Chapter 1673: The Young Master Before Tingyu Pavilion Planning the Gains and Losses of the Five Clans

Within the Han Palace Imperial Realm, there was a breathtaking scene of lustrous mountains and waters, adorned with elegant pavilions and towers.

From afar, the scent of flowers and the song of birds, after a brief visit to the golden-red carp sipping water from the lake like dragonflies skimming the surface, drifted on the wind into a waterside pavilion, distinctly Jiangnan in style.

Looking out from the railing, the Listening Rain Pavilion was perpetually spring-like, a veritable paradise on Earth. In stark contrast to the gray and ruined environment of the God's Vestige, the latter was a ghastly hell.

"Pfft!"

Wine sprayed out as a fine mist.

Inside the pavilion, Yuegong Li, with a grape in one hand and a wine glass in the other, had fully returned to his carefree young master's life.

He gazed at the two mirrors in front of him with a look of astonishment: "No, Xu Xiaoshou is utterly terrifying."

"Did he come up with this terrible idea himself, or did that flamboyant old Taoist give him advice? It's so disgusting!"

It was indeed disgusting... The maid, whose face had been sprayed, turned her head away, baring her teeth in resentment.

The maid quickly wiped the wine from her face and recomposed herself. With a calm gaze, as if she had seen through the world, she looked back at the young master, who was still sitting with his legs crossed but seemed about to stand.

"Young Master Li, how undignified."

"Uh, my apologies... don't stop kneading."

Yuegong Li popped a grape into his mouth, his right shoulder slightly raised, and the maid behind him massaged harder.

Though he apologized, his eyes never left the two mirrors, which displayed the real-time footage of Xu Xiaoshou ascending the Holy Mountain.

On the left, the Preaching Mirror continuously broadcast Xu Xiaoshou's taunt: "Love Dog, do you dare to face me in battle?" He kept shouting for most of the day, but Ai Cangsheng remained silent.

On the right, the Heavenly Dao Mirror, using the Heavenly Ladder as its array core, displayed the Dao Observation Array. Through it, one could see Ai Cangsheng launching attacks dozens of times, and Xu Xiaoshou fleeing just as many.

But the foolish demi-saints of the Holy Mountain saw nothing, still shouting: "Great Emperor Cangsheng, please loose your arrow!"

"Great Emperor Cangsheng, please slay Xu Xiaoshou!"

Upon seeing the returning Qin Duan also unable to resist shouting "Love Dog" at Ai Cangsheng, Yuegong Li burst into uproarious laughter, as if the maid massaging his shoulders had hit his funny bone.

He suddenly burst into laughter, clapping wildly in place, tears and grape juice spurting from the corners of his eyes and between his teeth.

"What a prank!"

"Pure, unadulterated mischief!"

"Xu Xiaoshou is truly outrageous; this tactic must have come from that flamboyant old Taoist, haha, look at him—"

Yuegong Li's eyebrows were twisted with laughter as he pointed at the mirror and turned to look at the shoulder-massaging maid, seeking an emotional response.

The maid raised an eyelid, glanced at the mirror: "Oh."

She then looked at the sky, her eyes brightening. She took two steps back and let out a long sigh, as if she had been holding her breath for a long time.

Only then did she bow gracefully, smiling sweetly as she said: "It's past noon, Young Master Li, good afternoon. I'll be taking my afternoon nap now."

Light footsteps faded into the distance.

The next maid stepped up to take her place. Her delicate nose wrinkled, but she said nothing, and her small fists began to pound down with force.

"Hiss!"

Yuegong Li gasped, "Haven't seen you for a month or so, holding back all that strength, have you? Go easy on me!"

"Oh."

"'Oh' what 'oh'? Stop hammering, all of you, get out, quickly! Call Ah Si over!"

Yuegong Li had lost all interest in watching the show.

Their faces were clouded with gloom, their expressions suggesting they wished him dead. He simply waved them away.

The maids in the pavilion, as if puppets suddenly endowed with souls, instantly brightened their eyes, all standing up and bowing in unison.

"Thank you, Young Master!"

Immediately, as if afraid Young Master Li would change his mind, their figures disappeared in a flash.

Before long, shouts rose and fell in the distance: "Elder Four! Elder Four!"

"Young Master Li calls for you, hurry to the Listening Rain Pavilion!"

What in the world was that? Had he been too lenient with them...? Yuegong Li's eyelids twitched furiously. He secretly told himself to calm down and not to stoop to their level.

A faint light descended from the sky.

A stooped, white-haired old man in black, having knelt on one knee before the railing at some unknown point, said: "This old servant is here."

"No need for formalities."

Only then did Ah Si rise. As he approached, his nose wrinkled, and he cast a peculiar gaze: "Young Master Li, why not bathe and change clothes upon returning home?"

Yuegong Li froze for a moment before realizing, then grabbed his collar and sniffed twice: "Do I stink?"

The stooped old man nodded, then shook his head: "Bearable."

"Bearable, indeed..." Yuegong Li, fuming, picked up the grape plate from the table and threw it. The old man, Ah Si, caught it, plucked a grape, popped it into his mouth, and glanced at the two mirrors:

"Is this... Master Shou?"

"Yes!" Yuegong Li nodded. "Familiarize yourself with his face – no, his face isn't that important. Focus on his aura and abilities... If you ever run into him, just don't say you're one of mine. You'll probably survive then."

Ah Si's eyebrows twitched: "Is Master Shou truly that powerful?"

"What do you think?" Yuegong Li stood up, running the backs of his fingers down his chest, "My true body almost got trapped in the God's Vestige!"

Ah Si was moved: "Young Master Li, you've worked hard."

"Get lost!"

"Young Master Li, did you gain anything from this trip to the ruins?" Ah Si, taking the place of the maid, began kneading the young master's shoulders, gesturing for him to sit and watch the show as they talked.

"You know what? I really did!"

"Oh?"

"The God's Vestige, supposedly the inheritance ground of Ran Ming, actually awakened the evil god Sui Yin!"

"What? It was actually the avatar of the Ancestor of Arts? How did Young Master Li escape with his life? In this old servant's opinion, you must have displayed some divine bravery, right?"

"To my shame, I wasn't the main contributor; it was Xu Xiaoshou, Shen Yi, and Dao Qiongcang."

"Young Master's mastery of concealment is also a form of divine bravery... But speaking of which, was that Daoist boy there too?"

"Not only was he there, he was disgusting, and he taught by example, corrupting Xu Xiaoshou into this state. Look at him!" Yuegong Li pointed at the mirror angrily.

Xu Xiaoshou in the mirror was still challenging to battle.

Meanwhile, Ai Cangsheng couldn't hit anyone, couldn't leave the Holy Mountain, and had to endure the condemnation and curses of everyone there. He was utterly helpless against Xu Xiaoshou.

"Indeed quite bad..." Ah Si murmured softly, then turned his attention back to the young master: "What did Young Master Li obtain?"

"I originally picked up two axes, but Dao Qiongcang confiscated them, and in the end, I didn't dare ask him for them back."

"Were they the God-Slaying Axe and Demon-Cleaving Axe?"

"Mm."

"No one from the Qianshi Imperial Realm is any good!"

"Yes! And disgusting!" Yuegong Li felt understood; Ah Si truly knew him. "But I didn't get anything tangible. As for the Ten Venerates, I've learned quite a bit."

"Oh? That's another kind of gain then!"

"Indeed. I saw two of the Eight Divine Generals, though it's a pity Kui Leihan didn't manage to enter; otherwise, I could have gauged his combat strength... Dao Qiongcang also revealed quite a bit, and Xu Xiaoshou, he has truly come into his own..."

Ah Si was startled upon hearing this, forgetting to massage his shoulders.

In fact, he hadn't heard a word of what came after. Seizing on the detail he'd heard earlier, he asked in surprise: "Ba Zun'an also went in?"

Xu Xiaoshou's belly then appeared in Yuegong Li's mind, and he said wistfully: "In an alternative way..."

"How is he?"

"Still very strong. I estimate he's not far from that realm."

Ah Si fell silent, his mind racing.

Before long, he thoughtfully asked: "From your perspective, Young Master, if Hua Ba were to fight again, what would be the chances of victory?"

The question was quite direct.

Yuegong Li stared at the two mirrors in front of him, slightly lost in thought, as if stumped by the question.

"Hard to say."

He didn't give a definite answer: "Fifty-fifty, I suppose. It still depends on their condition, the timing, and geographical advantage..."

He paused, then, looking at the strikingly young figure in the mirror, Yuegong Li murmured: "And the person."

Ah Si looked at the mirror.

This time, he carefully memorized Master Shou's aura, deciding that if he ever met him again, he would turn and leave immediately.

Young Master Li was a Holy Emperor's successor of great wisdom.

His achievements, his future, his strategies and methods... if everything unfolded as the clan envisioned, they could make the Han Palace Imperial Realm flourish for several more centuries.

Yet, people always have worries and hesitations.

Ah Si's position was extremely high; he was originally the Family Head's shadow.

After Yuegong Li became the Holy Emperor's successor, he requested this person from the clan.

Ah Si knew exactly what role he should play by Young Master Li's side – he only had his experience left.

He didn't need to think or make decisions on his own.

Only when Young Master Li had a need, would he help him organize his thoughts, phrasing complex issues as questions, allowing Young Master Li to sort out the answers himself.

Ah Si was silent for a long time. Once Young Master Li regained his composure, he asked: "Then, having returned from the God's Vestige with such fresh insights from witnessing so much, how does Young Master Li view the development of the Five Great Holy Imperial Families?"

Yuegong Li's attention shifted from Xu Xiaoshou in the mirror to the rippling reflection of the sky on the lake.

He pondered for a long time, then his gaze shifted slightly, and he spoke with clear articulation:

"Firstly, since Rao Wang lost his Holy Emperor's status in the God's Vestige, the Rao family is doomed. However, our clan must not interfere too much; let Qianshi, Yunshan, and Beiming battle it out."

"'Sitting on the mountain to watch tigers fight, watching the fire from the other side of the river – Young Master Li, what profound insight!' Ah Si praised."

"Secondly, Dao Qiongcang's words in the ruins greatly enlightened me. If I wish to control the Yunshan Ghost Sword, command the Eighth Sword Immortal, create a balanced situation, and avert internal strife, I cannot yet accept the Holy Emperor's status."

"'Avoiding the forefront of the storm and acting when the time is right – Young Master Li, how sagacious!' Ah Si praised again."

"Thirdly, the Ten Venerates have reached a formidable level, and the Heavenly Ladder can no longer bridge the extremes. The Han Palace Imperial Realm can no longer remain aloof in the clouds; we must connect with the Five Domains, forge alliances, and absolutely not work in isolation."

"This..." This time, Ah Si couldn't bring himself to praise. He asked hesitantly: "Young Master Li, do you have candidates for forging alliances in mind?"

"The First House in the Sky, the Holy Servants, or rather, Xu Xiaoshou and Ba Zun'an!" Yuegong Li stated confidently.

"What? They are precisely the ones rebelling against us!"

"You're mistaken. They are not rebelling; they are pursuing freedom and answers. We are not anyone's opponent either. When necessary, we can cooperate with anyone."

"Anyone?" Ah Si's eyebrows twitched.

"Yes, if we take a high stance, we'll see... sitting on the mountain to watch tigers fight means Qianshi, Yunshan, and Beiming, the three tigers, can easily ally to restrict us. Watching the fire from across the river means the flames of war from the Holy Divine Palace and the Holy Servants can easily spread to the Han Palace Imperial Realm."

"What if we take a low stance?"

"A low stance presents a different picture... When necessary, Han Palace can ally with Qianshi to take on the two tigers, Yunshan and Beiming. Han Palace can ally with the Holy Divine Palace to restrain the Holy Servants and the First House in the Sky, suppressing their fervor. And Han Palace can ally with the Holy Servants and the First House in the Sky to counteract the alliance of the three Holy Emperor tigers, potentially forcing Qianshi to ally with us."

Ah Si now praised him inwardly.

The Holy Emperor's successor of the Han Palace Imperial Realm lowering his stance?

Normally, no one would ever have thought of that.

Even outsiders wouldn't dare consider such a thought, yet Young Master Li was always ready to humble himself. What was great was not only his insight but also his broad perspective.

However, doubts arose again, and Ah Si couldn't help but ask: "Young Master Li, why focus solely on the Qianshi Imperial Realm?"

Yuegong Li calmly explained: "Yunshan Huajian and Beiming Beihuai are both Holy Emperors, each serving their respective clans. Only Qianshi is left with just Dao Qiongcang, but Dao Qiongcang... he cannot pass the 'Trial of Conscience.' He will never be loyal to his clan. We can ally with him, use him, then keep our distance. Afterwards, when we move against Qianshi, he'll be pleased to share the spoils."

"Ally with him, use him, then abandon him, how about that?" Ah Si suggested.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Too greedy. He's Dao Qiongcang. If he doesn't get anything, it means the situation isn't over, and everything we might have consumed, we'd have to spit out, ultimately returning to him."

Young Master Li seemed a bit overly paranoid about him... Ah Si subtly asked: "Is that boy from the Qianshi family truly that terrifying?"

Heavens, the conversation suddenly died.

Yuegong Li gazed blankly back at the two mirrors in front of him, sighing faintly: "If you'd been to the God's Vestige, you wouldn't ask that..."

From childhood, Yuegong Li had played with Dao Qiongcang.

Whenever they played pranks for fun, they always gained something, and gradually, Yuegong Li also developed some mischievous tendencies.

Later, as they matured, what he learned from Dao Qiongcang gradually decreased.

Eventually, there was nothing left to learn.

Yuegong Li thus developed an arrogance of 'I am now on par with Dao,' and he deeply believed it.

Now, returning home from the God's Vestige trip, Yuegong Li quickly dispelled this mistaken belief, while also reminding himself...

Since Dao Qiongcang could use time as a poison to nurture his arrogance, he would have countless more thirty-year periods to repeat his tricks. Vigilance was needed!

"The Dao is endless."

Through Dao Qiongcang, Yuegong Li had another profound and perhaps absurd realization: that one learns until old age.

He used to be very unwilling to admit that his intelligence was 'greatly' inferior to Dao Qiongcang's – 'greatly' being the key.

After returning home this time, he corrected his mindset.

Inferior means inferior.

Those who refused to admit it ended up dead or crippled. He just needed to surpass him in other aspects.

For instance, he was the Holy Emperor's successor, which Dao Qiongcang could never be, so he would always have far more resources to utilize.

Using strengths to counter weaknesses, perhaps one could then stand somewhat on par with him.

To strike a stone with an egg would be nothing short of seeking death!

"My sister later told me that the first time I played with him was the beginning of me becoming 'stinky' too." Yuegong Li muttered, looking at the mirror.

Ah Si also looked at the mirror: "So, Master Shou..."

"Yes, they're birds of a feather. He's also become 'stinky,' very, very 'stinky'!" Yuegong Li looked at Xu Xiaoshou in the mirror with disdain:

"He used to have some principles, so he was naturally still manageable."

"After returning from the God's Vestige, he completely let himself go, using every conceivable extreme."