"If only the flying sword could be as fast as the auspicious clouds under those NPCs' feet!"
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Yuan followed the Seal-Bearing Immortal Official to the Lingxiao Palace. Jumping off the auspicious cloud, he glanced at it with a hint of envy, silently thinking to himself.
At this moment, the resplendent Lingxiao Palace was filled with celestial beings of all ranks. Jiang Yuan swept his gaze around and spotted several "familiar faces" among them: Taibai Jinxing, the Third Altar Sea-Conquering Great Deity Nezha, Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing, and Jade Spirit Official.
"Your Majesty, Jiang Yuan, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, has arrived."
The Seal-Bearing Immortal Official bowed to the Jade Emperor, who sat high on the throne, and then shuffled back to stand behind him.
"Jiang Yuan pays respects to Your Majesty."
Jiang Yuan bowed to the Jade Emperor, still adhering to his principle of not kneeling.
"Minister Jiang has arrived. Take your place!"
Although some immortals below the throne, whom Jiang Yuan didn't recognize, were irritated by his refusal to kneel before the Jade Emperor, the Jade Emperor didn't take offense. Instead, he nodded at Jiang Yuan with a faint smile.
"Director Jiang."
Jade Spirit Official waved at Jiang Yuan, moved aside to make room, and called out softly.
Jiang Yuan shot him a grateful look, nodded slightly, and immediately stood beside Jade Spirit Official.
Just as Jiang Yuan steadied himself, four familiar figures appeared outside the Lingxiao Palace.
"Your subjects kowtow to Your Majesty!"
The four arrived before the Jade Emperor, knelt, and respectfully bowed several times. They were the Siming Star Lord and his three companions from the Southern Dipper Six Star Lords, whom Jiang Yuan hadn't seen in a long time.
"Siming Star Lord, how goes the investigation I sent you to conduct in the mortal realm?"
The Jade Emperor, with a dignified expression, looked at Siming Star Lord and asked in a clear voice.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, since receiving your command, we four have dared not slacken in the slightest. After months of investigation, we have finally discovered the true purpose behind the demon race's invasion of the mortal realm!"
Siming Star Lord appeared in poor condition, his face deathly pale, as if severely injured internally. As he spoke, his voice was weak and hollow, and he ended with a heavy cough.
"Oh? What did you find? Speak quickly!"
The Jade Emperor was deeply concerned about the demon race's sudden invasion of the mortal realm, as it had always been a reserve pool of talent for the celestial realm.
"Your Majesty, our eldest brother is gravely wounded and unfit to speak much. Allow me to report on his behalf."
After the Jade Emperor spoke, Silu Star Lord, the second-ranked among the Southern Dipper Star Lords, stepped forward and bowed to the Jade Emperor.
"Very well, Silu Star Lord, you shall inform me."
The Jade Emperor nodded, signaling Silu Star Lord to report the findings promptly.
"Your Majesty, we four brothers traversed tens of thousands of miles across the mortal realm, fought dozens of battles with the demon race, sealed three demon realm rifts, and finally discovered a massive demon army digging deep in a place called Shura Valley, seemingly searching for something."
Silu Star Lord paused here, and the immortals in the Lingxiao Palace, who had been listening intently, all turned their eyes to him.
"Come on, Silu Star Lord, don't keep us in suspense! Spit it out!"
The bare-chested Giant Spirit God, towering and with a voice like a bell, carried a large battle-axe on his shoulder and urged Silu Star Lord.
"Your Majesty, it was in that Shura Valley that we four were attacked by tens of thousands of demon troops. We fought desperately and ultimately seized an extremely evil object from them! This object could threaten the safety of the entire Three Realms!"
Silu Star Lord finished quickly, then retrieved a jade box covered in talismanic seals from his storage artifact, holding it up with both hands above his head.
Boom!
The moment Silu Star Lord produced the jade box, an incredibly evil black demonic aura shot up from within it!
"Heavens! What, what is this? Why does it carry such an evil aura?"
The assembled immortals were all shocked by the malevolent energy emanating from the jade box, crying out in alarm.
Whoosh!
The Jade Emperor's celestial energy surged as he pointed a finger, sending a white light straight into the jade box, barely suppressing the soaring demonic aura!
"Silu Star Lord, what is this? Why is its malevolence so intense?"
The Jade Emperor was greatly alarmed, his expression growing grave, and his voice dropped low.
What Silu Star Lord said next left every immortal present, except Jiang Yuan, utterly stunned!
"Your Majesty, this is one of Demon Ancestor Rahu's feet!"
Gasps!
At these words, the entire Lingxiao Palace erupted in shock!
The Jade Emperor was so startled he nearly fell from his throne!
"What, what did you say!"
Regaining his composure, the Jade Emperor pointed at Silu Star Lord in terror.
"Your Majesty, our second brother speaks the truth. The jade box contains one of Demon Ancestor Rahu's feet! The Western and Eastern Demon Lords mobilized tens of thousands of demons to invade the mortal realm, all to find the shattered body of Demon Ancestor Rahu from hundreds of thousands of years ago!"
Due Star Lord stepped forward, bowed to the Jade Emperor, and said solemnly.
The Lingxiao Palace fell silent for a full minute. All the immortals looked at the Jade Emperor, not daring to breathe.
"Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing, step forward and receive your orders!"
The Jade Emperor closed his eyes in contemplation for a moment, then reopened them, took a deep breath, and looked down at Li Jing.
"Your subject is here!"
Hearing the Jade Emperor suddenly call on him, Li Jing, holding his pagoda in one hand, immediately stepped forward to stand beside Siming Star Lord and the others, kneeling before the Jade Emperor.
"I order you to go immediately to the Western Paradise to invite the Tathagata Buddha. Do not delay!"
The Jade Emperor looked at Li Jing and directly issued an oral decree.
"Your subject obeys the decree!"
Li Jing bowed deeply to the Jade Emperor, then quickly rose, stepped onto an auspicious cloud, and left the Lingxiao Palace.
"Silu Star Lord, present the jade box. You four may withdraw. Additionally, instruct the Heavenly Medical Office's Chief Medicine Official to treat Siming Star Lord's injuries as quickly as possible!"
The Jade Emperor, true to his role as the Lord of the Celestial Realm, quickly regained his composure after the initial shock and began issuing decrees one after another.
"Thank you for Your Majesty's grace!"
Siming Star Lord, pale-faced, prostrated himself and kowtowed three times to the Jade Emperor, then rose and, supported by Silu Star Lord and Shang Sheng Star Lord, left the Lingxiao Palace with his brothers.
Jiang Yuan, who had been listening from the crowd, didn't know who Demon Ancestor Rahu was, but from the expressions of the immortals and the Jade Emperor, he could infer that this person was a formidable figure in the demon realm!
After Siming Star Lord and his group left, the entire Lingxiao Palace fell into dead silence. The immortals kept their eyes downcast, noses aligned with mouths, mouths aligned with hearts, none daring to speak, fearing they might say something to displease the Jade Emperor.
Jiang Yuan mingled in the crowd, waiting for nearly an hour, until he finally saw several brilliant golden lights appear outside the Lingxiao Palace.
Accompanied by the sound of Buddhist chants, a massive lotus platform descended, wrapped in ten thousand feet of golden light. In front of the platform was Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing, who had been sent to invite the Tathagata Buddha from the Western Paradise.
"Amitabha!"
A resounding Buddhist chant echoed through the Lingxiao Palace. As the golden light faded, the Lord of the Western Paradise, the Tathagata Buddha, descended onto the hall with a host of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from the Western Paradise!