Ling Wen was a heavenly official who managed the affairs of celestial personnel and controlled the smooth sailing and rapid career promotion of humans. The entire palace was stacked full of official documents and scrolls from the ground to the ceiling, quite an astounding sight, enough to make one quake with fear. On the way over, every heavenly official who emerged from the Palace of Ling Wen was holding stacks of documents that were taller than the average person. Their complexions were ghastly pale, looking either like they were breaking down or numb.
After Xie Lian entered the great hall, Ling Wen turned around and got straight to the point. “Your Highness, the Heavenly Emperor has a request for you. Will you give him some assistance?”
There were plenty of Zhenjun and Yuanjun in the Heavenly Realm, but there was only one who could be addressed as Emperor. If this lord wanted something done, he needn’t ask first, which was why Xie Lian was a little taken aback before he replied, “What is it?”
Ling Wen handed him a scroll. “Recently, there have been a large number of grand believers from the north making frequent prayers, so I imagine things must not be peaceful there.”
The name “grand believer” usually referred to one of three types of people. The first type were the rich, those who paid for incense and religious services and built temples. The second type were missionaries, people who promoted the religion and gave sermons. The third type were believers who possessed absolute faith in both heart and body.
Among the three, the first type dominated. The richer someone was, the more they feared and respected gods and ghosts, and there were as many rich people as there were fish in the sea. The third type was the least common, because if someone could genuinely reach that level, then their spiritual state must be exceptional, and they wouldn’t be far from ascension themselves.
The ones spoken of here were, obviously, the first type.
“The Heavenly Emperor cannot attend to the north right now,” Ling Wen explained. “If you are willing to make a trip over on his behalf, then in the future, regardless of how many offerings these grand believers give as a gesture to pay off their vows, everything will be counted under your altar. What do you think?”
Xie Lian received the scroll with both hands and said, “Thank you.”
This was clearly Jun Wu helping him, but the Heavenly Emperor made it sound like he was asking Xie Lian for help. Of course Xie Lian could tell, but he couldn’t find the right words to express how he felt besides those two.
Ling Wen replied, “I’m only responsible for getting things done. If you wish to say thanks, wait until the Heavenly Emperor returns and go thank him directly yourself. By the way, do you need me to lend you any spiritual devices?”
“No,” Xie Lian said. “Even if you give me a spiritual device, I won’t have any spiritual power once I go down, so I couldn’t use it anyway.”
Having been banished twice, Xie Lian had lost all of his spiritual powers. Things were fine in the Heavenly Realm; the Heavenly Realm was the place where the divine palaces stood and spiritual qi was abundant, endless, and right at his fingertips for him to use. However, once back in the Mortal Realm, he was stunted. If he wanted to have a spiritual battle with anyone, he’d have to borrow said power from someone to make do—quite the inconvenience.
Ling Wen pondered for a moment. “Then it’s best if we call a few martial officials over to lend you a hand.”
The martial gods that were currently in office either didn’t know him or loathed him. Xie Lian knew that much, at least. “Forget about that too. No one will come.”
Ling Wen had her own considerations, however. “I’ll give it a try.”
It wouldn’t matter whether she tried or not, but Xie Lian neither agreed nor protested and let her go off to try on her own. Thus, Ling Wen entered the communication array and clearly and loudly asked:
“Everyone, the Heavenly Emperor has an urgent matter in the north and is in dire need of capable hands. Is there any martial highness who can assign two martial officials from their palace?”
Just as the words were spoken, Mu Qing’s voice popped up airily. “I hear the Heavenly Emperor is not in the north at the moment, so this is probably a call for assistance from His Highness the Crown Prince, am I right?”
Xie Lian thought to himself, Are you just lurking inside the communication array at all times of the day…?
Ling Wen thought the exact same thing and dearly wanted to slap Mu Qing out of the array for obstructing her work, but still she smiled outwardly. “Xuan Zhen, how come I keep seeing you inside the array these days? Seems like you’ve got free time on your hands lately. Congratulations.”
Mu Qing replied coolly, “My hand is wounded. I’m currently nursing the injury.”
Every heavenly official thought to themselves, That hand of yours can chop the mountains and slash the seas without breaking a sweat. What could splitting a bell do to you?
Ling Wen had wanted to wait until she had tricked two people into volunteering before saying anything at first, yet not only did Mu Qing figure it out easily, he had to say it out loud too. Now there surely wouldn’t be anyone available. As expected, not a single soul responded, but Xie Lian didn’t think anything of it. He turned to her.
“I told you no one would come.”
“If Xuan Zhen didn’t say anything, I would’ve succeeded,” Ling Wen said.
Xie Lian chuckled. “You worded it like a pipa player with half her face covered, and within the fog, the flower looks three times more beautiful. If others thought it was to do work for the Emperor, of course they would’ve come. But if they came and discovered they’d be working with me, there would probably be a riot, and how could we cooperate under those conditions? Either way, I’m used to being alone; it’s not like I lost any limbs during all these years, so we’ll leave it as it is. Thanks for all the trouble, I’ll be off now.”
Ling Wen was out of ideas too, so she cupped her hands in salute. “All right. Wishing everything goes smoothly for Your Highness down below. May heaven officials give their blessings.”
“No paths are bound!” Xie Lian replied, waved his hand, and left in a dashing manner.