It Turns Out It Was Our Own Business—Then There's No Problem

Bearing the earnest hopes and wishes of the many good folk of the black market,

Su Yuan returned smoothly to the Heavenly Court berths with twelve celestial vessels.

The journey back was far easier than the journey there.

Everyone treated these immortal ships as their own business.

As the saying went, many hands made light work. Several powerfully built military generals pulled from the front with immortal ropes, while the weaker immortal officials strained to push from the stern.

The fairies of the Moon Palace cast stealth formations over the entire fleet to conceal its tracks,

while the Daoist masters of the Celestial Masters' Palace formed hand seals and chanted spells, redirecting the gale winds and abruptly increasing the fleet's speed.

Only after reaching the berths did Su Yuan reluctantly bid everyone farewell.

"Lord Su, may your journey be smooth!"

Su Yuan cupped his hands in salute to them.

"This mission will still depend on everyone's wholehearted assistance."

In the blink of an eye, the day for the Pacification Recruitment Team's official departure arrived.

The Gouchen Heavenly Emperor attended in person and delivered an impassioned speech lasting a full hour and a half, laying out three major tasks from a lofty perspective.

Afterward, Venus Star Lord, as leader of the Pacification Recruitment Team, gave another detailed speech for an hour.

Then, the leaders of the six work groups stepped forward one after another, delivering fervent declarations and pledging to complete their assignments.

Finally, Xu Jingyang, the loyal confidant of Venus Star Lord and head of the Negotiation Liaison Group for this pacification mission, solemnly received the great banner bearing the words "Heavenly Court Pacification Assault Team" from the Gouchen Heavenly Emperor.

Inside the flagship's cabin, Venus Star Lord and Xu Jingyang sat facing each other, while Su Yuan respectfully served tea at their side.

Venus Star Lord smiled as he introduced Su Yuan to Xu Jingyang. "Old Xu, this is Su Yuan. This time, the logistical support has depended greatly on him running things up and down. He's a capable..."

Before he could finish, the flying vessel suddenly lurched and shook violently, nearly spilling the tea on the table.

Venus Star Lord frowned slightly but did not fly into a rage at once.

Seeing this, Su Yuan immediately bowed and requested permission.

"Please remain seated, honored immortals. This disciple will go outside and see what is happening."

He hurried outside the cabin and grabbed a strongman who was rushing past.

"What happened? Why has the ship suddenly stopped?"

The strongman hastily saluted and replied,

"Steward Su, it's the Southern Heavenly Gate guards... They've set up a checkpoint and want to inspect the fleet."

Su Yuan froze, confusion showing on his face.

"We are imperial envoys acting under decree, and we carry the Heavenly Emperor's command banner. We still have to submit to an inspection?"

The strongman did not dare say more and merely led Su Yuan to the bow.

Sure enough, Su Yuan saw an old acquaintance.

Confronting Wood Virtue Star Official, the head of the Security Assurance Group, was none other than the Southern Heavenly Gate's commanding general, the Growth Heavenly King.

Wood Virtue Star Official's expression was extremely ugly at that moment.

He was also one of the Heavenly Court's famously nice old fellows. When Sun Wukong was first granted the title of Horse Groomer, nobody wanted to take him to the Imperial Horse Bureau to assume his post, fearing the monkey would hold a grudge.

It had been Wood Virtue Star Official who personally led Sun Wukong to the Imperial Horse Bureau.

He had not wanted to get involved in this mess again, but Venus Star Lord had personally invited him, and he had reluctantly accepted the position.

At that moment, he was suppressing his anger as he spoke to the Growth Heavenly King.

"Growth Heavenly King! We are an envoy delegation acting under the decree of the Gouchen Heavenly Emperor, sent to the lower realm to pacify the demon monkey! How dare you obstruct us? Who gave you the nerve?"

The Growth Heavenly King wore a bitter expression as well. With his blade drawn, he stood blocking the fleet and cupped his hands in salute.

"Wood Virtue Star Lord, please calm down, calm down! This old brother is only acting on orders and truly does not dare show favoritism. I received a report saying that some of the Pacification Recruitment Team's reward supplies may have been stolen and replaced. Something just happened at my Southern Heavenly Gate, and I absolutely cannot let another disaster occur. I have no choice but to investigate. I'm truly sorry, truly sorry!"

Seeing the Growth Heavenly King lower his posture so much, calling himself "this old brother" and claiming he was "acting on orders," Wood Virtue Star Official found it hard to truly tear off all pretense and berate him harshly.

Yet he grew even more anxious. If the celestial envoy fleet were inspected for no reason, then whether they found anything or not, he, as head of the Security Assurance Group, would never escape responsibility. Where would his dignity be?

For a time, the two sides remained deadlocked.

Just then, Su Yuan arrived.

Su Yuan plastered a smile across his face, hurried forward, and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Ah! I was wondering who it was—so it's the Heavenly King himself! It has been a long time. Your bearing is even more magnificent than before, Heavenly King!"

The Growth Heavenly King was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Seeing Su Yuan appear and finding someone he could speak with, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Leading troops to intercept a celestial envoy fleet placed enormous pressure on him as well. But if he were easily forced aside, losing face before his soldiers, how could he lead troops again in the future?

He hurriedly seized Su Yuan's hand and lowered his voice.

"Little Su? Why are you in this team too? Chief Engineer Liu said just the other day that you had other important duties. I thought you had gone off to work on a new project..."

He lowered his voice even further.

"To be honest with you, old brother, I received word from Martial Star Lord that someone reported your fleet for smuggling contraband. There may be a problem with the reward supplies! That's why..."

Su Yuan immediately understood—this Growth Heavenly King had most likely been used as someone else's tool again.

In the workplace, people like the Growth Heavenly King, with poor information and an even less agile mind, were no wonder stuck as mere security captains.

Even if someone had made a report, the flagship flew the banner of Gouchen Dijun. How could a mere gate-guarding Heavenly King casually stop and inspect it?

Though he was frantically mocking him inwardly, Su Yuan's smile did not fade. He called out loudly,

"So that's it! Heavenly King, you are diligent in your duties and impartial in enforcing the law. You are truly a model for us all! If you wish to inspect us, of course there is no problem! We must investigate thoroughly and clear our names!"

He turned and shouted an order.

"Someone! You blind fools! Hurry and bring seats and tea for these honored soldiers! Let the brothers rest their feet—they've had a hard journey!"

A group of strongmen quickly responded and warmly guided the celestial soldiers aside to rest.

Su Yuan personally led the Growth Heavenly King toward the third flying vessel in the fleet.

"Heavenly King, please come with me. If you inspect it personally, everyone can rest assured."

With his own hands, Su Yuan selected a heavy chest from the third flying vessel. He lifted away the thin layer of immortal pills and spiritual medicines used as camouflage, revealing beneath them gleaming prohibited weapons of every kind and discarded artifact-refining materials emitting strange fluctuations!

"Th-this—!"

The Growth Heavenly King's pupils contracted sharply. He sucked in a cold breath, abruptly rose to his feet, and placed his hand on his sword hilt, his breathing turning heavy.

"Little Su, you! This..."

"Heavenly King, don't be anxious, don't be anxious!"

Su Yuan hurriedly pressed down his hand and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Look more carefully. Do these things seem familiar to you?"

The Growth Heavenly King, uncertain and alarmed, bent down to inspect them closely. He picked up a strangely standardized short blade for a look, then grabbed several dull pieces of metal scrap and weighed them in his hand. The anger on his face gradually turned into shock and confusion.

"These seem to be that batch of old weapons piled up in my family's armory that nobody wanted? And this piece of scrap iron—it's what my eldest brother uses as a whetstone for his sword every day. How could they be..."

Su Yuan nodded with a smile, his voice so low that only the two of them could hear.

"This crate is precisely the goods the Great Heavenly King entrusted me to sell in the lower realm. This transaction is our own business. So I say, whoever reported this matter has truly malicious intentions. Martial Star Lord probably means no good. Did one of the Heavenly Kings offend him in the past? If this really blows up and gets reported upward..."