Camel Ridge, two hundred thousand demons were wiped out, and three giant demons were killed. This meritorious deed is outstanding, shaking the Three Realms and greatly enhancing the prestige of our Heavenly Court. He should be richly rewarded to encourage all immortals and to serve as a warning to others."

The Antarctic Longevity Emperor certainly knew the true number of the demon soldiers of Lion Camel Ridge, but seeing that everyone was saying "two hundred thousand," he naturally said the same number.

Chen Guangrui's mind stirred slightly. This Antarctic Longevity Emperor had a close relationship with the Taiyi Salvation Heavenly Venerable. His stepping forward now was indeed a way of repaying the favor of Chen Guangrui for informing the Nine-Headed Lion.

Just then, Venus, who was standing near the Jade Emperor, stroked his long beard and stepped forward. He first bowed to the Jade Emperor, then turned towards Li Jing.

"Your Majesty, although Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, did not achieve complete success in his descent to the mortal realm, the enemies he encountered, such as the demon of Golden Gourd Mountain, were indeed highly powerful and beyond compare. Li Jing has served the Heavenly Court day and night with great merit, so his defeat this time is understandable. In my humble opinion, a three-year salary deduction is sufficient as a minor punishment to serve as a warning."

Venus's words were perfectly watertight. He didn't explicitly state that the Green Ox Demon of Jindu Mountain was Laozi's mount, but the phrase "its magical power is indeed extraordinary, far beyond ordinary" was enough for those present to understand the deeper meaning behind it, knowing that Li Jing had suffered a humiliating loss but couldn't delve into it further. This was a way of gently letting things slide, giving Li Jing a way out.

Then, Venus changed the subject, looking at Chen Guangrui with an appreciative smile.
"As for Chen Guangrui, the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses, he single-handedly turned the tide of the battle at Lion Camel Ridge, vanquishing demons and monsters with unparalleled skill. His contribution lies not only in eliminating the demons but also in restoring the prestige of our Heavenly Court's army, making the Three Realms take notice. The position of Marshal of the Heavenly River Water Palace has been vacant for a long time. The Heavenly River Navy guards the Heavenly Court, holding a high position and great power, and only a brave and meritorious general can fill this role. In my opinion, Chen Guangrui's talent and courage make him the only suitable candidate for this position. I humbly request the Great Heavenly Venerable to issue an edict promoting Chen Guangrui to Marshal Tianpeng, granting him command of the Heavenly River Commander's Seal!"

Upon hearing this, a suppressed uproar immediately erupted within the Lingxiao Palace. Many celestial officials and generals wore expressions of disbelief.

"Marshal Tianpeng?"

"From the position of弼马温 (Bima Wen, a lowly stable boy) to the position of天蓬帅 (Tianpeng, a military commander)?"

"This...this is way too fast!"

"While the contribution is significant, this leap is too great..."

Whispers filled the hall. All the immortals felt that this appointment was too shocking. Bi Ma Wen was just a lowly official in charge of raising horses, while Marshal Tian Peng was a commander who led an important naval force of the Heavenly Court, second only to the top gods in status.

The difference between them is like heaven and earth. It's true that Chen Guangrui made great contributions, but it was really unexpected that he was given this position directly.

Chen Guangrui's heart skipped a beat. So that's what they were waiting for!
Taibai Jinxing, that old fox, usually seems to be able to please everyone, and some even say he's a double-dealer, but it turns out he's actually one of the Jade Emperor's men. If the Jade Emperor and Laozi hadn't had a prior agreement, how could he have so accurately proposed this position? And the timing was perfect, bringing it up when he was at the height of his achievements and Li Jing was at his lowest point, making it hard to refute.

He didn't care at all. Since these two big shots had already made up their minds, he would just lie there and let them do what they wanted.

Just as everyone was discussing the appointment with astonishment and bewilderment, another divine general stepped forward from the celestial ranks. This man had a crimson face, wore armor, and exuded a scorching aura; he was the Fire God. His voice was loud and clear, tinged with obvious doubt.
"Great Heavenly Venerable, I cannot agree with the words of the Immortal Taibai. Chen Guangrui has performed extraordinary feats and deserves to be rewarded and promoted. However, the position of Marshal Tianpeng, commanding 100,000 naval troops and guarding the vital passage of the Milky Way, requires great supernatural powers and profound magical abilities to command respect! Chen Guangrui has only recently ascended to heaven and his foundation is still shallow. His cultivation... forgive my bluntness, but it is not yet sufficient to shoulder this heavy responsibility. If he is forcibly promoted, I fear it will be difficult to gain the support of the people and may even jeopardize the defense of the Milky Way. I urge the Great Heavenly Venerable to reconsider."

The words of the Fire God were like a drop of water falling into boiling oil, causing an instant uproar in the Lingxiao Palace.

"The Fire God is right!"

"The position of Marshal Tianpeng is of utmost importance; how can it be treated so lightly?"

"Lord Chen has made outstanding contributions, but his cultivation foundation is still shallow. I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to command 100,000 naval troops and gain the respect of the people..."

"The Ministry of War has already considered this matter, and the candidates..."

More and more celestial officials stood up to object, especially several armored and imposing military officers whose words were filled with obvious dissatisfaction and doubt. They were unwilling to accept that their coveted positions were about to be taken by an unknown stable boy.

Chen Guangrui stood with his head bowed, eyes downcast, seemingly oblivious to the commotion in the hall. He knew perfectly well that the outcome of this debate had never been determined by the volume of the voices.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at the Jade Emperor, who sat high on his throne. The figure, blurred in the auspicious light, remained motionless and uttered not a word.

Just as the opposition was growing stronger and the atmosphere in the hall was becoming tense, the Ziwei Emperor, who was standing not far from the throne, flicked his fingertip very slightly in his sleeve.

Boom!
A deep, resonant bell-like sound, seemingly emanating from beyond the heavens, gentle yet carrying an undeniable majesty, instantly quelled the clamor within the hall. All discussion ceased abruptly, and the immortals fell silent, heads bowed.

The clear and peaceful voice of the Ziwei Emperor echoed in the hall, tinged with a barely perceptible hint of weariness.

"The court session has already passed noon. There are many matters to attend to, and the arguments among you ministers are all reasonable. Minister Chen's merits and the matter of King Li cannot be decided in a short time. Let us adjourn the court for a while and discuss them again later. You ministers may rest for a day and await further instructions."

As soon as the words were spoken, the Jade Emperor's figure, bathed in auspicious light, nodded slightly, signifying his agreement. The golden-armored guards immediately stepped forward and respectfully invited the Jade Emperor to move to the inner palace.

The immortals bowed in farewell, and only after the Jade Emperor's figure disappeared through the inner hall's doors did murmurs of discussion return to the hall. Many celestial officials once again focused their gazes on Chen Guangrui, some scrutinizing, some curious, and some still harboring lingering hostility.

(End of this chapter)