A passing traveler through the heavens

Chapter 238 Joining the Heavenly Court

The Jade Emperor, as the undisputed supreme ruler of Heaven, governs all living beings and things in Heaven and the Three Realms with unparalleled majesty and grand spirit.

The Queen Mother of the West is an indispensable and capable assistant to the Jade Emperor. She not only manages many trivial yet crucial affairs in the Heavenly Court, but also shoulders the important responsibility of leading the female immortals of the Heavenly Court.

Besides these two key figures, the vast system of Heaven also has many other crucial positions that together support the order and balance between Heaven and Earth.

Such positions include the Four Emperors, the Twenty-Eight Constellations, the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Thunder God and Lightning Goddess, the Wind God and Rain Master, the Nine Luminaries, and the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas.

Although many positions in the Heavenly Court are currently vacant, they will surely become a gathering place for talented individuals once the Investiture of the Gods war concludes.

At this moment, Ji Lin left the Heavenly Court and casually found a scenic mountain to rest.

He lay comfortably on a beach chair, wearing sunglasses and with a cigarette dangling from his lips. A glass of red wine exuding a rich aroma sat on the small table beside him. He appeared relaxed and carefree, but in reality, he was going through a fierce internal struggle.

He pondered the possibility of taking up a post in Heaven, his heart filled with conflict.

His main mission in the prehistoric world is to forge new heavenly laws. Even if he doesn't do it actively, new heavenly laws will still be born when Chenxiang is born in the future.

However, Ji Lin now has a close relationship with Yang Jian and Yang Chan, and he really can't bear to see another tragedy of saving his mother unfold in the world.

After much deliberation, he finally decided to take up a post in the Heavenly Court, but he struggled with what position to take. He disdained the ordinary, minor positions and his eyes were firmly fixed on the four imperial positions.

The Four Emperors, as an important part of the Heavenly Court's power structure, held an extremely high position and assisted the Jade Emperor in handling various important matters.

Currently, among the Four Emperors, the role of Houtu Huangdizhi has been taken over by Houtu, a reincarnation of the Wu tribe. Her full title is "Chengtian Xiaofa Houtu Huangdizhi," and she bears a heavy responsibility, guarding the peace and order of reincarnation on earth.

The remaining three positions—the Ziwei Emperor, the Gouchen Emperor, and the Antarctic Longevity Emperor—are still unassigned.

The full title of the Ziwei Emperor is "Zhongtian Ziwei Beiji Taihuang Dadi". He resides in the Ziwei Enclosure where the North Star is located. As the master of all stars, he assists the Jade Emperor in managing the celestial order, the sun, moon and stars, governing all stars and the four seasons, and controlling the movement of stars in the universe and the changes in the order of time in the world.

The full title of Emperor Gouchen is "Emperor Gouchen Shanggong Tianhuang Dadi". He assists the Jade Emperor in governing the North and South Poles and the three realms of Heaven, Earth and Man, and commands all the stars. He presides over matters of war and civil war in the human world and has enormous power in military affairs and maintaining order in the human world.

The full title of the Antarctic Longevity Emperor is "High Supreme Divine Firmament Jade Purity True King Longevity Emperor Unifying Heavenly Origin Saint Heavenly Venerable". He is mainly in charge of the length of life in the human world, in charge of the lifespan of heaven, earth, and man, and is responsible for controlling the lifespan and blessings of the human world.

Of these three positions, Ji Lin was particularly fond of the Ziwei Emperor and the Gouchen Emperor, while the Antarctic Longevity Emperor would be held by the Antarctic Immortal from the Chan Sect, who would be considered one of his own.

Ultimately, after careful consideration and repeated internal deliberation, Ji Lin chose the position of the Ziwei Emperor.

Three days later, Ji Lin returned to the Heavenly Court and arrived at Haotian's cultivation place. This time, Haotian was wearing a golden robe embroidered with runes and auspicious patterns. His crown was adorned with glittering gems, and he was surrounded by auspicious symbols. His eyes were deep and unfathomable, exuding majesty.

Upon seeing this, Ji Lin quickly bowed to the majestic Haotian before him, expressing his respect: "Junior Ji Lin greets the Heavenly Emperor."

Haotian looked calmly at Ji Lin and said indifferently, "Since you've come again, it seems you've thought it through."

Ji Lin took a deep breath and calmly replied, "Being valued by the Heavenly Emperor, I am willing to serve in the Heavenly Court. However, I wish to serve as the Ziwei Emperor, one of the Four Emperors."

Upon hearing this, Haotian remained silent for a long time, his gaze turning to Ji Lin as he pondered the profound impact of this decision on the Heavenly Court and the Three Realms.

Haotian stared intently, seemingly trying to discern Ji Lin's resolve and ability. After a moment, he slowly spoke: "The Great Emperor Ziwei bears a heavy responsibility concerning the order of heaven and earth and the stars. Do you have the confidence to shoulder this great task?"

Ji Lin's gaze was firm: "Although I am still inexperienced, I have the determination and perseverance to live up to the Heavenly Emperor's trust and do my best to maintain the operation of the stars and protect the peace of the Three Realms."

Haotian nodded slightly: "In that case, I hereby grant you the position of Emperor Ziwei. I hope you will not forget what I said today."

Ji Lin bowed deeply with emotion: "Thank you, Heavenly Emperor. I, Ji Lin, will certainly do my utmost to serve you."

As the ruler of the Heavenly Court, Haotian slowly raised his hand, and a soft and mysterious light emanated from his palm. That light gathered the purest power in the world and gently touched Ji Lin's body.

In an instant, Ji Lin seemed to be baptized by a mysterious power, surrounded by a mysterious and noble aura, just like the most dazzling North Star in the night sky, radiating innate majesty and sacred light.

Ji Lin wore a crown with tassels, each jade bead round and lustrous, as translucent as dewdrops on lotus leaves in the morning.

With each movement he made, the jade beads collided with each other, producing a crisp sound. Against the backdrop of this celestial music, the crown tassels swayed and shone even more brightly, appearing even more solemn and dignified.

Beneath the crown was a face with distinct features, a solemn expression, and eyes as deep as the endless night sky, twinkling with starlight in the darkness.

At this moment, Ji Lin was dressed in an incomparably luxurious purple robe, on which were embroidered star maps meticulously outlined in gold thread.

Those star charts were not static, lifeless objects, but rather seemed to have been given a vibrant life.

As Ji Lin breathed and moved, the stars twinkled and shifted, vividly depicting the trajectories of celestial bodies. From the birth and evolution of galaxies to the complex gravitational pull between stars, everything was presented on this star map.

The cuffs and collar are inlaid with rare gemstones, each radiating a unique and captivating halo. These halos, reflecting the star map, add to Ji Lin's mysterious and solemn aura, making him appear like a deity descended from the stars.

Ji Lin wore a jade belt inlaid with mysterious runes around his waist. This jade belt was not just an ornament; it not only demonstrated Ji Lin's incomparably noble status, but also contained powerful and boundless spiritual energy, and was the supreme symbol of controlling the order of heaven and earth.

Whenever Ji Lin circulated his magic power, the runes on his jade belt would flicker, emitting mysterious power fluctuations, as if resonating with the laws of heaven and earth.

Behind it, the faint phantom of a vast starry sky emerges, with stars twinkling, the Milky Way meandering, and numerous stars moving in an orderly fashion, like a condensed miniature universe, vividly showcasing the grandeur and mystery of the universe.

After Ji Lin accepted Haotian's investiture, the consciousness of all the gods in the Heavenly Court was instantly filled with a mysterious message. In an instant, everyone knew that the Ziwei Emperor had found his rightful owner.

Haotian waved his hand gently, signaling Tiannu, who was waiting nearby, to take Jilin to the palace of Emperor Ziwei.

The workplace of the Ziwei Emperor—the Ziwei Enclosure—is located where the North Star is situated; it is a sacred realm suspended in the vast starry sky.

The Purple Palace Enclosure resembles a magnificent celestial palace, surrounded and guarded by dazzling stars. The palace buildings are imposing, with purple and gold as the main color. The purple and gold light is sometimes soft and sometimes dazzling.

Upon entering the Purple Palace, the first thing that catches the eye is the majestic Purple Cloud Palace.

The gates of Zixiao Palace are tall and majestic, forged from the Nine Heavens Black Iron, making them indestructible. Countless mysterious runes are engraved on the surface of the gates. These runes shimmer with a faint light, and each rune contains the ultimate principles of heaven and earth and powerful restrictive force. Anyone with ill intentions who approaches will be ruthlessly repelled by this force.

Above the palace gate hangs a huge plaque, on which are written the three large characters "Ziwei Palace" in ancient and mysterious celestial script, the characters vigorous and powerful.

Stepping into the palace, one sees halls and pavilions arranged in a harmonious and orderly manner, with carved beams and painted rafters. Every building embodies the exquisite skills of the craftsmen, making it ingenious and unparalleled.

The palace walls are made of precious starstone, which has magical properties. It can absorb and store the power of stars and emit a soft and mysterious light in the darkness, making the entire Ziwei Enclosure shine as if it were daytime.

Inside the palace, various rare treasures and powerful artifacts are displayed, each exuding a unique aura and telling the story of its extraordinary origin.

The most eye-catching feature is a huge celestial compass, which floats in the very center of the palace. Its surface is engraved with the trajectories of the stars and the changes in celestial phenomena.

These trajectories and changes are not fixed, but are updated synchronously with the real-time dynamics of the cosmos, accurately showing every anomaly of the cosmos. They are an indispensable tool for the Ziwei Emperor to control the celestial phenomena.

Under the command of the Ziwei Emperor, there is a vast and well-ordered pantheon.

The first to be addressed are the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper, who respectively govern the seven stars: Greedy Wolf, Giant Gate, Prosperity, Literary Star, Honest Star, Martial Star, and Broken Army.

Each star deity possesses unique supernatural powers and responsibilities, playing an irreplaceable role in the management of stars and the influence on human fortunes.

At the same time, there were also celestial officials specifically responsible for recording the changes of the stars and predicting the fortunes of the stars.

These celestial officials possessed exceptional wisdom and keen observation skills, and they remained stationed day and night at the astronomical observatory. The observatory was equipped with various wondrous instruments made of rare materials, capable of capturing even the most minute changes in the stars.

The celestial officials used these instruments and ancient techniques to record every unusual movement of the stars and the subtle changes in the constellations.

Then, using unique algorithms and extensive experience, they conducted in-depth analysis of this data, transforming complex astrological changes into detailed astrological reports and accurate fortune predictions.