Sun Wukong, Keeper of the Heavenly Horses

"This is an ancestor from the mortal realm. I am acting on the Jade Emperor's orders to allow him to enter the Heavenly Court. Please open this path."

At this moment, Taibai Jinxing stepped forward, took out the Jade Emperor's edict, and showed it to them, asking them to open a path so that he and Sun Wukong could enter.

"Taibai Jinxing did indeed use the Jade Emperor's trick; we can let this monkey in."

At this moment, a heavenly soldier stepped forward, carefully examined the edict in Taibai Jinxing's hand, and after confirming that it was indeed from the Jade Emperor, he ordered the other heavenly soldiers to step aside, allowing Taibai Changgengxing and Sun Wukong to pass.

This was Sun Wukong's second visit to Heavenly Court. The first time he came, he was stopped outside the Southern Heavenly Gate. After circling around for a long time, he finally found a gap and squeezed in. However, he was almost discovered after only a short visit and had no choice but to quickly escape. At that time, Sun Wukong was in a very sorry state.

However, this second time he came to the Heavenly Court, he was not as embarrassed as the first time. On the contrary, he was quite calm and even honored, because this time he was invited by someone.

After entering through the Southern Heavenly Gate, he realized that the Heavenly Court before him was far superior to what he had seen on his first visit. Sun Wukong was so impressed that his eyes lit up and he was deeply shocked.

"Sun Wukong, would you like me to tell you what's in Heavenly Court?"

Seeing Sun Wukong's appearance, Taibai Changgexing knew he was interested in this, so he asked.

Tell me quickly, tell me quickly.

Sun Wukong grabbed his shoulder excitedly and said...

"Alright, I'll tell you about the Heavenly Court now."

"Speaking of the Heavenly Court, we must mention the thirty-three Heavenly Palace. There are thirty-three Heavenly Palace in the sky, namely the Taiji Palace, Ziwei Palace, Jade Purity Palace Tushita Palace Cloud-Dispatching Palace, Bisha Palace, Five Brightnesses Palace, Flower and Herb Palace, Sun Palace, Huayao Palace, Moon Palace, and so on. Each palace has a golden beast perched on its ridge."

"And these seventy-two magnificent halls are the Court Assembly Hall, the Void-Soaring Hall, the Treasure Light Hall of Perfect Brightness, Hall of Diffusing Fragrance Bright Light Hall, the Heavenly King Hall, the Fragrant Cloak Hall, the Numinous Officer Hall, the Hall of Soaring Mists, the Jieyin Hall, the Sun Hall, the Moon Hall, the Golden Throne Hall... Each palace's Zhuzi are adorned with jade Qilin."

Then Taibai Jinxing began to talk to Sun Wukong about everything in the Heavenly Court. From the Southern Heavenly Gate to the Hall of Soaring Mists to see the Jade Sovereign Taibai Changgengxing and Sun Wukong traveled and stopped frequently. At each place, Taibai Changgengxing would stop and Sun Wukong would point out where in the Heavenly Court it was, what its name was, and what its origin was.

It took them nearly two hours to walk from the Southern Heavenly Gate to the Hall of Soaring Mists where the Jade Emperor resided.

Are you the Demon Immortal Sun Wukong from the Mortal Realm?

Upon seeing Sun Wukong, the Jade Emperor asked a question.

"Yes, that's right, I am Sun Wukong, Great Sage Equal to Heaven, from the Water Curtain Cave of Flower-Fruit Mountain."

Sun Wukong simply bowed slightly and then answered the Jade Emperor's question.

"I wonder what position you, Jade Emperor, will grant me?"

After answering the Jade Emperor's question, Sun Wukong went straight to the point and asked what position he would hold in the Heavenly Court.

"Martial Melody Star Lord, are there any official positions in the Heavenly Court that are still vacant?"

Seeing Sun Wukong's attitude, the Jade Emperor didn't argue with him and instead asked about the position of the Five Star Lord.

"In this Heavenly Court, there are thirty-three palaces and seventy-two halls, and there are no vacancies for official positions anywhere. The only problem is that the Imperial Horse Stables are short of a manager."

After pondering for a while, Martial Melody Star Lord told the Jade Emperor the answer.

"In that case, let him be the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses!"

After listening to Wude Star Lords's report, the Jade Emperor pondered for a moment and replied.

"The Jade Emperor has already bestowed upon you a position; why don't you quickly express your gratitude?"

At this moment, Taibai Changgengxing, who was standing next to Sun Wukong, saw that Sun Wukong remained unmoved after the Jade Emperor bestowed a position upon Sun Wukong, and then said to Sun Wukong.

"Thank you, Jade Emperor."

After hearing Chang Gengxin's words, Sun Wukong did not kneel down to express his gratitude like others would. Instead, he clasped his hands in a fist and bowed slightly to express his thanks.

"Wood Virtue is leading the army; take him to the Imperial Horse Stables."

Then the Jade Emperor instructed the Wood Virtue Star Lord to take Sun Wukong to the Imperial Horse Stables to assume his post.

After Sun Wukong took office, he summoned the Imperial Horse Stables and, together with his staff, investigated the affairs of the Imperial Horse Stables. Only then did they learn that there were thousands of heavenly horses in the entire Imperial Horse Stables, each one spirited and powerful, capable of treading through the wind and chasing lightning, and possessing great strength and power.

Sun Wukong read the documents of the Imperial Horse Stables, specified the number of celestial horses, and instructed the shops in the Imperial Horse Valley to prepare hay and fodder for the celestial horses. He also assigned strongmen to be in charge of washing the horses, tying hay, providing water, and cooking feed, with the supervisors and deputy supervisors overseeing them. Sun Wukong stayed up day and night to nourish the horses.

Over the past few days, he has taken excellent care of all these pegasus, feeding them all to be plump and healthy.

After Sun Wukong had been in charge of the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses for about 10 days, he suddenly had some free time. The group of supervisors arranged a banquet for Sun Wukong, firstly to welcome Sun Wukong back, and secondly to congratulate Sun Wukong.

Do you know what my title of "Keeper of the Heavenly Horses" (Bima Wen) is?

Sun Wukong, who had been drinking, suddenly stopped and asked everyone present a question.

"That's how the official title is."

Everyone answered in unison.

"Do you know what rank I hold in officialdom?"

Sun Wukong asked another question.

He held an official position without rank.

The lively banquet suddenly fell silent, and then someone mustered up their courage to answer Sun Wukong.

"If there's no rank or grade, then isn't this official position ridiculously high?"

Sun Wukong, thinking positively, asked happily.

"It's not that it's too big, it's that it's not even in the mainstream. It's the lowest and most insignificant official position, only fit to raise horses for others."

At this moment, this person spoke, shattering Sun Wukong's illusion.

"This is clearly an insult to me. I am Sun Wukong, Great Sage Equal to Heaven to Heaven, a king and ancestor in Flower-Fruit Mountain. This old Jade Emperor summoned me to this heaven with a single decree, saying he would give me an official position and let me take it."

"I was really looking forward to doing well and bringing my monkey offspring to heaven to see for myself, but that old Jade Emperor was really playing a trick on me, making me tend his horses and doing such lowly things to humiliate me."

"I'm not doing this today. I'm telling that old Jade Emperor his horse is gone."

Enraged, Sun Wukong overturned the table, took out his Jingu Bang, and fought his way out of the Imperial Horse Stables, releasing all the celestial horses inside.

He then fought his way straight out of the Southern Heavenly Gate, where the heavenly soldiers guarding the Southern Heavenly Gate knew that Sun Wukong had received the Immortal Decree.