Qin Feng arched his eyebrows, thinking that it must be something quite significant for the Jade Emperor to speak so politely. He absolutely could not commit immediately—he had to find out the details first. If it were something particularly troublesome, he’d definitely decline. Or, if you were willing to offer sufficient compensation, he’d certainly consider it. Most others, upon hearing the Jade Emperor’s words, would have agreed without hesitation, even saying they’d be willing to go through fire and oil—up the mountain and down the mountain. Many ministers had assumed this would be the case, only to be surprised to see Qin subtly shifting his gaze, realizing the matter wasn’t as straightforward as they’d expected. With a warm smile, he said, “Your Majesty, how so very polite of you! Just tell me what you need, and as long as I can do it, I’ll do my best.” The deeper implication was: if I can’t manage it, then I’m truly at a loss—please don’t expect too much from me. The Jade Emperor had anticipated such a result. For several days, he had dispatched multiple teams to inquire about Qin Feng's whereabouts, learning that even his own master, the Heavenly Emperor, had suffered several defeats at Qin Feng's hands. "Indeed, after your forces drove away the Magian delegation during their last negotiations, the Magian Emperor grew deeply displeased." The Emperor's tone was carefully crafted—first placing the responsibility squarely on Qin Feng, then adding, "Therefore, they have decided to send their foremost warrior to challenge the talents of our heavenly realm. After much deliberation, I believe you are the most suitable candidate." "I am suitable," he replied, eyes blazing. "If not, then I am not even a member of the Heavenly Palace—how can I possibly represent the Heavenly Palace in battle?" The Emperor promptly corrected himself: "Not merely representing the Heavenly Palace, but the entire Heavenly Realm. Are you not a member of the Heavenly Realm, Qin Feng? This is surely a splendid opportunity to serve the Realm." A splendid opportunity, indeed—surely a battle to the death with the Magians. What if I perish in the fight, leaving behind a whole host of beautiful wives? He shook his head and said, "I still feel it's not suitable. The heavenly court has so many talented individuals; you could simply send anyone over." "Impossible," the Jade Emperor said firmly. "This concerns the face of the heavenly court. We cannot send someone arbitrarily. The outcome of this duel is crucial to the morale of the entire heavenly realm. If we lose, the demonic forces will be deeply shaken and will mobilize their entire army to launch an attack—leading to widespread devastation. Can Qin Feng, young friend, really stand by and watch the second great war between gods and demons unfold, with himself being the very one entrusted to negotiate with the demons? How could he remain passive?" Man, what's the point of me going to negotiate with the demons? Haven't you personally assigned me to this task? Did you really think I wanted to? He chewed his lips and said, "If a great battle truly breaks out, I'm certain I won't stay out of it. But as for this duel—well, I think you'd be better off sending someone close to you. Your nephew, Erlang Shen, comes to mind. Why not send him? During the battle against Monkey King, only he came out unscathed, and in fact, he gave Monkey King a serious setback. I believe he'd be perfectly suited for this." The Jade Emperor shook his head: "He's not suitable. He's my nephew. Sending him would sound like favoritism—absolutely not acceptable." Qin Shao then suggested another candidate: "Nezha, the Third Prince! With his flaming spear, jade ring, and wind-and-fire wheel—what a set of equipment! This is truly what many dream of. I'm certain he'll knock that first warrior of the demonic race off their feet." The Jade Emperor waved his hand: "Nezha is still too young. He lacks experience—his words may be fresh, but his actions aren't yet solid." Qin Shao's face darkened immediately: "Nezha is young, but what about me "The Jade Emperor blushed slightly: 'It can't be that simple. After all, your growing environments are quite different. Though Nezha's actual age is already two or three thousand years, his mental maturity is still only around twelve or thirteen—far less steady than yours.' Honestly, that's just not acceptable. He immediately added, 'Then how about Guiling Shen?' 'Even worse,' the Emperor continued. 'Last time he was defeated by you, he still hasn't recovered from the defeat. Send him to fight the demonic forces, and he'll surely lose.' 'What about Hong Haidi?' 'Ah, coughing slightly, send off a baby still nursing at the breast? Wouldn't that be a joke to the demonic forces—showing our heavenly court as utterly lacking in capable leaders?' '...' The Emperor fixed him with a steady gaze, saying, 'Qin Feng, the people you've suggested—I've carefully considered each one. None of them seem suitable. After thorough deliberation, I still believe you are the most appropriate choice.' Could it really be that the entire Heavenly Palace has no one to recommend at all? Even if we had to pick a general from among the lame, we should still find several, wouldn't we Laojun saw that he was not inclined to agree and stepped forward to say, "Qin Feng, this duel truly carries great significance. I hope you won't hesitate—should you defeat the demonic forces, the Emperor will surely bestow upon you great rewards." "Truly," he brightened, but immediately added, "yet I am but a lower-grade spiritual immortal. The first warrior of the demonic army, however, likely needs to approach the level of the Daimyo himself. How shall I possibly defeat him?" Laojun smiled, "You are indeed a humble young man..." "Indeed," he proudly declared. The old man thought to himself, how thick-skinned you really are. Then he continued, "In just two months, you've progressed from a lower-grade true immortal to a lower-grade spiritual immortal—this shows your exceptional talent in cultivation. If you're so talented, you're certain to make further rapid progress and triumph over the proud demonic forces in a short time." "To hell with you, old man! You're standing there talking while ignoring your own aches and pains. Do you have any idea what it's been like for me over the last two months? It's been absolutely terrible—any fool would pass on a second chance. He glared at Laojun, huffing, "How can you possibly be right? Isn't it because I've made rapid progress that you've placed all your hopes on me?" Laojun smiled mysteriously and said, "Young friend, if you'd like, I'd be more than happy to offer you the fullest possible support." Pfft—what could you possibly do for me? Wait—full support? His eyes sparkled again. "You're serious, aren't you? About strengthening your power? The very foundation of that requires a vast supply of precious elixirs and medicines. How much can Laojun provide?" Laojun, rarely so generous, replied, "As much as you need, I'll provide." Goodness—his confidence is truly solid. He extended a finger and said, "I need at least one...” "Ten thousand, then? No problem. Right away, I'll have them fetched." The old man agreed immediately. In fact, Qin Shao had meant to ask for one thousand, but didn't expect the old man to agree to ten thousand. After all, were these golden elixirs truly refined in the Eight-Trigram Furnace—or just sugar beans? Tai Shang Lao Jun continued, "Qin Feng, young friend, do you have any other requests?" Good heavens! Having ten thousand elixirs, I still have more to ask for? I feel like a cake with a surprise filling falling from the sky. Since you're so polite, I might as well be bold and make my own requests.