At that answer, the North Sea Heavenly Emperor forced a strained smile and said,
"Now I understand. Only now do I realize how wise they were to shut you out."
"I'll go back and prepare. When the time comes, I'll give you an answer, Senior."
With that, the North Sea Heavenly Emperor vanished into the depths of the void.
Once he was gone, Chen Changsheng sat back down and happily ate from the fruit platter.
A while later, Chen Changsheng suddenly looked up at the new Jade Emperor across the table.
"What's your name?"
"Wang Zhigao!"
"A very ordinary name."
"Yes, it is."
The new Jade Emperor smiled and nodded, looking for all the world like a newcomer who had only just arrived.
"The Heavenly Court is one enormous pot. Running it is much like cooking for a crowd."
"As the saying goes, it's hard to satisfy every palate. A meal cooked in a great big pot is the hardest of all to get right."
"What makes it worse is that there's a half-cooked portion in that pot like me—the hardest kind to deal with."
"You've had your work cut out for you!"
Wang Zhigao smiled. "Not at all. It's a small matter. I can handle it."
"If that's a small matter, you must be quite capable."
"Zhang Bairen is no saint. If he's willing to let you carry the banner he raised, it means you've earned his approval."
"I've known him for nearly two hundred thousand years. Looking back over all that time, there haven't been many people he thought highly of."
"The younger generation truly is a force to be reckoned with!"
Under Chen Changsheng's meaningful gaze, Wang Zhigao gave a modest smile and said,
"It's all thanks to the kindness of my seniors. I wouldn't dare claim