Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 512 The Jade Emperor Completely Changes His Expression

Chapter 512: Chapter 512 The Jade Emperor Completely Changes His Expression

"Is that so? So, Taibai, do you think I found a random excuse just to punish Tian Peng for his crimes?"

Gold Star Taibai wiped the sweat bead at his temple, "Your humble servant wouldn’t dare."

"Then what do you mean?" the Jade Emperor countered.

"No matter how you look at it, Tian Peng is also a great general of our Heavenly Court. Several years ago, you had already banished the Curtain Lifting General to the mortal realm, and our Heavenly Court has been short of one general ever since. If we lose another great general now, what will we do if something arises in the future and our Heavenly Court lacks people?"

What Taibai said wasn’t without reason, but it was precisely because of such matters that the Jade Emperor had agreed to Buddhism’s strategy.

He was serious about wanting to make the Heavenly Court stronger, which is why he had come up with such a strategy, forming an alliance with Buddhism.

The two, one being Taoism and the other Buddhism, didn’t belong to the same family, yet people often lumped them together.

Both are devoted to good, and if an alliance with Buddhism were to be formed, then the two would be cooperative partners. Should the Demon Sect attack the Heavenly Court in the future, even without Tian Peng, the Heavenly Court would still have Buddhism to stand with them in opposition.

In recent years, the Heavenly Court has actually been on the decline, and the mortal realm is also peaceful, which is exactly why there are fewer and fewer people seeking immortality and worshipping Buddha.

Buddhism also had quite a few who descended to roam and study every month, but to no avail.

If this Journey to the West could be carried out, there would be so many countries along the way from Great Tang to Tianzhu, all of which could become their followers. This would mean future unified opposition would be bolstered.

"I implore Your Majesty to think thrice!"

"I implore Your Majesty to think thrice!"

The people present did not know the Jade Emperor’s thoughts and only knelt down one by one, pleading with the Jade Emperor on behalf of Tian Peng.

Even among those kneeling to plead there were many Immortal Officials who usually didn’t get along well with Tian Peng. At this time, they had set aside their personal squabbles because in such a situation, the greater good must prevail.

The Jade Emperor watched with a smile as the Immortals pleaded with him, praising them several times with ’good.’

"Your Majesty, why not postpone the trial of Tian Peng to a later time? Once Your Majesty has had a chance to cool down, we can make a more detailed decision," Taibai suggested after waiting for a moment, thinking the Jade Emperor might have calmed down a bit.

The Jade Emperor took a deep breath and turned to look at Taibai, "So, you all think I am not calm enough now, do you?"

"No, your humble servant did not mean that," Gold Star Taibai spoke softly.

"How about you all? Do you all think the same?" the Jade Emperor looked at the other divine officials still kneeling.

They didn’t say anything else, just knelt down, repeating the words from before, "We beg Your Majesty to think thrice."

The Jade Emperor laughed coldly, "Every one of you is so capable, huh? But I’ve made up my mind, and no matter what else you say, I won’t listen. Yang Jian, take Tian Peng to the Heavenly Prison."

There was an interrogation platform in the Heavenly Prison, where those who were sentenced to be banished usually received their punishment.

Yang Jian remained kneeling and did not move, only repeating the previous plea, "I beg Your Majesty to think thrice."

"You really are admirable," the Jade Emperor scoffed, standing up from his desk with a swing of his sleeve, "If you won’t take action, I’ll do it myself."

Yang Jian, having no choice, remained silent for a moment longer before rising and walking over to Tian Peng, "Marshal Tian Peng, I apologize for the offense."

Knowing he was beyond help, Tian Peng only smiled at Yang Jian and said, "Alright, I know, I know where it is, you don’t need to bother leading the way, General Yang Jian."

Chen Nuo had already transmitted his voice to Tian Peng on the way here.

In the Palace of the Polestar, although Chen Nuo was confident that his message transmission wouldn’t be known by other Immortal Officials, Marshal Tian Peng couldn’t say the same.

He still belonged to this place, and despite his decent cultivation, there were always those among the many Immortal Officials who were stronger than him.

Yang Jian was one of them, but Yang Jian would turn a blind eye, even if he knew that Chen Nuo would communicate with Marshal Tian Peng—he would look the other way.

He told Tian Peng that the Jade Emperor was very likely wanting to banish him to the mortal realm this time. Chen Nuo was still concerned about the bigger picture and couldn’t do much for Tian Peng right now.

Within Chaos Residence, one could block attacks from the outside world, but he couldn’t stay inside Chaos Residence forever without coming out.

Under such circumstances, one couldn’t act rashly. The Jade Emperor was still the Jade Emperor, after all, and acting hastily could very well make him feel his authority was being threatened.

Tian Peng knew if he were to be banished to the mortal realm, Chen Nuo and Sun Wukong would descend to assist him when the time came.

In any case, as long as he didn’t wish it, it wouldn’t be possible for the schemes of the Jade Emperor and Buddhism to succeed.

Following Yang Jian, he arrived at the Heavenly Prison—on the interrogation platform of this prison stood a massive column equipped with chains, and the questioned Immortal Officials were all bound to this column.

It looked very clean, as if it were merely a display for tourists, unlike those in the mortal realm, where long-standing bloodstains lingered, never washing away.

Martial Tian Peng walked onto the interrogation platform nonchalantly, waiting to be questioned.

As soon as he stepped up, the column automatically wound around him, like several sinuous iron snakes climbing up Tian Peng’s chest.

The Jade Emperor had by now approached. Seeing Tian Peng, he smiled, "I am always seeing you interrogating prisoners on this platform. Now it’s your turn. How does it feel?"

"What does Your Majesty feel about me?" Tian Peng asked.

"How could I know what you are feeling in your heart," the Jade Emperor smiled, "But once you’re on the interrogation platform, and after we strip you of your Immortal Bone, you’ll be nothing but a mortal. Don’t worry, though. Once you’re in the mortal realm, I will ensure you’re reborn into a family of good standing."

"Then I must truly thank Your Majesty for the slap followed by a date," Tian Peng also sneered.

He had always held a kind of respect for the Jade Emperor—at least until today. Despite working as a shop assistant at Chaos Residence, he had never slacked off on any task the Jade Emperor entrusted to him.

Not just that, when the Jade Emperor fancied a dish from Chaos Residence, he had also used his staff discount to offer up several dishes to him.

But Tian Peng truly hadn’t expected to be exiled to the mortal realm for a minor mistake, all because of the interests of the Jade Emperor and Buddhism, and without any prior notification.

After all, he was Marshal Tian Peng, charged with overseeing the Milky Way. Yet in the end, he was being demoted for harassing a Fairy.

Now that he was being banished to the mortal realm, he wondered how the other Immortal Officials would gossip about him.

The Jade Emperor extended his hand with the Jade Seal, imbued with Mana, and began casting spells towards the crown of Tian Peng’s head.

The process of stripping away the Immortal Bone was excruciating, and Tian Peng endured the pain stoically until the Jade Emperor forcibly deprived him of his Immortal Bone.

Two hours later, Tian Peng had become an utterly ordinary mortal, awaiting his destiny to be cast into the Immortal Pond to be reborn as a human.

A few people carried Tian Peng, stumbling step by step toward the Immortal Pond. Upon reaching it, Tian Peng looked at the Jade Emperor and said, "I had considered the possibility that you might discuss it with me beforehand. I never imagined that you would come up with such an excuse to banish me to the mortal world."

Certain Immortal Officials, not understanding what Tian Peng spoke of, thought he was simply complaining to the Jade Emperor and were oblivious to the true intentions within the Jade Emperor’s heart.

The Jade Emperor was taken aback, looking at Tian Peng with disbelief, "What are you talking about?"

"I have been serving you for so long; I know you prioritize interests above all else. But if you had consulted with me or communicated with me beforehand, I might have agreed to your plan."