Inside the Eternal Life Immortal Sect, Cangshu Buding and Ding Ye, who had received the news from Wending Cangsheng, gathered in Jiang Yuan's room.
"That Aoshi Dragon Emperor is truly despicable, snatching your spirit pet right in front of you. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to stand it either! Damn it!"
Having heard the full story, Ding Ye immediately began to defend his close friend, cursing the Aoshi Dragon Emperor for his dishonorable actions.
"Jiang Yuan, do you have any way to summon Beiluo Shimen back?"
Cangshu Buding sat down beside Jiang Yuan and asked softly.
"There's no way."
Facing his girlfriend's question, Jiang Yuan lowered his head, shook it, then buried his hands in his hair, speaking with a pained expression.
"Do you need me to use my connections in the real world to talk to the Aoshi Dragon Emperor?"
Since meeting Jiang Yuan, Cangshu Buding had never seen him in such low spirits, so she couldn't help but offer comfort.
"Not for now. I'll first see if there are any other methods."
Jiang Yuan shook his head at Cangshu Buding. He didn't want to drag the grudges from the game into reality; that would only make him seem even more useless!
"Yuanzi, you're at least an official in the celestial realm. If someone bullies you, go complain to your superiors!"
Ding Ye's words struck a chord, and Jiang Yuan suddenly felt inspired. He stood up abruptly, realization dawning on him. "Right, why did I forget about my position as the Criminal Investigator!"
"Wait for me here. I'm going to see the Jade Emperor!"
Jiang Yuan quickly said to the group, pushed open the door, stepped outside, summoned his flying sword, and headed straight for the Lingxiao Palace.
"Your Majesty, your subject Jiang Yuan requests an audience!"
Standing outside the Lingxiao Palace, Jiang Yuan shouted loudly inside.
"Oh? What brings Minister Jiang here?"
The Jade Emperor had Jiang Yuan brought in and looked at him with a smile.
"Your Majesty, your subject requests to resign from the position of Criminal Investigator. Please select another capable person!"
Jiang Yuan didn't immediately accuse the Aoshi Dragon Emperor of seizing Beiluo Shimen. Instead, he directly asked to resign!
"Why would Minister Jiang say that?"
The Jade Emperor was baffled by Jiang Yuan's sudden move and looked at him in confusion.
"Your subject still feels that the position of Beichen Star Lord suits me better. I beg Your Majesty to allow me to resign as Criminal Investigator and reappoint me as Beichen Star Lord."
Jiang Yuan cupped his hands toward the Jade Emperor and spoke firmly.
"That's strange. The Beichen Star Lord is only a fifth-rank position, while the Criminal Investigator I appointed you as is a proper fourth-rank. Why would Minister Jiang give up a fourth-rank post for a fifth-rank one?"
Jiang Yuan's move left the Jade Emperor even more puzzled. He had never heard of anyone seeking a lower-ranking official position!
"Please grant my request, Your Majesty!"
Jiang Yuan didn't explain, bowed again with his head lowered, and remained silent after speaking.
"Minister Jiang is well-versed in legal principles, truly the perfect candidate for Criminal Investigator. If I were to dismiss you and appoint you as Beichen Star Lord, wouldn't people say I don't know how to use talent?"
The Jade Emperor shook his head, clearly rejecting Jiang Yuan's request.
"If Your Majesty doesn't agree today, I won't leave!"
Jiang Yuan, still bowing with his head down, directly acted stubbornly in front of the Jade Emperor.
"Someone, bring me the official roster to look at."
Seeing Jiang Yuan's persistence, the Jade Emperor had no choice but to order the official roster brought to him and began flipping through it.
"Someone, summon the Minister of Personnel to see me."
Finding the name of the Beichen Star Lord in the roster, the Jade Emperor frowned and immediately ordered the Minister of Personnel, who oversaw appointments, to be called to the Lingxiao Palace.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty!"
Minister of Personnel Zhao Yan arrived at the Lingxiao Palace and immediately knelt to the Jade Emperor.
"Minister Zhao, I recall the position of Beichen Star Lord has always been vacant. Why has it been filled now?"
The Jade Emperor asked the Minister of Personnel.
"Your Majesty, this was personally appointed by the Gouchen Emperor. The decree was delivered to me just yesterday."
Minister of Personnel Zhao Yan answered truthfully.
"Minister Jiang, it seems things won't go as you wish. The new Beichen Star Lord was personally appointed by the Gouchen Emperor, and I can't easily override his decision."
After hearing the Minister of Personnel's words, the Jade Emperor looked at Jiang Yuan and smiled.
"Your Majesty, I have a question I hope you can clarify."
Jiang Yuan raised his head, straightened up, and looked at the Jade Emperor with blazing eyes.
"Speak."
The Jade Emperor nodded and spoke calmly.
"I dare to ask, does the celestial realm answer to Your Majesty or to the Gouchen Emperor?"
As soon as Jiang Yuan said this, everyone in the hall was shocked!
"How dare you! Do you realize this is great disrespect to His Majesty?"
The Imperial Seal Officer immediately shouted at Jiang Yuan, his face full of anger.
"If the celestial realm answers to Your Majesty, then why can the Gouchen Emperor bypass Your Majesty to make appointments? Or are all the officials at the Southern Heavenly Gate subordinates of the Gouchen Emperor rather than Your Majesty?"
With Jiang Yuan's words, everyone in the Lingxiao Palace turned their gaze to the Jade Emperor.
Jiang Yuan's words struck a chord with the Jade Emperor. If he admitted in front of Jiang Yuan that the Gouchen Emperor had the power of appointment, then what was he, the Jade Emperor, worth?
"Your Majesty, have you not heard that affairs lie in the four directions, but the key is at the center. The sage holds the key, and the four directions come to serve. Once the left and right are established, open the door and face outward. Do not change or alter, and walk with both. Walk without ceasing—this is called treading the path of principle."
Seeing the Jade Emperor silent, Jiang Yuan began another round of persuasion, essentially telling the Jade Emperor that the celestial realm must be ruled by him alone!
"Minister Zhao, issue my decree: revoke the appointment of the new Beichen Star Lord, pending my selection of a new candidate. Furthermore, from now on, all appointments of officials in the celestial realm, big or small, must have my approval!"
The Jade Emperor looked at the Minister of Personnel and spoke. Jiang Yuan's words had enlightened him—only he had the final say in the celestial realm, no one else!
"Your subject obeys the decree!"
The Minister of Personnel immediately nodded. Since the Jade Emperor wasn't even sparing the Gouchen Emperor's face, he, as a mere executor, dared not object.
"Minister Jiang, stay. Everyone else, withdraw!"
The Jade Emperor waved his hand, dismissing the crowd of immortals in the Lingxiao Palace, leaving only Jiang Yuan.
"Minister Jiang, do you realize that your words just now have made me offend the Gouchen Emperor?"
Inside the Lingxiao Palace, the Jade Emperor looked at Jiang Yuan with displeasure.
"Your Majesty, the Gouchen Emperor appointed a key official in the celestial realm without Your Majesty's permission, which constitutes the crime of deceiving the sovereign. Since Your Majesty has tasked me with overseeing the law, it is my duty to speak frankly."
Jiang Yuan showed no fear, speaking with a serious expression.
"Very well. The celestial realm needs you to rectify the rule of law and educate on legal principles. In my view, you should continue as the Criminal Investigator. As for the Beichen Star Lord, I will carefully consider it."
"Your subject obeys the decree!"
As long as the Jade Emperor agreed to reappoint the Beichen Star Lord, Jiang Yuan's goal was achieved. As long as it wasn't the Aoshi Dragon Emperor, the Jade Emperor could appoint whoever he wanted as Beichen Star Lord!
After chatting with the Jade Emperor for a while, Jiang Yuan subtly instilled the idea of "centralized authority" in him, which hit the mark perfectly, making the Jade Emperor even more convinced of Jiang Yuan's worth!