Chapter 243 My Friend, The Jade Emperor

　　Hua Ri? Ritian?

　　Why did His Majesty…

　　Ahem, be serious. The characters ‘Ri’ and ‘Tian’ form the character ‘Hao’ when put together. There are not many extended meanings in the Primordial World!

　　The problem is, why did the Jade Emperor go against the rules of the Sea God Temple?

　　Looking at the Jade Emperor’s incarnation, Li Changshou really went to a stall at the side and grabbed a long incense stick. Thoughts raced through Li Changshou’s mind and he immediately made a decision.

　　That matter was not difficult to resolve.

　　When the crowd gradually dispersed, the Jade Emperor’s incarnation held an incense stick with his left hand and a folding fan with his right. Under the watchful eyes of the two Divine Envoys, he floated into the room and looked very happy. At that moment, Li Changshou keenly noticed a keyword about the Jade Emperor-Ruly.

　　The Jade Emperor walked two steps away and saw Li Changshou’s paper effigy that was in the form of an old immortal. He could not help but laugh. He cupped his hands and bowed to Li Changshou. He said, “I have been ordered to visit you.”

　　That meant that the Jade Emperor did not want others to know about his incarnation.

　　Li Changshou, who was about to bow with cupped hands, stopped when he heard that. He bowed slightly and flung the horsetail whisk in his hand.

　　“General, it’s been hard on you. Please follow me.”

　　Li Changshou made an inviting gesture. The Jade Emperor’s incarnation nodded with a smile and followed Li Changshou. He walked around the main hall and towards the backyard.

　　When he passed by a corner outside the main hall, the Jade Emperor glanced at the main hall of the Sea God Temple. He saw the two statues that were of the same size, the golden dragon pillars on each side of the statue, as well as the colorful murals in the hall.

　　The content was rather rich.

　　The Jade Emperor’s incarnation asked casually, “Beloved… Changgeng, why does the statue have a white wall as its base? Why didn’t you leave some portraits or hang some curtains?”

　　Li Changshou smiled and sent a voice transmission. “Since I have received Your Majesty’s grace to be conferred the title of a legitimate god, I will naturally reserve the main position in the temple for the statue of Your Majesty, which will belong to the Heavenly Courts.”

　　The Jade Emperor’s incarnation raised his eyebrows and nodded slightly. He said, “Changgeng, you’re thoughtful.”

　　Li Changshou said, “It’s only right for me to do so. Your Majesty, please rest in the rear hall. You suddenly came here. My abilities are low. I really couldn’t detect your arrival and hence I did not make any preparations.”

　　“It was out of a moment of interest. I’ll just walk around casually. Don’t be nervous.”

　　The Jade Emperor smiled and replied. He held the incense in his hand and said, “This item…”

　　“Your Majesty, please don’t kill me.” Li Changshou smiled bitterly. “Other than the Heavenly Dao and the old master in the Purple Cloud Palace, who else can receive an incense offering of Your Majesty’s?

　　Your Majesty, well…

　　“When I set the rules for the Sea God Temple, I only allowed devotees to enter with incense, not to light up incense inside the temple.”

　　“Hahahaha!”

　　The Jade Emperor’s incarnation could not help but laugh. “I wanted to give you a test, but you answered it so easily. It’s boring, really boring.”

　　As he laughed, the Jade Emperor handed the incense to Li Changshou. Li Changshou hesitated for a moment before taking it.

　　“There are no outsiders today. There’s no need to be overly cautious.” The Jade Emperor’s incarnation patted Li Changshou’s arm. “Let’s go. Take me around your Sea God Temple.”

　　Li Changshou agreed. He could not help but wonder why the Jade Emperor had gone there. I’ll just be steady and take it that His Majesty, the Jade Emperor, is here to question me. I’ll be careful later.

　　But then again, he had asked Li Changshou to do some predictions regarding the matter of the dragon race entering the Heavenly Courts. So far, the results were not bad. If he still had to be punished, he might as well not go to the Heavenly Courts and take the path of being a kind and amiable immortal. Instead, he would just go to the Tushita Palace.

　　As an immortal, he had to be honest and conscionable!

　　Aunt-Master Jiu is a legend in the world of conscience! Uh, this is just an assumption. From the looks of it, the Jade Emperor is probably not here to question me.

　　Later on, the Jade Emperor should be the one encouraging me and telling me that he had been watching me…

　　Li Changshou brought the Jade Emperor’s incarnation along and walked around the backyard of the Sea God Temple. He took a few more glances at the endless visitors in the front hall before going to the rear hall to sit.

　　Upon entering the rear hall of the Sea God Temple, the guests with higher cultivation levels would immediately appreciate the painting of mountains and rivers. The Jade Emperor was no exception.

　　“Changgeng, this painting…” “It’s a gift from Fairy Yunxiao.” Li Changshou smiled and said, “I don’t know where to place this item so I decided to hang it here.”

　　“Ah, the true traces of my Senior Brother, the Grandmaster of Heaven, are really hard to find!”

　　The Jade Emperor’s incarnation’s eyes lit up. Li Changshou stood by the side with a smile and did not reply.

　　If it was a painting of a non-Saint, Li Changshou would not hesitate to offer it to the Jade Emperor no matter how valuable it was.

　　However, that was the masterpiece of a Saint. Fairy Yunxiao had given it to him, and the karma she had transferred to him was too great…

　　The Jade Emperor’s incarnation looked at Li Changshou’s paper effigy and the admiration in his eyes intensified.

　　“Changgeng, you have a lot of friends. Legend has it that the Three Xiao Immortals have great and powerful abilities, especially with Yunxiao’s Primordial Golden Chalice which can be called a ferocious weapon.”

　　“I don’t know much about this. I just have some interactions with the three seniors, the Three Xiao Immortals because of some small matters.”

　　Li Changshou smiled and changed the topic. “Your Majesty, please take a seat.”

　　After saying that, Li Changshou immediately moved the chair away from the main seat and replaced it with a jade chair.

　　The Jade Emperor did not say anything and sat down naturally.

　　“Changgeng, take a seat. I’m a guest to begin with. I’m already taking over the duty of a host.”

　　Li Changshou nodded with a smile. He did not hold back and sat by the side.

　　Although he would have to work under the Jade Emperor in the future and have a superior-subordinate relationship with him, there was no need for him to be humble. Even immortals had to have the temperament of immortals. Moreover, he was backed by two big shots of the Ren School. Strictly speaking, the Jade Emperor was also a legitimate God that was conferred by the Heavenly Dao. He was only in charge of leading the legitimate Gods of the Heavens.

　　The two of them sat down in front and behind. It was a little awkward.

　　Although Li Changshou could not figure out what the Jade Emperor was there for, he could not let the atmosphere continue to be awkward. Soon, he took the initiative to report the arrangements he had made regarding the dragon race and the troubles he faced.

　　The Jade Emperor’s incarnation listened carefully for an hour and discovered… that things were much more complicated than he had imagined. The Jade Emperor sighed. “I never thought that you would devise so many big and small plots. Originally, I… thought that it was just a random response to the situation.”

　　Li Changshou smiled and said, “Actually, this is just a response to the situation. However, let’s make preparations first. When the other party makes a move, we’ll see what we can do.”

　　“Changgeng’s words are reasonable.” The Jade Emperor said seriously, “It’s really not easy for you to put in all your effort. Even if you can’t succeed in this matter in the end, I will remember that you have contributed greatly.”

　　Li Changshou said, “If I fail, I will be guilty. How dare I claim credit? Don’t worry, Your Majesty. The Heavenly Courts and you control destiny and I’m just acting according to circumstances.”

　　“Good. Changgeng, I trust your planning!”

　　The Jade Emperor sighed from the bottom of his heart and continued, “Changgeng, the decree of your legitimate god position will be announced in three years’ time. I’ve already conferred you the position of the Sea God of the Four Seas, as well as the position of the Heavenly Courts’ Provincial Marshal. Your position will be after General Dongmu. What do you think?”

　　Li Changshou hurriedly stood up and bowed. “I haven’t performed any meritorious service. I don’t dare to receive such a generous reward!”

　　“It’s because you haven’t shown your credit yet. That’s why I can only give you a position as a legitimate god and an official.” The Jade Emperor smiled and said, “The Heavenly Dao Deity Position is divided into six ranks. This is only the fourth rank. When the matter of the dragon race’s entry to the Heavenly Courts succeeds, you can be like General Dongmu and enter the second rank. Only then can you convince the masses.”

　　Li Changshou heaved a sigh of relief.

　　The Provincial Marshal was not a major official. He was shocked.

　　The higher his position, the more things he had to plan in the future. Although he was not lazy, he was not a workaholic. He would not find work for himself.

　　Moreover, ‘Sacrificing One’s Life’ was also a taboo in the Dao!

　　“Your Majesty, can I ask you to tell me about the Deity Position of the Heavenly Courts?” Li Changshou’s expression was solemn. “I can also make some preparations in the future so that I won’t offend anyone.”

　　“Hahaha.” The Jade Emperor was amused. “Changgeng, you’re really cautious.” “Forget it. Since I have nothing to do today, I’ll talk to you about the Deity Position of the Heavenly Courts.”

　　At that moment, the Jade Emperor personally became the commentator. He explained the setting of the Deity Position that was mostly created by him.

　　The way the Jade Emperor divided the Deity Positions of the Heavenly Courts was slightly… simple.

　　The Deity Position was different from the official position. There were six ranks of Deity Positions and the Dao Ancestors, the Three Pure Ones were beyond the world and were not counted.

　　The ones in the first rank were the Jade Emperor, the Queen Mother, and the Grand Supreme Elder.

　　The ones in the second rank were the heads of the male immortals like General Dongmu. It was a classic example of the Four Imperials, who were powerful and authoritative. However, the positions of the Four Imperials were currently vacant.

　　Those in the third rank included the Perfected Lord, the ones with the Heavenly King titles and the positions of the various main gods.

　　The ones in the fourth rank included the Lunar Lords and the legitimate gods of the various sectors. They were in charge of supervising the Heavenly Cycle and maintaining the stability of the Heavenly Dao.

　　The Great Generals who were conferred by the Heavenly Courts and led more than 100,000 troops could be considered to be in the Deity Positions of this rank.

　　The fifth and sixth ranks were more complicated. The main ones were the “supportive gods” in the second and third ranks.

　　In addition, there were also immortal officials and Itinerant Immortals of the Heavenly Courts. They were not included in the ranking system. The eight sectors were mainly lightning, fire, battle, plague, pox, Tai Sui, and money.

　　S were

　　The Lunar Lords mostly referred to the twenty-eight Lunar Mansions.

　　Deity Position and strength were not directly related. It only represented one’s position in the Heavenly Courts’ Deity Position system. It determined the treatment they received and the number of merits awarded by the Heavenly Dao…

　　Li Changshou secretly calculated in his heart. He realized that the Rank-6 Deity Position that the Jade Emperor had assigned could actually be divided into nine to twelve levels.

　　However, when the Jade Emperor told him about the system, there was a faint sense of pride in his words…

　　Yes, this is the most perfect Deity Position system!

　　No problem!

　　Li Changshou did not expect that he would reach the fourth-rank Deity Position in the sky.

　　The main reason was that most of the positions of the legitimate gods in the Heavenly Courts were empty now. The Jade Emperor had casually given him a high position.

　　As Li Changshou discussed that matter with the Jade Emperor, he was deep in thought. Suddenly, he had a flash of inspiration and discovered something crucial.

　　Could it be that the number of Deity Positions that the Jade Emperor had created corresponded to the gaps in the God roll?

　　If he were to affect the Jade Emperor’s thoughts, wouldn’t he be able to influence the Great God-Conferment Tribulation by adding, shrinking, and adjusting the various Deity Positions?

　　Li Changshou had just come up with a crazy idea, but he suppressed it to the bottom of his heart.

　　He dug a hole and buried it properly. He did not forget to stomp his feet…

　　What are you plotting for!?! The Great God-Conferment Tribulation was a tribulation. How could an ordinary disciple of the Immortal Du Sect who was in the Essence Immortal realm participate in it?

　　After chatting with the Jade Emperor about the Deity Position, Li Changshou realized… that the Jade Emperor was getting more and more excited.

　　At that moment, the lights outside were beginning to light up.

　　The Jade Emperor smiled and said, “Changgeng, why don’t we go outside and take a look? I haven’t come to this mortal world much.”

　　“Since Your Majesty is interested, I will naturally accompany you. Do you want me to make arrangements first?”

　　“No need. What’s there to arrange?”

　　The Jade Emperor waved his hand. “The authenticity is still the most enjoyable.” Li Changshou smiled and followed the Jade Emperor. He left the rear hall and headed towards the back door of the Sea God Temple.

　　What is the Jade Emperor doing here?

　　There must be some deeper meaning behind it. However, after testing it a few times, he could not understand why.

　　Anyway, he could not possibly idle around and go to chat with him.

　　Just as he was about to leave, the Jade Emperor’s incarnation frowned slightly and looked at a corner in the backyard. A black shadow quickly hid in the darkness and silently disappeared.

　　“Changgeng, it doesn’t seem to be safe here.”

　　“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” Li Changshou said. “Someone is staring at the Sea God Temple. It has been more than a day since this happened. I’m already used to it.” “Oh?”

　　The frown on the Jade Emperor incarnation’s forehead deepened. He asked, “Do you need help?” “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I’m fine here.” Li Changshou smiled and said, “My incarnations are here. They’ve only been investigating.” “If you didn’t tell me, I would have forgotten about it.” The Jade Emperor’s incarnation chuckled. “Let’s go. Once we walk out of this door tonight, we won’t have to send any voice transmissions. I’ll call you Brother Changgeng and you call me Brother Ritian. Today, I’ll take a good look at the mortal world.”

　　Li Changshou was rendered speechless.

　　“Your Majesty, can you change your name? It’s really hard to say that.”

　　However, it was because his thoughts were too complicated…

　　Li Changshou did as he was told. He kept calling him ‘Brother Ritian’, which made the Jade Emperor feel even better.

　　He did not know if it was really a coincidence or if it was just deliberate.

　　Li Changshou was accompanying the Jade Emperor on a stroll in the streets and taking a look at the scenery of the mortal world. He was walking around the night market.

　　The Jade Emperor seemed to be very interested in everything. He was especially interested in little things like sugarcoated candy, candied haw, and masks. However, he did not try them.

　　Naturally, Li Changshou only stayed by the side to play, shop, and chat with. He waited quietly for the Jade Emperor to reveal his true intentions.

　　At that moment, a familiar mosquito’s voice entered Li Changshou’s ears.

　　The Jade Emperor incarnation’s gaze swept across the sky and shook his sleeve casually. A faint golden immortal light disappeared from his palm. In the next moment, it appeared in the sky and pierced through a Blood Mosquito.

　　“Changgeng, it’s really unsafe here. I’m very worried.”

　　Li Changshou thought, Give me a ticket to the Tushita Palace and I will definitely move there immediately!

　　Ahem. That is a joke.