The Jade Emperor!
Lord of the Three Realms and the Celestial Court…
It was the authority bestowed upon him by Taishang Laojun.
While the Three Realms had no authority to speak of when the Celestial Court was first established, and perhaps even the Jade Emperor’s title of ‘Lord of the Celestial Court’ was just a fancy but empty title, disciples of major sects tend not to care about the authority of the Celestial Court.
Hence the Investiture of the Gods took place.
After that, many disciples from the three major sects—Chan, Jie, and Ren—had died physically, their souls hence entering the throne of the appointed gods and becoming a servant of the Celestial Court. They were hence divided into the 365 gods, divided to the aspects of Thunder, Fire, Pestilence, the Stars, the Three Mountains and Five Hells, the Rain and the Clouds, the Benevolent and the Malevolent.
Hence, even the personal disciples of Saints such as the True Habitant of Yu Ding and the True Habitant of Golden Dragon had to respectfully address the Jade Emperor as ‘Your Majesty’.
Jiang He, however… only asked, “You’re the Jade Emperor?”
The attitude was certainly impolite, not to mention that there was a glaring lack of a bow…
Lü Dongbin’s face twitched and he promptly communicated through acoustics, saying, “Brother Jiang He, he is the Jade Emperor, the Golden Light of the Skies, the Supreme, the Genuine and Unparalleled… you must not be impolite.”
Even Yang Jian reacted, the Eye of Heaven that was always shut on his forehead twitching just then.
On the other hand, the Immortal Hermit of the South Pole did not react all that much—if Jiang He did not appear all that awed by his master, why would the runt be bothered with the Jade Emperor?
Indeed, the Jade Emperor was actually stunned.
He probably did not expect that such a scene would ensue in his first meeting with Jiang He. He must have expected that a youth from the homeworld would probably be stunned by Lü Dongbin’s introduction, and then bowing reverently…
Nonetheless, the Jade Emperor was not angered, and instead found Jiang He interesting. He promptly smiled, “So, you’re Jiang He?’
It was only then that Jiang He offered him a fist-palm salute and the slightest of bows, smiling, “I was a little impolite because I wasn’t aware that it’s you, Your Majesty. I hope you won’t blame me.”
“No, of course not!”
The Jade Emperor smiled faintly. “I have come to the Hollow Jade Temple today because I heard from Lü Dongbin here about your ascension to Grand Luo despite your youth, as well as your skill at refining items and pellets. You prove truly extraordinary now that I’ve seen you, and your method at refining items is so mystical it completely detaches from the original methods—one might call it as being in a different realm of its own.”
Jiang He never felt much whenever others flattered him given his accomplishments thus far, but it was different now that the one flattering him was the Lord of the Three Realms.
Blushing from the praise, he earnestly replied, “You flatter me, Your Majesty. It had been a really short time since I started cultivating. Without mentors or legacies to study from, I made up those methods for refining items and pellets on my own, so it’s really nothing to brag about.”
Beside him, Lü Dongbin’s mouth twitched.
Even Yang Jian’s Eye of Heaven fluttered a few times.
At the same time, the Immortal Hermit of the South Pole was glaring and blowing off his beard, cursing under his breath, “Jiang He really is good at bragging. He had already pummeled the pellet refinists of the Chan Sect, and now he says that pellet refinement method is made up on his own… then are the pellet refinists of the Chan Sect all pigs?”
That was when the pot floating in the air started bubbling as the water boiled.
Jiang He apologized to the Jade Emperor before promptly taking to the skies to check on the pot…
The medicinal ingredients had yet to melt despite the boiled water.
Hence, he took out an immortal staff and firmly stirred it.
The rare ingredients were all ground down by Jiang He’s immortal yuan strength into medicinal mixture, and Jiang He descended from the skies to hand a large pile of molding tools to the Immortal Hermit of the South Pole, saying, “Brother, can these pellets be condensed by just anyone?”
“Are you sure?”
The Immortal Hermit of the South Pole was a little surprise. “Are you saying that just anyone could condense these pellets?”
“Of course.”
Jiang He smiled. “Condensing these pellets is just a simple step that requires no special technique… of course, it would be ideal to get disciples with frost techniques, since the medicinal pellets would form quicker if flash frozen with frost abilities.”
“My pets are usually the ones doing these tasks, but now that they are in seclusion and I’m not bothered to work with my own hands, I have to trouble you, Brother… you may list some conditions you have in mind, and everyone who help would be rewarded with one superior-grade immortal item.”
With that, the Immortal Hermit of the South Pole summoned a Chan Sect disciple and relay Jiang He’s instructions.
The disciple’s eyes lit up and he quickly went off to get more disciples.
Nonetheless, the Immortal Hermit of the South Pole felt something weird after that disciple left…
The Chan Sect was a major sect presided over by a Saint, and a sect that topped rich lists over all the existing worlds… and someone was offering superior-grade immortal items as reward for using their disciples as handymen?
But come to think of it, earning a superior-grade immortal item by helping out with menial task would be such a major profit!
Soon, dozens of Chan Sect disciples were swarming toward them, dividing the molding tools and tasks of condensing the pellets between themselves.
Meanwhile, Jiang He invited the Jade Emperor, Lü Dongbin, Yan Jian, and the Immortal Hermit of the South Pole to the yard he was lodging at.
He called out to Boa Hancock out of habit for tea… and it was only after that when he realized with a start and chuckled, “I forgot that my maid is in seclusion as well…”
Hence, Jiang He personally brewed a pot of Old Tea of Enlightenment, serving it to the Jade Emperor and the others.
They were left stunned once more…
After a few sips, Lü Dongbin then asked, “Brother Jiang He, did you have something in mind when you requested someone to ask for me?”
“Naturally.”
Jiang He smiled as he took a sip of his tea. “Didn’t I tell you before back on Earth? I want to trade with you when I arrive at the celestial battlefield, Brother.”
“Are you talking about the Dao Enlightenment Pellets?”
Lü Dongbin realized with a start. Glancing at the Jade Emperor first, he then said, “To tell the truth, Brother Jiang He… the Dao Enlightenment Pellets may be rank-eight pellets, but it is incredibly difficult to refine them, even for grandmaster pellet refinists… which is why the Celestial Court does not have many in stock.”
“I can buy it for a high price.”
Jiang He grinned. “Of course, I can trade for it too… at a ratio of one to one and a half.”
Those words left Lü Dongbin at a loss for words, and he asked in surprise, “What exchange are you talking about?”
At those words, he remembered the chieftain of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect on Earth who ran errands for Jiang He to exchange immortal crystals, which had been a laughing stock for immortals in idle exchanges.
“Do you mean to exchange one and a half Dao Enlightenment Pellets for one Dao Enlightenment Pellet?”
“That’s right.”
Jiang He nodded and replied. “I’ll purchase as many Dao Enlightenment Pellets as the Celestial Court has, and pay one and half Dao Enlightenment Pellets for each single Dao Enlightenment Pellet I get… of course, it would be even be even more ideal if you could sell me the recipe for the Dao Enlightenment Pellets and I’ll gift a batch to the Celestial Court after I mass produce them.”
Lü Dongbin turned toward the Jade Emperor then, who appeared a little stumped.
It was after a long while that he finally spoke, “Mister Jiang… forgive me for being frank, but what do you intend to achieve through that trade?”
