A Hot Potato Turned into Karma That Pleased Both Sides

"Thank you for your kindness, Master." Chen Wei's expression remained unchanged as he cupped his hands in reply.

He took it as nothing more than a passing remark from the monk. He was all alone and had spent two hundred years studying diligently in the mortal realm. Where would he have gotten descendants?

He had never even taken a disciple. Naturally, he merely smiled at the mention of posterity, without giving it any deeper thought.

A solitary man, with no ties and no burdens.

The monk did not argue. His gaze swept over the immortal apricots and honey peaches covering the mountains below, and he let out a long sigh. "Fine fruit indeed, but how much can the bellies of all these monkeys and their offspring hold? Whatever they cannot eat will rot in the mud. What a pity. What a pity."

"Master, better for them to rot in the mud than for the trees to die and their roots to perish!" Ma Muzhi chimed in. "So long as the Great Sage's sacred grounds remain secure, what does a little waste matter?"

The monk smiled without answering. His figure turned into a wisp of clear breeze and vanished into thin air.

Chen Wei stood atop the cloud, gazing at the abundant fruit covering the mountain, a faint ripple stirring in his eyes.

The monk would never loose an arrow without a target. His lament over the surplus of Spirit Fruits sounded like idle chatter, but every word carried karmic implications.

If handled properly, this mountain full of immortal fruit could become a heaven-sent opportunity.

"Ma, back to the Heavenly Court." Chen Wei swept his sleeve and turned.

They passed through the Southern Heavenly Gate and traveled through the Cloud Sea.

Outside the secluded cultivation courtyard under the Bright Hall's jurisdiction, a white-robed figure had long been standing on the flagstone path, his hands clasped behind his back.

Li Yin barred the way before the Moon Gate.

Chen Wei lowered his auspicious cloud, straightened his everyday immortal official's robes, and took two steps forward, about to offer a greeting.

"Lord Chen." In a rare show of initiative, Li Yin cupped his hands, his tone warm. "You handled your assignment in the lower realm with the speed of thunder and the force of lightning. Truly efficient work. Thank you for your efforts."

With a respectful expression, Chen Wei returned a smile as warm as a spring breeze. "You flatter this humble official. Relieving the Star Lord's burdens is merely my duty."

"Come now, how is that flattery?"

Li Yin chuckled, his words carrying a hidden meaning. "Resolving the Flower-Fruit Mountain case is a great achievement. However, the Star Lord is cultivating quietly and resting his spirit in the inner courtyard, and should not be disturbed. Under the Heavenly Court's regulations, case files of this kind should be submitted to the Four Great Celestial Masters. Why not hand the file to me, Lord Chen? I will make the trip and report the completion of your assignment on your behalf."

A welcoming smile, consideration in every detail.

Beneath it all, however, he meant to intercept the prize midway.

Report to the Celestial Masters?

Once the case entered the Four Great Celestial Masters' archives, the credit would be divided up at every level.

More importantly, bypassing the High Immortal who had assigned the task to report elsewhere was a grave taboo among immortal officials.

This was not merely stealing credit. It was cutting off Chen Wei's direct access to Taibai Jinxing.

"This humble official is moved to tears by your consideration, High Immortal." Chen Wei repeatedly declined. "However, I went down to the lower realm under the Star Lord's decree, and the assignment was bestowed by him personally. If I took it upon myself to report to the Celestial Masters' Hall, would that not throw the regulations into disorder? This humble official holds a lowly rank and has little courage. Even with borrowed courage, I would not dare disturb the Celestial Masters."

Li Yin's smile did not diminish in the slightest. He took half a step forward and said softly, "You have a point, Lord Chen. Naturally, the regulations must not be disrupted. Still, among immortal officials, everyone must attend to their own duties. Especially when it comes to replenishing incense and serving tea in this inner courtyard, one must be known through and through. The wind and sand outside are fierce. One careless moment, and they can cloud a High Immortal's eyes."

"Wouldn't you agree, Lord Chen?"

A blade hidden behind a smile.

Not a single word mentioned a threat, yet he drew the boundaries between insider and outsider, high and low, with perfect clarity.

Translated plainly: Chen Wei was an outsider, a tool. Once his work was done, he should stay outside the gate. The inner courtyard's core circle would not tolerate the meddling of some unorthodox upstart of Loose Immortal origins.

Chen Wei's expression remained unchanged, as though he had heard none of the meaning beneath the words.

"Every word of your instruction is a pearl, High Immortal."

"That is all the more reason this humble official dares not act on his own judgment. I must report to the Star Lord in person. I dare not be careless in this matter!"

He did not argue.

He did not lose his temper.

With the utmost respect, he pushed the words right back.

Li Yin stared at Chen Wei's utterly faultless expression. After a moment, he chuckled and stepped aside. "Go in."

Ignoring Li Yin's expression, Chen Wei stepped through the Moon Gate.

Behind him.

Li Yin's smile vanished in an instant, his face darkening like murky water.

Beside the Clear Pool.

Chen Wei reported every detail of the Flower-Fruit Mountain case, including Xiahou Lie and the bear demon hanging themselves after being stabbed in the back.

"He hanged himself out of fear of punishment and left a final letter." After hearing the report, Taibai Jinxing's expression remained as still as an ancient well. "Since the mountain god severed his own karmic ties, this case may be considered closed."

In the High Immortal's eyes, who had died did not matter.

As long as the assignment had a beginning and an end, and the task was completed successfully, Heaven's ordained course was fulfilled.

Chen Wei waited a moment, then smoothly brought up the monk's idle remarks. "Star Lord, while I was at Flower-Fruit Mountain, I saw Spirit Fruits flourishing across its slopes. They truly are rare delicacies in the Three Realms. However, the monkeys cannot finish them all, and most will likely rot in the mud. It is truly a wanton waste of Heaven's bounty."

"Oh?" Taibai Jinxing's gaze burned like a torch. "Since you have pointed out this surplus of fruit, you must have a proposal. Let me hear it."

An iron rule of the Heavenly Court: when presenting a problem to a High Immortal, one must never merely toss him a difficulty. One had to prepare a way to break the deadlock.

Chen Wei had already worked out his proposal and answered at once. "This humble official ventures to suggest that Flower-Fruit Mountain's Spirit Fruits be added to the Heavenly Court's officially designated tributes, supplying the immortal ranks directly."

"First, Flower-Fruit Mountain has long remained outside the Heavenly Court's jurisdiction. If we bring it into the Heavenly Court's supply system under the pretext of procuring tribute, we can openly and legitimately appease the monkeys and ease Flower-Fruit Mountain's awkward position."

"Second, using the Heavenly Court's immortal stipends to purchase the entire mountain's fruit would give them both face and tangible benefits. It would also stop the mouth of the Western Heaven's Victorious Fighting Buddha. We could bestow a favor at little cost and achieve two ends with one stroke."

Turning a hot potato into karma that pleased both sides.

After hearing him out, Taibai Jinxing pointed at Chen Wei repeatedly. "Such honeyed words and pleasing manners, and such shrewd calculations. You have turned a rotten karmic ledger into a business that benefits the Three Realms. However, procuring tribute for the Heavenly Court falls entirely under the Jade Pool's authority. To bring this about, you will have to make a few more visits to the Jade Pool and cultivate some connections."

"This humble official understands and will do his utmost to negotiate." Chen Wei cupped his hands and accepted the order.

He was just about to give thanks and withdraw.

Taibai Jinxing abruptly changed the subject, his tone even. "The Folk Customs and Morals Inspection Bureau is newly established, and a hundred neglected matters await attention. With only you and Ma Muzhi, you will likely find yourselves unable to be everywhere at once. As it happens, I shall appoint another deputy to your bureau to share your burdens."

"This humble official obeys. Thank you for your consideration, Star Lord." Chen Wei dared not show any defiance and replied with his hands cupped.

That was what he said aloud, but his mind had already begun racing.

A deputy dropped in from above?

He had barely finished an assignment splendidly before his High Immortal planted someone to divide his authority. In the art of governing subordinates, checks and balances always came first. No Chief Official would ever be allowed to cover the sky with one hand within his own bureau.

The new deputy was certain to have powerful backing. Whether this was a blessing or a curse remained unknown.

However splendidly he handled his assignments, his roots were still those of a Loose Immortal.

When those above bestowed power, they inevitably fitted it with shackles.

Just who was this incoming deputy?

An immortal like Li Yin, with his eyes set above his head, or a troublesome character slipped in by some collateral immortal clan to claim a share of the merit?

Whoever it was, running the bureau from now on would likely no longer be as easy as moving his fingers with his own arm.

With his heart tossed up and down in uncertainty, Chen Wei merely cupped his hands in acknowledgment when he encountered Li Yin, then immediately rode a cloud back to the bureau.

To his surprise, a figure was already waiting in the inner hall.

"Sir, good news! Look who's here!" Seeing Chen Wei descend from his cloud, Ma Muzhi hurried out to meet him.

Chen Wei was also curious about just who had arrived. When he saw the visitor clearly, he froze for a moment. "Oh, it's you?!"