Serving as an Official in Heaven

After returning to the fake Flower-Fruit Mountain, the first thing Sun Wu Kong did was find a clear pool of water and happily inspect his new outfit in its reflection.

In the water, he wore a Purple Gold Crown with its feathered wings spread high; Golden armor that gleamed with flowing light; Cloud-Treading Boots beneath his feet, trailing immortal aura; and the Golden Cudgel slung over his shoulder, radiating auspicious light.

He looked imposing and extraordinary, utterly unlike the wild mountain monkey king he had been before.

"Hehe, now this is what I, the Handsome Monkey King, ought to look like!" Sun Wu Kong grinned, immensely pleased with himself.

But before long, the smile on his face faded somewhat. His gaze left his reflection and turned toward the distance—to that seemingly tranquil void, which remained shrouded beneath unseen watchful eyes.

He muttered to himself:

"I've put on the armor. I've taken up the divine weapon."

"Now, it should be time for the next act, right?"

Yet what came to meet Sun Wu Kong was not an army pressing in, nor a host of immortals descending, but an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face, amiable features, who claimed to serve beneath the Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Court.

The moment the old man landed, he clasped his hands in greeting toward Sun Wu Kong and smiled warmly. "Would you be Sun Wu Kong of Flower-Fruit Mountain below? This old one is Taibai Jinxing, an Immortal Official under the Jade Emperor Heavenly Venerate, responsible for Official of Transmission."

The Jade Emperor?

Immortal Palace?

Taibai Jinxing?

Sun Wu Kong rapidly sifted through the vague fragments of information in the Chaos Demon King's shattered memories.

He seemed to have no impression of any of them.

Taibai Jinxing seemed to see through