"Jade Spirit Official, Nezha, do either of you have any objections to Minister Jiang's judgment?" After the Jade Emperor announced his decision, he looked sternly at the two kneeling before him—Jade Spirit Official and Nezha—and asked in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty, I have no objections! I thank Senior Jiang Yuan for his leniency!" The Jade Spirit Official, hearing his sentence reduced from beheading to house arrest, was overjoyed and dared not show any dissatisfaction. He quickly kowtowed several times to the Jade Emperor, then turned and kowtowed to Jiang Yuan, his face streaming with grateful tears.
"Nezha, you seem unwilling?" The Jade Emperor waved his hand, allowing the Jade Spirit Official to rise, then looked at Nezha, whose face still bore a defiant expression. Frowning into a shape like a sideways "river," he asked.
"Your Majesty, my son is unruly and truly needs house arrest for proper discipline. Li Jing thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness and thanks Senior Jiang Yuan for his mercy!" Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, fearing Nezha might anger the Jade Emperor again, quickly stepped forward, knelt before the Jade Emperor, and expressed endless gratitude.
"You ungrateful brat, why don't you thank His Majesty for his clemency!" After bowing to the Jade Emperor, Li Jing stood up and shouted at Nezha.
"Nezha thanks Your Majesty for your grace!" Seeing his father's anger, Nezha finally dropped his defiant expression, kowtowed obediently to the Jade Emperor, and spoke.
"Dear ministers, it's been thousands of years since our celestial realm has seen someone so versed in law. What do you think?" After dealing with the Jade Spirit Official and Nezha, the Jade Emperor glanced approvingly at Jiang Yuan, then looked at the assembled immortals.
"Your Majesty, Senior Jiang Yuan is proficient in legal principles and discerns right from wrong. He is truly a legal genius in our celestial realm and should be given an important post!" To repay Jiang Yuan for showing mercy to Nezha, Li Jing was the first to step forward and praise Jiang Yuan lavishly.
"What the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King says is absolutely right. Young friend Jiang Yuan's decisive judgment is admirable! I, too, believe he should be entrusted with a significant role to uphold the laws of our celestial realm!" After Li Jing spoke, Taibai Jinxing, long known as the eternal peacemaker of the celestial realm, also stepped up beside Li Jing and chimed in.
All the immortals present could see the Jade Emperor's growing appreciation for Jiang Yuan's talent. None dared to voice any opposition, fearing they might incur the Jade Emperor's displeasure, so they all nodded in agreement.
"Dear ministers, you are all correct. Minister Jiang is a legal genius rarely seen in our celestial realm in a thousand years. To let him inherit the position of Lord of the North Star and guard the Northern Gate would be a waste of his talent!" Seeing the reactions of the surrounding immortals, the Jade Emperor nodded with satisfaction, cleared his throat twice, and looked at Jiang Yuan. "Minister Jiang Yuan, step forward to receive your decree!"
Hearing this, Jiang Yuan walked a few steps forward and stood before the Jade Emperor.
"The scattered immortal Jiang Yuan, versed in legal principles and knowledgeable in the law, I hereby appoint you as the Fourth-Rank Criminal Investigator of the celestial realm, in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department, overseeing all criminal matters of the celestial states, prefectures, and armies, and perfecting the celestial realm's laws. I bestow upon you a Fourth-Rank official seal and the magical artifact 'Demon-Subduing Ruler'! As for the position of Lord of the North Star, I will reconsider the candidate. Minister Jiang, accept the decree!" The Jade Emperor looked at him and said with a smile.
"Ding! Congratulations on obtaining the celestial-grade equipment 'Criminal Investigator's Official Seal'!" "Ding! Congratulations on obtaining the celestial-grade magical artifact 'Demon-Subduing Ruler'!" "Ding! Congratulations on obtaining the title 'Celestial Criminal Investigator'!"
Just as the Jade Emperor issued the decree, three system notification sounds rang in Jiang Yuan's ears!
"Jiang Yuan accepts the decree! Thank you, Your Majesty!" Jiang Yuan never expected that the position of Criminal Investigator personally appointed by the Jade Emperor would also bring him two celestial-grade items. Overjoyed, he bowed deeply to the Jade Emperor and said loudly.
"Minister Jiang, I hope you will diligently cultivate and soon reach the realm of a Celestial Immortal! This Demon-Subduing Ruler has had its seal removed by me and can be worn immediately. All immortals, great or small, in the celestial realm shall see this ruler as if they see me in person! It will awe the immortals into obeying the law!" The Jade Emperor's next words shocked Jiang Yuan even more—he had given him a low-key version of an "Imperial Sword of Authority"!
"Your Majesty, rest assured. Jiang Yuan will devote himself wholeheartedly and tirelessly work to create a good legal environment for the celestial realm!" Jiang Yuan quickly bowed again to thank the Jade Emperor, happily pocketing the two treasures.
"Alright, after handling so many matters today, I am a bit tired. Taibai Jinxing, on my behalf, settle Minister Jiang and the other future pillars of the celestial realm. I will return first." After executing two minor officials at the Ascension Platform, dealing with the Jade Spirit Official and Nezha, and personally appointing Jiang Yuan as Criminal Investigator, the Jade Emperor felt weary. He instructed Taibai Jinxing, then left his seat, stepping onto auspicious clouds and heading toward his palace, the Qiongsheng Hall.
"Congratulations, Investigator Jiang!" After the Jade Emperor left, Li Jing, Taibai Jinxing, Juling Shen, and other immortals came up to Jiang Yuan to offer their congratulations. Jiang Yuan quickly bowed and thanked each of them in turn.
"Investigator Jiang, what are your plans next?" Taibai Jinxing, tasked by the Jade Emperor to host Jiang Yuan and the others, smiled and asked after the other immortals had departed.
"May I ask, Senior Taibai Jinxing, where is the Changsheng Hall Immortal Sect? We have just ascended to the celestial realm and plan to join it." Jiang Yuan immediately remembered that they hadn't yet joined an immortal sect, so he asked Taibai Jinxing about the location of Changsheng Hall.
"Since I am entrusted by His Majesty, I will escort you all there!" Taibai Jinxing smiled at Jiang Yuan. With a flick of his whisk, streams of immortal power wrapped around Jiang Yuan and the others' feet, forming pure white auspicious clouds that gently lifted them into the air.
"Oh my! So this is what it feels like to ride the clouds! So thrilling!" High above the celestial realm, the hamster Pudding, flying on a cloud while holding Jiang Yuan's hand, watched the clouds rapidly receding behind them and shouted excitedly.
"Brother Jiang Yuan, following you shows me what a true high-end player looks like!" Standing beside Jiang Yuan, Wending Cangsheng was utterly awestruck by Jiang Yuan's series of slick moves.
"This is all routine. Stay calm, stay calm!" Jiang Yuan waved his hand with a smug grin, his expression saying, "Just basic moves, don't freak out."
"Looks like I should call you Jiang the Smooth Talker from now on. Damn, you can really spin a tale! If I had your gift of gab, I'd con my way into some official post too!" Ding Ye looked at Jiang Yuan with envy, amazed that a bunch of wild rambling could land him a Fourth-Rank position and a magical artifact comparable to an "Imperial Sword of Authority."
"Brothers, rest assured—follow me, and I'll take you flying! See, aren't we flying right now? Haha!" "Hahaha!"
As Jiang Yuan finished, Pudding, Wending Cangsheng, and the others burst into hearty laughter. Amid their playful banter, the Changsheng Hall Immortal Sect came into view!