Chapter 390: Luming and Yuan Hong Ascend to Heaven; The Monkey Guarding the Gate

With the Jieyin Talisman given by Fang Longye to Luming and Yuan Hong, the location where the two were received into the Heavenly Realm was not that far from the South Tianmen.

Very quickly, they arrived before the South Tianmen.

They saw before them a magnificent portal, towering into the clouds, with archways on both sides.

It was hung with gold and colorful decorations, shining brilliantly.

Vast light poured down from mid-air like an inverted pot, spreading around the perimeter, presenting an arc-shaped outline that rose and fell.

Every time it collided, there was the sound of thunder.

Standing before it,

an incomparable might rushed toward them.

"So this is the South Tianmen!"

Seeing this South Tianmen, which was famous in the Earth Immortal Realm, the two could not help but feel their hearts surging.

Just as these thoughts were rising,

they heard a loud sound of bells and drums, and a Heavenly God emerged from the archway, looking about three zhang tall.

He had a red-gold true body, two heads and four faces, and held knives, spears, swords, and halberds in his arms, looking majestic and full of baleful energy.

"Stop, you who approach."

Luming and Yuan Hong raised their eyes to look at this Heavenly God who had walked out from the archway and shouted.

This Heavenly God looked strange and majestic, but his cultivation was actually not high; he was not even a Golden Immortal, just at the Zhenxian Realm, on the verge of a breakthrough.

However, the divine weapon and Spirit Treasure in the opponent's hand were quite unusual; although they did not look high-level, they seemed to be faintly connected to the South Tianmen, possessing a kind of vast, great power.

To a Golden Immortal, it was quite intimidating.

Of course, regardless of the true nature of the divine weapon and Spirit Treasure in the opponent's hand, neither Luming nor Yuan Hong had any intention of conflicting with him.

Luming said neither humbly nor arrogantly: "We two are subordinates of the Water Origin Holy Lord, ordered to go to the Heavenly Court to take up our posts. This is the Jieyin Talisman, which can prove our identities."

Having said this, he spread his palm to reveal the Jieyin Talisman, on which patterns were intertwined, emitting a faint light.

"A talisman,"

The person who could guard the South Tianmen was definitely not a brute, nor a fool. After seeing the talisman, this Heavenly God recognized the patterns on it at a glance. A look of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he nodded and said:

"It is indeed the talisman letter of the Shuiyuan Shengjun Mansion. Two fellow Daoists, please forgive me; I was abrupt just now."

Hearing this, Luming and Yuan Hong breathed a sigh of relief. There was no unexpected conflict, which was good.

"Then we two can go in now, right!"

"Uh, no."

This Heavenly God looked at the two, whose expressions had turned ugly, and softened his tone, saying: "Two, it is really not that I am intentionally making things difficult for you; it is just that you came at an unfortunate time, just in time for when the Randeng Buddha is about to be a guest at the Heavenly Court."

"The South Tianmen is not open today, reserved specifically for that Ancient Buddha. Look around here; in the past, it would be very lively! How could it be so deserted?"

The Heavenly God pointed to the surroundings of the South Tianmen and said helplessly.

"Why don't you two wait until after welcoming that Ancient Buddha? Or if you two are in a hurry, you can go to the other three Heaven Gates."

This Heavenly God suggested in a low voice.

In the Heavenly Court, there are four Heaven Gates: East, South, West, and North. Among them, the South Tianmen is the main gate of the Heavenly Court, and under normal circumstances, all immortals and gods enter and exit through here.

The other three gates are considered side doors, which naturally do not appear as upright as the South Tianmen, and rarely do people enter or exit through them.

"Old brother, this Randeng Buddha hasn't arrived yet, so just accommodate us and let us go in first!" Yuan Hong started calling him brother.

"No,"

This Heavenly God shook his head like a rattle-drum, refused Yuan Hong's proposal in a deep voice, and said:

"If it were anything else, I might turn a blind eye! But it has been decided above that today the South Tianmen is only open for the Randeng Buddha. Who would dare to disobey?"

Luming frowned and said:

"Could it be that even with the face of our Water Origin Holy Lord, we cannot walk through this South Tianmen?"

It was not that he insisted on competing with others; the key was, as mentioned before, that he and Yuan Hong represented the face of their Great King to a certain extent.

And since they were new to the Heavenly Court, how could there be any reason not to enter through the main gate but instead enter through a side door?

Wouldn't that make others look down on them? If it were really the Randeng Buddha coming, that would be one thing, but who knows if this Heavenly God in front of them was specifically sent by someone interested to give them a hard time? It was really hard to say—after all,

the waters of the Heavenly Court are much deeper than elsewhere.

Their Great King was clearly a powerful dragon crossing the river, and it was hard not to be targeted. Hearing Luming's words, the Heavenly God could not help but look at him deeply, then shook his head and said: "If the Water Origin Holy Lord came in person, I would naturally not dare to comment. But you two—hehe!"

"You! You go too far!"

Yuan Hong, who was on the side, was instantly burning with anger upon hearing this. No longer caring about anything else, he flicked his hand and took out the Mixed Iron Rod, wanting to have it out with the Heavenly God in front of him.

"Who is making noise in front of the South Tianmen!"

Amidst the noise and pushing, another Heavenly God emerged from the archway and shouted.

He was two zhang and four feet tall, with a red-gold true body, a face like a live crab, a beard like copper wire, and held knives, spears, swords, and halberds in his arms, with a green-edged precious sword being particularly eye-catching.

"Zengzhang Heavenly King?"

The images of the Four Heavenly Kings were also circulated in the Earth Immortal Realm, and Luming and Yuan Hong naturally recognized him.

They immediately ceased their efforts,

and no longer argued with the Heavenly God in front of them.

"Heavenly King!"

Seeing the Zengzhang Heavenly King come out, the Heavenly God hurried to his side and bowed down.

"Enough, what is going on?"

"Heavenly King, these two claim to be subordinates of the Water Origin Holy Lord, ordered to go to the Heavenly Court to take up their posts. I told them that because the Randeng Buddha is about to be a guest at the Heavenly Court, the South Tianmen is closed, and asked them to enter through the other three gates, but they refused and insisted on entering through the South Tianmen, so they started making a scene."

"Subordinates of the Water Origin Holy Lord?"

After a bit of pretentious listening, the Zengzhang Heavenly King looked toward Luming and Yuan Hong and smiled:

"I wondered who it was. So it is someone under the Water Origin Holy Lord. My apologies, my subordinate was abrupt~"

"You are too kind, Heavenly King!"

Seeing the Zengzhang Heavenly King so amiable, Luming and Yuan Hong could not help but feel terrified and uneasy.

This was the head of the Four Heavenly Kings, a figure famous even in the Earth Immortal Realm! To think that a Heavenly King of one side would be so easy to talk to for two small shrimps like them.

"No need to be nervous!"

The Zengzhang Heavenly King waved his hand to signal the previous Heavenly God to withdraw, then smiled kindly: "Your Dragon Lord and I can be considered familiar friends. Speaking of which, it is fate; the first time he came to the Heavenly Court, I happened to be on duty!"

"However~"

He paused, then continued: "The Dharma-Protecting God did not deceive you just now. Today, the Randeng Buddha is visiting, so the South Tianmen is not open for passage."

"Then, Heavenly King—"

The Zengzhang Heavenly King waved his hand, interrupting Luming, and said with a smile: "Rest assured, the South Tianmen currently allows exit but not entry. You may simply go to the East Tianmen."

"Wait a moment~"

Having said this, the Zengzhang Heavenly King returned to the archway.

Before long, wonderful music was heard from within the South Tianmen, crisp and pleasant to the ear, followed by layers of lotus fragrance wafting out, and in the center, a carriage slowly drove out.

The charioteer on the carriage was a female immortal in colorful clothes, with a face like jade, eyebrows like willows, and eyes like lotuses; the skirt she wore swayed lightly like lotus leaves, embroidered with patterns.

This female immortal's eyes possessed an unusual color, burning with brilliance, and were very eye-catching.

Once she emerged,

she nodded slightly toward Luming and Yuan Hong.

"Steward Jing~"

Seeing the female immortal emerge, the Zengzhang Heavenly King greeted her.

"Greetings, Heavenly King~" The female immortal in colorful clothes who drove the carriage was none other than Jing Lixia, the steward in Fang Longye's mansion, who had been ordered to come and receive Luming and Yuan Hong.

Seeing the Zengzhang Heavenly King act this way, she did not dare to be arrogant, hurriedly getting off the carriage to bow gracefully and perform a formal greeting.

After all, it was only by relying on her own Mansion Master that she could make the Zengzhang Heavenly King treat her with such courtesy.

If it were in the past,

had she not been chosen as the steward of the Shuiyuan Shengjun Mansion, she would not even have had the qualifications to stand before the Zengzhang Heavenly King, let alone receive such respect today.

After the greeting,

she raised her head, looked at Luming and Yuan Hong again, and said in a voice that was ethereal, wondrous, and very pleasant to hear: "These two are indeed under my Holy Lord's command."

"That is good."

The Zengzhang Heavenly King nodded, laughed a few times, and said: "As we agreed before~ Today, the Randeng Buddha is visiting the Heavenly Court, and the South Tianmen allows exit but not entry. I must trouble Steward Jing to take a longer route outside and bring them into the Heavenly Court via the East Tianmen."

"Many thanks for your care, Heavenly King~"

After Jing Lixia said this, she got back onto the carriage, came before Luming and Yuan Hong, and said: "Get on, we are going to see the Mansion Master."

"This~" The two hesitated for a moment.

"Hurry up and get on! Why so reserved?"

Jing Lixia produced Fang Longye's seal, which had his Aura lingering upon it, to prove her identity.

"Then we shall trouble you, Fairy!"

Seeing the female immortal in colorful clothes urging them, Luming and Yuan Hong hurriedly bowed and thanked her, then cautiously boarded the carriage.

It was not that they were truly reserved or showing cowardice, but because they did not know Jing Lixia's status in the Shuiyuan Shengjun Mansion and were afraid she might be another "auntie" with ties to their own Great King.

To have an "auntie" drive for them was something they truly could not bear; if she felt slighted and whispered in the Great King's ear, it would be a disaster.

Although the Zengzhang Heavenly King kept calling her Steward Jing, and judging by her words and actions, she did not seem to have any ties to their Great King.

But after all, their Great King's temperament was truly hard to describe, so they could not make a definitive judgment.

"Sit tight~"

After Jing Lixia said this, she immediately drove the carriage and took them toward the East Tianmen~

The Zengzhang Heavenly King watched the disappearing back, smacked his lips, and said: "Another Monkey has come, and a subordinate of the Water Origin Holy Lord at that. Interesting~"

……

On the carriage, both sides were silent for a while, until Jing Lixia spoke first: "I am a steward in the Mansion Master's residence. May I ask how the two of you are called?"

"Luming~"

"Yuan Hong~"

Hearing this, Jing Lixia looked deeply at Yuan Hong and said meaningfully: "Fellow Daoist has a good name!"

He was quite good at choosing names; she wondered if this Monkey had any connection to the Four Wastes Star Lord, as it was said the Four Wastes Star Lord's name was Yuan Hong.

"Is that so? I think so too~"

Yuan Hong did not know what Jing Lixia was thinking and was just feeling smug; this name was something his grandfather had spent ten days and ten nights thinking about before he was born.

"Fairy, how long will it take to get to the East Tianmen?"

Luming looked at the scenery receding like light outside the window and could not help but ask.

"No rush, no rush!"

Jing Lixia drove the carriage and said with a smile: "Although you two came at an inconvenient time and cannot enter the Heavenly Court directly from the South Tianmen, having to take such a long detour to the East Tianmen."

"But it is just as well,"

she paused, then continued: "Since you two are new here, you should not be clear on some of the rules and common knowledge of the Heavenly Court. It is a good opportunity during this journey for me to tell you more about the relevant precautions, so you do not lose face for the Mansion Master when the time comes to handle things."

Hearing this, Luming and Yuan Hong felt a stir in their hearts; indeed, what this Steward Jing said was reasonable.

They immediately became serious and no longer cared about the length of the journey to the East Tianmen~……

The carriage sped along, and as Luming and Yuan Hong probed during the journey and figured out that Jing Lixia's status was truly just that of a steward, the two could not help but feel much more relaxed.

Talking and laughing all the way, listening to Jing Lixia introduce them to some of the rules and common knowledge of the Heavenly Court, they finally arrived outside the East Tianmen.

"Halt! What thieves dare to trespass at the East Tianmen?" Before Jing Lixia could even speak, a golden-furred Monkey clad in armor and wielding a blade bounded out from within the East Tianmen.

Who else could it be but Sun Wukong?

He naturally had a thunder-god face and a fierce appearance; with this great roar, the golden monkey fur all over his body stood on end like a hedgehog, appearing as if flames were burning.

He was truly valiant and spirited.

He possessed quite a bit of might! Yet in the eyes of others, even with such might, he was merely a gatekeeper.

"Beautiful Monkey King, why have you come to the Heavenly Court as well!"

Before Jing Lixia could say anything, Yuan Hong poked his head out from the carriage and greeted Sun Wukong—"It's you,"

His signature hairstyle, like that of a Saiyan, was naturally eye-catching; Sun Wukong recognized him at a glance, and for a moment, he was both surprised and delighted.

He bounded forward in one step, scooped up Yuan Hong, who could not restrain his monkey nature and had instantly jumped off the carriage, and patted him on the shoulder, saying:

"Good! I never imagined you had come to the Heavenly Court too!"

"I can't compare to you, Beautiful Monkey King,"

Although Yuan Hong felt that the Beautiful Monkey King's official position in the Heavenly Court did not seem like much, he still complimented him:

"I am just here to help out my own Great King; I cannot compare to how imposing you are now, Beautiful Monkey King!"

"Hahaha!"

Hearing Yuan Hong's flattery, Sun Wukong beamed with joy and said repeatedly:

"Not at all, not at all, you are not bad yourself!"

After the two sides exchanged pleasantries, the Monkey followed the rules and conscientiously checked the credentials and Talisman Order of Luming, Yuan Hong, and even Jing Lixia, before letting them pass.

Then,

he watched them enter the East Tianmen, immediately turned around, and continued to perform his duties impartially, watching his gate.

……

"What a magnificent place!"

Even though they had anticipated it, Luming and Yuan Hong were still somewhat mesmerized as they looked at the scenery outside the window.

Everywhere they looked, there was azure sky and ethereal songs, crimson hues and pale gold, and faint, colorful clouds obscuring the shadows of jade towers and palaces; feathered canopies cast shade, and there were gloomy, pearl-adorned pavilions and terraces.

From time to time, immortal cranes came fluttering by, their wings like wheels, unfolding slowly.

Clear, resonant mysterious sounds flickered above and below.

Where the carriage passed, there were cinnabar wells and crimson springs, and koi fish spitting pearls, shining brightly and without a speck of dust.

Every flower, every blade of grass, every tree, and every stone was exquisite and beautiful.

The scenery of the Heavenly Court was truly something to behold.

Luming and Yuan Hong looked left and right, peering here and there, examining everything, and could not help but exclaim in admiration.

Although they were not as surprised and suspicious as Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden—after all, having followed Fang Longye, they still had some experience—

they were still filled with wonder.

Soon,

the carriage slowed down, and in the end, it stopped before a complex of buildings, with carved beams and painted rafters, golden and brilliant, magnificent and grand, with a thousand variations of splendor.

It was nothing else,

but Fang Longye's residence in the Heavenly Court.

Shuiyuan Shengjun Mansion.

……

(End of chapter)