Journey to the West: I am the fiercest bird under Bodhi's seat

The immortals received their orders and began to peruse the register of officials. Wuqu Xingjun, who had been knocked off his cloud platform by Sun Wukong's staff and harbored resentment with nowhere to vent it, immediately stepped forward and reported:

"Your Majesty, all the officials in the Heavenly Palace are in place, except for the Imperial Horse Stable, which is still without a supervisor. This monkey is naturally lively and unruly, so it would be perfect to manage the Heavenly Horses and tame their wild nature."

The other celestial officials glanced at him, knowing that this was an opportunity for revenge.

However, since it doesn't concern me, I'm happy to watch the show.

Sun Wukong didn't know what the "Imperial Horse Stables" was, but it sounded impressive. He was about to agree, but remembering that he had come with Ye Feng, he asked, "Senior brother, what does the Imperial Horse Stables do? Are the officials there very powerful?"

Ye Feng glanced at him sideways, secretly sighing that he was such a fool, and said in a low voice, "Shut up, just stand there."

He then gave Venus a wink.

Venus inwardly groaned, but having been forced to swear an oath by Ye Feng in the Water Curtain Cave, he had no choice but to step forward reluctantly.

"The proposal by the God of Martial Virtue is inappropriate."

"Both Ye Wang and Monkey King are extraordinary talents. They just displayed their supernatural abilities in the Lingxiao Palace, far surpassing many marshals. How can such individuals be confined to the position of horse groom? Please assign them other important posts."

These words stunned the entire hall. Even the God of Martial Virtue was taken aback, thinking to himself: When did this old fox change his ways?

He's usually so slippery and never gets involved in anything, but today he's actually taking the initiative to stand up for someone else?

However, Venus held a high position and great power, and was a confidant of the Jade Emperor. Since he had spoken, Wu De Xing Jun dared not argue, and could only say:

"In the opinion of the Star Lord Chang Geng, what position should he be granted?"

Venus's gaze swept over Sun Wukong and Wude Xingjun, and he sneered inwardly: Ye Feng, you think you can control me by forcing me to make an oath? Today I'll show you what true cunning and shrewdness really means.

He straightened his sleeves and said loudly:

"The position of deputy marshal under the Martial Virtue Star Lord has been vacant for a long time. Since Wukong possesses supernatural powers, why not fill this vacancy and assist in commanding the Heavenly Palace Guards? What do you say?"

"As for the official title—" He paused slightly, then smiled, "How about 'Grand Marshal Golden Monkey'? What do you think?"

"This...this..." Wu De Xingjun was dumbfounded, never expecting that the other party would turn around and throw the hot potato back into his arms. He was speechless for a moment.

The other celestial officials were taken aback at first, then realized—what a clever trick by Venus! This was a deliberate scheme to frame someone else, using them as a tool to kill someone!

The way they looked at him immediately changed.

Ye Feng understood perfectly; he had already seen through Venus's scheme, which suited him just as well.

He went to heaven not to become an official, but only to find out the truth about the Heavenly Court.

Once Sun Wukong takes office, how could the God of Martial Virtue treat him kindly? He will surely make things difficult for him in every way. Given the monkey's fiery temper, it's only a matter of time before he takes action.

When chaos erupts, I can take the opportunity to travel among the various palaces, understand the power structure, and pave the way for future plans.

After thinking it through, he remained silent, but nodded slightly to Sun Wukong, indicating that the position was good.

Sun Wukong, who was not very literate, immediately beamed with joy upon hearing the words "Grand Marshal," thinking it was a very high-ranking official.

But he remained cautious and, bowing respectfully, asked Venus, "Lord Star, what rank is this 'Golden Monkey Grand Marshal'?"

Venus replied with a smile, "The Martial Virtue Star Lord is the Commander-in-Chief of the Heavenly Palace's Guards, in charge of the defense of all palaces, and holds the rank of Third Grade. You are his deputy, holding the rank of Third Grade."

If this were in the human world, the "Presidential Commander" would be the head of the Imperial Guards, or to put it bluntly, the leader of the bodyguards.

Sun Wukong frowned: "How come you're only a third-rank official?"

Venus quickly advised, "Monkey King, do not underestimate this third-rank official position. In the Heavenly Palace, it is already among the ranks of important officials. Most of the gods in the palace do not hold this rank. Moreover, you have just arrived in the Heavenly Court and have not yet made any contributions. To receive this position is already a great favor from Heaven. You will be promoted and rewarded when you make contributions in the future."

Upon hearing this, the monkey was overjoyed and almost jumped into the air to celebrate.

Seeing this, the Jade Emperor slowly spoke: "Since you are satisfied, this matter shall be settled as follows—Sun Wukong shall be appointed as the Golden Monkey Grand Marshal, to assist the Martial Virtue Star Lord in managing the defense of the Heavenly Palace."

Sun Wukong immediately bowed and thanked the heavens for their grace.

Now that things had come to this, Wu De Xing Jun had no choice but to reluctantly agree. But then a thought crossed his mind, and a sense of smugness arose within him: This mischievous monkey is now under my control; I'll have plenty of opportunities to deal with him in the future. I'll create difficulties for him at every turn, constantly finding fault with him, until he's forced to leave the Heavenly Court. Thinking of this, the knot in his heart instantly melted away, and he felt a sense of exhilaration.

The Jade Emperor then asked, "Since Sun Wukong has already been rewarded, what position should Ye Feng be given? Do any of you ministers have suggestions?"

Venus stepped forward again, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, Ye Feng is the true form of the Golden Crow, the Sun God Bird. In ancient times, the Golden Crow rode the sun, illuminating all realms. Since the reconstruction of our Heavenly Court, the Golden Crow has vanished without a trace, and the rotation of the sun has been managed by the Sun Star Lord and the Pleiades Star Official. Now that the true Golden Crow has returned, why not return the responsibility of illuminating the sun to its source?"

The immortals, upon hearing this, had no objection. The Golden Crow ruling the sun was simply a matter of natural law.

The only tricky part is how to place them in their divine positions. After all, the Sun God and the Pleiades God have been diligent and responsible for many years. How can their authority be taken away just because a "legitimate" one has arrived? Wouldn't such an action chill the hearts of loyal subjects?

Therefore, it is necessary to establish a new position that is both prestigious and respected, but does not undermine the old system.

However, how should this position be named? What should its rank be? No one dared to speak up easily for a time.

At that moment, Ye Feng suddenly smiled and said to the Jade Emperor, "Great Heavenly Venerable, I have no objection to being in charge of the sun, but there's one thing—this position can't be too low. Otherwise, don't come looking for me if the sun disappears one day."

All the celestial officials in the hall were shocked upon hearing this, their expressions changing drastically. Who dared to be so presumptuous in the Lingxiao Palace, threatening to let the sun fall?

Even more astonishingly, the Jade Emperor did not become angry; he simply asked calmly, "In your opinion, what position should be bestowed upon him?"

Ye Feng scratched his head and smiled broadly: "Well... we should at least bestow upon him the title of Great Emperor."

As soon as he finished speaking, a thunderous roar resounded throughout the hall.

The throne of an emperor? He just casually mentions it!

Even Venus was astonished, never expecting this person to have such a large appetite.

The Heavenly Court is headed by the Jade Emperor, assisted by the Four Emperors, and governed by eight departments of gods, making it a complex organization. Among them, only the Jade Emperor and the Four Emperors are referred to as "Great Emperors".

However, while the title of "Great Emperor" is prestigious, it is not limited to the five supreme beings. Several other beings in the Heavenly Court also hold this title.

For example, Lü Yue, the ruler of the Plague Department, was known as the "Plague Emperor".

He holds power over the underworld and is the superior of the Ten Kings of Hell; the Great Emperor of Mount Tai in the Eastern Peak.

There was also the aloof and reclusive Emperor Qinghua of the Eastern Pole.

These people were all called emperors, and held a high position.

However, there were still differences in rank among the emperors, mostly depending on their strength and origins. Although Lü Yue was listed as a great emperor, he was actually constrained by the Investiture of the Gods, with little power and influence, merely a figurehead.

Upon his appearance, Ye Feng immediately demanded the position of Emperor, which was unprecedented and a challenge to the established rules of the Heavenly Court.

Zhang Tianshi, holding a jade tablet, was about to step forward and offer his advice.

Just as he took a step, the Jade Emperor's voice came from above: "Good."

Zhang Tianshi's body suddenly stiffened, his kneeling posture froze, as if he had been struck by lightning.

Not only him, but all the immortals in the hall were horrified.

The Great Celestial Venerable... actually agreed?

How is that possible?

Why is it accurate?

The Jade Emperor, however, disregarded the thoughts of the crowd and continued, "Since permission has been granted, a name must be chosen. What suggestions do you all have?"

The officials below the prince looked at each other in bewilderment, and no one responded for a long time.

They were still in shock and couldn't recover—when did the Jade Emperor become so lenient?

Only Venus, with his quick wit, immediately sensed something was amiss. The Jade Emperor's indulgence suggested he knew some secrets. While he couldn't fathom the details, he was certain this young man was no ordinary person; he must have a powerful backer.

After a moment's thought, he stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, since Ye Feng is of the Golden Crow form and governs the sun, why not bestow upon him the title of 'Golden Crow Emperor' to honor his origin?"

"..." Ye Feng glanced at him sideways and sighed inwardly.

That old man's naming skills are terrible. It's always "Golden Monkey" or "Golden Crow"—can't he at least have some artistic merit?

That kind of name is only good for fooling monkeys, not for me? No way.

He immediately waved his hand: "No, no, that's too tacky, let's find something else."

When Venus spoke, the atmosphere became a bit more lively.

A celestial official tentatively suggested, "How about calling him 'Emperor White Horse'?"

"White horse flashes past a crack" is a metaphor for the fleeting nature of time, and "white horse" itself is also an ancient name for the sun.

Ye Feng waved his hand again: "Let's change it, this name isn't impressive enough."

A moment later, someone else suggested, "How about... calling him 'Emperor Golden Tiger'?"

The Golden Tiger was originally an ancient name for the sun. In the early days of humankind, survival was difficult. Whenever the sun was blazing in the scorching heat, people felt as if a fierce tiger was devouring them, and they were filled with fear. Therefore, they called the sun "Golden Tiger".

Ye Feng chuckled lightly, neither confirming nor denying.

Subsequently, several other titles were proposed, but he shook his head and denied them all.

Venus's eyes flickered slightly, and he suddenly asked, "Since that's the case, do you have a preferred title in mind? Feel free to speak frankly."

Ye Feng smiled slightly: "Then I won't stand on ceremony—how about calling me 'Emperor Tai'?"

This name was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Ever since he became sworn brothers with the demon kings on Flower Fruit Mountain and was given the nickname "King Golden Crow," he had been thinking day and night about finding a more prestigious name to escape the embarrassment of being called "Golden Crow" directly.

And this "King of Thailand" is not a fabrication; it has a real origin.

The celestial officials recited it in a low voice, and felt an overwhelming sense of grandeur and majesty.

Some of the older, more senior officials were startled, vaguely feeling that the title seemed familiar.

Upon careful reflection, his expression suddenly changed, and his gaze toward Ye Feng subtly shifted.

—The Thai Emperor was one of the aliases of the former Emperor Taiyi!

In those days, Donghuang Taiyi roamed the primordial world with unparalleled prestige, even overshadowing the glory of his brother Dijun, like the blazing sun in the sky, with all living beings bowing down.

The "East" in "Eastern Emperor" does not refer to a direction, but symbolizes supreme authority; the demon race reveres the east, so "East" is placed first to show their unparalleled respect.

The name "Donghuang Taiyi" is derived from "the sun rises in the east and shines on the world," hence it is also known as "Taihuang."

Now this Golden Crow dares to compare itself to the Eastern Emperor?

Everyone stared at Ye Feng, secretly shocked: What great ambition!

Many people subconsciously looked towards the Jade Emperor's throne, wondering what the Great Heavenly Venerable would think upon hearing this title.

A long silence fell over the hall.

The atmosphere in the Lingxiao Palace was inexplicably heavy, but the monkey remained oblivious, unable to discern the deeper meaning hidden behind the title.