Traveling Through Journey to the West: I Am the Dragon King

Seeing that the two celestial officials had been scared away by him, Yun Chonghua was helpless.

However, he didn't chase after them. After all, if he did, it would make him seem petty and deliberately retaliating against them.

It seems I can only thank them again if we meet again someday.

However, Yun Chonghua was also curious as to why the two of them were so frightened. Although he had been named the Dragon King, he was still a Dragon King from the lower realm.

Of all the rivers and streams in the world, he wasn't exactly nobody, but he felt he wasn't that important either.

At least the Dragon King of the East Sea would treat them with respect, so why are they so afraid?

However, with his departure date fast approaching, Yun Chonghua didn't think too much about it and went straight to Yunlou Palace to visit Nezha. After meeting with Nezha, he went down to the mortal realm to become his own Dragon King.

Yun Chonghua walked towards Yunlou Palace. Along the way, he discovered that it wasn't just the two brothers from before who treated him with such courtesy.

All the celestial children, officials, and fairies who encountered him were like this.

When they encountered him, they would quickly step aside and bow their heads in greeting. Only after he had passed would they straighten up and leave.

Although it feels good to be respected, it makes Chonghua feel a little awkward when everyone is like that.

Soon they arrived at the front of Yunlou Palace, where Yun Chonghua bumped into Nezha, who was returning from inspecting the military academy.

He called out, "Brother! Brother!" and then waved to Nezha.

When Nezha saw the handsome celestial being before him, his little head was filled with great doubt.

Nezha then looked around to make sure there was no one else around.

Nezha then pointed to himself and asked Yun Chonghua, "Are you calling me?"

Yun Chonghua stepped forward and said, "Of course!"

Nezha also immediately noticed the jade tablet in his hand, then cupped his hands and said, "This deity is quite unfamiliar. May I ask which immortal mountain you reside on? And which celestial venerable one are you a disciple of?"

Yun Chonghua was speechless when he saw Nezha, who didn't recognize him. The change was too great, which wasn't a good thing.

But he focused his mind, and the dragon-binding ropes on his body came off, swirling around him. He then said, "It's me, Chonghua. We've only been apart for a few days, how come you don't recognize me, brother?"

Upon hearing this, Nezha exclaimed in surprise, "Ah? You're Brother Chonghua? How have you changed so much in just a few days? Although I've taught you some skills, your cultivation has progressed far too quickly!"

As he spoke, Nezha circled around him, scrutinizing him from head to toe. If the Dragon-Binding Rope hadn't been forged by his own hands, he truly wouldn't have recognized him.

Yun Chonghua asked in surprise, "Ah? Such a big thing happened in Heaven, and you didn't know anything about it, brother?"

Nezha asked, "What's the matter? Besides that little fairy being captured by the Giant Spirit God for descending to the mortal realm without permission, what else has happened? By the way! How come you suddenly became an immortal, and in such a high position, after only a few days?"

Seeing that Nezha was indeed unknown, Yun Chonghua said, "Although it has only been a few days, the feeling is like a lifetime. It's a long story, brother, please let me tell you in detail."

Upon hearing this, Nezha said, "Since it's a long story, let's go back to the palace and talk about it slowly. I've been busy checking the heavenly soldiers these past few days and haven't heard about external affairs. Brother Chonghua, please tell me slowly."

The two then entered the Cloud Tower Palace together. Nezha invited him to his residence, and the two brothers poured each other a cup of hot tea and began to talk.

Then Yun Chonghua told Nezha what happened after he was thrown down.

Nezha recounted everything, including his encounter with Sun Wukong, his journey to Xiniu Hezhou, his chance meeting with the Seven Fairies in Danyang County, his accidental killing of Dong Yong, his being taken to heaven, his quick thinking in taking responsibility, and how the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother enlightened him to become an immortal and appointed him as the Dragon King of Sishui.

However, Yun Chonghua did not tell the whole truth about Sun Wukong's search for the Bodhi Patriarch.

He only said that he got separated from the "monkey" when he arrived in Xiniu Hezhou. He didn't have any good fortune, so he returned to Nanzhanbuzhou, where he encountered the Seventh Princess.

After Yun Chonghua finished speaking, he sighed and said, "Alas! I suppose I've turned misfortune into blessing. It's just a pity about that filial son Dong. But the Empress said he will be blessed for the next nine lifetimes, so I'm much more at ease."

But Nezha burst into laughter upon hearing this, saying, "Hahaha, so that's how it is! I never imagined that my experiences over these few days would be so exciting. That little fairy has really shot herself in the foot, becoming a stepping stone for my ascension to immortality."

Yun Chonghua said, "Alas! It's gratifying to have gotten revenge on the Seventh Princess, but it's a pity that the filial son Dong died like this."

Nezha comforted him, saying, "Oh! My dear brother, there's no need to worry. Just as the Queen said, you not only didn't harm that filial son Dong, but you actually saved him. Even if you hadn't killed him, when the Giant Spirit God and the others descended to the mortal realm to capture the Seventh Princess, he probably wouldn't have survived anyway. In fact, he would have died a much more gruesome death. At least you left him with a complete corpse."

"Even if he survived by sheer luck, he violated the heavenly law by having an affair with a fairy. After death, he would be cast into the eighteen levels of hell to suffer endless torment, never to be reincarnated. Now that you have taken on this karma for them, he can be reincarnated early to enjoy a peaceful life. This is the best outcome for him."

Yun Chonghua said, "Perhaps."

At this moment, Yun Chonghua recalled the strange events that had occurred when he arrived, and asked, "By the way, brother, in terms of rank, what official title would I, the Dragon King of the Sishui River, hold?"

Nezha replied, "Sishui ranks among the eighth-class river gods. Among the river gods of the lower realm, it's a middling position, not particularly high. In terms of human ranks, it's probably only slightly higher than a county magistrate and slightly lower than a prefect. From a celestial perspective, it's nothing special."

Yun Chonghua was not surprised by his official rank. He didn't want to be a high-ranking official.

But he was very curious as to why these gods in heaven treated him with such courtesy, even though he was just a nobody.

He could understand why Han Sizhangren Zhenjun treated him with such courtesy. After all, he knew he was a favorite of the Jade Emperor.

But why were those fairies and celestial children who had never seen him doing the same thing? This made him a little curious.

Yun Chonghua asked, "Since my official rank is so low, even in the eyes of the celestial beings, it's just a trivial matter. Why do people treat me with such courtesy? Some celestial maidens even step aside to bow to me?"

In response to Chonghua's question, Nezha replied, "The reason lies in this 'Wu Ban' in your hand, brother. Do you know what this Wu Ban is for?"

Yun Chonghua said, "Of course I know that. It's used for court assemblies. I've seen that the celestial officials in the Lingxiao Palace all have it."

Nezha continued, "Brother, you only know one side of the story. The tablet you hold also has grades, divided into three types: silver, gold, and jade. Only the deities who possess these tablets are qualified to submit memorials to the Jade Emperor. Although all three grades of tablets can reach the Emperor's ears, their functions differ greatly."

"The silver tablet is secondary. Although it has the power to submit memorials to Heaven, it can only be submitted to the Kehan ​​Division, and then the Kehan ​​Division will forward the memorials to the Jade Emperor."

"The Golden Jade Tablet will be in the center, and the holder will possess the Golden Jade Tablet and tablet. There is no need to hand it over to the Kehan ​​Si; one can go directly to the Lingxiao Palace to request an audience. After the Lingguan reports to the Jade Emperor and receives his approval, one can enter the palace to meet His Majesty."

"And the jade tablet in your hand is of the highest grade among the three. It allows one to directly enter the palace to meet the emperor without prior notice. There are only a few dozen immortals in the entire celestial realm, including my father and others, who possess this jade tablet. Even the immortal elders of the Ten Continents and Three Islands do not have this power."

"However, there are those who don't need these, such as the Celestial Venerables, Great Emperors, Patriarchs, and Buddhas who are at the Celestial Immortal realm. They don't need the tablet to enter the palace and can directly meet the Emperor. But Brother Chonghua, with this jade tablet in your hand, you are second only to them."

Yun Chonghua suddenly realized, "Oh, I see. No wonder they treated me with such courtesy."

Nezha added, "Although you hold a low rank and a small position, your status in the divine realm is not low. That old mudfish from the East Sea may have more power and a higher official rank than you, but after thousands of years, he's only a Golden Jade, destined to kneel outside the Lingxiao Palace and await orders."